GENE SIMMONS Will Teach You How To Play Bass And Write A Song At Special Las Vegas ‘MasterClass’

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons will host a special MasterClass in Las Vegas, Nevada next month.

Says Gene: “Join me, Gene Simmons, in an intimate private setting, on Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada as I teach you and your classmates …

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KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons will host a special MasterClass in Las Vegas, Nevada next month. Says Gene: "Join me, Gene Simmons, in an intimate private setting, on Saturday, June 26, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada as I teach you and your classmates to play bass and write a song! That's right — we'll be together, on stage." You will learn to play bass. You will write a song. You will perform as a band — together. Don't know how to play a note? No worries. Gene will show you how. You'll have an amazing experience followed by a personal bass signing. For more information, visit GeneSimmonsAxe.com. Simmons is a multi-hyphenate entrepreneur and one of the world's most recognized personalities. Born in Haifa, Israel in 1949 named Chaim Witz, when Gene was just eight years old, his mother decided to move to the United States. They settled in New York City, and she felt that he needed to have a name that sounded more American, so she changed his name to Eugene Klein. He would not know wealth until after he became a well-known musician and performer with KISS the hard rock band that rose to unbelievable heights of fame. Simmons co-founded KISS, America's No. 1 gold-record-award-winning group of all time in all categories (RIAA). KISS also boasted over 3,000 licensed/merchandise items and in 2014 was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Simmons film and television accolades include the film titled "Detroit Rock City". Simmons went on to create a reality television show where he starred alongside his wife, daughter and son in the series "Gene Simmons Family Jewels". With a fortune at his disposal, he could do anything that he wants. He chooses to travel and to share his wisdom with others. KISS's farewell trek was launched in January 2019 and was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but is now expected to last well into 2022. Last December, Simmons told the 95.5 KLOS radio station that KISS has "a hundred and fifty" shows left in its "End Of The Road" tour, including a stop at "the coldest place on earth." KISS last performed this past New Year's Eve in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The concert broke Guinness world records for highest flame projection in a music concert and for most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert. KISS's current lineup consists of original members Simmons and vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley, alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991). Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, Peter Criss (drums) and Ace Frehley (guitar), KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.

Watch METALLICA’s 2018 Performance In Lincoln, Nebraska As Part Of Streaming Concert Series

In honor of Month Of Giving, METALLICA brought back its concert series, “#MetallicaMondays”, where the band is streaming a complete live show for fans on the group’s YouTube channel and on Facebook every week.

The special, one-night-only event on Mond…

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In honor of Month Of Giving, METALLICA brought back its concert series, "#MetallicaMondays", where the band is streaming a complete live show for fans on the group's YouTube channel and on Facebook every week. The special, one-night-only event on Monday, May 24 featured METALLICA's September 6, 2018 concert in Lincoln, Nebraska shot on the North American leg of the "WorldWired" tour, including a very rare performance of "The Unforgiven III". The show premiered on YouTube and Facebook and can be viewed below. And just like all of METALLICA's #MetallicaMondays shows last year, this one featured simultaneous fundraisers on both platforms for the All Within My Hands Month Of Giving benefitting Feeding America and Direct Relief. Last August, METALLICA announced that it had raised more than $100,000 from its #MetallicaMondays streaming concert series for its All Within My Hands foundation. METALLICA launched the free weekly series at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to provide "live" entertainment to their fans as the concert industry shut down. After more than five months of sharing full performances spanning the band's entire career — from 1983 through 2019 — METALLICA closed out the series in August with a 2017 show from Mexico City. If you missed any of the shows or you would simply like to relive them, you can watch them on demand on METALLICA's YouTube channel. METALLICA frontman James Hetfield revealed this past March that the band had written "over 10 songs" for the follow-up to 2016's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" album. "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart, selling 291,000 copies in its first week of release.

