Latest news with #MusicFestival
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Sheila On 7 leads star-studded Latihan Pestapora Malaysia as 25,000 fans show up
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — 'Music connects us all' — that was the spirit at the inaugural Latihan Pestapora Malaysia, where over 25,000 fans packed the Bukit Jalil National Stadium for a full-day music celebration. The massive turnout came despite the festival coinciding with the Opposition-led 'Turun Anwar' protest in the capital, which reportedly drew over 18,000 demonstrators. Held on July 26, the music festival featured more than 25 acts from Malaysia and Indonesia, including current Indonesian chart-toppers Hindia and Feast., as well as the highly anticipated return of legendary rock band Sheila On 7 (SO7). Popular Malaysian acts such as Bunkface and SonaOne also left their mark on the historic stage. While the record for the largest concert crowd in Malaysia still belongs to British band Coldplay, who drew over 75,000 fans in 2023, Latihan Pestapora Malaysia is already being hailed as one of the most-attended music festivals in the country. Some of the acts performing on the two main stages of Latihan Pestapora Malaysia include Dolla, Pamungkas, Bittersweet and Kunto Aji. A first outside Indonesia Latihan Pestapora is part of a series of pre-events leading up to Indonesia's main Pestapora festival, which will be held from September 5 to 7 in Jakarta. This marks the first time a pre-event was staged outside Indonesia since the festival's inception in 2022. The Malaysian edition was co-organised by local company Hitman Solutions and Indonesia's Boss Creator, founder of Pestapora. The festival featured three stages: the main Hitman and Boss arenas, set side by side on the stadium track, and the Hingar Bingar stage located in the festival area near food and merchandise booths. Thousands arrive early despite heat Despite the hazy and hot Saturday, fans began arriving as early as 10am. By 1pm, the general admission queue had swelled with festivalgoers from across Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Festival rules also prohibited entry after 7pm, prompting even more to show up early. Salammusik opened the main stage, followed by crowd-favourite sets by Indonesian singers Pamungkas and Kunto Aji. Malaysian girl group Dolla got the audience moving with their latest hit MWA! before Nadin Amizah slowed things down with a dreamy performance. Indonesian band Sheila On 7 was the main highlight of the night, marking their return to Malaysia since their last show here in 2018. Sheila On 7 rocks the house The night's biggest draw was the return of Sheila On 7, who hadn't performed in Malaysia since 2018. The band delivered a rousing 90-minute set featuring their iconic hits Hari Bersamanya, Film Favorit, and Sebuah Kisah Klasik (Untuk Masa Depan). The stadium echoed with singalongs for fan favourites Melompat Lebih Tinggi, Sephia, Seberapa Pantas, and Berhenti Berharap — the latter drowned out by the audience singing every word. Love them or hate them, local pop-punk band Bunkface proved their worth at Latihan Pestapora Malaysia. Bunkface, Empty Page, SonaOne energise local stage Local pop-punk band Bunkface earned praise for their high-octane performance on the main stage post-Maghrib prayers. Opening the evening segment, they launched into Malam Ini Kita Punya, Rentak Laguku, Situasi and Revolusi, prompting full-scale singalongs. Meanwhile, the Hingar Bingar stage, which initially saw smaller crowds, built momentum thanks to appearances by Alvn, Ismail Izzani, Julia Duclos, DJ CZA, Killa Driz and Gaston Pong. Show-stealers included local band Empty Page, who delivered a fun and intimate set, and rapper SonaOne, who thrilled the crowd with hits such as Apa Khabar and Satu Malam Di Temasek. Indonesian dangdut DJ duo Feel Koplo brought the party vibes to Latihan Pestapora Malaysia. Feel Koplo and Ari Lesmana close the show While many left after SO7's set, those who stayed were rewarded with a buzzing performance by Indonesian dangdut duo Feel Koplo, who brought Fourtwnty frontman Ari Lesmana on stage. Together, they performed dangdut remixes of Mangu and Fana Merah Jambu, closing the night on a high. Teething issues and future plans Some attendees voiced complaints about long queues and limited water stations early in the day. However, organisers resolved the issue by 8pm after opening more water points. Hitman Solutions founder Rohit Rampal acknowledged the logistical challenges but praised the team effort. 'Bringing Latihan Pestapora to Malaysia is a major milestone. It's not just a production achievement but a cultural success,' Rohit said. He hinted at plans to make it an annual event following the overwhelming response. As Latihan Pestapora Malaysia wraps up, all eyes now turn to the main Pestapora festival in Jakarta this September, where hundreds of acts — including Malaysian superstar Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Ipoh-born DJ Miko Naiko — are set to perform. More details are available at
