Tag Archives: SMG

Tickets for Trevor Noah’s May 8th GR show go on sale Friday, Nov. 8

Trevor Noah (courtesy SMG)

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Trevor Noah is traveling the globe and expanding his Loud & Clear Tour to 2020 due to popular demand! With over 75 sold-out North American shows this year, including his sold-out show at Madison Square Garden with an expected 14,000 in attendance, Trevor is bringing his wildly successful tour to new cities, including Grand Rapids on Friday, May 8, 2020, at 8pm at Van Andel Arena.


The 2020 shows kick off January 10th in Buffalo New York, and will now visit arenas across the U.S., Europe, Ireland, Germany, India, and many more. With already one sold out show at the iconic O2 Arena in London selling over 15,000 tickets, this announcement includes a newly added second show on April 3rd.


The Emmy-winning The Daily Show host and celebrated comedian is known around the world for his insightful and authentic take on politics and current events. Trevor has written, produced, and starred in 8 comedy specials, most recently including Son of Patricia on Netflix.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 8 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.






Gaffigan tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 25

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first-ever, community-wide festival of laughter, and Outback Presents announced that Jim Gaffigan will bring his The Pale Tourist tour to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. Gaffigan will open the 10th year of Gilda’s LaughFest on Thursday, March 5, 2020, at 8pm.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 25 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability.


Gaffigan is the first headliner to be announced for the 2020 festival. Tickets for The Pale Tourist will be included in LaughFest ticket packages, which go on sale after LaughFest releases its full lineup on Tuesday, Nov. 19.


The Pale Tourist marks the third appearance for Gaffigan at LaughFest. Both of his previous performances sold out.


One of the nation’s top touring comedians, Gaffigan has proven himself as a major talent beloved to a wide range of audiences while achieving accolades and awards for his stand-up comedy, acting, and writing. He has had an unprecedented number of appearances on late night television and has earned nominations for both a Broadband Emmy and a Webby Award for his writing and voice work on the animated series Pale Force for Conan.


In recent years, Gaffigan has also become a mainstay on the big screen with roles in Going the Distance, Away We Go, and It’s Kind of a Funny Story. He appeared alongside Jennifer Connolly, Ed Harris, Pierce Bronson and Greg Kinnear in Salvation Boulevard, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. Further broadening his career, Gaffigan starred in the Broadway production, That Championship Season.


More information about Gilda’s LaughFest and ticket packages is available at laughfestgr.org, or by calling 616-735-HAHA (4242).

About Gilda’s Club

Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is a free emotional health support community of children, adults, families and friends on any kind of cancer journey or those grieving a death due to any cause. Its comprehensive program, delivered by professionals, includes education, structured sharing times, networking, lectures, workshops and social activities. Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids is one of the largest and busiest of the 42 affiliates in North America. The organization runs entirely on charitable donations and currently serves more than 10,000 individuals each year at its clubhouses in Grand Rapids and Lowell, Mich., in various schools and community centers. For more information, visit gildasclubgr.org.

About Gildas LaughFest

Gilda’s LaughFest, the nation’s first-ever community-wide festival of laughter, has quickly earned a reputation for being one of the nation’s marquee events for both participants and artists. This major 10- day Midwest festival is based in Grand Rapids and includes events throughout West Michigan. Created by Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids and launched in March 2011 to celebrate laughter for the health of it, the festival features stand-up, improv, showcases, and a variety of seriously funny stuff.




Presale Tickets for Alice Cooper’s April 3, 2020, concert available online Oct. 17, 10am-10pm

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Following on his just-concluded, wildly successful UK arena tour, Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper has just announced his Spring 2020 tour plans. He will extend the Ol’ Black Eyes Is Back show, which debuted in Summer 2019 to the delight of fans, into the new year, including a stop in Grand Rapids on Friday, April 3, 2020, at 8pm in DeVos Performance Hall. The tour will feature special guest Lita Ford.


Presale Alice Cooper tickets available online only Thursday, Oct. 17 from 10am-10pm while supplies last. Presale Password: ROCK. GO HERE TO PURCHASE.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 18 at 10am, and will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices as well as online via Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.


In other Alice Cooper news, the artist released his The Breadcrumbs EP, a tribute to some of the garage rock heroes from his hometown Detroit, on Sept. 13 via earMUSIC. Inspired by the city’s punk scene in the late ’60s and early ’70s, the Detroit-born icon returned to his roots and the raw garage sound his fans love. The Bob Ezrin-produced EP consists of six brand-new recordings, featuring legendary Detroit musicians, including Johnny “Bee” Badanjek from the Detroit Wheels, Grand Funk’s Mark Farner, and MC5’s Wayne Kramer. It was recorded at Rust Belt Studios in Detroit. The opener Detroit City 2020 is an updated rewrite of Detroit City from 2003’s The Eyes of Alice Cooper and it sets the tone for the EP. Along with Cooper’s own take on Detroit rock classics such as Suzi Quatro’s Your Mama Won’t Like Me, Bob Seger’s East Side Story, the MC5’s Sister Anne, and Shorty Long’s Devil With a Blue Dress On, as well as The Dirtbombs’s Chains of Love, the EP also features the brand-new Alice Cooper original Go Man Go.


Check out Detroit City 2020 here. Check out East Side Story, which premiered at Billboard with an exclusive interview, here.





Bassnectar to play Van Andel Arena Nov. 1-2; tickets go on sale Sept. 6

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG 


Bassnectar is bringing Freakstyle 2019 Day of the Dead Dark Parties to SMG-managed Van Andel Arena for two unique sets in the dark Nov. 1-2, 2019, at 7pm. Friday, Nov. 1 will also feature Kursa, Stylust, and SuperDre, and Saturday, Nov. 2 will feature J:Kenzo, Aztek, and Distinct Motive.


Two-day passes will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Sept. 6 at 12pm.


Passes are general admission and will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices as well as online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability.


In keeping with the traditions of this special Mexican Holiday, Bassnectar will be setting up a Remembrance Altar, to honor those lost but still cherished in our hearts — in doing this one can sense an even deeper respect for life, and for all the radiant beauty of the present moment.


Aaaaaaannnnnnnd: party-goers are encouraged to paint their faces — feel free to share inspiration with one another, and for those who don’t arrive in face paint, the Bass Network will set up face-painting stations!


Get ready for the unexpected, the strange, and downright weird… freestyle, darkstyle, wildstyle, FREAKSTYLE!!!


