Peter Shep

P1Harmony postpone remaining US tour dates after catching COVID-19

K-pop boyband P1Harmony have postponed the remaining dates of their ongoing US tour after their staff and several members tested positive for COVID-19. READ MORE: MOONBIN & SANHA open up about their “darker, more mature” sophomore mini-album ‘REFUGE’ Today (March 22), concert organiser SubKulture Entertainment took to Twitter to announce the news. It revealed that five of the boyband’s members, excluding Intak, along with their staff had recently contracted the coronavirus. As a result, the remaining dates of ‘2022 P1Harmony Live Tour [P1ustage H : PEACE]’, which includes dates in Chicago, Denver, San Jose and Los Angeles, have been postponed and will be rescheduled. Advertisement “We ask for your kind patience as we navigate these abrupt changes and find ways to adjust in light of these developments,” wrote SubKulture, which also apologised to fans who had taken time off or travelled in order to attend the concerts. Postponement announcement for remaining cities of #P1HARMONYinUSA pic.twitter.com/SDiLkFx8bM — SubKulture Entertainment (@SubKultureEnt) March 22, 2022 SubKulture also emphasised that it had done its utmost to enforce strict COVID-19 protocols throughout the tour, including providing hand sanitisers and masks for concert-goers, but were “unable to force certain venue staff members to stay masked” due… Read More →

22MARNews

Chester Bennington’s widow Talinda marks 46th birthday with emotional post: “There’s no getting used to this type of grief”

Talinda Bennington, the widow of late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, has shared a heartfelt message to celebrate what would have been his 46th birthday. READ MORE: Chester Bennington Obituary: 1976-2017 Bennington passed away in July 2017, having taken his own life at the age of 41. Every year since, Talinda has shared a personal message on Instagram to commemorate his birthday (March 20). This year’s message was particularly heart-wrenching, as she wrote: “The pain doesn’t get any easier but you get used to it is what they say. I’m not sure I believe that at all. There’s no getting used to this type of grief. I’m doing my best to raise our babies the way we always talked about. You were my other half and it is so hard walking without you. I love you and we are celebrating you today.” Advertisement Take a look at Talinda’s post below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Talinda Bennington (@talinda320) Following the death of Bennington five years ago, Talinda has been an outspoken advocate for awareness around mental health. On what would have been Bennington’s 42nd birthday, she launched the nonprofit organisation 320 Changes Direction, which aims to make… Read More →

21MARNews

Queen stream full Ukraine gig from 2008 on YouTube to raise funds

Queen‘s Brian May and Roger Taylor have announced a special screening on YouTube of the band’s 2008 Kharkiv concert with Paul Rodgers to raise funds for Ukraine relief. READ MORE: Ukrainian artists on the Russian crisis: “Now is the time to push for change” The band played Ukraine with Paul Rodgers during the ‘Rock the Cosmos Tour’, with a live album and companion DVD of the show being released the following year. ‘Queen and Paul Rodgers Live in Ukraine’ was made available to watch in the UK on the band’s official YouTube channel from 5pm on March 19. Fans who stream the two hour set are being asked to donate to UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency. Advertisement Brian May originally shared a crowd photo from the gig on his Instagram in February, writing: “So many great memories of great times in Ukraine. This picture is of our unforgettable show night in Freedom Square, Kharkiv in 2008. “It seems unbelievable that the peaceful life of Ukraine could be so senselessly shattered in the 21st century. And it feels unbearable that the world could just watch and let it happen. We are all praying for peace for you, dear friends.” Announcing the fundraiser,… Read More →

20MARNews

Watch Duran Duran light Capital Tower up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag

During a private rooftop concert in Hollywood this week, Duran Duran lit up the Capitol Records building in blue and yellow – the colours of the Ukrainian flag – and dedicated their 1992 song ‘Ordinary World’ to the people of Ukraine. The band performed to an intimate crowd of 250 – mostly friends, family and industry professionals – on the rooftop of the Aster nightclub on Thursday (March 17). Capitol Tower is in clear eyeshot of the Aster, and with Duran Duran having previously been signed to Capitol Records, it made a perfect backdrop for their message of solidarity with Ukraine. In a statement shared alongside a clip of the performance, bassist John Taylor said: “We are appealing to our fans in Russia to have an open heart and to support peace. We are all hoping you can get back to an ‘Ordinary World’.” Advertisement Take a look at the ‘Ordinary World’ performance below: Duran Duran also threw their support behind a £50,000 crowdfunding initiative hosted by Just Giving, which aims to raise funds for mothers and children who displaced by the recent attacks on Ukraine by the Russian military. You can donate to that effort here. Also this week,… Read More →

19MARNews

Travis Barker, Sheila E., Robert Glasper and more to perform at 2022 Oscars

Travis Barker, Sheila E., and Robert Glasper will appear alongside Adam Blackstone as part of an all-star band at the 94th Academy Awards this year. READ MORE: The biggest talking points from the Oscars 2022 nominations Show producers Will Packer and Shayla Cowan announced on Friday (March 18) that the four musical performers will join under the name the All-Star Band at the show. The supergroup will likely feature Sheila E. on vocals, Glasper on piano/keys, and Blink-182‘s Barker on drums, with Blackstone joining as the show’s music director. D-Nice and the vocal group the Samples are also set to appear on the program, with the former performing at the awards show and the post-Oscars Governors Ball. Advertisement Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes are set to host the awards. This year marks the first time in three years the Oscars will have a host, after Jimmy Kimmel last hosted the ceremony in 2018 and 2017. Travis Barker performs live. CREDIT: Getty Images Nominations for this year’s Oscars were revealed last month, with Jane Campion’s The Power Of The Dog leading with 12 nominations. This is followed by Dune with 10 nods, while Belfast and West Side Story have seven each. The ceremony will air live… Read More →

18MARNews

Andrew Bird shares jangly new single ‘Atomized’

Andrew Bird has shared his upbeat new single ‘Atomized’ – you can listen to it below. The track was inspired by late journalist and author Joan Didion, who died last December. Didion wrote several novels and screenplays over the course of her career; she is best known for her non-fiction work, including the 1968 essay collection Slouching Towards Bethlehem which took its title from the poem The Second Coming by W. B. Yeats. Didion’s observations dealt with societal fragmentation at a time of the counterculture height. Advertisement “It was the first time I had dealt directly and flatly with the evidence of atomization, the proof that things fall apart,” Bird said in a statement via Pitchfork. “Didion was updating W.B. Yeats for the fractious ’60s. This song takes it to the pixelated present where it’s not just society that is getting atomized but the self that is being broken apart and scattered.” In 1979, Didion published The White Album – another collection of essays – which included the titular piece detailing Didion’s life in LA and experiences including attending a recording session by The Doors and meetings of the Black Panther Party, and her interactions with Charles Manson follower Linda Kasabian. She… Read More →

18MARNews

Duran Duran to embark on 2022 North American tour

Duran Duran have announced that they’ll be hitting the road for a North American tour this summer – get tickets here. Simon Le Bon and co. are set to embark on a 14-date run starting in August in support of their latest album, ‘Future Past’. Beginning in Welch, Minnesota on August 19, Duran Duran will take in shows at Chicago’s United Center, New York’s Madison Square Garden, and San Francisco’s Chase Center, as well as three nights at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Advertisement A number of dates on the tour will see support from Nile Rodgers & Chic. The tour will come after Duran Duran perform a string of shows in Europe, including their BST Hyde Park gig in London on July 10. On Wednesday (March 16), the band stopped by The Late Late Show With James Corden to give fans a preview of what they can expect from the forthcoming jaunt, delivering a celebratory rendition of ‘Tonight United’, from ‘Future Past’. You can watch it below: Tickets for the North American dates go on sale next Friday (March 25) at 10am local time – get them here. You can see the band’s full list of tour dates below…. Read More →

