Foo Fighters announce Brazil show with Garbage and Wet Leg

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Foo Fighters have announced a new show in Brazil, and they’re taking some friends along with them.

Dave Grohl and company will headline Estádio Couto Pereira in Curitiba on September 7, with Garbage and Wet Leg also on the bill.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 4, at 10 a.m. local time. Visit FooFighters.com for more info.

Garbage drummer Butch Vig previously worked with Grohl when he produced Nirvana‘s Nevermind. As for Wet Leg, Grohl just made a surprise appearance during the “Chaise Longue” duo’s weekend two Coachella set.

The Brazil show is part of Foo Fighters’ live comeback following the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March 2022. The group’s first show back is scheduled for May 24 in Gilford, New Hampshire.

Foo Fighters are also putting out a new album called But Here We Are, featuring the single “Rescued,” on June 2. It hasn’t yet been announced who’s playing drums on the album or during the tour.

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Steven Tyler fights the use of his memoir in sexual assault suit

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Janie’s Fund

Steven Tyler is claiming free speech in his latest attempt to thwart the lawsuit brought by the woman accusing him of sexual assault in the ’70s. 

According to legal documents obtained by People, Tyler is arguing that the woman, Julia Misley, who was previously known as Julia Holcolmb, can’t claim his 2011 memoir, Does This Noise In My Head Bother You?, caused her “emotional distress” because she isn’t identified in the book. Plus, he contends, his writings constitute free speech.

The documents note, “Tyler’s statements in his memoirs, including his statements about his relationship with Plaintiff, thus concern a matter of public interest and qualify as protected activity.” 

The Aerosmith frontman’s also claiming that since the book was released in 2011, Misley waited too long to file her claim and the statute of limitations has already passed.

The documents, filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, also argue that Tyler’s writings “do not qualify as outrageous conduct that was intended to cause emotional distress,” stating the contents of the book “relay his own experiences from his newsworthy life.”

He suggests Misley can’t prove that she actually “experienced severe emotional distress” from the book, aruging that if she had she wouldn’t have been able to talk about their relationship “for over decade.” He points out that in her professional speaker bio she refers to herself as his “former girlfriend.”

Misley filed her lawsuit back in December, accusing Tyler of sexual assault, assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. 

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Steve Vai leads almost 8,000 guitarists in attempt to break “Hey Joe” world record

Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images

Steve Vai helped a group of almost 8,000 guitarists break a world record. The legendary axe man was in Wrocław, Poland, last weekend to take part in the annual Thanks Jimi Festival, where he led a group of guitarists in a performance of the Jimi Hendrix classic “Hey Joe.”

“Beautiful day in Wrocław breaking the world record for the most guitar players performing ‘Hey Joe’ at the same time. I think it was 7,968!” Vai shared on Instagram. “It sounded like someone kicked a bee hive! It was glorious to see all those folks playing guitars and enjoying the event. Really quite amazing.” 

He added, “Poland knows how to have a good time!” 

Each year the guitar festival attempts to break the world record for the most guitarists performing the Hendrix classic. According to Guitar World, the first attempt in 2003 featured 588 players, while last year’s included 7,676 guitarists.

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Bono’s illustration of Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy featured on June cover of ‘The Atlantic’

ABC/Adam Taylor

Bono has many talents, and he’s showing off his drawing skills on the cover of the June issue of The Atlantic.

The U2 frontman has contributed a portrait of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the cover, which features a quote from the president: “The choice is between freedom and fear.” 

This isn’t the first time Bono has shown his support for Ukraine. He and the Edge visited the city of Kyiv in May 2022 and performed with the Ukrainian band Antytila in a subway station. Then in February, Bono and the Edge joined them again, this time at their show in London. They also performed at the Stand Up For Ukraine livestream, which took place in April 2022.

Bono has been spending the past couple weeks in New York, where he’s been headlining his Stories of Surrender residency at the Beacon Theatre. He wraps the eight-show run on Wednesday, May 3.

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Jethro Tull bringing The Seven Decades Tour to the U.S.

Frank Hoensch/Redferns

Jethro Tull is coming to America. The band, led by Ian Anderson, just announced summer and fall North American dates for The Seven Decades Tour, which will have them playing songs from their catalog, including their recently released album RökFlöte.

The tour is set to kick off August 18 in Highland Park, Illinois, hitting such cities as Indianapolis, Cincinnati, San Diego, Los Angeles, Boston and more, before wrapping November 4 in Albany, New York.

A complete list of dates and ticket information can be found at jethrotull.com.

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Paul McCartney & John Mellencamp added to the 2023 Tribeca Festival

Courtesy of Tribeca Festival

Paul McCartney and John Mellencamp have been added to the 2023 Tribeca Festival, which runs from June 7 to June 18 in New York City. Both artists will take part in the festival’s Storytellers Series as part of the Talks and Reunions lineup.

McCartney will sit for a conversation with Conan O’Brien for a recording of the former talk show host’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. The event will take place June 15 at 6 p.m. at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. The pair will discuss McCartney’s new photo book, 1964: Eyes of the Storm, which is set to drop June 13.

Mellencamp is also scheduled for a conversation: he’ll be chatting with another famous talk show host, David Letterman. The pair’s chat is set to take place June 8 at 6 p.m. at the BMCC.

Tickets and passes for the festival are on sale now at tribecafilm.com.

