Rock the Bells’ second annual Immersive hip hop cruise nears as the first-wave of performers are made public. Hip hop legends the likes of Rakim, Jadakiss, E-40, Digable Planets and AZ will be gracing the stage during the voyage known as “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience.” In like manner, a host of influential DJ’s — including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kid Capri, Mannie Fresh, The Finisher Mister Cee, DJ Scratch — will be present to set the tone for what will be an authentic hip hop experience. Moreover, hip hop pioneer Roxanne Shante and Torae will return as hosts.
Rock the Bells’ Immersive hip hop cruise Sets Sail on November 13
Rock The Bell Cruise: What to Expect
Much like last year’s “timeless hip hop cruise,” this year’s festivities will feature classic hip hop for hip hop heads. Additionally, the hip hop platform will be partnering with Sixthman, a leading festival and music cruise entity, to help bring about this first of its kind expedition. After all, “Rock the Bells Cruise” will be offering an immersive five-day hip-hop experience across beautiful waters and inspiring scenery. Hip hop will be taking over every corner of the ship with themed parties, meet & greet autograph sessions, rap karaoke, open mic nights, and much more.
Keeping the heads ringing, Rock the Bells Cruise is back!” “Hip-Hop heads get ready for a bigger and more action-packed schedule that continues the tradition of celebrating the icons across all Hip-Hop culture while also looking ahead to the next 50 years.”
– Sixthman CEO Jeff Cuellar
The week-long cruise will sail from Miami and make two stops in the Bahamas at Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau. Prices range from $1,180 to $7,191, while cabins are already on sale to the public. For more information visit the Rock The Bells Cruise official website. Moreover, keep an eye out for more reveals as a full slate of performers, activities, and other details will be available within the coming months.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter David Shaw of The Revivalists has shared his powerful new single, “Alabama,” serving as his deep response to the ongoing battle against women’s reproductive rights.
Recorded at the historic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL, “Alabama” also speaks about last week’s Alabama Supreme Court ruling that embryos created during IVF fertility treatments should be considered children. Shaw’s frustration and the recent birth of his daughter inspired his emotional return to the feelings originally captured while recording in Muscle Shoals.
“Music has always been, and always will be at its core a way for people to come together over a common love and bond,” says Shaw. “It’s the great communicator. It reaches the heart of the unreachable and the voice of the unspeakable. It has the distinct ability to pierce the heart of the hardened. Alabama was written to be a beacon of awareness for what’s going on in the South and our beloved country.
Known far and wide as frontman for The Revivalists, David Shaw made an extraordinary solo debut with 2021’s David Shaw, exemplifying his hard-working and courageous nature. Produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Jack Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys, Solange), the album saw the singer, songwriter, musician, and producer following the direction of his internal compass, with rock ‘n’ roll impulses and honesty. Listening solely to his creative impulses, Shaw constructed a studio in his backyard where the songs took shape before recording at The Parlor Recording Studio in New Orleans, LA. Accompanying Shaw on the album is an ensemble of talented musicians and friends including Neal Francis (vocals/guitar), PJ Howard (drums), Mike Starr (bass), and Chris Gelbuda (guitar).
In addition to The Revivalists’ five studio albums – which have earned close to 800M worldwide streams and include the RIAA Platinum-certified #1 hit, “Wish I Knew You” – Shaw spearheaded the creation of the band’s RevCauses, a philanthropic umbrella fund supporting organizations dedicated to investing in our communities, health, and environment. By donating a portion of ticket sales, through fan donations, and a variety of other fundraising efforts, the band assisted multiple national and local organizations in building a better future. Current organizations benefitting include After School Matters, Mercy Ships, Musically Fed, Trans Lifeline, ACLU of Louisiana, Healing Minds NOLA, New Orleans Family Justice Alliance, and Restore The Mississippi River Delta.
I adore living in the south. It’s my home. There’s a warmth here to the people and places we inhabit. But sometimes it can feel like you’re swinging upstream without a paddle with an 800-pound gorilla on your back. It’s hard and it hurts to realize where we are and how far we have to go to reach some sort of common ground and understanding. We’re divided in so many ways but bodily autonomy and reproductive rights for women shouldn’t be one of them. We’ve got to stand up and come together on this. I’m hoping with some action we can find a way forward together. I love you all.
David Shaw
The powerful and emotional single “Alabama” is out now.
