Chicago DJ Don Crescendo, a beloved fixture in the birthplace of house music and the city’s queer nightlife scene, has tragically died at the age of 28.
Chicago police responded to a call regarding a stabbing that occurred on the 3000 block of North Elston Avenue, Block Club Chicago reported. Crescendo and his neighbor, James Traven, were found stabbed multiple times on the second floor of their apartment building. Their deaths were both ruled homicides.
Crescendo, whose real name was Donovan Taylor, was a cherished figure within Chicago’s queer nightlife scene and known to frequent local nightlife hangouts like The Whistler and Smartbar. The Chicago nightlife community is mourning his death and a fundraising campaign has been launched to support his family, which has already surpassed $53,000 in donations.
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“For those of us who knew and loved Donovan, his community spanned across the country, and he deeply loved growing roots in Chicago over the past few years,” the GoFundMe fundraiser reads. “Known to some as his musical alias Don Crescendo, to others as a unforgettably brilliant friend, to his family as a caring oldest son, and to everyone as a loving, generous, and laughter-inspiring person, Donovan left an indelible impression on everyone he met.”
Taylor’s funeral service will take place near his family home in South Carolina. Meanwhile, investigative efforts into the tragedy remain ongoing.
We at EDM.com express our sincere condolences to the family, fans, friends and loved ones of Donovan Taylor.
Purchases of Travis Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs jersey have increased by 400 per cent, as rumours swirl about his romance with Taylor Swift.
Swift and Kelce were filmed walking together down a corridor as they left Kansas City’s Arrowhead stadium on Sunday (September 24) in a four-second clip that has been viewed more than 15million times on journalist and former NFL star Jarrett Payton’s X/Twitter account.
TMZ reports that the NFL’s official merchandise partner, Fanatics, has confirmed a spike in sales of the American Football player’s number 87 sports top.
“Yesterday, Travis Kelce was one of the top 5 selling NFL players and saw a nearly 400 per cent spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com,” the NFL merchandise partner told the website.
Swift and Kelce haven’t been confirmed to be dating. The pop star was spotted at the Chiefs’ game against the Chicago Bears, seated next to Kelce’s mother, Donna.
Their apparent romance, as Consequence reports, comes after Kelce attended the singer’s Eras Tour’ concert in Kansas City and gifted her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it.
Taylor Swift watches the Kansas City Chiefs vs Chicago Bulls NFL game. CREDIT: David Eulitt/Getty Images
According to the football player, he later told Swift that he’d seen her “rock a stage in Arrowhead and she might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead” as well.
The news follows reports that Swift allegedly paid for everyone’s bill to clear a restaurant in Kansas City after attending Kelce’s football game.
After the game, which the Chiefs won 41-3, both Swift and Kelce were spotted driving in Kelce’s convertible.
Allegedly, the two went to a restaurant where Swift paid for everyone’s bill in exchange for them leaving the premises immediately. In a since-deleted TikTok video, a Swift fan claimed that Swift “paid for everyone at the restaurant so that they would leave”.
Swift nor Kelce have commented publicly about those claims.
After reports surfaced indicating that Hollywood studios may be willing to make concessions amid the Writers Guild of America strike with regards to how AI is leveraged in the creative process, a new battlefront is emerging in the halls of the music industry.
Last week, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), hosted over 70 lawmakers for its annual “We Write the Songs” concert at the Library of Congress, Bloomberg Lawreports. ASCAP additionally engaged with lawmakers to request safeguards aimed at protecting the rights of human artists who face competition from algorithms and other generative AI driven systems.
Following the concert, ASCAP members met with 25 congressional offices. In those conversations, ASCAP members reportedly presented and advocated for a regulatory framework consisting of six AI principles, including prioritizing human creators, obtaining consent, ensuring fair compensation, proper credit attribution, transparency and global consistency.
“Artificial intelligence has added yet another layer of stress and anxiety and has interrupted a lot of our sleep as creators,” ASCAP President Paul Williams said at the event. “I know you’re all evaluating AI right now because it will touch every aspect of our lives, but I ask that when you do act, you remember to protect creators in all creative industries.”
Overall, ASCAP’s position remains as such that AI companies should obtain licenses to use musical works for training purposes. That position was echoed by Nick Lehman, ASCAP’s Executive Vice President.
