Live Nation’s ‘On The Road Again’ campaign harms US independent venues, NIVA claims


The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has issued a statement criticising Live Nation’s new campaign to financially support touring artists.

As part of Live Nation’s ‘On The Road Again’ initiative, it was announced the entertainment company would drop merch cuts at all of the venues it operates in the US. The campaign, which started last month (September 26) also revealed touring artists would receive a stipend of $1500 (£1,233) to help with fuel and travel. The website does not state how long the programme will run for, specifying only ‘the next few months’.

In a new statement, NIVA have criticised the campaign, saying it will “divert artists from independent venues” in favour of Live Nation-operated venues. NME have reached out to Live Nation for comment.

“Temporary measures may appear to help artists in the short run but actually can squeeze out independent venues which provide the lifeblood of many artists on thin margins,” the statement began. “Independent venues and promoters are investing in and elevating up-and-coming artists every day, and NIVA is supporting those efforts nationally. The initiative announced yesterday may seem like a move to follow the lead of some independent venues. It is not that.

A Live Nation facility in Los Angeles photographed in 2018. Credit: Kristoffer Tripplaar / Alamy Stock Photo

NIVA also noted Live Nation is a “publicly-traded conglomerate” with “immeasurable resources” making it possible to “divert artists from independent venues and further consolidate control over the live entertainment sector.” This, they said, threatens “the vitality of small and medium-sized venues under 3000 capacity, many of which still struggle to keep their doors open.

The statement continued: “Independent stages, where the majority of artists, musicians, and comedians start their careers, are small businesses and nonprofits. They are continually facing rising costs, increased deceptive ticketing practices in the resale market, and ongoing challenges following the global pandemic. Our stages are critical to the live entertainment ecosystem and local economies, and they must survive.

“The economics of touring must drastically improve for artists and independent venues. There has to be a better way. NIVA will continue to support artists and empower independent venues as we collectively find it.”

Live Nation
A Live Nation advert CREDIT: Mario Tama/Getty Images

In the UK, the fight to stop merch cuts from venues continues. Last year, the Featured Artists Coalition campaigned to allow artists to profit 100 per cent from merch sales, which was significantly backed by The Charlatans‘ Tim Burgess.

The FAC also runs a directory of venues that don’t take a cut of artists’ merch profits, which venues can sign up to by filling out a form.





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Spirituality is the Lifeblood of Mystic Grizzly's Collective, Manifest Gang

Mystic Grizzly’s experimental production style is infused with a deeply spiritual essence.

Feelings of euphoric reflection and unconditional love bubble to the surface in his psychedelic style of bass music. Tribal and world bass influences collide with left-field sound design for an intellectual listening experience.

The newest track from Mystic Grizzly, whose real name is Jordan Hoffman, is no exception. Tapping into the power of a hypnotic soliloquy to deliver a goosebump-inducing sound, “Heaven is Here, Now,” a collaboration with Anabodi and Damiana, transports us to a blissful and meditative state.

“It really encompasses the spiritual side of everything I do,” Hoffman said about the new release in an exclusive EDM.com interview. “It’s a great example of the sound and style I represent. It’s powerful music medicine and no matter who listens to it, it’s definitely going to hit you and make you feel something, as it still does for me. It still gives me chills every time.”

For Hoffman, music production is a healing outlet that channels higher consciousness and spiritual alignment.

“Music is energy,” he gushed. “It is one of the most potent ways to convey a message. When you put positive intention into those sound waves, you are getting hit with the energy of love and positivity. On an energetic and subconscious level, every human picks up on that. That’s something I consider every time I sit down to write a song.”

By virtue of his unique sound design, the Florida-based producer writes music with the goal of stimulating and galvanizing the brain via personal contemplation.

“I want people to look inward and reflect on themselves, and to make their minds expand by comprehending sounds they’ve never heard before,” he said.

In 2016, Hoffman realized that he wanted to pursue music full-time after having a transformative experience at the inaugural Tipper & Friends event, which opened his eyes to the power of electronic music culture. He was enthralled by the accepting nature of the EDM scene and its unity, tolerance and constructive energy. 

Hoffman, who has been playing guitar since the age of 11, says he fell in love with the sounds of bass music and united a variety of musical influences to weave his own signature style. He draws inspiration from nature, film and travel experiences in Hawaii, Costa Rica and more.

Since starting the Mystic Grizzly music project, Hoffman has released two albums and a slew of singles and EPs, crafting his unique sound over the years. He has performed at many notable shows and festivals, including Envision in Costa Rica, EDC Orlando, Okeechobee Music Festival and more.

