Two years after her passing, we finally have a bio of Fleetwood Mac’s beautiful songstress.
Also an artist and sculptor, Christine McVie was a master at crafting sunny seventies perfect pop songs despite experiencing quite a bit of loss through life and despite her leanings towards blues in her early days as a musician in London. In contrast to some of her band mates known for their songs infused with the pain of relationships ending, Christine’s songs predominately were about the hopes and joys of love. The official video of Love Shines from the 1992 album 25 Years – The Chain; Fleetwood Mac’s 50 Yearsis a perfect example of that.
Over My Head, from their 1975 self titled album was the song played on American radio that really brought Fleetwood Mac to our attention in a big way after various line-up changes and started Fleetwood Mac’s quick ascension up the charts and into history as one of the world’s favorite and best selling bands of all time; a song she was quoted as saying was in part, about Lindsey Buckingham. By 1977 they would be the biggest band in the world.
Starting with Chicken Shack in her teens during the 60s, Christine had to endure traveling and playing in some pretty seedy places in the UK and Germany first. Paying off, it earned her 1969 and 1970’s Female Vocalist of the Year in a Melody Maker Reader’s Poll.
Some speculate that the sublime Songbird, perhaps her best known and signature song from the Rumours album, may have been about her mother and processing loss. This song is said to have come to her in a flash of inspiration, she had said frequently that she had no idea where it came from, but that it was an almost spiritual experience, having been delivered to her. If listening to the song now with that perspective, the song does take on an almost spiritual and very emotional meaning.
We have in her own words, what it was like to tour so much and for long with this book.
To many, Fleetwood Mac had the coolest existence; their excessive appetites and habits are legendary; they lived together at some pretty interesting manor houses over several countries while making albums, some of which were reputed to be haunted. Musicians who come from nothing and rise beyond their wildest dreams are fascinating to read about.
The author’s lively language is engaging and indicative of the friendship she had with Christine McVie, along with her extensive knowledge of the music scene of the 1950s to the 1970s in London. Christine had also been speaking about writing a memoir, but it was not to be before her passing. The author, Leslie-Ann Jones has been featured on television music documentaries, and has also written biographies of John Lennon, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Freddie Mercury.
In this book, many often overlooked details of Christine’s solo work are discussed, such as her 1985 cover of Elvis’s Can’t Help Falling in Love for the movie A Fine Mess.
As the author had personal access to Christine over the years, the book has first hand knowledge of areas of the musician’s life that fans will find interesting. Credited many times as being the peacekeeper of the band, except for one episode of violence, the details of that scenario at Christine’s house are laid out. Photos of her English manor house and the renovation project that Christine embarked on after being in the states for 28 years, as well as how she spent some of her free time and with whom she socialized, show another side of her creativity.
Little known details of Fleetwood Mac’s dynamics and betrayals are included to delve into; the difficulties in being married to someone in the same band as her for example.
Before being interested in John McVie, Christine had first been enamored with Peter Green, who unfortunately dealt with the consequences of imbibing hallucinatory substances.
Christine has been on record for stating that Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys was the love of her life, and that ill-fated romance and her reaction upon learning of his death are detailed here in Christine’s own words, as well as the songs she wrote about him.
Fleetwood Mac was a group of creatives who made music magic. As we continue to mourn the loss of a gifted musician and songwriter, her legacy is her music being with us forever and continuing to be loved by newer generations.
Thirty years ago, one of hip-hop’s biggest stars prepared to release his debut album. Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G, or Biggie, whichever nomenclature most suits you, had recorded one of the most important and influential albums of not only his era, but in hip hop and music history. As rap music began to take its place as part of mainstream culture, there was no telling what would follow with the release of Ready to Die on September 13, 1994.
Now, a full three decades later, it’s impossible to ignore the impact of Biggie’s only non-posthumous release. For a Brooklyn native, Biggie’s music is ever-present; blasting through the speakers of passing cars, in stores, and especially at parties (even now, no party is complete without a splash of “Warning” or “Mo Money Mo Problems”).
