New York
Gareth Emery to Host New Curated Music Festival, Metropolis
Trance and progressive house music star Gareth Emery seems to always be at work on something new, be it music, live performances, funny videos, or cryptocurrency-based ventures. Now, the famed producer and DJ has announced a brand new curated music festival called Metropolis. Metropolis is a two-stage festival featuring some of trance music’s most recognizable names. Along with Emery, fellow trance titans Andrew Rayel, Cosmic Gate, Tritonal, HALIENE, and Ruben De Ronde will be playing sets across both stages. The main stage will play host to the more festival-oriented side of things, while the second room will feature deep sets from each artist. Emery expressed his excitement at the two-set system: “All of our guests very much enjoy the deeper side of dance music, and we’...
New York’s Avant Gardner Revokes Vaccine Mandate for Event Attendance
Two weeks ago, Brooklyn-based electronic music venue Avant Gardner shared an announcement requiring attendees to be vaccinated for all upcoming shows. However, in response to the state of New York’s rescinding of COVID-19 restrictions, Avant Gardner has revoked its vaccine mandate. Earlier this week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted sweeping state ordinances on social distancing requirements, capacity limits, health screenings, and cleaning protocols. The Governor’s statement followed a milestone that 70% of New York’s adult population had received at least one dose of the vaccine. Now, the onus is on private businesses to enact or drop COVID-19 safety policies for patrons. From the get-go, Avant Gardner made it clear that its vaccine mandate was made necessary due to local mand...
Madeon Announces First Post-Pandemic Headline Shows at New York City’s Terminal 5
Just one day after teasing the return of his stunning “Good Faith Live” production, Madeon poured gasoline on the fire with a massive show announcement. The electronic music virtuoso has announced his first headlining shows since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will go down at New York City’s fabled Terminal 5 venue. He is set for dual performances—dubbed “Good Faith Forever”—on September 23rd and 24th, 2021. Madeon has captivated with his kaleidoscopic “Good Faith Live” production, which was conceptualized to breathe life into his Grammy-nominated sophomore album Good Faith. With its intricate rigging and polychromatic laser blitz, the subversive setup is one of the most coveted destinations for dance music fans. Flyer for Madeon’s...
New York Has Plans to Host a Massive Post-COVID “Comeback” Concert in Central Park
New York was hit especially hard during by the COVID-19 pandemic. At one point, The New York Times even called the city an “epicenter” of the virus. Now, the state seems to be looking through rose-colored glasses after Mayor Bill de Blasio shared his plans for a post-pandemic metropolis. According to a report from the New York Post, City Hall is partnering with legendary music exec Clive Davis for a “massive” concert at one of New York’s most iconic landmarks, the Central Park’s Great Lawn. “We decided to do something classic, iconic, a massive concert in Central Park,” de Blasio said during a press briefing on Monday, June 7th. “It will celebrate the summer of New York City, the comeback, and it will emphatically make the point there i...
R. Kelly’s Lawyers In Racketeering Trial Request To Stop Representing Him Because Duh
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Cook County Department of Corrections / Cook County Department of Corrections Robert Kelly is dripping in wack juice and can’t get it off. So much so his lawyers want to withdraw from his New York racketeering case. ABC 7 Chicago is reporting that the disgraced crooner’s legal team is asking to be removed from his trial in The Big Apple. According to the court filings, Steve Greenberg and Michael Leonard want to be excused from representing R’uh. They formally submitted a letter to a judge to justify their plea. “Our reasons for withdrawal are significant and it is impossible, in our belief, for us to be able to continue to properly represent Mr. Kelly under the current circumstances,” the document read. Mr. Greenberg explained their position in a stateme...
New York’s Teksupport and Avant Gardner Announce Summer Shows With Mandatory Vaccine Policy
While U.S. states like Florida and Texas have roared back to life with full-capacity music festivals, club nights, and headline shows, New York—an electronic music haven—has been wary on its road back to nightlife. However, that will soon change with this week’s major event announcements from Teksupport, an influential Brooklyn-based house and techno organizer, and Avant Gardner, New York’s premier electronic music venue. Avant Gardner recently announced that the venue will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to attend shows within their sprawling, 80,000-square foot concert complex which houses three separate event spaces: The Great Hall, The Kings Hall, and The Brooklyn Mirage. “Under the current New York State regulations regarding businesses that congregate patrons and operat...
