Qello Concerts by Stingray

Saddle Up with the Best Country Concerts - The Ultimate Music Gift for Dad

Stingray — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Saddle Up with the Best Country Concerts - The Ultimate Music Gift for Dad Stingray Mon, 06/03/2024

Father’s Day is on the horizon, and if you're aiming for more than the usual pair of socks, why not rope in something that strikes a chord with Dad’s love for music?

The Perfect Father’s Day Gift for The Cowboy at Heart

Before you head to the mall, consider a gift that celebrates Dad’s love for concerts. Remember, he wasn't always about the nine-to-five grind; there was a time when he was a free-spirited cowboy, taking road trips and rocking out in his denim jacket.

Y'all won't want to miss out on our special Father’s Day pricing—it's the perfect time to go concert-hopping:

Gift your Dad a 1 YEAR ALL-ACCESS PASS AT 65% OFF for $49.99!

Want Qello Concerts to yourself? Enjoy a 1 YEAR ALL-ACCESS PASS at 65% OFF for $49.99!

You can also get a 2 YEAR ALL-ACCESS PASS AT 70% OFF for $89.99!

Top Country Picks for Dad

Grab some cold ones and dive into our curated concert series featuring the best in country music. Check out the Classic Country Collection featuring Dad’s favorites like: Brad Paisley, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, and so many other country legends.

These deals are available from June 3rd to June 17th. Access Qello Concerts’ treasure trove of country performances on any digital device. Don't let these deals ride off into the sunset!

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Black Friday 2023 | Top Deals For Music Lovers

Massimo — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Black Friday 2023 | Top Deals For Music Lovers Massimo Wed, 11/15/2023

Amazing Deals Coming Your Way!

Get ready for some of the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for only a limited time!

Concert streaming, music documentaries, and exclusive deals

Buckle up for Black Friday! We're preparing to offer some of the hottest deals of the year on unlimited concert and music documentary streaming. Get winter-ready with a never-ending library of shows. Watch epic performances and legendary acts on Qello Concerts: pick your favorite genre or band and start browsing the impressive catalog! All the best performers are a click away, including Queen, Elton John, Adele, The Beatles, Aerosmith, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.

Our special Black Friday pricing makes this the best-ever time to go concert-hopping:

1 YEAR ALL-ACCESS PASS at 65% off for $49.99

2 YEAR ALL-ACCESS PASS AT 70% OFF for $89.99

Want Qello Concerts for yourself? Enjoy a deal on the 1 YEAR ALL-ACCESS PASS AT 65% OFF for $49.99!

These special deals will be available from November 15th to December 1st.

You can access Qello Concerts’ library on-demand on just about any digital device and platform.

Amazon Prime Video Stingray Bundle

Save on the Stingray All Good Vibes subscription with Amazon Prime Video Channels! From November 20 to 27, get access to thousands of thrilling concerts, karaoke songs and relaxing nature scenes for only $2.50/month!

Go to primevideo.com/stingray to subscribe. Prime membership required. Restrictions apply.

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Treat Dad To A Blast From Concerts Past – The Ultimate Music Gift Idea for the Dad Who Rocks

Stingray — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 13:52:57 +0000

Treat Dad To A Blast From Concerts Past – The Ultimate Music Gift Idea for the Dad Who Rocks Stingray Mon, 06/05/2023

Father’s Day is just around the corner…

That means all across the land, people will soon be panic-buying underwear, socks, and power tools.

But wait!

Before racing to your local shopping mall (like everyone else inevitably will), why not get Dad something he might actually enjoy? (Assuming he’s not a die-hard tighty-whitie collector).

It may be hard to see it now, but Dad was once a young dude who played in a band, took spontaneous road trips, wore a badass old jean jacket, or all the above.

In fact, time may have softened his edges a bit, but inside your dad that rocking rebel remains.

So why not invite younger Dad for some shared Father’s Day fun this year?

Your Cool Father's Day Gift Is Just a Click Away

Take Dad rocking and rolling down memory lane with a Qello Concerts subscription.

Our special Father’s Day pricing makes this the best-ever time to go concert-hopping together, with a 6-month gift at 60% off for $29.99, or a one year gift at 65% off for only $49.99!

Want Qello Concerts for yourself? Enjoy a deal on the one year plan at 65% off for $49.99 and a discounted two year plan at 70% off for $89.99!

These special deals will be available from June 5th to June 18th.

You may offer a subscription as a gift, but chances are you’ll find yourself rocking out just as hard once you’ve experienced these incredible shows for yourself.

