Independent musicians lack shows, venues to showcase original music

Ken Shiles and Cibon perform multiple shows each week in South Jersey, but they find one issue with every venue or show they play at: they're often asked to play covers rather than original music.

"We get around and do our cover gig, but when we play at Harrah's and other dates around here, 99 percent of them are gigs where we play cover songs," said Shiles, of Atlantic City. "There are a couple original music venues around here, but catering to what we're doing? I don't know. It's tough."

Shiles and Cibon, like other artists, are finding it difficult to find shows or venues to perform at.

The Boneyard Bar & Grill, which housed local acts and shows in Atlantic City, closed in the beginning of October. Another venue, Le Grand Fromage, closed around the same time.

Jerry Ryan is a festival organizer and the founder of the annual Elephants for Autism festival as well as the Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival, which takes place at The Watering Hole in Mays Landing.

While he said that there are still some places that house original acts, specifically in Hammonton and Mays Landing, venues are generally few and far between.

"From 2012 to 2015, we had, like, five different promoters in the scene booking bands and pushing original music," said Ryan, of Smithville. " There is a lack of venues and a drought in the scene. We're reverting back to the old days where original music is being forced out."

So when South Jersey bands can't play original songs, they head elsewhere.

Ken Shiles and Cibon will travel to Philadelphia and New York to play elsewhere.

"In my honest opinion, we could try and put original shows here, but I almost don't see a benefit in it as much anymore as it would be to go to Philadelphia," Shiles said.

The two artists recently took a trip to Nashville to check out local acts and play some shows. The scene, they said, was like day and night with South Jersey.

Cibon said that even the hole-in-the-wall spots had multiple acts each night. And the crowds would show up not to just drink and socialize but to sit down and really listen to an artist perform.

"You could hear a pin drop," she said.

The city had a real music-friendly atmosphere, with multiple artists playing in each venue every night, Shiles said. The scene was also less competitive and more accommodating.

"One guy told us next time we were there to call him and that we'd have a place to stay. It's heartwarming to see other musicians help one another," Shiles said.

At least one local venue is trying to create that same vibe.

Randy Beane is the bar manager for the Watering Hole in Mays Landing. He also takes care of live promotions. He's worked with Jerry Ryan to host Elephants for Autism as well as the Indie Music Festival.

Beane said it's all about a bar or restaurant or venue being willing to work with promoters and to host the shows. If the shows or festivals produce, they'll host them again. And if a band wants to contact Beane to play a show, he'll give them an available date and write them down.

"A lot of other venues are not helping, it puts the ball in my court and I can say ‘hey, I'm the only place available'," said Beane, of Mays Landing.

Beane said that shows vary: some more popular than others, adding that more music should pick up around March. He expected about 10 or more bands for the Elephant Talk Music Festival.

"It's great. Some bands I'm like ‘why aren't these bands on tour' and then some I'm like ‘you can probably stay in the garage.' Some bands that were not the greatest had friends there for a night to socialize and you can't even move," Beane said.

With the possibility of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City, Shiles and Cibon hope that it could bring original music back to the boardwalk.

"I'm optimistic about that but I don't know how they're going to do it or if it'll just be saturated with cover music," Shiles said.

"It depends on how they work it," Cibon said. "It could open up and be an awesome thing for musicians in the area."

Coming together for music

The South Asia Regional Conference of the International Society of Music Education will feature talks on the importance of music in education

The three–day South Asia Regional Conference, organised by the International Society of Music Education (ISME) in the city, will see nearly 40 speakers from across the globe talking on music education, special education needs in music and digitisation. The conference will be hosted by co-partners at the National Institute for Advanced Studies (NIAS) from November 27 to 29. ISME is the premier international organisation for music education founded by UNESCO in 1953 and is affiliated to International Music Council in over 80 countries.

The theme of the conference is 'Learning to live together in and through music' and will feature prominent speakers from the fields of music and music education. ISME has built a coalition of partners within the country who are interested in music education for children with special education needs and the emerging field of digital humanities in music, says Vikram Sampath, who represents ISME in India. "The South Asia Regional Conference is one of the largest, bringing representations from the UK, Australia, China, Japan, Norway, Finland, Dubai, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh among others to interact with musicians, educationalists and scholars. The content will include a set of recommendations to the Government of India on how music education can be part of the new education policy and how lessons can be taken from other countries and customised to suit Indian realities."

