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Playing Dead Marks 50 Years Since the Grateful Dead’s Legendary 6/11/76 Boston Concert

Eric Alper
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Playing Dead Marks 50 Years Since the Grateful Dead’s Legendary 6/11/76 Boston Concert

Fifty years ago, the Grateful Dead took the stage at the Boston Music Hall and delivered a show that Deadheads have never stopped talking about. On June 11, 2026, the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame and Rhino Records are bringing that night back to life at the very same venue, now the Boch Center Wang Theatre, with Shakedown at Boston Music Hall: Grateful Dead 50th Anniversary Celebration 6/11/76 – 6/11/26. Tickets are on sale now at FolkAmericanaRootsHallofFame.org.

The 6/11/76 concert was the fifth show of the Dead’s comeback tour, packed with fresh arrangements of classics from their early catalog. Grateful Dead historian David Lemieux said of the performance, “The perfection they achieved on this tour is on full display on June 11, 1976, in Boston.” That’s the show Playing Dead will recreate, performing the Dead’s full second set featuring “Sugar Magnolia,” “St. Stephen,” “Stella Blue,” and more.

Playing Dead brings serious credentials to the task. The tribute act features former members of Dark Star Orchestra, Slipknot!, and Uncle John’s Band, known for marathon sets that draw from the entire Dead catalog. Their sets are improvised and unique each night, faithful to the spirit of what made a Grateful Dead concert unlike anything else.

“The Dead played here more than a dozen times, but this show, 50 years ago, stands out as one of the absolute highlights of the Wang Theatre’s 100-year history,” said Casey Soward, President and CEO of the Boch Center. The theatre itself is celebrating its centennial this year, making the timing of this event that much more significant.

Rhino Records recently released the 6/11/76 performance as a special 5LP Record Store Day offering, and the evening will feature special merchandise tied to that release. Dogfish Head Brewery brings Grateful Dead Citrus Daydream and Juicy Pale Ale to the event, alongside Dead-themed food, a commemorative poster, and a curated exhibit from the David Bieber Archives tracing the Dead’s history in Boston.

VIP packages are available, including early access, a backstage theatre tour, photo opportunities, and a commemorative lanyard. Tickets are limited.

SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Twenty One Pilots, Hootie & the Blowfish Among New Performers Added to the 52nd American Music Awards

Eric Alper
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SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Twenty One Pilots, Hootie & the Blowfish Among New Performers Added to the 52nd American Music Awards

The 52nd American Music Awards just got bigger. Hootie & the Blowfish, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims, and Twenty One Pilots have all been added to the performer lineup for the May 25 broadcast, hosted by Queen Latifah live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS and Paramount+.

Hootie & the Blowfish return to the AMA stage 30 years after winning the Pop/Rock New Artist award in 1996. Twenty One Pilots bring fan favourite “Drag Path,” a limited-time bonus track that went viral and has since crossed nearly 100 million streams. Teddy Swims, fresh off Coachella and Stagecoach, performs his latest single “Mr. Know It All.”

KATSEYE make their AMA debut with the U.S. television premiere of new single “PINKY UP.” Maluma returns with material from ‘Loco x Volver’, out May 15. Keith Urban performs a track from his forthcoming Yacht Rock album ‘Flow State’, due June 12. Riley Green makes his AMA performance debut, currently guest starring on the hit CBS show Marshals. SOMBR, a seven-time nominee, also takes the stage for the first time ahead of his fall arena tour.

Fan voting is open now at VoteAMAs.com and closes Friday, May 8 at 11:59 a.m. PT. The 52nd AMAs air Monday, May 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are on sale now via AXS.

Bearsville Bluegrass Festival Returns Memorial Day Weekend With Catskill Mountain String Band

Eric Alper
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Bearsville Bluegrass Festival Returns Memorial Day Weekend With Catskill Mountain String Band

The Bearsville Bluegrass Festival is back for Memorial Day Weekend, and tickets are moving fast. On Sunday, May 24 from noon to 6 p.m., Bearsville Park in Woodstock comes alive with live bluegrass, local food, community, and the kind of easy afternoon that makes this one of the most beloved events of the season.

Headlining this year is Catskill Mountain String Band with Bruno Bruzzese, a band deeply rooted in the spirit and sound of the Catskills. Blending old-time fiddle traditions, bluegrass, and classic country influences, their music is warm, alive, and built for an outdoor crowd. They’ve been welcomed back to Bearsville before, and for good reason.

