Category: news

Starr Special Events announces an all‑Australian, all‑star live music celebration

The post End of Summer Concert Set to Light Up WA’s Ascot Racecourse appeared first on The Rockpit.

Internationally acclaimed vocalist Alissa White-Gluz returns with “Checkmate,” a striking new single that marks a powerful evolution in both sound and creative vision.

Beloved for her commanding presence in extreme metal, White-Gluz steps forward here with a renewed sense of freedom, fully embracing the breadth of her vocal range and artistic identity. “Checkmate” showcases a dynamic fusion of melody, heaviness, and razor-sharp precision, delivering a track that is as catchy as it is emotionally resonant. The crushing new single was written by Alissa White-Gluz, Alyssa Day, and Dani Sophia, and mixed and mastered by Kile Odell.

“This is a song where everything just clicked,” says White-Gluz. “Checkmate is an extremely cathartic song for me. It was created in one of those flow states where the lyrics and melodies and rhythms just write themselves, and you get the feeling that you’re onto something powerful. It’s probably the heaviest thing I’ve written in terms of lyrics, and probably the lightest of what we have cooking in terms of sound. I wanted to share the intensity of these feelings with fans and give them something to hold onto. I’m so happy to see so much support for Blue Medusa already; fans can look forward to more dark, heavy, brutal, and haunting music very soon.”

Beyond the music, “Checkmate” also highlights White-Gluz’s expanding role as a visual storyteller. Co-directing the music video with Vicente Cordero of Industrialism Films – whom she previously collaborated with on high-ranking videos for “The Wolf You Feed” with Nita Strauss and “I Am a Machine” with Kat Von D – she brings a cinematic, detail-driven approach that elevates the track into a fully immersive experience.

Built around a unique, outside-the-box concept developed by White-Gluz, the video unfolds within a game of chess, where each move carries deliberate allegory and layered symbolism.

“I know what every frame is for,” jokes White-Gluz. “I’ll share that someday, but for now, I welcome fans to dive deeper into the meaning and develop their own interpretations. That’s what makes videos and movies fun and interesting, in my opinion.”

The result is a release that feels both familiar and refreshingly new, bridging the gap between longtime fans of her work and listeners discovering her for the first time. “Checkmate” balances melody with intensity, offering a thought-provoking and emotionally charged entry point into what promises to be a bold new chapter.

The post ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ’s New Band BLUE MEDUSA Unveils Music Video For New Single “Checkmate” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Born David Holgate Grundy on February 6, 1939, in Woodhouse, Sheffield, Yorkshire, Dave Berry grew up with music in the house because his father, a bricklayer by trade, was also a professional jazz drummer and taught him the instrument. Berry attended Woodhouse County Council School, left at 16, and worked as a welder before moving into music full time. His first group was the Cruisers, and his admiration for Chuck Berry led him to adopt the surname Berry. That decision helped define the public identity he carried into the 1960s when Decca signed him and the Cruisers after he was

The post Top 10 Dave Berry Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Duane Betts will release his new album Isle of Hope on June 12 via Sun Records. The project was produced by Grammy Award-winner Dave Cobb and marks Betts’ first release with the label.

The album arrives during a significant period in Betts’ life and career. Following years of touring and recording as both a solo artist and a founding member of The Allman Betts Band, Betts experienced the loss of his father, Dickey Betts. The album reflects that time, with material shaped by themes of change, reflection and personal perspective.

“With Isle of Hope, I wanted to show my life’s experiences. All that I’ve been through, all that shaped me and all I aspire to be and translate to the listener a sense of purpose and hope and optimism. In these anxious times in the world, music is always a sanctuary and gives people a feeling of purpose and strength. I wanted this record to exemplify that,” Betts said.

Isle of Hope was recorded in five days at Cobb’s studio in Savannah, Georgia. The album features ten tracks written by Betts alongside longtime collaborator Stoll Vaughan, including the single “Down to Houston,” which is available now.

The record also includes contributions from Johnny Stachela and J.D. Simo on guitar, Brian Allen on bass, Philip Towns on keyboards and Derrek Phillips on drums.

The release follows Betts’ 2023 solo debut Wild & Precious Life, which featured appearances from Derek Trucks, Marcus King and Nicki Bluhm.

In addition to his solo work, Betts co-founded The Allman Betts Band with Devon Allman. Since forming in 2018, the group has released two studio albums and continues to tour, including their annual Allman Betts Family Revival shows.

Betts will support the new album with a series of tour dates this spring and summer, performing with his band Palmetto Motel as well as select shows with The Allman Betts Band.

Watch the music video for the first single, “Down To Houston,” below.

