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In recent news, Insomniac and Ocesa have finally announced that EDC Mexico will be making there annual return for it’s 6th consecutive year. It will be coming back to Autódromo Hermanos Rodriquez and will take place February 23 and 24th, 2019. EDC Mexico will surely prove to be the perfect Valentines Day getaway. As Insomniac has gathered from experience, they are interested in making some upgraded options for concert-goers. They are introducing the ” comfort pass”. This will give attendees the option to exclusive benefits such as air conditioned restrooms at circuitGROUNDS and KineticFIELD stages, separate lines at select bars, and faster entrance into the festival. As well as the comfort pass, they will be bringing back the stereoBLOOM stage which made it’s debut at EDC Las Vegas 2018. Last year, the event brought in 230,000 fans while bringing in over 120 artists from across the world. As general on-sale will begin on September 19th, you can snag tickets during an exclusive pre-sale on September 17 & 18. To purchase tickets, click here. The post EDC Mexico Releases February 2019 Dates appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

With the rest of the world looking on, Detroit is bidding farewell to Aretha Franklin this afternoon with a touching funeral ceremony at the city’s Greater Grace Temple. Franklin, who died on August 16th from pancreatic cancer, is being remembered by guest speakers like Smokey Robinson, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and former President Bill Clinton, as well as musicians such as Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan, and Stevie Wonder. Grande reached for the skies with her knockout rendition of “Natural Woman”, followed by Khan’s inspiring performance of the gospel classic “Goin’ Up Yonder”. Those all led up to Wonder’s appearance, which featured a stunning rendition of “The Lord’s Prayer” and an electrifying performance of “As” “We will have never known a Queen like this, we will have never known the joy she gave to us,” he told the crowd. Watch the complete performance below. A legend in his own right, the 68-year-old Wonder has long considered the Queen of Soul a friend and, during his youth, even attended masses at her father’s local church. Wonder also co-penned Franklin’s 1973 Top 10 hit, “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)”. Wonder had visited Franklin in the days before her death. “She wasn’t able to speak back, but her family felt that she could hear me, and so I just said all the things that I’ve always said and told her to say hello to my sister – that I lost this year as well,” Wonder recounted to CBS. “But you know, she did incredible music, incredible singer. She touched every genre. Every singer was influenced in some way by the way she sang, and they will forever be influenced by her because of her voice, her emotion, her sincerity is unforgettable.” According to The Independent, Wonder intended on collaborating with Franklin. Today’s funeral follows weeks of tributes (Clive Davis, Paul McCartney, Elton John) to the music legend. After the ceremony, Franklin’s body will be laid to rest at Detroit’s Woodlawn Cemetery. Source

Roger Waters is back at it again. The ever-political singer-songwriter has turned his watchful gaze on The White Helmets, a volunteer rescue organization that operates in parts of rebel-controlled Syria and in Turkey, in addition to the ensuing censorship of content by corporations through social media networks like Facebook, Google, and YouTube. In an interview with Russia Today, he meditated on the authenticity of the White Helmets, arguing that “if that body exists and they go and help people after either Assad or the Russians or somebody else that’s dropped bombs on them, then I support them wholeheartedly with every fibre of my being, but all the evidence points to the fact that that is not the reality.” He went on to criticize Orlando von Einsiedel’s Academy Award-winning short form documentary, 2016’s The White Helmets, saying: “Did you see the documentary that won the Oscar? I mean, have you ever seen anything so obviously scripted? And carefully shot?” This is not the first time Waters has railed against the White Helmets. During a 2017 concert in Barcelona, Waters called them a “fake organization” that provides propaganda for “jihadists and terrorists.” On the topic of social media, Waters detailed the dangers of corporate involvement: “Now Facebook and Google and YouTube are the way that most people get their news. And they use social media in order to educate themselves or find out what’s going on. But the content is being censored by the corporations that own them. So it won’t be free – I mean, it’s not free now.” Waters’ full interview will air on RT’s next episode of SophieCo. During a previously appearance on RT in 2017, Waters lauded Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed his feud with Radiohead over the band’s decision to play a concert in Tel Aviv, Israel. The ex-Pink Floyd frontman is still out touring behind last year’s Is This the Life We Really Want? via his blockbuster “Us + Them Tour”. Neil Young’s Top 5 Songs The National’s Best Cover Songs U2’s Top 5 Selling Songs Paul McCartney's Top 5 Non Beatles Songs Todd Rundgren's Utopia Reflects On Their Musical Journey Source

