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Poison’s Bret Michaels Announces 2023 US “Parti-Gras” Tour

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The post Poison’s Bret Michaels Announces 2023 US “Parti-Gras” Tour appeared first on Consequence .

Poison singer Bret Michaels has announced the Summer 2023 US “Parti Gras” tour featuring a stacked support cast of Night Ranger, Jefferson Starship, Steve Augeri (ex-Journey), and Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray).

Dates kick off July 13rd in Clarkston, Michigan, and run through August 6th in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A Citi Cardmember ticket pre-sales goes live today (December 5th) at 10 a.m. local time, and a Live Nation pre-sale begins Tuesday (December 6th) at 10 a.m. local time (code: CHEER ). General public sales start Friday (December 9th) at 10 a.m. local time. You can pick up tickets via Ticketmaster .

In addition to the aforementioned support package, a surprise guest will make an appearance each night to “rock your world,” according to the press release. The tour poster emphasizes that each performer will play “all the killer hits, no filler.”

“I created Parti-Gras as a sincere and grateful thank you to the fans, friends, and family who have rocked with me over the years,” Michaels said in a statement. “I promise to deliver positive energy, live, raw, real music, and all the bands will deliver sing-a-long hit after hit songs. Your voice will be hoarse after an epic, big, fun stage show.”

Added Rick Franks of Global Touring Live Nation: “After seeing Bret bring the party in every market of the Stadium Tour [supporting Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe] this past year, we are looking forward to more of his ‘nothing, but a good vibe, high-energy performing’ on the Parti-Gras Tour next summer.”

Former Mötley Crüe Singer John Corabi Questions Mick Mars’ Retirement, Thinks He Was “Shown the Door”

Below you can see the tour poster and a full list of dates for Bret Michaels’ “Parti Gras” US tour. Get tickets here .

Bret Michaels’ 2023 US Tour Dates with Night Ranger, Jefferson Starship, Steve Augeri (ex-Journey), and Mark McGrath: 07/13 – Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre 07/15 – Burgettstown, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake 07/16 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center 07/21 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center 07/22 – Gilford, NH @ Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion 07/23 – Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion 07/28 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 07/29 – Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 07/30 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center 08/04 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds 08/05 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre 08/06 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion

Poison’s Bret Michaels Announces 2023 US “Parti-Gras” Tour Jon Hadusek

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Poison Play First Show in Four Years at Stadium Tour: Set List, Video

Poison helped launch the long-delayed Stadium Tour — an all-star event also featuring Motley Crue , Def Leppard and Joan Jett — Thursday in Atlanta, marking the band’s first concert in nearly four years .

They started their set with "Look What the Cat Dragged In," the title track from the Bret Michaels -fronted group's 1986 debut album . From there, the hits kept coming, with Poison barely catching their collective breath as they rolled from one song into the next. Highlights included renditions of such classic tunes as "Talk Dirty to Me," "Your Mama Don't Dance," "Unskinny Bop," "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and "Nothin' But a Good Time."

Perhaps the biggest moment came roughly halfway through Poison's set. Guitarist C.C. DeVille delivered an incendiary solo while covering Van Halen 's famous instrumental tune "Eruption," sending the crowd into a frenzy.

See Poison's full set list and fan-shot video below.

The Stadium Tour was originally booked for summer 2020 but was postponed and then postponed again due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trek continues June 18 in Miami and currently wraps Sept. 9 in Las Vegas.

Poison's most recent studio album, 2007’s Poison’d! , featured cover versions of songs by David Bowie , Sweet , Alice Cooper , Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers , the Who and the Rolling Stones , among others. Since then, Michaels has largely focused on his solo career, including his 2020 memoir , Bret Michaels: Auto-Scrap-ography Volume 1: My Life in Pictures & Stories .

Watch Poison Perform 'Nothin' But a Good Time'

Poison, 6/16/22, Truist Park in Atlanta 1. “Look What the Cat Dragged In” 2. “Ride the Wind” 3. “I Want Action” 4. “Talk Dirty to Me” 5. “Something to Believe In” 6. “Your Mama Don't Dance” 7. “Eruption” 8. “Fallen Angel” 9. “Unskinny Bop” 10. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” 11. “Nothin' But a Good Time”

Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison, Joan Jett, Classless Act Opening Night 2022

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POISON Announces First Headlining Tour Dates In Over A Decade

february 28, 2017 / 609 reads.

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Poison

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Poison is an American glam metal band formed by Bret Michaels, Matt Smith, Bobby Dall, and Rikki Rockett, from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Originally performing under the moniker Paris in their hometown of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, the band moved to Los Angeles, California in 1984 and changed their name to Poison. Lead singer Bret Michaels, bassist Bobby Dall, and drummer Rikki Rockett, held auditions for a lead guitarist and soon after invited C.C. Deville to fill the role. Poison then developed a knack for creatively and thoroughly promoting their gigs and soon garnered a sizeable following, which led the band to sign with Enigma Records in 1986.

The same year Poison released their breakthrough album “Look What the Cat Dragged In” which introduced the band’s brand of glamorous metal androgyny. Aided by the single “Talk Dirty to Me” and “I Won’t Forget You”, the album went on to sell over two million copies. With the release of their sophomore album “Open Up & Say…Ahhh!” Poison were propelled to the level of super-stardom topped only by the likes of Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. The album spawned the hits “Fallen Angel”, “Nothin’ But a Good Time” and the band’s first No. One Hit, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”.

The release of their subsequent album “Flesh and Blood” and resulting tour however marked a decline for the band. After the live album “Swallow This Live” in 1991, Poison parted ways with C.C. Deville who was replaced by the 21 year old Richie Kotzen. The new guitarist only stayed for one album, however, 1993’s “Native Tongue” after it was revealed he had begun an illicit relationship with drummer Rockett’s fiancé. A compilation album entitled “Greatest Hits: 1986-1996” was issued in 1996, shortly after which Deville returned to the group and Poison embarked on a successful arena reunion tour of 1999.

“Crack a Smile” was released in 2000, followed by “Power to the People” a mix of new and live songs from the reunion tour. Following the release of the disappointing “Hollyweird” in 2002, Deville appeared in VH1’s “The Surreal Life” and Michaels hosted his own dating show “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels”. It wasn’t until 2006 that Poison reconvened to celebrate their 20th anniversary, with a nationwide tour and a new greatest hits box-set collection. The album “The Best of Posion: 20 Years of Rock”, aided by Michaels’ new reality TV status, rose to the Top 20 of the Billboard 200, as did its successor “Poison’d!” in 2007.

Live reviews

Pop Evil, Cheap Trick & Poison put on an absolutely amazing show but I am completely disenchanted with the promoters, venue and ticket sellers.

I purchased 200 level seats in row L @ $135/ticket for my wife and I via an American Express Presale, months in advance of the show.

While waiting for the gates to open at Ontario Place/Budweiser Stage, the usual assortment of scalpers were hanging around the front gates when we heard one of them offering half-price tickets to the show. I pulled out my phone and checked Live Nation and Ticketmaster's web sites to find that they were offering, amongst others, tickets two rows in front of our seats for $83.75. These were not resale tickets, and there were several of them.

To make matters worse, while standing in line at one of the food trucks, I overheard several people saying how fortunate they were that their $20 lawn tickets had been upgraded for FREE and yup....they were sitting two rows in front of us when the show started.

Apparently the show had not sold well, so the venue decided to close the lawn area and give everyone with $20 lawn tickets a free upgrade. Lucky for them, but what about those of us who paid full price for the tickets months in advance? Should we not have been offered a partial refund, or at the very least a gift certificate?

I understand that Labatt's and Live Nation (who also happens to own Ticketmaster) own the venue which was recently renamed from Molson Amphitheatre to Budweiser Stage and this was certainly not our first trip to this venue, but it was our first trip to the venue under it's new name.

As I said when I started this, we LOVED the show he bands put on, but if the promoters/venue/ticket sellers are going to continue this practice of shafting those of us who purchase tickets early, we will definitely thing twice before buying tickets to other shows.

We've typically attend 3-5 shows each summer and have definitely noticed a drop in attendance at most shows over the last couple of years. Despite the fact that music lovers will pay dearly to see their favourite bands, there comes a point where there are only so many dollars to go around. I realize that many bands demand higher compensation when touring, but perhaps the drop in attendance is directly related to the ticket prices for shows of late.

There have been several shows that we would love to have seen, but not even folks like us who have been life-long fans of certain bands can't afford $200-$300 for a ticket to see a band who's last hit record was 20-30 years ago.

If the venue's aren't selling out, maybe the ticket prices are too high......

