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It’s not often that you can credit a band for helping create not one, but two different metal sub-genres. Venom, however, with such classic albums as Welcome to Hell, Black Metal, and At War with Satan, paved the way for both thrash metal and black metal (as clearly stated by one of the aforementioned album titles). Along with Motörhead, Venom were one of the first bands to combine heavy metal and punk rock — back at a time when there was quite some distance between headbangers and punkers. But the bold move certainly paid off, as such bands as Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, and Behemoth all owe a debt of gratitude to the band from Newcastle. And while members have come and gone over the years, the most constant member from the very beginning (save for a spell during the late ‘80s/early ‘90s) has been growler/bassist Cronos. And Venom — who for the past decade or so, also feature La Rage on guitar and Dante on drums — remain as heavy as ever, as heard throughout their latest release (and 15th studio album overall), Storm the Gates. Read Part 1 of our interview with Cronos below, and stay tuned for Part 2, where he looks back at crossing paths over the years with Brian Johnson, Metallica, and Dave Grohl, plus other topics. ON THE HEAVY DUTY DEMONIC COVER IMAGE FOR STORM THE GATES We’ve used the same artist – a guy named Nikos Outsikas. He did the From the Very Depths artwork, as well. Fantastic artist. I basically went to him with the idea of a dream I had many years ago. I’ve had the album title since [the time] we released the last one, because we are kind of doing a bit of a theme here. The albums are running into each other on a theme. I said, “I had this crazy dream about construction workers hanging off the side of a cliff, and were chipping away at the rock, and reveal this entity that is being encased in the rock…maybe in some war between good and evil, where there’s celestial bodies. I really want to start there with the artwork idea. The album is called Storm the Gates, so this has got to be the mouth of hell. This has got to be the whole entrance to the underworld.” I had already talked the label into a gatefold sleeve — before we finished the recording. So I said, “I really want the artwork to be the whole sleeve, both front and back. And on the left-hand side, I want the gates of heaven being destroyed by the demons that are emerging from the gates of hell. So, I want you to use your imagination and come up with some mind-blowing concept, along those lines. If you use the Goat of Mendes as the inspiration for the demon in the rock, that would help a lot, because that was the idea.” And if you look closely at the artwork, you can see the actual rock is starting to fall away from the actual Goat of Mendes, and he would get to the point where he would actually stand up. So, fast forward the artwork, he’s coming alive, which is awesome. I f–king love the artwork — I think it looks amazing. ON PLEASING HIMSELF FIRST AND FOREMOST WHEN WRITING SONGS I make an album that satisfies me, that I’m happy with. I never really give a monkey’s f–k whether anybody else likes it — I don’t think that’s right. You can’t “write to order.” You can’t think, “The fans want me to go in this direction or that direction.” I don’t approach songs with preconceived ideas, like, “Oh, I’m going to write a song about Satan’s ear,” and then,” “Oh, I’m going to write a song about Satan’s cock.” It’s an influence that comes to you, and a song will speak to you. You come up with the music, start putting some lyrics together. I’ve had songs where I’ve tried five or six different types of lyrics. None of them worked, so I threw them all away and started again. And then, you find words that actually marry better to the music. The ideas are all that way. Songs develop. I remember way, way back in the day when we had the song “Warhead”, and just because some f–king idiot on Radio One played it, the label got all excited and said, “We need another ‘Warhead’!” I just looked at them, and said, “F–k you. I don’t do that. I can’t write another ‘Warhead’ — it doesn’t work like that.” I said to them, “I’ll prove it. I’m going to sit down and deliberately try to come up with something that’s based around the same basic ideas – the big drums and all the rest of it.” And I actually came up with “Manitou,” which has nothing to do with “Warhead,” at all. The fact that it has a similar drum beat is totally irrelevant. I’ve got so much material that I’ve never even released. Simply because it’s not ready for release. It’s personal and it’s private. And considering that a lot of my music is going to be around for longer than I, it really has to have its own legs. It has to stand on its own and defend itself, because I’m not going to be around to defend it. ON NOT DISCUSSING THE LYRICAL MEANINGS BEHIND VENOM’S SONGS We have a lot of fans who like to dissect the lyrics and work out what certain meanings are and things. I’m not going to take that away from them. You never see a novelist who releases a novel then release a second book to explain the novel. It just doesn’t happen. That’s for your interpretation. I always write songs that have a few different meanings, so you can read into them depending on what kind of standpoint you want to come from. I mean, I can do a three-hour interview on one song alone. I’m not going to be able to sum it up for you in a minute. ON VENOM’S INFLUENCE ON SUBSEQUENT EXTREME METAL BANDS I really like to think of Venom as a catalyst rather than inventors. Influence would probably be more like it. I’ve always been — from being young — a fan of what you’d call “rock music.” From the Beatles to the Stones to the Who, through Zeppelin and Purple and everybody. So, I’ve always liked the idea of drums, guitar, this, that, and the other. My mum’s brother used to play guitar in a country-western band, so I’ve always been around instruments and music. I’ve never really gotten into any of the electronic stuff when it came along in the ‘80s. I didn’t really see how that was working for me in any way — I just like a drum kit and a guitar. When people used to ask back in the day, “How do you describe Venom?” I would say, “It’s all the best bits of the bands that I love.” So, if Judas Priest wear leather jackets, then I’m going to wear a leather jacket and a pair of leather pants! And if KISS have three flashpots on the front of the stage, I’m going to have ten! And if Ozzy Osbourne is going to sing about the devil walking down the street, then I’m going to be the devil walking down the street! It was taking all of the great things that I loved, and all the crazy frontmen, like Gene Simmons, Ian Anderson, Rob Halford, and encompassing all of these ideas into a new thing. And then, adding that dash of punk. That’s why I always used to wear the big Doc Martens — that was my punk heritage. And just putting some aggression back into the music. I mean, heavy metal has always been “the devil’s music.” They always say the devil has the best tunes, and I was bit frustrated at leaving school and being told that rock music was dead, and it had its day and everybody was finished with it. I had to absolutely disagree. So, when the New Wave of British Heavy Metal started in England — which became Iron Maiden, Saxon, Samson, and all these bands — I wanted to create something different from that. I appreciated that they were very heavily influenced by the Zeppelins, the Purples, and the Sabbaths, and were trying to keep a hold of this ‘70s vibe. I get all of that, but I wanted something that was kind of a cross between Sabbath and Motörhead. Something more aggressive — with a bit of Sex Pistols in there, to get nasty. ON BEING ANTI-MAINSTREAM I’ve never wanted to appeal to the greater masses in that respect. I’ve always said it was discerning crowds that Venom attracted. I’ve never wanted to be No. 1 on Top of the Pops. I’m quite happy to be different, and even hover around the underground a bit. It’s a better place to be, because you have more control of what you’re doing. I think if you end up becoming a mainstream artist, it would be a team of label people all pushing and pulling you in all various directions, to keep an eye on your career. That would be too much for me — I wouldn’t want to do it. I think the idea of being able to feel your way through the game and through the industry, and making decisions on a whim. Like, “I’m going to do this… I’m not going to do this.” You’re more in control of your destiny, I believe. Our thanks to Cronos for taking the time to speak with us. Pick up Venom’s latest album, Storm the Gates, via various outlets at this location, and stay tuned for Part 2 of our interview with the legendary Cronos. Source

