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King Crimson Capture Their Three-Drummer Era On ‘2014 NYC’ Live Sets

Eric Alper
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King Crimson Capture Their Three-Drummer Era On ‘2014 NYC’ Live Sets

BLOG POST King Crimson are opening the vault on one of their boldest lineups. The prog rock legends will release ‘2014 NYC’ as 2LP and 2CD sets on July 10th, 2026, drawn from live multi-track recordings of the group’s electric four-night run at New York’s Best Buy Theatre in September 2014.

New York has always held a special place in the band’s story. Label Glass Onyon traces the connection back to the 1969 Fillmore East breakthrough, through the early-’70s returns, the Larks’-era farewell at Central Park in 1974, the celebrated six nights at the Savoy in 1981, and a 2008 quintet that introduced Gavin Harrison. The 2014 stand marked the next major reset at that same venue.

The 2014 band looked like nothing else touring at the time, with three drummers lined up across the front. Robert Fripp described the idea as a sudden point of seeing, turning rhythm into a moving, interlocked engine.

The group treated its catalog as living material, rebuilt with microscopic attention rather than copied note-for-note. The trio of drummers delivered a choreographed surge and uncanny unity, with Harrison joking it felt like one drummer with six legs and six arms. The calmer chemistry among the seven players let them hit with brute force and fine detail at once, refreshing older classics and giving newer pieces extra muscle.

Performances like “Starless,” framed with a deliberate red-light nod to 1974, proved Crimson could honor its past without sliding into nostalgia. This is a thrilling document of a group still reinventing its own language with no obvious limit.

From 2014 to 2021, the band played music that stayed, in Fripp’s words, new whenever it’s performed, freshly minted each night. They’d often stay in one city for multiple nights to meet ticket demand while keeping to venues where everyone could see and hear fully.

‘2014 NYC’ kicks off a new series compiled from those single-city runs, starting with the September 2014 New York shows. Later this year, in Autumn 2026, a 2x Blu-ray release will capture the band’s entire 19-date 2014 U.S. tour and include this compilation.

The sets feature Robert Fripp on guitar and keyboards, Jakko Jakszyk on guitar and vocals, Mel Collins on sax and flute, Tony Levin on bass, Chapman Stick and backing vocals, and drummers Gavin Harrison, Bill Rieflin and Pat Mastelotto.

‘2014 NYC’ 2LP Track Listing:

Side A: Introductory Soundscape

Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I)

Pictures of a City

Side B: A Scarcity of Miracles

The Letters

The Sailor’s Tale

The Hell Hounds of Krim

Side C: Red

Improv: Hoodoo

The Talking Drum

Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II)

Side D: VROOOM

Coda: Marine 475

The Light of Day

21st Century Schizoid Man

‘2014 NYC’ 2CD Track Listing:

CD1: Introductory Soundscape

Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part I)

Pictures of a City

A Scarcity of Miracles

Banshee Legs Bell Hassle

Level Five

The Letters

The Sailor’s Tale

Interlude

The ConstruKction of Light

Red

CD2: One More Red Nightmare

VROOOM

Coda: Marine 475

The Light of Day

The Talking Drum

Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Part II)

Starless

The Hell Hounds of Krim

Improv: Hoodoo

21st Century Schizoid Man

Belinda Carlisle And Kate Pierson Headline Fourth Women’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp

Eric Alper
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Belinda Carlisle And Kate Pierson Headline Fourth Women’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp

Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp is marking its 30th year with a milestone all its own. The organization has announced the fourth Women’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, led by Belinda Carlisle, Kate Pierson, Kathy Valentine, Cherie Currie, Beth Nielsen Chapman and more to come.

The camp runs November 5-8, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA, and packs two immersive experiences into one event. Campers can join a band and perform live at two of LA’s most iconic rock venues while jamming with their heroes, or dive into a songwriting track focused on crafting original music with GRAMMY-nominated and winning writers. Women of all ages and experience levels are welcome.

“I am so looking forward to spending time with the Campers, making some music and sharing stories of my experiences in the industry,” says Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member and Go-Go’s lead singer Belinda Carlisle.

B-52’s founding member and vocalist Kate Pierson is just as eager. “I’m really looking forward to collaborating and getting creative with the campers,” she says, adding that she’d love to share any lessons from her years in the music business. “See you there, happy campers.”