The English Punk-rock band Damned have announced their “Black Strawberry” Ball at the historic Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center on May 31
The Damned’s “Black Strawberry” Ball will feature special guests Lenny Kaye a guitarist, composer, and writer who is also a well known member of the Patti Smith Group, led by vocalist and poet Patti Smith. The show will feature a cerebration of The Dictators, a NY-based legendary rock band that has been making music for the past 50 years at Hammerstein Ballroom. The concert extravaganza will bring their full 80’s line-up back together in the US for the first time since 1989 with the return of Rat Scabies. The legendary lineup will include David Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies and Paul Gray all together again after 35 years.
Following their formation in 1976, The Damned became the first UK punk band to officially release a single, “New Rose,” and an album,Damned Damned Damned. With 12 studio album releases and several UK chart singles, the band are claimed to be one of the few pioneers who emerged from the London punk scene, earning an ever-expanding fan base fueled by legendary live shows. The bands dark lyrics and Dave Vanian’s rich baritone vocals also catapulted The Damned to the forefront of the Goth-rock genre.
Following the bands “Black Strawberry” ball at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center on May 31 announcement, a limited number of presale tickets will go on sale to the the general public on Friday, March 8 at 10 AM ET. And for full event details and tickets fans can find here
Dreamville’s annual spring festival is returning to Raleigh, NC from April 6-7 in Dorothea Dix Park. Dreamville Festival is curated by the label’s founder, and North Carolina native, J. Cole as well as members of his Dreamville team, who will also be performing at the festival.
Day one will feature SZA and Chris Brown as the headliners. SZA is hot off her second studio album SOS, which earned the 2023 BET Album of the Year award and many other accolades. Last November, Chris Brown released a new album, titled 11:11, touring this June in support. In addition to the headliners, J.I.D, Lil Yachty, Schoolboy Q, Sexyy Red, Jeremih, Earthgang, Teezo Touchdown, Amaarae, Lute, Luh Tyler, and Domani are all performing on the first day of the festival.
J.I.D performing at Made in America Festival, 2022. Photo By: Lucas Kurzweil
Day two of the festival will feature J. Cole and Nicki Minaj as headliners. J. Cole is currently on the “Big As The What?” tour, co-headlining with Drake, and Nicki Minaj is also on tour for her December 2023 release Pink Friday 2. Rema, Jeezy, Monica, Rae Sremmurd, Key Glock, Bas, Muni Long, Cozz, Omen, TiaCorine, and Chase Shakur join on day two.
GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated artist, actress, producer, and entrepreneur Mary J. Blige has announced the return of the third annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, in partnership with Live Nation Urban and Pepsi. The NYC festival features three days of music, comedy, female empowerment sessions, keynote speakers, and more from May 10-12.
Photo Credit: Will Sterling.
Created and curated by the iconic Mary J. Blige, Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit is the only festival experience in the market, brought to you exclusively by an all-Black, female team, arriving in the birthplace of Hip-Hop, New York City. She has dedicated the majority of her career to amplifying and giving voice to BIPOC women, through the art of music and truth-telling.
After selling out in less than 72 hours last year, the festival will bring iconic moments with three incredible nights of music and entertainment, featuring a concert at Barclays with performances by Mary J. Blige and special guests 50 Cent, Jill Scott, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Muni Long, Lola Brooke, and Funk Flex; a Comedy Show featuring Tiffany Haddish, Don’t Call me White Girl, and Paris Sashay; Jazz Concert with Robert Glasper; Gospel Brunch, hosted by Mary J. Blige, and Gospel Concert headlined by The Clark Sisters. The Strength of a Woman Summit on May 11, hosted by Angie Martinez, will empower and engage with women and includes inspiring programming, pivotal panels, keynote speakers, workshops, and much more.
“I’m so excited to bring our Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit to my hometown, New York City, a place that has always been a huge source of inspiration for me,” said Mary J. Blige, Founder of Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit. “Having the opportunity to continue to uplift, inspire, and build within my community is the reason I created this festival. I’m so grateful for all the support from our performers, attendees, and of course, our partners Live Nation Urban and Pepsi. Nobody does it like New York, so get ready.”
Presented by Pepsi, the festival’s inaugural partner returns to support Blige and her impactful work on and off the stage, in a shared mission to inspire and empower the next generation of women. Pepsi will once again bring its powerful platform to the production and event experience across the festival, bringing delicious food by local Black female restaurateurs to the fan experience through Pepsi Dig In—a platform designed to provide visibility, resources, and awareness to Black restaurateurs.
