concert
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Mary J. Blige says she appreciates all the kind words from fans after her name was included on the stacked lineup for this year’s Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas on May 4. Unfortunately, the singer said in an Instagram Story on Thursday (Jan. 25) that was a mistake. “I am beyond humbled by […]
With just hours to go before Justin Timberlake takes the stage at the Orpheum Theater in his hometown of Memphis tonight (Jan. 19), the singer posted a five-second sneak peek of what is expected to be the preview of his return to music. “SEE YOU TOMORROW” Timberlake wrote on X on Thursday night in advance […]
Justin Timberlake is revving up the pop machine. Just days after wiping his Instagram and getting fans excited about a potential new music era, the singer announced a one-night-only hometown show in Memphis slated for Jan. 19 at the 2,300-capacity Orpheum Theater. “Going home,” Timberlake wrote in an Insta post announcing the gig, which featured a picture of a billboard with the show details.
The next slide featured a pre-teen JT in a throwback video, saying, “this is where I come from… this is the Mississippi River and that is Memphis, Tennessee.” The slideshow also included what looked like an itinerary — with all the other items redacted — that included “travel to Memphis Jan. 19 – Orpheum” on his to-do list.
The final slide was an audio file of a mid-tempo, organ driven song snippet that cuts off just as the singer is about to start his vocals.
Timberlake amped up speculation that he’s about to announce the long-awaited follow-up to his musky 2018 Man of the Woods album on Monday when fans noticed that he’d erased all the posts on his Instagram save for his profile picture, which featured a shot of his eyes looking back through a car’s rearview mirror. At present, the show announcement is the only post on JT’s Insta.
The clean-sweep social strategy that has been employed by a number of fellow pop stars lately in advance of albums or big project announcements — including by Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa — amped up speculation about JT6.
At press time Timberlake had not announced any new music, but back in April 2023 longtime collaborator Timbaland teased that “fun” JT was coming back with a “bob-your-head” album. After some time out of the spotlight, Timberlake reunited with his former *NSYNC bandmates last fall for their first song in more than 20 years, the Trolls Band Together single “Better Place.” Then, in November he popped up on a remix of BTS member Jung Kook’s solo single, “3D.”
Timberlake closed out his busy 2023 with a surprise concert at the Dec. 13 opening of the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, marking his second performance since his name was in a rash of headlines in the wake of the October release of former girlfriend Britney Spears’ tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me. Timberlake appeared to address Spears before performing “Cry Me a River,” which the “…Baby One More Time” singer said in the book she though JT used as “ammunition” in the 2003 track’s iconic music video. “No disrespect,” Timberlake said to the crowd, before jumping into the song.
“Cry Me a River” — inspired by Timberlake’s breakup with Spears — was released as the second single from JT’s debut solo album, Justified, and the video finds JT breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and features a Britney look-alike portraying his former flame.
Check out Timberlake’s announcement below.
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Doja Cat isn’t slated to hit the road until this summer in support of her latest studio album, Scarlet, but that doesn’t mean fans won’t have an opportunity to see her live. Meta Quest, the leading VR headset out, and Music Valley announced a new event, Doja Cat: The Scarlet Tour in VR
Doja Cat hit the road last year and rocked out for her legion of fans and now via Meta Quest, those who missed the shows will get a chance of a lifetime to see Doja up close and personal via Music Valley and Meta Horizon Worlds.
The upcoming event features footage from Doja’s sold-out stop in Detroit in 2023 and if you’ve checked out the Scarlet star’s live performances previously, you already know to expect eye-popping visuals and breathtaking vocals from one of music’s best performers.
“Bringing The Scarlet Tour to life was an amazing experience for me. Taking it from an idea to real life and sharing that with my fans at arenas was surreal and rewarding. To now be able to share the live show through VR with Meta and The Diamond Bros for ‘Doja Cat: The Scarlet Tour in VR’ is a perfect way for fans who did not get to come to a show to feel like they did,” Doja shared in a statement. “I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have created.”
The concert was produced and directed by The Diamond Bros and Josh Diamond shared in the following statement, “Doja Cat’s dynamic performance and stage design seemed almost purpose-built for VR. Between the immersive show direction and unique triangular stage, we couldn’t wait to capture it. We are beyond excited to have collaborated with Doja Cat and Meta on creating this unforgettable experience.”
Music Valley is a virtual desert concert venue with a mainstage screen that has featured the likes of Victoria Monèt, Jung Kook, Jack Harlow, and more. Meta Quest 2 and 3 owners can enter Meta Horizon Worlds and take a trip to Music Valley for free.
