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Charleston Black/Speed Metal Outfit Interceptor Drop Savage New Single “Blood On The Kudzu”

Eric Alper
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Charleston Black/Speed Metal Outfit Interceptor Drop Savage New Single “Blood On The Kudzu”

Interceptor have released “Blood On The Kudzu,” their first single of 2026 and the first to feature guitarist Brandon Barker. The Charleston, South Carolina black/speed/heavy metal outfit dropped the track on January 30, and it hits exactly as hard as their reputation demands. Listen here.

Barker, known for his work with Crazy Mad Ride and Rails to Roads, slots into Interceptor’s sonic attack with immediate force. The band’s core DNA remains intact: first-wave black metal energy, NWOBHM-inspired riffing, savage punk undertones, and a Venom-worshipping spirit that runs through every riff and drum blast. “Blood On The Kudzu” channels all of it with uncompromising intensity.

Formed in 2022, Interceptor have built their reputation fast. Their debut album ‘Tales of Mayhem’ drew critical attention across the extreme metal underground, establishing them as genuine torchbearers for a tradition that demands full commitment. There is no halfway with this band. The music hits like a sledgehammer and leaves no room for anything less than total sonic devastation.

“Blood On The Kudzu” is streaming everywhere now. For fans of Venom, Hellripper, and Midnight, this is exactly what you have been waiting for.

Wynonna Judd, Ann Wilson, Lucinda Williams and More Honor Tammy Wynette at the Ryman on March 30

Eric Alper
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Wynonna Judd, Ann Wilson, Lucinda Williams and More Honor Tammy Wynette at the Ryman on March 30

The Ryman Auditorium hosts Forever Yours, a star-studded tribute to Tammy Wynette, on March 30 at 7:30 PM. The one-night-only concert celebrating the “First Lady of Country Music” will be recorded for broadcast on PBS Great Performances. Tickets are on sale now at the Ryman’s website, with an airdate to be announced.

The lineup is formidable. Wynonna Judd performs “Woman to Woman” and joins Randy Houser for the classic duet “We’re Gonna Hold On.” Ann Wilson of Heart takes on “Stand by Your Man.” Lucinda Williams sings “Apartment #9.” The War and Treaty deliver “Golden Ring.” Lorrie Morgan, Gretchen Wilson, KT Tunstall, Terri Clark, and Brittney Spencer all bring Wynette’s catalog to life across the evening. Wynette’s daughter, Georgette Jones, closes with a personal tribute performing “I Hope You Knew.”

Wynette built one of the most emotionally resonant catalogs in country music history. From “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” to “Til I Can Make It on My Own,” her voice and raw storytelling shaped generations of artists and sold more than 30 million records worldwide. She earned multiple Grammy Awards and three CMA Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year. Performing her songs on the stage she helped elevate into the Mother Church of Country Music is exactly the right way to honor that legacy.

Forever Yours is produced by TH Entertainment and WORKS Entertainment, alongside Concord and Craft Recordings. The concert takes place March 30 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Classic Rock Icons Kansas Hit the Road With 38 Special for 8-City Summer Tour

Eric Alper
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Classic Rock Icons Kansas Hit the Road With 38 Special for 8-City Summer Tour

Kansas have announced a new round of 2026 tour dates, joining forces with 38 Special for an eight-city run that kicks off June 5 in Little Rock and wraps July 17 in Beaver Dam, Kentucky. The two classic rock heavyweights will swap closing slots on most nights, with Kansas going solo at the June 19 Heartland Credit Union Arena date in Park City, Kansas. Tickets are on sale now at the band’s website.

The tour adds to an already busy 2026 for Kansas, and the timing feels earned. Singer Ronnie Platt took time away from the road in early 2025 after a thyroid cancer diagnosis, but treatment went smoothly and he returned quickly. “It really feels like it was just a bump in the road,” Platt said. “Mother Nature sent me up a flag. The things that happened, the people that helped me along the way were just amazing.”

Platt sounds like a man with renewed energy, and that comes through in how Kansas has approached this year. Pairing them with 38 Special makes for a bill that delivers full value on both ends, two bands with deep catalogs and crowds that know every word.

Kansas and 38 Special 2026 Tour Dates:

June 5 | Little Rock, AR @ Simmons Bank Arena

June 6 | Lampe, MO @ Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater

June 12 | Macon, GA @ Atrium Health Amphitheater

June 13 | Tuscaloosa, AL @ Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater

June 19 | Park City, KS @ Heartland Credit Union Arena

June 20 | Lincoln, NE @ Pinewood Bowl

July 10 | Fort Wayne, IN @ Foellinger Theatre

July 17 | Beaver Dam, KY @ Beaver Dam Amphitheater

Documentary About North Hollywood’s Legendary Palomino Club Premieres at Country Music Hall of Fame

Eric Alper
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Documentary About North Hollywood’s Legendary Palomino Club Premieres at Country Music Hall of Fame

The Palomino, a documentary about the most influential country music venue most people have never heard of, premieres at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Theater in Nashville on April 25, 2026 at 2:30 PM. A panel discussion with cast members and filmmakers follows the screening. Tickets are available now at countrymusichalloffame.org.