18MARNews

Bop Shop: Songs From Umi, Mod Sun, Flasher, Muna, And More

The search for the ever-elusive “bop” is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new? Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn’t discriminate by genre and can include anything — it’s a snapshot of what’s on our minds and what sounds good. We’ll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business. Umi: “Sorry” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3yCxUwBbrY “Sorry,” the captivating new song from R&B artist Tierra Umi Wilson — who goes by Umi — is light as a feather. Until it’s not. And when it gets heavier, it’s thanks to a well-placed beat drop, which provide a counterpoint to the gorgeous affirmations Umi sings across the track. Among the vows to have a chauffeur, snag a Grammy, and get drunk on the beach are familial manifestations (“I wanna be cool with my motherfucking dad / Is that too much to ask for? Shit, my bad”) and ultimately, on the song she describes as “an anthem for… Read More →

18MARNews

Minnie Mouse curates lo-fi hip-hop album of reimagined Disney classics

Disney have released an album of some of its biggest hits, which have been reimagined as lo-fi hip-hop instrumentals. ‘Lofi Minnie: Focus’ has been curated by Minnie Mouse, with artists like Purrple Cat, Dutch producer Eevee and harpist Hippo Dreams contributing their versions to the album. Fan favourites such as ‘Hakuna Matata’, ‘You’ve Got A Friend In Me’ and ‘A Whole New World’ are included, with Disney tapping into the popular genre which is said to aid concentration and relaxation. Advertisement In a press release, Disney explained (via BBC): “Disney and Minnie Mouse are a natural fit with lo-fi, especially with Minnie’s interests in creativity, music, and wellness leaning into lo-fi’s penchant for self-expression and its calming meditative properties. “What attracted us to lo-fi is the ability to reimagine our songs in a completely new way that combines the soothing benefits of lo-fi with the wonder and nostalgia that Disney has to offer. Lo-fi and Disney are both a great source of comfort, so the two make for a perfect match.” In 1983, LA duo Sparks recorded a track called ‘Minnie Mouse’ for the ‘Mickey Mouse Splashdance’ album. The upbeat, quirky track includes the lyrics: “She’s the woman of the year… Read More →

18MARHit Singles

A look back at Bob Dylan’s landmark debut album

Bob Dylan had a joke he wanted to tell the crowd at Gerde’s Folk City. It was 1961, and he had only just started booking gigs at the Italian restaurant and folk joint, which was already the epicentre of the Greenwich Village music scene. Dylan usually took the stage in work pants, a denim shirt and his Dutch Boy cap, his harmonica braced around his neck, and he addressed crowds in an exaggerated Okie accent, dropping consonants at the end of words. ORDER NOW: Paul McCartney is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut “He was still mainly doing Woody Guthrie material at that point,” says Sylvia Tyson, one half of the harmonising act Ian & Sylvia. “That night, I guess he had decided that the way to get the audience on his side was to tell them a joke. And it was a really lame joke! He said he’d invented this deodorant that didn’t stop the smell. Instead, it made you invisible. So nobody would know where the smell was coming from.” The groans from the Gerde’s crowd made it pretty clear that Dylan didn’t have a future as a stand-up comedian, but it does suggest that he… Read More →

17MARNews

Radiohead side project The Smile share new track, ‘Skrting On The Surface’

Radiohead side-project The Smile have shared a new track today (March 17) called ‘Skrting On The Surface’ – listen to it below. The band, which consists of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood as well as Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, announced the news on social media yesterday (March 16) along with a link to a new video that you can now watch below. READ MORE: The Smile live in London: Radiohead side project prove they’re human after all The song was first performed by the band during Glastonbury’s Live At Worthy Farm livestream event in 2021, and more recently during a series of back-to-back gigs in London. The track began its life as a Radiohead song, but was never released. Advertisement The Smile’s latest single follows on from the group’s two previously released songs, ‘The Smoke‘ and ‘You’ll Never Work In Television Again‘. The video for the new track, which you can watch below, was shot in 16mm black and white by BAFTA-winning writer and director Mark Jenkin in the depths of the disused Rosevale Tin Mine in Cornwall UK. The film was hand developed in water from the mine. Listen to the new track here: Last week (March 10), The Smile announced details… Read More →

