Nicol Ostrc

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Billie Eilish on the lack of female headliners at festivals: “I remember thinking that I would never be able to headline anything”

Billie Eilish has commented on the expectations put on female performers to have “the biggest show”, sharing that she remembers thinking “I would never be able to headline anything” READ MORE: Billie Eilish on the cover: “I owe it to everyone to put on a good Glastonbury show” Speaking to NME for this week’s Big Read cover story ahead of her headlining performance at Glastonbury Festival, Eilish shared that she felt it “was so cool to be a young woman and headline festivals, because it’s so male-dominated,” adding that she had felt “hopeless” for the future of women in music in 2017 and 2018. “I would see these line-ups for festivals and it was all dudes. And it was all artists I liked, but it was just like, ‘When will women be involved?’”, Eilish continued. “Women have to have a million back-up dancers and a million costume changes and their hair done, and crazy costumes and stage set-up. I love male performers, but they barely have to do shit to have a show that people like, and women are expected to have the biggest show.” Advertisement “I’m tired of feeling like we have to do that to feel adequate. If you want… Read More →

Barbara Keith – Barbara Keith

When Barbara Keith, acoustic in hand, headed from Massachusetts to Greenwich Village during the height of the folk era, she became one of countless aspiring troubadours tentatively following in Dylan’s footsteps, singing folk standards at Café Wha? and Gerde’s Folk City. She fell in with a bunch of Café Wha? regulars, and they formed the short-lived band Kangaroo. By the time they’d scored a record deal, Keith was starting to write songs, and soon after the group dissolved, she was signed by MGM/Verve, with Peter Asher assigned to produce her self-titled 1969 debut album. Although the LP caused barely a ripple, several labels saw enough promise in the youngster to keep tabs on her. ORDER NOW: The Beatles are on the cover of the latest issue of Uncut During a brief fling with A&M in 1970, Keith had her first taste of success when her song “Free The People” was covered by Delaney & Bonnie and Barbra Streisand, dramatically increasing her visibility. Before long she was auditioning for Columbia chief Clive Davis and Warner/Reprise Chairman Mo Ostin, who personally signed Keith to a three-album deal. Producer/A&R rep Larry Marks (Gene Clark, Phil Ochs, The Flying Burrito Brothers), who’d become her… Read More →

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Suspect in Lil Tjay shooting arrested for attempted murder

A suspect has been arrested after New York rapper and singer Lil Tjay was shot in Edgewater, New Jersey earlier this week. Late Wednesday evening (June 22), Tjay – real name Tione Jayden Merritt – was shot multiple times, along with a friend, 22-year-old Antoine Boyd, at a local shopping plaza during an attempted armed robbery. Tjay underwent emergency surgery as a result, and according to TMZ, remains unconscious in the hospital. The suspect, 27-year-old Mohamed Konate, has since been arrested by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and New York City Police Department, but has also been admitted to hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. According to Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Konate allegedly attempted to commit armed robbery against Merritt and two friends as they were walking near The Promenade, a plaza in Edgewater. Merritt was shot multiple times, while Boyd was shot once. Konate has been charged with three counts of first-degree attempted murder, three counts of first-degree armed robbery, and multiple weapons-related offences. Boyd and Jeffery Valdez, who were both with Merritt during the incident, were initially charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. Merritt has not been charged with any offences. Merritt released ‘Destined 2 Win’, his second… Read More →

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TWICE’s Nayeon makes her solo debut with ‘POP!’

