Happy Halloween! Adam Lambert sets three October shows in Las Vegas

Happy Halloween! Adam Lambert sets three October shows in Las Vegas
Happy Halloween! Adam Lambert sets three October shows in Las Vegas
AEG Presents

Adam Lambert is heading back to Las Vegas for some spooky fun this October.

The singer will bring his concert production, called The Witch Hunt, to Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas for three shows: October 26, 28 and 29. Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 22 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com and WynnLasVegas.com.

The production is described as a “spectacularly spooky extravaganza complete” featuring “elaborate costumes.” In a statement, Adam says, “Halloween is my favorite time of the year and I am thrilled to celebrate it with a dark-sided trip into my repertoire. Join our coven and seek shelter from The Witch Hunt!”

Adam is currently touring Europe as part of his other gig as the lead singer of legendary British rockers Queen.

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Viva ZZ Top! Texas rock legends line up new Las Vegas residency in December

Viva ZZ Top! Texas rock legends line up new Las Vegas residency in December
Viva ZZ Top! Texas rock legends line up new Las Vegas residency in December
Courtesy of Live Nation

As ZZ Top prepares to release its latest album, Raw, this Friday, the Texas trio has announced plans for a new Las Vegas residency at The Venetian Theatre.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers’ latest engagement at the venue inside The Venetian Las Resort is a five-show stand scheduled for December 3, 4, 7, 9 and 10.

Tickets for the new concerts will go on sale to the general public this Friday, July 22 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster.com, VenetianLasVegas.com, box offices at the resort or by calling 866-641-7469.

Pre-sale tickets will be available to ZZ Top fan club members starting Tuesday, July 19 at 10 a.m. PT; Ticketmaster customers and the resorts’ Grazie loyalty members will have access to the pre-sale beginning Wednesday, July 20 at 10 a.m. PT.

ZZ Top has played several residencies at The Venetian over the years, with the most recent taking place in October 2021.

Leading up to the Vegas performances, the band has over 30 other concerts lined up around the U.S., including a trio of shows in Texas this September that will feature Jeff Beck and Heart‘s Ann Wilson.

Visit ZZTop.com to check out their full itinerary.

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Zakk Wylde confirms involvement in Pantera “celebration” tour

Zakk Wylde confirms involvement in Pantera “celebration” tour
Zakk Wylde confirms involvement in Pantera “celebration” tour
ABC Audio

Black Label Society frontman Zakk Wylde has confirmed he’s taking part in the reported Pantera tour.

Last week, Billboard reported that surviving members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown would be reviving the “Walk” outfit for a tour in 2023, later adding that Wylde and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante would be filling in for the late Abbott brothers, “Dimebag” Darrell and Vinnie Paul.

Speaking with the Danny Wimmer Presents YouTube channel, Wylde characterizes the tour as a Pantera “celebration,” comparing it to if Jimi Hendrix‘s bandmates Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell asked Eric Clapton to play the “Purple Haze” legend’s song with them on a Jimi Hendrix Celebration tour.

“You’re celebrating Vinnie and Dime’s greatness, and you’re celebrating all the mountains that Pantera conquered and crushed,” Wylde explains. “I think it’s a beautiful thing.”

“Obviously, it’s not Pantera,” he continues. “Pantera’s those four guys: it’s Phil, Rex, Dime and Vinnie. But it was just like when [Led] Zeppelin went out with [son of late drummer John Bonham] Jason Bonham it was phenomenal…it’s a great thing just to hear them play that music again.”

Neither Anselmo nor Brown has publicly commented on the reports, nor has any of the official Pantera channels. Benante, meanwhile, seemed to echo Wylde’s statements in a tweet defining the word “celebration” as “the action of marking one’s pleasure at an important event or occasion (concert) by engaging in enjoyable, typically social, activity.”

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Drake’s team denies he was arrested in Sweden

Drake’s team denies he was arrested in Sweden
Drake’s team denies he was arrested in Sweden
Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Drake‘s team is denying internet rumors that he was arrested in Sweden.