Directed by Adrienne Isom and written by KP Hawthorn, the film tells the full story of The Palomino Club, a neon-lit honkytonk on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood that operated from 1949 to 1995. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams, Merle Haggard, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, and George Jones all passed through its doors. The West Coast proving ground for country’s rebels and outlaws, The Palomino helped shape what American roots music became.

“We didn’t go looking to make this film,” said Isom. “This is our first film and the story found us. Creating this movie has been the journey of a lifetime.” The project took seven and a half years to complete, drawing on unseen archival footage, raw personal memories, and interviews with artists, historians, and family members who lived the story firsthand.

The film features Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Dave Alvin, John Jorgenson, Chris Shiflett, and many more. The editorial team includes Emmy Award and ACE Award-winning editor Damian Rodriguez. Produced by L.A. and Nashville-based Mule Kick Productions, a female-owned company that has championed The Palomino’s legacy since reopening the venue for one night in 2018.

This is a piece of American music history that deserves to be seen.

Riz Ahmed Stars as a Struggling Actor in Prime Video’s Wild New Comedy Series ‘Bait’

Eric Alper
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Riz Ahmed Stars as a Struggling Actor in Prime Video’s Wild New Comedy Series ‘Bait’

Prime Video has released the official trailer for Bait, a new six-episode comedy series created by and starring Academy Award and Emmy Award winner Riz Ahmed. All six episodes drop March 25, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Ahmed plays Shah Latif, a struggling actor whose last shot at breaking through comes in the form of the audition of a lifetime. The series unfolds over four chaotic days as his life spirals, his family weighs in, his ex-lover resurfaces, and the entire world forms an opinion on whether he is the right man for the job. It is a premise built for both comedy and genuine tension, and Ahmed is exactly the right person to carry it.

The supporting cast is stacked. Guz Khan, Sheeba Chaddha, Sajid Hasan, Aasiya Shah, Weruche Opia, and Ritu Arya all appear alongside Ahmed. Ben Karlin serves as showrunner alongside Ahmed, who also executive produces and writes. The series is produced by Jax Media and Amazon MGM Studios.

Ahmed has been one of the most compelling performers working today, and Bait puts him front and center in a vehicle entirely his own. The trailer delivers on the premise with sharp writing, a kinetic pace, and Ahmed doing what he does best.

All six episodes of Bait stream March 25 on Prime Video.

Violet Grohl Announces Debut Album ‘Be Sweet To Me’ and Drops Sly New Single “595”

Eric Alper
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Violet Grohl Announces Debut Album ‘Be Sweet To Me’ and Drops Sly New Single “595”

Violet Grohl announces her debut album, Be Sweet To Me, set for global release on May 29th via Auroura Records / Republic Records. Following the 2025 release of “THUM” and “Applefish,” today Violet also unleashes a new album track “595,” accompanied by a Nikki Milan Houston-directed video. 

Inspired by a vintage t-shirt advertising a phone sex line, new song “595” is a sly and sexy slasher filled with jolts of noise and a killer chorus: “I’ll be your 1-900-G spot, baby / 595 I’m on the line / You won’t last.”

Be Sweet To Me was recorded from late 2024 into early 2025 at producer Justin Raisen’s (Kim Gordon, Charli XCX)  Los Angeles home studio alongside musicians assembled in the spirit of the Wrecking Crew session players in the ’60s and ’70s. The first song Violet wrote with her collaborators, a fuzzy ripper called “THUM,” was influenced by the old-school packaging of anti-nail-biting polish that Grohl brought into the studio. “Self help me/Self help myself/Chew my bitter fingers,” she snarls in a honeyed voice over ecstatic squall.

Alternative music from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s is a perpetual influence. “There’s something so powerful about that period of music, from the messaging to the visuals, it’s authentic and raw.” Pixies, Soundgarden, Cocteau Twins, The Breeders, PJ Harvey, The Muffs, Björk, Alice in Chains, L7, Juliana Hatfield: “I’ve listened to that stuff since I was a kid,” Grohl says.

The songs on Be Sweet To Me were conjured from the immediate present and tend to be impressionistic, colored by Grohl’s love of film, particularly the work of David Lynch. The slippery and melodic “Bug In A Cake” recalls the paranormal activities surrounding Grohl’s recent move into the home of her late paternal grandma, a beloved “guiding force” in her life. “Turn the TV off so it turns back on/Come on, grandma, play me your favorite song,” Grohl roars.

