Staind tour aims to stimulate summer economy with cheap tickets

A growing number of bands are hitting the road this summer with economically fan-friendly tours with the goal of providing affordable entertainment to the public. Hard rock band Staind is joining the trend with support from Chevelle, Shinedown and Halestorm on the Stimulate This! Tour.

The first 24 dates of the trek are confirmed, beginning with a July 1 concert at Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, IL, and closing with an August 30 performance at Festival Pier in Philadelphia, PA. More dates will be announced in the coming weeks, with the entire tour scheduled to hit more than 40 cities during its run.

“Wall Street got its bailout; now it’s time for rock fans to get theirs,” Staind frontman Aaron Lewis said in a statement. “This summer, we want to give our fans one night where they can forget about everything else and experience a great rock show.”

Tickets will be available for $40 or less in most markets on the itinerary. A limited number of lawn seats will also be offered for $10 or less. A number of other discounts, markdowns and rebates will also be offered for concessions and tour merchandise, with specific offers varying from city to city.

“A maximum of $40 with extra incentives is a pretty good deal when you compare it with other summer rock tours that aren’t huge festivals coming through,” Dane Venable, senior vice president of marketing for Atlantic Records, told Billboard. “And we’ve worked with local (radio and concert) promoters to throw in various incentives.”

Staind is continuing to tour behind its August 2008 album “The Illusion of Progess,” which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. The band toured North America last summer with 3 Doors Down, followed by a second tour leg in fall, supported by Seether and Papa Roach.

Stimulate This! Tour itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)