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Apple's iTunes Festival is coming to the US, and you can stream it live
After seven years of hosting the iTunes Festival in the UK, Apple is at last bringing the concert series to the US for 2014. The music extravaganza will be held in Austin from March 11th through the 15th, running alongside South by Southwest (SXSW). It's a much shorter run than in the past, but it will include a mix of well-known American and European artists, ranging from Willie Nelson to London Grammar. As you'd imagine, Apple is using the event as a technological showcase; you'll get to stream live and on-demand performances from both iTunes on the desktop as well as any iOS device. This will all sound familiar to Brits, but it's big news for Americans that no longer have to skip work just to watch the live shows -- even if they can't make it out to Texas.
With Xbox, you can enjoy Bonnaroo from your couch
Can't make it out to Tennessee this June to catch the concerts at Bonnaroo? If you have an Xbox, you won't have to. A new Bonnaroo app will let you watch the music festival through your console. There will be multiple streams from the four-day show, and you'll get to socialize with other virtual attendees. You also won't have to wait until the spring to get a taste of the experience -- Bonnaroo will use its Xbox app to announce its artist lineup on February 19th. The internet feed likely won't have dedicated fans staying at home, but it may be just the ticket for music lovers who'd rather not deal with the crowds.
Soundhalo beta for Android lets us buy concert videos before the show is over
The urge to record video at a concert can be distracting for fans and musicians alike -- enough so that some bands now forbid it altogether. Soundhalo's new media service and Android beta might just keep both sides happy, as long as they've got the money to spend. The platform lets a backstage team make audio and video available for purchase from the app, as soon as a song is done; theoretically, you can start a replay before you've left the front row. Downloadable copies are DRM-free, and concert-goers can always grab tracks again from the app or the web. Soundhalo is still working on an iOS release, but Android users who've been to Alt-J's recent Brixton shows (or just missed out) can already relive the memories at about $1.50 a pop.
Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses returns to LA in June
Get your finest green tuxedo ready, Los Angelenos, because the Legend of Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses concert is coming back in June. The touring show features a full orchestra performing classic tunes from the series, and this event promises "newly approved" music straight from the land of Hyrule.The show starts at the Greek Theatre on Wednesday, June 12, which puts it right on the second day of E3 2013. If you want tickets, they'll be available this Saturday at 10AM through Ticketmaster.This is a newly scheduled stop on the Zelda tour, but it's not the only one: The full schedule has dates around the rest of California, in Texas, and up in Seattle and Toronto as well.
Light Hum: a pure analog theremin that converts rays into electro-grooves (video)
Who doesn't love a good theremin spectacle? We Engadgeteers are aficionados of the touchless, variable capacitor musical instrument used in countless '50s space films, so a project by student and designer Danne Woo definitely caught our eye. Woo, who appeared on one of our most popular Engadget shows ever, has built a light-sensing version of that instrument controlled by an AC sequencer. No computers are used in the all-analog device, which is played by moving sliders and dials that vary the intensity of eight lamps installed in front of the musician. The light is converted to varying-frequency sound via photocells, resistors and capacitors which feed a "kleebtronics sequencer" designed by Mark Kleback and Ezer Lichtenstein. To show what it could do, Danne performed a short concert at Glasslands in Brooklyn, bringing the "Good Vibrations" instrument to a whole 'nother place -- catch it in the video after the break.
Dan Deacon takes over your smartphone with clever app
Now this is terrific. Dan Deacon, a musician currently on tour, has an app for iPhone (and Android) that allows him to take over the screens in an audience and display colors or make sounds. The audience becomes more of a part of the show, even part of the instrumentation. What a lovely idea! I hope to see more of this at future live shows where appropriate. Here's a demo video of the app:
Etymotic Music•Pro 9-15 earplugs bring high-end hush to audiences, lets us enjoy speed metal safely
Premium electronic earplugs usually find their homes with musicians eager to preserve their hearing at all costs; anyone within the crowd has more often been left to either use cruder plugs or cover their ears. Etymotic wants to bridge that difference with the Music•Pro 9-15. The combination of ER-9 and ER-15 earplugs matches its namesake not just through the choice of components, but through active noise cancellation that removes 9 to 15 decibels from the sound only when the rock gets too raucous: listeners can hear fellow concert-goers and even boost their volume without skewing the sound of the band. Pricing plays its own part in reaching out to the crowd, too. As high as the new Music•Pro set's $399 price might be compared to a typical pair of ear blockers, it's low enough that a dedicated fan of virtual Tupac can afford to go to the concert protected rather than voluntarily take on some hearing damage.