The topics in the conference would hover around global challenges and opportunities with music in education programmes, customising educational practice to indigenous systems of learning, and using and creating digital resources for the multicultural classroom along with the preservation and archiving of our intangible cultural heritage.

"The conference's larger goal is to create long-term, sustainable projects in these domains," says Vikram Sampath, who is reperesenting ISME in India.

For example, as part of the discussions on the impact of music on children's special education, Bombay Jayashri will speak on how her own trust HITAM addresses children with Autism. Jayashri had noticed that music education and a strong exposure of music to children magically brings out better motor skills and makes them relatively sharper in their responses. Vikram adds: "There is only anecdotal evidence, but no scientific evidence though. We are therefore partnering with NIAS which is keen to incubate such findings for a scientific deduction at a later stage."

Prof. Baldev Raj, the director of NIAS, says, "We are truly excited with the prospect of this collaboration, which we are looking at from a long-term sustainability perspective and not just this conference. Creating a regional cooperation, interdisciplinary studies and building scholarship and research capabilities in the domains of music with various stakeholders, is encouraged at NIAS and this conference is the starting point."

At the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts that works to create music educators, Bindu Subramaniam and Ambi Subramaniam say that building a teaching community is central to everything that they do.

"We work to the cause of having high-quality music education," chorus Bindu and Ambi, who are excited to partner with IMSE for the world conference.

Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej, who will be sharing his experience at the ISME conference, says, "My album Shanti Samsara is also dedicated to creating environmental consciousness. The album was launched at the Climate Change Conference in Paris by Prime Minister Modi.

The songs were created with themes of coexistence with nature; there are songs about the importance of rivers, effects of human – animal conflict, and there was also a song that I created in the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati, which will be the first country in the world to completely submerge due to climate change. All my music is about environmental consciousness, and I have dedicated my life and my art to this cause. Songs that we are taught during our childhood are songs that we remember till the day we die. So I use my art of music to spread a message for our planet."

Sandra Oberoi, founder of Harmony Music School, says, "This collaboration between ISME, a world authority on the advancement of music education, and several advocates in and around India, will surely bring about a change for the better."

MANE: 'I love anthemic pop music'

MANE's new single What If The Love Dies? heralds the Adelaide singer-songwriter as an emerging new force in national pop music.

"My immune system decided to crash in Edinburgh and I pretty much lost my voice," says Adelaide indie pop artist Paige Renee Court, known as MANE. "I was just backstage napping before I went on."

Having just returned from a recent recording session in Los Angeles and a whirlwind thirteen date tour of the UK and Europe, Court is feeling somewhat worse for wear.

"I've been burning the candle at both ends lately," she says, "and because I've been in this funk lately. I'm like ‘hey everyone, lets go party!'".

Court has been incredibly prolific so far this year, performing to industry representatives and prospective festival bookers at the Made in Adelaide showcase at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Arts South Australia partnered with Scottish music business event organisation Born to Be Wide to showcase local talent. The showcase also featured fellow Adelaide artists Carla Lippis and Wanderers.

"Touring Europe forced me to be organised," she says. "The crowds were really receptive, just pin drop silence. I'd like to go back next year to the UK and Europe. America is a bit hard [to return to] because you have to get a visa and it's just so ridiculously expensive."

Her new single What If The Love Dies was produced in collaboration with Grammy and ARIA award winning producer Eric J, known for his engineering work on Chet Faker's breakout album Built on Glass and Flume's sophomore album Skin.

"I love anthemic kind of pop music… that's what I want to be making," Court says. "I've been listening to a lot of Lorde's new album, I think it's amazing. I think she knows all the secrets of the world."

The song itself is an exploration of desire and longing that was written in response from the personal experiences of a friend.

"For the most part it is personal, but in this case I could relate to it.  One of my friends was in a long distance relationship — the person lived here and his visa ran out and he had to go back to Argentina. They'd been together for a few years and it was all very hard. I just caught her on a day where this big thing happened and he didn't know if he ever wanted to even come back to Australia but she then decided she would go chase him."

