Cindy Choek

A Van Halen Stage has been opened in late guitarist’s hometown of Pasadena

A Van Halen stage has been opened in Eddie Van Halen‘s hometown of Pasadena. READ MORE: Eddie Van Halen, 1955 – 2020: a colossus who turned guitar solos into a firework display A ceremony was held at the weekend for the new park which will allow informal recreation and community gatherings and includes a children’s playground, public toilets a 48-space parking plaza and a dog run. The stage in the park was initially set to be named after the late guitarist but it was named after the entire band at the request of the Van Halen family, reports Blabbermouth. Advertisement You can view photos from the ceremony and video footage below. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the Van Halen Stage at a new park in Eddie Van Halen's former hometown of Pasadena, CA, the city where Van Halen formed 50 years ago was held on Sept. 17. #Music pic.twitter.com/HBP4eGow2R — Music Beat (@MusicBeat5) September 18, 2022 Just went to the ribbon cutting for the Van Halen stage at the newest park in Pasadena. Sadly, none of the surviving… Posted by Jodi Taffel on Saturday, September 17, 2022 Thank You Pasadena!!! We were absolutely delighted to see The Van Halen Stage dedicated this morning!… Read More →

19SEPNews

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony announce final show as five-piece

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony have announced their final gig as a five-piece, with Bizzy Bone set to retire from performing live. The hip-hop group – Krayzie, Layzie, Bizzy, Wish and Flesh – will perform their last gig with this line-up in Ontario, California on November 19 as part of Bobby Dee and Snoop Dogg‘s High Hopes Concert. Others to perform at the event include Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, Method Man and Xzibit. The gig will take place at the Toyota Arena in Ontario and be hosted by Cypress Hill character Dr. Greenthumb. Advertisement Get full details on the gig below, and buy tickets here. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia on stage during their ‘VERZUZ’ battle. CREDIT: Jerritt Clark/Getty Images Last year, Three 6 Mafia and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony faced off in the popular VERZUZ battle series. Due to a feud between the two groups in the ’90s, there were plenty of calls to get them to compete in a VERZUZ battle. An independent online battle was planned between the two last year, but according to Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul, the battle was pulled last minute after Swizz Beatz called him to tell him that VERZUZ wanted to host it. It eventually took place on December 2 last year, with the two groups,… Read More →

19SEPNews

Rina Sawayama shares forceful new video for ‘Hurricanes’

Rina Sawayama has shared a brand new video for her latest single ‘Hurricanes’ – check it out below. READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Rina Sawayama: “I want to make live moments and memories that last forever” The British-Japanese artist released her second album ‘Hold The Girl’ on Friday (September 16) via Dirty Hit, and shared the new video on the same day. Following visuals for the new album’s title track and ‘This Hell’, the ‘Hurricanes’ video sees Sawayama giving a stormy, energetic performance of the track inside a barn. Advertisement In the track, Sawayama sings: “April showers finally making way for warmer weather / But yet I still feel the same / Doing yoga just to feel untethered / But my mind keeps running away.” Watch her ‘Hurricanes’ video below. In a five-star album review, NME called ‘Hold The Girl’ “the best British pop album of the year,” writing: “Genres may come and go, but Sawayama’s second album is defined by her ability to fashion each of these sounds into big, brilliant pop songs.” On Friday, the day of the album’s release, Sawayama appeared on the cover of NME for a new Big Read feature about ‘Hold The Girl’, her role… Read More →

19SEPNews

KARA confirmed to make 15th anniversary comeback this November

The members of former K-pop group KARA will be releasing new music to celebrate the act’s 15th anniversary. READ MORE: BTS’ new single ‘Yet To Come’ offers poignant reflection and an optimistic invitation into the future On September 19, a representative from RBW Entertainment, which now owns KARA’s label DSP Media, told MBC News that the veteran group will be making a comeback in November as a five-member act. “Since they are showcasing their 15th debut anniversary album after gathering together for the first time in a while, we plan on supporting the KARA members so that they can express their feelings of wanting to gift their fans to the fullest,” said the agency, as translated by Soompi. Advertisement KARA’s forthcoming return will mark the first time Heo Young-ji will be working with Nicole and Ji-young, who left the group prior to her debut in the act in 2014. The only former members who will be absent from the comeback are Sunghee, who had left the act shortly after their debut, and the late Goo Hara, who passed away in 2019. All five members of the act had met up earlier back in June 2022 to commemorate KARA’s 15th debut anniversary…. Read More →

