Classic Hits

U2 was back in Las Vegas for weekend two of their U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency and changed up the set list a bit in light of the ongoing violence in Israel, adding “Pride” to the show. 

“In the light of what’s happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence…,” Bono told the crowd ahead of the performance. “But our hearts and our anger, you know where that’s pointed. So, sing with us… and those beautiful kids at that music festival…”

Bono changed the opening lyrics to the song, singing, “Early morning, October 7/ as the sun is rising in the dessert sky/ Stars of David they took your life/but they could not take your pride.” 

This weekend’s shows also saw the residency debut of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” which was played during the acoustic portion of the show.

U2 is back at the Sphere for their next show on Wednesday, October 11. A complete list of dates can be found at U2.com.

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On This Day, October 9, 1985…

John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono joined Beatles fans for the opening of Strawberry Fields in New York’s Central Park, a memorial to the late Beatle named after the Lennon-penned track “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

Located on Central Park West at 72nd Street, the five-acre plot of land features a circular memorial with a mosaic of stones with the word “Imagine,” the title of Lennon’s iconic tune. It is located not far from Lennon and Ono’s New York apartment, The Dakota, where Lennon was killed on December 8, 1980.

October 9 is also Lennon’s birthday and the opening ceremony coincided with what would have been his 45th birthday.

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Cher‘s first holiday album, Christmas, is her first new album since 2018’s Dancing Queen. But fans aren’t going to have to wait that long to get another project from the legendary diva.

Speaking to Billboard about Christmas, which is coming out October 20, Cher says, “I have another album to do right after this.” That project is presumably in addition to the November 3 release of the Believe box set, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of that 1998 album and its hit title track.

Meanwhile, Cher says she’s been thinking about resuming live performances. Her last tour was in 2014, but she cut it short due to health problems. She tells Billboard she recently told her producer she’d like to do a show featuring her own personal favorite songs. He suggested she do a show focused on the Christmas album, but she wasn’t into it.

Cher also confirms she won’t do a concert to promote the Believe reissue because she wouldn’t be ready to perform and also, that other album is taking up her time. So what are her live plans, then?

“Well, I don’t know. Look, if I do a concert, there’s gonna be a tour behind it,” she tells Billboard. “I’m working really hard right now. I’m training, like, unbelievably.”

“So I’m training and singing at the same time, which is always fun,” she says with sarcasm. “So I’m working on it.”

Meanwhile, you can listen to “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” the first release from Christmas, now: It’s available via digital outlets and YouTube. Cher’s Christmas is available for preorder now.

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Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett is set to reissue two of his solo albums on vinyl for the first time.

Newly remastered versions of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s 2003 album To Watch The Storms and 2006’s Wild Orchids will be released December 8 on 180-gram two-LP black and colored vinyl. Signed copies will be available as well.

“I’m delighted to announce the release of both To Watch The Storms and Wild Orchids on vinyl for the first time,” Hackett shares. “I’ve always been proud of these albums and it feels great to give them another lease of life.”

Both albums are available for preorder now.

Meanwhile, Hackett is busy on the road on his Foxtrot At Fifty & Hackett Highlights tour. He plays Albany, New York, on October 10. A complete list of dates can be found at hackettsongs.com.

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Bruce Springsteen recently released the new song “Addicted to Love” from the movie She Came To Me, starring Marissa Tomei, Peter Dinklage and Anne Hathaway. The idea to get The Boss for the song came from The National‘s Bryce Dessner.

Dessner produced the song and composed the music for the film. He tells Variety that while watching the movie with the film’s director, Rebecca Miller, he saw Tomei’s character as a “miraculous, amazing and powerful woman,” noting, “She just felt like she could be a character from a Springsteen song.”

“It was an absurd idea, but it just came to me,” he says. “What would normally feel insurmountable to most people is not the thing that occurs to Rebecca first, but she said, ‘Oh, that’s interesting.’”

Dessner had a feeling Bruce would agree to the song. After Miller finally approached Springsteen, he watched the movie and was on board.

“Bruce loved the idea. He loved the film. He was inspired and he allowed me to produce the song, and we became texting buddies,” Dessner says. 

He adds, “It’s a good testament in life. Just ask. Why not try things as opposed to thinking they’re not going to happen?”

She Came To Me opens in theaters Friday, October 6.

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Guitar legend Eddie Van Halen is being immortalized with a new Funko Pop.

Pop Eddie Van Halen with Guitar is a collectible of the late Rock & Roll Hall of Famer with his signature black and white striped guitar. The vinyl figure measures just under four-inches tall. 