As a brand rooted in celebrating culture and music and uplifting communities, Pepsi is honored to return as presenting partner and co-producer of the Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, continuingour shared vision with Mary to elevate and empower women. The festival’s move to New York City, Pepsi’s own backyard, provides an even larger stage to highlight and support more remarkable women in the community. As it moves into its third year, the festival’s continued success is a testament to Mary’s impact and the power of amplifying Black women and their voices.
Kent Montgomery, Senior Vice President, PepsiCo Industry Relations and Multicultural Development
In celebration of Women’s History Month (March), presale tickets go live Wednesday, March 6 – Thursday, March 7, with code STRENGTH, while general ticket sales begin Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. ET. For tickets and schedule, visit here.
Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit Schedule
Friday, May 10, 2024
Comedy Show
The Apollo Theatre
Performances by Tiffany Haddish, Don’t Call me White Girl, and Paris Sashay
Jazz Concert
Blue Note Jazz Club
Performance by Robert Glasper
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Strength of a Woman Summit
The Glasshouse
Hosted by Angie Martinez
Strength of a Woman Concert
Barclays
Performances by Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Jill Scott, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Muni Long, Lola Brooke, and Funk Flex
Plunge into a techno paradise in Queens from May 16–19, when WIRE Festival makes a return to Knockdown Center. This year, the event broadens its scope, delivering three days of non-stop pulsing beats.
On Thursday, May 16, festivities begin with evening talks in collaboration with the Resident Advisor, preparing the ground for an enjoyable weekend. Stage 1 is the Main Hall, where techno’s seminal and innovative acts perform. Meanwhile, Stage 2 is the scene of takeovers. This year, Wire has invited Berlin’s Mala Junta and Amsterdam’s Vault Sessions. These two European collectives will redefine techno in 2024.
A staple of WIRE, the Ambient Stage returns with exclusive sets from versatile New York DJs. As night passes, the stage delivers an extraordinary sound trip through artists’ collections. On Sunday morning, the outdoor closing session at The Ruins features house-focused DJs, offering an intermission from the nonstop techno beats. The outdoor house stage is a new addition that will expand the experience.
WIRE Festival – Photo by Bryan Kwon
With artists like Surgeon, Rødhåd, Boris, Oscar Mulero, and more, WIRE’s lineup is a techno lover’s paradise. With more than 30 years of experience, Surgeon embodies the energy, adventure, and individuality that define techno. The crew takeovers on Stage 2 carry on their tradition, pushing the boundaries with Vault Sessions and Mala Junta.
WIRE Festival is arranged by the team of Téa Abashidze, GeGa Japaridze, and Tyler Myers—the brains behind BASEMENT and the RUSH series. Individual day passes for WIRE Festival at Knockdown Center are available for purchase here, while the weekend passes have sold out.
Alternative rockers Two Door Cinema Club announced their biggest string of tour dates ever. The tour includes dates in Lewiston and NYC, with the tour starting March 4 and wrapping up on October 3.
Two Door Cinema Club’s tour will see the band’s hot mix of guitar-driven post-punk hooks with dancey, electronic polish. The alt-pop sound gets people moving. The band will play their hits as well as recent music. They will stop at Pier 17 in NYC on July 23 and Artpark Amphitheater in Lewiston on July 29. The tour also includes a few dates in Ireland and the UK.
The group hails from Bangor and Donaghadee, Northern Ireland. Lead vocalist, guitarist and programmer Alex Trimble, guitarist and vocalist Sam Halliday, and bassist and vocalist Kevin Baird comprise the trio. The trio began playing as Two Door Cinema Club in 2007 and continue to stand the test of time in 2024 and beyond.
