Iced Earth tour dates...

[General Zod]

ICED EARTH have confirmed 4 North American tour dates for the Fall of 2010. Meant as an "Escape From The Studio", these exclusive dates will also get fans the chance to see Jon Schaffer's new project SONS OF LIBERTY on stage for their first-ever live performances.

Jon Schaffer: "It has been too long since we played North America and after the South American shows we felt we should bring a "Greatest Hits"-set to our loyal fans in the US. I am also very much looking forward to introducing SONS OF LIBERTY to the Minions. See you out there!"

My love affair with Iced Earth has been cooling for the last few years. Framing Armageddon and The Crucible of Man were varying shades of awful. Their ProgPower performance was so uninspired, I walked out half way through. I think the majority of Iced Earth fans, or one time fans, view the band as caught in a downward spiral. All that said, I would have been on the fence about attending the NYC show... but likely would have gone. However, the Sons of Liberty thing is the straw that breaks the camel's back. For starters, I think it's insane to ever ask a vocalist as talented as Barlow to step aside for someone as mediocre as Jon. Second, even if I didn't have an issue with the Sons of Liberty material, I think it's unfair to take money from Iced Earth fans, and then play them non-Iced Earth material at an Iced Earth show. If you want to perform the Sons of Liberty material, than do so. But don't disguise it as an Iced Earth show. It just makes it seem like one more way Jon can extract money from die-hard fans (e.g. pointless box sets).

When all is said and done, I'm simply not going to pay money to hear Jon sing songs inspired by the mind of Alex Jones.

Zod

Note... perhaps Jon should look up the primary definition of the word "minion" (a servile dependent). What a flattering view he has of his fans.

 

[Cheiron]

I'd see it if it came to Atlanta.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

I wouldn't bother going to see them right now even if Barlow was singing and there was no hint of Sons Of Liberty. I don't have any interest in IE these days. They would need a seriously ripping new album to recapture my attention, and I don't think they have it in them.


Britt

 

[General Zod]

They would need a seriously ripping new album to recapture my attention, and I don't think they have it in them.

If you take the last two releases as a whole, than their only one CD away from The Glorious Burden, which was my #1 CD of 2004. I think it's quite possible that Jon got lost in the details of those discs and lost focus. It wouldn't shock me at all if the next disc kicks ass. However, it also would shock me if it was uninspired tripe. My concern is, we'll begin to see Jon's "patriotism" become a bigger and bigger part of Iced Earth.

 

[edgeofthorns]

My concern is, we'll begin to see Jon's "patriotism" become a bigger and bigger part of Iced Earth.

Personally, I dig Jon's "patriotism" to no end! I have no problem whatsoever with him writing about his beliefs, eventhough it's pro-American. Both Jon and Matt seem to love their country and I applaud that. At least they have the balls to verbalize it!

~Brian~

 

[General Zod]

Personally, I dig Jon's "patriotism" to no end! I have no problem whatsoever with him writing about his beliefs, eventhough it's pro-American. Both Jon and Matt seem to love their country and I applaud that. At least they have the balls to verbalize it!

That's totally cool. However, if you want to interject your lyrics with political beliefs, you're likely going to isolate a percentage of folks (at least among those folks who care about lyrical content).

 

[Guardian of the Blind]

I think it's insane to ever ask a vocalist as talented as Barlow to step aside for someone as mediocre as Jon.

From viewing the Iced Earth's website, it looks like Sons of Liberty is opening so it wouldn't interrupt the IE set.

Their ProgPower performance was so uninspired, I walked out half way through. I think the majority of Iced Earth fans, or one time fans, view the band as caught in a downward spiral.

I agree with you there. I seen their PowerFest show and really enjoyed that one. But at PP, it was soooo boring. The long wait for them to come on didn't help either. I think I watched a few songs before I went out to the hallway.

Here are the dates if anyone is interested.