This is an 18+ event

About Bassnectar

By combining sound and force with weight, the Bassnectar experience engulfs the senses. The experience of Bassnectar is more visceral than auditory, as the music sets any stage for an adventure without rules or limitations. On Bassnectar’s stage, there is no hesitation in fusing the familiar with the strange or the classic with the cutting edge.


Bassnectar is the brainchild of Lorin Ashton, and his open-sourced musical project is as diverse as it is imaginary, as raw as it is meticulous, and as fierce as it is stunning. Spanning the spectrum of sonic style, the music draws inspiration from every genre imaginable and supplies a synthesis of intense, wobbling basslines and hypnotic soundscapes for a devout international audience that desires the beautiful and the bestial in the same breath.






Tickets on sale now for April 5, 2020, ‘The Bachelor Live On Stage’ at DeVos Hall

For the first time in Grand Rapids, Bachelor fans become part of the search for love.

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


The most successful romance reality series in the history of television is coming to Grand Rapids to help you find love. The Bachelor Live on Stage official tour will be at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall on Sunday, April 5, 2020, at 6pm.


The tour is the latest extension of the hit Bachelor franchise, which already includes The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise spin-offs, all produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. The Bachelor television series, heading into its 24th season on ABC, airs in 31 countries around the world.

Hosted by The Bachelor fan favorite Ben Higgins, The Bachelor Live on Stage fits an entire season of Bachelor drama into one evening, giving members of the audience the opportunity to find love in their own community, complete with a rose ceremony.


“I am so pumped to host the Bachelor live tour,” said host Ben Higgins. “Bachelor Nation, or maybe I should say the whole Bachelor family, has brought me a ton of joy over the years.”


Tickets are on sale now! Tickets are available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability.


Each stage show will introduce an eligible hometown bachelor to local ladies from the audience searching for a chance at love. And, for the first time ever, Bachelor Nation will have a say in the rose ceremony. Along with the audience, Ben will guide the bachelor in his journey to find love, from the first impression rose to group date challenges and the coveted one-on-ones. Watch it all unfold live on stage. If the leading lady accepts the final rose, the night could end with the start of a beautiful romance. The Bachelor Live on Stage has something for everyone, whether you’re looking to find love or just want to enjoy the drama of the evening.


For more information on The Bachelor Live on Stage, please go here.


Follow The Bachelor Live on Stage (#BachelorLiveOnStage, #BachelorLive, #BachelorOnStage) on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.





Tickets for Oct. 30th concert, ‘Rumours of Fleetwood Mac’, go on sale July 12th

Courtesy Rumours of Fleetwood Mac

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Tribute band Rumours of Fleetwood Mac returns to North America in October and November 2019 to perform its ‘50th Anniversary Tour’ and will make a stop in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, at 8pm in SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall.


Channeling the spirit of Fleetwood Mac at their very best, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac offers a unique opportunity for fans, both old and new, to rediscover the songs and performances that have guaranteed Fleetwood Mac’s place as one of the most loved groups of all time. Personally endorsed by Fleetwood Mac founding member, Mick Fleetwood, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac is the ultimate tribute to one of rock and roll’s most remarkable groups.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, July 12 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability.


If you wish to find out more about Rumours Of Fleetwood Mac please visit these links: rumoursoffleetwoodmac.com/, facebook.com/rofmofficial/, and twitter.com/rumoursfm.



Tickets for Oct. 1 Shinedown concert at Van Andel Arena go on sale Friday, May 17

Photo credit: Sanjay Parikh

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Multi-platinum rock band Shinedown has announced new fall tour dates on their 2019 Attention Attention World Tour, produced by Frank Productions, with a stop in Grand Rapids at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, at 6:15pm. Shinedown has been selling out arenas and receiving rave reviews during their tour, backed by their biggest, most eye-popping production yet.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, May 17 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. For all current pricing and availability, visit Ticketmaster.com.


Shinedown’s chart-topping album Attention Attention, out now via Atlantic Records, simultaneously hit #1 on Billboard’s Alternative, Top Rock and Hard Rock Albums Charts, debuted Top 5 on the Billboard 200 and spawned current Top 10 Active Rock hit Monsters, #1 Active Rock hit Devil, and the rousing track The Human Radio, in addition to Get Up.



Jonas Brothers announce Sept. 8 concert at Van Andel Arena

Photo supplied

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


After building overwhelming anticipation, GRAMMY®-nominated multi-platinum powerhouse trio—Jonas Brothers—announce the details for their 40-city Happiness Begins Tour this summer and fall with special guests Bebe Rexha and Jordan McGraw. The announcement coincides with the launch of the pre-order for the band’s highly anticipated comeback album Happiness Begins, as well as the launch of their official merch store online.


Pre-order Happiness Begins (Republic Records) HERE. For exclusive items from the newly launched official merchandise store visit HERE.


Produced by Live Nation, the Happiness Begins Tour presented by American Airlines and Mastercard kicks off Aug. 7th in Miami, FL before making a stop in Grand Rapids at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, at 7:30pm. This marks the first headline tour for the Jonas Brothers in almost a decade.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, May 10 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.


The Jonas Brothers have also partnered with Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform to ensure tickets get in to the hands of their fans, not scalpers or bots. Fans can register now through Monday, May 6th at 10pm ET HERE for the Verified Fan presale. Registered fans who receive a code will have access to purchase tickets before the general public from Wednesday, May 8th at 10am local time through Thursday, May 9th at 10pm local time.


Additionally, TIDAL subscribers will also have access to an exclusive presale beginning Thursday, May 9th at 10am local time through 10pm local time. TIDAL members can find details for purchasing tickets on TIDAL.com/JonasBrothers or via the TIDAL mobile, web and desktop apps. 


Jonas Brothers VIP packages will be available and sold exclusively through HOST VIP. VIP package details will be announced on Friday, May 3rd prior to all ticketing pre-sales. VIP packages will be available for purchase on May 10th. A limited number of LaneOne Premium Packages will also be available, including amazing seats in first 5 rows, GA First On Floor, B-Stage VIP Bar area, transportation, preferred entrance and more. Check LaneOnefor details.


The Happiness Begins pre-order will include instant gratification downloads of the band’s hit singles Sucker and Cool, produced by GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter, producer, and lead singer of the multi-platinum band One Republic, Ryan Tedder. The third instant gratification titled Only Human, produced by GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Shellback, will follow. Not only will this be the group’s first album since 2009, but it stands out as one of 2019’s most anticipated records.


