music
R Kelly Found Guilty in Federal Sex Trafficking Trial, Faces Decades in Prison
R Kelly has been found guilty of all counts in his federal sex trafficking case and faces decades in prison. The disgraced R&B singer was charged with one count of racketeering rooted in alleged sexual exploitation of children, kidnapping, and forced labor. Additionally, he was charged with eight counts of violating the Mann Act, a law that criminalizes transporting someone across state lines “with intent that such individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.” Kelly pleaded not guilty to all charges, but on Monday a jury convicted him on all nine counts. Kelly, 54, faces a possible sentence of a decade to life in prison. Sentencing is set for May 4th, 2022. Advertisement Related Video Over the span of 20 days,...
Dream Theater Postpone North American Tour Due to COVID-19 Concerns
A month before their fall North American tour was set to kick off, Dream Theater have postponed the entire outing due to COVID-19 concerns. The trek will now kick off in February 2022, with the new dates to be announced shortly. The progressive-metal veterans had planned to kick off the tour on October 28th, which would have timed nicely with the October 22nd release of their new album, A View From the Top of the World. While the LP will still arrive next month, the tour dates will have to wait. In a post on their social media pages, Dream Theater wrote the following: “In light of current instabilities to touring that remain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we feel confident that this is the right decision. Know that we are as disappointed as you are that we will have to wait a little longer ...
Nile Rodgers on His Enduring Production Philosophy: “You Want to Touch a Person’s Soul”
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards released their first album as Chic, arguably disco’s greatest band, in 1977. In the decades since, Rodgers has charted a remarkable path as a producer and songwriter, with chart-topping songs by David Bowie, Madonna, and Diana Ross, among others. He also continued to lead Chic after Edwards’s death in 1996, releasing the band’s comeback album It’s About Time in 2018, and extending his run of hits with Daft Punk’s 2013 smash “Get Lucky.” Now, the busy superproducer has a hand in yet another new venture; on Monday (September 27th), Fender is launching a global campaign called Player Plus Studio Sessions, for which Rodgers will serve on a panel and judge submissions from aspiring musicians. Advertisement Related Video Winners will be awarded with Fender instru...
Tool Announce Massive 54-Date Tour for 2022
Tool will the return to the road in 2022 for an expansive tour that includes shows across the US, UK, and Europe. All told, Tool will play 54 concerts between January and May of next year. The tour officially kicks off on January 10th in Eugene, Oregon — the location of the next show Tool had been scheduled to play before canceling their 2020 tour due to the pandemic. It’s been a particularly rough pandemic for frontman Maynard James Keenan, who contracted COVID-19 not once but twice. The singer surmised that he likely contracted COVID the first time during the band’s February 2020 tour of Australia and New Zealand. He also revealed that he had been dealing with longterm symptoms, include lung damage. Thankfully, earlier this year, he told Heavy Consequence that “everything’s grand” when i...
Coldplay Link Up with Billie Eilish, BTS, Camila Cabello for Global Citizen Set: Watch
Coldplay could’ve died as villains, but after 25 years in the game they’ve lived long enough to see themselves become the heroes. The onetime least-cool act in rock and roll are flourishing in an increasingly poptimistic world, and for the climate crisis fundraiser Global Citizen Live, they teamed up with Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, BTS, Camila Cabello, and Shawn Mendes. Coldplay enlisted Eilish and FINNEAS for the X&Y cut “Fix You.” Performing in front of a golden backdrop that set off her new ‘do, Eilish’s breathy vocals were a perfect complement to this softer song, while FINNEAS’ mic was turned so far down that it’s unclear whether he was singing backup or lip synching. As for the Bangtan Boys, they didn’t make it to New York in person, but they did film a cosmic vide...
Guns N’ Roses Announce New EP, Perform “Hard Skool” Live for First Time: Watch
Guns N’ Roses have announced the new Hard Skool EP, arriving February 25th. The band also played the new song “Hard School” live for the first time on Sunday (September 26th) at a concert in Baltimore. The four-song EP includes “Hard Skool,” previous studio single “ABSUЯD,” and live versions of “Don’t Cry” and “You’re Crazy.” It will be available on cassette, CD, and digitally. A 7″ vinyl version will be available on June 24th, featuring just “Hard Skool” and a live version of “ABSUЯD.” “Hard Skool” is the second previously unreleased Chinese Democracy-era track to be officially released as a single in 2021. Unlike the more industrial sound of “ABSUЯD,” Guns N’ Roses go old-school on “Hard Skool.” Advertisement Related Video As the footage from the Baltimore show attests, the track is an u...