"She was literally a mess crying to me and she said, ‘What if the love dies?,' and I thought, ‘That's a great line'."

MANE will return to Adelaide for a hometown show before performing headline shows in Melbourne, Wollongong and Sydney. As a rising new talent, Court is apprehensive but enthusiastic about the east coast jaunt.

"I'm kind of nervous, but excited. It's my first headline tour so I'm not really sure what to expect but I know I've done everything I can do. I'm looking forward to it."

Bon Iver review – gadget show becomes political and personal

It's a decade since Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver, spent three months in isolation in a remote log cabin in Wisconsin and produced For Emma, Forever Ago, a debut of beautiful folky introspection. Two albums and collaborations with Kanye West and James Blake later, last year's more experimental, Autotune-enhanced, numerology-obsessed 22, A Million took him to No 2 in the US and UK charts. However, Vernon has felt uncomfortable with aspects of stardom and, after anxiety and depression, has expressed a desire to perform for audiences that are unfamiliar with his work.

It isn't working out. “Is anyone from Blackpool?” he asks this sleepy old seaside town, and gets the faintest chattering of cheers. Most of the audience have clearly travelled in, but it's the only awry moment as the ornate old Opera House provides the perfect backdrop for a magical evening of his music.

Last time out, Vernon was backed by so many musicians it's a wonder he could fit them all on stage. Here, it's just a drummer, a bassist who plays saxophone, and Vernon, who as well as singing and playing guitar and keyboard, tinkers with so many gadgets that he forgets to turn one of them up. “I was doing some really cool loopy stuff there,” he laughs, taking off his headphones, “that nobody could hear except myself.” This comical clanger aside, the trio prove more than adept at reproducing 22, A Million's playful sonic trickery without ever quite taking the focus off the singing or the songs. Older songs such as the hymnal Flume (for which they're joined by harpist Mikaela Davis) tap into Vernon's more traditional well of melancholy and sadness, but the new record's formidably titled 10 dEAThBReasT sounds as if he is accompanied by an Aphex Twin remix full of marching soldiers.

Lately, he has started to realise that he can use his platform as a force for change, whether personal or universal. He shouts out for the Lancashire Women's Centres – in attendance – and takes an angry jab at events in America: “People out there trying to take other people's freedoms away and that is just bullshit.” Mostly, though, he seems to be reconnecting with the simple joy of playing music for other people. “I tell you what,” he says, as songs – from his own 33 “GOD” to a stunning cover of Leon Russell's A Song for You – are met with ever louder cheering, “this – this! – is fun.”

Introducing Missy Dress – A Treasure Trove Of Bridal Accessories

Here we are in August! Can you believe it? I know that I'm definitely in shock. But, I have to admit that I've been looking forward to this feature for some time because I've got the huge pleasure of introducing you to one of my favourite accessory labels, Missy Dress. If you're looking for fabulous wedding jewellery, bridal headpieces or accessories for bridesmaids, then you're going to be so very glad that Missy Dress is a secret no longer.

Missy Dress is a multi award-winning accessory label and their collection includes over 700 designs from dainty and delicate designs to Art Deco and Old Hollywood inspired statement pieces for classic aisle style. Alongside those bridal delights, Missy Dress also curates one of the largest dedicated collections of coordinating bridesmaid accessories in the New Zealand.

Now, if you're a fan of Downton Abbey or Stricty Come Dancing, you'll have seen some of Missy Dress' designs on screen. Downton's Lady Mary wore the Vintage Wreath tiara and Strictly dancers regularly step out in Missy Dress sparkles. Missy Dress has actually been part of the wedding world since 2004 when founder Victoria Swan noted a gap in the market for beautiful yet affordable accessories. And beautiful they certainly are.

Missy Dress' collection is full of purse-friendly modern-day heirlooms' and their signature style infuses the beauty of bygone eras with a touch of modern charm. Even then most contemporary designs have a subtle vintage influence and every piece has a timeless quality. I can also speak from personal experience.