Social media posts suggested that Drake and his bodyguards had been taken into custody by police at a Stockholm nightclub Thursday night for marijuana possession. His team told The Hollywood Reporter that the Toronto rapper was in his hotel in the city and was not arrested.

The Champagne Papi arrived at Sweden’s Arlanda airport Wednesday on his private Boeing 767 dubbed “Air Drake.” According to local media reports, Drake visited the trendy Ostermalm district of Stockholm and stopped at Ciccio’s restaurant.

After his reps denied he was arrested, the four-time Grammy winner posted a document Sunday on Instagram, which appeared to confirm he was detained in Sweden.

Titled “Information for Those Suspected of a Crime and Subsequently Detained,” the sheet detailed a detainee’s rights in the country underneath the word “Polisen,” which means “police” in Swedish. It outlined what happens once a person is detained, including being interrogated for “a maximum of six hours” or taken into custody.

As previously reported, on Wednesday, Drake announced that his October World Weekend music festival will take place July 28-29 and August 1 in Toronto with a lineup, including a Young Money reunion featuring Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj as well as appearances from Lil Baby and Chris Brown.

“OCTOBER WORLD WEEKEND I am currently working on bringing OVO FEST around the world in 2023 for the 10th Anniversary but of course we wanted to turn the city up for the summer,” the Canadian rapper wrote alongside an Instagram post of the event. Tickets are now on sale on Ticketmaster.

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Lady Gaga admits she thought she would “never be on stage again”

Lady Gaga admits she thought she would “never be on stage again”
Lady Gaga admits she thought she would “never be on stage again”
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Lady Gaga may be on her long-awaited world tour, but she admits she once thought she’d never be able to tour again.

The singer made the remarks ahead of her Chromatica Ball tour opening in Germany on Sunday. She took to Twitter to explain just how meaningful the moment was to her.

“There was a time I thought I’d never be on stage again. I was so sad I couldn’t even dream anything but a painful nightmare,” she expressed. “I’ve overcome my nightmare with love, support, trust, truth, bravery, talent and dedication. I am so grateful.”

Gaga later shared her excitement ahead of the opening show, saying on Instagram that she’s nervous to tour again after a multi-year pause. “I feel more clear today than I have in a long time and more pain-free than I have in ages,” she explained. “Being free of pain, on stage, is a real healing experience because I am able to dance and sing and enjoy the audience and enjoy the show.”

Lady Gaga has openly struggled with her mental health, telling fans of her battles with depression, anxiety and PTSD. The Grammy winner was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a painful disorder that causes muscle pain and affects one’s sleep and mood, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“To anyone that doesn’t believe in fibromyalgia: I dare you to spend five minutes in my body on a day when I’m in pain, and then try and say it again,” she told Variety in 2018 of her diagnosis.

The “Rain on Me” singer’s twice pandemic-delayed Chromatica Ball tour is on its European leg and will be coming to North America on August 6. The multi-date trek wraps September 17 in Miami, Florida. 

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Louisiana abortion ban case to be heard before judge

Louisiana abortion ban case to be heard before judge
Louisiana abortion ban case to be heard before judge
Getty Images

(NEW ORLEANS) — The legal battle over Louisiana’s statewide abortion ban rages on with a court hearing slated for Monday.

Since the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, declaring there’s no federal constitutional right to end a pregnancy, Louisiana’s abortion “trigger laws” arguably went into automatic effect, meaning the procedure immediately became illegal in the state. However, a lawsuit led by the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Boies Schiller law firm on behalf of Hope Medical Group for Women — a Louisiana abortion provider — has challenged the state’s three abortion trigger laws.

A New Orleans judge issued a temporary order blocking enforcement of the state ban on June 27. Less than two weeks later, on July 8, another New Orleans judge decided not to extend the temporary order allowing for abortions and transferred the case to Baton Rouge, saying it had been filed in the wrong jurisdiction and that state law required it to be heard in the capital.

