Latest news with #HighwaytoHell
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billy Joel Cancels All Scheduled Concerts Following Brain Disorder Diagnosis
Billy Joel has announced the cancellation of 17 shows he booked at stadiums across North America and England, due to his recent diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). In a statement, Joel and his team said the condition had been exacerbated by recent concert performances, 'leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.' Under his doctor's orders, Joel is said to be undergoing 'specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.' More from Variety Billy Joel Documentary 'And So It Goes' to Open 2025 Tribeca Festival Billy Joel Postpones Tour Dates After Surgery for Medical Condition: 'My Health Must Come First' Billy Joel Joined by Axl Rose for 'Highway to Hell' as He Hits the Highway Out of Madison Square Garden With a Rousing Residency Finale: Concert Review 'I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,' said Joel. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Billy Joel (@billyjoel) The statement concludes with Joel and his team sharing gratitude 'for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.' Information on ticket refunds is also included, with refunds automatically being processed back to the original payment used for the purchase. More to come… Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billy Joel Cancels All Scheduled Concerts Following Brain Disorder Diagnosis
Billy Joel has announced the cancellation of 17 shows he booked at stadiums across North America and England, due to his recent diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). In a statement, Joel and his team said the condition had been exacerbated by recent concert performances, 'leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.' Under his doctor's orders, Joel is said to be undergoing 'specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.' More from Variety Billy Joel Documentary 'And So It Goes' to Open 2025 Tribeca Festival Billy Joel Postpones Tour Dates After Surgery for Medical Condition: 'My Health Must Come First' Billy Joel Joined by Axl Rose for 'Highway to Hell' as He Hits the Highway Out of Madison Square Garden With a Rousing Residency Finale: Concert Review 'I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,' said Joel. The statement concludes with Joel and his team sharing gratitude 'for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.' Information on ticket refunds is also included, with refunds automatically being processed back to the original payment used for the purchase. More to come… Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Forbes
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
AC/DC Now Claims A New Biggest Hit On One Chart With 'Thunderstruck'
AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' hits a new peak on the Billboard Global 200, rising to No. 140 and becoming ... More the band's highest- and longest-charting global hit. INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA: In this image released on May 2, Brian Johnson of music group AC/DC performs onstage with music group Foo Fighters during Global Citizen VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Global Citizen VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World will be broadcast on May 8, 2021. (Photo byfor Global Citizen VAX LIVE) 'Thunderstruck' has been AC/DC's longest-running hit on the Billboard Global 200 for quite some time now. That chart, introduced half a decade ago, ranks the most popular songs around the world by blending sales and streaming data to display what listeners everywhere are enjoying. In the modern era, 'Thunderstruck' has become the Australian rock outfit's most popular track, decades after its release and years after it first appeared on the highly competitive tally. The tune is still climbing, and this frame marks a very special one for the cut — and for the band in general. 'Thunderstruck' rises two spots on the Billboard Global 200 this week, improving from No. 142 to No. 140. That marks a new best showing for the single on the worldwide roster. Just last week, 'Thunderstruck' was tied as AC/DC's highest-charting hit ever on the Billboard Global 200. It matched 'Highway to Hell,' as both compositions stalled at No. 142. Now, 'Thunderstruck' has pulled ahead, and AC/DC officially claims a new biggest hit ever on the ranking. As it reaches a new all-time peak on the Billboard Global 200, 'Thunderstruck' also climbs slightly on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. That tally, compiled in the same way, but without factoring in American streams or sales, does not see the tune hit a new best showing this week. In the past, it soared as high as No. 169. This time around, it's up to No. 175, so while it's not far behind its top position, it hasn't reset the record just yet. 'Thunderstruck' also appears on a trio of Billboard charts that track American listeners specifically. Impressively, the decades-old cut is steady across all three and remains inside the top 10 on the Rock Digital Song Sales, Hard Rock Digital Song Sales, and Hard Rock Streaming Songs rankings, as it remains a top seller and streamer. So far, none of AC/DC's five songs that have reached the Billboard Global 200 have broken into its upper half. Along with 'Thunderstruck' and 'Highway to Hell,' 'Shot in the Dark' (No. 150), 'Back in Black' (No. 191), and 'You Shook Me All Night Long' (No. 199) have all charted, though only for brief moments. In addition to being AC/DC's highest-charting global hit, 'Thunderstruck' is also its longest-charting. The track has now spent 90 weeks somewhere on the Billboard Global 200. 'Back in Black' stands as the band's second-longest-running success on the tally, with just six frames on the list. 'Highway to Hell' only managed four, while both 'Shot in the Dark' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long' debuted, disappeared, and have yet to return.
