David Byrne just started an online project here that is an continuation and extension of some writing and talks he’s done recently. The site, Reasons To Be Cheerful, is already a must-read for me every day.
Justin Timberlake Adds More Dates To “The Man Of The Woods” Tour
Due to sell out shows across North America, Justin Timberlake has revealed ten additional dates for the coveted The Man Of The Woods Tour. Second shows have been announced in Toronto, New York, Chicago, Boston, Montreal, Las Vegas, San Jose, and Los Angeles. Two new cities have also been added, with shows in Pittsburgh on June 1 and Philadelphia on June 2. Produced by Live Nation Global Touring, Wright Entertainment Group, LBI Entertainment & Tennman Touring, the North American outing kicks off March 13 in Toronto.
Timberlake’s forthcoming album Man Of The Woods is scheduled for release on Friday, February 2. His highly-anticipated performance at the Pepsi Super Bowl LII Halftime Show will take place on Sunday, February 4, the third time he is performing at the most watched musical event of the year. Timberlake’s last tour was the critically acclaimed The 20/20 Experience World Tour, which sold out arenas and stadiums around the globe in 2013 and 2014.
American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public. For dates on sale to the general public on Monday, January 22 the American Express presale begins Wednesday, January 17 starting at 10am local time (Thursday, January 18 at 10am in Canada) through Sunday, January 21 at 5pm local time. For dates on sale to the general public on Monday, January 29 the American Express presale begins Wednesday, January 24 at 10am local time through Sunday, January 28 at 5pm local time. For additional onsale details see full tour routing below.
Members of The Tennessee Kids Fan Club are also eligible for pre-sale ticket purchase. For complete The Man Of The Woods Tour VIP packages information or to purchase, visit https://vip.justintimberlake.com/
At every U.S. stop on The Man Of The Woods Tour there will be a VIP Verizon Up section, putting customers up close and personal to the stage and JT. Verizon Up, the company’s loyalty program, is all about thanking customers through everyday rewards and exclusive experiences, like getting closer to the artists they love – including Justin Timberlake.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE THE MAN IN THE WOODS TOUR ITINERARY
DATE: CITY: VENUE: ON SALE:
13-March Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre SOLD OUT
15-March Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre Mon. Jan. 22
18-March Washington, DC Capital One Arena SOLD OUT
21-March New York, NY Madison Square Garden SOLD OUT
22-March New York, NY Madison Square Garden Mon. Jan. 22
25-March Newark, NJ Prudential Center SOLD OUT
27-March Chicago, IL United Center Tue. Jan. 16
28-March Chicago, IL United Center Mon. Jan. 22
31-March Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena Mon. Jan. 22
02-April Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena Mon. Jan. 22
04-April Boston, MA TD Garden SOLD OUT
05-April Boston, MA TD Garden Mon. Jan. 22
08-April Montreal, QC Bell Centre Tue. Jan. 16
09-April Montreal, QC Bell Centre Mon. Jan. 22
12-April Salt Lake City, UT Vivint Smart Home Arena Mon. Jan. 22
14-April Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena Tue. Jan. 16
15-April Las Vegas, NV T-Mobile Arena Mon. Jan. 22
24-April San Jose, CA SAP Center Tue. Jan. 16
25-April San Jose, CA SAP Center Mon. Jan. 22
28-April Los Angeles, CA The Forum Tue. Jan. 16
29-April Los Angeles, CA The Forum Mon. Jan. 22
02-May Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Arena Mon. Jan. 22
05-May Tulsa, OK BOK Center Mon. Jan. 29
07-May Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena Mon. Jan. 29
09-May Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena Mon. Jan. 29
11-May Atlanta, GA Infinite Energy Arena Mon. Jan. 29
14-May Orlando, FL Amway Center Mon. Jan. 29
15-May Tampa, FL Amalie Arena Mon. Jan. 29
18-May Miami, FL American Airlines Arena Mon. Jan. 29
19-May Ft. Lauderdale, FL BB&T Center Mon. Jan. 29
23-May Houston, TX Toyota Center Mon. Jan. 22
27-May Dallas, TX American Airlines Center Mon. Jan. 22
30-May Memphis, TN FedEx Forum Mon. Jan. 22
01-June Pittsburgh, PA PPG Paints Arena Mon. Jan. 29
02-June Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center Mon. Jan. 29
Jack White Announces World Tour In Support Of “Boarding House Reach”
Hot on the heels of announcing his new album BOARDING HOUSE REACH out March 23 and releasing the first single, “Connected by Love,” Jack White has unveiled an extensive run of North American headline tour dates, along with shows in London, Paris, and Amsterdam. These dates, spanning from April to August, also include stops at the previously announced festivals — Governors Ball, Shaky Knees, and Boston Calling. The full list of tour dates can be found below.
