Posts tagged with "Bruce Springsteen"

POPEX × ABBEY ROAD INSTITUTE MIAMI

POPEX ANNOUNCES NEW NFT PARTNERSHIP WITH ABBEY ROAD INSTITUTE MIAMI

PopEx and Cudos announces new Art House Collection NFT collaboration with Abbey Road Institute Miami
Unique album created by 10 of the world’s top production teams, songwriters and performers including NBLM, The Voice of Poland winner MVRT and Grammy winning producer Julio Reyes Copello
Recorded at Abbey Road Institute Miami using cutting-edge Dolby Atmos technology
Opportunity for digital asset holders to receive royalties and exclusive art from a ground breaking collaboration
White list 1 December 2022; project due for public launch in the first quarter of 2023
Available to purchase exclusively via PopEx’s multichain platform

“This incredible project brings together the architects of some of the most iconic tracks of our generation. Together they have produced a landmark recording, created in partnership with Abbey Road Institute Miami and enabled by incredible dynamic depth provided when recording for Dolby Atmos. In The Art House Collection NFT, we’ll see the combined genius of people whose work is known, respected and loved by countless millions of music fans across the world. For investors, it’s the chance to be part of the most important album this century, and to own royalties in what we believe will become a landmark in recorded music history.” — Matt Bond, Founder and CEO, PopEx

PopEx is giving collectors and fans the chance to own a piece of genuine music history, in a ground-breaking new partnership with Abbey Road Institute Miami.

The project brings together a group of the most talented and influential producers, songwriters and recording artists of their generation to create a unique album, The Art House Collection NFT, which will be available exclusively as a digital collectible through the PopEx platform. Investors will be able to own a part of this seminal recording through the distribution of royalty rights for NFT owners.

The Art House Collection NFT is being pitched as among the most celebrated album production collaborations ever, with artists and producers spanning genres, geographies and eras. Between them, the production teams involved are responsible for millions of record sales and streams running into the hundreds of billions.

Among the top names taking part is Colombian producer and songwriter Julio Reyes Copello. Winner of three Grammy awards, and 12 Latin Grammy awards, including the 2022 ‘Producer of the Year’. He has worked with artists including Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony, who’s single ‘Vivir Mi Vida’ has scored over 1bn views on Youtube views and over 400 million streams on other platforms. He has also composed music for films and conducted the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO).

The song-writing team, NBLM, has racked up over 100 million views on YouTube with releases for labels including Universal, Sony, Spinnin’ Records, Nervous, Aftr Hrs and Warner, drawing inspiration from House, Techno, RnB, Pop and even Rock. They’ve also collaborated with Randy Jackson on some unreleased vocals forming part of the legacy of older brother Michael.

For the NFT project, NBLM has worked with artists including singer-songwriter MRVT, who won The Voice of Poland 2017 under her full name, Marta Gałuszewska. Her debut single went platinum, and she’s subsequently worked with a strong of major records labels, and collaborated with numerous international producers, songwriters and fellow artists worldwide. With the support of PopEx, MRVT is now realising the potential of the NFT world to develop the next phase of her career, as a fully independent recording artist.

The album is being recorded at Abbey Road Institute Miami, a specialist training school for the next generation of music producers and sound engineers, drawing on almost 90 years of expertise developed at the original Abbey Road Studios in London. It’s being produced with sound and visual content captured in Dolby Atmos, the immersive, high-definition surround-sound technology used by cinemas worldwide.

The Art House Collection NFT will be offered for general sale through the PopEx platform, and gives collectors the chance to have a direct, personal stake in its future success. The initial whitelisted NFTs have already sold out: following launch, 10% of royalties will be available for purchase on the open market, and tradeable before redemption.

Musician, entrepreneur and PopEx founder, now CEO, Matt Bond, says: “This NFT is more than just a unique piece of art: it’s the start of a new movement in music creation and production. It brings together an incredible pool of talent who are pushing Dolby Atmos to the edge to create an album like never before. This new technology is here to stay: these world-beating producers are demonstrating its enormous potential for creatives at all levels, and we’re really hoping it will inspire new artists to strike while the iron’s hot. We’re also showing how NFT model we’ve developed at PopEx can support artists in building sustainable, viable careers in a challenging economic environment.”

PopEx is backed by leading names from the worlds of music, Web 3 and business, who bring their own specific skills, knowledge and networks to the development of the platform. The company was valued at $40 million pre-launch, with pre-seed funding gained from Animoca Brands, Shima Capital, UOB Bank, Outlier Ventures and Tileyard.

ABOUT THE FOUNDERS:

Matt Bond

Musician, songwriter and entrepreneur Matt Bond is no stranger to the music industry. He is co-founder of songwriting and production collective NBLM. The collaboration has signed over 100 record deals and yielded hundreds of millions of streams through releases with Universal, Sony, Spinnin Records and many more.

Matt Bond is also a founding member of rock band The Dirty Youth. As well as selling out many UK and European tours, they have graced stages at some of the world’s biggest festivals. The band toured with a huge array of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Soundgarden, Iggy Pop, Status Quo, Feeder and Korn. The Dirty Youth were the first band to get signed to music brand titans Marshall Records.

Matt founded PopEx in 2021 with a vision to create a viable, sustainable and user-friendly route to artists securing their creative sovereignty by sharing in the global opportunities represented by Web3.

INVESTORS:

The vision for PopEx has been proven by significant venture capital backing. PopEx has concluded its seed funding round. This values the company, founded in 2021 at $40million (USD). Backers include Animoca Brands, the global leader in gamification and blockchain. The company has a portfolio of over 340 investments in its mission is to advance digital property rights and decentralised projects to help build the open metaverse. Other backers include Shima Capital, UOB Bank, Cudos, Outlier Ventures and Tileyard.

Time Life’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide

Time Life’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide Featuring the Very Best DVD and Music Collections

From Elvis Presley to The Beatles and The Rolling Stone, The Temptations and The Supremes, The Ed Sullivan Show broadcast the music revolution into living rooms across America. Perfect for holiday gift giving, Time Life presents ED SULLIVAN’S ROCK & ROLL CLASSICS, a spectacular DVD collector’s set featuring two decades of historic music performances from the longest-running and most iconic prime-time variety show in television history

From the late 50s through the early ’70s — families across America gathered around their television every Sunday night to watch The Ed Sullivan Show. And while the country and its music underwent an enormous evolution over the course of those years, the show not only kept up with the times, but it informed them — evidenced by the wide variety of acts fortunate enough to perform live on the stage of Studio 50. From slick-haired snarlers to soulful singing groups to rebellious rockers from across the Atlantic, Ed Sullivan’s musical guests were a who’s who of the era’s popular culture. And today, they’re regarded as some of the greatest artists of all time. The long and winding road of music history is full of forks, but from the 1950s through the early ’70s, one stop was essential: The Ed Sullivan Show.

