Latest news with #Gesaffelstein
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Something Very Simple, But Intense': How Gesaffelstein & His Team Made One of the Best Electronic Shows On the Road
When Lady Gaga asked Gesaffelstein to appear during her Coachella 2025 weekend one headlining show, the French producer's answer was obvious: 'oui.' 'Of course we had to say yes,' says Alexandra Pilz-Hayot, the founder and director of Savoir Faire, the French company that's long managed the electronic producer. 'He really wanted to be there with her for the launch of the tour.' More from Billboard Kylie Minogue Joins Prestigious '21 Club' at London's O2 Arena Kevin Parker Previews New Tame Impala Music During Barcelona DJ Set 'Maybe Happy Ending,' 'Sunset Blvd.' Win Key 2025 Tony Awards: Full Winners List His team worked with Gaga's to figure out logistics like where the artist born Mike Lévy would stand onstage and what equipment he'd use. Beyond that, 'we didn't really ask that many questions,' says Pilz-Hayot. Gesffelstein and his team arrived at Coachella, surprised to see that only one name was on the list of guest artists for Gaga's Mayhem Ball: Gesaffelstein. 'We literally asked [Gaga], 'But are there other guests?'' says Pilz-Hayot. 'No, no, you're the only one,' she told them. 'We were like, 'Oh my god.'' Hours later, Gesaffelstein was onstage alongside Gaga and her fleet of dancers, performing for the tens of thousands of people on the field and the millions more watching around the world via livestream. 'GESAFFELSTEIN, OH MY GOD IT'S GESAFFELSTEIN,' at least one person in the crowd screamed when the producer appeared onstage in his signature all-black everything — trousers, jacket, gloves, shimmering mask formed in the shape of his face and hair — at the start of the show's third act. The slender producer towered behind musical equipment held up by shimmery black pillars, as he and Gaga performed their sexy, funky, playful pop romp 'Killah,' a collaborative track from Gaga's March album, Mayhem. The moment was a figurative exclamation point on an unrelenting year. The last 12 months have contained Gesaffelstein collaborations with Gaga and Charli xcx (Brat's 'B2b' and 'I Might Say Something Stupid'), the release of his own third studio album, Gamma, and the launch of the tour behind this album, a run that began in April of 2024 on Coachella's Outdoor Stage and has hit global festivals and standalone arenas like Los Angeles' Kia Forum. The tour has indulged the dark, minimalist, deliciously intense and undeniably tantalizing world the producer — long a revered figure of the electronic underground — has erected with both his tough as nails industrial-leaning electronic music and corresponding aesthetic, with this tour easily being one of the best electronic shows on the road in 2024 and 2025. The tour's production design was conceived by Lévy, Marie de Testa and Pierre Claude. De Testa joined the team in 2023, while Claude has worked with the artist for the last 12 years, since the tour for his 2013 debut, Aleph. In his role as production and lighting designer, Claude is in charge of designing the show's set and lighting schematic while coming up with the ideas it takes to make it all hit hard while also avoiding de facto electronic live show elements like fire, confetti and soaring LED screens. 'Mike is very involved with his own tour for sure, from the design and the story,' Claude says. 'For this, he wanted something massive — a big set piece, very theatrical, no technology or automation or anything futuristic, just a theatrical set. And black, of course — everything is black with Mike.' 'You have one person on stage who's doing everything with machines,' adds Pilz-Hayot. 'So it's trying to make it almost like a ceremony. That's always been the brief all his life. Of course, we wanted something bigger, that had the spirit of something that would be monumental.' (Adding to the mystery of it all, no one has interviewed Lévy since circa 2014, a streak that would not be unbroken for this story. Pilz-Hayot explains that 'he's always been very protective of himself; what he wants to share with the audience is never the 'behind the scenes.'') Together, the team conjured a design that puts Gesaffelstein on a raised podium, bookended by his equipment and structures fabricated in the shape of long black crystals, a sort of phantasmagorical flourish in an otherwise tidily designed structure meant to evoke the theater. The setup includes between six to eight towering pillars (depending on the size of the stage) with Gesaffelstein and his podium placed atop a set of stairs. Altogether, it gives the feeling that he's playing from within a sort of Blade Runner-style Pantheon — and not even necessarily performing from within the set, but being part of it. 'That's why he's wearing a mask,' says Claude. 'It's not like a DJ or performer on stage. Mike wanted to be part of the design.' The set was built in Burbank, Calif., given the city's proximity to Indio, where Coachella happens. This routine was the same as for Gesaffelstein's lauded tour behind 2019's Hyperion, which also began at the festival. 'We started at Coachella every time on the Outdoor Stage,' Claude says, 'which is very stressful for us, because we have no rehearsals before.' Did everything at Coachella 2024 go according to plan, despite having no official run through? Claude considers it: 'Yes, actually. Yes.' It helps that this current show is easier to pull off than the one for Hyperion, given that it's a static piece that involves less technology and moving parts.'We just wanted to work out the lighting with music, so we don't need technology besides lights and music,' Claude continues. 