INDUSTRY
Galantis and R3hab Appear On Soundtrack for Upcoming Scooby Doo Film “Scoob!”
There aren’t many forms of entertainment that evoke nostalgia more than cartoons. With a sense of wonder at their bedrock, cartoons transport us back to our younger selves, when we sat in front of our televisions on Sunday mornings with a big bowl of cereal and an ear-to-ear smile. Scooby Doo, one of the most iconic cartoon franchises of all-time, continues to dominate to this day. Since its Hanna-Barbera Productions debut back in 1969, the series has stood the test of time, translating to the silver screen in grandiose fashion and raking in hundreds of millions of box office dollars with each motion picture it releases. With its zany, anthropomorphic titular canine leading the way, the Scooby Doo franchise is set to release its latest movie, Scoob!, this Friday, May 1...
“Streets of Rage 4” Game Composer Structured the Soundtrack “Like a DJ Set” and Borrowed from Skrillex
The Streets of Rage series, one of the most iconic video games to emerge in the 90s, recently released “Streets of Rage 4” after a painful 26-year wait following the release of its third edition in 1994. Between its first three games, which were developed and published by fabled gaming franchise Sega for its seminal console Sega Genesis, and its freshly released fourth, the series has gone through many developments over the course of its storied history. One thing, however, has remained constant—its soundtracks, which consist of trailblazing electronic dance music. The names of Streets of Rage’s composers, Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima, are etched in the history books of both gaming and EDM. Ingeniously blending disco with chiptune, they crafted quirky, ad...
Electronic Duo W&W Will Perform at First Ever Extended Reality Livestream Concert
W&W have been tapped for a game-changing livestream experience. Known for their blistering big room bops, like “Bigfoot” and the Lil Jon-assisted Hardwell collaboration “Live for the Night,” the prolific Dutch DJ duo will be performing at a groundbreaking Extended Reality (XR) concert produced by Netherlands-based events brand ALDA. What is Extended Reality, you ask? XR is any amalgamation of the real world and virtual space. The term essentially refers to the combination of those environments and the interactions between a human and a machine generated by a digital or technological source. W&W’s show will entail an entire 3D virtual world being created from scratch. They will perform a virtual set inside a custom-made digital stadium, comple...
Seoul Shuts Down Nightclubs After Briefly Reopening
After briefly reopening clubs and bars due to a dramatic drop in South Korean COVID-19 cases, the Seoul nightlife industry is once again being shut down. In the Itaewon district of the capital city, a string of new infections occurred, with at least 17 being linked to a single club-goer. Officials expect the number to rise in the near future as more than 1,500 people were in the same venues as the individual. In a quote obtained by Yonhap News Agency, the mayor of Seoul, Park Won-soon, spoke on the recent infections and why the venues must shut down. “Such facilities have to suspend business immediately and will face strict punishment if they breach (the order),” he said. “Carelessness can lead to an explosion in infections – we clearly realized this throu...
Could Amsterdam Dance Event 2020 Potentially Still Happen?
COVID-19 has put global festivals, conferences, and major gatherings on ice, and until a vaccine or effective treatment hits the market, it is difficult to imagine most large-scale events taking place. However, attention is now turning to Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), which is currently still on the books for 2020. The 25th edition of the event is currently scheduled for late October. At the moment, major events in the Netherlands have been banned until September 1st, and subsequent guidelines for events taking place after that date have yet to be issued. Despite the many hurdles ahead, ADE organizers have not yet cancelled their 2020 event, but they are closely monitoring government regulations. ADE is a bit unique in the sense that it is a collection of showcases, meeting...
Marshmello and Halsey Join Forces with Postmates to Donate Up to $100K to Local Drivers
Following the release of their collaborative single “Be Kind” last week, Marshmello and Halsey today announced a new partnership with Postmates. Both artists took to Twitter to share the exciting news, which will go a long way to supporting delivery drivers and local restaurants during the pandemic. In order to further propagate the altruistic message behind the track, Mello and Halsey have teamed up with one of the gig economy’s most popular platforms to donate up to $100,000 in tips to the army of drivers known as the Postmates Fleet, whose essential work delivering food amidst the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be understated. From May 8th to May 15th, Postmates patrons can use the code “BEKIND” to receive a $5 credit on their order, and the Postma...