In Brooklyn, Biggie’s impact is found everywhere. You won’t get too far without seeing a mural dedicated to him. From East New York to Bay Ridge to Caroll Gardens, his face is plastered on walls, t-shirts, and merchandise in almost every store, and one of his most iconic (and laughably ironic) quotes from “Juicy” is spray painted everywhere: “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.” Bed-Stuy revels in his impact on hip hop and the borough, as Biggie repped Brooklyn hard. Hence, now the city immortalizes him within the city’s infrastructure, with the city even naming the street he was born on after him. Rappers copied everything he had to offer; his flow, his style, his music subjects. They even would gather an entourage that was similar to Junior M.A.F.I.A., and of course, would copy his “beef” with Tupac.
Biggie’s Legacy
However, his legacy doesn’t stop at street signs and t-shirts or even music itself. The impact of his death (and Tupac Shakur’s) rewrote the rules to which an artist gains mainstream momentum.In the years following his and Tupac’s deaths, listeners were itching for another great conflict, missing the frequent drama and excitement and excellent music it brought. The entertainment of the Bigge-Tupac beef was what plunged rap into the mainstream, and it was only a matter of time before it became a regular aspect of the culture.
Amidst the influx of West Coast success (The Chronic, Doggystyle), Biggie, Nas & Wu Tang helped turn the tide, bringing a certain grit that over produced West Coast beats could not match. After all, Ready to Die was a testament to Biggie’s days as a young hustler just trying to make it big, as he details the life in the streets and the drug game. The album featured artists that would later be leading figures in hip hop, including Diddy, Method Man, and Lil’ Kim. The three singles released in anticipation of the album, “Juicy,” “Big Poppa,” and “One More Chance,” charted on the Billboard Hot 200 and were certified Gold (“Juicy”) and Platinum (“Big Poppa” and “One More Chance”) by the RIAA.
The Aftermath of Ready to Die
The surmounting success of Biggie’s debut implemented a drastic change in the culture’s perception of hip-hop. Rap was now a serious contender in the music industry, developing its own subculture with a discernable music and fashion style. Rappers from both coasts became more present in media, each competing for the top spot in the game; Biggie, Diddy, and Wu-Tang Clan from the East, and Dr. Dre, N.W.A, and Tupac from the West.
But with this emergence, a dark side followed. West Coast rappers were still gaining traction in the scene, battling with East Coast rappers for the top spots on the charts and within the zeitgeist. Biggie’s Ready to Die caused an almost cult-like following to develop in New York, forming the group Junior M.A.F.I.A. soonafter. In November of 1994, just two months after Ready to Die was released, California-based rapper Tupac was shot and robbed at Quad Studios in New York. By the time news of the shooting broke, most people speculated that Junior M.A.F.I.A was behind it, even if the shooters were completely unrelated. But this didn’t stop Pac from publicly pointing the finger at Biggie
Every Man For Himself
The music industry competitive, and there was simply not enough room for every rapper to become mainstream. Thus began an incredibly competitive culture within the genre, constantly pushing each newest member to “pick a side,” both for protection and the advancement of their career.
Within this competitiveness, the culture of “rap beef” became part of the norm for the genre. Rappers were never ones to shy away from expressing their disdain towards their peers.
It was during these three years that rap listeners were taking sides, proving their loyalty to the coasts, and in turn, their leaders. The Biggie vs. Tupac battle was dominating the hip-hop industry, with rappers that weren’t even affiliated with the main rivals picking sides and taking shots at one another.
All of the media attention and perceived beef would eventually lead to the tragically early deaths of both Biggie and Tupac. In September of 1996, Tupac was shot and killed in Las Vegas, when he was only 25. Six months later, in March of 1997, Biggie was shot and killed in Los Angeles at the age of 24.
Biggie’s Legacy and The Development of Rap Beef
Despite its tragic ending, Biggie and Tupac’s battles were just the beginning of this development in rap culture. Rap music may have lost two of its biggest stars, but that didn’t mean that the competitiveness of the genre was ever going to end. Rap beef was now implemented into the culture and a proven method to generate album sales.
The 2000s saw several incredibly entertaining and fundamental beefs between rappers that really elevated the genre to where it is today; Jay-Z and Nas, 50 Cent and Ja Rule, LL Cool J and Canibus, Nicki Minaj and Lil’ Kim, and so many more went through periods of time throwing shade at, or outright dissing one another on their tracks. For many rappers, their best chance at catapulting their careers was through conflict. 50 Cent became a household name through his feud with Ja Rule. While Nas’ feud with Jay-Z brought out the best out of him.
