State Champ Radio Concerts
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The first time Alejandro Sanz toured in the U.S. was over 20 years ago. A lot has changed since then.
“I remember the first few times I went to the U.S. on tour, there were very few Latin companies,” the Spanish singer-songwriter tells Billboard. “There was probably a promoter in Miami, another in Los Angeles. But all of us together have been paving this road, we’ve created a world in the U.S. that is now a huge market. It’s now time to go back and celebrate what we’ve been able to accomplish in this country with Spanish music.”
Sanz is set to come back to the U.S. for the first time since the pandemic with his Sanz En Vivo Tour, produced by Loud And Live. The 11-date trek kicks off in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in September and has stops in cities such as Chicago, New York and Houston before wrapping up in Los Angeles in October. “I expect this comeback will be filled with a lot of love, magic, good energy. Let’s enjoy music,” adds Sanz, who recently wrapped up a 15-date stint in Mexico.
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To still be able to tour and do sold-out shows at this point of his decades-long career, is everything, says Sanz. “For an artist, everything is about being on a stage. Everything else is a bonus, even recording. To be able to be on stage is what one dreams when you dream of being a musician. You dream of sharing, to be able to fill spaces with emotions.”
In his shows, Sanz promises to perform the classics, such as “Corazón Partío,” “Amiga Mía” and “Mi Persona Favorita,” plus new music, including songs from his 2021 Latin Grammy-nominated album SANZ. Tickets are set go on sale March 17 at 10am local time via www.alejandrosanz.com.
Below, the complete list of dates for Sanz En Vivo:
Sept. 16 – San Juan – Coliseo de Puerto RicoSept. 21 – Orlando – Amway CenterSept. 23 – Miami – Miami-Dade ArenaSept. 27 – Chicago – Rosemont TheaterSept. 29 – Washington, D.C. – EagleBank ArenaSept. 30 – New York – The Theater at MSGOct. 5 – McAllen – Bert Ogden ArenaOct. 7 – Dallas – Texas Trust CU TheaterOct. 8 – Houston – Smart Financial CentreOct. 12 – El Paso – El Paso County ColiseumOct. 14 – Los Angeles –Microsoft Theater
TLC and Shaggy look to warm up the tour circuit with their forthcoming Hot Summer Nights jaunt featuring special guests En Vogue and Sean Kingston.
Slated to kick off June 1 in Alabama, the Hot Summer Nights 2023 Tour will land in major markets, including New York, Miami, California, Texas and more. TLC has a laundry bag of Billboard Hot 100 hits across the ’90s and ’00s. Their four chart-toppers include “Creep,” “Unpretty,” “Waterfalls,” and “No Scrubs.” Last June, Chilli, and T-Boz performed at the Hollywood Bowl with Boyz II Men and left the crowd enthralled with their string of classics. The crown jewel of the night came when T-Boz introduced their performance of “Unpretty.” “This next song is near and dear to my heart because I wrote it from my heart. My boyfriend then made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. With social media now, the song still rings true today.” Then to applause, she added, “I kicked his a– to the curb.”
As for Shaggy, the dancehall titan has a bevy of Hot 100 classics, including chart-toppers “Angel” and “It Wasn’t Me.” In a 2021 interview with Billboard, Shaggy spoke on the importance of emerging dancehall artists breaking through. “I want the new generation to stream better than me because it boosts the genre and gives it a seat at the table. It gives us some sort of presence where corporate wants to f–k with us. It helps the culture with tourism. It’s a big part of our economy. When you beat me, that’s when we’re forced to be reckoned with.”
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Citi cardmembers can access presale tickets beginning Tuesday (March 14) at 10 a.m. local time until Thursday at 10 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program. The general on-sale starts Friday at 10 a.m. local time on LiveNation.com. See the dates below.
