Gentle Giant's Reimagined ‘Playing The Fool: The Complete Live Experience’ Coming In May

Gentle Giant's Playing The Fool: The Complete Live Experience, a brand new reimagined, remixed and remastered version of the classic 1977 live album will be released on May 2nd. The set is to be available in several formats including double CD, triple vinyl, Blu-ray and digital download in 96/24 stereo, 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos mixes. The record was remixed and remastered from the original source tapes by producer Dan Bornemark, who has worked extensively with the band on archival projects. 

Pre-order Playing The Fool: The Complete Live Experience

Containing new sleeve notes together with a plethora of photographs along with a track list that reflects the original running order of the setlist played on the tour including three previously unreleased songs and the between song banter from frontman Derek Shulman, this represents the most accurate account of Gentle Giant live at the very peak of their prowess.

“Effectively what you're hearing on this album is the whole show with all the bells and whistles included with me speaking to the audience and to the band just like it was on the night,” Shulman said in a statement, adding: “It's important to have a live album, which is live. There were no overdubs afterwards in the studio. So what you saw and heard is what you have on the album.”

Gentle Giant was a British progressive rock band formed in 1970 in London by three brothers Derek, Ray and Phil Shulman along with Gary Green, Kerry Minnear and drummer Martin Smith who was latterly replaced by John “Pugwash” Weathers in 1972. 

The group was renowned for its complex and eclectic musical style, blending elements of rock, jazz, classical, folk and medieval music.  The band played a diverse array of instruments between them and their intricate arrangements and exquisite vocal harmonies gave them their own unique, instantly identifiable sound.

“We were a rock and roll band that played interesting music and we wanted to have fun for ourselves and have the audience go out with a smile on their faces,” Shulman says.

For more info, visit gentlegiantband.com.

John Fogerty Celebrating 80th Birthday At NYC’s Beacon Theatre

 

John Fogerty has announced a special concert at New York City’s Beacon Theatre taking place on his 80th birthday, May 28, 2025. Celebrating his legacy while casting his eye to the future, Fogerty will perform classic hits he recorded with Creedence Clearwater Revival, as well as on his own, backed by a band including his sons Shane and Tyler Fogerty. Tickets are on sale this Friday, April 4, and local pre-sale begins on Wednesday, April 2. Go to Ticketmaster for tickets.

The Beacon show is one of several high-profile appearances, performances, and honors planned in 2025. Fogerty kicked off the year in January with performances at the Fire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles and a brief residency at the Wynn Encore Theater in Las Vegas. Earlier this month he appeared at SXSW for a show at Stubb’s BBQ, playing his songs, followed by a Keynote conversation with fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tom Morello. 

On April 24, Fogerty will give a headlining performance at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, and just days later will be honored at the 2025 American Music Honors, hosted by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in NJ. The American Music Honors celebrate artists who have demonstrated artistic excellence, creative integrity, and a longstanding commitment to the value of music within national consciousness. The April 26 event is hosted by Brian Williams and will feature presenters Bruce Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, and Stevie Van Zandt. 

In June, Fogerty will return to Glastonbury for his first performance at the legendary festival in nearly twenty years. On July 6, he will headline the Hollywood Bowl, with more exciting news to be announced soon. 

For more information, visit johnfogerty.com.  

X Celebrates MLB Opening Day With New 'Wild Thing' Video, Picture Disc

To celebrate over 40 years of their rendition of “Wild Thing,” X have released a new video, narrated by singer Exene. They're also releasing a special edition 12” picture disc vinyl record of “Wild Thing,” as well as Exene’s narrated wild history of the song via Fat Possum Records on June 20. 

Pre-order "Wild Thing" 12” picture disc vinyl

The video behind the genesis of X’s “Wild Thing” was directed by James Blagden (the genius behind Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No).  The release comes on the heels of MLB opening day and celebration of the Los Angeles Dodgers win in the World Series in 2024. Check out the video below.

Originally released in 1984 as a non-album single, the song went on to share the screen, most famously as Charlie Sheen’s character, Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn, walked onto the mound, in the movie Major League. It’s continued to be used as walkout songs for professional wrestlers Atushi Onita and Jon Moxley, as well as Los Angeles Dodgers stars, Shohei Ohtani and Joe Kelly.