Cheap Trick is my wife's all time favourite band and we've seen them every year for the past 20 years when they've passed through town, but for the price we paid this year, and then to find out that had we waited until the last minute, or purchased the cheap lawn seats and gotten a free upgrade to better seats, we definitely feel cheated this year and will almost certainly take our chances by waiting until the day of, or buying cheap lawn seats if they come through town again next year. Who knows, we may actually end up with better seats than someone else who shows their support for a band by buying tickets early...

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If there’s such a thing as glam metal standards, does it really get any more classic than ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’? Poison have certainly earned themselves a place amongst the genuine titans of the genre, and like a handful of their contemporaries (I’m looking at you, Motley Crue), they’ve defied years of debauchery and excess and remain a going concern today. More recently, though, there’s every chance that the wider public are more familiar with frontman Bret Michaels for the slew of appearances that he’s made on reality TV shows - he won the third series of Celebrity Apprentice - or his recent health issues that put his life on the line and the band’s future in serious doubt. Happily, though, Michaels recovered, and Poison hit the road in the summer of 2011 for a tour with the Crue, as well as New York Dolls. The sets were typically silly affairs - big hair, big guitar solos and big, big volume and had Michaels rolling back the years, showcasing a voice that’s stood up remarkably well to the ravages of a rock n’ roll lifestyle. The band have yet to make it back to the UK since Michaels’ recovery, but the fact that Motley Crue still play arenas over here should demonstrate that there’s plenty of demand for this kind of show; it can only be a matter of time.

American rock outfit Poison really do set the bar high in the field of glam metal. Innovators of their time, the band who have been working for over thirty years amassed a huge following during their heyday and many of those fans still attend their shows to this day.

Having achieved a great deal of commercial success in the 80's and 90's, the band now tends to play a setlist featuring a selection of their hits as well as their own personal favourite material to showcase their abilities. The gig sways between these two mentalities, the crowd are loudly singing along to 'Unskinny Bop' before clapping along intently to coax on the musicians as they perform complex guitar and drum solos.

The biggest cheer of the evening is reserved for the encore of 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' and 'Nothing But A Good Time' which both include extended instrumentals and those recognisable anthemic choruses. Despite the band no longer being a frequenter of the charts, their iconic glam rock status remains unchallenged.

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Awesome show!! I have seen a lot of concerts from 1980 forward, in all this time I have never seen a frontman so full of energy and get the crowd into the show the way Bret Michaels did! He is by far the best frontman I have seen. The band sounded great and the lighting show was fantastic. Tesla opened the show and the crowd remained sitting most of the show but when Bret came on stage everyone was standing and remained so all night. All in all it was a magnificent high energy show and I would go again!

The Poison,Cheap Trick & Pop Evil NJ show was amazing. They were all energetic and had great stage presence. All front men were great!Since this is a Poison review, I give them a 100%. From the opening flames, commentary,tribute dancing and singing.. til the very end,completely impressed. Hope they will continue to rock for many more years to come!

This band is amazing. I am a true fan and will always be. Win I was in high school back in 1989 my best friend had me listen to them. Since then he has past away. Your songs bring him back for just a short while. Thank you for this great gift that you share with us. Your friend and brother. Shane Cynova.

I’m so happy that Poison came back to UTAH, 5/22/18 @ USANA! We had so much fun. We love you guys so much. Please come back soon. Thank you so much USANA! Please keep the bands coming and thank you for reasonable prices. Safe Travels and Rock On..

Great as always. 4th time seeing them. Bret never disappoints. And hearing him talk about veterans and people serving in the military really touches my heart, as my son is on his third deployment for the Air Force.

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Bret Michaels Announces POISON Reunion for Exciting Tours and New Music

via WBNS10TV / YouTube

Rock fans have something to look forward to, as Bret Michaels, the iconic frontman of POISON, recently unveiled thrilling plans for the band’s future. Following the successful completion of “The Stadium Tour” with fellow rock legends MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD in the summer of 2022, Michaels revealed his intentions to reunite POISON in 2025, promising fans more electrifying tours and the potential for brand-new music.

In a heartfelt interview with The Oakland Press

Michaels reflected on his remarkable journey in the music industry, emphasizing his unwavering optimism:

“When we started, I never knew what the future held, but I never believed it couldn’t happen. I always found a way to make things work and enjoyed every moment of it.”

For Michaels, the true treasure lies in the experiences he has gathered along the way – from meeting incredible people to performing in awe-inspiring venues and traveling the world to share his music. Despite facing various challenges, Michaels embraced change and remained open to exploring new opportunities, including playing at country festivals, showcasing his versatile musical talent.

View this post on Instagram sdyouthservices.org ) 5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;”> A post shared by Poison (@poison)

As the 60-year-old rock legend continues to promote his “Parti-Gras” 2023 solo tour

He does so with the same sincerity, passion, and enthusiasm that endeared him to fans during his early days, even when he performed at smaller venues like Harpo’s or Blondie’s. Now, he graces grand stages with superior equipment but maintains the same energy that has defined his legendary performances.

Looking ahead, Bret Michaels’ unwavering determination and deep love for music assure fans that there are exciting times ahead. With plans to reunite with POISON in 2025, music enthusiasts can anticipate more thrilling tours and the exciting possibility of new musical creations, promising a future filled with the electrifying sounds of one of rock’s most iconic bands.

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Bret Michaels Confirms POISON Will Announce Massive Tour Featuring ‘POISON’s Greatest Hits’

February 18, 2024
2 minute read

During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” on February 15, Bret Michaels, still in the midst of promoting his “Parti-Gras” solo tour, entertained the idea of the possibility of POISON hitting the road again, this time with a lineup featuring two, three, or even four other major acts, akin to their participation in the 2022 “The Stadium Tour”. Michaels expressed his enthusiasm for such a prospect, stating:

“One million percent. I was grateful to be out there again. With MÖTLEY [CRÜE] and [DEF] LEPPARD and to be out there with Joan [Jett], I one thousand percent see that [kind of thing happening again].”

The veteran musician, now 60, emphasized the significance of his POISON bandmates — C.C. [DeVille] on guitar, Bobby [Dall] on bass, and Rikki [Rockett] on drums — in his musical journey. However, he also highlighted the unique energy and camaraderie of his solo band, including members like Pete Evick, Dean “The Machine” Cramer, and others, expressing how they all share the same passion for performance.

Looking ahead to the potential revival of POISON on tour, Michaels projected into the future, foreseeing the band hitting the road again in 2025 or 2026, with a lineup featuring all the classic POISON hits. He envisions integrating the POISON reunion into the “Parti-Gras” experience, bringing together numerous iconic bands for an unforgettable celebration of rock music:

“I think in 2025, 2026, one million percent. We’re gonna bring all the POISON greatest-hits reunion and make it part of what ‘Parti-Gras’ is. We’ll make it the POISON reunion ‘Parti-Gras’ and bring a lot of great bands and just, without a doubt, unleash all those POISON greatest hits.”

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Upcoming Poison Festivals Appearances

Upcoming poison concerts near me.

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Poison's Bret Michaels Announces 2023 US "Parti-Gras" Tour

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Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard Expand 2022 Stadium Tour with Several More Dates

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POISON, RATT: U.S. Tour Dates Revealed

POISON , RATT (featuring singer Stephen Pearcy ) and WHITE LION will join forces for a summer trek starting June 13 at the Bi Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., and wrapping in early September.

The tour, which brings RATT and POISON onstage together for the first time since 1999, will visit amphitheaters, festivals and fairs in such cities as Boston, Detroit, New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles, said Troy Blakely , who books POISON with the Agency for the Performing Arts .

"Generally we're going to play 50-60 dates," Blakely told Billboard.com . "I'd say 30-35 are sheds. The rest are various festivals, fairs and indoor shows."

