Music News

Sir Paul McCartney played his first ever show in Ecuador last night (28.04.14).
The former Beatles star took to the stage at the Estadio De Liga in Quito, 2,800 metres above sea level, making it the highest concert Paul has ever played.
To celebrate his visit, local authorities organised for a meet and greet between the musician and the Ecuadorian Beatles Fan Club, who created an impressive giant logo for his latest album 'New' on the Pichincha Mountain, an Ecuadorian landmark, which could be seen across the entire city.
The 71-year-old star performed for almost three hours and also gave a special rendition of the Beatle's hit 'All You Need Is Love' on the piano, which is being used in a global tourism advert for Ecuador.
He later took to Twitter and posted a photograph of himself carrying the flag of Ecuador on stage, along with the message: "Ecuador - what a night! Thank you. (sic)"
Paul, who released his record 'New' last year, is currently on the South American leg of his 'Out There' tour and has also performed in Uruguay, Chile and Peru, while later this week he will also take to the stage in Costa Rica for the first time.

Lily Allen performed her first headline gig in four years at Shepherd's Bush Empire last night (28.04.14).
The 'Hard Out Here' singer took to the stage at the London venue after a hiatus to celebrate the release of her new album 'Sheezus' and treated the audience to a number of songs from the record.
The 28-year-old star opened the show with the album's title track, which namechecks a number of her fellow female pop stars, including Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Beyonce, and she was joined on stage by a group of twerking back-up dancers wearing tiny shorts.
The star then launched into 'As Long As I Got You' and praised her husband Sam Cooper, singing: "Staying at home is better than sticking things up my nose," making reference to drugs, and she later pointed at him in the audience for not paying enough attention and shouted: "Oi! It's my first big gig for ages!"
Lily went on to perform 'URL Badman' featuring lyrics about internet trolls and new single 'Our Time' about girls making the most of their weekends.
The singer then treated fans to her recent hit 'Air Balloon' and closed the show with her hit track 'Not Fair'.
She then made her way to an after-party with Red Bull Zero at Loft Studio in London and partied with actress Jamie Winstone, Jasmine Guinness, Mary Charteris, Miquita Oliver, Gawain Rainey and her dad Keith Allen.
Although it was a "family affair", the star spent most of the night dancing and grinding and even jumped on top of the decks wearing a pair of LED Buffalo trainers.
She later posted a photograph of herself on the decks on Twitter and wrote: "thanks @redbulluk #zero for throwing me a great party, I don't remember this but I was, indeed dancing on tables (sic)"

Glastonbury boss Michael Eavis insists he never considered asking Oasis to headline this year's festival.
The band - who split in 2009 after brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher fell out - were rumoured to be playing the event at Worthy Farm in June after Liam teased fans on Twitter, individually spelling out the letters of the band's name, followed by the post: "OASIS LG".
Michael told the Bristol Post newspaper: "The Oasis thing had nothing to do with us, we hadn't even considered asking them. They've played at the festival three or four times and they're a great band.
"They were not that well known the first time they played here but they were a great band even then. I'm not sure that Noel is ready to go back on the road with Oasis because he has his own band [High Flying Birds] at the moment.
"I think if it were to happen and they did come back to Glastonbury it would probably be in four or five years time - I can't see it happening before then."
Meanwhile, the festival organiser claims the Saturday headliner, who will join Arcade Fire and Kasabian, will be "one of the biggest-selling bands in the world", ruling out Prince playing the event in Surrey.
He added: "We are expecting to announce the full line-up at the beginning of May and everything is now in place. We are more than happy with the calibre of the acts and the headliner on Saturday will be one of the biggest-selling bands in the world at the moment."

Ariana Grande has hinted her new song 'Problem' is about ex-boyfriend Nathan Sykes.
The 'Baby I' singer, who dated The Wanted star and teamed up with rapper Iggy Azalea for the track about a past love, admits she also was reluctant to use the song before being persuaded by her label.
She told Billboard: "'Problem' truly represents the feeling of being absolutely terrified to re-approach a relationship that's gone sour, but you want to more than anything.
"In the song, it ends on a sappy, negative note, but in [real] life, we're hoping it's going to end on a positive one. I feel like it's all very honest and human."
In January, the 20-year-old singer, who dated Nathan for about four months, revealed the pair's break-up in December was amicable and insists he's a really good friend.
She said: "I am so glad to have met him and have a friend like him in my life. He's an amazing person. It was very civil. It was mutual."
Meanwhile, the star's new track 'Problem' has broken an iTunes record when it shot to the top of the US iTunes chart in record time following its release on Monday (28.04.14).
Ariana wrote on Twitter: "loves u broke a record! Problem is now the fastest song to ever climb to no 1 on @iTunesmusic only 37 minute u are the most amazing (sic)"