Joining them are festival favorites On The Trail with Austin Scelzo and Bugs on a Log String Band, rounding out an afternoon lineup that runs from noon straight through to 6 p.m.

New for 2026, Austin Scelzo leads a free community harmony singing session before the festival kicks off, a joyful warm-up open to everyone. It’s a fitting addition to an event that has always been as much about community as it is about music.

The Phoenicia Flea Market returns to the grounds with vintage treasures, handmade goods, and local artisans spread throughout the park. Guided Nature Trail walks with Dave Holden and a Rock & Roll Tour with Larry Germack exploring Bearsville’s legendary musical history round out the experience between sets.

Come hungry. Meat and vegan brats, pulled pork, grilled sweetcorn, salted potatoes, and watermelon will be served fresh all afternoon. All VIP Pagodas are already sold out, and tickets are going quickly.

Show Details:

Bearsville Bluegrass Festival Sunday, May 24, 2026 12 noon – 6 p.m. Bearsville Park, 291 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY

Electronic Duo TURNSPIT Drop Shape-Shifting New Single “Do I Know You?”

Eric Alper
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Electronic Duo TURNSPIT Drop Shape-Shifting New Single “Do I Know You?”

TURNSPIT are moving fast and the music keeps up. The Leeds electronic duo have released “Do I Know You?,” their latest single and another strong entry in a run of early releases that have established them as one of the more compelling new voices in the left-field club scene. Surreal, emotive, and entirely self-produced, the track showcases the depth and shape-shifting versatility that’s been drawing attention from DIY Mag, Stereogum, So Young, and The Line of Best Fit. Listen here.

TURNSPIT work with a disciplined writing ethic and an extreme attention to detail, and it shows. Their sound moves between intimate electronica and propulsive intensity without losing its footing, and “Do I Know You?” continues that approach with confidence. Each release feels like its own thing while still belonging to a clearly defined artistic vision.

The duo has been building their live presence just as deliberately. Alongside a resident spot at DJ Suburu’s club night Maxximum Pleasure, early shows have ranged from Soho Electronic Festival to grassroots indie venues, with support slots alongside Adult DVD, Night Tapes, and Honesty already on the books. Now comes their first confirmed festival appearances, Green Man and Left of the Dial, with more to be announced.

Coming up is an audiovisual headline show at the Club Room at Picturehouse Cinema in Finsbury Park on June 4, followed by dates in Manchester, Sheffield, and Leeds alongside Bathing Suits, and festival appearances through the summer and fall.

“Do I Know You?” is out now.

2026 Tour Dates:

May 22 – Manchester, White Hotel (Bad Dreams club night)

May 29 – Sheffield, Gut Level (supp. Bathing Suits)

May 30 – Leeds, Margate Bleach (supp. Bathing Suits)

June 4 – London, The Club Room @ Picturehouse Cinema, Finsbury Park

August 20–23 – Green Man Festival

October 13 – Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach (supp. Adult DVD)

October 14 – Bristol, Thekla (supp. Adult DVD)

October 22–24 – Left of the Dial Festival

Canadian Punk Rock Titans Sum 41 Tore Apart Hellfest 2019 and the Footage Proves It

Eric Alper
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Canadian Punk Rock Titans Sum 41 Tore Apart Hellfest 2019 and the Footage Proves It

Sum 41’s 2019 set at Hellfest in Clisson, France is exactly what the band does best, a high-octane run through their catalog in front of thousands of fans on one of Europe’s biggest stages, delivering “The Hell Song,” “We’re All To Blame,” and more with the kind of ferocious precision that reminds you why this band has stayed a vital force in rock music for over two decades.

Carrie Underwood Launches HiNote, a Women’s Wellness Brand Built Around Real Daily Life

Eric Alper
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Carrie Underwood Launches HiNote, a Women’s Wellness Brand Built Around Real Daily Life

Carrie Underwood has launched HiNote, a women’s wellness brand built around the idea that taking care of yourself shouldn’t require overhauling your entire day. The brand brings together movement, nourishment, and community under one roof, with products and tools designed to fit into real life rather than compete with it.

The first product out of the gate is HiNote Everyday Energy Daily Nutrition Drink Mix. It delivers 20g of protein, including 15g of clear whey and 5g of collagen, alongside 5g of fiber, 13 fruits and vegetables, superfoods, greens, and vitamin B. No added sugar, no caffeine, and it comes together in 30 seconds. Available in three flavors, Berry Medley, Juicy Peach, and Strawberry Lemonade, it’s designed to provide sustained energy throughout the day.

