Category: News

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Shaboozey First Independent Artist to Top ARIA Singles Chart Since Tones and I

Independent artist Shaboozey has pulled off something truly impressive on the ARIA charts. His single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has held the #1 spot for three straight weeks, marking the first time an independent release has topped the singles charts since Tones and I’s “Dance Monkey”. Back in 2019, Tones and I made history with […]

The post Shaboozey First Independent Artist to Top ARIA Singles Chart Since Tones and I by Jessica Lynch appeared first on The Music Network.

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Watch Paul Weller’s surprise performance outside tiny West London chip shop

Paul Weller has played a surprise performance outside a small chip shop in West London. Check out footage of the moment below.

READ MORE: Paul Weller: “I’m trying different things as much as I can – time is of the essence, man”

The singer, songwriter and former frontman of The Jam made the appearance on Saturday afternoon, when he took to a stage at a street party in West London.

The event was held as a closing party for George’s Fish Bar, and saw Weller perform to locals in the area as part of a surprise set. During the intimate performance, he played a reggae version of his solo track ‘You Do Something To Me’, before then breaking out a rendition of the title track from his 1993 album ‘Wild Wood’.

It comes as Weller is embarking on his latest tour, and recently played a huge show at Edinburgh Castle.

Check out fan-captured footage of the performance below.

The surprise gig over the weekend took place after the Modfather released his 17th solo album, ’66’, back in May – the day before his 66th birthday.

He described it as an LP that would see him delve into topics including “faith, changing circumstances and the fractured realities of life in this turbulent age” but at its core, boast a message of positivity and wisdom.

Since then, he has also shared details of another tour across the UK, which will take place across the autumn.

Kicking off in Cheltenham on October 17, the stint also includes stop-offs in Brighton, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Llandudno, Liverpool and other locations throughout that month and into early November.

The tour is set to conclude with a performance at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London on November 8. Weller will be joined on the run by special guest opener Liam Bailey.

Before that though, he will play his first North American tour dates in seven years. Visit here for remaining US tickets, and here for UK tickets.

The post Watch Paul Weller’s surprise performance outside tiny West London chip shop appeared first on NME.

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Rex Orange County announces UK And North American residencies for ‘Finally: A Theatre Tour’

Rex Orange County has shared details of live shows across the UK and North America, titled the ‘Finally: A Theatre Tour’. Find ticket details below.

READ MORE: Rex Orange County: “I want the music to sound and feel free – because I feel free”

Taking place later this year, the new run of tour dates will come in support of the vocalist’s forthcoming album ‘The Alexander Technique’ and see him embark on over 30 shows across the US and the UK.

The album will be the follow-up to 2022’s ‘Who Cares?’, and is set to arrive on September 6 via RCA. So far, ahead of the release, County has already dropped two singles, ‘Alexander’ and ‘Guitar Song’.

All live shows will be held in theatres, and the dates kick off in Chicago with two back-to-back nights at the Auditorium on October 4 and 5. From there, the schedule will see the musician take on various residencies across North America, including at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, Beacon Theatre in New York, the Straz Centre in Tampa and more.

The North American leg wraps up with two back-to-back performances at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on November 25 and 26.

After the 30 US shows, he will head across the pond at the start of 2025 for the four remaining tour dates. These will all be held in London and take place at the Palladium between February 16 and February 19.

“For this tour, I’m going to play a select number of cities in carefully chosen theatre venues, but will be playing multiple nights within them,” he said. “Historically, with each album that I’ve released, I’ve always played bigger and bigger shows. But I wanted to do something different for this particular project because sonically the new songs lend themselves to being heard in a more intimate and traditional setting.

“These particular venues have allowed me to create a show with a theatrical stage set to further narrate the themes of the album alongside the music. I love playing live and I can’t wait to bring this new album to life across so many beautiful rooms and iconic stages.”

Tickets for all dates go on general sale at 10am local time this Friday (July 26). Find a full list of tour dates below and visit here to buy tickets.

