Music

Jay-Z always knows how to throw a great party, and he’ll celebrate the 18th anniversary of his 40/40 sports club in Manhattan with his personal VIP list.

Hova sent out custom-made, hourglass invitations to Diddy, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Meek Mill, Lil Uzi Vert, Bobby Shmurda, Rapsody, Remy Ma and more to join him for the grand reopening of his club on August 28, according to The Source. The Roc Nation CEO is hiring 100 new staffers for the bi-level venue.

The name “40/40” represents the rare baseball achievement of hitting at least 40 home runs and stealing at least 40 bases in a single season. Only four MLB players — Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Jose Canseco and Alfonso Soriano — have accomplished the feat.

In 2012, Jay and Beyoncé hosted a fundraiser for President Barack Obama at 40/40 attended by 100 guests, which raised $4 million at $40,000 a ticket.

Jay-Z also owns 40/40 clubs at the Atlanta airport and Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Clubs in Atlantic City and Las Vegas are now closed.

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A month before they were set to kick off their 2021 I Love My Country Tour, Florida Georgia Line are canceling their plans. The duo announced on Friday that the trek, which would have run through November, will not take place after all.

The news comes amid rising COVID-19 cases nationwide, and continuing concern over safety protocols during the pandemic. Refunds will be automatically issued to ticket holders via the point of purchase. 

“There is nothing better than seeing all of your faces from the stage, feeling your good energy and making memories together,” the duo’s Tyler Hubbard says. “We were hopeful we could get back on the road this fall, and are so bummed to have to cancel this tour, but we know in our hearts that we still have to make sure we’re keeping our fans and crew safe.”

Many other touring acts and festivals have also had to make changes to their planned shows because of the rise of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Entertainment company Live Nation recently implemented a new policy, in which fans will have to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a 72-hour negative test in order to attend events, for example. 

“To our fans, band, crew and all the venues around the country, thank you for your love and support!” adds Hubbard’s FGL band mate Brian Kelley. “We couldn’t do what we do without you, and we hope we can all do our part to bring live music back soon.”

The 2021 I Love My Country Tour would have also featured opening acts Russell Dickerson, Lauren Alaina and Redferrin.

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Even though the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep Kenny Chesney off the road, he’s making it a point to celebrate summer with No Shoes Nation.

The singer surprised fans with his beachy new “Beautiful World” music video today. The clip follows Kenny through a perfect day out on the water, complete with a sailboat, a seaside sunset and a chance to just lounge in the sand with his guitar. 

Kenny says the “Beautiful World” video was his way of summing up his appreciation of the beauty of the natural world.

“I was thinking about that feeling, thinking about how I could maybe capture it — and give it back to the people, and it hit me: Show them some of the best days of my life out on the water,” he explains. “The beauty, the easy way the sun hangs in the sky and the water just goes on and on? It makes you happy just to see it.”

“Beautiful World” is on the track list of Kenny’s deluxe Here and Now project, which he released in May.

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Ministry has premiered a cover of The Stooges‘ “Search and Destroy.”

Al Jourgensen puts his signature industrial metal spin on the proto-punk classic for his band’s upcoming album, Moral Hygiene, due out October 1. He was originally inspired to cover the song after previously performing it with Billy Idol guitarist Billy Morrison and Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction during the pair’s 2019 Above Ground charity concert.

“We rehearsed it and the song was perfect but the show was running late and by the time we got on stage, I was in half time and singing the lyrics twice as slow,” Jourgensen recalls. “Fortunately Billy and Dave Navarro are professionals and they realized what was going on and sort of covered for me but I felt horrible.”

He continues, “Billy thought it actually sounded really good in half-time so he came to me with the idea of going into the studio and recording it that way. And I figured I owed him one.”

The “Search and Destroy” cover is available now for digital download. Its accompany video, which finds Jourgensen and Morrison rocking out together in the desert, is streaming now on YouTube.

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Eddie Vedder is rocking around the clock with his cover of the R.E.M. classic, “Drive.”

The Pearl Jam frontman put his spin on the Automatic for the People opener for the soundtrack to the new film, Flag Day. While Vedder’s version stays true to the slow burning original musically, his baritone vocals give the track a different kind of vibe.

Along with the “Drive” cover, the Flag Day soundtrack includes a number of original Vedder tunes recorded with Irish musician and Once star Glen Hansard, as well as new music from Cat Power. Additionally, the album features the musical debut of Vedder’s daughter, Olivia, who performs songs titled “My Father’s Daughter” and “There’s a Girl.”

Fittingly, Flag Day stars another father-daughter pair: Sean and Dylan Penn. Both the film and its soundtrack are out today.

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Motionless in White has premiered a new song called “Timebomb.”

The track certainly lives up to its name, thanks to big guitar riffs and snarling vocals. You can download “Timebomb” now via digital outlets, and watch its accompanying sci-fi-themed video streaming now on YouTube.

“Timebomb” is Motionless in White’s first new song of 2021. Last year, the group premiered a track called “Creatures X: To the Grave” to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 2010 debut album, Creatures. They also released a cover of The Killers’ “Somebody Told Me.”

Motionless in White’s most recent album is 2019’s Disguise, which includes the singles “Another Life” and “Brand New Numb.”

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Justin Bieber has revealed the “Friends” that will be joining him for his upcoming Las Vegas show.

David Guetta, Jaden Smith, Kehlani, The Kid LAROI, British DJ TroyBoi and Justin’s mentee, Eddie Benjamin, have all been tapped as the supporting acts for Justin Bieber & Friends, The Vegas Weekender. 

The three-day event takes over XS Nightclub and Encore Beach Club at the Wynn Las Vegas October 7-10. In addition to an intimate headlining show, guests will have access to a pool party, secret after party, a skate park and an activation that features some of the superstar’s favorite food and drink pop-ups.  

The “Peaches” singer performed at the Wynn in July where he was joined by The Kid LAROI. He and Smith are also featured on Justin’s latest album, Justice, with TroyBoi appearing on one of the alternate editions. Guetta teamed up with the headliner on the 2017 hit song, “2U,” while Kehlani sings with Justin on 2020’s “Get Me.”

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Asking Alexandria has announced a new album called See What’s on the Inside.

The seventh studio effort from the U.K. metal outfit will arrive October 1. It’s the follow-up to 2020’s Like a House on Fire, which spawned the singles “Antisocialist” and “They Don’t Want What We Want (And They Don’t Care).”

Our first peek of See What’s on the Inside is a song called “Alone Again,” which is available now for digital download. The track includes a 56-instrumental prelude, which is listed as a separate piece dubbed “Intro” on the record.

Here’s the See What’s on the Inside track list:

“Intro”
“Alone Again”
“Faded Out”
“Never Gonna Learn”
“If I Could Erase It”
“Find Myself”
“You’ve Made It This Far”
“See What’s on the Inside”
“Misery Loves Company”
“Fame”
“The Grey”

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