So Bret Michaels Is Suing Tony Producers for $50 Million

I guess I gave away the story in the headline, didn't I? Bret just filed a $50 million lawsuit against award bosses and CBS network executives for neglecting to censor an accident during the 2009 Tony awards when a piece of staging bonked him on the head. Bret says the incident caused him "pain and humiliation."

Basically, it comes down to the seven second delay... and Bret thinks that the producers and executives in charge could have bleeped the accident from the live broadcast, but didn't block it for personal (ratings) gains.

Here's an excerpt from the court filing:

“(CBS officials) could have prevented the footage… from airing via the standard seven-second broadcast delay. The defendants took no such measures – presumably because the incident could lead to greater publicity and ratings for the show.”

The bolding is mine.

You might remember that Bret tried to sue the Tony Awards once before. Last year he lawyered up, arguing that the Tony Awards accident (and thus the people in charge of the show) were responsible for the 2010 brain hemorrhage he sustained several months after the show. Who knows where this one will go... but one thing is for sure, Bret isn't giving up his grudge against the Tony Awards anytime soon.

What do you think about this?

U.K. Version of Sonisphere Announced

This rules. The lineup for the U.K. version of Sonisphere was just announced and the headliners include KISS and Queen + Adam Lambert! I'd love to see Adam with Queen but unless the band brings the show to America, it won't be happening.

Here's a question though... why was Skid Row listed as the special guests with KISS at one point... and now they've been removed? Is something going on with Skid Row? Will Sebastian Bach be reuniting with the band? I find this all very odd... I guess time will tell.

In case you're lucky enough to be able to to attend, Sonisphere will go down in Knebworth July 6-8. Tickets go on sale Thursday.

Ryan Adams Covers Dio

Ryan Adams recently performed a concert at the Walt Disney concert hall in Los Angeles. During the show he covered the Dio classic "Holy Diver." I'll admit I wasn't expecting much, but I was impressed. The cover is acoustic and Ryan does it justice. Watch.

Niki Barr Records Theme for Investigation Discovery Show 'Scorned'

Singer Niki Barr is probably best known for fronting the Niki Barr Band. Lately she's been taking some creative risks and doing other projects. She recently covered "All Along The Watchtower" for Nat Geo's Border Wars. The viral popularity of the cover led to an all new project.

Niki recently lent her voice to the Investigation Discovery show Scorned. It's a cool little song and you can download it for free. The song is called "Take You Down."

The 2012 Rock Fest Lineup Is Amazing

Holy. Crap. The lineup for Rock Fest, held annually in Cadott, Wisconsin is freaking amazing. The festival is slated for July 19 - 22.

Here are the bands:

Thursday:
Buckcherry, TBA, Art of Dying and a headliner TBA

Friday:
Godsmack, Five Finger Death Punch, Hollywood Undead, Halestorm, Ten Years

Saturday:
Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Papa Roach, Adelitas Way

Sunday:
Def Leppard, Poison, TBA, TBA, Firehouse

I wish I could go to this... in fact, this might just be too good to pass up. It's time to get my glam friends together and plan. My gut tells me that all those TBAs will be bands we love -- especially on Sunday.

Tickets are on sale now. VIP packages are available. Let's do a roll call on this one: if you are attending, leave a comment. Let's get a BBG! contingent together - this could rule.

Party Before M3 Rock Festival!

The unofficial M3 pre-party is a go! This year, Wildstreet will once again headline the party and Sin 4 Sin and Streetlight Circus will also perform.

The party will take place at Sonoma's in Columbia, Maryland on May 10th -- the night before M3 rock festival. Tickets are just ten bucks and will be available in early March. Also, a disclaimer from the show promoter: this pre-party is not affiliated with M3 rock festival.

If you know you want to attend the party, send an email to dtoxinproduction@aol.com to make a reservation. That way you'll be guaranteed a ticket.

Rocklahoma 2012 Bands Announced

 Rocklahoma has announced the 2012 lineup for the three-day camp & rock festival that features the top current active rock artists and classic bands. America’s biggest Memorial Day Weekend party--May 25-27 at “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds in Pryor, OK--is proud to be presented by Budweiser.

