The tour will take in Glasgow, Birmingham, London, Swansea, Bournemouth, Nottingham and Southend. Since she began her career in the 1950s performing with The Pips, Knight has recorded more than 40 albums and enjoyed No.1 hits on the Pop, Gospel, R&B and Contemporary charts.

Known for her collection of classic hits such as ‘Midnight Train To Georgia’ (which remains one of the most famous Motown records to date and was honoured as one of ‘The Greatest Songs Of All Time’ by Rolling Stone Magazine), ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’, ‘Licence To Kill’ (the official theme song to the James Bond film), ‘The Way We Were’, ‘Baby Don’t’ Change Your Mind’, and ‘You’re The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me’, Knight is one of music’s icons, and her contribution to pop culture unparalleled. 

Knight has been honoured with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame; a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has dozens of TV, film, and theatre credits.

For this tour Knight is joined by special guest Mica Millar, who has quickly become one of the UK’s most exciting soul stars who last year picked up Jazz FM’s Soul Act Of The Year Award, and has supported artists including Lionel Richie and Gregory Porter

The full 2024 dates are:

June 24            Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall

June 25            Birmingham, Symphony Hall

June 27            London, Royal Albert Hall

June 29            Swansea, Arena

June 30            Bournemouth, BIC

July 02             Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall

July 03             Southend, Cliffs Pavilion

Tickets are available from Friday 6th October at ticketline.co.uk, ticketmaster.co.uk or directly from the venue.

The post Gladys Knight announces 2024 Farewell Tour UK dates appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

‘David Arnold  – The Songs: Live’ will see him performing songs from across his prolific career in a stripped back, never before seen style. Performing alongside his band, Arnold will put the spotlight on his own songs with the voice that wrote them, and will include his most notable songs from across his career – as well as some surprises – plus sharing some of the stories behind how they were crafted.

The tour will kick off on 19th November at London’s Lafayette. Arnold and his band will go on to visit intimate venues across the UK in Newcastle, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester before finishing in Cambridge on 26th November.

On the tour, Arnold says: “My earliest musical memories were of songs. I think song is the finest of all art forms. As a songwriter I see them conceived, developed and delivered into the world. From that point on they stop being mine. They become part of the fabric of a film, a show or someone else’s record. Principally, though, they belong to the audience. 

This tour is a way of me revisiting the early years of these songs, reclaiming them for an evening, sharing the stories behind them and doing my best, as their author, to give some insight as to how and why they came into existence and, most unusually, I’ll be singing them in my own voice – the first voice anyone hears when I deliver  a new song, but a voice that the public never do get to hear.”

Lucy Noble, Artistic Director at AEG Presents says: “David Arnold has always been well known to us as a world class composer, however with this intimate tour we’ll see the incredible artist and performer that he is as well. Audiences are in for a huge treat to hear him sing the songs that he has composed and that mean so much to him.”

Famed for his work including five James Bond films, as well as across further film, TV, theatre and music, David will perform the intimate shows bringing personal song highlights and fan favourites, swapping out his usual orchestra for a 6-piece band.

As well as Bond, Arnold has written music for the likes of ‘Made In Dagenham The Musical’, TV shows such as ‘Good Omens’ and ‘Sherlock’; and has collaborated with pop artists such as Bjork, Massive Attack and Pulp.

In 2012 he was Musical Director for the historic London Olympics Closing Ceremony, providing the score and working with artists such as The Who and the Spice Girls.

The full 2023 tour dates are:

19 November                    London Lafayette
20 November                    Newcastle The Cluny
22 November                    Glasgow Òran Mór
23 November                    Birmingham Hare & Hounds
24 November                    Manchester Band on the Wall
26 November                    Cambridge Junction 2

Tickets are available now from https://aegpresents.co.uk.

