SXSW 2013: Prince Closes Festival With Epic Concert

Prince performs at Samsung Galaxy presents Prince and A Tribe Called Quest in Austin, Texas on March 16th, 2013. John Sciulli/Getty Images for Samsung

Prince gave fair warning last night somewhere between his second and third encores. "Don't make me hurt you – you know how many hits I have?" he asked the crowd packed into La Zona Rosa in Austin as SXSW drew to a close.

Enough that he didn't get to them all. Not even close, in fact, though he performed for two hours and 40 minutes, returning to the stage time and again for six or seven encores in all. At a festival where special guests and counterintuitive collaborations are the currency of much-coveted buzz, Prince relied on himself – and on a band that was tighter than a Marine Corps top sheet.

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As much jam session for the NPG as it was a concert, Prince sang, danced, played a little piano and was generous in spotlighting his backing musicians, who included 11 horn players, two guitarists, a bass player, a drummer, a percussionist and a host of vocalists. The only thing Prince didn't do was play guitar, but then "Purple Rain" didn't include the outro guitar solo, either.

He was probably just too busy directing the show, as if sampling and savoring each ingredient and adjusting to taste. The songs rarely seemed to start or stop, only to shift and flow in new directions as "Shhh" became "Musicology," which transformed into "Extra Lovable," with a bursts of brass tumbling over Prince's vocals. The band did the same thing without him during instrumental sections, sliding from tight, funky soul laced with horns into an impressionistic jazz-tinted section that featured a horn solo, followed by a ripping guitar break.

They stretched out on "Purple Rain," and Prince urged the crowd to sing wordless vocals in place of the guitar solo, and reflected on his career choice. "I love being a musician," he said. "It feels like a servant. A servant for you."

That song ended a 50-minute main set that began with the horn players taking the stage by parading through the crowd like a New Orleans second line, and also included a ringing burst of synths and horns on "1999." For the string of encores, Prince pulled out covers of songs by Curtis Mayfield, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, and soul and funk workouts "like we do in Minneapolis." He dipped into Morris Day and the Time's catalog with "Jungle Love," played Sheila E.'s hit "The Glamorous Life" (which Prince wrote) and unearthed his own rarity, "Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)," singing anguished lyrics accompanied by piano on a darkened stage.

Finally, as the clock ticked toward 3 a.m., Prince wrapped up, even as diehards called for one more song. 

A Tribe Called Quest opened the show with a set of songs that included "Can I Kick It," "Bonita Applebum" and "Award Tour." The show, dubbed "The Next Big Thing," was presented by Samsung, which gave away 200 tickets to people who used the company's tablet-like Galaxy cell phone to complete an 11-item scavenger hunt around Austin. 

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Ultra Music Festival Workers Critically Injured After Giant Screen Falls

Two workers at Miami's Ultra Music Festival were critically injured last night as they were setting up the main stage. A giant LED screen fell as workers were preparing for the festival, which starts today. Fire rescue officials said two men suffered life-threatening injuries, including one with both of his legs broken, the Miami Herald reports.

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Two other workers were also hit by the falling screen. One is in stable condition, and the other received treatment at the scene. The severely injured were taken to a nearby hospital. A large section of the festival area will be closed off as a result of the accident. A statement from Ultra last night said the organizers "are working with, and supporting, authorities as they investigate the details behind the accident."

Ultra Music Festival kicks off its 15th edition today, runs through Sunday and continues the following weekend (March 22nd-24th). Skrillex, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Snoop Lion and Swedish House Mafia are among those performing at this year's Ultra.

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Ultra Music Festival Workers Critically Injured After Giant Screen Falls

Two workers at Miami's Ultra Music Festival were critically injured last night as they were setting up the main stage. A giant LED screen fell as workers were preparing for the festival, which starts today. Fire rescue officials said two men suffered life-threatening injuries, including one with both of his legs broken, the Miami Herald reports.

The 25 DJs That Rule the Earth

Two other workers were also hit by the falling screen. One is in stable condition, and the other received treatment at the scene. The severely injured were taken to a nearby hospital. A large section of the festival area will be closed off as a result of the accident. A statement from Ultra last night said the organizers "are working with, and supporting, authorities as they investigate the details behind the accident."

Ultra Music Festival kicks off its 15th edition today, runs through Sunday and continues the following weekend (March 22nd-24th). Skrillex, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Snoop Lion and Swedish House Mafia are among those performing at this year's Ultra.

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Metallica Book Chili Peppers, Bassnectar and More for Second Orion Festival

Metallica Announce Orion 2013 LineupAngel Delgado/Clasos.com/LatinContent/Getty Images

"We didn't know what was going to happen, but it was a blast – so we said 'Let's see if we can do that again.'" So says Lars Ulrich, the always-excitable drummer and co-founder of Metallica, explaining why he and bandmates Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo are returning for round two of the Orion Music + More Festival – the annual gathering they've created and curated in collaboration with C3 Presents, producers of Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits – which made a successful debut last year in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Today, Metallica is revealing Orion's even more varied, adventurous lineup for 2013 – one that ranges from superstar co-headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, EDM rave king Bassnectar, indie-rock heroes Japandroids and all points in between, when Orion arrives at its new venue, Detroit's Belle Isle, on June 8th and 9th.