POISON and RATT tour dates:

Jun. 13 - BI-LO Center Greenville, South Carolina Jun. 15 - The Ampitheatre at The Wharf - Orange Beach, Alabama Jun. 16 - City Stages/ Miller Light Stage - Birmingham, Alabama Jun. 17 - Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre - Charlotte, North Carolina Jun. 19 - Riverbend Music Center - Cincinnatti, Ohio Jun. 20 - Post Gazette Pavillion - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Jun. 22 - Bay City River Roar - Bay City, Michigan Jun. 23 - Blossom Music Center - Cleveland, Ohio Jun. 24 - Germain Ampitheatre - Columbus, Ohio Jun. 26 - Chevrolet Theatre - Oakdale, Connecticut Jun. 27 - Sovereign Center - Reading, Pennsylvania Jun. 29 - The Summer Stage at TAGS - Big Flats, New York Jun. 30 - Tweeter Center Boston - Boston, Massachusetts Jul. 01 - Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre - Virgina Beach, Virginia Jul. 03 - House of Blues - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Jul. 04 - House of Blues - Orlando, Florida Jul. 06 - Grand Casino - Kinder, Louisiana Jul. 07 - Sam Houston Race Park - Houston, Texas Jul. 08 - Nokia Live Theatre - Grand Pairie, Texas Jul. 12 - Hard Rock Biloxi Hotel and Casino - Biloxi, Mississippi Jul. 13 - Pryor Creek Music Festival - Pryor, Oklahoma Jul. 14 - Oklahoma City Zoo Ampitheatre - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Jul. 15 - Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre - Kansas City, Kansas Jul. 17 - First Midwest Bank Ampitheatre - Chicago, Illinois Jul. 18 - The Myth - Minneapolis, Minnesota Jul. 20 - Waukesha County Fair - Waukesha, Wisconsin Jul. 21 - Fond Du Lac County Fair - Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin Jul. 22 - Heritage Landing Muskegon, Michigan Jul. 24 - Nikon @ Jones Beach Theatre - Wantagh, New York Jul. 26 - Meadowbrook Musical Arts Center - Gilford, New Hampshire Jul. 27 - Etess Arena @ Trump Casino - Atlantic City, New Jersey Jul. 28 - PNC Bank Arts Center - Holmdel, New Jersey Jul. 29 - Nissan Pavillion Stone Ridge - Washington DC Jul. 31 - DTE Music Theatre - Detroit, Michigan Aug. 03 - Mississippi Valley Fair - Davenport, Iowa Aug. 05 - The Legendary Buffalo Chip - Sturgis, South Dakota Aug. 08 - Oregon Gardens - Silverton, Oregon Aug. 09 - uglas County Fair - Roseburg, Oregon Aug. 10 - Salinas Sports Center - Salinas, California Aug. 11 - Hyundai Pavillion - San Bernardino, California Aug. 12 - Gibson Ampitheatre - Los Angeles, California Aug. 14 - Coors Ampitheatre - San Diego, California Aug. 15 - Dodge Theatre - Pheonix, Arizona Aug. 17 - The Pearl Concert Theatre @ The Palms - Las Vegas, Nevada Aug. 18 - USANA Amph. - Salt Lake City, Utah Aug. 19 - Coors Ampitheatre - Denver, Colorado Aug. 21 - Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre - Indianapolis, Indiana Aug. 22 - Darien Lake PAC - Buffalo, New York Aug. 25 - Toyota Pavillion - Scranton, Pennsylvania Aug. 26 - Saratoga Performing Arts Center - Saratoga, New York Aug. 31 - Ford Ampitheatre - Tampa, Florida Sep. 01 - Sound Advice Ampitheatre - West Palm Beach, Florida

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July 14, 2022 Setlist

Poison Setlist at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH, USA

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Tour: The Stadium Tour Tour statistics Add setlist

Look What the Cat Dragged In Play Video
Ride the Wind Play Video
Talk Dirty to Me Play Video
Your Mama Don't Dance ( Loggins & Messina cover) Play Video
Guitar Solo Play Video
Fallen Angel Play Video
Drum Solo Play Video
Every Rose Has Its Thorn Play Video
Nothin' but a Good Time Play Video

Edits and Comments

4 activities (last edit by TMS2787 , 15 Jul 2022, 05:37 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Fallen Angel
Nothin' but a Good Time
Look What the Cat Dragged In
Talk Dirty to Me
Guitar Solo
Ride the Wind
Your Mama Don't Dance by Loggins & Messina

Complete Album stats

FirstEnergy Stadium

Classless Act Start time: 4:00 PM 4:00 PM
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Start time: 4:40 PM 4:40 PM
Poison This Setlist Start time: 6:00 PM 6:00 PM
Def Leppard Start time: 7:30 PM 7:30 PM
Mötley Crüe Start time: 9:30 PM 9:30 PM

Poison Gig Timeline

Jul 10 2022 Comerica Park Detroit, MI, USA Start time: 6:00 PM 6:00 PM
Jul 12 2022 Hersheypark Stadium Hershey, PA, USA Start time: 6:00 PM 6:00 PM
Jul 14 2022 FirstEnergy Stadium This Setlist Cleveland, OH, USA Start time: 6:00 PM 6:00 PM
Jul 15 2022 Great American Ball Park Cincinnati, OH, USA Start time: 6:00 PM 6:00 PM
Jul 17 2022 American Family Field Milwaukee, WI, USA Start time: 5:55 PM 5:55 PM

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Tour Update

Poison – the stadium tour 2020.

Apr 20, 2024
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Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine announce extra Ascendancy / The Poison 2025 tour dates, plus stellar support act

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine have announced additional dates on their Poisoned Ascendancy world tour.

The metalcore favourites announced the tour in February, which will see them coheadline to celebrate their 20th anniversaries of their respective breakthrough albums, Ascendancy and The Poison .

The records will each be performed live in full.

The bands also announced the UK dates simultaneously, which will start on January 26, 2025, in Cardiff, Wales, and conclude on February 1 in London.

Now, the pair have added a string of European shows to the tour.

The full list of dates and the new poster are available below.

It’s also been revealed that Swedish groove/death metal up-and-comers Orbit Culture will be the support act for the UK and Europe gigs.

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine have stated previously that The Poisoned Ascendancy will be a world tour, implying that North and South American and Asian dates will be added to the run in due course.

Ascendancy was released on March 15, 2005, as Trivium’s debut on renowned label Roadrunner Records.

It only charted at 151 in the band’s native United States, but received critical acclaim and became a sleeper hit, especially in the UK following Trivium’s main-stage set at Download festival, Donington, that June.

Ascendancy has since been certified Gold in the UK.

The Poison came out on October 3, 2005, and was Bullet For My Valentine’s debut album.

It reached number 21 on the album charts in the band’s native UK and also received critical acclaim.

The Poison has since been certified Gold in the UK and in the United States, and certified Platinum in Germany.

When the first Poisoned Ascendancy dates were announced in February, Trivium singer/guitarist Matt Heafy commented: “Bullet For My Valentine’s The Poison and Trivium’s Ascendancy are two records whose influence can be heard to this day – in the DNA of modern metal.

“It’s incredible to think of the impact the albums had when they came out in 2005. They were both like bolts of lightning.

“Both bands grew up independently of each other in different countries and separately from any movement or scene but both shared a common love of melodic heavy metal at the core; and both had similar meteoric rises right out of the gate.”

Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck also commented, saying: “I honestly can’t believe it's been 20 years since the release of The Poison and what an incredible 20 years it’s been.

“I feel so proud of what we've achieved as a band in the last two decades and it all started with that debut album.

“ The Poison is such an important part of our lives musically and personally and we know the massive impact it had on the metal world on a global level.

“This tour will be made even more special as our brothers in Trivium are also joining us on the road to celebrate and play in its entirety their stunning album Ascendancy .”

Trivium / Bullet For My Valentine The Poisoned Ascendancy 2025 tour dates:

Jan 26: Cardiff Utilita Arena

Jan 27: Cardiff Utilita Arena

Jan 28: Glasgow OVO Hydro

Jan 30: Manchester Co-op Live

Jan 31: Birmingham Utilita Arena Feb 1: London The O2

Feb 2: Düsseldorf Mitsubishi Electric Hall, Germany

Feb 4: Stuttgart Scheleyer-Hall, Germany

Feb 5: Zurich The Hall, Switzerland

Feb 7: Paris Le Zenith, France

Feb 9: Antwerp Lotto Arena, Belgium

Feb 10: Hannover Swiss Life Hall, Germany

Feb 11: Amsterdam AFAS Live, Netherlands

Feb 13: Hamburg Sporthalle, Germany

Feb 14: Berlin Max-Schmeling-Halle, Germany

Feb 15: Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle, Germany

Feb 17: Milan Alcatraz, Italy

Feb 18: Munich Zenith, Germany

Feb 19: Vienna Stadthalle, Austria

Feb 21: Gliwice Arena, Poland

Feb 22: Prague Forum Karlin, Czechia

Feb 23: Luxembourg Rockhal, Luxembourg

Feb 26: Lisbon Campo Pequeno, Portugal

Feb 27: Madrid Vistalegre, Spain

Get tickets.

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine announce extra Ascendancy / The Poison 2025 tour dates, plus stellar support act

Poison 2024 Tour & Tickets

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About Poison 2024 Tour

Poison tour 2024 : Poison is an American rock band that achieved great commercial success from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. Poison has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, including 15 million in the United States alone. The band placed 10 singles in the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40, including six Top 10 singles and the Hot 100’s number one song, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". The band’s debut album, the multi-platinum Look What the Cat Dragged In, was released in 1986 and peaked with the second album Open Up and Say.... Ahh! became the band’s most successful album, becoming 5 times platinum in the United States. Popularity continued into the new decade when they released Flesh & Blood, their third consecutive multi-platinum album.