Primavera 2022: The Strokes, Tame Impala and Lorde confirmed on line-up

Next year’s festival will take place over two weekends in June

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Primavera Sound Festival has confirmed its line-up for 2022, with the likes of The Strokes, Tame Impala and Lorde all on the bill.

The Barcelona festival cancelled both its 2020 and 2021 editions due to the coronavirus pandemic, but now intends to return in 2022 with a bumper event.

Over 400 artists will perform as part of Primavera 2022, which will primarily be held at the Parc del Fòrum across two weekends next year: June 2-4 and June 9-11.

More than 150 shows will also take place in venues across Barcelona between June 5-8 next year as part of the festival. Primavera 2022 will then close with the ‘Brunch On The Beach’ party on June 12.

The full line-up for Primavera Sound Festival 2022 has been announced this morning (May 25) in an announcement video, which you can see below.

The first weekend of Primavera 2022 will feature many of the artists who were booked to play in 2020 and 2021, including The Strokes, Tyler, the Creator, Pavement, Tame Impala, Massive Attack, Gorillaz, The National, Charli XCX, Beck and Jorja Smith. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will also perform during the first weekend (June 2-4).

The Strokes, Tyler, The Creator, Tame Impala, Gorillaz, Massive Attack and Jorja Smith will also return for weekend two of Primavera 2022 (June 9-11). The likes of Lorde, Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, Run The Jewels, M.I.A., Playboi Carti, Holly Humberstone will also perform.

You can find the full line-up here.

Tickets for Primavera 2022 will go on sale on June 1 via DICE. Ticketholders for the cancelled 2020 and 2021 editions of Primavera will be able to attend one weekend of Primavera 2022 of their choosing, or they can upgrade their tickets in order to attend both weekends.

Refunds will also be available for any 2020 or 2021 ticketholders who do not wish to attend Primavera 2022. You can find out more information here.

The Primavera Weekender is set to return later this year following its inaugural edition in 2019.

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SLIPKNOT Announces KNOTFEST IOWA With FAITH NO MORE, MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD, Others

Knotfest, the music and counterculture experience created by the multi-platinum sonic phenomenon and nine-piece force of nature SLIPKNOT has today confirmed the return of Knotfest Iowa for 2021. The event will be the biggest heavy music festival to eve…

