TASH SULTANA Delivers Powerful Show To Sold-Out Audience At Red Rocks Venue In Colorado
|
DAVE NAVARRO and BILLY MORRISON’S Second Annual Star-studded “ABOVE GROUND” Concert Benefitting MusiCares®
|
DATE: SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN/KELLY WALSH
 DAVE NAVARRO AND BILLY MORRISON’SSECOND ANNUAL
STAR-STUDDED “ABOVE GROUND” CONCERT
BENEFITTING MUSICARES®
WAS TRULY A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
THE PACKED EVENT AT THE FONDA THEATRE
IN HOLLYWOOD
RAISED AWARENESS AND FUNDS
FOR THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
Pictured left to right:
Photo 1: Navarro, Jourgensen, Morrison; Photo 2: Navarro, Morrison
Photo 3: Navarro, Black; Photo 4: Morrison, Vai
Images from the Above Ground benefit show in Los Angeles, 9/16/19.
Photo credit:Jim Donnelly (Hi-res photos available on request)
The second annual “ABOVE GROUND” benefit concert, organized by Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction) and Billy Morrison (Billy Idol), was truly a night to remember. Taking place last week (September 16) at the packed Fonda Theatre in Hollywood, the star-studded event was an immersive evening of art and music celebrating the vinyl album as an art form, and at the same time raising awareness and funds for the treatment of mental health, with the profits being donated to MusiCares®, a charity of the Recording Academy™ that was established to safeguard the health and well-being of all music people. *Read an exclusive Q&A with Navarro and Morrison below.*
With one standout performance and collaboration after another (*see media pull quotes below*), the musical guests saluted two of the greatest albums of all time, which were performed in their glorious entirety: David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Marsand the Stooges’ self-titled debut album (celebrating its 50th anniversary this year), on which the world was introduced to Iggy Pop.
And what a line-up (below) guitarists Navarro and Morrison welcomed to the Fonda stage with Tom Arnold hosting the evening.
Billy Idol
Perry Farrell and Etty Lau Farrell (Kind Heaven Orchestra)
Gavin Rossdale (Bush)
Jack Black
Ministry’s Al Jourgensen
Steve Stevens
Juliette Lewis
Steve Vai
Billy Duffy (The Cult)
Wayne Kramer (MC5)
Mike Garson (the legendary and longtime keyboardist for David Bowie including his role in the Spiders From Mars line-up)
Brad Wilk (Prophets of Rage)
Carmine Rojas (David Bowie)
Chris Chaney (Jane’s Addiction)
Franky Perez (Deadland Ritual)
Twiggy
Dave Kushner (Velvet Revolver)
Orianthi
Jason Christopher, Erik Eldenius & Paul Trudeau (Billy Idol)
Donovan Leitch
Mixi Demner (Stitched Up Heart)
Julie Mintz
Laura Mace
Matt Schumer
“ABOVE GROUND” was produced with assistance from Law Rocks, which promotes music education programs. During the intermission between performances, there were speeches from people in the mental health field including Dr. Drew Pinsky along with art items for auction, live graffiti from prominent street artists including @Teachr1, @PlasticJesus, @VYALone and @MegZany, and information booths.
Q&A WITH DAVE NAVARRO AND BILLY MORRISON
ABOUT “ABOVE GROUND”
How do you feel this year’s event differed from last year’s show? The energy in the room felt even more intense this year.
BILLY: The energy was drastically higher this year and I think that’s a direct result of pursuing a goal that is NOT based on self. That positive loving energy for change is contagious and if we ALL try to channel that, imagine what would happen.
DAVE: I think there might be a couple of factors. For one I think that there has been a broader conversation about mental health since last year, and I also think that we followed through on something we started almost two years ago which tends to have more weight and validity. Not just another jam night, but an actual movement. Billy and I have been playing Hollywood with so many different artists for so many years that I think doing it a second time was key in contrasting the difference between this event versus other gigs. I also think that our selection of albums to highlight may have been more generally known, but that doesn’t mean we will straighten out and ever go down the center. We choose albums that shaped us musically and that carry artistic merit beyond musicality.
Anyone who witnessed the concert could easily feel your dedication to MusiCares with your personal comments onstage about how the organization helps musicians in crisis. Can you give us some comments about this dedication? DAVE: My dedication to the cause comes deep from within as I have personally suffered in ways that I could not possibly explain. The only ones who would understand in any capacity are the ones that I am speaking to. I know firsthand how isolating depression and mental illness can be and I feel I have a responsibility to share hope as I have found so much peace within the process of giving back.