Of course, the event wouldn't be complete without a titanic performance from Metallica: As such, Orion pulses with the pioneering metal band's DNA, right down its name, taken from the title of the epic instrumental at the center of Metallica's 1986 classic album Master of Puppets. For Ulrich, the Metallica ethos is embodied most in Orion's surprising juxtapositions, a tradition that commenced in the festival's 2012 incarnation, which featured the likes of Modest Mouse, Best Coast and Eric Church alongside more expectedly heavy acts like Avenged Sevenfold, Sepultura and Suicidal Tendencies. "Our idea was to bring North America the kind of festival experience you get in Europe, which is all about diversity and new experiences," Ulrich says. "When we first proposed this, people were like, 'Why isn't Metallica doing a metal fest?' That surprised me; we weren't interested in doing that. Admittedly, a lot of things we put together could've been weird, but we were stunned how people really vibed on it."

Metallica Feel Confident on Eve of Orion Festival 2012

Indeed, the new Orion bill goes even farther in its genre sprawl. Punk of various generations and dimensions proves more deeply represented than ever, slamming together hardcore forefathers FLAG (a conglomeration of original members from the groundbreaking Black Flag), Warped Tour faves Rise Against, Dropkick Murphys’ Celtic fury, Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, and Midwestern garage rebels the Orwells and the Dirtbombs alongside SoCal mosh-pit anachronists the Bronx and FIDLAR. Those sounds are paired unexpectedly, meanwhile, with bold alternative acts like the Joy Formidable, Foals and Silversun Pickups and hip-hop iconoclasts Death Grips. Heavy music, meanwhile, is represented by a surprisingly challenging selection of artists, from Deftones' atmospheric grooves to experimental supergroup Tomahawk, Dillinger Escape Plan's complex mathcore, the contemporary thrash of Battlecross and the vintage stoner rock of Fu Manchu. "My girl [model Jessica Miller] turned me on to Fu Manchu – we've been blasting them in the car," Ulrich says. "And my son's been playing Foals' new record for months. It's just so cool to get people like the Chili Peppers and Bassnectar and Foals together. We just made endless lists of our favorite bands; we even reached out to Iggy [and The Stooges] – which would've especially highlighted the Detroit element – but he's got a gig in L.A. that day. If you saw our iPods, you'd see we live that kind of diversity in our day-to-day lives. We love heavy music, but we're music fans above all." Ulrich notes how Orion continues a grand tradition started when Metallica's late original bassist Cliff Burton would broaden the band's musical horizons early on in the band's career, exposing them to the decidedly non-metal likes of R.E.M. and Tom Waits. "We'd be listening to Simon and Garfunkel on the tour bus, and then go play 'Fight Fire with Fire'!"

The biggest change in Orion's focus is the addition of an electronic dance tent headlined by Bassnectar's speaker-shredding low-end, along with moombahton maven Dillon Francis, French club-kid combo Dirtyphonics and a massive dubstep contingent comprising Borgore, Datsik, 12th Planet, Adventure Club and Destroid. "For that, we have to blame our kids," Ulrich says. "Hetfield and I went with our kids to watch Skrillex at a festival we were both playing, and we were blown away by his presentation – he had 25,000 kids going insane. We thought, 'We've got to get that!'" Ulrich sees EDM as a natural addition to Orion, pointing out the links between the hard intensity of today's dance music and Metallica's genre roots. "A lot of those guys come from a background in heavy music, and you can hear it – Bassnectar is a huge metal fan," he says. "A lot of the rock fans might be skeptical, but when they see it’s about energy and unison, they'll relate to it."

And even if they don't, they'll still have Metallica – who, in another change, will only play one night, alternating the headlining spots with the Chili Peppers. As well, while Metallica graced Orion's debut with special sets that featured the band's signature records Ride the Lightning and the Black Album played in full, Ulrich isn’t sure that approach will be repeated in 2013. "It's the 30th anniversary of Kill 'Em All, so that would be an option, and it's also the 25th anniversary of . . . And Justice For All – but if you're in a band for three decades, you can find an anniversary for anything," Ulrich said, laughing. "We haven't made a decision, but if I was a betting man, I'd guess that us getting stuck playing an album in its entirety isn't going to happen." He also says not to expect any new material from upcoming releases: "We've been writing the better part of the last couple months, but we're taking it very easy. There are a lot of cool ideas and riffs – it's pretty rocking stuff – but we're still shaping it into songs." And a substantial preview of Through the Never – Metallica's upcoming 3D film blending concert footage and narrative concepts, due out August 9th – isn't likely either. "We just saw the first full cut two weeks ago," Ulrich says. "It's very unique and cool, but we're still honing the fine details. To be honest, paying for it ourselves, working by committee – it's a little overwhelming; it makes me appreciate making records more! But it's a motherfucker of a movie, and [lead actor] Dane DeHaan [who also starred in Lincoln, Chronicle and episodes of True Blood] is riveting onscreen. There's something about the looks of real movie stars – he makes us musicians onstage look dorky by comparison."

What Ulrich says to definitely expect for Orion 2013, however, is the same kind of "fan-friendly" intimacy that the first version held. There, Metallica's members would be frequently seen wandering around onsite, watching bands and personally introducing the artists they had an investment in bringing to the festival: Hammett gave Gary Clark Jr. a warm welcome well before he'd had his mainstream breakthrough, while Ulrich ambled onstage to give the Arctic Monkeys his blessing. "Introducing bands was the most fun part," Ulrich says. "Getting to introduce the Arctic Monkeys made me the cool dad of the year!" The second Orion will also be bringing back the memorabilia-stuffed Metallica Museum and exhibitions that highlight the individual members' interests, like Hetfield's Custom Car & Motorcycle Show, Hammett's cult-horror themed Crypt, Trujillo's skater-friendly Vans Vert Ramp, and Ulrich's Hit the Lights Film Tent. For his film tent, Ulrich hopes to have a special session "highlighting my favorite movie of last year, which just happens to be about a Detroit musician. Yeah, I'd love to do something with Searching for Sugar Man – doing it in Rodriguez's backyard would be especially poignant, and emphasize Detroit’s rich musical heritage. But I usually figure that shit out in the last week. Winging it is part of the fun!"