The acclaimed TV DVD archivists at Time Life invite music lovers and classic TV aficionados to experience the excitement of these once-in-a-lifetime performances in one spectacular DVD collection: ED SULLIVAN’S ROCK & ROLL CLASSICS. From rock n’ roll legends to shimmering soul superstars, The British Invasion to Folk Rock, psychedelic pop, and so much more, Ed Sullivan showcased them all on his Sunday Night variety show, week after unforgettable week. This set brings the very best of these performances together in one memorable 10-disc set, featuring 128 live, uncut performances from the greatest performers and musical icons of the 20th century including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis, The Supremes The Band, The Beach Boys, Bee Gees, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Marvin Gaye, Herman’s Hermits, Buddy Holly, The Jackson 5, Janis Joplin, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and many many more!

Aside from these legendary performances, ED SULLIVAN’S ROCK & ROLL CLASSICS also features never-before-released full interviews from The History of Rock N’ Roll documentary series, including David Crosby, Felix Cavaliere, Gladys Knight, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, Michelle Phillips, Peter Noone, Roger McGuinn and more, a collectible, full-color 36-page booklet, packed with archival photos and fascinating facts, along with The All-Star Comedy Special, a free bonus DVD which includes performances by the top comedians on The Ed Sullivan Show including Alan King, Flip Wilson, George Carlin, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, Rich Little, Richard Pryor, Rodney Dangerfield and many more. (Available exclusively from Time Life $119.96).

Since the earliest days of country music, gospel music spilled from the Sunday morning church pews and was recorded by the popular artists of the day. And it’s that powerful and undeniable connection between its most iconic performers and gospel that’s celebrated in the inspirational 10-disc collector’s set, AMAZING GRACE: COUNTRY STARS SING SONGS OF FAITH AND HOPE, available just in time for holiday gift giving!

Spotlighting some of the best-loved artists in country music, and featuring 153 incredible live performances, this collection is filled with the sharing of powerful songs of faith that have reverberated inside church walls and concert halls for decades.

Now for the very first time, home audiences can enjoy live performances of the greatest country artists performing songs of faith and hope, all in one stunning, star-studded collection. Highlighted by live performances from Alan Jackson, Alabama, the Statler Brothers, Josh Turner, Vince Gill, Randy Travis, George Jones, Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, Dolly Parton, Tennessee Ernie Ford, the Gatlin Brothers and dozens more, they’ve all gone back to their roots to revive such timeless hymns as “Amazing Grace”, “How Great Thou Art”, “In the Garden”, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and more! A powerful intersection between faith and art, this collectible set also includes bonuses too numerous to mention, but includes more than a dozen exclusive interviews and performances, a full-color 36-page collector’s book loaded with archival photos and two bonus DVDs from the “Opry Gospel Classics” set, featuring live performances from the stage of the iconic theater (Available exclusively on Time Life $134.95)

Time Life delivers RUSSELL SIMMONS’ DEF COMEDY JAM COLLECTION, the dopest, deffest DVD collection hailing from the smash-hit HBO series, a showcase for some of the biggest names in comedy – from Dave Chappelle and Kevin Hart to Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock and more! This iconic TV series gets the award-winning Time Life boxed set treatment with an epic 12-disc set featuring 36 of the best episodes from all 9 Seasons, a bonus DVD of Shaq & Cedric the Entertainer Present: All Star Comedy Jam, and a 24-page Def Comedy Jam collector’s booklet!

When Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam premiered on HBO in the winter of 1992, the nation’s cool kids took notice. The “for mature audiences only” show aired Fridays at midnight, leading legions of college students and young adults to exit the clubs and finds TVs – or not go out at all – so they could catch a half-hour glimpse of the would-be stars who made them laugh, and the hip-hop stars and superstar athletes who were in the studio audience. Def Comedy Jam would go on to become one of HBO’s earliest mega-hits, and by the late ’90s it was the #1 comedy show to ever air on pay TV and cable. In fact, no other modern-day comedy tour or series can boast a run so successful that dozens of its denizens were skyrocketed from regional obscurity to international superstardom, including Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chappelle, Tiffany Haddish, Tracy Morgan, Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac, and Kevin Hart.

Now, Time Life delivers this smash series to comedy lovers everywhere with a 12-disc DVD set featuring the very best episodes from the biggest, groundbreaking, star-making comedy show of all time! Included in the jam-packed set are 36 episodes across all nine history-making seasons – over 23 hours of non-stop laughs from comedy giants such as Bill Bellamy, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chappelle, Earthquake, Mike Epps, Adele Givens, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, Queen Latifah, Martin Lawrence, Bernie Mac, Tracy Morgan, Chris Tucker, Sheryl Underwood, Damon Wayans, Jr., and so many more! Aside from far too many celebrity cameos to mention, the set also includes a bonus episode of “2 Raw 4 TV,” which speaks for itself. (Available exclusively on Time Life $99.95)

Each year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honors rock music’s greats during a prestigious black-tie ceremony. These induction ceremonies-featuring the biggest names in classic rock from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s – have become nearly as epic as the artists they celebrate. Across 10 DVDs, ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME IN CONCERT brings together the very best performances from 34 years of induction ceremonies – over 33 hours of incredible entertainment, along with poignant reunions, one-of-a-kind collaborations, moving and often hilarious induction speeches!

Featuring 201 total performances, on ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME IN CONCERT, you’ll be treated to unforgettable performances by the likes of AC/DC, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Chicago, ELO, Fleetwood Mac, Heart, Mick Jagger, Journey, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul McCartney, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Prince, R.E.M., Paul Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Sting, James Taylor and U2. Classic rock aficionados will thrill to the once-in-a-lifetime on-stage collaborations including “Born To Run” – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band and Billy Joel, “Gimme Shelter” – U2 with Mick Jagger, Fergie and will.i.am, “The Weight” – The Band with Eric Clapton, “Teach Your Children” – Crosby, Stills & Nash with James Taylor and Emmylou Harris and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” – Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, Dhani Harrison and Prince.