Epoch Times
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Rescued Hostage Shares Journey From Pain to Hope on Canvas
As gunshots rang out through the Nova music festival grounds on Oct. 7, 2023, Andrei Kozlov, bewildered and terrified, jumped into a car with two strangers he thought were fleeing to safety. Ten minutes into the harrowing ride, he realized an ugly truth. The car was headed to Gaza. He was being kidnapped. He was a hostage of Hamas. Kozlov was one of hundreds captured and held by the Palestinian terrorist organization that attacked Israel that day. About 1,200 Israelis were killed in massacres across communities and military bases in southern Israel. Now 28, he is free after being held for 246 days in Gaza. He was rescued by soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on June 8, 2024. The memories remain. And now he shares them with others in artwork he's creating. Related Stories 4/16/2025 3/23/2025 His paintings will be on display to the public at the Elizabeth Sutton Collection art gallery in New York City for three weeks starting May 9, the day after a private debut. The plan is for the exhibit to travel to other cities after that. The exhibition will include 'Highway to Hell,' an acrylic on canvas depicting Kozlov's terror-filled car ride from the music festival massacre into Gaza. Other works planned for the exhibition reveal other glimpses of his time as a hostage—scenes of misery but also hope. Kozlov is a secular Russian-Israeli. He has lived mainly in New York and became an Israeli citizen just six months before his capture. While held in captivity by Hamas terrorists, he coped by drawing, an interest he'd had since childhood. Now, as a free man, he has a new dream. He wants to share his art with the world. Andrei Kozlov paints as a way to move past the horror of his time as a hostage in Gaza at a studio in New York City on April 24, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times 'I want to share my point of view,' he told The Epoch Times. 'I want people to see what I saw, and maybe it will help somebody realize what happened. Because they heard a lot of stories, but they didn't see it.' Coping in Captivity During his first two months in captivity, Kozlov and two other hostages held with him were shuffled from place to place, he said. The seventh move put the hostages in a room in an apartment for six months. The number of their captors varied. Kozlov said he doesn't know exactly how many there were. He saw a few dozen, and there was always at least one captor in the room where he and his fellow hostages stayed. Would he be allowed to live? Or would he be killed? These were questions that filled his thoughts depending on his captors' erratic behavior, he said. Andrei Kozlov's painting "Highway to Hell," depicting his ride into Gaza with his Hamas captors, is readied for transport to a traveling art exhibition that opens in New York in May. Courtesy of Emanuel Friedman, Lux Contemporary At one moment, he and the other hostages could be eating breakfast in relative peace. These times of calm could be interrupted by captors suddenly walking in from another room, pointing Kalashnikov rifles at them. At times, shackles prevented him from moving much. When he wasn't shackled, he was allowed sometimes to do push-ups and squats for exercise. He and fellow hostages mostly ate pita and rice for their meals, which were no more than twice a day. The frequent hunger melted 15 pounds from his athletic frame. Kozlov recalled being allowed to shower and change clothes once a week. At one of the places he was held, the only item provided for toileting was a basket in a corner. But he's sure the conditions he and his fellow hostages faced were better than the conditions faced by those held in terrorists' tunnels. About half of his captors treated hostages well, he said. 'And with them,' Kozlov said, 'we were able to communicate and to complain about something—try to, somehow, to influence them.' These captors were persuaded to bring medicine and extra clothing, he said. One of the captors, Abdallah Aljamal, sometimes hit the hostages, locked them in the bathroom, or piled blankets on them, despite the blistering Gaza heat. Sometimes, Aljamal's mood changed. He would play cards with Kozlov and the others. To help himself cope, Kozlov eventually asked his captors for paper and a pencil. He received a 16-page notebook. And he began to draw. From memory, Kozlov brought characters from movies to life on his paper. He drew Davy Jones from 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and Spider-Man. Starting in January 2024, he drew almost every day. It was a way to stay out of a mental jail while physically held in captivity, he said. Posters that read 'Home Now' depicting the portraits of the four rescued Israeli hostages from left: Andrey Kozlov, 27, Noa Argamani, 26, Shlomi Ziv, 41, and Almog Meir Jan, 22, are plastered on a wall in Tel Aviv on June 8, 2024. Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images 'I started to express myself and to remember what feelings I had all this time,' he said. 'What feelings I want to feel when I will be home ... 'You can be physically in captivity, but you can be mentally free. You can be in one place, but you can think about whatever you want. You can think about yourself, first of all, whatever you want, about them, what you think they are.' His first sketches were positive, including a shirtless, bald, skinny man standing in front of a source of light. To Kozlov, it was a 'symbol of freedom.' He wanted his artistic endeavors to demonstrate to his family one day that being held hostage did not break him. In all, he thinks he completed about 30 drawings. But in May 2024, one of his captors became angry with him and took away the notebook. He didn't say why. 'He tried to find some mistakes that I did during the last couple of months,' Kozlov said. He didn't think he'd made any mistakes. The notebook wasn't returned. Rescued A month later, Israeli soldiers stormed in to rescue Kozlov and the other hostages. A video of Since then, the building where he was held was destroyed by the Israeli military. He has not asked for help recovering the drawings. 'It's ridiculous to ask soldiers to go there only because of my pain,' he said. 'It's under concrete rocks.' The chance of finding the artwork, he said, is 'impossible.' Kozlov prefers not to focus on his time in captivity. Now, he wants the focus to be on the artwork he's created since his rescue. 'Highway to Hell' One of Kozlov's most striking paintings is 'Highway to Hell.' It shows him shirtless in the front-passenger seat of a car, gripping a handle above his window. A man in the back seat of the car points forward, appearing to guide the driver. As they sped away from the music festival as Hamas attacked, Kozlov suddenly realized he wasn't heading toward safety. He was headed to Gaza. With terrorists. To captivity. 'The biggest disappointment in my life, probably,' he said. Another painting, 'Maybe,' shows a narrow pathway between two walls that look to be closing in. But in the distance, a sliver of light shines through, representing freedom. Or hope, he said. The work represents his recollection of constantly being moved from place to place as a hostage. Part of the work's description includes a quote from Kozlov: 'My legs felt paralyzed with fear, not knowing if I would make it out of the alley—or if I wouldn't.' Another painting shows Kozlov looking in the mirror at himself as a hostage, a man clearly in despair. Yet another work represents the day Kozlov was rescued. It shows narrow beams of light piercing the darkness. An Israeli soldier was killed in the rescue operation. The grateful artist calls the work depicting that moment 'Fallen Angel.' Andrei Kozlov's painting "Fallen Angel," depicting his rescue from being held in captivity by Hamas, is readied for transport to a gallery for an exhibition in New York in May. Courtesy of Emanuel Friedman, Lux Contemporary Still more paintings are spilling out of him onto canvases. One in progress shows a blue man sitting with his hands on his head in a state of despair. The image was inspired by the 'Blue Period' of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. Kozlov also finds inspiration in the works of French painter Claude Monet and Russian and French artist Marc Chagall. Another piece still in progress shows three captors in a posture of Muslim prayer, kneeling on a prayer rug looking toward Mecca. They are worshipping at a distance. 'They prayed five times a day,' Kozlov recalled. 'They invited us to pray with them together, but they didn't force us. So we had some freedom.' Andrei Kozlov poses with some of his artwork at a studio in New York City on April 24, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times Kozlov said he wanted nothing to do with his captors' religious rituals. Instead, he meditated to feel at peace with himself in the moment, to stay calm, and to maintain his strength. 'If somebody will call them on the phone and they will order them to kill us, they will do this,' he said. 'They are not my friends.' The title of the piece showing the men praying is 'One God.' 'It is showing how we all pray to one God,' said Emanuel Friedman, Kozlov's gallerist. 'But when you look into the bedroom from where the prayers are coming from, it completely contradicts holiness and religion. 'Working with Andrei feels like a huge nod to my grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor. Spending every day with him reminds me of all the stories she would tell me about how to never forget and never let anti-Semitism plague this earth ever again,' Friedman said. 'This collection will tell the real side of history from a survivor that's been to both sides and returned alive to tell his story. This collection will travel to Jewish museums and institutions all around the world to remind people [that] October 7th happened. And 'Never Again' means 'Never Again.'' Life After Captivity Kozlov has been interested in creating works of art since he was 6. 