Kiwi Lyrics

Violinist Hahn: Music from a different direction
LONDON (Reuters) - Classical music fans know that American violinist Hilary Hahn plays a wicked concerto, knocking out the fiendishly fast final bars of Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto, for example, faster and with more sheer energy than pretty much anyone else alive. "It's a finger twister but it's so fun. ...

"Tresspassing" gives glimpses into the true Adam Lambert
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Well, the upcoming movie adaptation of "Fifty Shades of Grey" has its theme song, if it wants one. "Chokehold," a provocative track from Adam Lambert's second album, sounds tailor-made for the S&M occasion: "Sheets are in a knot... I kinda like the pain... I keep running away from you, but I can't stop breaking the chains." Madam Ana, he's Adam. Lambert may play the submissive in "Chokehold," but through the rest of "Trespassing," he's trying to assert himself in a way that he didn't on his debut album. ...

MTV's Video Music Awards get a big new location
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The MTV Video Music Awards ceremony is getting some roomier new digs. MTV's annual awards ceremony is moving to Los Angeles' Staples Center this year, giving it a lot more elbow room than its previous location, the Nokia Theatre. The Staples Center, home venue to the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings, has a seating capacity approaching 20,000 for concerts and special events, compared to the Nokia's 7,100 capacity. ...

Booker T. & the MGs bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn dies at 70
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, a member of Booker T. & the MGs whose thick bottom grooves anchored many of the classic soul hits from the 1960s, has died on tour in Japan, his friend and bandmate Steve Cropper said on Sunday. Dunn was 70. Dunn, an integral part of the Memphis soul sound as bassist for the MGs, the house band for Stax and Volt records, died Sunday morning after finishing two shows at the Blue Note Night Club in Tokyo, Cropper said in a posting on his Facebook page. ...

Eagles, Krauss honored at Boston music school
The largest independent college of contemporary music in the world has awarded honorary degrees to the Eagles and Grammy Award-winning country singer Alison Krauss at a ceremony in Boston.

Van Halen postpone more than 30 concert dates

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rock band Van Halen on Thursday postponed more than 30 concert dates of their U.S. summer tour, leading to speculation the "Runnin' with the Devil" group was feuding again. The band's official website, van-halen.com, took down all its dates after June 26, listing only 15 more shows, ending in New Orleans. Closely-watched fan site, Van Halen News Desk, said 31 dates had been postponed, starting on July 7 in Uncasville, Connecticut and ending on September 25 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...

Garland music director Mort Lindsey dies at 89
Mort Lindsey, a composer and jazz pianist who was a music director for Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland, has died. He was 89.

Busy Jennifer Lopez casts doubt on more "American Idol"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jennifer Lopez is casting doubt on whether she will return to "American Idol" next year as she juggles motherhood with a comeback in both her pop music and acting careers. Lopez, who has young twins, told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres this week that she wasn't sure about renewing her contract as a judge on the TV singing contest for a third year. And on Wednesday, sources close to the singer told E! News that she was "just too busy" and was planning on calling an end to her time on "American Idol". "Now this is my second year - I don't know if I can go for a third ...

Britney is back - and so are the brickbats

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Britney Spears hasn't even taken her seat as the new judge of "The X Factor," but the pop icon is already getting a lesson in the media glare of live, talent show television. Spears had barely wrapped up an appearance in New York confirming she is joining the singing contest before the celebrity knives were out, raising the question of how well the singer, who went through a public meltdown in 2007, can handle all the newfound attention. ...

Nas, Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi headline Rock the Bells
NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Kid Cudi, Nas and Wiz Khalifa are just a few of the hip-hop heavyweights headlining the 2012 "Rock the Bells Festival," Guerilla Union and Boost Mobile announced on Wednesday. The annual touring festival series always boasts many of the top artists from the world of rap and hip-hop, and this year's installment will kick off in San Bernadino on August 18 and 19. That means it has expanded into a two-day festival. Missy Elliot, who has been battling Graves' disease, will also make an "exclusive North American festival performance" with longtime collaborator Timbaland. ...