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Veteran hard-rock act Godsmack look to stay busy in 2019. After previously announcing six-week tour of Europe, the Massachusetts band revealed today that they will be hitting the road with Danish rockers Volbeat in North America in the spring. The trek kicks off with a trio of Godsmack festival dates in early April, but then jumps into a regular schedule of shows with Volbeat on April 16h at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The run finishes up May 11th at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec. While Godsmack will headline several of the dates, a number of the Canadian shows will be co-headlining gigs with Volbeat. You can grab tickets to the the upcoming jaunt here. Godsmack released their most recent album, When Legends Rise, this past April. The disc hit the top 10 of the Billboard 200 upon release and was No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Music Albums, Top Alternative Albums, and Top Independent Albums charts. As for Volbeat, this Friday (December 14th), the group will release Let’s Boogie! Live From Telia Parken, a CD and concert film that commemorates their show at the titular soccer stadium in Copenhagen. The quartet were the first hometown band to headline and sell out that venue, drawing in over 48,000 fans. Meanwhile, Godsmack’s 2019 European tour makes up for a fall 2018 trek the band had to postpone following the death of guitarist Tony Rombola’s adult son. Godsmack 2019 European Tour with Like A Storm 02/27 – London, UK @ O2 Forum 02/28 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz Manchester 03/01 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute Birmingham 03/04 — Milan, Italy @ Magazzini Generali 03/06 — Zurich, Switzerland @ Komplex 03/07 — Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall 03/08 — Munich, Germany @ TonHalle Münche 03/10 — Cologne, Germany @ Live Music Hall 03/11 — Amsterdam, Holland @ The Melkweg 03/13 — Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix 03/17 — Oslo, Norway @ Rockefeller Music Hall 03/19 — Stockholm, Sweden @ Fryshuset 03/21 — Copenhagen, Denmark @ The Grey Hall 03/22 — Hamburg, Germany @ Docks 03/24 — Berlin, Germany @ Huxleys Neue Welt 03/26 — Warsaw, Poland @ Progresja 03/27 — Vienna, Austria @ Arena 03/28 — Budapest, Hungary @ Barba Negra Music Club 03/30 — Sofia, Bulgaria @ Arena Armeec 03/31 — Bucharest, Romania @ Arenele Romane Godsmack and Volbeat 2019 North American Tour: 04/06 — Scottsdale, AZ @ Westworld * 04/13 — Orlando, FL @ Central Florida Fairgrounds * 04/14 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena * 04/16 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena 04/18 — Evansville, IN @ Ford Center – Evansville 04/19 — Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena 04/20 — Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum 04/22 — Minneapolis, MN @ Armory 04/23 — Omaha, NE @ Baxter Arena 04/26 — Abbotsford, BC @ Abbotsford Centre 04/27 — Penticton, BC @ South Okanagan Event Centre 04/29 — Medicine Hat, AB @ Canalta Centre 04/30 — Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Resort & Casino – Grey Eagle Event Centre 05/02 — Dawson Creek, BC @ EnCana Events Centre 05/03 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place 05/05 — Saskatoon, SK @ SaskTel Centre 05/06 — Winnipeg, MB @ Bell MTS Place 05/09 — London, ON @ Budweiser Gardens 05/10 — Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre 05/11 — Quebec, QC @ Videotron Centre * = Festival date: Godsmack only Source

Nicki Minaj hasn’t exactly kept the best company the last few months. The Queen rapper recently appeared on Dummy Boy, the new album from Tekashi 6ix9ine, who’s currently facing 32 years in prison for armed robbery, conspiracy to commit murder, and drug distribution. Now, it appears Minaj is dating Kenneth “Zoo” Petty”, a 40-year convicted sex offender and murderer. The two were first spotted cozying up shortly after Thanksgiving. Minaj posted a pair of Instagram photos of them hanging out, one of which features what fans speculate is an engagement ring. Yesterday, Minaj all but confirmed the dating rumors by posting two more intimate pictures. According to public records, Petty was convicted in 1995 of first-degree attempted rape of a 16-year-old; TMZ notes he used “a sharp object” during said incident. Petty, who was also 16 at the time, ended up serving four years in prison. In the mid-2000s, Petty was again convicted, this time of first-degree manslaughter. He served a seven-year sentence and was released in 2013. It’s believed the 36-year-old Minaj and father-of-five Petty know each other from Queens, where the “Chun-Li” rapper was raised. In the most recent photo of the couple, Minaj included a caption quoting Adele’s “Hello”, and which seems to reference their shared hometown: “Did you ever make it out of that town where nothing ever happens?” BET reports that just a week prior to linking up with Minaj, Petty was seen dating another woman. Back in September, Minaj was rumored to be involved with Lewis Hamilton, a 33-year-old Brit and Formula One driver. Kenneth Petty mugshot Source

Just this year, Marshmello unleashed Joytime II and now he’s already working on Joytime III. “I’m working on so much new music right now,” Marshmello just took to Twitter to share an update. “Joytime 3, a couple hip hop, and my next pop single.” He continues, “I don’t want to just stick to one genre, as a producer who loves making music nothing excites me more than pushing the boundaries.” The masked producer took over the Billboard charts this year and there doesn’t seem to be a year-end list he’s not a part of. “Wolves” with Selena Gomez, “Silence” with Khalid, and “Happier” with Bastille are all amongst the most played on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart for 2018. Marshmello has already showed us his ability to produce EDM, hip hop, and pop, so we’re excited to hear the ways he pushes boundaries with his next string of releases. Marshmello Confirms Joytime III I’m working on so much new music right now. Joytime 3, a couple hip hop, and my next pop single. I don’t want to just stick to one genre, as a producer who loves making music nothing excites me more than pushing the boundaries — marshmello (@marshmellomusic) December 9, 2018 Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Marshmello Confirms ‘Joytime III’ & Even More New Music On The Way Source

Last year, the Fyre Festival became one of those rare things that united all people in a time when cultural divisions have never been more prevalent. After all, if we can’t come together as a global community to laugh at the plight of excessively rich people being roped into an elaborate shell game, what can we savor together? The failed, influencer-driven “boutique music festival” makes for the kind of story that the average documentarian dreams about, so it’s no surprise there are multiple takes on a behind-the-scenes tale in the works. First up will be Netflix’s FYRE, which is premiering on the streaming service on January 18th. Directed by Chris Smith (Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond), the film is a chronicle of what happened to the doomed festival, whose insane ideas led to its existence in the first place, and the substantial legal aftermath of the whole absurd charade. Watch a brief teaser trailer for the film below. Get your exclusive first look at FYRE — a revealing new doc about the insanity and rapid unraveling of Fyre Festival: the greatest party that never happened. Premieres January 18. #NetflixNewsWeek pic.twitter.com/B4iaR3UJwM — See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) December 10, 2018 Nearly two years after the whole fiasco, it’s amazing how much is still unclear about Fyre Festival. Co-founder Billy McFarland has been sentenced to six years in prison for fraud relating to the failed event. Some who purchased tickets are still waiting on some form of reimbursement, with ticket vendor Tablelist currently suing festival organizers for $3.5 million to refund ticket holders. There are also a number of class action lawsuits currently active, while two attendees recently were awarded $5 million in a civil lawsuit; one even claimed to use some of the money to purchase the Fyre Festival trademark. If you’re worried all the lurid details of this captivating disaster won’t be properly captured in just one documentary film, take heart: Hulu’s multi-part docu-series is also scheduled to premiere next year. Produced by The Cinemart (JAY-Z’s Spike miniseries TIME: The Kalief Browder Story and his Paramount Networks series Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story), the series will be directed by Jenner Furst (TIME). The yet-untitled series promises exclusive interviews with locals, festival-goers, vendors, and investors, as well as never-before-seen footage, documents, emails, and audio recordings. Source

