Duran Duran's initial five albums to be reissued on LP, CD in July

As Duran Duran near the end of their most recent run of North American dates, the veteran band has announced the reissue of their first five studio albums - Duran Duran, Rio, Seven and the Ragged Tiger, Notorious, and Big Thing. This reissue marks the first time this collection will be available in the original 1LP and 1CD format, with remastered audio, since their initial release. The albums will come out via Warner Music on July 19 - pre-order HERE

Both 1LP and 1CD formats will feature the latest album remasters, with vinyl editions cut at Abbey Road Studios in London. The album artworks have been closely restored to the original sleeve designs, overseen by Malcolm Garrett, the visionary designer behind the band’s first three records.

Duran Duran’s first five albums - 1981’s Duran Duran, 1982’s Rio, 1983’s Seven and the Ragged Tiger, 1986’s Notorious, and 1988’s Big Thing - include the US/UK hit singles ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’, ‘Rio’, ‘Girls on Film,’ 'The Reflex,' ‘Save a Prayer’ and more.

The news of the reissues follows sold-out arena tours across the UK and North America through 2023 and 2024, the latest in a series of landmark achievements including Duran Duran’s capacity shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden, and three nights at the Hollywood Bowl, plus headlining London’s Hyde Park, performing at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, and closing the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in their hometown of Birmingham. All this was underpinned by their 2022 induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a moment truly cementing the multi-GRAMMY, BRIT Award and Ivor Novello winners as one of the most successful and influential bands of all time.

Pre-order Duran Duran, Rio, Seven and the Ragged Tiger, Notorious, and Big Thing HERE via Warner Music.

Track listings (LP):

Duran Duran

Side 1
1. Girls on Film
2. Planet Earth
3. Anyone Out There
4. To the Shore
5. Careless Memories

Side 2
1. Night Boat
2. Sound of Thunder
3. Friends of Mine
4. Tel Aviv

Rio

Side 1
1. Rio
2. My Own Way
3. Lonely in Your Nightmare
4. Hungry Like the Wolf
5. Hold Back the Rain

Side 2
1. New Religion
2. Last Chance on the Stairway
3. Save a Prayer
4. The Chauffeur

Seven and the Ragged Tiger

Side 1
1. The Reflex
2. New Moon on Monday
3. (I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement
4. I Take the Dice
5. Of Crime and Passion

Side 2
1. Union of the Snake
2. Shadows on Your Side
3. Tiger Tiger
4. The Seventh Stranger

Notorious

Side 1
1. Notorious
2. American Science
3. Skin Trade
4. A Matter of Feeling
5. Hold Me

Side 2
1. Vertigo (Do the Demolition)
2. So Misled
3. Meet El Presidente
4. Winter Marches On
5. Proposition

Big Thing

Side 1
1. Big Thing
2. I Don't Want Your Love
3. All She Wants Is
4. Too Late Marlene
5. Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)

Side 2
1. Do You Believe in Shame?
2. Palomino
3. Interlude One
4. Land
5. Flute Interlude
6. The Edge of America
7. Lake Shore Driving

Cruel World Festival '24 review featuring Duran Duran, Simple Minds, Blondie, Adam Ant, The Motels, Jesus and Mary Chain, Gary Numan, Mission UK, more

Duran Duran photo by Alden Bonecutter

“Are you having a good time? We’ll put a stop to that,” said Wayne Hussey, during The Mission’s afternoon slot at Cruel World. Black attire and goth rock strains were common at the festival. But witnessing first wave alternative icons like Simon Le Bon (pictured left with John Taylor) and Deborah Harry still delivering solid performances after more than four decades had to brighten even the gloomiest of personalities.

Unlike last year’s event, when the final stretch was stopped due to potential lightning strikes with Iggy Pop onstage and resumed the next day, there were no problems last Saturday in Pasadena, Calif.

