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Live Updates

Mark Savage and Kev Geoghegan

All times stated are UK

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  1. And that, is that...

    Sorry guys but that's all we have for you now.

    But rest assured we will be back again tomorrow morning.

    In the meantime, scroll back for news on a world record orchestra, new music videos from Calvin Harris and Dizzee Rascal, Ronan Keating and Chvrches plus new posthumous material from Michael Hutchence - and find out how Radio 3 is celebrating its 70th birthday.   

  2. Macauley Culkin calls last orders on Pizza Underground

    Macauley Culkin

    Former child star Macaulay Culkin is bringing an end to his covers band - the Pizza Underground.

    As unlikely as it sounds, this was actually a real thing and involved the Home Alone actor and his mates singing pizza-themed versions of Velvet Underground songs.

    With titles such as Pizza Gal and Take a Bite of the Wild Slice

    Sadly, their next album will be apparently be their last.

    "All of our stuff is like jingly-jangly and this is this big, grand lush sound. 

    "Essentially that's going to be the end of the band and this is our gift to the world - 'thanks for enjoying our silly pizza band'." 

    Instead he has returned to acting and has worked with the meerkat stars of a certain UK price comparison website. 

    Warning: Third party content, may contain ads.

    View more on youtube
  3. Jodie Abacus shares heartwarming I'll Be That Friend video

    Like a cross between Stevie Wonder and ELO, Jodie Abacus's new single is an infectiously sunny ode to friendship.

    In keeping with the feel-good vibe, the video riffs on Shea Glover's viral video, in which she captured the reactions of people when they were told they were beautiful.

    View more on youtube

    Glover collaborated with director Ethan Lader (Bruno Mars, Mary J Blige, Cee-Lo Green) to create Jodie Abacus's video - which you can see below.

    View more on youtube

    Although the song is bursting with positivity, Abacus says it was inspired by a torrid 12 months, during which he contracted pneumonia and split up with his long-term girlfriend.

    Quote Message: By the end of that year I wished I could still have the pneumonia instead of such bad heartache. I was crumbling, sitting in an empty room, just me and a bed and my keyboard.
    Quote Message: I started playing and crying at the same time. I felt like, if I was looking from the outside at this situation, I would give that person a really, really big hug and say it's all right. That's when I wrote I'll Be That Friend.
  4. Behind the scenes of Lou Reed's Drones

    Lou Reed Drones is an installation of the celebrated musician's guitars and amps in feedback mode.

    It first premiered in New York, where people, including an Iranian bagpipe player, showed up with instruments and stayed all day. Reed's partner Laurie Anderson described the event as "a new art form".

    BBC Arts went behind the scenes of the installation when it played at Brighton's Great Escape Festival in May.

    There , Reed's long-time guitar technician Steve Hurwood, demonstrated the art of feedback and explained how it inspired the star's 1975 album Metal Machine Music.

    Video content

    Video caption: An installation of Lou Reed’s guitars and amps in feedback mode at Brighton Festival.
  5. Jay Z shares 'Songs for Survival' after deaths

    Jay Z

    Last week, Jay Z released Spiritual, a song he originally composed after the death of Mike Brown in 2014, but which he felt compelled to finally unleash in the wake of killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of the police.

    To emphasise his point, the star has published a Tidal playlist called "Songs for Survival", featuring 24 songs of hope, perseverance, struggle and love.

    It includes protest anthems such as Curtis Mayfield's We Are The People Who Are Darker Than Blue and Marvin Gaye's Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) alongside more modern cuts like Kendrick Lamar's Alright - which became a rallying call for the Black Lives Matter movement last year.

    "I'm saddened and disappointed in THIS America," wrote the rapper. "We should be further along. We are not."

    Tidal subscribers can listen to the playlist here.

  6. Ronan Keating puts wedding footage in new video

    View more on youtube

    Get your hankies ready... Pop star Ronan Keating has shared personal footage of his wedding day in the video for his romantic new single In Your Arms.