17MARNews

Liam Gallagher announces new ‘Down By The River Thames’ live album

Liam Gallagher is set to release a recording of his Down By The River Thames livestream show as a new live album. The former Oasis frontman performed a special set on a barge as he travelled down the Thames in London in December 2020, when full-scale concerts were still prohibited under COVID lockdown laws. READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Liam Gallagher: “I sound good. I look cool. I talk from the heart” In a five-star review of the gig, NME wrote: “We’re missing fans, flares, hurled pints and crowd chants, but this is without doubt the next best thing.” Advertisement Today (March 17) Gallagher confirmed that the “celestial” and “biblical” show will arrive on vinyl, CD, cassette and major streaming services on May 27 via Warner Records. You can pre-order/pre-save it here. “So here it is, the gig they said we could never pull off!” LG said in a statement. “As we were in lockdown, bored and depressed, rock ‘n’ roll came to save the day once again.” He continued: “It was a top night and a top gig and it’s captured here on record for you to all enjoy.” Check out the announcement post below. View this… Read More →

16MARNews

Watch footage of new Arcade Fire song ‘Rabbit Hole’

Live footage of a new Arcade Fire song has emerged on YouTube – watch ‘Rabbit Hole’ below. READ MORE: Arcade Fire’s ‘Generation A’ is a rallying cry for a nation in turmoil It’s come from their last-minute Ukraine benefit concert in New Orleans earlier this week (March 14), where the band also performed two other unreleased tracks. Taking place at Toulouse Theatre, all proceeds from the “pay-what-you-can” gig went to benefit the Plus1 Ukraine relief fund, which is supporting Ukrainian people through non-profits providing humanitarian aid as Russia’s invasion of the country continues. Advertisement The gig was live-streamed via TikTok and Instagram, and snippets from that recording sees the band performing ‘Lightning I, II’, a song they recently revealed would be released this Thursday (March 17). The band also performed a second unreleased track, ‘Age Of Anxiety’. The song borrows elements from ‘Memories Of The Age of Anxiety’, a 45-minute instrumental ambient track they released for a meditation app last year. The version the band performed features vocals from frontman Win Butler, and has more active percussion than the earlier iteration. Now, more footage has emerged of another new song called ‘Rabbit Hole’ – you watch the fan-shot footage of the… Read More →

16MARNews

Florence + The Machine share details for two intimate US shows

Florence + The Machine have announced two intimate US shows for next month. Tickets will be available here. READ MORE: Florence + The Machine embraced minimalism at magical 2018 UK tour opener The London band, who shared plans for their fifth album ‘Dance Fever’ last week, will be playing Los Angeles Theatre on April 29 and Alice Tully Hall in New York City on May 6. Tickets are set to go on sale Friday (March 18) at 10am time. The Florence Welch led band will also be donating a portion of ticket sales to the organisation Wome in Need, which provides shelter and services for homeless families in NYC, and to the Los Angeles Community Action Network, which helps communities fight against oppression. Florence + The Machine will play 2 intimate shows in the US at Los Angeles Theatre on 29 April and Alice Tully Hall NYC on 6 May. Tickets on sale March 18 at 10am local.$1 for every ticket sold will be donated to @winnyc_org for the NY show, and @lacanetwork for the LA show pic.twitter.com/CWuEiTd2pS — florence welch (@florencemachine) March 16, 2022 Advertisement Earlier this week Florence + The Machine, announced a trio of intimate UK shows, which… Read More →

