Motley Crue plays farewell show in Tampa

   The Motley Crue guys’ recent announcement that they were calling it quits has been met with some skepticism. But fans will still want to keep Sunday, Aug. 17 open.

Motley Crue

   That’s when the long-lived band, which has evolved from glam-metal to hair-metal to just plain old hard-rock its decades-long career, will bring their recently announced “farewell tour” to the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa.

    Alice Cooper is opening the show.

  The tour’s called the “All Bad Things Must Come to an End Tour” and tickets go on sale Friday. You can get them online through www.livenation.com. Reserved seats will run you $119, $79, $49 or $39. You can get lawn tickets $20 through Sunday; after that they’ll be $25.

   The band members made a big deal about publicly signing legal documents saying that they’ll never, ever get back together, and they held a press conference at which they sat behind mock tombstones. They apparently don’t want people to think they’ll be one of those bands that has a half-dozen farewell tours before fading into oblivion.

    The “classic” Crue lineup – Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Vince Neil -- is still intact. They’ve basically been together for more than 30 years, except for a brief and unsuccessful stint during which Neil was replaced by singer John Corabi.

   Like a lot of big-time bands that have launched a farewell tour, Motley Crue, said they wanted to “go out on top.”

Motley Crue's Vince Neil at Manatee's Ribfest

   So, last week, when the people from Gulfcoast Rhythm & Ribfest announced the headliners for this year's event, they talked about Fantasia, the Lee Boys and Foghat (with only the drummer remaining from the original lineup). Now all of a sudden their website is touting Vince Neil of Motley Crue. Vince Neil definitely trumps faux Foghat in the classic rock department, so it's surprising that they didn't make a bigger deal out his addition to the lineup.

Vince Neil will perform at Ribfest April 13

   Other acts new to the lineup since last week's announcement are locals Boss Hawg Band, blues players Doug Deming & Dennis Gruenling with the Jewel Tones, bluesy rockers the Mitch Clark Band, reggae band Trinity 7, the cast of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe's "Soul Crooners 2," and soul singer Urban Mystic.
  Ribfest is set for April 12-14 at the Manatee County Fairgrounds. Neil performs at 8:30 p.m. April 13. Fantasia winds up Ribfest at 7 p.m. April 14.
 The complete schedule is here: www.gulfcoastribfest.com/entertainment
  You can read more here: www.bradenton.com/2013/03/14/4434823/foghat-and-fantasia-set-for-manatee.html#storylink=misearch

UPDATED 4/9: Top 10 summer concerts for Tampa Bay

UPDATED 4/9:

Hottest summer concerts coming to Tampa Bay

Spring is barely a couple weeks old but it's already time to start making plans for the top concerts of the summer.

I know this because my girlfriend has planned everything from transportation to room and meals for us to see Sugarland at the 1-800-ASK-Gary Amphitheatre — in July! 

Yeah, Bruce Springsteen, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jimmy Buffett played here in March but there are plenty more biggies coming through Tampa Bay between now and Labor Day.

Here are the hottest tickets of the summer (by date):

1. Van Halen: April 14, Tampa Bay Times Forum
Van Halen returning to Tampa; check out new single 'Tatoo'

2. Beach Boys: May 5, Straz center
Beach Boys to play Tampa

3. Lady Antebellum: May 11, Gary Amphitheatre
Interview: Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott

4. Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw: June 2, Raymond James Stadium  
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw tour headed to Tampa

5. Neil Diamond: June 3, Tampa Bay Times Forum
Neil Diamond has Tampa date at St. Pete Times Forum

6. Coldplay with Robyn and Wolf Gang: June 28, Tampa Bay Times Forum 
Madonna 'loves' Robyn and you should, too!

7. Def Leppard with Poison: June 30, Tampa Bay Times Forum
Rock of Ages: Let’s talk Def Leppard’s greatest hits

8. Sugarland: July 28,  Gary Amphitheatre
Sugarland revels in role of Nashville rebels

9. Kiss with Motley Crue: July 28, Gary Amphitheatre
Crue singer on three decades of decadence

10. Jason Aldean: Aug. 10,  Gary Amphitheatre
Country star Jason Aldean in Tampa

Motley Crue singer Vince Neil talks about all those 'girls, girls, girls' taking off their tops

L to R: Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee of Motley Crue/PUBLICITY PHOTO

From my interview with Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil for today's Weekend cover story:

Despite consuming copious amounts of pills, powders and booze, Crue continued to sell millions of records and play packed arenas. The band’s 1987 album “Girls, Girls, Girls” hit No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Almost a quarter century later, the hit title track, an homage to exotic dancers, remains an anthem, especially in strip club-rich Tampa. It’s also Neil’s favorite song to perform.

“I love doing ‘Girls, Girls, Girls,’ ” he said without hesitation when asked what Crue tune he likes singing best. “The crowd loves it. That’s when all the tops come off and the girls are dancing. That never gets old.”

Read more.