They don't plan on preaching (much) from the stage, but politics and the current economic climate helped inspire this summer's Stimulate This! Tour, a hard rock package featuring Staind, Shinedown, Chevelle and Halestorm that kicks off Wednesday in Peoria, Ill.
Staind frontman Aaron Lewis told Billboard.com during a conference call with reporters that, "I kind of came up with the idea for this tour by seeing what was going on in this country," including corporate bailouts that he feels "really didn't do anything for the average American that really needed the help. So in frustration, I was like, 'What can we do for our summer tour to at least try...to make it affordable to come see a good show? The first step was to find a bunch of bands that were willing to be part of it and make a little less than they might have bade going out and headlining a tour. It made it so that we could offer a very affordable show with a whole bunch of bands."
Shinedown's
Brent Smith laughingly countered: "
We just want an excuse to hang out with each other and play rock music" but quickly saluted Lewis' "
great idea" and added that he and his band are "
really proud" to be part of the tour.
Tickets for the 30-date "Simulate This!" trek are generally $40 and under, with amphitheater lawn seats priced in the $10 range. Tour organizers and local promoters have also lined up a variety of discounts and perks for ticket holders, ranging from food discounts at the individual venues to off-site specials at restaurants and other retailers.
Don't forget to check out the StimulateThisTour.com.
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