Santana out of relocated Woodstock 50
Cwho broke in a big bad way at the original Woodstock, is officially out of next month’s anniversary event after the festival was moved to Maryland.
The new site is Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, from Aug. 16-18. The festival has been beleaguered almost from the start, with sponsorship upheaval — at one point original investors announced it was canceled — and multiple sites planned.
Santana had committed to the original Woodstock 50 site at Watkins Glen International Speedway and also the competing event at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, N.Y. As he said in May, “I’m going to be at both. They may not be, but I will be.”
But as Santana spokesman Michael Jensen said in a statement Monday, “Carlos Santana will not be performing at the 50th Woodstock celebration at Merriweather Post. Santana, with The Doobie Brothers, will be performing August 17th at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York (near the original site at Max Yasgur’s farm).”
In a coincidence that helped douse Santana’s interest in the 50th anniversary, on Aug. 14 he is playing Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia, considered to be in the same ticket-selling market as Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Country Joe Mcdonald and former Lovin’ Spoonful frontman John Sebastian, two artists who performed at the original 1969 festival, announced Monday they would not be participating this year.
Another Woodstock original, Encore Theater headliner John Fogerty, joined Jay-z last week in dropping out.
Las Vegas rockers The Killers are still on the Woodstock 50 bill and have not said if they
plan to perform in Maryland. Fogerty will be at the Bethel Woods concert, with Ringo Starr and his All-starr Band.
To put it succinctly, momentum seems to be working against the new location. As Mcdonald told the Baltimore Sun, “I have no airfare booked. I have no hotels. I have nothing planned. I’m not interested in getting on a ship that’s sinking, and I don’t see any indication that this ship is not sinking.”
‘Rock Vault’ in U.K.
“Raiding the Rock Vault” is mapping out its post-hard Rock Hotel plans with its first U.K. performances Dec. 5-7 at Subterania music club in London. On Dec. 30, “Rock Vault” finishes its run at
Vinyl at Hard Rock Hotel as it transitions to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
The band for the U.K. shows: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Howard Leese (Heart, Bad Company), Rowan Robertson (Dio), Jay Schellen (Yes, Asia), Michael T. Ross (Missing Persons, Lita Ford), Tony Franklin (The Firm, Whitesnake), Todd Kerns (Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators), Robin Mcauley (MSG, Survivor), Paul Shortino (Quiet Riot, Rough Cutt, Duke Fame) and Megan Ruger (“The Voice”).
“Rock Vault” has beaten the odds in Vegasville at three hotels, opening at the thenlas Vegas Hilton in March 2013 and moving to Tropicana and finally Vinyl in a sixyear run covering more than 1,300 shows. Producer Harry Cowell says the show wants to continue in Las Vegas in 2020. Don’t count the “Vault” out. As Ozzy Osbourne once intoned “You can’t kill rock
’n’ roll!”
Fred Armisen, a Blue Man?
Yes. Well, in a way. The comic actor and musician whose 8G Band is the house band for “Late Night with Seth Meyers” was in Blue Man Group’s Chicago company as a backing drummer for a year in the 1990s. In a Johnny Carson impression, I say, “I did not know that!” Armisen has temporarily stepped down from his post on the late-night show, as Blue Man band member from Chicago, Jeff Quay, fills in through Wednesday. Quay remains Armisen’s drum teacher.
Great Moments in Social Media
On Saturday, Chris Phillips of Zowie Bowie applied the old-age face app to a shot of himself with his wife, Jennifer Phillips, at the Sapphire pool party.
“OK … I know this old-age app was soooo last week, but I just wanted to ask my brothers out there if they feel like this (like I do) at these damn Vegas day pool clubs? Haha. Thanks for being seen with me.”
The effect on Phillips’ face is very Hulk Hogan vibe.
Cool Hang Alert
Barrymore at Royal Resort on Convention Center Drive, where Nievemalandra’s “Sultry Sundays” fill the restaurant lounge. Malandra, also a co-vocalist in Zowie Bowie, performs regularly from 6-9 p.m. Sundays.
We’ll also recommend longtime Vegas lounge great Laura Shaffer on Fridays; and the rock-blues band Stanley Avenue, fronted by Philena Carter, on Saturdays.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His Podkats! podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/ podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal. com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @Johnnykats1 on Instagram. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday:
1. Man accused of stabbing father 13 times in Henderson theater
A 20-year-old man was arrested Saturday night after police said he stabbed his father inside a theater at the Fiesta Henderson casino. 2. Five facts you need to know about grasshoppers in Las Vegas
After an unseasonably wet winter and spring, pallid-winged grasshoppers have infested the Las Vegas Valley. Check out these facts about grasshoppers you can use to impress your family and friends. 3. Las Vegas pizzeria to debut grasshopper-topped pie
On Tuesday, Branden Powers and his team at Evel Pie on Fremont Street began experimenting with fried grasshoppers as a pizza topping.
4. Las Vegas ‘porch pirate’ theft suspect arrested in northwest valley
Police say a man suspected in a “porch pirate” theft of a package containing surveillance cameras was tracked down and apprehended, thanks, ironically, to well-positioned surveillance cameras.
5. Which band will play the first concert at Las Vegas Stadium?
Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen — all are candidates to be the first musical acts to christen the new Las Vegas Stadium. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday:
1. Las Vegas grasshoppers swarm El Cortez
Grasshoppers once again invaded downtown Las Vegas on Saturday night and made a stop at the El Cortez casino.
2. Grasshoppers invade
Las Vegas
With the latest surge of grasshoppers in the Las Vegas Valley, Evel Pie on Fremont decided to create the Canyon Hopper pizza with grasshoppers sourced from Oaxaca, Mexico.
3. Grasshoppers swarm the Strip.
The Strip is swarmed by pallid-winged grasshoppers on July 25.