Kik Axe Music and Entertainment

The 2011 Edition of RIOT FEST will get started in Chicago this evening at the Bottom Lounge with a sold-out performance of X performing their landmark 1980 debut LOS ANGELES in it's entirety. The full-album concert will be preceeded by a screening of the 1986 film X: THE UNHEARD MUSIC.

Riot Fest runs through Sunday, with events taking place at the Congress Theater, Bottom Lounge, Cobra Lounge, and Double Door, with special ''secret shows'' taking place at AAA Warehouse. Kik Axe Music™ will be in attendance for the festival which also includes performances by DANZIG, WEEZER, HELMET, SOCIAL DISTORTION, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET, ALL, DAWN BY LAW, SUICIDE MACHINES, THE DESCENDENTS, and more.

Ed. Note: Back in May, Kik Axe Music™ contributor and NOKTURNEL frontman Tom Stevens made the annual trek to the East Coast for the 9th installment of the MARYLAND DEATH FEST. This year he wasn't just going as a fan, but as a performer as well. This is his report.

After the unholy 365-day wait was over, it was once again time for Maryland Death Fest, the annual event in which bands and fans from around the world take over downtown Baltimore for the biggest Metal Party of the Year! While I love attending this event at The Sonar and knowing that many of my friends would be there,  the icing on this year's cake was that I also playing it with my band, NOKTURNEL. After an insane week, I settled into my final destination in Baltimore. I scored our passes on that Friday and made it over to one of the outside stages to get ready for AURA NOIR. My MDF had officially begun.

FAITH NO MORE, my favorite band of all-time, are doing something different. They've announced that on November 12th, 2011, they will perform their 1995 album KING FOR A DAY... FOOL FOR A LIFETIME in it's entirety in Santiago, Chile. If playing the album front-to-back isn't unique enough, original album guitarist Trey Spruance (MR. BUNGLE, SECRET CHIEFS 3) will join the band to perform the album. This is notable as Spruance was recruited by frontman Mike Patton to record the album following the departure of Jim Martin, but never toured in support of the record. For the following tour, former road crew member Dean Menta slung the axe, later being replaced by guitarist Jon Hudson for 1997's ALBUM OF THE YEAR.

The organizers of the currently in-progress MILWAUKEE SUMMERFEST may want to be a little more consistent between their advertising and reality for their 2012 event. Touting the 2011 edition of their self-proclaimed 'World's Largest Music Festival' as having '11 Days, 11 Stages, Over 700 Bands,' the actual number of performers is still hefty - but over 150 less than 700. From a count that Kik Axe Music™ has taken from the complete printable schedule (available via this link - but we also saved a copy), it appears that only 547 Musical Artists are appearing at the Festival this year, give or take a small margin of error.

ROCKLAHOMA is absolutely MASSIVE this year. In fact, if we could teleport to the fest location in Pryor, OK on Memorial Day weekend, we sure as hell would. Check out the details below - chances are your favorite band is gonna be there...

Get your groove on Kik Axers...

First there was the initial announcement about IDENTITY—the first-ever touring electronic-ONLY music festival to visit major outdoor amphitheatres throughout North America in August and September and give fans the full electronic music experience.  Now it can be revealed when and in which cities the traveling extravaganza will make its stops this summer.

It all sets off August 11 in Chicago and for the following five weeks IDENTITY will further galvanize the electronic music explosion with approximately 20 shows in such cities as Detroit, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Charlotte, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Houston and Dallas. Look for information about venues and which artists will be appearing at specific dates to become available on May 12.