The Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies, the Ashkenaz Foundation, and the Department of Music in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design are proud to announce the launch of the fourth season of “Sound and Sense: Jewish Music @ York” with a special event marking YIVO’s centennial featuring distinguished scholars and musicians sharing their unique artistry. Tickets are available here.
Founded in 1925, the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research has been the destination over the last century for knowledge of and research about Yiddish language, culture, and civilization. Through its treasured collections and robust programming and educational initiatives, YIVO has helped preserve the precious legacy of one thousand years of Ashkenazi Jewish life.
In this special event marking YIVO’s centennial, we will be joined by distinguished scholars and musicians who will share their unique insights and artistry as we delve into the distinct legacy of Yiddish song collection in Canada. The event will include lectures by internationally recognized scholars Itzik Gottesman and Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett interspersed with musical performances by award-winning musicians Lenka Lichtenberg and Joseph Landau.
“Sound and Sense: Jewish Music @ York” is a performance and lecture series dedicated to showcasing the multicultural diversity of Jewish musical expression as well as the ongoing intersections between Jewish and non-Jewish musical practices and communities. The initiative is driven by an inclusive philosophy that believes in the power of music to serve as a bridge-builder and a vehicle for cultural exchange and dialogue.
The series has been made possible via the generous support of the Azrieli Foundation.
ittle Feat brings a wave of excitement into 2026 with The Last Farewell Tour, a lively and playful nod to their album ‘The Last Record’. The band begins a fresh series of shows in April with tickets on sale now and fans eager for every moment. The tour arrives with the spark that has defined their long and joyful presence in rock.
The band adds to the celebration with the release of the new single “Feathers And A Smile”. Written by Lowell George from an unreleased portion of the “Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie Suite”, the track features Bill Payne on piano and vocals, Scott Sharrard on Dobro, Fred Tackett on mandolin, and Inara George adding vocals with warmth that feels timeless. It arrives as a true treasure from the bands early creative world.
Little Feat continues to shine with recent achievements including a Grammy nomination for ‘Sams Place’ and the dynamic new album ‘Strike Up the Band’. Produced by Vance Powell with contributions from Charlie Starr and Robert Hunter, the record shows the bands vibrant mix of rock, rhythm, and lyrical imagination that keeps their sound moving forward.
The current lineup brings together Bill Payne, Fred Tackett, Kenny Gradney, Sam Clayton, Scott Sharrard, and Tony Leone. Their chemistry highlights Little Feats history while celebrating the energy they share today. Decades of music and creativity come together as they enter this memorable tour with a joyful spirit that reaches every generation of fans.
Little Feat 2026 The Last Farewell Tour Dates: Jan 11-18 – Fort Lauderdale FL @ Sandy Beaches Cruise 2026 Jan 18-25 – Fort Lauderdale FL @ The Big Easy Cruise 2026 Apr 10 – Orlando FL @ The Plaza Live Apr 11 – Miramar Beach FL @ Joe Bonamassas Sound Wave Beach Weekend 2026 Apr 13 – Knoxville TN @ Tennessee Theatre Apr 14 – Roanoke VA @ Jefferson Center Apr 16 – Chattanooga TN @ Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium Apr 17 – Montgomery AL @ Montgomery Performing Arts Center Apr 19 – Dallas TX @ Majestic Theatre Apr 20 – Austin TX @ Paramount Theatre May 3 – Houston TX @ 713 Music Hall May 5 – Eureka Springs AR @ City Auditorium May 6 – Kansas City MO @ Uptown Theater May 8 – Iowa City IA @ Englert Theatre May 9 – St. Charles IL @ Arcada Theatre May 24 – Thornville OH @ Dark Star Jubilee
UK folk singer-songwriter Lucy Kitchen returns with her new album ‘In The Low Light’, arriving 27 February 2026 via Bohemia Rose Record/Make My Day Records. Alongside the announcement comes her latest single ‘The Boatman’ and a fresh run of UK shows. A powerful return to her traditional folk roots, the track rises from hushed beginnings into a full-band crescendo, woven with birdsong and warm Hammond organ tones.
