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16 Jul 2024

Discover the Best Venues in Boston to Catch a Summer Concert

Boston, Massachusetts, often dubbed America’s Walking City, comes alive during the summer with a vibrant array of outdoor music venues that cater to every musical taste and preference. Whether you’re into grand orchestral performances or intimate porch concerts, Boston offers a diverse range of experience set against its historic, picturesque backdrops. 

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Fenway Concert Series

During the summertime, The Fenway Concert Series transforms the iconic baseball stadium into a lively music venue, where fans can enjoy performances with the famous Green Monster as a backdrop. After a successful 2023 Fenway Concert Series featuring the likes of Morgan Wallen and P!NK, Fenway Sports Group put together an impressive lineup of shows for fans to enjoy this summer. Artists like Noah Kahan, Foo Fighters, Green Day, and more will grace the Fenway stage this summer. 

Leader Bank Pavilion 

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Leader Bank Pavilion is Boston’s premiere outdoor concert venue. Locally dubbed “The Pav” accommodates up to 5,000 guests and provides a unique concert experience with stunning views of the harbor. This summer, The Pavillion stage returns with a stellar lineup of diverse artists like Two Door Cinema Club, Young Miko, Black Pumas, Omar Apollo, and more.

Boston Public Library Courtyard

For those seeking a more intimate live music experience, the Boston Public Library Courtyard hosts classical music concerts and cultural performances that showcase Boston’s rich artistic heritage. This summer, fans can enjoy the Courtyard Series, running from June 5 through Friday August 30th with performances in the McKim Building Courtyard. 

Boston Public Library also offers a series of Friday lunchtime concerts throughout the summer featuring local musicians. The summer lineup was primarily curated via an application process overseen by staff with extensive musical backgrounds. Artists such as Patten Street Duo, LEX, and Ming Yang are slated to perform during the Friday lunchtime concert series. 

Porchfest

Porchfeset epitomizes Boston’s community spirit and love for music. Held in various neighborhoods across Massachusetts, Porchfest transforms residential streets into DIY stages where local musicians perform on porches, in yards, and even on sidewalks. This grassroots music festival celebrates creativity and individuality, offering a unique opportunity to discover emerging artists and connect with neighbors in a new way. 

Hatch Shell 

This outdoor amphitheater hosts the renowned Boston Pops Orchestra and a variety of other musical performances throughout the season. From classical symphonies to contemporary concerts, Hatch Shell provides a more intimate outdoor viewing experience along the Charles River Esplanade. This venue is best known for its annual Fourth of July celebration, but often hosts free concerts during the summer months. 

Whether you’re a visitor exploring Boston’s cultural offerings or a local looking to soak in the city’s summer vibes, these outdoor music experiences promise an unforgettable weekend filled with the magic of live music and community.

16 Jul 2024

Ingrid Andress Says She Was ‘Drunk’ During National Anthem Performance: ‘I’m Checking Myself Into a Facility’

Ingrid Andress is leveling with her fan base after going viral Monday (July 15) for her televised performance of the national anthem at the Home Run Derby in Arlington, Texas, revealing in a statement posted the following day that she was drunk on the field and plans to voluntarily seek rehab treatment.

“I’m not gonna bulls–t y’all,” she began in her post on X, written in stark white text layered over a black background. “I was drunk last night. I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need. That was not me last night.”

“I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition,” she continued. “I’ll let y’all know how rehab is I hear it’s super fun.”

“xo, Ingrid,” Andress signed off the note.

The message follows an outpouring of harsh criticism from viewers who saw the country star perform the “Star-Spangled Banner” moments before the baseball event kicked off. The rendition viewers saw was full of missed notes, pitchiness and questionable runs, and a few players appeared to be holding back laughter when cameras cut to them.

Billboard has reached out to Andress’ reps for additional comment.

Hours prior to her performance, the “More Hearts Than Mine” singer announced that she has a new song slated to arrive later this month. “Greetings to everyone that has a pulse,” she wrote. “I truly love you all so much. I’ve been absent for a minute, but I’m so stoked to announce that my new single ‘Colorado 9’ comes out on July 24th.”

See Andress’ statement below.

16 Jul 2024

Skip Bayless To Walk Away From FS1’s ‘Undisputed’ Later This Summer

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Celebrity Sightings In Los Angeles - October 27, 2017

Just one year after Shannon Sharpe suddenly bolted from FS1’s popular sports talk show Undisputed, his former co-host, Skip Bayless, is said to be calling it quits as well as the show has struggled to rediscover its appeal since Sharpe’s exit.

The New York Post is reporting that the often hated and sometimes insufferable Skip Bayless has decided to pack it up after eight years of going back and forth with Shannon Sharpe and his replacements, Richard Sherman and Michael Irvin.