Poison singer Bret Michaels announced the "Parti Gras" tour for the summer of 2023 in the United States, with Night Ranger, Jefferson Starship, Steve Augeri (ex-Journey) and Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray) as backing. The tour began on July 13 in Clarkston, Michigan, and continued until August 6 in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to the aforementioned support group, every night will perform a surprise guest to "upset your world", according to the press release. The tour poster emphasizes that each artist will play "all the smashing hits, no fillers". Poison tickets 2024 .

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How much are Poison upcoming tour tickets?

Ticket prices for Poison shows vary depending on the specific event, the date of the event and the venue. For example, shows in Minneapolis, Columbia, New Orleans, Saint Paul, Salt Lake City, Grand Prairie, Sacramento, Chula Vista, Inglewood, Albany, Baltimore, Raleigh may have different prices than show in other locations.

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A Garth Brooks tribute, a trip to Zombie Town and … Thunder in the Square! It's NXT Best!

Whether your idea of fun involves theater, music, festivals, outdoor activities or learning something new, we've got your spring entertainment guide right here in NXT Best!

Fountain Festival

Sunday, April 21 - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Downtown Chambersburg's Memorial Fountain

Intersection of Routes 11 and 30

Chambersburg, Pa.

Music, food, games and vendors. Presented by Shoemaker's Insurance & Financial Services. Free admission. Go to downtownchambersburgpa.com/fountainfestival .

Zombie Town

Sunday, April 21 - 2 p.m.

Kepler Center

Hagerstown Community College

11400 Robinwood Drive

Intended for mature audiences. Performed by Hagerstown Community College students. $5 general admission, free ages 5 and younger, and HCC students, faculty and staff. To purchase tickets in advance, go to www.hagerstowncc.edu/productions .

Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Sunday, April 21 - 7:30 p.m.

Hub City Vinyl

28 E. Baltimore St.

Bluegrass ensemble. $25. Go to https://liveathubcityvinyl.com/all-events/ or call 301-800-9390.

Community Health & Wellness Resources Fair

Monday, April 22, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Zion Baptist Church

61 Bethel St.

Healthcare agencies will provide information. Call 301-710-2159 or go to www.aacfmd.org .

Stories in the Round

Monday, April 22 - 7 p.m.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Hagerstown

13245 Cearfoss Pike

Writer Susan Gordon will tell her story of Liza and John Ingram, who lived in the West Virginia Alleghenies in the early 1900’s. $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Children 12 and older welcome when accompanied by an adult. Call 301-730-1638 or email [email protected] .

The Poison Pen of Smithsburg

Tuesday, April 23 - 6:45 p.m.

Smithsburg Library Community Room

66 W. Water St.

Lecture presented by Antietam Historical Association of Waynesboro member Todd Andrew Dorsett . In the early 20th Century, “poison pen” letters received by Smithsburg residents made national headlines. Free. To register, call 301-824-7722.

The Piano Guys

Tuesday, April 23 - 7:30 p.m.

Luhrs Center

475 Lancaster Drive

Shippensburg, Pa.

$69 to $99. Go to https://luhrscenter.com or call 717-477-7469.

Shepherd University Youth Chorus and Recorder Ensemble

Frank Arts Center Theater

Shepherd University

260 University Drive

Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Final concert of the season. The youth chorus features singers ranging from ages 8 to 16, presenting folk and international selections. The recorder ensemble comprised of high school students and professional adults will present music from the court of King Henry VIII. $7. Go to https://shepherdrams.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1606 , email [email protected] or call 304-876-5555.

Full Moon Walk

Tuesday, April 23 - 8:30 to 10 p.m.

Yankauer Nature Preserve

438 Whitings Neck Road

Martinsburg, W.Va.

Explore the sights and sounds of the nocturnal world by the light of the full moon. Led by Potomac Valley Audubon Society’s Associate Director of Education, Sonja Melander. For all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free. Registration required. Go to www.potomacaudubon.org/event/full-moon-walk-at-yankauer-preserve-4/ , email [email protected] or 681-252-1387.

A Woman in the CIA

Wednesday, April 24 - 5 to 7 p.m.

Washington County Arts Council

34 S. Potomac St.

Mendez will sign her book "In True Face: A Woman's Life in the CIA, Unmasked." Call 301-791-3132 or go to www.washingtoncountyarts.com .

HCC's Student Spring Arts Showcase

Wednesday, April 24 - opening reception 5 to 7 p.m.; exhibit continues through Friday, May 3 - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

11400 Robinwood Drive

Drawings, paintings, photography, digital art and ceramics. Reception features a choral performance, readings from "Hedge Apple" Literary Magazine, talks with fine arts capstone students and awards by the HCC Alumni Association. Hosted by the English and Humanities Division. No RSVP required. Call 240-500-2221 or email [email protected] .

D-Day and the Youngest Soldier Buried at Normandy

Wednesday, April 24 - 7 p.m.

Women’s Club Auditorium

31 S. Prospect St.

Presented by Donna Allen , daughter of the youngest soldier buried at Normandy, Roy U. Talhelm. Light refreshments. World War II veteran Jack Myers will perform. Free. Seating is limited. Call 301-739-0870 to make a reservation.

MSO Side-by-Side Concert 2024

The Maryland Theatre

21 S. Potomac St.

Student musicians perform with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra , featuring both classical and contemporary works. General admission seating. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. For tickets, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mso-side-by-side-concert-tickets-773952602067?aff=oddtdtcreator . Call 301-797-4000.

Shepherd University Community Orchestra and Sinfonia

Wednesday, April 24 - 7:30 p.m.

Final concert of the season. $7. Go to https://shepherdrams.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1607 , email [email protected] or call 304-876-5555.

Let's Talk Art

Thursday, April 25 - 6 p.m.

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts Executive Director Sarah Hall and Agnita M. Stine Schreiber Curator Daniel Fulco discuss recent acquisitions. Free. Register in advance for online link. Contact Donna Rastelli at 301-739-5727or [email protected] , or go to wcmfa.org .

Planetarium Show

Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 26 - 7 to 7:45 p.m. and 8 to 8:45 p.m. (arrive five to 10 minutes before showtime to allow time for seating)

Allied Health Building White Box Room 115

Penn State Mont Alto

1 Campus Drive

Mont Alto, Pa.

Bring pillow or small-sized folding chair. Plastic chairs and foam floor mats available. Park behind the General Studies Building ( https://montalto.psu.edu/map ). Free. Registration required. Go to tinyurl.com/53fxjtbh

Turning the Tide: Alabama’s White Unionists during Secession, Civil War and Reconstruction

Thursday, April 25 - 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Shepherdstown Opera House

131 W. German St.

Lecture by author Clayton J. Butler , based on his book “True Blue: White Unionists in the Deep South during the Civil War and Reconstruction.” Hosted by Shepherd University’s George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War. Four Seasons Books will provide copies of the book for purchase. Free. Call 304-876-5429.

AJ Bisto - Key of G Live!

Thursday, April 25 - 7:30 p.m.

Tribute band featuring the music of Garth Brooks. General seating (no assigned seats). $30 adults, $10 ages 4 to 17. Go to https://www.communityconcertshagerstown.org/23-24-season .

Rock. $35 general admission. Go to https://liveathubcityvinyl.com/all-events/ or call 301-800-9390.

KingFisher Kahoot Virtual Trivia Night

Thursday, April 25 - 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Smartphone needed. Hone knowledge about West Virginia's natural history. The theme for April is wildflowers. For all ages. Free. Registration required. Go to www.potomacaudubon.org/event/kingfisher-kahoot-virtual-trivia-night-wildflowers/ , email [email protected] or call 681-252-1387.

Thunder in the Square

Friday, April 26 - 5 to 9 p.m.

Public Square

Intersection of Washington and Franklin streets

Hundreds of classic cars on display. Contests, music and awards. Food available for purchase. Hosted by the Alsatia Club . Sponsored by the city of Hagerstown.

Friday, April 26 - 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Music Makers

46 W. Main St.

Waynesboro, Pa.

Admission is free. Donations appreciated. For more information, send an email to [email protected] or call 717-655-2500.

The Cruisers

Friday, April 26 - 6 to 8 p.m.

University Plaza

50 W. Washington St.

Music from the 50s and 60s. Part of the Decades Music Series. Hosted by the city of Hagerstown. Bring chair/blanket. Free.

Connecting With Your Loved Ones with Medium Debbie

Friday, April 26 - 7 p.m.

The View Studio

Communication of information from spirits. $60. Go to https://www.mdtheatre.org/medium or call 301-790-2000.

Joanne Shaw Taylor

Friday, April 26 - 7:30 p.m.

Blues. $29 to $99. Go to https://www.mdtheatre.org/taylor or call 301-790-2000.

Saturday, April 27 - 7:30 to 10 a.m.

USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center

11649 Leetown Road

Kearneysville, W.Va.