The rock performer track spans four days of rehearsals, jam sessions and Q&As, with each camper mentored by a rockstar counselor before taking the stage. The bands close things out live at the legendary Whisky a Go Go and The Viper Room. This year’s counselors include Eva Gardner (P!nk), Valerie Franco (Spinal Tap II), Ashley Reeve (Cher, Filter), Holly West (Zepparella) and Britt Lightning (Musical Director of Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp, Vixen).

The songwriting track pairs aspiring writers with proven hitmakers. Beth Nielsen Chapman, whose songs have reached Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler, Willie Nelson and Neil Diamond, leads alongside GRAMMY-winning writer and producer Autumn Rowe (Dua Lipa, Pitbull, Cher). Songwriting campers also take part in Q&As with Carlisle, Pierson, Valentine and Currie, plus mentoring sessions with Susan Silver, an architect of the 1990s Seattle grunge scene.

The songwriting track wraps with a live performance of the campers’ original material at Whisky a Go Go. Campers can also add a recording session to their experience during the week.

Country Hitmaker Charles Kelley Drops Anchor With New SiriusXM Show “Y’all Aboard”

Eric Alper
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Country Hitmaker Charles Kelley Drops Anchor With New SiriusXM Show “Y’all Aboard”

Charles Kelley is setting sail into yacht rock season. The GRAMMY-winning hitmaker has launched ‘Y’all Aboard Hosted by Charles Kelley,’ airing exclusively on SiriusXM’s Yacht Rock Radio (ch. 15). The show is on the air now, having debuted with Little Big Town’s Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook as his first guests.

Six more episodes are on deck, with a guest list that spans Russell Dickerson, Dustin Lynch, Richard Marx, Trisha Yearwood and more. The format is loose and friendly, built around Kelley inviting his country music friends into the studio each week.

“’80s music always hits, but it’s the best time of the year to turn up some Yacht Rock,” says Kelley. “I’ve been having such a good time kicking back with my friends and vibing out to some of my favorite songs ever released.”

Each episode finds Kelley and his guests swapping stories, spinning favorite yacht rock tracks, and occasionally attempting a Michael McDonald impression or two. To celebrate the show, he’ll also appear for a special episode of SiriusXM’s Music Row Happy Hour, live from Nashville, TN on July 24th.

The show rides the same wave Kelley’s been surfing since his sophomore album, ‘Songs For A New Moon.’ American Songwriter praised the infectious melodies and luxurious pop production driving the record, while Atwood Magazine pointed to its bold ’80s-inspired sounds and raw honesty. PEOPLE credited Kelley with transporting listeners to a time when music simply felt better.

He recently leaned deeper into the era’s steamy ballads, adding Maren Morris to an original album cut for their “Can’t Be Alone Tonight” collaboration, which MusicRow called swoon-worthy.

Kelley knows his way around a creative detour. As one-third of country trio Lady A and a chart-topping songwriter, he’s co-penned favorites for Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Brett Young and more. His 2016 solo debut ‘The Driver’ earned him another GRAMMY nomination for its title track, and the new show extends that streak of going his own way.

Australian Indie Favorite Grace Cummings Shares Haunting “My God” Video Ahead Of ‘Bloodhorse!’

Eric Alper
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Australian Indie Favorite Grace Cummings Shares Haunting “My God” Video Ahead Of ‘Bloodhorse!’

Grace Cummings is stepping further into the dark. The Australian indie favorite has released “My God,” the first single from her upcoming fourth album, ‘Bloodhorse!,’ announced today for August 14th on ATO Records.

Cummings spent years quietly building a following in her native Australia with a run of impressive releases. Her profile went global when her third album, ‘Ramona,’ drew widespread critical acclaim in 2024. Like that record, ‘Bloodhorse!’ was recorded in Topanga Canyon, California with GRAMMY-nominated producer Jonathan Wilson, whose credits include Father John Misty, Angel Olsen and Margo Price.

“My God” arrives with a homespun video from director Ben Portnoy. The song is a haunting piano piece built around Cummings’ deep, breathy vocals, which she recorded while suffering from pneumonia. “Lyrically, this song is about hatred, jealousy, rage,” she says, describing the title’s God as the dark forces of the modern world, the toxic energy we scroll through and the fear we feed it every day.

Wilson, recently nominated for a GRAMMY for his work on Father John Misty’s ‘Chloe and the Next 20th Century,’ doesn’t hold back in his praise. He calls Cummings a once-in-a-generation voice and says her songwriting keeps getting sharper, adding that she delivers the new album with humanity, power and emotion like no one else on earth.