That casual attitude, Ulrich adds, is what gives Orion its distinctive edge amidst typical mega-festival fare. "We want an intimate atmosphere," he says. "When I did the film tent, it was like we were all hanging out in my living room. Instead of being one of these festivals that charges 50 bucks for a bottle of water, ours felt more like a giant backyard barbecue. That's the kind of feeling we want people to come away with."

Orion Music + More Festival 2013 Lineup

Metallica
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rise Against
Deftones
Bassnectar
Dropkick Murphys
Gogol Bordello
FLAG
Silversun Pickups
Foals
Tomahawk
Destroid (Excision + KJ Sawka + Downlink)
The Joy Formidable
Datsik
Borgore
Japandroids
Dillon Francis
Adventure Club
12th Planet
Death Grips
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dirtyphonics
The Dirtbombs
DEATH
Fu Manchu
The Bronx
FIDLAR
All Shall Perish
The Orwells
BATTLECROSS
Cauldron

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Metallica Book Chili Peppers, Bassnectar and More for Second Orion Festival

Metallica Announce Orion 2013 LineupAngel Delgado/Clasos.com/LatinContent/Getty Images

"We didn't know what was going to happen, but it was a blast – so we said 'Let's see if we can do that again.'" So says Lars Ulrich, the always-excitable drummer and co-founder of Metallica, explaining why he and bandmates Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo are returning for round two of the Orion Music + More Festival – the annual gathering they've created and curated in collaboration with C3 Presents, producers of Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits – which made a successful debut last year in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Today, Metallica is revealing Orion's even more varied, adventurous lineup for 2013 – one that ranges from superstar co-headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, EDM rave king Bassnectar, indie-rock heroes Japandroids and all points in between, when Orion arrives at its new venue, Detroit's Belle Isle, on June 8th and 9th.

Of course, the event wouldn't be complete without a titanic performance from Metallica: As such, Orion pulses with the pioneering metal band's DNA, right down its name, taken from the title of the epic instrumental at the center of Metallica's 1986 classic album Master of Puppets. For Ulrich, the Metallica ethos is embodied most in Orion's surprising juxtapositions, a tradition that commenced in the festival's 2012 incarnation, which featured the likes of Modest Mouse, Best Coast and Eric Church alongside more expectedly heavy acts like Avenged Sevenfold, Sepultura and Suicidal Tendencies. "Our idea was to bring North America the kind of festival experience you get in Europe, which is all about diversity and new experiences," Ulrich says. "When we first proposed this, people were like, 'Why isn't Metallica doing a metal fest?' That surprised me; we weren't interested in doing that. Admittedly, a lot of things we put together could've been weird, but we were stunned how people really vibed on it."

Metallica Feel Confident on Eve of Orion Festival 2012

Indeed, the new Orion bill goes even farther in its genre sprawl. Punk of various generations and dimensions proves more deeply represented than ever, slamming together hardcore forefathers FLAG (a conglomeration of original members from the groundbreaking Black Flag), Warped Tour faves Rise Against, Dropkick Murphys’ Celtic fury, Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, and Midwestern garage rebels the Orwells and the Dirtbombs alongside SoCal mosh-pit anachronists the Bronx and FIDLAR. Those sounds are paired unexpectedly, meanwhile, with bold alternative acts like the Joy Formidable, Foals and Silversun Pickups and hip-hop iconoclasts Death Grips. Heavy music, meanwhile, is represented by a surprisingly challenging selection of artists, from Deftones' atmospheric grooves to experimental supergroup Tomahawk, Dillinger Escape Plan's complex mathcore, the contemporary thrash of Battlecross and the vintage stoner rock of Fu Manchu. "My girl [model Jessica Miller] turned me on to Fu Manchu – we've been blasting them in the car," Ulrich says. "And my son's been playing Foals' new record for months. It's just so cool to get people like the Chili Peppers and Bassnectar and Foals together. We just made endless lists of our favorite bands; we even reached out to Iggy [and The Stooges] – which would've especially highlighted the Detroit element – but he's got a gig in L.A. that day. If you saw our iPods, you'd see we live that kind of diversity in our day-to-day lives. We love heavy music, but we're music fans above all." Ulrich notes how Orion continues a grand tradition started when Metallica's late original bassist Cliff Burton would broaden the band's musical horizons early on in the band's career, exposing them to the decidedly non-metal likes of R.E.M. and Tom Waits. "We'd be listening to Simon and Garfunkel on the tour bus, and then go play 'Fight Fire with Fire'!"

The biggest change in Orion's focus is the addition of an electronic dance tent headlined by Bassnectar's speaker-shredding low-end, along with moombahton maven Dillon Francis, French club-kid combo Dirtyphonics and a massive dubstep contingent comprising Borgore, Datsik, 12th Planet, Adventure Club and Destroid. "For that, we have to blame our kids," Ulrich says. "Hetfield and I went with our kids to watch Skrillex at a festival we were both playing, and we were blown away by his presentation – he had 25,000 kids going insane. We thought, 'We've got to get that!'" Ulrich sees EDM as a natural addition to Orion, pointing out the links between the hard intensity of today's dance music and Metallica's genre roots. "A lot of those guys come from a background in heavy music, and you can hear it – Bassnectar is a huge metal fan," he says. "A lot of the rock fans might be skeptical, but when they see it’s about energy and unison, they'll relate to it."