Led by Potomac Valley Audubon Society volunteers Bob Dean and Alex Kiser. Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring water. For adults. Free. Registration required. Go to tinyurl.com/u52s4j7b , email [email protected] or call 681-252-1387.

Saturday, April 27 - 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Washington County Ag. Center

7303 Sharpsburg Pike

Model trains. Call 301-800-9829, email [email protected] or go to https://antietamstation.com/upcoming-events/ .

Spring Nature Journaling

Saturday, April 27 - 9 a.m. to noon

Ferry Hill (meet at mansion parking area)

16500 Sharpsburg Pike

Walk along the C&O Canal with Master Naturalist Deana Thorsell. Experience birds singing, wildflowers blooming and life along the Potomac River. Bring nature journal supplies and water. For all skill levels. Free. Registration required. Go to www.potomacaudubon.org/event/spring-nature-journaling-at-ferry-hill-ridge/ , email [email protected] or call 681-252-1387.

Saturday, April 27 - 10 a.m. to noon

Brooke's House Coffee & Chocolate Shop

1083 Maryland Ave.

Smooth jazz. Call 240-203-8183. Go to brookeshousecoffeeandchocolate.com/ .

Spring Market

Saturday, April 27 - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

50 W. Washington St., and

Elizabeth Hager Center Parking Lot

14 N. Potomac St.

Shop at two locations. More than 20 vendors. Handmade items, jewelry, artwork and baked goods. Kids crafts from 10 a.m. to noon. Live music. Hosted by the city of Hagerstown. Go to www.downtownhagerstown.org .

Healthy Kids Day

Saturday, April 27 - 1 to 4 p.m.

YMCA of Hagerstown

1100 Eastern Blvd. N.

Held inside and outside. Crafts/coloring, face painting, healthy snacks, opportunity to sign up for summer camps and swimming programs. Bike safe play course, Hagerstown Police Dept canine demonstration, fire truck/EMS tour, Lucky’s Legacy adoptable pets, Jenn’s Uncommon Critters, fun run at 3 p.m., bounce obstacle course, vendors. A YMCA national initiative. For families. Free. Call 301-739-3990 or go to https://ymcahagerstown.org/event/healthy-kids-day-2024 .

'Sarah's Spring'

Saturday, April 27 - 1 to 3 p.m.

Penolope Gladwell will sign her book "Sarah's Spring." Call 301-791-3132 or go to www.washingtoncountyarts.com .

We Will Listen

Saturday, April 27 - 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church

15 Randolph Ave.

A concert about hope and the joy of listening. Presented by Hagerstown Choral Arts . Four guest conductors. Goodwill offering. Call 301-665-9424.

Destination Jazz!

Saturday, April 27 - 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 28 - 3 p.m.

Waynesboro Area Senior High School Auditorium

550 E. Second St.

Saturday: Chambersburg Area Senior High School Jazz Band (5 p.m.), Joe Lovano Quartet (7 p.m.). Sunday: Waynesboro Area Senior High School and Waynesboro Area Middle School jazz bands (3 p.m.), Patrick Bartley and Georgia Heers, William Schwartzman, Alexander Claffy and Joe Peri (5 p.m.). Presented by Arts Alliance of Greater Waynesboro/Destination ARTS. Ticket for one day $20 ($30 for two days) adults, $5 ages 18 and younger. Go to ArtsAllianceGW.org .

Java and Jazz

Saturday, April 27 - 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Martinsburg High School Cafeteria

701 S. Queen St.

Martinsburg, W.Va.

Performed by Martinsburg High School Bulldog Band's South MS Jazz Ensemble, Martinsburg HS Jazz Ensemble and Alumni Jazz . Coffee and desserts. Raffles. $8. Go to mhsjazznight.eventbrite.com , email [email protected] or call 304-267-3538.

'Common Ground'

Saturday, April 27 - 7 p.m.

Documentary focusing on the deteriorating state of the world’s soil. Profiles a movement of farmers pioneering solutions. Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding will deliver opening remarks. Organized by the Shippensburg University Center for Land Use and Sustainability. A panel discussion follows. Come early to explore some local food options and meet regional growers and producers. $11 adults, $5.50 students. Go to https://luhrscenter.com or call 717-477-7469.

The Probables

Saturday, April 27 - 8 p.m.

Folk, rock, reggae, bluegrass and funk music. General admission. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Go to https://shepherdstownoperahouse.thundertix.com/events/227113 or call 304-876-3704.

Seldom Scene

Bluegrass. $45 general admission. Go to https://liveathubcityvinyl.com/all-events/ or call 301-800-9390.

Spring Family Hike on Appalachian Trail

Sunday, April 28 - 1 to 3 p.m.

The meeting place for the hike will be sent after registration.

For families with children ages 7 and older. Hosted by Buttonwood Nature Center, home of The Institute. Led by a Buttonwood naturalist. Free. Advance registration required. Go to www.buttonwoodnaturecenter.org or email [email protected] .

Bowman House Tours

Sunday, April 28 - 2 to 4:30 p.m.

Bowman House Museum and Pottery

323 N. Main St.

Tour 19th century log house. Hearth cooking demonstrations; stroll leisurely through raised-bed, vegetable garden. Go to https://boonsborohistoricalsociety.org/bowman-house/ or email [email protected] .

Dinosaur World - Live

Sunday, April 28 - 3 p.m.

For families. A pre-historic world of life-like dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus.. $30 to $39. Go to https://luhrscenter.com or call 717-477-7469.

Elements of Life

Sunday, April 28 - 5:30 p.m.

Thomson Hall Alumnae Chapel

Wilson College

1015 Philadelphia Ave.

Cumberland Valley Chorale performs songs of faith, laughter and love. Free. Email [email protected] .

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Time Is Running Out for Rahul Gandhi’s Vision for India

But in this year’s elections, the scion of India’s most storied political family is still trying to unseat Modi — and change the nation’s course.

India’s National Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi, as his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (Unite India March for Justice) passed through Varanasi. Credit... Chinky Shukla for The New York Times

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By Samanth Subramanian

Samanth Subramanian is a writer and journalist based in London. He has covered Indian politics, culture and the rise of Hindu nationalism for The New Yorker, The Guardian and The New York Times.

April 20, 2024

Rahul Gandhi stood in a red Jeep, amid a churning crowd in Varanasi, trying to unseat the Indian government with a microphone in his hand. “The mic isn’t good,” he said. “Please quiet down and listen.” It was the morning of Feb. 17 — Day 35 of a journey that began in the hills of Manipur, in India’s northeast, and would end by the ocean in Mumbai, in mid-March. In total, Gandhi would cover 15 states and 4,100 miles, traveling across a country that once voted for his party, the Indian National Congress, almost by reflex. No longer, though. For a decade, the Congress Party has been so deep in the political wilderness, occupying fewer than a tenth of the seats in Parliament, that even its well-wishers wonder if Gandhi is merely the custodian of its end.

Listen to this article, read by Vikas Adam

Gandhi called his expedition the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra — roughly, the Unite India March for Justice. He never said it in so many words, but the yatra was an appeal to voters to deny Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party a third straight term in parliamentary elections starting on April 19. Congress, the only other party with a national presence, is the fulcrum of an anti-B.J.P. coalition. Indian pundits and journalists bicker about many things, but on this point they’re unanimous: Only a miracle will halt the B.J.P. Still, it falls to Gandhi, steward of his enfeebled party, to try.

The speech lasted barely 15 minutes. Gandhi is a fidgety orator, unable to shrug off the routine disturbances of a rally. He kept calling for silence, and scolding overzealous policemen regulating the mob. He didn’t ramble, exactly, but eddied around the point he wanted to make. “This is a country of love, not of hate,” he said. He talked of two Indias, populated respectively by the millionaires and the impoverished. He laid into TV news channels, many of which have been captured by oligarchs prospering under the B.J.P.: “They won’t show the farmers, or the workers or the poor,” he said. “But they will show Narendra Modi 24 hours a day.” Then he helped onto his Jeep a member of the audience, a young man who complained that, despite spending hundreds of thousands of rupees on his education, he still had no job. His is a common story in Modi’s India. Two out of every five recent college graduates are out of work, and young people make up 83 percent of the unemployed. To his crowd, Gandhi called out: “These are the two issues facing India: unemployment and — ?” He received only a tepid response of “poverty.” When he finished, there was no applause.

The crush of people at the rally was suffocating, although in India a crowd is no index of popularity. People may gawk and then go vote for the other guy — and Gandhi is, after all, one of the country’s most recognizable men. Officially, he is no longer his party’s president, but he is undoubtedly its face. At 53, with a well-salted beard and serious eyes, he’s too old to be called Congress’s “scion,” but he still wears the sheen of dynasty. His great-grandfather, the unflinchingly secular Jawaharlal Nehru, was India’s first prime minister. His grandmother, Indira, and his father, Rajiv, both became prime ministers; both were assassinated. His mother, Sonia, steered Congress into government in 2004 and 2009, but declined the top post. Then, on the heels of several corruption scandals, the mighty party — 140 years old next year — came unstuck. Out of 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament, Congress holds just 46, compared to the B.J.P.’s 288. Gandhi embodies all this history: the triumphs as well as the failures. For the crowds, that is the fascination he exerts.

