Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were already a supergroup when they released their first album in 1969 – albeit without Neil Young – but when that Canadian folk- rocker and former Buffalo Springfield member joined for 1970’s “Déjà Vu,” it cemented the act’s legendary status.
The band’s renown has only grown in the 37 years hence, with all four members enjoying solo careers and reunions of one stripe or another. For the “Freedom Tour ’06,” their first since 2002, the band will play without an opening act, signaling their willingness to indulge classic tunes with extended jams, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre will be the perfect venue for it.
Like their 2002 tour, each member will play songs from his solo catalog. Expect it to be heavy on Young’s work, including the just released, glowingly received “Living with War.” In light of each member’s social activism and vocal anti-Bush stance, you can also expect politically charged stage banter. Tickets for the July 17 show at Red Rocks are sold out, but tickets for an additional show on July 18 are now on sale. ($54.50-$204.50, Ticketmaster)
Disney’s “The Lion King” has become such a part of the pop culture fabric that it’s difficult to remember a time without it. The musical has run for nine years at New York’s Amsterdam Theatre and boasts the distinction of director Julie Taymor becoming the first woman in Broadway history to win the Tony for best director. Expect tickets for the production’s Sept. 28-Nov. 12 Denver run to go fast. On sale at 6 a.m. Sunday ($15-$75, 303-893-4100 or TicketsWest)
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers have found a suitable touring partner in Pearl Jam, another reliable and sporadically under-the-radar rock act. Granted, Tom Petty’s laid-back ’70s sound has undergone few changes since his 1976 debut, while Pearl Jam has morphed from grunge saviors to a workhorse touring outfit. But the notion of Tom Petty and Eddie Vedder hanging out backstage just seems to make perfect sense. Tickets for their July 2-3 stint at Pepsi Center go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($44-$94, Ticketmaster)
Counting Crows may be a guilty pop pleasure for some, but it’s hard to deny the consistency of the band’s catalog, which includes roughly an album every two years since its 1993 debut, “August and Everything After.” To coincide with the release of its new live album, “New Amsterdam,” the band will kick off its “Summer Nights 2006” tour with fellow soft-rockers the Goo Goo Dolls. Tickets for their July 5 show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday. ($49.50-$69.50, Ticketmaster)
