Eric Clapton Announces Limited Run of 2025 US Tour Dates
Eric Clapton announces limited U.S. tour dates with special guests The Wallflowers, starting in Nashville on Sept. 8 and ending in Uncasville, Connecticut on Sept. 20. Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. These are Clapton's only U.S. dates for 2025, with additional shows scheduled in Japan, the U.K., Italy, and France. For a full list of tour dates, visit ericclapton.com.
Monday September 8 Bridgestone Arena Nashville
Thursday September 11 Rocket Arena Cleveland
Saturday September 13 Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia
Tuesday September 16 TD Garden Boston
Friday September 19 Madison Square Garden NYC
Saturday September 20 Mohegan Sun Uncasville, CT
DICKEY BETTS: His Brothers Pay Tribute
Former members of The Allman Brothers Band came together Friday to pay tribute in song to Dickey Betts, a founding member of the group who died last April at the age of 80. In Memory of Dickey Betts was organized by his son Duane and held at the Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Georgia, where the band was based in the early '70s. It featured appearances by Warren Haynes, Chuck Leavell, Derek Trucks and his wife Susan Tedeschi, Oteil Burbridge, Devon Allman, and more. Speaking to Rolling Stone backstage at the show, Duane Betts said, "This means everything. It’s my father’s legacy. Everybody’s here for the right reasons — to celebrate a great man, a great visionary of music.” And Warren Haynes added, "[Dickey’s] sense of melody was unchallenged. He played these melodic lines and phrases that sounded so refreshing to the listener. He created a style of playing that’s so recognizable, and that’s the ultimate compliment for any musician.”
Among the highlights from Friday's show was Haynes, Derek Trucks, and Oteil Burbridge doing the Allman's “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”; Susan Tedeschi singing “Blue Sky”; Devon Allman playing his late father Gregg's Johnny Cash model Martin acoustic for a poignant rendition of “Melissa,"; and Duane closing out the night by singing his dad's most popular song, "Ramblin' Man." A portion of the proceeds from the show will benefit furthering music education in honor of Dickey.
The remnants of The Allman Brothers Band will come together again for two shows at New York's Madison Square Garden on April 15th and 16th. Calling themselves The Brothers, original member Jaimoe along with Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Oteil Burbridge and Marc Quiñones last played together at their first reunion at the Garden in 2020.
In Memory of Dickey Betts set list:
1.“Hot ‘Lanta”
2.“Statesboro Blues”
3.“Nothing You Can Do”
4.“Long Time Gone”
5.“Southbound”
6.“Melissa”
7.“Nobody Knows”
8.“Jessica”
9.“Pony Boy”
10.“No One Left to Run With”
11.“Rain”
12.“Seven Turns”
13.“Back Where It All Begins”
14.“Soulshine”
15.“In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”
16.“Midnight in Harlem”
17.“Blue Sky”
18.“Revival”
19.“Ramblin’ Man”
JIMMY PAGE, BRIAN MAY: Add Their Voices to AI Fight
In January, Paul McCartney, Elton John and others spoke out against the British government, urging it to pass a bill that would protect artists from a new copyright law that could allow for AI to rip them off. And now, Jimmy Page and Brian May are speaking up. Page, in a post on Facebook, says, "[My] journey from the anonymity of session work to the global stages with Led Zeppelin was not a path paved by algorithms or data sets. It was a voyage marked by spontaneous improvisation and the unquantifiable spark of human ingenuity. The alchemy that transformed a unique riff into an anthem was etched into the collective soul of the band -- a synergy that no machine can emulate.
"Today, as artificial intelligence seeks to mimic and monetize creativity, we stand at a crossroads. AI-generated art and music, synthesized from existing human works, lack the visceral essence that comes from lived experience. They are but hollow echoes, devoid of the struggles, triumphs and soul that define true artistry. "Moreover, the ethical implications are profound... "We must champion policies that protect artists, ensuring that their work isn’t siphoned off into the void of machine learning without due regard. Let us celebrate and preserve the human touch in art -- the imperfections, the emotions, the stories behind every note and cadence..."
And May adds, "My fear is that it's already too late -- this theft has already been performed and is unstoppable, like so many incursions that the monstrously arrogant billionaire owners of Al and social media are making into our lives. The future is already forever changed.
"But I applaud this campaign to make the public aware of what is being lost. I hope it succeeds in putting a brake on, because if not, nobody will be able to afford to make music from here on in."
This past December, artists, publishers, media and more formed the Creative Rights in AI Coalition, which aims to keep current copyright protections in place despite the U.K.’s continued embrace of AI.
PAUL McCARTNEY: Celestial?
Paul McCartney has once again answered questions from fans submitted to his website.
With the new half-speed master edition of Venus and Mars set for release on March 21st, he discussed the meaning of the title of the 1975 album. “We only meant the planets, but then we had a great party on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, and somebody said, ‘Oh, hi Venus! Hi Mars!’ to [my wife] Linda and me. So, it was a great observation from them: Venus is the female; Mars is the male. It made a lot of sense, really. “But to us it was just the planets, and the song is just about a kind of space cadet. There were loads of people at the time who were very ‘spacey’.” In addition to the half-speed master reissue, Venus and Mars will also be released for the first time in Dolby Atmos, which was done by producer Giles Martin and his partner Steve Orchard.