One of Modi’s successes has been not just to trounce the Congress Party but also to persuade people that the party has weakened India and emasculated its Hindus. Through his cult of personality, Modi is fulfilling a century-old project, recasting India as a Hindu nation, in which minorities, particularly Muslims, live at the sufferance of the majority. Emblematic of this is a new law offering fast-tracked citizenship to people fleeing Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan — as long as they aren’t Muslim. It is the B.J.P.’s totemic achievement: the use of religion to decide who can be called “Indian.” Opposing this law or indeed resisting the B.J.P. in any way has proved difficult. Investigating agencies mount flimsy cases against critics of the government, as Amnesty International has frequently noted. (Amnesty itself halted its work in India in 2020, in the midst of what it later called an “incessant witch hunt” by the government.) Activists are regularly imprisoned, sometimes on the basis of planted evidence; journalists are sent to jail or otherwise bullied so frequently that India has slipped to 161st out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index , just three spots above Russia. Pliant courts often endorse it all. Such is the mood in India that one of the plainest sentences in Congress’s election manifesto is also one of its most resonant: “We promise you freedom from fear.”

As the election neared, the quelling of dissent grew more visible still. This year, in an unprecedented move, Modi’s administration arrested two chief ministers of states run by small opposition parties. (One stepped down hours before his arrest.) In both instances, the government claimed corruption, but many critics noted that the arrests were uncannily timed to pull two popular politicians out of campaign season in states where the B.J.P. has struggled. Income-tax authorities froze Congress’s bank accounts, supposedly over a late filing. “It has been orchestrated to cripple us in the elections,” Gandhi told reporters. If so, it feels like overkill, because it is common wisdom that Congress can’t win. Those who want nothing to do with the B.J.P. watch Gandhi with conflicted anguish. He is, by all accounts, sincere, empathetic and committed to a pluralistic India. This is a man who forgave his father’s killers, and who said on the sidelines of a private New York event last year, according to one of those present: “I don’t hate Modi. The day I hate, I will leave politics.” But he’s also the latest in a lineage under whom Congress grew undemocratic and sometimes wildly corrupt. The great liberal hope is that Gandhi can achieve contradictory things: use his dynastic privilege to resuscitate his party, and dissolve the dynasty at the same time.

That’s a steep demand, but Gandhi’s priorities are altogether more Himalayan. “He doesn’t say it,” Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) who knows Gandhi well, told me, “but he’s modeling himself after Mahatma Gandhi. He doesn’t want to take any position of power.” In January, Gandhi told his colleagues that he has “one foot in and one foot out of the party,” and that he plans to be “a bridge to activists outside.” As he explained it then, the B.J.P., with its undiluted majoritarianism, “is a political-ideological machine. It can’t be defeated by a political machine alone.” His role, as he sees it, is to be the counter ideology — to go out into the country, rouse Indians to the dangers of the B.J.P. and offer them his dream of a fairer, more tolerant India instead.

The yatra is a well-worn exercise in Indian politics. Its most famous practitioner, Mahatma Gandhi, returned from South Africa in 1915 hungering to know more about his country. Go travel the land, one of his mentors told him, “with eyes and ears open, but mouth shut.” After using the yatra to gain an education, he employed it for political purpose. In 1930, he walked 240 miles to the Arabian Sea to protest the British monopoly on salt; hundreds of people joined him, and he spoke to thousands en route. On reaching the beach, he scooped out a fist of salty sand and announced he had broken the monopoly, setting off a wave of civil disobedience. There have been plenty of other yatras since. In 1983, Smita Gupta, a retired journalist who was then a cub reporter, walked part of a 2,650-mile yatra by a politician named Chandra Shekhar, as he tried to enlist support against Indira Gandhi. As Gupta recalled, for people who live far from the centers of power, “when a politician descends from the skies and comes to your home, it’s a big deal — I was swept away.”

Rahul Gandhi conceived of his yatra much as Chandra Shekhar did: as a way to counter the ideology of a seemingly immovable leader. There’s no place more vital for this project than Uttar Pradesh, the state through which I trailed him in February. With its 80 parliamentary seats and 240 million people, many living on incomes lower than the sub-Saharan average of $1,700 a year, Uttar Pradesh is electorally pivotal. Excelling here isn’t a guarantee of securing power in Delhi, but it’s as close to ironclad as it gets. It’s also the state that produced the Gandhis. When Nehru, born in Uttar Pradesh, ran for Parliament from a constituency near his hometown, Congress shared one advantage with other parties in post-colonial countries: the glory of having led the freedom struggle. That kept for surprisingly long without spoiling. Nehru’s heirs — Indira, then her son Rajiv, then his wife, Sonia — all won election after election from their constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi once called Uttar Pradesh his karmabhoomi , a Sanskrit word for the land of one’s momentous actions.

But Uttar Pradesh also became the land where Congress was fated to fail. Today it’s the roiling heart of the B.J.P.’s Hindu nationalism. Varanasi, Hinduism’s most sacred city, lies near the state’s eastern border, and Modi chose to represent it in Parliament — a crafty choice for a man wishing to be hailed as a defender of his faith. Around 40 million Muslims live in the state, and under its B.J.P. chief minister, they’re increasingly being erased from public life. One law jeopardizes their right to marry whom they wish. Other regulations have constricted the meat trade, in which many Muslims work. Islamic schools are in danger of being banned outright. By painting Muslims as trespassers, the B.J.P. licenses violence against them, sometimes even explicitly. (In 2015, a man was beaten to death by his Hindu neighbors in his village in western Uttar Pradesh, on the rumor that he had slaughtered a cow. The men accused of his murder have since been freed on bail and the case is still unresolved.) More than any other part of India, Uttar Pradesh shows what the B.J.P. has wrought and how successful it has been. In 2019, during the last national election, the B.J.P. swept 62 of the state’s 80 seats. Congress won just one.

A few years ago, Gandhi decided that his party needed a way to mobilize people against the B.J.P., settling on a yatra as a means to that end. He embarked on his first, walking up the spine of India, in late 2022. Even the plainness of his attire — sneakers, loosefitting trousers, white polo shirt — was a rebuke to the Olympian vanity of Modi, who once had his own name stitched, in tiny letters, to form the pinstripes of a suit. The yatras felt like campaigns, yet Gandhi’s team insists that they were not about projecting him as prime minister but rather a form of ideological resistance, almost above politics. (His staff politely refused my repeated requests for an interview.)

The Congress Party found itself divided over Gandhi’s approach. Salman Khurshid, a Congress veteran, worried that the party has strayed from bread-and-butter political strategy. We were in his office in Delhi, and he kept looking dolorously at his phone, which never stopped ringing. It was the feverish middle of the election season, and Congress was picking its candidates and negotiating alliances with other parties. Gandhi had to weigh in, Khurshid said: “We’d like him to be within shouting distance. He’s a thousand kilometers away.” Khurshid wished for a more customary system, the sort that promised, say, a 20-minute appointment at 10 a.m. to talk about three things. “That’s how ordinary political parties work,” he said. “He wants an extraordinary political party.”

Sometimes, Gandhi’s team told Khurshid and others to come on the yatra and talk to Gandhi on the bus. But it wasn’t sufficient, Khurshid told me. “There’s never enough time.” The yatra involved a lot of stopping and starting and stopping again, as I discovered. Two or three times a day, Gandhi’s Jeep — and its caravan of police cars, S.U.V.s and a vehicle bearing a device labeled “Jammer” — inched through a town, halting at a crossroads for a speech. Then the convoy would hasten to its next engagement, trying to cover vast Uttar Pradesh distances through dense Uttar Pradesh traffic, and always behind schedule. The day ended in a cordoned-off campsite, where everyone slept in shipping containers fitted with bunks. Here, in his own enclosure, Gandhi hobnobbed with local Congress functionaries or practiced jiu-jitsu with his instructor.

In Prayagraj, where we headed after Varanasi, it’s possible to traverse the distance between the party’s zenith and its rock bottom in a single evening. First, Gandhi made a speech outside Anand Bhavan, an ancestral family home, an eggshell-white mansion on an emerald lawn. Anand Bhavan is now a museum, but its chief relic is intangible: the promise of Nehruvian secularism, circa 1947. Then, while leaving Prayagraj, we passed the high court that invalidated Indira Gandhi’s election in 1975 on the grounds of electoral malpractice. The verdict provoked her to impose a state of emergency — a suspension of civic rights — for nearly two years, tarnishing Congress and strengthening its competitors. By this time too, the party had wrapped itself feudally around the dynasty. Any emergent leaders with their own base were subdued or cast off because they threatened the Gandhis. By the late 1980s, other politicians had clawed voters away from Congress by courting specific groups — members of a caste, say, or as with the B.J.P. and Hindus, of a religion.