18SEPNews

Kanye West files new trademarks to expand Donda Sports brand

Kanye West has filed a number of new trademarks to expand his Donda Sports clothing brand. According to a new report from TMZ, the rapper’s company Mascotte Holdings has filed trademarks for clothing items including jackets, hats, shirts, shoes and a host of accessories including blankets, wallets and umbrellas. Another trademark reportedly filed is for ‘Dove Sports’, a new label that will be used for “athletic services such as training sessions, competitions, tournaments, camps, seminars, field trips and even traditional educational frameworks.” Advertisement The news comes after Ye this week made known his plans to go solo in his future fashion ventures. In a new Bloomberg interview, the rapper detailed his plans to have a clean break with his biggest corporate collaborators. These include opening his own Donda campuses nationwide, which will house shopping, schools, farms, and dorms in an integrated facility. Merchandise sold at the campuses will be designed by existing Yeezy staff, and unique to Yeezy’s physical and online shops. “It’s fine. I made the companies money. The companies made me money. We created ideas that will change apparel forever,” the rapper shared in the interview. “Like the round jacket, the foam runner, the slides that have changed the shoe industry…. Read More →

18SEPNews

Grimes shares photo hinting that she has had elf ear surgery

Grimes has shared a new photo hinting that she has undergone surgery to get elf ears, a procedure she has been teasing for a while. Last month, the artist shared her desire to get vampire teeth and elf ears, tweeting: “Does anyone know anyone great/ safe/ reliable ppl who could do vampire teeth caps on me in Austin or LA? Also, any reputable elf ear modifiers in either of these cities? (Still debating this surgery cuz cartilage doesn’t heal so it requires permanent stitches).” In a second tweet, she then added: “Has anyone done elf ear mods with a good outcome?” Advertisement Taking to Twitter once again yesterday (September 17), Grimes shared a photo of herself with her head wrapped up in bandages, with the caption: “I did smthn crazy!” Though she didn’t confirm whether she had undergone the elf ear procedure, she did share a follow-up tweet, where she said: “Album is done we’re mixing. My friend and I perfected the last song in the plastic surgery clinic cuz they wouldn’t let me leave and we were laughing that this was the most Hollywood moment of all time.” In the latest tweet, she also confirmed that she has 20… Read More →

18SEPNews

Slipknot re-release music video catalogue in HD

Before releasing their seventh album at the end of this month, Slipknot have trawled through the archives and compiled their catalogue of music videos in high-definition. READ MORE: Slipknot: “I’m just going to tell you the facts: ‘We Are Not Your Kind’ is a masterpiece” It marks the first time that many of their earliest clips – including those for cuts from their 1999 self-titled debut, 2001’s ‘Iowa’ and 2004’s ‘Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)’ – are available to view online in HD. Videos for some tracks, including ‘My Plague’ and ‘The Blister Exists’, are still only available in standard definition (up to 480p), with no word on whether or not those will updated in the future. For now, the compilation sports 21 HD videos (and, oddly, the SD clip for ‘Dead Memories’). Have a look at the videos for ‘Wait And Bleed’, ‘Spit It Out’ and ‘Duality’ below, and see the full playlist here. Advertisement Between 1999 and 2022, Slipknot have released a total of 30 music videos. All of the videos for tracks from their three most recent albums – 2014’s ‘.5: The Gray Chapter’, 2019’s ‘We Are Not Your Kind’ and the upcoming ‘The End, So Far’ –… Read More →