The post David Arnold heading to the UK for intimate tour in November appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

‘Aquemini’ 25th Anniversary Edition and ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ 20th Anniversary Edition, in partnership with Get On Down, will exclusively available on limited-edition collector’s vinyl in various configurations and are now available for pre-order.

Limited to just 2,000 copies, ‘Aquemini’ 25th Anniversary Multi-Colored Edition is pressed on three unique coloured LPs (gold galaxy, cloudy magenta, & cloudy green). It will be housed in a gold foil stamped jacket with a printed lyrics insert, printed inner sleeves, and commemorative OBI. The vinyl will ship in late October. The full ‘Aquemini’ album will also be released digitally in both Dolby Atmos and 360RA.

For the 20^th Anniversary of ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’, Get On Down Sony’s Certified is reissuing a limited edition of Outkast’s epic fifth studio album ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ pressed on Double “Platinum Chain” and Double “Pearl” colored vinyl packaged in a gatefold jacket. The vinyl will ship at the end of November. As of today, classics off the record ‘GhettoMusick’, ‘Unhappy’, ‘She Lives In My Lap’ (feat. Rosario Dawson), and ‘Roses’ are available in Dolby Atmosand 360RA. In celebration of the album reaching its 13x Platinum milestone, Certified is giving one lucky fan a chance to win a certified custom plaque. Enter to win.

To mark the announcements, Outkast has released a new animated music video for ‘SpottieOttieDopaliscious’. the visual unfolds as a feast of seventies-inspired funk style, stoned psychedelic space meandering, and inimitable Afrofuturism directed by OK Motion Club. The clip follows its main character through an otherworldly nightlife “fever dream” where even the smallest move makes a big difference on the board…

Vinyl Me, Please is also offering a bundle which features Outkast’s ‘Southernplaya…’ and ‘Stankonia’, VMP’s June 2019 Hip-Hop and October 2020 Essentials Record of the Month.
 

The post Vinyl anniversary editions of Outkast’s ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ and ‘Aquemini’ announced appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The run will begin at Yaamava Casino in Highland, CA and take in 12 shows across November and December. The tour includes a night at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA and it ends at Madison Square Garden in New York. Fans can expect to hear all of Carey’s festive hits including her juggernaut smash ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, which tops the charts around the world every December.

The tour dates come off the back of Carey’s recent confirmation that her iconic album ‘Music Box’ will get a series of re-issues in 2024 as part of the album’s 30th anniversary. Fans are able to pre-order vinyl and CD formats of the release now.

The full list of dates for the run is:

November

15th – Yaamava Casino, Highland, CA

17th – Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA

21st – Ball Arena, Dever, CO

24th – T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO

27th – Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON

29th – Centre Ball, Montreal, QC

December

3rd – United Centre, Chicago, IL

5th – PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA

11th – TD Garden, Boston, MA

13th – Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

15th – CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore, MD

17th – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Tickets for the tour go on-sale on 6th October 2023. For more details visit mariahcarey.com.

The post Mariah Carey announces US & Canada ‘Merry Christmas One and All’ Tour dates appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

However, as the boy band went their separate ways, Chasez decided to step out of the shadows of his former band and embark on a solo career. The result was his debut solo album, ‘Schizophrenic’, a project that showcased his evolution as an artist and his willingness to take creative risks.

With *NSYNC back together and in celebration of the release of their new single ‘Better Place’, we’re taking a look back at Chasez’s under-rated debut solo album.

Creative Freedom: A Departure from NSYNC

For Chasez, the transition from *NSYNC to a solo career was a significant shift in his artistic journey. As a member of *NSYNC, he shared lead vocals with Justin Timberlake and he participated in the collaborative process of creating music. However, with ‘Schizophrenic’, Chasez was granted the artistic freedom to fully explore his individuality and who he is as an artist in his own right.

This newfound creative freedom allowed him to experiment with various musical styles and genres, something he was never able to do within the confines of a boy band. Chasez was determined to break free from the restraints of life within the group and create an album that reflected his own unique vision.