The title carries its own weight of meaning. Cummings explains that a bloodhorse is a horse bred to win, though one that’s often temperamental, fearful and easily broken. She compares the feeling to a trapped animal twitching in the starting gate, then bolting the moment she opens her eyes.

Fight or flight powers the record from end to end. ‘Bloodhorse!’ moves through anxieties, confessionals, hopes and nightmares, swooping from gorgeous to grotesque, velvet to violent, sacred to profane. If ‘Ramona’ widened her world from folk into something cinematic, this album drives deep into the night with the headlights off.

“In the past few years I’ve gone through one of the biggest personal changes of my life,” Cummings says. She frames ‘Bloodhorse!’ as an attempt to express the things she can’t say, a confession and an act of courage made for no one but herself, representing not the way life is but the way it feels.

Those feelings run large. Themes of life, death, agency, abuse and self-examination pulse through the lyrics, carried by shuddering synths, tense strings and woozy grooves that meet Cummings’ gift for campfire melodies, expressive piano and that soulful voice. The thrill comes from hearing her push at the edge of her own understanding.

Glen Hansard Unveils ‘Transmissions West’ And The Live Single “Revelate”

Eric Alper
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Glen Hansard Unveils ‘Transmissions West’ And The Live Single “Revelate”

Glen Hansard is opening the next chapter of an ambitious live document. The indie folk favorite has announced ‘Don+t Settle – Transmissions West,’ the second volume of his new album ‘Don+t Settle – Transmissions East & West,’ arriving June 26th, 2026 via Plateau/Secretly Distribution.

The record came together over two nights in April 2025, performed in front of an audience at Berlin’s historic Funkhaus. Its 20-song tracklist gathers live reinterpretations of material spanning Hansard’s full career, drawing from his four solo albums, his work with The Frames, and his time as half of the Oscar-winning duo The Swell Season alongside Marketa Irglova.

The full ‘Transmissions East & West’ wears several hats at once. It works as a career retrospective, a ‘Best Of’ collection, a live record, and a new studio album all in one.

To mark the announcement, Hansard has shared the single “Revelate,” paired with a live performance video filmed at Funkhaus during the sessions. The track carries decades of fire, and it remains one of the most stirring pieces in his catalog.

The song’s roots run deep. Hansard describes “Revelate” as an arms-to-the-sky plea for intervention, written during a stretch of disappointment in the early ’90s when The Frames were dropped from Island Records. He’d been signed to the label by the legendary Chris Blackwell just two years earlier, and recalls every interaction with him as positive.

Hansard later learned that Blackwell had semi-retired, and that the band got swept up in a routine corporate clear-out. He points to the young lives and dreams that get overlooked when companies treat such moves as “just business.” His response was the only one an artist could make.

“No one was gonna tell me we were done,” Hansard says. “And we dealt with the earthquake the way any artist must. We wrote our way through it.” “Revelate” became the first single from the band’s self-funded second album ‘Fitzcarraldo,’ and he still sings it proudly today.

Ukulele Virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro Reinvents “Golden” From KPop Demon Hunters On New Covers Album

Eric Alper
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Ukulele Virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro Reinvents “Golden” From KPop Demon Hunters On New Covers Album

Jake Shimabukuro is turning a viral movie anthem into his next statement. The renowned ‘ukulele virtuoso has reimagined “Golden” from the hit film KPop Demon Hunters as the first single from his new covers album, ‘Pop Experience.’ The record arrives July 10th, 2026 on digital and CD.

The project gathers a diverse slate of contemporary pop songs filtered through Shimabukuro’s signature instrumental style. He spans chart-topping smashes and introspective ballads, transforming familiar melodies into expressive, genre-defying arrangements that show off both his technical command and his musical sensitivity.

“I’ve always loved taking songs that mean something to people and seeing how they feel on the ‘ukulele,” says Shimabukuro. He describes ‘Pop Experience’ as eight tunes he’s loved over the years, from Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire,” and calls the process a chance to explore a different side of songs he thought he already knew.

The “Golden” cover already has momentum. Videos of the arrangement have circulated widely across social platforms, drawing enthusiastic reactions from fans who praise his knack for translating a contemporary pop anthem into a rich, expressive ‘ukulele piece.

“When I first heard ‘Golden’ from the KPop Demon Hunters movie, I knew it was something special,” says Shimabukuro. He calls it the kind of song that invites listeners in and reminds them why music matters, adding that the track has been living in his head ever since he first heard it.