”That most common response we receive from our brides is that the quality of our jewels exceeded their expectations,”says Victoria. “We use a traditional method of craftsmanship, very similar to precious jewellery, and will only use high quality materials so the fact that our designs have an affordable price tag and yet do not compromise on quality is most definitely appealing to our brides.”

When it comes to our designs, we can be inspired by anything! There's the obvious classic black and white movies, old family photographs, past and current fashion trends etc. Then there's the not-so-obvious such as patterns on vintage homeware, the blend in colours in a beautiful bouquet – I just tend to always have my mind open to spot things that inspire me.

And there's a lot to inspire you in the Missy Dress collection. I absolutely adore so many of their headpieces and tiaras. The Delicate Pearl side tiara with its floral motif always makes me smile while the Exquisite Charm side tiara has a bygone style beauty that I just love. Pearls are always popular for weddings and the Elegance of Pearl earrings are so incredibly sophisticated – the perfect drop earrings for brides. I asked for the Pearls of Glamour necklace just last Christmas and have to say that finding that among my gifts made me so happy! It's just beyond gorgeous and whenever I wear it.

The return of office music: is it better than silence – or much, much worse?

Why not read this while listening to the soundtrack to which it was written? There is a weird video on YouTube called Stimulus Progression. What sounds like a technique developed by Alfred Kinsey is in fact 90 minutes of "music at work", released in the 1970s by Muzak, the background-music merchants. I have put it on at full blast, although I don't recommend you do the same.

For decades, it was thought that playing music in our places of work would boost morale and productivity. Before it terrorised hotel guests and shoppers, Muzak originally set out to rally workers with 15-minute cycles of slowly climaxing, terrible music. It makes me feel like Don Draper trapped in a lift. My productivity is peaking only because I want to finish and turn it off.

The BBC piped the uplifting classical music show Music While You Work into factories during the war, but work music fell out of favour among everyone but mechanics and maverick surgeons (a friend of mine recently gave birth by caesarean to the tune of Madonna's Holiday). Now, it seems, office music may be making a return.

PRS for Music, which gathers royalties for the industry, granted 27,000 licences to workplaces to play music last year – 8% more than in 2015. Anecdotal evidence is rife of the widespread streaming of Spotify playlists across desks (doing so without a licence is technically illegal, because it counts as broadcasting).

"For many people here, music is part and parcel of their life," says Karen Byrne, the chief operating officer of Zone, a digital agency in London and Bristol with 260 employees. The company has several Spotify accounts and licenses music from PRS (prices start from about £50 a year). It plays calmer music when "harmony" is required in the business and faster-tempo songs "when people are lagging".

At Tab Media, a startup news network, editor-in-chief Joshi Herrmann recently returned to the New York office to find music playing. "So many offices are silent now, because of headphones," he says. "So, if playing music means fewer headphones, I'm down."

Sven Grundberg works at Soundtrack Your Brand, a Swedish Spotify spin-off that builds playlists for companies. Their clients are mostly retailers, but enquiries from offices are becoming more common. His colleagues – about 70 of them – do not hear music at their desks ("we don't want to force it on people"), but the company plays music in communal areas, where workers can skip tracks and adjust the volume, but not the contents of the playlist. "If you let people play what they want, they play Skrillex and that just pisses everyone off," he warns. Not as much as Muzak's Stimulus Progression, Sven – trust me.

Music is at the very heart of one East End school

Stephen Moss (Why not put music at the heart of education?, 19 June) argues that music education should not be limited to private schools and children of "thrusting middle-class parents". He holds up Finland as an example. At Gallions primary school in Beckton, music is at the heart of the school. It is in a socially and economically deprived corner of east London, but the school is joyous and alive. Gallions is not a specialist music school but has successfully integrated music into the curriculum, both as a subject in its own right and as a medium through which to teach other subjects. For instance, singing supports the development of language, which is crucial, especially for our youngest pupils and the 67% of Gallions pupils for whom English is not their first language. Using number songs has proven a brilliant way to teach maths in the younger year groups.

Every child at Gallions learns an instrument – violin, viola, cello or double bass – free of charge, and many pupils take advantage of the opportunity to take an instrument home with them to practice. The school’s choirs and orchestras are simply outstanding. Pupils have gone on to win places in the National Children’s Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra’s young talent schemes and other incredible opportunities. Learning a musical instrument is challenging, it demands fine motor skills and coordination. It develops children’s listening, thinking skills, imagination and perseverance. It brings out the very best in the children as they work collaboratively with their peers and teachers.

