Maynard James Keenan and company have announced a huge world tour for next year, marking their return to the stage since playing their pre-pandemic show in March 2020.
The U.S. leg is set to kick off January 10 in Eugene, Oregon, and will wrap up March 20 in Cleveland. A European leg will then launch in April.
“It is with great pleasure I get to announce our return to the road,” says drummer Danny Carey. “These past 18 months have been trying to say the least but from great trials come great lessons and great rewards. We are genuinely looking forward to sharing them with you.”
Keenan adds, “Let’s finish what we started. Shall we?”
Tickets for the U.S. shows go on sale this Friday, October 1, at 10 a.m. local time. Members of the Tool Army fan club will have access to a pre-sale.
For the full list of dates and ticket info, visit ToolBand.com.
Tool had been touring last year in support of their 2019 comeback album Fear Inoculum when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Keenan himself contracted the virus twice.
The Rolling Stones kicked off their first tour ever without longtime drummer Charlie Watts on Sunday at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
The show began with a tribute to Watts, who died August 24 at age 80, and marked the band’s first official concert with Charlie’s handpicked fill-in, acclaimed drummer Steve Jordan.
The Stones played a 19-song set made up mainly of classics from their back catalog, and also included a rendition of their 2020 single, “Living in a Ghost Town.”
A few days before the concert, fans were given the chance to vote on one song that would appear in the set, and the 1971 hit “Wild Horses” was chosen over “Angie,” “Fool to Cry” and “Ruby Tuesday.”
The Rolling Stones kicked off the show with “Street Fighting Man” and wrapped things up with their signature tune “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” As the band gathered at the front of the stage at the end of the gig, a photo of Watts appeared on the screen behind them.
Frontman Mick Jagger has posted a brief video clip from the show on his socialmediapages showing him singing a segment of “Midnight Rambler,” and accompanied by the message, “Thanks St. Louis for a great night!”
In addition, the band has posted an image of guitarist Ronnie Wood‘s illustrated set list for the St. Louis concert at the band’s own socialmediasites, and limited-edition prints of the hand-drawn list have been made available for purchase at Wood’s official online store.
The Stones’ 2021 No Filter Tour of the U.S. continues this Thursday, September 30, with a show in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Here’s the band full set list from the St. Louis concert:
“Street Fighting Man”
“It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)”
“Tumbling Dice”
“Under My Thumb”
“19th Nervous Breakdown”
“Wild Horses”
“Can’t Always Get What You Want”
“Living in a Ghost Town”
“Start Me Up”
“Honky Tonk Women”
“Happy”
“Slipping Away”
“Miss You”
“Midnight Rambler”
“Paint It Black”
“Sympathy for the Devil”
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
“Gimme Shelter”
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
Last year, former Blue Öyster Cult drummer Albert Bouchard released a reimagined version of his old band’s 1988 concept album, Imaginos, aptly titled Re Imaginos. Now Bouchard has announced plans for a sequel record that will be the second installment of a planned Imaginos-themed trilogy.
Imaginos II — Bombs over Germany (minus zero and counting), which will be released on October 22, continues the story based on the writings and poems of late Blue Öyster Cult manager, producer and songwriter Sandy Pearlman about an alien conspiracy that comes to fruition during the late 1800s and early 1900s through the actions of an evil character named Imaginos.
The new album features guest contributions from longtime Blue Öyster Cult members Eric Bloom and Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser and the group’s former bassist, Joe Bouchard, and current multi-instrumentalist Richie Castellano, as well as from Dictators guitarist Ross the Boss.
Imaginos II features new versions of a variety of early Blue Öyster Cult songs, including “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll,” “The Red and the Black” and “Dominance and Submission.”
The album’s lead single, an updated rendition of the 1973 BÖC tune “OD’d on Life Itself,” has been released as an advance digital track, and a lyric video for the song has premiered on YouTube.
“This version of ‘OD’d on Life Itself’ is a very different take on the song that was recorded for BÖC’s second album, Tyranny and Mutation,” Albert explains. “The lyrics return to the original lyrics written by Sandy Pearlman, much less sarcastic and much more spooky.”
