Björk has announced that she’ll be bringing her immersive theatrical tour ‘Cornucopia’ to Los Angeles next year for a trio of dates.

READ MORE: Björk’s ‘Cornucopia’ live in London: an audacious, expectation-disrupting spectacular from an artist unbothered with people-pleasing

‘Cornucopia’ is based on the singer’s 2017 album ‘Utopia’ and is her first official theatrical concert tour. It’s directed by Argentine filmmaker Lucrecia Martel, with designer Chiara Stevenson’s stage designed to resemble fungi.

The newly announced shows are scheduled for early 2022 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 26, 29 and February 1. Tickets go on sale next Friday (October 15) at 10:00am – you can get them here.

The first ‘Cornucopia’ shows came in May, 2019, with an eight-night residency at New York venue The Shed. The 19-song setlist in New York included the first time Bjork had performed her songs ‘Venus As A Boy’, ‘Hidden Place’ and ‘Show Me Forgiveness’ for over a decade.

The show features a 50-piece Icelandic ensemble The Hamrahild Choir, a seven-piece flute band, a harp and several instruments specially designed for the tour. The show also features a speech by climate activist Greta Thunberg, which is shown on a video screen before the encore. Costumes for the tour were designed by fashion chain Balmain.

Björk. CREDIT: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images

In November 2019, Björk brought her ‘Cornucopia’ tour to London, with a show at The O2. In a four-star review, NME‘s Emily Mackay said: “‘Thank you for tonight, London,’ she says as she closes the post-Greta encore with a delightfully ravey version of ‘Notget’. ‘You’re my second home, I’m so grateful for the musical upbringing you gave me.’

“We in turn should be thankful for an artist wild enough to take a show this audacious to a venue in which she’ll be followed, over the next two nights, by the more straightforwardly people-pleasing performances of McFly and Little Mix. This is a time where we all need to push it, to find new ways of being: like the lady herself sings in the show’s penultimate track: “Imagine a future and be in it.”

Meanwhile, Björk has announced new dates for her livestreamed orchestral shows, following multiple delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Orkestral series will see the musician perform with different collaborators over each of the four dates, including members of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, Flute Septet Viibra and Hamrahlíð Choir.

The gigs, performed at Reykjavik’s Harpa Hall to a live audience and livestreamed to fans worldwide, were first due to take place in August 2020, but have been delayed multiple times. 

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Madonna‘s new documentary film, Madame X, will make its UK television debut tomorrow night (October 7).

READ MORE: Madonna – ‘Madame X’ review: Bold, bizarre, self-referential and unlike anything she’s ever done before

The film, which will air on MTV UK at 10:00pm, chronicles the legendary pop star’s recent ‘Madame X’ tour in support of her 14th studio album of the same name.

Directed by Ricardo Gomes, the concert film will feature an array of footage from the singer’s 2019/2020 tour, including shots of the 48 on-stage performers (including Madonna’s children as well as musicians and dancers from around the world) and the all-female Orquestra Batukadeiras.

“Sharing my vision with global audiences has been profoundly meaningful to me,” Madonna said of the documentary in a press release. “The opportunity to bring its message and the incandescent artistry of all involved to an even wider audience comes at a time when music is so deeply needed to remind us of the sacred bond of our shared humanity.”

You can watch the teaser trailer for Madame X below:

The film will be also be available to stream in the US via Paramount+ tomorrow (October 8).

Bruce Gillmer, chief content officer, music, Paramount+ said: “Madonna is undoubtedly the world’s biggest superstar, never ceasing to push boundaries and shape the pop culture landscape. She and MTV together have an incredibly storied history and we are thrilled to continue to amplify our partnership globally with the exclusive world premiere of MADAME X streaming on Paramount+ this October.”

The original ‘Madame X’ tour, which included a run of 12 nights at the London Palladium in February 2020, was created and directed by a team led by Madonna, including Jamie King as creative producer and Megan Lawson as co-director and lead choreographer.

In a five-star review of one of the ‘Madame X’ London dates, NME‘s El Hunt wrote: “For all of her dramatic personas on ‘Madame X’, tonight is largely about Madonna herself. By the end, it feels like we know her a lot better.

“It’s strange to witness the Queen of Pop in this light. As disorientating as it feels, the tension of seeing an untouchable legend letting her guard down makes this show incredibly special. It also feels like a brave move from an artist who could do just about anything. Then again, risk-taking and reinvention is what makes Madonna an icon.”

Meanwhile, She & Him have shared a previously unreleased cover of Madonna‘s ‘Holiday’ – you can listen to it here.

The duo – comprised of actor Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) and Monsters Of Folk‘s M. Ward – are set to release a 10th anniversary edition of their festive album ‘A Very She & Him Christmas’ on November 12 via Merge.