After a couple months of speculation and rumors, the Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival has officially been announced, via a Facebook event page. The announcement from Bethel Woods today reveals that the a three-day event will take place on August 16th-18th in 2019, hosted in partnership with Live Nation Concerts and INVNT. The festival will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock Music Festival. “We are thrilled to partner with Live Nation and INVNT to produce Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival,” said Darlene Fedun, CEO, BWCA. “Fifty years ago, people gathered peacefully on our site inspired to change the world through music. As the stewards of this historic site, we remain committed to preserving this rich history and spirit, and to educating and inspiring new generations to contribute positively to the world through music, culture, and community.” The new festival is said to be a combination music festival and cultural event, featuring “TED-style talks” as well as the Museum at Bethel Woods. Artists will span “multiple genres and decades,” giving more credence to the supposed pitch deck that leaked last month. Artists being approached at the time included: Chance The Rapper, Pink, Mumford and Sons, Lumineers, Neil Young, Phish, Joan Baez, Bon Jovi, Elton John, The Doobie Brothers, Daft Punk, Swedish House Mafia, deadmau5, and Skrillex. Most recently, Santana has said that if he’s approached to play, he’d absolutely accept. Lineup and ticket announcements are expected soon. Sign up for updates from Bethel Woods Center for Arts here. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Woodstock 50th Anniversary Festival Gets A Name & Date [DETAILS HERE] Source

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. Several celebratory events are said to be in the works, including a festival thrown by Woodstock co-founder Michael Lang. Now comes word of a new, Live Nation-backed event to take place on the site of Woodstock’s original festival grounds. The Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival is scheduled for August 16th-18th — 50 years to the weekend of the original Woodstock — at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York. According to the festival’s website, the self-described “pan-generational cultural event” will feature “three days of memorable experiences” including “live performances from prominent and emerging artists spanning multiple genres and decades, and TED-style talks from leading futurists and retro-tech experts.” Further details, including the festival’s lineup, ticketing, and non-musical experiences, will be announced in the near future. Source

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine is one of the more prolific musicians when it comes to Twitter. In fact, the metal legend spent the days leading up to Christmas addressing hundreds of tweets by fans, either answering their questions or simply giving them shout-outs. However, in a Christmas Day post, Mustaine says that work on Megadeth’s upcoming 16th album is heating up, and, as a result, his presence on social media will take a back seat for the time being. “Droogs, I’m pulling back on Social Media as things rev up re: LP 16,” wrote Mustaine. “Not enough time to do my job(s). Progress is good. Music is fast & strong. All 4 contributing. Things are good. Get updates via http://megadeth.com, @Megadeth until we finish LP 16. I’m hurryin’. Really!” Droogs, I’m pulling back on Social Media as things rev up re: LP 16. Not enough time to do my job(s). Progress is good. Music is fast & strong. All 4 contributing. Things are good. Get updates via https://t.co/dZRWHT54cg, @Megadeth until we finish LP 16. I’m hurryin’. Really! — Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) December 25, 2018 Megadeth’s new album will follow up their 2016 disc, Dystopia, which earned the band its first Grammy for the effort’s title track. Last month, Mustaine offered a tease of new music, posting a clip of drummer Dirk Verbeuren pounding away on a new track. It’s no wonder that Mustaine would like to finish up the new album soon, as there is a lot on his and Megadeth’s plates for 2019. Mustaine will be part of the 2019 “Experience Hendrix Tour”, which kicks off in early March. Then, beginning in late May, Megadeth will provide direct support to Ozzy Osbourne on the next North American leg of the latter’s “No More Tours 2” trek. On top of that, Megadeth will headline their own MegaCruise, which sets sail from Los Angeles on October 13th, and also features such acts as Anthrax, Testament, DragonForce, Overkill, and more. Plus, Mustaine has mentioned an as-yet-unconfirmed “Kegadeth” music and beer tour, as well. So, with all that said, things are looking good for a new Megadeth album in 2019. Metallica’s Top 5 Songs Tool’s Top 5 Music Videos Behemoth's Top 5 Songs Alice in Chains' Top 5 Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” Annotated Video Source

