Honda Civic Tour
There’s been a plethora of big names teaming up for tours this summer, and music fans can add the 2013 Honda Civic Tour to the list as yet another that is sure not to disappoint. Fronted by the ever-popular Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson, the tour is set to venture across North America with dates beginning Aug. 1 in St. Louis, Mo., and wrapping up on Oct. 5 in San Diego, Calif. There’s still a month before the tour kicks off, but the 12th installment already has fans buzzing with excitement.
The Honda Civic Tour has boasted a variety of different musical genres since its inception in 2001, and the original lineup was even comprised of two different headliners and supporting acts. blink-182 headlined the tour’s first half with some help from Alkaline Trio, Sum 41, The Ataris, and No Motiv, while Everclear picked up headlining duties for the second half, accompanied by American Hi-Fi and The Mayfield Four. In the ensuing years, other notable Honda Civic Tour headliners have included Incubus (2002), The Black Eyed Peas (2006), Fall Out Boy (2007), and Paramore (2010).
This year will mark Maroon 5’s second time participating in the event, having first headlined back in 2005. The band’s most recent release, 2012’s “Overexposed” was comprised of hits like “Payphone,” “One More Night,” and “Daylight,” and the band has mentioned a fifth album is currently in the works. Lead singer Adam Levine has found success outside of the band collaborating with artists like Kanye West, K’naan, Gym Class Heroes, in addition to his work on NBC’s “The Voice.”
Clarkson will be joining Maroon 5 on stage, and fans can see how far the singer has come since winning the inaugural season of “American Idol” in 2002. All five of Clarkson’s album releases have been certified Platinum or higher, and her record sales and popularity have boosted Clarkson to become the most successful American Idol contestant in history. Prior to the start of the Honda Civic Tour, fans can catch Clarkson in concert at Country Jam USA in Wisconsin on July 19 and with Jason Aldean at Wrigley Field in Chicago the following night.
The Honda Civic Tour has also featured up-and-coming bands along the way that went on to become household names. The indie rock group The Format was relatively unknown when they performed at the 2004 Honda Civic Tour. Although they disbanded in 2008, lead singer Nate Ruess went on to form fun., the GRAMMY-winning alternative band that has graced the airwaves with hits like “Some Nights,” “We Are Young,” and “Carry On.”
Supporting acts for this year’s event include PJ Morton, Rozzi Crane, and Tony Lucca, who will perform at select dates throughout the Honda Civic Tour’s 2013 run.