Unfortunately for Bayless, audiences began to tune out after Sharpe took his talents to ESPN. In an attempt to shake things up, Bayless recruited the talents of Paul Pierce, Keyshawn Johnson, Rachel Nichols, and even Lil Wayne to stir things up, but to no avail.

With ESPN’s First Take continuing to overshadow whatever was going on on Undisputed — thanks to the big personalities of Sharpe, Stephen A. Smith, and Molly Qerim — it was only a matter of time before Skip Bayless had to accept that inevitable “L.”

Per the New York Post:

“Undisputed” ratings numbers were also hurt on the margins as Craig Carton’s lead-in show has not yet reached the metrics that “First Things First” had in the early mornings before it got moved to mid-afternoon, following “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd.

While Cowherd and Bayless were warned by colleagues that they would get “lost” leaving ESPN for FS1 in 2015 and 2016, both were successful in making the shift, as digital platforms like YouTube, X and Instagram made their audiences portable beyond linear TV.

It is expected that “Undisputed” will continue without Bayless.

For years it was rumored that Skip Bayless would eventually find his way back to ESPN where he and Stephen A. Smith had some undeniable chemistry brewing on First Take for years before Skip went to FS1 and kicked off Undisputed with Shannon Sharpe, helping launch his star into another stratosphere.

Would Skip entertain a return to First Take? Would Stephen A. and Shannon Sharpe even want to bring him into their circle given the way things have soured between Skip and his former co-hosts over the past few years? We doubt it, but hey, you never know.

Skip’s final show is said to be going down later this summer.

Would you want to see Skip Bayless back on ESPN, or are y’all good on him at this point? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Photo: gotpap/Bauer-Griffin / Getty

16 Jul 2024

Adele Wants to Step Away From Music for ‘a Big Break’ | Billboard News

Ahead of Adele’s Munich residency, she dropped the bombshell that she wants to take a “big break” from music. Keep watching for the details!

Tetris Kelly:
Adele says she’s taking a break from music, but what’s next for the chart-topper? Ahead of her 10-day residency in Munich, Germany, Adele sat down with German outlet, ZDF, to talk about her upcoming shows.

During the interview, according to NME, Adele said she has no plans for new music and wants “a big break after this … to do other creative things, just for a little while.”

No word on what those other creative things may be. We know from her stint on SNL she is a comedy queen. And she didn’t specify how long “a little while” is. But we do know she returns to Las Vegas to finish out the last 10 dates of her Weekends with Adele residency spanning Oct. 25 to Nov. 23.

16 Jul 2024

TITAN CONTENT Announces First Girl Group & Reveals Two Members in ‘Next-Generation’ K-Pop Debut Strategy

Less than nine months after Nikki Semin Han organized what the former SM Entertainment CEO called “the Avengers of the K-pop community joining forces to redefine the industry” in TITAN CONTENT, the newly-launched venture is officially beginning to roll out its first-ever artist.

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Billboard can exclusively reveal the first details on TITAN CONTENT’s forthcoming girl group AtHeart, which is set to officially debut in the first half of 2025.

Beginning with the reveal of AtHeart’s first two members Sorin and Michi, the upcoming act will share all its members in the coming months as the future stars develop individual online presences and connect with fans while preparing for their K-pop debut via individual Instagram and TikTok accounts. TITAN CEO Katie Kang says, “The members will be sharing their daily lives and unique personalities through their social accounts, showcasing their journey to becoming AtHeart together. TITAN will reveal all members of AtHeart sequentially with special content this year.”

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Both 17 years old, Sorin and Michi hail from South Korea and Hawaii, respectively, and begin the structure of what TITAN describes as a girl group that “will appeal to audiences around the world.”

Simultaneously revealing a new K-pop group’s members and launching their individual social media accounts is unconventional in the Korean-entertainment industry. Most new-artist startups are kept secret — even if pre-debut social media accounts are launched for a group, individual member accounts tend to launch years after establishing themselves on the scene. (For example, BLACKPINK’s four members launched their individual accounts less than two years after debuting, but it took more than eight years for the BTS guys.)

However, as CEO Kang adds, the strategy is a part of the group’s overall vision toward more connected K-pop idols.

“The name ‘AtHeart’ speaks to this group’s genuine nature and the connection and love they will build with their fans by empowering them to be their authentic selves,” Kang tells Billboard. “TITAN has been scouting and holding global auditions since the beginning of 2024 and we were captivated by the incredible talent we discovered. These members are so uniquely charming and they embody the next generation of K-pop. I know fans around the world will resonate with their genuine personalities and I am so excited for all the global fans to listen to their songs and watch their performance.”

“As the first K-pop company established in the U.S., TITAN will take an innovative and disruptive approach to creating, marketing, and promoting the content and artists we produce,” adds Han, Chairman at TITAN. “Working with powerhouse executives, creators, and producers from both East and West, we will break the mold by targeting global markets simultaneously from the start.”