It’s that time of year! From pop to rock to country to r&b, here are my top 10 albums this year: 10. S. Carey, Hundred Acres Stop to notice this album. Hundred Acres is a collection of songs that puts the nuances of life into simple statements. His instrumentation and vocals are atmospheric, and every song feels like a sung poem. It’s beautifully delicate. Best Tracks: Rose Petals, Hideout, More I See, Have You Stopped to Notice 9. The New Respects, Before The Sun Goes Down The New Respects Ain’t Going Nowhere. This Tennessee-native sibling throwback group is one to watch. They combine their rock, blues, funk and soul influences and create something fresh, fun, and needed. They’re like the modern Sly and the Family Stone — but grittier. I can’t get enough of them and you should for sure check out this album if you haven’t yet. Best Tracks: Before The Sun Goes Down, Hands Up, Something to Believe In, Come As You Are, Future 8. Troye Sivan, Bloom Oh My My My! I love Troye and this album. The smoothest pop songs out there. “My My My!” was one of my top 5 most streamed songs on Spotify this year and that makes total sense to me. These songs just feel so good and I think Troye represents modern pop so well. His lyrics are carefree but emotional, and his songs are (mostly) uptempo but chill and dare I say…vibey. Best Tracks: My My My!, Bloom, Postcard, Dance to This, Lucky Strike, Animal 7. Florence + The Machine, High As Hope Florence Welch is by far one of the most impressive performers I’ve ever seen live. I saw her at Bonnaroo in 2015 and her performance was electrifying. She ran threw the crowd bare foot singing at full voice. It was insane! In addition to her commanding presence and haunting vocals are her powerful thematic lyrics. This album touches on spirituality, childhood, and addiction. The opening lines of “Hunger” are amazing: At seventeen, I started to starve myself I thought that love was a kind of emptiness And at least I understood then the hunger I felt And I didn’t have to call it loneliness Damn. I also love how she talks about happiness not being an interesting emotion in “No Choir.” Ceremonials is still my favorite record, but this one really resonated with me more than her 2015 release did. Best Tracks: Hunger, South London Forever, Sky Full of Song, Grace, No Choir 6. The 1975, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships The kings of the lengthy album title. This eclectic album combines so many different eras of music that it feels innovative and nostalgic all at once. The opening track is so dynamic with deafening spaces of silence in between the vocoder a cappella that leads so well into the uptempo “Give Yourself A Try” and the sonically huge, hard-hitting “Love It If We Made It.” The stripped down “Be My Mistake” was so unexpected that it was my favorite my first listen through. The 1975 do the MOST and it works so well. This record is amazing. Best Tracks: Give Yourself A Try, Love It If We Made It, Be My Mistake, Sincerity is Scary, I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes) 5. Lauren Daigle, Look Up Child Praise. Hands. Lauren Daigle’s sophomore effort is a triumphant. To see her break mainstream records, perform on Ellen, and reach people far outside the CCM world (she’s performing at Hangout next year!) has been so cool to see. Her gritty vocals are so powerful and impassioned, and her lyrics are relatable to both believers and non. Every song is emotional and beautiful. This album is important, and I feel like if they haven’t yet, everyone will know the name Lauren Daigle very soon. Best Tracks: Still Rolling Stones, This Girl, You Say, Love Like This, Look Up Child 4. Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer Janelle Monae is this intriguing combo of unbelievably adorable and intimidatingly bad ass. This album is so fun, anthemic, and empowering. The record starts out with the title track which is an unexpected, dreamy collab with Brian Wilson and it grows in energy from there to certified bops like “Make Me Feel” and “I Got The Juice.” Monae is an infectious, inclusive performer and this whole album is such a good representation of her overall message and image. Best Tracks: Dirty Computer, Pynk, Make Me Feel, I Got The Juice, I Like That 3. Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour From “mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy” to everyone’s favorite album. My friends had dragged me to a Josh Abbot concert in high school. Saying I’m not the biggest country fan is a bit of an understatement, and the thought of listening to some TX country while avoiding stepping on a sea of empty beer cans did not thrill me. But in the middle of his set, something magical happened. He brought out this artist I had never heard of to sing a duet with him called “Oh, Tonight.” I left saying that country dude was alright, but that girl he brought out was for sure the highlight. That highlight was of course Miss Spacey Kacey. This was 2011, two years before she’d release the brilliant Same Trailer Different Park. Her follow up Pageant Queen felt like a bit of a sophomore slump — over-branded and too kitschy for me. And then she released Golden Hour this year, and it felt like the perfect, pinnacle Kacey album. It feels fresh yet nostalgic, it crossed over genres reaching so many new listeners for her, and was released at the perfect time of the year — right as spring began flirting with summer. The songs are so conversational and relatable and very much reminded me of late 90’s/early 00’s Sheryl Crow. I don’t say this to imply that Kacey won’t ever beat this album, but Golden Hour is Kacey’s Golden Era. At least for now. Best Tracks: Slow Burn, Lonely Weekend, Oh, What A World, High Horse, Golden Hour 2. Leon Bridges, Good Thing Hometown boiiiii. I believe I first discovered Leon Bridges when I was a Lightning 100 (Nashville’s Independent Radio Station) intern and they had put “Coming Home” on regular rotation. I immediately dug his throwback sound and voice, and also loved the fact he was a native of Fort Worth, Texas, where I grew up. I was a bit wary of a follow up album from him, and boy was I proven wrong. I sometimes get nervous when an artist’s branding is too good, afraid that they will get trapped in a certain image and sound that won’t feel authentic. But as his debut Coming Home was more mid 50’s to early 60’s inspired, this sophomore album was more mid 60’s to early 70’s – mixing some more Wonder in with the Cooke. And it doesn’t just sound and feel good – the lyrics are clever and deep. It didn’t feel like a new direction for Bridges, just the natural next direction for him. I genuinely dig every song and it’s an album that spans multiple generations. Best Tracks: Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand, Beyond, Forgive You, If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be), You Don’t Know 1. Ariana Grande, sweetener Ariana had a pretty good year, ay? Ariana Grande was by far the most interesting pop artist this year, and her album was diverse, unpredictable, and so sonically dynamic and vocally impressive. “no tears left to cry” was reminiscent of Lorde’s first single from her album last year in that it took such a different turn arrangement and overall feel wise, and that seemed to capture melancholy and empowerment all at once. “God is a woman” — song of the year? Won’t expand on that. That GOSPEL choir at the end. The bouncy “R.E.M” (which was, fun fact, a reworked unreleased song originally written for Beyonce) and fun “sweetener” provide variance and a lighter tone. “breathin” is maybe my favorite, I love the melodies and production, and it’s just so cool to hear artists write open and honest songs about their experiences with paralyzing anxiety (similar to Shawn Mendes’s “In My Blood.”) From this album, to her Wicked performance, to the “thank u, next” (song and video) takeover, to releasing “Imagine” and delivering a FLAWLESS performance of it on Fallon, I gotta give my top slot to miss Ariana. Best Tracks: R.E.M, God is a woman, everytime, breathin, no tears left to cry Close Calls: Gregory Alan Isakov, Evening Machines Emily Warren, Quiet Your Mind Fleurie, Portals Shawn Mendes, Shawn Mendes Charlie Puth, Voicenotes Rayland Baxter, Casanova LANY, Malibu Nights Ella Mai, Ella Mai Donovan Woods, Both Ways Jon Bellion, Glory Sound Prep Lake Street Dive, Free Yourself Up Anderson .Paak, Oxnard Nao, Saturn Dawes, Passwords Brandi Carlile, By the Way, I Forgive You Death Cab for Cutie, Thank You for Today Matt Corby, Rainbow Valley Cardi B, Invasion of Privacy Wet, Still Run Cory Asbury, Reckless Love Honorable Mentions: Alessia Cara, The Pains of Growing H.E.R., I Used to Know Her Katie Herzig, Moment of Bliss Hush Kids, Hush Kids Caitlyn Smith, Starfire The Carters, EVERYTHING IS LOVE Lykke Li, so sad so sexy Tove Stryke, Sway Middle Kids, Lost Friends Houston Kendrick, PINK Birdtalker, One Anderson East, Encore J. Cole, KOD Bishop Briggs, Church of Scars Dashboard Confessional, Crooked Shadows Jesse Marchant, Illusion of Love Camila Cabello, Camila Travis Scott, ASTROWORLD Moon Taxi, Let the Record Play Shakey Graves, Can’t Wake Up Amy Stroup, Helen of Memphis Fenne Lily, On Hold Jorja Smith, Lost & Found Ben Howard, Noonday Dream Glen Hansard, Between Two Shores Phil Wickham, Living Hope Ben Rector, Magic Drake, Scorpion Robyn, Honey Bahamas, Earthtones Lucius, NUDES Mumford & Sons, Delta Alec Benjamin, Narrated for You Wild Child, Expectations Matthew Thiessen & The Earthquakes, Wind Up Bird Imagine Dragons, Origins Haley Heynderickx, I Need to Start a Garden Father John Misty, God’s Favorite Customer Courtney Barrett, Tell Me How You Really Feel The Paper Kites, On the Corner Where You Live Devin Dawson, Dark Horse Post Malone, beerbongs & bentleys Lauv, I met you when I was 18. (the playlist) Lucy Dacus, Historian VHS Collection, Retrofuturism Scott Mulhavill, Himalayas Lucie Silvas, E.G.O. Rita Ora, Phoenix Saint Sister, Shape of Silence &&& the best short projects this year! EPs: Noah Kahan, Hurt Somebody slenderbodies, fabulist: extended JOY., Six – EP Dermot Kennedy, Mike Dean Presents: Dermot Kennedy Banfi, The Jack Powell Project Ellie Schmidly, Blossom and Bone Tory Ruperto, Ruined Haux, Something to Remember Patrick Droney, Patrick Droney Yoke Lore, Absolutes Arlie, Wait Trella, Everything At Once Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, boygenius Lennon Stella, Love, Me Lake Street Dive, Freak Yourself Out Betty Who, Betty Who Pt. 1 Katie Ruvane, Part III Best of 2018 playlist: My Top 100 of 2018: The post The Best in Music for 2018: albums, EPs, & songs appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