These announcements set the stage for the boys to light up the Billboard Music Awards tonight with what promises to be a blockbuster performance. The band is expected to perform their first #1 hit at Top 40 radio Sucker, which has just clenched its second consecutive week at #1. Be sure to tune in to NBC at 8pm ET. Next up, you can catch them on Saturday Night Live on May 11.


Eric Church announces two shows at Van Andel Arena Oct. 4-5

Photo supplied

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


After a rousing start to his Double Down Tour, Eric Church spoke directly to his faithful Church Choir in a video message, announcing additional shows to extend his 2019 trek into the fall. In addition to the previously announced shows hitting more than 25 cities, Church has now added three more dates, including a stop in Grand Rapids at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-5, 2019 at 8pm.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, May 3 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of six (6) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all current pricing and availability. *This show will utilize mobile tickets only. All box office purchases will be kept in will call until 2pm on the day of the show.


A pit ticket pre-sale begins on Tuesday, April 30 at 9:30am through the Eric Church Official App with a pre-sale for paid fan club members also running on April 30 from 10am through 10pm.


On March 14, the ACM Album of the Year nominee told his fans “I don’t want to be two months from the end of this thing — so we’re going to play a little more . . . I can’t thank you enough for what this is and what I’m seeing every night. I appreciate everyone giving me everything they’ve got, and I look forward to seeing you on the road!”


Church has set a new standard for touring with his back-to-back stands in each city of the Double Down Tour, with Rolling Stone pointing out each night’s unique “set list that dwarfs those of his country peers . . . where loose, funky explorations [are] given just as much space as the singer’s radio hits” and the Kansas City Star noting that the concept works “to showcase Church’s expansive range.” The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also praised the structure of the tour, proclaiming “it was perfection. And then, after two hours and 45 minutes of music, it was over. Until the next night


Church has also made a point to surprise unsuspecting fans with tickets to the pit encapsulated by the stage itself at various shows, handing out passes on the streets of Boston and in the top rows of the arena in Minneapolis. For a tour that has thrilled fans at every unpredictable turn thus far, the added shows are sure to bring even more excitement


About Eric Church


The three-time Country Music Association and six-time Academy of Country Music Award winner released his highly-anticipated album Desperate Man atop the Billboard Country Albums chart on Oct. 5. The album also debuted at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Rolling Stone describes the album as “classic Church: expertly crafted and country-radio-friendly, while also pushing boundaries in a way that sounds natural and unforced” and American Songwriter notes that it “sublimates the pain of a tumultuous year into his most adventuresome album yet.”



Get tickets now for The Avett Brothers’ Sept. 6 show at Van Andel Arena

Photo supplied

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Tickets are available at the Van Andel Arena® and DeVos Place® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets applies to every order.


The Avett Brothers made mainstream waves with their 2009 major label debut, I and Love and You, landing at #16 on the Billboard Top 200 and garnering critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, Paste, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Time. In 2012,The Carpenter hit #4 on the Billboard Top 200, while People, USA Today, and American Songwriter lauded the album.


The group appeared on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! twice in a few months’ time. During their second performance, the Brooklyn Philharmonic joined to pay homage to Brooklyn with I and Love and You at Mr. Kimmel’s request. Their eighth studio album, Magpie and the Dandelion, debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200. They performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, and accompanied Chris Cornell for a Pearl Jam tribute on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The band supported The Rolling Stones in Raleigh during 2015’s Zip Code Tour.


True Sadness achieved The Avett Brothers’ highest career debut to date and dominated multiple charts. The Rick Rubin-produced album hit #1 on Billboard’s Top Albums Chart, #1 Top Rock Albums Chart, #1 Digital Albums Chart, #3 on the Billboard Top 200 and scored two Grammy nominations.


The Avett Brothers were inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2018, HBO premiered May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers, a documentary co-directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio. Days after this debut, True Sadness launched to #3 on the iTunes Album Chart and #1 on the Rock Albums chart. The Avett Brothers debuted a new song, Roses and Sacrifice, live on Late Night with Seth Meyers in October 2018. The song was released in November 2018, with Rolling Stone calling it a “joyous sing-along.”


Also in November 2018, the band headlined the Concert for Hurricane Florence Relief in Greenville, North Carolina, raising $325,000 to help those affected by Hurricane Florence. The Avett Brothers continue to be revered as one of the top folk-rock acts in the country.

Tickets go on sale April 19 for Eric Roberson’s May 25th concert at DeVos Performance Hall

Eric Roberson, with special guest Jordan Hamilton, comes to DeVos Performance Hall on May 25, the third and final event of The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall, DeVos Place®, and the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) Community Inclusion Group (CIG) have announced Eric Roberson with special guest Jordan Hamilton as the third and final event of The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture on Saturday, May 25, 2019, at 8pm in SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 19 at 11am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

GRAMMY Award-nominee, singer, songwriter, and producer Eric Roberson continues to break boundaries as an independent artist in an industry dominated by major labels, manufactured sounds and mainstream radio. Described as the original pioneer of the independent movement in R&B/soul music, Roberson has achieved major milestones in his career, from being a successful songwriter and producer for notable artist such as Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Dwele, Vivian Green and countless others, as well as headlining sold out tours across the country.


This Rahway, NJ and Howard University alum became the first independent artist to be nominated for a BET Award in 2007 and was the recipient of the “Underground Artist of the Year” BETJ Virtual Award, with Rahsaan Patterson in 2008. In addition, Roberson was nominated in both 2010 and 2011 for a GRAMMY award in the “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” category and continues to blaze trails unheard of as an independent artist. In 2011, his studio album, Mister Nice Guy, debuted in the top 5 on the iTunes R&B/Soul charts and his 10th studio album, The Box, was released in 2014.


Roberson’s latest project is a three-album compilation, Earth, Wind, and Fire. The inspiration behind the album titles definitely pays homage to the iconic group, but Roberson also wanted to use music to voice some of today’s topical issues and in his special way, include personal influences into these albums.


“Earth is self-empowering, Wind is the love and Fire is the message,” says Roberson.


