Grateful Dead Announce 19-CD 'Friend Of The Devils: April 1978' Set

 

The Grateful Dead's 1978 Spring Tour was more than just a peak of its post-hiatus period; it forever redefined the band's concert experience by establishing "Drums" and "Space" as regular live segments.  An upcoming boxed set called Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 includes eight shows from the start of that historic tour, capturing the early days of these second-set traditions.

Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 will be available exclusively from Dead.net on September 20. This 19-CD box set is limited to 10,000 individually numbered copies and contains eight previously unreleased concerts. 

Pre-Order Friend Of The Devils: April 1978

Check out an unreleased live version of "U.S. Blues," recorded at Duke University on April 12, 1978, below.

Betty Cantor-Jackson originally recorded these shows, which audio engineer Jeffrey Norman has mastered using Plangent Processes tape restoration and speed correction. Steve Vance designed the collection's custom box, which features a removable wave drum, inviting you to unleash your inner Rhythm Devil. Acclaimed artist Matthew Brannon created the set's original artwork. Celebrated for his unique approach to printmaking, Brannon's works have been exhibited in prestigious institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Kunsthalle in Düsseldorf. The deluxe collection also includes a 48-page book with original liner notes by author Steve Silberman and photos by James Anderson, Bob Minkin, and more.

Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux says: "These eight shows tell the story of a band that was engaged, inspired, and focused on bringing their A-game every single night…If there was ever a tour on which the Dead deliver every single moment, it's this one."

Friend Of The Devils: April 1978 includes complete shows from Curtis Hixon Convention Hall, Tampa, FL (4/6/78); Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL (4/7/78); Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Jacksonville, FL (4/8/78); Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA (4/10/78 and 4/11/78); Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University, Durham, NC (4/12/78); Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA (4/14/78); and Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, WV (4/16/78). 

The concert at Duke will also be released separately. Duke '78 will be available on September 20 from Rhino.com in triple CD, four-LP, and digital configurations. 

On Friend Of The Devils: April 1978, the Dead mine their rich 13-year history, performing early songs ("Dupree's Diamond Blues" and "New Minglewood Blues"), favorites from the 1970s ("Jack Straw" and "Eyes Of The World"), deep cuts ("It Must Have Been The Roses"), and traditionals ("Iko Iko" and "Peggy-O.") "Estimated Prophet" and "Dancing In The Street" from their latest album, 1977's Terrapin Station, were already in heavy rotation. Meanwhile, "Fire On The Mountain" was an essential part of the tour, even though it wouldn't officially come out until the fall. 

Christened Rhythm Devils by Mickey Hart, the "Drums" segments from the 1978 Spring Tour were unique affairs. Members of the band and road crew would join Hart and Billy Kreutzmann on stage for extended rhythmic explorations that frequently lasted over 15 minutes. On Friend Of The Devils: April 1978, the "Drums" and "Space" combination was emerging as a permanent feature of Dead shows, one that would continue for the next 17 years. Indeed, these intervals of free playing became so central to the Dead experience that it's hard to imagine shows unfolding any other way.

The "Drums" performance at Duke University was particularly intense, lasting more than 20 minutes. In the liner notes, Steve Silberman describes the scene: "[It] began with Billy thrashing on his kit and using his elbow to change its pitch, making it sound like a talking drum. Mickey, equally engaged, was wearing a Jerry T-shirt. Then the road crew joined the party. What's that? Steve Parish is playing a cowbell! Finally, the big man himself comes out, strokes his beard, sits down, maybe takes a puff or a toke, and picks up a pair of sticks. Mother of God, Garcia is playing steel drums – and loving it!"

Celebrating its 10th season, the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast debuts on August 29th, exploring these eight shows and this era in depth, and inviting fans to contribute their memories at stories.dead.net. With more than five million downloads and counting, the official Grateful Dead podcast is a treasure trove of new interviews, rare archival audio, and surprising cultural history. Listen to previous episodes of the Good Ol' Grateful Deadcast, read transcripts, and subscribe at https://www.dead.net/deadcast. 

X Release 'Ruby Church' Video From Upcoming Final Album

 

Los Angeles punk pioneers X have released a video behind “Ruby Church,” the opening song on the band's upcoming final album, Smoke & Fiction. The song is a powerful testament to resilience and joy, encapsulated in the line, "you stood your ground / with a smile on your face.” 

Singer Exene Cervenka describes “Ruby Church” as one of her favorite songs to sing on this recording, likening it to a foreign film from the 60s starring Anna Magnani, enveloped in deep red stained-glass light. The band's other singer and bassist John Doe, who penned the lyrics, envisions “Ruby Church” as ‘a jeweled sanctuary where the hero protects and inspires the people around him with a gift of joy. The lyrics were written shortly after our beloved friend Paul Rubens passed. He had a super power to laugh his crazy laugh, give a knowing smirk and bring everyone along."

Check out the “Ruby Church” video below.

Achieving greatness is impressive, but maintaining it for nearly half a century is truly remarkable. For forty-seven years, X has embodied excellence, establishing themselves as one of America’s most innovative and intricate punk bands. From their groundbreaking debut in 1980 to their latest, Alphabetland, in 2020, X has consistently been a formidable presence. 

Now, the final chapter is upon us. Prepare to experience the culmination of an extraordinary journey as X releases their ninth and final studio album, Smoke & Fiction, produced by Rob Schnapf (known for his work with Beck and Foo Fighters), set for release on August 2, 2024, through Fat Possum Records.

Pre-order Smoke & Fiction >

X ~ The End is Near ~ Smoke & Fiction Tour:

7/30 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up - SOLD OUT

7/31 – Los Angeles, CA – Amoeba Records (in-store appearance)

8/19 - Menlo Park, CA - The Guild Theatre

8/20 - Menlo Park, CA - The Guild Theatre

8/22 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory

8/23 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory

8/25 - Portland, OR - The Aladdin

8/28 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot

8/30 - Denver, CO - The Summit

9/01 - Albuquerque, NM - The El Rey

9/22 - Derry, NH - Tupelo Music Hall

9/23 - Boston, MA - The Wilbur

9/25 - Albany, NY - Empire Live

9/26 - Rochester, NY - Water Street Music Hall

9/28 - Falls Church, CA - The State Theatre

10/1 - Patchogue, NY - Patchogue, Theatre

10/2 - Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theater

10/3 - New York, NY - Town Hall

10/18 - Austin, TX - The Paramount

10/19 - San Antonio, TX - Empire Live

10/21 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall

10/22 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater

10/24 - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall

10/25 - Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl

10/26 - Birmingham, AL - Iron City

10/27 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse

10/29 - Charlotte, NC - The Neighborhood Theatre

10/30 - Columbia, SC - The Senate

More dates TBA

Watch X in 60 Seconds below

Visit X on Facebook.

'Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision' Box Set To Accompany Documentary Out September 13

On September 13, Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision, a deluxe box set that accompanies the upcoming documentary by the same name, will be released. Included are 39 tracks (38 previously unreleased) that were recorded by the new-look Jimi Hendrix Experience (Billy Cox on bass, Mitch Mitchell on drums) at Electric Lady Studios between June and August of 1970, just before the guitarist’s untimely death the following month.

In celebration of the forthcoming release, on August 8, the City of New York will be temporarily renaming the portion of West 8th Street between 6th Street and MacDougal Street JIMI HENDRIX WAY. This is the block on which Electric Lady Studios was built and still stands. There will also be a media screening event inside the studio that night.

The official theatrical premiere of Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision will be on August 9 at Quad Cinema in Manhattan at 7:00 PM and feature a post-screening Q&A session with director and co-producer John McDermott, co-producer and president/CEO of Experience Hendrix, L.L.C. Janie Hendrix, and producer/engineer Eddie Kramer. The film is distributed by Abramorama and all confirmed worldwide theatrical bookings for it can be found at ajimihendrixvision.com/showtimes/

Pre-order Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision

Directed by John McDermott and produced by Janie Hendrix, George Scott and McDermott, the film features exclusive interviews with Steve Winwood (who joined Hendrix on the first night of recording at the new studio), Experience bassist Billy Cox and original Electric Lady staff members who helped Hendrix realize his dream. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by recording engineer Eddie Kramer. The package includes an extensive booklet filled with unpublished photos, Hendrix’s handwritten song drafts, and comprehensive liner notes. The new release comes on the heels of another feature-length documentary that was created by the same team; Music, Money, Madness… Jimi Hendrix Live In Maui, which was nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Music Film category in 2022.

Contained on the five vinyl LPs or three CDs in the Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision box set are 39 tracks recorded by Jimi and his band — consisting of bassist Billy Cox and drummer Mitch Mitchell — at the studio within the last four months of the guitarist’s life. Hendrix was hard at work creating First Rays Of The New Rising Sun, the ambitious double album that would follow his 1968 masterwork Electric Ladyland. Inspired by the possibilities of the new studio, the Experience built classic fare such as “Night Bird Flying,” “Freedom,” and “Dolly Dagger” from the ground up. The set offers a comprehensive look at the work Hendrix undertook during that fruitful summer of 1970. The music ranges from four-track demo recordings of “Valleys Of Neptune” and “Heaven Has No Sorrow,” alternate arrangements of promising new songs such as “Come Down Hard On Me” and “Belly Button Window,” extraordinary, live in the studio takes of “Tune X/In From The Storm,” “Astro Man” and “The Long Medley,” a stirring, 26 minute spontaneous exploration of “Beginnings,” “Hey Baby (New Rising Sun),” “Keep On Groovin’” and “Freedom.” Additionally, the box set present many of the mixes the guitarist completed with engineer Eddie Kramer before leaving to begin a European tour on August 30 at the Isle Of Wight festival in England.  Hendrix would never again return to Electric Lady Studios.

Leading the project is a previously unreleased version of “Angel [Take 7].”  This newly mixed, stripped down version includes the original performances recorded by Hendrix, Mitchell and Cox on July 23, 1970.  It does not include any of the drums and additional percussion elements Mitchell opted to add to this master take after Jimi had died. Have a listen below.

The project also includes 20 newly created 5.1 surround sound mixes of the entire First Rays Of The New Rising Sun album plus three bonus tracks [“Valleys Of Neptune,” “Pali Gap,” and “Lover Man”]. The Blu-ray includes the critically acclaimed, full-length documentary Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision. The film chronicles the creation of the studio, rising from the rubble of a bankrupt Manhattan nightclub to becoming a state-of-the-art recording facility inspired by Hendrix’s desire for a permanent studio. 

The Sweet Release New Single & Video -- 'Little Miracle'

 

The Sweet, the 1970s band who who scored a string of hit albums and singles due to their highly melodic and anthemic sound and glam look have released a new single/video called “Little Miracle.” Model Dominique Mercedes makes her stunning debut appearance in the video, and her innocent yet enticing beauty captures the essence of true love. Singer Patrick Alan Stone along with his band mates deliver the goods, with a catchy tune that has the legs to go all the way. The video can be viewed below. 

The Sweet's classic 70s line-up featured Brian Connolly on lead and backing vocals, Steve Priest on bass, backing and lead vocals, Mick Tucker on drums, backing and occasional lead vocals, and Andy Scott on guitar, keyboards, backing and lead vocals.

After the passing of Connelly (in 1997) and Tucker (in 2002), Priest wanted Sweet to carry on and for its line up to possess the talent, feel and high energy that The Sweet had in its glory days. Priest’s new line-up was an instant smash success, playing hundreds of concerts across the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and many other countries around the world – for well over a decade, until Priest’s passing in 2020. 

Shortly after, it was decided that The Sweet should continue onward, as Stevie and Richie were part of that line up and were asked to carry on by Steve. Sweet 2024 is comprised of frontman Patrick Alan Stone, guitarist Jimmy Burkard, keyboardist Dave Schulz, bassist Stevie Stewart, and drummer Richie Onori.

The band achieved massive commercial success around the globe in the '70s, including such hits as “Ballroom Blitz,” “Fox On the Run,”  “Love Is Like Oxygen,” “Little Willy,” “Blockbuster,” “Action,” “Teenage Rampage,” and “AC/DC,” among many others. This new release demonstrates the same driving force and unpredictable musical quality that has always been the hallmark and essence of The Sweet’s iconic sound.

Confirmed Engagements:

July 25 Hollywood CA - The Bourbon Room

August 23 Regina SK - Shake the Lake 

August 24 Toronto ON - Sobey’s Stadium

September 6   St. Charles IL - Arcade Theater

September 7   Wisconsin Dells WI - Crystal Grand Music Theatre

September 8   Nashville IN - Brown County Music Center

November 8    Warren MI - Andiamo Celebrity Showroom

For more info, go to thesweetband.com.

Rainbow's 'Live In Munich 1977' Double CD + DVD Package Due September

On September 19, Mercury Studios will release Rainbow's Live In Munich 1977 as a Special Edition double CD+DVD package. This show has been previously released as individual DVD and double CD packages in the past, and this is the first time they have been packaged together.

Rainbow was the brainchild of legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, created in 1975 after his departure from Deep Purple. A string of hit albums ignited immediate success, which persevered until 1983, when Blackmore disbanded the group (and re- joined Deep Purple). Featuring the line-up of Blackmore, Cozy Powell (drums), Bob Daisley (bass), David Stone (keyboards), and vocalist Ronnie James Dio, the excitement in the air during this night was electric. This might be due, in part, to Blackmore’s late arrival to Munich just before the concert, after being smuggled out of Austria after trouble with the police at a gig two nights earlier. This seemed to inspire both the band and the audience to create a truly remarkable gig.