Chief Business Officer Dom Rodriguez describes the Los Angeles–based company as “an artist-first and fan-first company,” touting its prodigious goals can be met with TITAN’s deeper involvement in the musical and personal processes of developing K-pop stars.

“We are relentless in our pursuit of innovation and creativity,” the CBO adds. “We prioritize the needs of our artists, the exceptional songwriters and producers who are integral to our success, and the dedicated fans who drive the K-pop phenomenon. Our hands-on A&R process is meticulously designed to elevate the next generation of K-pop artists, maintaining the highest standards of musical greatness. Collaborating with accomplished writers and top music producers worldwide, we’re committed to upholding excellence and shaping the future of music.”

“AtHeart marks the beginning of an exciting journey built upon the connection between K-pop idols, their dedicated fans, and music, with a commitment to upholding everything that makes K-pop unique and special,” says TITAN Chief Visual Officer Guiom Lee. “Backed by a team of industry experts who share a profound love and understanding of the genre, we will display innovation across all facets of AtHeart, pushing the limits in today’s ever-changing digital landscape. From top-tier visuals and fashion to captivating musical performances, we are excited to unveil AtHeart to a global audience.”

As previously reported, the team making up TITAN has experiences with K-pop artists across generations, including chart-topping names like BoA, Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, EXO, TWICE, Monsta X, ITZY, The Boyz, and more. Beyond artist development and management, TITAN plans to produce music festivals and revealed plans to combine “traditional K-pop training and artist development with Web3 and metaverse innovation.” The company also announced today that it will soon open an upcoming platform where “AtHeart will communicate with global fans with new and diverse content through a K-pop fandom platform that combines various innovative technologies such as Web3 and AI.”

Get to know Sorin and Michi in these first-look images below and by following the future AtHeart members on social media. Look out for more from the group via its official website

sorin

Sorin

Courtesy of Titan Content

michi

Michi

Courtesy of Titan Content

16 Jul 2024

Lil Reese Arrested On Suspicion Of Rape In Los Angeles

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Lil Reese In Concert

It seems like whenever Lil Reese begins to trend on social media it’s almost never for anything positive and unfortunately that once again happens to be the case.

According to TMZ, the Chicago rapper was just arrested and booked in Los Angeles for allegedly raping a woman he went on a date with.

Reese and the woman in question went out on a dinner date this past Saturday night (July 13) before he took her to a hotel in Downtown Los Angeles where the sexual assault allegedly occurred. Once in the hotel room, the woman rejected Reese’s sexual advances before she said he forced himself on top of her and sexually assaulted her.

TMZ reports:

We’re told the woman then went straight down to the hotel lobby, and called the police around 3:30 AM Sunday.

We’re told officers promptly arrived on the scene and arrested Reese on suspicion of sexual assault and rape.

Boosie Badazz was an apparent witness to the arrest and put out an APB on Reese’s friends to bail him out.

Lil Boosie being there at the same time and seeing Reese hauled off to jail was hella random.

Lil Reese was eventually released on a $100K bond.

What do y’all think of the situation that Lil Reese finds himself in? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Photo: Johnny Nunez / Getty

16 Jul 2024

Why Radio Is Still Valuable in the Streaming Age & More Burning Questions: Ask the Pop Shop

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are opening up the mailbag to answer your burning questions – starting with a question about why radio is still important (and valuable) in the streaming age.

Listener “yaelkaa” asks: “I’m still unclear about the point of (a) radio-released single in the time of streaming.”

We can start by looking at Billboard’s own charts to show how big of an imprint radio still has on American music fans. A few weeks ago, on the July 6-dated Radio Songs chart, the No. 1 song was Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen, with 76.5 million audience impressions in the U.S., according to data tracking firm Luminate — meaning, it was estimated that song was heard 76.5 million times by people that week. Compare that to the same week’s No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, which was Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” with 45.4 million official streams in the U.S. And of course, that number includes repeated plays by the same person through the week. The numbers, at least that week, speak for themself: Radio is still very powerful when it comes to the sheer number of people that will hear a song.

Also, we can look at the financials of radio plays versus on-demand audio streaming plays. We dug into the numbers to estimate how much money was generated for the publishers and the songwriter for one major hit song, Noah Kahan’s top 10-charting Billboard Hot 100 hit “Stick Season.” How much would that have generated from radio plays and on-demand audio streams? Which of the two, radio or streaming, likely generated the bigger financial win? Listen to our special Ask the Pop Shop episode below to learn more about that and other questions.