Each year, Phish put on a “gag” for fans during their New Year’s Eve show. The tradition dates back to 1992, when the group hoisted a crew member dressed in a chicken suit above the stage during a rendition of their song “Fly Famous Mockingbird”. In the years since, Phish have continued with their annual NYE stunt, progressively getting more elaborate with time and as their fan base and resources have grown. The group has flown through venues riding a massive hot dog, made it rain “cats and dogs” inside Madison Square Garden, and curated multiple Broadway-esque choreographed dances to ring in the new year. With the band returning to Madison Square Garden for four nights over the weekend, we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the wildest New Year’s Eve gags from over the years. __________________________________________________________ Flying Hot Dog at The Boston Garden (1994) As one of Phish’s most iconic gags, the group celebrated the flip to 1995 while riding a giant hot dog through the eves of the former Boston Garden. While aboard the flying hot dog, the band performed “Auld Lang Syne” and threw a variety of props out into the crowd, including ping pong balls, feathers, and confetti. The giant hot dog now resides suspended in the lobby of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, though it has been revived for a handful of other performances, including New Year’s Eve in 1999 and 2010. __________________________________________________________ Big Cypress Music Festival (1999) To ring in 2000, Phish hosted a weekend-long music festival at southern Florida’s Seminole Indian Reservation, which was attended by 85,000 fans — marking the largest concert celebrating the new millennium in the world. Ahead of the countdown, a man dressed as Father Time was stationed on stage, riding an exercise bike powering a giant clock. Exhausted, Father Time stopped pedaling 10 minutes before midnight, and the clock stopped; at this point, the band appeared at the back of the crowd, cruising through the audience on the giant hot dog from their 1994 New Year’s gag. Once on stage, the band fed Father Time hot dogs, which gave him the energy to keep pedaling and finish the countdown. The group ultimately continued on to perform a seven-and-a-half-hour set, spanning until the sun rose and making it the longest Phish set to date. __________________________________________________________ Tom Hanks and Snow at Madison Square Garden (2002) After going on hiatus in fall of 2000, Phish returned with a New Year’s Eve performance at Madison Square Garden. Early in the show, the band performed their song “Wilson”, with scenes from Cast Away projected behind them. As the song wound to an end, guitarist Trey Anastasio introduced Tom Hanks to sing the final lyrics of the song — in actuality, keyboardist Page McConnell’s brother, Steve, was tapped as a convincing Tom Hanks look-alike. For the countdown, the band debuted a new song, “Seven Below”, and created a winter wonderland within MSG, complete with fake snow and dancers dressed as snow angels on stilts and snow monsters who paraded across the stage and onto the floor. __________________________________________________________ Human Cannonball in Miami (2009) Fresh off their second hiatus, Phish took over Miami’s American Airlines Arena for their 2009 New Year’s Eve run. At midnight on the 31st, a giant disco ball descended from the ceiling, and drummer Jon Fishman seemingly climbed inside. With the help of the crew, guitarist Trey Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon loaded the disco ball into a giant cannon on stage. The cannon’s barrel pointed toward a giant net hanging from the ceiling, though once “fired,” the human cannonball appeared to blast through the roof of the arena; the gag was solidified by a crushed car cordoned off with police tape outside the venue that greeted fans following the show. Sans drummer, the band asked the audience if anyone knew how to play drums, and the group chose a planted audience member named Sarah. Though Sarah was replaced by Fishman — decked in a black wig and an outfit identical to Sarah’s — for the set, the actress reappeared for the band’s final bow instead of Phish’s actual drummer. __________________________________________________________ International Meatstick Celebration at Madison Square Garden (2010) In 2010, Phish returned to Madison Square Garden to host a Broadway-style, multicultural New Year’s celebration evoking Disney’s “It’s a Small World”. For context, during Phish’s 2000 Japan tour, the band translated the chorus of one of their fan-favorite songs, “Meatstick”, into Japanese — lyrics which have since become a regular part of the band’s performances of the number. Following the Japanese lyrics of the song on New Year’s Eve, dozens of performers dressed in traditional garb came on stage to debut new translations of the song’s chorus, ranging from a Mexican mariachi band to Hasidic rabbis, yodeling Swedish snow bunnies, African tribesman, and more. The international dancers performed an extensively choreographed dance while the band departed the stage. Phish reappeared shortly after on the flying hot dog from past NYE performances, soaring through Madison Square Garden while tossing hot dogs into the crowd. __________________________________________________________ Source

Singapore has taken the lead in Asia’s booming dance music industry with the launch of a new state of the art music production studio, TITAN Studios. It takes a true leader to recognize a need find a solution and TITAN Studios is a perfect example, with the new venture formed between international star DJ and producer, DJ Adam Sky & Jupiter Labs. To them, TITAN Studios was born out of a necessity. Sky has toured and performed all over Asia, and throughout his travel he began to notice that there was a gap in dance music production facilities within Asia. He noted that there were studios in and around Asia, but many were built around different ideologies and unable to offer the dynamic facility needs which many dance music producers need nowadays. Jupiter Labs saw the same thing, and together, they created the perfect solution: TITAN Studios. TITAN Studios was built with the sole purpose to expand the horizons and creativity of every person that walked through the door. They’ve got it all, from vintage analog gear and setup to seamless interconnections with digital recoding and production capabilities. Planted right in the center of Singapore’s creative epicenter, Duxton Hill, TITAN is now home to one of the region’s few purpose built electronic dance music production studio facilities. The pride and joy of the studio is the variety they offer through three different studio spaces, with the primary studio space priding itself on being analog to the core, offering a full suite of analog and digital production equipment. The other Studio rooms work as digital/MIDI hybrids, ideal for sessions when inspiration hits you and you need to put your ideas down. The edge TITAN Studios carries is its versatility. Adam Sky & Jupiter Labs knew that in order to fill the gap in Singapore, they needed to create a studio that offered as much flexibility as possible to accommodate anyone’s creative approach. Whether you’re an Ableton user, Cubase, Studio One, Logic or Fruity Loops producer, TITAN offers digital interfacing via numerous digital audio interface options including Focusrite Sapphire Pro’s, MOTU AVB arrays, a plethora of Native Instruments gear and several flagship studio items from Presonus. TITAN Studios also provides over 25,000 instruments and digital samples for you to work with and keep the inspiration flowing. The usual sort of components and units are available on site such as an extensive Midi keyboard and synth line up, Maschine and Maschine Studio units, but their outboard hardware list is ever evolving. If it doesn’t exist in their current line up but you would like to use it, all you have to do is let them know and they will source it for you through their partner network. They sky is truly the limit. TITAN Studios is more than just a studio, they are invested in providing every opportunity to allow artists to create, which is evident through their ‘on tour’ support. They are available for last minute ‘on tour’ production, edits, mixdowns and mastering. They also have partnered with several boutique and leading hotel chains within walking distance of their studios in Singapore. Most importantly, they have a pantry full of energy drinks, snack food and coffee machines to keep you going all night! TITAN Studios is the studio that lives up to every expectation. Whether you’re an artist, producer, mix engineer, DJ, performer, or just someone who wants to be immersed in a highly inspirational culture, TITAN Studios is the place to be. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Adam Sky & Jupiter Present: TITAN Studios Singapore Source

The rumors were true: Netflix has confirmed the release of the first Black Mirror movie. The film is called Bandersnatch, stars Fionn Whitehead, and arrives tomorrow, Friday, December 28th. A plot synopsis provides the following description: “In 1984, a young programmer begins to question reality as he adapts a sprawling fantasy novel into a video game and soon faces a mind-mangling challenge.” Watch the newly revealed trailer for Bandersnatch below. It’s been reported that the film will be presented in a choose-your-own-adventure format that will allow viewers to dictate where the story goes with their remote control. This has not yet been confirmed by Netflix. Bandersnatch precedes the fifth season of Black Mirror. Source

