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Usher had Saturday night’s Dreamville Festival crowd convinced Beyoncé was a surprise guest — until he reminded fans what day it was.
The singer was headlining the Raleigh, North Carolina, fest at the city’s Dorothea Dix Park on April 1.
“I said I would have a special surprise for you tonight, ladies and gentlemen. You guys wanna know what that surprise is?” Usher teased the audience during his set.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he continued, “without further ado, put your hands together for the one, the only, Beyoncé!”
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As the crowd went wild, Usher pretended that he was patiently watching and waiting for Bey to take the stage, even signaling to fans to wait a moment while he checked in on her.
When Usher returned to the mic, he delivered the dreaded punchline: “April Fools.”
See Usher disappoint a whole lot of people with his April Fools’ Day joke below. Dreamville Festival continues Sunday night, with J. Cole and Drake headlining.
During the triumphant return of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band to Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday (April 1), one lyric captured the powerful core of Springsteen’s first tour in more than six years.
Deep into the show, with the sold-out crowd at The Garden singing along, and the E Street Band roaring behind him, The Boss shouted out a line from “Badlands,” that had more meaning than ever on this night: “it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive!”
From the opening chords to the final encore of this 27-song, three-hour performance, Springsteen, 73, reflected on aging, death, friendship and passion with the insight and joy that only a great rock’n’roll show can offer.
As the evening began, the expanded E Street Band — pianist Roy Bittan, guitarists Nils Lofgren and Steven Van Zandt, bassist Garry Talent, drummer Max Weinberg, keyboardist Charlie Giordano, saxophonist Jake Clemons, guitarist/violinist Soozie Tyrell, and percussionist Anthony Almonte — climbed the stairs to the stage (Patti Scialfa was absent), followed by Springsteen. He held up his right hand and waved it in small circles, egging on the rising roars of the crowd before shouting a greeting: “New York City!”
Here are the 12 best moments Springsteen’s MSG show on April 1.
“I’m Ready to Grow Young Again”
Seven years after Springsteen & the E Street Band last played Madison Square Garden on March 28, 2016; six years after the close of their most recent tour in February 2017; five years after the debut of Springsteen on Broadway in October 2018; and three years after the pandemic lockdown of March 2020, fans cheered the news that Springsteen would return to the road for this tour which opened Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla.
After the pandemic years and so much sadness and loss, what song would Springteen select to open his shows? The choice was inspired. “No Surrender” introduced The Garden concert as it has almost every one of the preceding 21 shows on the tour to date. (“Night” preceded it in Houston). With Van Zandt joining him at the mic, Springsteen offered the song from his Born in the U.S.A. album with its images of youth, rebellion, and rage against the dying of the light. “Cause we made a promise we swore we’d always remember/ no retreat, baby, no surrender.”
“Your Spirit Filled With Light”
Across the generations, Springsteen’s Irish blood still burns in his veins. (His great-great-great-grandparents came from County Kildare). And the Irish have an often-raucous tradition of celebrating the dead in stories and songs. As Springsteen sang “Ghosts” from Letter To You — ”it’s your ghost moving through the night/ your spirit filled with light” — and later the title track of that album, he was backed by bandmates all distinctively dressed — and every single one of them garbed in black. It became apparent that this show was one hell of an Irish wake.
“A Kiss to Seal Our Fate Tonight”
Springsteen’s shows draw from five decades of songwriting and recording. But some of his most intense songs in concert come from Darkness on the Edge of Town, the album he had just released when the E Street Band headlined The Garden for the first time in August 1978. On Saturday night, four songs from that album — not only “Badlands” but also the scorching “Prove It All Night,” the ferocious “Promised Land” and impassioned “Candy’s Room” — all singed the set list.
“Here She Comes, Here She Comes”
If Springsteen had to suffer the “new Dylan” comparisons with the release of his debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, in January 1973, by the time he returned with The Wild, The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle in November of that year, it was clear his musical imagination was incomparable. Saturday’s performances of “Kitty’s Back,” from the latter album, was the first song of the night to feature the four-man horn section — Barry Danielian, Eddie Manion, Ozzie Melendez, Curt Ramm — along with saxophonist Jake Clemons. It was a sprawling, jazzy jam that recalled the breadth of Springsteen’s musical ambition from the start.