After the tragic ending of the Biggie and Tupac feud, rap beef became less of a genuine feud and more of a corporate tool to keep hip-hop in the mainstream. There was also this sense that a rap beef would make or break someone’s career. If a rapper admitted to losing their beef, their career was on standby or disappeared completely. Some credit 50 Cent’s endless dissing of Ja Rule led to his demise, while Canibus suffered perceived losses to LL Cool J and Eminem, helping kill his flame.
Hip Hop Bo Longer Jumping
During the last few years, rap has grown stale. The lyrical charm was wearing off, and the idea that rap was “so different” from other kinds of music, what originally made it stand out against pop, rock, and other existing trends, was no longer true. Rap, even though it dominated radio and Billboard charts and popular culture, was no longer something unique and special; rather, it was a pre-packaged, commercialized version of what listeners were getting pre-hip hop.
The genre has been performing poorly on the charts since 2020 after it started to turn to social media platforms like TikTok to advertise. Even if this did help more people reach the genre, it paved the way for thousands of artists to overload the app with their own music, so much so that it all began to blend together, devoid of originality or effort, and more concerned with “blowing up on TikTok” than saying or doing anything truly meaningful or different.
A New Age
The way we listen to music now has also played a major role; before streaming, purchasing physical copies of music meant that you could only choose a few albums at a time, or pick one and stick to it until the next album comes out. Now, we have the largest access to all of the world’s music on streaming services, whether it be Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, or YouTube. Even if a rapper isn’t selling a physical copy of their music, or hasn’t been signed to an actual record label, you can access their music at any point. It’s a double-edged sword: you’re able to gain knowledge of incredible underground talent, but you’re also able to find someone that outshines them in less than ten seconds.
Rap “beef” also took a major turn. Instead of violent threats or disses, the “beef” became more about revealing a rapper’s secrets. We see this especially with the beef between Pusha T and Drake, when Pusha revealed Drake’s secret son in “The Story of Adidon” before Drake had the chance to do the Adidas advertisement with him. There was now a fundamental shift in what rap beef was about; it was no longer a race to the top based on merit or skill, but about character.
Drake v. Kendrick
This brings us to the one and only Drake. Over the course of Drake’s almost two-decade-long career, he has amassed rivals spanning across multiple genres, from The Weeknd, to Pusha T, Kanye West, Meek Mill, to even his own mentor Lil’ Wayne. After all, the rumor mills say that he took music from The Weeknd for his GRAMMY-winning album Take Care and he has ghostwriters. All of these were accusations that would hurt any other rapper’s career, yet Drake was able to stay at the top of the rap game for years afterward. He continued to dominate the charts, and every album he released quickly rose to the top. Rendering impermissible to decline.
That is until Kendrick Lamar reemerged onto the scene. With “Euphoria,” where Kendrick makes scathing accusations over a six-minute track accusing Drake of being a gambler, drug addict, and neglectful father. While also reminding the world of Drake’s not-so-spotless record with women and underage girls.
What Now?
But in an era where hip-hop has become so stale, even the reactions and consequences of a rivalry this intense are stale. The biggest and most impactful consequence of Kendrick’s diss tracks was a crowd of over 20,000 shouting, “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minor,” at The Pop Out in Inglewood on Juneteenth.
However, there is something different about this rivalry that encompasses what rap beef has become about in the last three decades. It’s no longer a physical game, it’s a mental one. Kendrick did not set out to physically harm Drake in any capacity.
Kendrick’s accusations against Drake, combined with people bumping “Not Like Us” all summer, reveal something to the audience more sinister than violence. This was not a rap beef that was essentially a petty argument about who was “better” Kendrick set out to start and finish this beef by ending Drake’s credibility within hip hop culture. He wants Drake’s impact on rap reversed. In the end, he doesn’t want Drake dead, he just wants Drake gone.
It’s hard to tell whether or not Drake is going to be able to bounce back from the blow of “Not Like Us.” Having crowds of people, including some of the biggest stars and Drake’s own personal idols, singing “You not a colleague, you a f—kin colonizer” will not be easy to retaliate against. Perhaps Drake should listen to “What’s Beef” and take this one on the chin.