The DVD includes original promo videos for “Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll,” “Gates Of Babylon,” and “L.A. Connection,” a photo gallery, slideshow with audio commentary, interviews, and the “Rainbow Over Texas ‘76” feature, which includes additional interviews and performance footage. Truly, Live In Munich 1977 is a brilliant showcase of Rainbow with the classic Ritchie Blackmore/Ronnie James Dio/Cozy Powell line-up.

'Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision' Trailer Released

The trailer for Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision has been released, providing a nice glimpse into the upcoming documentary that chronicles the conceptualization and construction of the famed recording studio in Manhattan that opened less than a month before Jimi Hendrix's untimely death in 1970. Abramorama has recently acquired global theatrical distribution rights from Experience Hendrix, L.L.C., and will be premiering it on August 9 at Quad Cinema, less than a half mile from the still fully-operational Electric Lady Studios. 

View Trailer For Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision below:

“The construction of Electric Lady [Studios] was a nightmare,” recalls award-winning producer/engineer and longtime Jimi Hendrix collaborator Eddie Kramer in the trailer. “We were always running out of money. Poor Jimi had to go back out on the road, make some money, come back, then we could pay the crew . . . Late in ’69 we just hit a wall financially and the place just shut down. He borrows against the future royalties and we’re off to the races . . . [Jimi] would say to me, ‘Hey man, I want some of that purple on the wall, and green over there!’ We would start laughing about it. It was fun. We could make an atmosphere that he felt comfortable in and that he was able to direct and say, ‘This is what I want.’”

Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision recounts the creation of the studio, rising from the rubble of a bankrupt Manhattan nightclub to becoming a state-of-the-art recording facility inspired by Hendrix’s desire for a permanent studio. Electric Lady Studios was the first-ever artist-owned commercial recording studio. Hendrix had first envisioned creating an experiential nightclub. He was inspired by the short-lived Greenwich Village nightspot Cerebrum whose patrons donned flowing robes and were inundated by flashing lights, spectral images and swirling sound. Hendrix so enjoyed the Cerebrum experience that he asked its architect John Storyk to work with him and his manager Michael Jeffery.  Hendrix and Jeffery wanted to transform what had once been the Generation Club into ‘an electric studio of participation’. Shortly after acquiring the Generation Club lease however, Hendrix was steered from building a nightclub to creating a commercial recording studio.

Directed by John McDermott and produced by Janie Hendrix, George Scott and McDermott, the film features exclusive interviews with Steve Winwood (who joined Hendrix on the first night of recording at the new studio), Experience bassist Billy Cox and original Electric Lady staff members who helped Hendrix realize his dream. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by Eddie Kramer.

The documentary explains in depth that while Jimi Hendrix’s death robbed the public of so much potential music, the continued success of his recording studio provides a lasting legacy beyond his own music. John Lennon, The Clash, AC/DC, Chic, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and hundreds more made records at Electric Lady Studios, which speaks to one of Jimi’s lasting achievements in an industry that has radically changed over the course of the last half century.

Screenings of Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision 

(Check local listings for additional dates)

August 9  - Quad Cinema - New York, NY              

August 13 - Center for the Arts in Natick - Natick, MA                   

August 15 - Regent Theatre - Arlington, MA               

August 15 - Center for the Arts in Natick- Natick, MA                   

August 19 - Laemmle NoHo 7 - North Hollywood, CA    

August 19 - Carolina Theatre - Durham, NC                 

August 20 - Laemmlie Monica Film Center - Santa Monica, CA        

August 20 - Center for the Arts inNatick - Natick, MA                   

August 21 - Laemmle NewHall - Santa Clarita, CA         

August 23 - Mary D. Fisher Theater - Sedona, AZ                  

August 25 - Avonca Beach Theatre - Avonca Beach, AUS   

August 26 - Woodward Theater - Cincinnati, OH              

August 28 - Avonca Beach Theatre - Avonca Beach, AUS    

August 29 - The Cabot - Beverly, MA                 

August 30 - Gateway Film Center - Columbus, OH             

September 2 - Gateway Film Center - Columbus, OH             

September 8 - WFMU - Jersey City, NJ             

September 9 - Grail Moviehouse - Ashville, NC                 

September 13 - The Flicks - Boise, ID                      

September 16 - The Grand Illusion Cinema - Seattle, WA                  

September 17 - The Hollywood Theatre - Portland, OR                

September 18 - The Light Addlestone - Addlestone, UK            

September 18 - The Light Bolton - Bolton, UK                   

September 18 - The Light Bradford - Bradford, UK                

September 18 - The Light Cambridge - Cambridge, UK            

September 18  The Light New Brighton - New Birghton, UK        

September 18  The Light Banbury - Oxfordshire, UK           

September 18  The Light Redhill - Redhill, UK                   

September 18  The Light Sheffield - Sheffield, UK                

September 18  The Light Sittingbourne - Sittingbourne, UK         

September 18  The Light Stockport - Stockport, UK               

September 18  The Light Thetford - Thetford, UK                

September 18  The Light Walsall - Walsall, UK                  

September 18  The Light Wisbech - Wisbech, UK                

October 7 Old Town Center for the Arts - Cottonwood, AZ           

New Wishbone Ash Coffee Table Book Coming In August

No Easy Road – Wishbone Ash Live In The 70’s, a coffee table book from Madfish, is the first official tribute to the band’s life on the road during their classic years from 1970-1980. The 216-page tome, set for release on August 30th, offers a unique glimpse into the band’s journey and features contributions from Martin Turner, Andy Powell, Steve Upton, Laurie Wisefield, and head roadie Mark Emery.

No Easy Road includes many previously unseen photographs captured by renowned photographers Jill Furmanovsky (Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin), Michael Putland (The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney), Barry Plummer (Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley) and Dick Barnatt (Alice Cooper, Rod Stewart), alongside personal photographs from the band members' private archive plus images of rare memorabilia and tour ephemera.

Limited to just 1000 copies, each book comes with a photo signed by four band members: Laurie Wisefield, Andy Powell, Steve Upton and Martin Turner.

The book comes packed in a rigid slipcase containing a bonus 10-track KRO-NCRV concert CD, originally broadcast in Holland during the landmark Startruckin' 75 Tour - an essential addition for any Wishbone Ash enthusiast.

No Easy Road follows Madfish’s recent 50th anniversary edition of the band’s 1972 classic album, Argus.

Pre-order No Easy Road – Wishbone Ash Live In The 70’s. 

4K UHD Releases From Black Sabbath & Eric Clapton Out In September

 

Mercury Studios will unveil, for the first time on September 13, 2024, the 4K UHD releases of Black Sabbath's The End and Eric Clapton's Slowhand At 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall.

The End formerly released on November 17, 2017, on DVD and Blu-ray, captured the final destination of that adventure – an unforgettable farewell show at the Genting Arena in Black Sabbath’s hometown of Birmingham. Filmed February 4, 2017, The End showcases the legendary line-up celebrating their storied career, marking the closure of a monumental chapter in rock history.

