TOUR TIDBITS: BILLIE, BILLY, MARY J., ANYMA
SOFT LANDING: Billie Eilish's Live Nation-promoted HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: The Tour (WME), which kicked off last night (9/29) in Québec City, was expected to end its North American leg 12/15-17 at Kia Forum. But with demand still being powered by the success of the May Darkroom/Interscope album of the same name, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT will now wrap in Inglewood 12/20-21. Ashnikko (WME) will lend support on the first additional date; FINNEAS (WME) will open the second.
The tour opener included all 10 tunes from HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, three of which made their live debut. The show also featured a cover of Charli xcx's "Guess," the remix of which Eilish participated in this summer, plus Eilish's Barbie soundtrack smash, "What Was I Made For?" No, we can't get tickets for your nieces.
U.K. STATE OF MIND: Billy Joel is heading back to the U.K. for 2025 shows on 6/7 at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland, and 6/21 at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England. The Piano Man hasn’t been to either city in more than 45 years, and these will be his only European performances next year. The two dates will be promoted by both AEG Presents and Live Nation. Joel is repped by IAG’s Dennis Arfa.
LONG LIVE THE QUEEN: Mary J. Blige (IAG) will embark on her For My Fans Tour 1/30 at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, with high-profile shows lined up at Intuit Arena in Los Angeles on 3/1 and Madison Square Garden on 4/1. NE-YO (IAG) and Mario (IAG) will warm up on the Live Nation-promoted outing, which concludes 4/14 at Boston’s TD Garden.
Blige, who will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on 10/19, will drop Gratitude, her new Beautiful Life Productions/300 Entertainment album, on 11/15.
BEATS AND TREATS: After a year's worth of U2, Phish, Dead & Company and the Eagles, Sphere is going the EDM route for the first time with techno DJ Anyma's The End of Genesys residency after the holidays. The artist has added two additional dates, 1/10 & 11, on the heels of six previously announced shows starting 12/27. Anyma is booked by CAA’s Ferry Rais-Shaghaghi.