“Being from Florida, I attended those Southern festivals as an attendee many years ago and it was only ever a dream to perform one day. And then, that all came to fruition,” Hoffman said.

However, Hoffman isn’t always behind the decks. He also taps into the power of community to host enlightening curated events and festival renegades with his collective, Manifest Gang.

“Manifest Gang is a collective of like-minded, forward-thinking, conscious artists,” he explained. “We are a full-spectrum community movement based around music, consciousness, health and wellness.”

The collective’s roots were planted in 2015, before the Mystic Grizzly project was even established. The idea stemmed from his high school friend group, with whom Hoffman gathered to learn about spirituality.

“We would do these experiments together to try to collectively manifest each other’s goals, starting with small short-term things like getting a certain job or saving money,” he recalled. “Through the process of each person collectively thinking, speaking and envisioning each other’s goals, they literally all came true. It was extremely eye opening. It was undeniable to us. It was no longer this airy thing or just a coincidence.”

Hoffman says his group of friends found that manifestation could help shape their reality by tapping into collective consciousness and community intention.

“It became clear that I wanted to integrate manifestation into my life,” he continued. “So, Manifest Gang started as a group of people who can manifest each other’s goals and dreams. I am living proof of that and I try to convey that message to others.”

Now, Manifest Gang represents a tight-knit collective featuring the sounds and styles of Slaycub, SYLR, Invader Zlim, Dropkick and more. 

“These artists, and many more, have made Manifest Gang what it is today,” Hoffman says with a smile. “They have been there since the beginning. Plus, Sunken Frequencies has played a huge part in the creation of the spaces we hold. It has been a huge collaborative effort with them in terms of physically building and creating those stages and spaces.”

As he reflected back on his journey, it became clear that Hoffman has seen his intentions and visions of a greater community manifest themselves tenfold. The most impactful part of what he does is seeing how it impacts others, he said. The best moments, for him, are when people approach and share how much his music or events have made a difference in their lives—either weeks, months or even years later.

View the original article to see embedded media.

“Music has incredibly deep ripples that you might not even be aware of,” he says. “It gives you the full reassurance that what you’re doing is impacting people in a positive way and you really are making a change in the community. It’s what ultimately keeps me doing what I do. It fills my cup and fulfills me in knowing that my mission and my vision, as well as the collective Manifest Gang vision, is doing what it was intended to do. The main mission of my project is to collectively raise the vibration.”

Catch Mystic Grizzly performing in Saint Petersburg, Florida on New Year’s Eve alongside Papadosio, Mindex and more. Upcoming Manifest Gang shows include Austin’s Beyond Existence Festival as well as a collective showcase in Jacksonville on November 25th.

FOLLOW MYSTIC GRIZZLY:

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Twitter: twitter.com/mystic_grizzly
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Watch Bad Bunny team up with Al Pacino on new song ‘Monaco’


Bad Bunny has teamed up with Al Pacino in the video for his new song ‘Monaco’.

The clip, which you can view below, sees the Puerto Rican star dine with the Hollywood legend, hang out on a luxury yacht and speed around in a race car.

At the end of the video, Pacino and Bad Bunny are shown chatting, singing and drinking wine.

The track features on his new album ‘Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana’ and is built around a sample of Charles Aznavour’s ‘Hier encore’.

The album, which translates to ‘Nobody Knows What Will Happen Tomorrow’, came out on Friday (October 13), and is the follow-up to last year’s ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’.

The artist’s last release was a feature on Drake‘s song ‘Gently’ from new album ‘For All The Dogs‘. Drake first teased the collaboration onstage during his ‘It’s All A Blur‘ tour. The duo’s last collaboration was 2018’s ‘Mia’.

Bad Bunny’s latest solo single, ‘Un Preview’, came out at the end of September.

Elsewhere, it was recently announced that he will appear as both host and musical guest on next week’s Saturday Night Live.

It will mark the rapper/singer’s first time presenting and second time performing on the iconic SNL stage, having first played the show in 2021.

In a four-star review of his previous album ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’, NME said it was “the sound of an artist in his imperial phase”. It added: “He could have invited Miley Cyrus, but instead the Puerto Rican superstar showcases talent from his own country. The result is vibrant and surprising.”





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G Jones Ventures Into the Unknown on Masterful Sophomore Album, "Paths"

The latest album from G Jones makes it extremely clear that we’re witnessing the work of a generational producer.