Jordan Hamilton, cellist of Last Gasp Collective and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, merges songwriting, loop pedals, sample machines, and vocals to create a sonic landscape of experimental hip-hop, folk, soul, and classical music. The Western Michigan University graduate aims to find new ways for the cello, a traditional instrument, to relate to a modern audience where it can be found playing the music of Bach, the Beatles, or Chance the Rapper. Filled with an eclectic range of songs, Jordan’s set is sure to capture the heart and mind while reflecting on new horizons.


The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture is a program of the CAA and CIG designed to provide consistent, high-quality programming for members of the West Michigan region who have an interest in the various forms of arts and entertainment inspired by African-American culture.

Tickets for Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss go on sale April 19

Photo supplied

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Country music legend Willie Nelson and 27-time-winning Grammy sensation Alison Krauss are headed to Grand Rapids to play SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Friday, Aug. 9 at 7:30pm. Get tickets to this exciting live concert starting Friday, April 19 at 11am at the DeVos Place & Van Andel Arena Box Offices and Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.


Willie Nelson is one of the most successful country music singer-songwriters in history, releasing 68 studio albums and 10 live albums. In 1973, he signed to Atlantic Records and put out Shotgun Willie, which veered into outlaw country, a stark contrast from the mainstream Nashville sound and clean-cut country artists of the era. 1975’s Red Headed Stranger and 1978’s Stardust followed on Columbia Records, both garnering commercial and critical success.


The ’80s saw the release of No. 1 albums Honeysuckle Rose, Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Always on My Mind, and The Promiseland, as well as Nelson joining Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson in the country supergroup The Highwaymen, touring and releasing three studio albums between 1985 and 1995. Nelson continues to release a new album almost every year and delight ticket buyers in live shows to this day.


Alison Krauss is largely responsible for keeping bluegrass music alive and well in the U.S., and she’s got the awards to prove it. The singer-songwriter has received 27 Grammy Awards, making her the most awarded female artist in all of Grammy history — not too shabby for 47 short years. Krauss is a nationwide favorite in concert and has been performing onstage since the early 90s and selling out tours across North America since the early 2000s. She loves taking the stage just as much as recording in the studio, and ticket holders get to hear her soulful, soothing soprano up close, in addition to seeing her expertly play the fiddle, piano and mandolin.

Tickets for ‘Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars’ tour go on sale April 12

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG


Tickets for the Sept. 19th Miranda Lambert’s ‘Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars’ tour (with very special guests Elle King, Pistol Annies, and Caylee Hammack) go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 12 at 10am.


Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena® and DeVos Place® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of six (6) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

  • What: Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars tour (Miranda Lambert with very special guests Elle King, Pistol Annies, and Caylee Hammack)
  • When: Sept. 19 at 7pm
  • Where: Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI

Tickets for Oct. 8 Black Keys concert go on sale March 22

Photo credit: Alysse
Gafkjen

By Mike Klompstra, SMG


The Black Keys have confirmed their extensive, thirty-one-date arena tour of North America — and the “Let’s Rock” Tour will hit Grand Rapids at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019, at 7pm. Special guests Modest Mouse will provide support on all dates, and Jessy Wilson will also open the Grand Rapids show.


Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, March 22 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.


Citi is the official presale credit card of The Black Keys — “Let’s Rock” Tour. As such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets beginning Tuesday, March 19 at 11am local time until Thursday, March 21 at 10pm local time through Citi’s Private Pass program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com/.


Fans on Van Andel Arena’s email list will also have access to a presale beginning Thursday, March 21. To gain access, sign up to the arena’s email list here by Wednesday, March 20 at 3pm local time.


Formed in Akron, Ohio in 2001, The Black Keys have released eight studio albums: their debut The Big Come Up (2002), followed by Thickfreakness (2003) and Rubber Factory (2004), along with their releases on Nonesuch Records, Magic Potion (2006), Attack & Release (2008), Brothers (2010), El Camino (2011), and, most recently, Turn Blue (2014). The band has won six Grammy Awards and headlined festivals including Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Governors Ball.

Country superstar Alan Jackson coming to Van Andel Arena Feb. 23

By Mike Klompstra, SMG


Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson will bring a night of hits to Michigan with a concert at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at 7:30pm.


Tickets and information are available at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices or by visiting alanjackson.com/tour, where you can find information about Alan, his tour schedule, music and more. 


Alan Jackson’s concerts find the country icon performing hits that have gained him legions of longtime fans, songs that continue to draw new crowds as a younger generation discovers his music. Jackson’s repertoire stands the test of time; it has impacted a field of artists who cite Jackson as an influence. It’s these same songs – many written by Alan – that earned him his place alongside country music’s greatest names and cemented his place in its history with membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame.


Recently inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Jackson’s membership among music’s all-time greats is part of a long line of career-defining accolades that include three CMA Entertainer of the Year honors, more than 25 years of membership in the Grand Ole Opry, a 2016 Billboard ranking as one of the Top 10 Country Artists of All-Time, induction to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Heritage Award as the most-performed country songwriter-artist of ASCAP’s first 100 years.


The man from rural Newnan, GA has sold nearly 60-million albums worldwide, ranks as one of the 10 best-selling male vocalists of all-time in all genres. He has released more than 60 singles – registering 50 Top Ten hits and 35 #1s (including 26 Billboard chart-toppers). He has earned more than 150 music industry awards – including 18 Academy of Country Music Awards, 16 Country Music Association Awards, a pair of Grammys and ASCAP’s Founders and Golden Note Awards. Jackson is one of the most successful and respected singer-songwriters in music. 


He is in the elite company of Paul McCartney and John Lennon among songwriters who’ve written more than 20 songs that they’ve recorded and taken to the top of the charts. Jackson is one of the best-selling artists since the inception of SoundScan, ranking alongside the likes of Eminem and Metallica. He’s also the man behind one of Nashville’s most-popular new tourist stops, AJ’s Good Time Bar, a four-story honky-tonk in the heart of downtown (along a stretch of Broadway known as the “Honky Tonk Highway”) featuring daily live music and a rooftop view of Music City.

Tickets for Aziz Ansari’s April 26th performance at DeVos Hall go on sale Nov. 30

Aziz Ansari (photo supplied)

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

 

Comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director Aziz Ansari is bringing his “Road to Nowhere” Tour to Grand Rapids! The MASTER OF NONE star will take the stage at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall on Friday, April 26, 2019, at 7:30pm*.

