Home Blog Page 5

Dweezil Zappa Marks 20 Years Of Frank Zappa’s Music On “DZ20” Tour

Eric Alper
-
0
Dweezil Zappa Marks 20 Years Of Frank Zappa’s Music On “DZ20” Tour

Two decades in, Dweezil Zappa is still finding new corners in his father’s catalog. The acclaimed guitarist and bandleader announces the “DZ20: Like Father, Like Son Tour,” celebrating 20 years of bringing Frank Zappa’s music to audiences worldwide. The milestone run honors two decades spent preserving, performing, and expanding one of modern music’s most adventurous bodies of work.

This has always been personal. What began as a deep connection to his father’s music grew into a celebrated live experience that’s introduced generations of fans to the complexity, irreverence, and imagination running through Frank’s compositions. For 20 years, Dweezil has interpreted the sophisticated, unpredictable, and technically demanding material with passion, precision, humor, and fearless musicianship.

The performances reinvent as much as they recreate. Dweezil assembles elite musicians to faithfully and creatively perform material spanning rock, jazz, orchestral, fusion, and experimental traditions, shaping fan favorites into hybrid arrangements and reviving rare compositions for modern ears. As he puts it, the songs you think you know may surprise you with parts you’ve never heard before.

The tour delivers more than two hours of music spanning Frank’s storied career, packed with fan favorites, deep cuts, improvisational stretches, and surprises for longtime devotees and newcomers alike. Dweezil sounds energized by the journey. He says every tour lets him revisit his father’s work from a new perspective while finding ways to surprise audiences and himself, with always something new to discover.

There’s plenty for superfans too. A robust VIP offering brings audiences closer to the artistry, with exclusive pre-show soundcheck access, a rare live mixing experience, and select side-stage vantage points. Full dates and details are available now at Dweezil Zappa’s official website.

DZ20: Like Father, Like Son Tour Dates:

October 22, 2026 – Phoenix, AZ

October 23, 2026 – Tucson, AZ

October 25, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT

October 26, 2026 – Denver, CO

October 28, 2026 – Minneapolis, MN

October 29, 2026 – Chicago, IL

October 30, 2026 – Royal Oak, MI

October 31, 2026 – Pittsburgh, PA

November 1, 2026 – Alexandria, VA

November 4, 2026 – Tarrytown, NY

November 5, 2026 – Huntington, NY

November 6, 2026 – Albany, NY

November 7, 2026 – Wallingford, CT

November 8, 2026 – Staten Island, NY

November 11, 2026 – Red Bank, NJ

November 12, 2026 – Glenside, PA

November 13, 2026 – Medford, MA

November 14, 2026 – Portland, ME

November 15, 2026 – Quebec City, QC

November 17, 2026 – Montreal, QC

November 18, 2026 – Toronto, ON

November 19, 2026 – Cleveland, OH

November 20, 2026 – Cincinnati, OH

November 21, 2026 – Indianapolis, IN

November 22, 2026 – St. Louis, MO

November 24, 2026 – Albuquerque, NM

November 27, 2026 – El Cajon, CA

November 28, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA

November 29, 2026 – San Francisco, CA

December 1, 2026 – Seattle, WA

December 2, 2026 – Vancouver, BC

December 3, 2026 – Portland, OR

December 4, 2026 – Reno, NV

December 5, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV

Video: Gorillaz Light Up Belgium’s Rock Werchter In Euphoric 2018 Festival Set

Eric Alper
-
0
Video: Gorillaz Light Up Belgium’s Rock Werchter In Euphoric 2018 Festival Set

Gorillaz turned a Belgian field into a trance. The virtual band dreamed up by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett headlined Rock Werchter in June 2018, playing a 90-minute main stage set to a crowd of 88,000 at Festivalpark. Backed by a live band and their signature animated projections, the show landed mid-tour and at full power, fusing throbbing beats with guest vocals to spark pure euphoria under the summer sky. The set leaned on the electronics, hip-hop, and indie blend of 2017’s ‘Humanz’, the album that marked their return after a seven-year hiatus with guests like Vince Staples and De La Soul. Sharing a lineup with Pearl Jam and Arctic Monkeys, Gorillaz showed exactly why they remain one of music’s most inventive live forces.