“I Know You’re Not Alone”
Springsteen surprised fans last November with the release of Only The Strong Survive, a collection of cover versions of classic soul and R&B songs. From that set, his choice of “Nightshift” — a tribute to the late, great Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, which the Commodores brought to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985 — fit perfectly with the tenor of the night. And Springsteen’s duet with Curtis King Jr., joined by backing vocalists Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore and Ada Dyer, was the most soulful performance of the show. Staring upward, straight into the spotlight, Springsteen sang: “You found another home/ I know you’re not alone/ on the nightshift.”
“So Many More Goodbyes”
Throughout the night, in comparison to other tours, Springsteen said little between songs. But to introduce “Last Man Standing,” he spoke of joining his first rock’n’roll band, The Castilles, on a summer afternoon, at age 15, at the invitation of a high school friend, George Theiss. “The greatest adventure of my young life. This was in 1965, ’66 and ’67. We lasted for three years! Teenagers! It was the all-time School of Rock! An explosive time in American history — and an amazing time to be in a rock group.
“But if you cut forward 50 years from that summer afternoon, to another summer day, I found myself standing at the side of George’s deathbed,” he said. “He fought lung cancer for the last years of his life and he only had a few days left to live. And I realized that his passing would leave me as the last surviving member of that first small group of guys that put that little band together.
“The dead’s great and final gift to the living is expanded vision,” Springsteen said. “At 15, everything is tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow and hello and hello. And later on, through so many more goodbyes… Now, it just makes you realize how important living every moment is. So be good to yourselves and be good to those you love and be good to this world around you.”
“We Swore Forever Friends”
Springsteen’s set choices draw connections for his fans across the years. From “Last Man Standing,” he led the band into “Backstreets.” Roy Bittan’s cascading piano was followed by Max Weinberg’s drums rolling in like heavy surf. It was a majestic performance, made all the more poignant as Springsteen riffed on the lyric “we swore forever friends, on the backstreets until the end” by repeating the line, “to the end, to the end, to the end.” He told of “saving the box of 45s” of his beloved friend, of the photos “of the two of us sitting on your porch.” And “everything else,” he intoned, “I’ll carry right here,” clutching his fist to his heart.
“Come On Up For the Rising”
In New York City, no performance by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band would feel complete without “The Rising,” Springsteen’s tribute to the firefighters who climbed the stairs of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, carrying “a 60-pound stone” and “a half-mile line” — until the towers collapsed upon them. Starkly lit, half in shadow and half in bright light, Springsteen sang, accompanied by Lofgren’s slide guitar, while spotlights shining from the floor evoked the Tribute In Light that continues to shine from the site of the towers every September. Springsteen’s juxtaposition of songs again was key — as “The Rising” gave way to the life-affirming blast of “Badlands” to conclude the pre-encore segment of the show.
“Beneath the City Two Hearts Beat”
“Something special for New York City,” said Springsteen, as the show’s extended encore began with the epic “Jungleland,” the nine-minute-plus song that closed the Born to Run album in 1975, with its tale of the Magic Rat, the barefoot girl and “soul engines running through a night so tender.” Although he has masterfully performed it many times before, when Jake Clemons soared through the extended saxophone solo of “Jungleland,” originated by his late uncle, E Street Band founding member Clarence Clemons, Springsteen gave Jake a shout-out.
“Living in a Dump Like This”
The encore continued with “Thunder Road” then — house lights, ignition! — the anthemic “Born to Run,” followed by the wild romp of “Rosalita,” during which Springsteen and Van Zandt mugged like two of the Three Stooges. The pure goofiness of Springsteen onstage should never be understated. “Glory Days” led into “Dancing in the Dark” and a moment where Springsteen pulled open his shirt to reveal a still-muscular bare chest, declaring “I don’t want to go home! I just don’t want to go home!”
“Scooter and the Big Man”
Ramps allowed Springsteen to strut midway out into the arena floor for “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out,” where he declared to the crowd, “This is the important part!” As he sang of that long ago night when “Scooter and the Big Man” promised to “bust this city in half,” Springsteen pointed up to the video screens. Images of the departed members of the E Street Band, Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici, crossed the scenes, joined by an impossibly young Bruce Springsteen.