Diverse Musical Influences: Crafting a Unique Sound

‘Schizophrenic’ was a musical journey that defied easy categorisation. Rather than sticking to a single genre, Chasez embraced a diverse range of musical influences, creating a sound that was truly his own. Elements of pop, R&B, funk, rock, and electronic dance music converged to form a rich and eclectic sonic landscape.

The album’s title, ‘Schizophrenic’, reflected this diversity and hinted at the multiple musical personalities showcased within. It was a deliberate choice, signalling Chasez’s intent to challenge expectations and offer listeners a varied and engaging musical experience.

Collaborations with Renowned Producers and Songwriters

To help bring his ambitious vision to life, Chasez enlisted the expertise of accomplished producers and songwriters. Collaborations with the likes of Dallas Austin, Basement Jaxx, and BT injected the album with freshness and innovation. These super-producers helped shape the album’s eclectic sound, contributing their unique perspectives to the project.

The collaborations didn’t just add musical depth but also brought out Chasez’s versatility as an artist. Working with different creative minds allowed him to explore various musical facets, ensuring that each track on ‘Schizophrenic’ had its distinct flavour.

Lyricism and Personal Themes: Delving Deeper

While ‘Schizophrenic’ showcased Chasez’s musical versatility, it also delved into personal and introspective themes. The album dug deep into Chasez’s inner thoughts and emotions for a collection of personal songs. Songs like ‘All Day Long I Dream About Sex’ and ‘Build My World’ demonstrated his lyrical abilities and his willingness to address more mature subject matter.

These tracks, in particular, resonated with audiences as they offered a glimpse into Chasez’s personal journey and experiences. The willingness to open up and be vulnerable in his lyrics added depth and authenticity to the album.

Chart and Sales Performance: The Commercial Reception

Upon its release in February 2004, ‘Schizophrenic’ made its debut on the Billboard 200 chart at number 17. While it fell short of expectations and failed to match the huge success Timberlake was enjoying as a solo artist, it garnered attention for its innovative sound and strong promotion.

The singles from the album – ‘Some Girls (Dance with Women)’, ‘All Day Long I Dream About Sex’ and ‘Build My World’ showcased the album’s diverse range and contributed to its commercial appeal, but sadly they didn’t make much of an impact on the Billboard Hot 100.

In terms of sales, ‘Schizophrenic’ achieved Gold certification by the RIAA, signifying the sale of over 500,000 copies in the United States. While it didn’t achieve multi-platinum status, the album found a dedicated fan base and garnered attention for its innovative sound.

Legacy and Artistic Growth: “Schizophrenic” Beyond the Charts

‘Schizophrenic’ may not have achieved the commercial success of some of his *NSYNC contemporaries’ solo endeavours, but it remains a significant milestone in Chasez’s artistic journey. The album demonstrated his willingness to take risks, experiment with music, and explore personal themes. It stands as a testament to Chasez’s creative ambition and musical versatility, and it a favourite among fans.

The post Looking back at *NSYNC star JC Chasez’s debut solo album ‘Schizophrenic’ appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Produced by Carlos Paucar and mastered by Randy Merrill, ‘Así Es La Vida’ is the first single from the star’s highly anticipated album ‘Final Vol. 2’. The new album is the follow-up to ‘Final Vol. 1’, which was released in September 2021.

With the freshness and talent of “La Nena de Argentina,” Iglesias reinvents bachata, celebrates its essence, and blends it with contemporary influences. “Bachata is a rhythm that captured my heart from the moment I heard it,” said the singer-songwriter. “I am delighted to return to this powerful genre, accompanied by the great talent of Maria, who is one of a kind.”

Iglesias has achieved a remarkable record, with an astounding 154 number-one singles on the Billboard charts. He is also the artist with the most number 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.