Grab some cold ones and start with our specially curated concert series: “Top Picks For Dad.”

Dad Rock? More Like Best-Ever Rock

Our special Father’s Day collection features iconic artists from the golden age of rock, back when bands really knew how to bring the house down.

You just can’t go wrong with this series, but here are some stand-out picks to get you in the mood:

Queen Rock Montreal

To those lucky enough to experience it live, this show was like a visitation from the gods of rock. Queen are widely hailed as one of the best live bands of all time, and this was one of their finest moments. Some say Montreal was changed forever that night.

Watch now

The Rolling Stones at Glastonbury

The greatest rock and roll band in the world? Few would argue. Mick, Keef and company really set the bar high when it comes to staying young at heart. This legendary set from 2014 will have Dad busting out his telecaster and working on his Jumpin’ Jack Flash riff.

Watch now

Radiohead Live at Glastonbury

For younger dads, it doesn’t get much more epic than Radiohead. These alt-rock pioneers never disappoint on the biggest stages. Watch this set and try not to get goosebumps when the crowd joins in for Karma Police.

Watch now

The Police: Certifiable

Speaking of police, perhaps New Wave is more your dad’s thing? If so, invite Sting and the lads into your living room. No one perfected the spiky energy and attitude of the era better than they did, with only three instruments but plenty of arena-ready anthems for the ages.

Watch now

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Celebrate International Women’s Day With Stingray

Stingray — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 14:32:59 +0000

Celebrate International Women’s Day With Stingray Stingray Thu, 02/23/2023

In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re taking the time to recognize influential women in music on our platforms. Throughout the month, users can tune in to a wide selection of female-only content on Stingray Music, Stingray Karaoke, and Qello Concerts by Stingray, available on various platforms, including mobile, web, TV apps, smart TVs, and many TV service providers around the world.

Qello Concerts by Stingray offers three exciting collections with exclusive concerts from the world’s biggest female artists. Women Who Rock features a stellar line-up of concerts and documentaries, including Gwen Stefani’s This is What The Truth Feels Like Tour, Florence and the Machine’s Live at Apple Music Festival, and Fleetwood Mac’s The Dance. The Women in Country collection showcases concerts from Carrie Underwood with Live at Glastonbury, Shania Twain’s Still the One: Live from Vegas, and Sheryl Crow’s Glastonbury Festival 2019. Finally, Pop Queens features Miley Cyrus’ Live at Glastonbury Festival, Rihanna’s Live at Made in America, and Adele and Lady Gaga’s concerts Live in London.

Stingray Music’s curated channel, Women in Music, includes 200 chart-topping hits by female artists. This exclusive channel celebrates women from all eras with classically fierce anthems like “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston, and “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyoncé to today’s “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus and “Woman” by Doja Cat. Women in Music offers an in-depth tour of empowering tracks through the decades. The channel is packed with electrifying hits, moving ballads, and rebellious anthems to honor every woman.

Music fans can also delight in singing along to the biggest hits from their favorite female artists on Stingray Karaoke’s playlist Women in Music with songs like “About Damn Time” by Lizzo, “Diamonds” by Rihanna and Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”

Keep your finger on the pulse of the latest music news. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Black Friday 2022 | Top Deals For Music Lovers

Massimo — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Black Friday 2022 | Top Deals For Music Lovers Massimo Mon, 11/21/2022

Here they are again: the best deals of the year for a limited time only! We’ve prepared a list of top offers for music lovers.

Concerts streaming, music documentaries, and exclusive deals

Get winter-ready with a never-ending library of shows. Watch epic performances and legendary acts on Qello Concerts: pick your favorite genre or band and start browsing the impressive catalog! All the best performers are a click away, including Queen, Elton John, Adele, The Beatles, Aerosmith, Lady Gaga, Nirvana, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Marvin Gaye, Fleetwood Mac, and many more.

Get 50% off all-access to concert films and music documentaries on Qello Concerts for a very limited time with code 'BF2022'. That’s only $72.00 for one year of on-demand entertainment!

→ Get deal

→ Start your free trial

You can access Qello Concerts’ library on-demand on just about any digital device and platform.

The best party microphone & karaoke app

If you like singing (whether you’re good at it or not, it doesn’t matter), here’s what you get:

Get a Singing Machine Sing Cast Max for only $119 at Walmart!
Get the Singing Machine karaoke app 3 months for only $10.00!

Think about all those Christmas hits you’ll be singing and how good you will sound with this Singing Machine!

