Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment:
Classic rock fans have a couple tours to be thankful for coming in 2013.
Both Eric Clapton and Bon Jovi announced late winter / spring tours this week that include area shows.
Clapton will perform at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center on April 6, the final date on a month-long tour that leads into the next Crossroads Guitar Festival, which will be April 12 and 13 at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Tickets range from $55 to $95 and will go on sale Nov. 30.
Bon Jovi is including stops in both Pittsburgh and Cleveland on its "Because We Can" tour. The band plays Consol Energy Center on Feb. 21 and Quicken Loans Arena on March 9. On sale dates haven't been announced for either show, and ticket prices haven't been announced for Cleveland yet. However, according to Ticketmaster, Pittsburgh tickets will range from $18.50 to $147.50.
Dates and early ticket prices - but no artists - have been announced for two of Ohio biggest music fests in 2013.
The seventh Rock on the Range will expand to three days, May 17-19, at the Crew Stadium in Columbus. General admission passes good for all three days are $149.50 on the field and $89.50 with stadium seating and go on sale at 10 a.m. Nov. 26. VIP / hotel packages also are available.
The band lineup will be released in early 2013. In past years headliners have included Motley Crue, Avenged Sevenfold, Kid Rock, ZZTop, Stone Temple Pilots, A Perfect Circle, Godsmack and Rob Zombie. Tickets and more info can be found at www.rock-ontherange.com.
And organizers of the Bunbury Music Festival in Cincinnati are bringing the event back for a second year with three days of music from July 12-14 at Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove in downtown Cincinnati. Three-day passes are $93 and one-day passes are $46 until Feb. 14. The music lineup will be announced in January. Last year's headliners included Jane's Addiction, Weezer and Death Cab for Cutie. Tickets and more info can be found at www.bunburyfestival.com.
I'm a huge Bob Mould fan. So are Dave Grohl, Ryan Adams, Craig Finn and Tad Kubler of The Hold Steady, Britt Daniel of Spoon and No Age. Those acts and others got together last year to perform at a tribute to the Husker Du and Sugar star in Los Angeles.
Mould currently is running a Kickstarter campaign to finance a DVD release of the sold-out concert. Autographed DVDs, Sugar vinyl reissues, concert tickets and even a signed blue Fender Stratocaster like the one Mould plays are among the incentives for those who pledge.
The campaign runs through Dec. 22 with a goal of $95,000.
In the centerspread of this week's Ticket is an interview with Newton Falls native Mike Polk Jr., author of the book "Damn Right I'm From Cleveland."
Since both get a mention in the book, I asked Polk what he thought was Cleveland's greatest contribution to Christmas - the movie "A Christmas Story" or Great Lakes Christmas Ale? The answer didn't make the story, but I thought I'd include it here:
"Personally, I recommend a combo pack, watching the movie while drinking Christmas Ale. That's the most Cleveland Christmas thing you can possibly do. That, then scream at your family."
Andy Gray is the entertainment writer for the Tribune Chronicle. Write to him at grayareas@trib-today.com.