The third Cruel World boasted a stacked lineup featuring 30 acts on three stages. New wave, post-punk, electronic rock, goth, and related genres from the 1970s and 1980s were well represented (Simple Minds, The Jesus and Mary Chain, the Stranglers, Adam Ant, Soft Cell, General Public). There were 1990s and 2000s artists who followed in their footsteps (Interpol, Placebo, The Faint) and younger musicians in a similar stylistic vein. Not surprisingly, the lion’s share of them formed in the U.K.

Gary Numan (playing his seminal 1979 album The Pleasure Principle front to back for the first time in eight years) and Blondie made return visits to Cruel World. So did Tones on Tail members, completing a Bauhaus/Love and Rockets reunion trifecta.

Industrial music band Ministry unveiled modernized versions of songs from Eighties releases With Sympathy and Twitch, alongside female backing singers and an electric violinist at times (leader Al Jourgensen no longer hates the former album and plans to issue a re-recorded version soon).

Before the Brookside at the Rose Bowl gates opened, one man was seen peddling marijuana leaf-festooned safari hats out of a pull wagon, while simultaneously offering indica and sativa-flavored gummies. Until a security employee said he’d have to move further away. Nearby, a merch truck was surprisingly selling Cruel World t-shirts at a reasonable price. Many concertgoers were overheard discussing flights into SoCal from across America and other countries.

Headliner Duran Duran, a consistently creative force, retains a large enough following to sell out the Hollywood Bowl three times (in 2022) and is a regular presence on the road. The musicians sounded tight on the main Outsiders stage and put on a stellar career-spanning show.

A filmed introduction displayed the four original members - singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and drummer Roger Taylor - arriving via spaceship. Then they were actually onstage, looking impeccably dressed as usual. 

Opening the 16-song set with a haunting “The Chauffeur,” the R-rated music video nestled among the awesome screen graphics, Duran Duran followed it with a brawny “The Wild Boys.” The punchy, horn-driven funk of “Notorious” was among multiple high points. Le Bon and John Taylor’s camaraderie was clearly evident throughout the soaring harmonies on “Hungry Like the Wolf,” The Reflex,” “Planet Earth,” and “Careless Memories.”

Le Bon dedicated the beautiful hit ballad “Ordinary World” to the citizens of Palestine, Israel, and Ukraine in hopes they all find peace at home. “Come Undone,” where backing singer Anna Ross came to the fore, had a gorgeous sheen. “New Moon on Monday,” intriguingly revamped like the handful of classic tracks on latest album Danse Macabre, was a pleasant surprise. Duran Duran’s cover of Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” (included on Macabre) slotted well into a “Girls on Film” medley.

Blondie was in fine form, propelled by Clem Burke’s powerhouse rhythms. The glorious “Maria” (a U.K. #1 in '99), an extended “Heart of Glass” (with Harry donning a mirrored coat) and positively effusive “Dreaming” closed the group’s set.

Interpol definitely knows how to create an atmosphere. The NYC indie rock band was shrouded in darkness. Frontman Paul Banks wore his trademark shades and mostly appeared in shadow. Urgent reverberating tracks “Say Hello to the Angels” and “Obstacle 1,” from 2002’s classic debut Turn on the Bright Lights and the sense of mystique in “Narc” made the biggest impact.

Placebo delivered a frequently captivating performance that was bolstered by attractive visuals. Singer/guitarist Brian Molko greeted the crowd’s “ladies and gents” and those who lie somewhere between like he does. The alt-rock band launched its Cruel World set with a harrowing “Taste in Men.” Other songs about sex and drugs, such as “Slave to the Wage” (Molko tweaked a lyric) and the edgy, thrashing “Special K” (both from 2000’s high water mark Black Market Music) were standouts. Fans were surely thrilled to find dynamic early U.K. hit “Every You, Every Me” finally return to the setlist.

Simple Minds photo by Andy Boyle

Simple Minds, back in America for a one-off show after six years away, were astounding. The Glasgow alt-rock band – the subject of excellent new documentary “Everything is Possible” which recently had a limited theatrical release and should be available widely in the near future - reminded everyone why it continues to headline arenas and stadiums across the U.K. and Europe.