16MARNews

Fifth Harmony Wrestled Back The Power Of Having A Voice

By Larisha Paul An eponymous album marks a major moment in an artist’s career. For women, owning one’s work, body, and artistry can be especially powerful, even political. Throughout Women’s History Month, MTV News is highlighting some of these iconic statements from some of the biggest artists on the globe. This is Self-Titled. The cards were stacked against Fifth Harmony from the beginning. From the time that Normani, Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane, and Camila Cabello were wrangled into a girl group by Simon Cowell like a gender-swapped One Direction after auditioning as soloists on The X Factor in 2012, any intention of each member establishing distinct identities as performers had been thwarted. Even if only momentarily, the presence of Fifth Harmony as key players in an orchestrated pop machine required these women, only between 15 and 19 years old at the time, to trade their individualism for a shot at success before they had a chance to explore the complexities they were sacrificing. Unknowingly, Fifth Harmony were also inheriting the low retention rate of girl groups in American popular music, which has long been driven by the misogynistic belief that multiple women couldn’t function on a collaborative level… Read More →

15MARNews

Incubus announce massive US tour with Sublime With Rome

Incubus have announced a massive tour across the US this summer where they’ll be joined by guest Sublime With Rome – buy your tickets here. READ MORE: Incubus’ Brandon Boyd talks new solo album ‘Echoes And Cocoons’ The tour kicks off in West Palm Beach, Florida this July, with stops in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. In addition to Sublime With Rome, The Aquadolls will also be joining the Brandon Boyd and co. on the road. Advertisement See a full list of dates below. Tickets are set to go on sale here on Friday (March 18) at 10am. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @incubusofficial JULY 24 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Ampitheatre 26 – Jacksonville, FL – Dailys Place 27 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Ampitheater 29 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion 30 – Doswell, VA – AfterHours Concerts at The Meadow Event Park 31 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater 2 – Syracuse – NY – St Josephs Heath Amphitheater at Lakeview 3 – Mansfield, MA- Xfinity Center 5 – Camden, NJ – Waterfront Music Pavilion 6 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank… Read More →

15MARNews

ZZ Top announce new live album and North American tour

ZZ Top have announced the release of a new live album as well as a summer North American tour – buy your tickets here. ‘Raw’, set to be released on July 22 via Shelter Records/BMG, is an 11-track LP recorded for the trio’s 2019 Netflix documentary, That Little Ol’ Band From Texas. The Sam Dunn-directed film sees ZZ Top’s original line-up – guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and late bassist Dusty Hill – perform an intimate career-spanning set at the historic Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas. Advertisement The show’s setlist included the hits ‘La Grange’, ‘Tush’, and ‘Gimme All Your Lovin”, and deep cuts such as ‘Brown Sugar’ and ‘Certified Blues’. “It was, in a very real way, a return to our roots,” Gibbons and Beard reveal in the album’s linear notes. “Just us and the music, no audience of thousands, no concession stands, no parking lot social hour, no phalanx of tour busses. Just us and the music. “We knew right then it was a very special circumstance, all of us in the same place at the same time and what a time it most certainly was!” They add: “It was as bare bones as when we first started touring in a behemoth Chrysler station wagon,… Read More →

15MARNews

The Cure are donating sales of Ukraine charity t-shirts to UN refugee aid agency

The Cure have shared details of a new charity band t-shirt that provides support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion of the country. READ MORE: On the cover: Exclusive – Robert Smith on 40 years and the future of The Cure Blue-and-yellow-coloured t-shirts bearing the band’s logo are now available to purchase for £20 here. The hues reflect the colours of the Ukrainian flag. All net proceeds will go to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a UN agency mandated to aid and protect refugees. Purchases of the round neck and v-neck shirts also come with a free band badge. Advertisement The Cure’s decision to donate profits to help Ukraine’s cause comes as other acts have done similar in recent weeks. Massive Attack announced plans to sell off new artwork to help victims of the conflict, while Bob Geldof, Chrissie Hynde and more played the ‘Night For Ukraine’ fundraising concert which happened last Wednesday (March 9). WE HAVE JUST ADDED A BLUE/YELLOW LOGO T-SHIRT TO OUR OFFICIAL STORES – ALL PROFITS WILL BE DONATED TO UNHCR @Refugees – PRE-ORDER AT https://t.co/JPIxEAlwXE pic.twitter.com/mgKTl9qZ4D — The Cure (@thecure) March 15, 2022 The event was curated by Ukrainian-born group Bloom Twins, who also performed… Read More →