And the biggest and best video music collection Time Life has ever produced is now bigger and better than ever with 22 performances from 2018 and 2019 that have never been available before by artists including Bon Jovi, The Cars, Def Leppard, Roxy Music, Stevie Nicks, The Cure, The Moody Blues and more! Also included in this set is a free 3 DVD bonus collection: the complete 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts an Emmy award-winning celebration called “the best concerts ever” it also includes a 36-page Rolling Stone Magazine souvenir booklet commemorating these shows. (Available exclusively at Time Life.com $119.96)

The 60s were a decade of change. New hopes, dreams, and attitudes created the fantastic music scene that still echoes to this day. Now, for the first time ever, the most significant artists performing their biggest pop hits from an unforgettable decade are together in FOREVER 60s, a 9-CD set guaranteed to bring you back to yesteryear!

Only Time Life could bring music lovers such a variety of musical magic, including original hit recordings such as “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys, “Cherish” by The Association, “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” by Frankie Valli, “These Eyes” by The Guess Who, “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” by Jackie DeShannon, “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison, and so many more. Other iconic performers of the time includes the best-loved hits from Bobby Darin, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, The Monkees, Neil Sedaka, The Rascals, Sony and Cher and more! FOREVER 60s also includes a FREE bonus CD “Motown’s 60s Classics” that includes hits from The Supremes, Four Tops, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder, along with a collectible 24-page booklet featuring photos and stories about the artists and their timeless 60s songs. (Available exclusively on Time Life $149.95)

Nothing matches the unmistakable passion of Soul music. The legends of Soul in the 50s and 60s brought us songs packed with intense passion and emotion, and these hits bring back wonderful memories of that era when all-time legends gave us the true beginnings of Soul. Now, for the first time ever, of the most beloved hits from this golden age of soul are together in Time Life’s FOREVER SOUL, a superlative 9-CD collection.

FOREVER SOUL features 154 original classics that defined a generation including “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” by Otis Redding, “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown, “I’ve Got A Woman” by Ray Charles, “Get Ready” by The Temptations, “In The Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett, and so many more! Other legendary artists on the collection who’ve reached deep into our hearts and touched our souls include Four Tops, The Impressions, The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Smokey Robinson, The Supremes, The Temptations and more! Also included is a FREE Bonus CD, The Best of Sam Cooke, filled with 15 incredible hits by one of Soul’s most influential artists including “Wonderful World,” “Chain Gang,” “Bring It On Home To Me,” “You Send Me,” “Cupid,” and many more! (Available exclusively at Time Life.com $149.95)

Beaches, sunsets, and lazy afternoons filled with sun-kissed melodies and cherished memories. These are the songs that make every day feel like summertime. Sit back and relax with the soft rock sounds of the 70s and 80s with Time Life’s SUMMER BREEZE COLLECTION

Across 10 CDs, SUMMER BREEZE soft rock fans will thrill to the most unforgettable soft rock classics including “Breeze” by Seals & Crofts, “Sailing” by Christopher Cross, “Escape (The Pi&#f1a Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes. “Sara Smile” from Daryl Hall & John Oates, “Still the One” from Orleans and “Even the Nights Are Better” by Air Supply. Other favorite artists of the time include Ambrosia, America, Bread, Chicago, Phil Collins, Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Dan Fogelberg, Kenny Loggins, Toto and so many more! Included is also a FREE Bonus CD, Classic Rock Ballads, filled with 16 hits including “Let Me Take You Home Tonight” by Boston, “Lady” by Styx, “Heaven” by Warrant, “Keep On Loving You” by REO Speedwagon, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” by Meat Loaf and more! (Available exclusively on TimeLife.com $139.95)

Austin City Limits is the longest-running music show in television history, and since the beginning it has held a special connection to country music. Beloved by artists and fans alike, Austin City Limits is known for authentic music presented in live and uncut performances and with AUSTIN CITY LIMITS COUNTRY, home audiences can experience Austin City Limits country music like never before!

Hand-selected from over 40 years of Austin City Limits archives AUSTIN CITY LIMITS COUNTRY brings together most iconic country artists across five decades performances their most beloved hits, and features an astounding 164 live, uncut performances from 1974 – 2018 including Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” George Strait’s “Amarillo By Morning”, Reba McEntire’s “Whoever’s In New England”, Vince Gill’s “Whenever You Come Around”, Alan Jackson’s “Livin’ On Love”, and Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying.” Other country icons featured include Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins and Buck Owens, superstars such as Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, and Randy Travis plus today’s greats including Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Brad Paisley.

Plus, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS COUNTRY includes once-in-a-lifetime collaborations like Sheryl Crow and Kris Kristofferson singing “Me and Bobby McGee” Vince Gill and Patty Loveless singing “After The Fire Is Gone” and Emmylou Harris singing “Crazy” along with Willie Nelson who wrote the song. Also featured are bonus interviews a FREE bonus DVD of the Austin City Limits 1974 pilot episode featuring a complete Willie Nelson concert and a collectible memory booklet. (Available exclusively on TimeLife.com $119.96)

About Time Life Time Life is one of the world’s pre-eminent creators and direct marketers of unique music and video/DVD products, specializing in distinctive multi-media collections that evoke memories of yesterday, capture the spirit of today, and can be enjoyed for a lifetime. TIME LIFE and the TIME LIFE logo are registered trademarks of Time Warner Inc. and affiliated companies used under license by Direct Holdings Americas Inc., which is not affiliated with Time Warner Inc. or Time Inc.

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BASTILLE – FUTURE

BASTILLE ANNOUNCES GIVE ME THE FUTURE + DREAMS OF THE PAST OUT AUGUST 26^TH

NEW SINGLE “REVOLUTION” OUT NOW

OFFICIAL VIDEO COMING SOON

LISTEN HERE

WATCH HERE

PREORDER HERE

Earlier this year, Bastille released their hotly anticipated #1 album, Give Me The Future, a record that explores a futuristic wonderland free from restrictions. The album embraces a new wave of technology, which enables us to get lost inside our imagination and travel back and forward in time to be anyone or do anything.

Now, the band are adding a further instalment to this critically acclaimed release, sharing a three-part extended edition of the album, dubbed Give Me The Future + Dreams Of The Past, featuring another album’s worth of new songs, collaborations, covers, and reprises. Watch HERE.