17SEPNews

Lorde teases next album during Primavera Sound Los Angeles gig: “You’ll know sometime soon”

Lorde teased her next album during her Los Angeles gig last night. READ MORE: ‘Melodrama’ at five: how Lorde’s cinematic pop opus inspired a new generation of artists The singer is currently wrapping up the second North American leg of her 2022 world tour behind third album ‘Solar Power’, stopping for sets this weekend at Primavera Sound Los Angeles and Las Vegas’ Life Is Beautiful. During a break in the LA gig, the singer was running through the themes of each of her studio albums (2013 debut ‘Pure Heroine’, 2017 follow-up ‘Melodrama’ and 2021’s ‘Solar Power’). Advertisement “Who knows what will come next…” she told the crowd, before adding: “Well, I know. And you’ll know sometime soon.” See the speech below. ??? Lorde teasing new music (album ??) during her set at Primavera Sound LA. For context, she was talking about the themes of her previous records. “I know [what comes next]. And you’ll know sometime soon” ?: @gorlgenius pic.twitter.com/ySmQEsaRtC — Lorde Updates ☀️ (@LordeUpdatesBR) September 17, 2022 Lorde recently shared an update on upcoming new music, saying that she had been “spending long days in a dark room” working on it. The comments came after the New Zealand artist said back in June… Read More →

17SEPNews

Taylor Swift confirms that Jack Antonoff worked on new album ‘Midnights’

Taylor Swift has confirmed that Jack Antonoff worked on her upcoming new album, ‘Midnights’. READ MORE: Every Taylor Swift song ranked in order of greatness The singer’s 10th studio album is set to land on October 21, and was announced during a surprise appearance from the singer at the MTV VMAs last month. Thus far, no collaborators or track titles had been revealed for the 13-track album, but Swift has now shared a behind-the-scenes video into the creation of her new album, which features footage of her and Antonoff collaborating at the piano. Advertisement Antonoff has worked with Swift on each of her last five albums, from 2014’s ‘1989’ through to her 2020 lockdown albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’, as well as last year’s re-recorded versions of ‘Fearless’ and ‘Red’. It’s not clear yet whether any of her other regular collaborators, including The National’s Aaron Dessner, were involved in the creation of ‘Midnights’. See the new BTS video below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) Earlier this week, Swift revealed to fans that the back covers for different vinyl versions of ‘Midnights’ come together to make a clockface. Over the past month, Swift has been detailing a host of… Read More →

17SEPNews

Arlo Parks cancels US tour dates due to “debilitating” mental health issues

Arlo Parks has cancelled a number of her forthcoming US tour dates to protect her mental health. “I am broken,” she said in a statement. The singer began a run of shows in the States at the start of the month, but said that her mental health has “deteriorated to a debilitating place” and left her “burnt out”. As such, eight gigs between September 14 and 24 have been cancelled for the singer to fly home to London and recover. The tour will then recommence in Portland, Oregon on September 26. Advertisement “I’ve been on the road on and off for the last 18 months, filling every spare second in between and working myself to the bone,” Parks wrote. “The people around me started to get worried but I was anxious to deliver and afraid to disappoint my fans and myself. I pushed myself unhealthily, further and harder than I should’ve.” She added: “I don’t take decisions like this lightly but I am broken and I really need to step out, go home and take care of myself. “I will do everything I can to make this up to you – for now you can get refunds at your point… Read More →