And even if they don't, they'll still have Metallica – who, in another change, will only play one night, alternating the headlining spots with the Chili Peppers. As well, while Metallica graced Orion's debut with special sets that featured the band's signature records Ride the Lightning and the Black Album played in full, Ulrich isn’t sure that approach will be repeated in 2013. "It's the 30th anniversary of Kill 'Em All, so that would be an option, and it's also the 25th anniversary of . . . And Justice For All – but if you're in a band for three decades, you can find an anniversary for anything," Ulrich said, laughing. "We haven't made a decision, but if I was a betting man, I'd guess that us getting stuck playing an album in its entirety isn't going to happen." He also says not to expect any new material from upcoming releases: "We've been writing the better part of the last couple months, but we're taking it very easy. There are a lot of cool ideas and riffs – it's pretty rocking stuff – but we're still shaping it into songs." And a substantial preview of Through the Never – Metallica's upcoming 3D film blending concert footage and narrative concepts, due out August 9th – isn't likely either. "We just saw the first full cut two weeks ago," Ulrich says. "It's very unique and cool, but we're still honing the fine details. To be honest, paying for it ourselves, working by committee – it's a little overwhelming; it makes me appreciate making records more! But it's a motherfucker of a movie, and [lead actor] Dane DeHaan [who also starred in Lincoln, Chronicle and episodes of True Blood] is riveting onscreen. There's something about the looks of real movie stars – he makes us musicians onstage look dorky by comparison."

What Ulrich says to definitely expect for Orion 2013, however, is the same kind of "fan-friendly" intimacy that the first version held. There, Metallica's members would be frequently seen wandering around onsite, watching bands and personally introducing the artists they had an investment in bringing to the festival: Hammett gave Gary Clark Jr. a warm welcome well before he'd had his mainstream breakthrough, while Ulrich ambled onstage to give the Arctic Monkeys his blessing. "Introducing bands was the most fun part," Ulrich says. "Getting to introduce the Arctic Monkeys made me the cool dad of the year!" The second Orion will also be bringing back the memorabilia-stuffed Metallica Museum and exhibitions that highlight the individual members' interests, like Hetfield's Custom Car & Motorcycle Show, Hammett's cult-horror themed Crypt, Trujillo's skater-friendly Vans Vert Ramp, and Ulrich's Hit the Lights Film Tent. For his film tent, Ulrich hopes to have a special session "highlighting my favorite movie of last year, which just happens to be about a Detroit musician. Yeah, I'd love to do something with Searching for Sugar Man – doing it in Rodriguez's backyard would be especially poignant, and emphasize Detroit’s rich musical heritage. But I usually figure that shit out in the last week. Winging it is part of the fun!"

That casual attitude, Ulrich adds, is what gives Orion its distinctive edge amidst typical mega-festival fare. "We want an intimate atmosphere," he says. "When I did the film tent, it was like we were all hanging out in my living room. Instead of being one of these festivals that charges 50 bucks for a bottle of water, ours felt more like a giant backyard barbecue. That's the kind of feeling we want people to come away with."

Orion Music + More Festival 2013 Lineup

Metallica
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rise Against
Deftones
Bassnectar
Dropkick Murphys
Gogol Bordello
FLAG
Silversun Pickups
Foals
Tomahawk
Destroid (Excision + KJ Sawka + Downlink)
The Joy Formidable
Datsik
Borgore
Japandroids
Dillon Francis
Adventure Club
12th Planet
Death Grips
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dirtyphonics
The Dirtbombs
DEATH
Fu Manchu
The Bronx
FIDLAR
All Shall Perish
The Orwells
BATTLECROSS
Cauldron

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Snoop Dogg, Skrillex Join Ultra Music Festival Lineup

Skrillex and Snoop Dogg will perform at the 15th annual Ultra Music Festival.Theo Wargo/Getty Images; Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic

Miami's 15th annual Ultra Music Festival is getting a big shot of reggae. Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dogg) has joined the EDM festival's lineup along with Skrillex (teaming with Boys Noize as Dog Blood), Azealia Banks, Sleigh Bells, the Weeknd and more. The festival has also added a batch of electronic up-and-comers, including Benny Benassi, Steve Aoki, Dirty South, Eric Prydz, Hardwell and more. They join already announced acts Tiësto, Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Avicii, Major Lazer, Yeasayer and Hot Chip.

Photos: Ultra Music Festival 14

The first weekend of Ultra is set for March 15th-17th and continues for a second weekend of March 22nd-24th. For more information, visit Ultra's website.

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Snoop Dogg, Skrillex Join Ultra Music Festival Lineup

Skrillex and Snoop Dogg will perform at the 15th annual Ultra Music Festival.Theo Wargo/Getty Images; Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic

Miami's 15th annual Ultra Music Festival is getting a big shot of reggae. Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dogg) has joined the EDM festival's lineup along with Skrillex (teaming with Boys Noize as Dog Blood), Azealia Banks, Sleigh Bells, the Weeknd and more. The festival has also added a batch of electronic up-and-comers, including Benny Benassi, Steve Aoki, Dirty South, Eric Prydz, Hardwell and more. They join already announced acts Tiësto, Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Avicii, Major Lazer, Yeasayer and Hot Chip.

