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Post-Punk Quartet Tiger Knives Capture the Dread of Standing Still On New Single “Bitter End”

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Tiger Knives have a new single and video out now, and “Bitter End” hits exactly as hard as the name suggests. The Raleigh post-punk quartet deliver angular, gothic-hued guitars and a slow-burn tension that draws clear lines back to Wire and The Fall, while pulling in the heavier, coiled-spring energy of early Deftones and Type O Negative. The mantra “time is not your friend” runs through the track like a current, and the deliberate pacing and disjointed rhythms make the stagnation at the song’s core feel visceral and immediate. This is heavy music that knows how to breathe.

The accompanying video matches the mood with collage-style fragmentation, oversaturated tones, and band members drifting in and out of focus. It leans into the song’s themes of uncertain limbo without over-explaining them, adding genuine retro texture to an already strong track. Tiger Knives formed in 2019 as a two-piece under Jake Craven and Brandon Howell before expanding to a full quartet, releasing their debut LP ‘Ruminations’ on Bleeding Ghost Records in 2023. “Bitter End” signals a band that has found its footing and is moving with purpose.

Maynard James Keenan Digs Through the Crates at Amoeba Hollywood in New “What’s In My Bag?” Episode

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Maynard James Keenan walked into Amoeba Hollywood and came out with a masterclass in musical DNA. The Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer frontman sat down for the iconic “What’s In My Bag?” series, pulling records that trace a direct line from his earliest influences to the artist he became. Ahmad Jamal and Joni Mitchell sit alongside Minor Threat and Black Flag, and somehow it all makes complete sense.

The picks span jazz, punk, no wave, hip-hop, and early hardcore. The Ahmad Jamal Trio’s ‘The Awakening’, Joni Mitchell’s 1976 U.S. Tour LP, Swans’ ‘Birthing’, Sonic Youth’s ‘Goo’, DEVO’s ‘New Traditionalists’, The Pretenders’ ‘Extended Play’, N.W.A.’s ‘Straight Outta Compton’, and a Puscifer record round out a selection that is as eclectic and deliberate as Keenan himself. He also grabbed a Pee-Wee Herman coffee mug, because of course he did.

The episode lands as Puscifer’s first new album in over five years, ‘Normal Isn’t,’ is out now via BMG. For anyone curious about what feeds one of rock’s most singular creative minds, this video is essential viewing.

GRAMMY Winner Alessia Cara Reimagines a Decade of Hits On New Jazz-Soul Album ‘Love Or Lack Thereof’

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Alessia Cara marks ten years in music with ‘Love Or Lack Thereof’, out March 20. The 12-track album takes ten of her biggest hits and strips them down to live-off-the-floor jazz and soul arrangements, recorded at Noble Studios in Toronto with longtime collaborator and JUNO nominee Jon Levine. One new original song, “I’m In Trouble,” rounds out the set.

The features here carry real weight. Fellow GRAMMY winner Nelly Furtado appears on “Shapeshifter,” while Norah Jones joins Cara on “I’m In Trouble,” the album’s sole new composition. Two of contemporary music’s most distinct voices stepping into Cara’s catalog is not a small thing, and the results land with warmth and quiet authority.

The catalog being reimagined is genuinely substantial. “Here” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and moved three million copies. “Scars to Your Beautiful,” “Stay” (with Zedd), and her feature on Logic’s “1-800-273-8255” all added platinum certifications. ‘The Pains of Growing’ won the JUNO for Best Album, and ‘In The Meantime’ drew critical praise from Pitchfork, Billboard, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times.

Stripping these songs to their bones and running them through jazz and soul arrangements is a confident move, and Cara earns every moment of it. A decade in, she sounds completely at home.