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Knotfest, the music and counterculture experience created by the multi-platinum sonic phenomenon and nine-piece force of nature SLIPKNOT has today confirmed the return of Knotfest Iowa for 2021. The event will be the biggest heavy music festival to ever hit the mid-western state and will be held at National Balloon Classic Field in Indianola, Iowa on Saturday, September 25, with SLIPKNOT headlining. The full lineup features FAITH NO MORE, MEGADETH, LAMB OF GOD, $UICIDE BOY$, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM, TECH N9NE, FEVER 333, KNOCKED LOOSE, TURNSTILE, GATECREEPER and VENDED. Tickets will be available on pre-sale to Knotfest.com subscribers from 10 a.m. Central time on today (Tuesday, May 25), with a general on-sale from 10 a.m Central on June 4, over at KnotfestIowa.com. The Iowan icons have also confirmed the exciting news that they returned to the studio last month to work on new music. The band will deliver updates soon. With SLIPKNOT bringing their incendiary live experience home once more to their native Iowa, SLIPKNOT percussionist M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan says: "A home show is always insane, but a home Knotfest show will be on a whole other level. Prepare. See you soon for the new reality. Stay (sic)." In related developments, SLIPKNOT's news and content web site, Knotfest.com is absorbing the band's Outside The 9 fan club and will now offer fans of both SLIPKNOT and heavy culture in general, the opportunity to gain access to a wealth of exclusive content and opportunities first. The behind-the-scenes footage showcasing the making of the band's next album will be accessible exclusively for fans who join the Knotfest community. Digital memberships for Knotfest.com start at $6 a month or $50 annually, with a free tier also available. Subscribers will get an array of exclusive access and bonuses including: * Priority access to SLIPKNOT headline shows, Knotfest festivals, Knotfest Roadshow, Knotfest Presents shows, VIP experiences and additional major tours and festivals. * Expanded exclusive content drops from SLIPKNOT and the biggest artists in the culture including performances, interviews, AMAs, meet-and-greets and more. * Access to enhanced visual, audio, and editorial content from the Knotfest web site * One-of-a-kind contests and giveaways involving your favorite artist * Exclusive Knotfest forum * Knotfest members-only private Discord channel * Access to exclusive merchandise * 10% off discount in the Knotfest online store * First-drop access for merch collabs Speaking to Rolling Stone, Crahan described Knotfest as "a dark carnival experience. It's not just the shows, but the environment created around it. It's all about having fun. A day dedicated to our mentality, our ideas, to the people we want to be with. I'm talking about smells, sights, hearing, your body, everything will be overloaded with stimulation." Twenty-two years ago, nine inspired musicians from Des Moines, Iowa, shattered the scope of what was possible in rock music. From the moment SLIPKNOT emerged in 1999 with their self-titled debut, it was clear they were like nothing the world had seen before. Where a similarly creative act may have burned out or lost their relevance chasing mainstream acceptance, SLIPKNOT has only proven that an enduring commitment to constant evolution, their craft, and their fans can allow a rock band to not only continue — but flourish and push the envelope on what defines heavy metal and rock music in general. With "We Are Not Your Kind", SLIPKNOT's first new album in five years, the band delivered when they were needed most. Meanwhile, SLIPKNOT's annual Knotfest festival has evolved into the biggest hard rock and metal festival in the world, expanding to four continents. Over 550,000 fans have attended these massive festivals, which are as cultural as they are music-based, mixing heavy rock with hip hop, world music, visual art, experiential installations, and much more. Recorded music and live performances aside, SLIPKNOT has always permeated mainstream culture in ways that defy expectations. Recently, SLIPKNOT partnered with Amazon Studios' advertising campaign for their smash hit series "The Boys", and have launched SLIPKNOT No. 9 Whiskey in a partnership with Cedar Ridge Distillery (American Distilling Institute's "2017 Distiller Of The Year"). "We Are Not Your Kind" came out in August 2019. The disc sold 118,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Furthermore, the album made an impact worldwide with No. 1 debuts in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Japan, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Finland, as well as Top 5 debuts in Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and New Zealand. "We Are Not Your Kind"'s sales in the U.S. were boosted by a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer with SLIPKNOT's summer 2019 tour.

Watch aespa sing hits by Lil Nas X, Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift and more

For their recent appearance on the ‘8 Bit Melody Challenge’ series by ‘Seventeen Magazine’

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Rookie K-pop girl group aespa have made their first-ever appearance on Seventeen Magazine’s ‘8 Bit Melody Challenge’ series.

During the guesting, the quartet – Giselle, Winter, Karina, and Ningning – were tasked with guessing 11 mystery songs by different pop artists. Over the course of the video, the girl group performed sang a number of hit songs, including ‘Bad Guy’ by Billie Eilish, ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X, ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift and more.

Elsewhere in the video, aespa also revealed their personal role models. Ningning said that she hoped to meet Beyoncé someday, while Karina confessed that Camila Cabello is her favorite singer.

Meanwhile, Winter revealed that Karina did her vocal training with Dua Lipa‘s songs because her voice is “very low”. On the other hand, Giselle admitted to being a fan of Justin Bieber since she was young. She added that she particularly enjoyed his latest album ‘Justice’, and singled out ‘There She Go’ and ‘Hold On’ as her favorites.

aespa are the latest K-pop act to appear on Seventeen Magazine‘s ‘8 Bit Melody Challenge’ series, following The Boyz, ATEEZ, ITZY and more. The girl group also recently released the single ‘Next Level’, which is a remake of Aussie singer Aston’s 2019 song of the same name, which was featured on the soundtrack of the film Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.

