After watching The Great North Run on TV last year, Olly Murs and his sister Fay made a pact that they would enter it this year together. So here they are, exactly a month away from embarking on their first half Marathon together!

They will be running the famous 13.1 mile run in Newcastle on September 9th to fundraise for two charities very close to their hearts:

BRAINWAVE CHILDRENS CHARITY
Olly is a patron to Brainwave, a small local charity close to the family home in Witham, Essex. With three centers around the UK, Brainwave helps children with disabilities and additional needs to achieve greater independence. The children they help have a range of disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy and genetic conditions such as Down’s syndrome. They have specialist therapists, who work with the children and their families to devise a personalized program to help unlock each child’s potential. Olly has worked closely with Brainwave over the last 8 years, helping to raise the profile of this small charity, and has seen the benefits first hand.

MIND
The charity Fay will be running for is Mind, the mental health charity. Mind provide advice & support to empower anyone experiencing mental health problems whether that be anxiety, alcohol & drug dependency, eating disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress, post-natal depression or many more. Having developed social anxiety after experiencing bullying as a young girl in senior school, Fay has firsthand experience of suffering from a debilitating mental health condition.  Mind campaigns to not only raise awareness of mental health, but to offer support, advice and promote understanding. A shocking statistic is that 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem every year. There has been a lot of awareness raised about this over the last few years, in the music industry especially, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. Suicide is the leading cause of death in young people, so clearly, we need to be doing more to combat mental health issues.

Every penny raised by Olly and Fay running the GREAT NORTH RUN will go a long way in helping both of their chosen charities, BRAINWAVE & Mind.

Neither Olly or Fay are natural runners, so they have already started training to make sure they can at least cross the finish line and not completely embarrass themselves!

To sponsor Olly and Fay on the Great North Run, visit their fundraising page HERE and keep an eye on their socials where both Olly and Fay will be documenting their training efforts and their progress on the day!

Olly will also be releasing an exclusive and limited edition summer t-shirt fundraising campaign for Brainwave to be sold on yellowbirdproject.com from 17th August.

“All the ingredients of mature pop bliss lie in the work of Ainslie Wills” – The Guardian
“Seemingly limitless vocals” – The Line Of Best Fit

Having earned her position amongst the pantheon of acclaimed songwriters globally, Ainslie Wills returns to Europe for five special shows including a headline date in London at The Slaughtered Lamb on 26 September 2018.

Blessed with a voice of assured range and deep character, the Melbourne singer-songwriter has recently released her latest stunning single, ‘Society’.

“I want this song to be a talking point for people who feel restricted by the pressure that society places on us to fit into a conventional way of living and existing,” says Ainslie. “I know I feel that pressure constantly.”

To celebrate the UK/EU dates, Ainslie has released a live version of Society, filmed on her front porch. “Amongst the common noises of suburbia, we had a limited time to shoot this before the light faded. We filmed it in one take in the stairwell of my old house.”

Watch the new live video for Society

Ainslie’s captivating live show has seen her support the likes of Leon Bridges, Grouplove, Michael Kiwanuka, Lianne La Havas and Tom Chaplin, grace the stages of The Great Escape, Falls Festival and several other renowned festivals in Australia, as well as selling out headline shows in Australia and the UK.

With her beautifully crafted and honestly told stories, Wills has gathered an army of lifelong converts at home and internationally. ‘Oh The Gold’ EP was picked up in the UK, becoming Lauren Laverne’s ‘Track Of The Day’ on her BBC Radio 6 program and played on Guy Garvey’s ‘Finest Hour’, also on BBC6.

Ainslie will release her highly anticipated second LP ‘All You Have is All You Need’ in early 2019.

SEPTEMBER – UK/EU TOUR
Fri 21 September | Reeperbahn, GERMANY
Sat 22 September | Reeperbahn, GERMANY
Sun 23 September | Paradiso, Van Alleen Naar Zachter, AMSTERDAM
Mon 24 September |Camden Assembly (w/ Angie McMahon and Gretta Ray), LONDON
Wed 26 September | Slaughtered Lamb (Headline), LONDON

Tickets on sale from www.ainsliewills.com

Legendary singer-songwriter and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Steve Perry makes his long-awaited return with Traces, his first new album in nearly a quarter century, out Friday October 5th, 2018 on Concord/Virgin EMI.

