By Armando

The Flaming Lips
photo: aiphotoimaging.com

On Friday night, the spark is as apparent as ever. Playing to a packed and excited fans at the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse in one of the most energetic stages in this year’s Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the band continued to be a pleasant surprise with a show that felt more like a big party.

Right from the start, when band opened their show with a cover of Richard Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30”, the band put on a massive visual spectacle, with giant balloons rolling through the crowd amidst the festive rain of confetti.

This continued on with their usual tour opener “Race for the Prize,” the band’s first single from their 1999 ninth studio album The Soft Bulletin. With it sees lead singer Wayne Coyne lifting a big sign that said “**** Yeah Summerfest” which only hyped the crowd even more.

Throughout the night, the band played more than a dozen songs including “Fight Test”, a song from their 2003 EP of the same name, as well as “The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)” and “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)”, both from their 2006 album “At War with the Mystics”.

Other outrageously fun highlights include Coyne playfully wearing gigantic globes which projected layers on each hand as a rendition of Star Spangled Banner played in the background, and on another with Coyne rolling through the crowd in a giant transparent bubble while the band played David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”

The band closed the show with encore performance of “Do You Realize??”, undoubtedly one of the band’s more well known songs, thereby ending the night on a high note, proving once again that The Flaming Lips is still one of the most exciting bands right now.

Related: Summerfest 2018 Kicks Off Wednesday

By Armando

Machine Gunn Kelly took the stage at Milwaukee, performing a lively set on Thursday, July 5 at Miller Lite Oasis.

Kelly is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated performers in this year’s Summmerfest, drawing crowds and their energy into the festival grounds before the show even started.

A towering presence even at the massive stage, there is strength and confidence in his delivery, and in every song he performed. With his rapid-fire rap and overall stage persona, the rock elements of his work is palpable.

Kelly, whose real name is Richard Colson Baker, opened the show with “Wild Boy”, his lead single from his 2012 label debut EP “Half Naked & Almost Famous” and immediately followed up with “Golden God,” a more recent cut from his latest album “Bloom”.

The rapper performed Wake + Bake and Mind of a Stone back to back, occasionally smoking towards a snake prop on stage.

This was followed by his chart hit collaboration with Camila Cabello “Bad Things,” and although the “Havana” singer was not on stage, the song naturally sent the excited crowd to their feet.

He began to close the night with a “Till I Die” the lead single from his 2015 studio album “General Admission”, followed by latest single “27” from his most recent album “Bloom”, before ending the night with “Too Good to be True,” his collaboration with Danny Avila and The Vamps released earlier this year.

Kelly knows how to take control on every song, one after another, keeping everyone engaged with energetic and commanding presence, and interacting with front row fans, who followed Kelly’s every move, and his songs note per note.

By Armando

One might wander into a Kesha show unsure of what to expect. But on the 4th of July at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, the pop star was on full display, thrilling the packed crowds at Miller Lite Oasis stage with great hits and sensational stage energy.

Though the weather was somewhat unpredictable throughout the day, there was no question of the excitement Kesha brought into the festival as soon as she took the stage, literally sparkling as she come out from a UFO.

Kesha opened the night with a wild and spirited performance of “Woman,” her single from her third studio album from last year “Rainbow.”

“Every month is Pride Month,” Kesha screamed, then sends the crowd into a dance frenzy with her chart topping hit “We R Who We R,”. Throughout the night, Kesha chatter with fans, taking in the raucous cheers that never seemed to end throughout the whole show.

The hits continue throughout the night with “Timber”, “Die Young” and “Your Love Is My Drug”, all of which were top 5 hits that kept the night’s adrenaline running.

By the time “Take It Off”, the party was in full swing and with some playful encouragement from Kesha, the shirts started flying to the stage. She then closed the main show set with “Blow” during which she fired up the spectacular confetti cannon.

Later, Kesha emerged for an encore of Praying, a moving performance that had the audience singing along. It was a soaring rendition, understandably an emotional one for the singer considering her recent personal struggles.

Kesha ended the fun and energetic show with, Tik Tok, undoubtedly one of her signature hits, also her debut single which topped the charts all around the globe.

It was a fitting closer, a soaring pop anthem that keeps fans’ energy and excitement long after the the singer’s spectacle has left the stage.

By Creative Media Times

Swim Deep’s second studio album “Mothers” from RCA

Following the announcement, the band shared some of their photos from the studio. Check them out here.

British indie rock band’s long-awaited album would be their follow up their sophomore album “Mothers”. Release in October 2015, the album was received positively by music critics.

The post also confirms the departure of Tom Higgins (guitar, keyboard) and Zachary Robinson (drums, percussion) though remains optimistic about the recent changes, adding “it’s been a great change, and we’ve been making waves with some incredible new friends who you’ll meet soon.”

