Tickets for Motley Crue's big return tour with Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett went on sale last week, and they are not cheap. The band is realizing the pressure is on and a new report says they are taking the comeback very seriously.
A new report from Fox Business interviews Motley Crue's longtime business manager Allen Kovac. Kovac noted that after the Motley movie hit Netflix, he noticed their streaming demographics changed "from 45- to 58-year-old demographic to 18 to 45." He noted this was the main impetus to start discussing touring again, and how the market for bands has changed in the streaming era:
“The most relevant statement is that global film, with a global internet and global streaming, is the future,” he says. “When I go to Amazon, I can see a Motley Crue book, I can see a Motley Crue documentary, I can see a Motley Crue live show, I can see the fact that they got a film, they got CDs out and they got streaming and they’re selling merchandise. So to me, managers and artists should move into 2020 and out of 1999, and so should record companies. You can’t make music in quarters. You can’t develop an artist in a quarter. It takes a couple of years, sometimes a lot more.”
Perhaps most interesting is he noted that the band is taking this return very seriously, and they're getting into tip top shape.
“Some of them are working with a trainer, some of them are working with a nutritionist to make themselves the best they can be,” he adds. “The greatest insecurity for an artist is: Is anyone going to care about my music? Is anyone going to buy a ticket? We were in November when the discussions were happening, and these guys were already into regimens of how they get ready for a tour.”
As for the criticism of [Vince] Neil['s singing], he says, “Let’s see what Vince sings like and looks like when the tour goes out.”
Previously, it was rumored that the promoter's contract for this Crue reunion tour stated the Neil had to lose weight and enter rehab to get the guarantee that Live Nation was offering. Perhaps that rumor was true? Or even if it wasn't the band is taking their fitness seriously. And I would hope so! Neil has been mocked mercilessly for some less than stellar performances in recent years like this one:
[youtube=https://youtu.be/fL6uYfOBx4E][/youtube]
Also it should be noted that Mick Mars is still dealing with his lifelong condition, ankylosing spondylitis – a condition where his bones fuse together. It's only gotten worse since they last played.
Five more cities are expected to be announced next week. Here's where the tour is playing so far, with ticket links:
Tuesday, July 7 – Miami, FL Hard Rock Stadium [Tickets]
Thursday, July 9 – Orlando, FL Camping World Stadium [Tickets]
Saturday, July 11 – Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium [Tickets]
Tuesday, July 14 – Arlington, TX Globe Life Field [Tickets]
Wednesday, July 15 – Houston, TX Minute Maid Park [Tickets]
Sunday, July 19 – San Francisco, CA Oracle Park [Tickets]
Thursday, July 23 – San Diego, CA Petco Park [Tickets]
Saturday, July 25 – Phoenix, AZ State Farm Stadium [Tickets]
Sunday, August 9 – Atlanta, GA SunTrust Park [Tickets]
Tuesday, August 11 – Hershey, PA Hersheypark Stadium [Tickets]
Thursday, August 13 – Buffalo, NY New Era Field [Tickets]
Saturday, August 15 – Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Park [Tickets]
Sunday, August 16 – Pittsburg, PA PNC Park [Tickets]
Tuesday, August 18 – Milwaukee, WI Miller Park [Tickets]
Thursday, August 20 – Detroit, MI Comerica Park [Tickets]
Saturday, August 22 – Washington DC Nationals Park [Tickets]
Sunday, August 23 – Flushing, NY Citi Field [Tickets]
Tuesday, August 25 – Boston, MA Fenway Park* [Tickets]
Friday, August 28 – Chicago, IL Wrigley Field [Tickets]
Sunday, August 30 – Denver, CO Coors Field [Tickets]
Wednesday, September 2 – Seattle, WA T-Mobile Park [Tickets]
Saturday, September 5 – Los Angeles, CA SoFi Stadium [Tickets]