Earlier this month, K-pop boyband CRAVITY made their debut appearance on ELLE’s popular video series ‘Song Association’. The group performed tracks from their latest mini-album ‘Season 3. Hideout: Be Our Voice’, as well as hit songs from pop stars such as Fifth Harmony (‘Worth It’), Kesha (‘Tik Tok’) and more.

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Elton John and Alice Cooper recreate iconic photo at Bernie Taupin’s birthday party

50 years since the original snap, no less

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Elton John and Alice Cooper have recreated an iconic photo of the pair and their friends some 50 years after the iconic snap was first taken.

Gathered together to celebrate Bernie Taupin’s 71st birthday in Los Angeles, the trio were also joined by Will & Grace actor Eric McCormack to recreate the memorable photo.

While McCormack was not present in the original shot, he took the role of late comedian Paul Lynde – who was present at Taupin’s 21st birthday in 1971.

“Bernie Taupin’s 21st Birthday and, last night, his 71st,” wrote McCormack as he shared the snaps on Instagram.

“50 years later and I got to be Paul Lynde! 15-year-old me would be losing his mind!”

Elton also took to social media to celebrate the birthday of his long-term songwriter and close friend.

“Celebrating the milestone birthday of my musical soulmate,” wrote Elton. “Happy Birthday Brother, I love you.”

The pair have been joined at the musical hip since 1967 when they both responded to an advertisement placed in the NME from Liberty Records, who were appealing for new songwriters.

They have worked together on the vast majority of Elton’s music since then, with Bernie penning the lyrics for hits such as ‘Rocket Man’, ‘Crocodile Rock’, ‘Tiny Dancer’ and ‘Candle In The Wind’.

Elton recently joined forces with Years & Years’ Olly Alexander to cover Pet Shop Boys‘ ‘It’s A Sin’.

After teasing the live collaboration on social media, the pair took to The O2 Arena stage at the BRIT Awards for a spectacular performance of the 1987 single – which inspired the title of Russell T Davies’ recent drama, starring Alexander.

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Megadeth part ways with co-founder David Ellefson following grooming allegations

In a statement, Dave Mustaine revealed “an already strained relationship” with the bassist, who denied the allegations

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Megadeth have parted ways with co-founding member David Ellefson, two weeks after the bassist denied allegations that he groomed an underage girl online.

Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine announced the decision in a statement on social media yesterday (May 24), two weeks after the band first acknowledged the allegations against Ellefson.

Despite Ellefson’s departure, the statement promises fans can still expect to hear new Megadeth music, which the band have long teased and which Mustaine says is “almost complete”, and tour with Lamb Of God over the summer.

“We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward,” Mustaine wrote.

“We look forward to seeing our fans on the road this summer, and we cannot wait to share our brand new music with the world. It is almost complete.”

Earlier this month, several explicit screenshots and videos leaked of Ellefson purportedly having “some private and personal conversations” with a woman who was alleged by some to be underage. The bassist denied the allegations that he was grooming an underage girl.

“While certainly embarrassing, I want to address it as openly and honestly as possible,” he wrote in a social media post on his Instagram account, which has since been made private.

“As much as it’s not something I’m proud of, these were private, adult interactions that were taken out of context and manipulated to inflict maximum damage to my reputation, my career and family.”

The woman allegedly involved also released a statement, which Ellefson shared, saying that she was never underage when the conversations took place.

“Yes, those video calls did happen, but I was the one to initiate them and never was I underage, I was always a consenting adult. Nothing inappropriate ever happened before that. It was all consensual, I’m not a victim and I have not been groomed in the slightest as I was the one to initiate it,” she said.

“In the end, it was all consensual and all online. I don’t know how it got to this point, but a lot of information is being left out by the people purposely trying to harm him. I would ask that anyone sharing these personal private videos or any misinformation about them to please stop.”

In their earlier statement, Megadeth said they were “aware of the recent statements regarding David Ellefson, and are watching developments closely”.