Deadland Ritual, a new supergroup featuring Black Sabbath bassist and songwriter Geezer Butler, former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum, longtime Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens, and vocalist Franky Perez from Apocalyptica, have just unveiled their first full song. As we reported last week, the quartet teased the track via social media, but today, fans can hear the whole thing with the release of the music video for “Down In Flames” (watch below). The clip itself is a simple one with the band performing the song in the studio, intercut with footage of them listening to playback, but the tune is far more dynamic than that. The group leans into a meaty blues sound that is the perfect mix of heavy and light, with Butler and Stevens enjoying some wonderful interplay. In a statement accompanying the video, Stevens talked about working with Butler on this new project. “There’s a lot of times in the studio as a guitar player, you get a guitar sound and you’re trying to make it work, tweaking it,” he said. “There was none of that bullshit. It just fit against his bass sound and it was really exciting to me. I get to hear my guitar against a bass guitarist that I’ve idolized forever.” Sorum has been leading the charge of Deadland Ritual, calling on his buddies Stevens and Perez to start this new project. But it wasn’t until Butler came on board that everyone felt that the group had found its true sound. “It’s not your typical hard rock or metal stuff,” Butler said. “I had to get used to the idea of starting from scratch again, which is good, but I really liked the music I was hearing.” According to a press release, the members of Deadland Ritual will continue to record new music and release new singles, with a possible album on the way. They’ll have some motivation to keep working on new material as the quartet is already booked for two big festivals next summer — the UK’s Download Festival in Donington Park, on June 14th, and Hellfest in Clisson, France, on June 22nd — with more dates expected to be announced shortly Source

A few weeks ago it was reported that Tom DeLonge’s UFO research group, To the Stars Academy, had wracked up a $37 million deficit. Well, some new developments may help the former Blink-182 member’s pet project overcome that financial hump, as the entertainment wing of To The Stars has set up a new series for development at TBS. Based on DeLonge’s graphic novel of the same name, the show is entitled, Strange Times. As a press release describes it, the series tells the story of five “dirty teenage skateboarders” who solve paranormal mysteries together while staying one step ahead of a group of shadowy Deep State government agents. The Strange Times concept actually started with DeLonge’s “fringe news” site in 2011, which reported on “weird, paranormal stories — a lot of them with credible evidence.” It expanded with the graphic novel, The Curse of Superstition Mountain, before getting a novel, The Ghost in the Girl, co-written by DeLonge and Geoff Herbach in 2016. That book was the first of a planned young adult trilogy, but DeLonge told Variety he always intended the project to be cross-medium. “This is exactly what my company To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science does,” he explained. “We hope to create something that could be described as sort of a ‘science fiction Disney,’ where our entertainment franchises are worlds that are inspired and informed by our own next-generation science division.” Wait, does Disney have a secret science division? Is Tomorrowland real? (Get on it, Tom.) Either way, DeLonge is clearly hoping to turn this project into a franchise, so don’t rule out the movie he was mulling over last year. Speaking with Variety, DeLonge also said that the group of “degenerate skateboarders” are based on his childhood friends, with the main character Charlie being “a bit of myself.” He also said The Descendents’ “Suburban Home” would be his ideal theme song, so use that as a point of reference for the vibe for which Strange Times is gunning. As the show is just entering development, there’s no word on when — or really, if — we’d get a first episode. In the meantime, check out this trailer for The Ghost in the Girl: Source

Even almost two years later, Fyre Festival is still a constant punchline and common reference when talking about a festival that doesn’t quite meet community standards. Though the event itself is long gone and its founders and backers are getting their own comeuppance, the full story has yet to be told except in scattered news articles and first-hand accounts. Finally, in January 2019, the world will see a compilation of actual footage from the festival and the absolute dumpster fyre that it became. Get your exclusive first look at FYRE — a revealing new doc about the insanity and rapid unraveling of Fyre Festival: the greatest party that never happened. Premieres January 18. Hulu is also planning on releasing a multi-part docuseries on the festival in 2019. The series is being developed by Billboard, Mic, and The Cinemart Fyre hits Netflix on January 18, 2019. It’s produced by Vice Studios, Library Films, and Jerry Media. Watch the trailer below. Get your exclusive first look at FYRE — a revealing new doc about the insanity and rapid unraveling of Fyre Festival: the greatest party that never happened. Premieres January 18. #NetflixNewsWeek pic.twitter.com/B4iaR3UJwM — See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) December 10, 2018 This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: New Fyre Festival Documentary Coming to Netflix In January Source

Mitski recently wrapped her acclaimed US fall tour in support of Be the Cowboy, which Consequence of Sound just crowned best album of 2018. The indie rocker plans to return to the states in the spring, however, per an announcement made on Twitter. Following a short stint in Australia and New Zealand for Laneway Festival, Mitski will embark on a US tour that extends from late March through the end of April. Louisville, Kansas City, Orlando, Richmond, and Baltimore are among the stops on her itinerary; she’s also scheduled to play at Charleston’s High Water Festival. Support will be provided by fellow singer-songwriter Jay Som. Consult the full itinerary below. Grab tickets here. Mitski 2019 Tour Dates: 01/28 – Auckland, NZ @ Laneway Festival 02/02 – Brisbane, AU @ Laneway Festival 02/03 – Sydney, AU @ Laneway Festival 02/04 – Sydney, AU @ Oxford Art Factory 02/07 – Melbourne, AU @ Corner Hotel 02/08 – Adelaide, AU @ Laneway Festival 02/09 – Melbourne, AU @ Laneway Festival 02/10 – Fremantle, AU @ Laneway Festival 02/12 – Tokyo, JP @ Shibuya WWWX 02/13 – Osaka, JP @ Umeda Shangri-La 02/15 – Seoul, KR @ Rolling Hall 02/16 – Taipei, TW @ The Wall 02/18 – Kuala Lumpur, MY @ The Bee 02/20 – Jakarta, ID @ Rossi Musik 02/23 – Singapore, SG @ Kilo Lounge 03/29 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theatre $ 03/30 – Columbus, OH @ The Anthenaeum Theatre $ 03/31 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners $ 04/02 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe $ 04/03 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre $ 04/05 – Iowa City, IA @ Mission Creek Festival 04/06 – Kansas City, MO @ Knuckleheads $ 04/07 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall $ 04/09 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt $ 04/10 – Tallahassee, FL @ The Moon $ 04/11 – Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live Theatre $ 04/13 – Charleston, SC @ High Water Festival 04/14 – Gainesville, FL @ 08 Seconds $ 04/16 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle $ 04/18 – Richmond, VA @ The National $ 04/19 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live! $ 04/20 – North Adams, MA @ Hunter Center $ $ – w/ Jay Som Over the summer, Mitski spoke about Be the Cowboy and more during her appearance on Kyle Meredith With…, which can be revisited below. Listen and subscribe via iTunes | Google Play | Stitcher | RSS Also, re-watch her recently released “Washing Machine Heart” music video. Source