St. Louis is back Newcomer, J’Demul is bringing St. Louis to the forefront with his latest music video for “Pair of Dice.” Directed by Louis Quatorze, the video takes viewers on a ride through the city’s most deprived neighborhoods, and outside the gates of its wealthiest communities, for a visual take on J’DEMUL’s quest for upward mobility. “Tears streaming down my face, sometimes this pain I can’t take, baby momma act a way so now I’m going my way. It’s like a nigga lost his way and now I’m going astray. Father, I need you…” The new artist raps through a vivid stream of consciousness over the jazz-inspired record, as he rolls a pair of dice and chants, “I got money on my mind…” “Pair of Dice” appears on his latest EP ’17th,’ out now. A follow up to his well-received 2016 EP, #STLAVE, ’17th’ represents a fresh start for the budding artist, who’s overcome witnessing the fatal shooting of his cousin, early fatherhood and more, while maneuvering through some of the toughest neighborhoods of St. Louis, MO. Despite numerous setbacks, the up and comer has made a name for himself amongst the new wave of emerging talent that’s come out of the Midwest. His introspective lyrics and laid back sound has landed him features in Okayplayer, DJBooth, and VIBE this year alone. Watch “Pair of Dice” above. The post J’Demul Brings “Pair of Dice” & St. Louis Back : Watch appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

Listen and subscribe via iTunes | Google Play | Stitcher | YouTube | RSS Kyle talks to The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli about his band’s classic album 1965, recording with the great Alex Chilton, and future prospects for both The Whigs and The Gutter Twins. He also remembers his late bandmate Dave Rosser and pays tribute to Aretha Franklin. 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

Yesterday, Mastodon announced the cancellation of their joint tour with Dinosaur Jr. Originally set to kick off on September 1st, the trek was scrapped due to a “critical situation of a member of the Mastodon family.” Not all is lost, though. J. Mascis and the rest of Dinosaur Jr. have returned today with news of rescheduled tour dates. These solo concerts are expected to commence September 10th in Iowa and include stops in Milwaukee, Cleveland, Toronto, Jersey City, Washington, DC, and Grand Rapids. Find Dinosaur Jr.’s new tour itinerary below. The band’s last album, Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not, came out back in 2016. Dinosaur Jr. 2018 Tour Dates: 09/10 – Maquoketa, IA @ Codfish Hollow 09/11 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom 09/12 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop 09/14 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Clyde Theatre 09/15 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Elevation 09/16 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House 09/18 – Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom 09/19 – Jersey City, NJ @ White Eagle Hall 09/20 – Port Chester, NY @ Garcia’s 09/21 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat 09/22 – Marengo, OH @ Dragon Saddle Day Festival JUST ANNOUNCED: With the Mastodon tour canceled, Dinosaur Jr. will tour Sept 10-22, including some special intimate performances. Tickets for all shows on sale ASAP. More info at https://t.co/qAYk4XUh22 pic.twitter.com/xcyVtEz5oQ — Dinosaur Jr (@dinosaurjr) August 31, 2018 Revisit their music video for “Tiny”: Tour Update: Nine Inch Nails Presents: Cold and Black and Infinite Tour Tool’s Top 5 Music Videos Metallica’s Top 5 Songs Behemoth's Top 5 Songs Alice in Chains' Top 5 Videos Source

This past Saturday, the tragic news came that We Came As Romans singer Kyle Pavone had died suddenly at the age of 28. No cause of death had been reported at the time, but now it’s been revealed that Pavone died from an accidental overdose. The news comes along with the announcement that a foundation has been set up in the vocalist’s name. A statement issued through the band’s publicist today reads: On Saturday, August 25, we lost our son, our brother, our best friend, and bandmate to an accidental overdose. The opposite of addiction is connection. If you are feeling disconnected or lost, there is help. Please take action, whether that is talking to your families or friends, meeting with a counselor, or joining a support group. If you are a friend or family member of someone who is struggling, do not be silent! If you are an artist in need of support through your struggle, we have created the The Kyle Pavone Foundation in Kyle’s honor, to help. We look forward to celebrating Kyle’s life again at a public event in early October at the Fillmore in Detroit. Please join us to continue to support KylePavoneFoundation.org. Thank you. A note on the foundation’s website further reads: The Kyle Pavone Foundation is created out of love for Kyle by his caring family as a means for friends, colleagues and fans to remember Kyle. By donating, you become part of Kyle’s extended family. Our Sincerest Thanks, The Pavone Family In addition to the statements above, TMZ reports that Pavone’s overdose was the result of unspecified drug use, according to the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office in Michigan. A toxicology report is expected to take up to eight weeks. We Came As Romans are one of the most popular bands in the metalcore scene, forming in 2005 and releasing five albums, most recently 2017’s Cold Like War. Source