Country’s Rising Star Wyatt Flores Sets New Album ‘Scared Of Heights’ For July 31

Eric Alper
-
0
Country’s Rising Star Wyatt Flores Sets New Album ‘Scared Of Heights’ For July 31

Wyatt Flores knows exactly who he is now. The acclaimed Oklahoma singer-songwriter sets his anticipated new album ‘Scared of Heights’ for July 31 via Island Records/MCA, his first project since partnering with MCA. New song “Half The Man” arrives this Friday, June 5, ahead of the full release. Pre-order/save it here.

The record marks a real turning point. Produced by Charlie Handsome, Jacob “JKash” Hindlin, and Gian Stone, ‘Scared of Heights’ expands Flores’ sound toward early 2000s rock while holding onto the vulnerable songwriting that Billboard calls the work of one of the genre’s most conspicuous new voices. Across 13 tracks, he offers an unfiltered look at the past few years, facing down darkness to find moments of peace.

Flores speaks candidly about where he’s landed. He shares that he finally feels like he knows who he’s supposed to be, no longer second-guessing the music or himself, still working through his struggles and mental health but regaining the confidence to believe in himself again.

The early singles have set the table beautifully. Flores unveiled “Drive All Night” and “Runnin’ On E” this spring, the latter praised by Billboard as a freewheeling summertime favorite, with All Country News calling him one of the most compelling voices of his generation.

His momentum runs deep. The Mexican-American artist has racked up over 1.4 billion streams, earned the Rising Star Award from the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, landed on Rolling Stone’s “Future of Music” list, and made his Grand Ole Opry debut, following his acclaimed 2024 debut ‘Welcome to the Plains’. An electric live performer, Flores keeps his extensive “Drive All Night Tour” rolling through the fall, with select dates supporting The Red Clay Strays and Koe Wetzel.

‘Scared of Heights’ Track Listing:

Hate Myself

Sober For a Month

Drive All Night

Not Good Enough

Scared of Heights

How To Let Me Go

Half The Man

South Dakota

Sleepless Lullaby

God Forgives

Runnin’ On E

The Way I Do

Tulsa and Eleanor

Wyatt Flores Tour Dates:

June 2 – Nashville, TN – Skydeck at Assembly Food Hall

June 5 – Nashville, TN – Old Red (Spotify House)

June 6 – Nashville, TN – Skydeck at Assembly Food Hall

June 11 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre

June 13 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo

June 14 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company

June 18 – North Lawrence, OH – The Country Fest

June 19 – Bloomington, IL – Tailgate N’ Tallboys

June 20 – West Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom

June 23 – Wichita, KS – The Cotillion

June 25 – Bonner Springs, KS – Azura Amphitheater

June 26 – South Greenfield, MO – Baker Spain Stampede

July 10 – Quebec City, QC – Festival d’été de Québec

July 17 – Petersburg, IL – Menard County Fair

July 18 – Hastings, NE – Adams County Fairgrounds

July 19 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Frontier Days

July 21 – Deadwood, SD – Deadwood Mountain Grand

July 23 – Three Forks, MT – Headwaters Country Jam

July 25 – Fargo, ND – UP District Festival Field ~

August 7 – Oshkosh, WI – Xroads41 Music Festival

August 8 – Elkhorn, NE – The Club at Indian Creek ‡

August 22 – Helix, OR – Wheatstock Music Festival

August 26 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena *

August 27 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena *

August 29 – Portland, OR – Moda Center *

August 30 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena *

September 17 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre +

September 18 – Columbia, SC – University of South Carolina +

September 19 – Richmond, VA – Virginia Credit Union LIVE! At Richmond Raceway +

September 24 – Pikeville, KY – Appalachian Wireless Arena +

September 25 – Huntsville, AL – The Orion Amphitheater +

September 26 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater +

October 2 – Ocean City, MD – Country Calling Festival

October 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Redwest Music Festival