The Pitch: An exceptionally Step Brothers-ian pair of alleged geniuses, Detective Sherlock Holmes (Will Ferrell) and Doctor John Watson (John C. Reilly), are on the hunt as usual for their nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Ralph Fiennes). But when Sherlock becomes convinced that the real Moriarty has left the country, and that a copycat is pulling the strings, London is thrown into chaos. Soon there’s a threat against the crown, bodies begin to disappear, and the detectives have to depend on the help of the brilliant American doctor Grace Hart (Rebecca Hall) to save the day. Sounds like a pretty fun setup for a powers-of-deduction caper, right? Get ready to be disappointed. No Room For Activities: Aside from their shared presence in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues five years ago, Ferrell and Reilly haven’t come together onscreen since Step Brothers ten years ago. The following around both that movie and Talladega Nights was surely a major inspiration for their reunion here, but Holmes & Watson offers virtually nothing that made either of those films so memorable. The pacing is slapdash, the jokes a mix of first-take sparring riffs and unbearable shoehorned gags about SoulCycle and selfies existing in the Victorian period. A gifted roster of supporting actors give their best to scenes which appear to have been cut and re-dubbed to the point of barely resembling whatever was originally filmed. There’s no style or comic inspiration. It’s good for a small handful of polite snorts, maybe, but not one big laugh in 89 minutes. A Quick Word on Modern Studio Comedy: It’s not often you watch a movie that seems to be racing to end itself as quickly as possible, but that’s the impression that Holmes & Watson gives off for the majority of its runtime. That’s not to say that writer/director Etan Cohen‘s comic ideas set its performers up to succeed (it absolutely does not), but that the choppy nature of what made it to screen was never going to do anybody involved a favor. Middling-to-bad studio comedies built around a marketable name (or names) are nothing new; they go back to the earliest days of Hollywood, in fact. But even gifted improvisational actors won’t always find the perfect laugh line on the first attempt. Yet there’s a growing reliance on famous comedians inherently being interpreted as funny, whether the movie around them is giving them anything especially funny to do or not. It’s a misconception that continues to drag down an entire era of comedy, and Holmes & Watson is one of the most egregious examples yet. The Verdict: Holmes & Watson is the kind of sloppy production that’s almost easier to pity than hate. Watching a roster of stellar performers (Fiennes, Hall, Steve Coogan, Kelly Macdonald, Rob Brydon) strain for the most forgiving of laughs against material so lifeless borders on depressing after a while. The small handful of moments that do land usually emerge from sheer exertion, whether in Lauren Lapkus‘ committed absurdity as a feral woman or in the kind of bawdy Three Stooges banter that made Ferrell and Reilly such a beloved comedy duo to begin with. Again, however, these moments almost feel incidental to what Holmes & Watson is trying to do. The movie itself is often confused about that purpose, racing through certain key stretches of storytelling with newspaper headlines set to anachronistic, generic pop music. At other times, it strains to tell a semi-competent Sherlock tale, but that mostly just amounts to stealing the most exciting visual motifs from Guy Ritchie’s Holmes movies and BBC’s Sherlock alike. Even by the standards of shapeless comedies, there’s almost nothing to Holmes & Watson. It’s a good idea, finished badly, chopped up to meet the inconsistent standards of focus groups and released for audiences who might have liked these actors in other, better movies. When people talk about Hollywood movies feeling more and more like product, this is what they’re driving at. Where’s It Playing?: Nationwide, although probably not for very long. Trailer: Source

Nobody had a better Christmas than Cardi B. Earlier this morning, the blockbuster artist shared her holiday haul on Instagram, scanning over $230,000 dollars worth of goods, ranging from purses to pumps, sandals to diamond bracelets. But what she really got was love. Maybe. According to Page Six, nearly half of those goods came from her estranged husband Offset, who gifted her three Birkin bags in lime, black and “rose candy” — at a total cost of $106,000. In fact, he even tossed in “several pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes, some jewelry and two Chanel handbags.” In case you missed out, Offset has spent the last few weeks trying to resolve things ever since their split from earlier this month. He even went so far as to crash her set at Rolling Loud Los Angeles, where he lavished her with thousands of dollars worth of roses. While that live stunt didn’t work — despite leading to a rejuvenating holiday hookup — his presents may have finally done the trick. The two of them, as Page Six reports, are reportedly heading to Honolulu together, where she performs on Thursday. Um, sorry Troy Beyer, but looks like love does cost a thing or two. Source

It’s easy when you’re engrossed in the dance music world to think that producers getting all the credit is the norm. However, in the pop, country, and rock worlds, this is often not the case. So when some woman tweeted a few days ago that “Music Producers should not get the same credit as the artist,” well… everyone came together against a common enemy. Music Producers should not get the same credit as the artist. — Alina (@alinathequeenx) December 23, 2018 It’s always clear when a tweet is controversial because it has just about as many replies as it does favorites. At the moment, this tweet has 2400 replies vs 2700 favorites. Confirmed: controversial. Many of dance music’s top producers either replied directly to the original offending tweet, or quote tweeted it with their own take. Either way, it was the hot button topic over the holidays. See what some of our favorite producers are saying below. I didn’t know someone could be so completely clueless on how the music industry works, but also completely clueless how music producers even work. pic.twitter.com/vjdgeWmok1 — rukes (@rukes) December 25, 2018 The artist is just the marketable vessel through which a song is statistically more likely to succeed. Deals are negotiated based on perceived value contribution, just as in any other business. The contribution level of writers , singers, producers has high variance. — ▽ (@3LAU) December 25, 2018 so if i produce and engineer every part of somebodys album EXCEPT the lyrics, i dont deserve credits? pic.twitter.com/Po41fgWfz6 — 𝕲𝖊𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗 (@GetterOfficial) December 25, 2018 On a level of of 1 to dumb…you’re fully lobotomised — FuntCase | DPMO (@FuntCaseUK) December 24, 2018 u the only person i’ve ever blocked pic.twitter.com/IVpJXJDzle — TAILS (@tailsxbeats) December 24, 2018 U do realize how much engineering goes into vocals to make them sound good? Producers make the music world go round. — DACK JANIELS (@DackJanielsDub) December 24, 2018 Not going to come in here hot, but as a counterargument: “Producers” don’t always just “make beats”. Sometimes they write all the lyrics. Sometimes they write all the vocal melodies. Sometimes they do absolutely nothing. Same can be said for “the artist”. You simply don’t know — EKALI (@EkaliMusic) December 24, 2018 Lol What pic.twitter.com/5yXAIScZwS — Midnight Tyrannosaurus (@Midnightasaurus) December 24, 2018 good luck getting anyone to do literally anything in life for you with that attitude lmao — slushii (@SlushiiMusic) December 24, 2018 How can you make a blanket statement like this? Every case is so different, and in a lot of cases the artists are puppets..and in others the producer is the artist. — SHAUN FRANK (@Shaun_Frank) December 24, 2018 Merry Christmas to everyone except you, Alina https://t.co/rkxmGsXd7h — WHIPPED CREAM (@WHIPPEDCREAM) December 25, 2018 This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Viral Tweet Brings All Of Music’s Producers Together For The Holidays Source

To culminate Sound Tribe Sector Nine’s 4-night-run in Denver, Colorado this New Years Eve, Mark Farina will lay down his signature Mushroom Jazz set. Originating with influences from hip-hop infused jazz instrumentals, Mark develop a new wave of sound back in the 90’s that will fit perfectly for the atmosphere Tribe carefully curates for the Fillmore. STS9 New Years Eve w/ Mark Farina Mushroom Jazz Mark Farina grew up in the golden age of house music in Chicago, becoming nurtured by Frankie Knuckles sets. Hence, you can trust he will put on an authentic and raw set. His rare fusion of jazz, R&B, hip-hop and electronic music is fun, warm and welcoming, perfect for any pre and after-party. Once you walk through the Fillmore’s doors, the wondrous experience begins. His set will be at 9 o’clock, so show up ready for the full journey of the evening. After growing up in Chicago, Mark moved to San Fran, where Mushroom Jazz began as a cassette tape series and coincided with the Acid Jazz era. While San Fran scene was driven by darker house, mushroom jazz grew in the dark, as mushrooms do. Enjoy a discography of Mark Farina’s Mushroom Jazz. Mark Farina Mushroom Jazz Beyond his Mushroom Jazz experience he offers pure house sets, so when he has enough time he will bring his sound full circle. You may get a taste of his house music on New Year’s eve, as all his sets are well mediated but also very much off-the-cuff based on how he reads the room. Enjoy his set from Shambhala to give you more of an idea of his spectrum. Mark Farina @ Shambhala Music Festival We look forward to sharing more about Mark Farina and his GLA Recordings after his opening set through an exclusive interview and photos from the occasion. Pick up your ticket to the NYE show. For now take a peek of how STS9 went at the Fillmore in 2017.  Follow Mark Farina: SoundCloud | Twitter | Instagram The post Mark Farina Sets the Tone for STS9 on New Year’s Eve appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source

