The Black Eyed News

Holding its sixth edition over the midnight sun weekend with 72 hours of non-stop sunlight next month, Iceland's Secret Solstice has revealed its final lineup for this June 21-23, 2019 at Laugardalur, Reykjavik, Iceland in addition to announcing its new off-site after-hours programming, Ragnarök. Welcoming over thirty new acts to its artist lineup new additions include UK rapper Yxng Bane, technical DJ wizard James Zabiela, Canadian rapper/producer Night Lovell, and rising hip hop newcomer Dillon Cooper. Also announced are California's house and techno partystarters Desert Hearts with Mikey Lion, Lee Reynolds, and Marbs as part of their debut European tour as well as Bill Patrick, Patrice Bäumel, No Regular Play (live) and many more including a plethora of talent from Iceland's burgeoning music scene.

Cabaret Kids is our annual original production featuring songs and dances from our favorite Broadway shows including modern day tunes. This year we will feature the shows "Chicago" and "Guys and Dolls" mixed with great contemporary tunes by the Black Eyed Peas, Sara Bareilles and Christina Aguilera.

Quebec City is a top summer destination this year as the city unveils the lineup for its 52nd annual Festival d'ete de Quebec (FEQ). Arguably the largest festival in North America, with over 325,000 attendees, FEQ spans 11 days, from July 4 -14 in the heart of Quebec City. For 2019, FEQ boasts a legendary lineup featuring Mariah Carey, Chvrches, alt-J, Twenty One Pilots, Imagine Dragons, Lynyrd Skynrd, Blink-182 and more. 

Golden Thread Productions, the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East, presents What Do the Women Say?: Roots & Reflections, its annual celebration of International Women's Day. Rarely do audiences have access to such a rich collection of creative expression by Middle Eastern women, whose portrayal in mainstream media remains one of victimhood and silence. This year's program showcases the work of leading Middle Eastern women artists at the crossroads of tradition and experimentation. With a lineup of acclaimed artists surveying their Middle Eastern cultures, the singular evening celebrates women who reject narrowly-defined stereotypes to take ownership of their creative processes and carve out their own innovative identities.

By popular demand, Fraser Entertainment Group's ongoing concert series An Evening of Classic Broadway will have a second performance this month at Los Angeles nightclub Rockwell Table and Stage. Jennifer Leigh Warren joins the line-up and Cabaret icon Andrea Marcovicci returns with other recent cast members. An Evening of Classic Broadway is nominated for BWW.com's Los Angeles Regional Award for Best Special Theatre Event. The show tune songfest will take place on Wednesday, December 19th at 8PM.

It's been 10 years since Spotify officially launched for fans. Since October 2008, fans all over the world have enjoyed a decade of music discovery, finding new artists and tracks to fall in love with and rediscovering old favorites. Spotify now has 180 million monthly active listeners across 65 countries. And as of August 31, 2018, they've paid over 10 billion euros to rights holders since launch. Spotify has a music library of over 40 million songs and podcasts, and 3 billion-plus user-created playlists. And to date, over 2,000 genres have been identified on Spotify, among them Wonky (electronic music characterized by synths with unusual time signatures), Shimmer Pop (a Swedish cousin of indie pop and indietronica), and British Blues (the blues … with a British flavor).

With two Top 10 Billboard charting dance hits under her belt, acclaimed pop singer and performer Emily Perry has joined the High School Nation Fall 2018 Tour (www.highschoolnation.com), embarking on the 25-date national tour across America.

Global studio Entertainment One (eOne) has secured a first-look deal with the prolific performer, producer, author and entrepreneur, will.i.am, covering both feature film and scripted and unscripted television programming.

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest (JLSC), the preeminent, international songwriting contest open to amateur and professional songwriters, named Jasmine Crowe and Josh Anderson the winners of the coveted “OWC $20,000 Song of the Year”, the highest honor bestowed by the contest, for their original song “Breaking Things”. OWC Founder and CEO Larry O'Connor joined Ringo Starr, Jeff Bridges, and JLSC Co-Founder Brian Rothschild to present the writing duo with the $20,000 top prize.

