Last night, the busiest duo in music, The Chainsmokers, performed a headlining set for KISS FM’s “Kiss The Summer Goodbye” concert, with an opening set from the funniest man in music, rapper Lil Dicky. And if you don’t believe The Chainsmokers are the busiest due in music, let us put things into perspective… Not only did the ‘Closer’ artists perform for KISS FM’s huge summer bash at The Rave in Milwaukee, WI but last night the two also performed a late night show at the Jewel Nightclub in Las Vegas.
From LD to The Chainsmokers, everyone in attendance got their money’s worth. Lil Dicky instantly got the crowd in a party mood, getting fans hype with his tracks ‘Save Dat Money’ and ‘Lemme Freak’, to name a few. And moments later, it was time for the biggest duo in EDM to bless the Wisconsin crowd. Everywhere you looked, fans were having the time of their life while The Chainsmokers were playing some of their best cuts and mixes for Milwaukee. We can’t imagine a better way to say goodbye to your summer.
Peep our photos from last night’s performance below and check out The Chainsmoker’s upcoming tour dates here.
Last night, Mike Posner returned to his roots, performing a headlining set for a college crowd at the Majestic Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin, a venue Mike first performed at seven years ago while he himself was still a college student. A lot has happened since then. Not only does Posner have bragging rights over his University of Wisconsin fans, as his Duke Blue Devil defeated the Wisconsin Badgers in 2014’s NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship, but Posner’s sound has completely transformed since he first stepped stage at the Majestic in 2009.
To speed you up on what’s happened since Mike’s last visit to the Majestic; members of his 2009 opener 2AM Club have since parted ways and the band’s lead, Marc E. Bassy, is now a solo artist whose G-Eazy-assisted debut single ‘You & Me’ is currently climbing the charts, Mike became a household name in music, practically overnight, with the success of his record ‘Cooler Than Me’, he released his 2010 debut LP, 31 Minutes To Takeoff, and after an extended hiatus in his solo career where he passed time writing and producing hit records for Justin Bieber (‘Boyfriend’) and Maroon 5 (‘Sugar’), Posner is back with his sophomore LP, At Night, Alone., and its lead single, ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza’.
And even though Mike Posner is currently on a huge arena tour in support of Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato, tonight’s headlining performance seemed extra special. We have caught Posner on the road twice this summer, once with the Future Now Tour and once with the B96 Pepsi Summer Bash, both times providing great performances to get the night started on the right foot. Posner surrounds himself with talented musicians and together his band puts on a hell of a show, mixing his new records with the old. Even if you’re only getting less than 10 records with a supporting set, Posner and his band are worth the price of admission. But with tonight’s headlining show, in an environment that Posner has flourished in since his days at Duke University, fans certainly got their money’s worth.
Kicking off the night tonight was Posner’s friend, collaborator and writing partner, Adam Friedman. Whether fans tonight knew Friedman from his 2016 single, ‘Lemonade’, his opening impromptu sets on Posner’s Ninja Show Tour last year, or whether tonight was their first dose of the Santa Montica singer/songwriter, Friedman delivered for Madison. Performing his records ‘Stronger’ and ‘Gravity’, his cover of The Chainsmokers and Halsey’s new single ‘Closer’, and a few other songs to showcase his voice at the Majestic Theatre, Friedman definitely picked up some new fans in Madison tonight.
Soon after Friedman stepped off stage, it was time for Mike Posner and his band to greet the Wisconsin crowd. And although there is a lot of animosity towards anything Duke-related, ever since the Badgers’ tragic National Championship loss, all was forgiven when Mike opened with his At Night, Alone. record, ‘Buried In Detroit’. Posner and his band then continued their set with performances of ‘Be As You Are’, ‘In the Arms of a Stranger’ and ‘Jade’. Throughout the night, Posner performed an extended set, switching back and forth between records from At Night, Alone. and his early work, which not only includes his debut album but his early mixtapes, which first made Posner a local favorite on the college campus.
But just as you thought his set was winding down, it was only getting started, as Posner promised fans that it would be his band’s best show yet. The rest of the night was full of highlights; from Mike climbing into the balcony, performing in the crowd, taking cellphones from the crowd and recording a fan’s Facebook Live stream, inviting Adam Friedman back on-stage for a performance of ‘Lemonade’, and overall getting the crowd especially hyped. Posner promised fans a performance to remember, and with his supporting cast, he delivered.
Whether you jumped on the bandwagon this past year with the success of ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza’ or you were a fan from the very beginning, when Posner was still an undergrad like most of the fans in attendance tonight, the Michigan-native delivered high energy and a setlist that all types of Mike Posner fans enjoyed. Do yourself a favor and check Mike Posner’s remaining tour dates at MikePosner.com.
Peep our photos from last night’s performance below.
In anticipation of her new album, AIM, rapper M.I.A. has shared her new record ‘Freedun’, featuring former One Direction artist, Zayn. A song which M.I.A. teased a year ago, Zayn was a great add to the record, on an unexpected collaboration.