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Slash featured on upcoming new song with Chris Janson & Dolly Parton

BMLG Records

After performing at the CMT Music Awards last month, Slash is returning to the country world.

The Guns N’ Roses guitarist will be featured on an upcoming song called “21 Forever” with country artist Chris Janson and the legendary Dolly Parton. Janson announced the collaboration in a Facebook post, teasing, “This is going to be EPIC.”

“I’m so thrilled to announce, that two Global Icons have joined me in song, for my absolute biggest collaboration to date,” Janson added in an email to fans. “Dolly and Slash, it doesn’t get any BIGGER than that!”

The song will be released Friday, May 5.

Slash played the CMT Music Awards as part of a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd. He and GN’R have also performed live with Carrie Underwood multiple times.

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Billy Joel, Justin Trudeau & more remember Gordon Lightfoot

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Billy Joel is among the artists paying tribute to Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who passed away Monday at the age of 84. 

Joel posted a video to Instagram of him performing Lightfoot’s classic “If You Could Read My Mind,” sharing, “So sad to hear of the death of Gordon Lightfoot. He was a lifelong musical hero of mine. His songs were the heart of Canada. R.I. P.” 

Joel is one of many famous names to pay tribute to Lightfoot on social media. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Lightfoot “one of our greatest singer-songwriters,” noting, “Gordon Lightfoot captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever.”

Other tributes include:

Rush’s Geddy Lee called Lightfoot “a legendary poet, a songwriting inspiration – a gem of a man. I loved him.” He noted, “Every time I ran into him the first thing he would ask was how many gigs we’d done that year – he’d then proudly counter with the fact that he had played even more! RIP Gord – you are the man – the greatest Canadian.”

Belinda Carlisle – “In 2019, I recorded a cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s haunting ‘If You Could Read My Mind’ for my Runaway Horses 30th Anniversary box set. It’s one of my favorite songs. RIP #gordonlightfoot.”

BTO’s Randy Bachman – “When we were younger, Burton Cummings and I went to a #GordonLightfoot concert. We sat there mesmerized the entire time at the way he sang and the stories his lyrics told. Poetry, folklore & music. Spellbound would be a good way to describe it.” He added, “I knew him a long time, he was a wonderful person.”

Ben Stiller – “What a genius #GordonLightfoot was. His music is such a big part of my life. Rest in peace. Grateful for the inspiration he gave all of us.”

Kiefer Sutherland – “The world lost one of its great storytellers yesterday. Canada lost part of itself. And I lost a hero. Gordon Lightfoot, may you rest in peace.”

Brian Wilson – “Rest in peace, Gordon Lightfoot.”

Stephen King – “He was a great songwriter and a wonderful performer. Sundown, you better take care/If I catch you creepin’ ’round my back stairs.”

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Mötley Crüe continues to insist they don’t play to backing tracks

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation

Mötley Crüe is once again defending themselves against accusations that they don’t play live in concert. 

The rockers recently posted video to Facebook of Tommy Lee behind the drum kit to get fans excited about the upcoming relaunch of their tour with Def Leppard, writing, “There’ll be Anarchy when MÖTLEY CRÜE hit the road for leg 2 of THE WORLD TOUR! Europe, US, JAPAN & more…where will we see you?”

But not every fan is excited about the trek, with one person commenting, “Saw the backing tracks tour last yr and paid dearly to see it. It’s a hard NO for me this time around….”

Well, that prompted a very angry response from the Crue.

“THIS IS THE SUMMER TOUR FOOTAGE FOR F**** SAKE,” they commented. “THERE WERE NO BACKING TRACKS FOR BAND MEMBERS.” 

Accusations of the band using backing tracks were made by former guitarist Mick Mars in his suit against the band over decreased profits, with the Crüe blasting him for badmouthing the band.

The European leg of the Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard tour kicks off May 22 in Sheffield, England. A complete list of dates can be found at motley.com.

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Grateful Dead celebrating spring 1973 tour with new 17-CD box set

Courtesy of Rhino Entertainment

The Grateful Dead is revisiting their spring 1973 tour with a brand new box set. Here Comes the Sunshine 1973, dropping June 30, will consist of 17 CDs featuring five previously unreleased concerts from the tour.  

Shows featured in the limited-edition release are a May 13 concert at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa; a May 20 concert at Campus Stadium at UCSB in Santa Barbara, California; the May 26 show at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, California; and the two-night stand at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., which took place June 9 and 10.

In addition, the June 10 RFK Stadium show, which was a co-headlining bill with the Allman Brothers Band, will have its own separate release digitally and as a four-CD or limited edition eight-LP set. The five-hour concert ended with a third-set encore featuring the Allman Brothers’ Dickey Betts and Butch Trucks sitting in with the Dead. Fans can get a taste of that concert with the previously unreleased performance of “Ramble on Rose,” which is out now.

Here Comes the Sunshine 1973, which comes in a box designed by Grammy Award-winning art director Masaki Koike and includes an exclusive poster featuring an illustration by Mary Ann Mayer, is available for preorder now. Only 10,000 individually numbered copies will be sold through Dead.net; it will also be available as a digital download, also exclusively at Dead.net.

And fans can learn more about the shows when season 7 of the band’s official podcast, Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast, launches Tuesday, May 2, with the 1973 concerts the focus of the premiere episode.

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