Duane Betts Tour Dates

March 21 — Kahului, HI — Maui Arts & Cultural Center*
March 22 — Honolulu, HI — Hawaii Theatre*
April 11 — Steamboat Springs, CO — Gondola Plaza – Steamboat Ski Area+
April 16 — Fairfield, CT — SHU Community Theatre+
April 17 — Vienna, VA — The Barns at Wolf Trap+
April 18 — Vienna, VA — The Barns at Wolf Trap+
April 19 — Charleston, WV — Mountain Stage+
April 21 — Annapolis, MD — Rams Head on Stage+
April 22 — Red Bank, NJ — The Vogel at Count Basie+
April 23 — Ardmore, PA — Ardmore Music Hall+
April 24 — Homer, NY — Homer Center for the Arts+
April 25 — Buffalo, NY — University at Buffalo Center for the Arts+
April 26 — State College, PA — The State Theatre+
April 29 — Albany, NY — Swyer Theatre at The Egg+
April 30 — Manchester, NH — The Rex Theatre+
May 1 — Westhampton Beach, NY — Westhampton Beach PAC+
May 2 — East Greenwich, RI — The Greenwich Odeum+
May 3 — Norfolk, CT — Infinity Hall Norfolk+
May 27 — Ponte Vedra Beach, FL — Ponte Vedra Concert Hall+
May 28 — Stuart, FL — Lyric Theatre+
May 29 — Fort Lauderdale, FL — Amaturo Theater+
May 30 — Bonita Springs, FL — Arts Bonita PAC+
May 31 — Clearwater, FL — Capitol Theatre+
June 6 — Vail, CO — Gerald Ford Amphitheater – Allman Betts Family Revival*
August 10 — Ocean City, NJ — Ocean City Music Pier+
January 16 — Fort Lauderdale, FL — The Big Easy Cruise+

*The Allman Betts Band show
+Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel show

The post Duane Betts announces “Isle of Hope” appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

Ashley McBryde kicked off the year with the sweeping song “What If We Don’t.” Today the country musician is announcing her fifth studio album Wild, which follows 2023’s The Devil I Know. The lead single “Bottle Tells Me So” is out now. The LP is produced by John Osborne and recorded with her live band…

The post Ashley McBryde Announces New Album <em>Wild</em>: Hear “Bottle Tells Me So” appeared first on Stereogum.

“Some reports said that it was a great record, but we should consider changing our name”

Cashier don’t make the type of music you’d typically associate with Cajun Country. As vocalist/guitarist Kylie Gaspard tells me over Zoom, most of the bands you’ll find in her hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana nod to the region’s rich cultural history — plenty of Creole zydeco, tons of jazz, a good amount of metal that’s trickled over from New Orleans. “Honestly, I feel like it was kind of easy for us to get started here,” Gaspard explains. “I feel like Lafayette is so community oriented that the people here are really quick to support anyone they know who’s making music.”

The post Band To Watch: Cashier appeared first on Stereogum.

Dave Mustaine has a date with the bookshelf. His next memoir, In My Darkest Hour, is set for release on 09/08/2026 through Da Capo, the newly relaunched music-focused imprint under Grand Central Publishing. The book will chronicle the Megadeth frontman’s seven-year reckoning with squamous cell carcinoma — a cancer of the tongue that threatened to take his voice, his band, and his life.

Mustaine broke the news of his diagnosis in 06/2019, telling fans that doctors had given him a 90% chance of survival. What followed was a grueling course of 51 radiation treatments and nine rounds of chemotherapy — all while he continued writing and recording what became Megadeth‘s sixteenth studio album, The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead! He returned to the stage in early 2020, just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut touring down worldwide.

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Mustaine laid out exactly what kind of book this is — and what it isn’t: “One of the most harrowing experiences of my adult life has been my seven-year journey through cancer treatment and onward into remission. This story is considerably more than just, ‘Go to the doctor, get diagnosed, get treatment, and hopefully I live happily ever after.’ This was a journey of me saving myself, staying alive, keeping my family together, and continuing to make music through it all.”

Da Capo executive editor Ben Schafer echoed that framing. “‘In My Darkest Hour’ is Dave Mustaine at his most revealing, vulnerable, and true,” he said. “With lacerating honesty and soulful reflection, he speaks to the universal human experience of facing serious illness and how it changes a person, their family and friends, and one’s relationship with creativity.”

The memoir was co-written by New York Times journalist Joe Layden, a long-standing collaborator who previously worked with Mustaine on Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir (2010) and with original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley on No Regrets: A Rock ‘N’ Roll Memoir. Layden is also the author of The Last Great Fight, which documents James “Buster” Douglas‘s stunning tenth-round knockout of Mike Tyson in 1990 — widely regarded as the biggest upset in boxing history.

