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Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Return to the UK for First Headline Dates in Over 15 Years

Eric Alper
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Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Return to the UK for First Headline Dates in Over 15 Years

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are heading back to the UK this summer for their first headline dates there in more than 15 years, with stops in Glasgow, Leeds, and Manchester anchoring a run that stretches across 2 continents and opens at BottleRock Napa Valley on May 23.

The tour carries added weight. It’s Jett’s first since the death of Thommy Price, who drummed for the Blackhearts for nearly 30 years between 1986 and 2016, appearing on 8 of their albums. He was 68 when he died.

The BottleRock opener puts Jett on a bill alongside Foo Fighters, Kool and the Gang, Men at Work, and Bush before she heads to Europe for Sweden Rock Festival on June 5 and a stop in Tilloloy, France. In between, she plays the America250PA Commonwealth Concert Series in Hershey, Pennsylvania on June 13. The UK headline run follows in July.

Joan Jett’s 2026 Tour Dates:

5/23 – Napa, CA @ BottleRock Napa Valley 2026

6/5 – Solvesborg, Sweden @ Sweden Rock Festival 2026

6/13 – Hershey, PA @ America250PA Commonwealth Concert Series

6/28 – Tilloloy, France @ Retro c Trop

7/2 – Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy Glasgow

7/4 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy

7/5 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy Leeds

Eminem’s Rare ‘Infinite’ LP Shatters Records at Goldin’s Music Memorabilia Auction

Eric Alper
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Eminem’s Rare ‘Infinite’ LP Shatters Records at Goldin’s Music Memorabilia Auction

Goldin’s Music Memorabilia Auction closed May 6 with a string of record-breaking results anchored by a copy of Eminem’s 1996 debut ‘Infinite’, one of only 250 signed copies released by WEB Entertainment, which sold for $104,920, the highest price ever paid publicly for any Eminem item. A sealed CD of ‘The Slim Shady LP’ from 1999 added a second record, fetching $19,993 as the highest price ever paid for any Eminem compact disc.

The hip-hop category produced another all-time high with a sealed copy of The Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Ready to Die’, graded at a perfect AMG Mint 10 and featuring the original “If You Don’t Know, Now You Know” hype sticker, selling for $27,313, the highest price ever paid publicly for any CD.

Kurt Cobain items drove strong rock results. A self-released Nirvana ‘Bleach’ demo tape from the 1980s, with “Nirvana” handwritten by Cobain, sold for $19,520. A handwritten concert setlist from June 15, 1991, accompanied by a ticket stub, realized $17,690. A custom black fedora worn by Michael Jackson in a Pepsi commercial circa 1987-88 rounded out the top results, selling for $28,670.

Murray and the Movers Go Darker and More Cinematic With New Single “Dirty Laundry”

Eric Alper
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Murray and the Movers Go Darker and More Cinematic With New Single “Dirty Laundry”

“Dirty Laundry” doesn’t announce itself loudly. The new single from Murray and the Movers settles in slowly, a slow-burning blues-rock cut built on mood, tension, and deliberate restraint, with Lizzie Mack’s voice moving between raw intimacy and controlled power while Murray Cook’s minimal guitar work holds the whole thing in careful suspension.

The track leans into shadow and suggestion rather than declaration, letting atmosphere do the work. It’s cinematic in the truest sense, blues, country, garage rock, and classic soul filtered through a distinctly filmic sensibility that makes it an obvious candidate for film and TV placement.

A second version, “Squeaky Clean,” arrives May 22, pushing the same song into sharp-edged rockabilly territory. Where “Dirty Laundry” simmers, “Squeaky Clean” accelerates, and together the 2 versions offer a deliberately contrasting pair that shows the full range of what Murray and the Movers can do with a single piece of material.

Following the releases, Mack and Cook head to Spain in summer 2026 for a run of intimate duo shows, bringing their stripped-back chemistry to close, atmospheric rooms from Madrid to Barcelona.

Video: NOFUN! Brought Raw Indie Rock Energy to Glasgow’s TRNSMT Festival in 2025

Eric Alper
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Video: NOFUN! Brought Raw Indie Rock Energy to Glasgow’s TRNSMT Festival in 2025

On July 11, 2025, NOFUN! took the stage at Glasgow Green on the opening day of TRNSMT Festival, sharing a bill with headliners 50 Cent, Biffy Clyro, and Snow Patrol, and delivered a raw, energetic indie rock set that held its own against one of the UK’s most prominent festival lineups.