Following the announcement of his Paths album back in the spring, fans and music production aficionados have been clamoring to hear what Jones had up his sleeve after five years of impressive releases and stunning live shows. The album is now out in full, and it’s one of the year’s best.

G Jones.

Eric Ananmalay

When you first press play, you’re gently lowered down through a kaleidoscope tunnel via the soft sounds of “Familiar Frontiers.” When you reach the bottom you see a sprawling hub of branching roads and circuits, like a complex neural network. As the song closes, you’re left with the eerie words, “I would say that you spend too much time alone in your fantasy—be careful,” before the main event begins.

The path that leads to “Too Far Gone” is one filled with punching bass and hollowed-out pops that whirl in frenzied fashion. The now-fan-favorite single “Which Way” leans into the disorientation and celebrates being lost with aqueous alerts and the hardest-hitting bass drops on Paths.

Venturing down another path, fans find themselves peeking into one of Jones’ private practice sessions via the chops and scratches of “Glowing Experiences” and the introspective chords of “Perpetual Bloom” and “In My Room.” Like an arcade machine singing in an attempt to entice passersby to feed them quarters, “Liminality” sprinkles choppy sounds of a real-life race car and those you’d find in an 80s video game on top of bold kicks. 

Heading down the playful path leads you to the upbeat sounds of “Maybe” and “Dancing On the Edge.” Gritty and free-flowing, once “Maybe” kicks into full gear, you’ll find yourself nodding your head progressively faster until you break into a full-on groove. “Dancing On the Edge” feels like a stroll through a palpitating forest as imagined by a computerized organism. The sounds of tiny robot frogs croaking and cyborg birds chirping guide you forward as the staticky wind breezes through the microchip, leading to one of the most immersive soundscapes on Paths.

Unlike the fusion heard on the previous track, “Remnant” celebrates the beautiful contrast of organic and digital sounds with rich keys that can be heard cutting through the sounds of the next millennium like a radio station that you can just barely pick up.  Now that you’ve experienced all there is to see in G Jones’ new world, it’s time to find the path that leads home via the album’s finale, “Long Walk Home.”

“Then nothing will be there, nothing except what I remember,” says a soothing voice before Jones lifts you back up into the real-world as glimpses of the many paths flash before you. This final reflection serves as a reminder of his remarkable ability to paint realms more vibrant than anything else on the airwaves, using a noir palette consisting of just black and white.

In celebration of his new album, Jones will be debuting a special “Paths Live” show at Red Rocks on October 15th. With help from Eprom, Two Fingers, Digital Mystikz, Luke Vibert and Curra, he will showcase the sounds of his mesmerizing sophomore album before bringing the show on the road for a fall and winter “Paths Live” North American tour.

Jones said he’s been working on the ambitious live show all year long, adding that it will be “far beyond anything we’ve done before.”

“I’ve been working on the ‘Paths Live’ show all year, remixing and reformatting songs from Paths as well as the rest of my catalog for live performance, and also doing multi-day IRL work sessions with my team of visual collaborators, building this new show from scratch,” Jones explained in a press release. “I can hardly contain my excitement about it all. I’ve been discovering so many new ways to perform my songs in a live context, and really believe that the audiovisual aspect of the show will be far beyond anything we’ve done before.”

“I’m feeling extremely grateful for my core visuals team: Shinichiro Fujita, Alec Donkin, Jayson Esguerra, Mike Kluge and Lauren Marrone, who are all working so hard to help me hone and execute these ideas,” he continued. “Getting to debut Paths Live at Red Rocks is an actual dream come true for me, and I want to say a deeply heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported my music and attended my shows over the years for making this dream a reality.”

You can stream G Jones’ masterful sophomore album here and check out the “Paths Live” tour dates below.

G Jones’ “Paths Live” 2023/2024 tour dates.

G Jones

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S Club cancel gig in Liverpool after fire “knocks out electrics”


S Club cancelled their concert in Liverpool on Friday (October 13) just hours before they were due to perform.

The group, who kicked off their reunion tour last week in Manchester, were due to play the M&S Bank Arena when the show was pulled.

A statement issued by the the venue said: “Due to an unforeseen technical issue which is beyond our control and is impacting the power supply, we have sadly been forced to take the decision – with the event promoter – to postpone tonight’s performance by S Club.

“We understand that S Club fans and the band will be very disappointed but as the safety and comfort of our visitors is our utmost priority, the show cannot proceed as planned.”

It added: “As the technical issue is in an isolated area of the campus, we are not anticipating that any other events will be affected.”

