Anoushka Shankar

Anoushka Shankar

Photo: Raajessh Kashyap/Hindustan Times/Getty Images

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Music Festivals 2018: Big Ears Experimental Fest Favors Jazz

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The 2018 edition of the Knoxville, Tenn., experimental music festival leans toward avant-garde jazz
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 1, 2017 - 2:51 pm

Love experimental music? Well get ready, because the 2018 edition of the Big Ears festival will be here before we know it.

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Hosted in Knoxville, Tenn., the experimental music festival has announced their lineup for the weekend long celebration, which will take place March 22–25, 2018. As Rolling Stone reports, for the seventh consecutive year, the line-up relies heavily on avant-garde jazz.

This includes artists such as Medeski Martin & Wood, pianists Jason Moran and Craig Taborn, drummer Milford Graves, saxophonist Evan Parker, a performance of Alice Coltrane's "ecstatic music," Nels Cline with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, sax quartet Rova, trumpeter Peter Evans, violinist Jenny Scheinman, and many more.

GRAMMY nominee Anoushka Shankar will perform her work Land Of Gold, which discusses immigration. The classical music ensemble Bang On A Can will serve as the artist in residence at the festival. In addition, musicians at the intersection of experimental music and alternative rock and electronic undergrounds will perform, including Diamanda Galás, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Lightning Bolt, Kid Koala, Four Tet, Jaga Jazzist, Laural Halo, and Jenny Hval.

As if that isn't enough, Big Ears 2018 will feature "Appalachian Homecoming," curated by Anna Roberts-Gevalt of roots duo Anna & Elizabeth, which will celebrate the music of the American South with Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Abigail Washburn, and the Black Twig Pickers, on deck to perform.

Tickets for the festival will go on sale Nov. 3 via Big Ears' website.

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Crowd shot at WOMAD Festival 2017

Crowd shot at WOMAD Festival 2017

Photo: C Brandon/Redferns

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Peter Gabriel's WOMAD Festival 2020 Canceled Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

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In a statement, Gabriel said many of the artists originally confirmed for this year's festival "have already offered, or agreed," to return for 2021
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Apr 8, 2020 - 9:35 am

WOMAD (World Of Music, Arts And Dance) festival, the international music and arts festival from Genesis founding member Peter Gabriel and others, has canceled its 2020 edition in the U.K. due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. Originally scheduled to take place July 23-26 at Charlton Park in Wiltshire, England, the festival, which featured headliners The Flaming Lips, Angélique Kidjo, Kate Tempest and Fatoumata Diawara, among many others, is confirmed to return next year (July 22-25), according to the updated dates on the event's official website. 

Festival organizers announced the event's cancellation via statements from Gabriel and the WOMAD team, both shared on the festival's official website and social media accounts today (April 8). In his statement, Gabriel said many of the artists originally confirmed for this year's festival "have already offered, or agreed," to return for 2021.

"Like many others, we have been hoping, waiting and watching the Coronavirus situation," Gabriel wrote. "Finally, we have been told that we will not be allowed to hold WOMAD this year at Charlton Park.

"Safety for all of our festivalgoers, artists and our own staff surpasses everything.

All of us involved with WOMAD have already been really touched by the help and generous offers of many of those we depend on to make the festival come to life. Many of the artists have already offered, or agreed, to play for us next year and we will now put our energies into making a great WOMAD 2021."

"We hope to see you all at Charlton Park next year for a big celebration, when we've put this meanie back in the bottle," he continued, alluding to the festival's return in 2021. "Your love and support for the dream that is WOMAD, has always meant a lot to us, but especially now."

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"Following a meeting with the Licensing authority, the combined emergency services and taking fully into account the government advice on halting the spread of the virus, it is clear, that in order to meet our goal of protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of the whole community there is no way we can go ahead with WOMAD 2020," a statement from the wider WOMAD team read. "We are devastated but confident that this is the right and responsible decision and that we have to play our part in helping the country stay safe and to recover."

