Calfornia Culture

James Taylor & Carole King at Oracle Arena July 19

Fans of the award winning crooners James Taylor and Carole King will be happy to know that these two have decided to team up for a three month tour to bring their famous love songs and performances all across the US and in Toronto for the “Troubadour Reunion”.

The tour is dubbed as such because it is both an encore and a continuation of the sold-out performances these two shared when they hit the Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood in 2007 to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary.

As part of their three month trek that sets off in May, they will be hitting the Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA on July 19, Monday at 8 PM. Tickets will be available to the public via Ticketmaster on March 21, Sunday at 10 AM PDT. AMEX cardholders can snag themselves advanced tickets through the presale event happening on March 14, Sunday at 10 AM PDT. An internet presale will also be held on March 18, Thursday at 10 AM PDT.

Tickets are priced from $37.75 to $119. Please take note that refunds and exchange of tickets are not allowed, and children who are two years and older will require a ticket. Doors open one hour before the show starts.

For all the latest on his music and the upcoming the tour, visit James Taylor Tour.

Sugarland Wakes Up Sleep Train Pavilion April 30

Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles, better known as the country duo Sugarland, is currently busy performing across the US for the spring leg of their “Incredible Machine Tour” which kicked off on April 23 in Primm, NV. They will be heading to Concord, CA on the 30th as they close the April leg of the tour.

See them perform new tracks from their soon-to-be-released fourth album and past hits as well, when they perform at the Sleep Train Pavilion on April 30, at 7:30 PM. Julianne Hough and Vonda Shepard will be joining the duo as guests for the said show.

Tickets will go on sale to the public via Live Nation on March 13, Saturday at 10 AM. Presale tickets are available through Sugarland’s fan club presale event on March 8, Monday at 10 AM. Citi cardholders will also have access to presale tickets starting on Wednesday, March 10 at 10 AM.

Ticket prices for the reserved seating areas are $56 to $31.25, while it will be $31.25 for the lawn seating areas or general admission.

Sugarland is planning to drop their fourth studio release sometime in summer. This will be their follow-up to their 2008 release “Love on the Inside”, which reached platinum status and topped the Billboard 200 charts in when it surfaced that year.

For all the latest on Sugarland, log on to Sugarland Tour.

Tom Petty to Break Hearts at Oracle Arena June 5

Tom Petty is readying his first studio album in 10 years. The album entitled “Mojo” doesn’t have a release date, but that hasn’t stopping Petty from hitting the road to support his coming work. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers have outlined a 36-city tour that will make its way to Oakland’s Oracle Arena on Saturday, June 5 at 7:30pm. For information on other stops on the upcoming tour, visit Tom Petty Tour.

Tickets for the Oracle Arena show go onsale to the general public via Ticketmaster on Monday, March 8 at 10am. Fan club members will have a shot at presale tickets on Wednesday, March 3 at 10am as will Citi cardholders who will get access on Friday, March 5 at 10am. Tickets top out at $125.25 for floor and select lower level seating and the nosebleeds will set you back $47.50.

Dave Matthews Band Returns to Sleep Train on August 25

What summer tour would be complete without a helping of the Dave Matthews Band? They will be making their annual trek through Oakland on Wednesday, August 25 at 7pm. It will be just one stop on a 40-city tour which will carry them through September. The group continues to tour in support of their latest album ‘Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King’ that was nominated for two Grammy Awards. DMB has tabbed an assortment of musicians to help them out on the road including Ben Harper, Zac Brown Band, Gov’t Mule, Brett Dennen and Raphel Saadiq. No word on who will be present for the Atlanta show. For up-to-date tour info, check out Dave Matthews Band Tour.

Tickets go onsale to the general public on Friday, February 26 at 10am. If you weren’t fortunately enough to take advantage of the DMB Warehouse fan club presale, you can still score advanced tickets via the American Express presale on Monday, February 22 at 10am. Ticket prices run from $75 to $40.50.

Alicia Keys Slides Her Silky Voice into Oracle Arena on April 10

Alicia Keys, the queen of R&B, has laid out her plans for a tour to canvass North America and Europe in 2010 to support her latest album “The Element of Freedom.” Keys will be bringing her act to Oakland’s Oracle Arena on Saturday, April 10 at 8pm. Robin Thicke and Melanie Fiona will provide opening musical support. Alicia’s “The Element of Freedom” was released on December 15 and has seen the singles “Doesn’t Mean Anything” and “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart” culled from the album.