The vinyl reissue will feature a bonus 7″ record, which contains the pair’s take on the Queen Of Pop’s 1983 single as well as a cover of Wham!‘s ‘Last Christmas’ on the B-side.

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NEW YORK – Eighteen former National Basketball Association players were charged on Thursday with defrauding the league’s health and welfare benefit plan out of $3.9 million by seeking reimbursement for medical and dental work that was never performed. According to an indictment filed with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, players received $2.5 million in […]

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Philippine star Kalei Mau believes the national team program is on the right track following Team Choco Mucho’s sixth-place finish in the 2021 Asian Volleyball Confederation Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in Rakhon Natchasima in Thailand. “I think the future of the Philippine volleyball program is going to be very bright as long as we […]

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Magnolia is looking to weld both its hands on the steering wheel when it plays Meralco in Game 3 of their Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup semifinals series at Don Honorio Ventura State University in Bacolor, Pampanga, on Friday. But that match would not be the slightest easier, even with the Hotshots ahead, 2-0, in […]

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Rose Jean Ramos has been trumpeted as one of those likely to follow in the footsteps of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz. And in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ramos showed just why officials are bullish on her future. The 16-year-old lifter from Zamboanga City stared down some of the toughest rivals in her division and won […]

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Los Angeles is enforcing the requirement of COVID vaccinations in indoor spaces, which includes music venues.

READ MORE: How you can do your bit to help save the future of live music

As of today (October 7), Los Angeles County now requires proof of at least one vaccine dose in order to enter indoor spaces including bars, wineries, nightclubs, and lounges. Proof of full vaccination will be mandatory from November 4.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles City Council has passed a new ordinance that comes into effect on November 4. It requires people to show proof of vaccination in order to enter indoor music venues, cinemas, coffee shops, gyms, shopping centres and many other facilities.

As Pitchfork reports further, LA city businesses that violate the new law will be subject to escalating fines, however, these will not be enforced until November 29. The mandate is intended to expire once the city lifts its emergency pandemic order.

Under this Los Angeles City rule, customers may submit written exemptions on the basis of religious beliefs or medical reasons but they can only use outdoor facilities.

Should no outdoor facilities be available, they may provide a recent negative COVID test to enter an indoor space. People who don’t have written exemptions or proof of vaccination will still be able to enter facilities briefly to pick up takeout orders or to use bathrooms.

Additionally, from November 4 the city law will require patrons of outdoor events with 5,000 or more people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test. However, the county-wide law will apply to outdoor events with 10,000 people.

Business groups have raised concerns about potential confusion because Los Angeles County is imposing its own set of vaccination rules for many local businesses and their customers. The county order already applies within LA city limits, but Californian cities can expand on county orders for vaccine requirements [via the Los Angeles Times].

The moves, which echo mandates in New York City, differ from situations overseas such as in England.

For months the UK government touted plans for indoor venues and other establishments to require patrons to be fully vaccinated against COVID. However, the government has halted enforcing the rule in England, stressing that the option to unroll it remains in its power.

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Nick Mason has said he is “flabbergasted” by Roger Waters saying that he felt bullied by members in Pink Floyd.

The former Floyd drummer said in a new interview that he was surprised to hear Waters claim last month that ex-guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour and ex-keyboardist Richard Wright were “always trying to drag me down”.

“I’m slightly flabbergasted by it,” Mason told journalist Jim DeRogatis of The Coda Collection. “But I think that’s a slightly over emotional way of putting that there was some sort of division within the band about.

“Because Roger was always looking beyond the music, in a way. I think it was artificial, but I think possibly there was the side that wanted to do inflatables and films, as well as music, and those who just wanted to do music. But, I don’t think they were mean to him, particularly. It’s hard to imagine being mean to Roger. Stalin was the bullied.”

In September, former Pink Floyd bassist/vocalist Waters claimed to Marc Maron’s WTF podcast that the band had a “toxic environment” [quotes transcribed by GuitarWorld].

“I was in a very toxic environment. I was around some people, well, David and Rick mainly, who were always trying to drag me down. They were always trying to knock me off whatever that perch was,” alleged Waters.

When asked how that manifested in actuality, he answered: “By claiming that I was tone deaf and that I didn’t understand music.

Roger Waters. CREDIT: Raphael Dias/Getty Images.

“[They’d thought] ‘Oh he’s just a boring, kind of, teacher figure who tells us what to do, but he can’t tune his own guitar.’ Stuff like that.

“They were very snotty or snipe-y because they felt very insignificant at that point.”

Later on the WTF podcast Waters said: “I’m not putting them down, but those years we were together, whatever it was like socially, there is no question that we did some really good work together and we all contributed.”

