Posts in category: JamFest News

After a much-criticized performance during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Frank Ocean has backed out of the second weekend and is expected to be replaced by Poway-formed Blink-182, according to multiple reports Wednesday.

“After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend 1 … Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity,” a representative for Ocean told the Los Angeles Times and Variety, in regard to the singer’s performance this past weekend.

“On doctor’s advice, [Ocean] is not able to perform weekend 2 due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg.”

Knocked Loose Claim Biggest Ever Coachella Circle Pit: Kentucky hardcore/thrash crossover band Knocked Loose are one of the heaviest bands, if not the heaviest band, on this year’s Coachella bill. The circle pit they encouraged certainly knocked a few Coachella sparkles loose. We spoke to Bryan Garris between weekends…

How did the set go on weekend one?

It was amazing. Honestly, you never really know what to expect at festivals like that – there are so many different artists to choose from. And especially at a fest like Coachella where we’re clearly the black sheep or the oddball. But we kinda like that. I feel like we thrive in that kind of atmosphere. It’s easier to turn heads. And then it just went amazing. None of us really expected to have that kind of reaction, to have that kind of crowd there. It was just better than we could have ever hoped. 

You were probably the heaviest band on the bill and had the fiercest circle pit. Were you curious about playing in front of the crowd when the weekend’s bill was so mixed?

Yeah. I try to go into it with no expectations. I think it’s better that way because if it’s great, it’s a surprise and if it’s bad it’s not a let down. I didn’t think it would be bad by any means. But it definitely allowed for it to be a huge surprise, how well it went. There were a lot of nerves and preparation leading up to the actual set, and I think that it paid off extremely well with the reaction. The circle pit, I feel like it has to be the biggest in Coachella history. I know that a lot of hardcore bands have played in the past, heavier bands, but that one was pretty crazy to see. For now, I’d like to just claim that title. 

Were you able to check anyone else out, or are you going to on weekend two?

This last weekend, we were only there for the day that we played. But even then, we bounced around and had a bunch of different acts that we wanted to see. We really wanted to see GloRilla, Latto, and Alex G. Paris Texas. So we got to see all of them, and then we stayed for Frank Ocean for a little bit. Next weekend, we’re going to try to go for some more days. There’s a lot of other artists on different days. We’d love to see Ethel Cain. Gorillaz. Blondie. We’re huge fans of almost the entire bill.

Will the set change on weekend two?

I think with the week that we have, we’re gonna just tighten up the set that we played. That was the first time that we had tried that setlist. Now, we know what to expect. We know what the atmosphere is like, so we can just fine tune things that may work better in that kind of setting. I think that will allow us to hit it a little bit harder this coming weekend.

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?

We’re fortunate enough to be a part of a lot of really awesome festivals this year. We’re playing Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza adjacent festival, Rockville, Sonic Temple, so the list is pretty big. If you’ve got a major festival in your city this year, be on the lookout because the chances are we’ll be there.

Knocked Loose Claim Biggest Ever Coachella Circle Pit: Go to knockedloose.com for more info.

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The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival selected elusive R&B singer Frank Ocean to headline the one night of the 2023 event. Ocean’s April 16 set in California garnered negative reactions online.

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For example, The Guardian posted “Frank Ocean at Coachella review – a rollercoaster ending in disappointment.” Entertainment Weekly went with “Frank Ocean leaves fans stunned and angry after bizarre Coachella headlining performance.”

Variety ran an article titled, “Why Was Frank Ocean’s Coachella Set Such a Disappointing Mess?” In addition, Buzzfeed News published “Frank Ocean Performed For The First Time In Six Years At Coachella, And Fans Are Disappointed About The Experience.”

While many professional music writers panned Ocean’s Coachella concert, fellow music star Justin Bieber praised the “Novacane” hitmaker. Beiber took to Instagram to share his experience seeing Ocean’s show over the weekend.

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“I was blown away by Frank Ocean’s Coachella performance. His artistry is simply unmatched, his style, his taste, his voice, his attention to detail,” wrote Justin Bieber. “I was deeply moved. It made me want to keep going and get better as an artist. He continues to set the bar high and gave me a night I will never forget! Thanks, Frank.”