Asbury Park, New Jersey’s Dogs In A Pile have announced a slate of tour dates for the Fall. The tour begins with two shows at Philadelphia’s Brooklyn Bowl on October 25 and 26 and will see the band touring extensively throughout the Midwest and Southeast as they continue their upwards ascent in the jamband music scene. A presale for tickets is currently underway with the general on sale date set for Friday, August 10 with VIP packages available for some shows.
(Art by: Joe Winograd)
This Fall Tour announcement comes on the heels of a busy summer for Dogs In A Pile that saw them headline multiple shows in Colorado, play several festivals, and jump on the road with Andy Frasco & The U.N. and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The band will now continue to surge forward with more Colorado shows scheduled before ending the tour in the Southeast in late November. They’re scheduled to play Asheville NC’s Salvage Station on November 19, Nashville TN’s Basement East on November 21, and the show at Atlanta GA’s Terminal West on November 22 is set to be the tour closer.
As a burgeoning musical act beginning to gain nationwide notoriety, Dogs In A Pile is making a conscious effort to develop their fan base and build a unique culture around the band by organizing pre-show meetups for their beloved fanbase, the Dog Pound. So far, significant gatherings have occurred in cities like their hometown of Asbury Park, Denver (CO), Vail (CO), Austin (TX), and Woodstock (NY). A running schedule of future meetups can be found at dogsinapileofficial.com/dogpound.
Dogs In A Pile at The Mishawaka in Bellvue, CO on June 19, 2024 (Photo: Joe Lugo)
In addition to adding to their busy 2024 tour schedule, the band has also made a concerted effort this year to significantly bolster their YouTube channel with video livestreams and archival full-show releases. Consistent soundboard releases have accompanied their video efforts and most often have appeared on trusted streaming platforms nugs.net and Bandcamp within 24-hours of a show ending.
See the full listing of Dogs In A Pile Fall Tour dates below and for tickets and to and learn more, visit dogs-tour.com.
DOGS IN A PILE FALL TOUR
10/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia 10/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia 10/29 – St. Louis, MO – Atomic Cowboy 10/31 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall 11/1 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co. 11/2 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co. 11/6 – Buena Vista, CO – Surf Hotel 11/8 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre 11/9 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
11/12 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown 11/13 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line 11/15 – Milwaukee, WI – Vivarium 11/16 – Chicago, IL – Chop Shop 11/17 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache 11/19 – Asheville, NC – Salvage Station 11/21 – Nashville, TN – Basement East 11/22 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
A new recording studio, Tones Studios, has opened in Irondequoit, NY and to welcome the community into the new space, the studio will host a listening event of artist Sarah De Vallière‘s new album on May 31.
This state of the art studio which was founded in 2017 was constructed in 2019 in a renovated church just outside of Rochester giving a chance for artists in the local area to connect with each other as well as high quality recording technology.
Tones offers a variety of production suites, including a live recording studio, a video and photo recording suite and even a fully functioning kitchen. Tones also has an editing suite to bring production to live after a recording session.
The studio has been widely used by the community including to film live performances, Joe Bean commercials, and cooking videos as well as recording music.
De Vallière’s album, The Healing is a 10-song concept album that explores growing and changing from trauma. The album is set to release on June 7 but guests at the listening event will be able to get a preview of the album on the ATC SCM50 monitoring system, as well as guided tours of the facilities. De Vallière herself will be in attendance as well as Tones Studios project managers.
You can listen to her music and find more information here on her website. You can RSVP to the free event here.
This summer in Las Vegas, while Dead and Company grace Sphere for 24 nights over 8 weeks, PhanArt Presents a gathering of Grateful Dead artists and vendors at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas for a true Indoor Shakedown!
On Saturdays in May, June and July, this Indoor Shakedown in Vegas will feature Grateful Dead-inspired art and goods, posters, clothing, memorabilia and much more.
Shows will be held on Saturday May 18, May 25, June 8, June 15, June 22, July 6 and July 13.