Setting the Stage: Having released the album AmeriKKKant earlier this year, industrial pioneers Ministry were playing the second show of a two-night stand at New York’s Irving Plaza, as part of their fall North American tour in support of the politically charged disc. Frontman Al Jourgensen has made no secret of his disdain for President Trump, telling us in a recent interview, “When we wrote [AmeriKKKant] was literally right when he got elected, and I know a con when I see one.” So, we were expecting Uncle Al and company to bring some anti-Trump sentiment to the show, which featured support from French electronic artist Carpenter Brut and New Zealand thrash metal upstarts Alien Weaponry. Taking the Stage: With the AmeriKKKant track “I Know Words” playing, the members of Ministry began to walk out on stage, launching into the track “Twilight Zone” featuring a distorted sample of Donald Trump saying, “We will make America great again.” Jourgensen was last to hit the stage, taking his place behind a custom illuminated cross-shaped mic stand, and looking like the veteran ringleader of an anarchist music collective, as some band members wore bandanas and masks to obscure their faces to start the set. In addition to Jourgensen, the touring band is comprised of guitarists Sin Quirin and Cesar Soto, bassist Tony Campos, keyboardist John Bechdel, and drummer Derek Abrams. It was soon apparent that we were going to get a run of Amerikkant songs to start the show, with “Victims of a Clown” and “We’re Tired of It” following. In fact the entire first half of the set was devoted to the new album, with “Antifa” among the highlights, as masked stage performers took the stage waving anarchy flags. A mosh pit broke out right from the beginning, and lasted throughout the show, featuring a mix of pugnacious participants who looked like they ranged from 18 to 60 years old. Heck, there was even one guy sporting a sweet Hanukkah sweater in the pit, throwing down on the sixth night of the Festival of Lights. After the song “AmeriKKKa” marked seven straight songs from the new album, the band exited the stage, providing an intermission of sorts. Five or so minutes later, Jourgensen returned to the stage, thanking fans for taking the time to enjoy the new stuff, and then letting us know he would be rewarding us with “doggie treats,” otherwise known as a second-half set of classic Ministry songs. Kicking the second act off with the title track off The Land of Rape and Honey, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, Jourgensen and company performed in front of a screen that was projecting an image of Hitler morphing into Trump. Ministry then hit us with three more tracks off the 1988 album, including “The Missing”, “Deity” and “Stigmata”. Throughout the night, Jourgensen announced each song as it began, with “This one’s called _______,” so there wasn’t any mystery as to what the band was about to perform. He seemed to loosen up during the second act, moving around the stage a little more, looking slim and fit for a man who just turned 60. Next, we got a double dose of classics from 1992’s Psalm 69 — “Just One Fix” and “N.W.O.” — sending the crowd into a frenzy. The show ended with a pair of favorites from 1989’s The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste — “Thieves” and “So What”, with Jourgensen profusely thanking the Irving Plaza crowd for their warm welcome. Strong Support: Two very different acts opened up for Ministry, with French electronic artist Carpenter Brut providing direct support. Accompanied by a guitarist and drummer, Brut got the crowd moving with his synthwave beats, getting a good deal of the concertgoers to jump up and down, and in some cases, show off their dance moves. New Zealand’s Alien Weaponry opened the evening’s festivities, looking like teenage surfer dudes, but playing some brutal groove and thrash metal that evokes early Sepultura. The young band members have Māori ancestry, and incorporate tribal calls into their lyrics, while playing very aggressive music. This impressive teenage trio is primed to be a major player in the metal scene in the near future. Ministry Setlist: Twilight Zone Victims of a Clown We’re Tired of It Wargasm Antifa Game Over AmeriKKKa The Land of Rape and Honey The Missing Deity Stigmata Just One Fix N.W.O. Thieves So What Photo Gallery: Ministry, Carpenter Brut and Alien Weaponry at New York’s Irving Plaza Source

Ultra Music Festival has been in the news a lot last month as it negotiated its new venue in Virginia Key. Yet, while all of that was going on, fans were more concerned with practical matters like where to get hotels, how they’d get to and from the festival grounds, and who is even playing the festival. Ultra phase one lineups have been released as early as November in 2016 or as late as late-January in 2018, so there’s no reason to be unduly concerned just yet. And it’s almost certain that Ultra has already confirmed most of the acts who are playing even before the venue was secured. But that doesn’t mean it’s too early to speculate, either. With some tour dates already having been announced for 2019, and radius clauses being what they are, there’s already a growing list of artists who would be very unlikely to play Ultra in March. At the same time, there’s the usual group of DJs who come back year after year and would be unlikely to not play. And then there’s the ones who could play, but who knows… All of these DJs have begun to be compiled in a thread on Reddit, “ULTRA MIAMI 2019: Confirmations, Predictions and Outs.” The list is still being updated even 14 hours after it was initially posted as commenters add their own guesses and names to the mix, and as more regular spring tour dates from artists are revealed. See the list below and let us know if you think they’ve missed anyone! ULTRA MIAMI 2019: Confirmations, Predictions and Outs from r/UMF Photo via aLIVE Coverage for Ultra This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Follow Along With Reddit’s Evolving List Of DJs Likely And Unlikely To Play Ultra 2019 Source

This past Saturday, Dave Grohl performed as part of Warren Haynes’ annual Christmas Jam at the US Cellular Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the event was highlighted by the star-studded, debut performance of Grohl’s 23-minute prog-rock instrumental, Play. The Foo Fighters frontman was assisted on stage by Them Crooked Vultures bandmate Alain Johannes, Jane’s Addiction guitarist Chris Chaney, Foo Fighters collaborator Drew Hester, producer Greg Kurstin, and session musicians Jason Falkner and Barrett Jones. The festivities didn’t end there, however, as Haynes threw an equally guest-heavy, last-minute “pop-up” show at the nearby Orange Peel venue the following evening, as JamBase reports. “This is going to be one for the record books, with surprises in store,” an announcement for the concert read. Haynes & co. made good on their word — not only did Grohl again perform Play, but he, Haynes, and an ensemble of musicians convened for two different sets featuring original songs and countless covers of Nirvana, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Temple of the Dog, The Who, and more. Haynes, Grohl, and a handful of the same Christmas Jam guest musicians ran through Nirvana’s “All Apologies”, Tom Petty’s “You Don’t Know How It Feels”, and The Who’s “Eminence Front”. They also combined forces to dole out Led Zeppelin’s “Since I’ve Been Loving You” and “No Quarter”, The Beatles classic “Helter Skelter”, and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man”, which Haynes’ Gov’t Mule have covered in the past. At one point, the ensemble took on Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike”; according to JamBase, Haynes has previously dedicated his rendition to the late Chris Cornell. Below, check out footage of Grohl’s Play debut at Christmas Jam, followed by photos, video, and a setlist from throughout the weekend. Christmas Jam and Snow Jam “Pop-Up” Photos and Video: Snow Jam “Pop-Up” Set I: Play (Dave Grohl with Alain Johannes, Chris Chaney, Drew Hester, Greg Kurstin, Jason Falkner & Barrett Jones), Since I’ve Been Loving You (Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Danny Louis, Jorgen Carlsson & Drew Hester), You Don’t Know How It Feels (Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Danny Louis, Jorgen Carlsson, Drew Hester, Audley Freed & Greg Kurstin), All Apologies (Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Danny Louis, Jorgen Carlsson, Barrett Jones, Drew Hester, Greg Kurstin & T-Bone Anderson), Breakdown (Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Alain Johannes, Chris Chaney, Drew Hester, Greg Kurstin, Barrett Jones, Matt Abts, Danny Louis), Helter Skelter (Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Matt Abts, Danny Louis, Chris Chaney, Jimmy Vivino & Greg Kurstin), Bitch (Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Matt Abts, Danny Louis, Jorgen Carlsson, Jimmy Vivino, Greg Kurstin, Drew Hester & Ron Holloway) Snow Jam “Pop-Up” Set II: Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Danny Louis, Jorgen Carlsson, Drew Hester, Mike Barnes & Greg Kurstin Hunger Strike > Dear Mr. Fantasy > Hunger Strike, Eminence Front, No Quarter Encore: Simple Man (Warren Haynes with Dave Grohl, Danny Louis, Robert Kearns, Marshall Pyle, Audley Freed, Greg Kurstin, Ron Holloway & Artimus Pyle) Source