However, three days later, Judge Donald Johnson of Louisiana’s 19th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish issued a temporary order blocking the trigger laws pending a preliminary injunction hearing, which was scheduled to begin Monday morning. Louisiana’s three abortion clinics — in Shreveport, Baton Rouge and New Orleans — were allowed to resume operations until the court decides on whether to issue a preliminary injunction.

Following the historic ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, Louisiana was one of just three states to have immediate trigger laws restricting abortions, including a ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. These laws include “trigger language” designed to make them effective when federal abortion rights were reversed.

The first of Louisiana’s trigger laws was passed in 2006, stating that abortion under all circumstances except due to certain medical circumstances would become criminal offenses. However, there were no clear guidelines on how the ban would be enforced or exactly when it would become effective.

In June, in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, a second trigger law was signed, adding a statement directly relating to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

A third trigger law was enacted just days later, stating that it will ban abortion after 15 weeks of gestation, as opposed to the first and second bans on abortion at any point. The three bans also all differ on their penalty provisions. There are no exceptions for victims of rape and incest.

In the lawsuit, plaintiffs don’t deny that Louisiana can now outlaw abortion, but they claim that the state ban is unconstitutionally vague due to multiple, conflicting trigger mechanisms. They also contend that state law is unclear on whether it bans an abortion prior to a fertilized egg implanting in the uterus. Attorneys for the plaintiffs want the judge to keep blocking enforcement as their suit is litigated.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office will argue that the state ban is constitutional and should no longer be blocked. Last month, Landry lauded the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and warned that anyone wanting to fight abortion laws in his state is “in for a rough fight.”

ABC News’ Ely Brown, Kyla Guilfoil, Mary Kekatos and Briana Stewart contributed to this report.

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Wolfgang Van Halen comments on rumored Van Halen tour: “It never even got off the ground”

Wolfgang Van Halen comments on rumored Van Halen tour: “It never even got off the ground”
Wolfgang Van Halen comments on rumored Van Halen tour: “It never even got off the ground”
Scott Legato/Getty Images

Wolfgang Van Halen has commented on the rumored Van Halen tour that would pay tribute to his late father, the iconic Eddie Van Halen.

Reports of the tour first surfaced when former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted revealed that he was approached by VH drummer Alex Van Halen and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani for a jam session that ultimately “fizzled.” Satriani then confirmed that he’d been speaking with Alex and VH vocalist David Lee Roth about a potential tribute while admitting the whole thing was “complicated.”

Now, in an interview with Rolling Stone, Wolf reaffirmed that there were talks of a tribute to Eddie, sharing, “There was an attempt at doing something.” He added, “It was not a tour” but rather a single tribute concert.

“I don’t like to speak negatively about people, but there are some people that make it very difficult to do anything when it comes to Van Halen,” Wolf said. “We made an attempt, and some people can be hard to work with, and made it not happen.”

When asked to clarify his involvement in the project, Wolf explained, “When it comes to Van Halen, and decision-making overall and what Van Halen does, it’s Al, and then I’m there and supportive.”

As for whether he gave his “blessing,” he said, “It didn’t even get to that point.”

“It was in such an early stage that it never even got off the ground,” Wolf added, explaining that by the time Newsted had made his comments, “It was already not happening.”

The interviewer then asked if a certain “singer with three initials” is to blame, and Wolf replied, “I would say, ‘Do your research on the history of Van Halen, and come to your conclusions.'”

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Billie Eilish wants fans to vote in midterm elections, so she’s teamed with HeadCount

Billie Eilish wants fans to vote in midterm elections, so she’s teamed with HeadCount
Billie Eilish wants fans to vote in midterm elections, so she’s teamed with HeadCount
ABC

Billie Eilish is letting fans know that if they aren’t happy with the current state of political affairs and want things to change, they have to vote. That’s why she’s partnered with HeadCount.

HeadCount is a non-profit organization that works toward registering all eligible voters. Billie says in a statement of her new partnership, “I’m working with HeadCount to encourage everyone to show up at the polls and use their voice during these midterm elections.”

“With what is going on in our country we need to get out to the polls and vote for what we believe in,” she continued. “Not showing up is not an option.”