According to TMZ, Ocean suffered an ankle injury from a bike accident during rehearsals a few days before the festival. The incident supposedly altered his production. The Odd Future affiliate will return to Indio, California’s Empire Polo Club for Coachella Festival Weekend 2 on April 23.

Frank Ocean gained national attention with his 2011 mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra. His 2012 album, Channel Orange, won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Ocean also released other full-length projects such as 2016’s Endless and 2016’s Blonde.

Oklahoma City-based alternative band Chelsea Days will headline Norman Music Festival on Thursday, April 27.

The band began when Ashton Gary, Tim Miller and Autumn Hamil met while studying at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma. The trio met Ethan Wilcox — Gary’s cousin — and the four of them released music in 2019 until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 Brogan Lamb joined, followed by Naseem Najib in 2021. That year, they began creating the psychedelic melodies that can be found on their debut, self-titled album.

The members of Chelsea Days agree that their music is hard to fit in a box. Throwing out words such as “trippy” as well as “Americana,” they said there are elements of every genre. They find inspiration from a variety of artists, from Tame Impala to The Strokes.

“It’s kind of always changing, in a way,” Hamil said. “We tackle a bunch of different new things, and I think that’s what makes it fun and exciting.”

Aiming for a sound resembling songs of the 60s and 70s, Chelsea Days records its music using vintage gear. Their debut album, as well as their most recent EP “Falling in a Dream,” was recorded and mixed on a Tascam-388.

Gary described the band as “tone chasers” aiming to change its music as they grow as artists.

“We’re all just growing and evolving as people,” Miller added. “So does our music.”

Making sure everyone’s voice is heard during the writing process is important to the band.

“Everyone kind of has an input, and that’s what’s really cool about us,” Miller said. “We get a lot of sounds and influences that way.”

Chelsea Days has performed at multiple venues around Oklahoma City and Norman, including 89th Street and, most recently, Opolis. They also made their way to Denton, Texas, opening a few shows of Brooklyn-based band Work Wife’s tour. They hope to branch out to new places as they grow as a band. Performing at Norman Music Festival, Miller said, will bring them credibility.

The members of Chelsea Days have attended Norman Music Festival in the past, but this will be their first time playing together at one of the main stages. In previous years, they had planned to sign up to play the festival but would barely miss the deadline. This year, they jumped at the opportunity.

As Norman Music Festival brings in audiences from across Oklahoma, the members of Chelsea Days look forward to seeing new faces at their set. With a wide range of listeners attending, they said they hope to perform a show that will appeal to all audiences. Gary said he looks forward to meeting others in the music scene.

“You might discover your new favorite band,” Miller said.

Chelsea Days will perform released and unreleased songs at Norman Music Festival, giving them the opportunity to see how a live audience responds to their music before it’s officially released.

“Live feedback is probably the best part,” Najib said.

Chelsea Days released a new song, “Eyes On You,” on April 19 and plans to release another EP in June. They will perform at the Country Cannabis Alley stage at 9 p.m. on the first night of the festival.

This story was edited by Silas Bales and Emma Blakley. Francisco Gutierrez and Alexandra Powell-Lorentzatos copy edited this story.

Jung Ho-seok, better known as J-Hope, Tuesday became the second member of K-pop sensation BTS to join the Korean military.

Approaching his 30th birthday, J-Hope attended an army camp at Wongju, south of Seoul, and is expected to begin five weeks of basic training there. Local news agencies reported a small crowd of fans, seemingly outnumbered by assembled journalists, waited outside the camp to wish him well. Their number was reported to be diminished by bad weather.

Earlier, J-Hope had posted on the Weverse fandom platform words of encouragement and a pair of photos revealing his newly-shorn hair. “I love you all. ARMY, I will return safely,” he wrote. ‘Army’ in that sense is a reference to BTS’s legion of fans, rather than the Korean military services.