Tickets for the just-announced headline dates will go on sale to the general public on January 26 at 10am local time. Third Man Records Vault members will have access to the very first pre-sale starting on January 22 at 10am local time. Sign up for Vault Package #35 featuring the ONLY limited edition version of the album + to gain ticket pre-sale access FIRST here.
Fans will also have the opportunity to purchase tickets in advance of the public on sale during the Ticketmaster Verified Fan pre-sale to ensure tickets get directly into the hands of the fans. Registration for Ticketmaster Verified Fan is currently open and continues until January 19 at 11:59 PM ET. Verified Fan registration is available here.
Additionally, every online ticket purchased in North America for the new headline shows will include a physical copy of BOARDING HOUSE REACH on CD. Fans will also have the option to upgrade their CD to the standard black vinyl LP.
BOARDING HOUSE REACH sees Jack White expanding his musical palate with perhaps his most ambitious work thus far, a collection of songs that are simultaneously timeless and modern. Written and conceived while holed up in a spartan apartment with no outside distractions, White replicated the identical environment and used the same gear as when he was a 15 year old (a quarter-inch four-track tape recorder, a simple mixer, and the most basic of instrumentation) to pen sketches of the album’s songs. The album explores a remarkable range of sonic terrain — crunching rock ‘n’ roll, electro and hard funk, proto punk, hip hop, gospel blues, and even country — all remapped and born anew to fit White’s matchless vision and sense of restless experimentation. BOARDING HOUSE REACH is a testament to the breadth of Jack White’s creative power and his bold artistic ambition.
BOARDING HOUSE REACH is heralded by the rapidly acclaimed new single, “Connected By Love” b/w “Respect Commander,” which is available now digitally worldwide and as a physical 7-inch vinyl single pressed at Third Man Pressing in Detroit, MI.
“Connected By Love” is accompanied by a brand-new music video from director Pasqual Gutierrez — watch it now HERE. The single was greeted with rapturous global applause upon its arrival, with Billboard declaring the song “a classic White confessional blues burner,” and Entertainment Weekly calling it “a searing, organ-lined plea to a former flame.” NPR’s Bob Boilen wrote, “it’s a blend of old guitar blues that is simultaneously on the edge of rock’s horizon.” “The four-year wait is over,” says Rolling Stone — Jack is back with the “blistering first single” from BOARDING HOUSE REACH.
JACK WHITE 2018 TOUR DATES
April 19: Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI
April 20: Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI
April 21: 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI
April 23: Baxter Arena – Omaha, NE
April 24: Providence Medical Center Amphitheater – Bonner Springs, KS
April 25: Chaifetz Arena – St. Louis, MO
April 27: Bomb Factory – Dallas, TX
April 29: Bomb Factory – Dallas, TX
April 30: Revention Music Center – Houston, TX
May 1: Revention Music Center – Houston, TX
May 2: 360 Amphitheater – Austin, TX
May 4 – 6: Shaky Knees Music Festival – Atlanta, GA *
May 25 – 27: Boston Calling Music Festival – Boston, MA *
May 27: Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, NY
May 29: The Anthem – Washington, DC
June 1 – 3: Governors Ball Music Festival – New York, NY *
June 4: Express Live! Outdoor Amphitheater – Columbus, OH
June 6: Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica – Cleveland, OH
June 7: Dome Arena – Rochester, NY
June 8: Artpark Amphitheater – Lewiston, NY
June 9: Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON
June 27: London, UK – Hammersmith Apollo
June 28: London, UK – Hammersmith Apollo
July 2: AFAS Live – Amsterdam, NL
July 3: L’Olympia – Paris. FR
July 4: L’Olympia – Paris. FR
August 6: The Armory – Minneapolis, MN
August 8: 1st Bank Center – Broomfield, CO
August 9: SaltAir – Salt Lake City, UT
August 11: Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Portland, OR
August 12: Rogers Arena – Vancouver, BC
August 13: WAMU Theatre – Seattle, WA
August 15: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium – San Francisco, CA
August 19: Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
August 21: Viejas Arena – San Diego, CA
August 22: Comerica Theatre – Phoenix, AZ
August 23: The Chelsea @ The Cosmopolitan – Las Vegas, NV
Dave Matthews Band Announces 2018 Summer Tour And New Studio Album
After taking 2017 off, Dave Matthews Band returns with a new studio album – set for release this summer – and a North American tour. The band is currently putting the finishing touches on the album, which will mark its ninth studio release and first since 2012’s Away From The World.
