Gene Simmons has added a handful of new dates to his U.S. tour with his Gene Simmons Band.
In addition to his previously announced shows, which start in April in California and run through May in Houston, the God of Thunder will perform April 3 in Anaheim, California, April 8 in Auburn, Washington, April 10 in Magna, Utah, and May 18 in Rockford, Illinois.
A complete list of dates and ticket information can be found at GeneSimmons.com.
Following KISS’ final show at New York’s Madison Square Garden last December, Simmons’ first solo show was in April 2024 at the grand opening of the Rock & Brews Restaurant and Concert Bar in Ridgefield, Washington. He and his band then went on to play shows in Brazil and Europe.
Variety has put together its annual list of the 500 biggest names in showbiz over the past year, and Elton John has made the cut.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is recognized in the Talent category of the Variety500, which was released ahead of the publication’s annual Entertainment Summit on Jan. 8. According to the trade, the list recognizes the year’s “leaders, movers and shakers” in the entertainment world.
Elton is singled out for all the recent highlights of his career, including the 2024 release of the documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, the 2023 conclusion of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour and the livestream of the final show on Disney+, Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium, which earned him an Emmy, making him an EGOT winner.
Other musicians making the Talent list this year include Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez,Rihanna and Beyoncé.
The rest of the 500 names are in TV, film, gaming, production, digital media, marketing, podcasting and other entertainment-related disciplines.
Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley filming ‘Uptown Girl’ video; Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images
The words “Billy Joel” and “sinister vibes” don’t normally go together, which is why one user on social platform X is getting roasted for claiming that’s what they got from the Piano Man’s 1983 doo-wop-inspired hit “Uptown Girl.“
The user, @plumjae, who Page Six claims is a “Gen Zer,” initially posted, “I was in an Uber share today and a song came on that had the most sinister vibes ever and all three of us were sitting in dead silence I wish I could rmbr the song imma try to find it.”
They followed it up by posting the “Uptown Girl” video, starring Billy as a mechanic who tries to woo a wealthy woman played by his then-girlfriend and future wife Christie Brinkley.
They wrote, “I found it. I was scared as f*** the Uber was just gonna drive us off the road I do not like the energy this song brought into the car.”
While there are a few Billy Joel songs that might be described as somewhat sinister — “Pressure,” “Stiletto” and “The Stranger” come to mind — most X users mocked the poster over their reaction to what is decidedly not that type of tune.
“This is definitely the last song I would have guessed,” wrote one.
“To think we’ve crossed the Rubicon where one of the most well known pop songs of all time by one of the most successful pop artists of all time is a ‘Creepy mystery song,'” wrote another.
“Lmfaoooooo how old are you?!” someone replied. “Omg it was Uptown Girl? Dying… I thought it was Marilyn Manson or something lol,” wrote another.
Yet another snarked, “Tell us you’re younger than 30 without telling us you’re younger than 30.”
Photo by Macall Polay, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
The Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown continues to rake in the accolades.
The film just earned four nominations for the 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, including outstanding performance by a cast in a movie, the SAG’s equivalent of best picture. Timothée Chalamet earned a nomination for outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role for playing Dylan.
Ed Norton also earned a nod for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role for playing Pete Seeger, while Monica Barbaro was recognized in the outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role category for playing Joan Baez.
The 31st annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will stream live on Netflix Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. ET from Los Angeles.
A Complete Unknown, which is in theaters now, follows a 19-year-old Dylan as he arrives in New York from Minnesota and tracks his rise as a folk singer during the ’60s to the top of the charts, ending with his electric rock ‘n’ roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
Ringo Starr’s country album, Look Up, drops Friday, and independent record stores across the country will be celebrating.
The folks who put on Record Store Day will be holding Look Up listening parties in 35 states, including California, Georgia, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. A complete list of listening party locations can be found at recordstoreday.com.
Look Up, co-written and produced by T Bone Burnett, is made up of 11 songs, with special guest appearances by Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Lucius, Larkin Poe and Alison Krauss, the latter appearing on the album’s closing song, “Thankful,” which was co-written by Ringo.
Ringo will celebrate the release of Look Up with shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, billed as Ringo Starr & Friends, on Jan. 14 and Jan. 15. He’ll also hit the road with his All-Starr Band, starting June 12 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. A complete list of dates can be found at ringostarr.com.
