Elton John announces The Cut - A global competition to create music videos for his hits

“Bennie and the Jets,” “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer” and You. Unleash your creativity for Elton John’s most iconic songs.

Introducing “Elton John: The Cut” - A Global Competition to Create the Official Music Videos for the Singer’s Most Iconic songs, supported by YouTube.

In celebration of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s 50th anniversary of their songwriting partnership, Elton John, supported by YouTube, is giving undiscovered creative talent from all over the world the chance to create official music videos for three iconic songs: “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” and “Bennie and the Jets.” As these songs were released before the rise of the music video, this competition gives aspiring creators the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase these best-loved hits like never before.

“Elton John: The Cut” will launch on Dec. 12, 2016 at YouTube’s year end show Brandcast, hosted by James Corden, with entries officially opening to the public on Jan. 9, 2017. Applicants can find contest details and advice on how to enter the competition at eltonjohn.com/thecut. Music video entries for each of the songs will feature different artistic elements - submissions for “Rocket Man” will feature animation, “Tiny Dancer” will be live-action, and “Bennie and the Jets” will feature choreography.

Together with a panel of YouTube creators and celebrated music and industry judges, Elton John and his writing partner Bernie Taupin will select three winners, and those winning entries will premiere on YouTube in the summer of 2017.

YouTube’s support provides the applicants of the three winning submissions with the resources necessary to realize their vision, from funding production to use of the YouTube Space facilities. The production of the final music videos will be supported by Pulse Films - a world-class production studio and the talent behind Beyonce’s Emmy nominated “Lemonade” film. YouTube will also award the prize fund of ten thousand U.S. dollars to the winning creators to support future video-based creative projects.

Elton John comments, “We’re excited to partner with YouTube to bring together generations of artists and music lovers around a shared passion for storytelling. YouTube is a rich tapestry of creativity, and I can’t wait to see how the breadth of talent from the dance, live-action and animation communities apply their vision to these cherished songs.”

Vivien Lewit, YouTube’s Global Head Artist Content & Services says: “This is a dream project that puts iconic music from a legendary artist in the hands of new creative talent, to reinvent these classic hits. We’re beyond thrilled to partner with Elton John and Universal to enable this program and bring to life a new way for the passionate fan community on YouTube to experience these songs that have inspired generations.”

Three YouTube creators, each with experience in animation, choreography, and live-action, will be responsible for shortlisting a set amount of entries and presenting their choices to a panel of final judges, who will be revealed on Jan. 9, 2017.

Kurt Hugo Schneider, a filmmaker and musician with over 7.8M subscribers, states “I’ve been sharing my interpretation of popular songs with the world for nearly a decade on YouTube. I am so humbled to be part of this initiative and I can’t wait to see how Tiny Dancer is brought to life by filmmakers and music lovers alike.”

PES, an Oscar and Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose shorts have thrilled audiences online, will be helping to select the final five entries for the animation video of “Rocket Man.” As an Elton John fan with a unique perspective on filmmaking, he is looking forward to getting started. “With such a wealth of talented young filmmakers and artists on YouTube, I can’t wait to see the ideas and help make them a reality.”

Parris Goebel, the director and choreographer behind Justin Bieber’s “Sorry (PURPOSE : The Movement)” dance video, with over 2B views on YouTube, says, “I can’t wait to see how dancers from all over -- whether they are fans of hip-hop, ballet, pop, or any other genre -- choose to visually express themselves in ‘Bennie and the Jets.’”

The competition closes on January 23rd and is open to anyone over 16, subject to local terms and conditions. To find out more about “Elton John: The Cut,” supported by YouTube, and how to enter, please visit www.eltonjohn.com/thecut.

Watch the campaign announcement below.

About YouTube
Launched in May 2005, YouTube is the world's most popular online video community allowing billions of people to discover, watch and share video.YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small. YouTube is a Google company.
youtube.com

