ROME, Georgia (AP) ― Despite the wet and muddy conditions, the energy was high for Outkast’s performance in their home state at the CounterPoint Music & Arts Festival. Organizers suspended the festival due to heavy rain and inclement weather, pushing Outkast’s set back more than an hour Sunday night. But the Grammy-winning rap duo still put on an energetic show that kept the crowd jamming in the late hours. Outkast was one of the final acts to close out the three-day festival in Rome, Georgia, w

Italian to perform live with familiar tunes from new album on May 21

Sisters matured but still vibrant in comeback

From cover rock trio, two expats form local band Magna Fall

MC5’s Wayne Kramer returns with jazz albumWayne Kramer“Lexington”(Industrial Amusement)It’s been 14 years since Wayne Kramer released an album, and the former MC5 guitarist says he expects fans of his work with that seminal punk-metal band might be annoyed with his journey into improv jazz in “Lexington.”Baffled might have been a better word choice, but those who stick around until the end will be pleasantly surprised -- and rewarded.Kramer, who in recent years has been busy scoring films such a

THE HAGUE (AFP) ― The chief conductor of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons, is to step down at the end of the season after leading the world-famous ensemble for a decade, the RCO announced on Tuesday.“Today ... chief conductor Mariss Jansons informed the musicians and staff members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra that Maestro Jansons will resign his position after the 2014-2015 season,” the RCO said in a statement.Health concerns were believed to be the reason for hi

From Boston underground rapper to owner of Korean label, Snacky Chan stays independent

The man inside the Spider-Man suit in the recently released Hollywood blockbuster “The Amazing Spider Man 2” is not only Andrew Garfield, but also Korean-American Ilram Choi.According to Sony Pictures Releasing Walt Disney Studios Korea on Monday, “The Hollywood stuntman Ilram Choi has participated as one of Andrew Garfield’s stunt doubles in the recent Amazing Spider-Man movie series, as he did during the first movie.” (Director Marc Webb’s SNS)According to the motion picture distributor, Choi

Park Si-hwan debuts with ‘Spring Awakening’Park Si-hwan“Spring Awakening”(CJ E&M)Park Si-hwan, the runner-up on the television audition program “Superstar K5,” has entered the local professional music scene with his first solo EP “Spring Awakening.”During the program, Park, a mechanic at the time, impressed judges and listeners with his soulful voice, earning the moniker “bolt guy” for gripping a 13 mm bolt throughout his first audition.The EP title signals the fulfillment of his long-cherished

TOKYO (AFP) ― Hatsune Miku, a computer-generated Japanese pop star who performs as a hologram, is to support some of Lady Gaga’s tour of North America next month, the U.S. songstress has announced on Twitter.The pixel-perfect pop princess, whose voice is also the product of digital code, will perform in 3-D alongside a band made of real musicians at shows starting in Atlanta on May 6. “My favourite digital pop star Hatsune Miku is opening The ARTPOP Ball from May 6-June 3!” Lady Gaga said on her

NEW YORK (AP) ― Neil Young has raised more than $6 million through a Kickstarter campaign to fund the singer-songwriter’s digital music project PonoMusic. Kickstarter closed the campaign Tuesday after it raised $6.2 million through 18,000 supporters. The campaign is the third most-funded project for Kickstarter. Young’s portable player will cost $399 when it debuts in October. PonoMusic will also launch an online music store. The project promises high quality audio compared with other digital tr

Ryu Hyeong-sun takes helm of state-run ensemble of traditional Korean music