CBC
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Home County Music & Art Festival returns with Bedouin Soundclash headlining
The Home County Music & Art Festival is back at Victoria Park in London, Ont., this Saturday, promising a full day of live music, artisan vendors, and a laid-back summer vibe. This year marks the festival's 49th edition, although festival director Darin Addison said the team is still catching up after a few challenging years. "We did a small summer celebration last year, but we didn't call it a festival," Addison said on CBC London Morning. "We missed a couple of years with the pandemic and last year, so this year is kind of a step back. Fingers crossed we'll be back next year for our 50th edition with a three-day festival." A one-day event The festival will take place over a single day, with opening ceremonies set for 1 p.m. Addison said the decision to scale back to one day was primarily due to financial constraints and a lack of volunteer resources. "We lost our executive director and site coordinator, both volunteer positions, and people weren't stepping up," he said. "We had to sit back and regroup." More than 40 craft vendors will line Victoria Park, alongside a variety of food options and a beer garden hosted by London Brewing. The main stage will feature a mix of local and national performers, with Bedouin Soundclash headlining the lineup. Other acts include Ambiguous, Raised by Swans, Leanne Mayer, Fraser Teeple, The Marrieds, and bluegrass favourites New Cumberland. "People love the laid-back vibe of Home County," said Addison. "We're putting the stage in the middle of the park, inviting people to bring their own chairs or blankets and hang out." Admission by donation As always, the festival is admission by donation, and Addison emphasizes the importance of community support. "We rely on donations from patrons, but we want everyone to feel welcome," he said. The Home County Music & Art Festival runs all day Saturday at Victoria Park. More details, including the full performer lineup, can be found at
Forbes
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Live Nation Urban Just Launched The Largest Black Creator Network In The Industry
Festival-goers gather at Broccoli City 2024 in Washington, D.C., celebrating Black culture, music, ... More and community. Exclusive: This new platform helps brands move authentically through Black culture while uplifting the creators who shape it daily. Everyone wants to be a content creator. And there's no shortage of Black creators in the digital space. But is the field guaranteed to be lucrative? Not quite. One major barrier is the lack of access to high-impact, brand-backed campaigns. Live Nation Urban is stepping in with a strategic solution. Exclusively reported here on Forbes, the live-event production powerhouse has officially launched the Live Nation Urban Creator Network—a bold new partnership with Breakr, the creator marketing platform fueling some of the biggest campaigns in music and media. 'Creators have long been an integral part of how we market our tours and festivals' said Live Nation Urban President Shawn Gee in a press statement. 'But the demand from our brand partners pushed us to think bigger—to move beyond treating creator marketing as an internal tool and instead build a business model around it. As brands increasingly looked to us to help them connect authentically with Black audiences, even outside the context of our events, it became clear there was an opportunity to create something larger." At its core, the Live Nation Urban Creator Network isn't about popularity. It's about potency. The platform isn't looking for creators who simply rack up vanity metrics. It's looking for cultural movers. As Malcolm Gray, the VP, Marketing and Partnerships at Live Nation Urban explained in our exclusive interview, 'We're kind of building these platforms and especially in the past few years, the macro creators are cool for awareness, but the micro to mid creators drive culture.' That means creators with smaller, deeply engaged followings often hold more value than those with millions of passive followers. Rather than rely on a one-size-fits-all vetting process, Live Nation Urban leans into nuance. Every creator brings something different to the table, whether it's high-volume reach or niche influence. According to Malcolm, 'It's not somebody that has maybe even 50,000 followers—it might be somebody with 5,000 followers, but those 5,000 followers are very influential or they're also really tapped into everything that that person does.' This rather bespoke approach gives the platform its edge. It touches on the actuality of who is actually listening to the voices of content creators. Fans gather at Roots Picnic 2025 in Philadelphia, celebrating music, culture, and community at one ... More of Live Nation Urban's flagship festivals. Richard Gay, COO at Live Nation Urban, further touched on the power of customization. 