With a hit packed set list including "Iron Man," "Paranoid," "War Pigs," and many more, the high production values, visual effects and pyrotechnics wowed fans, as the band delivered the most emotionally charged show of their lives.

The 4K UHD includes the bonus feature The Angelic Sessions, an in-studio look at the band playing a selection of their favorite songs not played on tour. These intimate live sessions at Angelic Studios were recorded in the days after their final live performance, and mark the band’s final studio recordings.

The End captures a once-in-a-career performance, an essential snapshot of musical history, and a fitting farewell to true innovators and original heavy metal icons, Black Sabbath.

Slowhand At 70-Live At The Royal Albert Hall was previously released on multiple formats including DVD and Blu-ray on November 13, 2015.

This special landmark release, celebrating Eric Clapton’s 70th birthday at his favorite venue, includes career defining tracks like "Cocaine," "I Shot The Sheriff," "Layla," "Wonderful Tonight," "Crossroads," "Tears In Heaven," "Hoochie Coochie Man," and more.

Following his 70th birthday in March of 2015, Clapton performed his 200th concert at London’s famous Royal Albert Hall in May, 50 years after his first performance there with The Yardbirds. Clapton’s seven-night run at the venue was acclaimed by critics and adored by the fans. The setlist blended vintage blues tracks and Clapton classics from across his storied career.

Pre-order Black Sabbath's The End and Eric Clapton's Slowhand At 70 – Live at the Royal Albert Hall.

Eagles Add January 2025 Shows To Sphere Residency

 

sThe Eagles have announced four additional shows for the band’s residency at SPHERE in Las Vegas, now featuring a total of 20 shows, over ten weekends, from Friday, Sept. 20 through Saturday, Jan. 25.  The Sphere residency will offer fans the ultimate connection to the band’s legendary catalog in an immersive experience that only Sphere can provide. The general on-sale for the four new weekend shows will begin Friday, July 26 at 9:00 AM PT at eagles.com.

EAGLES – LIVE IN CONCERT AT SPHERE dates:

• Friday, September 20
• Saturday, September 21
• Friday, September 27
• Saturday, September 28
• Friday, October 11
• Saturday, October 12
• Friday, October 18
• Saturday, October 19
• Friday, November 1
• Saturday, November 2
• Friday, November 8
• Saturday, November 9
• Friday, December 6
• Saturday, December 7
• Friday, December 13
• Saturday, December 14
• Friday, January 17
• Saturday, January 18
• Friday, January 24 
• Saturday, January 25 

Tickets start at $175 and will reflect all-in pricing, meaning the ticket price listed is inclusive of taxes and fees. 

To assist in getting tickets directly into the hands of fans, advance Artist presale registration is available now at https://eagles.com powered by Seated. The Artist presale begins Tuesday, July 23 at 10:00 AM PT. Live Nation and SiriusXM presales begin Thursday, July 25 at 9:00 AM PT. 

Vibee is the Hotel & Experience Package partner for the Eagles Sphere residency. Vibee packages include a concert ticket and 2-night stay at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas - the only resort attached to Sphere - with guests receiving priority entry to the venue, commemorative keepsakes, and access to a fan experience. Vibee Hotel & Experience packages for the existing and newly announced dates are available immediately and exclusively now at Eagles.vibee.com.

Limited VIP Ticket Packages will be available, Tuesday, July 23 at 10:00 AM PT at eagles.com and include premium seats, exclusive merchandise, parking, and more.

These shows will utilize Sphere’s next-generation technologies, including the world’s highest-resolution LED display that wraps up, over, and around the audience, creating a fully immersive visual environment. The venue also features the world’s most advanced concert-grade audio system, Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by HOLOPLOT, which delivers audio with unmatched clarity and precision to every guest.

Frank Zappa's 1974 'Apostrophe (')' To Be Boxed Up For 50th Anniversary In September

 

As the calendar turned to 1974, Frank Zappa was riding high. His revised rethink of The Mothers collective had begat the stone-cold classic known as September 1973’s Over-Nite Sensation, the album generally acknowledged by both the cognoscenti and the layman as the gateway listening experience that invited the world writ large into the ever-expanding Zappaverse. Over-Nite Sensation also served as a direct bridge to Zappa’s follow-up solo release, March 1974’s Apostrophe (’). In turn, Apostrophe (’) also became Zappa’s most successful venture to date—strictly commercially speaking, that is.

Apostrophe (’) was Zappa’s first Gold-selling record in the United States, ultimately peaking at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart. The forever prescient and perpetually catchy single “Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow” made its own splash on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, duly marking its territory at #87. Key Apostrophe (’) favorites—such as the seething indictment of flim-flam gurus and phony psychics in “Cosmik Debris,” the ongoing exploration of racial inequality in “Uncle Remus,” and the examination of the unending olfactory horrors of “Stink-Foot”—further solidified Zappa’s hold on the public consciousness and subconsciousness alike. A half-century on Apostrophe (’) remains a consistent go-to release in the extensive Zappa catalog, not to mention being one of its top-tier bestsellers. 

In proper celebration of 50 years of Apostrophe (’), a newly expanded 50th anniversary edition will be released on September 13 via Zappa Records/UMe in a variety of formats, including a six-disc (5CD/1Blu-ray Audio) Super Deluxe Edition that features 75 tracks in total. Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Zappa Vaultmeister Joe Travers, this new, expanded collection titled Apostrophe (’): 50th Anniversary Edition, sports the 2024 remaster of the original album by Bernie Grundman, along with scores of additional session outtakes from The Vault, alternate takes, and 2024 mixes remixed and restored by Craig Parker Adams and remastered by John Polito. Also included are two historical live concert recordings from 1974 — one show captured at an unidentified venue in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the other recorded at Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio, on November 20, 1974. Seven of these tracks were first released on the 40th celebration, the now out-of-print collection, The Crux of the Biscuit, in 2016.

The Blu-ray contains the core album newly remixed in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound by Karma Auger and Erich Gobel at Studio1LA, the same team behind the acclaimed Dolby Atmos and surround mixes of 2022’s Waka/Wazoo and 2023’s Over-Nite Sensation releases, respectively, plus it includes Zappa’s original 4-channel Quadraphonic mix (available again for the first time since 1974) as well as the hi-res stereo 2024 remaster at both 24-bit/192kHz and 24-bit/96kHz. The lavish Super Deluxe Edition box comes complete with a 52-page booklet and unseen photos from the archives of Sam Emerson, the man who shot the now-iconic close-up cover image of Zappa, in addition to liner notes and new essays by noted British journalist Simon Prentis and, as always, Vaultmeister Travers.  

Fans can hear a previously unreleased take of “Uncle Remus (Piano and Vocal Mix 2024).” This newly mixed version is culled from the original 16-track master, featuring isolated piano and tack piano tracks by George Duke along with a spotlighting of FZ and The Ikettes’ vocal master tracks. It’s but one of the multiple versions of this classic Zappa/Duke joint composition that appears in the Super Deluxe Edition box set. Listen to “Uncle Remus (Piano and Vocal Mix 2024)” below.