The arrangements run deep across the tracklist. From the haunting introspection of Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For” to the emotional pull of Ariana Grande’s “We Can’t Be Friends,” Shimabukuro captures the spirit of each original while making every piece unmistakably his own. The result is some of the most inventive playing of his career.

‘Pop Experience’ continues a run of innovation from a player who’s collaborated across genres and won over audiences worldwide. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and on CD upon release.

‘Pop Experience’ Track Listing:

Golden (HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI)

Die With A Smile (Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars)

We Can’t Be Friends (Ariana Grande)

Opalite (Taylor Swift)

Rose (HANA)

Vampire (Olivia Rodrigo)

What Was I Made For (Billie Eilish)

Angel (Sarah McLachlan)

Little Big Town And Wyatt Flores Headline 2026 MCA Presents: Live From Sky Deck

Eric Alper
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Little Big Town And Wyatt Flores Headline 2026 MCA Presents: Live From Sky Deck

MCA is taking over Nashville’s Broadway for one of CMA Fest week’s most anticipated gatherings. The label has announced the return of MCA Presents: Live From Sky Deck, two full days of live performances, fan experiences and special events at Skydeck on Broadway. The event runs Friday, June 5th and Saturday, June 6th during CMA Fest.

Country hitmakers Little Big Town and rising favorite Wyatt Flores top the bill as the first two headliners. Their presence alone makes this a marquee weekend, and there’s a bonus for fans, as Little Big Town’s appearance marks the iconic group’s only performance next week.

The undercard runs deep across MCA’s roster. Dalton Davis, Deanna Carter, Lamont Landers, Landon Smith, Jacob Hackworth, Travis Denning and more round out a lineup built to spotlight both the label’s established stars and its next generation.

Saturday brings a one-of-a-kind start to the day with the Miranda Lambert Crisco Disco Brunch, inspired by Lambert’s new country and disco era. The morning serves up special guest appearances, curated bites, cocktails and mimosas, music, and exclusive fan moments.

Katie Atkin, co-host of the popular country podcast Girls In Low Places, brings her viral energy to the Skydeck stage throughout the weekend, hosting appearances and live moments across both days.

Fans who can’t make it to Nashville can still tune in. The event broadcasts on Universal Music Live’s Twitch channel with performances, behind-the-scenes looks and exclusive artist interviews. Universal Music Live is powered by °1824, Universal Music Group’s in-house creative division.

Additional lineup announcements, schedules and fan experience details will surface soon.

Country Favorite David Nail Returns With ‘Flowers,’ His First Full Album In Ten Years

Eric Alper
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Country Favorite David Nail Returns With ‘Flowers,’ His First Full Album In Ten Years

BLOG POST David Nail has a new album on the way, and it arrived almost by accident. The acclaimed country vocalist has announced ‘Flowers,’ due August 21st and his first full-length project in ten years. It traces back to 2023, when Nail sat down to write with Anderson East for the first time and neither man knew where the sessions would lead.

That first meeting produced “The Crown,” which led to “Break Yours Too,” which opened the door to a deep bench of collaborators. Multiple Grammy, CMA and ACM winner Lori McKenna came aboard, along with songwriters Trent Dabbs and Melissa Fuller. The players include pianist Philip Towns, percussionist Darren Dodd, bassist Gregg Garner, and guitarists Shaun Richardson and Weston Stewart.

The record marks Nail’s first full album since he left major label home MCA in 2017. He’s stayed busy in the years since, releasing 5 EPs and a string of singles that sharpened his craft and shaped his independent path. ‘Flowers’ gathers all of that living into one project.

“I think what makes this album special is that I never intended to make one,” says Nail. “It started with a song, which then became three, then five, and eventually 12, 14. These are ten of those songs, written over the course of a year and a half.” He credits East’s studio as the most inspiring place he’s ever created, and the songwriter’s laid-back nature as the perfect counter to his own restless energy.

Nail calls the experience one of the most honest and original things he’s ever been part of, noting that aside from McKenna, he’d never worked with any of the other writers or musicians before. Their fresh outlook shaped the whole record.

“The Crown” and “Fare Thee Well” served as early tastes of the project, and on Friday, Nail offers “She Knows” as the next single. The song lands with quiet confidence, a warm showcase for the voice that’s carried his catalog for years.