In addition to CD, Be Sweet To Me is available to preorder in black, blueberry jam (exclusive to indie retailers) and ivory vinyl (exclusive to the official artist store). Pre-Save + Pre-Order HERE.

1. THUM
2. 595
3. Bug In The Cake
4. Last Day I Loved You
5. Big Memory
6. Mobile Stars
7. Often Others
8. Applefish
9. Cool Buzz
10. Pool Of My Dream
11. Plastic Couch

In January, Violet released “What’s Heaven Without You,” a haunting track written in the aftermath of the Altadena fires in Los Angeles, inspired by David Lynch. The track will be available along b-side “Swallowtail” as an exclusive 7” Record Store Day release on April 18th. FLOOD Magazine said it “features an atmospheric instrumental bolstered by a marching snare drum and ethereal synths,” while Alternative Press said it “shows Grohl’s voice drifting over an enigmatic instrumental as she grapples with an internal monologue, feeling trapped between devotion and self-protection.

National Music Centre Unveils Major Nelly Furtado Exhibit Ahead of Her JUNO Hall of Fame Induction

Eric Alper
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National Music Centre Unveils Major Nelly Furtado Exhibit Ahead of Her JUNO Hall of Fame Induction

The National Music Centre in Calgary opens a new feature exhibit dedicated to Nelly Furtado on March 25, just days before her induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 55th Annual JUNO Awards in Hamilton on March 29. Developed in partnership with CARAS, the exhibit lives at Studio Bell and runs through February 2027.

The exhibit spans Furtado’s full career arc, more than two decades of genre-defying pop that has moved over 35 million albums worldwide and earned her JUNO, GRAMMY, and Latin GRAMMY Awards. Highlights include a 20-foot illuminated catwalk displaying iconic stage outfits, among them the black sweater vest from the 2006 “Maneater” video and a custom silver ensemble worn during her 2024 JUNO Awards performance. Original lyric sheets, notebooks, and archival materials offer an intimate window into her songwriting process.

“Music has always been about exploration for me, and this exhibit captures so many chapters of my journey,” said Furtado. “To have these moments and memories showcased at the National Music Centre is such an honour.” The exhibit is the first of two Canadian Music Hall of Fame displays opening at NMC in 2026, with a second celebrating the remaining class of 2026 inductees arriving this fall.

The timing could not be better. Furtado’s Hall of Fame induction airs nationally on March 29, placing her alongside Canada’s most celebrated musical icons. Allan Reid, President and CEO of CARAS, called her “one of the artists who has redefined contemporary pop music most boldly,” and the exhibit makes that case with force.

The Nelly Furtado exhibit is accessible with paid admission to Studio Bell in Calgary. It opens March 25.

Kacey Musgraves Announces ‘Middle of Nowhere’ With New Single “Dry Spell”

Eric Alper
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Kacey Musgraves Announces ‘Middle of Nowhere’ With New Single “Dry Spell”

Kacey Musgraves has announced her seventh album, ‘Middle of Nowhere’, due May 1 via Lost Highway. Leading the record is “Dry Spell,” a new single accompanied by a cheeky music video co-directed by Musgraves and Hannah Lux Davis. The clip follows Musgraves through a grocery store, daydreaming about one of the employees. It is exactly as fun as it sounds.

The album finds Musgraves processing a long stretch of creative solitude, writing across time spent in Texas, Tennessee, and Mexico. “For the first time, it actually felt incredible being alone and existing in a space not defined by anyone else,” she said. That openness to liminal space, geographical and emotional, shapes the entire record. The result sounds like an artist fully at ease with uncertainty.

The guest list is formidable. Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert, Billy Strings, and Gregory Alan Isakov all appear on ‘Middle of Nowhere’, each lending their voice to a project that already feels like one of the more anticipated country-adjacent releases of 2026. Musgraves has always known how to build a room, and this one has serious company.

The announcement follows Musgraves taking home Best Country Song at last year’s Grammy Awards for “The Architect,” bringing her career total to eight wins. She praised 2026 Album of the Year winner Bad Bunny last month after his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance. ‘Middle of Nowhere’ arrives May 1.

‘Middle of Nowhere’ Tracklist:

1 Middle of Nowhere

2 Dry Spell

3 Back on the Wagon

4 I Believe in Ghosts

5 Abilene

6 Coyote (ft. Gregory Alan Isakov)

7 Loneliest Girl

8 Everybody Wants To Be a Cowboy (ft. Billy Strings)

9 Horses and Divorces (ft. Miranda Lambert)

10 Uncertain, Texas (ft. Willie Nelson)

11 Rhinestoned

12 Mexico Honey

13 Hell on Me

L.A. Jazz Masters Black Nile Drop Gorgeous New Single “Danielle” Ahead of ‘Indigo Garden’

Eric Alper
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L.A. Jazz Masters Black Nile Drop Gorgeous New Single “Danielle” Ahead of ‘Indigo Garden’

Black Nile are back with a new single, and it is a quietly stunning one. Brothers Aaron and Lawrence Shaw released “Danielle” on March 11, a slow-rolling jazz number written by Aaron during one of the most difficult periods of his life. The track arrives ahead of the duo’s forthcoming album, ‘Indigo Garden’, due April 10 on MASS MoCA Records. Listen here.