Dave Matthews Band will kick off its extensive summer outing on May 18 at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, TX. The run will include two-night stands in Denver, CO and West Palm Beach, FL, and a three-night stand over Labor Day weekend at The Gorge in Quincy, WA – a tradition beloved by both the band and its fans. The tour will wrap up at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA on September 10.
An online ticket presale is underway now here for members of the DMB Warehouse Fan Association. Every online ticket order for the 2018 summer tour, purchased by May 17, 2018, will include a choice of CD or digital download of the new album when it is released.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 2, at 10 AM local time. For itinerary, see below or visit here.
Dave Matthews Band has sold more than 20 million tickets since its inception and a collective 38 million CDs and DVDs combined. It is the first group in history to have six consecutive studio albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND – SUMMER 2018 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
Date City/State/Province Venue
5/18 The Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
5/19 Dallas, TX Starplex Pavilion
5/22 Austin, TX Austin360 Amphitheater
5/26 Atlanta, GA Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
5/27 Orange Beach, AL The Wharf Amphitheater
5/29 Brandon, MS Brandon Amphitheater
5/30 Rogers, AR Walmart AMP – Arkansas Music Pavilion
6/1 Burgettstown, PA KeyBank Pavilion
6/2 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
6/5 Syracuse, NY Lakeview Amphitheater
6/6 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
6/7 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
6/9 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
6/12 Gilford, NH Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
6/13 Gilford, NH Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
6/15 Camden, NJ BB&T Pavilion
6/16 Camden, NJ BB&T Pavilion
6/22 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
6/23 Hartford, CT Xfinity Theatre
6/27 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater
6/29 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank Pavilion
6/30 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank Pavilion
7/1 Milwaukee, WI American Family Insurance Amphitheater
7/6 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
7/7 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
7/10 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
7/11 Ottawa, ON Ottawa Bluesfest
7/13 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/14 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/17 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
7/18 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
7/20 Raleigh, NC Coastal Credit Union Park at Walnut Creek
7/21 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
7/24 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion – Charlotte
7/25 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
7/27 West Palm Beach, FL Coral Sky Amphitheatre at the S. Florida Fairgrounds
7/28 West Palm Beach, FL Coral Sky Amphitheatre at the S. Florida Fairgrounds
8/24 Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
8/25 Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
8/28 Bend, OR Les Schwab Amphitheater
8/31 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
9/1 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
9/2 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
9/7 Stateline, NV Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys
9/8 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View
9/10 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
David Byrne Announces World Tour For His “American Utopia” Album
David Byrne announces an extensive world tour in support of his forthcoming solo record, American Utopia. David will perform songs from the new album, which is out March 9 via Todomundo/Nonesuch Records, as well as classics from his solo career and his days with Talking Heads. A twelve-piece band will also join David on stage for a choreographed concert that he has called “the most ambitious show I’ve done since the shows that were filmed for Stop Making Sense.”
Presale access for the newly announced European headline shows will be available to those who register here before 5pm (UTC) Wednesday, January 17. Fans will then be emailed a private link for the presale, which will begin at 10am (UTC) Thursday, January 18. All online ticket purchases for both US and EU shows will receive a CD of the new album.