The famed singer introduces Traces with lead track “No Erasin’” and reassuringly greets fans with the opening line “I know it’s been a long time comin’.” The track is an emotional homecoming, a familiar welcome from the iconic voice and writer of Journey’s timeless, global hits including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Faithfully,” and “Open Arms,” as well as the significant solo success of “Oh Sherrie” and “Foolish Heart.”

Perry says, “Putting 30 years into 10 songs has certainly been an emotional experience for me. I started writing and recording these songs with the creative freedom that I was the only one who would ever hear them. Along the way, I rediscovered my love for music. Each track represents traces of my past, but is also a hopeful look into the future. I invite you to listen with an open heart.”

Produced by Perry alongside co-producer Thom Flowers, Traces is the artist’s most vulnerable and honest recording to date, balancing tremendous loss with enduring hope and beauty. The album is a collection of nine original tracks that encompass the spectrum of human emotion, and also features a beautifully reimagined cover of The Beatles’ “I Need You”. It is the work of an artist who has reconnected with his music in a new way.

Traces is available now for pre-order on CD, digital download and 180-gram vinyl, HERE. Signed and exclusive bundles can be found HERE. The performance video for “No Erasin’” can be viewed at steveperry.com.

TRACES TRACK LIST:

1. No Erasin’
2. We’re Still Here
3. Most Of All
4. No More Cryin’
5. In The Rain
6. Sun Shines Gray
7. You Belong To Me
8. Easy To Love
9. I Need You
10. We Fly

“PLAY” is a two part mini-documentary, directed by Dave Grohl celebrating the rewards and challenges of dedicating one’s life to playing music. Part one opens with narrated behind the scenes discussion of the love of playing music and the lifelong relationship with an instrument—as well as the process and challenges of recording and filming this unique performance: The “PLAY” film then segues to the titular 23-minute, one-man-band instrumental recording on which Grohl plays all seven instruments on the track, all live. The entire song was played by Grohl, each time on a different instrument, live all the way through for 23 minutes.

Visit play.roswellfims.com for an interactive PLAY experience. Explore PLAY by choosing which audio and video you’d like to experience.

Hover over “Choose Video” and click to select to view only one instrument. Once you do that, you can also hover over “Choose Audio” to listen to the isolated track of the instrument you are watching or the complete master audio. You can go back to the complete master performance video, or toggle between individual instruments and audio at any time. Download sheet music and find a growing directory of organizations who support music education.

Website experience: http://smarturl.it/VisitPLAY

Watch on YouTube: http://smarturl.it/PLAY_DG

Stream/buy: http://smarturl.it/DGPLAY

Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and his childhood idol, Rick Astley met each other a few years ago when they collaborated to brew the beer ‘Astley’s Northern Hop Lager.’ Out of their friendship, the idea of opening a bar together in London grew.

This idea will come to life when Rick Astley and Mikkel Borg Bjergsø open the doors to Mikkeller Bar London on October 19th. Mikkeller has had London on the radar for several years, but has been waiting for the the perfect facility and the right partner.

“We have finally found a fantastic location in the Shoreditch district that suits us perfectly. Meanwhile, we have been fortunate to get to know Rick Astley and his wife Lene Bausager Astley, so now we have also found the perfect partners”, says CEO and founder of Mikkeller, Mikkel Borg Bjergsø.

“Of course, we always prefer to work together with people who have a driving force and heart. It’s a huge plus if we also have a personal relationship with them”, he says.

In addition to the interest in beer, Astley and Bjergsø share the same vision of creating something new in London. The star, who has lived in London for over 30 years, is looking forward to opening the doors to a place that will stand out among the city’s many beer places.

