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Urban, Paisley, Waters set to hit road in 2007
12/31/2006 7:35 PM, Reuters
Susanne Ault
We know that the Rolling Stones,
Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw/Faith Hill and Dave Matthews Band
will sell the heck out of tickets in 2007.
But there is always a dark horse that rises seemingly out
of nowhere to become a huge seller each year. In 2005 it was
Motley Crue. Last year it was the Def Leppard/Journey package.
Here we'll take a look at who we might be talking about in
December as exceeding expectations at the box office.
KEITH URBAN
2006 boxscore: $10.2 million, 32 shows
Reason to watch in 2007: His recent stint in rehab
notwithstanding, Keith Urban is a country music headliner whose
time has come.
And while the tour has been delayed from its planned
kickoff of mid-February (June is more likely now), he will
likely be met with a dynamic reception at the box office.
Country fans are a pretty forgiving bunch (as long as you're
not perceived as unpatriotic), and Urban's album sales have
been strong, even with zero promotion from the artist. Besides
that, Urban's much-publicized marriage to Nicole Kidman, and
even publicity from his recent stint in rehab, have greatly
raised his profile beyond country music circles.
BRAD PAISLEY
2006 boxscore: $28 million, 97 shows
Reason to watch in 2007: Country music's most dangerous
triple threat -- singer/songwriter/guitar slinger -- since
Vince Gill, Brad Paisley has been a true road warrior in
working his way to headlining status. In 2006, he entered
Billboard Boxscore's yearly Top 25 Tour list for the first
time.
TOOL
2006 boxscore: $20.6 million, 39 shows
Reason to watch in 2007: Tool has found another gear.
One of the most strived-for dynamics in the touring
business is when a veteran band not only maintains its
popularity, but then develops a surge in popularity built by
word-of-mouth and consistently strong performances. That is the
case with Tool, which released its first album in 1992. The
band's 2006 tour behind its "10,000 Days" release was its most
successful yet.
Tool wrapped up 2006 with a European trek, and is set to
tour the Pacific Rim in early 2007. Promoters are now booking
North American dates for the spring.
ROGER WATERS
2006 boxscore: $13 million, 10 shows
Reason to watch in 2007: Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the
Moon" has been on the Billboard charts for more than 1,500
weeks and counting.
And Roger Waters, a founding member of the group and key
developer of the album's concept, is playing it in its entirety
in concert, to critical acclaim.
Plans are under way for a 2007 North American tour for
Waters, who will probably play a mixture of indoor and outdoor
dates. The Achilles heel of a Waters tour may be the ticket
price. With a high of $260 in 2006, Waters is a little pricey,
even though he rarely tours the United States.
LINKIN PARK
2006 boxscore: N/A
Reason to watch in 2007: Fresh markets and a
much-anticipated new album.
Linkin Park has not toured since 2004, when the Los Angeles
band grossed $35 million and drew nearly 1 million fans to 67
shows.
Now a new Linkin Park album, co-produced with Rick Rubin,
will be released this spring. The band will headline a fourth
Projekt Revolution tour -- its self-branded, multi-act,
genre-bending festival-style extravaganza that in the past has
included such acts as Cypress Hill, the Apex Theory, Xzibit,
Snoop Dogg, the Used and Less Than Jake.
Linkin Park will kick off its touring cycle May 6 in the
United States with a headline performance at the Bamboozle
Festival at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Reuters/Billboard
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