Last week, Byrne announced the release of American Utopia during a presentation of “Reasons To Be Cheerful,” an ongoing series he curates of hopeful writings, photos, music, and lectures. The presentation was given at New York’s New School to a live audience and also was streamed via his Facebook page. He also released the first track from the album, “Everybody’s Coming To My House”— co-written with Brian Eno, featuring contributions from TTY, Happa, Isaiah Barr Leader of the Onyx Collective, Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), Mercury Prize winner Sampha, and others. The song’s visual companion piece can be seen here. “Everybody’s Coming To My House” is available to download instantly with pre-orders of American Utopia on iTunes and at nonesuch.com. Nonesuch Store pre-orders also include an exclusive print facsimile of an early handwritten lyric sheet to the song.
American Utopia
1. I Dance Like This
2. Gasoline And Dirty Sheets
3. Every Day Is A Miracle
4. Dog’s Mind
5. This Is That
6. It’s Not Dark Up Here
7. Bullet
8. Doing The Right Thing
9. Everybody’s Coming To My House
10. Here
American Utopia 2018 Tour Dates
3/3 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre SOLD OUT
3/4 Wilkes-Barre, PA F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts SOLD OUT
3/6 Buffalo, NY Center For The Arts SOLD OUT
3/7 Hershey, PA Hershey Theatre SOLD OUT
3/9 Waterbury, Ct Palace Theater SOLD OUT
3/10 Kingston, NY Ulster Performing Arts Center SOLD OUT
3/16 Santiago, CHI Lollapalooza (Chile)
3/18 Buenos Aires, ARG Lollapalooza (Argentina)
3/19 Teatro Gran Rex Buenos Aires (Argentina)
3/20 Teatro de Verano Montevideo (Uruguay)
3/24 Sao Paulo, BRA Lollapalooza (Brazil)
4/3 Mexico City MX Metropolitan Theater
4/5 Monterrey MX Auditorio Pabellon
4/7 Guadalajara, MEX Sonico Festival
4/14 Indio, CA Coachella
4/15 Tucson, AZ Centennial Hall
4/17 San Diego, CA San Diego Civic Theater
4/18 Las Vegas, NV Smith Center for the Arts
4/19 Mesa, AZ Mesa Arts Center-Ikeda Theater
4/21 Indio, CA Coachella
4/24 Dallas, TX Winspear Opera House
4/25 Oklahoma City, OK The Criterion
4/27 San Antonio, TX Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
4/28 Houston, TX White Oak Music Hall Outside Lawn
5/4 – 5/6 Atlanta, GA Shaky Knees
5/6 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
5/8 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Civic Auditorium
5/9 Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium
5/10 Durham PAC Durham, NC
5/12 Washington, DC The Anthem
5/13 Pittsburgh, PA Benedum Center for the Arts
5/16 Madison, WI Orpheum Theater
5/17 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theater
5/19 Saskatoon, SASK TCU Place
5/20 Edmonton,ALB Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
5/21 Calgary,ALB Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
5/23 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theater
5/24 Seattle, WA Paramount Theater
5/27 Portland, OR KellerAudiorium
5/28 Eugene, OR Hult Center
5/30 Salt Lake City, UT Capitol Theatre
6/2 Chicago, IL Auditorium Theater
6/5 Des Moines, IA Des Moines Civic Center
6/7 Kansas City, MO Kauffman Center for the Arts
6/8 St. Louis, MO Peabody Opera House
6/9 Indianapolis, IN Farmers Bureau Lawn Amphitheater
6/14 Oxford, England New Theatre
6/15 Glasgow, Scotland Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
6/17 Birmingham, England Birmingham Symphony Hall
6/18 Manchester, England Manchester Apollo
6/19 London, England Eventim Apollo
6/22-23 Prague,Czech Republic Metronome Festival
6/25 Zagreb, Croatia INmusic Festival
6/26 Wien, Austria Museumsquartier
6/30 – 7/1 Ewijk,Netherlands Down The Rabbit Hole
7/5 – 7/8 Werchter, Belgium Rock Werchter
7/6 Roskilde, Denmark Roskilde Festival
7/5 Gdynia, Poland Open’er Festival
7/11 Oeiras, Portugal Cool Jazz Festival
7/13 Bilbao, Spain Bilbao BBK Live Festival
7/13-14 Barcelona, Spain Cruilla Barcelona
7/17 Zürich, Switzerland Theater 11
7/19 Ravenna, Italy Ravenna Festival
7/20 Perugia, Italy Umbria Jazz Festival
7/21 Trieste, Italy PiazzaUNita
7/27 Camden,NJ XPoNential Music Festival
7/31 Boston, MA Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
8/1 Shelburne, VT Shelburne Museum – The Green
8/3 Toronto, ONT Sony Center for the Performing Arts
