Rammstein reveal first ever North American
Rammstein have announced their first ever stadium tour of North America, including a stop at Lincoln Financial Field set to take place Aug. 23. To many a mainstream music fan, there’s a bit of a question as to who exactly this band is and how in the world are they planning to fill the Linc, let alone other stadiums around the country like Chicago’s Soldier Field and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The German industrial metal outfit first came onto the radar of these shores back in 1997 with the hit “Du Hast” coming out just as nu metal was beginning to peak. Though it was sung in the band’s native tongue, the propelling and catchy riff was enough to capture the ears of young listeners, with an English version eventually released. The song’s popularity led to high profile slots on the multi-act Family Values Tour and supporting the likes of Slipknot and Kiss.
They remained an active touring and recording unit ever since, routinely selling out stadiums in Europe and wowing audiences with an absolutely insane pyrotechnic live element, but Rammstein decided for a number of reasons not to tour America for the early part of the 2000s. They then made the ultimate statement by returning to the States in December 2010 for a single show at Madison Square Garden, much to the bemusement of industry insiders who thought the group were way overshooting.
MSG sold out in just 20 minutes.
When the 10-date stadium tour kicks off this summer, it will be the most extensive trek Rammstein has undertaken here in more than eight years, save for a three-date run in 2017. It’s also the first time ever they will be bringing their full-scale stadium production to the continent.
Not surprisingly, there are many who are saying the group is miscalculating their popularity to what may turn out to be a career-damaging level. It makes sense on the surface; other than Metallica, metal bands rarely do well enough to sell out stadiums in North America. Of course, there’s the major issue in that Rammstein sing in German — even current tween K-pop obsession BTS mix in a healthy number of English lyrics into their live performances.
Armchair pundits are forgetting about the audacious triumph of the 2010 Madison Square Garden show and how Rammstein broke into the U.S. Top 10 for the firsttime last May with release of their untitled seventh album, which entered at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. Don’t be surprised if the show at the Linc ends up being one of the hottest tickets of the summer.
Tickets for Rammstein at Lincoln Financial Field go on sale Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster.
VINYL OF THE WEEK
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary artist. This week, it’s a pair of LPs from one of the more influential artists from the early 70s.
BIG STAR: ‘#1 RECORD’ & ‘RADIO CITY’
Disbanding in late 1974, Big Star could have easily fallen into the abyss of could-have-beens and onehit-wonders, yet they instead achieved near-mythic status in pop music history in the artists they would eventually come to influence which led to new generations of fans going back and discovering their music.
Two albums that failed to strike commercial success at the time of their release were 1972’s ‘#1 Record’ and 1974’s \ Radio City,’ considered these days to be milestones in the history of rock by critics and musicians alike. Both land on shelves this Friday on 180-gram vinyl featuring all analog remastering done in the band’s hometown of Memphis, Tenn.
Sounding like no one else at the time with their jangly pop, driving guitars, sweet harmonies and wistful melancholia, Big Star offered a distinctly new sound when they first emerged in the early ‘70s and are counted among the founders of power pop, a genre which wouldn’t truly take off until later in the decade. Fronted by Alex Chilton, who had a hit in the late 60s singing “The Letter” by The Box Tops, the band would become an underground favorite, influencing some the biggest alt-rock artists of the ‘80s and ‘90s, including R.E.M., Teenage Fanclub, Wilco and The Replacements, who famously penned the song “Alex Chilton” as an ode to the frontman.
Although guitarist and vocalist Chris Bell departed the band shortly after the release of ‘#1 Record,’ Big Star’s remaining members began work on a second album in the fall of 1973. Losing the creative input of Bell could have wreaked havoc on the band’s progress, but Chilton confidently took the helm, and his undeniable talents shone through, especially on tracks like “I’m in Love with a Girl,” “Back of a Car,” and cult favorite, “September Gurls.” Like it’s predecessor, ‘Radio City’ garnered praise from the press but, unfortunately, critical acclaim did not translate to sales.
The legacies of ‘#1 Record’ and ‘Radio City’ — along with the band’s third LP, ‘Third’ — have far exceeded their original commercial performances. All three of Big Star’s albums are included on Rolling Stone magazine’s 2012 “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” lists and the songs “Thirteen” and “September Gurls” are also among the magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” Elliott Smith, The Bangles, Placebo, Beck and Jeff
Buckley are just a few of the artists to record covers of the band’s songs, keeping them in the consciousness of music lovers.
‘#1 Record’ and ‘Radio City’ can be picked up wherever your local, respectable dealer of fine vinyl is located as well as online.