 

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 30 at 12pm. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of four (4) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

 

Fans who register as a Ticketmaster Verified Fan by Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 10pm will receive a personal presale code to gain presale access to tickets with a 10% discount on Friday, Nov. 30 at 10am.

 

*No late seating. No cellphones, cameras or recording devices will be allowed at this show. Upon arrival, all phones and smart watches will be secured in Yondr pouches that will be unlocked at the end of the show. Guests maintain possession of their phones throughout the night, and if needed, may access their phones at designated Yondr unlocking stations in the lobby. All guests are encouraged to print their tickets in advance to ensure a smooth entry process. Anyone caught with a cellphone in the venue will be immediately ejected. We appreciate your cooperation in creating a phone-free viewing experience.

 

Oh Brudder Productions own all rights in the content and materials delivered during his performance (the “Materials”). Any use of the Materials without the express prior written consent of Oh Brudder Productions is strictly prohibited and is punishable to the full extent of the law.

 

About Aziz Ansari

 

Aziz Ansari is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer and director. Ansari stars in his Emmy Award-winning Netflix hit MASTER OF NONE, which he also writes and directs. Among several other awards and nominations, the show has earned him a 2017 Golden Globe Award for “Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy” as well as nominations for “Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy” in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, Ansari was honored with the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award of Excellence in Comedy, a SAG nomination for “Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series,” and the WGAW Evan Somers Award for outstanding writing featuring characters with disabilities, for the MASTER OF NONE episode “New York, I Love You.”

 

In 2015, Aziz became one of the only headlining comedians ever to sell out Madison Square Garden in New York. His two sold-out performances at the legendary arena were filmed for his fourth comedy special, AZIZ ANSARI: LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, which was released on Netflix in March 2015. In 2013, his hour-long stand-up special BURIED ALIVE premiered on Netflix to rave reviews. Aziz’s other comedy specials include DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS and INTIMATE MOMENTS FOR A SENSUAL EVENING. He continues to perform stand-up for tens of thousands of people all around the world.

 

Aziz co-starred opposite Amy Poehler in the beloved NBC series Parks and Recreation for the show’s entire seven season run. Aziz’s portrayal of government employee ‘Tom Haverford’ earned him critical praise as one of the show’s breakout stars and garnered him nominations for an American Comedy Award for “Best Comedy Supporting Actor – TV” and a NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series” in 2014.

 

Aziz has also appeared on the big screen in THIS IS THE END, FUNNY PEOPLE, 30 MINUTES OR LESS, GET HIM TO THE GREEK, I LOVE YOU, MAN, and OBSERVE AND REPORT, and lent his voice to animated projects in both film and television; the FOX animated series BOB’S BURGERS as ‘Deryl’ and in Twentieth Century Fox’s animated features EPIC and ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, which grossed $268 million and $877 million worldwide, respectively.

 

For his career in comedy, Aziz received VARIETY’s “Power of Comedy” Award in 2014. Aziz got his start in entertainment performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and with the sketch comedy group HUMAN GIANT.

Get your tickets now for Comedian Mike Epps at the Van Andel Arena on April 20

By Hilarie Szarowicz, SMG

 

Mike Epps is generating an extraordinary amount of buzz among his peers for being not only one of the funniest comic actors in town, but also for his burgeoning dramatic talent. Now Epps will bring his talents to Grand Rapids for one show at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 8pm. The show will also feature Rickey Smiley, DC Young Fly, Earthquake, and Lavell Crawford.

 

Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 16 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster for all current pricing and availability.

 

Epps steadily climbed his way up the stand-up comedy ranks when he was recognized by a national audience in 1995 for appearing on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam (which, years later, he would go on to host). During a performance at LA’s Comedy Store, Epps caught the attention of Ice Cube. This led to the first of three feature films they would do together: the cult hits “Next Friday,” “Friday after Next,” and “All About the Benjamins.”

In 2011, he was awarded an NAACP Image Award for “Best Supporting Actor” for his role in the Sony Pictures film, “Jumping the Broom.” He continued to receive critical praise for his dramatic turn in 2012 with “Sparkle,” opposite Whitney Houston and Jordan Sparks. In 2016, he further pursued his dramatic side with two important roles: starring opposite Forest Whitaker and Anthony Mackie in the Lionsgate thriller, “Repentance,” being released through Lionsgate/Codeblack Entertainment, followed by the independent Nina Simone biopic, “Nina,” starring Zoe Saldana.
 
Mike was seen in three seasons of the Starz series “Survivor’s Remorse” produced by LeBron James and Mike O’Malley, and he won a 2016 NAACP Image award for “Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series” for his portrayal as Uncle Julius. On TV he can be seen opposite Queen Latifah in Fox’s “Star,” and he produced the first BET Social Media Awards which aired February 11. On March 28, Harper Collins released his autobiography called Unsuccessful Thug, written by Mike about his life and childhood.

Kenny Chesney gets intimate at Van Andel Arena, dates TBA

File photo

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

 

Having set and often broken his own records with 2018’s Trip Around the Sun Tour — including over a million fans at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium and becoming the single biggest-seller at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium — Kenny Chesney wanted to change things up. He knows his massive stadium shows are a rite of summer, playing to over a million people on every single tour, but the 8-time Entertainer of the Year wanted a little more intimacy for 2019 by taking the music to where the fans are.

“I wanted to change it up,” says Chesney. “Last year was so intense, and amazing. No Shoes Nation took it to a whole other level, and they blew all of us away. It was the kind of energy you don’t take for granted. So when we started thinking about next year, they made me wanna come to them. Rather than the massive two-day set-up, make everyone come to a stadium away from their homes, I wanted to go to where the fans live… strip things back a bit, and do make it a little more intimate.”

“I love reaching to the very top, the very back of a football stadium, but I also love the idea of really being able to see the back of the room.”

So, after much speculation, Kenny Chesney announces his Songs for the Saints 2019 Tour. Initial dates include Champaign, Illinois, Grand Rapids, Michigan and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, making Songs for the Saints 2019 Tour a decidedly different kind of tour. Focusing on the heartland, MidAtlantic and South over the course of three months, it’s a chance for the songwriter/superstar from East Tennessee to get into several cities without stadiums — and Chesney is fired up about the prospects.

“Sometimes it’s about stripping things back, and creating a different kind of experience,” says the only country artist on Billboard’s Top 10 Touring Acts of the Last 25 Years. “Making Songs for the Saints really showed me the power of bringing things closer to the heart. For me, I wanted 2019 on the road to get the music to the fans, right where they live, and as always, my team figured out exactly how to help me do that.”