2022 best relaxing app

Because hunting for deals can be exhausting, we’ve found a solution to help you get through the Holidays relaxed and centered: Calm Radio.

The Canadian application offers soothing music and soundscapes that feed the mind, body, and soul! It is the go-to app for millions of users worldwide who need help finding their zen, enjoying better sleep, improving focus, and reducing stress. Enjoy the Calm Black Friday deal while it lasts! Receive up to 60% off on select plans from November 21st to 26th!

→ Discover Calm Radio

Amazon Prime Video Stingray Bundle

Take advantage of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal on the Stingray All Good Vibes subscription with Amazon Prime Video Channels! From November 18 to 28, get access to thousands of thrilling concerts, karaoke songs and relaxing nature scenes for only $1.99/month for two months!

Go to primevideo.com/stingray to subscribe. Prime membership required. Restrictions apply.

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Getting ready for this year’s American Music Awards with Qello Concerts!

Aleesha P. — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 20:01:46 +0000

Getting ready for this year’s American Music Awards with Qello Concerts! Aleesha P. Wed, 11/16/2022

Which Qello Concerts by Stingray performances feature AMA nominees?

The American Music Awards celebrate incredibly talented musicians year after year. Of the many notable artists that stand out this year, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Drake take center stage with six nominations each! Over on Qello, we're showcasing Beyoncé's performance filmed live at Coachella. This forever-trendy music and arts festival happens annually at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Fun fact: Beyoncé was the first black woman to headline at Coachella and seized this opportunity to showcase African American culture like never before with her 2-hour performance. Slay Queen Bey!

Following these reigning artists are even more megastars like Adele, Harry Styles, and The Weeknd, coming in second with five nominations each. Qello is excited to feature Adele’s Live at Glastonbury concert, where she performs an emotional set showcasing her gratitude and warm personality. Watch the crowd lining the Pyramid Stage, stretching as far as the eye can see, as she opens with a note-perfect rendition of “Hello.”

Next, tune in to Qello Concerts by Stingray to catch Taylor Swift’s live show, Superstar, The Weeknd’s performance at the Apple Music Festival, and many more noteworthy concerts from the music industry’s leading performers!

How to host a pre-viewing party to prepare for the AMAs?

Step one, invite your friends and family for a fun-filled night, gather your favorite snacks and sodas, and let the games begin. Step two, list your guests' favorite AMA nominee, cut them out individually, and toss them into a hat. Select one from the bunch to reveal which Qello Concert the group will watch!

We invite all viewers with access to Qello Concerts by Stingray to tune in! Qello Concerts by Stingray is available on LG TV, Vizio, STIRR, Plex TV, Distro TV, and Freebie TV. Or celebrate by watching on linear or video on demand with operators like Amazon Prime, Roku, Comcast and Cox.

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Qello Concerts by Stingray - AMA's Nominees 2022

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Classic Rock Concert Films: The Ultimate Classic Rock Show Collection

Eric C. — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:23:00 +0000

Classic Rock Concert Films: The Ultimate Classic Rock Show Collection Eric C. Tue, 05/10/2022

At Qello Concerts, we love some of that big bad rock ‘n’ roll that shakes you to the core when you hear it. We love that feeling of getting our motors running to the super sounds of Steppenwolf, rocking like a hurricane with The Scorpions, putting our horns in the air for Sabbath, painting our faces for KISS, and chanting along for dear life with Freddie Mercury and Queen. We love our classic rock, and we have some of the best classic rock concerts and documentaries assembled into one beautiful classic rock package this month on Qello Concerts.

Here are a few of the top concert videos from the Massive Classic Rock collection:

AC/DC - No Bull, an iconic classic rock show

No Bull captures the over-the- top spectacle that was AC/DC's 1996 Ballbreaker tour, filmed at the Plaza De Toros De Las Ventas bullfighting arena in Madrid.

“Acca-dacca”, as the band is affectionately known in their homeland of Australia, is arguably the band with the biggest balls of all… seriously, their use of wrecking balls puts Miley Cyrus to shame, and let’s face it, they write, a lot… about balls: Big Balls, Great Balls, She’s Got Balls, Got You By The Balls, etc…

They also happen to be one of the most pure forms of energy on the planet: AC/DC have been touring pretty much non-stop since the early days in 1973, and they show few signs of slowing down. The “Thunder from Down Under,” as they are sometimes called, have over 2,000 concerts under their belt, and anyone who has been lucky enough to see them live, knows that they always deliver. This is, despite the fact that the band have gone through some crazy obstacles over the course of their career.