The initial Rocklahoma lineup includes: Rob Zombie, Chickenfoot featuringJoe Satriani, Kenny Aronoff (sitting in for Chad Smith), Michael Anthony & Sammy Hagar, Creed, Megadeth, Slash, Queensrÿche, Chevelle, Theory of a Deadman, Jackyl, Puddle Of Mudd, Hellyeah, P.O.D., Volbeat, 10 Years, Cavo, Adelitas Way, Black Stone Cherry, Pop Evil, Red, The Darkness, Art of Dying, Trivium, Aranda, Redlight King, James Durbin, Janus, New Medicine, Rival Sons, Anti Mortem, Gypsy Pistoleros, Wildstreet, Firstryke, Black Tora, Sunset Riot, The Glitter Boys, Fist of Rage, Switchblade Scarlett, Krank and more. Bands will perform on the Main Stage, Second Stage and the Retrospect Records Stage.

“Rocklahoma has quickly become the rock n’ roll party of Memorial Day Weekend, and 2012 is going to take the party to a whole new level,” commented Joe Litvag, co-executive producer of the festival for AEG Live.  “We’ve got a great balance of talent this year with some amazing classic artists covering the last three decades along with plenty of today’s rock.  But the most unique part of this festival is definitely the campground experience…Three days and nights of craziness and chaos that only Rocklahoma can deliver!”   

General Admission and VIP packages for Rocklahoma go on sale Friday, February 24 at 10am CST at all Ticketmaster outlets and www.rocklahoma.com. To get access to the Rocklahoma internet pre-sale, which will be held from Wednesday, February 22 at 10am CST through Thursday, February 23 at 10pm CST, go to www.rocklahoma.com and sign up to receive the Rocklahoma newsletter. Fans can save by buying early, as ticket prices will increase in the coming weeks.

Camping tickets may be purchased by calling the Rocklahoma Camping Office at (866) 310-2288 or emailing info@feverfest.com. Campgrounds open on Sunday, May 20 and will remain open though Tuesday, May 29.

The Axis Entertainment Campground Stage returns in 2012 to enhance the Rocklahoma camping experience. Anyone holding festival and camping tickets will be able to check out some of the finest new rock bands performing on this stage, located next to the General Store in the main campgrounds.

Rocklahoma’s VIP packages have expanded due to popular demand. Some of this year’s weekend VIP packages include:

Groupie Package (One Person)

- VIP Reserved Ticket

- Access to VIP Catering Tent

- Private Backstage Lounge Tent Access *

- Weekend Pit Access

- Package Inclusive of all taxes and fees

* This year, the Groupies will have their own Backstage Lounge, which is conveniently located between the Main and Second Stages.

Roadie Package (One Person)

- VIP Reserved Ticket

- Access to VIP Catering Tent

- Private Backstage Lounge Tent Access **

- Private Restroom Access

- Weekend Pit Access

- One Event Poster, T-Shirt and Festival Mug

- One Commemorative Laminate

- VIP Deck Access

- Package Inclusive of all taxes and fees

**Exclusive for Roadies and Rockstars is the Backstage Lounge, which is conveniently located between VIP Catering and the Main Stage.

Rockstar Package (Two Person)

- Roadie Package for Two

- Three Night stay at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa (room & tax only)

- Shuttle Service

- Best Seats in the House

- Package Inclusive of all taxes and fees

**Exclusive for Roadies and Rockstars is the Backstage Lounge, which is conveniently located between VIP Catering and the Main Stage.

For a detailed list of 2012 Rocklahoma VIP ticket options, packages and amenities, please visit www.rocklahoma.com.

Rocklahomais located just 45 minutes northeast of Tulsa, in Pryor, OK.  The “Catch the Fever” Festival Grounds is a premier destination for a multi-day festival and includes on-site camping with access to restrooms and shower house, a general store for campers, VIP reserved seating, hospitality areas and much more.

Established in 2007 as a classic rock destination festival with the motto “life, liberty and the pursuit of rock,” Rocklahoma was revamped in 2010 as organizers teamed with AEG Live to create an event encompassing a much broader mix of classic, current and up-and-coming rock artists. In 2011, a record-breaking crowd of over 35,000 fans turned out for the festival, which raised over $10,000 for the American Red Cross as part of their tornado relief efforts in nearby Joplin, MO.  The festival celebrates its 6^th year in 2012.

www.rocklahoma.com