“When All the Summers Have Come to an End”
The show closed in on the three-hour mark as Springsteen came out alone, carrying his acoustic guitar. As he has done for years, in one of the most modest, effective and enduring steps of activism by a touring artist, Springsteen drew the crowd’s attention to the volunteers collecting donations from a local food pantry, “our friends from the Saint Francis Food Pantries and Shelters,” based around the corner from The Garden. “They provide food, clothing and shelter for New York City neighborhoods in need,” he said.
Then he began to sing. And for many in the audience, memories flowed with tears, thinking of loved ones lost to age, illness or the pandemic; of friends who shared books and films and music — and other Bruce Springsteen concerts in years gone by. Springsteen sang: “We’ll meet and live and love again/ I’ll see you in my dreams/ Yeah, up around the river bend/ For death is not the end/ And I’ll see you in my dreams.”
Here’s the setlist for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band at MSG on April 1:
“No Surrender”
“Ghosts”
“Prove It All Night”
.“Letter To You”
“Promised Land”
“Out In The Streets”
“Candy’s Room”
“Kitty’s Back”
“Night Shift”
“Trapped”
“E Street Shuffle”
“Johnny 99”
“Last Man Standing”
“Backstreets
“Because The Night”
“She’s The One”
“Wrecking Ball”
“The Rising”
“Badlands
ENCORE
“Jungleland”
“Thunder Road”
“Born To Run”
“Rosalita”
“Glory Days”
“Dancing In The Dark”
“Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
“I’ll See You In My Dreams”
It took about one minute for R&B singer-songwriter Victoria Monét to sell out her first-ever headlining concert. In 2016, she served as one of the opening acts for tours by Fifth Harmony and Ariana Grande — the latter of whom she has written a number of hits for, including Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” — and performed her first solo festival gig at Day N Vegas just two years ago. But for about one hour at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre on Friday night (March 31) , Monét took her “motherf—in’ moment” and never let go.
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From the “Moment” the curtains pulled back on the 33-year-old performer, who appeared in a shimmering bronze and green bikini and mesh pants, she instantly blew her fans away. Monét’s windswept, wavy blond hair framed the face of a tried-and-true performer who was somehow just getting her start. The singer’s monumental show kicked off Spotify’s “R&B First Nights” campaign, which aims to amplify the genre’s rising stars by supporting their first live show across select U.S. markets. The campaign, which is financially backed by Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund, will also support U.K. R&B trio FLO‘s Atlanta show next month as part of their first North American tour. Funny enough, when Billboard asked FLO in a recent interview who they were dying to collaborate with, the girl group named Monét.
And it comes as no surprise, considering Monét bodies being a triple threat. She continuously accentuated her assets during her “Ass Like That” performance, singing about her personal fitness journey and a guy who’s absolutely enamored by her results. The subject matter hits close to home, as her partner and the father of her 2-year-old daughter Hazel, John Gaines, is a personal trainer, who fans were introduced to in the whimsical, breath-taking “Moment” music video from early 2020. Both proudly watched Monét in awe among the evening’s star-studded audience, which included Lauren Jauregui, Ambré, Muni Long, Joyce Wrice, Kelela, Ty Dolla $ign, Ravyn Lenae and more.
She not only earned respect from her industry peers and family, but also her fans, who got audibly excited at the sight of her viral dance routine to Trillville featuring Cutty Cartel’s 2004 hit “Some Cut.” The famed squeaky bed frame sounds provided a seamless transition into her 2020 Jaguar cut “Dive,” but Monét wanted to slow things down even more for “Touch Me.”
Scattering spotlights showered the now-perched singer, who basked in it — a rather rare moment for someone who has spent years behind a pen, tucked away in a studio and nowhere near a stage that would give her her own shine apart from any superstar she’s ever worked with in her storied career.
Monét made sure the crowd never forgot who she is, seducing one of her female backup dancers to flaunt her bisexual identity during “F.—” as glowing pink lights filled the 771-capacity venue with lust. She treated her day one fans with touches of nostalgia, playing songs off her 2018 albums, Life After Love, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. And for one very special fan named Aubrey, Monét brought her up on stage to personally thank her for supporting her all of these years and gifted her a signed vinyl. She later brought up her longtime photographer Alfredo Flores to capture the moment, with the entire audience unpromptedly throwing up a peace sign for the camera, potentially in reference to her upcoming Jaguar II era.