The AFL is pleased to announce The Black Eyed Peas and Jimmy Barnes will feature in the Virgin Australia Pre-Game Show at the 2018 Toyota AFL Grand Final.

Atlantis, Paradise Island, the lush, oceanside resort located in The Bahamas, is ringing in 2019 with an exclusive New Year's Eve performance by renowned Grammy Award-winning Artist, Fergie, on the evening of December 31, as part of the resort's acclaimed entertainment series which provides guests with an all-access pass to top musicians and artists.

Multi-platinum hip-hop group, Cypress Hill, is pleased to announce the release of their highly-anticipated ninth studio album, Elephants on Acid, on September 28th. Elephants on Acid is the band's first full-length record in eight years and marks their newly inked partnership with BMG. The album is available for pre-order HERE starting today.

Craft Recordings is pleased to announce a vinyl reissue of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66's long-out-of-print album Greatest Hits, due out this July 27th. Featuring 12 of the internationally beloved star's best songs from the '60s, this collection offers listeners a prime overview of Mendes' signature blend of bossa nova and samba paired with distinctive pop instrumentation. Originally released in 1970 at the height of Mendes' fame,Greatest Hits includes the group's '67 breakthrough 'Look of Love,' bossa nova standard'Mais Que Nada,' plus chart-topping covers of Simon & Garfunkel's 'Scarborough Fair'and The Beatles' 'Fool on the Hill.'

An extra date has been added to The Black Eyed Peas upcoming Masters Of The Sun UK Tour. They will perform a second night at London's Eventim Apollo Hammersmith on 28 October 2018. Tickets are available now at LiveNation.co.uk.

The Black Eyed Peas are back in effect and announcing they will be embarking on a tour throughout Europe as a unit for the first time in 8 years starting on October 27th in London and capping off on November 18th in Dusseldorf, Germany. Tickets go on sale on 13 July at 9am at LiveNation.co.uk.

The Honda Civic Tour, a summer staple for music fans, returns this July headlined by multi-GRAMMY nominated singer, songwriter, producer Charlie Puth with his biggestNorth American tour to date.The Civic Tour also will feature multiplatinum recording artist and actress Hailee Steinfeld, as a special guest on all tour dates. The 2018 Honda Civic Tour is produced by Live Nation. Now in its 17 th year, the Honda Civic Tour officially gets underwayJuly 13inBoston, MAat the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, and travels the nation through the summer landing in 30 cities. Due to overwhelming demand, Radio City Music Hall is sold out and a second NY area show in Farmingville, NY has been added on July 14. Tickets for the Farmingville, NY show go on-sale Thursday, May 17. See full tour schedule below.

Blending the boundaries between hip-hop, pop, electronic dance music and contemporary R&B in his signature musical style, will.i.am performs from London's Royal Albert Hall in will.i.am and Friends Featuring the Black Eyed Peas – Landmarks Live in Concert: A Great Performances Special, premiering nationwide Friday, April 20 at 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). The concert will be available to stream the following day on http://pbs.org/gperf and PBS apps.

Blue Note Hawaii, the state's premier venue for the world's most celebrated artists, announces two nights only with legendary producer, composer keyboardist and vocalist Sergio Mendes November 16 and 17, 2018.

Blending the boundaries between hip-hop, pop, electronic dance music and contemporary R&B in his signature musical style, will.i.am performs from London's Royal Albert Hall in will.i.am and Friends Featuring the Black Eyed Peas - Landmarks Live in Concert: A Great Performances Special, premiering nationwide Friday, April 20 at 10 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). The concert will be available to stream the following day on http://pbs.org/gperf and PBS apps.

Jerry Joseph will release Full Metal Burqa (Cavity Search Records) on vinyl as a Record Store Day exclusive on April 21. In addition to Joseph, the 5-song album features his band, the Jackmormons, Steve Drizoson drums and Steven James Wright on bass.