“As it relates to creativity and business, we are all familiar with one another,” the statement read. “However, there are clearly aspects of David’s private life that he has kept to himself.”

“As this situation unfolds, it is important that all voices be heard clearly and respectfully. We look forward to the truth coming to light.”

Ellefson co-founded Megadeth with Mustaine in 1983. Following the band’s hiatus between 2002 and 2004, Ellefson did not immediately return. Instead, he sued Mustaine over merchandise and publishing royalties. The case was dismissed in 2005, and Ellefson eventually returned to the band in 2010.

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Grammy official explains why a K-pop category is unlikely to happen anytime soon

The Academy only received 14 K-pop submissions last year

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A Grammy official has explained why K-pop is unlikely to get its own category anytime soon.

The Recording Academy, which presents the annual Grammy Awards, occasionally adds new categories to the awards ceremony. The most recent additions are Best Global Music Performance and Best Música Urbana Album, which were announced on April 30 and will be introduced next year during the 64th Grammy Awards.

But according to Bill Freimuth, the chief awards officer at the Recording Academy, a K-pop-only category seems unlikely to happen in the near future. Speaking to Billboard, the Grammy official said that both he and the “community” find it hard to define Korean music enough from ordinary pop music to justify its own category.

“The way I see it, modern K-pop really started in the ’90s. They took what was popular during that era [such as R&B and bubblegum pop] and made it their own,” he said. “What we’ve heard from the community is that they consider what they are creating to be pop music.”

In addition, Freimuth also points out that the process for adding a new category is “quite formal”, requiring detailed proposals and several rounds of approval and ratification by different committees and boards.

As Billboard also noted, potential categories require around 100 potential submissions for a “strong chance” of consideration. However, The Recording Academy only received 14 K-pop submissions last year, which is well below the expected mark.

But despite the unlikelihood of a K-pop category, Freimuth said that the Academy would “love to see more”. He added: “We appreciate that the Grammys are so important to them.”

Last November, BTS became the first-ever K-pop act to receive a Grammy nomination. The boyband’s hit 2020 single ‘Dynamite’ was up for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the recent 63rd Grammy Awards, but ultimately lost out to Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s ‘Rain On Me’ collab.

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E3 2021: EA to unofficially kick things off with a ‘Battlefield 6’ reveal stream

Here’s what we know so far

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E3 is almost upon us, and the line-up keeps getting longer. The fully digital conference, held each year by the Entertainment Software Association, is considered one of the gaming industry’s key events.

With no stalls or booths due to the Coronavirus pandemic, E3 has had to rethink its approach to this year’s showcase. It is still set to be one of the biggest events of the year, with announcements and shows from companies such as EA, Bethesda, Square Enix, and Ubisoft.

How can I attend?

Registration for E3 opened on June 3, but most press conferences will be available to stream on Twitch. An official livestream E3 broadcast hosted by Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez, Greg Miller, and Jacki Jing will also be running via the E3 app.

Halo Infinite. Credit: 343 Industries

When is it, and how does this digital thing work?

The main body of E3 will run from 12 – 15 June, but a few fringe events will fall outside of this period. Hours can vary, due to the international nature of the event, but we’ve put everything in BST just to keep things simple.

Usually, E3 is a big physical event with booths and huge developer conferences taking place across multiple stages. This year, things have to be reconsidered, due to the ongoing pandemic limitations, but the E3 team has a more solid plan in place than last years’, which was a little messy.

A live stream will be available for the duration of the event, with online booths, and even digital social areas for people to discuss the announcements.

All of this will take place on a centralised app, which The CEO of the ESA, Stanley Pierre-Louis explained as: “a bespoke online portal and app that will allow fans, media and industry professionals to have an E3 experience designed to run parallel to the four-day broadcast, laying the foundation for interactive E3 elements to continue beyond this year’s all-virtual show.”

