Concerts
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Jason Moran plans to blend genres in one of his performances as the Detroit Jazz Festival’s artist-in-residence this year.
“I’m thinking that I have to figure out a way to represent for Detroit’s techno music,” the pianist, bandleader, composer and educator tells Billboard. Moran was named to the prestigious position on Thursday (March 13) following drummer Brian Blade in 2024.
Techno, Moran adds, “has long been a thing I’ve listened to and practiced with sometimes at home. So why not, when you’re in Detroit, really represent it? Maybe myself and another artist can churn away for an hour. It’s the idea of, in an industrial city, drum machine meeting piano — which I think is one of the great machines — and what happens when those two meet in their simplest forms? With volume,” he adds with a laugh.
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Moran says the piece would be an entirely new composition to be premiered at the Labor Day weekend event (Aug. 29-Sept. 1) and then turned into a traveling piece.
Now in its 46th year, the DJF — held mostly outdoors in the city’s downtown — is the world’s largest free-admission jazz festival. Last year’s edition drew more than 300,000 in-person attendees, according to organizers, and a worldwide audience of more than two million via the festival’s free livestream on its website and social media platforms.
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“I think that what makes this (festival) unique is the importance of Detroit as a historic music city for the world,” says Moran, who’s performed at the festival several times, as recently as 2023. “That’s what makes it exciting for me, to be presenting sets of music in a city that’s responsible for a lot of change and possibilities in music.”
In addition to the techno-jazz mashup, Moran — who’s been on the faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music since 2010 — is planning a celebration of Duke Ellington’s 125th birthday, using a big band of younger musicians. “That’s a big one for me,” he says, “just because I get to meet who’s on the ground and get that experience to work with them and push the music the way Ellington did.” He’s also planning a set by the Bandwagon, a trio he co-founded during 2000, along with special guests.
The Houston-born Moran studied at the Manhattan School of Music and began his recording career as part of saxophonist Greg Osby’s band. He released his first solo album, Soundtrack to Human Motion, in 1999 and has released 17 more since. Moran has also scored soundtracks for films such as Selma, Traveling While Black and Aggie, and he’s recorded with Cassandra Wilson, Christian McBride, Ron Miles and others. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Scientists in 2022, and in 2023 he received the German Jazz Prize for pianist of the year.
“Jason Moran is a trailblazer in the use of diverse multimedia and theatrical installations to present jazz to audiences in a way that has never been done before,” festival artistic director and CEO Chris Collins said in a statement. “We look forward to his singular craftsmanship and his creative and evolutionary artistry to lead this year’s festival.”
The lineup for the 2025 DJF is expected to be announced April 15 during a special preview event in Detroit, where Moran will perform.
The festival has also put out a call for new works that “bring new perspectives to blending jazz and other musical styles” with an application deadline of April 11. Artist performance submissions are also open, with a deadline of June 1. Applications, as well as festival updates, can be found via detroitjazzfest.org.
On Thursday night (March 13), Billboard’s The Stage at SXSW kicked off in Austin with a fiery set by Texas’s own Koe Wetzel, who is fresh off a five-week No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “High Road” with Jessie Murph. Murph may have been absent from the stage at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo […]
When Koe Wetzel plays Billboard’s The Stage at SXSW Thursday night (March 13) at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park in Austin, fans can expect a typically high-octane, guitar-driven show full of songs about road life and troubled relationships, both often fueled by substances. For the past 10 years, Wetzel has been entertaining Texans — and […]
After being nominated for inclusion in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — a historic first for a Spanish-language act — and after successfully touring Latin America and Spain, Mexican rock band Maná will tour the U.S. and Canada this fall, Billboard can announce.
The “Vivir Sin Aire” tour, so titled after the iconic song of the same name from 1992, will play more than 30 dates, extending through early 2026. The tour kicks off September 5 with back to back shows at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The band will play a total of 21 cities, including first-ever performances in Nashville, St. Louis, Baltimore, Montreal and Detroit, as well as multiple shows in Chicago, Dallas, Phoneix, San Jose and Miami.
As part of the tour, Maná will play four dates at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, with the shows doubling as part of their residency at the venue. With the completion of these four shows, Maná will break the record for most arena shows in the Los Angeles area, according to tour promoter Live Nation. The Mexican rockers will have performed a remarkable total of 44 arena concerts, two more than Bruce Springsteen, who holds the record with 42 arena shows.
