Classic East and West: Everything We Know (and Don’t Know) So Far
This summer, two festivals, called Classic East and Classic West, will take place at stadiums in Los Angeles and New York. Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles -- making their first performances since the 2016 death of Glenn Frey -- have been tapped as the headliners, and several other classic bands are on the undercard.
Usually at major multi-day festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, a classic rock band may headline a full day loaded with indie rock, hip-hop and electronic dance music. But last year's Desert Trip focused exclusively on classic rock, with the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters and the Who performing over three evenings at the Empire Polo Ground in Indio, Calif. Classic East and West, a joint venture by Azoff MSG Entertainment, Live Nation, the Oak View Group and CAA, is taking the same approach.
As information is slowly revealed, we're compiling everything we know so far about the new festivals into one place.
When and Where
Classic West will take place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 15 and 16. Two weeks later, July 29 and 30, they'll play New York's Citi Field.
Who Will Be Playing?
The lineups for both weekends are identical, with the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan opening up for the Eagles on Friday night and Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire opening up for Fleetwood Mac on Saturday.
Eagles Decide Who Will Stand in For Glenn Frey
Last September, Don Henley suggested that "the only way I would consider any kind of reunion, I think, would be with Glenn’s son, Deacon.” That lineup change was eventually confirmed, along with another surprise addition: Country star Vince Gill, who memorably played "Life in the Fast Lane" at December's Kennedy Center Honors. The Eagles' old friend Jackson Browne, who performed "Take It Easy" at the Grammys tribute to Frey, had previously seemed like a strong possibility.
Ticket Information
Two-day regular tickets range from $150-$950; there will be no single-day passes. The two-day "Classic Gold" VIP package goes for $1,750, and includes a floor ticket in rows 11-20, a gift bag, a lithograph and entrance through a special gate. Step up to the $2,000 level, and you receive everything in the "Classic Gold" package plus a parking spot, access to a VIP lounge and a seat in rows 6-10. All of that, plus a front row seat, would set you back $2,750.
Will This Take the Place of Desert Trip?
Desert Trip was phenomenally successful, selling out in a few hours and grossing $160 million. However, organizer Paul Tollett suggested that it was a "unique, one-off thing," and has since confirmed that the event will not take place again in 2017. If Classic East and West proves to be similarly lucrative, it opens up the possibility for this new event to continue in the future.
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