“Danielle” carries real weight. Aaron wrote it while going through chemotherapy, returning again and again to a melody he’d captured in a voice memo. “Every time I thought about this melody, I thought about her,” he said of his partner. The song is a love letter, and it sounds like one, warm and unhurried, built around feeling rather than flash.

Black Nile come out of the L.A. jazz scene that produced Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, and Terrace Martin. Both GRAMMY-nominated, Aaron’s saxophone work has landed him collaborations with Tyler, The Creator, Herbie Hancock, Saul Williams, and Carlos Niño. He gave André 3000 flute lessons. Lawrence has played bass for John Legend, Booker T. and the M.G.’s, Nubya Garcia, and Raphael Saadiq, and currently tours with Andy Grammer.

‘Indigo Garden’ was recorded at Studio 9 in North Adams, MA and Hen House Studios in Venice Beach, produced by Harlan Steinberger, who has been with the band since their earliest sessions. The album features cover art from conceptual artist Charles Gaines and contributions from keyboardists Luca Mendoza and Brian Hargrove, and drummer Myles Martin. It is both a deep bow to their Inglewood roots and a bold push into new jazz territory.

TIDAL called Black Nile’s sound “funky ideas, traditional thoughts, even a nod to dub music,” and ‘Indigo Garden’ delivers exactly that and more. “Danielle” is out now on all platforms.

Live Nation and the Momentary Unveil Plans for Bentonville Ballroom, a New 2,500-Cap Venue

Eric Alper
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Live Nation and the Momentary Unveil Plans for Bentonville Ballroom, a New 2,500-Cap Venue

Live Nation announced today that it is exploring plans for a new music venue in the heart of downtown Bentonville. In collaboration with the Momentary, the Bentonville Ballroom would be located adjacent to the beloved arts institution and would attract national touring acts, community events, and local performances. With a capacity of 2,500, it would add a much-needed midsize performance space to the city and complement the venue landscape in Northwest Arkansas. It would open in 2028.

Bentonville Ballroom would represent a meaningful investment in the local community and the city’s long-term future. It would provide a significant boost to nearby small and local businesses, particularly restaurants and hotels, by driving increased tourist and economic activity. It is estimated to generate $46.3 million in economic impact every year. The venue would support approximately 280 jobs, including venue employees earning starting wages of $20 per hour. In addition, the project is expected to generate approximately $4.9 million annually in state and local tax revenue. 

The proposed concept by Blueprint Studio, Live Nation’s in-house design and development group, and BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group and Polk Stanley Wilcox, reflects Bentonville’s deep connection to nature. Early concepts feature natural materials, warm wood tones, and a layout that brings the Ozarks’ textures and light into the performance space. The vision is a venue that feels both modern and rooted, where art, architecture, and landscape work together to create an unforgettable setting for live music.

“Bentonville is a destination for arts and culture, and food, and the Momentary ignited the city’s music scene,” said Tom Walton, chair of the Momentary Council. “The Bentonville Ballroom will be a beautiful new cultural landmark. We’re happy to invite Live Nation to our campus. Their experience connecting artists and fans will accelerate our city’s momentum with year-round, quality music experiences for residents and visitors.”

“We’re honored to work with the Momentary to bring more music to Northwest Arkansas,” said Anthony Nicolaidis, Live Nation’s Arkansas Market President. “This is going to be a special room that brings major artists to Bentonville, and creates a permanent cultural asset for the city – a place where local fans can see their favorite acts without having to travel.”

Every detail will be crafted with both artists and fans in mind, from state-of-the-art acoustics and clear sightlines to comfortable gathering spaces and thoughtful amenities and premium hospitality. Premium options will be available for those seeking an elevated experience. The space will also be available for private and corporate events. The venue, including ticketing and programming, will be operated by Live Nation.

Live Nation will work with neighbors and city officials to review the proposal and share input. Priorities include a parking plan that utilizes the Momentary’s garage spaces and connects the venue to Bentonville’s strong cycling infrastructure.

“We’re excited to see this investment in Bentonville’s live music infrastructure and enthusiastically support the Bentonville Ballroom project,” said Kalene Griffith, president and CEO of Visit Bentonville. “Live music delivers real economic value for Bentonville and attracts audiences from our community, the region, and beyond. In addition to music, the Bentonville Ballroom will also strengthen our unconventional convention offerings and expand our capacity to host high-impact cultural and business events.”

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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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