About Pulse Films
Pulse Films is an award-winning, independent, modern-day studio encompassing the development, production, financing and distribution of cross-platform content for audiences worldwide. Pulse Films was founded by Thomas Benski and Marisa Clifford in 2005, and is headquartered in London with outposts in Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Berlin. Dedicated to creating moments of culture through innovative storytelling, Pulse Films operates under the following divisions: Film, Television, Branded Entertainment, Music and Commercials. In 2015 Pulse also launched its innovative format company East Entertainment, led by Nathan Eastwood. Pulse Films’ current and past projects include: feature films such as Andrea Arnold’s Cannes Jury Prize winner AMERICAN HONEY, Robert Eggers’ Sundance Award winning THE WITCH, Kahlil Joseph’s THE REFLEKTOR TAPES and Beyoncé’s Emmy nominated LEMONADE, as well as the Sundance award-winning ALL THESE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS; TV projects such as BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK (BBC Two) UNITED STATES OF HATE (BBC One / BBC Three), WHO’S SPENDING BRITAIN’S BILLIONS? (BBC Two) and HUNTING THE NAZI GOLD TRAIN (BBC Two); as well as strategic brand partnerships with the likes of Volvo, Converse, Nike, Red Bull & Chanel. In March 2016, VICE media acquired a majority stake in Pulse Films. For more information see: pulsefilms.com

Shawn Mendes adds second London show due to phenomenal demand

Due to phenomenal demand, Shawn Mendes has added a second date at London's The O2. First Access pre-sale begins on Wednesday 23 November at 4pm, Fan Club pre-sale begins on Thursday 24 November at 10am, before General Public Sale on Saturday 26 November at 10am.

Following electrifying performances at MTV’s EMA Awards and X Factor this month, Canadian star Shawn Mendes has announced an extra UK date to his 2017 Illuminate World Tour. Due to huge demand, Shawn will be performing an extra night at London’s The O2 on Friday 2nd June 2017 which will follow a sold out performance the night before on 1st June. For fan club pre-sale info, head to www.ShawnAccess.com.

Shawn’s latest album Illuminate became an instant Top 3 smash in the UK Official Charts upon release. The multi-platinum artist’s second offering, which is out now via Virgin EMI UK Records, features the global hit ‘Treat You Better,’ which catapulted to the #1 in 36 countries, has amassed over a whopping 383 million views on YouTube and quickly became his second Top 10 hit in the UK Official Charts since releasing the #1 single ‘Stitches,’ and the current single ‘Mercy.’

Following a recent sold-out headline show at one of New York’s most distinguished venues, Madison Square Garden, the Illuminate World Tour will see the Canadian native embark on his first-ever set of arena performances across the world. The huge string of 45 shows will kick off in the UK at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on 27 April 2017 and will continue across Europe and North America until 23 August 2017. The tour will now stop off at London’s The O2 for two consecutive nights as well as Manchester Arena along the way. First Access pre-sale begins on Wednesday 23 November at 4pm, Fan Club pre-sale begins on Thursday 24 November at 10am, before General Public Sale on Saturday 26 November at 10am.

Shawn’s powerful and emotive songwriting has lead him to selling over 10 million tracks worldwide, with ‘Stitches’ equating to 1.3 million single sales in the UK alone and 4 million albums globally; his first album Handwritten has now also reached Gold status in the UK. At just 18 years old, he is also fast becoming one of the most recognised artists of his generation winning a People’s Choice Award 2016 for “Favourite New Artist,” named one of Time Magazine’s “Most Influential Teens” of 2014 and 2015 and, more recently, included in Forbes’ esteemed “30 Under 30” list earlier this year. To end a monumental year, fans will be able to catch Shawn headlining Capital FM’s Jingle Bell Ball on Sunday 4th December following his biggest US TV appearance to date on Saturday Night Live the night before.

Full tour details and tickets here.

Shawn Mendes wins Best Male at MTV EMA 2016

Huge congratulations to Shawn Mendes as the singer received the Best Male award at the 2016 MTV EMAs in Rotterdam last night.

Read the Billboard article in full here.

“Thank you so much,” said Mendes, collecting the award for best male from model Jourdan Dunne at Rotterdam’s Ahoy arena and dedicating it to his “incredible fans worldwide.”

“You guys are outstanding,” said the singer who also used the occasion to wish happy birthday to his mum to loud cheers from the crowd. Earlier in the show, Mendes performed a stirring rendition of his hit “Mercy” from within a inverted holographic pyramid, which slowly lifted to reveal the 18 year-old seated at a piano. He also triumphed in the Canadian category of the worldwide act prize.

Shawn Mendes wins two awards at Radio One Teen Awards

What a weekend for Shawn Mendes! He was the big winner at this year's BBC Radio One Teen Awards, scooping the prize for Best International Solo Artist and Best Single for Stitches.

Shawn also performed his latest single Mercy. Missed it? Watch again here.