October 28 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boling Arena *

November 15 – Pittsburgh, PA – Citizens Live at The Wylie

November 21 – Nashville, TN – The Truth

~ with special guest Shelby Stone

‡ with special guest Kashus Culpepper

  • supporting The Red Clay Strays
  • with Koe Wetzel

Shawn Mendes Marks 10 Years Of “Treat You Better” With Limited-Edition 7″ Vinyl

Eric Alper
-
0
Shawn Mendes Marks 10 Years Of “Treat You Better” With Limited-Edition 7″ Vinyl

A decade on, the song still hits. Shawn Mendes celebrates the 10th anniversary of his breakthrough single “Treat You Better” with a limited-edition 7″ vinyl, out now via Blood Records and already sold out in minutes. Side A carries the original recording, while Side B unveils a previously unreleased “Treat You Better (Live From New York)” version. The packaging nods to the cover art of his 2016 album ‘Illuminate’. Listen here.

The live track and its video arrive across all platforms today. Mendes dropped the official performance video on his YouTube channel and marked the occasion with a heartfelt social media post, thanking fans for a decade of love around the song.

The numbers tell the story. “Treat You Better” first arrived on June 3, 2016, and has since earned 7x-Platinum certification from the RIAA, approaching 5 billion streams, with the music video alone nearing 3 billion views. It paved the way for ‘Illuminate’, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and went 2x-Platinum. Ten years later, the single remains one of the defining moments of Mendes’ career.

Role Model Drops “High Hopes 3000” Ahead Of New Album ‘Chuck Timely & The Hourglass’

Eric Alper
-
0
Role Model Drops “High Hopes 3000” Ahead Of New Album ‘Chuck Timely & The Hourglass’

A new era starts here. Role Model, the project of Tucker Pillsbury, just released “High Hopes 3000” via Interscope, the first single and visual from his upcoming third studio album ‘Chuck Timely & The Hourglass’, arriving August 7. The track was written by Pillsbury alongside Mason Stoops, Taylor Mackall, Remy Morritt, Kane Ritchotte, and Harrison Whitford, with Stoops, Mackall, and Ritchotte handling production. To mark the release, Pillsbury sits down with Zane Lowe for an Apple Music New Music Daily conversation, streaming on demand later this morning. Listen here.

The rollout has been pure intrigue. Select fans received old-fashioned acquaintance cards in the mail from the mysterious “Chuck Timely,” each carrying a phone number that led to a pre-recorded voicemail from Chuck himself. An Instagram account soon surfaced under the same name, picturing Chuck reimagined across different eras and sparking a wave of fan theories about who he really is.

The new video matches that ambition. Directed by Danica Arias Kleinknecht, it made its television debut across MTV Live and MTVU and lit up the Paramount billboards in Times Square. It’s the first visual of this new chapter, and a bold one.

Momentum has been building for a while. His 2024 sophomore album ‘Kansas Anymore’ earned rave reviews and now sits near 320 million streams, powered by the viral hit “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out,” which he performed on Saturday Night Live with surprise guest Charli XCX. He followed it with the sold-out No Place Like Tour, moving over 90,000 tickets worldwide, and a stint supporting Gracie Abrams.

There’s plenty more ahead. Pillsbury is rolling through a summer festival run with stops at Primavera, Bonnaroo, Leeds, and beyond, and he’s stepping into acting with a debut role in Lena Dunham’s upcoming Netflix film ‘Good Sex’, opposite Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo.

