When your among the biggest rock bands in the world, you don’t even have to bother coming up with a name for your tour. At least that’s what Kiss and Mötley Crüe would have us believe.

The two groups have announced a summer trek simply known as “The Tour,” which will consist of around 40 concert dates that will begin in July.

The two bands, which haven’t shared a stage since 1982, announced the dates at a press conference yesterday at Los Angeles’ Roosevelt Hotel. The tour will kick off on July 20^th in Bristow, Va. and will run through September 23 when the rock tour concludes in Hartford, Conn. According to Rolling Stone, each band will play 90-minute sets, and Kiss will close every night.

At the press conference, the shows were promised to be “Elvis on steroids.” Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley expressed what he wanted fans to take from the show.

“I want people to leave and go, so this is what rock and roll is,” he said. “It’s dangerous, it’s loose, it’s not perfect. So whatever pop artist you see dancing around on a stage lip synching, that’s a con game and that’s not a live concert. If you want karaoke, go to a karaoke bar.”

Kiss bassist Gene Simmons went a little further in his discussions on the subject.

“We’re sick and tired of girls getting up there with dancers and karaoke tapes in back of them,” he said at the conference. “Leave that to Rihanna, Shmianna and anyone else who ends their name with an ‘A.’”

Mötley Crüe’s bassist Nikki Sixx hopes the tour will be inspiring.

“What I would like to see people take away from it is that if you actually practice your instrument and practice writing songs and put a hundred percent into your show and every aspect of it, from your clothes to your lyrics, if your singers sing, then this is what happens—you have a long career and you get to go out and do the real deal,” he said to Rolling Stone. “It’s real rock and roll.”

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four championship is just over a week away, and this year’s host city, New Orleans, will host a free concert series during the event. Jimmy Buffett, the Black Keys and Kiss all will perform on different days in downtown New Orleans’ Woldenberg Park.

The series of shows will be known as “The Big Dance Concert Series,” and legendary rockers Kiss will start things off with a set on Friday, March 30. The band hasn’t played the Crescent City since 2009.

Up next will be the Black Keys, which will perform the following day, March 31. Riding high on the recent release of the El Camino album, the NCAA selected the band’s song “Gold on the Ceiling” as the theme for all of the March Madness television ads promoting the college basketball championships. The band also recently appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and played a show at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Finally, Gulf Coast native Jimmy Buffett will close things down on Sunday, April 1. The “Margaritaville” singer commonly appears at the city’s New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and is reported to be a big fan of the New Orleans Saints football team.

A recent concert at Woldenberg Park by Mary J. Blige and Gavin DeGraw drew an estimated crowd of around 10,000 people, and organizers believe that if the weather is good throughout the weekend, “The Big Dance Concert Series” will likely bring a crowd at least that large.

The Final Four itself will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in the city from March 31 to April 2. In addition to the concerts, a multitude of other events are planned for the weekend, including a sports forum aimed at high school students, a sports writing workshop and a youth life skills camp. The NCAA is teaming up with the National Association of Basketball Coaches to bring 2,012 pairs of shoes and 2,012 box lunches to needy families.

The rock band Kiss has been dropped out of the line-up for the tribute concert for Michael Jackson after fans of the late pop singer’s became outraged by their previous inclusion.

The change came one day after the announcement by Global Live Events that Kiss would be joining the show in Cardiff on October 8.

The singer’s estate, along with the media and fans have pointed out that Gene Simmons, the bassist of Kiss, in recent years has stated that he thought that Jackson had molested children, with some of Simmons’ most critical comments coming days after Jackson died in June 2009.

Jackson was acquitted in 2005 at the ending of a California trial of molestation charges.

However, some of the harshest comments from Simmons came last year during a Classic Rock magazine interview.

Simmons said, where there is smoke, there is fire you know, referring to the accusations that had been pointed at Jackson. He added that he didn’t have any questions in his mind that the accusations were true.

Chris Hunt, CEO of Global Events Live, admitted that booking Kiss was an oversight. He stated, the circumstance gave us no other choice than to withdraw our invitation.

This incident is the show’s latest setback. Jackson’s mother endorses it along with several other siblings. However, brothers Randy and Jermaine oppose it.

The brothers note that the tribute show has been scheduled to take place during the trial for involuntary manslaughter of the doctor being charged in the death of Michael Jackson.

“Michael Forever The Tribute Concert” also had been criticized by fans due to the location of the show, the line-up and over ticket prices.

The departure of KISS leaves Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera and Smokey Robinson as the superstars for the concert.

This summer, the iconic rock band KISS will be taking to the road once again. Their gigs will spread out across parts of Canada and the northern stretch of the U.S.

The outing will kick off with a one night stand in Sacramento, CA on May 29. After a break of three weeks, the band, currently featuring founders Gene Simmons (bassist/guitarist) and Paul Stanley (guitarist, singer) along with drummer Eric Singer and guitarist/singer Tommy Thayer, will return to the road on June 23 and perform in Everett, WA. Following that show will be another 18 gigs, which include several performances in Canada.

Since March, KISS has been hard at work on a new album. Their still untitled effort currently has no exact release date. Their release will follow “Sonic Boom,” their 2009 set.

Recently on the band’s website, Stanley posted, history is going to be made. I’m telling you, this album, everyone agrees will leave “Sonic Boom” behind in the dust. This is awesome. Very soon you’ll be able to hear it.

“Sonic Boom” was the hard rocker’s 19th studio album, and KISS’ first release in 11 years.

During its debut week, the set climbed up to No. 2 spot on Billboard’s 200 chart. It was this highest charting release for KISS to date.

Rock legends Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer which compose the four-man rock group KISS will be embarking on a 30-city US tour dubbed as the “Hottest Show on Earth”.