“Take your phones out and light this bi— up, cause you can’t smoke in here!” Monét yelled before diving into her latest, Lucky Daye-assisted single “Smoke.” Once it cleared, she payed homage to her first Jaguar project by giving the audience a truly groovy “Experience” with technicolor lighting that mimicked a disco ball in efforts to transport them straight to the ’70s. But she (literally) snapped everyone back into reality with the same celestial keys that played at the start of the show, but this time, for “Jaguar.” If another Austin Powers movie were to be made today, Monét made her case for why she would be his foxy sidekick (the way Beyoncé once played) with her razor sharp, yet incredibly fluid movements and overall awe-inspiring, superstar presence.
Triumphant trumpets blared for her grand finale and later replayed once Monét returned to the stage, with an adorably stunned baby Hazel in her arms, to bask in this moment just once more. “I just wanted to say thank you to my team. Thank you guys all for coming. This is a team effort. I have the name Victoria Monét, but that name is plural. It’s my team that got me here,” she said above bouts of roaring applause, with her team standing all around her, including her manager Rachelle Jean-Louis and producer D’Mile. “And thank you Spotify for believing in me to have this moment and to kick off your ‘[R&B] First Nights.’
“I wanted to make this night extra special for you guys, too. I know you guys have been waiting for Jaguar II for a really long time,” she teased. “And because you guys sold this show out in one minute, I just wanted to give you a little sneak peek.” While taking a hefty sip from a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle (if you know, you know), Monét played a snippet of a new slinky, hip-hop-leaning track that featured her signature funky trumpets signaling her victory lap.
Victoria Monét’s El Rey setlist:
“Moment”
“Big Boss (Interlude)”
“Ass Like That”
“Dive”
“Touch Me”
“F.U.C.K.”
“We Might Even Be Falling in Love (Interlude)”
“Do You Like It”
“New Love”
“Freak”
“Monopoly”
“Smoke”
“Coastin’”
“Experience”
“Jaguar”
The last time Los Temerarios performed in Chicago was in 2019 at the Rosemont Theater, which has a capacity of a little over 4,000. Since then, the Mexican grupero band hadn’t performed in the Midwest city due to the pandemic shutdown. But their return to the Chicago couldn’t be stronger, even more so than the 90 mph winds that threatened the area on Friday (March 31).
As part of their 2023 tour, Los Temerarios — led by brothers Gustavo and Adolfo Ángel — performed two back-to-back sold-out shows at Allstate Arena (capacity of 18,500), just a few miles from the Rosemont Theater where they last played.
“It’s a complicated night,” an emotional Gustavo, the band’s lead singer, said at the beginning of the show. “I was backstage and was hearing about all these alerts of winds, so we’re really thankful to all of you for being here despite all that. Chicago is special to us. It’s the second city we ever visited in the U.S. when we started working over here back in like 1985. Imagine what we feel to see this place packed. Thank you for all the love you’ve given our music throughout all these years.”
Adolfo, the group’s keyboardist and co-founder along with his brother, was less talkative throughout the set but got equally emotional thanking fans for embracing their music for so many years.
“Chicago brings back so many memories, and we’ve missed you all so much,” he added.
The band went on to serenade a sea of fans who sang along throughout the entire show, during which they performed all the oldies but goodies in the form of ballads, cumbias and pop songs. The setlist included “Enamorado de Ti,” “Tu Infame Engaño,” “Como Te Recuerdo,” “Tu Última Canción,” “Dímelo,” “Ven Porque Te Necesito” and “Te Hice Mal.”
During the more than two-hour set (they kept coming back after the crowd requested an encore three times), Los Temerarios proved their endurance with a high-energy and dynamic performance that had Gustavo working the crowd with jokes and quirky dance moves. But more than anything, they shined with timeless songs that showcase Gustavo’s high, expressive tenor. And, of course, Adolfo’s knack for writing lyrics on love and heartbreak that will live on forever thanks to fans who continue to take solace in these anthems.
Los Temerarios’ return to the live scene coincides with the band’s 40 years in music, which will be marked by a special edition vinyl La Colección (out in April) and will include 10 brand new songs. Overall, the romantic group, known for their wistful keyboard-heavy ballads, has notched 41 entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, 17 of which are top 10 hits, including four No. 1s.
“Staying relevant in this industry is not easy so we have nothing but gratitude for our fans, we feel very fortunate,” Adolfo previously told Billboard. “We’ve always had a great respect for this career that has given us so much that’s why we always give our best when it comes to our albums, our live shows, we make sure our production is top quality across everything we do. Our brother and I also have a mutual respect and admiration for each other, that’s been fundamental for us to keep going for so many years.”