When original singer, (and a true Tasmanian Devil of a man, himself), Bon Scott, passed away tragically and suddenly at the age of 33 in February 1980, there was a lingering question about the future of the band, but along came Brian Johnson, whose voice became even more iconic and identifiable for the band, and AC/DC has been on an epic run ever since.

Despite taking some time off (when he was replaced by Axl Rose for a 2016 tour), vocalist Brian Johnson is now back with the band, and he’s got that fire in his belly. The band is also continuing without founding member, Malcolm Young, the original rhythm guitarist, who died in 2017 - but his brother Angus, the schoolboy-costume-wearing diablo who slays with killer guitar solos, is still in fine form, as you can see with his many iconic solos in this concert video.

It’s also important to note that drummer Phil Rudd has had his own issues over the years, having been accused in the courts of trying to arrange two contract killings! What??? Rudd was facing up to 10 years in prison had he been found guilty of the charge, but the charges were eventually dropped, and he is back behind the kit for the rock and roll gods!

If you want to see the band live in all their glory, check out No Bull - and for more AC/DC, check out the Family Jewels collection (speaking of balls).

Rush - R40, one of the best concert films

In the early 1970s, three unassuming young men from Willowdale, Ontario, got together to play some music in a garage - little did they know, in those early days, that they would go on to become the greatest power rock trio of all time!

Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and John Rutsey formed Rush in 1973, as high school friends who were really into Zeppelin. Their debut album was pretty much a very well executed tribute to the great Led Zep, and it caused a moderate buzz, but it wasn’t until Rutsey left the band, replaced by drummer Neil Peart, that Rush forged their true road to glory!

Neil’s audition was one for the books - when the tall, lanky drummer arrived with his drums in tow, he was pretty awkward and didn’t really fit the part. Then he sat at the kit. According to ultimateclassicrock.com, “Peart arrived at the tryout driving his mom's Ford Pinto, with his drums safely stashed in garbage cans. "I remember thinking, 'God, he's not nearly cool enough to be in this band,'" said guitarist Alex Lifeson in the film Beyond the Lighted Stage. But in spite of his questionable fashion sense, Peart's dextrous percussion skills won Lifeson over. "And then he started playing, and he pounded the crap out of those drums. He played like Keith Moon and John Bonham at the same time.'"

Armed with insane levels of musicianship, an endless supply of imagination, a constantly expanding creative drive, and stop-on-a-dime technical proficiency, Geddy, Alex and Neil went on to create some of the most iconic and recognizable music to come out of the great white north, pretty much ever.

Over the course of four decades, the band released over 30 albums, ranging from straight ahead rock to grandiose prog to new wave and even some reggae and synth rock mixed in - but their music always had that enigmatic quality - as Geddy sings in Spirit of Radio, “one likes to believe in the freedom of music,” and Rush gave their fans wings to soar along with them for decades.

For the band’s final tour, they decided to go back in time to create a concert experience that started in the present, and with each song on the setlist, they would go further back in chronology of the band’s releases. Rush filmed R40 Live over two sold-out nights at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre on June 17 and 19, 2015.

R40 Live features the three members of the band in peak form, performing a career-spanning live retrospective, celebrating their 40+ years together. The epic live shows by the celebrated Hall of Famers were captured with 14 cameras to present the band from every angle imaginable. If you haven’t seen Rush live, Rush-R40 is the next best thing. RIP to Neil Peart, the professor on the drumkit!

Journey - Live in Manila, a pure classic rock band moment

Fans of Journey can rejoice knowing the hard-rocking band are on tour again this summer, throughout North America, with friends like Toto and Anne Wilson of Heart. Journey are far and away one of the most celebrated American rock bands, owing a lot of their more recent success to TV shows like The Sopranos and Glee, but with deep roots to the San Francisco music scene of the 1970’s. In fact, original guitarist and founding member Neal Schon has been with Journey ever since the group was formed in 1973, and he is still the engine that keeps the Journey on track! Schon was originally a member of Santana’s band before forming Journey (he was just 15 years old when he joined Santana only a few weeks before performing at Woodstock!), so he’s got it in his blood.