“In releasing this version of the record, we wanted to give the complete picture of what we intended with this album and also explore the idea that you can choose your own adventure,” frontman Dan Smith says. “You can dive into the ideas of the future and an electronic world, or you can fall back into the past – away from technology and into ideas of memory and nostalgia – both thematically and musically. Or you can choose full-on dancefloor heartbreak escape.”

With the original album on part one, part two continues some of the themes and narrative from the original record, delving into songs that are shot through with notions of technological dependence, human connection, and the limitless possibilities of life online. Part three, meanwhile, acts as a mini return to the band’s acclaimed “Other People’s Heartache” Mixtape series opening the four-piece up to collaborations, covers, and concept-free creativity.

The new songs make ever clearer the link between the future and past, highlighting the ability to choose to go backwards as well as forwards like in more nostalgic cuts such as the Graceland-inspired “Family Ties.” Written about Smith’s memories of visiting his late aunt in South Africa, the warm, wistfulness of the track provides a counterpart to time travel’s usually futuristic sheen – as per new single, the rave-ready electronic club banger “Revolution”—listen HERE.

“Revolution” had always been one of the core songs for Give Me The Future and took inspiration from Quincy Jones’ production and The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face”. “The chorus is about the intimacy of human connection in the context of some science fiction, space-centred imagery. But it’s also about the idea of those amazingly thoughtful people who spend their lives trying to change the world in a positive way,” explains Dan. “I’m totally over-awed by people like that – if you’re one of them, like an inventor, activist or scientist, you have to have the ability to imagine a version of the future that’s better than what currently exists, and then have that energy to actually work to make it happen. Alongside all the other things life throws at you. So, I wanted to nod to those people and the idea that before anything big happens, most of them will have had these little revolutions in their minds, a change of perspective that leads to something bigger.”

On the “Other People’s Heartache” section of the album – Bastille bring that energy to life via collaborations; The glacial groove of “Run Into Trouble” with Alok, the garage stutter of “Eight Hours” with Tyde, a cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic “Dancing In The Dark,” and boundary-less new songs including the irresistible “Remind Me” and the melancholic power ballad “Running Away.”

The last song on the record is the beautifully ethereal “Hope For The Future,” a song which hints at where the band could sonically go next. Written for the soundtrack of the Leonardo DiCaprio-produced documentary From Devil’s Breath – a short film about forest fires, climate change, and tree planting. It centres around an acoustic guitar melody and Smith’s layered vocals. “I was thinking about Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver and all the acoustic artists who manage to write music that is both orchestral and floaty, but also a grounded in some grit,” he says. “It was very much at odds with all of the synthesisers, drum machines, and electronic instruments and the production that we were using for Give Me The Future, but I feel super proud of it.”

Their fourth album, the masterful Give Me The Future, was hailed by many critics as their best release to date, with The Fader describing it as “a grand collection of sci-fi inspired songs attempting to make sense of the world’s fast-moving venture into dystopia.” NME said: “The result is the most expansive, yet cohesive record Bastille have put their name to,” adding that the band may have “created a perfect soundtrack to life after lockdown.” The Independent, meanwhile, declared: “When confined within Bastille’s catchy hooks and imaginative, era-spanning production, what lies ahead suddenly isn’t so terrible. The future is bright – for 30 minutes’ worth of bops, at least.”

Since the release of the record, Bastille has created an immersive experience at their sold-out gigs, bringing the themes of the album to life in arenas across the UK and on a tour of North America.

At this year’s Glastonbury Festival, such was the demand to witness their secret set, the festival organisers had to cordon off the surrounding area at the 1,000-capacity William’s Green tent as festivalgoers tried to descend in the masses to catch a glimpse of their secret performance.

Such fervent scenes will continue across the summer as the band play huge sets at festivals across the UK and Europe, including Boardmasters, Sziget, and two mammoth sub-headliner spots at Reading & Leeds 2022. Following that, they’ll take the “Give Me The Future” tour to South America, stopping in Argentina and Brazil, before continuing the enthralling trek across Europe.

PART ONE – GIVE ME THE FUTURE

Distorted Light Beam
Thelma + Louise
No Bad Days
Brave New World (Interlude)
Back To The Future
Plug In…
Promises (by Riz Ahmed)
Shut Off The Lights
Stay Awake?
Give Me The Future
Club 57
Total Dissociation (Interlude)
Future Holds [feat. BIM]

PART TWO – DREAMS OF THE PAST

Back To The Innerverse (Interlude)
Real Life
Family Ties
Distorted Light Beam (Reprise)
Revolution
survivin’
No More Bad Days
Hope For The Future

PART THREE – OTHER PEOPLE’S HEART ACHE

Other People’s Heartache (Interlude)
Run Into Trouble [Alok x Bastille]
Remind Me
Eight Hours [Bastille x Tyde]
Dancing In The Dark
Running Away

ABOUT BASTILLE:
The four-piece has been experimenting and augmenting the Bastille sound since the release of their last album Doom Days in 2019, the conclusion of an unofficial trilogy. Last year, they released the Goosebumps EP, featuring Graham Coxon on “WHAT YOU GONNA DO???” and producer Kenny Beats on the title track, as they continued to pen songs that seek to understand and offer escape from the modern human condition. Doom Days received huge critical acclaim and charted in the Top 5 in both the U.K. and U.S., the only U.K. band to have achieved this chart landmark alongside The Beatles and Queen in 2019. The record found the band at their most lyrically provocative, most accomplished, and most vital and charts the course of one night in search of distraction from the surrounding apocalypse (sound familiar?). During the course of 2019, the four-piece continued to cement their reputation as one of the world’s most captivating live bands, having played an extensive two month-long sold-out U.S. and U.K. tour. At the beginning of 2020, Bastille received their sixth Brit nomination and their second nomination for British Group. In January 2021, Bastille was the subject of ReOrchestrated, a documentary film that provided a revelatory and bracingly honest new look into the band’s journey so far, framed through their ReOrchestrated shows and diving into themes of motivation, anxiety, and imposter syndrome. With over 11 million records sold, 6 U.K. Top 40 singles, and 1.5 billion video views, Bastille continues to be one of the world’s most streamed bands.

BASTILLE:

INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

Winnetka Bowling League – pulp

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Winnetka Bowling League debuted their hot fourth EP pulp via RCA Records on Friday February 4. The EP consists of new track fiimy (fuck it, i misss you) with Demi Lovato, as well as a few separate pre-released tracks. Listen and stream pulp HERE, and catch the full tracklist below.