The life of the late Allman Brothers Band guitarist and co-founder Dickey Betts will be celebrated in February with an all-star concert taking place in Macon, Georgia — the birthplace of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group.
In Memory of Dickey Betts will take place Feb. 28 at the Macon City Auditorium, with a lineup that includes many musicians who’ve been associated with the Allman Brothers over the years, including ABB’s Jaimoe, Warren Haynes,Chuck Leavell, Susan Tedeschi, and Oteil Burbriddge, as well as Dickey’s son Duane Betts, Gregg Allman’s son Devon Allman and more.
“For so many of us, Dad’s gift to the world was music,” Duane shares. “I’m so happy to come together with some very special friends to honor the depth and beauty of his life and, of course, to share that sweet, melodic sound he is so well known for.”
In addition to his guitar work for the Allmans, Betts wrote and sang two of their best-known songs: “Ramblin’ Man” and “Blue Sky.” He also wrote their popular instrumental track, “Jessica.”
Tickets for the concert go on sale Monday at 10 a.m., with a portion of the proceeds going to furthering education in honor of Dickey.
David Bowie released his 25th album, Blackstar, to coincide with his 69th birthday.
The record, produced by longtime producer Tony Visconti, wound up being Bowie’s final release, as it came out just two days before his death from liver cancer. The album had been recorded in secret while he was battling the disease, and Visconti described the record as Bowie’s “parting gift” to fans.
Blackstar debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Album chart, making it Bowie’s only #1 album. It also went to #1 in several other countries, including the U.K., Canada, France and Australia.
A critical and commercial success, Blackstar won three Grammy Awards, including best alternative music album, and was named British album of the year at the 2017 Brit Awards.
The Grateful Dead has once again teamed with Stündenglass, makers of the world’s first gravity powered infusers, for a new collection that will give their fans a new way to enjoy their smoking experience.
The newly launched Grateful Dead x Stundenglass – Legacy Patchwork collection features the company’s popular infuser, as well as a special Modül Dok Deluxe travel set, adorned with over 30 pieces of Dead imagery, including the band’s iconic logo and lightning bolt. Each piece is hand dipped so no two are exactly alike.
“As a lifelong fan of the Grateful Dead and a champion of the arts, it was an honor to comb the Dead’s legendary archives for this collection,” Chris Folkerts, CEO of Stündenglass, shares. “In a tribute to the artists that created iconic works for Grateful Dead over the decades, these collaborative designs speak to all generations of Dead Heads, and represent Stündenglass’ continuing dedication to innovation in all its forms.”
This is the second infuser collaboration between the Grateful Dead and Stündenglass. The previous one featured infusers with The Dead’s blue and red logo.
The Grateful Dead x Stundenglass – Legacy Patchwork collection is available now at Stündenglass.com/GratefulDead, with the infuser selling for $499.95 and the travel set priced at $599.95.
KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have settled a lawsuit filed by their longtime hairstylist who sued the duo for wrongful termination.
David Matthews, not to be confused with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Matthews, had worked with Simmons and Stanley since 1992; his primary job was styling and applying the rockers’ wigs.
In February 2023, Matthews sued the KISS members and their manager Doc McGhee, claiming he was fired in 2022 after complaining about “unsafe” COVID-19 protocols on their End of the Road tour. The complaints came after KISS’ longtime guitar tech Fran Stueber died after contracting COVID-19 on the tour.
The two sides were due in court on Jan. 22, but on Monday they informed the judge handling the dispute that they’ve “resolved the case.” Terms of the settlement have not been released.
Simmons and Stanley still face a lawsuit filed in 2023 by Stueber’s family. He passed away in October 2021, and his family is suing for negligence and wrongful death.
Lenny Kravitz, Pretenders and Jackson Browne are among the artists set to play the 2025 edition of the BeachLife Festival May 2-4 in Redondo Beach, California.
Kravitz will headline opening night, with Sublime and Alanis Morissette the festival’s other two headliners. The Pretenders are set to play May 3, along with TheBangles’ Susanna Hoffs, while Browne is part of the May 4 lineup, which also features The Beach Boys.
Other artists confirmed for BeachLife include Sugar Ray, CAKE, Train, O.A.R., Aloe Blacc, The Struts, Marcus King and Big Head Tod and the Monsters.
Tickets for BeachLife, now in its sixth year, are on sale now. A complete lineup can be found at beachlifefestival.com.