The music video, available soon on all digital platforms, was created as a tribute to the intensity of love in tumultuous times. Featuring a series of surreal scenes, it presents a narrative driven by Iglesias and Becerra, where various couples face dangers and challenges that they overcome, thanks to love and passion as the central core. Each scene conveys the spirit of love that perseveres in adverse times while the world around them seems to spin out of control.

This autumn Iglesias will embark on The Trilogy Tour, an exciting tour of the United States and Canada in the company of Ricky Martin and Pitbull, with 25 confirmed dates that promise to take Latin music across North America. This alliance of three industry titans is undoubtedly one of the year’s most anticipated events.

The full dates are:

Saturday, October 14 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena.

Tuesday, October 17 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Wednesday, October 18 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Friday, October 20 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Saturday, October 21 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Thursday, October 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Friday, October 27 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Saturday, October 28 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center

Wednesday, November 1st – Chicago, IL – United Center

Thursday, November 2nd – Chicago, IL – United Center

Friday, November 3rd – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena

Thursday, November 9th – Orlando, FL – Amway Center

Friday, November 10 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

Saturday, November 11 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center

Friday, November 17th – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

Saturday, November 18 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center

Sunday, November 19 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center

Friday, November 24 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena

Saturday, November 25 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center

Thursday, November 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Friday, December 1st – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena

Wednesday, December 6th – San Jose, CA – SAP Center

Friday, December 8th – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena

Sunday, December 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

Monday, December 11 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

The post Enrique Iglesias announces new album ‘Final Vol. 2’ and new single ‘Asi Es La Vida’ appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The track is written about mental health and the experiences the band have gone through. Fans can hear their harmonies embrace the emotional song and its heartfelt lyrics.

Speaking of the track, the five-piece said, “’Ordinary Life’ wasn’t something we had initially planned, but having had loads of personal experiences struggling with our mental health and knowing that our fans have too. We’re so excited to be able to share it with everyone, hopefully people can relate to it as much as we do!”

Here At Last are gearing up for their ‘Happy You’re Here’ UK Tour in October, where they kick off in Glasgow on 20th October, then hit Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol before wrapping up at London’s Indigo at the O2 on 25th October. The last remaining tickets are available at https://hereatlast.os.fan/.

Discussing their upcoming tour, they said, “Touring Glasgow and Birmingham will be such an amazing experience as we’ve not had shows there before. Not to mention the fact we’re playing Indigo at the O2 in London. We’re so excited to get back in front of the fans to play some of our new unreleased music – we can’t wait!”

The release of ‘Ordinary Life’ and the upcoming tour follows on from the release of their debut EP, ‘EP1’, which hit #1 on the iTunes album chart.

Here At Last are Zach Loizou (from London), Tommy Lyon (from Exeter), Pedro Santos (from Portugal), James Thomas (from Leyland) and Ryan Burns (from North Wales).

The post Listen: Here At Last debut new single ‘Ordinary Life’ appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The album celebrates the vocalist’s 40 years in showbusiness and it includes some previously unreleased tracks, which were recently unearthed by Jones.

Whilst visiting his family home in Anglesey earlier this year, Jones began reminiscing over the 40 years of memorabilia his parents have collected throughout his career. They had everything, even a collection of multi coloured shirts and bow ties. Aled’s mother explained they had been handmade for him by a BBC employee for a series he made in 1983, at the age of 13. This prompted Jones to go and find the original programme.  He began to go through the footage and discovered recordings,which have never been released or even heard since the original broadcast 40 years ago. The album includes brand new arrangements of those classics including ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘Bright Eyes’.

‘One Voice – Full Circle’ is the fourth instalment in Jones’ ‘One Voice’ series in which, through the magic of technology, Jones is able to duet with his younger self: man and boy, baritone and treble.

On recording with his younger self, Jones says: “It’s an honour and a real privilege to step into the studio again with little Aled – so many memories come flooding back and a surreal experience to sing with him at his prime. I consider myself very lucky. Hope everyone enjoys the harmony of past and present.”

