Apple Music brought Rihanna to celebrate her musical genius as the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performer on Sunday, February 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
U2 Announces “Achtung Baby” Las Vegas Residency With Mega Super Bowl Commercial
U2 dropped the ultimate sneak peek – to a mass global audience – today with a Super Bowl commercial that has fans wondering if the band is perhaps announcing inter-planetary travel or an out-of-this-world experience. The ad HERE gives a glimpse into their next ambitious project – titled ‘U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere’ – which will see the world’s biggest rock band launch the world’s most exciting all-new state-of-the-art venue, MSG Sphere at The Venetian, in Las Vegas this Fall. This special run of shows marks the band’s first live outing in four years, following the massive success of their acclaimed Joshua Tree 30th anniversary stadium tour which was seen by over 3.2 million fans worldwide and their 2018 eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE indoor tour which played to a combined audience of 1 million across Europe and North America.
The full-length trailer announcement is a celebration of the global U2 community, featuring a select group of new and longtime U2 fans (along with a few band doppelgangers) coming together for a futuristic Achtung Baby adventure in a unique desert landscape.
Acknowledged as the best live act in the world, U2 have always – since their earliest days, including the industry-defining ZOO TV Tour which broke the mold in 1991 – consistently pushed the boundaries of live performance, with ground-breaking stage shows that embrace the latest in technology and innovation. Live Nation’s announcement that the band will launch MSG Sphere, the state-of-the art venue currently dominating the Las Vegas skyline, is fitting for a show from the world’s most thrilling live band.
The announcement comes with confirmation that Larry Mullen Jr. will take time out to undergo and recuperate from surgery in 2023. These Las Vegas shows will see Larry and the band welcome drummer Bram van den Berg who will be sitting in to join Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton onstage at MSG Sphere.
Bono, The Edge and Adam said, “It’s going to take all we’ve got to approach the Sphere without our bandmate in the drum seat, but Larry has joined us in welcoming Bram van den Berg who is a force in his own right.
The Sphere show has been in the works for a long time. We don’t want to let people down, least of all our audience… the truth is we miss them as much as they appear to miss us… our audience was always the fifth member of the band. Bottom line, U2 hasn’t played live since December 2019 and we need to get back on stage and see the faces of our fans again. And what a unique stage they’re building for us out there in the desert… We’re the right band, ACHTUNG BABY the right album, and the Sphere the right venue to take the live experience of music to the next level… That’s what U2’s been trying to do all along with our satellite stages and video installations, most memorably on the ZOO TV Tour, which ended in Tokyo 30 years ago this Fall.
The Sphere is more than just a venue, it’s a gallery and U2’s music is going to be all over the walls.”
The Edge added – “The beauty of the Sphere is not only the ground-breaking technology that will make it so unique, with the world’s most advanced audio system, integrated into a structure which is designed with sound quality as a priority; it’s also the possibilities around immersive experience in real and imaginary landscapes. In short, it’s a canvas of an unparalleled scale and image resolution and a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We all thought about it and decided we’d be mad not to accept the invitation.”
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. Executive Chairman and CEO James L. Dolan said, “MSG Sphere’s advanced technology allows a legendary band like U2 to bring its music to life in entirely new ways. The Sphere is a new medium that will redefine entertainment.”
MSG Sphere introduces a new medium of entertainment. Fans will feel the impact of the greatest band in the world’s most experiential venue. MSG Sphere introduces the first 16K screen that wraps up, around, and behind the audience. Sphere Immersive Sound delivers pitch perfect audio to every seat in the house. 4D technologies will let the audience feel the wind on their face, the heat on their skin and the rumble of thunder. The ‘U2 UV Achtung Baby Live At The Sphere’ opening series of shows will tap into this exclusive technology, allowing fans to experience something completely new.
The band has also released “One” from their new album Songs Of Surrender – a collection of 40 seminal U2 songs from across the band’s catalog, re-recorded and reimagined for 2023 in sessions spanning the last two years which sees the band revisit some of the most celebrated songs of their 40+ year career, to be released in full on Friday March 17th. A special world premiere of “One” could be heard during the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Super Bowl feature. Listen here.
African Women Acting Celebrates Black History Month With Film and New Single at ADA Slaight Hall Feb 18
TRACE is a DOCUMENTARY & celebratory project aiming to recognize the work and efforts of seven Black Canadians in diverse sectors including business, entrepreneur, academic, arts and culture, history and philanthropy, as well as front-line workers and more, who have impacted the community with their great accomplishments.