16SEPNews

Watch ABBA’s Frida make surprise appearance at ABBA Voyage concert

ABBA‘s Anni-Frid Lyngstad made a surprise appearance at last night’s ABBA Voyage show in east London. READ MORE: ABBA Voyage live in London: an epic avatar mega-mix from a brave new world The “revolutionary” concert series began in May at the purpose-built ABBA Arena in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It sees digital versions of the Swedish pop icons perform a hits-filled set, backed by a 10-piece live band. Following the finale of yesterday’s edition (September 15), an announcer made an unexpected revelation over the PA. “You have been in the presence this evening of Frida,” they said, “who sends her best wishes to you all.” Advertisement The crowd then began cheering as they spotted the singer waving from her seat. You can see a selection of photos and reactions below. TGIF = Thank God it's Frida! pic.twitter.com/w362Eto2Cz — ABBA Voyage (@ABBAVoyage) September 16, 2022 All the five-star reviews for @ABBAVoyage are entirely merited. It’s fantastic.As an added bonus, at the end of last night’s show it was announced: “Tonight you have been in the presence of Frida.”Many minutes of warm applause then followed. pic.twitter.com/UpQtzP1Xsx — Lee Mottershead (@leemottershead) September 16, 2022 #Abba#AbbaVoyage Saw concert last night, turned around and there… Read More →

16SEPNews

Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung and Yoon Park to star in MBC’s upcoming K-drama

MBC has announced the main cast for its upcoming K-drama, Please Send a Fan Letter (literal title). READ MORE: Choi Yoo-jung makes solo debut with ‘Sunflower’: “I feel a lot of pressure… but also anticipation and excitement” On September 15, MBC announced that Girls’ Generation member Sooyoung and Forecasting Love and Weather’s Yoon Park are set to star as the leads for Please Send a Fan Letter, a romantic comedy that follows a father who wants to preserve his daughter’s innocence by sending fake replies to her fan mail. According to a report by Osen, Sooyoung will be playing Han Kang-hee, an actress who is facing a crisis over a fan letter. Yoon Park will play Bang Jung-suk, a single father who is raising his daughter, who is undergoing chemotherapy for her leukaemia. Advertisement The series will be helmed by Jung Sang-hee, one of the co-directors for From Now On, Showtime! Production for the Please Send a Fan Letter is currently ongoing, and the series is set to premiere sometime this November. Further details, such as the number of episodes and an exact premiere date, will be released at a later date. In other news, a safety notice has been… Read More →

15SEPNews

Patreon lays off 80 people, closes offices in Berlin and Dublin

Patreon, a US-based creator subscription service, has laid off 80 employees as well as announcing the closure of its Berlin and Dublin offices. The platform’s CEO and co-founder Jack Conte shared the news in an official blog post on Tuesday (September 13), confirming that “roughly 17 per cent of our team [are] leaving the company”. “Over the last 9 months, we’ve seen the tech industry – and the whole economy – change considerably,” Conte wrote, adding that the layoffs had come as a “last resort”. Advertisement “Today we are taking that step, and I am deeply sorry to the kind, talented, creator-first people who will be leaving Patreon,” he continued. Conte explained that the plan Patreon had introduced to handle rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic was no longer viable. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jack Conte (@jackconte) “I take full responsibility for choosing that original path forward, and for the changes today, which will be very difficult for our team,” the CEO said. “In response to the changing environment, Patreon needs to change the way we operate.” You can read the full statement here, and see Conte’s message on Instagram above. Founded in 2013, the… Read More →

15SEPNews

System Of A Down rally support amid Azerbaijan’s “evil aggression” against Armenia

System Of A Down have condemned the “evil aggression” against their home country Armenia in the wake of a recent bombing that took place along the nation’s eastern border. According to the Associate Press, the border clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan have killed at least 155 troops on both sides (105 Armenian soldiers and 50 from Azerbaijan, it is reported). READ MORE: Serj Tankian: “I think the whole world felt some relief that Trump was gone” The two countries have been in conflict for decades, but the latest outbreak of fighting is said to be biggest in almost two years. Advertisement SOAD – all of whom are of Armenian descent – were at the forefront of campaigning for recognition of the Armenian genocide of 1915, and have continued with their efforts speak up for the nation amid ongoing unrest. Responding to the most recent round of aggression, System Of A Down issued a statement on social media yesterday evening (September 14). “Around midnight on the 12th of September 2022, forces of Azerbaijan led by its corrupt petro-oligarchic leader Aliyev attacked Armenia’s whole eastern border bombing civilian infrastructure and homes,” the message began. Please repost or retweet this message and use… Read More →