Lehman later qualified his position, stating that ASCAP is not inherently being “anti-tech” in its approach. He also indicated that AI could serve as a valuable tool for artistic expression and innovation in creativity, provided the interests of human creators remain safeguarded.
*NSYNC member Lance Bass has opened up about the boyband’s reunion and how they reacted to getting together for the first time in years.
READ MORE: Justin Timberlake – ‘Man Of The Woods’ review
The boyband – comprised of Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone and Lance Bass – reunited at the 2023 MTV VMAs earlier this month (September 12) where they presented Taylor Swift with an award.
The group are also set to release a new song – their first since 2001 – later this week for the third Trolls film, Trolls Band Together.
Now, Lance Bass has spoken about the group’s first time getting back together in the studio earlier this year. Bass said to Entertainment Tonight of their recording session in March: “It was pretty emotional, the first time we all got in the studio together. Back in March, we decided to, you know, get back together and have some fun and it was like no [time] had passed.”
*NSYNC at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. Credit: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images
“But there was there was a lot of tears. It was just tears of joy. And it was just a beautiful moment,” he continued. “Like, time does so much and for us to finally be together, it just feels right.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Lance Bass shared an update about *NSYNC’s plans following the release of their upcoming track: “I’ve been telling the fans, like, we don’t have solid plans right now. Because, you know, we’re waiting for the strike to end we’ve got things to do. But [the fans are] definitely shaping our future.”
*NSYNC’s ‘Better Place’ is set to release on streaming platforms on September 29, while Trolls Band Together will release in cinemas across the UK on October 20.
Jaw-dropping visuals, sunrise sets, impromptu B2Bs and over 25 hours of haunting melodic techno—Afterlife’s New York takeover had it all.
2023 marked Afterlife’s fifth fall pilgrimage to the Brooklyn Mirage since its 2018 debut at the sprawling open-air venue. It’s since become a September staple, and each edition trumps the last.
This year, the label’s takeover expanded from a single show to a three-day event for the first time. Anticipation was high—tickets sold out within 30 minutes of going on sale, six months ahead of the event.
Brooklyn Mirage’s gargantuan, 300-foot, 14K LED video wall was a perfect fit for Afterlife’s mind-bending visuals. To up the ante, the brand added an array of lasers and lighting rigs that framed the stage.
Using real-time generative technology, visual artist Ben Heim brought the video wall to life. From abstract designs to blooming flowers and hyperrealistic waterfalls, he combined audio-reactive feedback and interactive control to craft what felt like an infinitely morphing spectrum of scenes.
Though visuals are a core element of the Afterlife experience, the music is what keeps revelers on the dancefloor. This time around, we were treated to three sets from the label’s founders, Tale of Us. Plus, the hotly anticipated North American debuts of the duo’s respective solo projects, Anyma’s Genesys and MRAK’s We Don’t Follow. Afterlife mainstays Stephan Bodzin and Mind Against were also on the bill, as well as newcomers Argy and Cassian.
With stellar production and dusk-to-dawn programming across three nights, Afterlife felt almost like a festival, a feeling many New York dance music fans were likely craving after the Electric Zoo debacle only a week prior.
For a taste of the Afterlife experience, here are five of the most memorable moments from the three-day takeover at Brooklyn Mirage.
Anyma debuts a new audio-visual piece
Matteo Milleri, one-half of Tale Of Us, has skyrocketed in popularity over the past year with his solo endeavor, Anyma.
Genesys, his debut album which released this summer, explores the relationship between mankind and technology. The record blends themes of sentience, connection and dystopia through cerebral techno.
But even a fresh, 14-track LP paired with one-of-a-kind visuals wasn’t enough for Anyma to fuel his momentous North American debut.
In a set jam-packed with jaw-dropping moments, one stood out above the rest. Here, metallic tentacles slithered from each end of Brooklyn Mirage’s colossal video wall. One by one, they tethered to an ember android that brandished sharp, blazing wings as Anyma beckoned fans to “enter the simulation” through a high-octane, unreleased track with Chris Avantgarde (who’s also featured on two Genesys tracks).
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Chilling visuals during MRAK’s live performance
Carmine Conte, the other half of Tale Of Us, has also taken his solo career off under his MRAK moniker.
MRAK’s We Don’t Follow project sees him surrounded by racks of synthesizers and analog gear on stage. He’s joined on either side by live instrumentalists, giving his moody electronic music an organic touch.