“Health and wellness have always been such an important part of my life,” says Underwood. “Through my app, my own workouts, and daily conversations, I keep hearing the same heartfelt truth from women everywhere, myself included: we want to care for ourselves while still showing up for everything else our busy lives demand. That’s why I created HiNote.”

Alongside the drink mix, Underwood’s popular fitness app fit52 is evolving into HiNote Life, Powered by fit52. The app brings together guided workouts led by Underwood, simple and nutritious recipes, a food tracker, and a supportive community in one destination. It’s available now on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Underwood has been building in this space for a while. fit52 launched in 2020 alongside her New York Times bestselling book Find Your Path. She also founded Calia by Carrie Underwood and holds an equity stake in BodyArmor sports drink. HiNote is the next step in a wellness portfolio that’s been growing steadily for years.

HiNote has also partnered with Girls on the Run International, a national nonprofit delivering after-school programs for girls in grades three to eight that combine physical activity with confidence-building and life skills development. The partnership reflects the brand’s broader commitment to empowering women and girls through movement and community.

HiNote Everyday Energy Daily Nutrition Drink Mix, single-flavor bags, variety packs, and a branded shaker bottle are available now at HiNote.com.

The Nth Power Let the Music Do the Talking on New Album ‘Never Alone’

Eric Alper
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The Nth Power Let the Music Do the Talking on New Album ‘Never Alone’

‘Never Alone’, the new album from The Nth Power, is out now, and it’s the kind of record that rewards patience. Built around themes of connection and shared experience, the trio lets those ideas live inside the music rather than announcing them. The result is an album that breathes, develops slowly, and sticks around.

The Nth Power have always been a live band at their core, and the decision to record largely in the room reflects that identity. Grooves develop gradually here. Songs like “Crave You” and the title track don’t chase big moments. They build steady presence through repetition and subtle variation, which gives ‘Never Alone’ a cohesive flow across its runtime.

The collaborative tracks add dimension without disrupting the record’s pace. “Simple Life,” featuring The Soul Rebels, brings a brighter, more outward-facing energy into the mix. “Smile,” featuring Nicholas Payton and Skerik, moves slower and deeper, horns adding texture without overwhelming the core arrangement. Both tracks earn their place.

Instrumentally, the album stays focused. Nikki Glaspie anchors everything behind the kit, while Nick Cassarino and Nate Edgar keep their focus on texture and groove. There’s very little excess anywhere on the record, even when guests expand the sound. The band operates within a defined range and trusts it completely.

What defines ‘Never Alone’ is its restraint. It doesn’t chase peaks. It builds an atmosphere and invites you into it, which is harder to pull off than it sounds and more satisfying when it works.

The Nth Power are supporting the album with New Orleans release-week shows, Northeast headline dates, and summer festival appearances.

Photo Gallery: No Doubt Open Their Sphere Residency With “Tragic Kingdom” Live for the First Time in Nearly 20 Years

Eric Alper
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Photo Gallery: No Doubt Open Their Sphere Residency With “Tragic Kingdom” Live for the First Time in Nearly 20 Years

No Doubt walked onto the Sphere stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday night and opened with “Tragic Kingdom,” a song the band hadn’t performed live in nearly 20 years. That’s how you start a residency. The show was the first of 18 dates at one of the most technologically advanced venues in the world, and it delivered on every level.

Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and Adrian Young tore through fan favourites including “Don’t Speak,” “Hella Good,” “Ex-Girlfriend,” and “Just A Girl,” backed by Sphere’s fully immersive LED display and Sphere Immersive Sound system. Archival footage dating back to the band’s late-80s beginnings ran throughout the show, making it feel like both a celebration and a statement.

The residency marks No Doubt’s first extended run of shows in nearly 14 years, following their 2012 Seven Night Stand in Los Angeles. It arrives on the heels of the 30th anniversary of ‘Tragic Kingdom’, the breakthrough album that defined an era and continues to connect with audiences worldwide. The band also becomes the first female-led act to headline Sphere.

Their return has been building. Reunion performances at Coachella in 2024 and FIREAID in early 2025 reestablished the band’s presence before this Las Vegas run. Sphere is the right room for a catalog this big and a visual identity this strong. The venue wraps the audience in sound and image in a way that few acts have the material to fully justify. No Doubt does.