Photos: Ultra Music Festival 14

The first weekend of Ultra is set for March 15th-17th and continues for a second weekend of March 22nd-24th. For more information, visit Ultra's website.

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Ultra Music Festival 2013 Lineup: David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris

Ultra Music Festival 2013 Lineup: David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin HarrisAvicii, Swedish House Mafia and Tiesto also on the bill for EDM blowout $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

After previously announcing it will host Swedish House Mafia's last-ever live performance and a headlining set from Deadmau5, today Ultra Music Festival revealed a new batch of top-tier talent set to appear at the fifteenth annual dance-music gathering: Tiësto, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Kaskade, Avicii and Major Lazer.

The 30 Greatest EDM Albums of All Time

Among the other EDM stars joining the bill are Afrojack, Bassnectar, Armin Van Buren and Carl Cox. Non-DJ acts set to perform – all with dance-friendly vibes (in a release, the festival dubbed them the "live" acts) – include Hot Chip, Crystal Castles, Yeasayer, Knife Party, and Matt and Kim.

For the first time this year, Ultra will take place across two weekends this March at Miami's Bayfront Park. Watch the above video for a visual display of the festival's lineup to date and check back in the coming weeks as more artists are revealed. Tickets for both weekends are currently on sale through the Ultra website.

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Ultra Music Festival 2013 Lineup: David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris

Ultra Music Festival 2013 Lineup: David Guetta, Deadmau5, Calvin HarrisAvicii, Swedish House Mafia and Tiesto also on the bill for EDM blowout $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

After previously announcing it will host Swedish House Mafia's last-ever live performance and a headlining set from Deadmau5, today Ultra Music Festival revealed a new batch of top-tier talent set to appear at the fifteenth annual dance-music gathering: Tiësto, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Kaskade, Avicii and Major Lazer.

The 30 Greatest EDM Albums of All Time

Among the other EDM stars joining the bill are Afrojack, Bassnectar, Armin Van Buren and Carl Cox. Non-DJ acts set to perform – all with dance-friendly vibes (in a release, the festival dubbed them the "live" acts) – include Hot Chip, Crystal Castles, Yeasayer, Knife Party, and Matt and Kim.

For the first time this year, Ultra will take place across two weekends this March at Miami's Bayfront Park. Watch the above video for a visual display of the festival's lineup to date and check back in the coming weeks as more artists are revealed. Tickets for both weekends are currently on sale through the Ultra website.

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Michael Stipe to Judge Animated GIF Festival

Michael Stipe announced on R.E.M.'s website that he will serve as a judge for the GIF festival Moving the Still. The festival is described as "the first large-scale, open call event of its kind for original GIF art" and will be curated by Paddle8 and hosted by Tumblr. Submissions are open and will be published through November 7th, with a live exhibition to be showcased during Miami Art Week 2012 (December 4th-9th).

For more information, including GIFs created by Stipe, visit Moving the Still's website.

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Michael Stipe to Judge Animated GIF Festival

Michael Stipe announced on R.E.M.'s website that he will serve as a judge for the GIF festival Moving the Still. The festival is described as "the first large-scale, open call event of its kind for original GIF art" and will be curated by Paddle8 and hosted by Tumblr. Submissions are open and will be published through November 7th, with a live exhibition to be showcased during Miami Art Week 2012 (December 4th-9th).

For more information, including GIFs created by Stipe, visit Moving the Still's website.

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AfroPunk Festival Emerges Victorious With Janelle Monae, TV on the Radio

AfroPunk's slogan, "The Other Black Experience," is outdated. In the decade since founders Matthew Morgan and James Spooner set out to document the burgeoning scene of black punk and hardcore kids across the country, that binary understanding of black youth culture – once observed through the distinction between baggy jeans and skinny jeans – has blossomed into a writhing ecosystem of cultural and digital exchange, sprouting bohemian sects of young minorities in any and every major city.

Sprawled across Fort Greene's Commodore Barry Park this past weekend were black kids with guitars and skateboards, sure, but also Dominican girl-goths spinning frantic trap samples, Filipino synth-funk nerds using reverb as an instrument and tatted-up British fashionistas streaming neo-soul through ukulele folk. Not to mention the over 20,000 attendees wafting between the main stage and the skatepark, spiking incense in the grass like tiki torches and substituting moshpits for airtight dance-battle circles.

Trying to catch the dozens of acts spread across two stages and two days was damning. Exhilarating DJ sets by Roofeo and the Supasonics filled gaps well (where else could you hear the Who blended into Kirko Bangz?), but at any given stage one couldn't shake the feeling you were missing something awesome at the other end. The Green Stage boasted the great lawn and catalog artists Erykah Badu and TV on the Radio, while the Red Stage was a hybrid performance lot/skatepark that housed BMX demos as well as edgier acts like Das Racist and Janelle Monae.

Genre was a fluid concept at AfroPunk. Most of the lineup was yoked together not by similar scenes or sounds, but a certain stylistic rarity that set them apart. Burgeoning BK crews Phony Ppl and Flatbush Zombies couldn't be farther apart in sound, but the local-heavy audience raced to cheer them both on as the latest triumphs of the borough. Spank Rock's blonde DJ sported an oversized hoodie at the top of their set, only to strip down to the G-string beneath and twerk the night away to the band's blistering Baltimore bop. And Reggie Watts and Bad Rabbits both employed milky falsettos to deliver completely different energies.