Sunday evening saw Shawn appear on ITV's The X Factor, bringing the house down with his performance of Mercy which you can watch again here. Skip to 16 minutes.

Shawn returns to the UK with his Illuminate World Tour in 2017. See him live in Glasgow (27 April) and Manchester (28 April) and London (1 June). Tickets and full details here.

Paul McCartney to play Pappy & Harriet's tonight

PAUL McCARTNEY TO PLAY PAPPY & HARRIET’S TONIGHT

Tickets Available ONLY at Pappy & Harriet’s Box Office From 6:30pm

Paul McCartney’s domination of the desert continues with the most intimate show of his record breaking One On One Tour: Tonight at 8:30pm, Paul and his band will take the stage at the venerable Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace.

Tickets go on-sale exclusively through Pappy Harriet’s box office only at 6:30pm, with no line-ups permitted prior to 3:00pm. Tickets will be limited to one per person, and are first come, first served. You will need to enter the venue immediately upon the purchase of your ticket. There will be a strict no readmittance policy. All tickets are CASH ONLY, and will be priced at $50 (including taxes and fees).

Press reaction: Paul McCartney at Desert Trip

Saturday saw Paul McCartney take to the stage on the second night of Desert Trip's opening weekend. Here is what the press thought:

Rolling Stone

Paul McCartney, Neil Young Deliver Powerful Sets at Desert Trip Night 2

Paul McCartney has learned a few important things about his fans, and there were more than 70,000 in front of him Saturday on the second night of the Desert Trip festival in Indio, Calif. He has come to a profound understanding of the Beatles legacy, its connection to his solo career and the emotional resonance it has continued to have for generations of listeners for more than 50 years.

Like his 2009 headlining appearance at Coachella, McCartney arrived at Desert Trip prepared to connect not only with the most hardcore who travel across state lines to see him over and again but with other fans who are deeply connected in other ways. One of night's emotional peaks came late Saturday when McCartney brought out Neil Young, returning from his own explosive performance earlier the same evening.

Their choice of material was the Lennon-McCartney classic "A Day in the Life," which later shifted into John Lennon's anthem "Give Peace a Chance." Both McCartney and Young were all smiles sharing the stage, then tore into the raw Beatles oddity "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" leaving room for Young to set his guitar aflame with a joyfully ragged solo, a searing moment likely to be remembered long after this weekend.

As on other stops on his current "One On One" tour, McCartney opened with the distinctive opening clang from "A Hard Day's Night," plucking his old Hofner bass and going back to the early days of the Beatlemania. The urgent pace and upbeat vibe set a tone for his night, and he immediately followed with "Jet," from his initial post-Beatles career when McCartney was establishing an independent voice of his own.

His solo work (with and without Wings) was one of the defining sounds of the Seventies and rarely sounded like a rehash of Beatles ideas, which continues still. Among the newer songs was the quietly dramatic "My Valentine," a romantic ballad played on grand piano and dedicated to his wife Nancy.

Before his solo acoustic reading of "Blackbird," he explained the song's inspiration: learning of the civil rights struggle ongoing in America, he wanted to write something to comfort and inspire the movement. "How many of you tried to learn to play 'Blackbird'? See? And you all got it wrong," he said teasingly.

The early solo hit "Live and Let Die" (written for the soundtrack of a James Bond film) was accompanied with a staggering eruption of flames, lasers, smoke and fireworks in the sky as McCartney stood and pounded the piano keyboard. His Beatles anthem "Hey Jude" was big in a more profound way, connecting emotionally with the crowd as few acts can. A woman near the front held up a sign: "I'm Jude." And as McCartney led fans in a massive chorus of the song, the faces of people singing filled the big screens, both in closeup and in massive landscapes of waving arms. It was a picture of humanity as hopeful and affectionate as the Beatles legacy that is stronger than ever.

Los Angeles Times

Paul McCartney made good on Desert Trip’s all-star-jam potential when he invited Neil Young onstage Saturday night to duet with him on a pair of classic Beatles songs.

Employing the royal “we” to introduce Young as “a really good friend of ours,” McCartney brought out his fellow veteran (who’d played the festival earlier in the evening) for “A Day in the Life” and “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?”

At the end of the former, the two tacked on a bit of John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance,” which set off a mass singalong in the Desert Trip crowd. And during the latter, Young scratched out a noisy guitar solo that pushed the White Album cut closer to the heavy blues McCartney was clearly emulating.

Not that the former Beatle needed help in traversing styles.