For Chesney, the man Variety called “Country music’s only true long-term stadium act” and about whom USA Today hailed, “Chesney’s charisma stretched to the back rows of the stadium,” Songs for the Saints 2019 Tour makes good on everything his career has been built on. Having spent 2018 writing and recording Songs for the Saints, spearheading island recovery efforts in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands through his Love for Love City Fund, playing 19 stadiums and 43 dates, his focus has been on how music makes a difference.

“This is the kind of thing you do for passion,” Chesney explains. “To rein things in a bit, change up the way we present the music, I know these songs will show us things they don’t when we’re in those massive stadiums. I never worry about the energy or the passion, but I think the songs are different depending on where you play them. So I’m fired up for 2019.”

Tickets go on sale Nov. 9th for May 15-19, 2019, Cirque du Soleil at Van Andel Arena

By Mike Klompstra, SMG

Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL—the first acrobatic performance on ice—comes to Van Andel Arena for seven performances May 15-19, 2019

Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to return to Grand Rapids, Michigan with its coolest arena show yet—CRYSTAL. This one-of-a-kind arena production blends circus arts and the world of ice skating in a stunning new production that will take the audience on a journey into a whimsical frozen playground where figure skating mingles with acrobatics and aerial feats. CRYSTAL will perform at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena from Wednesday, May 15 through Sunday, May 19, 2019, for seven performances only.

Photo by Matt Beard

Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, Nov. 9 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability. A purchase limit of 11 tickets will apply to every order.

 
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
  • Wednesday, May 15, Thursday, May 16 & Friday, May 17 at 7:30pm
  • Saturday, May 18 at 4pm and 7:30pm
  • Sunday, May 19 at 1:30pm and 5pm
More about CRYSTAL—A Breakthrough Ice Experience
Directed by Shana Carroll and Sebastien Soldevila, Crystal, our misfit heroine, takes you on an exhilarating tale of self-discovery as she dives into a world of her own imagination. Feel the adrenaline as she soars through this surreal world to become what she was always destined to be: confident, curious, and creative. CRYSTAL invites you to suspend reality and glide into a world that springs to colorful life with astounding visual projections and a soundtrack that seamlessly blends popular music with the signature sound of Cirque du Soleil. CRYSTAL is suitable for all ages.

The show CRYSTAL is about looking at things from fresh angles, peeking through the veneer of everyday life, reframing one’s daily reality to see what one might have missed. Sometimes the only way to appreciate things is to look at them sideways. Discovering one’s individuality and uniqueness requires venturing out on thin ice.

CRYSTAL is Cirque du Soleil’s 42nd original production since 1984. The company has brought wonder and delight to more than 180 million spectators in more than 450 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has over 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from 50 different countries.

Sebastian Maniscalco to bring ‘Stay Hungry’ Tour to DeVos Performance Hall on April 6

 

By Mike Klompstra, SMG

 

A string of record-breaking sold-out comedy appearances, a new top-ranked show on SiriusXM, “The Pete & Sebastian Show,” and inclusion on Forbes’ 2017’s “The World’s Highest Paid Comedians” who praised, “thanks to his enthusiasm and willingness to work, Maniscalco will likely continue to be on Forbes’ list for years to come,” comedian Sebastian Maniscalco is having an incredible year. People Magazine’s “the people’s comedian” is hitting the road after he was dubbed “Stand Up Comedian of the Year” at Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal, Canada.
 
He will make a stop in Grand Rapids at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall on Saturday, April 6, 2019, at 7pm.
 
Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.
 
The tour title is appropriate as not only is “Stay Hungry” the name of his forthcoming 2018 book for Simon & Schuster, but it is also his personal motto.
 
“The Stay Hungry tour marks the release of my book while I also venture into this new chapter of my life: being a dad. Lately, I’ve found myself reflecting on my path and all of the hard work it has taken to get to this point in my career. I hope to one day pass these values on to my daughter and encourage her to stay hungry for more,” shares Maniscalco, who has expanded his major motion picture portfolio to include a voice-over for character Johnny the Groundhog in the animated feature Nut Job 2 and appearances in films including the Will Ferrell-starring New Line Feature comedy The House and a role in 2018’s TAG, starring alongside Ed Helms and Jeremy Renner.
 
Dubbed “one of the hottest comics” by Newsday and “one of the funniest comics working stand-up today” by Esquire, Sebastian’s live performance has become a critically-acclaimed event, with the Los Angeles Times raving, “onstage, there’s an impatience to Maniscalco’s delivery as well, a hair-trigger exasperation with people and modern life, punctuated with baffled expressions, percussive thumps on the microphone and wide-swung leg kicks more associated with an Olympic speed-skater than a stand-up comic.”
 
Instead of asking questions – a theme that has served as the foundation of his previous comedy specials and shows like Aren’t You Embarrassed? and Why Would You Do That? – Maniscalco’s new tour has the affable performer instead encouraging fans to follow in his footsteps and “stay hungry.”
 
Shares the man The New York Times raved for his “own kind of panache,” “Even though I’ve achieved some success, I will always stay hungry for more.”

Tickets on sale now for Professional Bull Riders ‘Velocity Tour’, Feb. 2nd

 

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

 

The bulls of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) are headed back to Michigan and ready to buck Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 7:00 PM at Van Andel Arena for the Velocity Tour Grand Rapids Classic.
 
As the 11th stop on the Velocity Tour, the Grand Rapids Classic will give fans a front row seat for exhilarating rides, and spectacular wrecks throughout the night as the rising talent in bull riding faces off against the rankest bucking bulls in the business.
 
In 2018, Michigan fans saw Colten Jesse (Konawa, Oklahoma) win amidst tough competition. Riders like Jesse, from all over the country and as far away as Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand, will be competing head-to-head to win the event buckle as the 2019 season begins.
 
Each rider will face one bull during Round 1 before the 10 riders with the highest scores advance to the championship round. The overall event winner will be the rider who has earned the most points over two rides.
 
Tickets for this action-packed event are on sale now and start at just $17.50! Tickets are available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Prices are subject to change. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.
 
Winners of each Velocity event will be guaranteed at least one opportunity to compete at a PBR: Unleash the Beast regular-season event where they can attempt to win enough points to join the Top 35 bull riders in the world and earn a spot competing at the sport’s premier level.
 
