Latest news with #ElectricLightOrchestra
Time Out
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Jeff Lynne's ELO at Birmingham's Utilita Arena: start time, tickets, potential setlist and what you need to know
It's been a long time since we last had the chance to see Electric Light Orchestra live. Seven years, to be exact. The iconic British band have been keeping quiet for a while, but last year they made a huge announcement: their last ever performance will be at BST Hyde Park this year. Technically this is Jeff Lynne's ELO, which was a re-formed version of the band that Lynne, the frontman, put together in 2014 with fellow band member Richard Tandy, who sadly passed away last May. Since then, Jeff is the only original member of ELO remaining, but that doesn't mean he can't put on a great show. Of course, not everyone can fit in one date at Hyde Park, so fans were relieved when Jeff Lynne and co announced two homecoming gigs in their native Birmingham, more than 55 years since it all began. Their final concerts in Birmingham will take place this weekend (July 5-6) ahead of one night in Manchester and then their final farewell at Hyde Park next week. Here's everything you need to know to have a great night belting out 'Mr Blue Sky' with 15,000 likeminded fans. When are Jeff Lynne's ELO playing at the Birmingham Utilita Arena? ELO will play two nights in Birmingham – Saturday, July 5 and Sunday July 6. What are the timings? Doors will open at 6pm, so you can get to your seat any time from them. ELO will take to the stage around 8pm, and according to the Utilita Arena the show will end at 10.40pm, meaning the show will be just over two and a half hours long. That's a proper goodbye. What's the setlist? Jeff Lynne's ELO did a US tour last year, so we have a vague idea of what their setlist might look like, although given that this is a special occasion, don't be surprised if they change things up a little bit. Here's what they played on their American tour: One More Time Evil Woman Do Ya (The Move cover) Showdown Last Train to London Believe Me Now Steppin' Out Rockaria! 10538 Overture Strange Magic Sweet Talkin' Woman Can't Get It Out of My Head Fire on High Livin' Thing Telephone Line All Over the World Turn to Stone Shine a Little Love Don't Bring Me Down Mr. Blue Sky Who is supporting? The band will be supported by Dhani Harrison, the only son of George Harrison – as if there wasn't enough British musical heritage on the stage already. Dhani's set will likely start around 7pm. Can you still get tickets for ELO at Birmingham's Utilita Arena? These concerts are literally once-in-a-lifetime, so you won't be surprised to know that they both sold out very quickly. There are a very limited number of resale tickets available from the venue's website here, but you'll have to be quick.
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Benson Boone misses a beat on 'American Heart', but still manages to land a fun album
An artist's sophomore album is often considered the most important in a career. A debut is usually populated with songs that have stewed for months or years. But once success lands with a wallop, as it did for Benson Boone, the stakes are elevated with the prevailing attitude of, "You impressed us once, so what's next, kid?" 'American Heart,' Boone's follow-up to his 2024 debut, 'Fireworks & Rollerblades,' proves his durability as one of pop's most intriguing new talents, known as much for his agile voice as the backflips he lands during live performances. Any rumblings of two-hit wonder status following Boone, 22, after his chart-topping 'Beautiful Things' and secondary offering 'Slow it Down,' were quashed following the success of the first two singles from 'American Heart," and an upcoming sold-out arena tour. The drum-loop driven 'Sorry I'm Here for Someone Else' continued his chart streak, while 'Mystical Magical,' with its interpolation of Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical' in the chorus, enforces the '80s vibe that permeates his new album. More: Who is Benson Boone, the backflipping singer nominated for Grammys best new artist? How Benson Boone pays tribute to rock history on new album Boone has said that these 10 songs, which clock in at taut 30 minutes, were inspired by Bruce Springsteen. The title track – the last song on the album – does follow a Boss-esque blueprint of vivid storytelling (with the serious true-life recounting of a near-fatal car crash as a teen), but the music leans more Killers sheen than Springsteen muscularity. The affable Boone deserves credit for schooling fans in rock history, as he famously did after inviting Queen guitar legend Brian May to join him at Coachella this year. And he also nods to the lush sounds of Electric Light Orchestra on the snappy 'Mr. Electric Blue,' a lyrical ode to his father. His mother also gets her due with the aptly titled 'Momma Song,' a delicate piano ballad that morphs into a string-soaked emote-a-thon. 'Drive me through the country, tell me your story and you can play all of your favorite songs/ 'cause I'm gonna need this when I'm holding pictures of you and that's all I've got left,' he sings. His heart-on-sleeve rumination about aging seems premature, but the authenticity from a guy who released his high-stakes album a few days before turning 23 shouldn't be derided. What distinguishes Boone from his current crop of peers is a pure voice that flutters into his upper register (the loping bop 'Man in Me') and, much like Jason Mraz's, can run a scale with seemingly effortless precision. While some songs wobble – 'Reminds Me of You' is toothless soul save for a mid-song breakdown of warped keyboards straight out of the Olivia Rodrigo playbook – much of 'American Heart' showcases a nascent artist who confidently sticks the landing.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dolly Parton Had This 1 Big Rule For Sabrina Carpenter Before Recording Their Duet
As soon as Sabrina Carpenter unveiled her hit single Please Please Please last year, music fans couldn't help drawing comparisons to legends like ABBA, Electric Light Orchestra and Dolly Parton. So it felt like a full-circle moment when Sabrina released a new version of the track featuring Dolly's vocals last month. However, the country music icon has now revealed that she had a few ground rules for the Espresso singer before she agreed to record their duet. Speaking to Knox News, Dolly claimed that among the stipulations she had for Sabrina were 'I don't cuss', 'I don't make fun of Jesus', 'I don't talk bad about God' and 'I don't say dirty words on camera' (though of that last point the Grammy winner quipped that she's 'known to if I get mad enough'). As a result, Sabrina and Dolly's country-fied reimagining of Please Please Please used the original song's clean lyrics, replacing 'I beg you don't embarrass me, motherfucker' with 'I beg you don't embarrass me like the others'. Take a listen for yourself below: Please Please Please was Sabrina's second of three UK number ones released last year. After a jam-packed 12 months, the US singer's 2025 also got off to a flying start, thanks to a re-release of her hit album Short N' Sweet, kicking off the European leg of her world tour and multiple awards wins. Last month, Sabrina won two Grammys in the Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance categories, which she followed with an additional win at the Brit Awards. She also opened the Brits ceremony with a medley of songs from Short N' Sweet, though the performance wasn't without its controversies, leading to almost a thousand complaints to Ofcom. Two weeks ago, Dolly unveiled a new song titled If You Hadn't Been There, which served as a tribute to her husband of almost 60 years, Carl Dean, following his death earlier this month at the age of 82. Sabrina Carpenter And Charli XCX's Brit Awards Controversies Are Still Sparking Ofcom Complaints 'What Kind Of Rubbish Is That?': Lola Young Fires Back At 'Nepo Baby' Comments Is Taylor Swift Really On This Lady Gaga Song? Here's The Truth Behind Those Rumours