The group will be kicking off the tour on July 23 with a show in Cheyenne, WY and will cap off on September 24 in Phoenix. The band’s complete “Hottest Show” itinerary is posted over at their website.

Tickets for the said trek will be available to the public on June 4 through Live Nation. Early access to tickets will be made available to Citi cardholders starting on June 2.

KISS will also be teaming up with Guitar Center for the latter’s band competition which features unsigned rock acts. KISS’ front men Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons will be judging the said competition and the winner will not only receive $10,000 worth of shopping money at Guitar Center, but will also get to join KISS in the said tour as opening act.

In other KISS news, their fans can see the group live and even chat with them on June 1 via webchat through the band’s Facebook page and Ustream.

The band is currently concluding the overseas leg of their “Sonic Boom” tour in Europe to promote their album of the same title which is their first release in 11 years. “Sonic Boom” hit the shelves last fall and debuted at the second spot in the Billboard 200. The album is the band’s 19th studio album to date.

2010 KISS Concert Tour
May 2010
25 – Leipzig, Germany – Leipzig Arena
26 – Berlin, Germany – O2 World
28 – Budapest, Hungary – Papp Laszlo Budapest Sportarena
29 – Bratislava, Slovakia – Inter-Bratislava Stadium
31 – Hamburg, Germany – O2 World Hamburg

June 2010
1 – Oberhausen, Germany – Konig Pilsner Arena
3 – Nurburg, Germany – Nurburg Ring
5 – Nuremberg, Germany – Zeppelinfeld
8 – Trondheim, Norway – Lerkendal Stadium
10 – Tampere, Finland – Sauna Open Air Festival
12 – Stockholm, Sweden – Olympic Stadium
13 – Malmo, Sweden – Malmo Stadium
14 – Oslo, Norway – Valhall
16 – Aalborg, Denmark – Gigantium
18 – Arnhem, Netherlands – Gelredome
20 – Clisson, France- Hellfest
22 – Madrid, Spain – Palacio de Deportes
24 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi
25 – Vitoria, Spain – Azkena Rock Festival
27 – Dessel, Belgium – Boeretang

July 2010
23 – Cheyenne, WY – Frontier Park
24 – Minot, ND – North Dakota State Fair Center
29 – Burgettstown, PA – First Niagara Pavilion
30 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
31 – Hershey, PA – Hershey Park Stadium

August 2010
6 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
7 – Mansfield, MA – Comcast Center
9 – Indianapolis, IN – Indiana State Fairgrounds
13 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
14 – Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
15 – Scranton, PA – Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
19 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
20 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
21 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
27 – Virginia Beach, VA – Virginia Beach Amphitheater
28 – Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
29 – Raleigh, NC – Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion

September 2010
2 – Milwaukee, WI – Marcus Amphitheater
3 – Tinley Park, IL – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
4 – Saint Paul, MN – Minnesota State Fair
10 – Toronto, Ontario – Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
11 – Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
12 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
17 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
18 – Frisco, TX – Pizza Hut Park
19 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
22 – Sandy, UT – Rio Tinto Stadium
24 – Phoenix, AZ – Cricket Wireless Pavilion

The original face painters KISS are alive and well, preparing to blanket North America with their 40-date mega tour which is set to launch in Detroit on September 25 & 26. Dubbed “Alive 35″ commorating the band?s 35-year anniversary, the 2009 tour will feature all the old KISS favorites and a bit of a rarity — new songs. The forthcoming “Sonic Boom” will mark the band?s first studio album to be released since “Psycho Circus” hit the streets in 1998. ?Sonic Boom? will be exclusively sold via Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club on October 6.

In an unorthodox move, the band allowed its fans to decide on their North American destinations by tracking “demands” through the website Eventful. The band said they’d suit up wherever the demand was greatest whether it be “stadiums to cornfields.” Not too many cornfields are representing, but the major markets all have their slot as well as a few off the beaten path locales. For those who don’t see their city amongst those lucky few (view the full tour schedule below), the band hinted that more dates would be released for 2010.

2009 KISS Tour Dates
September 2009
25, 26 – Detroit, MI – Cobo Arena
28 – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena
29 – London, Ontario – John Labatt Centre

October 2009
1 – Montreal, Quebec – Bell Centre
2 – Toronto, Ontario – Air Canada Centre
3 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
5 – Boston, MA – TD Banknorth Garden
9 – Uniondale, NY – Nassau Coliseum
10 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
12 – Philadelphia, PA – Wachovia Center
13 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center
16 – Hampton, VA – Hampton Coliseum
17 – Greenville, SC – Bi-Lo Center
19 – Pensacola, FL – Pensacola Civic Center
21 – Tampa, FL – St. Pete Times Forum
22 – Sunrise, FL – Bank Atlantic Centre
24 – Birmingham, AL – Birmingham Jefferson Arena
26 – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
28 – Nashville, TN – Sommet Center
29 – Little Rock, AR – Verizon Arena
31 – New Orleans, LA – Voodoo Experience

November 2009
6 – Chicago, IL – United Center
7 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
9 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – MTS Centre
10 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Credit Union Centre
12 – Calgary, Alberta – Pengrowth Saddledome
14 – Vancouver, British Columbia – General Motors Place
15 – Seattle, WA – Key Arena
17 – Portland, OR – Rose Garden
20 – Sacramento, CA – ARCO Arena
21 – Oakland, CA – Oracle Arena
24 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
25 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center
27 – San Diego, CA – Sports Arena

December 2009
1 – Glendale, AZ – Jobing.com Arena
2 – El Paso, TX – UTEP Special Events Center
4 – Austin, TX – Frank Erwin Center
5 – Houston, TX – Toyota Centre
6 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Centre