Now going on its seventeenth season, FOX’s long-running animated sitcom Family Guy has had its share of touching moments woven into its years wise-cracking referential humor. The series’ latest episode may have provided its most moving scene yet as it paid respects to pop culture icon and recurring cast member Carrie Fisher. Family Guy previously dedicated its winter premiere in January 2017 to the late actress, just one month after her tragic passing. However, Seth MacFarlane’s series waited a while to address the fate of her character on the show, Peter’s boss Angela. On Sunday’s episode, entitled “Pawtucket Pete”, Angela finally kicked the bucket as well, prompting Peter to make a tearful speech at her rain-soaked funeral. The results are irreverent almost to a fault, which is prototypical Family Guy; Peter starts out by offering up the wrong Webster’s Dictionary definition of “class,” followed by a eulogy that cribs from TV show theme songs like Mary Tyler Moore, Friends, and Cheers. (Read: Five Reasons Carrie Fisher Ruled Our Galaxy) But by the end, there’s truly earnest sincerity that breaks through MacFarlane’s signature glibness, as Peter goes on to praise Fisher through his appraisal of Angela. “That was Angela: fearless, spontaneous, honest about herself just as much as she was about the world around her,” Peter says. “She had grace, courage, and an unmatched zest for life. She may be gone, but her voice will live on in DVD and Hulu Plus and tiny droid-projected messages. I may have lost a boss, but heaven has gained a princess.” Of course, Family Guy can’t just end on such an earnest note, so we cut away to an Asian family listening to Peter’s speech, and his subsequent realization that he’s at the wrong funeral. Nice try, Peter — you almost got through an entire scene without doing something vaguely racist. Whether or not you’ve got a stomach for Family Guy’s brand of try-hard comedy, the scene remains a comparatively sweet tribute to someone MacFarlane clearly respected as both a colleague and a pop culture titan. That someone gets eulogies like these two years after their death is a testament to how much Fisher is still missed. (That being said, Family Guy has a history of being late with its topical humor, like when it spoofed JAY-Z and Solange’s elevator incident three years after the fact.) Watch the bizarre, darkly sweet scene from this week’s episode below. Source

The world doesn’t need more monsters, but on the big screen? Sure, why not. That’s why we’re jonesing for the next Godzilla flick, King of the Monsters. This past summer, the follow-up to Gareth Edwards’ 2014 blockbuster smash began turning heads when its beautiful “Claire de Lune” trailer dropped at San Diego Comic-Con. Needless to say, that beauty hasn’t gone anywhere. This afternoon, Warner Bros. and Legendary unleashed the latest trailer for their forthcoming monster romp at Brazil Comic-Con, giving fans more carnage, more mayhem, and more Millie Bobby Brown. Look ahead for further glimpses of Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah, and the film’s A-list cast of Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Bradley Whitford, Charles Dance, and Sally Hawkins. Watch below. Directed by Michael Dougherty (Trick ‘r Treat, Krampus), the movie follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battle of the gods: Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and the three-headed King Ghidorah. Seriously, how the hell could any of this go wrong? We’ll just have to wait and find out May 31st, 2019. Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the third entry in WB/Legendary’s MonsterVerse following 2014’s Godzilla and 2017’s Kong: Skull Island. It all leads up to Godzilla vs. Kong, which hits theaters May 2020. Source

Download | Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS This Monday’s episode of Kyle Meredith With… features Kyle’s conversation with Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck, who dives into the process of creating his new record, C’est La Vie, and how a sense of place tied into his more direct writing. Hoak explained that he was “more open to allowing [his] real life to be there” during the making of C’est La Vie, with life events including the birth of his first child and a bout of serious illness making appearances in songs throughout the album. The songwriter also touches on his recent cover of Radiohead’s “House of Cards” at a live show and the story behind that choice. Kyle Meredith With… is an interview series in which WFPK’s Kyle Meredith speaks to a wide breadth of musicians. Each episode, Meredith digs deep into an artist’s work to find out how the music is made and where their journey is going, from legendary artists like Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, U2 and Bryan Ferry, to the newer class of The National, St. Vincent, Arctic Monkeys, Haim, and Father John Misty. Check back Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for new episodes. Rate the series now via iTunes. Follow on Facebook | Podchaser | Twitter Source

Tread carefully as you enter, dear reader; if you’re not careful, you might cut yourself on all the following edge. As most know, the majority of this week’s Once Upon a Deadpool isn’t actually a new release, but instead a PG-13 recut of this summer’s Deadpool 2, just in time for the holidays. To justify its existence as a theatrical release, aside from the incredibly cool charity drive being run alongside its release, there’ll also be footage of Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) reading the film’s story to a bed-ridden Fred Savage, in the style of The Princess Bride. It’s craven, but hey. At least it’s for charity. A new clip suggests that Once Upon a Deadpool will continue to be very much for its core demographic and extremely not at all for the uninitiated, as a quick Savage jab at ever-debated Canadian rock quartet Nickelback turns into a full-on Deadpool rant about the band’s massive sales and countless awards accolades (including a fistful of Junos, which definitely count). It’s all very Deadpool, in so many words. Check it out for yourself below. Once Upon a Deadpool will raise money for a good cause and allow 20th Century Fox to make a few more dollars off the franchise before their Marvel IPs are gone for good this Friday, December 14th. Source

In 2018 alone, the Boulder homie SoDown commanded stages at Red Rocks, Coachella, Electric Forest, Global Dance, Sonic Bloom, and more. At the heels of his own triumphs, SoDown is only just beginning. Now, SoDown is embarking on a nationwide tour with a bag of dubstep, electro funk and groovy music in his arsenal. SoDown Releases 36 Date Nationwide Tour Following New Single Drop on Zeds Dead’s DEADBEATS Label. SoDown Tour SoDown‘s new single, “Eskimo” is a bass-heavy collaboration with fellow Mile High producer, Mr. Bill, released on DEADBEATS’ new Compilation Vol. 3. The track is driven by a thunderous bass, dripping with heavy, grimey production making waves already. SoDown ‘Eskimo’ Deadbeats Listen to “Eskimo” w/ Mr. Bill: Get to know the expansive style of SoDown by listen to a few more select tracks. Listen to and download for free ‘First Light’: Listen to and download for free ‘Kill Em’: We look forward to seeing you guys getting down at these upcoming shows. Pick up your tickets and show you love by follow SoDown on his social media handles linked below. BONUS MUSIC: Listen to DEADBEATS Compilation Vol. 3: Follow SoDown: facebook | SoundCloud | Instagram | Official Website The post Beloved Boulder Producer SoDown Embarks on Nationwide Tour appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source