Imaginos II can be pre-ordered now on CD at MerchBucket.com, and limited-edition bundles also can be purchased that include an autographed CD and poster, plus a T-shirt and a guitar pick.
Here’s the album’s full track list:
“When War Comes”
“Independence Day”
“7 Screaming Dizbusters”
“OD’d on Life Itself”
“Il Duce”
“Bombs over Germany”
“Before the Kiss (A Redcap)”
“Three Sisters”
“Quicklime Girl (Mistress of the Salmon Salt)”
“The Red and the Black”
“Dominance and Submission”
“Shadow of California”
“Cities on Flame (with Rock and Roll)”
“Half Life Times”
Former Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl is speaking out again, in a social media post in which she revists past comments that branded her “difficult” to work with.
In a lengthy post emblazoned with the logo of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the strike-bound showbiz union representing tens of thousands of behind-the-scenes workers, Heigl threw her support behind the union’s push for fairer working conditions.
“They have been family…and I have always and will always continue to support and stand by them,” Heigl noted.
“…[O]ver ten years ago I was very vocal about the absurdity of the working hours crews and actors were being forced into by production. Even Diane Sawyer…not so kindly informed me ‘no one feels sorry for you.'”
“I very publicly and for many…years after got my a** kicked for speaking up,” the actress continues. “I let myself be convinced that I was wrong…That speaking out made me seem ungrateful or precious or as if I were ‘biting the hand that fed me’.”
Today, Heigl declares, “…that nasty insecure voice in me has started to go from a roar to a whisper….So I speak up today and say with zero hesitation or regret…14, 16, 17, 18-hour workdays are NOT safe….They can not and should NO longer be tolerated.”
“The number of people who have fallen asleep at the wheel is staggering,” Heigel asserts. “The number of accidents that happen on set due to exhaustion is shocking…There is nothing glamorous or sexy about working past the point of exhaustion. There is nothing, NOTHING that warrants pushing yourself into an early grave.”
Her post was liked nearly 200,000 times as of Monday morning, by fans, union members, and industry supporters.
If it’s the fall, there must be a new Pentatonix Christmas album around the corner.
The Grammy-winning a cappella group will release their sixth holiday project, Evergreen, on October 29. The first track, a version of the 1945 standard “It’s Been a Long, Long Time,” is out now, and you’ll get it free if you pre-order the album.
“It’s Been a Long, Long Time” isn’t actually a Christmas song, but its message of longing to be with loved ones after being apart for a while is apropos as the group returns to the road to see their fans, and people reunite with families they may not have been able to see for the holidays last year.
Pentatonix is also launching their Evergreen Christmas Tour 2021, which starts November 27 in Baltimore, MD before wrapping up in the group’s home state of Texas on December 22 and 23. Tickets go on sale October 1 at 10 a.m. local time. More details are available at PTXofficial.com.
“We can’t wait to perform songs off of our new record for you this holiday season!” the group writes on Instagram.
Last year, Pentatonix released the album We Need a Little Christmas, in addition to their non-Christmas EP, At Home. Earlier this year, the quintet released an album of original material, The Lucky Ones.
Spencer Elden, who was photographed as a baby for the cover of Nirvana‘s Nevermind album cover, is pleading with the band to censor his genitalia on all future reissues of the album.
The album artwork famously depicts the then-infant Elden swimming naked underwater while reaching for a dollar bill on a fishing hook. Last month, he sued Nirvana for child pornography.
According to Billboard, Elden has amplified his grievances by demanding the band censor the artwork, which includes the 30th anniversary reissues of Nevermind that arrive November 12.
In a statement obtained by Billboard, Elden’s attorneys declare, “Today, like each year on this date, our client Spencer Elden has had to brace himself for renewed unwanted attention from the media and fans alike throughout the world. This is a choice that he has never had. It has been thrust upon him, and for 30 years he has dealt with its devastating and painful consequences. Our message to Nirvana is clear — redact the image of Mr. Elden’s genitalia from all future album covers.”
Nirvana nor its label, Universal Music Group, have publicly commented on the matter.