Role Model Festival Dates:

June 4-6, 2026 – Primavera Sound, Barcelona, Spain

June 7, 2026 – We Love Green, Paris, France

June 11-14, 2026 – Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN

August 28, 2026 – Leeds Festival, Leeds, UK

August 29, 2026 – Electric Picnic, Dublin, Ireland

August 30, 2026 – Reading Festival, Reading, UK

L.A. Guns Capture A Fiery Night On ‘Live From The Guild Theatre’

Eric Alper
-
0
L.A. Guns Capture A Fiery Night On ‘Live From The Guild Theatre’

L.A. Guns are turning one of their best nights into a full live record. ‘Live From The Guild Theatre’ arrives July 3 via Cleopatra Records, captured almost exactly a year earlier at the onstage launch of ‘Leopard Skin’, the band’s most acclaimed album in years. The lead single “Electric Gypsy,” pulled from the self-titled debut, is streaming now alongside a new video.

The performance pulls from every corner of the catalog. The Gunners fire off killer versions of fan favorites tracing back to that first record, including “Sex Action,” which probably hadn’t surfaced in the setlist since the eighties. Sophomore set ‘Cocked and Loaded’ delivers some of the heaviest blasts in the band’s arsenal, with “I Wanna Be Your Man,” “The Ballad of Jayne,” “Rip and Tear,” and the closer “Never Enough.”

Critics have been firmly in the band’s corner. Rockpit.net called ‘Leopard Skin’ a hook-filled, melody-drenched delight, praising L.A. Guns for evolving naturally rather than coasting on nostalgia. MetalPlanetMusic.com said they’re still churning out bangers, while Maximumvolumemusic.com applauded the band for still sounding gloriously filthy and unapologetic.

The lineup has rarely sounded sharper. Longtime vocalist Phil Lewis and founder Tracii Guns lead a band that’s been tearing up stages worldwide since 1983, rounded out by Ace Von Johnson on guitar, Johnny Martin on bass, and Shawn Duncan on drums. The album lands across an impressive spread of formats, including CD, vinyl, DVD, and cassette.

‘Live From The Guild Theatre’ Track Listing:

Intro – Taste It

Cannonball

Electric Gypsy

Sex Action

Hellraisers Ball

Hit and Run

Like a Drug

Speed

One More Reason

Theremin Jam

Over the Edge

Guitar Solo

I Wanna Be Your Man

Lucky Motherfucker

Never Enough

The Ballad of Jayne

Rip and Tear

Outlaw Country Favorite Cody Jinks Strips It Down For 2018’s “Adobe Sessions: Unplugged”

Eric Alper
-
0
Outlaw Country Favorite Cody Jinks Strips It Down For 2018’s “Adobe Sessions: Unplugged”

Cody Jinks let the songs breathe. The outlaw country favorite delivered an intimate acoustic set for “Adobe Sessions: Unplugged” in 2018, trading full-band muscle for warm acoustic guitars, melodic vocal lines, and the kind of sincere lyrics that built his reputation. Riding a wave of acclaim following his 2016 album ‘I’m Not the Devil’, Jinks wove together signature hits and newer material, with a stripped-back take on “Cast No Stones” landing with quiet, dramatic force. The unplugged format suited him perfectly, a fitting nod to the 2015 album ‘Adobe Sessions’ that helped cement his place in the genre.


Beat Generation Icon Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Howl And Other Poems’ Returns To Vinyl For Centennial

Eric Alper
-
0
Beat Generation Icon Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Howl And Other Poems’ Returns To Vinyl For Centennial

One of the twentieth century’s most defining voices gets a fitting tribute. Craft Recordings marks the centennial of Allen Ginsberg with a special vinyl reissue of his landmark 1959 spoken-word album ‘Howl and Other Poems’, originally released by Fantasy Records. The recording captures Ginsberg performing many of his most celebrated works, including the era-defining title poem “Howl.”

The reissue arrives September 4 on eco-friendly green blend vinyl, faithfully replicating the original 1959 package design. This is a limited edition pressing, available for pre-order now and streaming across digital platforms. The set draws from the Big Table reading at Chicago’s Shaw Festival, paired with additional sessions recorded at Fantasy Studios in San Francisco.