Leading his expert band through three dozen songs over 2 1/2 hours, McCartney was a keen — and lovable — musical explorer at Desert Trip, moving through a vast assortment of sounds and attitudes with the lightly worn assurance of a lifelong superstar.

He did indelible Beatles hits such as “A Hard Day’s Night” and “We Can Work It Out.” He did twisting, knotty Wings songs like “Jet” and “Band on the Run.” And he did solo tunes including “Maybe I’m Amazed,” which he said he’d written for his late wife, Linda, and “My Valentine,” which he dedicated to his current wife, Nancy, on what he said was the day before their wedding anniversary.

McCartney knew what audience he was playing to. Before “Blackbird,” he explained how he’d hoped the song would be a balm for those caught in the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s. And he described “Here Today” as an imaginary conversation with Lennon, who’d been murdered not long before he wrote it.

Other songs triggered reminiscences of the Beatles’ first recording session and a long-ago encounter with Jimi Hendrix. And following the Rolling Stones’ rendition of “Come Together” on Friday at Desert Trip, McCartney returned the nod — well, sort of — by zipping through “I Wanna Be Your Man,” an early Lennon/McCartney ditty originally recorded by the Stones in 1963.

Yet McCartney wasn’t living in the past.

At one point he played “FourFiveSeconds,” the great folk-soul single he released last year as an unlikely collaboration with Rihanna and Kanye West. He also did “Queenie Eye,” from his most recent solo album, 2013’s “New” — though in typical fashion he let the crowd off the hook for not knowing it, calling the song “a black hole” since it inspired so few to point their cellphones at him.

To close the show, which ended after midnight, McCartney returned to the blues for a bludgeoning “Helter Skelter” before finishing with a portion of the Side 2 suite from “Abbey Road.”

“Smiles awake you when you rise,” he sang, and he might’ve been describing the warmth his fans feel for him, a rock icon masquerading as a really good friend.

Billboard

Paul McCartney & Neil Young Jam on 2 Beatles Classics & a John Lennon Anthem at Desert Trip Day 2

Even though Desert Trip doesn't play by the rules of most music fests -- there are only two acts per day, the first one doesn't go on 'til sunset, and there are more people sitting than standing -- there's one rule for music fests in the 2010s that Oldchella does abide by: You gotta have a surprise collaboration.

So for Paul McCartney's Saturday (Oct. 8) night set in the Indio desert, the former Beatle brought out his opening act Neil Young for a three-song collab that had eyes wide and phones in the air.

Describing him as "a really good friend," McCartney brought Young (fresh off a sick Trump burn) out to trade vocals on "A Day in the Life." Hearing Neil Young deliver "he blew his mind out in a car" in his unique timbre was treat enough, and the green fog swirling around the two as they sang the Sgt. Pepper's classic gave the existential rock song an additionally eerie layer. Instead of finishing the song with the usual orchestral climax, they transitioned directly into John Lennon's solo anthem "Give Peace a Chance," inviting the audience to chant along as peace signs flashed on the screen behind them.

After that mashup wrapped, Young stayed on stage, eliciting gleeful squeals from the crowd. As it turns out, the excitement was justified. While Paul and Neil have done the "A Day In the Life"/"Give Peace a Chance" mashup before, what came next was brand new.

"Come on Neil, you gotta solo on this one for me," Macca said before launching into "Why Don't We Do It In the Road." Aside from the thrill of hearing McCartney do a song that's not part of his typical set list, Young's guitar solo was an unhinged scorcher. While McCartney's live shows never disappoint, his onstage consistency means that a sense of musical spontaneity gets sacrificed sometimes. So when Neil Young unleashed a wicked, razor-sharp guitar solo on The White Album track, the set felt -- for a moment -- dangerous.

Entertainment Weekly

Paul McCartney needed a moment.

After firing up the audience in Indio, California Saturday with “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” the rock legend stopped the music to take a look around the colossal stadium that is home to Desert Trip. “This is cool to be here, right?” the 74-year-old giant asked. “I’m going to take a moment here to drink this all in for myself.”

Less than 24 hours after Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones served upthe weekend’s first and second course on the grounds where Coachella also takes place each spring, McCartney followed with a spectacular entrée — a two-hour-plus rock fest that was part sing-along and part Beatles music history lesson.

“We are going to have a party here tonight, Liverpool-style,” McCartney said before taking it old school with “In Spite of All the Danger,” “Back in the USSR,” “Day Tripper,” “Eleanor Rigby,” and “Hey Jude.”