Diversity was just as prevalent on stage as it was off. Around the park's perimeter, black bikers showed off Harleys and graffiti artists wore bandannas over their faces to filter toxic fumes. Merch booths stocked apparel and accessories, shilled by local celebrities from the dense, colorful world of Tumblr fame. Raised to notoriety on a diet of infinite selfies and feverish reblogs, a couple of these mini-scenesters (few out of their teens) have already cracked through to the big leagues: eyewear-designing twins Coco and Breezy have graced the faces of Nicki Minaj, Kelly Osbourne and Serena Williams, and Glyn Brown's heart-shaped pins had the city in such a frenzy he landed a collaboration with Nike. If music was AfroPunk's main draw, fashion was the sideshow act: attendees sported tie-dyes, studded leather, neon hair and spastic prints. Editors and A&Rs scoured the park, taking notes as next year's trends whisked by at every turn.

On Saturday, the political and polarizing Das Racist wasted no time getting down to business. "So the cops shot nine people in front of the Empire State Building?" hypeman/comedian Dapwell shouted in mock-disbelief as soon as the trio hit the stage. "This song is about the NYPD – just kidding," Heems quipped between hair-flips before leading the large crowd in a singalong: "It's a brand new dance, give us all your money/ Everybody, love everybody," a chorus that really could be about the NYPD if you squint just so.

Across the field, downtown staple Venus X spun hardstyle and trance to prep the crowd for Badu, but sound issues bested them both. Badu's set, faintly audible to those farther out on the lawn, received a much-needed boost when Yasiin Bey (whom she still called Mos Def) appeared to spit a 16 over "Love Of My Life," but her interpolation of Texas-trill beats and an impromptu cover of Nicki Minaj's "Beez in the Trap" fell flat for conservative Baduists. 

Janelle Monae provided one of the festival's biggest moments when Pharrell Williams (undeniable forefather of the AfroPunk ethos) emerged from backstage Sunday evening to introduce her. "When I heard her album, I had to contact her and let her know how special her body of work was," Skateboard P professed of the alt-pop firecracker. Monae is an electric performer, bringing theatrics to the stage along with a full band and background dancers: hooded men stalked the singer until she shot them down with a phallic thrust of her striped cane. When the band cued up a cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," the entire park deservedly lost their collective shit.

South Carolina's Toro y Moi was delightfully chill, belting shy falsettos over dreamy funk and opening with a loopy, stuttering R&B gem "Roses Quartz," much in the vein of their acclaimed debut Causers of This. And at the weekend's finish, TV on the Radio blanketed the park with their trademark blend of post-punk, electro and jam-band soul. Of course they were called back for an encore, because who wanted this night to end?

"You are AfroPunk!" hosts beckoned to the crowd between acts. "Who's ever been called an Oreo for no reason? Who's ever been told they talked 'white'?" Later, a councilwoman took the stage to implore fans to re-elect Barack Obama. "This isn't Ozzfest or one of those big jams," another host rallied. "This is by the people, for the people!" But despite this legitimate rhetoric, AfroPunk didn't feel revolutionary. For these digitally native, culturally insatiable kids, it felt normal – which means, in so many ways, it was victorious.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Deadmau5, Calvin Harris Sets Nixed as U.K. Dance Festival Ends Early

Organizers of the Creamfields festival near Cheshire, England, canceled the last day of the EDM event after heavy rain and flooding overtook the festival grounds, the BBC reports. Yesterday's headliners included Deadmau5 and Calvin Harris, but people had begun to leave the festival Saturday night because of the poor weather. Organizers informed attendees on Sunday morning of the decision to cancel. Skrillex and Avicii were among those who had already performed.

Rain also dominated the Isle of Wight festival earlier this summer, leaving thousands stranded as the festival grounds were flooded.

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AfroPunk Festival Emerges Victorious With Janelle Monae, TV on the Radio

AfroPunk's slogan, "The Other Black Experience," is outdated. In the decade since founders Matthew Morgan and James Spooner set out to document the burgeoning scene of black punk and hardcore kids across the country, that binary understanding of black youth culture – once observed through the distinction between baggy jeans and skinny jeans – has blossomed into a writhing ecosystem of cultural and digital exchange, sprouting bohemian sects of young minorities in any and every major city.

Sprawled across Fort Greene's Commodore Barry Park this past weekend were black kids with guitars and skateboards, sure, but also Dominican girl-goths spinning frantic trap samples, Filipino synth-funk nerds using reverb as an instrument and tatted-up British fashionistas streaming neo-soul through ukulele folk. Not to mention the over 20,000 attendees wafting between the main stage and the skatepark, spiking incense in the grass like tiki torches and substituting moshpits for airtight dance-battle circles.

Trying to catch the dozens of acts spread across two stages and two days was damning. Exhilarating DJ sets by Roofeo and the Supasonics filled gaps well (where else could you hear the Who blended into Kirko Bangz?), but at any given stage one couldn't shake the feeling you were missing something awesome at the other end. The Green Stage boasted the great lawn and catalog artists Erykah Badu and TV on the Radio, while the Red Stage was a hybrid performance lot/skatepark that housed BMX demos as well as edgier acts like Das Racist and Janelle Monae.