The 2019 tour will culminate with the Velocity Tour Finals at South Point Arena in Las Vegas, leading into the PBR’s 2019 World Finals at T-Mobile Arena. The winner of the Velocity Finals, the second- and third-place finishers, the top international performer, and the 2019 Velocity Tour Champion, will each qualify to compete at the PBR World Finals and a chance to be the 2019 PBR World Finals Event Champion.
 
About the Velocity Tour
The PBR’s Velocity Tour began in 2014 as the premier expansion tour for the PBR. The Velocity Tour, the sport’s fastest-growing tour, brings the excitement and top-levels of cowboy and bovine talent that fans have come to expect from the sport’s leader to cities across the U.S. The tour, which is fully produced and operated by PBR, will visit 33 cities in the 2018 season.
 
About the PBR (Professional Bull Riders)
The world’s premier bull riding organization began as a dream of 20 bull riders 25 years ago and now operates in five countries. On its elite tour, the organization features the top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast, along with the PBR Real Time Pain Relief Velocity Tour (RVT), the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD) and the PBR’s international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid nearly $184 million in earnings to its athletes.

Thirty bull riders have earned more than $1 million, including two-time PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney who is the top-earning athlete in Western sports history with more than $7.2 million in career earnings. PBR is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network. For more information on the PBR, go to PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Instagram at Instagram.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR

Tickets for KISS’s March 9th ‘End of the Road World Tour’ at Van Andel Arena go on sale Nov. 2nd

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

 

After an epic and storied 45 year career that launched an era of rock n roll legends, KISS has announced that they will launch their final tour ever in 2019, appropriately named END OF THE ROAD. The initial announcement was made a month ago on NBC’s America’s Got Talent which sent the internet into overdrive with fans hoping their city would get one final KISS show.

The band has announced the first set of dates and cities in North America, produced by Live Nation. The tour will stop at SMG-managed Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids onSaturday, March 9, 2019 at 7:30pm. KISS will be offering VIP experiences and special KISS Army fan presales.
 
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Nov. 2 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.
 
KISS Meet & Greet Experiences will be available beginning Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 10am local time through kissonline.com. KISS Army fan club presales will begin Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 10am local time also through kissonline.com. Citi is the official presale credit card for the End of the Road World Tour. As such, Citi card members will have access to purchase U.S. presale tickets beginning Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 12pm local time until Thursday, November 1 at 10:00 PM local time through Citi’s Private Pass program. For complete presale details visit citiprivatepass.com.
 
The venue presale will run on Thursday, Nov., from 10am-10pm. The presale will be offered online at Ticketmaster.com only while supplies last. To receive the presale code, be sure to sign up to the Van Andel Arena e-mail list at VanAndelArena.com by Tuesday, Oct. 30.
 
Known for their trademark larger-than-life blistering performances, KISS has proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock n roll.  The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide have said this tour is devoted to the millions of KISS Army fans.
 
“All that we have built and all that we have conquered over the past four decades could never have happened without the millions of people worldwide who’ve filled clubs, arenas and stadiums over those years. This will be the ultimate celebration for those who’ve seen us and a last chance for those who haven’t. KISS Army, we’re saying goodbye on our final tour with our biggest show yet and we’ll go out the same way we came in… Unapologetic and Unstoppable,” said KISS.

Tickets for Jeff Lynne’s ELO July 23rd concert go on sale today, Oct. 29th

By Hilarie Szarowicz, SMG

 

After returning this summer with their first extensive North American tour since 1981, Jeff Lynne’s ELO is set to bring their outstanding live show to even more audiences with a 20-date summer 2019 tour. The trek, produced by Live Nation, will travel to SMG-managed Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 at 8pm.

 

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, Oct. 29 at 10am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. A purchase limit of six (6) tickets will apply to every order. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.

 

Anticipation was at an all-time high surrounding their 10+ date North American tour this summer, with fan and critical acclaim pouring in:

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO revives ‘70s symph-pop greatness… a brilliant catalog returns to U.S. stages and gives the strings-starved people what they want. The ELO catalog speaks for itself… and it was a glorious thing to behold… in a 19-song set that reprised the closest thing to truly Beatle-level pop the 1970s had to offer.” – Variety

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO proves timeless & spectacular… When Lynne came out with the group, the crowd went wild. The show was loaded with virtually every top hit the band recorded. Every musician on stage was fantastic while the arrangements and sound quality almost made the audience forget they were watching a live performance and not listening to their old LP records.” – Glide Magazine

 

“Jeff Lynne, ELO deliver night of magic memories… the band’s 20-song set proved to be well worth the long wait… Lynne led his band through some 90 minutes of glorious Electric Light Orchestra classics in front of a sold-out crowd. ELO’s music still sounds light years ahead of most of the bands heard on pop music radio today.” – San Jose Mercury News

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO prove that spacy pop rock is still a livin’ thing… one of the most flawless and visually stunning arena shows I’ve seen in a long time. Complete with monstrous lights, lasers and the mandatory ELO spaceship hovering behind the band on video screens, the show was as grand and engrossing as a blockbuster movie — a ’70s blockbuster movie, that is.” – LA Weekly

 

“Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra put on a dazzling display chronicling a war chest of classic rock hits for a sold out crowd.” – Martinez Tribune

 

“Jeff Lynne’s ELO is practically a religious experience for rock ‘n’ roll disciples.” – Houston Press

 

“For all the gifted musicians that helped achieve Lynne’s perfectionist vision, ELO was always his creation, a neon-hued Frankenstein’s monster built from bits of early rock-and-roll, symphonic themes, Beatles harmonies, and disco beats. All of those pieces came together flawlessly… played to perfection.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer

 

Known as one of the most iconic forces in music history, Jeff Lynne’s ELO has spent the last two years with a critically acclaimed and chart-topping album, a sold out run of UK and European shows, as well as an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band has always been known for their epic live shows and with a distinct style that seamlessly and innovatively blends rock, pop and classical, ELO has had more than 20 Top 40 Hits across the U.S. and the U.K., making Lynne’s sweeping productions some of the most recognizable music of the last forty years and helping sell over 50 million records worldwide.

 

Widely agreed upon as one of the greatest record producers in music history, Lynne was a co-founder and member of The Travelling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty, as well as a producer and collaborator with some of the biggest names in music including The Beatles, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, and most recently, Bryan Adams.