Two Door Cinema Club | 2024 Tour Dates
March 4 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre (with Joywave)
March 5 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live! (with Joywave)
March 7 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre (with Joywave)
March 8 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue (with Joywave)
May 17 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre (with Day Wave)
May 18 – Pasadena, CA – Just Like Heaven Festival
May 19 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater (with Day Wave)
May 21 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom (with Day Wave)
May 22 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre (with Day Wave)
May 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union (with Day Wave)
May 25 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom (with Day Wave)
May 28 – Dallas, TX – Southside Ballroom (with Day Wave)
May 29 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall (with Day Wave)
May 30 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheatre (with Day Wave)
June 22 – Dublin, IE – Fairview Park
July 13 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy (with Flipturn) *
July 16 – Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park (with Flipturn) *
July 17 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place (with Flipturn) *
July 20 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater (with Flipturn) *
July 23 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 (with Flipturn) *
July 26 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage (with Flipturn) *
July 27 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion (with Flipturn) *
July 28 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion (with Flipturn) *
July 29 – Lewiston, NY – Artpark Amphitheater (with Flipturn) *
July 31 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum (with Flipturn) *
August 15 – Belfast, IE – CHSQ
August 16 – Carnmore East, IE – Galway Summer Sessions
August 22 through 25 – Reading, UK – Reading Festival
August 22 through 25 – Leeds, UK – Leeds Festival
September 13 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theatre (with Petey) *
September 14 – Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater (with Petey) *
September 15 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater (with Petey) *
September 17 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic (with Petey) *
September 21 – San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park (with Petey) *
September 24 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre (with Petey) *
September 25 – El Paso, TX – The Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Center (with Petey) *
September 26 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park (with Petey) *
September 28 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre (with Petey) *
September 29 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis presented by Affinity Plus (with Petey) *
October 1 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee (with Petey) *
October 2 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park (with Quarters Of Change) *
October 3 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works (with Quarters Of Change) *
*Newly added tour dates
Tickets for Two Door Cinema Club will be available starting with a Citi presale beginning on Tuesday, March 5at 10 AM ET. An artist presale will begin on Wednesday, March 6at 10 AM. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, March 8at 10 AM at twodoorcinemaclub.com.
The Copland House has purchased a school campus on the New York-Connecticut border, heralding a transformational programmatic and institutional expansion.
The expansion will be a home to a vibrant, multidisciplinary creative community centering the arts in ongoing public conversation, the property, known as Bluestone Farm. It will stand as a vital meeting place, both live and virtual, where artists, music lovers, cultural adventurers, and newcomers of all ages, backgrounds, and identities are welcomed into an exhilarating world of continuous exploration, discovery, and innovation.
The Copland House was formed by Aaron Copland who was one of the most celebrated and profoundly influential musical figures in American history. The composer lived and spent most of his time on a rocky hill atop three acres of woodland in the lower Hudson River Valley hamlet of Cortlandt Manor, less than one hour north of New York City. After his death in 1990, a coalition of local townspeople launched a genuine grassroots movement to preserve and restore this historic residence as the living, enduring embodiment of his seminal artistic and personal legacies and lifelong advocacy of American composers.
The Copland House offers public programs throughout the country, the infamous house also provides recordings, broadcasts, webcasts, film screenings, visual exhibitions, and an annual performance series at its vast new satellite venue at the historic Merestead estate in nearby Mount Kisco.
In 2020, its music ensemble, Music from Copland House was featured on Tiny Desk (Home) concert where they performed from home, and not so tiny writing desk, of Aaron Copland, one of America’s beloved composers. The $3-million, 24-acre complex nestled in the woods in Brewster expansion will allow the Copland House to substantially extend its artistic support, audience reach, public presentations, educational engagement, and programs that uniquely embrace and champion the entire artistic process.Â
The recently announced institutional extension will be an excellent addition to Rock Hill, Copland’s cherished, long-term home in neighboring Westchester County, which continues to play an important role. Even though a small private property cannot accommodate the demands of a nationally recognized arts organization, Rock Hill will always be Copland House’s indispensable institutional and inspirational home. Rock Hill, a National Historic Landmark and exceptional cultural, educational, and civic asset, embodies Copland’s principles and goals and links him to a location and era, even though his influence well surpasses both.
This transaction represents a big milestone for the Town of Southeast. Copland House plans on working with the Town to bring a wide spectrum of musical and cultural programs to the community. This will enhance the quality of life for all town residents in Southeast and the surrounding area.
Thomas LaPerch of Houlihan Lawrence Commercial, the dealâs lead selling broker
To learn or schedule visiting tours, fans can visit here.
Legendary west coast jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington has announced a new album – Fearless Movement – along with a tour that kicks off on May 4 at the Beacon Theatre.
Along with the tour announcement, Washington has released the first track from Fearless Movement, “Prologue,” alongside a mesmerizing video directed by longtime collaborator AG Rojas and choreographed by Samantha Blake Goodman.
Kamasi Washington is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and bandleader born and raised in Los Angeles, who has released three albums, all acclaimed – The Epic; Harmony of Difference, and Heaven and Earth. In 2020, Washington scored the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming, earning Emmy and GRAMMY nominations for his work.
Washington views Fearless Movement his dance album: “It’s not literal. Dance is movement and expression, and in a way it’s the same thing as music—expressing your spirit through your body. That’s what this album is pushing.”
With his previous albums dealing with cosmic ideas and existential concepts, Fearless Movement focuses on the everyday, an exploration of life on earth. This change in scope is due in large part to the birth of Washington’s first child a few years ago. A dance album as an embodied form of expression signals a shift in focus for Washington.
