The M3 Kix-Off Party on Friday night pairs Kix with Night Ranger as the headliners, but they are joined by special guests Enuff Z’Nuff, In The Pink and Let There Be Rock. Saturday’s festivities include a whole roster of bands on two non-overlapping stages for maximum viewing enjoyment. Dokken, Lynch Mob, Stryper, Quiet Riot, Warrant and Skid Row are just a few of the names who’ll be there. Ratt and Queensryche share the spotlight as co-headliners for Day 2.

Due to circumstances beyond festival organizers’ control, Cinderella has had to pull out of the show due to the illness of their lead guitarist, Jeff LaBar. Although they’ll be missed, L.A. Guns and Great White have fortunately been added to the bill  to fill in.

Another change this year, albeit planned, is the M3 All-Star Jam, where fans can expect to see many of their favorite artists come together onstage to jam out old-school style and in epic fashion. It promises to be a highlight you won’t want to miss!

So far, Kix, Warrant, LA Guns, Whitesnake, Tesla and Lita Ford are just a few of the artists who have signed on for the festival, which will be held on May 13-14 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md.

The two-day festival kicks off on Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m. with performances by Kix, L.A. Guns, Warrant and Jetboy. Then, at noon on Saturday, the pavilion will be packed with performers like Whitesnake, Tesla, Lita Ford, Great White, Slaughter, Mr. Big, Big Noize, Black and Blue, Danger Danger, Firehouse, Faster Pussycat, Hurtsmile, and Pretty Boy Floyd.

Don’t miss your chance to see the best glam rock festival of the summer, get your M3 Rock Festival tickets today!

Fans, musicians and crews braved the oppressive heat as the one day festival delivered non-stop hair metal debauchery! Performance highlights included Cinderella, Kix, Scorpions, L.A. Guns, Winger and Jetboy.

Kix in Baltimore is big news. Promoters of the festival gave the fan(s) that traveled the farthest, a couple from Australia, the opportunity to introduce the glam rockers. The Maryland natives delivered a solid show, playing fan favorites, “Cold Blood,” “Girl Money,” “Cold Shower,”Don’t Close Your Eyes” and “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.”

It was obvious that most festival goers were scrambling to see Cinderella. A truly phenomenal set was delivered that did not disappoint. Tom Keifer was spot on, belting out the classics, “Push Push,” “Coming Home,” “Don’t Know What You Got,” “Nobody’s Fool” and “Shake Me.”

The other performance that kept fans itching in their boots was from none other than The Scorpions. Despite starting a bit late and with lead singer Klaus Meine suffering from flu like conditions, the band took to the main stage for a rocking farewell set. Vince Neil even joined them for “Another Piece of Meat.”

It is clear that Glam is alive, well and here to stay! Let’s hope that 2011 will bring a bigger and better M3 Rock Festival!

Pavilion Stage
11:20 - 11:50 - Dingle Dynasty
12:00 - 12:35 - Jetboy
1:05 - 1:45 - Trixter
2:15 - 3:00 - LA Guns
3:30 - 4:15 - Winger
4:40 - 5:40 - Kix
6:15 - 7:15 - Vince Neil
7:40 - 8:40 - Cinderella
9:30 - 10:55 - Scorpions

Festival Stage
12:35 - 1:05 - Z02
1:45 - 2:15 - Black Mambooza
3:00 - 3:30 - Mass
4:15 - 4:40 - Bang Tango
5:40 - 6:15 - Dizzy Reed
7:00 - 7:40 - Nelson
8:40 - 9:25 - Warrant

(Note: times subject to change.)

It is a solid day of hair metal and hard rock. You don’t have to stop headbanging for a second if you don’t want to. Get a good night’s sleep, drink plenty of fluids, and then prepare to party!

Matthew & Gunnar Nelson (the brothers who comprise NELSON) announced that rock star frontman and lead guitarist Mark Slaughter (Slaughter, Vinnie Vincent Invasion) will be joining the band on their 20th anniversary tour. NELSON is celebrating the anniversary release of their debut album After The Rain. What better way to kicks things off than at the M3 Rock Festival– the tour’s first stop!

“Mark Slaughter has widely been acknowledged worldwide as one of the best rock singers in the business for decades…but not enough people know what a fine lead guitarist Mark is, and always has been. This tour is going to change that,” said Gunnar Nelson. “NELSON is lucky to have such an amazing addition to our band for the 20th Anniversary Tour. It’s definitely going to ROCK!”

Slaughter has had #1 hits with both of his bands from the 80’s and 90’s. With his self-named band Slaughter, their best known for “Fly to the Angels” and “Up All Night.” “Love Kills” was a hit with the Vinnie Vincent Invasion and appeared on the soundtrack for the original “Nightmare on Elm Street” movie.

NELSON has a new album coming out, The Blond Leading the Blond, but the release date is still TBD. For updates on this new release and to see their complete anniversary tour schedule, visit NELSON’s official website.  

Until then, see you in a couple weeks at M3 Rock Festival!

On May 16, Merriweather Post Pavillion is home to Sugarland with supporting acts Danny Gokey and Jake Owen. On June 4, the pavillion will host the Capital Jazz Fest with Gladys Knight and Sinbad.

After the M3 Rock Festival, which is June 19 with doors opening at 11 a.m. (no word on performance schedule yet), Phish, Jack Johnson and the Vans Warped Tour will also be visiting the M3 Rock Festival site.

Be sure to check back soon for the official performance times!

Fans, don’t be disappointed. M3 Rock Festival tickets is just one of many ways to see The Scorpions’ farewell world tour 2010,  “Get Your Sting And Black Out.”  The  world tour kicks off April 10th in Mons, Belgium,with support from Edguy, Dokken, and Cinderella. 

The M3 Festival is back again at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, thanks to  positive feedback from event fans.   Get ready for a headbanging good time as we say goodbye to a great group of rockers, The Scorpions, this year!

M3 Rock Festival organizers have jumped on the social network bandwagon and created an official Facebook page for the festival, where you can become a fan and stay plugged in with the goings on straight from the producers’ mouths. Fans can also sign up to receive email updates at the official website, m3rockfest.com.

More is sure to follow in the months, weeks and days leading up to the big show, but for now check out these great new sites, post some of your favorite photos, and start making new friends!

Date: Saturday, June 19th presented by 98 Rock

Where: Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD

And finally, the WHO:

Headlining Act = THE SCORPIONS (rumors confirmed!)

Kix

Vince Neil

Warrant

Trixter

Winger

LA Guns

Jetboy

Nelson

Dizzy Reed of GNR

Bang Tango

Z02

Black Mambooza

No details have been released yet about how or when M3 Rock Festival tickets will be available, but check back, and hopefully we’ll have news soon.

Although no event date has been announced yet for 2010, there has been some insider chatter that The Scorpions will be the headlining act, with the M3 show the first gig for their U.S. summer tour. Other groups rumored to be appearing include Tesla and Sebastian Bach.

The biggest surprise on the bill comes from an unlikely candidate - Emerson Lake and Palmer! The word on the street is that  ELP may also be included on the artist roster to help bring some diversity, and a new and different audience segment, to the event.

Stay tuned! More news may leak soon to confirm, deny or update these speculations.