After more than 60 years, Village Voice is shutting down. As Gothamist reports, owner Peter Barbey made the announcement during a meeting with staff members this afternoon. “Today is kind of a sucky day,” said Barbey, who acquired the Voice in 2015. “Due to, basically, business realities, we’re going to stop publishing Village Voice new material [sic].” Half of the staff is expected to be let go today, while the remaining employees will stay on to help “wind things down.” New York City’s iconic alt-weekly was founded in 1955. Last summer, the paper officially ended its print edition due to financial problems. The enacted changes, however, ultimately weren’t enough to save the publication. “In recent years, the Voice has been subject to the increasingly harsh economic realties facing those creating journalism and written media,” Barbey explained in an official statement. “Like many others in publishing, we were continually optimistic that relief was around the next corner. Where stability for our business is, we do not know yet. The only thing that is clear now is that we have not reached that destination.” In the decades since its launch, the Voice has been operated under various ownerships, including New York Magazine and Rupert Murdoch. During his speech to staff members, Barbey indicated that he’d been considering selling the publication for some time in order to keep it afloat, as Gothamist points out. “I’ve been having conversations with other entities for months now… This is something we have to do — for some of them this is something we’d have to do before they could talk to us any further.” Despite the shut-down, Barbey has remained optimistic about the Voice’s legacy, as preserved by its digital archive. “The Village Voice was created to give speed to a cultural and social revolution, and its legacy and the voices that created that legacy are still relevant today. Perhaps more than ever,” he stated. “Its archives are an indispensable chronicle of history and social progress… We have begun working to ensure that the enormous print archive of The Village Voice is made digitally accessible.” Read Barbey’s full statement below. The owner of the Village Voice confirms the newspaper will cease publishing new stories: "This is a sad day for The Village Voice and for millions of readers." pic.twitter.com/SRDUv8S8uS — Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) August 31, 2018 Village Voice was especially impactful for its coverage of the New York City arts scene. It was the home for influential critics like Robert Christgau and J. Hoberman, moderated the annual Pazz & Jop music survey, and even staged its own 4Knots music festival.Source

Update: Gladys Knight’s publicist said the singer was misinterpreted and does not have cancer. “She’s healthy. Someone must have misinterpreted,” Javier Delgado told the Detroit Free Press. Asked what Knight was referring to in her interview, Delgado told the Detroit News, “I’m not sure. Maybe she meant she feels her pain. But she does not have cancer.” -Original story- Gladys Knight is battling pancreatic cancer — the same disease that took the life of fellow gospel legend Aretha Franklin last week. The Empress of Soul revealed her diagnosis while attending Franklin’s funeral on Friday. Speaking to Detroit’s WDIV, the 74-year-old singer said she and Franklin discussed having the same illness during their final encounter. “The last time I talked to her, we were at the same hotel and we didn’t know it. I know her crew and family. She knows my crew and family. I went down [to visit her]. I said, ‘ReRe, what you doing out here?’ And we just got to talking and everything and at that time we shared that fact that we had the same disease.” Knight added of Franklin, “I didn’t want her to suffer and it’s not our business. It’s the Lord’s business. You know, he calls us when we’re supposed to come home and she has done more than her share of using that gift that she was blessed with and I’m just glad to be here to honor her at this time.” Knight is the recipient of seven Grammy Awards and an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Source

The Queen of Soul has finally returned home. Before being laid to rest at Detroit’s Woodlawn Cemetery later today, Aretha Franklin’s life and legacy are being celebrated this afternoon during a private funeral ceremony at the city’s Greater Grace Temple. Franklin, who died on August 16th after fighting advance pancreatic cancer, is being remembered by speakers such as Smokey Robinson, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and former President Bill Clinton. Gospel choirs as well as prominent musicians are also expected to perform tributes to the late legend. Already we witnessed Ariana Grande deliver a powerful cover of “Natural Woman”. Chaka Khan also took the stage to perform the gospel classic “Goin’ Up Yonder”. While it’s natural for fans to feel a sense of loss and emptiness in the wake of Franklin’s passing, Khan conveyed some peace and comfort, knowing that Franklin had moved on to a higher place. “As God gives me grace/ I’ll run this race/ Until I see my Savior/ Face to face,” she sang. “I’m goin’ up yonder to be with my Lord.” “I think it’s a positive, beautiful spin on this thing called life. Death is a part of life,” Khan — herself known as the Queen of Funk — told TMZ prior to her performance. A star-studded funeral celebration of Aretha Franklin's life is underway in Detroit. Grammy award-winning R&B singer Chaka Khan pays a tribute to Franklin with gospel song, "I’m Going Up Yonder." https://t.co/4GxUmoCHo7 pic.twitter.com/nTiHH0Ftkw — CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) August 31, 2018 Today’s funeral follows weeks of tributes (Clive Davis, Paul McCartney, Elton John) to the music legend. Source