BILLY: The dedication comes from deep personal experience, both with our own traumas and with our direct experience with MusiCares. Again, I think if you come from a place of truth and love, you cannot help but be passionate and dedicated.
Will there be an Above Ground 3 next year and if so, perhaps you can talk about how your minds are already reeling with the possibilities of which albums to present? BILLY: Yes, we are talking about Above Ground 3 already, but there is NO way I’m going to talk about what albums are in my head! That is a personal process that Dave and I enjoy for months…discussing, listening, and finding two records that mean that much to BOTH of us!!
DAVE: This is something we have become incredibly passionate about and intend to continue as long as possible. It’s going to take a lot of work and luckily for us there is no shortage of amazing artists and material that we can utilize in carrying this message further!”
Here’s a sampling of what the press had to say about the event:
 “For an industry that has seen so many talented artists, and friends to many, from Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell to Avicii and Prodigy’s Keith Flint, succumb to battles with depression and addiction in recent years, just holding an open forum like this is so important. And it’s easy to see why it is so embraced by the music community. In two years Above Ground has quickly established itself as a night that can help people while delivering some unbelievable musical moments.” “…a very packed Fonda Theater enjoyed every minute of the star-studded Above Ground charity event… Above Ground is the pet project of Navarro and Morrison, with the goal to raise suicide awareness and break down the barriers that lead people to suffer emotional distress in silence. One can tell that this subject is something both men feel deeply about, both sharing in-depth stories of their own dark thoughts. Such vulnerability is refreshing in a world attempting to shed itself of toxic masculinity.” “…it was the kinda night that can happen only in Hollywood. A star-studded showing fit for the cosmos. That the display also happened to be for a damn good cause only made it even more so. After all, if having our heroes resurrect our gods doesn’t help keep people Above Ground, then what will?”
 “…there was no doubting the passion of the organizers in bringing these great albums back into the spotlight and their dedication to the supporting the mental health battle. ‘Who’s next?’ Let’s hope that Morrison, Navarro and their musical friends will be back for another year to salute two more classic albums.”
 “Navarro and Morrison rounded up some of the industry’s best names to help them perform two full albums-The Stooges’ first album and David Bowie’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust-and raise funds for an important cause…What struck me most during my time there was the amount of passion and heart that was poured into both the performance and the event. You could really see how each artist on stage truly loved their craft. But more than that, they loved it so much that they were determined to use it for good.”Follow ABOVE GROUND SRO Press Releases + Assets:
About MusiCares
A friend and ally of the music community, MusiCares was established by the Recording Academy to safeguard the health and well-being of all music people. A four-star charity and safety net in times of need, MusiCares offers confidential preventative, recovery, and emergency programs to address financial, medical, and personal health issues. Through the generosity of our donors and volunteer professionals, our dedicated team works across the country to ensure the music community has the resources and support it needs.
For more information, visit www.musicares.org, “like” MusiCares on Facebook, and follow @MusiCares on Twitter and Instagram.
About Law Rocks
Law Rocks’ mission is to promote music education for underprivileged youth and raise funds for local nonprofit organizations by combining the power of music and the generosity of the global legal community. Law Rocks accomplishes this mission through epic battle of the band fundraising concerts in cities across the globe that star legal professionals-turned-rockstars. Since its 2009 founding, Law Rocks has toured to 21 cities around the world, held more than 100 concerts, and raised 3.2 million dollars. For more information, visit https://lawrocks.org/ and follow Law Rocks on Instagram
For press inquiries, contact SRO PR:
Mitch Schneider, mschneider@sropr.com
Marcee Rondan, marcee@sropr.com
Kelly Walsh, kwalsh@sropr.com
818-380-0400
|
THE HU Make Waves with Top Album Chart Placements in U.S., Canada, U.K. & Worldwide
DT: SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
FR: KELLY WALSH/MITCH SCHNEIDER
THE HU
MAKE WAVES WITH TOP CHART PLACEMENTS IN THE U.S., CANADA, U.K. AND WORLDWIDE
FOR THEIR ACCLAIMED DEBUT ALBUM ‘THE GEREG’
FOR THEIR ACCLAIMED DEBUT ALBUM ‘THE GEREG’
THE BAND’S IN-PROGRESS FIRST-EVER HEADLINING NORTH AMERICAN TOUR INCLUDES 16 SOLD-OUT SHOWS SO FAR
Mongolian rock sensation THE HU–now embarked on their first-ever headlining North American tour with 16 sold-out shows so far–are making serious waves on the album charts in the U.S., Canada and abroad with their critically acclaimed debut album THE GEREG via Eleven Seven Music.