Located at The Linq, a short walk from Venetian, Flamingo, Caesars and nearby hotels, Brooklyn Bowl integrates a premier performance venue, food by Blue Ribbon, 6 Bars, and 32 bowling lanes, giving guests a unique place to relax, eat, drink and watch a live performance, or in this case, a Pop-up art show.
Officially Licensed Grateful Dead artist for 20 years with apparel for kids and adults, stickers, greeting cards and home goods like American Made woven blankets. Don’t miss Little Hippie when Dead & Co take over the Las Vegas Sphere.
Grateful Fred
Grateful Fred is a small company built by Stephen McMennamy and his love for the Dead. They make the very best 3D Chrome Plated Dead Inspired badges for cars, boats, rv’s motorcycles, phones, tablets, fridges and just about anything else too. So if you’ve got a ride, Get a Badge! Available at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!
Lightnin Lids cherishes the beauty of community and the good kind people they’ve come to know of Tour, going back to 1992. The lightnin’ bolt represents the music and songs in our life the inspiration for their amazing hats. Get yours at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!
Tiedye clothing, tapestries, & accessories for the entire family! Every item is individually tied & dyed by Melrose in Northern California. A one-woman small business, that has been tie-dyeing for 7 years, and making visual art for life. Get yours at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!!
The Getdown LLC
Don’t miss this one of kind Sphere & Loathing t-shirt designs create special for Dead & Co’s historic run at the Sphere Las Vegas. Available only at PhanArt Indoor Shakedown at Brooklyn Bowl!
Bobby Gire is a local Las Vegas artist with over 20 years of experience working and supporting musical art, poetry, lyrics and apparel. Don’t miss his Dead & Co Sphere designs @ Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!
Brant Waite is Graphic Designer who started Shakedown Streetwear with his wife, Lindsay. The Music we love holds memories, and their designs aspire to capture the experience of seeing Dead & Co at the Sphere. Grab your own new Shakedown Streetwear, only at PhanArt Las Vegas!
Jordan Busch will be at PhanArt Las Vegas bringing his 30 plus years of experience, knowledge and insight about music venues to fellow concert goers. His brand, Venue Llama, provides basic info about different facets of venues and venue policies. The also provide a platform for people to comment on and review different aspects of music venues. Don’t miss all the free give aways with lots of free schwag to share and help make people aware of our platform and some cool T-shirts to sell too at the Indoor Shakedown in Vegas.
NOiiCE DYES consists of two brothers trying to make the world a more vibrant place. They make top notch TieDye Flavors specializing in FLAVORALLS (Tie dye Overalls) & many more unique handcrafted pieces.
The Grateful Hooker
Cheriise is the Grateful hooker. Known for her amazing Crochet Garments, she has been selling her artwork for almost 10 years and offers tapestries, pins, stickers, patches and other Grateful Memorabilia Don’t miss her at PhanArt Las Vegas.
Cozmic Ice
Matthew Dial has been creating Dead themed Sports Apparel for some time. Check out his styles and designs at Indoor Shakedown Las Vegas!
This and so much more at PhanArt Las Vegas
With restrictive rules in Las Vegas for sidewalk and street vending, PhanArt provides a safe haven for artists, vendors and fans alike, in the air-conditioned and welcoming confines of Brooklyn Bowl. The best bet is an indoor Shakedown at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas!
Interested vendors and artists can apply to join any of the weekends by reaching out to phanart@gmail.com. Please include info on your brand, business, goods and what you plan to sell, as well as links to social media.
Admission to all PhanArt events is FREE, with shows running from 12-5pm on the listed dates.
Take a look back at the last “In All Good Company” presented by PhanArt, from Chicago, IL over July 3-5, 2015, at Congress Plaza Hotel.
Béla Fleck reflects highly on his years-long collaboration with late pianist Chick Corea, sounding like a bashful student musician, still in awe of the jazz legend whose impact transformed him as a teenager in the ’70s. The duo’s album, Remembrance – out May 10 via Thirty Tigers – serves as a moving final document of the profound creative and personal rapport Fleck and Corea have showcased previously on 2007’s Latin Grammy-winning The Enchantment.
Released just over three years after Corea’s passing, Remembrance serves as an addendum to Corea’s legacy, highlighted by three previously unreleased Corea compositions as well as five short free improvisations, or impromptus, that Fleck has infused with written music.