TWICE member Nayeon has made her solo debut with the single ‘POP!’, from her first-ever mini-album ‘IM NAYEON’. READ MORE: TWICE – ‘Formula Of Love: O+T=˂3’ review: a masterful win befitting their global expansion The accompanying music video for ‘POP!’ opens with the K-pop idol signing a stack of her albums for fans, before it cuts to her performing the song’s energetic choreography on a variety of different sets. They include a yellow-themed diner, a Broadway-styled stage, the yard of a mansion and more. “You cannot get away from me / The twitch in your eyes, your nervous gestures Baby / I want to pop you / Before the fluttering stops / I wanna make it pop, pop, pop, (you want it),” Nayeon sings on the chorus. Advertisement The seven-track ‘IM NAYEON’ also feature JYP Entertainment labelmate Felix of Stray Kids on the song ‘No Problem’, while rapper Wonstein appears on ‘Love Countdown’. Other tracks on ‘IM NAYEON’ include ‘Candyfloss’, ‘Happy Birthday To You’ and ‘노을만 예쁘다’ (loosely translates to ‘Only The Sunset is Pretty’). Meanwhile, American singer-songwriter Destiny Rogers, who previously helped pen ‘Moonlight’ from TWICE’s 2021 album ‘Formula of Love: O+T=<3’, is a composer on the song ‘All Or Nothing’, which will feature… Read More →

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Evanescence’s Amy Lee and Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart link up for Everly Brothers cover

Evanescence’s Amy Lee and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics have collaborated on a cover of The Everly Brothers‘ ‘Love Hurts’ – listen to it below. READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Amy Lee, Evanescence The 1960 song was originally written by Boudleaux Bryant and appeared on The Everly Brothers’ fourth studio album, ‘A Date with the Everly Brothers’. Its most famous version is by Scottish hard rock band Nazareth. Lee and Stewart’s rendition is a departure from any of the previously released versions, created using pulsing beats and dashes of piano, making way for Lee’s powerful vocals to soar. Advertisement “My collaboration with Amy happened by chance, but turned into a magical adventure,” explained Stewart in a press release. “She’s a creative force and we work so well together. We quickly realised our version sounded nothing like the original but once we started, we couldn’t stop!” Lee added: “A few weeks back Dave Stewart called and asked if I wanted to collaborate on the iconic Everly Brothers song, ‘Love Hurts.’ We clicked like magic and obsessed over it until it became this crazy new thing. I’m beyond excited about our new friendship and our new track.” Arriving alongside a… Read More →

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Watch Bright Eyes perform ‘Falling Out Of Love At This Volume’ on ‘The Late Late Show’

Bright Eyes made an appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden last night (June 21) to perform ‘Falling Out Of Love At This Volume’ – watch below. READ MORE: Bright Eyes: “I hope our music makes people feel less alone” The band – comprising Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nate Walcot – first shared the track in February, when they announced plans to reissue their entire back catalogue. They also shared ‘Contrast And Compare’ featuring Waxahatchee and ‘Haligh, Haligh, A Lie, Haligh’ with Phoebe Bridgers. ‘Falling Out Of Love At This Volume’ appears on ‘A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995–1997: A Companion’. Advertisement Bright Eyes are due to reissue all nine of their studio albums along with a companion EP for each LP featuring new recordings of songs from the original release plus a cover version from an artist they found particularly inspiring at the time. Last month, their first three albums – ‘A Collection Of Songs Written And Recorded 1995-1997’, 1998’s ‘Letting Off The Happiness’ and 2000 LP ‘Fevers And Mirrors’, were reissued. The performance on The Late Late Show comes in the midst of the band’s US tour, before heading to mainland Europe in August. The band also announced… Read More →

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First Aid Kit return after three years with brand new single ‘Angel’

First Aid Kit have returned with their first new music in three years in the form of new single, ‘Angel’ – listen to it below. READ MORE: First Aid Kit: “We live in a patriarchy – we need to see more women on stage and behind the scenes” The last original track the Swedish duo – comprising Johanna and Klara Söderberg – put out was 2019’s ‘Strange Beauty’, a tribute to the late David Berman. Their last studio album was ‘Ruins’ in 2018. ‘Angel’, which showcases the Söderberg sisters’s signature harmonies, was written in the wake of major global events the past couple years. Advertisement “It feels special to release a song after such a long hiatus,” the duo said in a statement. “Today we’re so thrilled to finally share our new track ‘Angel’ – a hopeful tune for these crazy times about accepting other people even if you don’t always see eye to eye.” “It’s also about being kinder to yourself,” they added. “We wanted it to feel really big, but vulnerable at the same time, something you can cry to and dance to as well.” Arriving alongside a video directed by longtime collaborator Mats Udd, you can check it out below…. Read More →

