Snippets from the Road

1. Sir Paul McCartney has tacked a few more shows onto the itinerary for his 2010 "Up and Coming" tour.

The former Beatle will return to the road beginning with a two-night stand March 28-29 in Glendale, AZ. Since last check, four new dates have been confirmed, including a second night at LA's Hollywood Bowl (3/30-3/31). The legendary performer will also host concerts in Miami (4/3) and San Juan, Puerto Rico (4/5).

2. ZZ Top, Godsmack, Buckcherry and Tesla are just some of the bands appearing at this year’s Rocklahoma, scheduled for Memorial Weekend in Pryor, Okla. Along with the aforementioned bands, other groups appearing at the 3-day festival include Cinderella, Chevelle, Stone Sour, Theory Of A Deadman, Saliva, Saving Abel, Adelitas, Aranda and Burn Halo with more to be announced.

3. Alicia Keys is among the recently confirmed headliners for the 2010 Essence Music Festival, set for July 2-4 in New Orleans. The newest additions to the lineup also include Arrested Development, Estelle, Trey Songz, War, LL Cool J, Mint Condition and Mary Mary among others.

Keys joins previously announced Mary J. Blige, along with Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight, Keri Hilson, Jill Scott, Raphael Saadiq, Charlie Wilson, De La Soul and many more at the annual weekend celebration.

BPD has received assurances that we'll have passes for #s1-3. So don't delay, request yours right away.

New Dates for ZZ Top

In case you've been on another planet, Aerosmith was forced to cancel its tour last week because of frontman Steven Tyler’s injuries resulting from falling off the stage during a performance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota.

Aside from ruining the summer for Aerosmith fans, the tour cancellation didn’t bode well for ZZ Top, which was appearing on the tour. But, the cancellation doesn’t mean the guys in ZZ Top are just hanging out combing their beards. The lil’ ol’ band from Texas has added new dates!

Said ZZ Top’s Frank Beard:

“When we found out that the tour was going to be canceled, we got together and decided that since we’re ready, willing and able, we should get out there immediately and get it on and that’s exactly what we intend to do.”

New, non-Aerosmith dates Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., at the Kewadin Casino Sept. 6-7; Washington, D.C., at the 9:30 Club Sept. 13-14; Boston at the Orpheum Theatre Sept. 15; New York City at the Beacon Theatre Sept. 18 and Reading, Penn., at the Sovereign Perf. Arts Center.

More dates are expected to be announced.

Pass requests for all dates may be made at the BackstagePassDirect website.

Aerosmith and ZZ Top Rock On

Aerosmith and ZZ Top continue to kick butt on their joint tour this summer, and it's not too late to request backstage passes.

Recently, Joe Perry told us that he is really pumped about touring with world’s most famously bearded band. “That’s just amazing to play with them because it’s such a kickass show". He added that Aerosmith has had to juice up their set lists to keep up with "those beards".

Here are the venues for August and September:

Sat 08/01/09 Englewood, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre

Mon 08/17/09 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre

Wed 08/19/09 Concord, CA Sleep Train Pavilion At Concord

Fri 08/21/09 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center

Sun 08/23/09 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Fri 08/28/09 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

Sun 08/30/09 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center

Tue 09/01/09 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center

Tue 09/08/09 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center

Thu 09/10/09 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center

Sat 09/12/09 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center

Mon 09/14/09 New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena

Wed 09/16/09 Auburn Hills, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills

Fri 09/18/09 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center

Sun 09/20/09 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena

A full year's membership in BackstagePassDirect is only $49.95. Don't hesitate; join today and rock your life away.