X continues to ride the success of their ninth and final studio album, Smoke & Fiction, released last year via Fat Possum Records. Produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, Foo Fighters), the album debuted in the Top 10 on four Billboard charts and has been met with overwhelming praise from both critics and fans. X will perform career-spanning hits along with selections from Smoke & Fiction and their 2020 release, Alphabetland.

X On Tour

4/10 - Tacoma, WA - Spanish Ballroom

4/11 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom

5/9-13 - Miami - Sassau, Bahamas - Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise

For more info, visit facebook.com/XLosAngeles.

Gong's 'I See You' Celebrates 10 Years with Newly Remixed Audio Reissue

 

Few albums in Gong’s discography capture the band’s whimsical, irreverent take on life’s complexities and the enigma of death as vividly as 2014’s I See You. A decade later sees a brand-new 10th Anniversary Edition on Kscope, set for release on May 9th. The new edition has been remixed from the original multi-track recordings by Frank Byng, producer and sound engineer of the last four Gong albums.

This reissue celebrates not only the existential beauty of Gong’s music, but also the enduring legacy of frontman and visionary Daevid Allen, whose boundless creativity continues to resonate with fans worldwide. I See You was the final studio album featuring Daevid Allen before his passing in 2015 and stands as a testament to his vibrant spirit and revolutionary ethos. Infused with the anarchic energy that defined Gong’s origins in the 1968 Paris counterculture movement, I See You takes its place as one of the finest gems in the band’s heroic catalog. 

Gong guitarist Kavus Torabi issued the following statement: “Daevid Allen's final album, I See You is such a transitional Gong record in so many ways, not that any of us realized it at the time. Work on the album had just commenced around the time I was asked to join and Daevid was in fine health but by the time we were at the mixing stage he was undergoing intense treatment for his cancer which would ultimately prove unsuccessful. As you can imagine, the record was completed under extremely fraught circumstances, very different to the upbeat way it started. Getting it over the line was not an especially joyful process. Decisions needed to be made under a great deal of pressure and, with emotions running high, they weren't always the right ones. Nonetheless, I’m so happy Daevid got to hear it completed, that he loved it and that we got to put it out into the world. 

“When, during his final months, Daevid expressed his desire for the band he had assembled to continue without him we felt pretty uncertain about the prospect. Yet here we are after ten years of constant touring, three studio albums (with a fourth on the way) and a double live album later, looking back at the record which launched the current incarnation of this wonderful mythology. 

“Hearing Frank Byng’s remarkable new mix, thankfully completed without time constraints, has brought an increased sonic clarity which accentuates the eccentric psychedelic majesty of the original release. I was moved to tears hearing it. For me, this is the definitive version of I See You, the record I always hoped it would be.” 

For I See You, Allen was joined by his son Orlando Allen on drums, and members of the current lineup: guitarist and frontman Kavus Torabi (formerly of Cardiacs), horn player Ian East, Dave Sturt (the sonic manipulator) on bass, and the Brazilian Fabio Golfetti, weaving his own lysergic patterns on guitar. The result is an impressive, multi-layered and irrepressible world, populated with a series of dazzling musical gems - melodically rich, lyrically engaging and musically refreshed.

Pre-order I See You.

Gong continues to carry the torch ignited by Daevid Allen with a tour of the UK and North America planned for Summer 2025 - 

MAY

21 – York, UK – The Crescent

22 – Huddersfield, UK – The Parish

23 – Allendale, UK – Allendale Village Hall

25 – Liverpool, UK – Outer Waves Festival (Invisible Wind Factory)

JUNE

06 – Albuquerque, NM – Sister

07 – Colorado Springs, CO – Lulu's Downtown

08 – Denver, CO – The Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues

10 – Salt Lake City, UT – The State Room

11 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club

13 – Yakima, WA – Bearded Monkey Music

14 – Seattle, WA – Rainier Arts Centre (Cascadence Festival)