Los Temerarios continue their tour — which launched in February in San Jose, Calif., in states such as Nebraska, North Carolina and Georgia before wrapping up April 22 in Missouri.
One person is dead and dozens more were injured after a severe storm caused the roof to collapse during a heavy metal concert at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Ill., on Friday night (March 31).
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About 260 music fans were in attendance for a concert featuring Morbid Angel and other bands when 90 mph winds blew through the area and caused the historic venue’s roof to cave in. One person was killed and 28 others were injured, five of them severely, according to the Associated Press.
“Tonights show is Canceled due to a Tornado that hit the Venue, and caused the roof, over the area in-front of the stage, and marquee to collapse,” Morbid Angel wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.
“We ask anyone who is still traveling to the venue to please seek shelter and stay safe. We are currently sheltering in place, and want to extend our support and hope that everyone at the show tonight is safe. Right now our focus is on making sure everyone in the venue tonight is ok and gets home.”
Concert-goers in attendance at the 1,500-capacity venue reportedly rushed to lift the collapsed part of the ceiling and help others out of the wreckage.
“They dragged someone out from the rubble, and I sat with him and I held his hand and I was (telling him) ‘It’s going to be OK.’ I didn’t really know much else what to do,” Gabrielle Lewellyn, who was in attendance, told WTVO-TV.
Belvidere police chief Shane Woody described the scene at Apollo Theatre as “absolute chaos.”
“When officers are first on the scene, when the fire department and first responders get here, they do the best they can to control the chaos as much as possible,” Woody said, CBS Chicago reports. “But ultimately, we go in, and ultimately try and find people, and save as many people as we possibly can — and bring them to safety as best as we can.”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also tweeted on Friday, “My administration is closely monitoring the roof collapse at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere tonight. I’ve been in touch with officials for updates and to direct any available resources we can.”
Award-winning gospel artist Kirk Franklin and Live Nation Urban have announced the return of the Exodus Music & Arts Festival. Launched in 2018, the festival will mark its third year at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Dallas by expanding from one to two days (May 20-21) for the first time. Performers who will be joining host/headliner Franklin onstage include Yolanda Adams, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Tamela Mann and Natalie Grant.
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“I am absolutely thrilled that our music festival is back and bigger than ever, now extending to two full days of unique voices and talented artists that will inspire and uplift all those in attendance,” Franklin said in a statement. “Exodus has always been about bringing together fans and artists in celebration of the power of gospel music, and it’s a true honor to be a part of this incredible event once again. I’m also incredibly thankful for our partnership with Live Nation Urban, which has allowed us to create an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”
Added Live Nation Urban president Shawn Gee, “Kirk Franklin and his team have been amazing partners for Live Nation Urban. This was the first festival partnership we entered into when the company was formed a few years back. It’s great to see the event grow and scale, and we will continue to invest in the gospel music community as it’s an area of priority for LNU.”
The Exodus Music & Arts Festival welcomed such gospel stars as Mann, Marvin Sapp and Tye Tribbett during its aforementioned inaugural year. For its second year in 2019, the festival boasted a lineup that featured Cobbs Leonard, Fred Hammond, The Clark Sisters and Travis Greene, among other acts.
Additional information about the 2023 Exodus Music & Arts Festival will be announced in the coming weeks. Ticket information is available here.
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Pop icon Madonna won’t allow a troubling trend of state legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community impede her career-spanning Celebration Tour, announcing plans to perform in Nashville just weeks after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a law restricting drag shows in the Volunteer State.
Tennessee Senate Bill 3 creates a new felony offense for anyone engaging in an “adult cabaret performance” on public property or in any location where the performance “could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.” In announcing her plans to perform at the Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 22 — one of nine new shows added to the sellout tour that now stretches to 80 dates across North America and Europe — Madonna and tour opener Caldwell Tidicue, who performs as Bob the Drag Queen, seem prepared to confront and possibly break the law. Maybe.
Madonna addressed the issue in a press release announcing the Nashville show, among others.