Jim Kerr, in strong vocal form and energetic, easily elicited crowd participation at every turn. He appreciated seeing a Scottish flag being waved around. Always moving, Kerr would be crouched down while singing one moment; then on his back, the next. No wonder he announced, “I’m knackered” halfway through. Meanwhile, other founding member Charlie Burchill constantly mesmerized the audience with all his chiming guitar work.

High points included the simmering tension of “Waterfront,” the atmospheric “Someone Somewhere in Summertime,” a soulful “Sanctify Yourself,” strident cover of The Call’s “The Walls Came Down” (Kerr dedicated it to “our friend,” the late Call singer/songwriter Michael Been) and signature hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me) with an extended singalong.

Dreamcar's cover of King’s 1985 U.K. hit “Love and Pride” was perfectly suited to leader Davey Havok’s voice. The AFI leader, along with No Doubt's Tony Kanal, drummer Adrian Young and guitarist Tom Dumont, seemed to be having just as much fun onstage as they did at Coachella with No Doubt last month.

Just prior to Adam Ant taking the stage, a video message from Mike Peters of The Alarm explained that he had to cancel their Cruel World appearance due to a cancer relapse and undergo treatment. The singer/guitarist said he hopes to be back in 2025.

Ant and his band sounded lean and mean during the Burundi beat driven “Antmusic,” the spirited “Friend of Foe,” eerie-sounding "Ants Invasion" and another heavily percussive early tune, “Dog Eat Dog.”

Gary Numan let the icy, David Bowie/Brian Eno-inspired new wave tunes from The Pleasure Principle do all the talking. The vocalist frequently made dramatic gestures, flailed around, and got more animated after inviting his three adult daughters onstage during “Conversation.” The crowd really perked up at the end when it was time for Numan’s lone American top 10 hit “Cars.”

Heaven 17 photo by Alden Bonecutter

Influential synth pop duo Heaven 17’s danceable set defined “exuberant.” Two female backing vocalists added soulfulness to Glenn Gregory’s robust delivery. As keyboardist/musical partner Martyn Ware looked on, Gregory engaged in plenty of humorous between-song banter, such as why he disliked “We Live So Fast” (it is difficult to sing; they were a studio band never intending to tour). The hyper driven “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thing,” a tender electronic “Let Me Go” and the credible take on David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” stood out and received rousing responses.

Earlier this spring, The Jesus and Mary Chain released Glasgow Eyes, its first album in seven years, an impressive return to form for the veteran noise pop merchants. Briefly obscured by smoke in the afternoon at Cruel World, the Reid Brothers performed “JAMCOD” and “Chemical Animal” from it; both were appropriately sinister.

More melodic tunes from the mid-to-late ‘80s proved impressive as past album cover photos flashed on the backdrop, particularly “Some Candy Talking,” “Head On” (once recorded by the Pixies),” “Happy When it Rains” and “Sidewalking.” The band brought out female singer Zanias to guest on “Sometimes Always” (in place of Hope Sandoval on record) and “Just Like Honey,” but her low vocal register was distracting.

The Stranglers photo by Andy Boyle

Right before The Stranglers took the stage, one concertgoer was heard saying, “Thirty years ago, we wouldn’t have seen any of these bands in the daylight.” Very true. Eclectic English rock band The Stranglers, currently on a 50th anniversary tour, made its lone North American live appearance at Cruel World.

Longtime lead singer/guitarist Baz Warne (pictured left) mentioned “the hoops we had to go through to get here” and “we’re from another fucked up country” like America. With original bassist/singer/songwriter J.J. Burnel in tow, the cracking band sounded appropriately salty during such homeland hits as the frenetic “Get a Grip on Yourself” and the leering “Peaches.” Some sweetness shined through during U.S. college/modern rock favorite ballad “Always the Sun” (many in the crowd sang along loudly) and a circuitous, organ-heavy “Golden Brown.”

The Motels, which had to cancel its 2023 Cruel World appearance, turned in a terrific performance. The band opened with a propulsive “Tipping Point,” from 2018’s underrated The Last Few Beautiful Days album. Martha Davis was congenial and played electric guitar. Fellow core member Marty Jourard did some eerie synth lines on it and added haunting sax bursts.