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EXIT Festival announces final acts for 2022 line-up

EXIT Festival has announced the final additions to the line-up for its 2022 event, with names including Disciples, Ofenbach and Iva Lorens now on the bill. READ MORE: Nine reasons to head to EXIT Festival this summer The four-day Serbian festival takes place between July 7-10 in the Petrovaradin Fortress, with Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds and Calvin Harris both previously confirmed as headliners. They join the likes of Bury Tomorrow, Coach Party, Napalm Death and The Undertones. In May, EXIT organisers announced the line-up for this year’s MTS Dance Arena, as well as the acts playing the No Sleep and Urban Bug stages. Adam Beyer, Enrico Sanguiliano, Stephan Bodzin, Mochakk, Blond:ish and Artbat were confirmed for the Dance Arena stage, among others. Advertisement Meanwhile, Gerd Janson, DJ Tennis, Andhim and BĘÃTFÓØT were listed as some of the names due to take on the No Sleep stage. More than 30 local and regional artists will be playing the Urban Bug stage. As well as announcing the final acts for the festival, EXIT has also revealed the stage splits over the four days. See the final line-up and stage splits below: Last year’s event was the first major festival to be held in Europe since the coronavirus pandemic began…. Read More →

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Watch Roger Waters play a medley of Pink Floyd songs on ‘Colbert’

Roger Waters was the musical guest on last night’s (June 21) episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – watch him perform a medley of songs below. READ MORE: Why new Ukraine benefit song ‘Hey Hey Rise Up’ could be Pink Floyd’s perfect final act The former Pink Floyd frontman appeared on the show backed by a full band, a pianist and some backing singers. The medley included ‘The Happiest Days Of Our Lives’, ‘Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2’ and ‘Another Brick In The Wall, Part 3’ from Pink Floyd’s 1979 album ‘The Wall’. The performance comes ahead of his ‘This Is Not A Drill’ tour, which was originally set to begin in 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Advertisement “This Is Not A Drill is a groundbreaking new rock & roll/cinematic extravaganza, performed in the round,” Waters wrote in a statement (via Rolling Stone). “It is a stunning indictment of the corporate dystopia in which we all struggle to survive, and a call to action to love, protect, and share our precious and precarious planet home. “The show includes a dozen great songs from Pink Floyd’s Golden Era alongside several new ones — words and… Read More →

Hip-Hop Disruptors NO GOOD ENT Show-Off Their Skills In New Album & Music Video

NO GOOD ENT just recently dropped their second full-length mixtape that consists of some of their best work so far and the album is called Mean Music. A rich collection full of original tunes, NO GOOD ENT knocked it right out of the park by bringing back their humorous style and showcase their legitimacy within the music industry. Alongside the mixtape, the duo also released an entertaining music video for their beloved single “Bob Saget,” which extends their art to another level. Both artists sing along the music impressively, and the overall production looks very well done with mesmerizing shots. Since NO GOOD ENT started releasing their music in 2020, the pair have been recognized for their original content and fun style of hip-hop. With already thousands of listeners per month, NO GOOD ENT is set to become the internet’s favorite rap duo. For more you can follow NO GOOD ENT on: Spotify – Instagram – Facebook – YouTube – Website

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The Obamas’ Higher Ground production company signs multi-year deal with Audible

Former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground production company is heading to Amazon’s Audible platform. Following the end of a three-year deal with Spotify, the Obamas have reportedly inked an exclusive multi-year, first-look deal with the Amazon-owned platform. While firm details surrounding the Obamas’ new deal with Audible remain unclear at this time, comments from Michelle Obama hint at the possibility of their content with Audible being released on multiple streaming platforms. Advertisement The Audible deal will see the Obamas “keep striving to tell compelling, provocative, and soulful stories — while doing everything we can to make sure they reach the folks who need to hear them,” Michelle Obama told The Hollywood Reporter. Michelle Obama (Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images) A Higher Ground spokesperson also told The Hollywood Reporter that the two companies “plan to make the Audible Originals available to the widest possible audience”. The newly signed deal with Audible comes after the Obamas’ three-year deal with streaming giant Spotify ended earlier this year. The Spotify deal saw them “develop, produce and appear” on select podcasts through their Higher Ground production company. The Obamas’ contributions to Spotify notably included the eight-part podcast series Renegades: Born In The… Read More →