Performances give children a goal to work towards and great self-confidence, especially performing in front of proud parents, and has taken them to the Barbican Centre, the Royal Festival Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall. I am deeply proud to be associated with the music programme at Gallions. At a time of cutbacks in the arts, they provide a perfect example of the value of music in the curriculum and children’s lives.

Bret Michaels Says Poison’s Fights Were Always About Music

 

Bret Michaels has insisted that even though he regularly fought with his Poison bandmates in the '80s and '90s, the disagreements were always about their music, and were never personal.

The original lineup — featuring Michaels, guitarist C.C. DeVille, bassist Bobby Dall and drummer Rikki Rockett — is currently touring with Def Leppard. It's their first U.S. road trip since 2012, after Michaels' solo career interests had made it seem as if a reunion couldn't be arranged.

And now that all four men are in their fifties, the fighting is behind them. "We've all knocked the s— out of each other – but a day later we're in the same room, working this s— out," Michaels told Rolling Stone. "Our arguments were never about whose bus is closer to backstage. They were always over songs in the set and stuff like that. Except for one big one with C.C., where we were belligerent drunk and I was smelling of whiskey and bad decisions."

Poison remain on the road until the end of June, but not even the band members know what's in store afterward. "If it takes me four years to get Bret to agree to play a tour, you never know if there's going to be another one," Dall said. "It's gotten so hard to just get it done."

Dall admitted that Michaels had upset his colleagues when he began performing Posion songs as part of his solo sets. "If I'm being honest, I think it would bother anybody," the bassist said. "And if anybody in the band tells you otherwise, I'd think they're lying."

"There's no malicious reason I do it," Michaels countered. "It's just in addition to what I do with Poison. You don't get to stay here for 30 years by accident. I'm comfortable in my own skin."

Annual showcase celebrates local music

It will be a reunion and a showcase of area talent on Saturday when The State Theatre’s Return of the Native Sons & Daughters show returns. The event features an array of local artists representing the best in State College independent music.

“This is a very close knit, incestuous music community and there is some amazing original music being produced here,” said local music fixture Ted McCloskey. “Unfortunately, most people don’t get to see and hear a lot of it. Well, here’s an incredible opportunity to see a prime sampler of that songwriting at a beautiful venue.”

McCloskey said he’s grateful for the opportunity to view his peers in their natural state, even if the chance doesn’t come around very often.

“I really look forward to seeing everyone,” he said. “One of the downfalls of playing six nights a week is that I don’t get to see other the artists as much as I like to.”

Natty Lou Race, of Raven and the Wren, agrees with McCloskey.

“Due to similar schedules in the entertainment business, it is not often to have a night off to go and listen to another band,” Race said. “Nights like this are most fun for musicians because we all get to enjoy each other’s performances.”

Race think that this area is conducive to independent musicians.

“The musicians in the area have a wonderful web of support seemingly ‘built in.’ Whether you’re fresh on the scene or a veteran of 40-plus years, all are welcomed, encouraged and befriended,” Race said. “I have personal relationships with many of the musicians on the Native Sons and Daughters bill.”

Noah Figlin, singer and guitarist for The Unbanned, has been a perennial part of the State College music scene for more than a decade and said he feels at home as a “native son.”

“The first show of this kind was in 2007 and it was a blast,” Figlin said. “It was an original showcase and album release party for The Nightcrawlers, The Rustlanders and Ted & the Hi-Fi’s. I believe each band played their entire record to a really appreciative and diverse audience. We all had a great time.”

Beyond being friendly, Figlin believes the local scene is packed with serious talent.

“The State College music scene is pretty multifaceted,” Figlin said. “There are a lot of really talented players and good bands who play a lot of different styles. The cool part is that among players who have been around for a while, almost everyone knows each other and is supportive of each other’s music. There are a fair number of serious artists here who really care about the music they make, and we all have a lot of mutual respect for one another.”

Nate Cushall, of The Tommy Roberts, agrees about the high quality of musical talent in Happy Valley.