Jones is also preparing to hit the road in 2024 for an extensive & intimate UK tour that will look back over his remarkable career. Starting in spring 2024, the tour, also titled ‘Full Circle’, will span the length and breadth of the UK and where Jones will take to the stage and take the audience on a journey through his life, sharing never before heard stories and a few songs too! 

“There’ll also be a book” explains Jones. “It’s going to be a very busy 2024 and I can’t wait to get on the road and visit interesting places I’ve never visited before and of course to see my wonderful fans.”

The track list for ‘One Voice – Full Circle’ is:

1.      Bright Eyes 

2.      Sea Fever 

3.      Scarborough Fair 

4.      Where ‘ere You Walk 

5.      Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn

6.      Sailing 

7.      Trees 

8.      Panis Angelicus 

9.      At the River 

10.   Brand New Day 

11.   Ave Maria

12.   Sarah (Mi Glywaf Dyner Lais) 

13.   Pie Jesu 

14.   Walking In The Air (Piano Solo version)

The post Aled Jones to release new album ‘One Voice – Full Circle’ in October appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of his solo career, this is the definitive 4-part documentary series on the most successful UK solo artist of all time.

Featuring hundreds of hours of intimate, never-before-seen personal archive spanning 30 years, exclusive access to Robbie and helmed by an acclaimed filmmaking team including Asif Kapadia as an EP; this culture-defining series is the first of its kind to explore the real human being behind the salacious headlines.

Williams rose to fame in the 90s as part of Take That before departing the group and establishing himself as a huge solo star. With 12 studio albums under his belt and 59 singles, Williams is one of the UK’s most successful artists.

‘Robbie Williams’ is coming to Netflix soon. We’ll let you know the date as soon as it’s confirmed.

The post Watch the teaser for Robbie Williams’ upcoming Netflix documentary appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Released on 20th October 2023 via Parlophone, ‘Relentless’ was originally released as part of the ‘Very Relentless’ album in 1993. That release was a limited edition version of the band’s fifth studio album ‘Very’, which spawned the hits ‘Can You Forgive Her?’ and ‘Go West’. At the time, ‘Relentless’ was made available as a rare standalone vinyl album, limited to just 500 copies, with the six tracks spread over three 12” singles.

This swiftly became one of the most sought-after Pet Shop Boys artefacts. The six tracks on ‘Relentless’ have not been available since the original release.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the ‘Relentless’ album will now be released in a new variety of formats including a limited-edition yellow vinyl complete with new artwork, available to buy exclusively via the Pet Shop Boys’ store, as well as a CD and a digital release. All are available from 20th October 2023 via Parlophone and can be pre-ordered now.

Pet Shop Boys commented: “This album was an experiment for us 30 years ago with its six new extended dance tracks. We’re very proud of it and delighted it’s now getting the stand-alone release it deserves.”

The full track-listing for ‘Relentless’ is:

My head is spinning
Forever in love
KDX 125
We came from outer space
The man who has everything
One thing leads to another

The post Pet Shop Boys to re-release ‘Relentless’ for its 30th anniversary appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The new album continues Gabrielle’s creative partnership with producer and co-writer Ian Barter (Paloma Faith, Amy Winehouse). The two have previously worked together on 2018’s Top 10 album ‘Under My Skin’ and 2021’s ‘Do It Again’, which charted at number 4 giving the singer her highest-charting album in 20 years.

Gabrielle says, “I really loved writing and recording the songs for this new album with Ian Barter. I hope you enjoy the record as much as I did making it and thank you for letting me have ‘A Place In Your Heart’ for the last 30 years.” 