Along the way, McCartney introduced his songs with engaging Beatles lore — like how the Civil Rights era inspired “Blackbird,” how he penned solo song “Here Today” after John Lennon’s death in 1980, and what George Martin contributed to the making of “Love Me Do.”

Even as he rollicked through the standards, McCartney called out the boomers for their (no doubt annoying) predictability. “We know what you like because [the oldies] light up your phones,” he quipped. “And when we play one you don’t know it’s like a black hole. So here’s one.” That’s when he performed his 2013 single “Queenie Eye” — and naturally, the place went dark. But the phones lit up again with classics like “Lady Madonna,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” and “Live and Let Die.”

It was a terrific show.

Riverside Press Enterprise

Fans in the grandstands and on the field stood and cheered when the pair of music legends launched into "A Day In The Life," a song Young has covered in the past, and the two performers looked absolutely delighted to be singing that song, which segued into "Give Peace A Chance." Young then stuck around to join McCartney on "Why Don't We Do It In The Road?" adding a bit of sizzling guitar licks to that tune as well.

"I love that boy!" said McCartney, 74, of Young, 70, proving, I guess, that age is relative when you rock and roll.

The Associated Press

McCartney’s headlining 2 ½-hour set was full of love. He paid tribute to his late wife and his current spouse during the performance, along with George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones.

He sang “Maybe I’m Amazed” for the late Linda McCartney, and dedicated “My Valentine” to his wife, Nancy, ahead of their fifth wedding anniversary Sunday.

He brought out a ukulele to perform Harrison’s “Something,” but stopped the song almost as soon as he started.

“I’m out of tune,” McCartney said, alone on stage. “I’m going to get another one.”

A stagehand brought him another ukulele and McCartney began again.

“At least it proves we’re live, right?” he cracked.

Backed by a five-piece band, he played a few bars of “Foxy Lady” to honor Hendrix, and recognized the Stones with “I Wanna Be Your Man,” which McCartney and Lennon wrote for their colleagues in the early 1960s.

(The Rolling Stones headlined the first night of Desert Trip and covered the Beatles’ hit “Come Together.” Mick Jagger introduced it by saying, “We’re going to do a cover song of some unknown beat group.”).

The second weekend of Desert Trip takes place Friday 14  to Sunday 16 October. Details here.

The Greasy Slicks announce December UK tour

Today The Greasy Slicks announce an extensive UK headline tour, kicking off at Mr Wolfs in Bristol on December 1st and concluding at Birthdays, London on December 8th.
 
Tickets go on general sale on October 7th at 9am at Ticketweb, AXS, Gigantic, Ticketline, The Ticket Factory and Tickets Scotland (Glasgow only)
 
Energetic three piece The Greasy Slicks have had an exciting 2016 having toured relentlessly across the UK and Europe this summer, beginning at The Secret Garden Party back in July and more recently headlining Bestival’s ‘Invaders Of The Future Stage.’ The band’s self-‐‐titled debut album is out now (released September 30th), and with some impressive music videos for singles ‘Eyes Wide Black’ and ‘Hawks’, and a nomination in the Best Band category at the 2016 Unsigned Music Awards (UMA), Jack, Nathan and Rian are set to return to the live circuit with their first UK headline tour. 2017 promises to be another huge year for a three-‐‐piece who are starting to seriously make a name for themselves.
 
The tour follows the release of the band’s debut album, recorded on the Isle of Wight in the idyllic Studio Humbug (a former water-‐‐tower nestled in the grounds of Osborne House, holiday home of Queen Victoria), with acclaimed production duo Boe Weaver (The Archie Bronson Outfit, The Kills, Paolo Nutini). The album is a skuzzy mix of blues, rock & roll, post-‐ punk and grunge recalling the likes of The Fall and modern day punk rockers Slaves. Preceded by singles ‘Eyes Wide Black’ and ‘Hawks,’ the record exhibits the sound of a band with an expansive musical influence that have translated their raw energy into an album that is sure to wet the appetite of a broad range of rock fans.
 
The Greasy Slicks will play the following UK headline dates:
 
December
 
1st -‐‐ Mr Wolfs, Bristol
2nd -‐‐ Soup Kitchen, Manchester
3rd -‐ The Attic, Glasgow
5th -‐‐ Hope & Ruin, Brighton
7th -‐ The Victoria, Birmingham
8th -‐‐ Birthdays, London