The annual Sturgis Rally, which is on its 70th year, will pave the way for the first Rock N’ Rev Festival featuring over 20 bands performing in the course of five days. Leading the string of rock bands who will be appearing in the festival are rock icons Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Creed, 3 Doors Down, and Godsmack. Other bands included in the lineup are Swayback, Three Days Grace, Cage the Elephant, Skillet, The Darling Stilettos, Theft, Eagles of Metal Death, Sweet Cyanide, Hellyeah, Charm City Devils, Pop Evil and Rev Theory. More bands will be added in the coming weeks.

What do you end up with when you mix Mastodon and Deftones with Alice In Chains? BlackDiamondSkye. This fall the three act tour will be visiting venues all across Canada and the U.S. The tour got its name from “Black Gives Way to Blue” from Alice in Chains combined with the upcoming album “Diamond Eyes” from the Deftones along with “Crack the Skye” by Mastodon. Earlier this week fans were introduced to tour via mysterious videos on YouTube as well as a count clock on the blackdiamondskye.com website.

One thing for sure about the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis is there is always something there for everyone. The newly announced lineup for 210 includes jam bands (Blues Traveler and Widespread Panic), hard rock (Seether, Puddle of Mudd, Alice in Chains), indie (Mute Math, Band of Horses, Flaming Lips), mainstream (Limp Bizkit, 3 Doors Down, 30 Seconds to Mars), and legends (Brett Michael, Earth Wind & Fire, Jeff Beck). Other acts include Booker T & the MGs, Alison Krauss & Union State, Gov’t Mule, Drive-By Truckers, Hall & Oats and The B-52s.

Alice in Chains is taking their controversial video for “Your Decision,” their current single, into comic format. Their fans will have the chance to contribute to its developing storyline. The band, in association with Devil’s Due Comics and Popcult, have posted the comic for “Make Your Decision” online. There is a tumblelog as well that features the story’s opening chapter. It can be found at the band’s website: aliceinchains.com/yourdecision.

After finishing up their tour of Europe, Alice in Chains is going to be headlining a few holiday concerts sponsored by radio before they set off in early 2010 for a headlining tour of North America to back “Black Gives Way to Blue,” the comeback album for the band. Early next month the band will be returning stateside for two performances. They will play in Las Vegas on December 11 and in Universal City, CA on December 12.

When Layne Staley, frontman for Alice in Chains, died in 2002 from a drug overdose, presumably the already long dormant band died right along with him. Staley’s eerie delivery and unique voice were defining elements of the group from Seattle’s sound that it seemed practically unthinkable that a group incarnation without him would ever be possible.

Elton John, the veteran pop rocker, will be making a guest appearance on the upcoming album for Alice in Chains called “Black Gives Way to Blue.” On the title track of the album, John will play piano. A press release has described it as a stirring tribute to Layne Staley, the late lead singer of Alice in Chains.

An Alice in Chains summer US outing has been firmed up to back “Black Gives Way to Blue,” the first studio album from the band in over a decade. The alternative metal icons will be performing with Kid Rock at Comerica Park in Detroit on July 18 before heading overseas for a European festival trek with Metallica. The band from Seattle will be returning to the US and perform in Pomona, CA on August 22 with Linkin Park and Tool.

According to a recent press release, Jerry Cantrell will be performing at a Wayne Kramer fund raiser on May 1 at Nokia Theater in Times Square, New York City. The guitarist and co-vocalist for Alice in Chains will be honoring the MC5 pioneer of punk rock and activist. Other special guests include Perry Farrell, Tom Morello and Iggy Pop.