8/5 Canandaigua, NY Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
8/8 Grand Rapids, MI Devos Performance Hall
8/10 Detroit, MI Fox Theater
8/11 HuberHeightes, OH Rose Music Center
8/12 Cincinnati, OH PNC Pavilion at Riverbend
8/16 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
8/18 San Jose, CA City National Civic Auditorium
8/24 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
8/28 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheater
2018 JUNO Songwriters’ Circle To Be Co-Hosted By Jann Arden And Bob Rock
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced today that, eight-time JUNO Award winning artist Jann Arden and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Bob Rock will co-host and perform at the 2018 JUNO Songwriters’ Circle Presented by SOCAN, Sunday, March 25, 2018 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. PST at Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre.
After co-writing what is known as Arden’s most personal and poignant album to date, These Are the Days, to be released in March 2018, the pair will reunite as co-hosts of the JUNO Songwriters’ Circle.
Presented by SOCAN (The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers) JUNO Songwriters’ Circle is an intimate and interactive event, benefiting MusiCounts. Considered the “Jewel of JUNO Week,” JUNO Songwriters’ Circle showcases some of Canada’s most talented songwriters, performing their original songs and sharing the stories behind them. Arden and Rock will be joined on stage by 2018 JUNO Award nominees who will be announced in February 2018.
“JUNO Songwriters’ Circle is a truly inspiring event that demonstrates the passion and inspiration of songwriting. These artists truly open themselves up to their audience showcasing their vulnerability and raw emotion,” said Arden. “I feel so fortunate to be a part of an event that not only offers audiences unfiltered access to artists but also benefits Canadian youth through MusiCounts.”
“I’m honoured to be co-hosting the JUNO Songwriters’ Circle with Jann in Vancouver. This one of a kind showcase offers an in-depth look at the inspiration and power of story-telling that come with songwriting,” said Rock. “It brings me great pleasure to support MusiCounts and the work they do for school music programs across the country.”
Tickets for the 2018 JUNO Songwriters’ Circle go on sale on January 19 at 10 a.m. PST through www.ticketmaster.ca or by phone at 1-855-985-5000 Tickets are available starting at $39.50 (plus taxes and service fees).
Proceeds from JUNO Songwriters’ Circle will benefit MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS, that works to keep music alive in schools and communities across Canada.
This year’s JUNO Songwriters’ Circle, will be rebroadcast on CBC Music.
Colin James Wins Big at the Maple Blues Awards
Cold January temperatures couldn’t beat the heat at Koerner Hall as a host of Canadian blues artists and fans gathered to celebrate at the 21st annual Maple Blues Awards.
The big winner of the evening was Colin James, who took home awards for Electric Act of the Year, Recording/Producer of the Year and Guitarist of the Year. Several new faces were honoured with awards including multiple nominee Hamilton’s Harrison Kennedy for Songwriter of the Year, Ottawa’s Laura Greenberg for Bassist of the Year and Victoria’s Jason Buie for New Artist of the Year. In a rare occurrence, there were no other multiple winners throughout the evening.
The Blues With A Feeling Award for lifetime achievement was awarded to Toronto-based Diana Braithwaite for her longtime career and commitment to blues music in Canada, while musicologist, professor, and writer Rob Bowman was presented with the Blues Booster of the Year award, a very special Maple Blues Award honouring outstanding contribution to the Canadian blues music industry.
In addition to the Maple Blues Awards, the fourth annual Cobalt Prize Contemporary Blues Composition Award was announced last night naming Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta’s Joe Nolan the winner for his song All You’ve Got To Do, with runners-up Conor Gains for his song Walking Alone and Miss Emily for her composition Hold Back The River. A cash prize of $1000 was the grand prize, with the second and third place winners each receiving $250.