Kitchen describes ‘The Boatman’ as a grief song with a quiet defiance. The single follows recent releases ‘Red Skies’ and ‘In My Corner’, setting the tone for ‘In The Low Light’ – a deeply personal album shaped by loss, resilience, and the slow reconstruction of life after the death of her husband in 2022. Blending hypnotic folk with touches of Americana, the album reflects both sorrow and rediscovery.
“For me, making this album brought me back to myself,” she says. “I hope listeners find their own stories within these songs and connect with the idea that we can create beauty from endings.” Kitchen supports the release with UK tour dates including London, Southampton, Cowes, Sheffield, and Leeds.
Upcoming UK Tour Dates: 7 November – Paper Dress Vintage, London 21 November – Overdraft, Southampton 26 February – Medina Books, Cowes 1 March – Heartbreakers, Southampton (full band album launch show) 12 March – Cafe #9, Sheffield 14 March – Music Room, London (full band show) 3 April – Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
Poppy will return with her seventh studio album, ‘Empty Hands,’ arriving January 23, 2026 via Sumerian Records. She previews the record with the blistering new single “Bruised Sky,” a track that leans into her heaviest instincts yet. Produced and co-written by Jordan Fish, the song surges with industrial grit, melodic turns, and Poppy’s signature blend of clarity and chaos. Its accompanying video, directed by Orie McGinness, places Poppy and her band in a stark, dystopian world that mirrors the track’s intensity. ‘Empty Hands’ continues her evolution as a boundary-free visionary, folding together industrial edges, pop flourishes, and the uncanny, machine-like vocal identity that has defined her surrealist roots.
A new music video for the original song “Zoo” starring Shakira debuts today. The pop anthem is featured in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ upcoming animated adventure “Zootopia 2” and is performed by Shakira, who returns as the voice of Zootopia’s biggest pop star, Gazelle.
Shakira appears in multiple Gazelle and “Zootopia 2”-inspired looks throughout the music video, which combines her live performance with footage of numerous animated characters from the film including Gazelle, Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, Gary De’Snake and Nibbles Maplestick.
Directed by Hannah Lux Davis, the video is set in multiple environments from the film including the glamorous Zootenial Gala celebrating the 100th anniversary of the city’s weather walls; the Zootopia Express as it approaches the animal metropolis; and a steep cliffside that Shakira scales with Judy and Nick.
“Zoo” music and lyrics are written by Ed Sheeran, Blake Slatkin and Shakira. The song is produced by Blake Slatkin, Alex (A.C.) Castillo, Shakira and Ed Sheeran. “Zoo” will also be available as a collectible 7” purple vinyl single.
The “Zootopia 2” score is composed by Academy Award-winner Michael Giacchino and launches as a part of the complete soundtrack on Friday, Nov. 21, ahead of the film’s theatrical release on Wednesday, Nov. 26. The soundtrack can be pre-saved here.
In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia 2,” rookie cops Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake (voiced by Academy Award® winner Ke Huy Quan) arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. The film also features the voices of Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, Idris Elba, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Nate Torrence, and Shakira, who returns as Gazelle. From the Oscar®-winning team of Disney Animation chief creative officer Jared Bush and Byron Howard (directors) and Yvett Merino (producer), “Zootopia 2” opens in theaters Nov. 26.
December 1, at 6pm UK, 1pm NY, 11am LA, the Academy Award and Annie Award-winning animated short film, “WAR IS OVER!Inspired By The Music of John & Yoko” has its World Premiere exclusively on the Official John LennonChannel on YouTube.
WAR IS OVER! Film Premieres December 1 – 6pm UK – 1pm NY – 11am LA – here.
The film is set in an alternate WWI reality where, as a senseless war rages on, two soldiers on opposite sides of the conflict play a game of chess. A heroic carrier pigeon delivers the soldiers’ chess moves over the battlefield as the fighting escalates, meanwhile neither soldier knows his opponent as the game and the war builds to its climatic final move. Whoever wins the game, the film powerfully illustrates that one thing is for certain: there are no winners in war.