In addition to the Super Deluxe Edition box set, there will be two separate vinyl releases: a 2LP + 7-inch single edition with both 180-gram audiophile LPs appearing on white vinyl with yellow-snow splatter, as cut from the original analog tape by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering in 2024. The 7-inch of “Don’t Eat The Yellow Snow” is a reproduction of the original 1974 single with “Cosmik Debris” — but this time, it comes on cosmic glow in the dark with yellow-snow splatter vinyl. The 1LP edition features the original album’s nine tracks on 180-gram audiophile Gold Nugget vinyl. The 2LP + 7-inch edition is available exclusively at Zappa.com, uDiscover Music, and Sound of Vinyl and available to pre-order.

Additionally, the Super Deluxe Edition will be available digitally, with all 75 tracks available in both hi-res 24-bit/96kHz and standard-res 16-bit/44.1kHz options. A standalone Dolby Atmos mix of the core album’s nine tracks will also be available on all Atmos-supporting hi-res streaming services.

As both an album title and concept, Apostrophe (’) looks to have initially appeared in The Vault on a few 2-inch 16-track masters that were essentially Zappa’s “Build Reels” created in 1971. They contain multi-track master sources of a variety of selections from The Hot Rats Sessions of 1969, the Record Plant Sessions from 1970, and Fillmore East live tracks from 1971. It wasn’t until early 1974 that the all-lowercase and additionally punctuated Apostrophe (’) album title was fully appropriated, with then-current session masters from Bolic Studios in Inglewood, Calif., combined with other archive recordings dating from 1970 to 1972. The master tapes for Apostrophe (’) were handed in on February 7, 1974. Vinyl acetates and mastering were completed at Artisan Sound Recorders, and the album’s March 22 release date was officially set.

For the balance of the bonus live material contained herein throughout Discs 2-5, Travers explained that the goal was to represent what Zappa achieved during his live concerts throughout 1974 by focusing on shows at the beginning and the end of the year. For the March tour tapes, it was hard to find a show that had releasable sound quality and featured all the music special to that particular time period. The Colorado Springs tapes — the venue is technically unidentified but is believed to have been Zappa’s March 21 appearance at Civic Auditorium — offers a number of great performances of the repertoire along with a presentable sounding recording. (The patches that fill in the gaps left by reels of tape running out were taken from The Mothers’ Salt Lake City, Utah show from March 18.)

For the ’74 tour run, Zappa constructed a number of new compositions and refinements. “Is There Anything Good Inside Of You?” (a.k.a. “Andy”) and “Florentine Pogen” were brand new, while the rarely played “Babbette” was connected to the still fairly new “Approximate” in a genius way. And, of course, “Inca Roads” underwent constant change. As per usual, Zappa was recording every show on his ½-inch 4-track tape machine. While the tapes are not of the highest sound quality, historically speaking these particular shows contain variants of songs that never repeated on any other tours.

As for the Dayton, Ohio show from November 20 that appears on Discs 4 and 5, it is featured here for many reasons. The tapes sound very good, even though there was intermittent distortion in the right channel throughout. The band itself had transmogrified a number of times during the year, with the later configuration existing as a six-piece collective. The core group of Zappa, keyboardist/vocalist George Duke, tenor saxophonist/flautist/vocalist Napoleon Murphy Brock, bassist Tom Fowler, drummer Chester Thompson, and percussionist Ruth Underwood has long since been acknowledged as a fan-favorite and is largely considered one of the best and most popular groups Zappa ever compiled. They were well-trained, as most of them had worked with Zappa off and on for almost two years. They had great chemistry and produced a special sound, with The Maestro leading the way as the singular guitar player. By the time the Dayton show came around that November, there was only about a week and a half left before the tour was scheduled to end. The Dayton show is the last surviving live document of an amazingly talented group of musicians — as witnessed by their expert execution of songs like “Penguin In Bondage,” “Dinah-Moe Humm,” and “Pygmy Twylyte” — and it’s the gig that also concurrently signaled the end of an incredibly successful chapter in Zappa history.

The crux of the biscuit is, Apostrophe (’) continued the commercial penetration of Frank Zappa, who entered the mid-1970s further unbeholden to the whims and wiles of the corporate slime that always seemed to be knocking at his studio door. The 50th anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of Apostrophe (’) is an amazing celebration of half a century of one of Zappa’s best, rife with even more songs and stories set to Zappa-directed music and dutifully performed for your dining and dancing pleasure.  

On July 19th, Frank Zappa For President, a compilation originally released in 2016 showcasing Zappa’s political side and a nod to his political ambitions (he explored running for president in 1991), will be released widely on vinyl for the first time, following it’s Record Store Day exclusive in April on red, white and blue splatter vinyl. The album, featuring unreleased compositions performed on the Synclavier, along with other relevant tracks mined from The Vault, with a political thread tying it all together, will be released on 180-gram black 2LP vinyl with three sides of music and a silk screened FZ image on side 4. 

The record will also be released exclusively in a Mystery Vinyl Edition via Zappa.com, uDiscover Music and Sound of Vinyl. Limited to 3,000 units worldwide, fans will randomly receive the double platter on red vinyl, white vinyl or blue vinyl, each capped at 1,000 units. 

Pre-order Apostrophe (’): 50th Anniversary Edition. 

Phil Collins' 'Both Sides (All The Sides)' Vinyl Box Set To Be Released In September

 

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Phil Collins' fifth solo studio album, Both Sides, a special edition five-LP box set will be released on September 20. This deluxe edition contains the remastered full original album, cut at half-speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, and is a compendium of early demo tracks from the recording of the album as well as rarities from the singles originally released on the album - "Both Sides of the Story," "Everyday" and "We Wait and We Wonder." 

Both Sides (All The Sides) brings this full collection together with live tracks from the era, such as "Can't Turn Back the Years," "Both Sides of the Story" taken from Collins' MTV Unplugged performance, "Doesn't Anybody Stay Together Anymore" and more, as one release for the first time on vinyl. The set is housed in a slipcase with picture sleeves and a 16-page booklet containing newly written and extensive liner notes by esteemed journalist Michael Hann. 

Proclaimed by Collins as his most personal album to that point in his career, Both Sides, originally released in 1993, is Phil Collins' fifth album and was written, performed and produced all by Collins himself at his home studio in just six weeks. In a 2016 interview with The Guardian newspaper, Collins named it as his "favorite album from a songwriting and creative perspective," going on to reveal how "… the songs just streamed out of me, and as a writer, that's the kind of thing that you dream of."

Upon its original release, the album reached No. 1 in the UK and throughout Europe and No. 13 in the US and has gone on to be a global multi-platinum seller. 