Both Winnetka Bowling League and Demi Lovato came together when Demi got into touch with head singer Matthew Koma. He posted a short video of the track onto the popular platform of TikTok, where Demi was drawn to the song.

Matthew raves about the inspiration behind fiimy (fuck it, i misss you), saying ““fiimy” is about running into an ex for the first time since a break up and the rush of mixed feelings that ad target you. There’s wondering if you even know that person anymore and there’s reckoning with your own “did i fuck up a good thing”. When Demi heard the lyrics, I think they reminded them of their own version of that experience…so it was really cool to hear them come with a verse framing how that story was told in their world. It takes dismissing a lot of pride to admit to yourself you miss someone.”

Demi spoke on their collaboration on the track, stating, “Winnetka Bowling League has such a unique sound, and I am excited to be on this record with them. If these times taught us anything it’s the power of human connection and missing someone, and I think this song speaks to that in a very honest and relevant way.”

The new EP pulp was written and produced by Matthew, and comes after their accomplished 2020 EP Congratulations.

Matthew talks about pulp, asserting, “Writing songs feels nauseatingly self-important and talking about writing songs is worse than a writer’s camp. But alas, I wrote most of the songs for the new EP in New York and felt panicked for 2 months that I was only capable of pure shit. I grew up in NY but I’ve spent the last 11 years in Los Angeles and sometimes the mentality here makes you forget about doing stuff you actually love. Being back in New York sort of sparked all these memories of being a kid recording terrible demos on ACID (the recording program, not the drug, unfortunately). And that headspace got me thinking about things and people I haven’t thought about for a long time. Usually I’m arm wrestling myself to write something about my current circumstance that’s relatable to more than my three friends who like quarantine as much as I do. But there was this shift in NY and I started writing about people and feelings I hadn’t visited in a while. Time grants you kinder eyes and with songs like ”barcelona” and “fiimy” I got to re-explore those relationships from a helicopter’s view and see it a little differently. “pulp” was about this really odd memory that came back to me one day when I walked by Port Authority and smelled hot pretzels. It made sense to call the EP “pulp” because every song was born from some specific snapshot detail that wasn’t at all the main juice (lol). I usually like my own music for 2-3 months after making it then I’m paralyzingly humiliated. I wrote this on 4/22/21 – use that information accordingly.”

This spring we see Winnetka Bowling League heading out on a series of shows while backing CHVRCHES on their practically sold-out UK Screen Violence Tour. To access more information on the tour and to get your own tickets in Newcastle and Birmingham, visit HERE. See tour dates below.

About Matthew Koma and Winnetka Bowling League

Head artist in charge, Matthew Koma was raised in New Jersey and became a critically acclaimed performer, songwriter and producer who has worked for the likes of Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Keith Urban, Shania Twain and Kelly Clarkson. The beginnings of Winnetka Bowling League came in 2018 when Matthew, his brother Kris Mazzarisi and Sam Beresford joined him to release their self-titled EP. They soon released two more Eps, Cloudy with a Chance of Sun in 2019 and Congratulations in 2020, all showcasing impeccable songwriting paired with memorable lyrics. V Magazine proclaimed, “Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Matthew Koma…[as] raw and honest, possessing a dry sense of humor that is reflected in both his songs and his mannerisms…[Winnetka Bowling League is] the perfect pairing of deep lyrical content and alternative rock melodies.”

pulp EP track listing:

1. “pulp”

2. “fiimy (fuck it, i miss you)” with Demi Lovato

3. “barcelona” with Sasha Alex Sloan

4. “dandelion”

5. “emotionalporn”

CHVRCHES x Winnetka Bowling League tour dates

March 14^th – Edinburgh UK – O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)

March 15^th – Newcastle, UK – O2 City Hall

March 16^th – London, UK – O2 Academy Brixton (SOLD OUT)

March 18^th – Birmingham, UK – O2 Academy

March 19^th – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo (SOLD OUT)

Saw Himself – Power Ballads

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SAM HIMSELF FONDUE WESTERN’S INDIE ROCKER SHARES DEBUT ALBUM POWER BALLADS

NEW SINGLE “THE MISSING” IS OUT TODAY

LISTEN TO POWER BALLADS1

LISTEN TO POWER BALLADS

WATCH “THE MISSING”

WATCH “LA PAZ”

WATCH “WHAT IT’S WORTH”

WATCH “NOTHING LIKE THE NIGHT”

WATCH “CRY”

On the heels of his breakout year, Swiss indie rocker Sam Himself – New Yorker by choice, Fondue Western ’ baritone by trade – prepares to release his debut album, Power Ballads (October 8th). The Brooklyn-based songwriter, performer, and multi-instrumentalist has been sounding the bell for his first LP with a number of singles, most recently “La Paz” and “What It’s Worth” which premiered via Under The Radar Magazine and was picked up by KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic and KEXP’s The Morning Show, among others: as of September 2021, three out of four album singles remain on public and commercial rotation in Germany, France, Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe and the US.

Sam Himself’s full-length debut follows last year’s acclaimed EP Slow Drugs, the artist’s third, which – in addition to the international press, radio airplay, numerous DSP editorial features, and critical praise for the accompanying music videos – earned him the Swiss National Broadcasting Service’s Best Talent Award in 2020 and, in early 2021, a nomination for a Swiss Music Award, the most prestigious national prize of its kind in Sam’s home country.

Power Ballads marks the latest collaboration between Sam and his longtime producer, mixing engineer, and Second Beatle’ Daniel Schlett (The War On Drugs; Iggy Pop), as well as mastering legend Greg Calbi (Bruce Springsteen; David Bowie).

Early last year, “Switzerland’s King of Tears ” Sam Himself was in Europe kicking off his spring tour when the pandemic foiled all live music plans – and Sam’s planned return to Brooklyn, NY, his chosen home of the past decade. Dangerously low on socks, musical equipment, and any real sense of when he’d be able to get back to the United States, Sam ended up staying in his native Switzerland for the remainder of 2020. The singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, exiled at home, spent those months in limbo writing and recording what would become his debut album, Power Ballads, wherever he could (including the attic of his mom’s house). When he made it back to New York in early 2021, Sam (after a period of self-quarantine) went straight to producer Daniel Schlett’s Strange Weather Studio in Brooklyn to finalize his new material, building on the recordings he had originally prepared as demos for his album.