“Being a father means the horizon of your life all of a sudden shows up. My mortality became more apparent to me, but also my immortality—realizing that my daughter is going to live on and see things that I’m never going to see. I had to become comfortable with this, and that affected the music that I was making.”
Kamasi Washington, on Fearless Movement
The album also features Washington’s daughter, who wrote the melody to “Asha The First” during some of her first experimentations on the piano, as well as a host of collaborators. Among them, André 3000 appears on flute, George Clinton lends his voice, as do BJ The Chicago Kid, Inglewood rapper D-Smoke and Taj and Ras Austin of Coast Contra, the twin sons of West Coast legend Ras Kass. Washington has also enlisted lifelong friends and collaborators Thundercat, Terrace Martin, Patrice Quinn, Brandon Coleman, DJ Battlecat and more.
Fearless Movement also features “The Garden Path,” a song Washington performed for the first time ever, making his late-night television debut, on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Washington has announced an extensive North American tour kicking off May 4 at Manhattan’s Beacon Theatre with dates in Chicago, Houston, San Francisco and the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, which he will co-curate with Herbie Hancock for the second year in a row, on June 16.
Pre-order/Pre-save Fearless Movementhere. Tickets for Kamasi Washington at the Beacon Theatre, and all shows, are on sale March 8 at 10am, here.
Legendary French duo AIR has announced an extensive North American tour to celebrate the 25 anniversary of their debut album Moon Safari, which includes two stops at the Beacon Theatre on October 21 and 22, 2024.
AIR live in Vienna by Chérie Hansson.
Similar to their recent European tour, which sold out in record time, AIR will be playing their widely celebrated album in its entirety for the first time. The band released the demo version of “New Star In The Sky” ahead of the digital release of the 25-anniversary deluxe album on March 15, featuring over ten cherry-picked Moon Safari audio rarities.
On Jan. 16, 1998, AIR released Moon Safari, an album that catapulted Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel to the top of electronic music’s ladder. Their sound – Fender Rhodes trills, loping basslines, and sensual yet playful vocal hooks – conjured the sensation of the masses.
Since forming the band in 1995, the prolific duo has released six albums in addition to their acclaimed EP Premiers Symptômes, the release of the aforementioned classic Moon Safari, and two soundtracks that sold millions of copies. AIR garnered an extensive list of worldwide accolades for their unique brand of downtempo electronic music.
“The hype was a violent experience,” reflected Jean-Benoit Dunckel, 25 years later. “AIR’s music is not accessible or easy to discern: The format is strange, the voices are strange, the subjects are strange. Even ‘Sexy Boy’ sounds strange. We were a duo doing some electronic thing, dreaming of selling 10,000 copies and being recognized by other musicians as cool. Then suddenly, we met the world. Personally, it took me time to see that we could be a big, important band.”
In short, Moon Safari was a nest of contradictions. Today, the record’s legacy is canonical, but its multi-million success was far from assured.
“This kind of bedroom music was all about fantasy,” says Nicolas Godin. “In my mind, I was picturing myself at Capitol Records, surrounded by all the best musicians, feeling like Burt Bacharach. In reality, I was in the fucking 18th arrondissement of Paris, with a sampler, singing into one microphone. But when your fantasy is so strong, I think it goes in the wires and through the speakers. The power of Moon Safari was to make people believe in what we believed in.”
While AIR’s precise alchemy and absence of geographical anchoring placed Moon Safari outside the grip of trends, the album intersected with the world below’s revolutions at precisely the right moment.
Through Moon Safari, AIR transfixed some of the great visionaries of the late 20th century — David Bowie, Madonna, Beck — as well as influencing preeminent aesthetes of the incoming age – including Charlotte Gainsbourg Kevin Parker, and Sofia Coppola. AIR helped fan the flames of a rare Francophilia which surged through the typically nativist British charts in 1998. Moon Safari birthed three hit singles in “Kelly Watch The Stars,” “All I Need” and “Sexy Boy,” which shifted over half a million copies in the UK and pushed AIR into headline contention at banner festivals such as Glastonbury.
25 years on, it’s not hard to alight upon why Moon Safari has stood the test of time. AIR’s unique grasp of pace and mood, surety of direction, and earworm hooks compelled the world toward it.
“To me,” Godin concludes, “Moon Safari is perfect.”
Presale goes on sale on March 7 at 10 a.m., while general tickets are on sale on March 8 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased here. There are VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages include premium tickets, an official tour poster, vouchers to the concession stands, and more. For more information, visit vipnation.com.