Little Mix stars Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards have been seeing a voice coach ahead of their US tour.
The 'Wings' group - also made up of Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock - are set to perform their first North American headline tour later this year but Jade and Perrie, from South Shields, North East England, are worried people won't be able to understand their strong regional accents and have been working on their pronunciation of certain words.
A source told The Daily Star newspaper: "The girls have been having voice coaching as their bosses are worried that the Americans won't understand Perrie and Jade."
The band previously spoke about leaving interviewers Stateside baffled during promo and they will be on TV and radio again during the upcoming tour.
Jade said: "I hope they can understand me. I've had to slow down my talking a bit and sound a bit more proper - even my name they don't understand.
"At radio stations they call me Jeed because they can't get Jade."
The group's 'Salute' tour kicks off in Florida on September 10 and the announcement puts paid to speculation Little Mix will support One Direction - which features Perry Edwards' fiance Zayn Malik - on their 'Where We Are' tour.
Jade described the 16-date tour as a "dream come true" when the news was announced.
She tweeted: "So glad the #SaluteTourUSA is out there,couldn't hold it in any longer! #dreamcometrue thanks to our mixers for makin it possible! Xxjadexx.(sic)"

Ed Sheeran has hit out at the Backstreet Boys for playing new music at their reunion shows instead of classic hits.
The 'Sing' hitmaker slammed the 90s US boyband - made up of Brian Littrell, A.J McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson - for letting their fans down by performing new material during their 20th Anniversary Tour.
Ed told The Sun newspaper: "I study how other people perform and that is unacceptable, as the Backstreet Boys have so many hits. Do not do that ever again, that is not fair."
After hearing frontman Brian also played an acoustic set to open the band's show, the 23-year-old singer was particularly upset.
He said: "No mate - do that if you have your own gig, Brian. I played the Royal Albert Hall and did two new songs, but I know that's what people want. The Backstreet Boys, what are they doing? Play your hits.
"If you're a proper muso and people go to your gigs to witness your musicianship, a la Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, do it. But if you're a pop star play your pop songs."
Ed insists he is a fan of the 'I Want It That Way' hitmakers, but claims he wouldn't go to a gig if they didn't play the hits.
He added: "That would really annoy me. Like when I saw Justin Timberlake, it was one of the best shows I ever watched as it was back-to-back hits, people need to do that much more.
"I went to see Paul McCartney and I knew every song, hit after hit."
Meanwhile, the Backstreet Boys will kick off the North American leg of their tour on May 3, followed by another European leg a month later before wrapping up the gigs in Poland in July.

S Club 7 are reportedly reuniting.
The seven-piece pop band - who had a string of hits including 'Bring It All Back' and 'Never Had a Dream Come True', as well as their own TV series, in the late 1990s and early 2000s - are getting back together for a big reunion tour next year.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "The band are even open to the idea of making new music."
The colourful group - which consists of Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt, Jon Lee, Rachel Stevens and Bradley McIntosh - topped the UK singles chart on four occasions and had one number one album.
At the height of their pop reign, S Club spawned three hit TV series set in the US, their own line of dolls, a movie called 'Seeing Double' and spin-off group S Club 8, which consisted of young singers including future The Saturdays stars Rochelle Humes and Frankie Sandford.
Paul left the group in 2002 and the band eventually broke up in 2003 after the release of a greatest hits album.
In recent years, Paul, Jo and Bradley have toured universities up and down Britain as S Club 3.
In December, Rachel - who recently gave birth to her second child - ruled out a reunion due to becoming a devoted mother.
She told BANG Showbiz: "I've got baby number two on the way now, so I can't imagine we'll be doing 'Reach for the Stars' any time soon.
''We've been in touch and everyone obviously has such fond memories of the band. If it was for the right thing and a celebration of what we had, I don't see why not at some point.''

Chris Martin has to "work really hard" not to "be a d**k".
The Coldplay singer admits it can be difficult being an arena rock frontman as "only about 20 other people do" it, and he has relied heavily on "key peers" Bono and Mickael Stipe, from U2 and R.E.M. respectively for advice over the years.
He added: "It does something to your brain which is odd... you have to work really hard not to be a real d**k".
The 'Magic' hitmaker - who split from wife Gwyneth Paltrow last month after 10 years of marriage - doesn't think he is a great lyricist but uses his songwriting as a "diary".
Speaking to BBC Radio 1 DJ Zayn Lowe, he said: "I write music as a diary. I'm never going to be as adept lyrically as Jay Z or Morrissey."
And Chris also insisted he doesn't care what anyone thinks of Coldplay's new album 'Ghost Stories'.
He said: "I don't really mind what anyone says about this album because it's just the truth. It's as true as my nose. Some people have a real problem with my nose, but what can I do?!"

Ed Sheeran isn't worried about becoming a "fat slob" because his records aren't sold on his looks.
The 'Sing' hitmaker, who will release his second album 'x' later this year, believes his appearance has nothing to do with his success and feels he doesn't have to watch his weight.
He said: "I don't think I've ever sold records based on my looks, which is positive, 'cos it means that even if I do become a fat slob when I'm older, it won't matter."
New track 'Take It Back' features lyrics about his looks, with the lines: "I don't ever want to be perfect, 'cause I'm a singer that you never want to see shirtless."
He also seemingly makes reference to a sexual encounter with a fellow star, singing: "Sleeping with a movie star and adding to the population," but refused to name the famous woman.
Ed told the new issue of Q Magazine: "I'm British so I have to be a gentleman in these situations and not say any names."
The 23-year-old singer jokingly added: "But you know what? I spent a year in America and did what any young lad would, which is experience Hollywood life. I think it's the best way to put it..."
Ed's success in America has seen him work with Pharrell Williams on tracks and Rick Rubin, who produced his new record, the follow-up to his debut '+'.
He added: "I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunities that were given to me from the doors opened by the American success."