“I met Mikkel back in 2015 – through his enthusiasm and passion for real quality, I have fallen back in love with beer. London is a great city but it needs a Mikkeller bar and it is really exciting to be part of creating Mikkeller’s first bar in the UK with Mikkel and his fantastic team. I know we are going to have a lot of fun and drink some great beer!” says Rick Astley.

Unique design
The bar will also stand out from other beer bars and pubs in London in regard to the design. The task has been taken by the Danish design bureau Femmes Régionales. Their design team has already designed a number of Mikkellers bars.

“Mikkeller’s Scandinavian DNA will be the epicenter for the overall look. With the combination of high quality materials and inviting color combinations, we will make the bar homely and at the same time show the dedication to the good craftsmanship that permeates the entire Mikkeller profile”, explains designer Mie Albæk Nielsen.

The partnership with the legendary musician has been taken into account by the agency by merging discreet references to Astley’s early pop magic into the design.

“We were inspired by the mood of one of his 80’s videos, which we think has a unique sweetness and romance while having a kind of ‘Italian bohemian bistro atmosphere’. More concretely, we use his lyrics in small details, and Mikkeller’s Art Director Keith Shore makes an illustration of Astley, combined with Mikkeller’s visual identity in a neon sign”, the designer says.

Started with a rumor
The acquaintance between Bjergsø and Astley started a few years ago with a rumor that Rick Astley lived on Amager, in Copenhagen. The brewery owner, who as a child, had fan posters of Astley hanging on the wall and hits like ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ on repeat in the walkman, got the idea to brew a beer with Astley.

It turned out later that Rick Astley lived in London and that, in spite of being married to a Dane, he had never lived in Amager. Through the musician’s wife, who is also Astley’s manager, Bjergsø got in contact with Astley, who said yes to the offer to brew a beer with Mikkeller.

This resulted in a joint trip to the Belgian brewery De Proefbrouwerij where they brewed the beer ‘Astley’s Northern Hop Lager’ together – a red lager with a touch of ginger, as a reference to Astley’s reddish hair.

The opening of Mikkeller Bar London will be celebrated with a special opening event. The duo also plans to brew a new beer together, which is to be launched at the opening.

About Rick Astley
In a career spanning over 30 years, Rick Astley has sold over 40 million records worldwide. His remarkable 2016 comeback album ’50’ sold over 300,000 copies in the UK alone, and is now followed by brand new album ‘Beautiful Life’, on which Rick wrote, produced and played every song.

About Mikkeller
Mikkeller is first and foremost beer – a Danish micro brewery showcasing all possible styles and ingredients; a world of hops, malt, barrel ageing, spontaneous fermentation, licorice, coffee, passion fruit, cherries, chili, cocoa etc., exporting to over 50 countries across the world. Mikkeller also run a beer festival, restaurants and a worldwide running club and have established itself as one of the most innovative and cutting edge breweries in the world.

More info:

Mikkeller
Site: mikkeller.dk
FB: http://www.facebook.com/mikkeller
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikkellerbeer
Mikkeller Press Area: http://press.mikkeller.dk

Rick Astley
Site: http://www.rickastley.co.uk
FB: https://www.facebook.com/RickAstley/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialrickastley/

“An accomplished and often galvanising slice of sophisti-pop anthems” – The Quietus
“You’d have to have a heart of stone not to warm to it” – The Guardian
“The Rick Renaissance looks set to roll on” – Mail On Sunday Event

After seeing his new album ‘Beautiful Life’ become his fifth top ten album and reach the No.1 spot in the Independent Album Chart, Rick Astley releases his anthemic new single ’Try’, impacting September 21st on BMG.

Like the rest of ‘Beautiful Life’, ‘Try’ was written and produced by Rick, who also played every instrument on the recording. “The track is really about giving it another shot,” says Rick. “Even if you had doubts-like I had doubts-it is important to keep knocking at that door and see what happens.”

‘Beautiful Life’ has picked up where its smash hit predecessor ‘50’ left off! Rick has so far appeared on Lorraine, Sunday Brunch, The One Show, BBC Breakfast News, Loose Women, This Morning and Zoe Ball with his last single and title track being one of the most played songs on Radio 2 and Magic, reaching the top 20 in the UK airplay charts.