Nail revealed the album last night on the Grand Ole Opry, the most famous stage in country music. The night held one more surprise. MCA EVP and Head of A&R Stephanie Wright walked out from the Opry wings with five new RIAA certifications spanning his catalog. “Whatever She’s Got” is now triple Platinum, “Nights on Fire,” “Red Light” and “Let It Rain” all hit Platinum, and “Kiss You Tonight” went gold.

Nail recently wrapped the spring leg of his intimate Down To The Studs acoustic tour, which brought him to smaller venues across the U.S. The stripped-down shows paired a guitar, the stories behind the songs, and his unmistakable voice.

‘Flowers’ Track Listing:

  1. Skyline (David Nail, Lori McKenna, Anderson East)
  2. The Crown (David Nail, Anderson East)
  3. Broken In (David Nail, Trent Dabbs, Anderson East)
  4. Time Ran Out (David Nail, Anderson East)
  5. Book Of Us (David Nail, Lori McKenna)
  6. I’ll Break Yours Too (David Nail, Anderson East)
  7. Fare Thee Well (David Nail, Anderson East, Trent Dabbs)
  8. She Knows (David Nail, Anderson East)
  9. I Bought The Flowers (David Nail, Anderson East, Melissa Fuller)
  10. Riverbank feat. Lori McKenna (David Nail, Lori McKenna, Anderson East)

Hip-Hop Visionary A$AP Rocky Lands Inaugural Tribeca X Filmmaker Of The Year Award

Eric Alper
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Hip-Hop Visionary A$AP Rocky Lands Inaugural Tribeca X Filmmaker Of The Year Award

A$AP Rocky is adding a major film honor to his ever-expanding résumé. The hip-hop visionary has been named the first recipient of the Tribeca X Filmmaker of the Year Award, recognizing his work across the intersection of music, fashion, film, design and brand storytelling. Tribeca X serves as the Tribeca Festival’s flagship program devoted to brand-supported storytelling.

The award was created to spotlight visionary creators whose work expands the creative and cultural possibilities of brand-supported storytelling through cinematic craft, ambition and cultural impact. Rocky fits the bill across multiple lanes, with a body of work spanning film, music videos, fashion campaigns, branded storytelling and multidisciplinary creative direction.

“Tribeca X was built to celebrate the creators reshaping modern storytelling,” says Rebecca Glashow, CEO of Tribeca Enterprises. She adds that today’s cultural landscape is being shaped by artists and entrepreneurs who push creative boundaries across mediums and industries, and that Rocky embodies the genre-defying spirit the inaugural award was made to honor.

Few names capture that cross-disciplinary energy quite like Rocky’s, whose creative fingerprints stretch from the recording booth to the runway to the director’s chair. The honor confirms his standing as one of the most restless multi-hyphenates working today.

Tribeca X takes place June 8-9 at Spring Studios during the 25th annual Tribeca Festival. The two-day program gathers influential voices across entertainment, advertising, media, technology and the creator economy for conversations, screenings, networking and industry programming.

Country Legend Dolly Parton Opens First Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop Off I-65

Eric Alper
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Country Legend Dolly Parton Opens First Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop Off I-65

Dolly Parton is bringing her signature warmth to the open highway. The country legend has announced the grand opening of Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, a first-of-its-kind travel center welcoming guests on June 24th. The flagship sits at exit 22 off I-65 in Cornersville, TN, about one hour south of Nashville and one hour northwest of Huntsville.

The concept turns the ordinary roadside stop into a genuine destination. Built for professional drivers, families and everyday road-trippers, the space centers on comfort, good food and Tennessee hospitality.

The food lineup carries real personality. Guests can dig into barbecue from DLY BBQ, grab a cup of Dolly’s Cup of Ambition Coffee, and settle into a full-service sit-down cafe and restaurant. Visitors stopping for fuel, a hot meal, or a moment to stretch will find a place designed with care.

The location holds a few one-of-a-kind touches. An original mural stands as a permanent love letter to Cornersville, and a tour bus inspired by the one Dolly has ridden for years sits on-site as a photo-worthy nod to her life on the road.

The venture grew from a partnership between Parton, her manager Danny Nozell, and Gregory H. Sachs, who has owned and operated the trusted Tennessean Travel Stop brand since 2017. It draws on Dolly’s lifelong bond with the open road, from her childhood in the hills of East Tennessee to decades of touring the world by bus.

This flagship is the first of many planned locations. The grand opening will be a large-scale celebration, and everyone’s welcome to attend. More details on the festivities will surface in the coming weeks.

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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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