The performances crackle with energy. Alongside “Howl,” the album gathers celebrated works including “America,” “Sunflower Sutra,” “A Supermarket in California,” and “Footnote to Howl,” preserving the radical candor, urgency, humor, and musicality of Ginsberg’s early readings.

The history behind the work runs deep. Born June 3, 1926, in Newark, Ginsberg found himself at the center of a 1957 obscenity trial after City Lights published the collection, and the court’s decision affirming the poem’s literary importance became a landmark victory for free expression in America. The continued publication helped establish the Beat Generation as a major cultural movement, alongside writers including Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Gary Snyder.

Ginsberg’s reach extended far beyond the page. His friendships and collaborations with Bob Dylan, Philip Glass, Patti Smith, and Paul McCartney forged lasting connections between poetry and popular music. In 2019, his recording of “Howl” was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, a recognition of its enduring cultural and historical importance. Seventy years on, the work continues to challenge, inspire, and resonate.

Track Listing:

Side A

Howl (Live at Shaw Festival, Chicago, IL / January 29, 1959)

The Sunflower Sutra

Footnote to Howl

Side B

A Supermarket in California

Transcription of Organ Music

America

In Back of the Real

Strange Cottage in Berkeley

Europe, Europe

Kaddish

Europe Recruit Star-Studded Cast For “The Cult Of Ignorance” Video And New Album

Eric Alper
-
0
Europe Recruit Star-Studded Cast For “The Cult Of Ignorance” Video And New Album

Joey Tempest and company are swinging for the fences. Europe have unleashed “The Cult of Ignorance,” the hook-laden second single from their forthcoming album ‘Come This Madness’, due September 25 via Silver Lining Music. The track rides an instantly memorable hook and an anthemic chorus, carrying a message that speaks to today’s fast-moving world while holding onto its feel-good energy.

The accompanying video is a who’s-who of Swedish star power. Directed by Patric Ullaeus, it packs cameos from actress Malin Åkerman, tennis great Stefan Edberg, astronaut Christer Fuglesang, Howling Pelle of The Hives, Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt and Fredrik Åkesson, and E-Type, among many other faces from music, film, fashion, sports, and science.

Tempest can’t hide his enthusiasm. “I love this track,” he says, describing a straightforward rock anthem with lyrics written slightly tongue in cheek. He credits keyboardist Mic Michaeli with bringing the idea to him while on tour in South America, and points to author and biochemist Isaac Asimov as the inspiration behind the title.

The album carries serious pedigree. ‘Come This Madness’ was recorded at Stockholm’s RMV Studio, founded by Benny Andersson and Ludvig Andersson, with guest backing vocals from Tobias Forge of Ghost and Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth. Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Rammstein, Pixies) produced, embedding himself in the writing and recording, while rock legend Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Van Halen, Metallica) handled the mix. Storm Studios, the team behind classic Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin artwork, designed the cover.

There’s a milestone to celebrate too. The band launches “The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour” in Glasgow on September 30, a major run marking four decades since the song that made them global icons, threaded through a packed schedule of festival dates across the summer and fall.