Tickets on sale Oct. 26th for Disturbed’s EVOLUTION world tour with March 7 Van Andel Arena concert date

Photo supplied

 

By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG

 

Two-time Grammy nominees Disturbed have announced the Evolution World Tour, an extensive international arena tour that kicks off Jan. 9 in San Diego, CA, and will see the multi-platinum-selling rock band headlining SMG-managed Van Andel Arena on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 7:30 PM with Three Days Grace.


That run will be followed by an overseas trek that’ll see the band bringing their incendiary live show to Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the UK.

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 26 at 10am.Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability. A purchase limit of eight (8) tickets will apply to every order.

Disturbed (vocalist David Draiman, guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren and bassist John Moyer) is touring in support of much-buzzed-about new album Evolution—which arrives tomorrow(!)—and lead single “Are You Ready,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart and has maintained that position for 4 consecutive weeks. The song, which is the band’s 12th No. 1 single and the fastest chart-climber of their career, has over 5 million Spotify streams and a companion video with more than 5 million YouTube views.

Evolution has been early drawing rave reviews from fans and critics alike, with Billboard declaring it“their most diverse album ever and one of their best, on par with their 2002 hit album Believe.”

Classic Rock wrote, “the title says it all…the band have embraced their own instincts, and as a result their credibility has soared on arguably their most convincing album since 2000’s The Sickness.

The Chicago Sun-Times said, “Evolution takes some of the biggest leaps of Disturbed’s career, with the unpredictability in David Draiman’s vocals, Mike Wengren’s drumming patterns, Dan Donegan’s dimensional guitar work and John Moyer’s low-down bass lines fully embodying the album’s title.”

Music Week proclaimed, “Disturbed are ready to go stratospheric on their new album Evolution,” Metal Hammer wrote, “without a doubt the most diverse record in Disturbed’s catalogue,” and Power Play gave it a 10-star review, gushing, “Disturbed have evolved into a superbly mature rock act, who, with this album, fully transcend from pure metal into pure greatness. This is a career-defining release. Nothing less.”

The Evolution World Tour will see the band playing an exhilarating mix of classic hits like “Down With The Sickness,” Inside The Fire” and “The Sound Of Silence” along with new tracks such as “Are You Ready” and the recently released “A Reason To Fight.”

The tour announcement follows last week’s intimate hometown show at Chicago’s Vic Theatre (a special performance that airs today on SiriusXM’s Octane and Turbo Channels) and this past weekend’s set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on a bill that featured Metallica, Lil Wayne, Justice and more.

On Oct. 23 and 24, Disturbed will partner with the USO to perform for the Airmen at Creech and Nellis Air Force Bases in Indian Springs and Las Vegas, respectively.In addition to the performances, the band will take part in USO morale engagements to visit Airmen where they work and learn more about the important missions at each base.

Disturbed recorded Evolution in Vegas with Kevin Churko, who produced their previous release, 2015’s Immortalized. That album became the band’s fifth consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200, earned a platinum certification, and yielded the triple-platinum crossover smash “The Sound of Silence.” The latter earned a GRAMMY® nod for “Best Rock Performance.” Additionally, the band took home “Best Rock Artist” at the iHeartRadioMusic Awards and received acclaim from The Wall Street JournalNew York TimesUSA Today, and more.

About Disturbed
Simply put, Disturbed are one of the most successful rock bands in modern history. The multiplatinum-selling quartet accomplished the rare feat of achieving five consecutive number one debuts on the Billboard Top 200. That accolade historically elevated them to rarified air alongside Metallica, the only other hard rock group to do so in the history of the chart.

Immortalized (2015) received a platinum certification and spawned the triple-platinum crossover smash “The Sound of Silence,” which garnered a nomination at the 2017 GRAMMY® Awards in the category of “Best Rock Performance.” Since their formation in 1996, the band has sold 16 million albums globally and scored twelve No. 1 singles at Active Rock Radio.

Their quadruple-platinum 2000 debut, The Sickness, formally announced their arrival as hard rock leaders, with that status solidified by subsequent  GRAMMY® Award nominations as well as gold-, platinum- and double platinum-certified records, as well as countless sold-out shows around the globe.  Named “Best Rock Artist” during the 2017 iHeartRadioMusic Awards, Disturbed continue to boldly forge ahead with the release of their aptly titled seventh offering, Evolution.

 

 

 

A Drag Queen Christmas ‘The Naughty Tour’ to play GR on Nov. 24

By Murray Hodgson, SMG

 

The holidays were never this naughty! Hosted by Miz Cracker, tickets are now on sale for this must-see annual holiday spectacular with your favorite contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1), set for Saturday, Nov. 24 at 8pm at SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall. Drag Queen Christmas: The Naughty Tour will feature Drag Race contestants Latrice Royale, Naomi Smalls, Thorgy Thor, Raja Gemini, Miss Vanjie & Farrah Moan and hosted by the one and only Miz Cracker.

 

Tickets are available at the DeVos Place® and Van Andel Arena® box offices, online at Ticketmaster.com, and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. See Ticketmaster.com for pricing and availability. Super Fan packages are also available in the first few rows with a first-in-line meet and greet pass, official tour poster and laminate with lanyard. This is an all-ages show.

 

DeVos Place, Van Andel Arena to change box office hours

Due to changing industry trends and consumer buying patterns, SMG-managed venues DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids will implement new box office hours beginning next week on Monday, May 7. The box offices at both venues will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday on non-event days under the new schedule. Additional evening and weekend hours will vary in accordance with the venues’ event schedules.

 

Fans will still be able to purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000 outside of the venues’ box office hours. Additionally, each venue has a free mobile app for Apple and Android devices with a full list of upcoming events and direct links to Ticketmaster purchase pages, the only verified source of tickets online for the venues.

 

For those unfamiliar with the online buying experience, a step-by-step video tutorial can be referred to for assistance on both theVan Andel Arena and DeVos Performance Hall websites. (Direct link to video on YouTube.)

 

Mobile Apps

AppleDeVos Place | DeVos Performance Hall | Van Andel Arena

AndroidDeVos Place | DeVos Performance Hall | Van Andel Arena

 

“With the growing prevalence of digital and the around-the-clock service that it provides, we feel now is a good time for these new box office hours,” said SMG Regional General Manager Richard MacKeigan. “Fans can still buy tickets online 24/7, and we are happy to continue offering the in-person touch point during our daily box office hours.”