“The oppression of the LGBTQ+ is not only unacceptable and inhumane; it’s creating an unsafe environment; it makes America a dangerous place for our most vulnerable citizens, especially trans women of color,” she said. “Also, these so-called laws to protect our children are unfounded and pathetic. Anyone with half a brain knows not to f–k with a drag queen. Bob and I will see you from the stage in Nashville where we will celebrate the beauty that is the queer community.”
Madonna noted that there are over 100 anti-LGBTQ+ bills currently making their way through various state legislatures around the country, with the longtime activist committing to donating a portion of proceeds from her to show to support trans rights organizations.
Madonna has performed in Nashville just once as part of a major tour — in 2016 on the Rebel Heart trek, selling out the Bridgestone Arena and grossing $1.5 million, according to Billboard Boxscore.
Besides the new Music City show, Madonna also announced two new dates on the East Coast, a new run of shows in California and tour stops in Las Vegas and Phoenix. The Celebration Tour has sold out over 40 shows and counting across Toronto, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and more.
Citi cardmembers and fan club members will have access to presale tickets for the new dates starting tomorrow at noon local time through Thursday at 6pm local time. The general on sale for most of the shows starts on Friday (March 31) at 10am local time on Madonna’s website, while the Philadelphia date goes on sale at noon.
Fans can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, behind the scenes tours, group photos on-stage, a pre-show reception and more.
New Dates for The Celebration Tour
Dec. 18 Washington, DC Capital One ArenaDec. 20 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center – On Sale at 12pm Local Time 03/31Dec. 22 Nashville, TN Bridgestone ArenaJan. 7 2024 Los Angeles, CA Kia ForumJan. 8 2024 Los Angeles, CA Kia ForumJan. 11 2024 Palm Springs, CA Acrisure ArenaJan. 13 2024 Sacramento, CA Golden 1 CenterJan. 15 2024 San Francisco, CA Chase CenterJan. 18, 2024 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden ArenaJan. 20, 2024 Phoenix, AZ Footprint Center
Celebrating 21 years since her American Idol win, pop music superstar and talk show host Kelly Clarkson will launch Chemistry, an intimate 10-night engagement at Las Vegas’ Bakkt Theater (formerly Zappos Theater) beginning July 28.
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Clarkson was originally slated to begin the Invincible residency at the same venue on April 1, 2020 but it halted due to the pandemic.
“The goal was to make a living doing what I love and I’ve been able to do that and connect with people. That’s incredible. At 19, I was just looking to pay my water bill, I didn’t have anything,” she says of the incredible two-decade long career trajectory that led her to this milestone. “It’s a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck. I don’t know if I ever thought it would be this big. I did not think I would end up having an exclusive little 10-show stint in Las Vegas.”
On Sunday, March 26, she announced the title of her new album, Chemistry, on Instagram, inspired by the “emotional journey” she went through during her tumultuous 2020 split with former husband Brandon Blackstock, with whom she has two young children.
Clarkson tells Billboard in an exclusive interview that this show is the ideal way to share new music with her fans.
“I wanted to have this moment with my audience with the new music. My last tour was in 2019 so it’s been years for me [since I’ve been able to] sing more than two minutes on TV,” she says. “It’s nice to be doing a full show. I worked really hard on this record and it took me a while to figure out if I was actually going to put it out. Once I decided, I wanted to sing this live and to feel that energy from the crowd. I didn’t want to do a tour. I have a lot of jobs and also I obviously want to spend some time with my kids this summer so I agreed to do 10 shows.”
Clarkson has sold more than 25 million albums and 40 million singles. Her multi-Emmy Award-winning daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, is currently filming its 4th season and has already been picked up for its 5th and 6th seasons. In 2021, she released her Grammy Award-nominated ninth studio album When Christmas Comes Around… and that was followed by the Kellyoke EP which features six studio versions of popular covers from the Kellyoke segment on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Chemistry will be her 10th album and her first (non-holiday) effort since 2017. There was a time when she didn’t know if she would ever release it. Clarkson says the break from music has been good given the unfolding circumstances within her life.
“I had a huge divorce happen and my life changed and I did not expect that. Doing the talk show created space for me as an artist because even with my label, I could say, ‘Well, I’m doing this job.’ They didn’t ask me for anything, they really gave me a lot of space, which was really cool,” she says.