'Sometimes it's who's the one that can move a 24-year-old female and who's the one that can move a 60-year-old female that loves gospel and is going to our gospel festival for Franklin down in Dallas, right?' In other words, the Creator Network isn't just an engine for buzz, but rather a strategy-driven vehicle designed to meet audiences where they are, both geographically and culturally. What makes this platform visionary isn't just its embrace of creators, it's its embrace of strategy. 'Everything is custom for us,' Richard said. 'We understand that there's no one solution.' That level of intentionality positions the Creator Network not just as another influencer roster, but as a cultural infrastructure. Moreover, a living, breathing system that connects creators to campaigns with real impact, not just algorithms. When it comes to creator partnerships, compensation isn't just a detail, it's a dealbreaker. And in a field where Net 30 and Net 60 delays are still the industry standard, that waiting game can kill momentum, and at times tug at the livelihood of future relations. Live Nation Urban understood that pain point intimately. Their team had been managing creator collaborations manually, through Excel spreadsheets, endless email threads, and a patchwork of document requests. 'If you want to move at the speed of marketing, you can't do that with a process like that,' Malcolm explained. Enter Breakr, a tech-forward solution founded by two young Black brothers, Anthony and Ameer Brown, that did more than streamline logistics. The platform's creator search tool made onboarding creators seamless, trimming days of research into just hours. But it was their revolutionary tool BreakrPay™ that truly shifted the paradigm. Through BreakrPay™, creators are stationed to receive their compensation within 48 hours. As Malcolm put it, 'we use a platform to curate, negotiate, confirm offers, make sure that the talent and the creators execute, see analytics, and then we can pay them within 48 hours of them making the post, which is not normal. That's a game changer for us.' In an industry where freelancers often chase down payments like bill collectors, this frictionless payment system is more than convenient. It's equitable. BreakrPay fronts the creator's payment while consolidating the invoicing process on the back end, freeing both the talent and the brand from bureaucratic lag. 'That took so much stress and process out of it,' Malcolm shared. 'Hey, cool—you make the post, and within 48 hours, you get paid. We're on to the next one.' Lil Wayne joins Juvenile, B.G., and Turk for a Hot Boys reunion at 2023 Lil Weezyana ... More Festival—bringing the iconic Cash Money crew back together on home turf. But the brilliance of this partnership didn't end with efficiency. It aligned squarely with what Richard deems as Live Nation Urban's investment thesis. 'We always need to be the leaders in Black live events, and with the Black audience,' Richard explained. That leadership considers the creation of the infrastructure, and investing in the people building it. 'When Tony and Ameer came in, here's these two young African-American males that had this great thing, this unbelievable product… they're amazing and talented, they're going to drive lots of growth for our business and our industry, and we're going to help drive lots of growth in theirs.' That ethos is precisely what undergirds the Black Lilly Fund, Live Nation Urban's vehicle for investing in Black-led innovation across live events, tech, and cultural strategy. Whether it's through platforms like Breakr or community activations like Black on the Block, the fund reflects a broader commitment: to build, fund, and champion the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. Especially those disrupting the status quo. One concern I brought to the table was this: how does Live Nation Urban ensure the Creator Network isn't just a seasonal play tied to Black cultural moments, but a sustained, year-round ecosystem for creators? Far too often, Black creatives are spotlighted for campaigns only when it's trendy, not when it's strategic. Think Black History Month. Juneteenth. The birth of hip-hop. But as Malcolm clarified, this network was never about checking a DEI box—it's about building long-term economic and cultural value. 