TRACE – Tracing Rare African Canadian Extraordinaire Doc To Be Screen Feb 18 at ADA Slaight Hall
Date: Feb 18th, 2023
Time: 4pm to 10pm
Location: ADA SLAIGHT HALL 585 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7
Media Invite RSVP to: vip@africanwomenacting.org
Free Admission Tickets Here
The documentary was Executive Produced by African Women Acting (AWA) & Saimy’s Art, and Produced and Directed by Sonia Aimy, and co-produced by Kennedy Seed Obioha following seven TRACE Honourees:
Rustum Southwell – Nova Scotia – Impactor Of Black Business In Canada. Empowering Black Business Initiatives In Canada
Rosemary Sadlier – Toronto – Custodian Of Black History
Charlene-Rokhaya Jaye – Montreal – Advocate For Women Empowerment & Digital Technology.
Tunde Dawodu- Calgary – Visionary & Promoter Of African Culture & Heritage In Calgary Alberta
Adonis Huggins – Toronto – Community Leader & Advocate For The Development Of Younger Generation
Renee’ Rankine – London – Advocate To End Gun Violence & Visual Artist
Naila Keleta-Mae – University Of Waterloo- A Professor & Founder Of Black And Free/artist.
In addition to the film screening, “TRACE (Tracing Rare African Canadian Extraordinaire)”, the new single from Sonia Aimy, was written and recorded as the theme song for the documentary and celebratory project of the same name. The TRACE project aims to recognize the work and efforts of seven Black Canadians in diverse sectors i.e., business, entrepreneur, academic, arts and culture, history, and philanthropy. The seven TRACE honourees include Adonis Huggins, Charlene Rokhaya-Jaye, Naila Keleta-Mae, Renee Rankine, Rosemary Sadlier, Rustum Southwell, and Tunde Dawodu.
The inspiration for the song comes from the TRACE project itself–the desire to discover true role models who do a lot for their community but do not boast about their actions. The afrobeat genre at its core follows a similar principle; allow the instrumentals to speak to the narrative while the vocals are simply an added flourish. “It inspired me to focus on the musical arrangement that will balance the TRACE beautiful narratives,” says Sonia.
Watch The Smashing Pumpkins Perform On Local Television In 1988
The Smashing Pumpkins made one of their first appearances on the Roselle, Illinois cable access show “Pulse” during its “Basement Jam” segment, just after recording their demo tape in 1988.
Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and Harrison Ford Talk About ‘Star Wars’ on The Mike Douglas Show in 1977
The stars of the surprise blockbuster Star Wars (well, bavk in 1977 it was) talk to Mike Douglas: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford.
Kellylee Evans and Savannah Ré Announced As Grand Prize Recipients Of Annual Her Music Awards
The SOCAN Foundation, part of the SOCAN Group of companies, is thrilled to announce Kellylee Evans and Savannah Ré as the grand prize recipients of the third annual Her Music Awards, in partnership with Bandzoogle.
“This important initiative has previously supported trailblazing artists including Haviah Mighty, Leela Gilday, Nuela Charles, and Caveboy,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of SOCAN Foundation. “We’re thrilled to add the incredible Savannah Ré and Kellylee Evans to this group as this year’s grand prize recipients. We are thankful for the support of Bandzoogle and community stakeholders that made the Her Music Awards possible, and have allowed us to celebrate in person this year!”
SOCAN CEO, Jenn Brown and past Her Music Award winner Haviah Mighty, announced the recipients at an intimate, in-person celebration hosted by previous award winner Nuela Charles in Toronto, ON on February 9, 2023. Grand prize recipients, Kellylee Evans and Savannah Ré, were both awarded a $5,000 cash prize and a one-year complimentary membership from the Songwriters Association of Canada (S.A.C.) and Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec (SPACQ).
“I was so surprised and honoured to hear that I had been chosen for this award alongside Savannah Ré,” said Kellylee Evans. “As my career shifts and changes with the years, my love for creating has not dampened. This recognition gives me the affirmation and the energy to keep going, despite the challenges along the way. I’m so thankful.”
“So happy an award like this even exists. Winning the Her Music Award is a significant achievement because it’s an award that empowers and recognizes female creators,” said Savannah Ré. “It highlights our talents and contributions to the music industry. It also helps to promote and support female artists in the industry, which can be especially important in an industry that has traditionally been dominated by men. This award will open doors for me and help me pave the way to reaching my goals in my career.”
Additionally, five Her Music Awards honourable mention distinctions were awarded to Haley Blais, Jorane, Moira & Claire, Tanika Charles and Zeina. Each of these recipients received a $1,000 cash prize.
The Her Music Awards is a program designed to celebrate and support female-identifying Canadian music creators on the verge of taking their creative careers to the next level. The Awards are administered by the SOCAN Foundation, with financial contributions made by SOCAN Foundation and Bandzoogle.
“We would like to congratulate Kellylee Evans and Savannah Ré for receiving Her Music Awards,” said Stacey Bedford, CEO Bandzoogle. “We couldn’t be happier to support this amazing initiative from the SOCAN Foundation, and we wish these incredible artists continued success in their careers.”
