Taylor Swift calls cancellation of Vienna shows ‘devastating’ and explains her silence

Taylor Swift calls cancellation of Vienna shows ‘devastating’ and explains her silence

LONDON — Two weeks after organizers scrubbed Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna amid a foiled terror plot, the singer issued her first statement on the cancellations. “Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating,” she wrote in a statement posted to Instagram on Wednesday. “The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of … Read more

Keith Urban plays free pop-up concert outside a Buc-ee’s store in Alabama

Keith Urban plays free pop-up concert outside a Buc-ee’s store in Alabama

ATHENS, Ala. — Country singer Keith Urban gave just a few hours’ notice before performing a free concert Friday night in the parking lot of a large convenience store and gas station in north Alabama. Hundreds of people turned out for the show in Athens, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) south of Nashville. It was … Read more

St. Vincent channels something primal playing live music: ‘It’s kind of an exorcism for me’

St. Vincent channels something primal playing live music: ‘It’s kind of an exorcism for me’

LOS ANGELES — As sweaty fans pushed up against one another, clutching their drinks and swaying to the music, Annie Clark, known professionally as St. Vincent, was being transported. She recounts that surprise concert in May at the Paramount, an intimate, historic East Los Angeles venue, as a kind of “exorcism” that allowed the singer, … Read more

Aerosmith retires from touring, citing permanent damage to Steven Tyler’s voice last year

Aerosmith retires from touring, citing permanent damage to Steven Tyler’s voice last year

LOS ANGELES — Aerosmith says Steven Tyler’s voice has been permanently damaged by a vocal cord injury last year and the band will no longer tour. The iconic band behind hits like “Love in an Elevator” and “Livin’ on the Edge” posted a statement Friday announcing the cancellation of remaining dates on its tour and … Read more

The 1975 is being sued after Matty Healy’s kiss of a bandmate shut down a music festival in Malaysia

The 1975 is being sued after Matty Healy’s kiss of a bandmate shut down a music festival in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The 1975 is being sued after Matty Healy’s kiss of a bandmate in an on-stage protest shut down a music festival last year in Malaysia. Healy used profanities as he criticized Malaysia’s stance against homosexuality before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald during the band’s headline performance at the Good Vibes Festival in … Read more

Fans swarm hill in Munich, claiming a high perch for watching Taylor Swift concert

Fans swarm hill in Munich, claiming a high perch for watching Taylor Swift concert

MUNICH — MUNICH (AP) — Thousands of Taylor Swift fans have gotten free seats to her concerts in Munich on a grassy hill near the concert venue. The Swifties packed the Olympic Hill, or Olympiaberg, one of the highest elevations in the southern German city, for the second straight day Sunday. That gave them a … Read more

Greek singer Despina Vandi refuses to take the stage at a concert in Turkey over a flag dispute

Greek singer Despina Vandi refuses to take the stage at a concert in Turkey over a flag dispute

ANKARA, Turkey — Greek pop star Despina Vandi refused to perform on a stage in Turkey adorned with its flag and portrait of the country’s founding father, prompting the local mayor to ask her to leave her town, according to Turkish media reports. The 54-year-old singer was due to perform at a charity concert in … Read more

Jack Black ends Tenacious D tour after bandmate’s Trump shooting comment

Jack Black ends Tenacious D tour after bandmate’s Trump shooting comment

The comedy rock duo Tenacious D — made up of Jack Black and Kyle Gass — has canceled the rest of their tour after Gass’ remarks about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. While onstage at a concert in Sydney on Sunday, Gass was presented with a birthday cake and asked to “make a wish” … Read more

With Taylor Swift heading to Germany, one city has taken her name — at least for a few weeks

With Taylor Swift heading to Germany, one city has taken her name — at least for a few weeks

BERLIN — The Swifties are about to take over the German city formerly known as Gelsenkirchen, where American superstar Taylor Swift is set to give three Eras Tour concerts later this month. In honor of the singer, the city has renamed itself “Swiftkirchen” — at least temporarily — to welcome the tens of thousands of … Read more

What Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour says about ‘passion tourism’

What Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour says about ‘passion tourism’

Taylor Swift performs on stage during The Eras Tour on June 28, 2024 in Dublin, Ireland.  Charles Mcquillan/tas24 | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Taylor Swift’s European tour was top of mind for Nikita Rao when planning where to go for her family’s annual summer vacation. Rao, her husband and two kids, who live … Read more