HOT SUMMER NIGHTS 2023 TOUR DATES:
DATES INCLUDE FULL LINEUP UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE (SEE BELOW)
^Not a Live Nation Date | ~Tickets for this show will go onsale at a later date
Thu June 1 – Pelham, Ala. – Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
Sat June 3 – Miami, Fla. – FPL Solar Amphitheater @ Bayfront Park
Sun June 4 – St. Augustine, Fla. – The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
Wed June 7 – Raleigh, N.C. – Coastal Credit Union Music Park @ Walnut Creek
Fri June 9 – Bristow, Va. – Jiffy Lube Live
Sat June 10 – Holmdel, N.J. – PNC Bank Arts Center
Sun June 11 – Mansfield, Mass. – Xfinity Center
Tue June 13 – Wantagh, N.Y. – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
Thu June 15 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
Fri June 16 – Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sat June 17 – Hartford, Conn. – XFINITY Theatre
Wed June 21 – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – Blossom Music Center
Fri June 23 – Tinley Park, Ill. – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Sat June 24 – Noblesville, Ind. – Ruoff Music Center
Sun June 25 – Clarkston, Mich. – Pine Knob Music Theatre
Wed June 28 – Maryland Heights, Miss. – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Fri June 30 – Irving, Texas – The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory
Sat July 1 – The Woodlands, Texas – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sun July 2 – Lake Cowichan, BC – Laketown Shakedown^ (with Shaggy Only )
Mon July 3 – Austin, Texas – Bass Concert Hall^~ (with TLC, Shaggy, & Sean Kingston Only)
Thu July 6 – Salt Lake City, Utah – Granary Live^ (with Shaggy & Sean Kingston Only)
Fri July 7 – Phoenix, Ariz. – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Sat July 8 – Irvine, Calif. – FivePoint Amphitheatre
Sun July 9 – Concord, Calif. – Concord Pavilion
Thu July 13 – Edmonton, AB – Edmonton EXPO Centre^ (with TLC & Shaggy Only)
Fri July 14 – Calgary, AB – Cowboys Music Festival^ (with TLC & Shaggy Only)
Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band has postponed two U.S. concerts “due to illness,” according to a statement from the group.
The Boss took to social media over the weekend to announce that his legendary rock band was forced to postponed concerts at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Sunday (March 12) and MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y., on Tuesday (March 14).
“We are working on rescheduling the date so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled show,” Springsteen tweeted in separate posts.
Further details about the illness were not provided.
E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt addressed the postponements through Twitter on Saturday (March 11), responding to a fan who was concerned about the group’s health.
“No need to be anxious or afraid. Nothing serious. Just a temporary situation. We will all be back in full force very soon,” Van Zandt wrote. The guitarist also clarified that the concerts were “postponed” and will be rescheduled. “We don’t cancel,” the guitarist tweeted to another fan.
Earlier this year, Springsteen was forced to perform without three of his E Street bandmates after they had to bow out of the group’s Dallas concert on Feb. 10. Both Van Zandt and violinist/singer Soozie Tyrel had tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of their the American Airlines Center concert, while Springsteen’s wife, singer/guitarist Patti Scialfa, was also absent from the stage for undisclosed reasons.
“We got a few members missing tonight — Stevie Van Zandt – COVID, Soozie Tyrell — COVID, Patti Scialfa… But goddammit, we’re gonna give Dallas the best show they’ve ever seen,” the rocker told the crowd at the top of the show.
Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band’s next performance is scheduled for Thursday (March 16) at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The group will perform in North American arenas through April before heading to Europe and the United Kingdom in early May.
See Springsteen’s postponement announcements below.
Due to illness, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s concert at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday March 12 has been postponed. We are working on rescheduling the date so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled show. pic.twitter.com/K3Gh4MdFe9— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) March 11, 2023
Due to illness, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s concert at MVP Arena in Albany on Tuesday, March 14 has been postponed.We are working on rescheduling the date so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled show. pic.twitter.com/CjoIFjjFnO— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) March 12, 2023
Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks joined forces for a pair of songs during their co-headlining stadium tour opener at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles on Friday (March 10).
The first duet between the iconic musicians arrived during Nicks’ set when the Piano Man took on Tom Petty‘s vocal part on the Billboard Hot 100 hit song “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” The pair reunited again during a performance of Joel’s ballad “And So It Goes.” Watch the team-ups here and here.
Elsewhere during the concert, dubbed Two Icons – One Night Only, Nicks delighted audience members with her first performance of “Fall From Grace” in more than a decade, Rolling Stone reports. She also delivered a rendition of Fleetwood Mac‘s “Sara,” marking her first solo performance of the track since 2008.
Nicks also paid tribute to her late Fleetwood Mac bandmate Christine McVie with an emotional delivery of the band’s “Landslide.” McVie died in November 2022 following a short illness. Watch Nicks’ heartfelt performance here.
“I have to imagine she’s still here,” a teary-eyed Nicks told the crowd. “It’s all I can do.”