As written by Michael Hann in his notes, "Time has magnified its virtues, and perspective has amplified its truths. Both Sides may not have been the monster hit its predecessors were, but it might be the most important record in the Phil Collins discography."

Also announced is Live From the Board: Official Bootleg, a limited-edition 10" vinyl for RSD Black Friday (November 29). This four-track EP was originally released in 1995 and features songs recorded on the Both Sides tour in 1994 under the artist name Phil Collins & The Indescribable Din. It features the tracks "Sussudio," "Easy Lover," "Separate Lives," and "My Girl."

Pre-order Both Sides (All The Sides)

Deep Purple Perform 'Smoke On The Water' On The Lake Geneva Shoreline

Deep Purple’s "Smoke on the Water" is no doubt one of the most iconic tracks in rock history, inspired by the fire at Montreux Jazz Festival’s Casino venue during a Frank Zappa concert on December 4, 1971.

That day, Deep Purple were in Montreux to record their latest album, which would go on to be 1972’s Machine Head, using The Rolling Stones’ mobile recording studio to start on the record. However, the band were forced out of their hotel rooms by the smoke, and the apocalyptic scenes they saw inspired the track.

On July 8 at the 58th edition of Montreux Jazz Festival, the band returned for their 10th show in Montreux, but this time, they performed on the festival’s brand-new Lake Stage – constructed in a breathtaking setting on the surface of Lake Geneva. 

Deep Purple opened with the scintillating track "Highway Star," with its long, classically inspired guitar and organ solos. The set moved to explore other classics including "Space Truckin'," "Anya" and "Into the Fire," plus others from their forthcoming album, =1. 

As the iconic riff of "Smoke on the Water" came in, the curtain at the back of the stage was lifted, fittingly revealing a glistening Lake Geneva cloaked in smoke. Midway through, frontman Ian Gillan instructed the crowd to take over singing duties on the hook, to which the 5,000-capacity crowd eagerly obliged, getting louder and louder with each rendition until the jolt of guitars and drums came crashing in.

Earlier in the festival, the band hosted an exclusive Q&A panel where they discussed their memories of the 1971 fire and shared the unheard stories behind their most famous track. 

Roger Glover, Deep Purple bassist, speaking about the Casino fire: “It burned all afternoon, all evening, all through the night. We went and looked at it the next morning and there it was, gone. It was a frightening thing. The following morning, I was in my room alone and I woke up with those words on my lips, and I said them out to an empty room. And then I kind of really woke up and I said ‘what did I just say? Smoke on the Water?’ No idea what it meant. I mentioned it to Ian [Gillan] and he said, ‘Yeah, sounds like a drug song, we better not do that.’”

On recording the "Smoke on the Water" riff in Montreux: “Our roadies were keeping the doors shut because the police were trying to get in to stop us because we were keeping the entire town of Montreux awake. 

On receiving praise from Luciano Pavarotti: “We worked with Luciano Pavarotti a couple of times, and once he said ‘I’ve heard you sing ‘Smoke on the Water’ six times, and I’m very jealous, because every time it’s different. If I changed one detail of the original interpretations of any of my famous arias they’d crucify me.”

Montreux Jazz Festival continues until July 20, with this year’s eclectic line-up spanning across all genres and eras of music – including The National, RAYE, Massive Attack, Tems, Duran Duran, Janelle Monáe, Sting, Kraftwerk, Lenny Kravitz and many more. 

For the full line-up and further information, visit montreuxjazzfestival.com.

Bob Dylan's 'The 1974 Live Recordings' 27-disc, 431-Track Collection Of Performances With The Band To Be Released

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings will release The 1974 Live Recordings on Friday, September 20, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s return to touring that year. Featuring all professionally recorded shows from the artist’s 1974 performances backed by The Band, the collection will be available as a deluxe box set across 27 CDs. 

The 1974 Live Recordings offers fans 417 previously-unreleased Bob Dylan live tracks – including 133 recordings newly mixed from 16-track tape, and every single surviving soundboard recording – along with new liner notes by journalist and critic Elizabeth Nelson. 

In conjunction with The 1974 Live Recordings, Third Man Records has announced the September release of The 1974 Live Recordings - The Missing Songs From Before the Flood, a triple LP / 1 x 7-inch set culled from the same recordings, featuring hand selected versions of every song Bob Dylan recorded that was not included on the original 1974 live album. Pressed exclusively on colored vinyl, the set will be available through The Vault, Third Man's direct-to-customer mail order service.

Pre-order The 1974 Live Recordings 

Check out a previously unreleased performance of “Forever Young,” live in Seattle, Feb 9, 1974 (afternoon show) below. 

Bob Dylan’s 1974 Tour marked his first time touring live in eight years and reunited him with The Band - who had become widely renowned in their own right since backing the artist nearly a decade earlier. Booked into arenas for the first time ever, Bob Dylan and The Band performed 30 dates in 42 days (often playing two sets per day) before an average audience of 18,500 - helping set a new standard for what rock concerts could look and sound like. 

Tour ‘74 kicked off January 3, 1974, at Chicago Stadium - the largest indoor arena in the world at the time it was built - with a tense and combative rip through ultimate deep-cut “Hero Blues,” an acoustic-gone-electric outtake from The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan sessions, that he had scarcely performed before - or since. Additional rarities - like a wildly-reinvented “Ballad Of Hollis Brown,” “Song to Woody” (not performed since 1962) and Planet Waves outtake “Nobody ‘Cept You” - would be well received in the tour’s first nights. “We were booed off of every stage in Europe,” The Band’s Robbie Robertson recalled to Newsweek of their previous run together. “What happened tonight in Chicago is so reassuring for us.”

Photo by Barry Feinstein

The reception wasn’t the only thing that had changed since Bob Dylan and The Band last toured together in 1966. Since then, The Band had released six LPs, played Woodstock and other famous stages, and recorded a series of historic sessions with Bob Dylan - from The Basement Tapes to Planet Waves. For his part, Bob Dylan had effectively retired from the road altogether following a 1966 motorcycle accident, yet was still “widely regarded as the most influential and significant star in the last 10 years of American popular music,” according to The New York Times.

Though they might not have known it at the time, Bob Dylan and The Band were at the vanguard of a new era. Tour ‘74 would help create the template for the major rock tour, and codify many of its shared experiences - from the sight of audiences holding up lighters en masse (as captured in the iconic cover image for Before The Flood), to the bright flash of the house lights during a show’s signal moment, in this case their performance of “Like A Rolling Stone.” Likewise many songs performed live for the first time on Tour ‘74 - “All Along The Watchtower,” “Forever Young” and the show’s eventual opener-and-closer “Most Likely You Go Your Way (and I’ll Go Mine)” - would take on a life of their own.