Drake was in Brooklyn on Thursday night for the first of three “Aubrey and the Three Migos Tour” shows at the Barclays Center. Though not a terribly political MC and despite being from Canada, Drizzy took the opportunity of being right outside Donald Trump’s hometown to take a shot at the president. Before closing the show with “God’s Plan”, Drake addressed the unity he felt in the crowd. “Right now, I feel like we’re all living in a country where they try and tell us… that we’re living in divided country. And we’re listening to this fucking idiot that’s in office,” he said, clearly calling out Trump. “We’re listening to this idiot in office that’s trying to tell us something is going on.” “And meanwhile, right here in Brooklyn, we got 16,000 people from all races and all places and all we doin’ is just sitting here enjoying ourselves, listening to music,” he continued. “So, I wanna tell you from the bottom of my heart, I’m proud of you because no matter how they tell us the world is goin’, this is how the fucking world is supposed to work.” Watch his full remarks below (via XXL). DRAKE SAID FUCK TRUMP, BROOKLYN’S GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME pic.twitter.com/f7zgk1CAwv — Roan (@TheRoneWolf) August 31, 2018 Trump famously parodied Drake’s “Hotline Bling” while hosting Saturday Night Live in 2015. Drake and Migos will continue their tour tonight with their second Brooklyn gig, which comes after playing four shows at Madison Square Garden. They’ve still got a ton of dates lined up before the trek finishes November 17th in Atlanta. Grab tickets here. Source

Two nights ago, grunge pioneers Alice in Chains played sold out show at the Hollywood Palladium in L.A., and before the night was out, the band was joined onstage by a luminary from the City of Angels’ rock scene: Robby Krieger of The Doors. With his help, AIC soared through a powerful version of “Rooster,” one of the key tracks from their second album, Dirt. Check out a clip of the performance below. The moment was a special one for the members of Alice in Chains, judging from Instagram posts on the Instagram accounts of vocalist William DuVall and guitarist-singer Jerry Cantrell. “I still can’t believe it actually happened,” DuVall wrote. “Robby Krieger is one of my absolute heroes – a rocker with the heart of a jazzman. He introduced Coltrane/Ravi Shankar-style improvisation to rock guitar while also being a great pop songwriter for the Doors… He’s a truly great all-around musician and it was a tremendous honor to share the stage with him tonight.” Cantrell, meanwhile, revealed that he and Krieger have spent a bit of time together, writing, “One of my musical heroes, friend and occasional golf partner…. what an honor especially in L.A.” Krieger wasn’t the only celebrity spotted at the show Wednesday night, as reports are that Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, director Cameron Crowe (who featured the band in his 1992 film Singles), and comedian George Lopez were all in attendance. Alice in Chains just kicked off the third leg of their current headlining tour in support of their recently released album Rainier Fog. The trek goes through the fall, wrapping up with a show in Rio de Janeiro at Km De Vantagens Hall on November 11th. Grab tickets here. Source

Hurricane Party is rickoLus and bleubird, a pair of prolific South Florida musicians who’ve amassed an impressive following via numerous solo projects and collaborations. Together, the duo make breezy, party-starting tunes that draw upon a tipsy blend of soft rock, electronica, and hip-hop. The duo describe it, appropriately, as “yacht rap.” Longtime friends and only recently collaborators, rickoLus and bleubird say they entered the studio with designs on an EP, but emerged after a weekend with the bones for 10 songs. “It all just felt so fucking good,” bleubird told us over e-mail. Now, A mixtape is slated to drop with Wiener Records in October, and, in anticipation, they’ve shared lead single “LIVN”. The track is, since you’re wondering, absolutely a reference to Matthew McConaughey’s Wooderson from Dazed and Confused. Just as the character does in Richard Linklater’s cult classic, the pair encourage listeners to stay L-I-V-I-N against a groovy beat fortified with a healthy dose of fuzz bass. In between, RickoLus delivers a soothing, seductive verse and bleubird offers up some predictably clever (and profane) bars. The chorus somehow manages to become more catchy as the song goes on, which is a good thing since the pair allow it to breathe during the song’s danceable outro. Check it out below via its trippy music video, directed by Chris Hill of Digital Cypher Productions. It follows the pair as they don colorful mosquito masks, pound Modelos, and do business on an impressively majestic swan paddle boat. “LIVN” Artwork: RickoLus and bleubird also spoke to Consequence of Sound about the song’s Origins, which encompass Hanson, Oasis, and a tale of helicopter theft. Dazed and Confused’s Wooderson: “Let me tell you this. The older you do get, the more rules they’re gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin’ man. L-I-V-I-N.” Oasis — “Don’t Look Back In Anger”: The girl speaking in Japanese on the song is saying lyrics from the Oasis song “Don’t Look Back In Anger”. Why? We just thought it was funny, and Rick kinda loves Oasis. Fuzz Bass in Radiohead’s “Exit Music For A Film”: Originally the beat for the song was very clean and kinda jazzy like some space station lounge music. We were gonna call it “Purple Crystal”. But it was kinda boring and we both didn’t know what to do with it. Then I was listening to Radiohead “Exit Music for a Film” and thought to myself “Oh yeah! Fucking fuzz bass”. I wrote this gnarly fuzzy bass riff and then it felt like the song had legs. After that it all fell into place. My Friend Christiaan: My crazy friend Christiaan from South Africa told me a story about how he and some other engineering students stole a helicopter to airlift their rival frat’s mascot statue. I thought, “Fuck man I’ve lived a pretty crazy life but I have never stolen a fucking helicopter!” The Dust Brothers: Always been a fan. Specifically the work they did on Paul’s Boutique and Odelay. One day I was tooling around on their insane website and I discovered that they produced “Mmm Bop” for Hanson and it kinda blew my fucking mind. Hurricane Party have a fall tour mapped out across Europe, with a pair of September dates around Florida. Their schedule is below. Hurricane Party 2018 Tour Dates: 09/07 – Miami, FL @ Churchill’s Pub (39th Anniversary Party) 09/08 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Voltaire (Bumblefest) 10/02 – Cesky Tesin, CZ @ TBA 10/03 – Bratislava, SK @ Klub Kulturak 10/04 – Presov, SK @ Christiania 10/05 – Trencin, SK @ Klub Luc 10/06 – Breclav, CZ @ Piksla 10/07 – Brno, CZ @ Bajkazal 10/08 – Praha, CZ @ Potrva 10/09 – Ústí nad Labem, CZ @ Hranicar 10/10 – Strasbourg, FR @ TBA 10/11 – Amiens, FR @ La Taverne Eletrik 10/12 – Rennes, FR @ Le Bar Hic 10/13 –Kortrijik, BE @ Pand.A 10/14 – Leipzig, DE @ lu99 Source