Genre was a fluid concept at AfroPunk. Most of the lineup was yoked together not by similar scenes or sounds, but a certain stylistic rarity that set them apart. Burgeoning BK crews Phony Ppl and Flatbush Zombies couldn't be farther apart in sound, but the local-heavy audience raced to cheer them both on as the latest triumphs of the borough. Spank Rock's blonde DJ sported an oversized hoodie at the top of their set, only to strip down to the G-string beneath and twerk the night away to the band's blistering Baltimore bop. And Reggie Watts and Bad Rabbits both employed milky falsettos to deliver completely different energies.

Diversity was just as prevalent on stage as it was off. Around the park's perimeter, black bikers showed off Harleys and graffiti artists wore bandannas over their faces to filter toxic fumes. Merch booths stocked apparel and accessories, shilled by local celebrities from the dense, colorful world of Tumblr fame. Raised to notoriety on a diet of infinite selfies and feverish reblogs, a couple of these mini-scenesters (few out of their teens) have already cracked through to the big leagues: eyewear-designing twins Coco and Breezy have graced the faces of Nicki Minaj, Kelly Osbourne and Serena Williams, and Glyn Brown's heart-shaped pins had the city in such a frenzy he landed a collaboration with Nike. If music was AfroPunk's main draw, fashion was the sideshow act: attendees sported tie-dyes, studded leather, neon hair and spastic prints. Editors and A&Rs scoured the park, taking notes as next year's trends whisked by at every turn.

On Saturday, the political and polarizing Das Racist wasted no time getting down to business. "So the cops shot nine people in front of the Empire State Building?" hypeman/comedian Dapwell shouted in mock-disbelief as soon as the trio hit the stage. "This song is about the NYPD – just kidding," Heems quipped between hair-flips before leading the large crowd in a singalong: "It's a brand new dance, give us all your money/ Everybody, love everybody," a chorus that really could be about the NYPD if you squint just so.

Across the field, downtown staple Venus X spun hardstyle and trance to prep the crowd for Badu, but sound issues bested them both. Badu's set, faintly audible to those farther out on the lawn, received a much-needed boost when Yasiin Bey (whom she still called Mos Def) appeared to spit a 16 over "Love Of My Life," but her interpolation of Texas-trill beats and an impromptu cover of Nicki Minaj's "Beez in the Trap" fell flat for conservative Baduists. 

Janelle Monae provided one of the festival's biggest moments when Pharrell Williams (undeniable forefather of the AfroPunk ethos) emerged from backstage Sunday evening to introduce her. "When I heard her album, I had to contact her and let her know how special her body of work was," Skateboard P professed of the alt-pop firecracker. Monae is an electric performer, bringing theatrics to the stage along with a full band and background dancers: hooded men stalked the singer until she shot them down with a phallic thrust of her striped cane. When the band cued up a cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," the entire park deservedly lost their collective shit.

South Carolina's Toro y Moi was delightfully chill, belting shy falsettos over dreamy funk and opening with a loopy, stuttering R&B gem "Roses Quartz," much in the vein of their acclaimed debut Causers of This. And at the weekend's finish, TV on the Radio blanketed the park with their trademark blend of post-punk, electro and jam-band soul. Of course they were called back for an encore, because who wanted this night to end?

"You are AfroPunk!" hosts beckoned to the crowd between acts. "Who's ever been called an Oreo for no reason? Who's ever been told they talked 'white'?" Later, a councilwoman took the stage to implore fans to re-elect Barack Obama. "This isn't Ozzfest or one of those big jams," another host rallied. "This is by the people, for the people!" But despite this legitimate rhetoric, AfroPunk didn't feel revolutionary. For these digitally native, culturally insatiable kids, it felt normal – which means, in so many ways, it was victorious.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Read more »

Deadmau5, Calvin Harris Sets Nixed as U.K. Dance Festival Ends Early

Organizers of the Creamfields festival near Cheshire, England, canceled the last day of the EDM event after heavy rain and flooding overtook the festival grounds, the BBC reports. Yesterday's headliners included Deadmau5 and Calvin Harris, but people had begun to leave the festival Saturday night because of the poor weather. Organizers informed attendees on Sunday morning of the decision to cancel. Skrillex and Avicii were among those who had already performed.

Rain also dominated the Isle of Wight festival earlier this summer, leaving thousands stranded as the festival grounds were flooded.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Producer Brian Grazer on His Jay-Z Festival Documentary

It took one collaboration with Jay-Z for Brian Grazer to realize the rapper's creative genius. It occurred im 2007, when the Academy-Award winning producer behind Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind was wrapping up American Gangster; Jay contacted him and offered to make a digital soundtrack for the film. "I thought, 'Well, how will he have time to do that?'" Grazer recalls to Rolling Stone.

However, Jay-Z wouldn’t back down: he promised Grazer that he could knock out 12 tracks in 10 days. "He figured out how to write, produce and perform all the tracks," the producer says, still baffled by the prospect. "When Jay really relates to something, he relates on the deepest artistic level and he's able to do things that we all find to be phenomenal."

So when Grazer was recently approached with the opportunity to produce a documentary film on the Budweiser Made in America Festival, Jay-Z's two-day extravaganza in Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend, he considered the idea a no-brainer. The event features headlining performances from the Brooklyn mogul himself, along with Pearl Jam, Drake and Run-DMC. "We just immediately, that minute, said we want to do this," Grazer says. “We want to be your partner!"  The 61-year-old film executive also knew it would be a perfect fit for Ron Howard, acclaimed director and his partner at Imagine Entertainment. "I thought it would be great for Ron's career and good [for him] as a culture icon to be working with Jay,” he explains.