The slow-churning drama of “Total Control,” dating back to 1979, was riveting. Davis’ vocals were robust as ever amid several tunes taken from the group’s successful ‘80s albums All Four One and Little Robbers. Key examples included the alluring “Suddenly Last Summer,” a dramatic “Take the L,” ghostly rocker “So L.A.,” and signature indelible hit “Only the Lonely.”

Goth rock band The Mission was compelling, particularly during the intense hit singles “Wasteland,” “Beyond the Pale,” the dark “Severina” and quiet “Butterfly on a Wheel.”

Los Angeles/Bologna-based Nuovo Testamento brought some infectious Italo-disco in the early afternoon. The trio’s fun, danceable tunes like high-NRG “Heartbeat” and “Wildlife” from latest album Love Lines recalled the Eighties heyday of pop production wizards Shep Pettibone and Jellybean Benitez (think: Madonna, Pet Shop Boys). Singer Chelsey Crowley was all smiles during the seductive “Michelle Michelle,” a highlight of their set.

Body of Light, an Arizona duo comprised of brothers Alex and Andrew Jarson, launched the day’s proceedings at the Lost Boys stage. The dreamy synth pop title track from last year’s Bitter Reflection album felt like a soothing balm, while the clanking sounds on “This Conversation” evoked mid-period Depeche Mode. “Tremble,” off 2016’s Let Me Go, saw keyboardist Andrew trigger up-tempo darkwave strains as Alex sang expressively and roamed the stage.

All photos courtesy of Goldenvoice/Cruel World.

A version of my review originally appeared at rockcellarmagazine.com.

The Sisters of Mercy return to tour North America with Blaqk Audio in September

photo: Mick Burgess/courtesy Reybee PR

I covered Blaqk Audio's performance at Cruel World Festival '22 (see elsewhere on this blog) and was very impressed. Meanwhile, Sisters of Mercy have always been a favorite. Good to see them back. I've never caught the band live; would like to.  

Following a return to North America with last year’s tour that saw sold out shows in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, plus six other cities, THE SISTERS OF MERCY (TSOM) have announced another run of shows this Fall that include such legendary venues as New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles’ The Greek, San Francisco’s The Masonic and Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom among others.

Having not performed in North America in over 14 years, last year’s TSOM tour was met with positive reviews. Electronic duo Blaqk Audio features Davey Havok and Jade Puget of AFI. Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, May 10 with presales are now through Thursday, May 9.

The current TSOM lineup has Andrew Eldritch (vocals, pictured left) accompanied by Ben Christo (guitarist, backing vocals, bass) who has been with the band for nearly 20 years, the return of Chris Catalyst (who was previously with TSOM from 2005 to 2019) on Doktor Avalanche (drum machine), and Kai (guitarist, backing vocalist) who also leads the British-Japanese rock and alternative metal group Esprit D'Air.

Tour Dates:

Sat, Sept 14 Detroit MI The Fillmore (TICKETS)

Sun, Sept 15 McKees Rocks PA Roxian Theatre (TICKETS)
Tue, Sept 17 Baltimore MD The Lyric Theater (TICKETS)
Wed, Sept 18 Philadelphia PA The Met Philadelphia (TICKETS)
Fri, Sept 20 New York NY Radio City Music Hall (TICKETS)
Sun, Sept 22 Boston MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway (TICKETS)
Tue, Sept 24 Charlotte NC The Fillmore (TICKETS)
Thu, Sept 26 St Augustine FL St Augustine Amphitheatre
Fri, Sept 27 Atlanta GA Coca Cola Roxy (TICKETS)
Sun, Sept 29 Austin TX ACL Live at the Moody Theater (TICKETS)
Tue, Oct 1 Dallas TX Southside Ballroom (TICKETS)
Thu, Oct 3 Phoenix AZ The Van Buren (TICKETS)
Sat, Oct 5 San Diego CA Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre (TICKETS)
Sun, Oct 6 Los Angeles CA Greek Theatre (TICKETS)
Tue, Oct 8 San Francisco CA The Masonic (TICKETS)
Wed, Oct 9 San Francisco CA The Masonic (TICKETS)
Fri, Oct 11 Portland OR Crystal Ballroom (TICKETS)
Sat, Oct 12 Portland OR Crystal Ballroom (TICKETS)
Tue, Oct 15 Vancouver BC The Orpheum (TICKETS)
Wed, Oct 16 Seattle WA Paramount Theatre (TICKETS)
Fri, Oct 18 Salt Lake City UT Union Events Center (TICKETS)
Sat, Oct 19 Denver CO Mission Ballroom (TICKETS)
Tue, Oct 22 Minneapolis MN The Fillmore (TICKETS)
Wed, Oct 23 Chicago IL Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom (TICKETS)
Fri, Oct 25 Cleveland OH Temple Live (TICKETS)
Sat, Oct 26 Toronto ON HISTORY (TICKETS)