'We have all these people we work with that are great creators,' he said, 'But now we can pitch them to brands as part of experiences… campaigns that aren't specifically tied to one of our festivals.' Richard took it a step further, distilling the mission in no uncertain terms: 'This has nothing to do with whether DEI is in favor or not, right, it has nothing to do with that.' What they're building isn't conditional on the corporate diversity trend cycle. It's a market-tested mechanism to drive real results. Whether that means selling tickets, pushing a product, or activating a voter base, the network is equipped to 'move audiences to action,' and that's something brands need every day of the year, not just when Black culture becomes marketable. Megan Thee Stallion commands the stage at 2024 Broccoli City Festival, bringing high energy and ... More Houston heat to Washington, D.C. That year-round relevance is precisely why the Creator Network is structurally distinct from Live Nation Urban's events. With access to a scalable creator roster that can be segmented by audience, category, or campaign goal, the team can deliver measurable impressions on demand. 'That is a need where the creator network is… really, really valuable and powerful, far beyond us,' said Richard. And perhaps most powerfully, 'that's why we're opening up our Black box.' I had to ask the obvious, yet critical question: with so many platforms and collectives claiming to center Black creators, what truly sets this one apart? Because let's be clear, there's no shortage of agencies or influencer marketing tools that 'target Black audiences.' But too often, those efforts feel extractive or surface-level. What Live Nation Urban is doing through this network feels deeper and is rather, more strategic, more lived-in, and more earned. According to Richard, it comes down to infrastructure. 'We have access to 30 million plus records on folks… That's something people don't have,' he shared. That data doesn't just sit in a spreadsheet. It's sliced, indexed, and overlaid with the lived experience of 15+ years producing live events for Black audiences. This is statistics. Skewed Black. 'We can curate and match and scale that… this is the mosaic of Black culture,' he added. Malcolm finds value in Live Nation Urban rich network lexicon. Other platforms may offer software, but in addition, Live Nation Urban offers relationships. 'We do this,' he said plainly. 'We do events, we do tours, we do festivals… we live off selling tickets.' That means creators in the network are stepping into a constant flow of opportunity, not just hopeful invitations. 'We just have access,' Malcolm explained. 'So even if you only work on Live Nation Urban stuff, that's still probably four, five, six events a year you can put on your resume.' Let's be clear, this isn't some newly launched beta program. Live Nation Urban has been doing the work, consistently and deliberately, for more than four years. Long before it was fashionable to 'invest in Black creators,' they were building an ecosystem that positioned Black creatives not just as participants, but as central players in exposure. From The Roots Picnic to Mary J. Blige's Strength of a Woman Festival, from Broccoli City to the Emmy-nominated 'Sly Lives!' documentary directed by Questlove, the Creator Network has already activated some of the most defining cultural events in Black America. WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: Zoe Spencer attends BET Awards 2025 Media House at Quixote ... More Studios West Hollywood on June 08, 2025 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Robinfor BET) And the creators tapped for these campaigns aren't just your standard viral influencers. They're community connectors who bring their own loyal audiences along for the ride. We're talking about creators like Zoe Spencer (3.9M+ followers), Big Homie Blocks (2.27M+), Fats Da Barber (696K+), Reggie Couz (4.6M+), and FunnyMan Gaitlin (6.3M+). This isn't about moment marketing. Such as of 2025 is effortless. And modern marketing in entertainment extends beyond effortless creator behavior. It's about movement marketing. That phrase, used by the Live Nation Urban team, doesn't just sound good, it's the truth of what they've built. The Creator Network is more than an influencer roster. It's a platform with data-backed muscle, culturally grounded strategy, and a blueprint for what equitable creator ecosystems should look like. Live Nation Urban is fixated on long-term impact. Their team's approach, "movement marketing," reflects the substance of what they've developed. The Creator Network is a platform that uses data, smart strategy, and a plan for fair creator partnerships. There are currently 75,000 creators listed supported by 55 million data points, and successful collaborations with brands like BET, STARZ, and Hulu. Live Nation Urban Creator Network For Black creators, this network offers more than just opportunity, providing a direct path to success. Whether you have 5,000 or 5 million followers, the LNU Creator Network values quality and result driven Black content creators. Applications for the Live Nation Urban Creator Network are now live. Prospective Black creators can apply to the 2025 Creator Class here.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Arrested Development added to Thursday folk festival lineup