Co-written by Sean Ono Lennon and 20-year Pixar alumni – writer, director, and animator Dave Mullins (“Up,” “Soul,” “Incredibles 2,” “Cars 2”), Directed by Mullins and Produced by Brad Booker (“Iron Giant,” “The Book of Life,” “Rumble”), it is Executive Produced by Sean Ono Lennon and Yoko Ono Lennon, with a score composed by 15-time Oscar®-nominee, Thomas Newman.
WAR IS OVER! is a co-production of Lenono Music and ElectroLeague with animation produced by Peter Jackson’s Wētā FX using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.
Sean Ono Lennon says: In 2023, I worked with Dave Mullins and Brad Booker on an animated short film called WAR IS OVER! – about a wartime carrier pigeon delivering messages across the battlefield between two chess-playing soldiers – which I’m delighted to say, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short. On 1 December this year we are Premiering the film on YouTube and simultaneously raising donations for the charity Warchild – throughout the holiday season. We would be honoured if you would help us spread the word about the film and John & Yoko’s timeless message that
‘War is over if you want it.’
WARCHILD Accompanying the film will be a donation link for those who would like to support the charity WARCHILD. Donations link here.
HAPPY XMAS 7” SINGLE
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ / ‘Listen, The Snow Is Falling’ is being released on 7” evergreen vinyl as a replica of the original 1971 release by John Lennon and Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir, with Ultimate Mixes of the tracks Produced by Sean Ono Lennon and Mixed and Engineered by Paul Hicks and Sam Gannon. Find out more here. Also available as part of a Classic Holiday Singles Box Set here.
HAPPY XMAS 12” SINGLE
To celebrate the release of the film, these two tracks plus Thomas Newman’s soundtrack of the WAR IS OVER! film are being released as a Limited Edition 12” Zoetrope Vinyl, designed by Drew Tetz using excerpts from the film. These three tracks will also be available on Downloads and Streaming. Find out more here.
PENGUIN CHILDREN’S BOOK
The WAR IS OVER! film has also been adapted into a picture book with illustrations by the film’s character designer Max Narciso. A carrier pigeon named Julia delivers messages to the battlefield, but she also has a secret mission. Even though the Red Jackets and the Great Coats are at war, Julia helps the soldiers on both sides play a special game to bring each other some joy during the holiday season.
Inspired by one of the most important songs of the twentieth century and the film that carried on its legacy, “WAR IS OVER!!” is a stirring reminder of the human connection that binds us all, even during the most divisive times.
“WAR IS OVER!” is available now from Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers.
Universal Music Canada / MCA / CORE Records global country force Josh Ross has teamed up with Bud Light to bring fans the Bud Light Presents Later Tonight Tour, a cross-Canada headline tour kicking off February 6, 2026 in Moncton, NB.
Bud Light Presents Later Tonight Tour, the nationwide trek includes 17 dates and will feature direct support from Chandlers Walters. There will be special ‘Surprise Bud Light Buckle Up Tour’ stops set to be announced at a later date, offering fans exclusive experiences along the way.
“I love connecting with my fans across Canada,” says Josh Ross. “This partnership with Bud light allows for more ways to celebrate and cheers together on the road. It’s going to be a special tour.”
“Josh’s national tour is sure to be a must-attend experience for Canadian country music fans, so to have Bud Light as the presenting sponsor and further our support for country music artists was a natural fit,” said Patrick Heembrock, Bud Light Marketing Director, Labatt Breweries of Canada. “For the third year of the Bud Light Buckle Up Tour, we’re thrilled to partner with another leading Canadian artist and collaborate on new ways to bring easy to enjoy experiences to concert goers.”
Bud Light continues to partner with Universal Music Canada to create exciting live experiences bringing artists and fans together. The Bud Light Presents Later Tonight Tour is their latest collaboration for 2026.
The announcement follows a landmark year for Ross. Debut album, Later Tonight, achieved Gold certification in Canada within its first week, debuting #1 on the Canadian Country Albums Chart and #5 on the Current Country Albums Sales Chart in the U.S., and amassing over 11 million first-week streams. After notching three #1 singles at Canadian Country radio, Ross scored his first #1 hit on U.S. country radio with “Single Again”, marking a milestone in his burgeoning career. The success of “Single Again” puts him in an elite category as the first male Canadian country artist in nearly 30 years to top the US Country Airplay chart. The current hit single “Hate How You Look” continues to dominate charts, marking Ross’ first-ever #1 at UK Country Radio and breaking into the Top 5 at Canadian Country Radio while continuing to climb.