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NFL star Tom Brady says Pusha T’s ‘It’s Almost Dry’ is “album of the year”

NFL star Tom Brady has declared Pusha T‘s recent LP ‘It’s Almost Dry’ to be the “album of the year”. The seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback has spoken out in praise of the rapper’s April album, which followed on from Pusha’s acclaimed 2018 record ‘Daytona’. READ MORE: Pusha T: “I’ve won the wars. I have withstood everything” Pusha previously declared ‘It’s Almost Dry’ to be “[the] rap album of the motherfucking year”, and it now seems that Brady supports this view. Advertisement In a social media clip that was posted on Twitter yesterday (June 21) promoting his athletic wear brand Brady, Pusha’s Kanye-West featuring track ‘Dreamin of the Past’ can be heard in the background. You guys know I have 1,124 career rushing yards right? No accident. @bradybrand RUN is available Thursday. pic.twitter.com/WGYFBU2V9f — Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 21, 2022 Shortly afterwards, Pusha replied to the clip: “Wow, @TomBrady really listening to the rap album of the year!!! #ItsAlmostDry #DreamingOfThePast !! Check him out…” Brady agreed, replying to the rapper: “Album of the year! @PUSHA_T”. Album of the year! @PUSHA_T https://t.co/UwCfWO1fkK — Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 21, 2022 Sharing the interaction on Instagram, Pusha later added: “BRADY SAID WHAT HE SAID!!”… Read More →

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Working Men’s Club announce ‘The Steel City’ remix EP

Working Men’s Club have announced a new remix EP, called ‘The Steel City’, which will see producers from Sheffield reimagine tracks from the band’s ‘Fear Fear’ album. READ MORE: Working Men’s Club: the Yorkshire group representing a frustrated Northern youth The EP will be released exclusively through Sheffield independent record store Bear Tree as a limited-edition bonus CD alongside the new album, which arrives on July 15. Working Men’s Club frontman and songwriter Syd Minsky Sargeant has become immersed in the city’s musical community since recording their self-titled debut album there. The group’s guitarist Mairead O’Connor is also originally from Sheffield. Advertisement Among the producers enlisted for the new EP are Toddla T, who tackled ‘Money Is Mine’; Charla Green, who re-worked the title track; and the band’s longtime collaborator and producer, Ross Orton, who took on ‘Ploys’. Elsewhere, Diessa reimagines ‘Rapture’ and Forgemasters put their spin on ‘The Last One’. Working Men’s Club. CREDIT: Lillie Eiger “It was lovely to work on a remix for Working Men’s Club and put a jungle twist on it,” Green said. “Sheffield’s music scene has a lot to offer so it’s nice to see alternative scenes working together. I’ve also loved Heavenly Recordings [who the band… Read More →

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Watch the new episode of ‘SM Culture Universe’ starring aespa

aespa have unveiled the second episode of their ongoing SM Culture Universe (SMCU) series on YouTube. READ MORE: SM’s Culture Universe could be K-pop’s most ambitious alternative universe yet – but can it be pulled off? In the new episode, titled Next Level, a strange ‘SYNK OUT’ phenomenon has occurred, causing ‘æ’s, or virtual counterparts to humans, to disappear from the Real World, forced to return to the FLAT — the virtual plane from which they originate. From the FLAT, aespa’s æ-counterparts are able to contact the members with the help of nævis, the AI system that allows virtual beings to appear in the Real World. Projecting their consciousness into their æ’s, the members enter the virtual plane, where nævis tasks them with venturing into KWANGYA, a “ruleless, formless” space that exists beyond the FLAT to find out what is causing the disconnect between the FLAT and Real World. Advertisement In the rest of the episode, the girl group venture deeper into KWANGYA where they encounter the series’ villain, Black Mamba, for the first time, causing them to experience vivid hallucinations. The series first launched with the release of its first episode, Black Mamba, last year, with the aim to establish and expand… Read More →