'The plan was to do something very simple, but intense.' If you've stood in front of the stage on this tour, it's hard to deny the show's ferociousness, which ramps up over the course of the hour-plus show as Gesaffelstein manhandles his synthesizer. Throughout, he's bathed in washes of mostly white light and surrounded by lasers as the music builds to a place of pure pummeling. His only interaction with the crowd is when he briefly turns to face forward, extends an arm and wags his middle and index fingers to make a sort of 'come with me' gesture. Adding to the intrigue is that it's impossible to read his face, given the aforementioned mask. This costume piece, which Pilz-Hayot says was partially inspired by the themes of beauty and sin in Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, became part of the Gesaffelstein canon on the Hyperion tour. This time, however, the eyes of the mask glow unsettlingly, an effect that adds the surreal feel and helps the show achieve its intended sci-fi mood — even if it does also obscure the artist's objectively perfect face. 'When he told me he wanted to wear a mask for the Hyperion tour I was like, 'What the f–k?'' recalls Claude. 'He's like, one of the most beautiful artists in the world, and he wants to hide his face? I was a bit disappointed, because he looks so cool onstage smoking cigarettes or for an hour [while he played]. But when he came for the first show with the mask on, it was like, 'What the f–k — It looks so good!'' 'It's not an artist anymore,' says Pilz-Hayot. 'It's a character.' On both aesthetic and functional levels, the mask also adds to the intensity. While it's thin in design and equipped with a fan, Claude reports that 'it's difficult for him to hear.' He uses an in-ear monitor 'like an F1 driver,' but the situation is exacerbated by the fact that 'he can't see a lot. He can see like, the first row.' But 'for him, it doesn't matter,' Claude continues. 'His music is intense, so he doesn't want to have a good time on stage. He just doing his job.' In terms of lighting, the one moment of color comes during the slinky, G-funk inspired 2013 classic 'Hellifornia' during which the stage is bathed in deep red light. 'We really wanted to have a dirty strip club mood,' Claude says of this color choice. Given the emphasis on simplicity, Claude worked to 'hide all the technical stuff.' Lights, lasers, cables and even musical equipment are hidden behind columns and under the steps, which are in fact just props and unable to support any weight, making them easier to transport. With no technical elements visible, Claude says the show is almost the 'total opposite' of the current lights and lasers bonanza that Gesaffelstein's friends Justice are currently touring with. The producer and his 10-person touring team have brought the show to dance-focused festivals around the world. U.S. stops included San Francisco's Portola, San Diego's CRSSD, Miami's Ultra Music Festival and last month's EDC Las Vegas. Given that some of these dance fests have stage that are fantastically shaped liked butterflies and flowers, Claude says it's often 'very difficult' for him to adapt the minimalist show to the whimsical surroundings. (To wit, it was a striking juxtaposition when Gesaffelstein played EDC's lotus flower-shaped NeonGarden stage as a fireworks finale lit up the sky behind him.) 'There is not a place that really suits him,' says Pilz-Hayot. 'He's obviously very different from what happens in the EDM scene globally, musically or in live production.' Still, the dance festival world has warmly welcomed him, and Pilz-Hayot says the team received many show offers after the 2024 Coachella debut. (This type of organic marketing is helpful, given that he doesn't speak publicly or even have an Instagram account.) His sound also makes it possible for him to exist at major multi-genre festivals at Coachella, Paris' We Love Green (where he plays this Saturday, June 7) and San Francisco's Outside Lands, where he plays in August, while making him a fit for other genre-focused events, like Germany's Rock am Ring and Rock im Park metal festivals — where Gesaffelstein played in 2014, taking the stage after Iron Maiden. 'We were the last act,' says Claude. 'The metal fans walked towards the exit and Mike was playing there, and they all stopped and really enjoyed [the performance],' with Gesaffelstein's heavy canon sharing obvious DNA with the hard, loud and head-banging metal realm. This ability to exist across worlds while also doing something uniquely his own has arguably been the draw for pop stars like Gaga, Charli and The Weeknd, the latter of whom collaborated with Gesaffelstein on 2019's 'Lost In the Fire.' 'He's so outside of trends and really wants to follow his path and his artistic proposal,' says Pilz-Hayot. 'In a way, he's been doing this same approach and very particular sound since day one, so the way he produces is so specific that people just want Gesaffelstein's stamp on their music.' But those bewitched by the darkness of his sound should not discount the pop sensibility that also lies within. 'He has a very strong sense of melody and pop,' continues Pilz-Hayot. 