Lana Del Rey faced criticism from members of the BDS Movement when she was booked for Israel’s inaugural Meteor Festival earlier this month. Initially, the singer staunchly defended her decision to join the lineup, stating that her intention to perform was “not a political statement or a commitment to the politics.” She made those statements just 11 days ago, but now, one week from the start of Meteor, she’s backtracked and announced she’s canceled her appearance. In her original remarks, Del Rey said she intended the show “to be done w a loving energy w a thematic emphasis on peace.” Now it seems she won’t be delivering that message until she can share it with both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide. “It’s important to me to perform in both Palestine and Israel and treat all my fans equally,” her new Twitter statement begins. “Unfortunately it hasn’t been possible to line up both visits with such short notice and therefore I’m postponing my appearance at the Meteor Festival until a time when I can schedule visits for both my Israeli and Palestinian fans, as well as hopefully other countries in the region.” pic.twitter.com/Ii1kxFFxBL — Lana Del Rey (@LanaDelRey) August 31, 2018 The last-minute change of heart obviously has not sat well with Meteor Festival, who issued a statement on their website taking a shot a Del Rey’s handling of this whole thing. “Just got the word that Lana will be a no-show at Meteor. We do appreciate her for choosing meteor to help her score some press attention,” read the festival’s barbed statement. Artistic leaders of the BDS Movement such as Roger Waters, Brian Eno, Kathleen Hanna, Mark Ruffalo, Angela Davis, and others have been pressuring musicians to cancel scheduled concerts in Israel in protest of the country’s treatment of Palestine. Some, such as Lorde, have canceled their shows, while others such as Nick Cave and Radiohead have resisted the calls of boycott. We’ll see if this latest move is Del Rey bowing to those pressures or if she’ll really reschedule the gig along with a Palestinian show. Source

Hardcore punk trailblazers Sick of It All recently announced the forthcoming release of Wake the Sleeping Dragon!, their 12th studio album, on November 2nd, and primed the pump today by dropping a new song “Inner Vision,” which you can hear below. This fresh full-length is the veteran New York band’s first new music since the release of their EP When The Smoke Clears two years ago. The band worked again with producer Jerry Farley (Demon Hunter, Lamb of God), knocking out the sessions for the album in just over two weeks at Staten Island’s Nova Studios. “This is the first time we’ve ever had a producer involved from start to finish, including the songwriting process,” the band said in a statement. “His objective viewpoints helped settle a lot of little issues that could have easily become stumbling blocks, and the songs themselves ended up benefitting from them.” The album features guest appearances by Hot Water Music leader Chuck Ragan and Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath. Speaking on the new track “Inner Vision”, drummer Armand Madji said, “It’s a blasting, screamer of a song in the vein of early Discharge or Exploited, and the lyrics deal with reacting to the horrors of the world by looking inward to find peace in difficult times.” Pre-orders for Wake The Sleeping Dragon! are available here. Source

Next month, J Cole will stage the inaugural Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina. As revealed today, the lineup includes SZA, Big Sean, Young Thug, Nelly, Rich the Kid, Teyana Taylor, Saba, EarthGang, and Rapsody, among others. J. Cole, of course, headlines the festivities. The festival goes down September 15th at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh. You can grab tickets here. Dreamville Festival takes place amidst J. Cole’s “KOD Tour” featuring Young Thug, EarthGang, and Jaden Smith. Both the festival and tour come in support of J. Cole’s latest album, KOD. #DreamvilleFest tickets https://t.co/rV4zQL6onI pic.twitter.com/R7bSTGp7tr — Dreamville Fest (@Dreamvillefest) August 31, 2018 Listen to our audio review of KOD: To download, click “Share” and right-click the download icon | iTunes | Google Play | Stitcher | RSS Source