15SEPNews

Lil Nas X announces new track ‘STAR WALKIN” from ‘League Of Legends’ collab

League Of Legends developer Riot Games has shared that Lil Nas X has created a new song titled ‘STAR WALKIN” for the game’s Worlds 2022 tournament. READ MORE: ‘League of Legends” return to Malmö shows why in-person esports events are still king ‘STAR WALKIN” will be released on September 23, days before Worlds 2022 kicks off in Mexico City. Lil Nas X has also announced that he will be performing a live set at the League Of Legends Worlds Finals, which takes place at San Francisco’s Chase Center on November 5. Ahead of his performance, a skin designed by Lil Nas X and Riot Games will be released for an upcoming League Of Legends champion named K’Sante, The Pride Of Nazumah. “Prestige Empyrean K’Sante” will be released on November 3 and players have until November 14 to unlock it through Worlds 2022 Tokens. Advertisement “I felt like it was time for me to try something new,” shared Lil Nas X in a statement. “I’ve left my mark on pop culture in so many ways, and now it’s time to take on the world of gaming.” Lil Nas X. Credit: Riot Games. “I will be the greatest president of League of… Read More →

15SEPNews

Michelle Branch and Patrick Carney are “doing the work” after pausing divorce proceedings

Michelle Branch has spoken about the dropped domestic assault charges brought against her, as well as her now-paused divorce from The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney, in an interview on The Tamron Hall Show. The episode is set to air later today (September 15) but a preview sees Branch talking about being arrested on domestic assault charges. Back in August, Branch told police officers called to her home that she had slapped Carney in the face “one or two times”. Two weeks later, the case was dismissed at the request of the state. “I don’t condone violence,” Branch told Hall. “What went down was so unfortunate. It was the worst night of my life.” Advertisement The same night, Branch accused Carney of cheating in a now-deleted Tweet that read: “To say that I am totally devastated doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel for myself and for my family. The rug has been completely pulled from underneath me and now I must figure out how to move forward.” She filed for divorce a few days later citing “irreconcilable differences”. Yesterday (August 14) it was revealed that the pair had paused those divorce proceedings. “I’m only seven months postpartum from… Read More →

14SEPNews

Check out Bikini Kill’s rescheduled 2023 tour dates

Bikini Kill have announced details of their rescheduled tour dates for 2023 – check out the new dates below and buy tickets here. READ MORE: A brief history of Riot Grrrl – the space-reclaiming 90s punk movement The reunited riot grrrl stars were originally set to play a host of North American shows across June and July this year, but had to postpone them due to a positive COVID case in their touring party. After a set of Pacific Northwest tour dates wrap up this week, the band will return to the road in March 2023 for a host of shows that run until the end of April. Advertisement Tickets for the new shows go on sale on Friday, September 16 at midday ET and you can buy yours here. See the full list of Bikini Kill’s 2022 and 2023 North American tour dates below. SEPTEMBER 2022 16 – Victoria, Rifflandia Fest 17 – Redmond, Marymoor Park MARCH 2023 30 – Nashville, Marathon Music Works APRIL 2023 1 – Atlanta, The Eastern 3 – Asheville, The Orange Peel 4 – Silver Spring, The Fillmore 6 – Silver Spring, The Fillmore 7 – Philadelphia, Franklin Music Hall 9 – Boston, Roadrunner… Read More →

13SEPNews

Bruce Springsteen has a new album on the way this year, says Jann Wenner

Bruce Springsteen has a new album in the pipeline, according to Jann Wenner. READ MORE: Bruce Springsteen – ‘Letter To You’ review: a powerful synthesis of past and present The former Rolling Stone founder let slip that The Boss is releasing a new record in an interview about his new memoir Like A Rolling Stone with Billboard. When asked about current pop and hip-hop music, he said: “There’s a lot of good stuff, and there’s a lot of trash and trivial stuff. Honestly, I don’t think it’s as good as [rock ’n’ roll]. I don’t think the singing is good, and I don’t think the arranging is good. Historically, it’s another turn in the cycle. Whether rock ‘n’ roll is going to come back – possibly not, because the sound is so different, and the circumstances are different. But I’m kind of stuck with the music I liked when I was young. Give me the Stones.” Advertisement Wenner then added: “There’s a new Bruce [Springsteen] record coming out this fall, which is stunning. I’m listening to that.” Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner in 2017. CREDIT: Jim Spellman/WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Despite announcing a world tour with… Read More →