All able-bodied men in Korea are required to fulfil some two years of compulsory military service and start before they turn 30. Exceptions exist in the case of athletes and some classical musicians, but these are controversial and have not been extended to K-pop stars.

J-Hope had reportedly sought a postponement, but in February it was confirmed that his application had been withdrawn.

The oldest BTS member Jin shifted into uniform in December last year, effectively beginning a hiatus for the seven-member group that could last until 2025.

Even before that, several of the BTS band members had embarked on solo projects, J-Hope was among the first. He released a debut solo album, “Jack in the Box,” in 2022 which received an accompanying music documentary that detailed the album’s creation process and also showed J-Hope preparing for his Lollapalooza concert in August.

Last month music label Big Hit Music released a new J-Hope music video and single titled “on the street.” The track was described as a lo-fi hip-hop track with a “hopeful message” and an “easy-listening melody and warm-hearted lyrics,” partially written by J-Hope. 

Latto was trending online following her impressive performance at the weekend for her 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival set where she brought out several rising star female rappers.  

However, the “Big Energy” hitmaker was trending for all the wrong reasons as fans reacted to an image Latto shared of the festival crowd. Eagle-eyed followers speculated she edited the photo after noticing multiple people replicated in the crowd. Many concert goers also had warped hands, indicating somebody digitally altered the photo.  

“Nicki said “Photoshop the sales/streams” and Latto went on to photoshop her crowd😭,” read one tweet. “I’ll be waiting for a Nicki bar on this one-” 

Nicki said “Photoshop the sales/streams” and Latto went on to photoshop her crowd😭 I’ll be waiting for a Nicki bar on this one- pic.twitter.com/cTGBkZJXTM

— Orion (@compensatenicki) April 18, 2023

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Another Twitter user replied to Latto, saying, “you gotta photoshop crowds now … those “fans” are edited 😭” 

you gotta photoshop crowds now … those “fans” are edited 😭 pic.twitter.com/J24NrjL0XJ

— imy🍸hook (@ilyhooked) April 18, 2023

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Latto Denies Altering Image Of Coachella Crowd

However, Latto is laughing off the speculation and took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday (Apr. 18) to reject and claims she photoshopped the Coachella crowd.  

“Never photoshopped a crowd lmao I expanded it so it would fit in my Instagram swipe without getting cut off but it was clearly [f#####] up so I didn’t end up using it & just posted the wrong version by accident on Twitter babes,” Latto wrote.  

#Latto is being called out for photoshopping the crowd during her Coachella performance… she responds pic.twitter.com/VAjAL43sIC

— Virtual Celebrity News Network (@ddukelantern) April 18, 2023

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In another IG Story post, she said she quoted her song “Do It” saying she is “laughing all the way to the bank.” 

In a final word to her haters, Latto also shared a video of her performing her hit “Another Nasty Song” at Coachella.  

“Haters will say it’s photoshopped :/” she captioned the post.  

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Saweetie joined Latto on the Coachella stage to perform “Bi— From Da Souf (Remix),” as did Lola Brooke, who ran across the stage to deliver her hit, “Don’t Play Wit It.”  

TiaCorine and Latto also performed their unreleased “Freaky T” remix, due out later this week.  

Coachella 2023 turned out to be a ground from which many rounds of activity made surprising headlines that the audience never expected, such as Shawn Mendes getting back together with Camila Cabello, Justin Bieber taking Frank Ocean’s side, which is taking over the internet, Leonardo DiCaprio arriving with model Irina Shayk amidst Maya Jama rumours, and ending with Kendall Jenner making her appearance with her boyfriend, with whom the relationship is going pretty strong, leading to a whole bunch of headlines with just 2 days of the music festival.

With the best came the worst experience at Coachella 2023, and to have a run-through of what it was, here is a jotted-down list of what were the 5 best things about the music party, which will be cherished and spoken about widely, and what were the other 5 moments, which were mood-turning down points at the music festival in California.