Love Or Lack Thereof Tracklisting:

  1. I’m In Trouble (LOLT Version)
  2. Find My Boy (LOLT Version)
  3. Not Today (LOLT Version)
  4. Ready (LOLT Version)
  5. Garden At Nighttime (LOLT Version)
  6. Shapeshifter with Nelly Furtado (LOLT Version)
  7. Out Of Love (LOLT Version)
  8. Stay (LOLT Version)
  9. Fire (LOLT Version)
  10. (Isn’t It) Obvious (LOLT Version)
  11. I’m Yours (LOLT Version)
  12. I’m In Trouble with Norah Jones (LOLT Version)

Arkells Drop Breezy New Single “Ride” Featuring GROUPLOVE Ahead of April Album ‘Between Us’

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Arkells drop “Ride” today, the fourth single from their forthcoming album ‘Between Us’, due April 17 via Universal Music Canada and Virgin Music Group. The track features GROUPLOVE, whose layered vocals and punching falsettos lock in immediately with Arkells’ warm indie-pop groove. On the surface it’s a song about cycling through the city. Underneath, it’s about resisting the pull of materialism in favour of something simpler and more alive. “When Christian and Hannah sing together, we feel a chemical reaction to their voices,” says frontman Max Kerman. “That pure, explosive freedom we needed in the song.” Listen here.

‘Between Us’ is produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Death Cab for Cutie, Wallows) and arrives as a genuinely exciting chapter for the nine-time JUNO Award winners. The album follows singles “Next Summer,” “What Good?,” and “Money” (featuring Portugal. The Man), with “Ride” rounding out a strong early run of releases. Pre-orders are live now on vinyl and CD, including a signed edition on grass-green vinyl, with cover photography by Pelle Cass shot atop Hamilton’s Jackson Square rooftop.

The European and UK leg of the Between Us Tour is underway now, with shows in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK through March 20. Both Manchester and London dates are sold out. North American dates follow in April, running through June, with a series of Canadian “City Takeovers” featuring multi-night runs in small clubs across Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Toronto, many of which the band hasn’t played in over a decade. Several of those dates are already sold out.

Arkells also perform at the 2026 JUNO Awards on March 29 at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, their hometown. The band made a surprise appearance there in December 2025 as guests of the Jonas Brothers, delivering a performance of fan favourite “Leather Jacket” to a sold-out crowd.

Between Us Tracklisting:

  1. Next Summer
  2. What Good?
  3. Ride (ft. GROUPLOVE)
  4. Money (ft. Portugal. The Man)
  5. Imagine Barcelona
  6. Desire’s Got Some Questions
  7. Universe Talking
  8. Two Hearts
  9. What’s On Your Mind (ft. Poolside)
  10. Rumour
  11. Escape Door

2026 Between Us Tour Dates:

March 12 – Berlin, Germany – Mikropol

March 13 – Hamburg, Germany – Nochtspeicher

March 15 – Cologne, Germany – Artheater

March 17 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Bitterzoet

March 19 – Manchester, United Kingdom – Deaf Institute (SOLD OUT)

March 20 – London, United Kingdom – Underworld (SOLD OUT)

March 29 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum (2026 JUNO Awards Broadcast)

April 17 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom (SOLD OUT)

April 18 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom (SOLD OUT)

April 26 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge

April 28 – Detroit, MI – Shelter (SOLD OUT)

April 30 – Washington, DC – Atlantis

May 1 – Philadelphia, PA – Foundry

May 2 – New York, NY – Racket

May 7 – Vancouver, BC – The Penthouse (SOLD OUT)

May 8 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre (SOLD OUT)

May 9 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom (SOLD OUT)

May 14 – Edmonton, AB – The Buckingham (SOLD OUT)

May 15 – Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room (SOLD OUT)

May 16 – Edmonton, AB – Midway Music Hall (SOLD OUT)

May 19 – Calgary, AB – The Palomino (SOLD OUT)

May 20 – Calgary, AB – The Royal Canadian Legion (SOLD OUT)

May 21 – Calgary, AB – The Palace Theatre (SOLD OUT)

May 30 – Fergus, ON – Meadows Music Festival

June 5 – Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre (JUST ADDED)

June 6 – Quebec City, QC – Grizzly Fuzz (JUST ADDED)

June 17 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace (SOLD OUT)

June 18 – Toronto, ON – History (SOLD OUT)

June 19 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre

Aug 29 – Hubbards, NS – Shore Club on the Cove (JUST ADDED)

Festival d’été de Québec 2026 Brings Muse, Jelly Roll, Gwen Stefani and 175 Shows to the Plains of Abraham

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Festival d’été de Québec has unveiled its 2026 lineup, and it covers serious ground. Running July 9 to 19 across Old Québec, the 58th edition delivers more than 175 performances across six stages, anchored by headliners Jelly Roll, Gwen Stefani, Muse, Michael Bublé, Kesha, Limp Bizkit, Martin Garrix, Patrick Watson, and Souldia. One headliner slot on July 12 remains to be announced.