Sam Fisher in Rainbow Six Siege Credit: Ubisoft

Who will be there and what sort of announcements can I expect?

The confirmed list of speakers is already pretty huge, but little is known about the nature of their individual announcements.

Industry giants such as Nintendo, Xbox, EA, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Capcom, and Sega will all be there, alongside a few shows focusing specifically on smaller or indie developers. Gearbox, Take-Two, and Koch.

Media will also be there, although Konami have announced they will not be attending this year due to being “in deep development on a number of key projects”.

Although we don’t know the content of these announcements, we can make a few educated guesses that games such as Elden Ring and Starfield may be discussed.

Events:

June 5 – Indie Live Expo – 10am BST

In its third annual iteration, the Indie Live Expo will focus on Asian-market indie games.

June 5 – Guerrilla Collective (Day One) – 4pm BST

This fast-paced showcase will feature over 80 games between the two days, with announced partners including 505 Games, Akupara Games, tinyBuild, All in! Games, Superhot, Fellow Traveller, Good Shepherd, Graffiti Games, Humble Games, Headup, Goblinz Studio, Hypetrain Digital, Innersloth, and Neon Doctrine.

June 5 – Black Voices In Gaming – 6pm BST

Highlighting Black creators, professionals, and characters in gaming.

June 9 –  EA Battlefield 6 reveal stream – 3pm BST

EA will reveal the next entry in the Battlefield series on YouTube the day before E3 officially starts. Expect a game title, release date and more. Find out more here.

June 10 – The /twitchgaming Gathering

Twitch announced that it will be hosting a unique event starting on June 10, that will include the Summer Game Fest Kickoff, as well as a whole host of content, featuring behind-the-scenes access, announcements and industry interviews hosted by the streamers who make up Twitch. The event also promises a celebrity edition of Twitch Rivals, and a special edition of the Twitch Gameshow Hivemind.

June 10 – Summer Game Fest Kick-Off Live – 7pm BST

Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the Kick-Off Live show is a space for “premiere” game announcements alongside a new “stream-safe game soundtrack song” from Weezer.

June 11 – Koch Primetime Gaming Stream

A much-anticipated stream from Koch Media – the parent company of Deep Silver – who has been teasing something mysterious for a while now.

June 11 – Netflix Geeked Week Gaming – 5pm BST

Geoff Keighley will be a special guest on this showcase, looking at upcoming gaming TV shows and films on the Netflix streaming service. This includes information, we suspect, on The Witcher, The Cuphead Show, and Resident Evil.

June 11 – IGN Expo 2021 – 9pm BST

An event run in partnership with Kick-Off Live, IGN has promised: “new game reveals, never-before-seen gameplay, and announcements you won’t hear from anyone else”.

June 12 – Guerrilla Collective (Day Two) – 4pm BST

Day two of Guerrilla Collective’s independent showcase will feature even more games, spotlighting in-development games from indie developers and publishers across the world.

June 12 – Wholesome Direct – 6pm BST

Bringing this years’ pick of sweet and soothing games.

June 12 – Ubisoft Forward – 8pm BST

Although there are no firm announcement details just yet, updates on franchises like Rainbow Six and Far Cry are likely.

June 12 – Devolver Digital Press Conference – 9:30pm BST

All we have to go on for this one is a cryptic tweet.

June 12 – Gearbox Showcase – 10pm BST

A showcase of announcements and information from Gearbox, creators of Borderlands.

June 13 – Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase – 6pm BST

Combining for the first time on equal footing, Bethesda and Microsoft will present news on their “epic gaming lineup” and have promised “world premieres”.

June 13 – Square Enix Presents – 8:15pm BST

We already have a “world premiere” promised, and news on Babylon’s Fall, Black Panther, and the Life Is Strange sequel, so this looks to be a pretty major reveal event. There are also rumours about Final Fantasy Origin and a new Guardians Of The Galaxy inspired game.