15 – Portland, OR – McMenamins White Eagle Saloon

16 – Eugene, OR – WOW Hall

18 – Redding, CA – The Dip

19 – Mill Valley, CA – Sweetwater Music Hall

21 – Studio City, CA – The Baked Potato

22 – Studio City, CA – The Baked Potato

23 – Costa Mesa, CA – The Wayfarer

25 – San Marcos, CA – The Bornemann Theatre

26 – Phoenix, AZ

27 – Tucson, AZ

28 – Flagstaff, AZ – The Orpheum Theatre

AUGUST

29 – Brighton, UK – Brighton Psych Festival

30 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Psych Festival

For tickets, go to gongband.com/shows/

All-Star Tribute Album To Triumph Features Slash, Nancy Wilson, Dee Snider & Others

 

Triumph will be honored with a star-studded tribute album called Magic Power: All Star Tribute to Triumph. Scheduled for release on Friday, June 6, on Round Hill Records, the album features such renowned rockers as Dorothy, Sebastian Bach, Nancy Wilson, Joey Belladonna, Slash, and Jeff Keith covering classic Triumph tunes. 

The 15-track album features an amazing collection of musical firepower, including drummers Kenny Aronoff and Tommy Aldridge, and guitarists Bumblefoot, Paul Gilbert, Nita Strauss. 

The project was conceived by renowned producer Mike Clink, who has produced classic recordings for Guns N' Roses, Motley Crue and Whitesnake.

Magic Power will be released on CD with a 12 page booklet and as a double LP gatefold edition.

Pre-order Magic Power: All Star Tribute to Triumph

The participants are extremely honored to salute Triumph, including Phil X, who went on to say, "It is so incredible to get back to my roots with my brothers, Gil, Mike and Rik. The Triumph fans will love this!”

Enthusiastically, Journey drummer Deen Castronovo commented "Triumph was a huge influence, no Gil Moore, no Deen Castronovo singing behind a kit."

Furthermore, Sebastian Bach said, "The music of Triumph will always hold a special place in my heart. I'm super proud to pay tribute to one of my favorite bands of all time…the Rock n' Roll Machine known as TRIUMPH!" 

Dee Snider recalled, "The first time I heard this song ('Lay It on the Line'), I was blown away. There's only one Rik Emmett and Triumph. I'm honored to be a part of this!"

Originally formed in 1975 and hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the trio was always proud of their Great White North roots. And seemingly ever since their inception, Triumph was on the cutting edge of technology when it came to their live show – particularly lighting, sound, and effects. 

Sophisticated lasers, pyrotechnics and moving lighting rigs, all computer-controlled – Triumph was one of the first arena rock bands to incorporate all of these elements into their shows. Triumph's headlining tours were legendary, and the band was featured on many memorable stadium/outdoor shows – including the US Festival, the World Series of Rock, the American Rock Festival and Texxas Jam, Day on the Green, to name but a few.

And now, fans will be able to re-experience Triumph classics in a whole new way – via Magic Power: All Star Tribute to Triumph.

For more info, visit triumphmusic.com.

Foreigner Announces 2025 Canadian Tour

Foreigner will embark on a 2025 Canadian tour as a prelude to the launch of Juke Box Hero, The Musical, set to go into production in 2026. Tickets go on sale on March 28th, available at ForeignerOnline.com. 

Canadian band 54.40 will be adding excitement to the tour with a set that includes “I Go Blind” and “Ocean Pearl” and other gems from their impressive repertoire.

Foreigner will welcome Canada’s own Geordie Brown as guest vocalist during their set. Audiences will be familiar with Geordie as the male lead of the workshop production of  Juke Box Hero, The Musical in Calgary & Edmonton and the sold-out run in Toronto at the Ed Mirvish Theatre. 

Geordie proved himself worthy not only to audiences, but also to Foreigner’s leader and founder, Mick Jones, who had this to say; “I was most impressed by Geordie’s performances of Juke Box Hero,The Musical in Canada. He is not only a consummate vocalist, but a verified Broadway actor to boot. We look forward to welcoming him at our shows on Foreigner’s 2025 Canadian tour."

Canada is one of Foreigner’s most important markets, and the band set the tone back in 2006 with a national CBC New Year’s Eve live TV Broadcast.  The low temperatures did not deter the hardy 8,000 Canadians that showed up at this outdoor concert beside Niagara Falls where the band remained ‘Hot Blooded’ throughout the event.  Subsequently, Foreigner executed many tours of Canada and the fall of 2025 will bring their biggest one to date.  As always, Foreigner is greatly looking forward to its time in Canada this year.