2026 Tour Dates:

6 Jun – North Festival, Maia (PT)

21 Jun – Graspop Metal Meeting, Dessel (BE)

25 Jun – Rock Pod Kameňom Festival, Bela Nad Cirochou (SK)

28 Jun – Retro Trop C, Tilloloy (FR)

5 Jul – Summer Festival Piazza Castello, Marostica (IT)

7 Jul – Cavea-Auditorium Parco della Musica, Roma (IT)

8 Jul – Arena Campo Marte, Brescia (IT)

9 Jul – Villa Bertelli, Forte Dei Marmi (IT)

25 Jul – Son Do Mar Festival, Meaño, Pontevedra (ES)

30 Jul – Wacken Open Air, Wacken (DE)

29 Aug – Stonedead Festival, Newark (GB)

30 Sep – SEC Armadillo, Glasgow (GB)*

2 Oct – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton (GB)*

3 Oct – Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, London (GB)*

5 Oct – Musis Arnhem, Arnhem (NL)*

6 Oct – Olympia, Paris (FR)*

8 Oct – Poble Espanyol, Barcelona (ES)*

9 Oct – Bilbao Arena Mirabilla, Bilbao (ES)*

10 Oct – La Cubierta, Madrid (ES)*

12 Oct – Salle Métropole, Lausanne (CH)*

13 Oct – Volkshaus, Zürich (CH)*

14 Oct – Alcatraz, Milan (IT)*

16 Oct – Liederhalle, Stuttgart (DE)*

17 Oct – Gasometer, Wien (AT)*

19 Oct – Admiralspalast Theater, Berlin (DE)*

20 Oct – COS Torwar, Warszawa (PL)*

22 Oct – Falkoner, Frederiksberg (DK)*

23 Oct – Film Studios, Gothenburg (SE)*

24 Oct – B-K, Stockholm (SE)*

26 Oct – Sentrum Scene, Oslo (NO)*

15 Nov – Malta Metal Weekend, St. Julians (MT)*

21 Nov – Ostravar Aréna, Ostrava (CZ)*

25 Nov – Aalto Hall @ House of Culture, Helsinki (FI)*

27 Nov – John Smith Rock Frozen Paviljonki, Jyväskylä (FI)*

28 Nov – Unholy Winter Festival Joensuu Areena, Joensuu (FI)*

*The Final Countdown 40th Anniversary Tour

‘Come This Madness’ Track Listing:

One on One

The Cult of Ignorance

Come This Madness

This Time of Year

In a Different World

Scandinavian Eyes

Takin’ It Back

In the Absence of Grace

The Angels Must Have Flown

The Devil’s Back

Nothing Can Follow This

New York Times Games Marks Wordle’s 5th Birthday With V.I.P. Concert Access For Solvers

Eric Alper
-
0
New York Times Games Marks Wordle’s 5th Birthday With V.I.P. Concert Access For Solvers

Five years of daily five-letter guesses deserve a celebration. New York Times Games is marking Wordle’s fifth birthday by handing fans the V.I.P. treatment, short for Very Important Player, with a summer program that turns morning puzzle rituals into live concert access. Players can solve bonus puzzles from famous solvers, snag tickets to shows nationwide, and earn fresh badges along the way.

The music ties run deep here. Starting this month, New York Times Games teams with touring musicians who genuinely love the game, kicking off with five concerts from Nat & Alex Wolff, Young the Giant, Priscilla Block, and Passion Pit, all artists who’ve been solving alongside fans for the past five years. Each one releases a unique bonus Wordle puzzle through the Create Your Wordle Puzzle feature, and select solvers score V.I.P. tickets, artist merch, and more.

The artists make their devotion clear. Nat Wolff credits the game with saving long-distance friendships through races to solve first, while Young the Giant’s Sameer calls the app his most-used by far, an anchoring ritual across more than 250 puzzles and a life defined by constant change. Priscilla Block loves anything that sparks a little competition, and Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos points to memory as a through-line on his new record, noting how the daily exercise carries extra meaning with a parent living with dementia.

There are badges to chase too. Players can earn the 5-for-5 Challenge badge by solving five daily puzzles from June 15 to 19, and the 5th Birthday badge by solving the puzzle on June 19. Wordle remains free to play in the New York Times Games app on iOS and Android, plus mobile web and desktop.

V.I.P. Concert Dates:

Nat & Alex Wolff (Puzzle): 6/13 at Seattle Center in Seattle — Submit HERE.

Young the Giant (Puzzle): 6/19 at Pier 17 in New York — Submit HERE.

Priscilla Block (Puzzle): 7/30 at L27 Rooftop Lounge in Nashville — Submit HERE.

Passion Pit (Puzzle): 8/18 & 8/19 at The Bellwether in Los Angeles — Submit HERE.

1...456...3,749Page 5 of 3,749

Follow us on Instagram @thatericalper

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

Popular posts

Popular category

© Copyright - That Eric Alper