Joel and Nicks’ co-headlining stadium tour continues on April 8 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. From there, the pair will visit Nashville (May 19); Philadelphia (June 16); Columbus, Ohio (Aug. 5); Kansas City, Mo. (Aug. 19); Foxborough, Mass. (Sept. 23); Baltimore (Oct. 7); and Minneapolis (Nov. 10).
Megan Thee Stallion is returning to the stage. The “Sweetest Pie” rapper will be headlining AT&T Block Party as part of the 2023 NCAA March Madness Music Festival. Slated to take place in Megan’s hometown of Houston, the three-day weekend will begin March 31 during NCAA Men’s Final Four and continue until April 2, with Megan’s headlining performance leading the way.
Held at Houston’s Discovery Green Park, AT&T will use its Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphones to film the concert through multiple camera angles. Fans can register for the show and live-stream the event here. “There’s no place I’d rather be for my first performance of the year than my hometown of Houston,” Megan said in a statement. “The AT&T Block Party Concert is gonna be such a vibe, and I can’t wait to get back on stage in the city where it all began. I’m looking forward to seeing my Hotties and putting on an unforgettable show for them.”
The rest of the weekend will include more superstar performances — day two will feature Lil Nas X and Maggie Rogers while day three will offer Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Little Big Town and Mickey Guyton.
December 2022 served as the conclusion to the Megan Thee Stallion-Tory Lanez saga, when the Canadian rapper was found guilty on three charges from a July 2020 shooting in Los Angeles. The jury convicted Lanez on the following charges: assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharge of a firearm with gross negligence.
Taking flavor to ANOTHER LEVEL®, Billboard and Doritos® are partnering to bring bold flavor to Austin, TX this upcoming SXSW®. On Thursday, March 16, Doritos® will present Billboard’s THE STAGE at SXSW® concert headlined by Lil Yachty featuring performances from Armani White and Lola Brooke at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park.
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Concert attendees will enjoy their favorite food leveled up with Doritos®️ Dips, available in Cool Ranch®️ Jalapeno and Spicy Nacho, and Doritos’ new Sweet & Tangy BBQ flavored chips. The dips, inspired by the signature Doritos®️ flavors we love, enhance your favorite meals and snacks because they go with everything and make any food extra.
Later that night, in addition to SXSW® pass holders, fans have the chance to transform their late night dining with an after hours food experience; Doritos®️ After Dark™ at Billboard House.
Featuring a custom menu, Doritos®️ After Dark™ will lead fans into a new world of Doritos after-hours eats with globally-inspired foods, including fan favorites like Doritos®️ Spicy Sweet Chili Chicken Bites and Doritos® BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos made with your favorite Doritos®️ flavors and paired perfectly with new Doritos®️ Dips.
Heading to Austin? Starting today and running through March 14, fans can sign up for the Doritos®️ After Dark™ at Billboard House Sweepstakes, earning a chance to win a pair of tickets to the exclusive event. Winners will be announced the day before the event, on March 15th.
And don’t worry if you don’t win the sweepstakes! There will be additional surprises at THE STAGE at SXSW® for concert attendees to experience Doritos®️ After Dark™.
See you in Austin!
At some point, music fans of a certain age inevitably ask the same question: why do shows have to start so late? Maybe you’re too cool to admit it, but Oscar-nominee Jamie Lee Curtis isn’t. The 64-year-old acting legend recently told The Hollywood Reporter on the Independent Spirit Awards red carpet and the Today show that as an early riser, she’s annoyed that there are no rock show matinees.
“I would love to go see Coldplay. I would love it,” she said. “The problem is, I’m not going to see Coldplay if they start their show at 9 and there’s an opening act. I want to hear Coldplay at 1 p.m.” Coldplay, on break from their mega Music of the Spheres world tour — which, for the record, has them taking the stage around 9 p.m. most nights — could not be reached for comment at press time.
The Halloween star has a point, though. So, since she asked, Billboard reached out to some prominent venue owners and promoters to ask them why JLC can’t sing a “Hymn For the Weekend” and still be home in time for the evening news.
“Just like when Jamie Lee Curtis’ movies play in theaters, they need to sell popcorn. Most of our margin is on drinks,” says Peter Shapiro, owner of Relix magazine, as well as the Brooklyn Bowl venues in New York, Las Vegas and Nashville and a number of other clubs. “It’s hard to sell drinks at 1 p.m.”
Shapiro says with the majority of ticket revenue and service fees going to the band (and ticketing agencies), the headliners take home most of the night’s haul, leaving the venue to live off ancillary revenue, most of which comes from the bar.