Fortnite Reports Over 350 Million Players Ahead of In-Game DJ Sets from Dillon Francis, Steve Aoki, and Deadmau5
Fortnite developer Epic Games has reported that their wildly successful game now has over 350 million registered players as the clock ticks down to the start of their latest in-game concert. The news should come as no surprise to most, as Fortnite quickly took the world by storm after releasing in September of 2017. Since then, they’ve hosted some of the biggest music artists in the world, starting with Marshmello‘s game-changing virtual performance where over 10 million players were in attendance. According to a tweet from Epic Games, Fortnite players spent a staggering 3.2 billion hours playing the game in April. Last month, Fortnite hosted Travis Scott‘s Astronomical event, where they more than doubled their previous concert’s attendance with over 27.7 ...
Scooter Braun Listed as Songwriter in New Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber Single
Scooter Braun, one of the most renowned music entrepreneurs in the world and the proprietor of preeminent music management firm SB Projects, just added one more title to his résumé—songwriter. Through his SB Projects banner, Braun and his team manage EDM superstars David Guetta, The Knocks, and Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello in addition to the music industry’s most illustrious artists, like Kanye West, Usher, Idina Menzel, and The Black Eyed Peas, among others. Braun, who is also a philanthropist, investor, and record label owner, also manages the breakneck careers of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, who recently released their lockdown-themed collaborative single “Stuck With U.” As “Stuck With U” stampedes its way ...
Ireland’s Reopening Plan Could Allow Socially Distanced Festivals as Early as August
As more and more governments continue discussions regarding how to ease their country’s restrictions imposed due to the global pandemic, Ireland has released its five-phase, 23-page plan to reopen the country. Within the document, they’ve specifically identified guidelines on the return of festivals. The first phase of the Irish government’s plan will allow small groups of up to four to interact outdoors, while abiding by social distancing guidelines, beginning on May 18th. If things go smoothly, each phase could last roughly three weeks. This timeframe would lead to the fifth phase of their plan beginning in August, allowing Electric Picnic Festival to take place the following month. This year’s lineup includes The Chemical Brothers, Jeff Mills, Skepta, ...
Legendary Los Angeles Venue The Troubadour In Danger of Permanent Closure
As concert venues across the United States continue to be brought to a grinding halt by new regulations attempting to limit the spread of COVID-19, owners and managers are being forced to examine the longterm implications of the impact of pandemic. Some states, like California, are projecting that live music venues could be forced to suspend activities as far out as summer 2021, which spells out a harsh truth for some of those venues. One such establishment facing that truth is legendary Los Angeles club The Troubadour. Established in 1957, The Troubadour is a venue famous for hosting Elton John‘s debut U.S. performance in 1970, hosting an iconic Miles Davis live album recording, and a slew of other illustrious accomplishments. Electronic music acts like Joywave,...
German Club Index is Hosting Immersive “Drive-In Raves”
With most festivals and artists taking to the power of the internet to livestream DJ sets for fans in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, other organizers have been a bit more creative. Take Germany’s super-club Index, for example, who recently came up with something rather innovative to satiate the cravings of those eager to hear music live once again. Calling upon the past to bring something new to the future, Index has been hosting “drive-in raves”—events similar to the drive-in movie theaters of auld—where attendees can park in a large lot and witness DJ performances from the safety of their own automobiles. This environment ensures that attendees comply with social distancing guidelines and allows the venue to continue its operations while bringing in revenue du...
Insomniac Forced to Furlough 50% of Its Workforce Due to COVID-19 Concerns
In heartbreaking news, Insomniac, one of the world’s leading event companies and the organizers of EDC, Beyond Wonderland, and more, today announced that they have been forced to furlough 50% of the company’s workforce due to COVID-19 concerns. As the stay-at-home ordinances continue to be prolonged, the live event and entertainment industry have been struck with a harsh new reality. According to The New York Times, economists surveyed by MarketWatch expect a report, which the Labor Department will release on Friday, to show that U.S. payrolls fell by 22 million jobs this last month. Insomniac founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella told Billboard the decision did not come easy, but it became a necessary action to stay afloat during these troubling time...