Having achieved phenomenal success with three videos that combined have over 40 million views to date–Wolf Totem” and “Yuve Yuve Yu and the latest, “The Great Chingiss Khan“—the band have vaulted into the Top Ten of four charts in the U.S. and into the Top Ten of three charts in Canada. Overseas, they’ve landed on three Top Ten charts in the UK and two Top Ten charts in Australia (with a third placement in the Top 15). They’ve also placed on two Top 20 charts in Sweden and entered at #24 in Germany.
U.S.:
#1 Top New Artists
#2 Independent Label Artist
#4 Hard Music
#9 Top Current
Canada:
#1 World Albums
#3 Top Hard Albums
#9 Top Albums
U.K.:
#2 Top 40 Rock & Metal Albums
#2 Top 40 Rock & Metal Albums
#3 Independent Albums
#21 Top 200 Artist Albums
#4 Top 200 Album Downloads
Australia:
#5 Digital Albums
#5 Digital Albums
#7 Physical Albums
#11 Overall Albums
Germany:
#24 Overall Albums
#24 Overall Albums
Sweden:
#13 Physical Albums
#13 Physical Albums
#19 Vinyl Albums
“[The HU] are not just taking elements from Western music,” observed NPR back in January 2019. “Instead, they’re using some of these elements and making their own authentic music. So it’s not rock music performed by Mongolians. It’s Mongolian rock music.” And now THE HU‘s debut album is garnering critical praise:
“The songs on The Gereg range from Western-style rock anthem ‘Shoog Shoog’ to the pastoral tranquility of “Shireg Shireg” to the bold, almost bluesy swagger of ‘Yuve Yuve Yu.'”
“The HU wound up with nine cinematic songs that seamlessly meld their influences, often highlighting the areas where the two overlap… Given the global platform they earned via YouTube, The HU have an entire nation rooting for them with The Gereg.”
“…this album is great because the tracks provide a historical glimpse of a country some people may not know about. The Hu is on tour and hopefully, people will learn more about the band while listening to live cultural music.”
Photo Credit: E. AltankhuyagThis past summer, the band traveled to Europe and the UK for a sold-out 15-date tour in addition to performances at several major festivals including Download Festival, Rock im Park, Rock Am Ring, and Tons of Rock. The band were recently heralded as Cultural Envoy of Mongolia by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.
THE HU will continue thrilling audiences with their one-of-a-kind style of ‘hunnu rock‘-a combination of American heavy rock played with traditional Mongolian instruments and guttural throat singing, as they tour across North America including upcoming festival appearances at Aftershock Festival (Sacramento) and Las Rageous (Las Vegas). So far, the band has generated 16 sold-out shows in North America. Dates can be found in the poster below and remaining tickets are on sale now at www.thehuofficial.com.
ABOUT THE HU:
THE HU stands for the Mongolian root word for human being, inspiring their original style of music that they call “Hunnu Rock.” The band pull Inspiration from the Hunnu, an ancient Mongolian empire better known as The Huns in western culture. Their music is deeply embedded with their ancient culture, even integrating old Mongolian war cries and poetry into their lyrics.
The group was founded in 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia by their producer Dashka, along with band members Gala, Jaya, Temka, and Enkush. Together they create rock music with traditional Mongolian instrumentation such as the Morin Khuur (horsehead fiddle), Tovshuur (Mongolian guitar), Tumur Khuur (jaw harp), guttural throat singing built around the pillars of heavy rock: distorted guitars, bombastic drums, and aggressive rhythms. All four members have earned Bachelor’s or higher degrees in classical music and have gained several years of touring experience throughout Asia and the Pacific Rim.