Doja Cat: The Scarlet Tour in VR makes its debut via Meta Horizon Worlds on Saturday, January 20 at 5 PM. RSVP here to get reminders leading up to this special event.
Check out a teaser trailer below.
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Photo: Meta Quest
Madonna swapped a fan favorite into her set list on Monday night (Jan. 8) in Boston during the fifth act of her career-spanning Celebration concert. In the slot where she typically performs an acoustic cover of Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 disco anthem “I Will Survive,” the singer offered the audience at TD Garden a surprise unplugged run through half of her empowering 1989 Like a Prayer single “Express Yourself.”
According to fan video of the moment, Madonna raised a bottle of beer to salute 2024 with “gratitude and appreciation” before picking up an acoustic guitar and momentarily setting aside her gigantic leather cowboy hat, joking, “I have too many props… I feel like I’m in a saloon and everyone is hootin’ and hollerin’.”
She then gave thanks that she gets to perform on stage every night with her four “beautiful, talented, intelligent, opinionated children,” lamenting that her eldest, daughter Lourdes and son Rocco, have “moved on,” but that she has twin daughters Estere and Stella Ciccone on the road with her, along with older sister Mercy James and son David Banda, every night.
“I’m very grateful, because while they may need me as a mother, I must admit that I need them,” she said. “And I need you, and we need each other, cuz family isn’t just what you’re born into. Family is the family that you create. And if you feel like you’re part of my family turn the lights on your phone.”
She then sang an a cappella verse of the 1920s folk song “This Little Light of Mine” with some help from the crowd before saying that while she was telling the audience what she needs, she also wanted to share what she doesn’t need. That cued up the No. 2 Billboard Hot 100 hit about pushing away material riches in lieu of women speaking up, and out for themselves.
“You don’t need diamond rings or eighteen karat gold,” she crooned in the instantly recognizable “Express Yourself” second verse. “Fancy cars that go very fast, you know they never last, no, no/ What you need is a big strong hand/ To lift you to your higher ground/ Make you feel like a queen on a throne,” she sang while strumming her guitar and hitting the iconic chorus and the next verse, pre-chorus and chorus about never going for “second best.”
The mini performance ended with an a cappella sing-along with the crowd to the line “express what he’s got, oh baby ready or not.”
The career-spanning tour plays TD Garden again on Tuesday night (Jan. 9) before moving on to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Thursday (Jan. 11).
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Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
The Wu-Tang Clan is about to form like Voltron. Staten Island’s finest have announced a residency in Las Vegas.
Vulture is reporting that the legendary Hip-Hop group will be taking their talents to Sin City. On Dec. 12, the New York Times announced that the residency will kick off Super Bowl weekend on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10 at the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The Clan will return to the town March 22 and March 23 during the height of NCAA Division I basketball tournament. In an exclusive statement to the periodical, RZA expressed his enthusiasm. “I’m in that spirit of loving where there’s a hub of art and then loving that I — in my talent and the Wu-Tang brothers — can add to that hub and of course eventually invite more hip-hop artists to come and play in this sandbox with us,” he said.
2023 found the Wu-Tang Clan back on the road with the second run of the N.Y. State of Mind Tour. The nine man team brought their unique sound overseas to New Zealand, Europe, Canada and 14 cities throughout the United States. The pre-sale for the aforementioned dates begins Dec. 13 at 12 p.m. PST, with the pre-sale code: CREAM. Tickets officially go on sale at 10 a.m. PST on Friday, Dec. 15. You can purchase tickets for the Las Vegas residency here.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers got a lump of coal in their stocking this week. The band announced on Tuesday (Dec. 5) that they’ve been forced to drop off the lineup for the 2023 KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas show due to a medical issue. “It is with deep regret that we will not be able […]
Daddy Yankee officially held his farewell concert on Sunday (Dec.3), where he not only performed his timeless reggaeton tracks, but also delivered a life-changing message to his fans.
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The series of four back-to-back shows, dubbed “La Meta” (The Goal), kicked off Nov. 30 at The Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan and included a global livestream of Sunday’s concert with the purchase of a $20 ticket.
Fans back home and those connected virtually not only enjoyed a live musical journey through Yankee’s 30-year career, but also observed his vulnerability and transparency when the singer opened up about embracing his faith and religious beliefs.
“This is the most important day of my life and I want to share it because it’s not easier living a life with success than a life with purpose,” the star born Raymond Ayala said during his address from the stage.
“For many years I’ve tried filling a void in my life that no one could fill. I tried finding a purpose, on many occasions it seemed as if I was happy but something was missing for me to feel complete. I have to confess that those days are over and someone was able to fill that void that I felt for a lot of time. I realized that for everyone I was someone but I was no one without him,” he continued. “Throughout the years I was able to travel the world, win many awards, applaud and praise but I realized something that’s in the Bible: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
The global artist, who spearheaded the reggaeton movement with his 2004 breakthrough hit “Gasolina,” proudly expressed that God lives in him and he will live for him.