Recorded both live in concert, over the duo’s final tour dates in 2019, Remembrance was crafted by trading sound files amid the Covid pandemic. Running a stylistic gamut, the album features Corea’s unreleased tunes “Enut Nital” (“Latin Tune,” spelled backwards), and “Continuance,” an older work that resurfaced in the duo’s setlist, as well as new Fleck compositions, including “The Otter Creek Incident” and “Juno,” a winsome tribute to his son, the channeling Thelonious Monk and Scarlatti, and challenging exercises such as “Small Potatoes,” which evokes Corea’s work in the jazz avant-garde.
When the 18-time Grammy Award-winning banjoist reflected on his time collaborating with Corea, Fleck said, “I just feel so lucky to have played with him in such an intimate way, and to have gotten to know him so well.”
The title track, a Corea composition “Remembrance,” is one of the last pieces of music Chick ever recorded. “It’s just one of those perfect Chick Corea tunes,” Fleck says. “It sounds to me like a New Orleans funeral march, even though it has a Latin component, like everything he did tended to.”
Corea’s death in 2021 devastated the jazz community, who saw the pianist as a constant international presence, a vibrant musician who never ceased touring and recording. “It was a deep shock,” says Fleck, who also released an inspired live project with Corea, Two, in 2015. “It was one of the special relationships in my life. He was just so kind to me, and so helpful, and I learned so much from him.”
“We pushed this duo to a new place before we ran out of time,” says Fleck, who produced Remembrance. “We have here another cool look at Chick Corea, at the different ways that he can play that we wouldn’t have had. There’s a lot of great Chick Corea out there, and this is different.”
“I know it sounds unlikely. But it really happened. Once upon a time, I played banjo in a duo with Chick Corea.”
“He found the good in everything. I’m just so glad to be a part of this — glad I could be with him, and glad there’s more to share.”
Chick Corea & Béla Fleck Remembrance track listing
1. The Otter Creek Incident (Béla Fleck)
2. impromptu III: march hare
3. Enut Nital (Chick Corea)
4. impromptu II: mock turtle
5. Bemsha Swing (Thelonious Monk, Denzil Best)
6. Lucky Bounce
7. impromptu I: cheshire
8. Remembrance (Chick Corea)
9. Juno (Béla Fleck)
10. Scarlatti Sonatas (Domenico Scarlatti, arr.. By Corea, Fleck)
11. impromptu V: jabberwocky
12. Small Potatoes
13. Continuance (Chick Corea)
14. impromptu IV: gentleman fish
“With Béla, our duet has become so simpatico, and comfortable–comfortable spiritually. And not meaning that we’re not adventuring musically, but I know that whatever we’re going to do is going to be musical.”
Chick Corea, speaking about Bela Fleck, in 2015
Béla Fleck Tour Dates
April 3 Buffalo, NY Kleinhans Music Hall ^
April 4 Oakville, Ontario Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts ^
April 5 Kingston, Ontario Kingston Grand Theatre ^
April 6 Stowe, VT Spruce Peak PAC ^
April 9 Ottawa, Ontario Centrepointe ^
April 10 St. Catharines, Ontario Partridge Hall ^
April 12 State College, PA The State Theatre ^
April 13 Goshen, IN Goshen College ^
April 14 Lexington, KY Lexington Opera House ^
April 24 Skokie, IL North Shore PAC *
April 25 Kohler, WI Kohler Memorial Theatre *
April 26 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre *
April 27 Wilkesboro, NC MerleFest *
April 28 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Jazz Festival *
May 4 New York, NY Carnegie Hall (Béla Fleck: Rhythm, Raga & Rhapsody)
June 13 Groton, MA Groton Hill Music Center #
June 14 Kingston, NY Ulster PAC #
June 15 Hartford, CT The Bushnell #
June 16 Kennett Square, PA Longwood Gardens #
June 18 Boulder, CO Chautauqua Amphitheater #
June 20 Telluride, CO Telluride Bluegrass Festival (house band)
June 21 Telluride, CO Telluride Bluegrass Festival #
Billy Strings has announced additional tour dates for 2024 that find he and his band playing back-to-back nights in Bridgeport, CT, State College, PA, Worcester, MA, Inglewood, CA and Berkeley, CA.