The producer plans to incorporate Jay-Z's personal storyline – overcoming a rough upbringing, transforming himself into a successful rapper and businessman – into the film's narrative arc. "I think that's what I'm gonna do," he says. "There's sort of a creation element." Grazer adds that he wants to hone in on "what the meaning of the festival is, why Jay is doing it and how he relates to each artist."

Merging music into film is a familiar concept for Grazer: he produced the Eminem film 8 Mile in 2002 and notes that his TV series Friday Night Lights always made music a central focus. Still, he admits that a concert documentary will be a different beast. "It is a new challenge," he concedes. “Challenging but exciting... I see documentaries as equations that you have to solve."

When Made in America kicks off in two weeks, Grazer will be on-site in Philadelphia, he says, to help "define the film's perspective." He stops, catching himself. "Wait, that sounds pretentious," he says, laughing. "It should be good."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Read more »

Producer Brian Grazer on His Jay-Z Festival Documentary

It took one collaboration with Jay-Z for Brian Grazer to realize the rapper's creative genius. It occurred im 2007, when the Academy-Award winning producer behind Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind was wrapping up American Gangster; Jay contacted him and offered to make a digital soundtrack for the film. "I thought, 'Well, how will he have time to do that?'" Grazer recalls to Rolling Stone.

However, Jay-Z wouldn’t back down: he promised Grazer that he could knock out 12 tracks in 10 days. "He figured out how to write, produce and perform all the tracks," the producer says, still baffled by the prospect. "When Jay really relates to something, he relates on the deepest artistic level and he's able to do things that we all find to be phenomenal."

So when Grazer was recently approached with the opportunity to produce a documentary film on the Budweiser Made in America Festival, Jay-Z's two-day extravaganza in Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend, he considered the idea a no-brainer. The event features headlining performances from the Brooklyn mogul himself, along with Pearl Jam, Drake and Run-DMC. "We just immediately, that minute, said we want to do this," Grazer says. “We want to be your partner!"  The 61-year-old film executive also knew it would be a perfect fit for Ron Howard, acclaimed director and his partner at Imagine Entertainment. "I thought it would be great for Ron's career and good [for him] as a culture icon to be working with Jay,” he explains.

The producer plans to incorporate Jay-Z's personal storyline – overcoming a rough upbringing, transforming himself into a successful rapper and businessman – into the film's narrative arc. "I think that's what I'm gonna do," he says. "There's sort of a creation element." Grazer adds that he wants to hone in on "what the meaning of the festival is, why Jay is doing it and how he relates to each artist."

Merging music into film is a familiar concept for Grazer: he produced the Eminem film 8 Mile in 2002 and notes that his TV series Friday Night Lights always made music a central focus. Still, he admits that a concert documentary will be a different beast. "It is a new challenge," he concedes. “Challenging but exciting... I see documentaries as equations that you have to solve."

When Made in America kicks off in two weeks, Grazer will be on-site in Philadelphia, he says, to help "define the film's perspective." He stops, catching himself. "Wait, that sounds pretentious," he says, laughing. "It should be good."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Report: Second Man Found Dead Near V Festival in England

The V Festival in Chelmsford, England.

A second man has reportedly been found dead near the site of the V Festival in Chelmsford, England, according to NME. A 39 year-old was found yesterday in the backyard of a house after a private party near the festival. Early examinations show the man died of head injuries. The police have arrested 10 men between the ages of 23 and 35 on suspicion of murder.

Police have also identified the 22-year old who was found dead earlier at the V Festival. Timothy Brockhurst was discovered unresponsive and not breathing inside a tent at 1 a.m. yesterday morning. Foul play is not suspected in his death.

LMFAO, the Killers, David Guetta, Snow Patrol and the Stone Roses were among the performers at the V Festival. Nicki Minaj withdrew due to strained vocal chords. Frank Ocean was also set to perform, but the singer has canceled many European dates, including his tour with Coldplay. 

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Young Man Found Dead at V Festival

An ambulance at the V Festival in Weston Park, Staffordshire on Sunday August 19, 2012.Ryan Phillips/PA Wire via AP Images

A 22-year-old man was found dead at the V Festival in England, the BBC reports. He was discovered unresponsive and not breathing inside a tent on the Weston Park festival grounds in Staffordshire at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Security staff were called to the scene, and the man was given first aid, but he was pronounced dead. The cause of death is not yet known, and the police have sealed off the area where the body was found for forensic examination. They are also taking detailed statements from the man's friends.

"We are all very saddened by this tragic incident, and we want to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of this young man," a spokesman for the V Festival said. "Our team worked throughout the night to support those affected at the festival site and we want to thank everyone for their co-operation and support during the incident."

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Young Man Found Dead at V Festival

An ambulance at the V Festival in Weston Park, Staffordshire on Sunday August 19, 2012.Ryan Phillips/PA Wire via AP Images

A 22-year-old man was found dead at the V Festival in England, the BBC reports. He was discovered unresponsive and not breathing inside a tent on the Weston Park festival grounds in Staffordshire at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Security staff were called to the scene, and the man was given first aid, but he was pronounced dead. The cause of death is not yet known, and the police have sealed off the area where the body was found for forensic examination. They are also taking detailed statements from the man's friends.

"We are all very saddened by this tragic incident, and we want to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of this young man," a spokesman for the V Festival said. "Our team worked throughout the night to support those affected at the festival site and we want to thank everyone for their co-operation and support during the incident."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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