* Fri/Sep-10 - Washington DC -- 9:30 Club
* Tue/Sep-21 - Chicago IL -- House of Blues
* Thu/Sep-23 - New York NY -- Nokia Theater Times Square
* Sat/Sep-25 - West Hollywood CA -- House of Blues

I might actually go to this since it's a 'Greatest Hits Tour' but just show up late to miss Sons of Liberty. I think I might have given up on IE for new material but I still love the old CDs and to hear that live with Matt should always be fun. Let's just hope they are into it more than at PP.

 

[AngraRULES]

Hmmm...

I am not a big fan of the propaganda that he fills Sons of Liberty with, although I really dig the music. Plus, if this is an Iced Earth "Greatest Hits" set, I think I may have to go see this.

It'll be simple. Just ignore the lyrical content on the Sons of Liberty portion of the show.

 

[Matt Crooks]

Well, I won't be going to the DC show, since I'll be in Atlanta. That makes it an easy decision.

 

[Saladbar]

There was a time when I thought Iced Earth were gonna be as big as Metallica. I remember having a jean jacket that I drew the cover of the Something Wicked album with a pen on the back of it, everyone thought it was the coolest thing ever but the best part was that almost no one knew who they were and I didn't waste any time telling them to check the band out.

I really haven't liked a single album of theirs since Horror Show, their performance at Powerfest was ok but severely lacking that spark from the last time I saw them with Barlow.

I still listen to Alive in Athens very often, I think it's a really good interpretation of what that band was at its "musical peak" (that's my opinion). I don't know what happened and I don't like the Sons Of Liberty project that he did so I won't go see this show.

And did Jon just call his fans "minions"? WTF

 

[AngraRULES]

There was a time when I thought Iced Earth were gonna be as big as Metallica.

There was also a time I believed cars would fly in the year 2000.

I still listen to Alive in Athens very often, I think it's a really good interpretation of what that band was at its "musical peak" (that's my opinion).

Agreed 1000000%.

 

[General Zod]

From viewing the Iced Earth's website, it looks like Sons of Liberty is opening so it wouldn't interrupt the IE set.

Good to know. I didn't catch that. Thanks.

I might actually go to this since it's a 'Greatest Hits Tour' but just show up late to miss Sons of Liberty.

Hmmm... I may as well.

 

[skyrefuge]

If you want to perform the Sons of Liberty material, than do so. But don't disguise it as an Iced Earth show.

Did you not scroll all the way to the end of the article on the website, or has it been updated since you first saw it? It pretty clearly says (at least now):

I C E D E A R T H
with very special guest
SONS OF LIBERTY

So I'm quite sure you won't see Iced Earth play 'Travel in Stygian' and then see Jon tackle Matt, roll him up in a carpet, kick him offstage, laugh maniacally, and then spend the next hour ranting about the Federal Reserve to confused Iced Earth fans.

If you aren't interested in seeing Iced Earth, that's cool, but I don't see why the opening act has anything to do with that...it's always quite easy to avoid an opening act if you want to.

The only complaint I have is the "Greatest Hits" idea. Isn't almost every concert by every band a "Greatest Hits" concert? You play a few songs from the new album, and then a dozen of your greatest hits. "ooh, maybe they'll play 'Pure Evil' and 'Iced Earth' at this show!!! Oh, I forgot, they've played those at every single show for the last 15 years. Hmm." If you want to do something unique and special, you play your UN-greatest hits.

Well, I'm still totally going; if seeing Iced Earth songs live for the millionth time was anything less then awesome, I would have stopped going to their shows a long time ago! And this isn't the turn-of-the-century, when I'd get a chance to see them 3 times a year...now it's more like once every 3 years, so I'm not gonna pass this one up.

Neil

 

[Jasonic]

Iced Earth will always hold a special place in my heart as one of the main bands that got me back into metal in the late 90's.
First got The Dark Saga which caught my attention, and then Alive in Athens which sealed the deal for me.

Both Framing and Crucible have grown on me, though even the fanboy in me will 100% agree that each album contains MANY recycled riffs, so I certainly agree with the criticism.

Anyhow, IE is definitely a top 20 all time fav band for me, so I will see you @ HOB on Tuesday Sept 21st!!!!

Their VIP deal actually isn't that bad, @ $75, getting ticket, shirt, flag, etc, etc.......

