Salon.com > Concert

Stevie Wonder backs out of IDF gala performance

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:40:00 +0000

A Change.org petition asking Stevie Wonder not to play at the Dec. 6 Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces fundraising event in Los Angeles only needed 419 more signatures -- but it looks like its organizers won't need them anymore. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports that Wonder, who is a United Nations "Messenger of Peace," has backed out of the performance, citing a "recommendation from the United Nations to withdraw his participation." The FIDF fundraiser is expected to raise millions of dollars in support of the Israeli military.

Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yitzhak (Jerry) Gershon, the national director and CEO of Friends of the IDF, said in a press release, "We regret the fact that Stevie Wonder has decided to cancel his performance at an important community event of the FIDF, an American organization supporting the educational, cultural, and well-being needs of Israel’s soldiers, their families, and the families of fallen soldiers."

The petition, however, called the IDF "an institution which promotes, enables, and protects Israel's Apartheid regime."

Jason Mraz to make historic appearance in Myanmar

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:01:00 +0000

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Jason Mraz will make history next month when he performs in Myanmar to raise awareness about human trafficking.

Mraz will headline a free outdoor concert on Dec. 16 at People's Square in Yangon, at the base of Shwedagon Pagoda.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is believed to be the first international artist to perform an open-air concert in the country. The show includes local acts and is hosted by MTV EXIT, the music channel's initiative to raise awareness about human trafficking and exploitation.

"That's pretty exciting," Mraz said of the history involved, "and I'm going there with an enormous amount of gratitude and respect, and I hope we can actually make a difference. I hope it's also a testament to the songs. I've always wanted my songs to be about healing and self-empowerment, and if this is the way MTV is acknowledging that, then I am incredibly grateful."

The show, which will include local acts, will be broadcast on Myanmar national television and will air on MTV's international network in 2013. Mraz hosted a similar concert in the Philippines last year. He first became interested in the issue about four years ago when he attended the Freedom Awards, an annual salute to those working against human exploitation put on by the organization Free the Slaves.

Jimmy Page says “no” to Led Zeppelin reunion

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:20:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) -- Led Zeppelin will not be reuniting any time soon.

That message came through loud and clear Tuesday with sarcasm, stoic silence, and even the occasional barb at reporters that dared to ask. Just the mere mention of the topic set lead singer Robert Plant off at their news conference for the bands upcoming concert film, "Celebration Day."

But at the film's premiere later in the evening, guitarist Jimmy Page set the record straight, sort of, about a potential reunion.

"I think it's disappointing for people when the answer is no," Page said. But he later added: "That's what it is now."

"Celebration Day" covers their 2007 reunion concert at London's 02 Arena. Original members Plant, Page, and John Paul Jones, as well as Jason Bonham, the son of the late John Bonham, played the one-time tribute concert to honor Atlantic records founder Ahmet Ertegun.

"Once the idea was proposed, `Would we do the concert?' It had to be Jason," Page said.

Since the death of Bonham in 1980, the band has only played a handful of gigs, with the 2007 tribute concert being the last time. The group enlisted the younger Bonham, a successful drummer in his own right, to play with the band.

Jay-Z to stream concert on his new YouTube channel

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:13:00 +0000

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jay-Z is live-streaming the last of his eight concerts at New York City's Barclays Center for the launch of his new YouTube channel.

The rapper announced Thursday his performance at the new Brooklyn sports arena will be live-streamed on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern time. He says it'll air on his new Life and Times channel.

Jay-Z's new channel is part of an original programming initiative by YouTube, owned by Mountain View, Calif.-based Google Inc. Life and Times promises a lineup of "in depth lifestyle pieces" based on the tastes and interests of Jay-Z.

The rapper is christening the Barclays Center with a weeklong series of shows. The arena is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, of which Jay-Z is a minority owner.

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Online:

HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/JAYZSLIFEANDTIMES

Dan Deacon’s app is irritating in a good way

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:58:00 +0000

Audience interaction is kind of Dan Deacon's thing. He likes to be down in the crowd instead of up onstage. He choreographs his audience through synchronized dances with unflagging enthusiasm. Now he's harnessing the irritating power of glowing displays with an app that syncs his music with your phone, turning it into “a coordinated light and sound spectacle.” (See the video.) It re-creates glow sticks’ bokeh swirl, without all the disposable plastic.

At first glance, it looks like just another gimmick to connect with phone-addicted fans. But Deacon's always been a thoughtful, innovative performer who takes risks and asks his fans to come along. This is the guy who orchestrated a dance-off at the Whitney, and he continues to work in museum gigs between festival dates, making it harder to distinguish between dance music and high art. In his “Take a Breath” composition, he orchestrates the audience through what the Village Voice called “a do-it-yourself clusterfuck of sound,” turning the chaotic background noise of crowds into a symphony of sorts. He's committed to involving the crowd in his performance on an intimate level, to disrupting the barrier between product and consumer.