While videos of his performances aren’t blowing up on social media quite like those of Anyma, the visual element is an equally important piece of MRAK’s live show. Unlike his Tale of Us counterpart, MRAK’s visual direction is more elusive. Dramatic quotes and supernatural imagery dominate the screen, shrouding MRAK in an air of mystery.
This theme felt stronger than ever during his Brooklyn Mirage set when a haunting face with cracked, charcoal skin and piercing eyes—pupils ablaze—emerged on screen. It felt like something out of a horror movie. The sinister scene was elevated by a track full of melancholic strings and menacing bass stabs.
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A magical moment at dawn with Tale of Us and Argy
It’s clear that MRAK and Anyma are taking precedence over Tale of Us. While the duo have been busy releasing music for their solo projects, Tale of Us hasn’t released a track in over two years.
At Brooklyn Mirage, MRAK and Anyma were scheduled for prime-time slots, deferring to perform as Tale of Us deep into the night from 5 to 7am. While some bemoaned the graveyard shift, it made for an unforgettable Sunday morning where the sky glowed with a magical orange tint as Tale Of Us played a set brimming with IDs.
Argy jumped on the decks too, leading to a surreal sunrise moment soundtracked by ATB’s classic ‘90s tune, “9Pm (Till I Come).”
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Cassian drops unreleased RY X Remix
Who could’ve imagined Cassian pivoting from breezy house you might hear on Anjunadeep to Afterlife’s dark, melodic techno?
Last year’s Afterlife show at Brooklyn Mirage was Cassian’s first ever performance for the label. Since then, he’s become a staple in Afterlife’s live roster. Plus, he’s released two tracks with Anyma: a remix of Jimi Jules’ hit “My City’s on Fire” and “Save Me,” a song off Genesys.
He celebrated his Afterlife anniversary with a gripping performance at Brooklyn Mirage, treating the crowd to his stunning unreleased rendition of “Lençóis (Love Me)” by RY X.
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Mind Against closes with “Walking Away”
The third and final day of Afterlife was somewhat soured by nonstop rain. But it made for a dazzling light show with lasers glistening through raindrops.
Seizing the moment, Mind Against ended their set with a rare play of their stirring tune “Walking Away.” The song’s yearning vocals and emotive synths never sounded better.
K-pop singer Yugyeom, a member of boyband GOT7, has announced his upcoming solo tour of Europe.
GOT7’s Yugeyom will kick off his five-date Europe tour on November 1 at the Bataclan in Paris, France. Following that show, the K-pop idol will play one concert each in the United Kingdom and Spain, as well as two in Germany.
Tickets to Yugyeom’s upcoming 2023 tour of Europe will go on sale October 6 at 7pm KST. More details, such as ticket prices, tiers and more, are expected in the coming weeks. Keep tabs on this page for the latest information
The dates for Yugyeom’s 2023 Europe tour are:
NOVEMBER 01: Paris, France, Bataclan 02: London, United Kingdom, Troxy 04: Berlin, Germany, Huxleys Neue Wely 07: Madrid, Spain, Sala Black Box 10: Frankfurt, Germany, ZOOM
[유겸 (YUGYEOM)]😊☄️🐥💚 YUGYEOM IN EUROPE 2023
Europe yall ready for YUGYEOM?
<Tour Dates> Nov 1st: Paris, Bataclan Nov 2nd: London, Troxy Nov 4th: Berlin, Huxleys Neue Welt Nov 7th: Madrid, Sala Black Box Nov 10th: Frankfurt, ZOOM
Earlier this year, Yugyeom revealed that he faced financial difficulties during the pandemic during an appearance on the YouTube talk show, Greenroom Talk. The K-pop idol spoke about how he had “the least amount of individual promotions” among the GOT7 members during the pandemic but was “still the breadwinner for my family”.
In other K-pop news, BLACKPINK singer Jennie has revealed that she has new solo music in the works. It will be her first official release outside of the group since her November 2018 debut single ‘Solo’.
Meanwhile, the singer recently starred in the HBO original series The Idol, alongside The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp. However, the cable network has since cancelled after one season.
Original Photo by Ivan Meneses for Insomniac Events
Earlier this month, Insomniac put on the 28th edition of Nocturnal Wonderland, North America’s longest running rave. I was lucky enough to attend once again this year, and like a Swiss train, Nocturnal just consistently delivers. Whether it’s the immaculate vibes that cannot be matched by any other Insomniac fest, the always stacked lineup, the familiar venue and setup, or the Cosmic Equinox itself; Nocturnal retains its uniqueness and charm. I don’t think there’s any other festival where you have a confluence of people raving for their first time and OGs who have been there since the early days.
Once again taking place at the pristine Glen Helen Regional Park in hills north of San Bernardino, this year’s edition of Nocturnal featured absolutely perfect weather. Just because the equinox is on the calendar doesn’t mean that the Southern California summer is over. This year, though, headliners were treated to pleasant fall-like weather, with temperatures never exceeding 80 degrees. In fact, it was downright cloudy on Saturday.
As I mentioned, the Nocturnal festival grounds are very familiar to anyone who’s ever been, and with only three official stages, it’s supremely easy to navigate. For non-campers, they walked up the hill to the Glen Helen Pavilion entrance, you walk up the ramp decorated by blacklight painted ferns and you either walk up the hill to the Labyrinth stage, which was headlined by Bassrush all weekend long, or you walked (stumbled) down the hill to Sunken Garden and Wolves’ Den.
While the stages at Nocturnal usually retain most of their form from the previous year, unlike EDC, there were some notable differences at the main stage. While it retained the massive circle video panel in the middle of the stage. The top of the stage was adorned in neon colored flowers that bloomed over the course of the nights. The Nocturnal Wonderland logo was front and center while the top border of the stage featured blacklight painted wood panels. The lasers and pyro only got bigger from last year.
Original Photo by Jamal Eid for Insomniac Events
The Labyrinth stage also had some new features. While the stage maintained the same design, it dispensed with the multiple smaller TV-like video panels for a single long diagonal video panel on each side leading to the tall vertical video panel. Again, lasers and pyro were on point at the stage. My only criticism is that the volume was significantly lower at Labyrinth than at the main stage. Sunken Garden was pushed back a little to allow for more foot traffic (good move) and appeared to be the same as last year.
Every single set was amazing this weekend. As for my experience, we walked into the venue on Saturday as Joel Corry was throwing down a nice set of house and techno. We made our way up the hill for our much needed dose of drum & bass from UK legend Dimension. After a little bit we made our way down the hill for the absolute house party that NITTI b2b Marten Horger were throwing down. After that, Jason Ross was a major highlight of the first day, from trance to techno, Ross showed that he can do it all. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Sunken Garden as VNNSA threw down before we made our way back to Wolves’ Den for AC Slater’s banging house set, and an immaculate set from Seven Lions where he threw down both his hits and some wild psy-trance. Finally we ended Night one atop the hill with Black Tiger Sex Machine, the duo threw down an insane set that featured heavy dubstep as well as some more melodic tunes to balance it out.
Original Photo by Jake West for Insomniac Events
We got in a tad later on Sunday (happens to the best of us on the final day), but we made it in time to see some of Pendulum’s set before the absolute highlight of the weekend; Benny Bennasi’s Sunset set. The dance music legend weaved through some deep and clubby tracks before closing his set out with some of his biggest and most beloved hits. He closed his set out with Skrillex’s iconic remix of Benassi’s hit song Cinema. The lasers and production of the stage helped to deliver an unforgettable moment for everyone there. For me, this was an iconic moment; a dance music icon delivering an indelible moment in an iconic space.
From there we moved up the hill and bass was the formula for the rest of the night. I was in awe of PhaseOne’s performance, and Eptic delivered an incredible set for all the headliners who were thoroughly enjoying his performance. We stayed atop the hill for GHOSTRYDR (JOYRYDE b2b Ghastly) and enjoyed the old school rave vibes. By that time, everyone had gone down to the Wolves’ Den for Subtronics, so old school ravers were rewarded for their patience.
There you have it for another successful edition of Nocturnal. I haven’t seen anything yet confirming next year, but I’d be surprised if Nocturnal didn’t return for its 29th edition at Glen Helen Regional Park. Also, Premier Parking came in clutch, you got dropped off at the camping entrance, and did not have to wait in traffic for an hour to leave the venue. 10/10 recommend. This year’s Nocturnal was pitch perfect, and we can’t wait to return next year.
fabric, the beloved London nightclub, is introducing a fresh Sunday daytime event series called “Commune.” The iconic Farringdon venue, which is prevalently considered a bastion of innovation and cutting-edge creativity in London’s nightlife scene, is reimagining traditional weekend clubbing.
“Commune” represents a bold departure from conventional club nights, transcending boundaries to encompass a broader cultural experience. Pioneered by fabric’s visionary team and regular guest DJ Pattn, the series promises an immersive celebration of the symbiotic relationship between art and electronic music.
True to its name, the inception of “Commune” is rooted in a desire to foster a deeper connection between performers and their audiences. According to a press release, the series will explore “a diverse range of genres” and cater to “fabric regulars and newcomers alike.”
A Strangely Isolated Place, LNOE and club-favourite Sentre will usher in the first “Commune” event on October 1st. The series will also feature fabric resident Megan Leo, ME ME ME, Midnight People and Kenny Jones of New York’s Alegria collective, among others.
From intelligent electronica to ambient to funk and “nostalgic 80s sparkle,” “Commune” promises to inspire both artists and audiences to explore new dimensions of self-expression. Each event also invites attendees to a carefully-curated visual accompaniment, including work from Hong-Kong based artist Henry Chu.
The new series will run from 4pm to 10pm on October 1st, November 5th and December 3rd. Tickets can be purchased through fabric’s website.
Lynks has released a quirky new single, ‘New Boyfriend’, and announced a UK tour for 2024.
The single is the follow-up to ‘Use It Or Lose It’, which was released earlier this year.
Speaking about the track, Lynks said: “Look, ultimately I think I’m a fairly smart, reasonable, logical young person. I’ve done therapy. I give excellent dating advice. I know that a healthy breakup is a clean breakup. No footnotes, no P.S., no post-credits sequence shags. And yet the second I’m in the throes of a breakup, all that logic and intelligence evaporates.
“And I become what I clearly always was; a dog, cosplaying as a well adjusted human man. Unable to resist the stick when someone says ‘FETCH’. I’m not proud of it. But I also don’t think I’m alone. That’s what this song is about – lovely, kind, thoughtful, intelligent, well-adjusted couples turning into chaotic horny monsters the second they break up.”
The music video sees the Bristol-based artist dancing in a wedding dress alongside their backing dancers, who are collectively known as Lynks Shower Gel.
Check out ‘New Boyfriend’ below:
Elsewhere, Lynks has also announced that they will be playing a run of UK dates in April 2024.
The tour will kick off on April 12 in Margate and will come to Bristol, Southampton, Brighton, London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Birmingham and Cambridge.
Check out the full list of dates below and buy your tickets here.
APRIL 2024
12 – Margate, Elsewhere 13 – Bristol, SWX 14 – Southampton, Papillon 16 – Brighton, Chalk 17 – London, KOKO 19 – Manchester, Canvas Club 20 – Leeds, The Wardrobe 21 – Glasgow, Saint Luke’s 23 – Birmingham, Mama Roux’s 24 – Cambridge, Junction
TikTok trends are like the musical equivalent of fast fashion—here today, gone tomorrow and often not worth the investment. But despite its never-ending supply of cringe-worthy content, the platform remains the quintessential breeding ground for remix culture.
Just ask Madeline Argy, whose recent teary-eyed TikTok video went viral and inadvertently led to comedic gold for the global DJing fandom. With all the innocence of a startled squirrel, the callow content creator asked, “What the f*** do DJs actually do?”
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It all started with Glass Petals, the dance music duo consisting of Felix Cartal and Johnny Jover, who pollinated the trend by looping and transposing Argy’s voice until it transformed into the timeless melody of Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction.”
Benassi himself went on to share the cheeky video, which has since garnered a staggering 80 million views on TikTok.
View the original article to see embedded media.
From there, the EDM community naturally had a field day. Fueled by Argy’s nauseating naiveté, her original video immediately went haywire on TikTok and reached the world’s biggest DJs, like Swedish House Mafia, who jokingly commented, “We feel the vibes.”
That led to an explosion of parodies as DJs and electronic music producers assembled like the Avengers to remix Argy’s rant en masse. And since TikTok’s musical trends spread faster than gossip at a high school prom, we’ve seen some hilarious results.
Check out a handful of the best remix videos below.
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