Modern Drummer magazine has announced details regarding their 20th annual Modern Drummer Festival. The virtual, livestreamed, pay-per-view event will pay tribute to the late Neil Peart and be produced by LiveXLive to air on what would have been Neil Peart's 68th birthday next month on September 12th. Tickets will go on sale this coming Wednesday, August 26th, with packages starting at $14.99. VIP and Special-Offer Bundles will include merchandise, tickets, and subscriptions to LiveXLive and Modern Drummer. From the press release (thanks Mark R):
... Featuring a tribute to the late and great drummer Neil Peart, who passed away in January, the line up for Modern Drummer Festival 2020 includes Cindy Blackman-Santana, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Thomas Lang, Alex Gonzalez (Manå), Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts), Danny Seraphine, Dom Famularo, Carmine Appice, Keith Carlock, Todd Sucherman (Styx), Kenny Aronoff, Gregg Bissonette (Ringo Starr), Ray Luzier (Korn) and Kristina Schiano, with many more to be announced soon. The festival will also feature special appearances by Carl Palmer, Eric Singer (Kiss), Mike Portnoy, Eric Leiderman (Seth Meyers Late Show), Les DeMerle, Brian Tichy, Jason Bittner, Don Lombardi, Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Jonathan Moffett, Wyatt Stav and 66 Samus. Collectively, performers and guests reach over 150 million fans on social media. Modern Drummer reaches hundreds of thousands of subscribers and a digital reach to millions of drummers.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, School of Rock, DW & Drum Channel are on board as festival partners to provide exclusive content, giveaways and special guests.
"Modern Drummer turns 45 next year and through more than 40 of them, we formed a close and unique collaboration with the one and only, Neil Peart. Neil even gave away his iconic candy apple red kit to a Modern Drummer reader in the 80's via mail-in letters chosen personally by Peart himself! It was without question that as Modern Drummer celebrates our twentieth festival, we are honoring Neil with a fitting tribute from some of his closest friends as well as world-class drummers that he inspired. The Modern Drummer Festival is a celebration of drums, drumming and drummers worldwide. This year will be the first year that everyone can attend as our capacity just went into the Hemispheres!" said David Frangioni, CEO and Publisher of Modern Drummer Publications.
"As Modern Drummer celebrates its twentieth year, the world lost a great talent this January when Neil Peart passed on, adding to the list of heartbreaking events in 2020," said Jackie Stone, Chief Marketing Officer of LiveXLive. "We get to support Modern Drummer Festival 2020 in not only celebrating Neil, but celebrating drumming talent worldwide and paying homage to these artists with our global village filled with fellow music-lovers." ...