Alicia Key’s Oakland tour date will go onsale to the general public via Ticketmaster on Friday, February 12 at 10am. There are three presales being held for American Express cardholders on Friday, February 5 at 9am, for VIP Packages also Friday, February 5 at 9am as well as a Venue\Radio presale on Thursday, February 11 at 9am. Ticket prices range from $119 to $37.50 in the lower level of the arena and $47.25 to $37.50 in the upper level. For more tour details, visit Alicia Keys Tour.

Vampire Weekend Take a Bite Out of Fox Theater April 19-20

New York-based indie rockers Vampire Weekend is prepping for a two-month North American spring tour to support “Contra”, their second studio effort released this January in Los Angeles.

The trek is set to launch in Edmonton in Canada on March 14 and will tackle 22 other cities before they close the trip with a two-night performance in Oakland, CA.

See them perform live at the Fox Theatre in Oakland on Monday and Tuesday, April 19 and 20 at 8 PM. Abe Vigoda will be performing as front act for the show.

Tickets will be available to the public via Ticketmaster on January 8, Friday at 10 AM. Early tickets will be available through the Vampire Weekend presale on January 6, Wednesday at 10 AM and also through the APE presale event on January 7, Thursday at 10 AM. Visit Vampire Weekend Tour for further information.

Tickets are priced at $27.50 for all levels – mezzanine, balcony and the general admission area.

“Contra” was released in January 12 at a listening party held in Los Angeles. After which they went to Europe for a series of shows in February before embarking on the North American tour.

“Cousins” is the first single taken from the said album. This and nine other tracks from the “Contra” album are streaming now at the band’s official website.

Muse to Mesmerize Oracle Arena on April 14

UK rockers Muse are about to dot the globe with concert dates, and they have their sights set on Phoenix’s US Airways Center on Wednesday, April 14 at 8pm. The upcoming Oakland date is just one of their 24-city trek through North America. A full listing of tour dates can be found on Muse Tour. The band is currently touring in support of their most recent release “Resistance” that dropped last September and raced up to number 3 on the Billboard Album Charts. Silversun Pickups are touring with Muse as opening support.

Tickets go onsale through Ticketmaster on Saturday, December 19 at 10am. There is also a a radio presale slated for Thursday, December 17 at 10am. Ticket prices will range from $56.75 for floor level, $42.75 to $33.25 for lower level and $56.75 to $33.25 upper bowl seating.

Michael Buble’s Crazy Love Comes to Oracle Arena on April 6

Following the release of his newest studio effort “Crazy Love” this fall, Canadian award winning singer Michael Buble will be going on a tour across the US and in his homeland this spring till summer to promote the said album.

Catch him perform his past hits as well as tracks from the new album when he graces the stage of the Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA on April 6, Tuesday at 8 PM. Tickets will be available to the public on December 11, Friday at 10 AM through Ticketmaster. Presale opportunities include the Michael Buble fan club presale on December 8, Tuesday at 10 AM and the Oracle Arena presale on December 9, Wednesday at 10 AM.

Ticket prices are from $49.50 for general admission to $95 for premium seats.

“Crazy Love” is Michael Buble’s fourth studio release and has reached the top spot of the Billboard 200 upon its release, making it Buble’s first album to have reached top 1 status in the Billboard charts.

To watch the music video for the album’s carrier single “Haven’t Met You Yet” and to view Buble’s complete tour schedule, visit Michael Buble Tour.

Ex-Dire Straits Frontman Mark Knopfler Comes to the Paramount Theatre April 13

Mark Knopfler, former Dire Straits frontman, will be coming to Oakland’s Paramount Theatre by AMC on Tuesday, April 18 at 8pm. Dubbed by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Knopfler is touring on the release of his latest album “Get Lucky.” He will be hitting 23-cities on his upcoming 2010 tour which maps through April and into May.

Tickets go onsale through Ticketmaster on Friday, September 18 at 10am. For the lucky few, there will be a chance to snag advanced ticket during the APE & KFOG presale on Thursday, September 17 at 10am. Ticket prices will range from $99.50 to $49.50. As an added bonus, with every pair of ticket you purchase, you get a copy of Mark Knopfler’s album “Get Lucky.” Checkout Ticketmaster for additional info on this CD offer.