COVID-19
LCD Soundsystem to Continue Brooklyn Residency Amid Omicron Surge
In just a few short days, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has threatened to thwart any indoor plans for the winter months — especially in New York, where cases just cracked a new single-day record. But for LCD Soundsystem, who are in the midst of their 20-night residency at Brooklyn Steel, the show must go on: The band released a statement on social media this week explaining their decision to not cancel their upcoming shows. “For starters, we’ve all known that there are risks playing these shows,” James Murphy and company wrote. “When we planned them, we thought we’d be in better shape, COVID wise, by now, but it didn’t pan out… We know that we and our team (and the team at Brooklyn Steel), in many ways, face the most risk of getting rick, just by virtue of being at every one of our 20 sh...
‘Saturday Night Live’ Cancels Live Audience Amid Omicron Spike
Saturday Night Live will tape without a live audience on Saturday (Dec. 18) as COVID-19 cases linked to the omicron variant continue to surge in New York City and throughout the world. The venerable NBC comedy show announced the decision to its social media channels roughly eight hours before the episode featuring host Paul Rudd and musical guest Charli XCX was scheduled to tape. Explore Explore Charli XCX See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the show will have limited cast and crew,” the show’s message read. “The show continues to follow all government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorou...
Charli XCX’s ‘SNL’ Performance Canceled: ‘I Am Devastated and Heartbroken’
Charli XCX will no longer be performing on Saturday Night Live tonight (Dec. 18). She shared the news shortly after SNL made the announcement that Saturday’s show would tape without a live audience on Saturday as COVID-19 cases linked to the omicron variant surged in New York City. “hi everyone,” she wrote on social media Saturday evening. “due to the limited crew at tonight’s taping of snl my musical performances will no longer be able to go ahead. i am devastated and heartbroken. myself, caroline, christine and all of our crews and teams have worked so hard all week alongside the snl team to bring the most amazing music performance to life. it can’t happen this time but I’ll be back! i am currently safe and healthy but of course very sad.” Explore Explore Charli XCX See latest videos, ch...
Queen’s Brian May Tests Positive for COVID-19
Queen guitarist Brian May has tested positive for COVID-19. “Yep. The shocking day finally came for me. The dreaded double red line,” May wrote in an Instagram post shared on Saturday. “And yes – definitely NO sympathy please – it has been a truly horrible few days, but I’m OK.” “And I will tell the tale. PLEASE take extra care out there, good folks,” May added. “This thing is incredibly transmissible. You really do NOT want it messing up YOUR Christmas.” Related Video Due to the omicron variant, May’s native UK has seen a 53% increase in new cases of COVID-19 in the last two weeks, according to the New York Times. Friday marked a new record of daily cases with 92,000. Advertisement May has been critical of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s handling of the pandemic. “At every point he did ...
SNL Proceeding with Limited Cast and No Studio Audience, Charli XCX’s Appearance Canceled
Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases spurred on by the omicron variant, this evening’s episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Paul Rudd will feature a “limited cast and crew,” with no live studio audience. Musical guest Charli XCX’s performances have also been canceled. “Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of Saturday Night Live and the show will have limited cast and crew,” SNL said in a statement released on Saturday afternoon. “The show continues to follow all government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorous testing protocol.” In her own statement, Charli XCX wrote, “Due to the limited crew at tonight’s taping of SNL my musical performances will no longer be able to go ahead. I am de...
Tomorrowland Wins Key Permit to Expand to Three Weekends In 2022: Report
Tomorrowland has received the regulatory green light to go bigger and better than ever in 2022. Following two consecutive pandemic-induced cancellations in 2020 and 2021, Tomorrowland made their eagerness to make up for lost time clear as they immediately sought approval to expand to three weekends during the upcoming 2022 festival season. Belgian regulators have since decided favorably on the request as Tomorrowland has now reportedly received a permit from the province of Antwerp to move forward with their plans for expansion. “We are of course very happy with this,” said Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen, per Knack Focus. “We can now get to work preparing three weekends. They will all fall in July. We will work in the same way as with two editions̷...