The summer dates are just the latest added to Strings’ extensive 2024 run, which also includes upcoming stops at Tampa’s Yuengling Center (two nights), St. Augustine’s St. Augustine Amphitheatre (three nights, all sold out), Lexington’s Rupp Arena (two nights, one sold out), Greenwood Village’s Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (two nights, both sold out), Minneapolis’ The Armory (sold out) and Rosemont, IL’s Allstate Arena (two nights) among others.
Raised in Michigan and now based in Nashville, Strings is known as one of music’s most compelling artists. Most recently, he released “Meet Me At The Creek > Pyramid Country > Must Be Seven > Meet Me At The Creek (Live at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC 3/4/23),” a 38-minute live performance that showcases the energy of Strings’ electric concerts. Watch below.
The track follows “California Sober,” his GRAMMY-nominated collaboration with legendary artist Willie Nelson and Strings’ first project since partnering with Reprise Records, as well as his latest full-length album, Me/And/Dad, which features Strings alongside his dad, Terry Barber, and was nominated for Best Bluegrass Album at this year’s GRAMMY Awards.
Since his 2017 debut, Strings has been awarded Best Bluegrass Album at the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, Artist of the Year at the 2023 and 2022 Americana Music Awards, Entertainer of the Year at the 2023, 2022 and 2021 International Bluegrass Music Awards, Best New Headliner at the 2022 Pollstar Awards and Breakthrough Artist of the Pandemic at the 2021 Pollstar Awards among several other accolades. He has also performed on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” PBS’ “Austin City Limits” and “Bluegrass Underground.”
Tickets for the new shows will be available for pre-sale starting March 13 at 10am local time with general on-sale following Friday, March 15 at 10am local time. Full details can be found here.
BILLY STRINGS 2024 TOUR DATES
April 12—Tampa, FL—Yuengling Center
April 13—Tampa, FL—Yuengling Center
April 17—Savannah, GA—Enmarket Arena
April 19—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
April 20—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
April 21—St. Augustine, FL—St. Augustine Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
April 26—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena
April 27—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena (SOLD OUT)
May 11—Conroe, TX—Big As Texas Festival
May 17—Greenwood Village, CO—Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
May 18—Greenwood Village, CO—Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (SOLD OUT)
May 21—Minneapolis, MN—The Armory (SOLD OUT)
May 24—Rosemont, IL—Allstate Arena
May 25—Rosemont, IL—Allstate Arena
June 22-23—Columbus, OH—Buckeye Country Superfest
July 14—Whitefish, MT—Under The Big Sky Festival
July 19—Redmond, OR—FairWell Festival
July 26—Bridgeport, CT—Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
July 27—Bridgeport, CT—Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
July 30—Worcester, MA—DCU Center
July 31—Worcester, MA—DCU Center
August 2—State College, PA—Bryce Jordan Center
August 3—State College, PA—Bryce Jordan Center
August 10—Quincy, WA—Outlaw Music Festival
August 17—Berkeley, CA—Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley
August 18—Berkeley, CA—Greek Theatre at U.C. Berkeley
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.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Nicks has expanded her wildly successful 2023 tour with 13 additional performances added. The Live In Concert tour will make stops in New York State on Feb. 14 at the UBS Arena and June 12 at MVP Arena.
General on-sale for the additional dates will begin on Friday, February 9 at 10 a.m. local time at LiveNation.com.