THE HU is:
Gala: Lead Throat Singer and Morin Khuur
Enkush: Lead Morin Khuur and Throat Singer
Jaya: Jaw Harp, Tsuur, Flute, and Throat Singer
Temka: Tovshuur
For more information on THE HU, visit:
PR ASSETS: www.msopr.com/the-hu1
###
SRO PR (formerly MSO)
818.380.0400
Mitch Schneider / mschneider@sropr.com
Kelly Walsh / kwalsh@sropr.com
THE CULT Announce December U.S. Tour Dates
|
DATE: SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MARCEE RONDAN/ANDREA FAULK
 THE CULT
A SONIC TEMPLE
DECEMBER U.S. TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED
SHOWS WILL FOLLOW BAND’S FALL EUROPEAN TREK
IN SUPPORT OF THEIR
‘SONIC TEMPLE’
30TH ANNIVERSARY
RELEASES
As THE CULT celebrate the 30th anniversary of their seminal Sonic Temple album, the British group–led by vocalist Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy—have announced additional dates through the end of 2019. The new U.S. shows in December follow the band’s U.K. dates and support the September 13 release of THE CULT: SONIC TEMPLE 30 by Beggars Arkive. The band Spirit Animal will join THE CULT for all the December shows. Tickets for the shows go on sale Friday, September 27 at 10:00 AM (local time).
Set lists for the shows will draw from THE CULT‘s 10 studio albums with the centerpiece being a super set that’s focused on the core songs from Sonic Temple, a pivotal album that brought together the alternative and hard rock audiences; some of these songs have not been performed since the album (their fourth) was originally released in 1989. Produced by the legendary Bob Rock, Sonic Temple had four chart-topping singles: “Fire Woman,” “Edie (Ciao Baby),” “Sun King” and “Sweet Soul Sister.” Sonic Temple proved to be an important moment for both the band and the wider rock scene.
THE CULT: SONIC TEMPLE 30 has been released as a deluxe box set and a 5-CD set. Plus Beggars Arkive reissued Sonic Temple on Double LP, which has been out of print for over 20 years. Read a press release about it here.
In a recent interview about the album, Ian Astbury explained how the band brought together hard rock and indie rock to create the unique, game-changing sounds on Sonic Temple. “We wanted to retain our core DNA as we went deeper into psych and hard rock influences. It was a complete immersion for me into art, film, music, poetry and literature, weaving those influences into what was to become Sonic Temple. The band was becoming more popular. We were in uncharted waters. Most of the bands we had come up with had split up or fallen off. We were accelerating. There was no real time to breathe. We were forming new allegiances and breaking the glass ceiling of ‘the indie outsider.'”
The album catapulted THE CULT into superstar status and remains their most commercially successful release. It has sold over 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone and was certified platinum in 1990. It made it to #10 on the Billboard charts, and the aforementioned songs all remain rock-radio staples to this day.
The shows will be a gathering and celebration for CULT fans. As Billy Duffy stated about the tour in a recent interview, “I’d like fans to not only allow themselves a little indulgence into maybe simpler happier times of the late 80s for a few hours at a ST19 show, but also be happy that the music is now really their possession, not ours, and to do with it what they will.”
 THE CULT’s remaining 2019 tour dates are as follows:
 The Cult by Tim Cadiente
Visit THE CULT‘s social platforms for all tour dates, news and updates:
ABOUT THE CULT:
THE CULT has reveled in a controversial and storied career. Emerging from the darkly romantic UK post-punk scene with the album DREAMTIME, they followed it with the anthemic idealism of LOVE, the Rick Rubin-produced NYC street hustle of ELECTRIC and the textural amplifier worship of SONIC TEMPLE AND CEREMONY— deconstructing full circle for THE CULT. After a brief hiatus, the band returned performing at the Tibetan Freedom concert, then embedded themselves in the studio to record and release BEYOND GOOD & EVIL in 2001 just prior to 9/11.
BORN INTO THIS (named after a Charles Bukowski poem), their sixth album, was heralded by Mojo magazine as “a wholehearted, utopian, and irrefutably exciting record.” CHOICE OF WEAPON, The Cult’s third full-length album of the new millennium, made its impact against the ever-growing tide of disposable new media, launching a triumphant global tour culminating in an intense uplifting performance at Coachella 2014, acknowledged as “THE MESSIANIC MOMENT OF COACHELLA” by Rolling Stone magazine. In 2016 the band released its 10th studio album HIDDEN CITY, an elegantly brutal masterpiece inspired by a visceral exploration of self and soul launching THE CULT into another triumphant world tour, burning up stages with Public Enemy, Primal Scream, Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses and many others.
###
|
ICE NINE KILLS DEBUT “IT IS THE END” MUSIC VIDEO, THE SILVER SCREAM: FINAL CUT SET FOR 10/25 RELEASE
|
(Photo credit: Rickelle Tavares) 
TASH SULTANA’s Performance at The Red Rocks Venue in CO is to be Recorded and Filmed
|