And while drinks play a huge part in keeping the lights on, Shapiro says there is another crucial element keeping shows after dark: mystique. “You can see a show in the afternoon, but at the end of the arc of the day it works going to a show in darkness,” he says. “The lights, being indoors… that’s all part of the impact. The lighting just doesn’t work as well at 1 p.m.”
After all, when Curtis is on set, she needs proper lighting to make a scene pop, just like headliners need their strobes and lasers to help amp up that going-out energy. “It’s the arc of the day, the moon… rock n’ roll lives at night. It’s in the DNA of rock n’ roll,” says Shapiro.
In a twist that might make JLC feel Everything Everywhere All At Once, however, that might slowly be changing, according Sound Talent Group agent John Pantle. As artists and their teams increasingly dive into the data behind their audience’s preferences, he says STG has found that some of his clients — and their fans — are into daytime gigs.
“Those shows are easier and cheaper to put together and through the use of metrics and social data, artists are better understanding the psychographics of their fanbases and tailoring performances to where those audiences are,” he says. As an example, he pointed to a recent sold-out show at L.A.’s Echoplex by Japanese metal band Nemophila, at which the headliner promptly started at 8 p.m.
“Younger audiences and teen audiences like that and we do matinee shows as well as headliner shows,” he says. “I have no problem doing an afternoon show because that proves artists are getting smarter about understanding their fanbase,” he says, adding, “it’s not all just working Joes who get off at 7 p.m.”
One of the few upsides of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Pantle, is that there is a greater understanding of the work-from-home atmosphere and how we’ve all gotten a better handle on how we want to spend our time playing. “The days of concerts being solely for an all-night experience and leaving at 1:30 in the morning are over,” he says, noting that by wrapping before 11 or midnight, the bands and their crews can load-out earlier and get on the road at a decent hour.
He’s seen the results by booking a number of earlier gigs for acts such as Japanese rockers Radwimps, virtual pop star Hatsune Miku and singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas. “I know the Hatsune Miku crowd, I know their demos, so not all shows are gonna be starting at 11 p.m. and not all shows are gonna be at 1 p.m. But data reflects audience. And if artist’s actions don’t reflect audience, artists will lose audience.”
That’s all fine and good for shows that might appeal to a younger, less hard-drinking crowd, but what about the midnight marauding EDM audience, who are used to, and expect, the party to go all night long?
Sorry, that’s changing too, according to veteran dance promoter James “Disco” Donnie Estopinal of Disco Donnie Presents. “When I first started doing shows in the ’90s they used to go until 8 a.m. and you can imagine how that looked… it was like The Walking Dead before that show even existed.” Lately, the DDP boss has slowly been moving up the end time of some of his festivals and events to midnight, or even 10 p.m., “depending on what I can get away with.”
Estopinal says so far he hasn’t seen any effect on attendance numbers, and, like Pantle, he also loves getting his team and venue staff home earlier. “Most people know you probably can’t get a venue in the middle of a city that will let you go until 2 a.m.,” he says, noting that there are, of course, exceptions such as Eric Prydz, whose legendarily trippy 3D hologram images just won’t fly at lunchtime.
He also says there is a younger audience of EDM fans who grew up going to Las Vegas daytime pool parties — or as his college-age son has informed him, “dartys” — that are a win-win for artists and crews used to breaking gear down when the sun comes up; the up-charge on drinks at such Vegas events doesn’t hurt the house’s bottom line, either. “I was just in New Orleans for Mardi Gras where we did two shows and I took a nap before both shows so I could make it until 4 a.m. and people made fun of me,” he jokes. “But I told them ‘I’m not gonna make it unless I get that nap.’”
Shapiro is already prepping the next generation of hard-dartyers for their turn with his long-running series called “Rock and Roll Playhouse.” The series has brought the music of Prince, Queen, The Beatles and Taylor Swift to more than two dozen venues around the country for morning and early afternoon shows at 500-1,500-capacity rooms that would otherwise be idle at that time.
“The weekend afternoon shows are a nice augmentation to Saturday night shows and it’s a good intro to cue the next generation into rock n’ roll,” Shapiro says. “But it’s an addition. It can never replace the DNA [of nighttime shows]… people won’t come at 3 and drink a bunch of beers, and that’s the money that powers the venues and the way venues can pay artists more money.”
So, take heart Jamie Lee — you might be getting your darty wish after all.
Kalush Orchestra, the Ukrainian act that captured the world’s attention last year when it won the Eurovision Song Contest as its country was being torn apart by war, wraps up a second North American tour on March 16 with a performance at SXSW in Austin.