“(It’s) a small, but very talented and supportive scene,” Cushall said. “We’ve got world class players here. Somebody good is playing somewhere most nights of the week.”

Cushall, much like his peers, is excited to see the other acts.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone, but I love Miss Melanie and the Valley Rats, and Raven and the Wren,” he said. “Also, I haven’t seen Lemont play under their new name yet, so I’m looking forward to hearing their new stuff. Mark Ross has been a mentor to both Brian (Cleary) and myself. He produced our first album, helped us get into the scene and is constantly after our wallets to buy new amps and guitars.”

The young musician think that anyone who attends the show will have a positive experience and become more interested in the local music scene.

“If you want to have a good time, and get hip to some of the best bands/musicians in State College, this is your all inclusive ticket,” Cushall said. “If you’ve never been to one of these local shows before, or aren’t super familiar with the scene, you will be educated by the time the show is over.”

Ambient pioneer Midori Takada: 'Everything on this earth has a sound'

As minimalism and ambient music grew and developed from the subtle piano of Erik Satie to the more avant garde work of Terry Riley and John Cage, moving from the fringes to mainstream respectability or at least airport lounges, the best known names have been mostly male, and mainly from the west.

Midori Takada, a composer and percussionist in Japan who released a string of mindblowing records beginning in the 1980s, challenges that order. Many call her work minimalism; her interlocking patterns bring to mind Steve Reich, in particular. Her layers of rich textures and atmospheres are sometimes reminiscent of Brian Eno’s classic ambient work. Through it all, she created a sound that is uniquely her own.

Takada was part of the Mkwaju Ensemble, a short-lived Japanese group comprised of Takada and fellow Japanese musicians Joe Hisaishi, Yoji Sadanari, Junko Arase and Hideki Matsutake, which released two dynamite records, Mkwaju and Ki-Motion, on the Better Days label in Japan in 1981. Their hypnotic music feels inspired by Reich and Terry Riley, and by various forms of African drumming (the word “mkwaju” comes from Swahili). At times, their music sounds like early techno, possibly due to the involvement of Matsutake, better known for his work in Logic System and as a “secret member” of Yellow Magic Orchestra. (The first Mkwaju Ensemble album would not be out of place mixed into a DJ set today.)

What I wanted to compose was impossible to notate, and each sound was painted like on a sound canvas
Takada then broke out into a solo career. Her mesmerizing debut Through the Looking Glass, released in Japan in 1983, has become something of a holy grail for collectors – original pressings have fetched as much as $750 on Discogs. For years, her albums were exceedingly difficult to find. But Through the Looking Glass is now in print again thanks to a new reissue, released this month.

Through the Looking Glass was recorded in only two days, with Takada playing an enormous range of different instruments and found objects including marimbas, reed organs, gongs, ocarinas, bells and Coca-Cola bottles, using them to create her own “band” with layers of overdubs. “Through the Looking Glass is an album that could only be created in the studio, says Takada by email from Japan, via a translator. “What I wanted to compose was impossible to notate, and each sound was painted like on a sound canvas.”

Takada put a good deal of thought into selecting the various sounds on Through the Looking Glass; some of the sounds on the album hold deeper symbolic meaning in Japanese culture. “A reed organ is a small foot pedal organ that was a regulation instrument in pre-war Japanese elementary schools,” she explains. “The children would sing along with this instrument and learn new music. It continued to be used after the war for a while, but afterwards, it was changed to a piano, so I used it for nostalgia’s sake. Here we see a process where Japanese children’s ears adapted to western equal temperament.”

“The Coca-Cola bottle is something I played with like a flute when I was a child,” she continues. “I remember it being a perfect tool to make miniature breezes. Before the actual recording, I tried using large sake bottles, but they were too big and it made me feel dizzy. In the end, I put some water into the Coke bottle and made a pitch which when I blew into it, fit perfectly with the music that I was trying to create. I do not discriminate whether it is a sound coming from a musical instrument or noise.”