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A portion of proceeds from the tour will go toward establishing the “Latin Luchonas” (Fighting Latinas) program, created in honor of Rosario Sierra, the late mother of vocalist Fher Olvera. Sierra raised Olvera and his sisters as a single mom after his father died when he was still a child (Olvera has memorialized both parents in different songs). The program, created in partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, will “empower Latina women entrepreneurs through scholarships, mentorship and leadership opportunities,” according to a press release provided to Billboard.
The Vivir Sin Aire Tour is presented by Live Nation and sponsored by Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in San Manuel, Calif., where Maná has twice performed private shows. Tickets will go on sale starting Friday, March 14 at 10 a.m. local time at Mana.com.mx.
Find all tour dates below:
MANÁ – VIVIR SIN AIRE 2025 TOUR DATES
Friday, Sept. 5 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
Saturday, Sept. 6 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
Thursday, Sept. 11 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Friday, Sept. 19 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
Saturday, Sept. 20 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Friday, Sept. 26 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Saturday, Sept. 27 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Friday, Oct. 3 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Saturday, Oct. 4 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Friday, Oct. 10 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Saturday, Nov. 1 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Sunday, Nov. 2 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Friday, Nov. 7 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena
Saturday, Nov. 8 – Phoenix, AZ – PHX Arena
Friday, Nov. 14 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Saturday, Nov. 15 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Friday, Nov. 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Diplo, Poolside, DRAMA, Noizu, SIDEPIECE, Aluna and more are coming together to perform at Live From Los Angeles: A Fire Relief Benefit on March 16.
All proceeds from the benefit concert, which will be held from 12 p.m.-10 p.m. at Aviator Nation Dreamland in Malibu, will be donated to MusiCares’ Fire Relief Efforts, which provides financial aid, emergency care, and mental health resources to those impacted by the L.A. wildfires. The day-long concert will also host and honor firefighters and frontline workers during the show.
Live From Los Angeles — produced by Warner Bailey, creator of Assistants vs. Agents, and James Raj, founder of Afters Club — is the latest of many fire relief efforts that highlight LA’s vibrant arts community. On January 30, just weeks after fires broke out in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, stars like Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Stevie Nicks took the stage at FireAid at The Forum and Intuit Dome.
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Then, the Recording Academy pivoted their week of programming around the Grammys to center on relief efforts for affected families, raising millions in the process. Other projects like California Picture Project, which is selling prints from top photographers now through March 9, were also launched to continue to raise money and awareness for fire victims online.
The full lineup for Live From Los Angeles includes DJ sets from Diplo, Poolside, Noizu, SIDEPIECE, DRAMA, Noizu, Night Tales, Phantoms, STARRZA, Leisan, Londen Summers, STRAWBRY and Felipe Silva. Even more artists are set to be announced.
To expand its reach to those who can’t be there in person, Live From Los Angeles will also be available via livestream for free. It will be rebroadcast for 24 hours globally through an exclusive partnership with YouTube.
For tickets and more information, visit livefromlosangeles.com.
Doja Cat, KATSEYE, Gwen Stefani, David Guetta, Meghan Trainor and more are set to perform at iHeartRadio’s 102.7 KIIS FM Wango Tango in May.
And for the first time ever, the summer-kickoff concert will be held in Huntington Beach, California. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, Wango Tango will take place Sunday, May 10, and feature more performances by NMIXX, xikers, Hearts2Hearts and A2O MAY.
“We’re thrilled to bring Wango Tango back, knowing fans have been eagerly awaiting its return,” said Beata Murphy, program director of iHeartMedia Los Angeles’ 102.7 KIIS FM. “This year, we’re elevating the experience with an unforgettable day of music, energy, and beachside vibes — everything that defines SoCal. We’re also shaking things up by featuring some of the biggest artists with extended set times, unlike ever before.”
This will be the first Wango Tango event in three years, since it hit Dignity Health Center in Carson, California, in June 2022.
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iHeartMedia Los Angeles partnered with powerhouse global experience agency Code Four to execute this year’s outdoor, beachside concert experience.
“We are privileged to work with the world-class team at iHeartMedia on such an iconic brand, Wango Tango,” said Kevin Elliott, CEO of Code Four. “I grew up attending this festival as a KIIS FM listener, and it’s surreal for our team to now be working on delivering the next iteration of the Wango Tango experience – here in my hometown of Huntington Beach – one of the most incredible venues in the world!”
