Concert of Colors unveils 2025 details, including return to Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre
The 2025 edition of the annual multicultural music festival will include a night at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre on Detroit's riverfront, where CoC was founded in 1993 when the venue was known as Chene Park.
The July 18 evening at the Aretha will include performances by soul-gospel great Mavis Staples and Moroccan music group Bab L' Bluz. Like all Concert of Colors events, the show is free, with fans admitted on a first-come basis.
Concert of Colors, happening July 16-20, will retain its major presence in Midtown Detroit, including the Detroit Institute of Arts. Performances include Nigerian mainstay Femi Kuti, indie rock band Yo La Tengo, rock-R&B-Latin group War and the latest installment of the Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue, this year spotlighting blues music with an array of hometown artists.
More: Big Sean to join Detroit Symphony for an evening of orchestral hip-hop
More: Lil Wayne headed to Detroit's Little Caesars Arena in August with 'Tha Carter' celebration
The festival will kick off with a July 16 concert at the DIA's Detroit Film Theatre from Canadian-Iranian duo Niyaz.
In a Tuesday media release announcing this year's festivities, CoC director Ismael Ahmed also touted an expanded lineup of children's programming and vendors offering global crafts and merchandise.
Along with the DIA, outdoor and indoor performance spaces will be presented at venues including the Scarab Club, Michigan Science Center, Third Man Records, Spot Lite Detroit, Detroit Historical Museum and the Sosnick Courtyard at Orchestra Hall.
Concert of Colors spent its first 13 years at then-Chene Park before moving to Midtown and becoming a multi-day fixture there. The return to the riverside venue, aided by an injection of funding from the state of Michigan, comes as the Aretha celebrates a 40th anniversary summer.
The full five-day music lineup and other events can be found at the Concert of Colors website.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Concert of Colors unveils lineup and return to Aretha amphitheater
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
MTV reveals first batch of VMAs 2025 performers: What to know about Video Music Awards
Star power may be a given at the VMAs, but music royalty is coming out in full force this year. As MTV's 2025 Video Music Awards quickly approach, the TV channel and music video pioneer is sharing new details from the jam-packed ceremony, which celebrates the top songs and music videos voted on by fans. This comes after VMA nominations were announced on Aug. 5. Pop icon Lady Gaga leads the nominations with 12 nods, including video of the year, artist of the year and best album, while her "Die with a Smile" collaborator, Bruno Mars, follows closely behind with 11 nominations. While it's unclear if Gaga, who is currently on the road with her Mayhem Ball tour, will make a special appearance at the show, MTV has begun unveiling its lineup of performances. Additionally, the ceremony's coveted awards, which include video of the year, artist of the year and song of the year, are being expanded with new career achievement prizes. Here's everything you need to know about the 2025 MTV VMAs. MTV VMAs snubs and shocks: See who was left out of nominations Who is performing at the 2025 MTV VMAs? On Monday, Aug. 18, MTV announced the first batch of performers for the 2025 VMAs. Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter, who performed at last year's ceremony and won her first moon person for song of the year, is slated to take the stage again. Other A-list acts filling the marquee alongside Carpenter include: Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin, hip-hop heavyweight Busta Rhymes, Latin pop star J Balvin with DJ Snake and alternative pop newcomers Alex Warren and Sombr. A post shared by Video Music Awards (@vmas) Ricky Martin to receive inaugural Latin Icon Award Martin, who made his VMAs debut in 1999, will receive the first-ever Latin Icon Award during the ceremony, in celebration of the singer's historic contributions to the genre. The "Livin' la Vida Loca" singer, who rose to prominence as a member of the boy band Menudo, has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and is credited with spearheading the Latin pop explosion of the late '90s alongside Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Marc Anthony and Enrique Iglesias. At the 1999 MTV VMAs, Martin made history as the first male Latin artist to win the best pop video award. He was also the top winner of the ceremony with five awards. A post shared by Video Music Awards (@vmas) Busta Rhymes to be honored with new Rock the Bells Visionary Award Busta Rhymes is set to get his flowers with the inaugural Rock the Bells Visionary Award, an honor that pays tribute to the hip-hop icon's decadeslong career and "boundary-breaking cultural impact." The acclaimed rapper, born Trevor George Smith Jr., got his musical start as a member of the rap group Leaders of the New School. Rhymes later launched his solo career with 1996's "The Coming" and became one of hip-hop's leading figures. He has sold 20 million albums worldwide to date. At the 2021 MTV VMAs, Rhymes delivered a medley of his greatest hits alongside fellow rapper Spliff Star. A post shared by Video Music Awards (@vmas) When are the 2025 MTV VMAs? The 2025 MTV VMAs are set to take place on Sept. 7. Who is hosting the 2025 MTV VMAs? Actor and hip-hop icon LL Cool J has been tapped to host the 2025 MTV VMAs. The Grammy-winning rapper previously hosted the VMAs in 2022, cohosting with fellow emcees Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow. A post shared by Video Music Awards (@vmas) Where can I watch the 2025 MTV VMAs? The 2025 MTV VMAs will air live from New York's UBS Arena on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV. The awards show will also be available to stream the same day on Paramount+ for U.S. viewers with a premium plan subscription. How to vote for 2025 MTV VMAs? Fans can vote in 19 gender-neutral categories by visiting through Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. ET. Voting for the best new artist category will remain active until the Sept. 7 ceremony. Nominations for social categories will be announced at a later date.