The band, comprised of members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and the late Kurt Cobain, released Nevermind on September 24, 1991. It’s since been certified Diamond by the RIAA for over 10 million sales.
(NEW YORK) — If you’re concerned about travel plans changing during the holidays, experts say it’s important to take stock of any vouchers you may be sitting on and utilize the lack of change fees.
1. Take Advantage of No Change Fees
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, major U.S. airlines have done away with change fees, allowing travelers to be more flexible with their plans and giving them the option to switch travel dates and flights.
Scott Keyes, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, said it’s crucial to take advantage of this policy when booking holiday trips.
“During the pandemic, the airlines got rid of those change fees for most flights, so now when you book a flight, as long as it’s not in Basic Economy, you automatically have flexibility so that you can change your flight later on without having to pay any penalty to do so,” Keyes said in an interview with ABC News. “If the new flights you switch to are more expensive, you do have to cover that fare difference, but if the new dates are cheaper, you’ll actually get the difference back in the form of a travel credit.”
While carriers are being more accommodating, Keyes said it’s important to not think of this policy as “free cash.”
“What folks have now when they travel is that they have the flexibility to be able to change their travel dates or get a voucher from the airline for future travel, but again not conflating that with getting a cash refund.”
However, if you want to be certain that you will get your money back, be sure to book a “refundable” fare.
“To be able to get your money back for a flight that you no longer want to take, you had to have booked a much more expensive refundable ticket,” Keyes said. “Those are the only ones that allow you to fully get your money back if you decide later to cancel.”
2. Check to see if you have any vouchers, and if they’re still valid
If you didn’t book that refundable fare, you’re next best bet is contacting your airline and obtaining a travel voucher — this will allow you to use that money with the airline and rebook at a later date.
However, those vouchers don’t last forever, Keyes said.
“Vouchers in general have a use it or lose it component,” Keyes said. “You want to find out what the expiration date is so it doesn’t accidentally expire without your even realizing it.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, airlines began offering customers travel vouchers for trips already booked. Policies vary from carrier to carrier, so it’s important to read the fine print.
“You want to find out what is the expiration date refer to — does this refer to the date I have to travel by or just the date I have to book my flight by,” Keyes said.
If your voucher has expired, Keyes said not to lose hope.
“Give the airline a call and see if they’re willing to extend the deadline,” Keyes said. “The number of people traveling is still down significantly from where it was pre-pandemic and airlines are trying to engender not only goodwill among travelers, but also trying to make sure that folks fill up those planes.”
“It never hurts to ask.”
3. Treat it like a game of chicken
If your trip is already booked but you think you might have to make changes, Keyes said it might be worth waiting until the last minute to cancel or tweak your trip.
“My best piece of advice in that scenario is to treat it like a game of chicken,” Keyes said. “It’s either you cancel the flight, and you’re going to get a travel voucher from the airline, or maybe they cancel the flight, in which case you would be entitled to a cash refund — so it’s whoever blinks first.”
Last year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) cracked down on airlines, pushing them to be more transparent with their refund policies if a flight is cancelled or significantly delayed by the carrier.
The move came amid thousands of complaints from customers, many of which concerned refunds. At the time, DOT asked airlines, “to revisit their customer service policies and ensure they are as flexible and considerate as possible to the needs of passengers who face financial hardship during this time.”
“The one loophole here, which I think is really important for folks to know, is if the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight, under federal law you are entitled to a full cash refund if you want one,” Keyes said.
Britney Spears‘ fiancé Sam Asghari isn’t pleased with the recent spate of documentaries detailing Britney’s ongoing conservatorship case.
Ahead of FX/Hulu’s Controlling Britney Spears, which premiered on Friday, Sam posted a statement to his Instagram Stories, captured by Just Jared.
“Apparently my opinion has increased in value over the past few days,” the 27-year-old model/actor joked, before adding, “Past docs left bad after taste. I’m hopeful this one will be respectful.”