Fontaines D.C. announce new album 'Romance' and fall tour

Following the release of new single, “Starburster” last month, Fontaines D.C. have announced a North American tour set for fall in support of their upcoming album, Romance, due on Aug. 23. Tickets are available HERE.

WATCH / LISTEN TO “STARBURSTER” HERE
PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE ROMANCE HERE

Romance follows 2022's the BRIT Award-winning Skinty Fia. 

“Starburster" was inspired by a panic attack lead singer Grian Chatten suffered in London’s St Pancras station. It's accompanied by a music video from director Aube Perrie (Harry Styles, The Hives).

Of the album’s title, bassist Conor Deegan says, “We’ve always had this sense of idealism and romance. Each album gets further away from observing that through the lens of Ireland, as directly as (Mercury Prize-nominated debut) Dogrel. The second album (the GRAMMY-nominated A Hero’s Death) is about that detachment, and the third (Skinty Fia) is about Irishness dislocated in the diaspora. Now we look to where and what else there is to be romantic about.”

Expounding on the theme, Chatten recalls Katsuhiro Ôtomo’s anime Akira, where the embers of love develop despite a maelstrom of technological degradation and political corruption around its characters. “I’m fascinated by that - falling in love at the end of the world,” he says. “The album is about protecting that tiny flame. The bigger armageddon looms, the more precious it becomes,” while guitarist Carlos O’Connell adds “This record is about deciding what’s fantasy – the tangible world, or where you go in your mind. What represents reality more? That feels almost spiritual for us.”

Track Listing:

1. Romance

2. Starburster
3. Here’s The Thing
4. Desire
5. In The Modern World
6. Bug
7. Motorcycle Boy
8. Sundowner
9. Horseness is the Whatness
10. Death Kink
11. Favourite

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:

September 20 - Showbox SoDo - Seattle, WA
September 21 - Roseland Theater - Portland, OR
September 22 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC
September 24 - The Warfield - San Francisco, CA
September 26 - Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA
September 27 - SOMA - San Diego, CA
September 28 - Fox Theater - Pomona, CA
September 30 - The Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ
October 2 - Gothic Theatre - Englewood, CO
October 4 - The Granada - Lawrence, KS
October 5 - Slowdown - Omaha, NE
October 6 - The Sylvee - Madison, WI
October 8 - The Fillmore - Minneapolis, MN
October 9 - The Salt Shed - Chicago, IL
October 11 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Toronto, ON
October 12 - MTELUS - Montreal, QC
October 13 - Roadrunner - Boston, MA
October 15 - Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY
October 18 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
October 20 - The Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA

Johnny Marr and the band James set to team up for North American tour

Two of the UK’s most enduring and influential artists have announced a joint headline tour of North America for September and October. Johnny Marr is set to team up with fellow Mancunians, the beloved alternative band James, for their first US tour together. James first toured with Johnny for The Smiths’ Meat Is Murder UK tour in 1985. Since then, both artists have enjoyed international success across four decades of continued creative output.