To date, Journey has sold over 48 million albums in the U.S., making them the 25th best-selling band. They’re also one of the best-selling bands worldwide, with international sales hitting close to 90 million records, all thanks to the incredible songwriting of Schon and friends. Singer Steve Perry didn’t actually join the band until 1977, and when did, he took them to the stratosphere, with massive hits like Don’t Stop Believing, Separate Ways, Faithfully, etc… and Perry continued rocking out with the band for 21 years, until 1998, when he decided to pursue a solo career (not always a good idea), and then things got interesting for the band. When Steve Perry departed, he left a gaping hole, which would be hard to fill. Took a while to find the right fit, but then came YouTube. Yup, Youtube. The band ended up replacing Steve Perry with Arnel Pineda, a Manila-based singer from a Filipino Journey cover band, that Neal Schon discovered while watching covers of his own band on YouTube! In fact, it’s a bit of a new trend that has also allowed the band Yes to replace singer Jon Anderson with a Yes cover band singer from Montreal as discovered on YouTube - so, yeah, this is a thing!).

On March 14, 2009, Journey returned to Arnel Pineda's homeland and introduced him as their newest lead singer to a crowd nearly 30,000 strong at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

We posted a clip of Arnel fronting Journey on our TikTok page, and it generated a lot of discussions and heated debate. What do you think? Is Arnel as good as Steve Perry? Check out Journey Live in Manila and let us know what you think!

The Police - Certifiable, one of the best rock concerts

One of the most important, influential, and innovative bands to come out of the UK has to be The Police. The trio, made up of Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland were so inventive with their style that it was hard to actually define their sound which often toggled between pure pop bliss, raunchy punk aggression, rootsy reggae vibes, and the exciting sounds of new wave experimentation.

The Police are one of those rare bands that everyone likes (have you ever met anyone who doesn’t like The Police?). Maybe it’s Sting’s unique vocal style, the carefully crafted song catalog, Stewart Copeland’s incredible dexterity on the drums, or Andy Summers’ angular and spacey guitar playing - although, truth be told, it’s probably a combination of all of the above that makes them so special.

The band had its share of internal strife, too, over the years, though. They were only active for 7 years, because the members all had huge egos that got in each other's way, especially between Sting and Stewart Copeland (whose brother happened to be the band’s manager). The two band members almost came to blows at several instances. The straw that broke the camel’s back happened when the band couldn't agree on which drum machine to use for a session (as Stewart Copeland had broken his collarbone in a horseback riding accident and couldn't fulfill his drum duties until it all healed up). Things got so tense that during the recording of Synchronicity on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, each member recorded their parts in different rooms, not because it sounded better, but because they couldn't stand to be in the same room.

Following the Synchronicity tour, the Police took some time off, and returned in 1986 to play three Amnesty International benefit concerts. It didn’t go so well internally, again. Plans for an album were scuppered. The band eventually reformed in 2007, wowing audiences with their sustained musical prowess and a collection of timeless classics that translate so well live! Despite the fact that they didn’t get along, the tour was an unmitigated success! According to Steward Copeland, in an interview with The Guardian in 2020: “For Sting, music was a painkiller, an anesthetic, a way to escape from the evil, harsh, grim world, to a place of utter, unassailable, unblemished beauty,” he said. “For me, it’s a celebration: let’s light up this room and let’s have fun. This can overlap – we made five albums as The Police. But the conflict grew and grew, out of that diversity of purpose. And now we understand that, and Sting and I get along famously … as long as we’re not playing music!”

Luckily for us, that incredible tour was filmed for posterity. Recorded in Buenos Aires during the 30th Anniversary World Tour, Certifiable is the culmination of the phenomenal reunion of The Police. With a setlist that reads like the ultimate Police greatest hits show, the legendary trio performs all their classic tracks including 'Roxanne', 'Every Breath You Take', 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' and 'Message In A Bottle', you can relive the magic by clicking here.

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Free Concert Livestream: Hi, How Are You Day on Qello Concerts

Lucille — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 17:16:05 +0000

Free Concert Livestream: Hi, How Are You Day on Qello Concerts Lucille Thu, 04/21/2022

Qello Concerts is thrilled to partner once again with the Hi, How Are You Project and the American Campus Communities to help raise awareness about mental well-being. On May 4 at 8:30 PM EDT, join us on Qello Concerts for a free virtual concert featuring GROUPLOVE, Madame Gandhi, The Polyphonic Spree, and many more artists! Here’s everything you need to know about the event.

Hi, How Are You Day Concert Free Livestream on Qello Concerts

The Hi, How Are You Project was inspired by the life, music, and legacy of late singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston, an artist who struggled with but ultimately overcame mental health issues. The Hi, How Are You Project was created to generate new conversations around mental health and well-being.