1. MUNA’s performance was the perfect blend of the evening.

On Friday afternoon, MUNA performed a dynamic concert at the Mojave Music and Arts Festival that featured hits including “Stayaway,” “Number One Fan,” and “What I Want,” which was earlier rated as the 12th greatest song of 2022.

2. Blink-182’s performance with Tom DeLonge was the mood-setter.

Fans were in for a great surprise on Friday afternoon when Blink-182 performed because they weren’t on Coachella’s original lineup. Tom DeLonge had just formally rejoined the band. (He departed in 2015, but they got back in touch after Mark Hoppus, the band’s main vocalist, was given a cancer diagnosis in 2021.)

3. Do LaB took over the stage.

This year, Do LaB, a more intimate venue that focuses on dance and electronic music, recruited a diverse group of performers to do surprise DJ sets, including James Blake on Friday and ODESZA on Saturday.

4. Charli XCX’s explosive performance

Despite performing sooner than she should have on Saturday, Charli XCX controlled the main stage.

The Icona Pop duet “I Love It” still rocks harder than ten years after its release, and Charli XCX had the feel of a headliner even with the heat still burning in the sky owing to her hot girl dance, hit-filled set list, and a Troye Sivan appearance in 1999.

5. BLACKPINK’s performance was the star of the music festival.

The schedule of events for Saturday was specifically created for pop girls, with BLACKPINK hitting the stage following Rosala.

The trio wowed the crowd at the event with their elegance and ease, executing difficult choreography flawlessly and energising them with tunes like “Pink Venom” and “Lovesick Girls.”

ALSO READ: BLACKPINK rocks Coachella 2023: Full electrifying setlist- From Boombayah to Pink Venom and solo stages

The turned-down point of the Coachella 2023 Music Festival

1. Technical errors lead to dull moments.

The majority of Coachella’s technological difficulties this year seem to be pinned on Bad Bunny. He unexpectedly invited Post Malone on stage, but their duet was wrecked by audio issues.

2. The late arrival of the singers: BLACKPINK and Calvin Harris were late to the stage for 30 minutes.

Harry Styles and Billie Eilish experienced severe delays on Saturday, in contrast to the previous year when they both performed on time.

Even though it may not seem like much of a wait when you’ve been standing all day and know that it would likely take you hours to go home, waiting for half an hour seems like a lifetime.

3. Frank Ocean, delayed by an hour, had to cut down on his performance.

The reason for Ocean’s delay has been the subject of conflicting reports, with some claiming that he changed his stage setup at the last minute, causing the festival staff to melt down a ready-to-use ice skating rink that he no longer wanted to use, while others assert that a sprained ankle forced him to rethink the performance.

4. Blurred visibility from the main stage screen leads to poor visual representation.

The main stage at Coachella hosts all of the headliners, which stinks since it provides the worst atmosphere for attendees

Similar in size to the Sahara and Outdoor Theatre, these stages are built differently to provide for greater vantage points and higher elevations.

5. The increase price for common foods and beverages were disappointing.

This holds true for many music festivals, but from the viewpoint of a festival aficionado, Coachella seems to hold true more so.

The cost of a single Heineken is $15, not including tax or tip. We spent $45 on the straightforward lunch shown above, which included two hot dogs and two orders of french fries.

ALSO READ:  Coachella 2023:Tiktoker influencers reveal the reality behind the glamorous event and it’s not what you think

Disney Vacation Club members will be whisked away to a retro-futuristic Space Age vision of tomorrow when an exclusive new lounge opens in a long-underused Tomorrowland space at Disneyland ahead of the debut of a new DVC timeshare tower later this year.

The Disney Vacation Club Star View Station member lounge inspired by Walt Disney’s optimistic vision for the future will open on Wednesday, April 19 at the Anaheim theme park.

SEE ALSO: Disneyland will hold first official gay Pride events in June

The new DVC Star View Station on the second floor of the Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland turns the unused “space” in the perpetual white elephant building into a timeshare perk for members of Disney’s vacation ownership program.

That means the only way to get into Disneyland’s new Star View Station lounge is to be a Disney Vacation Club member — or become one.