David Byrne’s American Utopia Wins Tony Award
David Byrne’s American Utopia was honored with at the 74th annual Tony Awards, which were held at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City on Sunday night. The production was presented with a Special Tony Award, which are given to shows that don’t fall into any of the competitive categories. It marked Byrne’s first time winning a Tony, and leaves him just an Emmy Award away from obtaining EGOT status. (Byrne was nominated at last week’s Emmys, but lost the award for Outstanding Variety Special to Hamilton.) Later on during the Tony Awards, Byrne returned to the stage to perform “Burning Down the House.” Watch the replay below. Advertisement Related Video Based on Byrne’s 2018 album of the same name, American Utopia initially opened in October 2019. On stage, Byrne is joined by ...
Metallica Perform “The Black Album” in Full from Back to Front at Louder Than Life
Metallica treated fans at Louder Than Life to a full performance of “The Black Album” on Sunday night (September 26th). In honor of its 30th anniversary, the metal titans played the mega-selling LP from back to front at the festival Louisville, Kentucky. The gig was Metallica’s second of the fest, having been booked to play two distinct sets on Friday and Sunday night. On Friday, Metallica played no songs from “The Black Album,” perhaps hinting that a full album performance was coming on Sunday. The Sunday set started with three songs from other albums — “Hardwired,” “The Four Horseman,” and “Welcome Home (Sanitarium).” Then, a 30th anniversary “Black Album” interlude was played with video images of the band members (including former bassist Jason Newsted) before Metallica launched into th...
Machine Gun Kelly Fights Fan, Gets Booed During Louder Than Life Performance: Watch
Machine Gun Kelly’s headlining set at Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday (September 25th) was certainly an eventful one. The rapper turned pop-punker was heckled throughout the gig, and at one point threw a punch at a fan who jumped the barricade to confront him. It’s safe to say that the fans turned on MGK due to his recent feud with Slipknot singer Corey Taylor. While Slipknot weren’t on the bill for Louder Than Life, a lot of bands on the Saturday lineup share fans with the masked metal act, including Disturbed, Volbeat, Code Orange, and more. Video footage shows Machine Gun Kelly performing to a chorus of boos, with festival goers flipping him the bird. At one point, when the singer made his way down to the photo pit, a couple of fans jumped the barricade to...
Governors Ball 2021 Day 2 Live Gallery: Megan Thee Stallion, Phoebe Bridgers, A$AP Rocky and More
Day 2 of Governors Ball 2021 — the New York City festival’s 10th anniversary — is in the books. 50,000 attendees flooded the parking lot outside Citi Field on Saturday, September 25th to check out sets from a bill stacked with hip-hop and indie rock greats. With A$AP Rocky closing down the night and J Balvin marking the fest’s first Latino headliner, the day also saw performances from MUNA, Bleachers, King Princess, Megan Thee Stallion, Phoebe Bridgers, Cordae, Big Thief, and Pink Sweat$. Ahead, see pictures of all the sets the Consequence team caught, whether you’re reliving your favorite moments from Gov Ball Day 2, or looking for some FOMO. You can also revisit our Day 1 Governors Ball photo gallery, and stay tuned for a portrait collection at the end of the weekend. Advertisement Relat...
Jack White Plays Surprise Gig on London Balcony: Video + Setlist
Jack White performed a surprise concert at Third Man Records’ new London record store on Saturday night, marking his first full-length public gig in over two years. White initially played a seven-song set in the basement of the store before moving to a nearby balcony to rip through another five songs. The setlist included pulled from the catalogs of The White Stripes (“Hello Operator,” “Icky Thump,” “Seven Nation Army”), The Dead Weather (“I Cut Like a Buffalo”), The Raconteurs (“Steady, As She Goes”), and White’s own solo albums (“Sixteen Saltines,” “Lazaretto”). Prior to closing the rooftop portion of the gig with “Seven Nation Army,” White dedicated his performance of The White Stripes’ “We Are Going to Be Friends” to “all the neighbors we’re upsetting now.” Advertisement Related Video ...
Governors Ball Day 2: The 5 Best Things We Saw
Let’s get it out of the way: those on Rihanna Watch will be pleased to know that she did indeed show up for her beau A$AP Rocky’s blistering headlining performance at Governors Ball on Saturday, September 25th. On stage, there were surprises all around at Day 2, including J Balvin’s dazzling fireworks display, a Phoebe Bridgers cameo, and a full-crowd sing along of “WAP” during Megan Thee Stallion. Saturday’s lineup boasted more rock and alternative options. Bleachers brought the energy of a Bruce Springsteen set, complete with two (2) drummers two (2) saxophone players, and Big Thief gave a deeply inspired performance, with a highlight being the furious and extended jam, “Not.” Advertisement Related Video Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion and NY native A$AP Rocky drew mammoth crowds and gave...