12SEPNews

Watch Post Malone cover ‘Last Kiss’, the song made famous by Pearl Jam

Post Malone has shared his cover of the 1961 Wayne Cochran song, ‘Last Kiss’, which was made made famous by Pearl Jam in the ’90s. READ MORE: Post Malone – ‘Twelve Carat Toothache’ review: his sobering comedown The singer-songwriter posted a video of him performing an acoustic version of the song that remains Pearl Jam’s highest-charting hit (Number Two in the Billboard charts, 1999). Malone has appeared to have favoured Pearl Jam’s rendition, particularly in light of the muted guitar strums that close each verse. Watch below. Advertisement LoudWire notes how Pearl Jam originally came to cover the song: “As the legend goes, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder convinced the rock band to record ‘Last Kiss’ after he found a 7″ record of the original single at a Seattle antique store.” Meanwhile, last month Malone recalled how he felt meeting Ozzy Osbourne for the first time, saying the moment was “absolutely fucking mind-blowing”. In recently release footage from Malone’s documentary Post Malone: Runaway, the artist is seen hanging backstage before his show in Los Angeles on November 21, 2019 where he has his first encounter with Osbourne – a longtime idol of his. “Good to see you, how are you? You look… Read More →

10SEPNews

Recording Academy to increase diversity with almost 2,000 new members

The Recording Academy will increase its diversity with the induction of almost 2,000 new members, the organisation’s president and CEO has said. In recent years, the Grammys organisation has been criticised for its lack of diversity, with it responding by taking action to remedy the issue. Now, president and CEO Harvey Mason Jr has spoken about the latest efforts to increase diversity in the Academy’s annual address, which took place yesterday (September 9). As Billboard reports, Mason welcomed the new members to the organisation during the event and answered questions from the audience. Advertisement “We now actively recruit prospective members and we extend invitations to people who will help us have a more diverse, engaged, and relevant membership base,” he said. Grammys boss Harvey Mason Jr CREDIT: Rich Fury/Getty Images The Recording Academy “We strive for diversity not merely to give certain groups of people or musical genres space at the table [that has been] historically denied them – though that’s definitely part of our motivation. The truth is whenever you have diverse inputs into a decision-making process, you tend to arrive at better outcomes.” In a statement, he added: “After years of listening, learning, and putting in the work, we’re beginning… Read More →

10SEPNews

Taylor Swift wants to direct films with “human stories about human emotion”

Taylor Swift has shared her ambition to direct films with “human stories about human emotion” during an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The star took part in an In Conversation panel at the festival yesterday (September 9) and screened her debut short film, All Too Well, on 35mm. READ MORE: Taylor Swift’s ‘All Too Well’ short film highlights the emotional power of her storytelling Asked if she wanted to direct feature-length films in the future, Swift said: “If it were the right thing, it would be such a privilege and honour. I will always want to tell human stories about human emotion.” Advertisement According to The Hollywood Reporter, the pop star went on to reference female directors including Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally), Chloé Zhao (The Eternals) and Greta Gerwig (Little Women) as influences on her behind the camera. “It’s really beautiful that we’re in a place where the idea of a female filmmaker doesn’t make you roll your eyes or think as sceptically as it once was,” she said. ?| @TaylorSwift13 about the red scarf "is a metaphor… and… stop" pic.twitter.com/VbjiSVPT8Q — The Swift Society (@TheSwiftSociety) September 10, 2022 Swift also spoke about where her desire… Read More →