Fans who are eligible to vote have two new ways to check their registration status or sign up to vote: By visiting HeadCount.org/Billie or texting “BILLIE” to 57568. Doing so opens fans up to a cool contest, where a grand prize winner will score a VIP trip to see Billie in Australia and New Zealand in September.

The winner and a friend won’t have to lift a finger to get ready as airfare, hotel accommodations and tickets will be included in the grand prize package. They will also be hooked up with a signed merchandise package.

According to HeadCount, nearly half of all individuals aged between 18 and 24 years old are still not registered to vote. That accounts for eight million votes.

“Gen Z represents a significant demographic that could greatly affect laws and policies across the country,” HeadCount explains. The organization hopes that by teaming with the “bad guy” singer, more people will be inspired to let their voices be heard during November’s midterm elections.

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“Country On”: Luke Bryan celebrates birthday with family — and a custom Two Lane birthday cake

“Country On”: Luke Bryan celebrates birthday with family — and a custom Two Lane birthday cake
“Country On”: Luke Bryan celebrates birthday with family — and a custom Two Lane birthday cake
ABC

Luke Bryan‘s birthday was filled with family, fun and fishing! 

On Sunday, the country superstar celebrated his 46th birthday surrounded by family, including his wife, Caroline, their two sons, Bo and Tate, and nephew Til. Caroline posted a photo featuring a custom cake that boasts a giant can of his Two Lane Beer made of frosting and the phrase “Happy Birthday Luke!” written in gold lettering. Luke was clearly pleased with the surprise as he excitedly points down at the cake, while his wife plants a kiss on his cheek. 

Caroline also shared a video of the family goofily dancing around the house, while she pretends to spank her husband and 14-year-old son Bo jumps on his back.  

“Birthday fishing trip, let’s go!” Luke says, rounding everybody up to leave the house. 

“Happy Birthday to my Hunk of burning love!!! We love you! And….I’m going fishing again because well…it’s your birthday!” his wife captions the entertaining video. 

Caroline also revealed on Instagram Stories that she had a series of humorous cookies made displaying photos of Luke, including one of him dressed as an old lady on Halloween.

On his own Stories, the “Country On” singer shared a video of him blowing out a candle on a tiny cupcake backstage ahead of a show. “I wish to catch a lot of fish,” he says with a smile before raising a toast with his band as they all chant “cake budget.” 

Luke is currently on his Raised Up Right Tour. 

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The Weeknd flies out six-year-old fan to see him in Philadelphia

The Weeknd flies out six-year-old fan to see him in Philadelphia
The Weeknd flies out six-year-old fan to see him in Philadelphia
Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation

The Weeknd went out of his way to console a disappointed six-year-old fan who was unable to see him in concert in Toronto.  

The Grammy winner’s tour is finally up and running after a rocky false start in the Canadian city, which was hit by a massive network outage. The Weeknd was forced to cancel the July 8 show at Rogers Centre and that devastated Phoenix Prince, who had dressed up like the “Save Your Tears” hitmaker to see him in concert.

A photo of him crying outside the venue went viral and The Weeknd retweeted it, asking his fans to “please find him for me.” His supporters went to work, and soon enough, Phoenix and his dad boarded a flight to Philadelphia to see him in concert at Lincoln Financial Field.

Phoenix’s dad shared photos of his son embracing the “Blinding Lights” singer backstage, being given the grand tour of the venue and having his little red tux signed by the hitmaker. 

“I wouldn’t be able to put this last week into words if I tried. We are forever grateful for this moment. We are beyond thankful to Abel and his beautiful crew for their friendship, hospitality, generosity and for spending day with Phoenix and I,” he wrote on Instagram. “He will cherish this experience forever. Thank you a million times over.”

In other Weeknd news, the official teaser trailer for his HBO Max show The Idol is finally here! Teased as “the sleaziest love story,” the show stars Lily-Rose Depp as an aspiring pop star who falls in love with The Weeknd’s character, a cult leader.

The spicy teaser promises plenty of drama and HBO-worthy scenes. Although the show is “coming soon,” the official release date is forthcoming.

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