Responsible for some of rock and roll’s most enduring anthems including “Juke Box Hero,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” “Feels Like The First Time,” “Urgent,” “Head Games,” “Say You Will,” and the worldwide #1 hit and member of Spotify’s exclusive Billions Club, “I Want To Know What Love Is.” 

Canadian Tour Dates: 

October

Tue, 21 Mary Brown’s Centre – St. John’s, NFL  

Thu, 23 Centre 200 - Sydney, NS 

Fri, 24 Scotiabank Centre - Halifax, NS 

Sat, 25 Avenir Centre - Moncton, NB 

Mon, 27 Place des Arts - Montreal, QC

Tue, 28 The Arena at TD Place - Ottawa, ON 

Wed, 29 Centre Slush Puppie - Kingston, ON 

Thu, 30 Sudbury Community Arena - Sudbury, ON 

November

Sat, 01 GFL Memorial Gardens - Sault. St. Marie, ON 

Sun, 02 Thunder Bay Community Auditorium - Thunder Bay, ON*

Wed, 05 Co-op Place - Medicine Hat, AB 

Thu, 06 Memorial Arena - Cranbrook, BC*

Fri, 07 Prospera Place - Kelowna, BC 

 

*54.40 will not be appearing at these shows

Celtic Rockers Horslips 'At The BBC' Set Announced

Few bands have left as distinct a mark on the musical landscape as Horslips. Emerging in the early 1970s, they more or less created ‘Celtic Rock,’ drawing from Irish traditional music and British/American rock, crafting a sound that was both timeless and radical.

The BBC captured the band in the 1970s and again during their unexpected Indian summer return in the 2010s. At The BBC gathers these vital recordings – spanning nearly 50 years – into one definitive collection. At The BBC will be released May 30 on Madfish

Pre-Order At The BBC 

Disc 1 begins the journey in 1973–74, landmark years in which Horslips took their fusion of mythology and musicianship to the airwaves and concert halls of Britain. Included are performances from Radio 1’s In Concert, The Old Grey Whistle Test, Radio 1’s Sounds of the 70s, 2nd House (BBC 2) and Radio 1’s John Peel Show, showcasing the group in full flight, brimming with invention and zeal.

By 1979, fresh from the inevitable hard slog of trying to conquer America, Horslips returned to Radio 1’s In Concert with a set that captured their ability to fit in with the times and the power of their live performances. Disc 2 continues with an unplugged ‘comeback’ session from 2010 and a BBC NI performance in 2019 of ‘Sideways to the Sun’ – written about magical Irish beings disappearing from mortal sight – which would, perhaps fittingly, prove to be their last official recording.

Disc 3 presents Horslips’ unique 2011 performance with the Ulster Orchestra at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, in its previously unreleased BBC Radio Ulster broadcast mix. Including epic suites from classic albums The Táin and The Book of Invasions and fan favourites like the eight-minute ‘I’ll Be Waiting’, a showcase for late guitarist Johnny Fean (d. 2023), many – including band members – view this concert as Horslips’ finest hour (and a quarter).

Disc 4 is a bonus disc, comprising recently discovered 1979 ‘working mixes’ of the album Short Stories, Tall Tales, recorded at Dublin’s Windmill Lane. They offer an intimate glimpse into a band in transition, shifting from the US FM rock that had influenced recent albums towards the spikier, sharper British New Wave sound.

At The BBC is completed by a DVD bringing together clips from The Old Grey Whistle Test, 1974 documentary material and magical fan footage of two songs from the 2011 Waterfront Hall concert, synced to sparkling BBC audio.

Presented in a deluxe hardback book package with rare photographs and extensive liner notes by band biographer Mark Cunningham, legendary BBC producer Jeff Griffin and curator Colin Harper, At The BBC is a celebration of a band whose influence still echoes through the decades. The mastering is shared by Eroc in Germany and band associate Cormac O’Kane who mastered the acclaimed 2023 Horslips box set More Than You Can Chew.