Muse return nearly a decade after closing FEQ in 2017 with one of the festival’s most attended performances. Gwen Stefani brings three decades of catalog, from her No Doubt years through a string of global solo hits. Jelly Roll closes out the Plains of Abraham run, his country-rock-hip-hop hybrid earning him major chart traction and a devoted live following.

The bill runs deep well beyond the headliners. Cypress Hill, The Lumineers, The All-American Rejects, Jessie Reyez, Mother Mother, Daughtry, cleopatrick, Sean Paul, Shaggy, and Lord Huron all appear across the various stages. Québec and Canadian artists feature prominently throughout, with Klô Pelgag, Les Louanges, Leif Vollebekk, Ariane Roy, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, and The Barr Brothers among the highlights.

Two of FEQ’s six stages are free, and general admission festival passes for all 11 days start at $180 (taxes included). “Music should be experienced everywhere, by as many people as possible,” said BLEUFEU President and CEO Nicolas Racine. Passes and full schedule details are available now at feq.ca.

Violet Grohl Traces New Single ‘595’ Back to a Hidden T-Shirt and Her Dad Dave Grohl

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Violet Grohl has a new single, a debut album in the vault, and a origin story that only makes sense if your dad is Dave Grohl. The singer-songwriter stopped by Radio X’s The Evening Show with Dan O’Connell to talk about ‘595’, a heavy, desert-rock track inspired by a vintage sex phone line t-shirt she ordered on Etsy. Her dad opened the package, quietly hid the shirt in his studio for months, and inadvertently handed her a song concept. The track pulls lines directly from the shirt’s ad copy, and the result is exactly as compelling as that sounds.

Her debut album ‘Be Sweet To Me’ was recorded in late 2024 with producer Justin Raisen, drawing on a reference playlist anchored by Soundgarden, the Breeders, Cocteau Twins, and Goldfrapp. Grohl has been sitting on the finished record since then, getting logistics in place while the singles roll out. With ‘595’ now out alongside earlier single “THUM,” the album’s arrival is getting closer, and the foundation it’s built on makes a strong case for paying close attention.

Watch the interview here.

The Pussycat Dolls Announce 53-Date “PCD Forever” World Tour With New Single “Club Song” Out Now

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The Pussycat Dolls are back on the global stage. Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, and Ashley Roberts have announced the “PCD Forever” Tour, a 53-date run through North America, Europe, and the U.K. beginning June 5. The tour celebrates the 20th anniversary of their debut album ‘PCD’, and Lil’ Kim and Mya join as special guests on select dates.

“Club Song” is out now, the group’s first new recording since 2019’s “React.” Produced by Mike Sabath and co-written by Scherzinger alongside Sabath, Caroline Ailin, and Solly, the track arrives with real energy and signals genuine creative momentum. It is sharp, confident, and built for a room of thousands. Listen here.

The anniversary context here is significant. “Buttons” and “Don’t Cha” are each certified 5x platinum, with “Buttons” surpassing one billion YouTube views this past December. “Stickwitu” holds a 3x platinum certification. These are not just nostalgia markers, they are genuine pop milestones, and the Dolls carry them with authority.

The catalog gets a full reissue treatment on May 8. Both ‘PCD’ and ‘Doll Domination’ return across multiple formats, with ‘Doll Domination’ hitting 2LP black vinyl for the first time. A special digital expanded edition, ‘PCD Forever’, includes new and unreleased tracks. Pre-orders are live now.

The North American leg opens June 5 in Palm Desert and runs through August 1 in Dallas, hitting major amphitheatres across the continent. The European and U.K. run launches September 9 in Copenhagen, moving through arenas across the continent before closing October 13 at The O2 in London.

The tour also includes a headline slot at WeHo Pride’s OUTLOUD Music Festival on June 6, a moment that feels entirely fitting for a group whose catalog has long been woven into the fabric of pop culture at its most celebratory.

Presale access opens March 18, with general on-sale beginning Friday, March 20 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com. VIP packages, including the Buttons Behind The Scenes Experience and Doll Domination Experience, are available now at pcdforever.com.