“I wrote most of these songs like three years ago. Now I feel like I can talk about it. And it’s not a fresh wound,” she says. “It’s not just one emotion. It’s an entire relationship. There are definitely songs that are devastating and songs that are very angry. And then there are songs that are super sad, and ones that are more sexy, like that first feeling that you get in a relationship. It covers the whole arc of an entire relationship from beginning to end. I didn’t want it to be just about the devastating part.”
Her candor is one of the things her fans love most about her and the reason why her audience has continued to flourish for more than two decades. For Clarkson, honesty is a non negotiable in the creative process.
“I’m very honest about everything but also I have to navigate that I’m a mom of two kids that will be affected. That is one reason why I chose certain songs for the record. But also, I didn’t hold back, you know, in the sense of I feel like it’s important because people love connecting with me, because I’m honest, and I share my story,” she says.
With such a deep catalog, building the setlist can be the hardest part of the equation. “We asked the fans ‘what are you most excited about hearing’ and the problem with my fans, and why it’s so hard, is that they will pick deep cuts … they will be ‘we want ‘Sober’’ and okay, that wasn’t a single.’ So I have to fit in all the singles, plus the new stuff and the deep cuts.”
While Clarkson is tight-lipped on the details, she promises the show will be different every night.
“We’re calling it an intimate night and I don’t want to give it away. There will be different elements every night and every show is not going to be the same,” she says. “We will have the audience participate and I will talk to the audience because now I’m on a talk show and I’m used to engaging. It’s going to be a different kind of show than what people are used to in Vegas.”
She confirms the presence of a full band and a rock ‘n’ roll vibe overall, but says she won’t be bringing fire or dancers—somewhat of the Vegas norm these days.
The summer dates will also give the single mom a chance to have some fun.
“I wasn’t going to bring it up. But yeah, I’m not dead, I want to have a good time, too,” she says with a laugh. “I chose the time for the shows when my kids are with my ex. I do this when I don’t have them so it makes it easier for me as an artist to really just engage with the audience and only have that on my plate. And then also, it’s nice because, you know, they’re getting one-on-one time with their dad.”
This announcement comes on the heels of the official renaming of the Zappos Theater to Bakkt Theater on March 24. It has been home to residences from John Legend, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Shania Twain. Currently, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert and The Chicks, scheduled to begin May 3, call the venue home. The theater has undergone extensive renovations to both the front of house and back of house facilities over the last year. Bakkt is a cryptocurrency loyalty platform which has a partnership with Caesars Entertainment and Caesars Rewards.Kelly Clarkson’s 2023 “Chemistry” dates at Bakkt Theater: July 28, 29August 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12, 18, 19
Taylor Swift brought out special guest Marcus Mumford during the second night of her Eras Tour stop in Las Vegas on Saturday (March 25).
Despite telling fans during night one at Allegiant Stadium that “we don’t have guests at this show,” the pop superstar invited the Mumford & Sons frontman for her debut live performance of “Cowboy Like Me,” from Swift’s chart-topping 2020 album, Evermore.
“Las Vegas, Nevada, you are so lucky, because we do have a special guest with us tonight,” Swift told the sold-out crowd when introducing Mumford. “Would you sing ‘Cowboy Like Me’ with me?”
Watch a fan-captured video of the duo performing “Cowboy Like Me” here.
“Cowboy Like Me,” from the Swift’s ninth studio album, Evermore, peaked at No. 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2020. The country-leaning track was recorded at Mumford’s Scarlet Pimpernel Studios in the U.K. The studio version of the song features backing vocals from Mumford.
Swift’s show on Saturday marked her first time playing “Cowboy Like Me” in concert, but Mumford regularly performed the tune during his solo show in 2022.
For the surprise song portion of Saturday’s concert, Swift delivered her 2008 Fearless track “White Horse,” marking the first time she has played the track live since 2018. On Friday (March 24), her mini acoustic set included her Lana Del Rey collaboration “Snow on the Beach,” from last year’s Midnights, and “Our Song,” from her 2006 self-titled debut.
Taylor Swift fans in Las Vegas who couldn’t wait until Friday night (March 24) to learn all the details of The Eras Tour might have read up on the setlist, stage production and fashion from last weekend’s opening concerts in Glendale, Ariz. But even the most well-researched Swifties were still in for surprises at the first of her two-night stand at Sin City’s Allegiant Stadium, as Billboard witnessed from the crowd.