'You hear it on the Charli song and the Gaga song, especially on the track 'Killah.' It's the meeting of two artists who really understand each other musically. It's been the easiest collaboration.' But you will not hear the track or any of his other pop collabs (which include an official remix of Gaga's electro smash 'Abracadabra') in his current setlist, which instead pulls from his own catalog, and builds to a place that feels like blissfully getting punched in the face with a battering ram of drums. He's got festival dates on the calendar through mid-August, then, Pilz-Hayot says, 'I guess all he wants is to be back in the studio and making new music. You never know what happens next… but clearly a new album would be the next target.' When this new album is ready to tour and further build out the dark kingdom of electronic music's so-called dark prince, fans will be ready, and the team will be too. 'I'll be touring with him forever,' says Claude. 'He's a good friend, and I f–king love his music.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
These Are the 5 Most Successful Touring Comedians of 2025 (So Far)
Last month, Billboard Boxscore revealed its midyear touring recap, dominated by Coldplay, K-pop and Las Vegas' Sphere. With the launch of Billboard's comedy hub, we're taking a closer look at the top-grossing comedy acts at the midyear mark. More from Billboard How to Secure Affordable Tickets to Earth, Wind & Fire on StubHub 'Something Very Simple, But Intense': How Gesaffelstein & His Team Made One of the Best Electronic Shows On the Road Barry Manilow on His Farewell Concerts ('It Is Goodbye') & Why Today's Lyrics Sound Like a 'Run-On Sentence' The 2025 midyear recap provides a switch-up at the top of the list. Kevin Hart led the pack for 2022 at year-end and in 2023 at both midyear and at the end of the year. Nate Bargatze took the mantle for midyear and year-end in 2024. Both of them were on the road during the '25 tracking period, and one of them even cracks the top five — but there's a new voice atop the heap. While most of the top comedians at midyear spent their time primarily in theaters, the No. 1 act filled arenas, selling out 30 shows in the U.S. and Canada across the six-month period. By playing to larger crowds, the leading comic could afford to play fewer shows; 30 is the smallest show count among the top five, though it's still a busy calendar. Among the top 100 touring artists at midyear, including musicians across all genres, the average show count was 20. By stark contrast, the top five comedy acts averaged 48. Multiple shows per night and low production overhead usually keeps these jokesters moving quicker than pop stars and bands. Keep scrolling for a detailed breakdown of the top five grossing touring comedians of the midyear period – Oct. 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025 – by the numbers. Midyear charts are based on figures reported to Billboard $13.4MTickets: 214KNumber of Shows: 47All-Genre Rank: N/A The ventriloquist act kicked off the midyear period in Columbia, S.C. on Oct. 17, and played throughout the U.S. before ending in Manchester, N.H on March 21. He broke the top five via consistency – he played no fewer than five shows per month across the half-year $14.6MTickets: 204KNumber of Shows: 53All-Genre Rank: N/A Koy kept it moving, playing 53 shows in 49 cities. His biggest stop was in Hawaii, playing three shows at Honolulu's Neal S. Blaisdell Center from Nov. 29-Dec. 1. That run brought in $1.2 million and sold 16,300 $20MTickets: 275KNumber of Shows: 50All-Genre Rank: N/A Iglesias, also known as 'Fluffy,' toured all throughout the United States, with three stops into Canada. Seven of his shows sold more than 10,000 tickets, while just one broke the $1 million mark – a March 15 date at Chicago's United $28.3MTickets: 216KNumber of Shows: 61All-Genre Rank: No. 32 On the Acting My Age tour, Hart didn't just play more shows than the other acts in the top five – he played more than any soloist on the all-genre 50-position midyear Top Tours chart. With multiple shows at most of the theaters on his schedule, his most extended stay was a five-show run at Philadelphia's The Met (Dec. 4-8).Gross: $35.5MTickets: 361KNumber of Shows: 30All-Genre Rank: No. 25 After kicking off last year, Maniscalco's It Ain't Right Tour continues to fill arenas in North America. His five shows at Madison Square Garden were last September and counted toward the 2024 rankings, but double-headers in Boston, Chicago, and Toronto earned more than $3 million each. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
Metropolis Japan
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metropolis Japan
SONICMANIA 2025
Kick off the Summer Sonic weekend with SONICMANIA, the all-night rave featuring electronic and alternative acts. This year's lineup includes The Prodigy, Gesaffelstein, Floating Points (live), Denki Groove, Perfume, Tohji, 2HOLLIS, KIKUO, MFS and Minna-no-Kimochi. SONICMANIA offers a unique opportunity to experience cutting-edge music in an electrifying atmosphere. With performances spanning various electronic sub-genres, attendees can dance the night away to pulsating beats and mesmerizing visuals. Held at the expansive Makuhari Messe, the event provides ample space for multiple stages, immersive installations and chill-out zones. Whether you're a die-hard electronic music fan or simply looking for an unforgettable night out, SONICMANIA 2025 delivers an unparalleled experience.