S Club member Jon Lee later elaborated on the last minute cancellation on his Instagram Story (via The Metro): “There was a fire in the building which knocked out some of the electrics, which meant it was completely unsafe for us to allow an audience into the arena.

“It was not our decision. We were fighting to perform to you guys right down the last minute. But unfortunately it’s health and safety and your safety is paramount to us. We just weren’t allowed to perform tonight.”

He also apologised to fans who had travelled from overseas to see the show, adding: “We know that some of you have travelled from all over the world to see and we are absolutely heartbroken. We really, really are. It’s devastating for us. Please accept my sincere apologies. We really hope we can see you all soon. We love you all so much, and once again, absolutely gutted.”

The concert is now set to go ahead on October 30 and “all tickets remain valid.”

Paul Cattermole, Rachel Stevens, Jon Lee, Jo O’Meara, Scott Mills, Hannah Spearritt, Bradley McIntosh and Tina Barrett of S Club 7 attend the announcement of their “S Club 7 Reunited” reunion tour at Soho Hotel on February 14, 2023. CREDIT: Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images

Meanwhile, S Club paid tribute to late member Paul Cattermole during the opening night of their reunion tour, describing him as a “brother”.

In the three-star review of the opening concert, NME described the performance as having the “perky optimism of their Y2K heyday and genuinely touching tributes to their late bandmate”.

“The staging is cheap and cheerful by modern pop show standards: there are no backing dancers, let alone a band, and the pre-recorded visuals playing on the screen behind them are pretty perfunctory,” it read. “This places focus firmly on the well-drilled band members and their oh-so-2002 dance routines, which adds to the time capsule vibe.”

The tour will continue at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on Wednesday (October 18). Find all dates and any remaining tickets here.





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"RAVEN" Is the Soundtrack to Grey's Dark Descent Into Dubstep: Listen

After garnering a Grammy nomination alongside Zedd and Maren Morris for 2018’s dance-pop smash “The Middle,” Grey are taking a step into the dark side for “RAVEN,” a haunting dubstep track with a pop-punk twist.

Grey joined forces with Virtual Riot to drop the new single, a compelling collaboration that will appear on a new five-track EP, The Contra. The hit-making duo have dumped their bubblegum-pop sensibilities like sour milk in “RAVEN,” where their unapologetic lyricism matches the ferocity of Virtual Riot’s blistering drops.

“Careful how you speak upon my name bitch / You gon’ get the guillotine today,” hisses Grey’s Michael Trewartha. “Imma paint your blood upon the pavement / F*** around I’ll put you in the grave.”

If its first two singles are any indication, The Contra will be an unexpected foray into bass music for Grey, who are meticulously selecting their collaborators to twist a knife into their radio-friendly sound. “RAVEN” follows another heavy-hitting song, “7-DS,” which saw the pair team up with EDM.com Class of 2021 star AWAY. Take a listen to both songs below.

“When we started [“RAVEN”], the chords and production were giving epic conquest vibes, so we decided to write the lyrics as if they were a movie about a pirate king sailing the seas—think One Piece meets Game Of Thrones, Grey explained in a press release. “We’ve been friends with Virtual Riot for ages, so we were super pumped that he was down to collab with us on this one! We all love how it turned out and hope you enjoy the blend of both our styles!”

The Contra is expected to release in the fall of 2023. In the meantime, you can find “RAVEN” and “7-DS” on streaming platforms here.

Follow Grey:

Facebook: facebook.com/greymusic
Twitter: twitter.com/greymusic
Instagram: instagram.com/greymusic
Spotify: tinyurl.com/ypx92756

Follow Virtual Riot

Facebook: facebook.com/virtualriotmusic
Twitter: twitter.com/Virtual_Riot
Instagram: instagram.com/officialvirtualriot
Spotify: spoti.fi/3sgryDK





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Death Grips cut short US concert after getting hit by glowsticks






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William Black and ILLENIUM Embrace Imperfection in New Collaboration, "My Own Advice"

It’s okay to be not okay sometimes. These words set the tone of “My Own Advice,” the second-ever collaboration between melodic bass stars William Black and ILLENIUM.

A departure from their previous collaboration, “Superhero,” a drum & bass track released on the deluxe edition of ILLENIUM’s Fallen Embers album in 2021, “My Own Advice” marks a return to the longtime friends’ signature sounds.

View the original article to see embedded media.

Opening up with a simple guitar progression, the track weaves Alana Springsteen’s spellbinding vocals before culminating in an anthemic drop. As the song progresses, it’s clear that “My Own Advice” is more than just a collaboration; it’s a musical dialogue between old friends who’ve found a way to harmoniously balance their distinct musical identities.