Added Paul Corvino, regional president of iHeartMedia: “Wango Tango has become a legendary event for Southern California music fans, something they’ve looked forward to year after year. Our partnership with Code Four is taking it to the next level, bringing it back bigger and better than ever for an unforgettable fan experience at the beach.”
Tickets go on sale first to KIIS CLUB VIP members (fans can sign up to be one for free here) on Thursday, March 13 at 10 a.m. PT. General on-sale begins Friday, March 14 at 10 a.m. PST.
JoJo threw the crowd at her recent Los Angeles concert back to the 1990s and early-aughts by performing her version of SWV’s “Weak,” for which she also enlisted guest Tori Kelly to help with vocals. In a clip from her sold-out show Tuesday night (March 4) at The Wiltern, the “Too Little Too Late” singer […]
At once soft and hard, fiery and vulnerable, Lola Young’s precise, revelatory songs thrive in their multi-facetedness. The introspective but musically adventurous This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway – the south Londoner’s first full-length album, which dropped last June – served as an uncompromising portrait of inner turmoil, detailed with 808s and scratchy guitars that […]
Shakira called off her concert in Santiago, Chile, tonight (Sunday, March 2), just hours before the show at Estadio Nacional was scheduled to go on.
“I am heartbroken that I cannot sing for you today for reasons beyond my control,” the Colombian superstar wrote in a statement posted on social media. In her note, she explained that there were safety concerns regarding her stage production at the stadium, which is located in Santiago’s Ñuñoa district. Shakira was expected to perform at Estadio Nacional for two nights, both of which were sold out.
It’s the second Latin American city to be postponed citing local production issues on Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour, following the cancellation of her Feb. 24 show in Medellín, Colombia — and the third total that she’s had to reschedule since bringing her world tour to the region in February. On doctor’s orders, Shakira couldn’t perform in Lima, Peru, on Feb. 16, as she was hospitalized with an abdominal condition.
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“To my fans,” Shakira wrote in her Sunday update, “you who have been with me for more than 30 years know more than anyone else my professional ethics and how much I strive to always give you the best. For a year I have worked tirelessly, night and day, on the smallest details to achieve an unforgettable experience for my fans as they deserve and as we have been able to enjoy together during the concerts I have been performing.”
The star expressed that connecting with fans every night on tour “is a big part of what makes me wake up every day wanting to celebrate life,” then broke the news that her performance in Chile must be postponed:
“You can imagine how painful it is for me as an artist to see that after so many efforts to come to this country that I love so much, my show in Chile on this occasion must be rescheduled due to circumstances beyond my control or that of my production.
“When an artist travels to a country, their production and team become directly dependent on the local producers. My staff and I trusted at all times that the production company hired by the local promoter would follow to the letter the specifications that were diligently provided by us so that a show of the magnitude of this one could take place.
“The Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour, which I wanted to start in my home, Latin America, is the biggest tour of my career and currently one of the biggest productions in the world. With a stage that weighs 62 tons, unfortunately we have found that the floor of the place where my stage would go is uneven and is not properly stabilized to ensure the safety of my band, dancers, my fans and myself.
“There are two things I would never compromise and that is the safety of my team and my fans, and I would never offer you a show below the quality standards you deserve.”
Shakira intends to return to Chile as soon as possible — even if she has to “inspect the floor and every last screw in the structure that supports my stage” herself, she says.
On the event’s ticketing page, Fenix Entertainment shared the same information in a statement on Sunday: “We regret to inform you that during the assembly process of the show scheduled for today (March 2) at the Estadio Nacional de Santiago de Chile, we have encountered technical problems beyond the control of the artist and their production that prevent the correct development of the concert, since the floor where the stage would be located is uneven.”
The next city on Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour itinerary is Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she’s set to perform at Campo Argentino de Polo on March 7-8.
See her full note about the Chile concert postponement here.
BLACKPINK will be hanging around in your area a bit longer this summer. The K-pop girl group announced the addition of five more dates for their anticipated world tour on Thursday (Feb. 27). After initially rolling out 10 stops on the outing earlier this month, JENNIE, ROSÉ, JISOO and LISA have doubled down, adding second nights […]