Rick will perform with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the Palladium for the BBC’s ‘Friday Night Is Music Night’, recorded on September 2nd and airing on the 21st September.

Rick and his band play the following UK dates, tickets on sale now.

October
Thu 25th   Glasgow, SEC Armadillo
Fri 26th   Hull, Hull Venue
Sat 27th   Manchester, Manchester Arena
Mon 29th  Gateshead, Gateshead Sage
Tue 30th   Gateshead, Gateshead Sage

November
Thu 1st   Plymouth, Plymouth Pavilions
Fri 2nd   Cardiff, Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
Sat 3rd   Brighton, Brighton Centre
Mon 5th   Southend, Southend Cliffs Pavilion
Tue 6th   Cambridge, Cambridge Corn Exchange
Thu 8th   London, London Eventim Apollo
Fri 9th   London, London Eventim Apollo
Sat 10th   Bournemouth, International Centre
Mon 12th  Nottingham, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Tue 13th   Nottingham, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Thu 15th   Birmingham, Birmingham Genting Arena
Fri 16th   Leeds, Leeds First Direct Arena
Sat 17th   Liverpool, Liverpool Echo Arena

“[Loudmouth] is the perfect introduction: lyrically and vocally insouciant, sonically crisp and spare” – Sunday Times Culture

Following the release of their superb 7 track EP ‘House With A Pool’ Californian four-piece RUSSO has announced a string of UK shows including at the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading + Leeds festival and support dates for indie rock royalty Gomez and rising UK band Black Honey.

RUSSO are on the fast track to becoming one of the most exciting bands to emerge in 2018. Their sound, a refreshing blend of ska-pop and rock, coupled with their sweat-infused, high-energy live performances, is quickly compared by critics to the likes of No Doubt, Garbage and Blondie, with Clash saying their ‘songwriting bristles with energy and a palpable emotional connection’.

‘House With A Pool’ is an electrically-charged 7-track collection which reverberates with a certain energy; an underlying rebelliousness that seamlessly carries from one song to the next. Formed in Los Angeles in 2018, RUSSO consists of singer/songwriter Cailin Russo on lead vocals, Tyler McCarthy on guitar, Hayley Brownell on drums and backing vocals and Sean Ritchie on bass. Upcoming live dates below. For more information head to: www.wearerusso.com

August
Thurs 23rd  OXFORD, O2 Academy *
Fri 24th   NEWCASTLE, O2 Academy *
Sat 25th   READING, Reading Festival – BBC Introducing Stage
Sun 26th   LEEDS, Leeds Festival – BBC Introducing Stage
Tues 28th  BIRMINGHAM, O2 Institute *
Weds 29th  CARDIFF, Tramshed *
September
Sun 2nd   MANCHESTER, O2 Ritz *

*Supporting Gomez

October
Sat 13th   BRISTOL, Thekla ^
Sun 14th   BRIGHTON, Concorde ^
Mon 15th  BIRMINGHAM, O2 Academy Birmingham ^
Thurs 18th  LEEDS, Church ^
Fri 19th   NEWCASTLE, Riverside ^
Sat 20th   GLASGOW, Stereo ^
Sun 21st   MANCHESTER, Manchester Academy 2 ^
Tues 23rd  NOTTINGHAM, Rescue Rooms ^
Weds 24th  LONDON, Electric Ballroom ^

^Supporting Black Honey

Listen to the tracks here: https://lnk.to/FIGxMOS

Up and coming singer-songwriter Billy Lockett today releases two brand new singles ‘Fading Into Grey’ and ‘My Only Soul’ via East West Records. Billy plays his biggest headline show to date at the Shepherds Bush Empire October 9th and supports Lewis Capaldi on his autumn UK tour.

The two contrasting singles showcase Billy’s superb breadth as a songwriter, ranging from downtempo balladry on ‘Fading Into Grey’ to the racing, anthemic chorus of ‘My Only Soul’, both with Billy’s deft piano playing at their core.