The track listing for ‘A Place In Your Heart’ is:

1. ‘Sorry’ 

2. ‘Miss You’ 

3. ‘Good Enough’ 

4. ‘Lifeline’ 

5. ‘A Place In Your Heart’ 

6. ‘Feel’ 

7. ‘Never’ 

8. ‘Rainbow’ 

9. ‘Change’ 

10. ‘Taken Over’ 

11. ‘Won’t Be There’ 

12. ‘Conquer’ 

Next month sees Gabrielle back on the road for the ‘30 Years of Dreaming’ UK and Ireland headline tour. One of the biggest tours of her career, multiple shows were sold-out six months in advance – including London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall – resulting in numerous dates being added to the schedule. While 27 of the 32 shows are either sold-out or almost sold-out, remaining tickets are available at https://www.seetickets.com/tour/gabrielle. The dates are: 

OCTOBER 

6th – Guildford, G Live (SOLD OUT) 

7th – Plymouth, Pavilions (LIMITED TICKETS) 

9th – Oxford, New Theatre (SOLD OUT) 

10th – Norwich, UEA (LIMITED TICKETS) 

12th – Hull, City Hall (SOLD OUT) 

13th – Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall (SOLD OUT) 

14th – Halifax, Victoria Theatre (SOLD OUT) 

16th – Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall (SOLD OUT) 

17th – Newcastle, O2 City Hall (LIMITED TICKETS) 

19th – Manchester, Bridgewater Hall (SOLD OUT) 

20th – Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall (SOLD OUT) 

21st – York, Barbican (SOLD OUT) 

23rd – Cambridge, Corn Exchange (SOLD OUT) 

24th – Bournemouth, Pavilion Theatre (SOLD OUT) 

26th – Cardiff, St. David’s Hall (SOLD OUT) 

28th – Wolverhampton, The Halls (LIMITED TICKETS) 

30th – Brighton, Dome (LIMITED TICKETS) 

31st – London, Royal Albert Hall (SOLD OUT) 

NOVEMBER 

1st – Southend, Cliffs Pavilion  (SOLD OUT) 

3rd – Canterbury, Kent College Great Hall (LIMITED TICKETS) 

4th – Bath, Forum (LIMITED TICKETS) 

5th – Ipswich, Regent Theatre (LIMITED TICKETS) 

7th – Carlisle, Sands Centre 

8th – Warrington, Parr Hall (SOLD OUT) 

10th – Sheffield, City Hall (LIMITED TICKETS) 

11th – Llandudno, Venue Cymru Theatre (LIMITED TICKETS) 

12th – Blackpool, Opera House 

15th – Dublin, Olympia 

16th – Dublin, Olympia 

17th – Galway, Leisureland 

19th – Derry, Millennium Forum (SOLD OUT) 

20th – Belfast, Ulster Hall (LIMITED TICKETS) 

The post Gabrielle to release new album ‘A Place In Your Heart’ in May 2024 appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

With lyrics about sticking with a partner through everything, the 90s-inspired track fills any room with its anthemic sound and is set to be a late-summer hit for Jones.

Jones says: “Really excited to share “Won’t Forget You”, my second collaboration with both Ina Wroldsen and D.O.D. Ina and I wrote “Breathe” together a few years ago and it was a huge hit! D.O.D is a friend of mine who I’ve been working with for a while so it’s a real pleasure to get to do this song with him. “Won’t Forget You” feels euphoric, old school but modern at the same time and has a really beautiful sentiment. It also makes you dance like crazy so good times are ahead!”

“Won’t Forget You” follows the release of Jone’s first D.O.D. collaboration ‘Need You Now’ from earlier this year and his singles ‘Me & My Guitar’ with Fireboy DML and ‘Whistle’ with Calum Scott.

Jones has scored 8 UK Top 10 singles, 8 UK platinum singles, and over 9.5 billion global and audio streams. He has collaborated with everyone from Whitney Houston, Ed Sheeran, Diana Ross, Mark Ronson, to Mabel, RAYE, Stefflon Don and Fred Again.

The post Jax Jones collaborates with D.O.D. and Ina Wroldsen on new track “Won’t Forget You” appeared first on Entertainment Focus.