'I understood already in my childhood that I have some talent, but I didn't improve it enough because I didn't want to do it on [a] professional level,' he said. He painted with watercolors, then started with oil paints seven years ago. In the first three months following his rescue, Kozlov immersed himself in time with family, going to the beach and traveling throughout Israel. 'It's the most important thing that we have—people that are close to us,' he said. 'Friends. Family.' Then, he decided it was time to try to process what he'd endured by putting it on canvas. For four months, he worked in the Los Angeles studio of Israeli artist Tomer Peretz. For Kozlov, it was like therapy. Andrei Kozlov mixes paint next to a painting depicting his captivity at a studio in New York City on April 24, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times Over time, Kozlov opened up more to his fellow artist, and the two created a connection, Peretz told The Epoch Times. The two artists met through a mutual friend. But forming relationships, Peretz said, 'cannot be done in one-hour or two-hour sessions. Those things [need] to be done by a connection.' Peretz understands the path through processing trauma. He lived in Israel and experienced terrorist attacks. As a soldier, he saw people die. And he helped with ZAKA, a volunteer search-and-rescue group in Israel, after Hamas attacked the country on Oct. 7, 2023. 'The words 'art therapy' sometimes make me laugh, to be honest with you, because I don't think even people understand what kind of therapy these people need,' Peretz said. 'These people don't need sessions. These people don't need the therapist to sit in front of them and just talk to them. 'These people need to build up a very deep connection with people who went through a similar experience to themselves. Because if these people, those hostages, will sit in front of a [therapist] that didn't go through that kind of a hell, it would never work.' Kozlov says the time spent in Peretz's studio allowed him to 'reflect [on] all of this experience. When you think about what changed, how you changed, how people who [love] you changed all this time, what you missed, what you would like to say.' The time in the studio with Peretz helped him heal, said Kozlov's girlfriend of a few months, Yael Shanny. 'He expresses himself through this canvas,' she said. 'And it's helping him just to be who he is now, to be able to walk with us, talking, and just enjoy the rest of his life.' The painting titled "Other Side of the Mirror," created by Andrei Kozlov after his release from captivity as a hostage of Hamas, is prepared for display in a traveling art exhibition that opens in New York in May. Courtesy of Emanuel Friedman, Lux Contemporary Through his art, Kozlov now seeks to advocate for the Jewish state, as it has come under attack at home and abroad since the Oct. 7 attacks. He noted the ongoing wave of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic protests on U.S. college campuses and other places nationwide and around the globe. That's where he hopes his art can make a difference, he said. 'We can imagine something,' he said. 'But to see it in real life, through my eyes, it [may help] somebody also. Maybe it will change somebody's mind who is against Israel.' He sees hatred for Jews as 'a huge problem.' Kozlov isn't Jewish, but his paternal grandfather was. According to Jewish law, Jewish identity is matrilineal. Nonetheless, Kozlov has experienced anti-Semitism. 'I don't understand [the] nature of people who can say something or do something anti-Semitic,' he said. 'A Miracle' Kozlov now splits his time between Israel and New York. He plans to pursue his dream of being a full-time artist. Eventually, he hopes to have studios in both places. 'Andrei's work is the definition of art,' Friedman, who owns the Lux Contemporary art gallery in New York, wrote in a text message. 'His ability to communicate things you can only feel when in one's shoes is out of this world. 'I catch myself getting lost in each of his paintings for hours when I try to think about what Andrei must have felt [in] real time when all this was happening to him. This collection and his art was never supposed to be made. His life is a miracle—thus, so is his art.' Kozlov speaks publicly about his story as a way to help raise money for Israeli soldiers, and he's writing a book about his ordeal. He met with members of Congress to advocate for help in negotiating the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza and to talk about his artwork. He recognizes that his post-captivity paintings express a mix of darkness and hope. 'I try to leave the main thought in people's mind that there is still a light,' he said. 'Even if a painting is full of darkness, everywhere you will be able to see some light and some hope that I saw all this time.'