The DVC lounge will offer members air-conditioned areas with comfortable seating, free WiFi access, mobile device charging stations and complimentary soft drinks from Coca-Cola Freestyle machines.

The new space-themed lounge features murals based on early concept art for Walt Disney’s Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, the K7 Space Suit worn by Tomorrowland astronauts during the early years of Disneyland, the Space Station S-1 model from the 1950s “Disneyland” ABC television series, trading card-like posters of DVC properties around the world and M.C. Escher-like stair step carpeting. DVC members will enjoy expansive balcony views of Tomorrowland and the low-speed driving action on the once-futuristic freeways of the Autopia track.

SEE ALSO: Here’s when Disneyland’s Splash Mountain is closing

What does the new DVC lounge mean for any potential makeover plans for the futuristic themed land?

Tomorrowland is full of unused “space” —including the Magic Eye Theater, former PeopleMover track, Starcade arcade and the vast majority of Star Wars Launch Bay.

At a minimum, Disneyland will not be taking a bulldozer to Star Wars Launch Bay over the next year or so with the new DVC lounge opening this week.

Star Wars Launch Bay — which was once home to Innoventions, America Sings and Carousel of Progress — has long been the white elephant of Tomorrowland.

SEE ALSO: Why Disney’s real community of tomorrow is Anaheim

The hulking two-story round building with a rotating first floor sits on nearly an acre of prime real estate in Tomorrowland. In recent years, the massive convention-like space has been used sparingly for exclusive character meet-and-greets, fireworks viewing and seasonal merchandise sales.

Any plans to makeover Disneyland’s Tomorrowland would almost certainly involve the reuse or demolition of Star Wars Launch Bay. That’s unlikely to happen anytime soon with Disney’s most diehard fans taking up residence on the top floor.

The new DVC lounge in Star Wars Launch Bay is a temporary installation at best — easily removed or relocated. A similar Magic Key annual passholder lounge in the former Starcade arcade was a limited-time addition that quietly disappeared after a few months.

Singer-songwriter Melanie Martinez comes back with the release of her third studio album titled “Portals.” 

The album came out on March 31, features 13 songs. According to the singer all of the songs were inspired by a room in her last home said to have otherworldly activity. This bizarre room was where she meditated and set up an altar to honor the spirits that ultimately inspired the general concept; 6 of 13 songs were written while inside that room.

The album is a continuation to the story of Crybaby, a character that has been the focal point of Martinez’ discography since the release of her first album titled with same name. However, the artist said that she always hopes that listeners can identify or connect somehow with her music rather than just follow the storyline.

According to Martinez, this album is meant to represent the end of Crybaby’s trilogy. The character transcends from child in “Crybaby,” to teenager, into adulthood in “K-19,” and lastly into a spirit in the Cosmos. The artist called it a “mortal vessel” in the album.  Her goal was to speak on issues such as women’s rights to their own bodies, healing, dealing with grief and self-love. In previous album “K-12” she had also focused on speaking on political issues. 

The album features a mixture of rock, pop and Martinez’ usual alternative style. The lyrics were composed in her usual story-telling format, challenging and introducing the listeners with a new concept that goes beyond her usual themes.

The album features Martinez’ ghostly vocals and a brand new fairycore aesthetic with a different look that hides her face and body entirely, transforming her into the mixture of a pink-skinned nymph and a fairy: a set of 4 eyes, large pointed ears and forest-colored hair. 

This new look was first showcased at this year’s Lollapalooza in Brazil. She sang a few singles from her previous records along with new ones from “Portals” such as the title track named “Death.” She said it was a very important song because it was the beginning of this whole new concept. 

Martinez stated that she is no longer going to sing records from her previous albums, as she is exploring a new concept and looking to evolve her musical concept.

While the album has a different concept that extends to the artist removing herself and her image after years of giving life to the character of Crybaby, the album still represents the music and the standard that she is known for–soft vocals and the macabre.

The album provides a unique, whimsical story sure to captivate listeners. Its tranquil music and soothing vocals are what represented Martinez’ style since her debut.

The album is interesting and worth listening to.