Of course, those fans already knew they were in for two songs that weren’t on the previous two setlists, after Swift performed “Mirrorball” and “Tim McGraw” during night 1’s acoustic set and “State of Grace” and “This Is Me Trying” on night 2. The Vegas crowd was in for a double-barreled treat, as she went back to her self-titled debut album for “Our Song” (by request of debut opening act Beabadoobee) — Swift’s only track from the 2006 project for the night — and then paid tribute to Lana Del Rey’s Friday-released album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by playing her LDR collab “Snow on the Beach” from November’s Midnights for the first time.
That last one came with a disclaimer. “I’m going to talk about something, but I just have to tell you first of all: I’m going to talk about another artist, but that artist is not here, OK?” Swift warned the 60,000-person crowd. “I’m not going to bring somebody out. You’re stuck with me. We don’t have guests at this show, OK?”
So what was different from opening weekend at the first Las Vegas Eras Tour stop? Read below for five brand-new moments from Friday night’s concert.
Love for Lana Del Rey
Did You Know that Lana Del Rey’s ninth album came out on Friday? Thanks to Swift, her army of fans is now well aware.
“Lana Del Rey put out a new album,” Swift announced to the audience during her acoustic set. “It’s called Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Guys, it’s so good. You probably already know that, but it’s just extraordinary. I just think she’s the best that we have. I think we need to make it a priority as a group to stream, buy, support this album and this artist.”
The release-day promo led in to Swift live-debuting their new collab. “She knows I’m obsessed with her, and she was kind enough to make a song with me on Midnights called ‘Snow on the Beach’ because she’s a generous king. She did that for me, and I’ll never forget how nice she’s been to me. It’s so cool when you have favorite artists and they turn out to be so nice to you. I wanted to just do some promo for her, and also, in honor of this brilliant album that she just put out, I wanted to play ‘Snow on the Beach.’”
‘Our Song’ Is Her Song
To kick off the acoustic set, Swift took a request straight from one of her warm-up acts.
“I do get ideas from places,” she said of how she’s choosing each night’s surprise songs. “I actually saw an interview that Beabadoobee did — who is our amazing, brilliant opening act tonight — and they were saying, ‘Oh, you’re going on The Eras Tour. What song might you want to hear?’ And she was like, ‘I grew up listening to songs on her first album.’ And she named a specific song. So I figured, you know what? For her first show with us, I’ll play the specific song that she said she would want to hear. So this is a song I wrote for my ninth-grade talent show. It’s called ‘Our Song.’”
A New Opening Act
Speaking of Beabadoobee, after Paramore helped kick off the two Glendale concerts, the Filipino-British singer/songwriter stepped in and joined the tour for her very first date. Playing an eight-song set — including her Alternative Airplay hits “Care,” “The Perfect Pair” and “Talk” — Beabadoobee was joined before the show by “ABCDEFU” singer GAYLE, who returned for her second weekend as an opening act.
A ‘Powerful’ Milestone
Before performing her Lover single “The Man,” Swift took a moment to share a pretty big milestone she set at Friday night’s concert. “You’re being so supportive, and you’re making me feel so powerful,” she said while flexing her bicep. “You’re making me feel like… I’m the first woman to ever headline Allegiant Stadium,” she announced to wild cheers. “But I won’t be the last.
“What I’m trying to say, is you’re making me feel like I’m The Man.”
New ‘Folklore’ Fashion
Most of the night’s fashion stayed consistent to the weekend 1 outfits, with one exception: When Swift emerged for the Folklore segment of the night, she wore a pink dress with flowing sleeves in place of night 1’s mauve and night 2’s cream. See the latest look below:
Las Vegas Night 1 Full Setlist
Miss Americana & The Heartbreak PrinceCruel SummerThe ManYou Need to Calm DownLoverThe ArcherFearlessYou Belong With MeLove Story‘Tis the Damn SeasonWillowMarjorieChampagne ProblemsTolerate It…Ready for It?DelicateDon’t Blame MeLook What You Made Me DoEnchanted22We Are Never Ever Getting Back TogetherI Knew You Were TroubleAll Too Well (10-Minute Version)Invisible StringBettyThe Last Great American DynastyAugustIllicit AffairsMy Tears RicochetCardiganStyleBlank SpaceShake It OffWildest DreamsBad BloodOur Song (acoustic)Snow on the Beach (acoustic)Lavender HazeAnti-HeroMidnight RainVigilante ShitBejeweledMastermindKarma