Last month, Ross performed a headline double-header at London’s iconic Camden Assembly celebrating Later Tonight and fans can now look forward to “Hate How You Look (Live From the UK)”, available December 5, alongside the official music video, captured during his sold-out shows.
Bud Light Presents Later Tonight Tour 2026 Dates: 2/6: Moncton, NB – Casino New Brunswick 2/10: Montreal, QC – Mtelus 2/12: Ottawa, ON – Hard Rock Casino 2/13: Toronto, ON – Massey Hall 2/14: Toronto, ON – History 2/18: Hamilton, ON – FirstOntario Concert Hall 2/20: London, ON – Centennial Hall 2/21: Kitchener, ON – Centre In The Square 2/24: Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre 2/25: Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre 2/26: Regina, SK – Conexus Arts Centre 2/28: Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Events Centre 3/2: Penticton, BC – Penticton Trade Convention Centre 3/5: Edmonton, AB – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium 3/6: Grande Prairie, AB – The Bowes – Bonnetts Energy Centre 3/7: Edmonton, AB – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium 3/9: Vancouver, BC – Orpheum
Netflix makes game night effortless with its new TV gaming feature, allowing anyone to play using only their phone as the controller. “Starting today, you can play games on your TV, using your phone as a controller — no setup needed, it’s as easy as streaming your favorite shows,” said Alain Tascan, President of Games at Netflix. The move instantly turns living rooms into multiplayer hubs and gives families and friends a seamless way to jump from watching to playing without switching platforms.
This holiday season brings a packed lineup for group play, anchored by the Party Games collection and Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game, where Benoit Blanc leads an investigation starring you and your guests. Netflix also rolls out LEGO Party!, Boggle Party, Party Crashers, Pictionary: Game Night and Tetris Time Warp, giving players a spread of familiar titles that work beautifully in a living room crowd. With phones as controllers, everyone can join in without learning new hardware or navigating complicated setup menus.
For solo players, Netflix expands its mobile gaming world with Red Dead Redemption available on mobile for the first time, complete with Dead West adventures and sunset soaked landscapes. Puzzle lovers get the new Puzzled app, featuring eight daily games and characters from Emily in Paris, Stranger Things and KPop Demon Hunters, all playable on Tudum and mobile. It’s a full ecosystem of games built to live right alongside Netflix’s shows, making the jump from watching to playing smoother than ever.
MIEN unleash a deep, atmospheric performance in their new KEXP session recorded September 24 2025, weaving together “Counterbalance,” “Mirror,” “How Could You Run,” “Evil People,” and “Western Shouting” with a swirling mix of vocals, taishogoto, keys, bass, guitar, samples and drums as Alex Maas, John Mark Lapham, Rishi Dhir and Robb Kidd lock into a dark psychedelic storm guided by host Jewel Loree.
Taylor Swift unveils the trailer for ‘The End of an Era,’ the six episode Disney+ docuseries capturing the creation, energy and emotional heartbeat of her record breaking Eras Tour. The first two episodes arrive December 12, paired with ABC’s preview broadcast and a primetime airing of Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show. Filmed in Vancouver, the series promises an all access look at Swift’s world as the tour reshaped pop culture and united millions of fans across continents.
The docuseries features appearances from Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter, Travis Kelce, Ed Sheeran and Florence Welch, alongside Swift’s band, dancers, crew and family. The full concert film streaming the same day showcases the tour’s final night, including the complete set from ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ performed in its entirety for the first time after the album’s 2024 release.
Directed by Don Argott and co directed by Sheena M Joyce, ‘The End of an Era’ digs into the tour’s creative engine and the community that powered it. Glenn Weiss directs the companion concert film, produced by Taylor Swift Productions and Silent House Productions. Together, these releases capture the scale, joy and artistry behind Swift’s era defining run.
