Music – Page 3529 – 105.7 WDNY

Sting says “no thanks” to the idea of retirement: “I can’t imagine life without working onstage

November 8, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Sting recently turned 70, but unlike fellow rock star Elton John, he has no plans to retire any time soon…or ever, actually.

Speaking to USA Today, Sting says asking him to imagine never touring again would be like “asking a fish what it’s going to be like without water.” He adds, “I can’t imagine life without working onstage. I love it.”

In fact, Sting’s busier than ever. On November 19, he’ll release a new album The Bridge, which he says he recorded “as a way to save his mental health” during lockdown. He also launched his first-ever Las Vegas residency, My Songs, which he jokes is “better” than Elton’s residency, The Red Piano.

On top of that, Sting did a comic turn as a murder suspect in the hit Hulu series Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.

“I’ve worked with both Steve Martin and Martin Short many times over the years and they knew I could say lines at least,” Sting says of getting the part. “I’d never worked with Selena, and she was fabulous. It was fun.”

Sting’s Las Vegas show, at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, runs through November 13, and will then return in June for more dates. Sting also has a European tour kicking off in March.

Some victims in Travis Scott Astroworld stage-surge identified, cause of surge still being investigated

November 7, 2021 by WDNY Radio

As names of some of the victims emerged in the deadly stage-surge horror at the Astroworld Festival concert in Houston, the medical examiner is asking for the public’s help in identifying one young man who died in the chaos that erupted during rapper Travis Scott‘s performance.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences released a post-mortem photo of the 6-foot-2, nearly 500-pound man, who perished at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, where he was brought after Friday night’s mayhem.

He was among eight concert-goers killed when throngs in the estimated crowd of 50,000 packed into NRG Stadium in Texas, and suddenly surged toward the stage, authorities said.

Three of the people killed were identified by either their families or the schools they attended.

The youngest victim who died was 14-year-old John Hilgert, a freshman at Memorial High School in Houston, according to a letter the school’s principal sent to parents.

Also killed was 16-year-old Brianna Rodriguez, a junior at Heights High School in Houston, and Franco Patino, 21, a senior at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

As previously reported, the concert bedlam unfolded around 9:30 p.m. local time Friday when the “the crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage,” Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena told reporters during a news conference Friday night.

At least 13 people injured remain hospitalized, including five under the age of 18, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told reporters during a briefing.

What triggered the surge is under investigation by the Houston Police Department. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he has ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to make state resources available to support the investigation.

Scott has since addressed the incident. He first posted a statement on social media saying he is “absolutely devastated” by what happened. He later shared updates on his Instagram Stories, saying he was “working closely with everybody to get to the bottom of this.”

His girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, also posted a statement via her IG Stories, which reads in part that she is “broken and devastated” by the incident, and that her “thoughts and prayers” are with those who lost their lives and were affected.

Eight people dead, hundreds injured at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival

November 6, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Eight people are dead and hundreds more were injured Friday night at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival at NRG Park in Houston, authorities confirmed to local ABC affiliate KTRK.

According to Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña, the worst of the incident occurred around 9:15 p.m. when the crowd of around 50,000 began to surge towards the front of the stage and people began to panic.

The concert was halted shortly after and a second show scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled. Video from Apple Music’s livestream of the event was posted to social media, showing Scott stopping mid-performance and calling for security after he notices someone passed out in the audience.

Festival organizers released a statement Saturday morning, saying, “Our hearts are with the Astroworld Festival family tonight — especially those we lost and their loved ones. We are focused on supporting local officials however we can.”

“With that in mind the festival will no longer be held on Saturday. As authorities mentioned in their press conference earlier, they are looking into the series of cardiac arrests that took place. If you have any relevant information on this, please reach out to Houston Police. Thank you to our partners at the Houston Police Department, Fire Department, and NRG Park for their response and support.”

As of Saturday morning the victims had not been publicly identified. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine how the eight people died.

‘Tis the season: Watch Mariah Carey’s new holiday video, “Fall In Love at Christmas”

November 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Snow? Check. Christmas tree? Check. Mariah Carey in a glamorous gown, hitting those high notes and singing with a gospel choir? Check. “Fall In Love at Christmas” is Mariah’s latest seasonal offering: A single and video featuring her performing with Khalid and gospel legend Kirk Franklin.

The song starts out as an R&B love ballad, as Mariah and Khalid croon to each other in “The Butterfly Lounge” — a room decked with Christmas decorations and framed platinum albums — and outdoors in the snow. Mariah’s twins Monroe and Moroccan put in an appearance, as does one of her dogs.

But then Franklin, who’s been playing piano in the background, suddenly brings out a gospel choir and takes us to church, as the song switches from being about falling in love with someone at Christmas, to being about finding “love for all mankind” this holiday season, because “we all need grace to heal our troubled minds.”

Mariah, Khalid and Franklin will perform the song together on Mariah’s upcoming AppleTV+ special Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues, debuting in December.

Recent documentary about Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott released as a digital video

November 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Phil Lynott: Songs for While I’m Away, a 2020 documentary about the life and music of late Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, got its release on digital video today, November 5.

The film tells the story of how a Black boy raised during the 1950s by a working-class family in Dublin went on to become one of Ireland’s biggest rock stars, before dying in 1986 of drug-related health issues at the age of 36.

The film features archival footage of and conversations with Lynott, as well as new interviews with Thin Lizzy members and/or alums Scott Gorham, Eric Bell, Darren Wharton and Midge Ure, as well as with such other notable music artists as U2‘s Adam Clayton, Metallica‘s James Hetfield, Huey Lewis and Suzi Quatro.