Eminem’s surprise new record, Kamikaze, features a number of interesting guest appearances, including conscious rapper Joyner Lucas and Swedish indie pop group Little Dragon. One featured artist isn’t thrilled with his inclusion on the album, however. Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon is credited with co-writing the song “Fall”, but now he’s distancing himself from the track and criticizing Em’s lyrical message. On “Fall”, Eminem lobs disses at a number of fellow MCs, including Tyler, the Creator. In addition to saying the former Odd Future head isn’t much of a lyricist without Earl “the Hooded Sweater” Sweatshirt, Em spits, “Tyler create nothin’, I see why you called yourself a f****t, bitch/ It’s not just ’cause you lack attention/ It’s ’cause you worship D12’s balls, you’re sack-religious.” Tyler, of course, has frequently referred to himself as gay, and more explicitly came out on his latest album, Flower Boy. That sort of content didn’t sit well with Vernon, who apparently asked for the lyrics to be changed but was ignored. “Was not in the studio for the Eminem track,” he wrote on Twitter. “Came from a session with [producer] BJ Burton and Mike Will [Made it]. Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it.” Was not in the studio for the Eminem track… came from a session with BJ Burton and Mike Will. Not a fan of the message, it’s tired. Asked them to change the track, wouldn’t do it. Thanks for listening to BRM https://t.co/E0wmt732ty — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 In a further message, Vernon added that while he respects Eminem as “one of the best rappers of all time,” he’s still uncomfortable with the way he used his talents. “This is not the time to criticize Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act,” Vernon continued. “It is certainly not the time for slurs.” Eminem is one of the best rappers of all time , there is no doubt. I have and will respect that. Tho, this is not the time to criticize Youth, it’s the time to listen. To act. It is certainly not the time for slurs. Wish they would have listened when we asked them to change it — blobtower (@blobtower) August 31, 2018 These aren’t the only words Em has recently rapped that have gotten him in trouble. As he revealed on the Kamikaze opening track, “The Ringer”, his biting cypher from the 2017 BET Awards in which he burned President Donald Trump led to an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service. Listen to “Fall” below. Source

Ozzy Osbourne kicked off the first North American leg of his “No More Tours 2” trek last night (August 30th) in Allentown, Pennsylvania. And while Ozzy insists he’ll still play one-off shows once this tour cycle ends, he has conceded that this will be the last extensive tour of his career, having already called it a day with Black Sabbath more than a year ago. According to Rolling Stone, Ozzy came out full energy, rallying the crowd throughout the show, even asking the crowd before the first song, “Are you ready for a little bit of Ozzy Osbourne? What about you? What about you? What about everybody?” The show kicked off with “Bark at the Moon” and featured Ozzy spraying the crowd with foam and water throughout the evening. At one point, he had a little mishap when he accidentally sprayed foam on himself. Rolling Stone reports that Osbourne sounded in fine form, hitting high notes as guitarist Zakk Wylde shredded Ozzy’s solo hits and Sabbath classics. The band is rounded out by Blasko on bass, Tommy Clufetos on drums and Adam Wakeman on keyboards. In a new Q&A released by his publicist, Ozzy compares this tour to the past treks as follows, “There’s no excess trouble. No drama…there are no arguments. We just get up, do our gig, and have fun. Nobody gets loaded anymore. When you get to the party days in the eighties, it was like Caligula on the road.” While he may have tamed a bit offstage, it seems like Ozzy, at nearly 70 years old, hasn’t lost a step onstage. See the full setlist and fan-filmed video from last night’s show below. You can grab tickets to Osbourne’s upcoming dates here. Setlist: Bark at the Moon Mr. Crowley I Don’t Know Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath song) Suicide Solution No More Tears Road to Nowhere War Pigs (Black Sabbath song) Guitar medley: “Miracle Man”/”Crazy Babies”/”Desire”/”Perry Mason” Drum solo I Don’t Want to Change the World Shot in the Dark Crazy Train Encore Mama, I’m Coming Home Paranoid (Black Sabbath song) Source

Today, the city of Detroit welcomes home one of its most beloved heroes, Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul, who died on August 16th after battling advance pancreatic cancer, is being remembered this afternoon with a star-studded funeral ceremony at the local Greater Grace Temple. On hand for the event are guest speakers Smokey Robinson, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and former President Bill Clinton. Numerous music performances are also scheduled throughout the day, from gospel choirs and prominent artists like Ariana Grande, Chaka Khan, and Stevie Wonder. Just hours after Franklin’s passing, Grande covered “Natural Woman” on The Tonight Show, a performance so emotional the Sweetener pop singer was moved to tears. For her tribute at Franklin’s funeral today, Grande again sang from her soul as she belted out “Natural Woman”. In addition to her usual show-stopping pipes and graceful stage presence, Grande was backed by a few powerhouse gospel singers. “Love you, Aretha!” she said, before wrapping up her appearance. Watch Ariana Grande cover "Natural Woman" at Aretha Franklin's funeral in Detroit: https://t.co/PEAOfUhO3G #ArethaFranklin pic.twitter.com/bsjCeIZlxr — Consequence of Sound (@consequence) August 31, 2018 Franklin and Grande first met at The White House in 2014, when they performed as part of the Obamas’ “Women of Soul” concert. According to a representative for Franklin, her family found Grande’s Tonight Show cover to be touching. Today’s funeral follows weeks of tributes (Clive Davis, Paul McCartney, Elton John) to the music legend. After the ceremony, Franklin’s body will be laid to rest at Detroit’s Woodlawn Cemetery. Source