PAUL McCARTNEY: He's Got Joe's Back
Paul McCartney is throwing his support behind Joe Cocker being elected for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has written a letter saying:
Dear Rock and Rollers,
I would like to suggest Mr. Joe Cocker for entry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Joe was a great man and a fine singer whose unique style made for some fantastic performances. He sang one of our songs, 'With a Little Help from My Friends,' a version produced by Denny Cordell, which was very imaginative. (Cocker also covered "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.")
All the people on the panel will be aware of the great contribution Joe made to the history of Rock and Roll. And whilst he may not have ever lobbied to be in the Hall of Fame, I know he would be extremely happy and grateful to find himself where he deserves to be amongst such illustrious company. Thank you and all the best, Paul McCartney.
This is the first time Cocker has been nominated, despite being eligible since 1989 -- 25 years after his first recording. Cocker died from lung cancer in 2014. He was 70.
Rare Beatles vinyl gifted by George Harrison sells for £10,000 at auction
An “extremely rare” vinyl album of The Beatles' White Album, gifted by George and Pattie Harrison to a friend, has sold for £10,000 at auction. The record, with the band's name embossed on the sleeve and serial number 0000012, is described as a low-numbered stereo pressing. The seller, a fashion photographer who became friends with Harrison in the 1960s, received the album as a gift from George. The album also comes with a letter detailing the seller's friendship with Harrison and other Beatles members, including gifts of a 12-string guitar and a jacket.
Bob Dylan Declined Opportunity to Perform and Present at Oscars
Bob Dylan declined an invitation to perform at the Oscars, where a biopic about his life was up for major awards. Mick Jagger joked about taking Dylan's place at the ceremony, poking fun at their ages. The awards show did not feature performances from the Best Original Song nominees, including those from the Dylan biopic. The film, "A Complete Unknown," received eight Oscar nominations, with Timothée Chalamet portraying Dylan in the lead role. Chalamet prepared for the role by immersing himself in the character and even wore Dylan's leather jacket to a Lakers game.
Rocket boys: Elton John’s sons make rare appearance at his Oscars 2025 viewing party
Elton John's sons, Zachary and Elijah, made a rare appearance at the 33rd Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars viewing party. The boys, dressed in black suits, posed with their proud dads and even joined David Furnish on stage. The star-studded event included guests like Megan Thee Stallion, Donatella Versace, and Camila Cabello, and featured a performance by Chappell Roan, who sang Elton John's hits. Roan dedicated a special performance of "Your Song" to her parents and Elton John, who later joined her for a duet on "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."
THE OFFSPRING, JIMMY EAT WORLD: A Supercharged Summer
The Offspring and Jimmy Eat World are teaming up for a summer tour. They'll be joined by New Found Glory for the trek, which starts July 11th in West Palm Beach, Florida and wraps up September 7th in Denver. Fan pre-sales run Tuesday through Thursday, with general on-sales starting Friday.
Beck Announces 2025 Orchestral Tour
Beck is mapping out a new leg of orchestral tour dates. The North American tour kicks off on July 15th in New Haven, Connecticut. Beck will also perform in Cincinnati, Colorado Springs, Montreal, and more before wrapping up in San Diego on July 29th. The first six dates will be conducted by Edwin Outwater, with Christopher Dragon taking over for the rest of the tour. Tickets are available now.
IN OTHER NEWS
Ringo Starr will do a six-night residency with his All Starr Band at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas on September 17th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 26th, and 27th.
Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott has added his name to the list of artists paying tribute to David Johansen, who died Friday from cancer. He says, “RIP David Johansen. I was and still am a huge fan of the [New York] Dolls and I’m saddened that the end of a wonderful life was so difficult. A cult hero who inspired and influenced so many genres. Condolences to his family, friends and fans.” Johansen was 75.
Alice Cooper's guitarist Nita Strauss recorded a video for Guitar World where she names "five guitar riffs that changed my life." Her choices include Cooper's "Poison," Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train", and Iron Maiden's "The Trooper." Watch it on YouTube.
Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was joined by his bandmate Anthony Kiedis for two songs at Smith's wildfire relief show Friday in Malibu, California. They covered "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix and "Ramblin' Man" by The Allman Brothers Band.
The Love Rocks NYC concert this Thursday at the Beacon Theatre in New York will stream live on Veeps with proceeds going to God’s Love We Deliver and Project Angel Food. Performers include Alicia Keys, Beck, Cher, Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Luke Spiller of The Struts, Mavis Staples, Michael McDonald, Peter Frampton, and Trey Anastasio of Phish.
Willie Nelson's annual 4th of July Picnic is returning to Texas after being staged in New Jersey last year. The 92-year-old Nelson will be joined by Bob Dylan, The Avett Brothers, The Mavericks and more at the Germania Insurance Arena in Austin on July 4th.