Slayer’s farewell tour continues to grow, with the legendary thrash metal band announcing today that they’ve added a new North American leg to their 2019 itinerary. The new run of dates will see the band supported by Lamb of God, Amon Amarth, and Cannibal Corpse. The spring jaunt marks the tour’s fifth leg overall, and third North American leg, kicking off May 2nd at the Ak-Chin Amphitheatre in Phoenix, Arizona, and running through a May 25th gig at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. It will be sandwiched in between a the tour’s fourth leg, which will cover Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the Philippines, and the sixth leg, which will see the band returning to Europe. It has also been revealed that Slayer will be one of the headliners at the 2019 edition of Heavy Montreal in July. As of now, they are the only band announced for the Canadian festival. You can grab tickets to the upcoming shows here. Along with the tour announcement, the band has released the third episode of their “Slayer Looks Back on 37 Years” series, which can be seen below. You can also check out our review and photo gallery of Slayer’s tour stop in Jones Beach, New York, this past summer. Slayer 2019 Tour Dates: 03/07 – Brisbane, AU @ Brisbane Riverstage * 03/09 – Sydney, AU @ Download Festival 03/11 – Melbourne, AU @ Download Festival 03/15 – Auckland, NZ @ Eventfinda Stadium * 03/17 – Christchurch, NZ @ Horncastle Arena * 03/21 – Chiba Prefecture, JP @ Download Festival 03/23 – Manila, PH @ Pulp Summer Slam 05/02 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak-Chin Amphitheatre # 05/03 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre # 05/05 – El Paso, TX @ UTEP/Don Haskins Center # 05/07 – Edinburg, TX @ Bert Ogden Arena # 05/08 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory # 05/10 – Tampa, FL @ MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre # 05/11 – West Palm Beach, Florida @ Coral Sky Amphitheatre # 05/13 – Huntington, WV @ Big Sandy Superstore Arena # 05/14 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweasther Post Pavilion # 05/16 – Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center # 05/17 – Bonner Springs, KS @ Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre # 05/19 – Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Center # 05/20 – Youngstown, OH @ Covel Centre # 05/22 – Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre # 05/24 – Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion # 05/25 – Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center # 06/04 – Gilwice, PL @ Arena Gilwice 06/06 – Solvesborg, SE @ Sweden Rock 06/08 – Nurburgring, DE @ Rock Am Ring 06/09 – Nurnberg, DE, DE @ Rock Im Park 06/11 – Budapest, HU @ Sports Arena 06/13 – Leipzig, DE @ Leipzig Arena 06/14 – Nickelsdorf, AT @ Nova Rock 06/14-16 – Donington Park, UK @ Download Festival 06/19 – Geneva, CH @ Arena 06/21 – Dessel, BE @ Graspop Metal Meeting 06/23 – Clisson, FR @ Hellfest 06/25 – Prague, CZ @ Tipsport Arena 06/28 – Oslo, NO @ Tons of Rock 06/29 – Helsinki, FI @ Tuska Open Air 07/03-06 – Viviero, ES @ Resurrection Festival 07/05 – Lisbon, PT @ VOA Heavy Rock Festival 07/07 – Verona, IT @ Rock The Castle 07/10 – Bucharest, RO @ Metalheadmeeting 07/11 – Sofia, BG @ Airport Park 07/13 – Athens, GR @ Rockwave Festival 07/27-28 – Montreal, QC @ Heavy Montreal 08/03 – Balingen, DE @ Messegelande * = with Anthrax and Behemoth # = with Lamb of God, Amon Amarth and Cannibal Corpse Source

The Pitch: Alright, let’s do this one more time. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), an everyday kid living in New York City, winds up crossing paths with a chemically engineered spider. The spider bites him. He begins to notice changes happening all over and inside his body. There’s talk of responsibility, of sacrifice, and of the perils of being a teenager. But in Miles’ world, he’s no Spider-Man yet. He’s just Miles Morales, dealing with his loving but embarrassing dad (Brian Tyree Henry) and middle school and now the webbing that won’t stop firing out of his hands. But there’s still a Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) in Miles’ world, and The Kingpin is now messing around with supercolliders for some reason. He opens a rift in the universe, which connects Miles not only to Peter Parker (Chris Pine), and to another Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), but to even more alternate Spider-Men in other interconnected worlds. Soon, Miles has to rely on five different Spider-Men/Women/Hams to help him save the world and fulfill his spider-inflicted destiny. The Greatest Show On Every Earth: There is a lot going on in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, from the sonic to the visual to the comic to the emotional. By opening a space-time rift into the entire back catalog of Peter Parker’s daring adventures, Spider-Verse untethers itself from franchise responsibility and established canon alike in daring and exciting ways. What started as the latest effort to continue expanding Sony’s in-house Spider-brand, now that Tom Holland’s Spidey is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, turns out to be one of the most exciting onscreen Spider-Man stories yet. The film has as acute an understanding of what makes the character great as the best previous onscreen outings (Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming), but this time, it might just be the most ambitiously fun yet. We’d be monsters to give away too much of the fun, but screenwriter Phil Lord takes off running with the infinite sandbox the film’s premise affords him. Soon, Miles winds up befriending Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), from a universe where she becomes Spider-Woman; Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage), an old-timey detective version from a black-and white universe; Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn), an anime-illustrated offshoot who controls a robot that lives in symbiosis with her spider; and Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), a Looney Tunes version of the webslinger. Those aren’t nearly all, either, or the only riffs on familiar characters from the Spider-world. Part of the joy is knowing that, in Lord’s hands, you can just kick back and enjoy the fun. All of the Lights: The real feast on display, though, is the sensory spectacle of Into the Spider-Verse as a whole. In the hands of directorial triumverate Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, the endless possibilities of the known and unknown universe are used to full capacity. The cutting-edge animation fuses the sleek motion of CGI with the tactility of hand-drawn animation, peppering every frame of Miles’ own universe with dot-color linework that replicates the illusion of ink-illustrated pages in motion. Spider-Verse is consistently dazzling from frame to frame, and even when the animation is sometimes overwhelming (some of the most anarchic sequences verge precariously close to unfollowable to the eye at points), it’s trying things from scene to scene that most CG animation wouldn’t dare. This is far from the cash grab some audiences expected; this is a bold attempt to shove the artistic boundaries of a still-new medium forward. Whatever else you might think of Into the Spider-Verse, you’re a liar if you try to deny how entirely cool its entire look is, and how many things the movie is able to do with it throughout. Also, keep your eye out for the point when this movie plays a similar game as Doctor Strange and arguably steals its thunder. Miles and Miles: While it’s a feast for the eyes and ears, Spider-Verse also has more than plenty of the requisite heart that’s made Peter and his various iterations such a beloved fan favorite over the years. In Miles’ struggles to relate to his gruff dad, and in his sweet relationship with his charming ne’er-do-well uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali), the movie finds its way to the heart of what’ll always make Peter or Miles or Gwen or the talking cartoon pig so charming. They’re still finding their way in life, and nothing about the newness of their powers changes the fact that being young is hard, and being young at that moment when you’re starting to understand the adult world is even harder still. The adults around you will let you down, life won’t always be easy, and the things you want will sometimes have to change. There’s a real sense of weight to Miles finding himself that’s all the more miraculous when you consider how much is happening around it at any given time. Yet Spider-Verse finds time for all the things that make Spider-Man great, not just the most cinematic ones, and it’s all the greater for it. Miles is a different kind of hero, one who hasn’t lost those close to him, but who still has to discover who he is and what he stands for in a world that infrequently makes sense. It’s unlikely that this will be the end of Miles’ adventures, and we can’t wait for more. The Verdict: At times, Into the Spider-Verse plays like a Who Framed Roger Rabbit? of the many NYCs that have graced comic pages since 1962, a daffy walk through decades of ridiculous characters and mythmaking that still contains enough gravity to make audiences take notice. But there’s a breathless sense of discovery and play that makes the film seem new, even as it’s tap-dancing through the imprints of so many sci-fi stories throughout the years. Simply put, superhero movies don’t often carry this sense of possibility anymore. Each is compelled to start franchises, to plant seeds for future spin-offs and sequels alike, to the point where its own story can sometimes feel incidental. In the Spider-Verse, there are no limits, and suddenly Spider-Man feels as fresh onscreen as Tobey Maguire’s first dizzying swing through NYC fourteen years ago. It’s not as though Into the Spider-Verse is exempt from the aforementioned tasks, but it does what every franchise-starting movie should do: it’s a good enough movie on its own, as one installment, to justify more. It’ll leave you wanting more Spider-Beings in more offbeat worlds. It’ll leave you wondering when we’ll get to visit those, and what’ll become of Miles, and so much more still. For Miles, and for Spider-Man, anything can happen. Where’s It Playing?: Into the Spider-Verse will swing into every possible screen it can be screened onto on December 14th. Trailer: Source