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Wet Leg reveal they’ve completed their second album: “It’s in the bag”

Wet Leg have revealed that they have already completed work on their second studio album. The duo – comprising Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers – released their UK Number One self-titled debut record back in April, and have since taken this year’s festival circuit by storm. READ MORE: Wet Leg live in London: a glorious victory lap for the indie sensations During an interview at last weekend’s Isle Of Wight Festival, the band were asked if they’d thought about their next full-length studio effort. Advertisement “It’s in the bag,” Chambers told Absolute Radio. “Bish bash bosh.” Teasdale added: “[We’ve] completed it. All done.” Pressed on what fans can expect from the project, Chambers joked that it would see the group head in a “death metal” direction, with Teasdale saying there’ll be “a lot of double kick” drum. “You’ll have to wait and see,” the latter member continued before confirming that the album wouldn’t be arriving anytime soon. Elsewhere in the chat, Wet Leg talked about their upcoming dates supporting Harry Styles, the “aftermath” of releasing their first album and more. You can watch the interview in full above. In a five-star review of Wet Leg’s debut album, NME wrote: “It rushes with liberating, infectious… Read More →

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Listen to Aitch and Bakar team up on new single ‘In Disguise’

Aitch and Bakar have shared their new collaborative single, ‘In Disguise’ – you can listen to the track below. The Manchester rapper and the London-based singer/songwriter have teamed up for the song, which will feature on the former’s forthcoming debut album ‘Close To Home’. READ MORE: Aitch: “My debut will 100,000 per cent be a proper Manchester album” ‘In Disguise’ follows on from Aitch’s previous album previews ‘1989’ (which samples The Stones Roses’ ‘Fools Gold’) and the Ashanti-featuring ‘Baby’. Advertisement You can listen to Aitch and Bakar’s ‘In Disguise’ below. Aitch will head out on a UK and Ireland tour in October in support of ‘Close To Home’, which will be released on August 19 via Capitol. Due to kick off in Dublin on October 3, the ‘Close To Home’ tour will then visit cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol and London. Tickets for the ‘Close To Home’ tour are on sale now from here, and you can see Aitch’s upcoming tour dates below. October 3 – Olympia Theatre, Dublin 6 – O2 Academy, Glasgow 8 – O2 Academy, Leeds 9 – O2 City Hall, Newcastle 11 – O2 Academy 1, Liverpool 12 – O2 Academy 1, Sheffield 14… Read More →

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The Chemical Brothers rumoured for secret set at Glastonbury 2022

The Chemical Brothers are among the rumoured acts who could be playing a secret set at Glastonbury 2022 this weekend. The Worthy Farm festival is returning for the first time since 2019 this week, with gates opening on Wednesday (June 22). READ MORE: The 50 greatest Glastonbury moments… ever! As well as the many advertised acts on the Glastonbury 2022 line-up, there are a number of special, to-be-confirmed guests who will be joining the festival bill – including Sunday slots (June 26) on the John Peel Stage and The Park Stage. Advertisement George Ezra looks set to be playing in the ‘TBC’ Sunday afternoon slot on the John Peel Stage, though this has yet to be officially confirmed. A photo was shared online over the weekend featuring an apparent sign from Worthy Farm which reads “Gold Rush Kid [the name of Ezra’s new album] – John Peel Stage – 2pm”. Rumours are also gathering pace regarding The Chemical Brothers, who could be set to fill the 11pm ‘TBA’ slot at Arcadia (likely to be a DJ set rather than a full live set) on the Friday night of Glastonbury 2022 (June 24). The pair previously headlined The Other Stage in… Read More →

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Kate Bush looks set for another week at number one with ‘Running Up That Hill’