For ticket holders for its canceled 2020 U.K. edition, WOMAD is offering a transfer of tickets for the 2021 edition or full refunds. For those who paid for their tickets in installments, the festival is allowing a temporary pause on payments to be picked up again next year for WOMAD 2021 or refunds for the face value of the tickets. More information about ticket transfers and refunds is available on the festival website.

The festival, which originally announced its initial lineup this past February, posted an update about the event's U.K. edition last month (March 19). "At WOMAD we are examining the advice of the government, other authorities and of course the healthcare professionals before making a final decision on what actions we should be taking to lead by example and help to keep everyone in the WOMAD community safe and well," the statement read. 

In February, WOMAD postponed what was to be its first-ever edition in Mexico, originally scheduled for March 27–29, "due to events outside of our control," according to a post shared on the festival's website. While no new dates have been announced, WOMAD Mexico will return "later in the year," the post reads. 

WOMAD has already completed three international festivals in 2020, including installments in Chile in February and in Australia and New Zealand in March. 

WOMAD is the latest festival to be canceled or postponed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since March, Governors Ball, Glastonbury, Isle Of Wight, Download, All Points East, Lovebox and Parklife, Bonnaroo, New Orleans Jazz Fest, BottleRock Napa Valley, the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Coachella and Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival, SXSW, Lollapalooza Argentina, Something In The Water, Treefort Music Fest, Afro Nation Puerto Rico, Brussels' Listen! Festival, Record Store Day and several other major events and festivals around the world were called off or rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Crowd shot at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2017

Crowd shot at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2017

Photo: Douglas Mason/WireImage

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New Orleans Jazz Fest 2020 Postponed To Fall Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

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This marks the first time the festival has ever rescheduled the event outside of its annual springtime slot in its five-decade history
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Mar 18, 2020 - 12:41 pm

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the annual event celebrating the city's and home state's music and culture, has postponed its 2020 edition due to the growing coronavirus global pandemic, organizers announced Tuesday (March 17). Originally scheduled for this spring across two four-day weekends (April 23-26 and April 30-May 3), the event has been postponed until fall. New festival dates and additional details will be announced soon, according to festival organizers. 

In a message posted on the festival's official website and social media accounts, festival organizers announced the postponement of this year's event, noting the decision came "At the direction of City of New Orleans authorities, in response to ongoing COVID-19 health concerns."

"The health and safety of the community, our musicians, Festival fans, participants, sponsors and staff are paramount, and we urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials," the statement read.

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This past January, the festival announced its 2020 lineup, which originally included Foo Fighters, Lizzo, The Who, Erykah Badu, Stevie Nicks, H.E.R., the Beach Boys, Maggie Rogers, Tank and the Bangas and several others. The festival has not yet announced any potential lineup changes or artist cancellations due to the rescheduled event dates.

All tickets purchased for the original spring dates will be honored for the rescheduled fall dates. No information regarding refunds has been announced yet.

The 2020 postponement marks the first time the festival has ever rescheduled the event outside of its annual springtime slot, according to The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate.

Originally launched in 1970, New Orleans Jazz Fest celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. The fest brings an estimated economic impact of $300 million to the city’s cultural economy, according to The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate.

The cancellation news follows other festivals and major events in the New Orleans area that have been postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus, including Buku Music + Arts Project and French Quarter Festival. The 2020 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture, set to take place in July in New Orleans, is confirmed to move forward as planned. 

New Orleans Jazz Fest is the latest major festival to be cancelled or postponed this year due to the global coronavirus pandemic. This month alone, Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, Coachella and Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival, SXSW, Lollapalooza Argentina, Something In The Water, Treefort Music Fest, Afro Nation Puerto Rico, Brussels' Listen! Festival, Record Store Day and several other major events and festivals around the world were called off or rescheduled due to the coronavirus. 