The movie also includes conversations with Phil’s wife, Caroline Taraskevics, and his daughters Sarah and Catherine Lynott.

You can check out a trailer for the documentary at Thin Lizzy’s official YouTube channel. The promo includes archival audio commentary from Phil, as well as brief voice-over segments from various people, including Hetfield, who calls Lynott “one of the greatest songwriters of all time,” and Lewis, who says Phil was “literally the best hard-rock entertainer I’ve ever seen.”

For more details about the movie, visit PhilLynottFilm.com.

Rick Ross announces new album, ‘Richer Than I Ever Been,’ dropping December 10

November 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Rick Ross wants his fans to be in the Christmas spirit as he announced Friday on Instagram he’s dropping his new album in early December.

The Boss is releasing his 11th studio album, Richer Than I Ever Been, on December 10. The album artwork features a close-up of the “Gold Rose” rapper dressed in cream attire with matching gloves covering his face, with a pale pink hat rounding out the outfit.

The lead single “OUTLAWZ,” featuring 21 Savage and Jazmine Sullivan, will hit streaming services on Friday, November 12.

Ricky Rozay’s previous studio release, 2019’s Port of Miami 2, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, featuring Drake, Lil Wayne, John Legend, Meek Mill, Swizz Beatz, Wale, Summer Walker, Nipsey Hussle, and more.

Ross is currently on tour and performs Friday night in Columbia, South Carolina

Billie Eilish signs petition asking President Biden to send pardoned turkeys to animal sanctuary

November 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Billie Eilish is one of several celebrities who’ve signed a petition asking President Biden to make sure any turkeys he plans to symbolically “pardon” this year have a good home.

Farm Sanctuary, which rescues farm animals and rehomes them at its properties in Los Angeles and New York State, started the petition to ask that the turkeys be sent to them, so that they can receive special care after being “pardoned” in the traditional pre-Thanksgiving ceremony at the White House.

“These turkeys are often sent to farms, petting zoos, and universities with poultry science programs, where they are likely not cared for as individuals with unique personalities, emotions, needs, and preferences,” Farm Sanctuary notes.

“Modern turkeys have been genetically altered to grow exceptionally fast and large and they require specialized attention, which birds pardoned by previous presidents haven’t received,” the petition reads.

“As we approach the holiday season—meant to be a time of gratitude and goodwill—we hope you’ll accept our offer to provide sanctuary and the best life possible for pardoned turkeys,” it continues. “Here, they will have the opportunity to dust bathe, feel grass beneath their feet, enjoy a robust social life, and receive personalized care.”

Billie, who’s been vegan since the age of 12, is just one of a number of stars who’ve signed the petition, among them Joaquin Phoenix, Dave Bautista, Ricky Gervais, Mayim Bialik, Rooney Mara, Margaret Cho and Natasha Lyonne.

Fetty Wap released on bond with restrictions after pleading not guilty to federal drug charges

November 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

After pleading not guilty to federal drug charges last week, Willie Maxwell II, better known as “Fetty Wap,” has been released on bond.

ABC News confirmed on Friday that the New Jersey rapper was released on a $500,000 secured bond along with other restrictions. As part of his release he must stay under GPS monitoring, submit to random drug testing, surrender his passport, and only travel with the prior approval of Pre-trial Services and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

As previously reported, Fetty Wap was arrested October 28 during the Rolling Loud music festival at Citi Field in Queens, New York. He was charged with five others, including a New Jersey corrections officer, with conspiring to distribute and possess controlled substances across Long Island and New Jersey.

Fetty pleaded not guilty to those charges during his arraignment on October 29 and faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

Watch Billy Joel’s first-ever video — from 1971! — now on YouTube

November 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

On November 1, Billy Joel celebrated his 50th anniversary as a recording artist, and now he’s turning back the clock by posting his very first music video.

But maybe calling it a “music video” oversells it: It’s a 1971 film of a long-haired, bearded Billy in his early twenties, sitting at a piano and playing “Everybody Loves You Now,” a track from his debut solo album Cold Spring Harbor.

Cold Spring Harbor is one of the albums included in The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1: a new box set of nine vinyl LPs featuring Billy’s first six studio albums and his first live album, Songs in the Attic, plus a previously unreleased double-LP concert recording that’s exclusive to the box set. The set also comes with a 50-page booklet featuring archival photos, Billy’s personal observations, and tributes from fellow musicians and celebrities.

The box set is out today. Tonight, Billy resumes his residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden. He recently announced two more stadium shows for 2022: a March 12 concert at Orlando, FL’s Camping World Stadium and a September 23 show at Minute Maid Park in Houston, TX. Tickets for both shows go on sale November 12.

Drake debuts “Knife Talk” video; opens new concert venue in Toronto

November 5, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Drake is still in an eerie Halloween mood as he dropped his black and white horror show “Knife Talk” video Friday featuring 21 Savage and Project Pat. The track from his chart-topping Certified Lover Boy album is currently number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It mixes footage from the 1962 low budget horror thriller Carnival of Souls, and the 1971 Italian slasher flick The Mad Butcher, with cartoon imagery and zombies, as well as dolls and puppets rapping the lyrics.

The Champagne Papi is also debuting a new concert venue in his hometown, Toronto, Canada. Named History, the 2,500-capacity concert hall will open Sunday, and plans to host 200 events a year. The lineup includes Jack Harlow on November 16, and Teyana Taylor on her The Last Rose Petal Farewell Tour on November 18. Next year, WizKid will perform on January 20 and 21.

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