Nickelback Concerts in South Africa

15 reasons to check out these international hitmakers in Mzansi!

Nickelback, the Canadian rock group that people either love to love or love to hate, is heading for South Africa as part of their The Hits Tour this December 2013. The four-concert foray on Mzansi soil includes stops in Johannesburg at the Coca-Cola Dome on Friday, 6 and Sunday, 8 December 2013 and in Cape Town at the GrandWest Grand Arena on Wednesday, 11 and Thursday, 12 December 2013.

The Grammy-nominated outfit known for producing earworms like ‘How You Remind Me’, ‘Photograph’ and ‘Rockstar’ has a loyal camp of followers who will be eagerly counting down the minutes until the show, but they also seem to have legions of haters, many of whom have taken to the twitterverse to lament the news of the South African tour.

Though, we’re willing to bet that most people spitting venom in cyberspace have simply jumped on the smack-talking bandwagon without a reason as to why. So, in order to give those peeps a chance to redeem themselves and to convince those on the fence to go to the shows, here are our 15 reasons to get down to the Nickelback moshpit at the GrandWest Grand Arena this December.

15 REASONS TO GO TO THE NICKELBACK CONCERTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

1. They’re the Best Rock Group of the Decade: In 2009, popular music magazine Billboard announced that, based on chart success, Nickelback was the top rock band of the naughties (1999 – 2009). The group also made it to number seven on the overall list of best bands of the decade; the crew came in behind other first-rate acts like Eminem, Beyoncé and Alicia Keys, to name a few.

2. They turned out the Best Rock Song of the Decade: Aside from being named the best rock band of this era, the group’s hit single ‘How You Remind Me’ was also named the best rock song of the decade. Not to mention, the treffer’s also made it to number four in the greater breakdown of top 10 songs of that period.

3. They’ve won over 30 music awards: During their almost two-decade career, the Canadian quartet has been nominated close to 80 times for music awards at ceremonies that range from the prestigious Grammy and American Music Awards to the Billboard Music and Juno Awards. To date, they’ve won more than 30 accolades for their offerings. Most notably, the grunge rockers beat out Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Coldplay to scoop up the World's Best Selling Rock Artist trophy at the World Music Awards in 2006.

4. They’ve sold millions of albums: The proof is in the pudding, and this powerhouse outfit has a sweet tooth. The group has sold more than 50 million albums since its inception in the 90s. Of that total amount, over 15 million of those sales alone can be attributed to their 2005 compilation, All the Right Reasons, which was also certified eight times platinum in the States by The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

5. Relive your childhood: Been living on an Amish compound or stuck in a post-Apartheid bunker of fear? You have the right to tune out. But if you’re a somewhat normal Millennial (those who’ve had the privilege of being born in the 80s and growing up during the 90s), you’ll definitely remember head banging through your awkward teens to the iconic tunes of Nickelback. If you turned up the volume when 5FM played ‘How You Remind Me’ or sang along like you were on stage when ‘Photograph’ came on, then this epic once-in-a-lifetime jol is something you can’t miss.

6. People are searching for them: Be one of the many fans in the audience and see firsthand what people are looking for. According to internet search giant Google, Nickelback is searched for an average of 550, 000 times per month.

7. See one half of Canada’s power couple: Even though Avril Lavigne has admitted to not remembering meeting her future husband back in 2002, the newly-wed couple is, without a doubt, Canadian rock royalty. Perhaps Nickelback lead singer Chad Kroeger will have a quick Skype serenade and sing ‘Far Away’ to his blonde bombshell of a wife while on stage at the GrandWest Grand Arena. Who knows, you might witness pop culture history in the making.

8. Chad Kroeger is an ACTUAL bad boy: Forget what you’ve read everywhere else. According to TheBiographyChannel.co.uk, frontman Chad Kroeger was a real-life juvenile delinquent as a teen and reportedly sold drugs, stole cars and was on the run from the police before he channeled his creative entrepreneurial energy into starting a band. We’re beginning to think that ‘Photograph’ may have been an actual account of the rock star’s early life.

9. They’re a fun bunch: Despite getting tons of flack from critics, non-fans and an anonymous internet population, Nickelback are a fun bunch and have even produced a retort to a 55, 000-strong petition to stop them from playing at the halftime show at the NFL Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit in 2011.

Watch their hilarious response in this FunnyorDie.com video:

10. Their songs make great lullabies: No, we’re not talking about the song ‘Lullaby’. If you grew up listening to Nickelback’s chart-topping tunes and your little rocker is already showing signs of being a head-basher in the making, then put the Rockabye Baby! company’s compilation on your music playlist. This baby-friendly album features popular tracks like ‘How You Remind Me’, ‘Rockstar’, ‘Photograph’ and more, but instead of guitar riffs and drums, the tiny tot tracks feature soothing instrumentals using xylophones and bells.

Have a listen (do note that we take no responsibility for any dozing off at your work desk): 

11. Nickelback songs are versatile: How many bands can you say offer this kind of versatility and commercial viability at the same time? Not only does Billboard’s Rock Band of the Decade have lullaby versions of their tunes, but some of Nickelback’s most popular tracks have been re-imagined with a Motown spin. Aspiring jazz pianist Scott Bradley paid tribute to the rock superstars with covers that feature the upbeat and toe-tapping signature rhythms of classic Motown tunes.

A Motown Tribute to Nickelback

12. Nickelback is the very definition of: Well, we’re not exactly sure. But it seems like the band is well worth defining. UrbanDictionary.com has close to 100 (93 to be exact) different definitions of Nickelback.

13. Americans love Nickelback: Perhaps love is too strong a word, but according to a survey conducted by Public Policy Polling in October 2013, Americans said that they liked Nickelback more than they did the United States Congress.

14. At least it’s not Creed: Once billed as Canada’s answer to the US-based group Creed, Nickelback has far surpassed their American counterparts. Creed was voted the top worst band in the 90s and was even sued by loyal fans (nogals) for putting on a terrible performance. Eek! So if you’ve been one of those Nickelback bandwagon haters, you now have permission to jump ship.

15. Chad Kroeger and Nicholas Cage are twins?: Well, not quite, but if you put pictures of Nic Cage from his role as Cameron Poe in the 1997 flick Con Air alongside photos (circa 2006) of Chad Kroeger, you’d swear the two were separated at birth! Go on, google it.

Tickets for Nickelback Concerts in South Africa

Tickets for the Nickelback concerts are available via BigConcerts.co.za. Prices for the Joburg shows range from R340p/p – R780p/p, and prices for the Cape Town concerts range between R340p/p - R680p/p.

The opening act for the Nickelback concerts is up-and-coming South African talent Shaun Jacobs, who will be belting out some of his already popular tunes, like ‘Love Can’ and ‘Paper Wings’. 

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Can’t get enough? Read more about Nickelback’s concerts in Cape Town.

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by Meagan Hamman

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