Rex Orange County’s ‘Finally: A Theatre Tour’ dates are:

OCTOBER
4 – Chicago, Illinois @ Auditorium
5 – Chicago, Illinois @ Auditorium
7 – Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall
8 – Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall
9 – Toronto, Ontario @ Massey Hall
11 – New York @ Beacon Theatre
12 – New York @ Beacon Theatre
13 – New York @ Beacon Theatre
18 – Boston, Massachusetts @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
19 – Boston, Massachusetts @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
23 – Atlanta, Georgia @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts
24 – Atlanta, Georgia @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts
26 – Tampa, Florida @ Straz Center
27 – Tampa, Florida @ Straz Center
29 – Austin, Texas @ Bass Concert Hall
30 – Austin, Texas @ Bass Concert Hall
 
NOVEMBER
3 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
4 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
5 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
6 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
8 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
9 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
10 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
11 – Los Angeles, California @ Orpheum Theatre
15 – Las Vegas, Nevada @ Fontainebleau Las Vegas
19 – Oakland, California @ Paramount Theatre
20 – Oakland, California @ Paramount Theatre
21 – Oakland, California @ Paramount Theatre
25 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
26 – Vancouver, British Columbia @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre

FEBRUARY 2025
16 – London @ Palladium
17 – London @ Palladium
18 –London @ Palladium
19  – London @ Palladium

News of the US and UK tour dates come just weeks after Rex Orange County announced a tour of the Asia Pacific region, set to take place later this year.

Kicking off ahead of the North American shows, the singer-songwriter will launch the 2024 live shows with a fresh slate of tour dates in New Zealand, Australia and Asia. It starts on September 15 in Wellington, with a stop in Auckland the following day. Following New Zealand, Rex Orange County will perform five shows across Australia, from Adelaide to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

The post Rex Orange County announces UK And North American residencies for ‘Finally: A Theatre Tour’ appeared first on NME.

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Evelyn Thomas, Disco Queen Behind ‘High Energy,’ Dies at 70

Evelyn Thomas, the powerhouse vocalist who helped define the hi-NRG dance music scene of the 1980s with her international hit “High Energy,” has died at the age of 70. The news was confirmed by her longtime producer and mentor Ian Levine on social media. No cause of death was disclosed.

“It is hard for me to accept that my lifelong protege really has left us,” Levine wrote on X. “Her music will outlive us all.”

Evelyn Thomas has died. pic.twitter.com/YFz4hYMOim

— Ian Levine (@IanLevine) July 21, 2024

Born on Aug. 22, 1953, in Chicago, Thomas first caught the attention of the music industry when Levine discovered her in 1975.

Her debut single “Weak Spot” became her first chart success, peaking at No. 26 on the U.K. Singles Chart in 1976. The early triumph led to an appearance on the influential British music show Top of the Pops, marking the beginning of her ascent in the music world.

Thomas’s career exploded with the release of “High Energy” in 1984. The track topped the Billboard Hot Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for one week and reached No. 85 on the Billboard Hot 100. Co-written and co-produced by Levine and Fiachra Trench, it became a defining moment in the emerging hi-NRG genre, a high-tempo offshoot of disco that dominated clubs in the mid-1980s.

“Nobody else in the world could have ever sung it,” Levine noted about vocal prowess. The pulsating dance anthem achieved remarkable commercial success, selling an impressive seven million records worldwide. As of 2024, “High Energy” continues to resonate with listeners, boasting over 15 million streams on Spotify.

Thomas’s powerful four-octave range and emotive delivery set her apart in the dance music scene. DJ and music historian Bill Brewster commented, “Evelyn’s voice had this incredible ability to convey both vulnerability and strength. She was a cornerstone of the hi-NRG movement.”

Following the success of “High Energy,” Thomas continued to make her presence felt on the charts.

Her soulful rendition of The Supremes’ “Reflections” climbed to No. 18 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1985, while “How Many Hearts” ascended to No. 11 in 1986. Both tracks were featured on her final studio album, Standing at the Crossroads (1986)​.

Thomas’s discography includes notable albums such as I Wanna Make It on My Own (1978) and High Energy (1984).

Levine revealed that Thomas had reached out to him “in love” in recent months, aware of her declining health. The reconciliation led Levine and Trench to compose a final song for her titled “Inspirational,” though Thomas was ultimately too ill to record it.

Her daughter, recording artist YaYa Diamond (born Kimberly), intends to record the track as a heartfelt tribute to her mother’s legacy.

Watch “High Energy” by Evelyn Thomas below.