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Rockstar Taste of Chaos gets ready to roll
A few new cities have been added to The Rockstar Taste of Chaos Tour ahead of next week's launch.
The hard rock festival, which features Avenged Sevenfold , Atreyu , Bullet for My Valentine , Idiot Pilot and Blessthefall on the mainstage, is set to roll out Feb. 29 in Denver. Since last check, Norfolk, VA; Little Rock, AR; and Las Vegas have been added to the itinerary (though Avenged Sevenfold will not appear in Vegas). The US leg of the trek, which is detailed below, stretches into mid-April, and a Canadian run is expected as well.
The fourth annual Rockstar Taste of Chaos outing will also feature the JRock Explosion with Japanese rock bands MUCC, D'Espairspray and The Underneath. Tour co-producer Kevin Lyman said he thinks North American fans will appreciate the chance to see these groups.
"The energy of the bands and the fan involvement is amazing and is rarely captured at shows in America these days, and this is going to be an amazing opportunity for all in attendance," Lyman said in a statement.
Each venue's concourse will be the site of activities including video games, acoustic performances, autograph signings and interactive fan activities, according to a press release. Plus, the Ernie Ball company will provide musical instruments for fans to play and will pick opening acts through its Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands contest.
"We are very excited about the great bands and concourse activities planned for the 2008 North American tour; as in years past, we want to bring music fans a big show at a very reasonable price," tour co-founders Lyman, Darryl Eaton and John Reese said in a joint statement. "The RTOC has become an important event on music fans' calendars in the long, cold winter in the US and Canada."
So-Cal hard rockers Avenged Sevenfold, the only band to headline the Warped Tour and Ozzfest, will close each show on the outing. The group is supporting its self-produced, self-titled October release, which bowed at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 and topped rock charts.
Metal-punk outfit Atreyu is backing its August release, "Lead Sails Paper Anchor," which is the highest-charting album of its career. The set entered The Billboard 200 at No. 8 on the strength of lead single "Becoming the Bull."
UK metal-core rockers Bullet For My Valentine just debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 with their sophomore album, "Scream Aim Fire." The festival tour will be the band members' first North American dates since early 2007, when they sold out their first headlining jaunt on this side of the Pond, according to their publicist.
Arizona's Blessthefall was handpicked by Taste of Chaos producers based on its breakout success during the summer's Vans Warped Tour.
Over the past three years, the Rockstar Energy Drink-sponsored Taste of Chaos Tour has logged more than 200 dates in more than 20 countries, according to a press release. It has also spawned multiple soundtrack CDs and a live DVD.