STEVIE NICKS 2024 TOUR DATES:
Sat Feb 10 – Atlantic City, NJ – Mark G Etess Arena Wed Feb 14 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena Sat Feb 17 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena Wed Feb 21 – Greenville, SC – Bon Secours Wellness Arena Sat Feb 24 – Hollywood, FL — Hard Rock Live^ Wed Feb 28 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center Sun Mar 03 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center Wed Mar 06 – North Little Rock, AR – Simmons Bank Arena Sat Mar 09 – Arlington, TX – AT&T Stadium* Sat May 04 — Charlotte, NC — Lovin’ Life Music Fest — First Ward Park+ Tue May 07 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center – JUST ADDED Fri May 10 – Thackerville, OK – WinStar World Casino and Resort^ – JUST ADDED Tue May 14 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena – JUST ADDED Sat May 18 – San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center – JUST ADDED Tue May 21 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Resort and Casino – JUST ADDED Fri May 24 — Napa, CA — BottleRock Festival — Napa Valley Expo+ Mon May 27 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center – JUST ADDED Thu May 30 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena – JUST ADDED Tue Jun 04 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse – JUST ADDED Sun Jun 09 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun – JUST ADDED Wed Jun 12 – Albany, NY – MVP Arena – JUST ADDED Sat Jun 15 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium – JUST ADDED Tue Jun 18 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena – JUST ADDED Fri Jun 21 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field*
“You knew instantly that she was an original,” Alan Bergman. For those who have waited a lifetime for this memoir, it was worth it. For all who were uncertain it would ever happen, arriving just before holidays 2023, finally in her own words, Barbra Streisand sets the record straight on her private and public life in My Name is Barbra.
The EGOT winner chronicles her 60 year career with honesty, poignancy, humor and questioning. Her achievements have made her legendary, which includes 46 GRAMMY nominations.
In addition to her fabulous music career, Barbra Streisand was also the first woman to write, produce, direct and star in a major motion picture. She is also the only recording artist in history earning number one albums over six decades.
New York is where it began, growing up in Brooklyn, on to Catskills summer camp which she hated, Summer Stock at Malden Bridge Playhouse at 15, the Cecilwood Theatre in Fishkill, then her beginnings in New York Nightclubs. Later on with success, Hello Dolly! would film scenes in West Point and Garrison, then scenes from The Way We Were were shot in Schenectady.
Singing as a start, was a way to earn a living. Early on, success came from the musical and film versions of Funny Girl.
From her early career and throughout it, Barbra Streisand’s talents were often overshadowed by society’s labels pertaining to beauty and unfair comments directed towards her. She serenely handled this and carried on with creativity, not letting it defeat her. Thankfully by the time she reached twenty, some would refer to her looks as “pharaonic” “Nefertiti” and “Babylonian Queen” appreciating the beauty that she so obviously had in addition to her immense talent and drive.
The cover of My Name is Barbra
As she mentions straightaway beginning the memoir, the negativity pertaining to her appearance was disheartening. As she also points out, it would stick with her throughout her career.
She had been asked to write her memoir for so long, finally deciding it was time to set things straight and correct any misconceptions lingering about her.
Her memoir is an inspiration to anyone that doubts following their dreams, because success “actually makes you more of who you really are” she states.
Like with so many talented and creative people, perhaps Barbra Streisand’s journey into music and theater stemmed from early dissatisfaction with everyday life being unfulfilling. At 14, journeying into Manhattan seeing marquees everywhere showed her seemingly “endless possibilities.”
Movies showed her a world “so much more vivid and alive than anything I was experiencing.” Barbra recalls the excitement of her first play Teahouse of the August Moon at Malden Bridge Playhouse where she performed with her best friend. She refers to that time as a “glorious summer.”
A local newspaper gave her performances great reviews, bolstering her confidence. Not unlike Ella Fitzgerald, she declared on the playground that one day she would be famous.
It was in the Catskills at 13, that her mother was told about a studio where you could make your own record; Barbra and her mother would then go to Nola Studios in December 1955 to do that. She recalls how inspirational that experience was for her. One of the memoir’s themes is that of honesty.
Barbra Streisand gives us a compelling glimpse into the creative process of her movies and albums, her journey from struggle to star, along with personal anecdotes on her friendships and romances. Life includes loss, and loss is another of the memoir’s themes with what comes across as the pain of losing her father while she was so young and some of her close friends and colleagues.
When once asked: “How do you hold a note so long?” “Because I wanted to” was her response.
Barbra Streisand has received the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, the National Medal of Arts, France’s Légion d’Honneur, and America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She founded The Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai, raising awareness for more research into women’s heart disease.
The Streisand Foundation, which she established in 1986, has supported national organizations working on preservation of the environment, voter education, the protection of civil liberties and civil rights, women’s issues, and nuclear disarmament. In 2021 she launched the Barbra Streisand Institute at UCLA, dedicated to finding solutions to the most vital social issues.
