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Live Nation Canada Opens Rogers Stadium

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Today Live Nation Canada celebrated the opening of Rogers Stadium, a new seasonal outdoor concert venue. With a capacity of 50,000, Rogers Stadium is the GTA’s largest purpose-built music venue and will host artists and fans from around the world.

Built as a unique open-air experience with a focus on sustainability, this temporary facility is Canada’s newest landmark concert destination, reinforcing Toronto’s reputation as must-play market on the global music scene. Rogers Stadium is located at YZD (former Downsview Airport Lands) with easy access to 400-series highways and public transit. The venue will generate thousands of jobs, boost tourism, support local businesses and inject an estimated $80-$100 million into the local economy.

“We’ve made this investment to ensure that fans in Toronto don’t miss out on world-class artists. We are witnessing a historic surge in stadium-level acts touring right now and Rogers Stadium will ensure we not only meet the demand but elevate the experience for fans,” said Erik Hoffman, President of Music, Live Nation Canada. “We are excited to bring live music to a new area in Toronto and give concertgoers a premium stadium show experience, combined with the festival feeling we know our fans enjoy.”

As part of its commitment to creating a great fan experience ingrained in sustainability, Live Nation Canada is providing free rides home on the TTC and GO Transit after all 14 shows at Rogers Stadium this summer. Following shows, fans will be able to take the subway from Sheppard West, Downsview Park and Wilson Stations as well as the GO train from Downsview Park Station. Both the TTC and Metrolinx are also running additional service on show nights to help manage crowds in the area.

Rogers is bringing the latest 5G+ technology to Rogers Stadium. Through a $5.2 million investment, the company has installed a new in-building network system and antenna infrastructure that offers coverage equivalent to 14 downtown towers.

Additionally, Rogers is enhancing the experience on-site for fans and customers. Through Rogers Beyond the Seat, a national program that delivers premier sports and entertainment experiences, Rogers customers heading on-site can enter through the exclusive Rogers Beyond the Seat entrance. Rogers is also introducing a personalized video recap called Rogers Replay where fan-generated content is combined with professional footage to deliver a completely customized digital keepsake for concertgoers. This is a first-of-its-kind fan experience for concerts in Canada.

“As Canada’s leading communications and entertainment company, Rogers is committed to delivering the best experiences to Canadians,” said Tony Staffieri, CEO, Rogers. “At Rogers Stadium, we are ensuring concertgoers have seamless connectivity and can capture memorable moments to share with friends and family.”

Statements from Government Leaders and Transit Partners
“I want to congratulate Live Nation Canada on the opening of the new Rogers Stadium, and on their partnership with the TTC and Metrolinx to provide free transit for concertgoers throughout the summer,” said Premier Doug Ford. “This is a great initiative that will help concertgoers get around safely and conveniently, all while helping boost Ontario’s growing tourism sector.”

“As Toronto welcomes artists and fans from all around the world, Rogers Stadium will provide a great new venue for concerts and improve the music experience for Torontonians,” said Mayor Olivia Chow. “We are especially excited to be partnering with Live Nation to offer free TTC rides home after concerts so people can get home safely and we reduce congestion at big events. I wish everyone a great concert experience this summer!”

“We are committed to ensuring a safe, seamless and enjoyable experience for all concertgoers at the new Rogers Stadium,” said Greg Percy, CEO of the TTC. “We’re pleased to deliver extra subway service, additional staff and clear wayfinding to ensure everyone has a reliable way to and from the shows.”

Rogers Stadium will host its first show on June 29, featuring South Korean pop band Stay Kids. For more information and future artist announcements, follow:
INSTAGRAM: @Rogers_Stadium
X: @Rogers_Stadium

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The Smashing Pumpkins Announce Massive ‘The Rats In A Cage Tour’ Celebrating Mellon Collie Anniversary

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The Smashing Pumpkins are heading back on the road this fall with a tour built around one of the defining rock albums of the 1990s. The band officially announced “The Rats In A Cage Tour,” a North American arena run celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness.

The tour kicks off Sept. 30 in Columbus, Ohio and runs through November, with stops across the United States and Canada, including a Vancouver date in November. The tour’s name comes from the famous lyric in “Bullet With Butterfly Wings,” one of the biggest singles from the landmark double album.

Frontman Billy Corgan said the band has talked about doing a Mellon Collie-focused production for years, but wanted to wait until the timing and concept felt right. This time around, fans are getting something much bigger than a standard anniversary tour.

Each show will feature two separate sets. The first is dedicated entirely to Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness in what the band describes as a theatrical presentation of the album’s music and themes. The second set will pull from nearly four decades of material, mixing major hits, fan favorites, and deeper cuts from albums spanning Gish through 2024’s Aghori Mhori Mei.

The 1995 album remains one of the biggest alternative rock releases of its era. Songs like “1979,” “Tonight, Tonight,” and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” helped turn the band into arena headliners and defined alternative radio for a generation of fans who suddenly realized that album is now 30 years old. Time is rude sometimes.

The announcement follows a busy stretch for the band and for Corgan himself. Over the past two years, the Pumpkins have revisited Mellon Collie through deluxe reissues, orchestral reinterpretations with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and special live performances. Corgan has even been taking the material overseas with orchestral theater shows backed by a 60-piece orchestra.

Before the arena tour begins, the Pumpkins will return to Lollapalooza this summer for the first time since the festival’s touring era in 1994, marking a major hometown moment for the Chicago band.