The 2024 Calgary Folk Festival kicks off Thursday night on Prince's Island Park. (Photo: X@calgaryfolkfest) The Calgary Folk Festival has announced a lineup change. Hip hop group Arrested Development has been added to Thursday night's lineup. The lineup change came down Tuesday after the scheduled act, Michael Kiwanuka, had to cancel his upcoming performance Thursday due to illness. Arrested Development will now play the ATB Stage before headliner Sierra Ferrell. The group won two Grammy Awards in 1993, for Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Rap Group. This will be the group's third time performing at the Calgary Folk Festival, previously playing in 2009 and 2015. Folkfest kicks off Thursday and goes until Sunday, with tickets still available online.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
10 things to do in Calgary this weekend (July 25 to 27)
The Calgary Folk Music Festival is held annually at Prince's Island Park. (Facebook/Calgary Folk Music Festival) There are plenty of local events and activities you can check out in Calgary this weekend. Here's a look at just 10 of the many amazing things happening around the city: Calgary Folk Music Festival What: The 2025 Calgary Folk Music Festival features 70 artists from around the world. This year, Steve Earle and Reckless Kelly are among those set to perform. The event also features food vendors, an arts market and a family zone. The 2025 Calgary Folk Music Festival features 70 artists from around the world. This year, Steve Earle and Reckless Kelly are among those set to perform. The event also features food vendors, an arts market and a family zone. When: Thursday, July 24 to Sunday, July 27, 2025. Thursday, July 24 to Sunday, July 27, 2025. Where: Prince's Island Park, 698 Eau Claire Ave. S.W. Midway and a movie What: Head to Heritage Park to enjoy a movie or two and the antique midway as part of Midway and a Movie. This event includes a double feature of Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Head to Heritage Park to enjoy a movie or two and the antique midway as part of Midway and a Movie. This event includes a double feature of Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. When: Friday, July 25 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday, July 25 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Where: Heritage Park, 1900 Heritage Dr. S.W. Surge vs. Bandits What: The Calgary Surge take on the Vancouver Bandits. The Calgary Surge take on the Vancouver Bandits. When: Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Where: WinSport Event Centre, 151 Canada Olympic Rd. S.W. 98 Degrees What: Known for 90s hits like Because of You , Invisible Man and The Hardest Thing , musical group 98 Degrees comes to Calgary to perform at the Grey Eagle. Known for 90s hits like , and , musical group 98 Degrees comes to Calgary to perform at the Grey Eagle. When: Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Where: Grey Eagle Event Centre, 3777 Grey Eagle Dr. Cavalry vs. York United What: Calgary's Cavalry FC take on the York United at ATCO Field. Calgary's Cavalry FC take on the York United at ATCO Field. When: Saturday, July 26 at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 26 at 3 p.m. Where: ATCO Field, 18011 Spruce Meadows Way S.W. Surge vs. Sea Bears What: The Calgary Surge take on the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Calgary Surge take on the Winnipeg Sea Bears. When: Sunday, July 26 at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26 at 2 p.m. Where: WinSport Event Centre, 151 Canada Olympic Rd. S.W. Debbie Gibson What: Head to the Grey Eagle to see 80s pop princess Debbie Gibson perform as part of her Newstalgia Live tour. Head to the Grey Eagle to see 80s pop princess Debbie Gibson perform as part of her tour. When: Sunday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Where: Grey Eagle Event Centre, 3777 Grey Eagle Dr. YYC Ice Cream Fest What: Enjoy dozens of specialty ice cream flavours sold throughout Calgary as part of YYC Ice Cream Fest, a charitable competition that sees a portion of sales donated to Calgary Meals on Wheels. Enjoy dozens of specialty ice cream flavours sold throughout Calgary as part of YYC Ice Cream Fest, a charitable competition that sees a portion of sales donated to Calgary Meals on Wheels. When: Until Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 Until Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 Where: Various locations throughout Calgary. Legends of the 80's What: Stage West Calgary presents Legends of the 80's , a 1980s musical extravaganza, featuring music by legends like Elton John, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cyndi Lauper and Queen. Stage West Calgary presents , a 1980s musical extravaganza, featuring music by legends like Elton John, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cyndi Lauper and Queen. When: Until Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. Until Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. Where: Stage West, 727 42 Ave. S.E. ABBA Mania: Back to the Disco Dimension