Two songs on Power Ballads once again feature Sam’s Slow Drugs bandmates Josh Werner (bass – Ghostface Killah; CocoRosie) and Parker Kindred (drums – Jeff Buckley; Elliott Smith), among them the LP’s focus track The Missing. The work of Benjamin Noti (guitar – Steff La Cheffe) and Georg Dillier (bass – Anna Rossinelli), both members of Sam’s touring band, can also be heard on several tracks.

Beyond their contributions, however, Sam plays most of the instruments on Power Ballads himself, with producer Schlett adding sounds, textures and of course his singular mixing style (as heard recently e.g. on Iggy Pop’s cover of The Velvet Underground’s European Son). This reduced lineup, a consequence of the new practical realities of the pandemic, imbues Power Ballads with a sense of intimacy and artistic autonomy. Synths and programmed drums form the core of most of the album’s by turns minimalist and grand arrangements, while Sam’s signature baritone voice quite literally reaches new heights. Over the course of ten tracks, the artist grapples with the sources and limits of personal power – how much of it is taken for granted; what remains once it’s stripped away – unflinchingly honest and defiantly optimistic on his most vulnerable, most confident work to date.

Sam Himself is set to tour in support of his debut album well into the spring of next year, with some 30+ European dates in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and beyond (US-dates in planning).

As featured by SPIN Magazine, Under The Radar, KEXP, KCRW, Danger Mouse Jukebox, The Wild Honeypie, American Songwriter, The Philadelphia Globe, Consequence of Sound, Variance Magazine, Swiss National Radiotelevision SRF, DIFFUS Magazin (GE), and many more.

For more information about Sam Himself, visit his website or connect with him on social media @samhimself.

“Born in Switzerland and bred in Gotham, Sam Himself has won accolades in his homeland but has aspirations to conquer the world.” – SPIN Magazine

“Sam Himself uses a vocal power somewhere between Matt Berninger and San Fermin’s Allen Tate to sing songs of finding your place.” – Consequence Of Sound

“Smokey vocals, wistful reverie.” – Under The Radar

“His deep, rich vocals remind us of the beauty that exists even during the darkest times.” – The Wild Honey Pie

“Switzerland’s King of Tears.” – Victoria Turrian, Radio T vision Suisse

The Lumineers – Brightside

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THE LUMINEERS SHARE VIDEO FOR “BRIGHTSIDE”

VIDEO IS THE TITLE TRACK OF THE BAND’S UPCOMING FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM BRIGHTSIDE

BRIGHTSIDE THE ALBUM ARRIVES JANUARY 14, 2022

“BRIGHTSIDE” THE SONG IS #1 ADDED SONG AT ALTERNATIVE RADIO

WATCH HERE

PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW

The Lumineers share the first video for the title track of their upcoming album BRIGHTSIDE which is set to arrive Friday, January 14, 2022 via Dualtone in the U.S. & Canada and Decca Records for the rest of the world; pre-orders are available now.

The poignant video, directed by noted documentarian filmmaker Kyle Thrash, explores love and relationships through real people of different ages, ethnicity, and orientations. The band appears in the video, performing at a dance in an American Legion Hall.

“The BRIGHTSIDE” music video is like a documentary of the American love story,” says the band’s Wesley Schultz, “It features all real people ߝ none of the people that appear in it are actors.”

Released last Monday, the song “BRIGHTSIDE” is quickly making an impact with well over two million streams and is the #1 most added song on the Alternative radio this past week.

The album BRIGHTSIDE was produced by longtime collaborator Simone Felice and produced, mixed, and engineered by David Baron over two sessions in winter and spring 2021 at Sun Mountain Studios in bucolic Boiceville, NY. BRIGHTSIDE marks The Lumineers’ first new music in more than two years as well as the band’s most joyous and spontaneous piece of work thus far. The nine-song collection sees The Lumineers’ co-founders/co-songwriters Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites performing virtually all of the eclectic, effervescent instrumentation, with Baron on a wide variety of keyboards and backing vocals and more by Simone Felice, touring members Byron Isaacs and Lauren Jacobson, famed backing singer Cindy Mizelle (Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band), The Felice Brothers’ James Felice, and acclaimed singer-songwriter Diana DeMuth.

SAM HIMSELF — “WHAT IT’S WORTH”

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“Sam Himself uses his vocal power to sing songs of finding your place.” —Consequence Of Sound

“His deep, rich vocals remind us of the beauty that exists even during the darkest times.” —The Wild Honey Pie

“The King of Tears.” —Victoria Turrian, Radio Television Suisse

“Sam Himself’s baritone vocal provides a cool sensuality reminiscent of The National’s Matt Berninger combined with the soaring instrumentation of Future Islands.” —Ears To Feed

The 2021 Swiss Music Awards nominee, Sam Himself’s, latest release is the third single leading up to his debut LP, Power Ballads, (due out in October) following album singles “Nothing Like the Night” and “Cry.” The new single, “What It’s Worth,” premiered exclusively with Under The Radar Magazine.

Sam’s latest single is the swan song to a past relationship that crumbled in the wake of his father’s death. This reckoning with the past was inspired by the Swiss-born artist’s unexpected homecoming in early 2020 after a decade of living in Brooklyn, NY:

“My own history caught up with me during my time back in Switzerland. That’s where I grew up, and living there again brought back a lot of memories; home doesn’t forget… One ghost I kept running into was that of an old relationship that fell apart when I lost my dad a few years ago. My hometown is the place where all of that happened, his death and all its casualties, and “What It’s Worth“ is about one of them.”

You can listen to “What It’s Worth” HERE. You can watch the accompanying lyric video HERE.

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill early last year, Sam had just embarked on tour in Europe. Suddenly unable to return to his adopted home in New York City, Sam set up shop in his native Basel, Switzerland. At various locations including his mom’s attic, Sam spent the lockdown writing the ten new songs on his upcoming debut LP, Power Ballads. He finished recording the album as soon as he was able to return to NYC this past January, together with his longtime Second Beatle, producer and mixing engineer Daniel Schlett (The War on Drugs; Amen Dunes). The pair had most recently collaborated on Sam’s acclaimed 2020 EP Slow Drugs, which featured drummer Parker Kindred (Jeff Buckley; Elliott Smith) as well as bassist Josh Werner (Ghostface Killah; Iggy Pop), and earned Sam Himself the Swiss National Radio’s prestigious Best Talent Award that same year. You can watch the music video for the album’s title song, “Slow Drugs,” HERE.