Her ideas on ambient music are intriguing; much of it, she says, is calming and soothing when it could be more reflective of nature and society. “As environmental music, it had a capacity and purpose to contribute positively to society,” she says. “I listened to Brian Eno’s Music For Airports. I remember thinking it to be a new sensibility that was being honed in an urban environment. And furthermore, a feeling of solitude as well.”

Takada is a deep thinker on sound, and some of her sonic explanations verge on the mystical. “Everything that exists on this earth has a sound,” she says. “Even if humans don’t call it an instrument, on this earth, there exists a significant vibrancy.”

Glastonbury Festival 2017: Foo Fighters announced as Saturday night headliner

The Foo Fighters will headline Saturday night at Glastonbury Festival this summer, the event's organisers have announced.

The American rock band, who will take over the Pyramid stage on Saturday 24 June, revealed the news during a free concert in Frome, Somerset, on Friday evening.

The announcement was made via a live stream from the site at Worthy Farm in Somerset.

Video showed Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis introducing the group before their headline slot was confirmed.

Foo Fighters were forced to cancel their Glastonbury 2015 appearance after the band’s front man Dave Grohl fell and injured himself during a gig in Sweden earlier in June of that year.

Festival organiser Emily Eavis said: “We’re incredibly lucky to have the Foo Fighters headlining on the Saturday night this year.

“It was obviously devastating when they had to pull out in 2015 - and the thought, effort and generosity they’ve put into this announcement is just unbelievable.”

Earlier this week London Grammar confirmed their appearance at this summer’s festival.

Other confirmed acts include headliners Radiohead as well as Wiley and The Avalanches.

Ed Sheeran is also rumoured to complete the headline bill with Michael and Emily Eavis confirming that a full lineup announcement will be made next month.

The organisers also revealed a new area that will launch at this year's festival.

Glastonbury 2017 will be the last until 2019 due to the planned fallow year.

Spin-off event the Variety Bazaar will take place in a different location in 2021.

Eurosonic Noorderslag 2017: Portugal theme will see artists including The Gift, Holy Nothing and Best Youth perform

The 30th year of Eurosonic Nooderslag Festival takes place in next week - the annual exchange and networking event for new music in Europe - and it's a chance to check out some of the artists you'll likely be hearing a lot more from later on in the year.

Each year the festival, held in Groningen highlights talent from a different country and this year it's Portugal - whose local artists will perform on the same stages as the best new talent from Britain, Ireland and Scandanavia.

The theme means a number of diverse, up and coming acts from the country featured that year are provided with a space to perform to figures from the music industry - similar to The Great Escape Festival held in Brighton.

21 Portuguese acts will perform at the January showcase: papercutz, Batida presents the Almost Perfect DJ, Best Youth, DJ Firmeza, DJ Ride, First Breath After Coma, Gisela Joao, Glockenwise, Holy Nothing, Marta Ren & the Groovelvets, Memoria de Peize, Moonshinersw, NEEV, Noiserv, Octa Push, Rodrigo Leao, Sam Alone and the Gravediggers, The Gift, The Happy Mess, Throes + The Shine and We Bless This Mess.

Nuno Saraiva of WHY Portugal said: "With Eurosonic Noorderslag as a platform for European music, we are excited to present new Portuguese music.

"There are so many great artists in present-day Portugal that it is no doubt a tough job for the Eurosonic team to pick which ones to invite, in order to offer the music business professionals and European audiences the very best talents from Portugal in this important year."

Peter Smidt, Creative Director of Eurosonic Noorderslag told The Independent: "We always do careful research about music developments in Europe; last year we did a focus on the whole central eastern Europe to show what is happening in that part of Europe which was an eyeopener for a lot of people.

"Eurosonic is the main platform for new European music and our aim is to provide press and professionals in the music sector as well as audiences an overview of the diverse an high quality of music that is made everywhere in Europe.

"Currently we are impressed by the amount and the quality of new talents that is coming out of Portugal so we want to present and show that. We feel not everyone is aware that Portugal has not only a very large amount of great summer festivals but also a lot of great new talent to offer."

Also among the line-up are rising British pop star Anne-Marie, Scottish electronic act Be Charlotte, Black Foxxes, Bonzai, Dan Owen, Declan McKenna, Era Istrefi, Lets Eat Grandma, Nils Bech, Seramic and Ward Thomas.