Time Out
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
‘Havoc' soundtrack: the full tracklist for the Tom Hardy Netflix action-thriller
For anyone in the mood for a night in with an explosive, brutal and expertly choreographed action flick, Gareth Evans' Havoc has landed on Netflix at the perfect moment. Starring Tom Hardy as a hard bitten cop navigating a world of crime and corruption, it's an action spectacular that owes a debt to the Hong Kong action cinema of John Woo and Johnny To, as well as the US crime thrillers of William Friedkin and Michael Mann. In Evans' trademark style, it's a riot of furious violence that throws guns, knives and just about anything else that comes to hand into the mix – even a washing machine at one point. The soundtrack throws up some curveballs, too. Expect everything from Cantonese hip hop to Bing Crosby yuletide classics to some back-to-back club bangers from cool-kid French DJ, Gesaffelstein. There's even a deep cut John Woo aural Easter egg for anyone with their ears peeled. We asked the filmmaker to talk through a few of the choices. The Low Mays and Bakerie – The Mysterious Hiace 'The Cantonese hip hop was all down to the music supervisors who put in front of me! I wanted something that was specific and localised [to Chinatown]. It was obviously important to have a track that set the tone for the scene, but also had moments that could work in conjunction with the tension and the pace of the scene itself.' Bing Crosby – O Holy Night 'Initially, we were after a Nat King Cole version of Mary's Boy Child [for the ambush sequence], which is obviously more popularly done by Boney M. But because of the way it was being used in the scene, we got rejected. But Bing Crosby's O Holy Night fits that scene like a glove now. I wanted something that would contrast to the violence on screen – and there's something very specifically Christmassy about that piece of music. To have it as the backdrop to our assassin arriving with a shotgun really amplifies the tension.' Xiaoyun Chen – Main Shi Chi 'We managed to get the rights to use one of the songs from A Better Tomorrow and this is an Easter egg moment – a wink to John Woo. It's featured when Chow Yun-fat's character hides guns in plant pots in the restaurant, and in Havoc we use it in the moment after Mother has arrived in Chinatown.' Gesaffelstein – Pursuit 'I was always keen to use Pursuit in the [club] sequence, but what I didn't think would happen was that we'd end up using a number of Gesaffelstein songs across that whole scene. If you were to look at it purely from the perspective of 'is that the playlist of the nightclub?', it feels a bit odd that they would play five tracks in a row with the same artist. But every single track we dropped in as a needle drop completely complemented the choreography and the action.' Gesaffelstein – Destinations Gesaffelstein – Obsession Gesaffelstein – OPR Gesaffelstein – Hate Or Glory The Choir of Kings College London – O Frondens Virga When is Havoc on Netflix? The movie launches on the streamer worldwide on Friday, April 25.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lady Gaga Sets ‘MAYHEM' Track List, ‘SNL' Return
Lady Gaga has confirmed the track list for her highly anticipated new album, MAYHEM, which is arriving March 7 from Interscope. The next day, she will both host and perform on NBC's Saturday Night Live, at whose 50th anniversary music celebration she played on Feb. 14. MAYHEM includes the previously released singles 'Die With a Smile' featuring Bruno Mars, 'Disease' and 'Abracadabra,' in addition to 11 other songs. The only other track with a guest feature is 'Killah' with dance music star Gesaffelstein. Gaga also announced the names of two bonus tracks, 'Kill For Love' and 'Can't Stop the High,' although its unknown in what forms they will be available. More from Spin: Bucking Retirement, Paul Simon Plans 2025 Tour Rising Star Guns N' Roses, Tool Board Black Sabbath Farewell Show 'The album started as me facing my fear of returning to the pop music my earliest fans loved,' Gaga previously stated. She likened the creative process to 'reassembling a shattered mirror: even if you can't put the pieces back together perfectly, you can create something beautiful and whole in its own new way.' MAYHEM was executive produced by Gaga, Michael Polansky and Andrew Watt, with production by Gaga, Watt, Cirkut and Gesaffelstein. DiseaseAbracadabraGarden of EdenPerfect CelebrityVanish Into YouKillah featuring GesaffelsteinZombieboyLoveDrugHow Bad Do U Want MeDon't Call TonightShadow of a ManThe BeastBlade of GrassDie With a Smile To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