“Fading Into Grey is about being honest when you have fallen out of love in a relationship, instead of leaving it to drag on,“ says Billy. “My Only Soul is about wishing you believed in ghosts, because at least being haunted would mean you could see a loved one again”.

These two new tracks follow previous 2018 singles ‘Feels So Good’ and ‘Empty House’. Billy’s debut EP ‘Burn It Down’ reached Number 1 on the singer songwriter chart and received over 6 million streams.

With champions from BBC Radio 1, 6Music, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, Evening Standard and The Times, support slots with Lana Del Rey and Birdy under his belt, as well as multiple sold-out London dates, including a Union Chapel show complete with string quartet in February, Billy is set to make 2018 his own.

In addition to his huge O2 Shepherds Bush Empire show, Billy has just announced his debut European headline tour. He also plays two more festivals this summer before heading out as support to Lewis Capaldi on his autumn tour:

August
Fri 3rd   OXFORD, Wilderness (main stage)
Thurs 9th   WALES, Festival No.6
September
Wed 26th  BERLIN, Privatclub
Fri 28th   ZURICH, Papiersaal
October
Mon 1st   AMSTERDAM, Upstairs @ Paradiso
Wed 3rd   PARIS, Le Pop Up du Label
Tues 9th   LONDON, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Tues 30th  BOURNEMOUTH, O2 Academy Bournemouth (w/Lewis Capaldi)
Weds 31st  BRIGHTON, Concorde 2 (w/Lewis Capaldi)
November
Fri 2nd   CAMBRIDGE, Junction (w/Lewis Capaldi)
Sat 3rd   BIRMINGHAM, O2 Institute (w/Lewis Capaldi)
Sun 4th   BRISTOL, SWX (w/Lewis Capaldi)
Tues 6th   MANCHESTER, Albert Hall (w/Lewis Capaldi)
Weds 7th  LEEDS, O2 Academy Leeds (w/Lewis Capaldi)
Fri 9th   NEWCASTLE, Newcastle University (w/Lewis Capaldi)

“Watching my kids start to play music and learn to sing or play drums, it brings me back to the time when I was their age listening to albums, learning from listening… and when I take my kids to the place where they take their lessons, I see these rooms full of children that are really pushing themselves to figure this out. And even now, as a 49-year-old man, I’m still trying to figure it out… it’s not something that you ever truly master. You’re always chasing the next challenge, and you’re always trying to find a way to improve on what you’ve learned.”—Dave Grohl.

As Foo Fighters wind down another leg of the massive Concrete and Gold tour with a Wrigley Field doubleheader that rocked 75,000+ of Chicago’s FF faithful, Dave Grohl announces an unprecedented new project born of the most challenging performance of his storied career:

“PLAY” is a two part mini-documentary, directed by Grohl with help from his Sound City/Sonic Highways collaborator Mark Monroe, celebrating the rewards and challenges of dedicating ones life to playing and mastering a musical instrument. Part one opens with narrated behind the scenes footage featuring discussion of the love of playing music and the lifelong relationship with an instrument, and detailing the process and challenges of recording and filming this unique performance.

“PLAY” film then segues to the titular 23-minute, one-man-band instrumental recording on which Grohl plays all seven instruments on the track, all live. The entire song was played by Grohl, each time on a different instrument, live for 23 minutes. Beginning with the recording of the entire drum track purely from memory, with no sheet music or guide tracks, followed by guitar, then bass, then keyboards, and so on… Grohl tasked himself with a one-man-band recording session that

was forced to start from the very beginning of the 23-minute song any time the slightest mistake was made or if Grohl felt he could do a better take. Concrete and Gold engineer Darrell Thorp was on hand to capture the sounds.