As Congress faltered, its workers joined rival parties, including the B.J.P. In India, party workers don’t just canvass voters — they step in for an insufficient state. If a farmer needing a loan is turned away by the bank manager, or if a woman can’t pay the cost of treatment for her sick daughter, party workers use their contacts to help. These services are performed in the hope that the favors will be returned every five years, come the election. “The average party worker needs, say, 10,000 rupees a month to run his home,” an old Congress hand in Varanasi, who asked not to be named for fear of professional reprisal, told me. “If their party can’t get to power, how will they get paid? They’ll go work for whoever is most likely to win.”

Gilles Verniers, a political scientist, recounted taking his Ashoka University class on a trip to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh’s capital, on the day votes were counted in a state election in 2017. He distributed his pupils among the headquarters of various parties, but by midmorning, the students at the Congress office called him. “They said: ‘Can we go elsewhere?’” Verniers told me. “ ‘There’s no one here, everybody left.’ The party knew they were getting spanked, but at least you could stick around, thanking workers, encouraging them. There was no one to even make tea.” Today, the Varanasi representative told me, “we just hope to God we win even one seat in Uttar Pradesh.”

Gandhi entered politics with several lifetimes’ worth of trauma packed into his 33 years. When he was 14, two of his grandmother’s bodyguards shot her dead — revenge for an assault she ordered upon a Sikh temple to root out separatist militants sheltering within. The bodyguards had taught a young Rahul how to play badminton. Seven years later, while he was a student at Harvard, his father, Rajiv, was killed by a suicide bomber — revenge again, this time by a separatist group in Sri Lanka, where he had sent Indian troops to aid the government. It became difficult for Rahul Gandhi to be Rahul Gandhi: to trust people or go anywhere ungirded by security. For a while it didn’t seem inevitable that he would choose politics. Later he would say that he made the decision on a train just as it entered Prayagraj, when he was taking his father’s cremated remains to pour into the Ganges River.

Smita Gupta, the former journalist, attended one of Gandhi’s earliest rallies, in an Uttar Pradesh town called Farrukhabad, in 2004. The road was so crowded that a 15-minute drive took three hours. Gandhi arrived in a Jeep, smiling and dimpling and waving. As he walked to the dais, the barricades broke from the masses of excited people pushing against them. “He was swept away, sailing with the crowd,” Gupta said. Soon after Congress won that election, Gandhi took charge of the party’s junior wing. The transition to the dynasty’s next generation seemed underway, and he exhibited the air of someone who knew he was the man for the job.

At the time, Gandhi often showed little patience with the orthodox figures of politics. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a political scientist at Princeton, who met Gandhi back then, recalled that he made minimal eye contact and seemed distracted — unable even to feign interest as politicians usually do so well. A journalist who met Gandhi privately told me that he was, as the saying goes, eager to tell you what you thought: “It was: ‘You don’t know how the Congress works. Let me tell you.’ Or, ‘I’ll tell you about India and Pakistan.’” In his memoir “A Promised Land,” Barack Obama compared Gandhi, whom he met in 2010, to “a student who’d done the coursework and was eager to impress the teacher but deep down lacked either the aptitude or the passion to master the subject.” One of Gandhi’s colleagues admits he used to be “very anxious and pushy” back in the day. “He has calmed down over a period of time.”

He had to. Congress isn’t a party you can change in a hurry. Its ways are too ossified, and it is honeycombed with fiefs. When Gandhi wanted Congress to field new faces in elections, he pushed for candidates to be selected through an internal voting system, rather like a primary. According to one former party consultant, senior politicians, worried about losing their tickets, complained to his mother, Sonia, the Congress president. Khurshid, one of the old guard, told me: “Everything that destroys democracy got in there — money, muscle, power.” It resulted in “the dedicated warriors of the Congress at the youth level” being sidelined. The primaries never took off. In 2018, Gandhi wanted young chief ministers in three states where Congress had won state elections. He didn’t get his way. But at least Gandhi tried something, a consultant to Congress told me. “If you leave it to these other guys,” he said, “they will not even change the curtains in the party office.”

These exasperations may have amplified a hesitancy about power and responsibility that Gandhi seemed always to harbor. In 2009, he declined the offer to be a cabinet minister. Perhaps even then he saw his role as that of a moral authority outside the government, Yechury said. On becoming the party’s vice president, Gandhi gave not a stirring speech but a somber one, recalling the assassinations in his family and counseling his party that “power is poison.” In 2017, he became the party’s president, but after Congress lost the 2019 election, he quit the post. According to two Congress sources, he expected other top party leaders to feel accountable and step down as well. No one did.

In a party often pilloried for being dynastic, Gandhi has been unable to stamp his will on Congress. One friend of the family described Gandhi as “timid.” When his 2022 yatra went through the state of Kerala, Yechury, the Communist leader, considered walking with him, but members of Congress’s Kerala unit protested: The Communists were their chief rivals in the state, and this show of solidarity — even against the B.J.P., a common antagonist — wouldn’t do at all. Yechury couldn’t understand it. Gandhi might not be the party’s president, but there’s no doubt he is its presiding force, Yechury said. Why didn’t he just hold fast?

Two years ago, during a protest in Delhi, Gandhi and dozens of his Congress colleagues were detained by the police. One of those present, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly, told me that several senior leaders were held together, and Gandhi had “really frank and open conversations” with them. A couple of these leaders “got aggressive, saying, ‘You have to take charge,’ persuading him to take back the party presidency, accusing him of running away from responsibility.” It was high-octane drama: “What do you do when you’re detained, man? We were there for six hours. He couldn’t go anywhere.” The Congress worker remembers Gandhi saying then: “I know what I have to do. My job is to do mass outreach. You guys handle the party.”

Gandhi’s two yatras have unfolded in the shadow of another, some 30 years ago — one that ultimately helped bring Modi to power. Riding in a Toyota decked out as a chariot, a B.J.P. leader named Lal Krishna Advani rode through northern and central India, advertising one of his party’s priorities: the claim that, 450 years earlier in the town Ayodhya, a Mughal ruler had knocked down a temple to build a mosque. Advani promised his audiences that the B.J.P. would restore the temple to that very spot. Two years later, the foot soldiers of the B.J.P. and other right-wing groups razed the mosque, triggering not just riots that killed 2,000 people but also a deep fracture in Indian society. After that, the B.J.P. regularly listed the construction of a temple in its election manifestos, harvesting votes out of the religious polarization around the issue. In 2019, mere months after Modi won his second term, the Supreme Court ruled that the mosque’s demolition was illegal, and that there was no evidence it had been built by knocking down a Hindu shrine. Yet the judges allowed a new temple to be erected on the site, legitimizing the majority’s abuse of disputed medieval history to its own retributive ends. In January, that temple was consecrated. Modi presided over the rites, as if he were head priest rather than prime minister.

Congress didn’t send any representatives to the temple’s inauguration, and I had expected Gandhi to speak about Ayodhya, which lies, after all, in Uttar Pradesh. But he barely mentioned it, even in Varanasi, a city facing a potential reprise of Ayodhya. The morning after his speech there, I visited a quarter called Pilikothi, following a sequence of lanes, each framed by so many tall tenements that there was something canyonlike about them. It was a Sunday, but Pilikothi echoed with the tack-tack of sari looms. The sound drifted into the basement in which Abdul Batin Nomani, the mufti of Varanasi, sat at a low desk. Behind him were shelves of theological volumes. When he pulled a book out to illustrate a point, his hand didn’t hesitate for a second.

The title of mufti, or jurist, has been in Nomani’s family since 1927, and he has filled the role for more than two decades. In that time, he said, the B.J.P. has spread so much hate that it has corroded even the possibility of amicable relations between Hindus and Muslims. You can be arrested for offering the namaz in public, or for being a Muslim man marrying a Hindu woman, or for running your butcher shop during Hindu festivals. You could be lynched on a whisper that you’re carrying beef, or have your house bulldozed on suspicion of being a rioter, or be hunted by mobs goaded by B.J.P. politicians calling for murder. Nomani told me about the head of a Hindu monastery nearby, and how they would invite one another to their religious functions. “Then, slowly, his mind turned,” Nomani said. “He must have been convinced that to talk to people like me is wrong.”