 

[Jasonic]

Well, I'm still totally going; if seeing Iced Earth songs live for the millionth time was anything less then awesome, I would have stopped going to their shows a long time ago! And this isn't the turn-of-the-century, when I'd get a chance to see them 3 times a year...now it's more like once every 3 years, so I'm not gonna pass this one up.

THIS.

I don't expect Iced Earth to honestly last beyond an album or two, so to get to see them perform on a short tour of select dates will be extremely cool.

I think we can all pretty much guess the setlist, but as Jon said, it's taking place while they are in the midst of studio recording. Therefore, obviously rehearsals will be limited, thus no time really to work on deep cut songs or songs they haven't played in years. Keep in mind there are 3 guys in the band now who have never played MANY songs live which are deep in their catalog. Given all of that, it's pretty inevitable, announced or unannounced, that the set would simply be classic IE staples.

I figure this will realistically be one of the last couple of times they play out, so what the heck!

Also, for Chicago it's a Tuesday. WTF else could possibly be going on? LOST will be over by then.

 

[General Zod]

Did you not scroll all the way to the end of the article on the website, or has it been updated since you first saw it?

I believe I already thanked Guardian of the Blind for correcting my error.

So I'm quite sure you won't see Iced Earth play 'Travel in Stygian' and then see Jon tackle Matt, roll him up in a carpet, kick him offstage, laugh maniacally, and then spend the next hour ranting about the Federal Reserve to confused Iced Earth fans.

Pretty sure I didn't intimate that there would be tackling or ranting about the Federal Reserve. None the less, it's the kind of the response I'd expect from Jon's webmaster (past or present).

If you aren't interested in seeing Iced Earth, that's cool, but I don't see why the opening act has anything to do with that...it's always quite easy to avoid an opening act if you want to.

And again, I already said I didn't notice that. Nothing like harping on a point, right Neil?

 

[skyrefuge]

Personally, I dig Jon's "patriotism" to no end! I have no problem whatsoever with him writing about his beliefs, eventhough it's pro-American. Both Jon and Matt seem to love their country and I applaud that. At least they have the balls to verbalize it!

Not to get too political or anything, but by my interpretation, the 'Sons of Liberty' project is not at all "pro-American". Well, at least not in the way that you're probably thinking. Its main theme is actually *anti* American-government. It's almost a complete reversal of the type of flag-waving, government-supporting "patriotism" that you probably associate with Jon in the past.

I'm not saying that you should agree or disagree, I just want people to know that 'Sons of Liberty' is *not* a continuation of something you may have heard Jon say in an interview 6 years ago; it's actually a pretty radical departure.

Neil

 

[edgeofthorns]

That's totally cool. However, if you want to interject your lyrics with political beliefs, you're likely going to isolate a percentage of folks (at least among those folks who care about lyrical content).

That can be applied to various types of lyrical themes. 90% of the bands that I listen to I think their lyrics are b.s. With that said, that doesn't stop me from listening to them if I like the band.

~Brian~

 

[edgeofthorns]

Not to get too political or anything, but by my interpretation, the 'Sons of Liberty' project is not at all "pro-American". Well, at least not in the way that you're probably thinking. Its main theme is actually *anti* American-government. It's almost a complete reversal of the type of flag-waving, government-supporting "patriotism" that you probably associate with Jon in the past.

I'm not saying that you should agree or disagree, I just want people to know that 'Sons of Liberty' is *not* a continuation of something you may have heard Jon say in an interview 6 years ago; it's actually a pretty radical departure.

Neil

Exactly...that's why I like it! It seems to be more of a "renegade" type of theme. The government has become way too comfortable and powerful in our country. Most of us sit back and let these jerks (politicians) do whatever they like. Basically, We The People need to be in control.

~Brian~

 

[AngraRULES]

The only complaint I have is the "Greatest Hits" idea. Isn't almost every concert by every band a "Greatest Hits" concert? You play a few songs from the new album, and then a dozen of your greatest hits. "ooh, maybe they'll play 'Pure Evil' and 'Iced Earth' at this show!!!

Well, if they play a few songs from the new album, then for Iced Earth it really IS NOT a Greatest Hits show.