15MARNews

Rishi Sunak urged to scrap “damaging” VAT hike on ticket prices

Rishi Sunak has been urged to scrap a large VAT tax hike on concert and live event ticket prices. READ MORE: No wonder Jacob Rees-Mogg hasn’t read NME: the Tories don’t care about saving UK music The 7.5 per cent increase, which is set to kick in on April 1, comes ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on March 23 when he will outline a mini-Budget. VAT is currently charged at 12.5 per cent on tickets for live events but Sunak is planning to restore the tax return to its pre-pandemic level of 20 per cent. Advertisement UK Music chief Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has written to the Chancellor ahead of the mini-Budget in a bid to get the tax hike scrapped. “The planned hike in VAT could not come at a worse time for millions of music fans and the live music industry, which was shut down for almost two years due to the pandemic,” he wrote. “Pushing up VAT to 20 per cent would be hugely damaging for the music industry and leave music fans facing a cost of gigging crisis. The rise would come at a time when we are rebuilding post-COVID-19, with hundreds of concerts planned over the… Read More →

15MARNews

Sean Paul reschedules his 2022 UK headline tour

Sean Paul has rescheduled his upcoming 2022 UK tour – find tickets here. READ MORE: Soundtrack of my life: Sean Paul The dancehall artist was due to hit the road in April ahead of releasing his eighth studio album, ‘Scorcha’, later this year. Now, it’s been confirmed that the planned shows have been postponed until August and September (via Stereoboard). Advertisement Paul’s scheduled headline performance at London’s SSE Arena has been moved to the O2 Academy Brixton (August 27); the Birmingham date, meanwhile, will now take place at the city’s Forum (August 26) instead of the Utilita Arena. Tickets purchased previously will be honoured for the new dates. You can see the amended list of gigs below and find any remaining tickets here. Sean Paul will play: AUGUST 23 – O2 City Hall, Newcastle 24 – First Direct Arena, Leeds 26 – Forum, Birmingham 27 – O2 Academy Brixton, London 30 – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff 31 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham SEPTEMBER 01 – O2 Academy, Glasgow 03 – Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester Announcing the run of shows in December 2021, Paul said: “Ay yo UK, I cannot wait to get ‘pon the road, seen? Big boss culture album dropping with… Read More →

14MARNews

Weezer to begin ‘Seasons’ project this week with new EP ‘SZNZ: Spring’

Weezer have officially announced full details of their long-promised ‘Seasons’ project – a new EP is set to come out this week. READ MORE: Weezer: “This album is about feeling isolated, alienated and secluded – it’s perfect for now” Last year, the band laid out plans to put out a monolithic four albums in 2022, which they’ve dubbed the ‘Seasons’ saga. Each of the project’s albums – which now appear to be shorter EPs – are due to be released on the first day of every season next year, and will feature its own unique musical style. Advertisement As promised, the spring equinox lands on Sunday (March 20), and the first EP in the series, ‘SZNZ: Spring’, will arrive on that day. Taking to Twitter, the band explained: “This year we’re releasing 4 EPs inspired by magic, Pagan myths, religious rituals, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Shakespeare & more (so much more). Each one will take you on an enchanting journey.” See the artwork for ‘SZNZ: Spring’ below. This year we’re releasing 4 EPs inspired by magic, Pagan myths, religious rituals, Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Shakespeare & more (so much more). Each one will take you on an enchanting journey. The first… Read More →