LOS ANGELES (www.familypicnictour.com) - For just the price of a movie ticket, hard rock music fans can instead enjoy a full-blown concert experience this summer when the first FAMILY PICNIC TOUR rolls into outdoor venues in seven cities starting August 7 in Denver, CO. A $10 ticket will admit concertgoers to a power-packed show with Static-X,
Trust Company, SOiL, Lo-Pro and Arithmetic of War. Fans can expect local acts to kick off every show, as chosen by the sponsoring radio station. All shows are general admission (yes, all tickets for the entire venue--pavilion and lawns) and there will be free entry for ladies who arrive early.
An offshoot of the successful THE Family Values Tour outings, the FAMILY PICNIC TOUR was conceived by The Firm and CCE as a price-conscious alternative to other summer tours and they are teaming with sponsors Fuse and Virgin Colas to present the dates.
The tour has partnered with Fuse - the nation's only all-music, viewer-influenced television network - to help promote this year's trek. Fuse, now available in more than 37 million households, has signed on as the exclusive media partner and presenter. Fuse will support the tour with on-air and on-line programming tie-ins featuring tour promotional spots and tour date announcements.
The opening groups and start times will be chosen by the sponsoring radio station--see full list below--and will vary market to market. These stations will be hosting a "Backstage Picnic," whereby contest winners will attend a pre-concert BBQ with all the bands.
"We found there aren't generally a lot of opportunities available for good mid-level acts," says The Firm's Gayle Boulware. "It was important that we create a package that is a great value. Now, for the price of a movie ticket, we're able to offer fans the chance to go to a concert with all their friends and have a fantastic time seeing a variety of bands."
"I'm glad to be able to put together a tour that provides fun, good music and value," noted Bruce Kapp, Senior Vice President of Touring, Clear Channel Entertainment-Music. "Summer concerts are all about experiencing music, and the Family Picnic will be a chance for new fans and bands to get to know each other."
The Family Picnic Tour is a spin-off of the successful THE Family Values Tour franchise. The first THE FAMILY VALUES TOUR launched September 22, 1998 with a bill headlined by Korn and with performances from Rammstein, Ice Cube, Limp Bizkit and Orgy. 1999's line-up featured headliners Limp Bizkit, along with Filter, The Crystal Method, Primus, Staind, Mobb Deep, Ja Rule, and Method Man & Redman. Korn also made surprise appearances at a few dates. Beyond the live touring aspect, the debut outing of The Family Values Tour spawned a gold-certified live album and platinum-certified companion home video. This was followed in spring 2000 with the second live disc and long-form home video. The 2002 trek featured Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park, Staind, Static-X and Deadsy. In 1998, the Los Angeles Times noted that the tour "certainly proved to be one of the rock spectacles of the year," while the New York Daily News said it "created a bold new profile for hard guitar bands."
The FAMILY PICNIC TOUR bands are:
Static-X
Los Angeles-based Static-X is equal parts heavy metal and industrial thunder with hook-laden songs. They scrap the senses with the untempered energy of digital screams and mosh pit mayhem. Beneath, Between, Beyond--a collection of the band's rarities--will be released July 20.
Trust Company
Lynyrd Skynyrd they're not...Alabama's Trust Company meshes melody with hard-hitting vocals and crippling riffs to catch you by your metal roots. Their second CD True Parallels, is due out later this year. Fans at the Family Picnic tour will be the first in the world to hear their new material. This ain't your mama's southern rock.
SOiL
SOiL is a hard and heavy rock band from Chicago with melodic sensibilities that make you want to stand up and shout along. Their intense music brings the power of Metallica combined with the heart and passion of Alice in Chains.
Lo-Pro
Lo-Pro's melodic and memorable guitar work and subtle atmospherics draw your mind's eye to a distant horizon line. The powerful drums cut up that distance with an easy grace. And Pete Murray's rich vocals achieve lift-off on the chorus of every song.
Arithmetic Of War
Arithmetic Of War are a brand new LA four-piece who've made an immediate impact with their hard-to-pin-down, mongrel melodic prog-core. Irreverently blending diverse influences from System of a Down and Tool to the Police, the Cure and early Rush, Arithmetic Of War "slams the blackest sludge while balancing the doom with ultramodern dissonant touches and between-the-cracks vocal melodicism," in the words of LA Weekly.
The FAMILY PICNIC TOUR dates are as follows. For up to date information, visit the website (www.familypicnictour.com).
Sat, Aug 7 Denver, CO Universal Lending Pavilion KBPI
Fri, Aug 13 Cleveland, OH Tower City Amp WXTM
Sat, Aug 14 Columbus, OH Germain Amp WBZX
Sun, Aug 15 Chicago, IL Tweeter Center WZZN
Wed, Aug 18 Baltimore, MD Pier 6 WIYY
Fri, Aug 20 Hartford, CT Meadows Music Theatre WCCC
Fri, Aug 27 Seattle, WA White River Amp KISW