Pink Floyd have reunited for short periods in recent years but remain disbanded.

Meanwhile, Gilmour recently shared a demo version of ‘Yet Another Movie’ ahead of the reissue of Pink Floyd’s 1987 album ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’.

The album, which was the band’s first following the departure of Waters in the mid 1980s, will be reissued on October 29 via Sony and feature a “Remixed and Updated” edition on vinyl, CD, DVD and more.

It will also be available in 360 Reality Audio, described as “a new immersive music experience that closely mimics the omni-directional soundscape of live musical performance for the listener using Sony’s object-based 360 Spatial Sound technologies”.

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Dolly Parton and her Smoky Mountain businesses have raised $700,000 to help residents impacted by recent floods in Tennessee.

READ MORE: The Big Read – Dolly Parton: “I take care of business”

On August 21 more than 500 homes and 50 businesses were damaged after up to 17 inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours, causing rising waters to tear through Humphreys, Hickman, Houston and Dickson counties.

Parton chose United Way of Humphreys County to receive and distribute her donation, as suggested by her friend and fellow country music legend Loretta Lynn. Wayne Spears, a foreman at Lynn’s ranch, was among those who died in the flood.

Compelled to help out and return a favour after the Smokey Mountain area received much support during the 2016 Sevier County wildfires, Parton said in a statement: “After the Sevier County wildfires in 2016, Loretta was one of the first who reached out to offer anything she could.

“It meant so much to me that Loretta – and so many folks – were ready to give in any way they could. This was just one small way I could help Loretta’s people for all they did to help my people.”

Dolly Parton. CREDIT: John Lamparski/Getty Images

The flood relief funds were raised by donating a portion of ticket sales from her Dollywood theme park and her Pigeon Forge dinner show properties – Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show and Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud – during the October 2-3 weekend.

Meanwhile, Parton has given her stamp of approval to Lil Nas X‘s recent cover of her signature song ‘Jolene’.

The rapper performed his rendition of Parton’s 1973 song, lifted from her album of the same name, during a session as part of BBC Radio One’s Live Lounge last month.

Parton has since shared Lil Nas X’s cover on Twitter and posted on Instagram a photo they took together at the 2019 Country Music Association Awards. “I was so excited when someone told me that Lil Nas X had done my song #Jolene. I had to find it and listen to it immediately… and it’s really good,” she wrote.

“Of course, I love him anyway. I was surprised and I’m honoured and flattered. I hope he does good for both of us.I hope he does good for both of us. Thank you @LilNasX.”

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Lana Del Rey has shared an alternative video for her latest single, ‘ARCADIA’ – you can watch it below.

READ MORE: Every Lana Del Rey song ranked in order of greatness

Produced with Drew Erickson, the song will appear on Del Rey’s long-teased forthcoming LP, ‘Blue Banisters’, set to be released on October 22.

The ‘White Dress’ singer previewed the follow-up to ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’ in May with the surprise release of a trio of new singles: the album’s title track as well as ‘Text Book’ and ‘Wildflower Wildfire’, which were all written by the singer and recorded in Los Angeles.

After sharing a video for ‘ARCADIA’ last month, the singer-songwriter has now put out another version. As with the original, Del Rey has directed the clip. You can watch the video for ‘ARCADIA’ below.

 

‘Blue Banisters’ arrives on October 22 and can be pre-ordered here. Made up of 15 tracks, it will be released as CD and cassette, with various exclusive vinyl formats that can be found on Del Rey’s official website. Take a look at the album’s artwork and tracklist below.

‘Blue Banisters’

1. ‘Textbook’
2. ‘Blue Banisters’
3. ‘Arcadia’
4. ‘Interlude – The Trio’
5. ‘Black Bathing Suit’
6. ‘If You Lie Down With Me’
7. ‘Beautiful’
8. ‘Violets for Roses’
9. ‘Dealer’
10. ‘Thunder’
11. ‘Wildflower Wildfire’
12. ‘Nectar of the Gods’
13. ‘Living Legend’
14. ‘Cherry Blossom’
15. ‘Sweet Carolina’

Prior to announcing ‘Blue Banisters’, Del Rey said she would release an album called ‘Rock Candy Sweet’ on June 1. She explained just days after ‘Chemtrails…’ arrived in March that this project would challenge the accusations of “cultural appropriation and glamorising domestic abuse” made against her earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Del Rey has revealed that a stipulation in her will prohibits the release of posthumous music by the singer-songwriter following her death.

It comes after Anderson .Paak recently shared a new tattoo he got with similar sentiments. “When I’m gone, please don’t release any posthumous albums or songs with my name attached,” the forearm tattoo reads. “Those were just demos and never intended to be heard by the public.”