Last year, Johnny released both a book of his own guitar collection - Marr’s Guitars - and the album Spirit Power. Spirit Power encompasses songs from four acclaimed UK top ten solo albums (2013’s The Messenger, 2014’s Playland, 2018’s Call The Comet, 2022 double album Fever Dreams Pts 1-4), plus unreleased tracks. Widely regarded as the most influential guitarist of his generation, Johnny’s impact on popular music cannot be overstated; from his time in The Smiths, The Pretenders, Electronic, Modest Mouse and The Cribs, to his more recent solo releases and movie soundtrack work with Hans Zimmer, Johnny’s distinctive songwriting and guitar sound has been an integral part of the musical landscape for 40 years. Listen to Spirit Power HERE. Order Marr’s Guitars HERE.

Last month, James’s 18th album, Yummy, shot straight to number one on the British charts, their first studio album to do so. Formed in Manchester in the early-80s, the band built an immediate and fervent following with their jubilant live shows. By the time their third album, 1990’s Gold Mother, spawned a series of global hits - including the anthemic “Sit Down - they had already established themselves as one of the UK’s most exciting guitar bands. Hand picked by Neil Young as openers for a 1992 US tour, James went on to work with Brian Eno for their fifth album, Laid, which saw them impacting the Billboard Charts for the first time while in heavy rotation on MTV’s 120 Minutes.

A six year hiatus in the mid-00s did nothing to diminish the appetite from fans and James reunited in 2007 for Hey Ma, which took them back into the UK’s Top Ten. With an increasingly ardent fan base around the world, James’ ability to traverse new creative terrain with each release, coupled with a gift for writing poignant and frequently prescient lyrics, has endured well past their 40th anniversary. Last month’s release of the politically-spirited Yummy cemented their position as one of the UK’s most fiercely respected and unerringly relevant rock bands. Listen to Yummy HERE.

Of the tour, Johnny shared, "I remember The Smiths being on tour with James in 1985. We admired them and even did one of their songs in our set. I’ve been a fan of theirs ever since and being out on tour again after 40 years is a really great thing.”

James’ Tim Booth added, “Nearly 40 years ago James toured with the Smiths on the Meat is murder tour. We were met with such generosity and kindness that it changed our DNA. Co-headlining an American tour with the true Gent and genius that is Johnny Marr, is an honor and pleasure. We look forward to making magic together.”

Get tickets at:
https://johnnymarr.com/
https://wearejames.com/

General on-sale: May 10 at 10am Local

Tour Dates:

SEP 17: DENVER, CO @ PARAMOUNT THEATRE
SEP 20: VANCOUVER, BC @ QUEEN ELIZABETH
SEP 21: SEATTLE, WA @ THE MOORE
SEP 22: PORTLAND, OR @ MCMENAMINS CRYSTAL BALLROOM
SEP 23: SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ THE WARFIELD
SEP 25: LOS ANGELES, CA @ ORPHEUM THEATRE
SEP 29: AUSTIN, TX @ STUBBS
SEP 30: DALLAS, TX @ MAJESTIC THEATRE
OCT 1: HOUSTON, TX @ BAYOU MUSIC CENTER
OCT 3: ATLANTA, GA @ THE EASTERN
OCT 4: NEW ORLEANS, LA @ THE FILLMORE NEW ORLEANS
OCT 6: WASHINGTON, D.C. @ WARNER THEATRE
OCT 8: BROOKLYN, NY @ PARAMOUNT
OCT 10: BOSTON, MA @ ORPHEUM
OCT 11: PHILADELPHIA, PA @ FRANKLIN MUSIC HALL
OCT 13: MONTREAL, QC @ MTELUS
OCT 14: TORONTO, ON @ HISTORY
OCT 15: DETROIT, MI @ MASONIC TEMPLE
OCT 17: CHICAGO, IL @ RIVIERA THEATRE
OCT 18: SAINT PAUL, MN @ PALACE THEATRE

Watch the music video for Johnny Marr’s “Somewhere”
Watch the music video for James’ “Our World”

NextFest LA expands the LA County Fair 2024 music offerings

In preparation for my article on History of Music at the LA County Fair (in various SCNG papers), I interviewed Lucas Rivera, founder and CEO of Seco Creative, who helps put on the indie artist festival within the fair called NextFest LA. Rivera is a former Senior VP at Fairplex and currently a lead consultant there. 

