Jerry Cantrell is ready to brighten quite a few more concert stages early in the new year. The Alice in Chains singer-guitarist has just announced a month-plus worth of shows in support of his Brighten solo album that will kick off Feb. 21 in Ventura, California.  Brighten was released in October of 2021, with Cantrell finding time to support the solo album while on breaks from Alice in Chains

ZZ Top wowed concertgoers in a hugely unexpected way last week when current ZZ Top bassist Elwood Francis busted out an 18-string electric bass onstage with the long-running classic rock band.  ZZ Top were playing the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama, when Francis’ 18-string bass graced the stage, as shown in fan-captured video from the show.

Seafaring music fans can set sail metal-style when Lamb of God’s first-ever Headbangers Boat heavy metal cruise hosts a stacked lineup of metal bands from Oct. 31 through Nov. 4, 2023.  More bands have been added to the lineup including Testament, Municipal Waste, Lacuna Coil, Gatecreeper, Vio-Lence, Malevolence, Bleed From Within and Dying Wish.