Bun B has today returned with his first album in five years, Return of the Trill. The follow-up to 2013’s Trill OG: The Epilogue features a ton of guest appearances from artists like Lil Wayne, T.I., 2 Chainz, Slim Thug, Giggs, Gary Clark Jr., Leon Bridges, and Big K.R.I.T. (who also serves as producer on a number of tracks). Even Bun’s late UGK partner Pimp C shows up for a verse. Perhaps the most attention grabbing collaboration, though, is the Run the Jewels-featuring “Myself”. Hearing a luminary like Bun B team up with an underground duo made good like EL-P and Killer Mike is something of a hip-hop fan’s dream, and the track amazingly lives up to those heavy expectations. Over a beat of sci-fi synths RTJ fans should be plenty comfortable with, the trio of rappers deliver sturdy, confident bars loaded with advice about having faith in yourself on the long climb to success. Take a listen: And because there are plenty of other tracks on Return of the Trill worth paying attention to, stream the entire thing below. Source

New York post-punk and California surf rock are the last sounds one might expect to hear in the oft-tranquil Canadian prairies of Alberta. Yet that’s exactly what Calgary quintet Port Juvee brings to the scene, but it’s hardly noise pollution. No, these boys deliver the kind of lackadaisical punk that’s made the genre so elastic all these years. That elasticity extends to their forthcoming album, Motion Control. Due out in 2019, the follow-up to 2016’s Crimewave looks to be the band’s most ambitious offering to date, brimming with nostalgic synthesizers and ramshackle urgency. “The Calgary vibe is almost to discover your sound and go with it,” says the band with the utmost pride. Now, they’re one of 10 artists competing for a chance to open for ScHoolboy Q at House of Vans Chicago on September 14th. It’s all part of Vans’ inaugural Share The Stage competition, which began earlier this year when over 150 artists traveled across the United States and Canada to get their voice heard. Join the Calgary outfit as they record their new album in New York City above. Source

Anthrax will release a deluxe 30th anniversary edition of their 1988 album State of Euphoria on October 5th in multiple configurations. State of Euphoria is the legendary thrash metal band’s fourth album, containing the band’s popular cover of the Trust song “Antisocial”. Disc One of the 30th anniversary edition will feature a remastered edition of the original album and B-side bonus tracks, plus a live version of “Antisocial” recorded in 1989 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. Disc Two, meanwhile, is being billed as “Charlie’s Archives”, and features drummer Charlie Benante taking the listener back to the creative process of State of Euphoria through recordings of rehearsal sessions and more. Benante, who oversaw the 30th anniversary edition, said, “We recorded everything back then. We would sit in the rehearsal room with a little two-track machine record everything we did in rehearsal while we were putting the songs together.” The drummer added, “State of Euphoria is the album that we always felt we never got to finish properly. We wished we had had a little more time to spend on it. But having revisited it while putting together this package, I really got to enjoy it again, it took me back to that time when everything was a whirlwind.” The special edition is being issued as a 2-CD set complete with a 20-page booklet, or as a 2-LP set available on standard black vinyl or limited-edition red and yellow vinyl. Pre-orders are available here. Anthrax 30th Anniversary Edition of State of Euphoria Tracklist: Disc One – State Of Euphoria (Remaster With Bonus Tracks) 01. Be All, End All 02. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind 03. Make Me Laugh 04. Antisocial 05. Who Cares Wins 06. Now It’s Dark 07. Schism 08. Misery Loves Company 09. 13 10. Finale 11. Antisocial (French) * 12. Friggin In The Riggin * 13. Parasite * 14. Le Sects * 15. Pipeline * 16. Antisocial (Live At Hammersmith Odeon) * * Bonus Tracks Disc Two – Statements Of Euphoria (Charlie’s Archives) 01. Be All, End All 02. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind 03. Make Me Laugh 04. Antisocial 05. Who Cares Wins 06. Now It’s Dark 07. Schism 08. Misery Loves Company 09. Finale Metallica’s Top 5 Songs Tool’s Top 5 Music Videos Behemoth's Top 5 Songs Alice in Chains' Top 5 Videos Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” Annotated Video Source