Kate Bush looks set to achieve another week at number one with ‘Running Up That Hill’ following its recent inclusion in Stranger Things. READ MORE: Kate Bush’s best on-screen syncs – from Stranger Things to ‘Being Human’ According to The Official Charts Company, Bush is on track for a second week at number one, followed by Harry Styles’ at number two with ‘As It Was’ and LF System’s ‘Afraid To Feel’ at number three. Elsewhere in the singles charts as it stands is Drake with three potential new entries following the release of his surprise album, ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ last week. Advertisement Last week, ‘Running Up That Hill’ was the most streamed track on the planet and reached Number One on both the Spotify charts in the UK and the US after earning 57million streams in just one week. As well as being Number One now in the UK, it’s also Number One in Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland. In the US, it’s currently Number Four in the main chart and Number One on the Billboard Global 200 chart, making it Bush’s biggest ever hit in America 37 years after its original release. In a new statement about the news on Friday… Read More →

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Black Eyed Peas, Shakira and David Guetta team up on ‘Don’t You Worry’

Black Eyed Peas have teamed up with Shakira and David Guetta on a new track – watch the video for ‘Don’t You Worry’ below. READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – will.i.am The track comes ahead of Black Eyed Peas’ ninth studio album, which is expected later this year. “LOVE to all the talented creatives involved and to our fans for your infinite support,” the band wrote on Instagram to announce the track. Advertisement They went on to hint that the song throws back to one of their biggest hits, 2009’s ‘I Gotta Feeling, writing: “Anyone agrees this has got ‘I Gotta Feeling’ vibe to it??” Watch the video for the new track below. Back in 2020, Black Eyed Peas teamed up with Shakira on their new track ‘Girl Like Me’, a track written in tribute to Latin women. Later this summer, the will.i.am-fronted band will perform in an ancient volcano crater for the inaugural Atlantis Concert for Earth event in July. Scheduled to take place in Azores, Portugal on July 22 and 23, the nonprofit concert for global conservation will feature headliners the Black Eyed Peas and Pitbull, as well as supporting acts Stone Temple Pilots, Sting (in… Read More →

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Huge Lemmy statue unveiled at France’s Hellfest

A huge new statue of late Mötörhead frontman Lemmy has been unveiled at French metal festival Hellfest. READ MORE: Lemmy: seven legendary stories the pre-Motörhead biopic should include The new sculpture, which is the brainchild of artist Caroline Brisset, replaces an existing Lemmy statue at the event, which has been erected for six years. The second statue, a gigantic and imposing metal creation, was unveiled this week to signal the start of Hellfest 2022, which is being held across two weekends in Clisson, France. Advertisement See the new statue of Lemmy at Hellfest below: Lemmy Hellfest Open Air @hellfestopenair pic.twitter.com/kZm9g9z1AJ — The Metal Voice (@themetalvoice) June 17, 2022 I was sad when I heard that Hellfest were talking down the awesome Lemmy statue and replacing it with a new one. Then I saw the new one ?❤️?#Hellfest2022 #lemmy pic.twitter.com/u446xbIiYk — Neil Jones (@NeilJonesRock) June 18, 2022 ?Este fin de semana es el Hellfest, la cita más concurrida de la música del año en ??. Es heavy metal. Como no es la música cool e inclusiva que le gusta al mainstream francés que fabrica las noticias, la cobertura es confidencial. Aquí, la flamante estatua de hierro de Lemmy. pic.twitter.com/8A11GfP1A6 — Alejo… Read More →

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Sinead O’Connor cancels all gigs in 2022 for “her own health and well being”

Musician Sinead O’Connor has cancelled all her upcoming gigs in 2022 for “her own heath and well being” following the death of her son Shane earlier this year. Shane, who was 17, passed away earlier this year (January 7) after going missing from Newbridge, County Kildare. In a statement, O’Connor’s team said she will not be performing live in 2022 “due to continuing grief over the tragic loss of her beloved son Shane.” The statement continued: “This has not been an easy decision for Sinead but a decision she has had to make for her own health and well being at this time. We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Sinead’s worldwide agency ICM who have handled this with the utmost respect and dignity and have worked tirelessly. “We would also extend our gratitude for the continuing support and understanding of local and international promoters. Thank you also to Sinead’s friends and fans whose support and understanding we hold in the highest esteem throughout this period. The love being shown has been a source of great comfort and peace for Sinead.” All ticket holders for planned events, including the Galway International Arts Festival and Dublin’s Iveagh Gardens, will be contacted… Read More →