Taste of Chicago released the headliners for their five day festival in Grant Park July 9-13. Tickets for reserved seats go on sale May 22. Here’s the complete list of headliners…
July 9: AWOLNATION with Valory
July 10: Janelle Monae with Gary Clark Jr.
July 11: Nickel Creek, Emmylou Harris, Parker Millsap
July 12: Jeff Tweedy with more artists TBA
July 13: Aloe Blacc with the Wailers
For more information on Taste of Chicago 2014 and ticket info, go to tasteofchicago.us
It’s that time of year again! 2012 is about to wrap up and that means it’s time to take a look back at this past year in rock music. With so many great songs, albums, tours, and bands, it’s hard for us here at FM89 to choose which ones are the best, that’s why we’ve handed off the responsibility to you, the fans! We have four categories, with three nominees in each category. So let’s get it started!
___________________________
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
VOLBEAT: This Danish band really made their statement in 2012, coming from out of nowhere to chart three top 10 and two #1 singles (“A Warrior’s Call” and “Still Counting”) as well as peaking at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart with their latest album “Beyond Hell/Above Heaven”. Their current single “Heaven Nor Hell” is climbing the charts as we speak.
OTHERWISE: It’s tough to come out of the bright lights of Las Vegas and make it with rock music in Sin City, but that’s just what this band did. Breaking on to the airwaves earlier in the year with their single “Soldiers”, they immediately gained attention from rock fans all over the U.S. They played many major festivals over the summer (including Rock on the Range and the Rock Vegas Fest) and are currently impacting rock radio again with their 2nd single “I Don’t Apologize” from their 2012 album “True Love Never Dies”.
AWOLNATION: Alternative rock has never, and probably will never see another band like this five piece from Los Angeles. This mix of electronic and pure rock sound is enough to get anyone who hears them to bob their head. Originally released in 2011, their first two singles “Sail” and “Not Your Fault” picked up major steam in the early part of 2012 and soon any rock fan could recognize either song. Throw in their 3rd single “Kill Your Heroes” and you have the total package.
___________________________
TOUR OF THE YEAR
ROCKSTAR UPROAR FESTIVAL (Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, Adelitas Way, & more): The 3rd annual nationwide tour did it again this year, rocking fans from coast to coast. The tour could have sunk after Papa Roach had to pull out due to Jacoby Shaddox’s throat surgery, but instead Jon Oakes and everyone involved turned it into a positive by using it as an opportunity to give the remaining bands longer set times. This truly was an amazing tour and one those who attended won’t forget for a long time.
CARNIVAL OF MADNESS (Evanescence, Chevelle, Halestorm, Cavo, & New Medicine): Also the 3rd run through with this tour, this lineup proved too irresistible for any rock fan. Despite the monsoon in Chicago, this tour went off without a hitch. Also making a statement for female fronted bands everywhere, Amy Lee of Evanescence and Lizzy Hale from Halestorm proved that women definitely deserve the opportunity to headline and be a major part of even the largest tours/festivals.
HONDA CIVIC TOUR (Linkin Park, Incubus, and Mutemath): It was only a matter of time before Grammy Award Winning/Platinum recording rock icons Linkin Park took back to the road in support of their latest album “Living Things”. This would have been sufficient in of itself, but to add another meteoric band in Incubus, this tour was a “can’t miss”. Both bands played lengthy sets and both bands wowed the fans with sets that included a lot of classic tunes and only a handful of new ones.
___________________________
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“TRANSIT OF VENUS” THREE DAYS GRACE: Adam Gontier and the boys from Ontario definitely impressed with their fourth studio album. It all started in July when the lead single “Chalk Outline” was released and spent 10 weeks at #1 on the rock charts. The album itself dropped October 2nd and debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 200 and #1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Albums charts.
“HATS OFF TO THE BULL” CHEVELLE: The local Chicago guys sixth studio effort was much anticipated and lived up to the billing. The first two singles (“Face to the Floor” and “Hats Off to the Bull”) both reached #1 on the rock charts and spent multiple weeks there. The current single “Same Old Trip” is on the way up the charts as well.
“UNO! DOS! TRE!” GREEN DAY: The hard rock veterans took a unique route in what combines to be the bands ninth release in the studio. Three separate albums in less than four months is reason enough to put the band on this list, but add in a #1 (“Oh! Love”) and another top 15 (“Let Yourself Go”) single from the first album alone, along with a single from the second (“Stray Hearts”) that’s climbing it’s way into the top 40 alternative and hard rock charts already, and you have the recipe for a masterpiece. Or in this case, series of masterpieces.
___________________________
BAND OF THE YEAR
SHINEDOWN
– Headlined Avanlanche Tour, Rockstar Uproar Festival, and Co-Headlined Rock on the Range (with Incubus)
– Released “Amaryllis” March 27th, debuted at #4 on Billboard Hot 200 and #1 on Billboard Rock Albums
– Two #1 singles (“Bully” and “Unity”), “Enemies” is on it’s way up the charts.
LINKIN PARK
– Headlined Honda Civic Tour
– Released “Living Things” June 20th, debuted at #1 on Billboard Hot 200, Alternative, and Rock Albums
– “Burn It Down” was a #1 single in both Alternative and Hard Rock charts, “Lost in the Echo” is climbing both charts.
SOUNDGARDEN
– Reunited to release their first album in 16 years, “King Animal”, November 13th. Debuted at #5 on Billboard Hot 200
– New single “Live to Rise” was featured on the “Avengers Assemble” soundtrack and reached #1 on the rock charts. “Been Away Too Long”, the first single from “King Animal”, is climbing into the top 3.
The line up for Riot Fest 2012 was released Tuesday with hometown boys Rise Against and fan favorites The Offspring topping the bill. This year’s line up is extremely impressive with additions of Iggy & The Stooges, Elvis Costello, A Day to Remember, Coheed & Cambria, Dropkick Murphy’s, Gaslight Anthem, Alkaline Trio, Awolnation and many more.
The eighth annual festival kicks off Friday night September 14th inside the Congress Theatre and continues all day Saturday and Sunday September 15th & 16th outdoors at Humboldt Park in Chicago.
2-day passes are on sale right now for $36 a piece but will continue to rise (just like Lollapalooza) as we get closer to the festival. For more information, go to http://www.riotfest.com/Chicago.
Pure Rock FM89 / WONC-FM 