North America Tour Dates:

Jun 5 – Palm Desert, CA – Acrisure Arena

Jun 6 – West Hollywood, CA – OUTLOUD Music Festival

Jun 9 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Jun 10 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

Jun 12 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre

Jun 13 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre

Jun 15 – West Valley City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

Jun 18 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater

Jun 19 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Jun 21 – Milwaukee, WI – North Stage at Summerfest Grounds

Jun 23 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater

Jun 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center

Jun 27 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center

Jun 28 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center

Jun 30 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater

Jul 1 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre

Jul 3 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre

Jul 6 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Jul 8 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview

Jul 10 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheater

Jul 11 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center

Jul 12 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena

Jul 14 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

Jul 15 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center

Jul 16 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live

Jul 20 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Jul 22 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater

Jul 24 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Jul 25 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

Jul 26 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Jul 29 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater

Jul 31 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug 1 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion

Europe + U.K. Tour Dates:

Sep 9 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena

Sep 10 – Oslo, NO – Oslo Spektrum

Sep 13 – Luxembourg, LU – Rockhal

Sep 14 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle

Sep 16 – Warsaw, PL – COS Torwar

Sep 18 – Antwerp, BE – AFAS Dome

Sep 19 – Paris, FR – Accor Arena

Sep 21 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion

Sep 23 – Prague, CZ – O2 Arena

Sep 26 – Dusseldorf, DE – PSD Bank Dome

Sep 27 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome

Sep 29 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena

Sep 30 – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena

Oct 2 – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena

Oct 3 – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena

Oct 5 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena

Oct 7 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro

Oct 9 – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena

Oct 10 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live

Oct 13 – London, UK – The O2

Gondos Lampoon the Nine-to-Five Grind On Fuzzed-Out New Single “Stop Calling Me”

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Gondos are back, and they brought the fuzz. The Portland, Oregon four-piece return today with “Stop Calling Me,” a two-minute-forty-second garage rock rager that tears through the soul-crushing absurdity of office life. Singer and guitarist Aidan Case draws from a short-lived telemarketing gig, channeling anger, sarcasm, and pure exasperation into something that hits harder than any day job ever could.

The track is a gritty, high-velocity gut check, fuzz-laced and built for volume. Anger rarely sounds this focused or this fun.

Alongside the single, Gondos drop a video filmed in a Chinatown district warehouse in their hometown. Harsh fluorescent lighting, stripped-back space, zero pretense. The visual matches the music perfectly: direct, unadorned, alive.

“Stop Calling Me” marks the band’s first release in nearly a year, and it arrives with serious weight behind it. The sessions were recorded live to half-inch tape by lead guitarist Ben Windheim (also of Portland locals The Macks), and they mark the debut of new bassist Elisabeth Zarnick alongside Case, Windheim, and drummer Grant Anderson.

Ravinia Festival’s 2026 Lineup Features Paul Simon, Alabama Shakes, and a Rebuilt Pavilion

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Ravinia Festival has dropped its full 2026 season schedule, and it is one of the strongest lineups the Highland Park institution has assembled in years. Running June through September across the festival’s 36-acre park, the season brings more than 90 concerts spanning rock, pop, jazz, classical, hip-hop, country, and family programming. Tickets go on sale to the public April 23 at Ravinia.org, with donors getting early access beginning March 17.

The season also marks the grand reopening of the redesigned Hunter Pavilion, rebuilt with a deeper stage, a new acoustic shell engineered for orchestral performance, and updated sound and lighting systems. President and CEO Jeffrey P. Haydon called it “a state-of-the-art venue” that draws world-class talent eager to perform in a space that goes beyond simply hosting music. The first artists to christen the new stage include Ricky Martin, Miranda Lambert, Alabama Shakes, and Rod Stewart.

The headliner list reads like a greatest-hits catalog of living legends and essential contemporary artists. Paul Simon plays two nights (July 17 and 18). Alabama Shakes return with special guest Liam Kazar on August 21. Bonnie Raitt takes the stage August 22, followed by Brandi Carlile on August 26. Chance the Rapper headlines August 8. Kool & The Gang bring Morris Day & The Time and ConFunkShun for what will be a full-on celebration on August 27.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra anchors the midsummer stretch with a six-week residency celebrating its 90th anniversary at Ravinia. Highlights include St. Vincent performing with the CSO and conductor Jules Buckley on July 25, Lizzo joining Marin Alsop and the orchestra on July 11, and CSO Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä making his Ravinia debut across two nights in August. Jacob Collier closes the season in the intimate Martin Theatre on September 23.