The Road to Mordor: Making music together
I sat on the pebbly ground of Amon Sul, occasionally panning my camera around to drink in the sight of hundreds of players gathered in an impossibly small area. While the game chugged to support all of the bodies, we passed the time with chatter until the event began. It was, of course, Weatherstock IV, and I had a front-row seat for the show. Weatherstock is probably the most famous of Lord of the Rings Online's many, many player events. The four-year-running concert gathers together some of the game's best bands for hours of music as they compete for top prizes. In between the sets, the concert's sponsors occasionally blast the theme song (Weatherstock Forever) and encourage folks to vote for their favorites. For an event that had me doing little more than sitting still and turning up the speakers, it was incredibly involving. A thought kept bouncing around in my head: Why don't more games let players do this? The richness of LotRO's music system belays any claim that it's just frills and fluffery. Player music is part of what gives this game life instead of just actions. When we make music together, we take ownership of the virtual world we inhabit.
Watch Fink & The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in HD on your iPad
Just last night I discovered a real musical treat for the iPad. On April 29th 2012, the fantastic British singer/songwriter, Fink, performed a set with the incredible Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra at the prestigious Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Conducted by Ivan Meylemans and arranged by Jules Buckley, this is Fink as you've never heard him before. And the performance was broadcast live and in HD on the iPad with the "RCO Meets Fink" app. Unfortunately, I missed this. However (and to my delight), you can still purchase (US$3.99) and download the app to stream the entire performance on your iPad (or Apple TV via AirPlay) in HD at your leisure. Better still, a 2.0 version of the app will hit in June with extra features. As explained on Fink's website, "The 1.0 version of this App offers a full HD video stream that will enable you to enjoy the concert in the highest quality on the latest iPad and Apple TV hardware." Expect a big update to the app in June, which will include backstage footage, rehearsals, interviews, video commentary and more. We're also interested to try the "360 degree video component," which should allow you to move around in the concert footage. We're not sure how that will work, but it sure sounds interesting. Version 2.0 sounds pretty exciting, but the app at 1.0 isworth the purchase just to watch the performance in HD. As a little teaser for the performance, you can watch the track "Yesterday Was Hard On All Of Us" below.
Daniel Licht to play music from Silent Hill: Book of Memories in LA in June
Daniel Licht is best known for his work composing the score for Dexter, that one show about the serial-killer guy. It's fitting that he should be tapped for the soundtrack to Konami's next horror-themed game, Silent Hill: Book of Memories.Licht is doing a live show in LA this June, where he'll belt out a few samples from the Book of Memories soundtrack. He'll be joined by vocalist Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, who also is featured on the Silent Hill: Book of Memories soundtrack. Tickets are on sale now for the June 10 show, which takes place at the Largo at the Coronot Theatre.[Thanks, XLM. Image taken from Gamescom 2011 footage]
Tupac hologram performs at Coachella, keeps all eyez on him
Have you been getting a kick out of Coachella's jams and arts in Indio, California? Or, did you decide to peacefully enjoy it from home via YouTube's site? Either way, you may have heard Tupac made an on-stage holographic appearance over the weekend, performing Hail Mary and 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted alongside Snoop Dogg. Tupac's hologram was made possible by AV Concepts in partnership with Dr. Dre's production company and Digital Domain, after reportedly working on the project for a few months. The outfits used a display technology dubbed "Eyeliner" that, with the help of a custom rig and a mechanical solution, was able to shoot out a life-sized, 3D illusion of Mr. Shakur onto the Coachella platform. Don't believe us? Hit 'em up at the source below, though we feel compelled to tell you language isn't exactly for all ages.
Nokia takes over Times Square for Lumia 900 launch event (video)
We're still not exactly sure what Nicki Minaj has to do with Nokia's new Lumia 900, but the company put her at the center of its promotional efforts in a launch event Friday night that took over Times Square. Oh, you missed it? For just the visual effect of what went on, including CGI dancers on massive LED displays and coordinated effects on the tourist destination's many existing video boards (been there, done that) you can check out our gallery of pics from the event, or look below for the video. If you're all about the phones, Nokia is pushing its Windows Phone 7 flagship with new "the smartphone beta test is over" ads -- there's also one of those embedded after the break. So, is anyone concerned Nokia might not be doing enough to promote this new phone?
Google search now shows upcoming concerts, helps you find the next gig
Google may stir controversy from time to time, but you can't deny it's one of the better provider of virtual tools that help make your life a bit easier. In this case, the Big G's bringing along some concert listings to its world renowned search engine. All you've got to do on your end is show up, pop a simple hunt query for your favorite band / artist (Kanye, Swift or whatever you're into) and within milliseconds you'll know where and when the next gig's taking place. That is, if that certain musician you're looking for is on tour or has some booked shows coming up (no, it won't get Daft Punk to come play at your house). The fresh tidbit's available now for those G-searching in English, though the plan's to "expand the feature to more countries in the future." You can also make your boy band's next gig show up in results by dropping a rich snippets markup on your site -- hit up the source link below for the full deets.