At the outset, the 1974 Tour was captured on a stereo soundboard mix, on both 1⁄4” tape and cassette. By tour’s end, Asylum Records’ David Geffen had commissioned recordings on multitrack tape, the standard at the time, for eventual release on Before the Flood. The 1974 Live Recordings includes it all - the cassettes and 1⁄4” tapes, and the shows that were recorded on 16-track tape, newly-mixed for this collection.

Rick Wakeman Announces Dates For The Final One Man Solo Tour

Rick Wakeman will be embarking on a tour of the US with a series of solo piano concerts for the last time in 2024. Wakeman has decided that after a career spanning over 50 years, he is calling a halt to lengthy American one-man show tours, in order to concentrate on composing, recording and collaborating with other musicians.

As an exclusive gift for fans, on these shows the keyboardist will be premiering a brand new piece of music called "Yessonata," a 30-minute instrumental work featuring Yes themes and melodies, woven into sonata form. For the first time, "Yessonata" will also be available to purchase in vinyl format on the fall tour.

Of course, Rick Wakeman first started establishing a reputation as one of rock’s most original and proficient keyboard players in the late 60s, when he worked with the likes of David Bowie, Cat Stevens, Marc Bolan, Lou Reed, Al Stewart, Elton John and many others, as a much-in-demand session player. He stepped out of the recording studio and into the limelight when he first joined the Strawbs and then Yes, helping to make the latter the most successful progressive rock band in the world by contributing to seminal albums such as Fragile and Close To The Edge.

Outside of Yes, Wakeman unleashed his creativity with a series of groundbreaking concept albums: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which have been performed in large-scale shows featuring bands, orchestras and choirs.

He is equally at home as a solo artist in the up-close environment of concert halls, performing music on a piano – both his own and tunes that have a special resonance for him - and recounting wickedly funny stories taken from the length of his career. In recent years, he has added a rack of electric keyboards to ring the changes and enable him to enlarge his live solo repertoire.

Now, for the last time in 2024, he'll be taking to the road in the US with an all-new solo piano and keyboard show, featuring the premiere of a stunning new work. This will be the final opportunity to enjoy an evening of great music and hilarious stories, delivered by one of the truly legendary figures of rock music.

A STATEMENT FROM RICK WAKEMAN:

“I always planned to stop touring by my 77th birthday - for those of you who wish to send me a card, it’s 18th May! - but there is so much to fit in before then that I’m having to make plans now and so my final one-man shows will have to cease by that date.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed performing the various one-man shows, but it’s time to call it a day. I intend to throw in the best of what I have done in the past, plus a few new surprises on the way, and possibly even the odd guest joining me on the odd occasion.

“The plan is not to perform at the same venue twice throughout this period, so whatever venue you are hopefully thinking of coming to, it will be the last performance there - and I am taking this opportunity of thanking everyone and anyone who has supported me over the last 53 years!”

RICK WAKEMAN 2024

Additional U.S. Tour Dates

Oct. 3 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall

Oct. 4 Fairfield, CT SHU Community Theater

Oct. 5 Rahway, NJ Union County Perf. Arts Center

Oct. 6 Troy, NY Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Oct. 8 Falls River, MA Narrows Center

Oct. 10 Rochester, NY The Theater at Innovation Square

Oct. 11 Buffalo, NY Electric City

Oct. 13 Kent, OH The Kent Stage

Oct. 15 St. Charles, IL Arcada Theater

Oct. 17 St. Paul, MN Fitzgerald Theatre

Oct. 19 Milwaukee, WI South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center

Oct. 20 St. Louis, MO The Sheldon

Oct. 22 Phoenix, AZ Music Instrument Museum

Oct. 24 Dallas, TX Longhorn Ballroom

Oct. 26 Houston, TX The Heights Theater

Oct. 28 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse

Oct. 31 Durham, NC Carolina Theatre of Durham – Fletcher Hill Auditorium

Nov. 2 Landsdowne, PA Landowne Theater

Renaissance Featuring Annie Haslam Announces ‘In Gratitude’ Farewell Tour Fall 2024

 

Renaissance featuring Annie Haslam will be back in the US playing select dates from October 17th through October 31st. This will mark 54 years since the formation of the band and its 16th consecutive year of touring since its reactivation in 2009.

Renaissance leader and vocalist Annie Haslam remarked: “We are very proud but sad to announce our ‘In Gratitude’ Farewell Tour. Where did the time go? Looking back over the years, I believe we have made history in the worlds of progressive and symphonic rRock.”

The upcoming shows will include stunning arrangements of “Ocean Gypsy,” “Northern Lights,” “Forever Changing,” “Mother Russia,” “Carpet of the Sun,” “Ashes are Burning” and other favorite classics. Ms. Haslam will be joined on stage by long-time musical associate Rave Tesar on piano, along with Mark Lambert on guitars/vocals, Geoffrey Langley on keyboards/vocals, Frank Pagano on drums, percussion/vocals, and John Galgano on bass.

“Performing with Renaissance since 1971 has been my whole life," Haslam says. "I still love singing these unique, surreal, dramatic and romantic songs and pairing up with some of the finest orchestras in the world. All of this was born from the music of Michael Dunford, John Tout, Terry Sullivan and Jon Camp combined with the emotional and poetic words of Betty Thatcher. Our music has filled the hearts and minds of many thousands of fans around the world. It started for me, with a dream from my childhood that ended in this miracle called Renaissance! Rave Tesar, is an extraordinary man and musician I have worked with in my solo band since 1989 and with Renaissance since 2009. He has also been a very big help in keeping the band 'alive'! Some very talented musicians have stepped into our band, and their devotion and hard work have added to the band’s touring longevity and personality.”

Renaissance is a band with a rich history unique unto themselves as progressive rock pioneers who rose from the ashes of the seminal UK rock band, The Yardbirds. Acclaimed for their unique blending of progressive rock with classical and symphonic influences, the band's career has spanned fifty plus years spearheaded by the five-octave voice of Annie Haslam and the songwriting skills of Michael Dunford, John Tout, Jon Camp and Terry Sullivan. They are widely considered to be the band that most successfully and routinely utilized the sound of a full orchestra in their recordings.

The band has toured throughout the world and has performed at Carnegie Hall with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Chorale Society. Renaissance had a top ten hit in the UK with their song “Northern Lights” that still demands airplay to this day.

Renaissance: In Gratitude Farewell Tour 2024

Thursday October 17, 2024 – NEW YORK CITY

The Town Hall

Friday October 18, 2024 – ALBANY, NY

Lewis A. Swyer Theatre at the Egg

Saturday October 19, 2024 – Ridgefield, CT

The Ridgefield Playhouse

Sunday October 20, 2024 – Boston MA

City Winery Boston

Wednesday October 23, 2024 – Rochester, NY

The Theater at Innovation Square

Thursday October 24, 2024 – Homer, NY

Center for the Arts of Homer

Friday October 25, 2024 – Newton, NJ

The Newton Theatre

Saturday October 26, 2024 – Lansdowne, PA

Lansdowne Theater

Tuesday October 29, 2024 - Edwardsville, IL

Wildey Theatre

Wednesday October 30, 2024 - Edwardsville, IL

Wildey Theatre

For more information, visit renaissancetouring.com.

'Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision' Documentary Coming To Theaters August 9

Abramorama has announced that they have acquired global theatrical distribution rights to the full-length documentary Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision from Experience Hendrix L.L.C. Abramorama previously distributed two other Jimi Hendrix documentaries, Electric Church and the 2022 Grammy nominated Music, Money, Madness: Jimi Hendrix Live In Maui. An August release is planned, starting in New York City at the Quad on August 9, 2024, followed by a global roll out.

Evan Saxon, Abramorama’s President and Head of International Distribution states, “Abramorama is honored to once again collaborate with Experience Hendrix L.L.C, this time to share an insightful and never before seen documentary about one of the most famous recording studios in the world.  Listen to an hour’s worth of music on your favorite playlist, DSP or radio station and odds are at least one of the songs was recorded at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios.”

Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision chronicles the creation of the studio, rising from the rubble of a bankrupt Manhattan nightclub to becoming a state-of-the-art recording facility inspired by Hendrix’s desire for a permanent studio. Electric Lady Studios was the first ever artist-owned commercial recording studio.  

Hendrix had first envisioned creating an experiential nightclub. He was inspired by the short-lived Greenwich Village nightspot Cerebrum whose patrons donned flowing robes and were inundated by flashing lights, spectral images and swirling sound. Hendrix so enjoyed the Cerebrum experience that he asked its architect John Storyk to work with him and his manager Michael Jeffery. Hendrix and Jeffery wanted to transform what had once been the Generation Club into ‘an electric studio of participation’.  Shortly after acquiring the Generation Club lease however, Hendrix was steered from building a nightclub to creating a commercial recording studio.

The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by recording engineer Eddie Kramer who was awarded an Emmy for his work on the film "Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A Comin'."

Award-winning producer / engineer and longtime Jimi Hendrix collaborator, Eddie Kramer stated, “Jimi loved jamming at The Generation night club in the Village and when it went bankrupt, he and [manager] Mike Jeffery purchased it with a view to making it a place for him and his friends to relax and possibly record their jams on an 8-track tape machine in the corner. Soon thereafter I was asked to evaluate the space. I remember walking down the stairs to a demolition site as they had started to tear stuff down to see how much bigger they could make it.  I knew at once that a club would be disastrous. I remember saying something like “You guys must be out your #$%^&ing minds! Do you have any idea of what Jimi spends in studio time in a year? Let’s build the best studio in the world for him so when he walks in, he can relax and record whenever he wants. The club idea was scratched, and Electric Lady Studios was born. By June of the next year (1970) Studio A was completed and after a few test sessions Jimi came in to record in HIS studio. Man was he proud of it. He loved the way it sounded and its vibe. We recorded many tracks for a new album over the next 4 months which became Cry of Love. The legacy of what Jimi wanted endures to this day: a place where one could create without being interrupted. Every artist who comes to Electric Lady Studios feels the spirit of Jimi Hendrix, a spirit that helps them create their own music!”

Directed by John McDermott and produced by Janie Hendrix, George Scott and McDermott, the film features exclusive interviews with Steve Winwood (who joined Hendrix on the first night of recording at the new studio), Experience bassist Billy Cox and original Electric Lady staff members who helped Hendrix realize his dream. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage and photos as well as track breakdowns of Hendrix classics such as “Freedom,” “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by Eddie Kramer.

The documentary explains in depth that while Jimi Hendrix’s death robbed the public of so much potential music, the continued success of his recording studio provides a lasting legacy beyond his own music. John Lennon, The Clash, AC/DC, Chic, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and hundreds more made records at Electric Lady Studios, which speaks to one of Jimi’s lasting achievements in an industry that has radically changed over the course of the last half century.

Janie Hendrix reflects, “Jimi’s creative mind was always filled with next level ideas. He was never content with the ordinary but was driven by the burning desire to create something incredible that hadn’t been done before. That was the catalyst for Electric Lady Studios. The film, Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision, brings to light just how forward-thinking and inventive Jimi was in every aspect of his music, including production and recording. It was at Electric Lady Studios where he pushed beyond the musical limits of what was known, and he then opened the door to other musicians, allowing them the space to realize their own artistic hopes and dreams. My brother conceived something so amazing and so big that it has lived on for decades since its inception, serving as a passageway for hundreds of artists to bring their creativity to a waiting world audience. This is what Jimi envisioned when he founded the New York brainchild, and his prophecy is fulfilled through the countless, brilliant musicians who have tapped into the energy of the studio Jimi created. Legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, John Lennon, David Bowie, U2, Prince, Jon Batiste, Lana Del Rey, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, D’Angelo and so many others have produced their finest work in the inspired recording house. This film tells the story of how the dream of a visionary, who dared to think outside the musical box, can have a limitless reach, generation after generation. It tells Jimi’s story with his Electric Lady.” 

Rhino's Limited-Edition 'Sounds Of The Summer' Vinyl Available Each Friday Of July

 

Celebrate the summer with Rhino; starting July 5, Rhino’s Sounds of the Summer will bring 24 exclusive, limited-edition vinyl releases each Friday of the month. Also rolling out this month are several titles from the Now Playing collection, a curated series of Greatest Hits from Warner Music’s legendary artists such as George Benson, Hall & Oats, Sonny & Cher, and Van Morrison. Sounds of Summer 2024 will also feature releases from Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, and Grateful Dead. 

Available July 5

Genesis - And Then There Were Three 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

George Benson - Now Playing 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Van Morrison - Now Playing  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Various Artist - Now Playing: Summer Sounds  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Yes- The Yes Album (Steven Wilson Remix) 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Available July 12

Al Stewart - Now Playing  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Linda Ronstadt - Simple Dreams  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Utopia - Now Playing  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Available July 19

Crosby, Stills & Nash - CSN  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

The Doobie Brothers - Takin’ It To The Streets  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Hall & Oates - Now Playing 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Little Feat - Time Loves A Hero 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Sonny & Cher - Now Playing 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Rod Stewart - Foot Loose & Fancy Free 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

War - Greatest Hits  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Available July 26

Chicago - Greatest Hits 1982-1989  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Jimmy Cliff - In Concert: The Best of Jimmy Cliff  1-LP on 140-gram Transparent Red Vinyl

Joni Mitchell - Hissing Of Summer Lawns 1-LP on 140-gram Clear vinyl

Fleetwood Mac - Best of 1969-1974 2-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Greatest ‘60s Hits  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Greatest ‘70s Hits  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Grateful Dead - Go To Heaven 1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Grateful Dead - Shakedown Street  1-LP on 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Randy Newman - The Best of Randy Newman  2-LP 140-gram Sea Blue Vinyl

Warren Zevon - Warren Zevon (Deluxe Edition) 2-LP on 180-gram  Black Vinyl