Running alongside the residency is The No Doubt Experience, an immersive pop-up developed with Vibee and located in The Summit Showroom at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. The exhibit features more than 500 artifacts from the band’s archives, interactive installations, and archival storytelling tracing their full evolution. It’s free and open to the public, with added access for Vibee VIP pass holders.

The residency runs through Saturday, June 13. Tickets and information are available at nodoubt.com.

Live at Sphere — Remaining Dates:

Friday, May 8, 2026

Saturday, May 9, 2026

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Friday, May 15, 2026

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Thursday, May 21, 2026 (Memorial Day Weekend)

Saturday, May 23, 2026 (Memorial Day Weekend)

Sunday, May 24, 2026 (Memorial Day Weekend)

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Friday, May 29, 2026

Saturday, May 30, 2026

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Friday, June 5, 2026

Saturday, June 6, 2026

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Friday, June 12, 2026

Saturday, June 13, 2026

All Photos below by Matt Starkey

All Photos below by John Shearer

Mary J. Blige Adds Ten More Las Vegas Dates After Her Residency Opens to Sold-Out Crowds

Eric Alper
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Mary J. Blige Adds Ten More Las Vegas Dates After Her Residency Opens to Sold-Out Crowds

Mary J. Blige sold out her opening weekend in Las Vegas, and the demand didn’t stop there. Ten additional performances of Mary J. Blige: My Life, My Story The Las Vegas Residency have been added at Dolby Live at Park MGM, with new dates running August 28 through September 6 and October 23–31. Presales are open now, with general sale opening Monday, May 11 at 10 a.m. local time.

The residency is a full career retrospective, backed by a powerhouse live band, dynamic dancers, and a production built to match the scale of her catalog. Hits including “Family Affair,” “Be Without You,” “Real Love,” and “I’m Goin’ Down” anchor a show that moves through three decades of some of the most essential R&B music ever recorded. Blige’s voice, her raw storytelling, the whole thing lands exactly as it should in Dolby Live’s 5,200-seat room.

The opening weekend set a high bar. Surprise appearances from The Lox, Method Man, Jadakiss, and 50 Cent turned already-sold-out shows into genuine events. Each performance promises new surprises and special collaborations. A limited number of tickets remain for the previously announced May and July dates.

Britpop Icons Ash Celebrate 30 Years of ‘1977’ With Expanded Edition and Global Tour

Eric Alper
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0
Britpop Icons Ash Celebrate 30 Years of ‘1977’ With Expanded Edition and Global Tour

Thirty years ago, three teenagers from Northern Ireland released a debut album that became one of the defining records of the Britpop era. ‘1977’ hit number one, went platinum, and gave the world “Girl From Mars,” “Goldfinger,” “Kung Fu,” and “Oh Yeah.” Ash are marking the anniversary properly, with an expanded edition of the album and a global tour that runs from September through December 2026.

The 30th Anniversary Edition comes in three formats. The 2LP EcoRecord Green and Black ‘InkPlosion’ vinyl presents the original album on LP1, with a curated collection of B-sides on LP2, including “Day Of The Triffids,” “Luther Ingo’s Star Cruiser,” “Cantina Band,” and “T Rex.” The 2CD Digisleeve and digital edition dig even deeper.

Disc 1 carries the original 12-track album alongside four additional recordings, including the long-lost “Bittersweet Blue,” a 2026 version of “Oh Yeah,” a 2026 demo mix of “Girl From Mars,” and an acoustic 2026 mix of “Gone The Dream.” These aren’t filler additions. They add genuine dimension to a record that still sounds urgent and melodic three decades on.

Disc 2 captures a full live performance of ‘1977’ recorded at STABAL Studios in 2021, with fan favourites from the era including “Coasting,” “Sneaker,” “American Devil,” and “Silver Surfer.” It’s a document of a band that never lost the thread of what made these songs work in the first place.

The global 1977 tour kicks off in September, with dates across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Europe, wrapping in the UK and Ireland in December. Japanese dates are to be announced. Presale opens May 12 and general sale begins May 15.

Also already in the books, Ash performed a live acoustic streamed concert on May 6 from Belfast’s Oh Yeah Centre, 30 years to the day since ‘1977’s’ original release. The evening was hosted by BBC Introducing’s Taylor Johnson, who guided the band through the stories behind the music.

The 30th Anniversary Edition of ‘1977’ is available on 2LP vinyl, 2CD Digisleeve, and digitally.

2026 Tour Dates:

September – Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia (dates TBA)

October/November – Europe (dates TBA)

December – UK and Ireland (dates TBA)

Presale: May 12

General Sale: May 15

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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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