It’s happenin x pic.twitter.com/Lk3Q5TIsy0

— SWIM DEEP ≈ (@SWIM_DEEP) July 2, 2018

By Creative Media Times

Producer: Rick Rubin

Directed by Nick Koenig, the trailer sees Billy Corgan in an eerie underground asylum then later finds out that the real world is just as bizarre.

The alternative rock band recently performed “Solara” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

“Solara” is the band’s first song by three fourths of its original members (Billy Corgan, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlin) in 18 years. “Tear down the sun, bring down the sun,” Corgan singing the chorus. “I’m not everyone, I’m not everyone, I’m not everyone.”

Smashing Pumpkins is set to embark on a 36-city tour this July with the “Shiny and Oh So Bright Tour” which comes in celebration of their 30th anniversary. The tour kicks off at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona on July 12. You can grab tour tickets from Ticketmaster.

By Creative Media Times

Summerfest 2018

Summerfest 2018 full lineup and performance schedules can be found here.

Presented by American Family Insuranc, the annual music festival held at the 75-acre (30-hectare) Henry Maier Festival Park along the lakefront in Milwaukee, sees 11 days of festival fun from more than 800 acts on 11 stages, with all the great music and food in the beautiful city of Milwaukee.

Conceived in the 1960s by then mayor of Milwaukee Henry W. Maier, Summerfest originally hosted various events from concerts to film festivals. It has since attracted global attention and featured artists from a variety of music genres, as well as legendary music artists.

The Emerging Artists Series

One of the festival’s most exciting presentation is “The Emerging Artists Series.” The series started in 2006 and has brought up and coming talented artists into global awareness from Summerfest’s festival stage.

Presented by Johnson Controls World Sound Stage with 88Nine Radio Milwaukee and Shepherd Express, this year’s lineup includes an eclectic lists of artists from Atlanta’s “Chasing Lovely,” to London based indie-pop artist “Leon Of Athens” as well as incredible Milwaukee local artists “Band Of Dust,” “Faux Fiction,” “Bo & Airo,” and “Telethon.”

Here is a full list of this year’s Emerging Artists Series.

Some of the series’ past featured artists include Walk the Moon, Nathaniel Rateliff, Maren Morris, BØRNS, X Ambassadors, The Record Company, among others.

You can book tickets, multi-day passes and parking at Summerfest.com.

By Armando

Capitol

Paul McCartney has released two new songs from his upcoming album. The singles, “I Don’t Know” and “Come On to Me” were teased this week through his website:

“Following a whirlwind week that saw his Instagram presence rebooted as he played one of the most intimate gigs of his storied career, Paul McCartney is done keeping the world in suspense: ‘I Don’t Know’ and ‘Come On To Me’, will be released tomorrow as a double A-Side single”.

The iconic English singer-songwriter described “I Don’t Know” as a “plaintive, soul-soothing ballad as only Paul can deliver,” while “Come On to Me” as a “raucous stomper that fans that first spark of chemistry into a rocking blaze.”

Both are set to appear on his 17th studio album called “Egypt Station” which is set for release on September 7th through Capitol Records. The album is his first on the label since 2005’s Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.

“I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’ It reminded me of the ‘album’ albums we used to make… ‘Egypt Station’ starts off at the station on the first song and then each song is like a different station,” says McCartney of the album’s title. “So it gave us some idea to base all the songs around that. I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from.”

The album is available for pre-order through McCartney’s website in multiple formats. This includes digital album, CD, standard 140g vinyl, and limited edition deluxe 180g color vinyl.

By Creative Media Times

Ruffhouse – Columbia

The tour commemorates the 20th anniversary of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” the singer and rapper’s debut solo album which was released in August 25, 1998.

Other acts set to join her are include Dave Chappelle, Santigold, A$AP Rocky, SZA, Big Boi, Dave East, Jo Mersa Marley, Talib Kweli, Bambaata Marley, Shabazz Palaces, Patoranking, Tierra Whack, Protoje, Kelela, Victory, Raury, Iman Omari and more. To see a which artist appear on specific dates, go to Live Nation’s website.

The 29-city tour kicks off Virginia Beach, Virginia, VA venue Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater on July 5. There, A$AP Rocky and Jo Mersa Marley is set to open, then wraps in St. Louis, Chaifetz Arena on October 5 where Nas, Patoranking and Shabazz Palaces are the supporting acts.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill remains Hill’s signature album. The record breaking album debuted at number one on Billboard album charts and won numerous awards, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The album produced three top 40 hit singles, including “Doo Wop (That Thing)” which topped Billboard singles chart in the US.