From 2001 to 2004, tweens flocked to the Disney Channel to watch Hilary Duff’s hit kid’s series Lizzie McGuire – the story of a clumsy, average teen (well, average by Disney Channel standards) who got through her tumultuous teen years with the help of an animated alter ego that let her express her innermost feelings. Now, Duff is saying we may not have seen the last of Lizzie. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight after she presented at Love Leo Rescue’s 1st Annual Cocktails for a Cause Fundraiser at Rolling Greens in Los Angeles, Duff teased the possibility of Lizzie’s return. “There’s been some conversations. It’s definitely not a go. I don’t want to get everyone wild talking about it.” Nothing is confirmed beyond those “conversations,” but Duff noted that she’d be thrilled to bring back her iconic character – not just for herself, but for a new generation of girls. “I think she was so important to girls at an important time in their life. If she could be important to them again at this age, I think that would be amazing.” The 31-year-old Duff’s kept pretty busy after Lizzie, between maintaining her pop career with 2015’s Breathe In. Breathe Out. and going on five seasons as a regular on Darren Star’s dramedy series Younger for TV Land. Between these projects and her life as a mother of two, who knows when (or if) this revival might ever happen. Still, if she comes back, Duff has some ideas for her return. “I’m racking my brain. I don’t think she’s a mom yet, but she might be getting there soon,” Duff said. “It could be a possibility or it could be nothing, so we’ll see.” While the series ended in 2004, the last time we saw Lizzie chronologically was as a precocious teen in 2003’s The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Refresh yourselves with the film’s trailer below. Source

The Nine-Nine rides again. After being axed by FOX back in May, the Emmy-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine received a pardon from NBC. Now, the show’s new network home has shared a toit preview of the upcoming sixth season. (Read: Breaking Down Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season Five) It looks like the budget has expanded considerably with NBC fronting the bill, as the Nine-Nine goes full Die Hard in the new trailer. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and his crew find themselves trapped on top of a building wired to explode, and their only hope is to repel down — or in Peralta’s case, jump from the roof onto a helicopter. Okay, so the budget isn’t really all that much bigger and it’s really just another Peralta-as-McClane fantasy, but it’s a noice teaser nonetheless. Check it out below. The 13-episode sixth season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine premieres on NBC Thursday, January 10th at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. While most of the precinct — including is back for season six Captain Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher), Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), and Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) — one star won’t be featured as frequently. Chelsea Peretti announced her character, Gina Linetti, would be leaving the series by the end NBC’s first season. “I won’t be doing a full season of Brooklyn Nine Nine in Season 6,” she revealed back in October. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t ever be back.” Source

This spring, Lambchop are set to return with a new album. Titled This (is what I wanted to tell you), the eight-track LP follows FLOTUS, which Consequence of Sound named one of 2016’s best records. Due out March 22nd through Merge, This sees Lambchop leader Kurt Wagner collaborating with Matt McCaughan, the younger brother of Merge co-founder Mac McCaughan and occasional percussionist for Bon Iver and Hiss Golden Messenger. A press statement elaborated on their working relationship for the “disarming but intimate confessional” This: “They became instant musical pen pals, with Wagner sending him a cappella takes of new song ideas and McCaughan dispatching long-form synthesizer pieces for inspiration. McCaughan eventually headed to Nashville, where, together, they put a band behind the songs, using pedal steel and piano and the harmonica of Nashville legend Charlie McCoy to color in the spaces of these black-and-white sketches.” To preview the LP, Lambchop have shared the first single, the six-minute, aptly dubbed, “The December-ish You”. Wagner (sort of) described the song thusly: “Picture yourself on a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies… This is not that.” Hear what it actually is down below via a visual by Jonny Sanders. This (is what I wanted to tell you) Artwork: This (is what I wanted to tell you) Tracklist: 01. The new isn’t so you anymore 02. Crosswords, or what this says about you 03. Everything for you 04. The lasting last of you 05. The air is heavy and I should be listening to you 06. The December-ish You 07. This is what I wanted to tell you 08. Flower Wagner & co. have announced a European tour that kicks off in mid-April. Lambchop 2019 Tour Dates: 04/12 – Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje 04/13 – Copenhagen, DK @ DR Koncerthuset 04/14 – Oslo, NO @ Roverstaden 04/15 – Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik 04/17 – Leipzig, DE @ Felsenkeller 04/18 – Munich, DE @ Muffathalle 04/19 – Vienna, AT @ WUK 04/20 – Darmstadt, DE @ Centralstation 04/21 – London, UK @ Hackney Arts Centre 04/23 – Paris, FR @ Maroquinerie 04/24 – Bern, CH @ Dachstock 04/25 – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik 04/26 – Berlin, DE @ Funkhaus 04/27 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria 04/28 – Brussels, BE @ Nuits Botanique Festival 04/29 – Hamburg, DE @ Elbphilharmonie 04/30 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord Source

Having joined his bandmates in resurrecting As I Lay Dying earlier this year, singer Tim Lambesis continues to seek repentance for his infamous crime, now saying, “I stand against who I became in my past.” Lambesis notoriously pleaded guilty to attempting to hire a hitman to murder his estranged wife, for which he received a six-year sentence, only to be released in late 2016 after two and a half years in prison. Earlier this year, As I Lay Dying revealed the surprise news that the band’s longtime lineup, including Lambesis, had reunited. They released a new song, “My Own Grave”, and embarked on a fall tour of the United States and Europe. Since his release, Lambesis has gotten remarried and is working toward earning a Masters in Social Work. The metalcore vocalist took to the band’s Instagram over the weekend with a new message, insisting, “People who support AILD are not supporting the person I once was.” His full note reads as follows: “I stand against who I became in my past and am pursuing a new purpose in the rebirth of AILD. We collectively are. People who support AILD are not supporting the person I once was, because part of my life’s work now is to undo the hurt I’ve caused and to help others in addiction. Instead, I think AILD fans are supporting the belief that people can change. I will never be able to undo my greatest mistake, but I believe it’s better to do something rather than give up. AILD collectively condemns all forms of domestic abuse and violence. Its aftermath is one of pervasive, long-lasting hurt and there is no acceptable excuse or defense for such behavior. Our agenda as a band is to actively back and work with organizations who offer support to those who are emotionally suffering and in pain. Whether it be from a history of abuse, hardship, or mental illness—pro-activity in healing and recovery is at the core of what this band is now. Tonight we’ll play the biggest headline show of our career (topping our second biggest headline show earlier on this same tour). Our fans in Germany did not know this when they bought their tickets, but we will be donating a portion of proceeds from our show to HeartSupport; an organization we believe in that functions to provide emotional support and counseling to young adults caught in cycles of addiction, depression, sexual abuse, and family turmoil. Our mission is to continually seek and implement ways to facilitate positive, meaningful change in the world around us. For now, we don’t want to miss out on bringing purpose into our biggest moment yet. We’ve been given a second chance we thought we’d never have again and we certainly don’t take it for granted. Sincerely, Tim” As I Lay Dying’s 2018 tour runs through a December 15th gig in Chemnitz, Germany. The band had been slated to play the 2019 Resurrection Festival in Spain in July, but were removed from the bill after fan outcry because of Lambesis’ criminal past. As of now, the metalcore act has no 2019 gigs scheduled. Source