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The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

16 Jul 2024

Kendrick Lamar’s Infectious Drake Diss Gets More Legs Thanks To ‘Not Like Us’ Game

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Kendrick Lamar Not Like Us video game

Source: Richie Branson / Not Like Us

Are you sick of hearing “Not Like Us?”  Well, that’s too damn bad because it just got more legs, thanks to a video game.

Thanks to a black video game designer, Kendrick Lamar’s infectious Drake diss will continue to be the topic of conversations, much to the ire of Champagne Papi.

On Monday, Richie Branson, who describes himself as “just a random brotha who designed games for Bleacher Report and worked for Epic Games as a game designer on a little game called Fortnite,” dropped a free game that turns the moment K.Dot wacks an owl pinata from the song’s visual into a fun video game.

In the web game, players take control of a pixel sprite version of the West Coast rapper and wop wop wop as many owls as they can with a bat.

Branson calls the game a “free love letter to video games and hip-hop,” adding, “I intentionally made the game spike in difficulty above 17, so any score 18 and above should be celebrated.”

This Diss Record Won’t Go Away

To rub more salt in Drake’s still open wound, the song featuring DJ Mustrard’s production is back in the Billboard Hot 100 this week after debuting at No. 1 in May.

Lamar is still riding the high from his “Pop Out” concert, which many have already dubbed one of Hip-Hop’s most culturally significant moments.

Meanwhile, Drake continues to post cryptic messages on Instagram, trying to give his fans and us the impression that he’s fine, but clearly, we think the brother is a bit scarred from his battle with Kendrick Lamar.

Drake, it’s okay to admit you are in the dumps now. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness.

If you want to try the game, you can head here.

2. Another one

3. Well deserved

16 Jul 2024

Wiz Khalifa Apologizes For Cannabis Possession In Romania [Video]

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Shante

At this point in his career, Wiz Khalifa will light up anywhere and everywhere. He was recently arrested for weed in Romania and has since apologized.

As spotted on HipHopDX, the Pittsburgh, Pa., native has been touring throughout Europe this month. On Saturday, July 13, he performed a set at the Beach Please! Festival. During the performance, he smoked and apparently smoked some more afterward and was promptly arrested on drug possession charges.

“During a recital held during a music festival held in the Costinești resort, Constanța county, [Khalifa] possessed over 18 grams of cannabis (risk drug) and consumed (onstage) another amount of cannabis under the shape of a craft cigarette,” a translated Romanian press release read.

Video captured from the scene shows the “See You Again” performer being walked out of the festival by local authorities. It has been confirmed he was released soon after. Wiz Khalifa took to social media to apologize for the situation. |

“Last night’s show was amazing,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I didn’t mean any disrespect to the country of Romania by lighting up on stage. They were very respectful and let me go. I’ll be back soon. But without a big ass joint next time.”

Individuals convicted of drug possession in Romania can face up to 10 years in prison.

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Photo: Rodin Eckenroth / Getty

16 Jul 2024

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Double Date With Patrick & Brittany Mahomes in New Photos

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes probably aren’t the first couple to make a double date out of one of Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour concerts — but they might be one of the rare few whose counterparts included the show’s star.

Earlier this month, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and former soccer player attended the “Anti-Hero” singer’s performance in Amsterdam alongside Patrick’s teammate — and Swift’s beau — Travis Kelce. And in newly shared Instagram photos from Brittany, it looks like they all got together for a glamorous evening after the show, with the foursome posing for a fun group shot together.

The snap finds the Sports Illustrated model hugging the 14-time Grammy winner tightly around the waist, her black outfit and sparkly Prada handbag contrasting Swift’s heart-shaped red purse and blue sundress. Behind them stand Kelce and Patrick beaming at the camera, both of them wearing baseball hats.

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Brittany also included a photo of just her and Swift, who wraps her friend in her arms and kisses her head. “London & Amsterdam, a time was had” she wrote in her caption.

The post comes about four days after the Mahomes couple announced that they’re expecting their third baby with an adorable video on Instagram, which Swift and Kelce both liked. The parents already share daughter Sterling Skye and son Patrick “Bronze” Lavon Mahomes III.

Swift has grown close with the Mahomes family since beginning her romance with the tight end last summer. She and Brittany often hang out inside and out of Chiefs games at Arrowhead Stadium, and the two couples enjoyed a few outings together during the 2023-24 NFL season (including a raucous Super Bowl afterparty in Las Vegas).

Since hanging out with Patrick and Brittany amid her three back-to-back shows in Amsterdam July 4-6, the “Fortnight” artist has taken her Eras trek to Zürich and, most recently, Milan. She’ll next set up shop in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, for three concerts at Veltins-Arena July 17-19.

“WOW. MILAN,” Swift wrote on Instagram following her tenure in Italy. “Those were truly 2 of my favorite crowds ever. The passion and generosity you showed us… it was a dream come true to perform for you … We’ll be back!! ?? ?”