It’s Illenium’s 28th birthday today. And while receiving gifts is always nice, producers in general have a habit of giving something out for free in honor of their day every year. This year is no different, as Illenium teases that he’s “gonna put some stuff out tmro for my day 1 fam.” I just watched the whole video you guys made for my bday and gahhh damnnn feelsss. I love you all so much! Thank you for making my day. gonna put some stuff out tmro (for free) for my day 1 fam. ILY — ILLENIUM (@ILLENIUMMUSIC) December 26, 2018 That tweet was made at 1:08 PM local time. Five minutes later, Slander posted the photo below… Coincidence? We think not! There’s a fair chance that we’re getting a the Illenium & Slander collaboration tomorrow for free. But until it drops, we’ll have to wait and see for sure. No matter what, though, we’re getting new Illenium tomorrow. And that’s never a bad thing. Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Could We Be Getting Illenium x Slander Tomorrow? Source

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is inching closer to reality for nerf herders everywhere. Back in November, Disney began revving up the hype machine for its forthcoming theme parks, releasing a few teasers and images, and now they’ve more or less dropped the curtain. Today, the Mouse House released an exciting behind-the-scenes video that offers an intricate look into the attractions that are set to take off at Anaheim’s Disneyland come Summer 2019 and at Orlando’s Walt Disney World come Fall 2019. The two-minute clip offers extensive first looks at the two theme park rides, Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run, which places fans in Han Solo’s legendary ship, and Rise of the Resistance, which pits them in an epic battle against the First Order. Both look unreal. Watch below. Watch the video below and subscribe to State of the Empire, our Lucasfilm podcast that covers news from Alderaan places. Take a listen to their last report on the hotel and start saving that money for next year’s trips to either Anaheim or Orlando. Download | Listen and subscribe via iTunes | Spotify | Google Play | Radio Public | Stitcher | RSS Source

For many artists, music streaming is the main avenue for getting paid — but how does it break down? With a plethora of services out there (Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Napster, TIDAL, etc.) it’s nice to know the exact payout per stream. On average, Napster pays out the most at $0.019 per stream. There’s a catch though. To reach the minimum wage amount in the U.S. any given artist has to hit a total of 77,474 total plays per month on the platform. TIDAL is next up, which has fallen slightly to $0.0125 per stream. Though this service, an artist needs to rack up 117,760 total plays to earn $1,472 per month. Apple Music comes in third, with a current rate of $0.00735 per stream. Artists on Apple Music need approximately 200,272 plays per month to hit the mark. Spotify bumps ahead of Amazon in terms of payout, but Google Play and Deezer are a little more giving. Artists would need well over 1 million plays per month to reach minimum wage via Pandora Premium. YouTube dishes out a sad amount of money at just $0.00069 per play, requiring a whopping 2 million plays. Music Streaming Rates Source: Digital Music News | Photo via Beat This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: List Of Music Streaming Payouts From Best To Worst, Updated for 2019 Source

Three New York City institutions — Life of Agony, Sick of It All and BillyBio — closed out 2018 with a sold-out show at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on December 15th. BillyBio, better known as the solo project from Biohazard singer Billy Graziadei, opened up the evening, with Life of Agony guitarist Joey Z joining him onstage for Biohazard’s “Shades of Grey”. Sick of It All, who were co-headlining with LOA, took the stage next, with the veteran hardcore band playing classic tracks and new songs from their recently released album, Wake the Sleeping Dragon!, which dropped on November 2nd. Life of Agony were given the honor of closing out the evening, with Graziadei returning the favor by joining the alt-metal act on Biohazard’s “Punishment” and LOA’s “Method of Groove”. The band closed out the night with a pair of favorites, “Underground” and “River Runs Red”. With Life of Agony and BillyBio emerging from Brooklyn, and Sick of It All hailing from Queens, NYC’s boroughs were well represented in New Jersey, and the camaraderie between all three acts was quite apparent. Check out our photos of all three acts at The Stone Pony in the gallery below. Photo Gallery: Life of Agony, Sick of It All + BillyBio at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park All photos by Melinda Oswandel (@melindaoswandel) Source

While “The Middle” and “Happy Now” have done better commercially, it’s hard to think of another track that is more quintessentially Zedd than the title track of his debut album, “Clarity.” It’s a damn near perfect track, and that quality is supported by the endless joy that still fills a room when it’s played, even six years later. That being said, Virtual Riot just released a new remix of the track that breathes incredible new life into the classic. It’s a “sad” remix, as it’s labeled on SoundCloud, combining softer melodic garage with a more brief dubstep section at the end. It’s an older remix, one that’s apparently been collecting dust on Riot’s hard drive for a while now. He didn’t want to leave fans without a free download for Christmas, so he blessed us with this beautiful piece of music. Ignoring the clearly misguided and vitriolic comments on SoundCloud, we’re absolutely in love with Virtual Riot’s interpretation of “Clarity,” and it’s perfect for that post-Christmas dinner, next-morning ease into the day. Check it out below, and download directly from SoundCloud if you dig it. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Virtual Riot Releases “Sad” Christmas Remix Of Zedd’s Hit “Clarity” Source

As the year closes, bangers are still being released across the west as we all (hope to attend) our favorite local celebrations as 2018 comes to a close. Whether your celebrating the New Year’s at Decadence or just with your own shenanigans, tune into these four recent dance hits below to get the party started.  4. Marcus Santoro – “Hijack” Australian trance guru Marcus Santoro enjoys switching between Dance and his home-base in the world of trance; his newest December release titled “Hijack”. This new single begins the countdown with low-percussion rounding out brighter blaring synths with a tinge of the tougher sounds of trance. Like his past work, “Hijack” mixes organic sounds with thick tribal, and cinematic beats. Check out “Hijack” if you want to take it back to those warehouse vibes with thick synths and low bass. 3. Borlini – “F.T.D. (For The Disco)” Borlini switches the former’s trance vibes up with some classic sci-fi-sounding synth mixed with some undeniably funk influences, harking back to places like Studio 54. “F.T.D. (For The Disco)” features a modern build-up and backbeat, but relies on that classic house synth pattern and vibe, with just a little bit of nu-disco smashed into the mix for good measure. Borlini’s track is definitely out there for the classic house and funk fans, but translates into a smooth club hit when all the ingredients come together. 2. Florian Picasso – “Hikari”  After a slew of new releases in 2018 on Spinnin’ Records, Florian Picasso brings “Hikari” (meaning ‘light’ in Japanese) to Nicky Romero’s Protocol Recordings where his synth-laden complicated composition comes to life with glitchy-sounds mixed among the reminiscent riff marking up the main parts of the track. In between trance-like intermissions, the Japanese-influenced organic riff permeates your ears after a light percussion build-up ties it all together. When the drop arrives, the same riff is transformed into a early 00s – turned modern banger. 1. Prince Paris & Beau Collins – “All Of You” Formerly known as Paris & Simo, Prince Paris teams up with producer Beau Collins to further evolve their image with this pop-dance single titled “All Of You.” Containing much of the sugary riffs and melodic pop stylings amongst the heavier dance elements they are known for, the electric drop shows their progress in making their singles hit even harder than before. Beau Collins contributes a heavier dance vibe to the easy-going sound of the duo, while the now-unidentified vocalist guides the listener through a simple melody below the crystal-clear pipe-percussion elements. “All Of You” can be a welcome genre surprise to anyone’s New Years Eve house party, and rounds out a steady list for more tracks to end to your 2018 close-out playlist. Follow Marcus Santoro: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud Follow Borlini: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud Follow Florian Picasso: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud Follow Prince Paris: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud Follow Beau Collins: Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud The post 4 Hot Dance Music Tracks to Groove Your Way Out of 2018 appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source