    The clip - which sees him walking down the aisle, and celebrating with family - is accompanied by a second video, for the song As Long As We're In Love, where the star duets with his wife, Storm.   

    "I've never included my family in this way before and it makes me very proud - I guess because I've never been in a position to be so honest in my music before," said Keating in a statement. 

    "It's liberating. My family are a true extension of me and my music."

    View more on youtube
  7. Blink-182 dethrone Drake on US charts

    Billboard magazine

    Blink-182

    After nine weeks at number one, Drake's Views has finally been dislodged from the top of the US album chart.

    It's all the work of pop-punk band Blink-182, whose California sold 186,000 copies (172,000 of which were actual physical album sales, an increasing rarity in the streaming era).

    It's the band's second number one in the US, following Take Off Your Pants and Jacket in 2001.

    Led by the single Bored To Death, California also went straight to number one in the UK. Seems like replacing their founder member Tom DeLonge hasn't done the band any harm.

    View more on youtube

    Read more on Billboard.

  8. MNEK: 'Everyone uses Auto-Tune'

    Mark Savage

    Music reporter

    Video content

    Video caption: MNEK: 'Everyone uses Auto-Tune'

    He's only 21 but pop star MNEK has written for everyone from Beyonce to Madonna; from Kylie to Diplo; and from Little Mix to Rudimental.

    The Londoner earned his first silver disc at the age of 16, when he was still in school - which puts my life into harsh perspective.

    Still, I swallowed my pride and went to visit MNEK in his East London recording studio. We chatted about Beyonce and Madonna, and he launched a strong defence of the controversial Auto-Tune software, which vocalists use to correct bad pitch in the recording studio.

    See what he had to say above - and click here to read the rest of our interview.

    You can also watch the singer-songwriter explain how he wrote his new single (At Night) I Think About You, from the original voice memo on his phone to the finished product.

    Video content

    Video caption: MNEK reveals how he writes a hit pop song
  9. Chvurches' animated video for Hayley Williams collaboration

    NME

    Chvrches and Paramore's Hayley Williams display enviable telekinetic powers in the new animated video for their track Bury It.

    The video was created by longtime collaborator, artist and writer Jamie McKelvie.

    The track has been lifted from the forthcoming extended reissue of Chvrches second album Every Open Eye on 29 July, featuring two new songs and remixes of several tracks.

    Chvrches are due to play Latitude Festival this weekend and Reading and Leeds in August.

    Surely this is the first music video to feature a flying cafetiere...

    Read more

    Warning: third party content, may contain ads.

    View more on youtube
  10. Slipknot take revenge on distracted fan

    We've all been there: Standing at the front row of a gig when, suddenly, you get a Facebook update from your mum. It would be rude not to log in and hit the "like" button. 

    But what happens if the band notice? And what happens when that band is Slipknot?

    Well, put simply, you're going to get that phone thwacked out of your hands by frontman Corey Taylor - as you can see in a video the metal band uploaded to Twitter this weekend:

    View more on twitter

    To be fair, Corey dragged himself out of hospital after having spinal surgery to play the shows, so the least that fans could do is pay attention.

    And, at least the fan had the good grace to realise he had been well and truly busted.

    A bit like his phone...

  11. Unreleased Michael Hutchence material to see light of day

    The Guardian

    Michael Hutchence

    Previously unreleased songs by the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence are due to see the light of day later this year.

    The tracks will tie in with a new documentary about the last years of his life.

    Sydney entrepreneur Ron Creevey, who runs Kings Cross studio and the X Studio venue, said he has spent the last two years working on the project alongside LA-based producer Danny Saber - who collaborated on Hutchence’s self-titled, posthumous solo album in 1999.

    “I heard some time ago about some unreleased music that was sitting out there, and then I approached [Hutchence’s] trust directly,” Creevey said. A total of 15 songs will be released.

    “At least five songs are brilliant,” he said.

    Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Hutchence’s death at the age of 37.

    Read more

  12. Record set for world's biggest orchestra

    The world record attempt for biggest ever orchestra

    Some 7,548 musicians took part in a performance at a German football arena over the weekend, setting the world record for the biggest-ever orchestra. 