Gunman kills at least 8 in mass shooting at California rail yard
At least eight people were killed when a transit employee opened fire at his co-workers at a light rail yard in San Jose, California, on Wednesday morning, the county sheriff’s office said, in the latest in a string of mass shootings this spring. The gunman, who like the victims was an employee of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), was also dead, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Deputy Russell Davis said at a news conference. He did not say how the gunman died or whether police officers fired their weapons at the scene. The name and age of the suspect were also not disclosed. The first emergency calls reporting the shooting at the VTA light rail yard near the city’s main airport came through shortly after 6:30 a.m. Pacific Time (1330 GMT). A bomb squad was searching the yar...
New York Venues Receive Green Light to Open at Capacity—But Must Ask for Proof of Vaccination
In a wide-ranging speech from the stage at Radio City Music Hall, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo explained that within the next month venues will begin operating at full capacity provided they request proof of vaccination from attendees. IQ reports that on June 19th, Radio City will open at full capacity and attendees will be required to present a vaccine passport—likely New York’s Excelsior Pass—in order to enter the venue. Cuomo explained his view that attendance scalability is predicated upon the amount of tickets allocated to vaccinated patrons. “I encourage [private venues] to have a high percentage available for vaccinated people,” he said. “Radio City is going to be 100%, I encourage that, because that’s an incentive for people to get vaccina...
Minister charges diplomats to change the narratives about Nigeria
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, yesterday, charged officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to change the narratives about the country. Onyeama stated this during the opening of a three-day induction programme for over 350 officers posted to Nigerian missions abroad in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Onyeama told the officers that it had been a rocky and bumpy road to get to the point in which they were set to depart the country, adding that he was however glad that the day had arrived. “I am here to rejoice and to express my love for you all and to say that we have to keep hope alive, we have to maintain solidarity. We are in this thing together and by God’s grace, we will all be an asset for our country, Nigeria. That is what it is really all about, about Nigeria,...
Eric Prydz Announces Four Brooklyn Warehouse Shows With “Brand New Production”
After a devastating year for New York’s live music scene, Eric Prydz is returning to the City That Never Sleeps for four industrial warehouse shows. Split between two weekends, Prydz’s upcoming NYC takeover is scheduled for November and December 2021, respectively. The first weekend (11/26 and 11/27) will see the iconic “Call on Me” producer play two extended solo sets for a classic showcase of his progressive house sound. The second slate (12/3 and 12/4) will see Prydz perform under his techno alias Cirez D alongside Drumcode founder Adam Beyer. According to a press release issued to announce the shows, they “will feature a brand new production set-up.” Flyers for Eric Prydz’s upcoming Brooklyn warehouse shows. Prydz’s NYC con...
Ogun governor suspends aide arrested for ‘fraud’ in US
The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has suspended his aide, Abidemi Rufai, who was arrested in the United States for an alleged $350,000 (about N140 million) COVID-19 unemployment fraud. Kunle Somorin, Abiodun’s chief press secretary, confirmed the suspension to newsmen on Tuesday. This was also confirmed to newsmen by the chief press secretary to Abiodun, Kunle Somorin. “Our position is that the law should take its course,” Somorin said in a WhatsApp interview. “Meanwhile, the governor has ordered his immediate suspension from office to answer charges against him.” Sources within the government told newsmen that the governor took the action immediately he was briefed about Rufai’s arrest. This newspaper earlier reported that Rufai, Senior Special Assistant to Abiodun, was arrested l...
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Rolls Back Capacity Restrictions for Large Venues
A new day is dawning for New York’s concert venues after Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a lift on capacity-related restrictions effective later this month. Beginning May 19th, large-scale indoor venues have been given the go-ahead to operate at 30% capacity, up from 10%. Meanwhile, outdoor venues have been permitted to scale up to 33%. Currently, venues have been instructed not to exceed 500 attendees for outdoor events and 250 attendees for indoor events. However, going forward venues will be permitted to exceed this limit if attendees produce a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination prior to entry and as long as the venue enforces social distancing and mask-wearing. The cutback in restrictions arrives amid a successful vaccine campaign. Thus far, an estimated 50% o...