Referring to other documentaries, which include CNN’s Toxic: Britney Spears’ Battle for Freedom, the BBC’s The Battle for Britney: Fans, Cash and a Conservatorship and Netflix’s upcoming Britney Vs. Spears, Sam wrote, “I don’t blame CNN, BBC, or NETFLIX (which got me thru lockdowns) for airing them because as an actor i tell other people’s stories too.”
“I question producers who made them ‘just to shed light’ without input or approval from [the] subject,” he explained. “Any credit for light being shed should go to #freebritney.”
Sam didn’t mention FX/Hulu, whose first Britney doc, Framing Britney Spears, has been credited with helped reignite the #FreeBritney movement.
Sam’s message included a “Free Britney” illustration, a cartoon judge, and an image of Jason Statham with the caption “no sweat.”
Doja Cat is following in the footsteps of Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Halsey by becoming the newest pop star to launch her own makeup line.
The “Kiss Me More” singer has teamed with BH Cosmetics for her BHxDojaCat collection, which offers a wide variety of products from eye shadow to lip-plumping glosses, and perfume.
“Inspired by the divine energy of nature and all its prismatic elements, Doja Cat’s first-ever beauty collection is a mystical journey of discovery,” the makeup line’s official website reads.
Doja’s numerous eye shadow palettes offer an array of shades complimentary to the bold and attention-grabbing colors featured across her music videos — from hot pink to deep space blue. The names also offer a bit of sass, from celebrating birth stones to titles such as “Lookin like a snack.”
In addition, Doja has created a variety of products that celebrate all things that glitter, such as shimmering powder highlighters, base booster glitter and shadow glue, plus decorative face and body jewels. There’s also a line of brushes, mirrors and other makeup tools.
Above all else, Doja seems to want her beauty line to be affordable: Prices range from $4 to $36. The most expensive item is her unisex perfume, Devil’s Advocate, which costs $57.
Most of Doja’s eye shadow palettes, with 15 to 16 colors, retail for $18, while her Mega palette — which comes with 36 color options — retails for $36.
You can buy the products now at BHCosmetics.com and, starting October 3, at ULTA stores and online.
(NEW YORK) — The United States has been facing a COVID-19 surge as the more contagious delta variant continues to spread.
More than 686,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.7 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
The U.S. is continuing to sink on the list of global vaccination rates, currently ranking No. 46, according to data compiled by The Financial Times. Just 64.7% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the CDC.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Sep 27, 9:07 am
CDC ‘enthusiastically awaiting’ Pfizer vaccine data on ages 5 to 11
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said her agency is “enthusiastically awaiting” data from Pfizer on the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11.
On Sunday, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on This Week that he expects the company to submit the data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration within the coming days.
“As soon as they get submitted to the FDA, I know the FDA is urgently planing to review this data,” Walensky told ABC News’ Whit Johnson in an interview Monday on Good Morning America.
“It will go from the FDA to the CDC and we will review it with similar urgency,” she added, “and I’m hoping in the order of weeks.”
Sep 27, 8:49 am
CDC director stands by decision to overrule panel on Pfizer boosters
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said she stands by her decision to overrule her agency’s independent advisory panel by adding a recommendation for people considered high risk due to where they work to get a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
“This scientific process goes from an advisory committee at the FDA, to the authorization of the FDA, to an advisory committee at the CDC and then recommendations from the CDC. It’s a very transparent, scientific, public process and I listened intently,” Walensky told ABC News’ Whit Johnson in an interview Monday on Good Morning America.
“I fully endorsed the recommendations from the CDC advisory committee for boosters for those over the age of 65, as well as for those with underlying conditions,” she continued. “And then I also endorsed — in full alignment with the FDA and many people at the CDC — for boosters for people with high risk exposures, like those who work in occupational settings or in group settings or live in group settings, and I felt after listening to all of the science that that was actually the best move for public health.”
On Thursday night, the panel voted unanimously to recommend Pfizer boosters for seniors and other medically vulnerable Americans, six months after their second dose. People younger than 49, however, should only get a third dose if the benefits outweigh the risks, the panel said — a personal consideration to discuss with their doctor. Some panelists said that without further data, they weren’t comfortable with automatically including younger people because of their jobs.