Decades after its initial release, Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is still breaking records. This Christmas, the holiday pop song was streamed over 10.8 million times on Spotify in just 24 hours. Which means, Mariah now holds the record for the most streams in a single day. The star was nearly speechless yesterday upon hearing the news… “Wait… What?!” she questioned via Twitter. Previously, XXXTentacion held the record for his track “SAD!,” which streamed 10.4 million times on June 19, 2018 — one day following his death. Mariah also made news this month for her reported earnings on the hit song. $60 million and counting since its 1994 release. Mariah Carey Racks Up 10.8 Single Day Streams Wait… What?! https://t.co/C2zw3hGQeK — Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) December 25, 2018 This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: XXXTentacion Dethroned By Mariah Carey For Spotify’s Single Day Streaming Record Source

ENTER BELOW TO WIN FREE TICKETS TO THE BIGGEST EDM FESTIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA! LAS VEGAS, MAY 17-19, 2019 WIN 2 FREE GA PASSES + $250 MERCH Win 2 free GA passes to party Under the Electric Sky in Vegas May 17-19, plus $250 of merch. to rock at the festival! This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed by, or affiliated with Insomniac Events or EDC Las Vegas. CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES Vegas EDM Festival Ticket Giveaway The post VEGAS EDM FESTIVAL TICKET GIVEAWAY appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

The Super Bowl Halftime Show, of all things, became politicized this year when artists like JAY-Z and Rihanna turned down offers to perform as a show of solidarity to Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who was seemingly blackballed from the league for protesting police brutality. Now, Page Six is reporting that Cardi B, who’s been rumored to join Maroon 5 at this year’s Halftime Show, is the latest star to do so. The claim comes on the heels of rumors that Cardi was seeking millions of dollars and a solo showcase at the event. A representative for Cardi, however, denies this. “The rumor circulating that she wants a million dollars and she wants her own set is false. There was never a firm offer to begin with for a performance. There [were] talks about it, but she was not particularly interested in participating because of how she feels about Colin Kaepernick and the whole movement,” the rep told Page Six. “But again, there was never a solid offer for her to say yes or no to regarding the Super Bowl.” It must feel like a missed opportunity for the NFL, not just for the height of her star, but also because of her feature on Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You” and the fact that she’s already in Atlanta that weekend to perform a pre-Super Bowl concert with Bruno Mars. Cardi, though, has been vocal in the past about her support of Kaepernick. Maroon 5 won’t be alone, however. It was recently revealed that Travis Scott would join the band at the halftime show, a decision with which JAY-Z is none too pleased. Super Bowl 53 is set for February 3rd, 2019 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Source

U2 aren’t exactly one to shy away from humanitarian efforts, even on the holidays. On Christmas Eve, Bono and The Edge returned to busk in the Dublin streets for the first time in three years as part of Simon Community’s annual all-star fundraising event to aid Ireland’s homeless. They weren’t alone, as The Guardian reports that they were joined by organizer Glen Hansard of The Swell Season, Damien Rice, and Imelda May, who all performed on a makeshift stage set up on the city’s legendary Grafton Street. So, what’d they play? Bono and The Edge treated audiences to “Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way” off last year’s Songs of Experience, in addition to renditions of “O Holy Night”, “O Night Divine”, and Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”. The latter cover saw them performing with Hansard, Rice, and May. Another highlight was Rice revisiting his somber cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”, which featured an assist this time around by Hansard, who certainly rounded out those harmonies of Yorke’s that are nearly impossible to replicate. Watch fan-shot footage below. Source