June 13 – The PC Gaming Show – 10:30pm BST

This show focuses on PC games, courtesy of PC Gamer. A time and content schedule has not yet been announced.

June 13 – The Future Games Show – 12am BST

Hosted by GamesRadar, the Future Games Show is the counterpart of the PC Gaming Show, exhibiting console and mobile announcements. A time and content schedule has not yet been announced.

June 13 – Warner Bros. Games – Time TBA

Warner Bros. Games will appear at this year’s E3 conference, although the developer has already confirmed that Hogwarts Legacy and Gotham Knights won’t make an appearance. The developer will show off it’s Left 4 Dead inspired co-operative first-person shooter Back 4 Blood.

June 14 – Take Two Interactive – 6pm BST

Take-Two Interactive owns a number of properties including Bioshock, Borderlands and the NBA 2K games.  The new Bioshock has reportedly been in development for sometime, so it’s possible the publisher may reveal the first gameplay footage during its stream.

June 14 – Capcom – 10:30pm BST

Capcom’s 2021 E3 showcase will feature Resident Evil, Monster Hunter and a new Ace Attorney title, alongside potentially unannounced projects.

June 14 – Limited Run Games – 9pm BST 

Limited Run Games will be holding an hour-long E3 2021 press conference that promises 25 announcements centred on classic and indie games. This will more than likely involve several physical editions.

June 15 – Nintendo – 5pm BST

Nintendo have revealed that they will hold their trademark Nintendo Direct on June 15, promising roughly 40 minutes of info focussed on software and games for the Switch. There is currently no mention of the recently rumoured Nintendo Switch Pro.

June 15 – E3 Awards Show – 12:20am BST

Coming in right at the end of E3, the awards show looks to highlight some of the finest achievements in gaming over the last year.

June 16 – Steam Next Fest – 6pm BST

Steam aims to carry on the momentum of E3, with Steam Next Fest. The six day celebration will feature hundreds of game demos, developer livestreams and will allow fans to talk directly with developers.

Keep an eye on this page for any more announcements and updates to the schedule.

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Independent music venues in the US have still received $0 in government relief

That’s despite the Save Our Stages Act passing into law back in December

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Independent music venues in the US are still yet to receive any federal relief from the Small Business Administration (SBA) despite the Save Our Stages Act passing into law five months ago.

The coronavirus-enforced shutdown of live music in 2020 had sparked fears that many venues across the country would have to close permanently, but the passing of the Save Our Stages Act in December – which guarantees independent venues and theatres $16 billion (£11.27 million) in federal relief grants – raised hopes of a recovery for the live music sector in the US.

The Wall Street Journal reports that over 12,000 independent venues in the US have applied for Shuttered Venue Operators Grants since the SBA began accepting applications on April 26.

However, as of yet, no funding has been distributed. The SBA had initially said that it intended to start processing federal aid last week.

A representative for the SBA told Variety yesterday (May 24) that “the SBA is committed to quickly and efficiently delivering this pandemic relief to help our theatres, music venues, and more get the help they need”.

The Great American Music Hall participates in Save Our Stages “One Year Dark” Marquee Campaign on March 13, 2021 in San Francisco (Picture: Steve Jennings/Getty Images)

“While there continues to be some fine-tuning of technical components of the program, we expect SVOG Priority 1 (90 per cent revenue loss) awards to tentatively begin next week, kicking off a 14-day priority period. We will then move on to begin processing Priority 2 awards.”

The National Independent Venue Association’s Audrey Fix Schaefer told Variety that “this emergency relief can’t come soon enough for those on the precipice of going under”.

“We’ll be very grateful when the money is distributed as Congress intended. It’s been very hard to hold on, but even tougher to plan for reopening without the money to hire back staff, rent venues and secure acts with deposits. It will be incredible when the $16 billion Congress earmarked to save our stages becomes a reality.”

Yesterday saw the US version of Independent Venue Week announce plans for the 2021 edition of their annual festival.

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