In 2018, conversations about the future are sick with if. If we live to see it. If things get worse instead of better. If the death rattle of patriarchy doesn’t pull all the world with it into the pit. The gloom of encroaching dystopia is mud that’s tracked everywhere. By everyone. No matter how hard you kick your boots — it remains. Even the sky is muddled with a membrane of white noise. It’s horrendous. But in this time of upheaval and unrest, a clear voice can crack the sky like lightning — slicing the clouds of static … and we can see the moon again. Janelle Monáe is one of those voices — the sound of now. Of fear peeling away. Of the “evolution” in “revolution.” Of hope. Of utopia. Of love flashing its teeth and not going down without a fight. That’s a lot to put on a pop star. But Monáe and the Wondaland Arts Society have always been looking to the future – and not doing it with an apocalyptic if but a triumphant when. And it just so happens that when begins now. Monáe understands the language of pop deification. Not like the grotesque worship of “rock gods” or celebrities, but figures like David Bowie, Prince, Kate Bush — pop artists whose music and intent are matched with presence. They take the stage and screen with persona and vision, galvanizing their craft into powerful audiovisual statements that don’t just empower themselves; they empower all. Their humanity is intrinsically bound to their larger-than-life persona — becoming not exclusionary, but inclusionary. This power can be yours too. Make art. Be freaks. Be free. We’ve all got the spark of a deity within us, but sometimes it takes a music maker to snap their fingers and light the fire. However, in this instance, Monáe goes one step further. With her 2018 record, Dirty Computer, she ascended to high priestess of a revolution – just when the world needs her most. For anyone who feels disenfranchised in America or in the world at large, all our collective trials and fears are there, but that echoed vulnerability is armored in anthems of hope, strength, self-love, and glorious defiance. Tyrants and haters: have your pathetic moment of dystopia. Have your fear. Have your hate. A tribe of love is rising, and the future is ours to make. “You fucked the world up/ Now, we’ll fuck it all back down.” Monáe came out with courage, color, and cunning in a transmedia tapestry celebrating queerness and otherness in all its beautiful forms and demonstrating the power of pride in a dancable, singable, tearful sonic tapestry. Paired with the poignancy of Dirty Computer is the “Emotion Picture” of the same name, a 50-minute music-driven sci-fi film collaging music videos and the world of Monáe’s continuing concept album story line. And the videos! The fluorescent labia britches of “Pynk”, lighting the desert up with sassy, sapphic feminist fire. “Django Jane”’s enthroning of a rap warrior queen. The indulgent self-actualization of the flamingo milk bath in “I Like That”. The pansexual power party of “Make Me Feel”. And that’s all in addition to the Emotion Picture’s harrowing tale of erasure and love against all odds in an oppressive near future. Her profile as an actress is also on the rise — Moonlight and Hidden Figures paving the way to the forthcoming Welcome to Marwen and Harriet. But with the Emotion Picture, she and Wondaland Pictures took their first step into a larger world. They’ve now signed a first look deal with Universal to focus specifically on projects that champion underrepresented voices. She’s our Artist of the Year now, but it’s like she’s only getting started. When we caught up with her, Monáe was taking her first week off in a year and spending some time with her mom. But even still, here she was, speaking with us. “I’m never off the clock, and that is the reason why I’ve been made to be an android — to deal with this level of high demand and pressures.” She was looking forward to taking time to “download” new ideas. Just take a look at the liner notes to Dirty Computer and it’s easy to see that for Monáe, inspiration is everywhere and nothing is what it seems. The new record, for instance, can be easily assumed to be wholly a byproduct of everything that’s come in the wake of the 2016 American Presidential Election, but in fact, it’s that reality, jarringly, caught up with her fiction. The premise dates back to before her first full-length album, 2010’s The ArchAndroid. She created the majority of the songs during Obama’s presidency. Janelle Monáe, photo by Heather Kaplan “I was still working with other spirits in my body and in my mind and my soul to create Dirty Computer, and then, the 2016 election happened — and things changed. There was a shift in the world, there was a shift in the universe, there was a shift physically in America, and there was a shift that I couldn’t ignore. It was a shift that affected me personally and directly.” Normally, Monáe would swear off going into the studio if she was angry or upset, but circumstances required a different approach. “I needed to use what I was going through as therapy. Even if I did not have the right words to convey all of my emotions and my thoughts, it was about getting it down, getting down to my studio and making myself available. I knew I was going to be getting deeper, so I opted to send everybody out, record myself, and then I’d say, ‘Hey, come back here!’ “They would always say, ‘You need to record yourself more often, because you’re more in tune with what you want to say when you’re by yourself recording,'” she continues. “And, you know, I agree. I love collaboration. I think that’s when innovation happens, but I also love being in solitude while recording, because I can discover myself and evolve.” “Sometimes the water is just not on in terms of creativity. Sometimes there’s a drought. But there was a lot of water with this project. I wrote ‘Americans ‘in two days, and usually I take a minute to write my songs. There was something flowing through me with this album. Something flowing through me when I wrote ‘So Afraid’ in my car on the way to the dentist. “I feel like the timing of this release has made it accessible to now,” she adds. “Part of me feels bad about that, but I realize that you can’t stop an idea when the idea’s time has arrived. So what you see in this album is me going through different stages of what it means to be a ‘dirty computer’ and what a dirty computer represents in society as of today.” In terms of chronology, Dirty Computer is a prequel piece. The ArchAndroid and Electric Lady are set in the far-flung future of 2719. If you thought the repercussions of being a human-loving android were trouble, that’s not half as bad as being a subversive “dirty computer” in the near future. Janelle Monáe, Austin City Limits 2018, photo by Amy Price The album goes through three different stages: The Reckoning, The Celebration, and The Reclamation. “The first two songs [‘Dirty Computer’, ‘Crazy, Classic Life’] deal with reckoning. What does it mean to have the majority of the world that you live in view you as a dirty computer? I would parallel that to being called ‘niggah ‘for the first time by a white person. I would compare it to being called ‘bitch’ for the first time by a man. “Being a ‘dirty computer’ is a derogatory word,” she clarifies, “you are dirty and you need to be cleansed. There is something about you that is not good enough to live in society, until you change, and unless you conform to our standards, we won’t accept you. We’ll push you to the margins of society, and you won’t matter.” The stage is set, and it’s bleak … but then comes “The Celebration” — the narrative of deciding if you’re going to celebrate what it means to be a dirty computer. Unapologetically celebrating your sexuality, your liberation as a woman, the things that make you unique, even if they make others uncomfortable. “The Reclamation” reclaims all that and what it means to be American. Claiming the freedom of the American ideal, unchained from the prejudices that wound and infect that ideal. “This album is through the lens of a young, black, queer woman living in America, and I wanted to make an album that was uplifting, not one that stayed in a dystopian world. I wanted to make sure that we felt like there was something that we could do to not hide, to create community, to remind each other that although we are dirty computers, we too are human, we too are American, and we deserve basic rights of respect and love. I wanted to end the album on that hope of what it means to be an American. Our differences are what allow us to evolve and learn from each other, to help each other.” With as close to the bone as this record cuts, in regards to our own world’s timeline and Monáe’s own journey, it’s easy to suspect that Dirty Computer is more about Janelle Monáe than her characters Jane 57821 or Cindi Mayweather, but that’s a take she’s quick to refute. The characters cast a long shadow, and it’s all connected, but the message is bigger than them and bigger than Monáe. Janelle Monáe, photo by Heather Kaplan “I don’t consider this a personal essay from Janelle Monáe. I look at myself as an evolving spirit,” Monáe explains. “I am a part of humanity. I don’t exist unless people say I exist, so I never look at myself and say, ‘This is me, this is who I am.’ I’m still finding who I am. I’m still discovering who I am. I’m still allowing my metamorphosis to take place, and I’m creating through it. I hope that I’m digging deeper, I hope that I’m not allowing even myself to get in the way of creating an album that is meant for the community of people that I want to uplift. “That’s what this album is really about,” she contends. “I am a part of the community, but this album is not just about me, it’s about creating space for us — for us who challenge the status quo, for us who love out loud, who live out loud, who may not share the same religious beliefs, but we respect and admire and appreciate each other. We live in a civilization where we depend on each other for survival, and I think this album boils down to that fundamental question of: ‘Do you feel a responsibility to protect those who may not be as privileged as you?'” Monáe has proudly assumed a figurehead role in the queer community that embraced her long before she’d made any definitive statements about her sexuality. It’s a role not just centered on celebration, but solidarity. On her tour stop in Orlando, FL, Monáe performed at Disney Springs’ House of Blues, where the gunman responsible for the Pulse Massacre had initially scouted to stage his shooting before before backing down and targeting the nightclub. Taking the stage for her encore, Monáe addressed the crowd, reading the names of the 49 victims, and paying respects to Sasha Garden, a trans woman murdered in Orlando the week prior. “We celebrate them tonight,” she said. “We celebrate their bravery. I send love to all their families and friends – some of you may be here tonight. This was a difficult show. When I started my first song, I was very emotional performing here … We never forget them.” The moment was further punctuated as she slid into a potent performance of “So Afraid”. For the audience, and Monáe, too, it was a sobering, tear-jerking, and undeniably raw gesture of togetherness in a sometimes terrifying world. Janelle Monáe, photo by Heather Kaplan “I felt that I couldn’t come there and not recognize those heroes, you know? I decided to make it very clear that all of my brothers and sisters in the LGBTQIA+ community, you all have my support, and I’m here, and we’re going to choose our freedom over our fear.” Dirty Computer is resplendent with messages of love, but plenty of complications, too, like the artist herself. “Dirty computer” is a slur. “Dirty computer” is a badge of honor. In Dirty Computer, imperfection is celebrated. “I didn’t set out to make a perfect album. That wasn’t my goal,” Monáe argues. “I have definitely gone in the studio and said, ‘Hey, I want to make the perfect song.’ This was not about that. It was about the imperfections. How can I create an album that can be imperfect? When I’m recording, I feel like I have to be perfect in front of people. I’m grateful to have a team that I don’t feel that way in front of, but I try to make sure that I’m giving myself space to just mess around and have fun and get lost. I like getting lost and discovering myself all over again. “I’m at a point in my life where I’m questioning what it means to embrace the things that make me unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable. Those who hate others because of religious belief or they’re mean-spirited or they’re homophobic, is that what makes them unique? Should we still love them? I think that is a question that we have to ask ourselves.” In “Stevie’s Dream”, Stevie Wonder delivers wise words about speaking love: “Don’t let your expressions, even of anger, be confused or misconstrued. Turn them into words of expression that can be understood by using words of love.” It’s easier said than done. “There are some people that I have a really difficult time loving, especially when they are so divisive at the root. For me … you still have to be accountable. You can love somebody, and respect them and empathize with them, but part of loving a person is holding them accountable. “[Stevie Wonder would] tell me all the time to ‘lead with love.’ It’s difficult. I don’t want people to think it’s easy and that Janelle Monáe is above having moments where I sometimes don’t believe the things that I say. But I said them, and I believe that they come from a great place. I’m speaking from my loving mind. Sometimes, I’m happy I’ve recorded it, because I need to be inside that, and I don’t always feel like that. Janelle Monáe, Austin City Limits 2018, photo by Amy Price “I just want this album to be words of affirmation for anybody that’s struggling with accepting themselves,” she insists, “especially in a world where we have been programmed to not accept dirty computers. I just hope that everybody feels loved and seen and heard and that they can use this work to heal — to be the soundtrack of a better tomorrow.” With Wondaland Pictures’ new deal, there could be a lot of soundtracking to do. Universal Pictures Chairman Donna Langley championed the deal and has made a career of putting an emphasis on empowering women and storytellers, a perfect pairing with Monáe, Mikael Moore, Chuck Lightning, and Nate Wonder. “We look at ourselves not as musicians or artists specifically restricted to the music industry,” Monáe says. “We’ve always loved film, we’ve always loved TV, and we’ve always loved telling stories. [This is] an extension of that storytelling and an opportunity to collaborate. “‘Collaboration’ is my word for next year,” she adds. “I hope to do more collaboration with my peers. I hope to also work with up-and-coming talent, of voices and directors and storytellers who, like us, want to shape this world through our storytelling and want to make sure that the representation of the people we feel have been underrepresented happens. We want to redefine what it means to tell stories, to tell universal stories in unforgettable ways.” That declaration would be a tall order or hot air from almost anyone else, but the persistence of Monáe’s vision is inarguable. She has set her sights on the future and has seized the present with futurist music — science fiction music that does what great science fiction does: distilling human nature into its core components. Reflecting us as we are so we can become a better version of ourselves. Source