The result is a track that speaks to the heart, invites introspection and serves as a powerful reminder that, in a world that often demands perfection, it’s okay to give yourself some grace.

All said and done, the song is a skillful blend of their distinct styles. ILLENIUM’s knack for crafting soaring melodies and high-energy moments finds its place alongside Black’s ethereal, introspective touches. Take a listen below.

Following three previous singles, “Beautiful Nothing,” “Last Forever” and “In The Cold,” the EDM.com Class of 2021 star continues his musical exploration of self-love and confidence with “My Own Advice.”

It’s the last single before his highly anticipated third studio album, wherein audiences can expect Black to deliver tracks that resonate not only with the ears, but also with the heart. Black recently revealed that the album was complete, but has not yet announced a release date at the time of writing.

Black will also be taking his third album on tour, “The Nature of Hope,” which starts in February 2024. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 20th at 10am PST. 

View the original article to see embedded media.

More information about his tour can be found here. 

FOLLOW WILLIAM BLACK:

Facebook: facebook.com/itswilliamblack
X: twitter.com/itswilliamblack
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Spotify: spoti.fi/3tTBgfS

FOLLOW ILLENIUM:

Facebook: facebook.com/ILLENIUM
X: twitter.com/ILLENIUMMUSIC
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Spotify: spoti.fi/2XO5NxG

FOLLOW ALANA SPRINGSTEEN:

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Mick Jagger says The Beatles were “just a blues cover band when they started”


Mick Jagger has responded yet again to Paul McCartney‘s comment that The Beatles were a superior band to The Rolling Stones.

McCartney made the comments in an interview with Howard Stern in 2020, when he agreed with the host’s assertion that his band were better.

“[The Stones] are rooted in the blues. When they are writing stuff, it has to do with the blues. We had a little more influences,” McCartney said. “There’s a lot of differences, and I love the Stones, but I’m with you. The Beatles were better.”

When asked for his response at the time to Zane Lowe, Jagger said: “That’s so funny. He’s a sweetheart. There’s obviously no competition.

“The big difference, though, is and sort of slightly seriously, is that The Rolling Stones is a big concert band in other decades and other areas when The Beatles never even did an arena tour, Madison Square Garden with a decent sound system. They broke up before that business started, the touring business for real.”

Now in a new interview with The Times, he has commented again on McCartney’s words.

The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. CREDIT: Getty

“He said the Beatles were better than the Stones because the Stones were really just a blues cover band,” Jagger said.

“Well, the Beatles were also really just a blues cover band when they started out. Every band is a cover band at the beginning, because that’s how it goes.”

Jagger went on to explain that following McCartney’s comments he’d often say when the band were on tour, that “someone is in the audience when they’re actually not, to create a big moment, so I said one time, ‘Paul McCartney is here tonight. He’s going to come up on stage and play some of our blues cover tunes.”

He added: “I texted Paul to say thank you for his comment because it has given me a lot of comic material.”

McCartney features on The Rolling Stones track ‘Bite My Head Off’ from their forthcoming new album ‘Hackney Diamonds‘, which is out on October 20. You can pre-order/pre-save it here.

Speaking about McCartney’s appearance on the track playing bass, Keith Richards recently said: “Paul happened to be in town…And we couldn’t keep him away, bless his heart.

“And hey, if you can get one of the Beatles on your track, you know, you do it.”

He also said that John Lennon and George Harrison would have fitted into The Rolling Stones.





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Nostalgia Takes Center Stage in Fred again.. and Jozzy's "ten"

Fred again.. is ushering in the fall with a mellow single, “ten.”

Having previously teased the track on his social media platforms more than three months ago, the new track is now out through Universal Music Group. Created in collaboration with prolific songwriter and vocalist Jozzy, “ten” serves as a contrast to its predecessor, the bubbly and euphoric “adore u” (with Obongjayar).

Taking to social media, Fred again.. said the song is inspired by the feeling of “missing home.” With its minimalistic basslines, the four-on-the-floor track blends house music with elements of lo-fi, culminating in a smoldering drop that’s perfectly suited for sweater weather.

“ten” arrives in the midst of Fred’s largest stateside run of shows to date. He’s fresh off a triptych of sold-out concerts at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium and is now gearing up for a staggering string of eight consecutive shows at LA’s Shrine Expo Hall. 

Listen to “ten” below and find the new track on streaming platforms here.

Follow Fred again..:

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