“Whose world is this? The world is mine, so bring it on.” – M.I.A. on ‘Freedun’
If the rest of the album is anything like ‘Freedun’, than AIM is definitely not a project to sleep on this year, and you can get it for yourself on September 9th. The new album already marks M.I.A.’s reunion with her ex and producer of her huge hit single, ‘Paper Planes’, and with features from Zayn, Dexta Daps and more, AIM is shaping up to be a great add to the rapper’s discography.
Stream ‘Freedun’ below while you still can, and pre-order M.I.A.’s new LP, AIM, now.
Common’s Chicago AAHH! Festis returning to Union Park this September, and after the release of the festival’s initial lineup (Jeremih, The Internet, Sir The Baptist), the festival has added some additional big names. Joining the previously announced AAHH! Fest artists this year will be Chicago’s own Vic Mensa, The Roots, comedian Deon Cole, Bilal, Malik Yusef and more. That isn’t all either, as other big names are still to be announced.
The two-day festival will run from September 24-25 and it isn’t just a great music festival either, as it’s also Common’s dedication to bringing education programs and jobs to Chicago, by raising funds to support the Common Ground Foundation and Donda’s House, the charitable organizations of Common, Kanye West and Rhymefest.
Get your tickets now at AAHHFest.com and check out our photos from 2014’s AAHH! Fest below.
In perhaps the most unexpected and dopest collaboration of the year, ‘Paper Planes’ rapper M.I.A. has announced her new single, with a very big collaboration. Joining M.I.A. for her new record ‘Freedun’, which releases tomorrow, is none other than former One Direction stand-out, Zayn. Ever since his new album and breakout single ‘Pillow Talk’, we have been excited for anything Zayn is involved in. So when teamed up with one of the best female rappers of all time, ‘Freedun’ is sure to be a hit.
Not only can you hear their new record tomorrow, but M.I.A.’s new LP, AIM, is just over a week away (scheduled for a September 9th release). The new 17-track album will feature Zayn, Diplo, Dexta Daps, and a must have for your iTunes.
Check out the single art for M.I.A. and Zayn’s new collaboration below and pre-order M.I.A.’s new album, AIM,here.
Britney Spears is smack-dab in the middle of her huge comeback. The international pop icon just released her new album, Glory, on RCA Records, which marks her first album since her 2013, Britney Jean. Spears also made headlines this past weekend as she returned to the MTV Video Music Awards, for her first VMA performance in 10 years, joining rapper G-Eazy for a performance of their new hit collaboration, ‘Make Me…’. Whether you hear her on the radio, buy her new LP on shelves, or even catch her lovable personality shine on James Corden’s newest “Carpool Karaoke” series, Britney is back.
However fans should not soon forget that even in the middle of her big comeback, there exists a place (a city to be more specific) where music fans have been able to return to that 1998-2005 era where Britney Spears was in a tier of her own when it comes to elite names in pop music. That place of course is the “City of Sin”, Las Vegas, Nevada, where Britney Spears has hosted her Vegas residency, Britney: Piece of Me, since December of 2013. And this past week I went to see the critically acclaimed and award winning show for myself, to see if Piece of Me is still the “best show in Las Vegas”.
While I am no Las Vegas expert, I spend the majority of my nights at different shows, venues, festivals and everything music related. From the photo pit at Coachella to an intimate performance at some of Chicago’s most historic venues, whether it’s Kanye West, Taylor Swift or anyone in-between, I have seen a lot and I can’t name one other show that can be compared to Britney’s show at Planet Hollywood. You go into the night, about to see one of the biggest names in music who would need a triple LP just to put together a “Greatest Hits” album, and you expect a concert, yet you get a performance. While the two are often used interchangeably, they are subtly different in many ways.
Britney doesn’t just sing her biggest songs on stage (to be honest, she doesn’t truly sing them at all, but we will get back to that later), rather she performs her entire career. Separated into seven different acts, Spears performs her mega hits among her talented cast of backup dancers with entertaining stage changes and differing themes throughout the night. From her opening performance of ‘Work Bitch’ to her closing performance of ‘Till the World Ends’, everything about the show is well done and more than entertaining.
And what’s most impressive is how Spears gives her all, much more than just a piece of herself, to the live show. This is not only the show’s blessing, but its curse as well. If people were to make one complaint about the show (and her recent VMA performance), it’s the use of Spear’s prerecorded vocals throughout the performance. But if anyone expects Britney Spears (or literally anyone) to dance and perform to the extent she does, to swing on trees while performing ‘Toxic’, to grind and whip her hair to ‘I Love Rock n Roll’, all while singing live, than your expectations are far too high and more than realistic. If I went to a Drake or Adele concert and was met with lip synching, I would certainly be disappointed, but it’s not the case here. Using her prerecorded vocals doesn’t take away from the show, and their use actually adds to the show’s value by giving Spears free reign to truly perform.