Ty Dolla $ign is facing up to 15 years in prison after being indicted on felony drug possession, according to TMZ. The 33-year-old musician was indicted by a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia for felony possession of cocaine and felony possession of THC — as well as misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Ty Dolla $ign was arrested back in September prior to a concert at Atlanta’s Cellaris Arena. Police officers pulled over a limo van and searched all seven passengers, including Ty Dolla $ign and Skrillex. Ultimately, only Ty Dolla $ign was arrested. This is a developing story… Source

Yet another massive U.S. rock festival has announced its lineup, and once again, the list of bands is impressive. North Carolina’s Epicenter Festival, which essentially replaces the long-running Carolina Rebellion Festival, will be headlined by Foo Fighters, Tool, and Korn. The three-day event takes place May 10th-12th at the newly created Rockingham Festival Grounds in Rockingham, North Carolina. In addition to the aforementioned headliners, Rob Zombie, Judas Priest, The Prodigy, Bring Me the Horizon, The Cult, 311, Evanescence, Mastodon, Bush, Live, Meshuggah, Machine Gun Kelly, Killswitch Engage, Tom Morello, Architects, Black Pistol Fire, and more are among the dozens of other acts on the bill. In a statement, Korn referred to their surprise 2012 reunion with Brian “Head” Welch at Carolina Rebellion, which ultimately led to the guitarist rejoining the band on a permanent basis. “There are many defining moments that dramatically mark a band’s history, and one such moment in time happened in North Carolina with Korn,” the band remarked. “North Carolina holds a special place in Korn’s heart, as we unexpectedly reunited with our old friend Head. It’s been a great 6+ years with Head back in Korn and we look forward to rocking NC again with Foo Fighters, Tool and many other great bands.” Bring Me the Horizon singer Oli Sykes added, “We’re very excited to be playing next year’s Epicenter Festival in Rockingham. It’s a privilege to be sharing a stage alongside some of our favourite acts, and to be back in North Carolina.” The daily lineups have already been revealed, and can be seen in the poster below. Tickets, VIP passes, and camping packages for Epicenter go on sale this Friday, December 14th, at noon ET at EpicenterFestival.com. Source