    It was made up of amateur groups and full orchestras from Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

    Musician at world-record breaking event

    The performance contained excerpts from symphonies by Dvorak and Beethoven and a melody from the musical Starlight Express. It took place at Frankfurt's Commerzbank Arena on Saturday.

    The previous record was set in Brisbane, Australia in 2013, with 7,224 musicians. 

    "We wanted to show how music can connect people, and how important it is for Germany," said organiser Jens Illemann, a trumpeter from Hamburg.

    And some extra marks for this excellent drum face - we salute you sir...

    Musician at world-record breaking event
  13. Here is a video for Dizzee Rascal's new single with Calvin Harris

    The track has been dong the rounds for a couple of weeks but Dizzee and Calvin have finally done the video for Hype.

    We say Calvin has done it, his work in the best is best described as '"minimal"...

    View more on youtube
  14. Radio 3 turns 70 with classical yoga and tea dances

    Yoga sessions at Southbank Centre set to live classical music.

    BBC Radio 3 is heading off to the South Bank this autumn, as it celebrates its 70th Birthday.

    Presenters will broadcast all day, every day, from a pop-up glass studio in Southbank Centre’s Terrace Cafe and the Royal Festival Hall public spaces.

    A fortnight of special events will include swinging 1940s tea dances, poetry readings, performances from Nicola Benedetti and Max Richter and an embedded composer creating new works.

    A live radio drama about the origins of the station (which began life as the Third Programme) will be complemented by interactive workshops on radio presenting, music mixing and editing.

    Those wishing to escape the rat race can partake in "classical yoga" classes, accompanied by live classical music on the Festival Terrace.

    And David Bowie will be remembered on the final night with a special Big Sing, where Londoners and listeners at home can sing along to his classic hits.

    The season takes place from 23 September to 7 October.

  15. New Order play Joy Divison track at Manchester gig

    Colin Paterson

    Entertainment Correspondent, BBC Radio 5 live

    New Order

    New Order delved deep into the Joy Division back catalogue for a rare performance of the track Decades at the weekend.

    According to singer Bernard Sumner, the band had only ever played it once before in Manchester. According to setlist.fm that was back in February 1980 at a Joy Division gig at Factory II.

    The performance came during an outdoor, homecoming gig at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl on Saturday night. 

    Singer Bernard Sumner said it was always a pleasure to play in what he described as “the greatest city on earth” before quickly adding: “Apart from Salford. That’s where I am from. I always find the people a bit more earthy in Salford.”

    During Bizarre Love Triangle, a father and son in the audience shared a touching moment when they faced each other, grabbed each other’s shoulders, and jumped up and down together while singing the chorus with huge smiles on their faces. 

    However, this cross-generational bonding came to a rather abrupt halt, when Dad halted proceedings with a raised hand and then proceeded to urinate into an empty pint glass. 

    I wonder if that was earthy enough for Bernard?

  16. Five of the best moments from T In The Park

    This weekend's T In The Park suffered from tragedy - two deaths and the rape of a teenage girl - and audacious criminal activity, as someone stole an entire ATM machine.

    But the majority of festivalgoers enjoyed a hedonistic celebration of music, from local boy Calvin Harris's jubilant headline set, to Slaves' visceral performance on the main stage.

    Here are five of the best videos from the festival. You can see many more on the BBC's T In The Park pages.

    1) Calvin Harris - How Deep Is Your Love?

    2) The 1975 - The Sound

    Video content

    Video caption: Performing live on the Radio 1 Stage

    3) Catfish and the Bottlemen - Twice

    4) Slaves - The Hunted

    5) Bastille - Good Grief

  17. Baaba Maal praises 'exceptional' Mumford and Sons

    Sarah Jane Griffiths

    Entertainment reporter

    Baaba Maal

    Senegalese artist Baaba Maal is full of praise for Mumford and Sons following the recording of their top 10 EP, Johannesburg.