Hosted by ShoShona Kish of Digging Roots, the Maple Blues Awards featured an electrifying performance from Kish, joined by her husband guitar player Raven Kanatakta and on kit drum their son Skye Polson. An array of live performances continued with Calgary’s Donald Ray Johnson, Montreal-based guitarist Cécile Doo-Kingué, Toronto’s Diana Braithwaite, New Brunswick powerhouse Matt Andersen with surprise guest Steve Hill and the evening’s big winner Colin James, who closed the show with another surprise guest Steve Marriner of MonkeyJunk, all backed by The Maple Blues Band.
The 21st Annual Maple Blues Award Winners
Entertainer of the Year – Paul DesLauriers Band
Electric Act of the Year – Colin James
Acoustic Act of the Year – Big Dave McLean
Male Vocalist of the Year – Matt Andersen
Female Vocalist of the Year – Angel Forrest
New Artist of the Year – Jason Buie
Recording/Producer of the Year – Colin James – Blue Highways (True North); Producers: Colin James & Dave Meszaros
B.B. King International Artist of the Year – Joe Bonamassa
Songwriter of the Year – Harrison Kennedy
Blues with a Feeling Award (Lifetime Achievement Award) – Diana Braithwaite
Guitarist of the Year – Colin James
Harmonica Player of the Year – Guy Bélanger
Piano/Keyboard of the Year – David Vest
Horn Player of the Year – Jon Wong
Drummer of the Year – Matt Sobb (MonkeyJunk)
Bassist of the Year – Laura Greenberg (JW-Jones)
Blues Booster of the Year – Rob Bowman
Nas performs Illmatic with National Symphony Orchestra To Air On PBS
Two decades after the album’s critically-acclaimed release, hip-hop artist Nas teamed up with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, to stage a symphonic rendition of “Illmatic,” one of the most revered albums in hip-hop history. The new concert film Great Performances — Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical Hip-Hop captures the energy and nostalgia of this collaborative performance and premieres nationwide Friday, February 2 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).
The program will be available to stream the following day at pbs.org/gperf and PBS apps. Released in 1994, “Illmatic” is the seminal debut album from Nas, and has long been considered one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time. The album is a densely textured, deeply lyrical portrait of life in the largest public housing project in North America, the Queensbridge Houses, located in the Long Island City area of New York City, home to nearly 7,000 people. “It’s crazy, you know, I wrote this in the projects in New York City. Here we are in the capitol of America, Washington, DC, and, you know, a bunch of white people with strings and all that, playing this album, and they [sic] feeling it,” says Nas in exclusive behind-the-scenes footage captured during on-stage rehearsal before the concert.
Alternating between candid reflections from Nas, photos from his youth, backstage footage and a symphonic performance of “Illmatic,” the program gives an inside look at the inspiration behind Nas’ music and his early life growing up in New York City. The combination of Nas and the orchestra reinvents the sound of some of his most popular songs, like “N.Y. State of Mind,” “The World is Yours,” “Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” to create a classical hip-hop journey. “This was the first time me [sic], as a classical orchestra conductor, was going to branch out into the realm of doing hip-hop music and rap music. And the idea of finally tackling this genre was something I was really looking forward to do,” says National Symphony Orchestra Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke about this innovative collaboration.
Great Performances is produced by THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers. Throughout its more than 40- year history on public television, Great Performances has provided viewers across the country with an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming.
A Mass Appeal production, Nas Live From the Kennedy Center: Classical HipHop is directed by Jason Goldwatch and executive produced by Nas, Anthony Saleh and Peter Bittenbender. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is series producer; David Horn is executive producer.
Iggy Pop Will Tell You About Punk Rock
Iggy Pop explains why he hates the term “Punk Rock” in this 1977 CBC interview.
Jason Alexander Re-Records Costanza’s Message for Kat Dennings
After learning Kat Dennings’ voicemail has been the famous George Costanza answering machine song, Jason Alexander records a custom version for the 2 Broke Girls star.