USA Today
7 hours ago
- USA Today
Ariiela 'La Langosta' dies: Beauty influencer was a friend of rap star Tekashi 6ix9ine
Ariiela "La Langosta," a fashion and beauty influencer known for her high-profile friendship with rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, has died. Ikon New York, the Manhattan restaurant and disco lounge where Ariiela reportedly worked, paid tribute to the social media personality in an emotional Instagram post on Aug. 17. A cause of death was not disclosed. "Today we lost our shining star @ 💔," Ikon New York said in its statement. "Our hearts are broken. Your joy, your humility, and the way you treated everyone with so much care always made you stand out. "Thank you for giving so much love and support to our home, which also became yours. To Ariiela's family, we are here for anything you need. We still can't believe it… you were our smile, our happiness. We love you, and we will miss you forever. 🙏🏽✨" Ikon New York was not available when reached for comment. USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Tekashi 6ix9ine for comment. The restaurant and lounge shared in a follow-up post on Aug. 18 that it was suspending its new hours of operation in observance of Ariiela's death. It's expected to reopen Aug. 21. "She was a brilliant, humble soul with incredible energy — the kind of person who could light up any room she entered," the restaurant said. "She will be deeply missed by all of us. Please take a moment to cherish and love your own loved ones. Life is precious." Tekashi 6ix9ine pays emotional tribute to Ariiela 'La Langosta' Following news of Ariiela's death, Tekashi mourned the Latin influencer, who boasted over 560,000 followers on Instagram, on his Aug. 17 Instagram stories. The rapper shared a series of videos of himself and Ariiela spending time together and joking around, praising Ariiela as a "tremendous woman." "The queen of New York," Tekashi added, including a snippet of their favorite song, Aventura's early 2000s hit "Obsesión." "NY won't ever be the same." Ariiela was featured as a dancer in the music video for Tekashi's 2023 song, "Wapae," from the rapper's third album, "Leyenda Viva." In subsequent posts, Tekashi gushed that Ariiela "supported me in everything" and that the influencer was like a "sister" to him. "I loved you," Tekashi concluded his tribute on Aug. 18.
Cosmopolitan
9 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
All the 2025 MTV VMAs Performers, From Sabrina Carpenter to Sombr
MTV's Video Music Awards have been the catalyst for some of pop culture's most iconic performances, from Michael Jackson's medley in 1995 to Lady Gaga's bloody opera for 'Paparazzi' in 2009. Of course, you can't ever mention the beloved awards show without acknowledging Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Taylor Swift's era-defining moments. The list goes on, and after a legendary lineup at the 2024 VMAs (Ahem: Chappell Roan, Katy Perry, and GloRilla, to name a few), we are simply seated for this year's ceremony. This year's show is set to take place on Sunday, September 7, and marks the first time it will air on both MTV and CBS. We'll see a mix of breakout stars and VMA vets take the stage at New York's UBS Arena, from Alex Warren and Sombr to Sabrina Carpenter and Ricky Martin. Check out all the artists performing at the 2025 MTV VMAs so you don't miss a beat. Ricky is a multihyphenate in every sense, thanks to his Latin Grammy-winning music and coveted acting roles to his humanitarian work over the years. That's why he's the first artist to be honored with the VMAs' Latin Icon Award. It's been 26 years since his first performance in 1999, when he took home 5 Moon Person awards and made history as the first male Latin artist to win for Best Pop Video. Busta Rhymes will also be honored with the first-ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award, which celebrates his boundary-breaking cultural impact in Hip-Hop and beyond. The 'Touch It' artist was also a Global Icon honoree at last year's EMAs. He last performed at the show in 2021, when he closed it out with a rapid-fire medley of his greatest hits. Hot off her legendary headlining set at Lollapalooza, Sabrina is returning to the VMAs after the release of her seventh album, Man's Best Friend. Last year, she hit the main stage for the first time to perform a medley of tracks off Short n' Sweet. She's also up for eight awards this year, including Video of the Year for 'Manchild.' Rising star sombr has definitely hit your Spotify algorithm thanks to his three (!!!) simultaneous hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, 'undressed,' 'back to friends,' and '12 to 12.' This marks his awards show debut, as well as his first-ever VMA noms for Best New Artist and Best Alternative. The MTV PUSH artist's breakout hit, 'Ordinary,' has pretty much been everywhere and even earned a stamp of approval from Lana Del Rey at Stagecoach earlier this year. Naturally, the track has topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 27 weeks and spent 10 of those weeks at number one. Latin powerhouse J Balvin hasn't hit the VMAs stage since 2022, but he's coming back this year thanks to his track with DJ Snake, 'Noventa,' and his latest collab with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, 'Zun Zun.' The 13-time nominee is looking to earn his sixth Moon Person award as he's nominated for 'Rio' in the Best Latin category.
