Month: February 2023

Coldplay’s Chris Martin and actor Hugh Jackman were announced as co-chairs for the Global Citizen Now thought leadership summit, taking place in New York City on April 27-28.  Organizers tweeted the event will feature appearances by “the biggest names in music, entertainment, philanthropy, public policy, climate activism and the corporate sector.” Among those confirmed to take part are Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, president of Ghana; and Erna Solberg, former prime minister of Norway.

A press release reads that the two-day program is “focused on turning ideas into impact and driving urgent action to end extreme poverty NOW … convening the brightest minds and leading voices across all spheres of society, from world leaders to grassroots activists, Global Citizen NOW showcases the power of cross-sector collaboration to solve the most urgent issues facing humanity and our planet.”

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Ozzy Osbourne has teamed up with PlayStation for VR2 launch, sharing a video about the collaboration that was posted on Ozzy’s social media accounts, which PlayStation’s channels then shared globally. The collaboration features music from Osbourne’s Grammy-winning 2022 Patient Number 9 album, and in the video Osbourne is seen testing out PlayStation VR2. PlayStation VR2 is Sony Interactive Entertainment’s next-generation virtual reality headset that works with the PlayStation 5 (PS5) console. Says Ozzy: “The new PlayStation VR2 is f***ing amazing. I was having such a great time playing while filming the commercial that I didn’t want to leave. I told them they got to get me one when they’re released.”

The collaboration follows recent news that Osbourne has retired from touring due to health issues. Osbourne was scheduled to hit Europe for his No More Tours 2 with Judas Priest in January 2022, after being postponed numerous times since its initially planned 2019 run, but pushed it back by another year and a half due to the pandemic. On January 31st, Osbourne officially canceled the No More Tours 2. 

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Guns N’ Roses return to the road for their massive 2023 World Tour, headlining stadiums, festivals, and arenas throughout the summer/fall. The band posted on social media to announce the tour, captioning the post: “Gunners, we can’t F’N’ wait! The 2023 World Tour is coming. See you soon ”

The Guns N’ Roses 2023 World Tour kicks off June 5 in Tel Aviv, Israel at Park Hayarkon, and will continue across Europe through July 22, wrapping in Athens, Greece. The North American leg of the tour begins Aug. 5 in Moncton, New Brunswick, and will visit venues across the U.S. including Fenway Park in Boston, MA on August 21 and Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL on August 24. The tour concludes in Vancouver, BC at BC Place on Monday, October 16.

Tickets for Guns N’ Roses 2023 World Tour are available now via the band’s Nightrain Presale. General on-sale for all dates will start beginning Friday, February 24 at 10 AM local time via the band’s official website. Fans can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, VIP bar access throughout the show, invitation to the pre-show Paradise City Lounge, limited edition Guns N’ Roses VIP merchandise & more.

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The Black Keys, The Black Crowes and Brandi Carlile were announced as performers for the inaugural Evolution Festival, set to take place in St. Louis, Missouri on August 26th and 27th at Forest Park. Other performers on the lineup include Ice Cube, Ben Harper, Modern English, Morgan Wade, and Brittany Howard.

Tickets are on sale now via EvolutionFestival.com. Weekend general admission tickets start at $99.50 per person, with three levels of Weekend VIP experiences starting at $199.50 per person, all-inclusive hotel packages and a limited number of premium cabanas. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the non-profit Forest Park Forever and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s Music Gives campaign to raise money in the fight against childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

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Halestorm, Five Finger Death Punch and Alter Bridge have been added to the lineup for the 2023 Download Festival, taking place June 8-11 at Donington Park, United Kingdom.  Other additional performers just added to the festival lineup include Mammoth WVH, Coheed and Cambria, Ice Nine Kills, Bad Wolves, The Hu, Avatar, Palaye Royale, Jinjer and Taipei Houston.

The 2023 Download Festival will be headlined by Metallica, Slipknot and Bring Me the Horizon. Metallica will headline two of the festival’s four days, and will play two distinct sets without any repeat songs. Other previously announced artists on the lineup include Evanescence, Ghost, Disturbed, I Prevail, Parkway Drive and more.

For tickets and other information, head to the official Download Festival website.

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Megadeth recently confirmed that they would reunite onstage with former lead guitarist Marty Friedman for a one-off show in Tokyo, as the band kicks off its 2023 world tour on Feb. 27 at the legendary Nippon Budokan arena. It has been 23 years since Friedman left Megadeth in 2000, following their 1999 album, Risk.

Said frontman Dave Mustaine: “Marty and I have remained friends over 23 years, since we last played together. However, I hear his music every night, and he still is among the top guitar players I’ve ever heard. This is an amazing treat for the fans, as well as myself. To be honest, I may drift off while listening to [Megadeth’s] Kiko [Loureiro] and Marty play together!”

Friedman is an accomplished solo artist who has lived in Japan for many years. In 2016, he was named Japan Heritage ambassador, and he recently shared his own official Japan Heritage theme song. Friedman shared news of the reunion in Japanese media, writing: “Megadeth, the band I used to play in, will play live at Budokan. Believe it or not, I’m gonna jam with them! … It’s gonna be a miraculously special night.”

Megadeth’s Budokan show on Feb. 27 will also air as the global livestream, They Only Come Out at Night. The livestream will begin at 4:00 a.m. ET / 1:00 a.m PT on February 27th, with advance tickets available for $15 here.  For tickets to all of Megadeth’s upcoming shows, head here.

Megadeth to Perform with Guitarist Marty Friedman for First Time in 23 Years

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