One in Five Concert Ticket Holders No-Showed in 2021
About one out of every five people who held tickets for concerts in 2021 stayed home. In most years, the very biggest touring acts and venues expect less than 4% of ticket buyers to no-show, while an average Live Nation concert saw about 12% of people stay home in 2019. But according to a Wall Street Journal report, that rate rose across the board in COVID-struck 2021, with between 17% and 20% of ticket purchasers never scanning their tickets. Some of the hardest-hits acts this year have been legacy artists with aging fanbases, including The Eagles, George Strait, Billy Joel, The Flaming Lips, and Dead & Company, who have all reported no-show rates of 20%. While a no-show is much better than a never-purchased, venues are especially anxious about the loss of older, wealthier p...
Kyrie Irving Posts Video Lacing Up Sneakers, Return To NBA Rumored
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Only the most dedicated of haters would say that Kyrie Irving isn’t a world-class basketball player, and now it appears he might be making his long-awaited return to the court. A video posted by the Brooklyn Nets star seems to suggest he’s ready to get back to playing but it’s still a mystery overall. Irving, 29, posted a video of him lacing up his sneakers via his Instagram Live feed, fueling the chatter that he’s going to comply with New York’s vaccine mandate and assist the surging Nets on their quest for the championship. However, Irving keeps his thoughts close to the vest and there isn’t any indication he’s going to get the jab and get back to work. Related Stories In the meantime, Irving is focusing on his fashion endeavor...
Evanescence Postpone Remaining Shows with Halestorm Due to COVID-19 Cases within Touring Party
The last five shows of Evanescence’s co-headlining tour with Halestorm have been postponed due to multiple COVID-19 cases within Evanescence’s touring party. The shows affected include Cincinnati, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Newark, New Jersey; Camden, New Jersey, and Worcester, Massachusetts. All have been rescheduled for January. Current ticket-holders can hold on to their tickets for the new dates, while new buyers can purchase tickets via Ticketmaster. Advertisement Related Video The two bands first announced the postponement of Sunday night’s show via social media, but today Evanescence issued a press release announcing that all the remaining shows on the US outing would be pushed to next month. Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee issued the following statement: “We’ve done everything ...
Billie Eilish Recalls Horrific COVID-19 Experience: ‘If I Weren’t Vaccinated, I Would Have Died’
Billie Eilish lives to tell the tale of her breakthrough case of COVID-19 over the summer — and even said she believed she “would have died” if it wasn’t for the vaccine. The nearly 20-year-old pop superstar still had a bit of a cough when she appeared on the Dec. 13 episode of The Howard Stern Show on Sirius XM, when she revealed she contracted a breakthrough case of COVID-19 back in August. It came after she had already been fully vaccinated. Explore See latest videos, charts and news “I didn’t die, and I wasn’t gonna die, but that does not take away from how miserable it was. It was terrible. I still have side effects. I was sick for two months almost,” she explained to Stern (per Rolling Stone). “I want it to be clear that it is because of the vaccine I’m fine. I think if I weren’t vac...
Coldplay, Lil Nas X Drop Off UK Jingle Ball Show After Positive COVID Tests in Camps
Both Lil Nas X and Coldplay were forced to drop off the line-up of the UK’s annual Jingle Ball all-star concert after unspecified members of their teams tested positive for COVID-19. “Sadly we have to announce that Coldplay and Lil Nas X have had to pull out of performing at this weekend’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barlaycard,” read a statement from host Capital FM released on Saturday (Dec. 11). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Both acts have had members of their teams test positive for COVID-19 and therefore are not able to perform. We’d like to wish the very best and a speedy recovery to Coldplay, Lil Nas X and their teams. Of course, everyone at Capital is absolutely gutted, but the show must go on…” Their slots were filled by newly added acts ...
Evanescence, Halestorm Postpone Cincinnati Date Due to COVID Cases: ‘Grateful We Are All Vaccinated’
Yet another tour has been interrupted by COVID-19 cases in their camps. “Our tour has been hit by COVID and we are forced to postpone our show tonight in Cincinnati,” Evanescence announced on Sunday morning (Dec. 12), just hours before they were set to co-headline the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati alongside tour mates Halestorm. “We were able to reschedule the show for Monday, Dec. 20th, so hold onto your tickets! Be on the lookout for an email with additional information. Please be safe out there! ” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In a follow-up tweet, Evanescence added, “Even when you have every precaution in place, you can still get and transmit this virus. Grateful we are all vaccinated and nobody’s symptoms are severe. Please be smart...