Tickets for “The Rats In A Cage Tour” go on sale May 21 at 10 a.m. local time through the band’s official website. Citi and Verizon presales begin May 19, while members of the band’s VIZ CLUB fan community will get access to a special presale on May 20. More information here.

The band will offer VIP packages featuring a pre-show acoustic performance, Q&A session, exclusive merchandise, memorabilia, lounge access, and early merch shopping.

With no opening acts announced so far and two full sets planned each night, the tour is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious live productions the band has attempted in years.

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS “The Rats In A Cage Tour”:

Sep. 30 – Columbus, OH @ The Schottenstein Center
Oct. 02 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
Oct. 03 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
Oct. 04 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
Oct. 06 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
Oct. 07 – Hamilton, ON @ TD Coliseum
Oct. 09 – Montréal, QC @ Centre Bell
Oct. 11 – Madison, WI @ Kohl Center
Oct. 13 – Saint Paul, MN @ Grand Casino Arena
Oct. 14 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
Oct. 16 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center
Oct. 17 – Jacksonville, FL @ VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena
Oct. 18 – Tampa, FL @ Benchmark International Arena
Oct. 20 – Indianapolis, IN @ Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Oct. 22 – Nashville, TN @ The Truth
Oct. 24 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Paycom Center
Oct. 25 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
Oct. 27 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
Oct. 29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center
Oct. 30 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
Nov. 01 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
Nov. 03 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
Nov. 05 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
Nov. 06 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
Nov. 08 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
Nov. 11 – Phoenix, AZ @ Mortgage Matchup Center
Nov. 12 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum

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Chance the Rapper Announces the ‘Coloring Book 10 Year Anniversary Tour’

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Independent GRAMMY Award-winning artist, Chance The Rapper has announced The Coloring Book 10 Year Anniversary Tour, a North American run celebrating the 10th anniversary of his groundbreaking mixtape Coloring Book.

Promoted by Live Nation, The Coloring Book 10 Year Anniversary Tour kicks off Tuesday, Aug. 11 in Cleveland, Ohio at House of Blues, making stops across North America in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and more before wrapping up Sunday, Oct. 11 in Pittsburgh, Pa. at Citizens Live at The Wylie.

Released in May 2016, Coloring Book marked a defining moment in Chance the Rapper’s career and a breakthrough for independent music at large. With Coloring Book, Chance The Rapper was the first independent artist to win a GRAMMY® Award,  the critically acclaimed mixtape reshaped perceptions around streaming, artist independence and the evolving music landscape. Blending gospel, hip-hop and soulful live instrumentation, Coloring Bookdelivered an uplifting, community-driven sound that resonated across audiences and featured standout collaborations with Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Kirk Franklin, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, T-Pain and Saba. Created alongside longtime collaborators Nico Segal, Peter Cottontale and The Social Experiment, with additional production from Kaytranada, Brasstracks and Francis and the Lights.  The project received widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike, with Rolling Stone hailing it a “gospel-rap masterpiece,” and The New York Times recognizing Chance as “a crusader and a pop savant.” Complex solidified its historical significance, calling it “a defining moment for independent artists” cementing its place as one of the most influential releases of its era.

TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with an artist presale (details below) beginning on Tuesday, May 19 at 10am local time. Additional presales will run throughout that week leading up to the general on-sale on Thursday, May 21 at 10am local time at ChanceStuff.com.

ARTIST PRESALE: To participate in the Chance The Rapper Artist Presale on Tuesday, May 19 at 10am local time you must sign up at livemu.sc/chancetherapper by Sunday, May 17 at 11:59pm PT. For shows using Ticketmaster, no codes are needed – access is tied to your account, and anyone who signs up can join the sale. For the few shows that are not Ticketmaster venues, a code will be provided before the pre-sale begins.

VIP: The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include premium tickets, Meet & Greet and individual photo with Chance the Rapper, pre-signed autographed poster, specially designed gift item & more. VIP package contents vary based on the offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com!

THE COLORING BOOK 10 TOUR DATES:
Tue, Aug. 11 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
Fri, Aug. 14 – Waterloo, NY – The Vine Showroom at del Lago Resort & Casino
Sat, Aug. 15 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
Sun, Aug. 16 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Tue, Aug. 18 – New York, NY – SummerStage Central Park
Thu, Aug. 20 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Fri, Aug. 21 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
Sat, Aug. 22 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
Sun, Aug. 23 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage
Tue, Aug. 25 – Baltimore, MD – Nevermore Hall
Sat, Aug. 29 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
Sun, Aug. 30 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Tue, Sept. 1 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company
Wed, Sept. 2 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Thu, Sept. 3 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Sat, Sept. 5 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz Ybor
Sun, Sept. 6 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
Tue, Sept. 8 – Memphis, TN – Satellite Music Hall
Wed, Sept. 9 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New Orleans
Thu, Sept. 10 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
Sat, Sept. 12 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Sun, Sept. 13 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
Wed, Sept. 16 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Fri, Sep 18 – Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
Mon, Sept. 21 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live
Tue, Sept. 22 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Fri, Sept. 25 – Vancouver, BC – Freedom Mobile Arch
Sat, Sept. 26 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Sun, Sept. 27 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds
Tue, Sept. 29 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center
Thu, Oct. 1 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Fri, Oct. 2 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Stir Cove
Sun, Oct. 4 – Milwaukee, WI – Landmark Credit Union Live
Tue, Oct. 6 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Wed, Oct. 7 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
Sat, Oct. 10 – Louisville, KY – Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
Sun, Oct. 11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Citizens Live at The Wylie

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