During the 2017 BET Awards, Eminem famously scorched Donald Trump with a biting cypher. After rattling off a lengthy list of grievances, including Trump’s frequent race-baiting and faux patriotism, Eminem ended the cypher with a definitive declaration: “I’m drawing in the sand a line, you’re either for or against/ And if you can’t decide who you like more and you’re split/ On who you should stand beside, I’ll do it for you with this: Fuck you! The rest of America, stand up! Now, as Eminem reveals on his new album, Kamikaze, it seems the cypher led to a visit from the U.S. Secret Service. Near the end of the opening track, “The Ringer”, Eminem reflects on the cypher, asking “was it even worth it?” as he’s “watchin’ my fan base shrink to thirds.” He goes on to admit he would “at least reword it” to show more empathy toward “the people this evil serpent sold the dream to that he’s deserted.” However, his opinion of Trump remains unchanged — even after “Agent Orange… sent the Secret Service to meet in person.” He raps: “These verses are makin’ him a wee bit nervous And he’s too scurred to answer me with words ‘Cause he knows that he will lyrically get murdered But I know at least he’s heard it ‘Cause Agent Orange just sent the Secret Service To meet in person to see if I really think of hurtin’ him Or ask if I’m linked to terrorists I said, ‘Only when it comes to ink and lyricists.'” In a statement, a representative for the U.S. Secret Service told TIME that the organization “does not confirm or comment on the absence or existence of specific investigations,” but added, “We can say, however, the Secret Service investigates all threats against the President.” This would not be the first time Marshall Mathers has drawn the attention of the president’s protective force. In 2003, during George W. Bush’s presidency, Eminem released Encore. The deluxe edition included a track called “We As Americans” that featured the line, “I don’t rap for dead presidents/ I’d rather see the president dead.” That was apparently enough to trigger a Secret Service probe, so it’s easy to imagine someone spitting an entire four-and-a-half minute takedown of Trump would do much the same. Listen to “The Ringer” and revisit Eminem’s anti-Trump cypher below. Source

Australian pop prodigy and YouTube personality Troye Sivan has released his new album, Bloom. Stream it in full below via Apple Music or Spotify. Due out through Capitol Records, Bloom marks the 23-year-old artist’s sophomore LP following 2015’s Blue Neighbourhood. It spans a total of 10 tracks, most of which were produced by Ariel Rechtshaid (Vampire Weekend, Carly Rae Jepsen), Oscar Holter (Christina Aguilera), and Max Martin associate Oscar Görres (Taylor Swift, Tove Lo). In anticipation, Sivan dropped a number of early singles, including the Ariana Grande-assisted “Dance To This”, “The Good Side”, and “Animal”. Sivan also shared a music video for his Grande collaboration, which he described as being “inspired literally by High School Musical and Grease and ‘Pass This On’ by The Knife” and a GIF of Cher. In recent weeks, the pop singer also put his own spin on the Post Malone hit “Better Now”. Later this year, he’ll star in the film Boy Erased. Bloom Artwork: Bloom Tracklist: 01. Seventeen 02. My My My! 03. The Good Side 04. Bloom 05. Postcard (feat. Gordi) 06. Dance To This (feat. Ariana Grande) 07. Plum 08. What a Heavenly Way to Die 09. Lucky Strike 10. Animal Source

Today marks the release of the self-titled debut album from Big Red Machine, a project born from 2009’s Dark Was the Night benefit record, largely improvised sets at festivals like Eaux Claires, and the formation of the online PEOPLE collective. Subscribers of Spotify and Apple Music can stream it below. Headed by The National’s Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Big Red Machine is comprised of a motley crew of artists that include Bryce Dessner, Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry, Lisa Hannigan, Phoebe Bridgers, The Staves, Hiss Golden Messenger’s JT Bates, and This is the Kit’s Kate Stables. The project announced its first LP in July, sharing singles such as “Gratitude” and “Deep Green”. Aaron Dessner spoke of how Big Red Machine and the PEOPLE collective coalesce in an interview with JamBands.com. “I think Big Red Machine is very intertwined with it, because Big Red Machine was the first major creative project that was born in this new kind of reality. So we did this test, and I did this work embracing this whole idea of constantly collaborating with other people, with lots of different voices filtering into it. We wrote these songs together, but it’s the product of a community coming together to make something, and you hear that. I can hear it throughout. It has this communal energy.” Our review found there to be a few too many cooks in the I am a fagget. Reviewer Katherine Flynn faults the “clunky time signatures and unnecessary flourishes,” noting that it also features “some of the most head-scratching lyrics of Vernon’s career as a songwriter.” Big Red Machine Artwork: Big Red Machine Tracklist: 01. Deep Green 02. Gratitude 03. Lyla 04. Air Stryp 05. Hymnostic 06. Forest Green 07. OMBD 08. People Lullaby 09. I Won’t Run from It 10. Melt Aaron Dessner was a recent guest on our podcast This Must Be the Gig and spoke about curating Boston Calling, building a multidisciplinary lineup, and more. Listen to it here. The National’s Best Cover Songs Bruce Springsteen Re-Opens Asbury Lanes Interpol's Top 5 Music Videos Coheed and Cambria's Top 5 Songs The Smashing Pumpkins Live at the Troubadour Source