Line 6 throws more MIDI love at iDevices, intros Mobile Keys keyboard controllers
Line 6 hasn't been a stranger to uniting musician's iDevices and MIDI controllers with its MIDI-Mobilizers, but now it's unleashing a duo of keyboard-style controllers of its own here at CES. Its Mobile Keys can connect straight to your iPhone's 30-pin port, and even over USB if you feel like recording some loops straight from your computer. The controller features velocity sensitive keys, two 1/4-inch jacks for sustain pedals and the like, and it'll interface with any apps that support CoreMIDI. Thankfully, the controllers are bus-powered, so you won't need batteries -- we'd imagine, however, that the convenience might be at the expense of your iDevice's normal run-time. If you're recording bug is piqued, you'll be able to pick it up with either 25 or 49 keys in the "early 2012, respectively priced at $150 and $200. Full details in the press release after the break.
Zelda 25th anniversary symphony coming to Denver, Vancouver, Atlanta and more
The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary concert series is continuing its journey around the United States, and the show is so popular that it's added four new dates to the proceedings. In addition to all of the dates already listed, the show is coming to Denver on April 7, Vancouver, Canada on March 14, Phoenix, AZ on April 20, and finally Atlanta, GA on May 12. The concert features a full-length four-part symphony of Legend of Zelda music performed by a full-sized orchestra. Reviews on Ticketmaster's site are great so far, so if you're interested in seeing the show you'd better send that boomerang out to grab them quickly.
Foo Fighters to close out Blizzcon 2011
Blizzard continues its tradition of closing the doors on Blizzcon with a big concert. Two years ago it was Ozzy Osbourne, and Tenacious D followed -- this year it'll be the Foo Fighters' chance for post-gaming convention immortality. Blizzcon takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center on October 21 and 22. If you were unable to score yourself a ticket, Blizzard is offering a pass to take part in the festivities virtually for $39.99, either via the internet or through DirecTV. For more info on live streaming, check out the Blizzcon site.
BlizzCon 2011 brings in Foo Fighters for concert -- and to fight the foo
Are you ready to rock? I SAID, ARE YOU READY TO ROCK? Oh, you are? Well then, you had better hope you already have a ticket to this year's BlizzCon, as the Foo Fighters are planning to take the center stage for a concert to end all concerts. The Foo Fighters join Ozzy Osbourne and Tenacious D as the latest headlining act for Blizzard's annual convention. It's become tradition to end the weekend with a huge concert, and Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl is prepared to give the crowd an experience like no other: "We're pretty sure that in the future, music historians will look back at BlizzCon 2011 as the unquestionable pinnacle of Foo Fighters' long and illustrious career. We look forward to living up to that prediction by bringing the Horde and Alliance together to rock the hell out of Anaheim next month." While BlizzCon is already sold out, there are virtual tickets and DirecTV options still available for die-hard fans. The convention will take place in California's Anaheim Convention Center on October 21st and 22nd.
London Philharmonic Orchestra goes cover band with tribute to video game themes
If you've ever caught yourself humming the Angry Birds theme song, then perhaps you should check out tonight's London Philharmonic Orchestra's video game tribute concert. The group will play more than 20 songs made famous by games like Tetris, Zelda, Call of Duty and of course, Mario Bros., as part of London's annual music festival. When asked to create the ultimate gaming remix, composer and arranger Andrew Skeet vowed to keep it old school, while giving folks the best bits of music. It's not the first time someone's paid tribute to these hits, and we're hoping it's not the last. Check out the full setlist and video after the break.
Ticketmaster's interactive seat map brings Facebook stalking to concert venues
You desperately want to attend Katy Perry's raucous San Antonio concert, but your kid sister has absolutely zero interest in tagging along, and the mere thought of going stag strikes fear into your heart. All seems lost, but worry not -- because Ticketmaster and Facebook have just joined forces to create a new feature that weds concert-going with social networking. As of today, users purchasing tickets to select events can easily find out whether any of their Facebook friends are also attending and where they're seated. All you have to do is connect to Ticketmaster with your Facebook account, find your concert of choice and use the interactive venue map to tag your own seats, or to see those of online friends who've already tagged themselves. From there, you can buy tickets right next to your intended targets and act totally surprised when you bump into them at the show. For now, the feature is only available for 300 venues (encompassing some 9,000 events), but you can find more information in the video and press release after the break.
Apple II owners assemble for concert
Apple II owners and enthusiasts in the greater Los Angeles area must clear their calendar this Saturday night. The folks from the Machine Project are trying to organize an evening concert featuring the iconic Apple II. Starting at 8 PM PT on June 25, a 16-step sequencer developed by Jason Torchinsky will be used to elicit beautiful music from a group of Apple II machines. The original Apple II did not have a built-in sound synthesis chip and sent a precision click to the speaker to generate sound. The result is a very mechanical tone that many find annoying. As you can imagine, the music should be... interesting. [Via Make Magazine]
