Rock In Rio is coming to America in 2015, and the lineup will be packed.
Announced for Las Vegas on the weekends of May 8 and 9 and May 15 and 16, the fest (traditionally held internationally) will feature Taylor Swift, Metallica, Linkin Park, John Legend, No Doubt and the Deftones.
Former RIR artists John Mayer and Sepultura helped announce the headliners with a surprise concert in Times Square this week.
According to ABC Las Vegas, "Rock In Rio has joined forces with entertainment giants MGM Resorts International, Cirque du Soleil and Ron Burkle for the festival's U.S. debut in Las Vegas in May 2015. Rock in Rio, MGM Resorts and Cirque du Soleil will redefine the modern music festival for U.S. audiences with a monumental combination of the biggest names in music and a fully immersive entertainment experience, all housed in a spectacular, custom-made 'City of Rock.'"
This "city" will be a permanent concert venue located on the Vegas Strip "near the corner of Sahara Avenue." It will be comprised of 37 acres, six stages and have an 85,000-person capacity.
You can check out the ticket pre-sale here.
Created in 1985, RIR has a 14-event history in three cities (Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon and Madrid). This will be the first time the event is held in the States.
Rock in Rio is known for its powerful lineups — last year's event featured Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, Muse, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys and dozens more.
While the '80s yielded shows featuring Prince and Queen, the G.O.A.T. event had to be 2001 in, when concert-goers could take in Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crow and Neil Young on the same night (ditto for Beck, Foo Fighters and R.E.M.). Also appearing were 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N' Roses, Sting, James Taylor, Iron Maiden and several other hotshot rock acts (Queens of the Stone Age, Deftones, Silverchair among them).
No word yet on other artists for Vegas in 2015, but the lineup already has the star power necessary to kickstart strong ticket sales.
