The worst of winter is past, and as the days get longer concerts are starting to fill up the calendar. Your favorite bands are starting to announce spring and summer tours, and pretty soon the summer amphitheaters will be open for business. First, though, this month offers a nice selection of hard rock and metal, not to mention the Allman Brothers’ annual Beacon Theater residency. Following are all the shows on the NY Hard Rock Examiner’s radar for March 2013:
Friday, March 1 - Sunday, March 17: The Allman Brothers at The Beacon Theater. Jam out at the annual Allman residency on the Upper West Side, as the elder rocksmen knock out 11 shows in 17 days culminating on what’s sure to be an epic St. Patrick’s Day. Tickets are available in a wide range of prices, although some shows have already sold out. The full tour dates are as follows: March 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, & 17.
Wednesday, March 6: Deftones at The Paramount. You just can’t keep a good band down, and the Deftones continue to be one of the best bands out there. With new record Koi No Yokan getting rave reviews, Chino and friends are playing no less than 3 headlining shows in the area, starting at the Paramount way out in Suffolk County. For Long Islanders this show is a no-brainer, and also makes a great alternative for those in the 5 boroughs who got sold out of the T5 show (see below).
Friday, March 8: Queensryche at Bergen Performing Art Center. It’s the first Northeast tour with new singer Todd La Torre, and Queensryche needs to prove that they can still rock without Geoff Tate. BPAC is a classy venue for this unique opportunity for the established classic metallers to start their new era.
Saturday, March 9: Deftones at Terminal 5. It’s the NYC date of the tour, but the T5 show is completely sold out. Hit up Craigslist or Stubhub if you’re willing to pay, or hit up the Paramount or Wellmont shows instead. Read my review of the Deftones’ 2012 summer tour here.
Sunday, March 10: Deftones at Wellmont Theater. Last chance to catch the ‘Tones, this time out in Jersey. Another alternative for those who got sold out of T5, and the Wellmont offers both floor and balcony options if you’d prefer to enjoy the show without getting kicked in the head by crowdsurfers.
Wednesday, March 13: Adrenaline Mob at Webster Hall. It’s the triumphant return of metal’s newest supergroup, now in their sophomore year and touring behind a covers record. Webster Hall is not a huge room, so expect fans to be blasting off the walls with A-Mob’s huge sound and personalities. My review of their Hiro Ballroom album release show can be read here, and my interview with drummer Mike Portnoy here.
Thursday, March 14: Soulfly at Gramercy Theatre. Max Cavalera returns to town for his annual visit. The Gramercy regularly hosts some of the best mosh pits in the city, although theater-style seats in the back offer another option to those who want to stay out of the fray. But if you want to sit, why are you even going to a metal show?
Saturday, March 16: George Thorogood & The Destroyers at Wellmont Theater. He may be classic rock, but Mr. Thorogood is still bad to the bone. Hit up this Montclair, NJ theater for his old school blues show full of your favorite radio hits and classic dirty humor. My review of the band’s 2011 B.B. Kings’ show can be seen here.
Sunday, March 17: George Thorogood & The Destroyers at The Paramount. What better way to spend St. Patty’s day than with one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer? It sure beats drinking alone, and it’s a safe bet that this show will be one of the rowdiest and wildest of the year. Main Street in Huntington also has plenty of Irish bars for pregaming before the show... and post-gaming afterwards!
Wednesday, March 20: Orgy at Webster Hall. The pop-metal masters return for a weeknight show on 11th Street. This show is a bargain with $18 tickets, and also feature a nice roster of up-and-coming artists with Vampires Everywhere and Davey Suicide.
Saturday, March 23: Sully Erna at The Paramount. The Godsmack frontman returns to Long Island solo once more. Last year’s show (read about it here) saw the Boston native doing acoustic Godsmack songs as well as rocking covers of Metallica, The Beatles and more. Consider the show a night to celebrate the joys of rock music in an intimate setting at the ornate Paramount, and read my 2011 interview with Sully here.
Sunday, March 31: Otep at Webster Hall. Touring behind her final record, Ms. Otep returns to the city for a victory lap on her 13 year career. Support will once again come from One Eyed Doll, who, together with the Butcher Babies, laid out a wild fem-dominated set on their summer show at Webster (read my review and see photos here). It’s hard to believe that Otep will be gone for good, but fans should play it safe and be sure to catch this weekend show just in case.
Notable Mention:
Saturday, March 9: Guns n’ Roses Night on VH1 Classic. It’s not a live event, but set your DVRs for a 5 hour block of gratuitous Gn’R, including a full performance of the band’s 2012 London O2 concert. If you haven’t seen Axl’s modern era lineup (read my reviews of his Izod show, Roseland show, Terminal 5 show, and even Vegas residency), here’s a chance to see what people are talking about from the comfort of your own living room.
Saturday-Sunday, March 16-17: Nuclear Cowboyz at Izod Center. Motocross meets heavy metal! Really, what more do you need to know? Watch stuntmen jump their dirt bikes to an ear-blasting soundtrack at the Saturday night show, or the Sunday matinee.
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