Filmed in classic black and white by Brandon Trost (The Disaster Artist, This is The End), with lighting modulating to match the dramatic peaks and valleys of this epic instrumental, “PLAY” was then edited to feature seven Grohls recording together. The “PLAY” online interactive experience offers viewer/listener/participants the options of taking in the mini-doc and Grohl performance as is, focusing on one instrument, and/or downloading “PLAY” sheet music. The online version of “PLAY” also includes a list of organizations where time, money and instruments can be donated to the cause—and places where musicians young and old alike can have the opportunity to play live music.

The challenges Grohl created for himself in creating “PLAY” mirror those taken on by music students every day: The obstacles they face in their daily efforts to elevate and improve their abilities are no different than those faced by a world class stadium rocker—both are striving for the same goals. This shared quest gave “PLAY” its mission to inspire and promote music education: The film is intercut with young musicians from the Join The Band music school in the San Fernando Valley practicing their craft, working relentlessly to get it right, and always coming back to the conclusion that, in Grohl’s words, “‘just like any kid, the reward is just to PLAY.”

Through partnerships with music and media organizations, schools and charities the world over, “PLAY” and its portrait of the joy of playing music should be a catalyst for discussion and action to benefit music education on a global level. Keep your eyes on play.roswellfilms.com for information on upcoming auctions with proceeds benefiting local music education organizations.

Watch the official video for ‘Society’ HERE

“What am I doing with my life?” is the question Ainslie Wills has been asking herself. Having earned her position amongst the pantheon of acclaimed songwriters globally, the Melbourne singer-songwriter returns with ‘Society’. Mixed by Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie), the soon-to-be classic will feature on her highly-anticipated second LP ‘All You Have is All You Need’, which will be released in early 2019.

Blessed with a voice of assured range and deep character, Society is a delicate, personal prayer. Directed by Ben McNamara, the official video further highlights Wills’ fearless songwriting and raw talent. “I want this song to be a talking point for people who feel restricted by the pressure that society places on us to fit into a conventional way of living and existing. I know I feel that pressure constantly,” says Wills.

With her beautifully crafted and honestly told stories, Wills has gathered an army of lifelong converts at home and internationally. Oh The Gold EP was picked up in the UK, becoming Lauren Laverne’s Track Of The Day on her BBC Radio 6 program and played on Guy Garvey’s Finest Hour, also on BBC6.

Her captivating live show has seen her support the likes of Leon Bridges, Grouplove and Michael Kiwanuka, grace the stages of The Great Escape, Falls Festival and several other renowned festivals in Australia and sell out headline

shows in Australia and the UK.  To celebrate the release of Society, Wills will perform at Reeperbahn (Germany) this September, with further Australian, UK and European dates to be announced shortly.

WATCH: Recently released video for “The Rover” filmed on-location in Mexico City starring Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Girls, The Punisher) HERE

Following the release of acclaimed single ‘The Rover’, Interpol returns with another song off of Marauder (out August 24 on Matador Records), the unpolished and gritty ‘Number 10’.  One of the loosest and most spontaneous tracks on the album, featured today as Zane Lowe’s World Record on Apple Music’s Beats 1, the song tells the story of a secret office romance between Ella, a domineering boss, and her employee. Their pent-up (and unconsummated) desire is matched by the song’s anxious tone, with its surf-inspired bassline, dueling guitars, and punchy percussion building up to an unrestrained, yearning finale.

Having wowed massive crowds of European fans at TRNSMT, BST Hyde Park, and Roskilde festivals in the past few weeks, Interpol will return to the UK in November for two shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall, as well as a date at Manchester’s O2 Apollo. Their North American tour kicks off in August, with the band playing the final NYC House of Vans show on album release day, and major East Coast, Midwest, Southwest, and West Coast shows to follow. A headline Madison Square Garden date is booked for 2019.  The full list of tour dates can be found below.

November
Weds 14th   LONDON, Royal Albert Hall w/ Nilüfer Yanya
Thurs 15th   LONDON, Royal Albert Hall w/ Nilüfer Yanya
Fri 16th    MANCHESTER, O2 Apollo w/ Nilüfer Yanya
Sun 18th    DUBLIN, Olympia Theatre w/ Nilüfer Yanya

http://interpolnyc.com