Q: Can you tell me how the event started?

A: During my tenure as Senior Vice President [at Fairplex], the focus of my work was to increase the diversity of the fair and to engage in a marketing strategy around diversifying the age and ‘cool factor’ of the fair. Making the fair cool again for the kids and folks that have been visiting the fair for years and are continually coming back and getting excited about the same Ferris Wheel [plus] all these other things around it that are new and exciting.

We launched a series of programs when I was there. One being Mi Poco LA [in the late 2010s], which were music concerts focusing on local emerging artists and small groups from the community that would bring out their followers there. And those followers come see them perform and stumble on the fact that they're in this massive fair.

The excitement and success around that allowed for us to start thinking about what it would look like if we expanded it. In 2019, we created a bigger stage in addition to the stage we had with Mi Poco LA and it was called the Pop Fusion stage at the fair. It allowed us to increase opportunities to create a platform for local emerging artists to perform. That was a success. Then in 2020, I had a vision of doing six stages, like a mini music festival within the fair. But it would be marketed differently.

[Rivera said the goal would be to attract a younger crowd and older adults unable to afford major music festivals and those “who used to come to the fair, but lost interest because there was nothing new.”]

I had this crazy idea in 2020 of launching six stages with several hundred local emerging artists from throughout the L.A. region, and then COVID happened. We didn't have our fair in 2020 and there were layoffs.

A lot of us got laid off and went our different ways. I started my company. Then the fair came back in 2022 and decided to bring me on as their lead consultant to think about programming the same way I was thinking about it when I was there as senior vice president.

In that conversation I said, ‘Let's really double down on this idea around local emerging artists and create a festival. 

Q: How many stages did you have for NextFest 2022?

A: Five stages and about 200 artists. Last year, we had about 270+ artists, which was a huge success. This year, they're looking at the same numbers. The program created under the NextFest banner…[went after] a new audience of fairgoers.

My vision around this has been really focused on supporting local emerging artists throughout the L.A. region and creating platforms for them, not only to build their audience, but also build music jobs.

Q: How do you go about finding these artists? Do you call for submissions over a certain period of time?

A: I've been in LA for about 11 years. I was brought out from Philadelphia to spearhead the Grand Park [concert series in LA]. In downtown, Grand Park, I started connecting with a lot of artists and friends that I've worked with [as a DJ], curators that I've worked with in the past. Carlos Guiaco was one of them. We've been working together for a little over nine years.

Carlos describes looking for artists like going through a box of vinyl…going to different clubs, hangouts and parties and paying attention to what's hot on YouTube, social media and really honing in on these artists from different backgrounds within the L.A. region.

He loves going out and seeing singer/songwriters onstage, performing to six or seven people that are drunk at the bar and they sound amazing.

Going in the third year of NextFest, it has quickly built a reputation as an amazing music festival that supports locals and pays them decently. We respect them as artists and we set them up on quality stages - the same ones you would see at major music venues. It allows them to really flourish and bring their 'A' game and feel loved and supported by another community of artists.

We also allow a lot of the artists to work the event. Some artists might be running the stage or a tech on sound. Then the next day, you see them on stage, It's a full experience around the music festival idea.

Carlos is my go-to, when it comes to what's hot right now, who has the music chops, who sounds great, but is not getting the support they need.

Q: Are you limited to certain genres?

A: No, it's all genres. We do everything from soft rock to New Orleans brass music, country and pop music. Asian pop music artists, Indian hip-hop.

Q: Seems very diverse.

A: Super diverse. We had a group of 55 to 75-year-old women doing a choreographed dance performance]. It's pretty amazing.

It's really to diversify the audience and content. The audience wants to see themselves on stage. We know that we're going to have a lot of Latinos coming to the fair because we're in LA County.

Q: After you did the first NextFest, what kind of feedback did you get from the artists or attendees? Were they really thrilled to have something like this?