The seven-member group’s song “Stefania” won Eurovision in Turin, Italy, with a record-setting 438 points from the public, reflecting the widespread pro-Ukraine sentiment at least year’s event three months after Russia launched its unprovoked invasion.
After the competition, Kalush Orchestra did an 18-show promotional tour, with performances in Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, France and at Glastonbury Festival in the U.K., before embarking on a 13-city North American tour. The shows helped raise funds for the Ukrainian armed forces. The group also sold its Eurovision trophy for $900,000, with the proceeds earmarked for the purchase of combat drones for Ukraine’s military. (The band raised $1.6 million overall.)
The current five-city U.S. jog cements the group as one of the few Eurovision winners to turn a victory at the pan-European competition into global success, following in the footsteps of ABBA, which won with “Waterloo” in 1974, and Måneskin, which triumphed with “Zitti e Buoni” in 2021. Billboard talked to the Kalush Orchestra’s founder and leader, rapper Oleh Psiuk, via Zoom about returning to the U.S., the impact of Eurovision on the band’s career and the ongoing war with Russia, which is now in its second year.
BB: Who came up with the idea for this new tour?
First, we were invited to the big showcase festival SXSW in Austin. We considered it to be a very cool opportunity, so we decided we should show our creativity, our works and of course we decided that then we could visit several cities which we’ve never been to in the U.S. before. That’s how our new tour was born, even though the previous one was just five months ago.
What was that first tour like and what would you like to see this time?
We had 18 concerts during the previous tour, and they were daily, so unfortunately, we saw only airports and the venues where we had those concerts. But still, we had a little bit of time to see sunny Los Angeles. L.A. is my favorite because I’ve always been listening to the music and to the performers from that area. And this time I do hope we’ll have more time to see and enjoy your country.
What performers from the West Coast are your favorites?
I love the performers from the so-called Golden Era. Like N.W.A, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. I listen to lots of music from the West Coast.
Last time you met Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he appeared in your video for ‘Generous Evening’ and spoke in Ukrainian. Are there any plans this time to meet any celebrities or government figures?
We don’t have any plans now, but honestly speaking we didn’t have any plans then as well. We wrote to Arnold that very day when we met and that was a lucky coincidence. So we do hope that this time we’ll also have such a day when we write to someone famous and we’ll have an opportunity to meet.
In the U.S., Eurovision is not that well known, though the Will Ferrell film (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) has helped increase awareness. How did American audiences find you on your first tour?
The bigger part of our audience was still Ukrainians who are living in the U.S. But there were other people who were coming to our concerts. The people who knew Eurovision, what it is, or people who just saw some announcement or billboard in the city and they decided to see us. They were just curious to get to know who we are, but after the concert, all kinds of people came up to us because they really loved it.
What are the main goals you want to accomplish for both the band and Ukraine?
First, we would like to show our music, for it to be known both in the U.S. and in Europe. Whatever city we visit, we’d like to perform and disseminate Ukrainian culture, for it to be well known anywhere. And, of course, we are raising money using the QR codes and the auctions. Last year, we raised 60 million hryvnia ($1.6 million) and we do hope to raise even more this time.
What does the money you raise support?
We send this money to some of the well-known foundations like United24 and the Sergey Prytula Foundation. And we buy armored vests and helmets and other important things for our war servicemen and military.
Kalush Orchestra
Katrin Oleynik
How do you feel when you’re out of your country? Does the trauma of the war continue?
Honestly speaking, it does not affect me. It does not influence me whether I’m in Ukraine or not, because there are lots of relatives and my parents and close friends, my good acquaintances who are now in Ukraine and I would say that I worry for them more than for myself. Because I don’t worry about myself that much. Obviously, I carry this burden with me everywhere and this kind of anxiety for them.
Let’s talk about what American audiences can expect on this current tour. Will you play new songs?
Yes. We have prepared a program which includes some of the new songs and some of the ones which have just been issued. For instance, we just issued a very new song which has the title “Changes.” It’s a very cool song with a cool video, which reflects all the changes which we are waiting for. We have a program which unites something authentic with some new styles.
Will an album be coming out soon?
So far, we plan to release singles. If we speak about the album coming out, it is planned closer to the end of the current year or maybe in the beginning of the next year. So far, we are issuing singles with cool videos in English.
It’s been not quite a year since you won Eurovision. How has your life changed, and the career trajectory of the band changed since?
