With warm weather and summer jobs right around the corner, college students in the New Jersey area have plenty of options for summer entertainment. Here is a look at some of the biggest tours passing through our area in the spring and summer.
Green Day - The punk rock trio will make stops at major U.S. arenas to promote their Grammy-winning rock opera album "American Idiot" with openers My Chemical Romance. Their only local stop is April 24 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
Maroon 5 - Although their three appearances at Radio City Music Hall are sold out, there are still tickets available for the 2005 Best New Artist Grammy winners at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on April 1.
Joss Stone - The 17-year-old British soul star, who will soon be seen across the nation as the new celebrity face in Gap commercials, will bring her small venue tour to our area in May. She will play Philadelphia's Electric Factory on May 2 and New York's Beacon Theatre on May 4.
The Black Crowes - Chris Robinson and company open their first tour in four years with seven sold out shows at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom this week, but fans can still catch them in June at the Bonnaroo Music festival, listed below.
Coldplay - The release of "X and Y," the follow-up to 2002's hit "A Rush of Blood to the Head," is set for June and the band will kick off their biggest tour yet in Paris on June 9. No U.S. tour dates have been announced.
Eminem - The real slim shady is expected to complete his first-ever stadium tour this summer, hitting major venues with probable tour mates 50 Cent and Linkin Park. Tour dates are not yet available.
Bruce Springsteen - The Garden State's own classic rocker will appear for the first time without the E Street Band in major venues across the United States and Europe to promote his upcoming album "Devils and Dust." A tour schedule has not yet been posted.
Weezer - Fans of the band will finally get their wish when Weezer releases their long-awaited album "Make Believe" on May 10. Following a tour opening show in Vancouver on April 26 and an appearance at California music festival Coachella Apr. 30 to May 1, the band will play Philadelphia's Electric Factory on May 10 and New York's Roseland Ballroom on May 11 and 12.
U2 - The Irish rockers begin an exhausting eight-month world tour next week in San Diego. The first round of local performances comes in late May, hitting Philadelphia's Wachovia Center on May 14 and 22, New Jersey's Continental Airlines Arena on May 17 and 18 and New York's Madison Square Garden on May 21. The band recently added additional MSG dates for Oct. and Nov.
Vans Warped Tour - This year's edition of the annual punk festival will be headlined by My Chemical Romance and the Offspring and feature over 70 other punk scene favorites. The tour will be at Camden's Tweeter Center on Aug. 12, New York's Randall's Island on Aug. 13 and the Old Bridge Township Raceway in Englishtown, N.J., on Aug. 14.
Bonnaroo Music Festival - Though not local, this three-day music festival is reportedly worth the trek to Manschester, Tenn. This year's headliners include Dave Matthews Band, former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, Jack Johnson, The Black Crowes, The Allman Brothers Band, Joss Stone, O.A.R., Modest Mouse, Iron and Wine, M. Ward and Rilo Kiley. Tickets are currently on sale for the festival, which will be held June 10-12.
With last year's concert attendance in a slump, the upcoming concert season is offering a variety of options to draw in fans. Students can take advantage of the small venue tours and low ticket prices that accompany many of the above tours, ensuring that the upcoming music season will be a hot one.