A: They said it was the cheapest and best music festival they've ever been to because it sits within the 500 acres of Fairplex and the fair. A lot of kids coming to festivals these days want eye candy. It's satisfying to see their favorite artists onstage, but it's even more satisfying to go and say, ‘I'm going to go check out the pig races.’

Q: Tell me about the silent disco.

A: During my tenure [at Fairplex], we did a silent disco event, and it was really successful. When COVID happened, we had to pivot. When we brought Silent Disco back, I wanted to [do it] in a way that cost us less money to rent all the equipment and really engage with DJs having their own success within the region. Our silent disco is pretty amazing because you get to hear DJs from some of the best parties in LA that are battling each other for the most [listeners].

Q: Are the stages positioned in a certain way so there's no bleed with all the other noises going on? 

A: The stages are set up so bleed is not an issue. It's almost like the fair is happening and then in the periphery, you have stage activations…we adjust a couple of stages every year just to see if it works better. We’ve honed in on the perfect set up now.

We focus on making sure to curating community with folks from the karate school, Hawaiian dancers, folkloric dancers, making sure that they're participating in this entire experience as well.

For more info, go to nextfestla.com.

Bonus Q&A with Dustin Lynch

Here are more excerpts from my interview with Dustin Lynch, who performs at the LA County Fair on May 18 with Russell Dickerson...

Q: The episode of CMT "Campfire Sessions" that you filmed earlier this year reminded me of the old "MTV Unplugged" show. I enjoyed hearing the background to the songs.

A: Yeah, same. It was in a setting at a level that we haven’t got to be a part of. They really do it right. It’s a big production. If down the road, we’re blessed to have enough music to do another one, I'm all in.

Q: Over the years, you’ve served as a tour opener for such heavy hitters as Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and Luke Bryan. Have you taken away anything from the way they work audiences and applied it to your own stage delivery?

A: Without a doubt. I’m always trying to pick up on what the guys that have come before me and are on the bigger stages do that maybe we could bring to our shows. I try to get out and watch pretty much every show I can, whenever we’re collaborating with somebody on tour. I think a lot of it is the flow of the show. Also, the design is something that I don’t think I realized that I was going to get to be a part of early on in my years of designing setlists – that’s all I was worried about in the honky tonks.

Q: There's a lot more to it.

A: Getting to design video content. Really, the visual side of the show is just as important these days as what people are hearing.

Q: Just over five years ago you were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Reba McEntire. How was that experience?

A: That’s still a ‘pinch me; is this real life?’ moment. It's hard to believe it has already happened for us. She’s been one of the ladies I’ve looked up to my whole life and has dominated pretty much everything you can in the entertainment world. It’s great to be a part of [the Opry] organization. The amount of good that they provide and do for the community [sometimes] goes unnoticed.

Q: Early in your career, you contributed a song to the ABC-TV series “Nashville” starring Connie Britton and Charles Esten. Much of that show took place at the Bluebird Cafe, which was also integral to your early career. What was it like contributing the song and hearing it on TV?

A: Probably the coolest moment was when my sister realized that I was a part of that as a [‘Nashville’] fan watching the show. If I get a song cut, it’s not like I'm [always] calling my sister up letting her know. She found out on her own as she was watching and saw the credits. 

That show was a big part of the rise of country music [over the past decade]. It was obviously the rise and boom that Nashville has had as a city. Really, their eyes have been open to country music, the drama, and the fun that surrounds [people]. When you throw a bunch of creative people into a town together, it’s not hard to have a lot of fun stuff happening on screen. I think they did a great job with representing the town and country music in general.

Q: If I ever travel to Nashville, I’ll definitely try to check out The Bluebird.

A: It’s a great setting. Thank goodness, it’s had opportunities to expand and has always had the loyal [people] that pushed back and said, ‘No, let’s not ruin the magic here for the sake of fitting some more bodies in the building.’ They've kept it the same. I went there for a charity event last year and it’s just like I remember the first night I went in there back in 2003.

Dustn Lynch photo by Alysse Gafkjen, courtesy of Red Light Management.

For the entire interview, see elsewhere on this blog or go to dailybulletin.com.