Applications were adjudicated on a number of factors, including artistic merit, career potential, and impact. The jury was composed of Cécile Doo-Kingué, Carole Facal, Kesi Smyth, Suzie Ungerleider, and jury committee chair Shakura S’Aida.
Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy Create A Musical “Canvas” With New Studio Album Out March 17, 2023
A blank canvas is full of possibility — much like the partnership of Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, whose new album Canvas comes out March 17, 2023. They are two of the world’s top Celtic fiddlers: she a renowned, award-winning solo artist from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; he from the legendary Leahy family of Ontario, an intergenerational musical act that toured the world. They were married in 2002, by which point their cumulative album sales topped one million. A power couple was born.
Canvas is only their third album together. They approached it not bound by easy patterns or habits, but as a blank canvas. “Creativity comes when there is space for it,” says MacMaster. “One thing Donnell and I were given in 2020 was the space and time to be creative, to think and focus and find what was inside of us. Like an empty canvas, our minds were clear, open for the music that was about to flow. There were no restrictions, rules, agendas, considerations. As Donnell often said, ‘Let the music decide.’ So, we indulged in full musical freedom, throwing patterns of the past aside. With a few challenges along the way, it was a delight from beginning to end.”
Rock, pop, Latin and classical influences come to the fore on the new material of mostly original melodies. Guests include Rhiannon Giddens (“Woman of the House”), Yo-Yo Ma (“So You Love”) Brian Finnegan (“Colour Theory”)—and, on “Choo Choo,” their 17-year-old daughter Mary Frances Leahy.
All seven of their children have become essential components of the live show, which sells out performing arts centres across North America—especially leading up to Christmas holidays. “Initially we were reluctant to let the kids perform. We worried the expectations might be too much,” Leahy says. “But then one night we put Mary Frances on stage. Soon after that Michael wanted to play. When I was a kid, I played the fiddle for my parents and my brothers and sisters. But you need to get into the game at some point. For me, the game was playing house parties. Our kids are practicing and when they come out on stage and do their little number, it’s their reward. They feel like a part of the tour and that provides amazing gratification.”
“I was so in awe of Donnell’s family,” says MacMaster, “of 11 siblings who could play and had a family band. And here I am now doing almost exactly the same thing. Well, kind of.”
Like any great marriage or artistic collaboration, MacMaster and Leahy have learned how to bring out the best in each other. “With Donnell, I had to listen more deeply to subtleties in his music so that I wouldn’t muscle over them,” MacMaster says. “I also had to try and roll with his rhythm. Having said that, I still play in my Cape Breton style. Only about 40 percent of our show is us playing together. The other 60 percent is arrangements where we each take turns or are playing alone.” “I think the thing I’m most proud of is Natalie,” says Leahy. “She’s a musical star but her commitment to her family and to me is a side nobody gets to see. She’s so giving. It’s never ‘no’ with her.”
Listening to Canvas, the average listener might not be able to discern the difference in their two styles — and it doesn’t matter, because either way you’re listening to two of the best fiddlers on the planet. MacMaster and Leahy are as dynamic working together as they were working apart, which is why they have fans like Shania Twain and the Chieftains, an audience that stretches from Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Sydney, Australia.
True-life stories in the entertainment world (or anywhere) don’t come more remarkable than that.
Tracklisting
1. Canvas 1:03
2. Colour Theory (ft Brian Finnegan) 3:43
3. Dance Arnold Dance 3:37
4. Woman of the House (ft Rhiannon Giddens) 3:42
5. So You Love (ft Yo-Yo Ma) 5:46
6. Galicia 5:38
7. Choo Choo (ft Mary Frances Leahy) 2:20
8. The Case of the Mysterious Squabbyquash (ft Elmer Ferrer) 3:26
9. Caramelo (ft Josemi Carmona) 5:02
10. East Neuk of Fife 3:59
11. The Laird O’Bemersyde 4:06
12. Wish You Were Near 4:12
13. Voice Memo 3049 1:34
Award-Winning Philadelphia Pianist and Songwriter Joe Kenney Returns With Stunning & Cinematic Collaboration, Prevailing
Since he released his debut album Afflictions and Remedies in 2015, Joe Kenney has been lauded as one of the most unique and innovative artists on the classical music scene. Garnering praise and press attention for his singular ability to flawlessly merge a variety of musical genres and styles, Kenney has a rare gift for blending classical music theory, jazz fusion, rock, soul, and hip-hop.