“A chapter has ended but a new one will begin,” he noted. “All the tools that I have in my power, like music, social media, platforms, a microphone, everything that God has given me is now for his kingdom. Thank you, Puerto Rico, and I hope you walk with me in this new beginning and I hope you remember something very important: Don’t follow any person. I am human. To all the people who follow me, follow Jesus Christ, he’s the way, the truth, and the life.”
“La Meta” was part of his retirement tour La Última Vuelta that kicked off last year and landed at No. 13 on the Top 40 Tours of 2022 with a total gross of over $125 million, according to Billboard’s Year-End Boxscore charts. Yankee now joins a wave of reggaeton stars who have opened up about their faith including Farruko, Hector “El Father” Delgado, El General, and more.
Listen to his full speech in Spanish below:
It’s finally here! After weeks of waiting, two premieres (one in L.A. and one in London), and three trailers, Beyoncé‘s highly-anticipated concert documentary, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, has hit theatres at long last.
The film provides a rare peek into Beyoncé’s behind-the-scenes process, namely how she runs her ship as the Mother of the House of Renaissance. Over nearly three hours, the documentary treats fans to pristine footage of several nights of the superstar’s record-breaking Renaissance World Tour. Seamless edits showcase the endless variety of haute couture costumes the “Break My Soul” singer flaunted across her 56 sold-out shows, and intimate black-and-white scenes present the Beyoncé her family sees offstage.
Written, directed and produced by Beyoncé herself, the film — which is evenly split between the concert (just about every track made the final cut) and behind-the-scenes footage — is as much about the enigmatic artistic genius as it is about community — the various intersecting communities that crafted the album and tour, enjoyed the music at the concerts, and inspired the throughlines of Black queer liberation that course through Queen Bey’s most recent musical era.
Nearly all of the tour’s special guests — Blue Ivy Carter, Megan Thee Stallion, Kendrick Lamar, Diana Ross, among them — make cameos in the film, alongside Beyoncé’s family (including JAY-Z, Ms. Tina Knowles and twins Rumi and Sir Carter!) and former Destiny’s Child bandmates Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson.
Even though we’re over a year removed from the release of Renaissance, it’s a body of work that continues to resonant deeply. The album ranked atop the 2023 Year-End Dance/Electronic Albums chart, and the tour helped Beyoncé earn the biggest touring year in Billboard Boxscore history ($570.5 million), making her No. 1 on the Year-End Billboard Boxscore Top Tours chart.
Clearly, the Renaissance is still in full swing, and now we can all see how Beyoncé got us here. Without further ado, here are seven of the best moments of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.
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After a few embattled show experiences, Ms. Lauryn Hill is pausing her anniversary concert tour due to vocal strain and her desire to avoid any lasting effects of the steroid prednisone.
The Grammy-winner took to Instagram to share the news with fans, writing, “As many of you may know, I’ve been battling serious vocal strain for the past month. I made it through each show by taking prescribed prednisone, but this can be detrimental to the body when taken in large amounts over long periods of time,” Hill said. “In order to prevent any long-term negative [effects] on my voice and my body, I need to take time off to allow for real vocal recovery so that I can discontinue the medication completely.”
The tour has hit many major U.S. cities including New York and Los Angeles. The tour was supposed to run through the middle of December.
Hill began her post saying, “I’d like to start this off by saying how much I’ve enjoyed being on the road, and how much I appreciate all of the fans who have come out to celebrate this incredible milestone anniversary and history making reunion with us. Being able to tour this album to sold out crowds after 25 years has been an emotional experience! I’ve loved sharing the stage again with Wyclef and Pras. The Return of the Fugees has been powerful and amazing—those who’ve witnessed it can testify,” Hill said. “The tour itself reminds us the artists, and the audiences alike of earlier, perhaps less complicated times when ‘It could all be so simple…’ or ‘Ready Or Not, here I come!’ were on repeat on the airwaves. Simply put, classic. Classic music, classic performances with audiences who love those classics has been nothing but…wait for it…EPIC. (I almost said classic again!)
When the tour picks back up there are expected to be new tour stops added including some in Europe.
Released in 1998, the singer’s legendary album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill achieved historic commercial success. The now-classic album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling approximately 422,624 copies in its first week and eventually becoming certified 8x Platinum in the United States by the RIAA, according to BET. The album won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
Miseducation remains Hill’s only solo studio album.