Ticketmaster In The Hot Seat

Ticketmaster officials faced a grilling on Capitol Hill this morning as lawmakers grilled them about unfair ticketing practices and having a monopoly on the industry. This is all coming to a head because so many fans were screwed out of buying tickets for Taylor Swift's upcoming tour. Ticketmaster absolutely could not handle the demand and then the outrage and news stories began.

But don't worry, Joe Berchtold, Live Nation CEO apologized to all of you and they swear they absolutely do not have a monopoly on the ticket business (Live Nation is the parent company of Ticketmaster). I'm totally sure $1,000 an-hour lawyers did not prepare Berchtold's speech and he definitely wasn't wearing a custom-tailored suit either. He is a man of the people, just sitting online in a Ticketmaster queue, trying to get seats like the rest of us. He's a total Swiftie.

"We apologize to the fans. We apologize to Ms. Swift."

Top executives in the ticketing industry are facing the Senate Judiciary Committee after Ticketmaster’s breakdown last year during a sale of Taylor Swift concert tickets. https://t.co/ivF7eyC0Sp pic.twitter.com/UT1Ue5nUSC

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 24, 2023

Will this go anywhere? Who knows. It is going to take a lot more than one hearing to make something happen here, but it does look like there's some momentum. Also, the CEO of SeatGeek says Ticketmaster / Live Nation should definitely be split up. I'm personally shocked a competitor feels that way. Shocked, I tell you.

SeatGeek CEO Jack Groetzinger called to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation during the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing following the #TaylorSwift ticket debacle. https://t.co/z8OqGOmcbN

— billboard (@billboard) January 24, 2023

Let's just hope something positive happens here. Can we at least put a cap on the insane fees? On the endless bots? The crazy reselling of seats so Ticketmaster makes money twice on each show? Stay tuned I guess. I'm going back to drinking coffee and listening to Steely Dan. Bah humbug. Oh and Pearl Jam was right.

Senator Amy Klobuchar has scrutinized Live Nation and Ticketmaster for years. Live Nation claims they're not a monopoly. Will this morning's major Senate hearing increase calls for the company's breakup or solidify their position? https://t.co/vJfs8aeLl7

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) January 24, 2023

Nickelback Announces Summer 2023 Tour

Nickelback will tour behind their new album Get Rollin' this summer at sheds across North America. As you would expect, there are lots of Canadian dates and several festival gigs, too.

A country singer (?!?) named Brantley Gilbert will provide support. I have no idea what he sounds like since I don't follow country music at all. Looking at replies to his tweet announcing the tour below, it seems like his fans are stoked. I would like to see Nickelback live again - but last time I saw them inside an arena and it was nuts. I'm not sure an outdoor venue will provide the same experience, so we'll see.

How do you make the most unexpected and bad@$$ tour of all time… @Nickelback and your boy join forces for the summer… That’s how!! I’m so stoked to announce we’ll be seeing y’all on the #getrollintour criss-crossing the country all summer long https://t.co/PC3Sns8qhz pic.twitter.com/RCXDB4J8f4

— Brantley Gilbert (@brantleygilbert) January 23, 2023

We’re bringing the #GetRollin' tour to a city kind of close to you. Get tickets this Friday at 10am local time right here https://t.co/Cb9g6wUG65 pic.twitter.com/oL7S59ybkM

— Nickelback (@Nickelback) January 23, 2023

Football, Snow, Ear Infections and RokIsland Fest Videos

Much like episodes of Seinfeld, some posts are really about a lot of stuff that equals nothing much.

Another week has come and gone and here we are on another Sunday. It's a big day for my Cincinnati Bengals as they head to Buffalo for the AFC divisional round. It's going to be tough, but I know Burrow and Co. can get it done.

Then there's this: apparently every forecaster in southern Ohio missed the fact that we were going to get a significant winter storm today and it's been snowing hard for hours here. Like, six inches hard or something and there's a snow warning for basically the entire day now. I'm on my final day of antibiotics for yet *another* double ear infection and it isn't clearing. So that, mixed with the snow equals a very crabby glam mistress.

Meanwhile, down in the Florida Keys it is warm and there is no snow. The Rok Island Fest just wrapped up and videos of the performances are appearing online.

Here's Lynch Mob doing "Wicked Sensation"

Here's Jetboy doing "Trouble Comes"

Here's Steven Adler's solo group doing "Night Train" and holy crap, singer Ari Kamin sounds like Axl Rose! I mean, he fronted a Guns n' Roses tribute band in the past, but still. Crazy!

Here's the band doing "Civil War"

Metallica, 'Screaming Suicide' -- New Video

Metallica has a new video from their upcoming album 72 Seasons. The video is for "Screaming Suicide" and it is an attempt by the band to openly talk about a taboo subject. The song is a rocker, that's for sure. James Hetfield shares a personal message about the song below:

To face it is to speak the unspoken. If it's a human experience, we should be able to talk about it. You are not alone. – James Hetfield

— Metallica (@Metallica) January 20, 2023

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis @988Lifeline provides 24/7 connection to confidential support.

There is Hope. Just call or text 988 or chat https://t.co/TkvsFylLmH #988Lifeline pic.twitter.com/vomJ4KKYIw

— SAMHSA (@samhsagov) January 5, 2023

Farewell David Crosby

David Crosby, the musical genius behind The Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash (and sometimes Young!) has died at age 81. He was sick for some time but an official cause of death has not been released. In addition to being a brilliant songwriter and activist, he was also a really funny follow on Twitter and I will miss him all around.

I think "Ohio" remains one of the most important rock songs of all time. "Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming..."

The New York Times takes a look at some important Crosby songs:

David Crosby, who died on Wednesday, created music that helped define an era and stretched across generations. Listen to six decades of tracks that tell the story of his career. https://t.co/ew8BuIPVXB

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 20, 2023

I heard the place is overrated….cloudy https://t.co/Bpl7pM9k7s

— David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) January 18, 2023

Pink Floyd Reveals 50th Anniversary 'Dark Side Of The Moon' Box

Coming out March 24, 2023, Pink Floyd will release the 50th anniversary box set celebrating Dark Side of the Moon. The new set is $300 and contains a remastered album on vinyl and CD, performance DVD and new-to-vinyl Live At Empire Wembley Pool, recorded back in 1974.

There's also a big book, replica singles, stickers and more. It's all quite cool. I will probably just order the 1974 live vinyl and call it a day. I already have a 2016 DSOTM remaster vinyl and $300 is a lot of cash but this is going to sell like crazy. You can pre-order now at the link in the post below.

'Back In The Day' - New Bret Michaels Single

Bret Michaels of Poison has been teasing a new song for about a month now and today it is here! The track is called "Back In The Day" and it's a party-driven love letter to our beloved Glam heyday. Bret is doing a ton of press for this song, so say what you will about him, but he does work to keep up the mantel of party music.

There's also a Facebook live event with Bret tonight, if that is your sort of thing: