Travis Scott announces first tour since Astroworld tragedy


Travis Scott has announced a run of North American shows for later this year.

The ‘Utopia Tour Presents Circus Maximus’ tour kicks off in Chicago on September 25 and includes shows in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Nashville, and DC before finishing in Miami on November 27.

Notably, this is Scott’s first tour since the Astroworld tragedy, in which 10 people died and hundreds more were injured following a crowd crush at the festival in November 2021.

Last month, it was revealed that a grand jury in Texas had decided that Scott would not face charges over the incident, and a full report has now been filed.

Tickets will go on sale on August 11 at 10am – you can see the full list of dates below and buy your tickets here.

Travis Scott. Credit: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

SEPTEMBER
25 – Chicago, IL, United Center
27 – Detroit, MI, Little Caesars Arena
29 – East Rutherford, NJ, MetLife Stadium

OCTOBER
1 – Boston, MA, TD Garden
4 – Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center
5 – Washington, DC, Capital One Arena
8 – Atlanta, GA, State Farm Arena
11 – Charlotte, NC, Spectrum Center
12 – Raleigh, NC, PNC Arena
14 – Orlando, FL, Amway Center
17 – Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center
19 – Houston, TX, Toyota Center
21 – Oklahoma City, OK, Paycom Center
23 – Denver, CO, Ball Arena
26 – Phoenix, AZ, Footprint Center
28 – Las Vegas, NV, MGM Grand Garden Arena
30 – Oakland, CA, Oakland Arena

NOVEMBER 
4 – Inglewood, CA, SoFi Stadium
7 – Seattle, WA, Climate Pledge Arena
9 – Vancouver, BC, CA, Rogers Arena
12 – Portland, OR, Moda Center
18 – Austin, TX, Moody Center ATX
24 – Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
27 – Miami, FL, Kaseya Center

Meanwhile, Scott’s new album ‘Utopia’ has become the second-most streamed album of 2023, less than two weeks after it was released.

The rapper’s first album since 2018 has been streamed globally over 650million times, while Apple Music confirmed it had the biggest first day streams of an album in 2023, and Spotify named it the most streamed record in 2023 on its first day with 128 million streams.

In terms of both sales and streams, ‘Utopia’ has had 2023’s third-biggest first week numbers, just behind behind Morgan Wallen and Taylor Swift.

To celebrate the album’s release, Scott played a special show and livestream at Italy’s Circus Maximus, an entertainment stadium and public park in Rome that used to host chariot races.





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RL Grime's Ambitious Third Album Will Release in a "Revolutionary New Format"

RL Grime isn’t playing around this time.

The influential trap producer has revealed PLAY, an ambitious album he’s said will release in a “revolutionary new format” on September 15th. According to Grime’s Sable Valley imprint, the record will consist of 21 tracks split into three unique segments: “APEX,” “GRID” and “RUSH,” each of which are said to represent different aspects of his “signature sound.”

“APEX” will be tailor made for Grime’s high-flying festival performances while the collaboration-packed “GRID” will play home to a spate of new singalong bass anthems à-la “Pour Your Heart Out.” “RUSH,” on the other hand, will see him go in a more experimental direction as he explores the nexus of deep house, future breaks and techno.

It’s been five years since Grime’s last full-length album, 2018’s scintillating NOVA. That project remains a fan-favorite thanks to festival anthems “Era” and “Pressure,” not to mention the global dance hits “I Wanna Know” (with Daya) and “UCLA” (with 24hrs).

He also revealed plans to take PLAY on an eponymous North American tour, which will kick off in Southern California in late October. Beloved for his annual Halloween showcases, Grime will then head to Denver’s Mission Ballroom for a can’t-miss show on the 31st. The renowned producer remains one of the electronic music industry’s leading artists at the intersection of music creation and visual experiences, consistently stupefying fans with his eye-popping Halloween production.

Fans can now pre-save PLAY ahead of the album’s release on September 15th.

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Travis Scott’s ‘Utopia’ debuts with second biggest streaming numbers of 2023


Travis Scott‘s new album ‘Utopia’ has become the second-most streamed album of 2023, less than two weeks after it was released.

The rapper’s first album since 2018 has been streamed globally over 650million times, while Apple Music confirmed it had the biggest first day streams of an album in 2023, and Spotify named it the most streamed record in 2023 on its first day with 128 million streams.

In terms of both sales and streams, ‘Utopia’ has had 2023’s third-biggest first week numbers, just behind behind Morgan Wallen and Taylor Swift.

The album features an illustrious list of credited artists including Beyoncé, SZA, Kanye West and Daft Punk‘s Guy-Manuel. Bon Iver, The Weeknd, Sampha, Drake, James Blake, Young Thug also make appearances.

Credit: Simone Joyner/Getty Images

To celebrate the album’s release, Scott played a special show and livestream at Italy’s Circus Maximus, an entertainment stadium and public park in Rome that used to host chariot races.

He brought out Kanye West to perform ‘Praise God’ and ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing’. As Pitchfork report, Scott told the crowd: “There is no Utopia without Kanye West. There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West. There is no Rome without Kanye West. Make some noise for Ye.” It marked West’s first live performance in 18 months.

Scott’s original ‘Utopia’ launch show at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt fell apart due to “production issues”. The show was meant to take place on July 28, but was cancelled by Live Nation Middle East a day before.

The album has, however, courted controversy for not crediting KayCyy for his feature on its second track, ‘Thank God’, despite performing the song’s chorus, while it has also been reported that he wrote a sizeable amount of it.

When a fan tweeted “Why tf is KayCyy’s feature still hidden? He literally wrote a large part of it and sings the entire chorus [crying emoji],” the artist responded by saying: “Y’all keep sending me these messages… Y’all know what I do..! I’m not no background singer… fuck Trav!!!”





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IMANU Announces New EP And Largest Supporting Tour Of His Career

IMANU is on his way to finding paradise with a new EP and the biggest tour of his burgeoning career.

The meteoric EDM.com Class of 2023 talent has been shelling out heat from the studio left and right, most recently dropping the twisted, lullaby-like “Dream Sequence” alongside The Glitch Mob.

While IMANU is laying the groundwork for his upcoming Paradise EP, he’s simultaneously making arrangements to close out 2023 with a string of 30 tour stops. The tour is set to encompass Europe and North America with shows kicking off as early as September 15th at the iconic Ministry Of Sound in London.

IMANU finds himself in good company on the run while supporting a handful of heavyweight talents in the bass music community, including Zeds Dead, SLANDER, Subtronics and G Jones. Head on over to IMANU’s official website to stay up to date on his latest tour dates and more. 

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BBC Radio 1 presenter Arielle Free returns on air following suspension


BBC Radio 1 presenter Arielle Free has returned to the radio station following her temporary suspension last week .

Free made a brief appearance on Charlie Hedges’ Dance Anthems Ibiza show on Sunday (July 30) but was cut off for expressing her dislike of a song that was playing.

After being introduced on Hedges’s show, Free commented on the song Hedges was playing, sharing that she hated it. She began to further criticise the song, leading Hedges to turn down her mic. “Sorry, I’m taking your mic down,” Hedges announced. “It’s my show, Arielle, have some respect, please.”

The presenter was then off-air for the rest of the week. In a statement, BBC Radio 1 said: “Whilst we would not comment on individual matters, we have strict codes of behaviour for staff and presenters, and any breaches are taken extremely seriously.”

Free took to her Instagram account today (August 8) to announce that she was back on air following her week-long hiatus. She did not address the incident.

She shared old school photo of herself with a caption that read: “Tonight on your radio its all things chilled in the run up to tomorrows Scottish Highers, advanced highers and national 5’s exam results. A time I remember all too well.”

It continued: “The track selection tonight is designed to help take your mind away from how ever you may be feeling right now. So expect some soul soothers, mood boosters and loads more yumminess. Two whole hours of one big musical hug.”

Fans took to the comment section to share their excitement of Free’s return. One user said: “Arielle’s barn Arielle’s rules. Glad you are back,” while another shared: “Scottish banter clearly goes over people’s heeds…glad your back on the air.”

Free has worked at Radio 1 since 2019 and is one of the station’s main dance DJs. She has also co-hosted the official Love Island podcast, Love Island: The Morning After.





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Man Shocked by "Energized" Train Rail, Critically Injured On His Way to Lollapalooza

A man on his way to the 2023 Lollapalooza festival was hospitalized in critical condition after making physical contact with an “energized” train rail, CBS News Chicago reports.

The man was one of two people injured in the incident, which took place at the Ridgeland Green Line station on the third rail of the Chicago Transit Authority’s L Train. He reportedly jumped down onto the tracks “to take pictures” before accidentally touching the charged train rail.

A woman was then shocked by the rail, per CBS. She was most likely attempting to assist the man at the time, according to officials. After both were electrocuted, several of their friends descended onto the tracks and managed to remove them.

When the Oak Park Fire Department arrived on the scene, the woman was conscious but the man was in cardiac arrest, officials said. Both victims, who are in the 20s, were transported to Loyola Medical Center, where the latter was reportedly listed in critical condition.

The man remains in critical condition and the woman is “doing well,” according to Fox 32 Chicago, citing Oak Park officials. 



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Watch NBA star Steph Curry join Paramore for a performance of ‘Misery Business’


NBA star Steph Curry made a surprise appearance on stage with Paramore at a recent show. Check out footage of him singing the chorus of ‘Misery Business’ below.

The athlete – who plays for the Golden State Warriors – delighted fans in San Francisco last night (August 7) when he made an appearance on stage with Hayley Williams and co.

The moment took place during the rendition of their 2007 hit, ‘Misery Business’, in which the pop-punk front woman usually chooses a lucky audience member to join her on stage for the track. This time around, however, it was pro athlete Steph Curry who was hand selected by the members.

Curry was watching the show as he takes time off in the off-season, and Williams told the crowd that the NBA star was a close friend.

“So look, you know us and Steph, we go back a few years,’ she said to the audience. “And tonight is our reunion… Tonight we’re going to sing something together. Listen, from the moment Steph takes the mic, this is no longer a Paramore show, this is a Steph Curry show.”

From there, the 35-year-old, wearing all black, took to the stage as the band broke into the song – bouncing around as confetti fell and even joining Williams to sing the chorus. Find footage of the moment below.

Originally, the show was set to take place Saturday July 22. However, taking to social media, the band confirmed that they would be forced to reschedule their gig at the Chase Center due to “sickness within the touring party”.

Shortly after the announcement, they then went on to shelve three further gigs on their North American tour, including stops in Seattle, Portland, and Salt Lake City. They also said that the reasoning behind the change of schedule was “in the interest of our health and the ability to put on a show you all deserve”.

Williams also revealed her struggle to remain fit and healthy on tour, explaining that it is harder for her to tour now than when she first started.

She told fans that she became ill during the Houston gig, and “muscled all the way through [their] LA [show]”.

“By the time the excitement and all the nerves from all the LA shenanigans wore off, my body just gave out,” she said. “Touring is different at 34 than it was at 16, when leaving home felt like the greatest escape.”

After receiving criticism for the postponed shows, the singer later took to social media to criticise the “internet bros” who sent hateful comments her way.

Hayley Williams of Paramore. Credit: Marcus Ingram

“Internet bros have been pressed by my proximity to rock music and all its subgenres since 2005. The only thing that’s changed is the platform from which they spew their ignorance,” she wrote.

“Don’t think for a second your fav bands – metal or punk or otherwise – endorse your weird incel ass lifestyle. So many of these bands have stood side stage at our shows and treat us with respect. Why? bc they aren’t threatened by a strong woman front[ing] a great band in a completely diff genre of music.”

Paramore’s North American tour is scheduled to conclude in Salt Lake City on Sunday (August 13). You can find any remaining tickets here.

Following the end of their US Tour, Paramore will be heading to the UK and Europe as a supporting act on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, beginning in May 2024.





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"Jessie's Girl" Musician Rick Springfield Cites EDM as Primary Influence Behind New Album

Rick Springfield says electronic dance music was a primary influence when recording his new album, Automatic.

Perhaps best known for 1981’s “Jessie’s Girl,” the power-pop star found inspiration in the world of electronic music to inform the 20-track effort, a high-energy offering of kick drum-driven rock with doses of dance grooves.

Springfield’s new album flows continuously from start to finish like a fine-tuned mix. He says he’s been particularly keen on incorporating low-end electronic effects into his work as of late, an approach that’s on full display in the rugged titular track, “Automatic.” Meanwhile, cuts like “Did I Just Say That Out Loud” exemplify some blissful contrast, incorporating colorful, saw-like synths and funk guitars.  

“I wanted it to be very kick drum-based. I’ve been listening to a lot of EDM, and it’s kind of like punk was an inspiration for me for Working Class Dog, and my first album, which a lot of people never really got,” Springfield told American Songwriter. “We’ve been playing a couple of songs from it [Automatic], and they’re pop, but they’re very punk-inspired with their energy. EDM probably informed these songs as much as anything as far as a new influence.”

Take a listen to Automatic, out now via SongVest Records, below.

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BLACKPINK mark seventh anniversary with tributes from members


BLACKPINK have commemorated their seventh year together with individual tributes from the members and events taking place across the U.S and Asia.

The four members of BLACKPINK took to each of their personal Instagram pages to post tributes to the band in commemoration of the band’s seventh year together as of August 8. Vocalist Rosé wrote a heartfelt letter in her Instagram post, accompanied by an archive of BLACKPINK photos from years past. “Thank you, BLACKPINK for being such a blessing in my life. I have really been able to experience everything and more than what I have ever dreamed of growing up as an aspiring artist,” her caption, written in both Korean and English, read. “Thank you, thank you and thank you a thousand times.”

In Lisa’s post, she wrote in English: “7 is one of my favorite numbers and I hope this year will be a lucky one for us.” Meanwhile, Jennie and Jisoo chose to keep their anniversary posts short, with Jennie writing “I love us I love Blackpink I love Blinks”. Jisoo posted twice in celebration of the milestone, writing in one post, “BLACKPINK is always in your area”, and “Blinks, BLACKPINK forever” in Korean in the other.

Aside from the members’ personal celebrations of their seventh year as a group, BLACKPINK are also set to roll out several special events across the U.S and Asia for the occasion. According to a report from Yonhap News Agency, YG Entertainment will be showing videos looking back on the quartet’s history across several major U.S cities such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. These locations will also be coloured in the group’s signature pink.

In addition, 76 screens at New Jersey’s Secaucus Junction Station will be decorated with BLACKPINK adornments, while a special photo booth will be set up at the New York Verdy pop-up for fans from tomorrow (August 9) up till Friday (August 11).

In the Asian region, BLACKPINK have collaborated with Starbucks to roll out a series of limited edition merchandise, beverage and food items for the summer. The BLACKPINK x Starbucks collaboration is being made available in nine countries across Asia: South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam until the end of August. However, two special food items – the BLACKPINK Strawberry Cream Choco Brioche and BLACKPINK Strawberry Cream Choco Baumkuchen – are Korea exclusives.

In other BLACKPINK news, YG Entertainment stocks have been recently falling amid mass uncertainty surrounding the status of the four-piece’s contract renewals. Last month, South Korean outlets reported that Lisa had yet to come to an agreement about a contract renewal with YG Entertainment, and alleged that she was unlikely to opt for a renewal. Following that report, the label issued a statement clarifying that “contract renewals are currently under discussion”, however no official announcements about BLACKPINK’s agreements with YG Entertainment have been made since.





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Naloxone Distribution and Harm Reduction Efforts Reach Grounds of Lollapalooza

Harm reduction efforts have made their way onto the grounds of this year’s Lollapalooza in Chicago.

A graphic for This Must Be The Place, a nonprofit with a mission to provide free, accessible naloxone to victims of overdoses, was spotted in rotation at the festival’s mainstage all weekend long in Grant Park. The organization additionally provides critical naloxone application training to festival attendees who volunteer to carry the life-saving product.

Taking to Instagram, co-founders Ingela Travers-Hayward and William Perry celebrated the fact that carrying naloxone at music festivals is rapidly becoming more commonplace.

“It’s really incredible to think that just a little over a year ago, we were begging promoters to allow us on festival grounds,” their post reads.

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The couple had plans to hand out over 4,000 doses of the nasal spray over the weekend. This year’s Lollapalooza drew a record-breaking audience of over 500,000 across four days.

Over 1,800 Cook County residents were victims of lethal fentanyl overdoses last year and city officials caution that the substance should be assumed to be present in any recreational drug obtained off the street, according to WBEZ Chicago.

Read our feature about the need for harm reduction in the electronic dance music community here.



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