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Crowd shot at Glastonbury Festival 2019

Crowd shot at Glastonbury Festival 2019

Photo: Ki Price/Getty Images

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Glastonbury 2020 Canceled Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

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Citing government measures and "unprecedented uncertainty," festival organizers have called off this year's event, which was to be Glastonbury's 50th anniversary: "This is now our only viable option"
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Mar 18, 2020 - 8:40 am

Glastonbury Festival, one of the leading festivals in the U.K. and one of the premier festival brands in the world, has canceled its 2020 edition due to the growing coronavirus global pandemic. 

In a post shared on the festival's official website and social media accounts today (March 18), festival organizers announced the cancellation of this year's event, which was to be Glastonbury's 50th anniversary. 

"Clearly this was not a course of action we hoped to take for our 50th anniversary event, but following the new government measures announced this week – and in times of such unprecedented uncertainty – this is now our only viable option," the statement read. 

"We very much hope that the situation in the UK will have improved enormously by the end of June," the statement continued. "But even if it has, we are no longer able to spend the next three months with thousands of crew here on the farm, helping us with the enormous job of building the infrastructure and attractions needed to welcome more than 200,000 people to a temporary city in these fields."

"We were so looking forward to welcoming you all for our 50th anniversary with a line-up full of fantastic artists and performers that we were incredibly proud to have booked," the statement concluded. "Again, we're so sorry that this decision has been made. It was not through choice. But we look forward to welcoming you back to these fields next year and until then, we send our love and support to all of you."

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The statement also alluded to the "severe financial implications" resulting from the festival's cancellation, which comes with an estimated loss of up to 100 million pounds ($117 million), according to The Guardian.

News of Glastonbury's cancellation comes in the wake of "drastic action" and measures enacted and recommended by the U.K. government to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has already caused the cancellation of the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest, the annual European song and songwriting competition, and the closure of all major British theaters. 

Just last week (March 13), festival organizers announced the first wave of artists confirmed for Glastonbury 2020, which was originally set to take place June 24–28 at Worthy Farm, Somerset, U.K. Headliners and major artists included Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Diana Ross, among many other acts.

The lineup announcement came "after much consideration given the current circumstances, and with the best of intentions," according to a statement posted on the Glastonbury website last week (March 12).

"As things stand we are still working hard to deliver our 50th anniversary Festival in June and we are very proud of the bill that we have put together over the last year or so," read the statement. "No one has a crystal ball to see exactly where we will all be 15 weeks from now, but we are keeping our fingers firmly crossed that it will be here at Worthy Farm for the greatest show on Earth!"

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Ticket-purchasers who have already paid a deposit for a Glastonbury 2020 ticket will have the option of rolling over their deposit to next year's event with a guaranteed "opportunity to buy a ticket for Glastonbury 2021," according to the festival's website; rollovers will happen automatically for those who prefer that option. The festival is also offering a refund for deposits until this September, with additional news and further information regarding accommodations, single-day tickets and the like coming soon. 

Glastonbury is the latest major festival to be canceled or postponed this year due to the global coronavirus pandemic. This month alone, Coachella and Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival, SXSW, Lollapalooza Argentina, Something In The Water, Treefort Music Fest, Afro Nation Puerto Rico, Brussels' Listen! Festival, Record Store Day and several other major events and festivals around the world were called off or rescheduled due to the coronavirus. 

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Copyright Royalty Board Increases Streaming Rates, But By How Much?

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The Copyright Royalty Board has announced a portion of their cost of living rate increases for next year
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 29, 2017 - 4:23 pm

In news of interest to artists and other copyright holders, the Copyright Royalty Board has begun announcing new rate determinations to take effect in 2018. The first batch includes slight increases to account for cost of living.

Master recording copyright holders will now receive a rate of $0.0018 for ad-supported, non-subscription music streaming services, up from $0.0017. Performances on paid subscription services will now be worth $0.0023, a slight uptick from $0.0022. In addition, non-commercial webcasters will pay an increased amount of $0.0018 performance.

These rate increases are the first rate determinations announced by the Board. Additional determinations will be announced shortly, which will impact the entire music industry. Royalty rates expected to be impacted include mechanical licenses paid by labels and digital services to publishers and songwriters and the amount of compensation copyright owners receive from SiriusXM and Music Choice.

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