Sam’s upcoming full-length debut was mastered by Greg Calbi (David Bowie; Bruce Springsteen) and will be supported by extensive touring this fall through winter 2022 in Switzerland, Germany, and beyond.

LYRICS TO “WHAT IT’S WORTH”:

I’m back where we broke

A lifetime ago

My clock’s still stuck right where it froze

The night your trail went cold

With a head full of ghosts

No one else close

Scared to the bone

With no one else to run from

All that’s buried here

I carry it everywhere

My arms too weak to keep an even pulse

Still I can’t stop holding on

With a head full of ghosts

No one else close

Scared to the bone

With no one else to run from

Heart full of holes

For what it’s worth

I couldn’t love you more

I came to take your place

And be the one who left that day

With both hands throwing ash into the flame

Like I don’t know it’s way too late

With a head full of ghosts

No one else close

Scared to the bone

With no one else to run from

Heart full of holes

For what it’s worth

I never loved you more

The Killers × Bruce Springsteen – Dustland

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**The Killers Team Up With Bruce Springsteen For A Dustland Fairytale Duet, Dustland Out Now on Island Records!**

Tune In THIS MORNING To See Them Perform Dustland Together Exclusively On The Today Show

The Killers and Bruce Springsteen have been something of a mutual appreciation society for several years but have never recorded together — until now. Today, the band and Bruce Springsteen release the track Dustland, a collaborative remake of Bruce’s favorite Killers song, A Dustland Fairytale, from 2008’s acclaimed Day & Age, on Island Records.

This morning, The Today Show will air an exclusive interview and performance of Dustland with both artists.

LISTEN TO DUSTLAND NOW.

How did it happen? Killers frontman Brandon Flowers told the story via the band’s socials.

The Killers are headlining Firefly Festival in Dover, Delaware on September 24th. All tour dates HERE.

Follow The Killers via their website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

North Carolina Introduces Anti-Trans Sports Ban

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On Fifth Anniversary of HB 2 ‘Bathroom Bill’ Passage, North Carolina Introduces Anti-Trans Sports Ban.

North Carolina puts forward another anti-transgender bill, again invoking the rhetoric of protecting women and girls from transgender people.

Late Monday, the North Carolina House introduced House Bill 358, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls and women from participating in sports (including college sports) consistent with their gender identity. The timing of this bill introduction could not have been more ironic, as it came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of Governor Pat McCrory signing the now-notorious House Bill 2, which mandated discrimination against transgender people in bathrooms.

Like HB2, the “Save Women’s Sports” bills rely on false narratives based in fear, rather than facts or science. Like HB2, these sports bans are fear mongering and an attempt to score political points by singling out already marginalized people for additional discrimination.

“In a moment of sad irony, North Carolina legislators have shown they clearly did not learn their lesson from the HB 2 ‘Bathroom Bill’ fight that threatened the state to the tune of billions in revenue, taxpayer-funded litigation, and a tarnished reputation–in addition to the personal reputational harm Gov. Pat McCrory suffered that cost him his job,” said Human Rights Campaign State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel Kate Oakley. “By introducing an anti-transgender sports ban bill, they are playing with fire once again, and engaging in a fight that is doomed to the same fate. This legislation is simply the latest iteration in a failed series of attempts to thwart equality for LGBTQ people. Two conservative governors have either threatened to veto or vetoed anti-transgender sports ban legislation out of the same fears that were realized in North Carolina five years ago. Let North Carolina’s ‘bathroom bill’ fight be a lesson to all states and governors considering anti-transgender legislation this session. North Carolina does not want to go down this road again.”

The legislative fight to pass discriminatory anti-transgender legislation has been fast and furious, led by national groups aiming to stymie LGBTQ progress made on the national level and in many states – quite like the bathroom bill push in 2016. There are 174 anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration in state legislatures across the country so far this year. Of those, 95 directly target transgender people and about half of those would, like HB 358, ban transgender girls from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. As was the case in the HB 2 fight, legislators across the country invoke hypothetical scenarios of harm but have failed to provide actual examples of issues in their states to attempt to justify these attacks, laying bare the reality that these are attacks on transgender youth that are fueled by discrimination and not supported by fact. Collegiate and professional sports organizations have had trans-inclusive policies for years without incident, and there is no reason North Carolina or any other state needs a ban on transgender participation in sports.

Wide range of business and advocacy groups, athletes oppose anti-trans legislation

Earlier this month, more than 55 major U.S. corporations stood up and spoke out to oppose anti-transgender legislation being proposed in states across the country. New companies like Facebook, Pfizer, Altria, Peloton, and Dell joined companies like Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, AT&T, AirBnB, Google, Hilton, IBM, IKEA, Microsoft, Nike, Paypal, Uber, and Verizon in objecting to these bills.
Nearly 550 college athletes have stood up to anti-transgender legislation by demanding the NCAA pull championships from states with anti-trans sports legislation
The nation’s leading child health and welfare groups-representing more than 7 million youth-serving professionals and more than 1,000 child welfare organizations-released an open letter calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular.

States that pass anti-transgender legislation suffer economic, legal, reputational harm

Analyses conducted in the aftermath of previous divisive anti-transgender bills across the country, like the bathroom bills introduced in Texas and North Carolina and an anti-transgender sports ban in Idaho, show that there would be or has been devastating fallout.

The Idaho anti-transgender sports bill that passed was swiftly suspended by a federal district court. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) came out against the Idaho bill and others like it and subsequently moved planned tournament games out of Idaho.
The Associated Press projected that the North Carolina bathroom bill could have cost the state $3.76 billion over 10 years.
During a fight over an anti-transgender bathroom bill in 2017, the Texas Association of Business estimated $8.5 billion in economic losses, risking 185,000 jobs in the process due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional sporting event cancellations, a ban on taxpayer funded travel to those states, cancellation of movie productions, and businesses moving projects out of state.