Per the official book description from Da Capo, In My Darkest Hour will track Mustaine “from the treatment room to the studio,” detailing how the diagnosis pushed him deeper into both his faith and his artistry. The record that came out of that period, The Sick, The Dying…And The Dead!, was shaped directly by what he was living through — radiation and chemo appointments running parallel to hours-long recording sessions.

This will be Mustaine‘s third book. Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir debuted at No. 15 on the New York Times “Hardcover Nonfiction” bestseller list upon its release in 08/2010. His second, Rust In Peace: The Inside Story Of The Megadeth Masterpiece, arrived via Hachette Books in 09/2020 and offered a deep dive into the making of Megadeth‘s 1990 landmark album.

In My Darkest Hour hits shelves on 09/08/2026.

The post MEGADETH’s DAVE MUSTAINE Opens Up About Cancer, Family, And Fighting To Keep His Voice In New Memoir “In My Darkest Hour” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

(written by Islander) The German pagan/black metal band Asenheim are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. That’s an exceptionally long time for the life of any metal band, and Asenheim have filled those years with releases — no long hiatuses, no deaths and rebirths, just a steady progression of creativity. To commemorate this milestone anniversary, […]

The post AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: ASENHEIM — “DER WÄCHTER DER NACHT” appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.

Wakeman & Son – The Sheldon Concert Hall, St Louis, MO
March 18, 2026
Images & Words: Jon Fiala

Rock music has seen some incredible father-son duos over the years—names like Eddie and Wolfgang, Phil and Nic, John and Jason, Ringo and Zac to name a few. On Wednesday, March 18, St. Louis got to witness another legendary pair, Rick and Oliver Wakeman, share the stage at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Rick Wakeman has been a prog-rock icon since the late ‘60s, known for his work with Yes, the Strawbs, and his endless session credits. Following in those massive footsteps, Oliver eventually played keyboards for both of those same bands while building a successful solo career of his own. Now, they’re out on their first-ever joint tour—a quick 2½-week US run called Wakeman & Son.

The show was a perfect showcase of their tremendous talents. While they each took turns in the spotlight to begin the evening on the Steinway grand and various keyboards, the real magic happened when they played together. You could tell those duets were just as special for them as they were for the audience.

To keep the night moving, Rick arranged several “suites” that condensed his massive epic tracks into more digestible medleys. A standout was the Yes Suite, featuring songs Rick helped create and Oliver later kept alive during his own tenure with the band. The 20-minute set flowed through the classics “Awaken,” “And You and I,” “The Gift of Love,” “Wondrous Stories,”, “Words on a Page” and concluded with the timeless classic “Roundabout.” They also touched on Rick’s solo hits, including excerpts from King Arthur and The Six Wives of Henry VIII.

One of the most touching moments was a tribute to the people who shaped them. They played “A Glimpse of Heaven” in honor of the late Dave Cousins of the Strawbs, followed by a lively version of “Sweet Georgia Brown.” Rick dedicated the jazz standard to his own father, noting how special it felt to now play it with Oliver.

Between songs, both men shared stories of origins of things they played, with Rick’s trademark “grumpy” wit as sharp as ever. It was also great to see Rick back in top form; despite having to postpone his 2025 tour for brain surgery, he hasn’t missed a beat. Watching his fingers fly effortlessly across the keys, it’s clear the legend is still very much at the top of his game.

There are only a handful of dates that remain, so if you want to see this dynamic show, here are your opportunities:

3/20 – St Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre
3/21 – Kent, OH @ The Kent Stage
3/22 – Cincinnati, OH @ Ludlow Garage*
3/24 – Richmond, VA @ The National*
3/25 – Englewood, NJ @ Bergen Performing Arts*
3/26 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
3/28 – Westerly, RI @ United Theatre
3/29 – Red Bank, NJ @ The Vogel

Setlist Wakeman and Son March 18, 2026 – The Sheldon, St Louis, MO
The Dance of a Thousand Lights – Rick on grand piano
LJW – Oliver on grand piano
Yes Suite – Rick on keys, Oliver on grand piano
Awaken/And You and I – Rick
The Gift of Love – Oliver
Wondrous Stories – Rick
Words on a Page – Oliver
Roundabout – Rick and Oliver
King Arthur Suite – Rick on keys, Oliver on grand piano
The Last Battle / Merlin the Magician
A November Wedding – Oliver on grand piano
A Glimpse of Heaven – Rick on keys, Oliver on grand piano
Sweet Georgia Brown – Rick on grand piano, Oliver on keysThe Six Wives Suite (Excerpts from The Six Wives of Henry VIII) – Rick on keys
Journey to the Centre of the Earth – Rick on grand piano, Oliver on keys

Encore:
Life on Mars? – Rick on grand piano
The Jig – Rick on keys, Oliver on keys

The post Wakeman & Son – The Sheldon Concert Hall, St Louis, MO – March 18, 2026 appeared first on The Prog Report.