    Both artists were on the bill on Friday night's British Summertime Festival - and Baaba said Mumford's stage "energy is really exceptional".

    "Together we are so crazy, we love the power of the music, the guitar and banjo and drums and voices - it's really exceptional.

    Johannesburg was recorded during Mumford's tour in South Africa in early 2016.

    Baaba said: "I went to see them in Lewes (Sussex) in one of their concerts and they said, 'Oh we're coming to Senegal'. So we end up being friends and made some plans to play in South Africa. 

    "And we ended up saying 'Why don't we rent a studio and record some stuff?' We didn't know exactly if these songs were going to be for this LP or their album or my album, we just wanted to go into the studio and write songs between us. 

    "It's not something planned, it's very natural and everyone comes to that collaboration with their own voices, your own languages, your own melodies and this is what makes it so beautiful. We didn't try to copy anyone, we just had a good time and you can feel that when you listen to the LP, we all had a good time to be together. It's like it's talking to you."

    Baaba twice joined Mumford on stage on Friday night, in a headline set that turned into a mass singalong during tracks like Little Lion Man and I WiIl Wait. 

    Lead singer and chief Mumford, Marcus let off a flare and launched himself into the crowd for a lengthy bout of extreme crowdsurfing that resulted in him landing back on stage with a ripped shirt and dazed look. 

    The band also magically appeared on a smaller stage in the middle of the crowd for an a capella version of Sister and dished out glowsticks to the crowd. 

    View more on twitter
  18. Chaka Khan enters rehab following Prince's death

    Chaka Khan

    Soul legend Chaka Khan has postponed her tour to seek treatment for addiction to painkillers, and says Prince's death spurred her to take action.

    The star, who had a major hit with Prince's song I Feel For You, told the Associated Press she had been "battling an addiction to the same medication that led to Prince's death".

    "Unfortunately, I will miss concert appearances over the summer," she added. "However, it's vital that I put my health and well-being first. I know that I am disappointing some of my fans, but I also know they would want me to recover and be well and healthy."  

    Read more

  19. Red Hot Chili Peppers mistaken for Metallica

    Red Hot Chili Peppers

    It's been a busy weekend for Red Hot Chili Peppers, who headlined T In The Park just 24 hours after they played Moscow's Park Live festival.

    But international travel isn't all it's cracked up to be... As the band discovered en route to Russia.

    While catching a connecting flight in Belarus, the band were called into customs and (after what was presumably a nerve-shredding couple of minutes) asked to sign a few autographs. The only problem was, the customs officials had thought they were a completely different band.

    View more on instagram

    "We were called into customs officials office at an airport in Belarus and they asked us to sign a bunch of Metallica CDs and photos," wrote Flea on Instagram. 

    "We tried to explain to them that we weren't Metallica but they insisted that we sign anyway. 

    "They had the power. Well I did play fight fire with Metallica once. I love Metallica anyways but I'm no Robert Trujillo."

    The band eventually made it to Strathallan Castle in Perthshire, and the BBC filmed their entire set. Watch it below:

  20. Take That: 'No more drum and bass'

    Video content

    Video caption: Take That play in Hyde Park

    “A Take That concert is the one place you can get loads of drunk over-40s and it’s totally normal," one concert-goer is quoted as saying in The Telegraph (and having been at a few Take That gigs in our time, we can confirm that statement is 100% true).

    But the carnage in the audience didn't stop the trio's concert from going down a storm on Saturday night.

    After opening with Shine and Greatest Day, Mark Owen told the crowd he'd been so nervous about playing Hyde Park that he hadn't slept for three days.

    They were joined later by Lulu, for a guest spot on Relight My Fire, and dance duo Sigma on their current single Cry.

    After the show, the band are scheduled to go back into the studio to continue work on their eighth album - but they said they wouldn't be making more dance music, despite the chart success of Cry.

    "A few people have said we should do more drum and bass but by the time we've finished dancing on stage to Cry we've got no energy left," Owen told Metro.

    "If we did another drum and bass track we'd be on the floor."

    View more on twitter