Virgin EMI are launching Lockdown Live, a unique “live” music experience put together in support of  Global Citizen and the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Lockdown Live takes the form a three day live-streamed music festival, with the aim to encourage everyone to stay indoors and provide entertainment and light relief in these uncertain times.

32 acts (across pop, alternative and dance music) will perform over three days from their homes, with each performance live streamed at www.lockdownlive.uk.

The Festival starts this weekend on the 3rd of April with the Rhapsody Stage supported by VT at Jungle Creations. The line-up features an array of modern pop’s most influential stars including HRVY, The Vamps, Alessia Cara, Jay Pryor and is headlined by the almighty SG Lewis.

Day 2 will showcase talent from the Alternative scene on the Fools Gold Stage. The eclectic line-up includes the soulful singer/songwriters Lily Moore and Olivia Dean, the high-octane rock sound of Twin Atlantic and the anthemic, synth pop of Vera Blue.

The third and final day will see the action coming from the virtual Encore Stage, supported by Seasoned at Buzzfeed UK. The Encore stage will feature some of the hottest talent in urban music, both from the UK and internationally, giving everyone some perfect Sunday vibes. From the smooth R’N’B of Duchess and Maya B, to the high-energy rap of Wauve and the affirming highlife stylings of headliner, Adekunle Gold.

Lockdown Live will take place at www.lockdownlive.uk from the 4th April to the 6th, 2020.

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This year’s most eagerly anticipated soundtrack is released today: Elton John’s epic musical fantasy ‘Rocketman: Music From The Motion Picture’.

Released in celebration of Rocket Pictures, MARV Films and Paramount Pictures’ release in UK cinemas now, it sees celebrated producer and composer Giles Martin re-interpreting and re-imagining Elton’s iconic hits, tailoring the music specifically to support the narrative of the upcoming major motion picture, with a truly show stopping vocal performance from lead actor Taron Egerton.

To celebrate the release of ‘Rocketman: Music From The Motion Picture’, previously unseen footage from Elton’s legendary Dodger Stadium shows has been unveiled for the first time. Taking place over an Autumn weekend in 1975, the performances saw Elton play two shows to over 110,000 people in two marathon sets of flying piano stools, baseball bats and unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll abandon. The riotous performance of ‘The Bitch Is Back’ (watch above), sees Elton joined on stage by Tennis superstar Billie Jean King. He was the first musical act to perform there since The Beatles nine years earlier, and at that time these were the largest concert events ever by a single artist, cementing Elton’s place at the very top of his game. The performance from Dodger Stadium was recently recreated to stunning effect by Taron Egerton in the epic musical fantasy ‘Rocketman’. Watch Taron’s performance of ‘Rocket Man’ below.

‘(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again’, a brand new song written especially for ROCKETMAN by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and performed by Elton and Taron Egerton, was premiered earlier this month. Listen here.

‘(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again’ is co-produced by Giles Martin and Greg Kurstin, and was recorded at London’s AIR Studios and Echo Studio, Los Angeles. Taron’s interpretation of ‘Rocket Man’, and Elton and Taron’s ‘(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again)’ are both available to stream now.

Tasked with taking Elton’s unparalleled back catalogue and reimagining it to fit the film’s narrative, Giles Martin worked closely with the filmmakers, supervising all of the music for the production and pulling a vocal masterclass from Taron in the studio. From transforming ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting’ into an epic ensemble piece, to morphing ‘I Want Love’ into a heart-breaking moment of conflict around little Reggie’s family meal, each track has been sculpted to form a unique part of the narrative of this most incredible of stories. The soundtrack also contains a brand new Elton John and Bernie Taupin composition ‘(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again’ performed by Elton and Taron Egerton. The album is produced by Giles Martin (except (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again’ co-produced by Giles Martin and Greg Kurstin). Executive Album Producers are Elton John, David Furnish, Matthew Vaughn and Dexter Fletcher.

Paramount Pictures presents, in association with New Republic Pictures, A Marv Films/Rocket Pictures production ROCKETMAN, an epic musical fantasy about the incredible human story of Elton John’s breakthrough years. Released in cinemas around the world from 22nd May, the film follows the fantastical journey of transformation from shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into international superstar Elton John. This inspirational story – set to Elton John’s most beloved songs and performed by star Taron Egerton – tells the universally relatable story of how a small-town boy became one of the most iconic figures in pop culture. Rocketman also stars Jamie Bell as Elton’s longtime lyricist and writing partner Bernie Taupin, Richard Madden as Elton’s then manager, John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Elton’s mother Sheila Farebrother. ROCKETMAN was directed by Dexter Fletcher, written by Lee Hall and produced by Matthew Vaughn, David Furnish, Adam Bohling and David Reid.

‘Rocketman: Music From The Motion Picture’ is out today on Virgin EMI Records / Universal Music Group.

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Supercars has announced an exclusive partnership with Gfinity Esports Australia (Gfinity AU) to take the virtual Virgin Australia Supercars Championship to the next level in 2019.

In the second Supercars Eseries, Supercars and Gfinity AU are teaming up with the world’s leading online racing simulation service, iRacing, as the competition platform. Gfinity has been a significant force in the global esports market and Gfinity AU’s move to partner with Supercars follows global tournament partnerships with major video game publishers and sporting organisations, including Formula One.

The eseries will be broadcast live and free across Supercars.com and Supercars and Gfinity AU social media channels, including live streaming platform Twitch. Twelve teams will contest the 2019 competition. These will include Supercars race teams and other teams representing high-profile consumer brands. Boost Mobile Racing is the first Supercars team to field an entry, with more to follow in the coming weeks. Gamers can make the eseries grid by being selected by to join one of the participating teams by through impressing them in the Gfinity Supercars Eseries open qualifiers, from which teams may choose their driver.

With thousands of registered iRacing competitors in Australia, the tournament is expected to attract the most talented sim racing drivers in the country. “This is a great opportunity to embrace and engage the growing Supercars fan base and esports community,” Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said. “The partnership with Gfinity will help engage a new generation of fans and offer a pathway for sim drivers to showcase their skills in our cars against our best teams and drivers.” The eseries supports the strategic objectives of Gfinity AU and Supercars by broadening audience bases and diversifying revenues across a non-traditional esports space. “We are very excited to be partnering with Supercars and taking their esports strategy to a new level,” Gfinity Esports Australia CEO Dominic Remond said. “Racing titles are exciting and easy to comprehend, with a significant crossover into real world motorsport. It’s a unique opportunity for brands to engage both the massive existing audience in Supercars and rapidly growing esports community.”

The format includes twelve teams, each with an elite sim driver, competing across the eight rounds, with the winner awarded the 2019 Gfinity Supercars Eseries title. The 2019 Gfinity Supercars Eseries will consist of eight competition rounds commencing in August and running to the end of the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship season. Registrations for the 2019 Gfinity Supercars Eseries open qualifiers open in July, with individual team driver nomination programs to be detailed separately on the Official Website.

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