The collectible is available now at Funko.com and will be coming to Funko flagship stores soon. There is a limit of two per household.

The release coincides with the third anniversary of Van Halen’s death. He passed away October 6, 2020, after a long battle with cancer.

Meanwhile, Van Halen has just released a newly remastered version of the video for their classic track “Right Now.” It is one of many songs that appear on the just-released box set The Collection II, which features remastered versions of the band’s four #1 albums with Sammy Hagar as well as a Studio Rarities album featuring eight non-album Hagar-era tracks.

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Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers fans are getting a preview of the upcoming expanded remastered edition of the band’s 2010 album, Mojo.

The rocker’s estate just released Petty’s cover of the Sonny Boy Williamson II song “Help Me,” one of two previously unreleased songs that will appear on the digital release, Mojo (Extra Mojo Edition). The other unreleased track is “Mystery of Love.” 

Both the digital Mojo (Extra Mojo Edition) and a limited edition Mojo on ruby red translucent vinyl will be released October 20. They are available for preorder now.

Released June 15, 2010, Mojo was Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ 12th studio album. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

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Bruce Springsteen has announced his 2024 plans.

In late September, The Boss pushed all of his remaining 2023 dates with the E Street Band to 2024 in order to give himself more time to recover from peptic ulcer disease. Well, now disappointed fans have something to look forward to, because he’s just revealed he’ll be returning to the stage starting in March of next year. 

The rescheduled shows kick off March 19 in Phoenix, Arizona, and run through September 13 in Baltimore, Maryland. So far, postponed Canadian dates have not been rescheduled, but they are expected to be announced next week. 

All previously purchased tickets will be valid for the new dates, and fans who can not make the new shows will receive refunds. Info on getting refunds can be found at the official site where the tickets were sold.

A complete list of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 2024 dates can be found at brucepsringsteen.net.

Springsteen and the E Street Band played their last show on September 3 in The Boss’ home state of New Jersey. He then announced the postponement of a handful of dates so he could focus on his health, but later pushed the whole tour to 2024 to give himself more time to recover.

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Cher is finally sharing details of her much-anticipated holiday album, Christmas, dropping October 20.

The album features 13 Christmas songs, including Cher’s take on holiday classics like “Santa Baby,” “Run Run Rudolph” and more, and four original tunes, including the just-released “DJ Play a Christmas Song.”

Cher has also recruited several special guests for the record, including Darlene Love, who joins her for “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” A 17-year-old Cher actually sang background vocals on Love’s original, which she recorded with Phil Spector.

Other features on the album include Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bublé and Tyga.

“I never say this about my own records but I’m really proud of this one,” says Cher. “It is one of the most amazing highlights of my career.”

You can listen to “DJ Play a Christmas Song” now via digital outlets and YouTube. Cher’s Christmas is available for preorder now.

Here is the track list for Cher’s Christmas:

“DJ Play A Christmas Song”
“What Christmas Means To Me” (with Stevie Wonder)
“Run Run Rudolph”
“Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” (with Darlene Love)
“Angels In The Snow”
“Home” (with Michael Bublé)
“Drop Top Sleigh Ride” (with Tyga)
“Please Come Home For Christmas”
“I Like Christmas”
“Christmas Ain’t Christmas Without You”
“Santa Baby”
“Put A Little Holiday In Your Heart “(with Cyndi Lauper)
“This Will Be Our Year”

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Queen is taking a look at some of their favorite performance venues over the years in episode 36 of their weekly YouTube series, Queen The Greatest Live.

“Iconic Venues” has guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor reflecting on the places they’ve played in their over 50-year career. May shares, “Madison Square Garden in New York was top of the list, that was a mythical place for us.” 

For Taylor, the Forum in Los Angeles is a particular favorite. He notes, “They’ve got something magical there. And of course, the audiences are great.”

In 1981, Queen graduated to stadiums playing their first huge gig in South America.

“We went down there with jumbo jets full of gear to play these football stadiums, not knowing if we would sell them out,” May says. “Suddenly, instead of 18,000 people in an arena, we’re playing outside to 100,000 or even more, 150,000 in the case of some of those places in Argentina and Brazil”

But those big audiences were never really a problem for Queen. “I think our music, we wanted it to be big and so I think we could project it and make it work in big places,” Taylor says. “I mean, other people have been good at it as well. I think it was particularly suited to us.”

Speaking of playing big venues, Queen just launched their Rhapsody Tour of North America. The show hits Toronto on Sunday, October 8. A complete list of dates can be found at queenonline.com.

Next week on Queen The Greatest Live: “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

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