The economy and reputation of North Carolina suffered very real harm caused by HB2. Here’s just a snapshot of the overwhelming outcry at the time of the bill’s passage:

Over 200 major business leaders, from Apple to Zola, signed an open letter to NC Gov. Pat McCrory opposing HB2, because discrimination is bad for business. The letter was first announced on March 29, 2016, when it was hand-delivered to Pat McCrory by HRC President Chad Griffin, Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro and transgender advocate Candis Cox.
On April 5, 2016, PayPal CEO Dan Schulman announced that the company will seek an alternative location for its new “global operations center.” PayPal’s investment was expected to bring 400 skilled jobs to North Carolina, with an annual payroll impact of more than $20 million. In its statement, Schulman said, “The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture.”
On April 8, 2016 Bruce Springsteen cancelled his concert in North Carolina over HB2, saying, “Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry-which is happening as I write-is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.”
On May 4, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice determined North Carolina’s discriminatory HB 2 violates federal civil rights law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. At a press conference on May 9, Attorney General Loretta Lynch spoke directly to the transgender community, saying “We see you. We stand with you, and we will do everything we can to protect you going forward.”
On July 21, 2016, the NBA decided to stand up to North Carolina lawmakers who refused to repeal HB2 by pulling its 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, NC. Despite the NBA’s repeated warnings that it would have to consider moving the high-profile game out of the state if the anti-LGBTQ law was not repealed, the state’s General Assembly shamefully adjourned after 100 days of inaction.
In North Carolina, basketball is king-but that didn’t stop the NCAA from standing up for their LGBTQ players, employees and fans by vowing to move tournament events from the state because of HB2. The NCAA announced that they would move all 2016-2017 championship games out of the state on September 12, 2016.
On Election Day, NC Governor Pat McCrory, who signed HB2 into law, was defeated at the ballot box — the only incumbent governor from either party to lose on Election Day. Polling by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research showed that HB2 was the most cited issue leading to McCrory’s defeat in those who voted against McCrory.
In February, the North Carolina Sports Association sent a letter to lawmakers warning of a loss of NCAA championship games through 2022 if HB2 is not immediately repealed. In the letter, the sports association warned that the NCAA decision could cost the state at least another half a billion dollars in economic activity when other sports organizations follow the NCAA’s lead in moving events out of the state. In November 2016, Forbes estimated that the state had already lost hundreds of millions of dollars due to HB2.
In March, the Greensboro Coliseum Complex revealed it had lost $23.5 million in revenue from various championships and conventions because of HB2.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organizations working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

The Presidential Inauguration

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Today, Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States which commences his four-year presidency and Kamala Harris as Vice President.

Earlier it was revealed that former president Donald Trump would not attend the ceremony. Trump announced this on his Twitter account before the account was suspended. On January 8 he tweeted, “To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.”

Trump is the sixth outgoing president that did not attend the presidential inauguration. The last time this occurred was in 1921 when Woodrow Wilson did not attend the inauguration of Warren G. Harding because of poor health.

“It’s usually a sign that American society is in the midst of major political feud,” the presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said in the New York Times. “The fact that the incoming and outgoing presidents can’t shake hands and co-participate in an inauguration means that something’s off-kilter in the democracy.”

President Biden took an upbeat approach while speaking to the public in front of the Lincoln Memorial at the “Celebrating America” concert. After addressing many difficulties the nation has encountered recently, he asked if American’s were up for a challenge.

“Will we meet the moment like our forebearers have?” he asked. “I believe we must and I believe we will. You, the American people are the reason why I have never been more optimistic about America than I am this very day.”

“There isn’t anything we can’t do, if we do it together,” he added.

“So thank you for this honor, I will give my all to you,” Biden concluded.

The “Celebrating America” concert was star-packed and many celebrities came together to celebrate the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Harris. Performers such as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato, John Legend and Katy Perry all had smashing performances. The celebration was hosted by Tom Hanks, who many sources noted as looking “freezing” because he didn’t have time to take a break in the heated trailers set up for performers.

There was of course concerns because of the violence that recently occurred at the Capitol earlier in January, explained Adrienne Elrod, the director of talent for the Biden transition team. “What happened on January 6th I wouldn’t say derailed us, but it certainly caused us to take a step back,” she said.

This inauguration is monumental as the first female Vice President is sworn in inspiring girls throughout America. Many people showed heartwarming tweets of their daughters watching Harris as she was sworn in as president. It was also reported that Harris will not immediately be moving in to the Vice President’s residence at the Naval Observatory.

In Harris’s first statement to the public in her role as Vice President, she encouraged the people of the United States to unite in this time of crisis.

“In many ways this moment embodies our character as a nation. It demonstrates who we are, even in dark times. We, not only dream, we do. We not only see what has been, we see what can be. We shoot for the moon, and then we plant our flag on it. We are bold, fearless and ambitious. We are undaunted, in our belief that we shall overcome, that we will rise up. This is American aspiration,” Harris said.

Dr. Jill Biden tweeted a video of her and President Biden arriving at the North Portico of the White House as her first official tweet as First Lady. “Thank you for your faith in something that is bigger than all of us: that we will build a better world because we’re going to do it together,” the tweet read.

One unexpected part of the inauguration that has taken social media by storm is an image of Bernie Sanders sitting in a chair with mittens on. A huge number of memes have been created of Sanders in various locations and according to the Los Angles Times Sanders has also been laughing at the memes.

A school teacher from Vermont was responsible for crafting the famous mittens and has since been flooded with requests from people that want to buy them. However, she has announced she is no longer selling them.

“Thanks for all the interest in Bernie’s mittens!” Jen Ellis wrote on Twitter. “I’m so flattered that Bernie wore them to the inauguration. Sadly, I have no more mittens for sale. There are a lot of great crafters on ETSY who make them.”

Sanders said he had no idea that the image of him would cause such an uproar on social media. “I was just sitting there trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on,” he said during an interview on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” Thursday. Even celebrities like Reba and Sarah Jessica Parker joined in on the fun making memes of the image.

Biden began his duties as early as Wednesday when he finalized over a dozen executive moves in the Oval Office. “There’s no time to start like today,” Biden told reporters as he began signing a stack of orders and memoranda. “I’m going to start by keeping the promises I made to the American people.”

Biden also made it clear during a swearing-in ceremony that his employees are expected to respect each other.”If you’re ever working with me and I hear you treating another colleague with disrespect, talking down to someone, I will fire you on the spot,” said Biden.

The Biden administration has also put a plan in place to focus on specific issues that need attention. Starting on January 20, the Biden Administration began with Inauguration and four Crises to focus on.

They decided to pick a theme for the following ten days so they would be able to focus on specific issues each day. Some of these themes include Covid, Economic Relief, Climate, Health Care and Immigration. In February there is a plan to focus on restoring America’s place in the world. Throughout these days there will be a variety of executive orders depending on the theme.