Shinedown have a knack for crafting rock anthems that make their way to the top of the charts. That said, it’s not surprising the hard-rock band recently broke a Billboard record for the most Top 10s on the mainstream rock chart, thanks to their latest single, “Get Up”. “I think the public understands that our music is coming from a very real place, and they respond,” Shinedown frontman Brent Smith tells Heavy Consequence. Shinedown have been touring the world in support of 2018’s ATTENTION ATTENTION, and the guys will be on the road again next year as they continue to promote the album. In addition to headlining a 2019 arena trek featuring support from Papa Roach and Asking Alexandria, the band will also play intimate theater shows dubbed “An Evening With Shinedown”. Brent Smith recently checked in with Heavy Consequence to speak about the deeply personal meaning behind “Get Up”, discuss the band’s 2019 touring, look back on Shinedown’s career, and more. On looking back at 2018 It’s really weird to look back on this past year. As I’m sitting here in New York City, looking out my window, I’m thinking about how many miles we’ve traveled this year. I never really stop. For me, it never really ends. I’m always picking up somewhere we left off. I always want to make sure the idea and what we set out to do with this band and where we’re going next. I’m always making sure the architecture of the band is in good form. On Shinedown’s tour with Papa Roach and Asking Alexandria scheduled for early 2019 The interesting thing is that the second leg of the Godsmack run this [past fall], Asking Alexandria [joined the bill]. Also, when we were in Europe in June and July, we were doing all the European festivals, and Asking Alexandria was on those festivals. We became really good friends, and it was interesting, because we had never really toured together before, and we found a kinship with them. When we got back to U.S., we were looking at some bands we hadn’t worked with before, and we contacted their management and were able to get them on this tour. We knew Papa Roach would have new record in 2019, and Asking Alexandria were ridiculous live, and we knew their new record was more melodic than any other record they’d done, and it seemed like a good fit. I think the whole tour will be sold out by mid-January, so it’s a good way to start out the year. On Shinedown’s debut album, Leave A Whisper, turning 15 years old earlier this year and what it was like to record that album I remember that it took a lifetime to get there. I was in my early 20s, and the band had been finally formed, which took three years with all the writing and putting the band together. So, when we were finally making the album…a lot of people don’t know this, but there are three different producers on that album, and that album was recorded in five different locations across the U.S. It was a lot of work. It wasn’t a normal debut album where it’s like, these guys have known each other since they were kids and have been making music together. On the genesis of Shinedown and how that has brought the band to where it is today There was so much work involved in creating Shinedown and finding those individuals and harvesting a real relationship with a band. The industry looked at it like we were going to put a band together, but in reality, what happened was that I was signed to Atlantic Records with another band, and after a year, that band was dropped, and I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to have a development deal. Steve Robertson, who was the A&R at Atlantic Records, he signed me, and from there, it was a journey of four years to create what became Shinedown. I was able to really hone my craft, because Steve thought I was a great singer but also a songwriter. I’ve been given a gift to work with some of the most extraordinary people in the world over the past 20 years, and they’ve allowed me to be myself the whole time. On the camaraderie between the current members of Shinedown Now, more than ever, this band could not be more of a family. It’s interesting, because I don’t think of the band anymore from those first two albums. For me, the band started at The Sound of Madness. Once that record was written, that’s kind of where I think Shinedown began. But, I give much respect to Leave a Whisper and Us and Them and the people who were here in the beginning. I don’t take it for granted. We’re a group of guys who are never going to be satisfied with the idea of a feeling. We look for the biggest mountain, and once we get to the top of that mountain, we take a moment to high-five and hug each other, and then we say, “Let’s find a bigger mountain.” On the approach to Shinedown’s latest album, ATTENTION ATTENTION This album, in particular, had a lot to do with Eric Bass. The reason I say that is because Eric is the bass player, but he is way more than that. Eric is also the producer, main engineer and mixer on this album. I spent 179 days with him and the band last year in Charleston, South Carolina, at his studio, and we began to construct this piece of work called ATTENTION ATTENTION. It was interesting, because we had a lot of great teachers over the years in regards to production and engineering, but it was time for him to sit in the captain’s chair and really take this record on as a whole. On why Shinedown wanted to go outside the box on ATTENTION ATTENTION I didn’t want the album to sound stock under any circumstances, and a lot of times, what happens in any kind of genre is that certain producers and mixers and engineers will do all of those records in that genre, and what happens is that everybody starts to sound the same. Eric and I call it “band in a can,” and that was the complete opposite of what we were going to do with this album. That’s another reason we wanted Eric to produce the album. On Shinedown’s current single, “Get Up”, being about bassist Eric Bass’ struggle with depression The song that became the sounding board for album was “Get Up,” because the song was written about Eric. I wrote it about it him. We were in the middle of just getting some of the initial ideas out for some of the musical beds of the record, and we were listening to different riffs and drum patterns, and everything sounded the same. It had a “we’ve done this before” kind of feeling. I remember asking Eric, “Do you think we need to start out with something more dramatic?” And he played me the piano part for what became “Get Up”. I remember we spent a couple hours going through the piano part and melodies and fleshing it out, and I said, “Make me a demo, and I’ll take it to the hotel and come back tomorrow with a lyrical idea.” Well, I didn’t come back to the studio for 11 days. I’m normally pretty quick with lyrics, maybe a day or two, but the reality was that I knew what I was going to write the song about, and I wrote the song about Eric. He deals with what is considered clinical depression. It’s not something that’s like, “He has a case of the Mondays.” This is something we as a band have watched him go through, and the reason I wanted to bring it to light is that I don’t think anybody should write a song to try to be famous, I think they should write a song because they have something to say. There was a fear that I had crossed a line with our friendship by writing a song that was so personal. That stopped me from getting back to the studio. Finally, Eric was like, “Let’s move on.” So I said, “Nope. I’ve got it.” I cut a vocal for the song and asked when he could have a mix done. The next day, I remember he had me come over to hear the mix, and he played it twice, and the second time, I asked, “You know what this is about, right?” And he said, “Yeah. It’s about me.” That line I was so afraid of crossing, he removed it. He told me that he loved the song and the way I presented it couldn’t be more heartfelt. But he did, as great producers do, say, “If we’re going to go this far and go this deep, we’re going to have to not sugarcoat it and be very bold and honest.” So, “Get Up” was the sounding board for ATTENTION ATTENTION, because all the songs came after that. On the overall message behind ATTENTION ATTENTION The album is a story. It’s not a concept record, but the reason the album is so bold is because it’s an album that lets the public understand that you don’t need to be afraid to fail, because it’s what teaches you what to do next time. You’re not going to be defined by your failures. You’re going to be defined by the fact that you refuse to give up. On Shinedown extending beyond the hard-rock universe We don’t like to pigeonhole ourselves. We’re crossing the format right now with “Get Up” into the alternative format and Hot AC and Top 40. We’re Shinedown, and it’s a case where it’s about the music, not the category. I don’t even look at rock ‘n’ roll as a genre. Rock ‘n’ roll is a spirit and a way of life. The rock ’n’ roll community that sees no color. It doesn’t care about your religion or gender or age. Everyone is welcome. That’s the beautiful thing about rock ‘n’ roll. On Shinedown setting the Billboard record for the most Top 10s on the mainstream rock chart We were overseas and saw the initial press that came out, and it’s really humbling. In those kinds of situations, I don’t know what to say. I give all of that to the fan base. Whether they’ve been there from the beginning or are new fans, at the end of the day, we have one boss, and it’s the fans. I give all that to the audience. We were humbled and taken back. We don’t take it lightly. It’s extraordinary. It’s something that for us as a band, our biggest thing is trying to hold onto it! (Laughs) It’s healthy competition. That’s the best way to look at it. On what it is about Shinedown’s music that really strikes a chord with listeners I wish I could say it in a simple way. The best way I can describe it is what I said a moment ago about being a songwriter. For me, I never sat down and wrote a song because I wanted to be famous. I wrote songs because I have something to say. I remember my mom told me a while back, “You started singing at 10 years old, but you never really learned other people’s songs. Even at 10, you were writing your own stuff.” I’ve always been able to put what I’m going through into words and into a song, and I think that’s one of the reasons that it’s authentic and genuine. Our thanks to Brent Smith for taking the time to speak with us. Purchase or stream Shinedown’s latest album, ATTENTION ATTENTION, at this location, and see the band’s upcoming tour dates here. Source

Zedd and DJ Snake have new albums slated for 2019, according to a since-deleted post from Polydor Records, which distributes Interscope albums in Europe, on Instagram. Both artists have been releasing consistently in 2018, though Snake objectively more than Zedd, and both have had rumors of a new album swirling. Zedd has been playing with an even more pop-oriented sound than on his last album in 2015, True Colors. With the release of “The Middle” and “Happy Now,” we see a Zedd that’s gunning for the charts. On the flip side is DJ Snake, whose releases range from the party anthem “Let’s Get Ill” to the clearly chart-oriented collaborative hit “Taki Taki.” Snake has also released tracks this year with Jauz, Higher Brothers, and French Montana and GASHI. Other artists supposedly releasing albums in 2019 according to Polydor include Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, and Kendrick Lamar. See the full list below. Polydor Records, who distributes Interscope albums in Europe, revealed in a now-deleted Instagram story that the following artists are releasing albums in 2019:@LadyGaga, @CarlyRaeJepsen, @Madonna, @LanaDelRey, @ToveLo, @SelenaGomez, @KendrickLamar, @BillieEilish and many more! pic.twitter.com/xPSfYSPtTM — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 25, 2018 Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Albums From DJ Snake and Zedd Expected In 2019 Source

One, two, Freddy’s gonna eventually come for you. A few years ago, we reported that New Line tapped screenwriter David Leslie Johnson to take another crack at remaking A Nightmare on Elm Street, seeing how their 2010 reimagining didn’t exactly connect with a new generation. Needless to say, that hasn’t happened … yet. “It’s still happening,” Johnson tells Gamespot while promoting Aquaman. “Nothing is percolating just yet. The Conjuring universe is sort of first and foremost on [New Line Cinema’s] horror burner. Everybody wants to see Freddy again I think, so I think it’s inevitable at some point.” No shit. Given that Michael Myers just demolished the box office with this past October’s Halloween and LeBron James plans to resurrect Jason Voorhees, it’s only logical that New Line would start dreaming up more misadventures for their blockbuster pedophile. (Ranking: Every Freddy Krueger Kill From Worst to Best) What’s more, the talent is interested. As we reported this past fall, original stars Robert Englund, who just wore the scars again for The Goldbergs, and Heather Langenkamp want to return to the franchise, which only screams of possibilities for the studio to hop on the reboot bandwagon. In the meantime, subscribe to our Halloweenies podcast, which will soon be going from Haddonfield, Illinois to Springwood, Ohio, where the hosts will spend all of 2019 talking about Freddy’s nightmares on Elm Street. Things will get heated. Source