Nomani heads the committee of the Gyanvapi Mosque, another centuries-old structure that the Hindu right aims to replace with a temple. Weeks before I met Nomani, a court allowed Hindus to worship in the mosque’s basement, similar to what happened in Ayodhya in 1986. Varanasi’s Muslims are fearful, Nomani said. Wouldn’t the same cascade of consequences ensue? Wouldn’t other mosques surely follow? When the yatra swung by, Nomani told a local Congress representative he would welcome a meeting with Gandhi. It never transpired. Nomani wondered why Gandhi didn’t even speak about the issue and directly confront the B.J.P.’s divisive politics. “Someone could have called and reassured us: ‘Don’t worry, we’re with you,’” Nomani said. He regards Gandhi with sympathy. “I believe he wants to do the right thing, and that he is against this culture of hate,” he said. “But he’s weak. His party is weak. He can’t do anything.”

From Prayagraj, the yatra headed to Amethi, a town a couple of hours to the north. I had last visited in 2009, when it was still a stronghold of Congress’s first family, and I remembered the fields of winter mustard, yellow till the horizon, on the town’s outskirts and the wishbone layout of its three main roads. Gandhi won resoundingly that year. But in 2014, when his margin shrank, he must have seen the incoming tide of Hindu nationalism. Sanjay Singh, a local Congress worker, recalled that, on vote-counting day, Gandhi sounded dispirited as the results trickled in, telling his colleagues “the politics of this state is beyond my understanding.” In 2019, the B.J.P. flipped Amethi. If Gandhi hadn’t simultaneously run from another seat, in Kerala, he wouldn’t be in Parliament at all.

The yatra’s schedule included an evening rally, so I spent the afternoon in Singh’s house in a village nearby. A stern-eyed man with a ramrod bearing, he wore a spotless white shirt and trousers, and he had tucked a Congress streamer around his neck like a cravat. He lamented Congress’s loss of Amethi, but he wasn’t surprised. Between 2014 and 2019, Gandhi visited Amethi less and less, dispatching his advisers instead. Still, Singh felt almost guilty that Amethi voted for the B.J.P. Last year he had a chance to meet Gandhi, he said, and asked him to run from Amethi again: “I told him, ‘Whatever mistake we made, we’re ready to rectify.’” A few weeks after I met Singh, though, Gandhi declared that he would stick to his constituency in Kerala.

For the rally, the party had set up rows of chairs in a field, but the audience started dribbling out almost as soon as it began. By the time Gandhi was midway through his speech, only half the chairs were occupied. He talked about China, and riots in faraway Manipur, and the B.J.P.’s cronyism. Standing next to me, a policewoman told a videographer, “He isn’t talking about Amethi at all.” The only cheers came when he raised the plight of India’s poorer castes — the very people who made up most of his audience. As he had done throughout the yatra, he warned them they’d never get very far in the B.J.P.’s India. He may well be right, but I remembered something Mehta told me. Modi’s narrative of a resurgent Hinduism, however hollow, makes people feel good about themselves, Mehta said. “Rahul’s narrative does the opposite.”

The next day, something interrupted the yatra’s staid choreography. We were in Raebareli, the one Uttar Pradesh constituency still with the Congress Party. Halfway through his address, Gandhi invited a young man onto his Jeep to quiz him about his prospects. The man introduced himself as Amit Maurya, but he was barely audible, so Gandhi said, paternally but lightly, “First, learn how to handle a microphone.”

“I’m a little anxious, sir.”

“Don’t worry,” Gandhi replied. “You’re a lion.”

Either it was the pressure of the moment or the unchecking of a dam of frustration, but Maurya burst into tears.

In the week’s most genuine moment, Gandhi seemed nonplused, as if he didn’t know what to do with this political gift. Instinctively, he folded Maurya into an embrace and kept his arm around the sobbing man. Still, he just couldn’t abandon his routine — the statistics he’d memorized, the thesis presentation mode he was in. But even if his speech didn’t change, he sounded more passionate — angry, even — about the inequities he had lined up to narrate to his crowd.

Well after the yatra’s end, when summer hammers down and ballot machines appear in schools and colleges and municipal buildings, Gandhi may at least be able to count on Maurya’s vote. But who knows. Elections are subject to every manner of caprice, and the B.J.P. has shown itself to be peerless at swaying India’s voters. Out of hubris or audacity, Gandhi wants to persuade people to consider lofty things like morality and love, indispensable values that nonetheless make for nebulous campaign platforms. He doesn’t mind if it takes years, and perhaps he doesn’t mind if he loses his party in the process. In that time, though, he risks seeing his idea of India extinguished altogether.

Samanth Subramanian, who has written frequently for the magazine, is the author of several books, including “This Divided Island: Life, Death and the Sri Lankan War” and “A Dominant Character: The Radical Politics and Restless Politics of J.B.S. Haldane,” a New York Times Notable Book of 2020. Chinky Shukla is a documentary photographer based in New Delhi. Her work focuses on cultural assimilation, memory and the environment.

Read by Vikas Adam

Narration produced by Tanya Pérez

Engineered by Zachary Mouton

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Poison's 2011 Double Dose: Ultimate HIts compilation album preceded their summer tour and features all their hit singles that topped music charts. It began in 1984, with frontman Bret Michaels, bassist Bobby Dall and drummer Rikki Rockett.
Poison Concert & Tour History
The songs that Poison performs live vary, but here's the latest setlist that we have from the September 09, 2022 concert at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States: Poison tours & concert list along with photos, videos, and setlists of their live performances.
Poison
Bret MichaelsBobby DallRikki RockettCC DeVillePoison who started as a street level independent band has remained one of the music industry's top acts, with m...
Poison Setlist at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Get the Poison Setlist of the concert at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL, USA on June 18, 2022 from the The Stadium Tour and other Poison Setlists for free on setlist.fm!
Bret Michaels Confirms POISON Will Announce Massive Tour Featuring
During a recent appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" on February 15, Bret Michaels, still in the midst of promoting his "Parti-Gras" solo tour, entertained the idea of the possibility of POISON hitting the road again, this time with a lineup featuring two, three, or even four other major acts, akin to their participation in the 2022 "The Stadium Tour".
Poison
The Poison frontman is welcoming in the husky after the dog donated blood to save a kitten's life. October 21, 2023 Poison's Bret Michaels Announces 2023 US "Parti-Gras" Tour
POISON, RATT: U.S. Tour Dates Revealed
POISON, RATT (featuring singer Stephen Pearcy) and WHITE LION will join forces for a summer trek starting June 13 at the Bi Lo Center in Greenville, S.C., and wrapping in early September. The tour ...
Official Website
Join the Poison Mailing List to receive news, tour dates and more directly to your inbox! Sign Up Now. Dec 09 2019 12:00 AM VIP PACKAGES AVAILABLE NOW . Secure your VIP experience today. This is your chance to meet the band. Read More. Dec 06 2019 12:00 AM Rolling Stone Article ...
Poison Concert Setlist at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland on July 14
Get the Poison Setlist of the concert at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH, USA on July 14, 2022 from the The Stadium Tour and other Poison Setlists for free on setlist.fm!
Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine announce extra Ascendancy ...
The Poison came out on October 3, 2005, and was Bullet For My Valentine's debut album. It reached number 21 on the album charts in the band's native UK and also received critical acclaim.
Poison 2024 Tour
Poison tour 2024: Poison is an American rock band that achieved great commercial success from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.Poison has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, including 15 million in the United States alone. The band placed 10 singles in the Billboard Hot 100's Top 40, including six Top 10 singles and the Hot 100's number one song, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".
NXT Best: Hagerstown area arts and entertainment for April 21
To purchase tickets in advance, ... In the early 20th Century, "poison pen" letters received by Smithsburg residents made national headlines. Free. To register, call 301-824-7722.
ENTERTAINMENT NOTES: Composer in residence at UCA, jazz at Walton Arts
Tickets are $33 for theater seating, $53 for cabaret seating. Call (479) 443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org. Aubrey Logan leads her band in a Saturday night show at Fayetteville's Walton Arts ...
PDF January 25, 2024 Via E-Mail: [email protected] United States
GHD | International Paper | 11215702 (11) | Plan in Response to EPA Comments to Pre-Final 90% Remedial Design - Northern Impoundment i . Contents
Trivium Memes
233 likes, 6 comments - trivium_memesApril 19, 2024 on : "@triviumband just announced more tour dates with @bfmvofficial all over europe! Playing Ascendancy an The Poison in Full for the fi...". Trivium Memes | @triviumband just announced more tour dates with @bfmvofficial all over europe! 🔥 Playing Ascendancy an The Poison in Full for the ...
PDF WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024 No. 68 House of Representatives
U N Congressional Record U M E P L RI B U S United States of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 118 th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g.,b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H2505 Vol. 170 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL ...
Rahul Gandhi's Vision for India Goes Beyond Modi and the Election
He has covered Indian politics, culture and the rise of Hindu nationalism for The New Yorker, The Guardian and The New York Times. April 20, 2024. Rahul Gandhi stood in a red Jeep, amid a churning ...