In the eight years since he began his career, he has released five critically acclaimed albums, all featuring both original compositions and transformative cover arrangements. His cover of the Twenty-One Pilots hit Stressed Out was hailed as “perfection” by DJ Wendy Rollins of WXPN and his 2020 multi-genre collaboration album, Forth, won a bronze medal in the online “Global Music Awards” competition and was featured on 85 stations in the US and Canada. Kenney’s 2022 solo piano album, Reflections on Inner Transformation, charted at #15 on the Zone Music Reporter Charts. Kenney has also built an incredible reputation as a live performer with his band, packing such esteemed venues as City Winery, World Café Live, Heritage, and SOUTH Jazz Club.
With his latest studio release Prevailing, Kenney has teamed up with violinist Hope Linton, a passionate and gifted musician and music educator who plays regularly with the Lancaster Symphony. A fellow West Chester University of Pennsylvania music performance alumnus, Hope has also just created her first patent-pending product in the music education space and is constantly innovating in an effort to make great violin and viola music accessible to as many ages and levels as possible. The result of this collaboration is a glorious and stirring piece, at once emotive and powerful.
Cinematic and sweeping, Prevailing is the first single on an upcoming album by Kenney and Linton. From the first note, Linton’s lyrical and rich violin playing merge perfectly with Kenney’s graceful and elegant piano. Inspired by an impromptu session Kenney posted on Tik Tok, Prevailing is the musical expression of the courage it takes to tackle fear and relentlessly pursue dreams. As Kenney explains, “In my life and career, that comes with embracing the unknowns of the music industry, trusting instincts and following my art, and continually challenging myself to level up as a performer, songwriter, and recording artist.”
In their first collaboration together, Kenney brings his gift for improvisation, and Hope is integral in fine-tuning ideas for creating a structure and arrangement that has an intentionality to match the spirit of the music. The process for this work and upcoming songs in the project involves re-listening to daily improvisations that Kenney posts on Tik-Tok, and Linton’s identifying bits and pieces worth honing in on and perfecting. Prevailing begins as a softly lilting piece and gains strength and emotion as Kenney and Linton perfectly complement each other.
The result of this union is a wholly unique, enchanting and heart-rending piece that draws listeners in from the first notes.
Joe Kenney Tour Dates:
February 3 – Time, Philadelphia, PA
February 4 – TBD Bar, Phoenixville, PA
February 7 – Nitro Bar, Reading, PA
February 9 – 118 North, Wayne, PA
February 17 – Rittenhouse Library Bar, Philadelphia, PA
February 18 – The Soundbank, Phoenixville, PA
February 24 – Heritage, Philadelphia, PA
March 17 – Rittenhouse Library Bar, Philadelphia, PA
April 14 – Full Tilt Brewing, Baltimore, MD
April 16 – Cat’s Eye Pub, Baltimore, MD
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Extends Groundbreaking Beatles Exhibition
By popular demand, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has extended one of its most celebrated featured exhibits – The Beatles: Get Back to Let It Be – giving even more fans the opportunity to visit it throughout 2023. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is the only place in the world where fans experience one of the most iconic moments of the twentieth century as they step inside The Beatles’ January 1969 Let It Be rehearsals, studio sessions, and legendary Apple Corps rooftop concert, the band’s final live performance. Opened in March 2022, this featured exhibition is an immersive complement to Peter Jackson’s docuseries, “The Beatles: Get Back.”
Like Jackson’s “Get Back” docuseries, the exhibit shows how The Beatles composed and recorded many of their iconic songs from scratch. The exhibit’s three screening rooms feature an exclusive selection of video footage from each location from the docuseries: Twickenham, Apple Studios, and the Apple Corps rooftop. The footage from the recording sessions and conversations turns the clock back to 1969, showing the intimacy, joyousness, and humor as The Beatles write and record songs for Let It Be and some songs featured on Abbey Road and future solo albums.
Fans experience The Beatles’ creative journey through the exhibit’s original instruments, clothing, and handwritten lyrics used by The Beatles and seen in the film.
“The Beatles have had a massive, global impact across generations. We have already welcomed a diverse mix of over half a million fans from around the world to experience this exhibit,” said Greg Harris, President & CEO, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “We remain grateful for the support of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison, Apple Corps Ltd., and Peter Jackson for helping us tell this important story, and look forward to welcoming fans all year.”
Fans can reserve tickets to visit the Museum and experience the exhibit in advance at rockhall.com.
To build on the excitement of this extended run, this summer fans can enjoy Beatles Fridays, exclusive screenings of The Beatles’ rooftop concert every weekend, interactive and educational programs, unique photo opportunities, live music, and other special events to be announced.
Parents, teachers, and guardians can explore The Beatles’ story via Rock Hall EDU, a free online education platform that has reached over 1.2 million students worldwide, and download an educational collection inspired by Let It Be. Visit rockhall.com to access the free resources.
Fans will want to check out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s online store and the museum shop for an expansive collection of Beatles apparel, accessories, multimedia, and more, including new apparel inspired by The Beatles, with fresh product arriving through the year.