The full schedule runs deep with something for every corner of music, from Emmylou Harris and Graham Nash (July 26) to Deep Purple with Kansas (August 25), Ziggy Marley and Thievery Corporation (September 17), and Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas (September 12). This is Ravinia at full strength.

2026 Ravinia Festival Concert Schedule:

June 3 | Terence Blanchard & Ravi Coltrane (Martin Theatre)

June 4 | Stella Cole (Bennett Gordon Hall)

June 5 | Joshua Bell & Jeremy Denk (Martin Theatre)

June 6 & 7 | Wildflowers: Kurt Elling with Fred Hersch (Sandra K. Crown Theater)

June 7 | Alisa Weilerstein & Inon Barnatan (Martin Theatre)

July 11 | Lizzo & Yunchan Lim with CSO

July 12 | Billy Idol

July 14 | Squirrel Nut Zippers (Carousel Stage)

July 15 | Harry Connick Jr.

July 17 & 18 | Paul Simon

July 19 | María Dueñas with CSO

July 22 | Augustin Hadelich (Martin Theatre)

July 23 | CSO

July 24 | Laura Karpman with CSO

July 25 | St. Vincent with CSO, conductor Jules Buckley

July 26 | Chanticleer (Martin Theatre) / Emmylou Harris & Graham Nash

July 28 | Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band with special guest The Docksiders

July 29 | The Kody Norris Show (Carousel Stage)

July 31 | Carlos Simon with CSO

Aug. 1 | Emanuel Ax & John Williams with CSO / Laurie Berkner

Aug. 2 | Ted Sperling with CSO / Black Moon Trio (Sandra K. Crown Theater)

Aug. 4 | Magic City Hippies (Carousel Stage)

Aug. 5 | Danish String Quartet (Martin Theatre)

Aug. 6 & 7 | Klaus Mäkelä with CSO

Aug. 8 | Chance the Rapper / Black Moon Trio (Sandra K. Crown Theater)

Aug. 9 | Hugh Jackman with Chicago Philharmonic / Misha Dichter (Bennett Gordon Hall)

Aug. 11 | Brian McKnight & Gladys Knight

Aug. 12 | Joe Bonamassa

Aug. 13 | Quincy Jones Tribute with CSO, conductor Jules Buckley

Aug. 14 | Steve Hackman with CSO

Aug. 15 | moe. and Umphrey’s McGee / Okee Dokee Brothers (Carousel Stage)

Aug. 16 | CSO 90th Anniversary Tchaikovsky Evening / Frederica von Stade & Susan Graham (Bennett Gordon Hall)

Aug. 19 | Gregory Alan Isakov with Chicago Philharmonic

Aug. 20 | Ricky Martin

Aug. 21 | Alabama Shakes with special guest Liam Kazar

Aug. 22 | Bonnie Raitt / Divi Roxx Kids (Carousel Stage)

Aug. 23 | Grease Sing-Along

Aug. 25 | Deep Purple with special guest Kansas

Aug. 26 | Brandi Carlile

Aug. 27 | Kool & The Gang with special guests Morris Day & The Time and ConFunkShun

Aug. 28 | Alabama

Aug. 29 | Ray LaMontagne (Trouble 20th Anniversary Tour) with special guest The Weather Station / Dr. Seuss Goes to the Opera (Martin Theatre)

Aug. 30 | Miranda Lambert

Sept. 3 | Music of the Baroque with Dame Jane Glover

Sept. 5 | Rod Stewart with special guest Richard Marx / Karen Ouzounian (Sandra K. Crown Theater)

Sept. 6 | Squeeze with special guest Adam Ant / Olga Kern (Bennett Gordon Hall)

Sept. 12 | Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas with special guest Theo Lawrence

Sept. 13 | 10th Fiesta Ravinia: Los Tigres del Norte

Sept. 17 | Ziggy Marley and Thievery Corporation

Sept. 18 | Tom Jones

Sept. 19 | Martina McBride

Sept. 23 | Jacob Collier (Martin Theatre)