Del Rey shared a screenshot of the tattoo in a post on her Instagram account. “It’s in my will but it’s also on his tattoo,” she captioned the post.

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Adele has spoken about her “sensitive” new album, saying that it is more personal to her than any of her previous records.

READ MORE: 15 times Adele was truly hilarious

In interviews published by Vogue and British Vogue today (October 7), the star opened up about her upcoming fourth album, which is rumoured to be called ’30’. She teased comeback single ‘Easy On Me’ earlier this week, but no information about the album’s release date has been disclosed.

Across the interviews, which were conducted in LA and New York respectively, the pop star spoke about the negative impact that her divorce from Simon Konecki, who lives across the street from her in LA, had on their nine-year-old son, Angelo.

She explained that despite the pain she was inflicting on her son in splitting from Konecki, she knew that she was doing the right thing. “If I can reach the reason why I left, which was the pursuit of my own happiness, even though it made Angelo really unhappy – if I can find that happiness and he sees me in that happiness, then maybe I’ll be able to forgive myself for it.”

The singer recalled a time when Angelo was six years old and said to her: “Can you see me?”

“And I was like, ‘Uh, yeah.’ said Adele. “And he was like, ‘Cause I can’t see you.’ Well, my whole life fell apart in that moment. He knew I wasn’t there.”

What ensued was more frequent conversations with him about what was happening. “That’s when I started sharing with him,” she said.

From there, Adele explained that the thematic foundations of her forthcoming album were set. She said she realised that her naturally defensive stance against men, as explored on previous albums, might have been more her problem than theirs.

“I realised that I was the problem. Cause all the other albums are like, ‘You did this! You did that! Fuck you! Why can’t you arrive for me?’ Then I was like: ‘Oh, shit, I’m the running theme, actually. Maybe it’s me!’” she said.

Adele performs live in 2016. CREDIT: Cooper Neill/Getty Images for BT PR

Adele went on to stress that Konecki, with whom she is on good terms and co-parents with, is “not one of my exes. He’s the dad of my child”.

So the album, she said is more about “me divorcing myself”. “Just being like, ‘Bitch, fucking hot mess, get your fucking shit together!’”

She added: “It’s sensitive for me, this record, just in how much I love it. I always say that ’21’ doesn’t belong to me anymore. Everyone else took it into their hearts so much. I’m not letting go of this one. This is my album. I want to share myself with everyone, but I don’t think I’ll ever let this one go.”

Elsewhere, in the British Vogue interview, she addressed falsehoods about her lifestyle change that saw her shed considerable weight over a two-year period. She explained that she decided to get physically fitter to help manage bouts of anxiety.

“It was because of my anxiety. Working out, I would just feel better. It was never about losing weight, it was always about becoming strong and giving myself as much time every day without my phone. I got quite addicted to it. I work out two or three times a day,” she said.

The singer added that she needed “to get addicted to something to get my mind right”.

“It could have been knitting, but it wasn’t. People are shocked because I didn’t share my ‘journey’. They’re used to people documenting everything on Instagram, and most people in my position would get a big deal with a diet brand. I couldn’t give a flying fuck. I did it for myself and not anyone else. So why would I ever share it? I don’t find it fascinating. It’s my body.”

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Kanye West is helping Kim Kardashian prepare for her debut Saturday Night Live hosting gig this Saturday (October 9).

READ MORE: Kanye West – ‘DONDA’ review: some gems among lots – and lots – of filler

That’s according to Page Six, which has reported that the separated couple have met up in New York where Kardashian is readying herself for the US entertainment show.

A source told the publication: “Kim is nervous about hosting SNL, it’s a big challenge but she is determined to be a success.

“Kanye is quietly advising her on her performance, her opening monologue, even her costumes for the show.”

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. CREDIT: Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

Kardashian was seen leaving her Upper East Side hotel on Tuesday (October 5) for what was believed to be meet-up with SNL guru Lorne Michaels, Page Six added. The reality TV star has admitted, via her Instagram, to feeling “the pressure” about the gig.

Earlier this year Kardashian filed for divorce from West after six years of marriage. Despite news of their separation, West brought Kardashian out on stage at the last of his ‘DONDA’ listening events in August in which Kardashian wore a wedding dress at the show’s end.

Meanwhile, West is reportedly set to open a new school in Southern California called ‘Donda Academy’.

Named after the rapper’s recent 10th studio album, the school has a specific focus on basketball and has already agreed transfers to the school of a number of the US’s most highly-rated high school basketball players.

The ‘Donda Academy’ is reportedly set on “finding the intersection between faith and the innovation of the future,” and will focus on “equipping students with an education that will last in the ever-changing world”.

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