Gracie Abrams Announces Third Album ‘Daughter from Hell’ With Lead Single “Hit the Wall” This Thursday

Eric Alper
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Gracie Abrams Announces Third Album ‘Daughter from Hell’ With Lead Single “Hit the Wall” This Thursday

Gracie Abrams has announced ‘Daughter from Hell’, her third studio album, arriving July 17 via Interscope Records. Written and produced alongside longtime collaborator Aaron Dessner, the album follows ‘The Secret of Us’ and marks a deliberate new direction. Lead single “Hit the Wall” drops this Thursday at 5 pm PST / 8 pm EST, with pre-order available now.

Speaking with Vogue at the 2026 MET Gala, Abrams described the single with the kind of directness that defines her best work. “It’s the introduction to this new chapter, and I feel grateful and relieved that this is the introduction,” she said. “It feels embodied and that feels good. I’m excited for it to belong to everyone else.”

‘The Secret of Us’, released in June 2024, established Abrams at a new commercial level. The album debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 and reached number 1 in the UK, Australia, and the Netherlands. “Close to You” marked her first solo Billboard Hot 100 debut, while deluxe track “That’s So True” climbed to number 6 on the chart and entered Spotify’s Billions Club with over 1.5 billion streams. The album also produced “us.” featuring Taylor Swift, which earned Abrams a GRAMMY nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

Her debut album ‘Good Riddance’ (2023) earned a Best New Artist nomination at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards and sold out its headline tour in under an hour. She subsequently joined Taylor Swift as opening act on select dates of the Eras Tour, then spent 2024 and 2025 on back-to-back world tours behind ‘The Secret of Us’, including her first solo North American arena run.

Beyond music, Abrams recently became a house ambassador for Chanel and makes her acting debut in the upcoming A24 film Please, directed by Halina Reijn.

Video: Ariana Grande’s Historic 2019 Coachella Headline Set Is Streaming Now

Eric Alper
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Video: Ariana Grande’s Historic 2019 Coachella Headline Set Is Streaming Now

Ariana Grande’s 2019 Coachella headline set, the one that made her the youngest artist to ever top the festival’s main stage, is streaming now at OnlyLiveConcert.com. The performance moved through hits from ‘Sweetener’ and ‘thank u, next’ alongside a surprise appearance from Justin Bieber for a live duet of “Sorry,” his first performance in 2 years, all backed by a full orchestra and production that matched the scale of the moment.

Brad Paisley Launches Never-Ending ‘Tacklebox’ Project and Announces the Brad Paisley Live Tour

Eric Alper
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Brad Paisley Launches Never-Ending ‘Tacklebox’ Project and Announces the Brad Paisley Live Tour

Brad Paisley has a new project, a new tour, and a television appearance all landing in the same week. The Grammy-winning country superstar has launched ‘Tacklebox’, an ongoing release series drawing from decades of unreleased material alongside newly written songs rooted in the sounds of 90s country. The first track, “Fallin’,” is out now across all digital platforms.

Paisley describes ‘Tacklebox’ as open-ended by design. “I see this project as never-ending,” he says. “It’s almost like the fans have a direct link to my Dropbox or to a playlist that never ends.” The material spans songs written as far back as the 90s alongside new tracks inspired by the sounds of Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, Alabama, George Strait, and Garth Brooks. Recording took place at The Castle in Franklin, TN, the same studio where several of his earliest albums were made. Additional music from ‘Tacklebox’ drops this week.

Tonight, Paisley performs “I’m Gonna Miss Her” with American Idol contestant Lucas Leon during the live finale on ABC at 8 pm, streaming on Disney+ and available the next day on Hulu. Paisley wrote the song in 1995 during his senior year at Belmont University. It became his third number 1 single in 2002, part of a career total now sitting at 25 number 1 songs. Last week, Belmont University presented Honorary Doctorates to both Paisley and his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley in recognition of their philanthropic work in Nashville.

The Brad Paisley Live Tour launches August 27 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, wrapping around previously announced dates and festival appearances, and following his European shows in June. Jake Worthington opens select dates, with additional special guests to be announced. Promoted by Live Nation, presales begin tomorrow, Tuesday May 12, with VIP options available.