We can now play a bigger role. We can have more impact on the bigger and vaster audience. We can disseminate our concert abroad and we can cover a broader audience with that. We can tell more about Ukrainian culture abroad.
That must have been an important reason for participating in Eurovision in the first place.
Yes, there were many reasons. Not only this one, but it was so important for us to win at this Eurovision, because victory is so important for Ukraine in every aspect. We made lots of people happy with this victory and we do hope it will go on like this.
Ukraine first won Eurovision in 2004 when Ruslana triumphed with “Wild Dances.” Where were you that year when she won? What did her victory mean to you and Ukraine?
I was only 10 years old then, so I don’t remember that much. But I do remember that it was a big noise, a big event in Ukraine. It had a huge resonance as an event. It was because Eurovision for Ukraine was always a very important competition.
What is next for the band after the American tour? Will there be any more touring in other countries?
Sure. We would like to get to as many of various festivals as possible to show our music and culture to the maximum. We would like to have as productive a year as the previous one was, to raise as much money and to disseminate information about us, about Ukraine.
The Kalush Orchestra’s 2023 U.S. tour dates:
March 9 — Cleveland, OH @ Cleveland Masonic
March 10 — Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
March 11 — Detroit, MI @ The Magic Stick
March 12 — Atlanta, GA @ District Atlanta
March 16 — Austin, TX @ SXSW
A third person has died after being injured in a stampede after a weekend concert by the rapper GloRilla in western New York, police said Thursday (March 9).
Aisha Stephens, 35, of Syracuse was the only person who remained hospitalized following a Sunday evening performance by the Memphis, Tennessee, rap star and Finesse2tymes at the Rochester Main Street Armory. She died Wednesday night.
Two other women, Rhondesia Belton, 33, of Buffalo and Brandy Miller, 35, of Rochester, also died and several people were injured after being caught up in a crush of concertgoers who surged toward the exits after the show.
Police said the stampede may have been triggered by unfounded fears of gunfire.
The city refused to renew the venue’s entertainment license on Wednesday, effectively shutting it down while criminal and regulatory investigations are underway, said Patrick Beath, the city’s deputy corporation counsel. In addition to a police investigation, he said fire and code enforcement authorities are inspecting the building and reviewing photos and video from the concert to determine if there were any violations.
The armory’s owner has not responded to numerous emailed requests for comment.
The main arena in the fortress-like armory has a capacity of about 5,000 people, city officials said.
As the concert ended Sunday, people exiting the venue just after 11 p.m. began to surge dangerously after hearing what they believed to be gunshots, city officials have said. Police found no evidence of gunfire.
Crowd surges at large events have turned deadly before, including one at 2021’s Astroworld concert by rapper Travis Scott in which 10 people died.
The 2023 Bourbon & Beyond festival at the Highland Festival Grounds in Louisville, Kentucky will host headliners Brandi Carlile, The Killers, The Black Keys and Bruno Mars atop an eclectic lineup of rock, pop, folk, blues and country acts from Sept. 14-17.
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The four-day event’s roster announced on Wednesday (March 8) will also feature Billy Strings, Train, Midland, Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors and The Lone Bellow on the first night, which will be topped by Carlile.
Night two will find the Killers atop a list including Duran Duran, Hozier, Brittany Howard, Bastille, The Gaslight Anthem, Wayne Newton, Inahler, Joy Oladokun and more. The Keys and Crowes will top Saturday’s rocking run-down, with support from The Avett Brothers, Spoon, First Aid Kit, Old Crow Medicine Show, City and Colour, Paolo Nutini, Luke Grimes and Danielle Ponder. The final night pairs headliner Mars with Blondie, Jon Batiste, Ryan Bingham, Babyface, Aloe Blacc, ZZ Ward and Fantastic Negrito, among many others.
Each day will also feature a full lineup on the Bluegrass Situation Stage with acts including Kelsey Waldon, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, The Lil Smokies, Twisted Pine, The Cleverlys, Town Mountain, Della Mae, Sunny Mar, Lindsay Lou, Dan Tyminski and Frank Solvian & Dirty Kitchen.
Tickets — including weekend GA, Weekend Mint VIP, Angels Envy Beyond VIP and single day GA and single day Mint VIP — are all available now here. As always, in addition to a full day and night of music, the fest will host bourbon and food stages with appearances from master distillers, A-list chefs and, of course, dozens of bourbons to taste.
Check out the full lineup on the festival poster below.