Highlights the night, aside from pre-show people watching and checking out some historic Britney outfits in the show’s lobby, are some of the performance’s more entertaining and theatric interludes, and of course Britney’s performances of ‘Everytime’, ‘…Baby One More Time’, ‘Crazy’, ‘Toxic’, her new single ‘Make Me…’ and many more. Her recent comeback is proof that Britney has still got it, but her Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood with its huge catalog of hits is proof that Britney never lost it. Stealing the crown from Celine Dion just a couple years ago, Britney Spears still reigns as the Queen of Las Vegas.
Kanye West and Taylor Swift have had a rocky relationship ever since his “Imma let you finish” moment at the VMAs years ago. And just when it looked like the two were good (friends even), things got crazy when Kanye released his new album, The Life of Pablo, with the record ‘Famous’, where Kanye claims he feels like “Taylor (and Kanye) might still have sex.”
That’s when all hell broke lose. Taylor was publicly upset, then rumors swirled that Swift actually gave Kanye the green light for the lyric, then Kim Kardashian West posted video evidence of a phone call where Taylor is okay with the lyric, then Taylor claimed she wasn’t aware of the “making that b*tch famous” part of the song and threatened legal action over the posting of the phone call. It’s not clear exactly what to believe, but many viewed the whole situation as a big W for Kanye and a big L for Taylor, helping Kanye’s public image and damaging Taylor previously perfect image.
But despite coming out ahead and despite Taylor threatening Kanye with a lawsuit over the release of a phone call which she previously denied even happened, Kanye has just shown love for the ‘Bad Blood’ singer on Twitter. Sharing a photo of a t-shirt that blends Kanye’s album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and Swift’s pop LP, 1989, Kanye writes “unity love”.
Let’s just hope that the two can finally make up and make some dope music together one day, so everyone wins.
Fans who follow Niykee Heaton know that she has been gearing up for another big headlining tour, and today the wait is over, as Niykee has announced her new “Centerfold Tour”, which kicks off in just over a month. Making its first two stops in Athens, GA on October 6th and 7th, Niykee will make stops in Chicago, Nashville, LA, New York, Tampa and practically everywhere in North America until the tour concludes December 16th in Austin, TX.
Tickets for the ‘Bad Intentions’ singer’s tour will go on sale to everyone on Thursday, September 1st (10:00 am local time), with a limited number of VIP packages available to fans. Don’t be fooled by her looks either, Heaton is much more than a pretty face and her collaborations and covers are just a couple examples why.
Check out the full dates/locations for Niykee Heaton’s “Centerfold” Tour below.
After debuting the video during the MTV Video Music Awards earlier tonight, Kanye West has released his newest music video, this time for his The Life of Pablo record, ‘Fade’. The visuals for the Post Malone assisted track are another hit for Kanye, but unfortunately for a lot of fans, it’s also another TIDAL exclusive. So all the more reason to subscribe, right? If you didn’t catch the video at the VMAs, you can get a free trial to TIDAL and watch the new video now.
Watch Kanye’s new music video for ‘Fade’, here at TIDAL.
Last night ‘Honey, I’m Good’ singer Andy Grammer and the Patrick Monahan-led Train opened up their two-night residency at The Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL. Performing for a sold-out Chicago crowd, both Train and Grammer delivered with high energy and performances of some of their best records.
Kicking things off for the night was Andy Grammer; a great singer, a talented songwriter and someone we dubbed as “music’s easiest guy to root for.” Grammer opened his performance on a high note with performances of his breakout single ‘Keep Your Head Up’, as well as his records ‘Fine By Me’ and ‘Kiss You Slow’. Whether he was thanking fans for their votes on “Dancing With The Stars”, even having the crowd get up and dance themselves, or whether he was performing some creative mashups of his tracks mixed with some current radio hits, like a mix of his new single ‘Fresh Eyes’ with The Chainsmoker and Daya’s hit record ‘Don’t Let Me Down’, Grammer found a way to entertain the crowd throughout his whole set. Other highlights of Grammer’s set included his performance of ‘Forever’ (with some hilarious acting in the background from his band), and his closing performance of his big single, ‘Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah)’. Just days away from his co-headlining tour with Gavin DeGraw (another Ravinia Festival alum), Grammer delivered for Chicago tonight.
Next up were the night’s headliners, San Francisco roots rock band, Train. Perhaps known best for their record ‘Drops Of Jupiter’, Train’s engined is powered by much more than just one train track. ‘If It’s Love’, ‘Meet Virginia’ and ‘Bruises’ are just a few songs from the beginning of their set that instantly reminded fans of Train’s star power. Since their debut self-titled album in 1998, Train has been a staple in rock music and tonight was a reminder of just that. Tonight was also a treat for Illinois, because it was a hometown show for the ‘Hey Soul Sister’ performers, as Train guitarist Jimmy Stafford hails from Morris, IL. Highlights of Train’s night-one performance included Monahan performing in the crowd, spanning across the entire pavilion, walking on seats and taking selfies with fans, and of course their encore performance of ‘Drops of Jupiter’. It will be hard for tonight’s performance to top last night’s show, but we’re sure that Train and Andy Grammer are up for the challenge.
Check out our photos from last night’s performance below.