Brad Paisley Live 2026 Tour Dates:

Aug 27 – Bridgeport, CT @ Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater

Aug 28 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway

Aug 29 – Bangor, ME @ Maine Savings Amphitheater

Sep 2 – Fargo, ND @ Scheels Arena

Sep 4 – Milwaukee, WI @ BMO Pavilion

Sep 17 – Estero, FL @ Hertz Arena

Sep 18 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ FTL War Memorial Auditorium

Sep 19 – St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheatre

Sep 25 – West Springfield, MA @ The Big E

Sep 26 – Richmond, VA @ Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront

Oct 8 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Oct 9 – Corpus Christi, TX @ Hilliard Center Arena

Oct 10 – Ennis, TX @ Stars of Texas Music Festival

Mercers Announce Debut EP ‘The Liminal Tapes’ and Unleash Fierce New Single “Cleanse / Repeat”

Eric Alper
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Mercers Announce Debut EP ‘The Liminal Tapes’ and Unleash Fierce New Single “Cleanse / Repeat”

Mercers have a debut EP and a new single, and neither is pulling any punches. The UK alternative rock outfit have announced ‘The Liminal Tapes’, out everywhere July 17, alongside the release of “Cleanse / Repeat,” a politically charged track addressing the erosion of Western democracy. The video is out now.

Formed in 2025, Mercers bring together vocalist Olly James and guitarist/programmer Phil Bashford, key songwriters behind nu-metallers Fony’s ‘Routine Irregular’ and ‘Circles’, now joined by Richard Titheradge on drums and Simon Glover on guitars. The lineup gives the project a sharper, more expansive identity than what came before.

‘The Liminal Tapes’ includes reimagined versions of Fony tracks “A Satire for the World” and “January Zen,” sitting alongside new material that establishes Mercers on their own terms. “New Stockholm” takes on the intersection of mental health and free speech, while textured guitars and deliberate arrangements give the whole EP a muscular, focused sound that delivers on its premise.

What started as a creative purge, reworking older material to realize its original intent, grew into something with genuine forward momentum. Fony built a dedicated underground following on heaviness and vulnerability. Mercers carry that emotional core into sharper, more purposeful territory.

‘The Liminal Tapes’ Tracklist:

“Cleanse/Repeat”

“New Stockholm”

“A Satire for the World”

“January Zen”

Video: 30 Seconds to Mars Stripped It Down to Something Special in Moscow

Eric Alper
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Video: 30 Seconds to Mars Stripped It Down to Something Special in Moscow

March 17, 2015, Crocus City Hall, Moscow: 30 Seconds to Mars traded the full production for acoustic guitars, light percussion, and Jared Leto’s voice front and center, turning a 7,000-seat venue into something that felt considerably more intimate. Drawing from ‘Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams’, the performance leaned entirely on melodic fundamentals, with Shannon holding the rhythm to a minimum and the crowd filling in the rest.

Braxton Keith Drops Debut Album ‘Real Damn Deal’ With Grit, Swagger, and a Honky-Tonk Heart

Eric Alper
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0
Braxton Keith Drops Debut Album ‘Real Damn Deal’ With Grit, Swagger, and a Honky-Tonk Heart

Braxton Keith has been building toward this. ‘Real Damn Deal’, his debut album, arrives this Friday, May 15, via Warner Records Nashville, and the early response confirms what the live circuit has known for a while: this one has range.

Produced by Alex Torrez and David Dorn, the 15-track album features 10 Keith co-writes, tracing a wide circle around country tradition. His crisp, high-and-lonesome twang carries the whole thing, moving from dancehall swagger to reflective heartbreak without losing an ounce of authenticity along the way.

The critical reception to the lead tracks has been pointed and enthusiastic. Holler called “Little Bit By Little Bit” a record that kicks the door down “with a square-toe boot and swaggering into a dimly lit honky-tonk… fun as hell.” All Country News singled out “I Own This Bar” for Keith’s ability to bring genuine charisma to clever lyricism and honky-tonk charm. Music Row praised “Don’t No More” as “pristinely produced, well written and sung with heart.”

Keith celebrates the release with 2 performances in Las Vegas during ACM Awards week. Thursday brings a set at the Whiskey Jam Welcome Party, timed to the album’s release. Saturday, he takes the stage at Mandalay Bay Beach for ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash, the only non-nominee on a bill otherwise stacked exclusively with ACM nominees and winners. That’s a statement.

Named one of 2026’s Artists to Watch by both Amazon Music and Rolling Stone, Keith logged over 130 shows last year supporting Cody Johnson, Luke Bryan, and Gavin Adcock. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2025 and earned his first RIAA Gold certification for “Cozy.” This summer brings festival dates and his CMA Fest debut on June 6 at the Chevy Riverfront Stage in Nashville, before he heads back out on tour with Gavin Adcock in the fall.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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