Scoop
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
A Breathtaking Collision Of Symphonic Orchestra Meets Hard Rock And Heavy Metal: Mānuka Phuel FULL METAL ORCHESTRA
Press Release – 818. Duco Touring and Liberty Stage are excited to announce the star-studded line-up for the inaugural Mānuka Phuel Full Metal Orchestra, coming to Spark Arena in Auckland on Saturday, 26 July 2025. The line-up includes legendary drummer Phil Rudd of AC/DC, powerhouse frontman Jon Toogood from Shihad, fearless vocalist Jennie Skulander of Devilskin, and EJ Barnes, daughter of rock icon Jimmy Barnes. Also included in the line-up are Pluto frontman Milan Borich and Wellington-based blues-rock singer Seamus Johnson, and a world-class orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia, led by acclaimed conductor Sarah-Grace Williams. Together, these artists will reimagine massive rock and metal anthems from the likes of AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Tool, Motorhead, Metallica, Nirvana, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Guns n' Roses, System of a Down and more. Full line-up and artist biographies Guest Vocalists / Musicians: Phil Rudd (AC/DC): New Zealand-based drummer, best known for his iconic work with AC/DC, contributing to legendary albums like Highway to Hell, Back in Black, and Let There Be Rock. Phil's unique drumming style has made him a pivotal figure in rock history. Jon Toogood (Shihad): Frontman of the legendary New Zealand rock band Shihad, Jon Toogood is renowned for his powerful voice and stage presence. With over 1,500 live performances and five #1 albums, he is one of New Zealand's most influential musicians. Jennie Skulander (Devilskin): The voice of Devilskin, Jennie Skulander has become a defining presence in New Zealand's heavy music scene. Her vocal range and commanding stage presence led the band to national success, including a #1 debut on the New Zealand charts. EJ Barnes (Jimmy Barnes' Daughter): A gifted singer and performer, Eliza-Jane Barnes, also known as EJ has toured the world with Liam Finn, Evil J & Saint Cecilia and Lawrence Arabia and has released multiple albums, including: 'There and Back' (solo), 'Champagne in Seashells' (Liam Finn & Eliza-Jane), 'BARB' (BARB) and 'Strange Beasts' (Evil J & Saint Cecilia). Milan Borich (Pluto): Singer-songwriter and frontman of the alternative rock band Pluto, Milan Borich is known for his distinctive style and powerful performances. Pluto's 2005 album Pipeline Under the Ocean achieved double platinum status. Seamus Johnson: A Wellington-based vocalist and guitarist, Seamus Johnson is known for his high-energy performances and raw blues-rock sound. He fronts the band Sea Mouse, blending Delta blues with garage rock influences. Orchestra: Auckland Philharmonia: New Zealand's largest professional symphony orchestra, the Auckland Phil presents over 60 performances annually, featuring classical works and collaborations with contemporary artists. Sarah-Grace Williams: Acclaimed Australian conductor and the Artistic Director of The Metropolitan Orchestra, Sarah-Grace Williams is known for her innovative approach to orchestral music and her regular work with SYNTHONY, blending classical and electronic music. The Come Together Band: Jol Mulholland – Music Director & Guitar: Renowned producer and multi-instrumentalist, Jol is a creative mastermind and the engine behind the Come Together band. He has worked with New Zealand's musical heavyweights and brings his expertise to the stage. Brett Adams – Lead Guitar: A virtuoso guitarist, Brett Adams has shared stages with the likes of Radiohead and Oasis, and locally with the who's who of NZ music. Brett has earned recognition for his exceptional ability – he's in a class of his own. Matthias Jordan (Pluto) – Keys: A founding member of Pluto, Matthias Jordan is a multi-instrumentalist and keyboardist known for his contributions to the New Zealand music scene and his work with various musical projects. Mike Hall (Pluto) – Bass: An accomplished bassist, Mike Hall is best known for his work with Pluto, and his collaborations with artists like The Brunettes, Dimmer, and Tami Neilson. He also released his debut solo album Nothing Stands Still in 2024. Alistair Deverick – Drums: Drummer and producer Alistair Deverick is known for his work with the electronic-pop project Boycrush and as a session musician for artists like Lawrence Arabia and Neil Finn. He released his debut album Desperate Late Night Energy in 2018.