For several years now, Qello Concerts has been partnering with the Hi, How Are You Project to inspire these conversations. For the fourth time, the streaming platform will be livestreaming the Hi, How Are You Day annual concert for free from the Austin City Limits Moody Theatre in Austin, Texas.

___

Save the date

Wednesday, May 4, 2022
7:30 PM CST / 8:30 PM EDT
qello.com/hhay

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Hi, How Are You Day Concert Lineup

The free virtual show will feature a mix of Daniel Johnston covers and original songs from popular artists, including GROUPLOVE, Madame Gandhi, The Polyphonic Spree, Kate Davis, Ley Line, and Deezie Brown.

The program will be livestreamed for free on the Qello Concerts mobile app, web app, and all major streaming devices.

Want to get involved with the Hi, How Are You Project?

The Hi, How Are You Project is accepting donations to help further their mission of inspiring new conversations about well-being and creating thoughtful media content and events.

HHAY

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Willie Nelson Concerts: All of Willie Nelson’s Greatest Songs Live!

Eric C. — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 19:20:42 +0000

Willie Nelson Concerts: All of Willie Nelson’s Greatest Songs Live! Eric C. Mon, 04/04/2022

At the end of the month, the Red Headed Stranger will be celebrating a big day! Willie Nelson, one of the original Outlaw Country stars, turns 89 years young on April 29th, and he’s celebrating with a new album. Qello Concerts is celebrating, too - with a collection of concerts and documentaries about the beloved singer/songwriter including The Willie Nelson Show with Ray Charles, Willie Nelson Live at iTunes Festival, Austin City Limits, and many many more.

Qello Concerts celebrates one of country music’s biggest legends

It’s almost a foregone conclusion that everyone loves Willie Nelson! He’s hard not to like because Willie has always stood up for what he believes in; he’s one of the most accomplished songwriters of all time (having composed more than 2,500 songs, of which many were hits for other artists); and he’s an avowed iconoclast, having been a pot activist for decades and getting into trouble with the taxman (hence the badass reputation). There is another aspect to Willie, though - that he is one of the nicest people in music, period. According to Texas Monthly, fellow country star, Kris Kristofferson, claims that out of all of the artists he knows, Nelson is the most comfortable around fans, and numerous family, friends and business acquaintances also attest that Nelson is incredibly personable, no matter who you are or where he is.

From The Red Headed Stranger to Shotgun Willie

Willie, who wrote his first song at age seven, went on to perform with Bob Will (the inventor of Western swing music) as a young teen. But as early as age five, young Willie got his first nickname, Booger Red, because he was so nervous about reciting a poem for his class that he picked his nose until it bled, earning him the cute moniker. He’s had others over the years, including The Red Headed Stranger, which was the song title of a Western ballad originally intended for Perry Como, who passed on it due to a publishing dispute. The song ended up in Willie’s hands. He’s also been known as Shotgun Willie, and he explained the origin of the name to The Daily Beast like this, “[My daughter’s husband] beat up my daughter, and so I went over there and beat him up.” The country legend continued, “He jumped in his car to leave, and I shot his tires out. The police came by and said, ‘What happened?’ and I said, ‘Well, I guess he ran over a bullet’”. Willie also goes by The Ambassador to Weedville - I think we can all figure out why.

Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour

Willie shows no signs of slowing down - the accomplished artist is planning to go out on tour once again, having just announced his Outlaw Music Festival Tour for 2022, featuring Jason Isbell, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Steve Earle & the Dukes, the Avett Brothers, Allison Russell, ZZ Top, Gov’t Mule, Larkin Poe, and many more. “The Outlaw Music Festival Tour has always been about family and friends coming together for a great day of music and fun, and with the amazing group of artists joining us, this year promises to be our most special Outlaw Tour to date” Nelson said in a statement.

Unfortunately, one of Willie’s closest bandmates won’t be on tour with him anymore. His sister, Bobbie, who played piano in his band for over 50 years, passed away at 91 years old in early March. She was a very, very important part of Willie’s life - as the two of them grew up under the care of their grandparents (Alfred and Nancy, who both studied music courses through the mail from the Chicago Music Institute), and both of them got into music at the same time - they even released a memoir together called “Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of the Family Band,” in 2020.

Over the years, Willie played in many many bands, including groups with names like Bohemian Polka, the Cherokee Cowboys, and Bud Fletcher and the Texans - but it was as a solo artist that he found the most success, and his music seemed to resonate with people from all walks of life, not just country fans. How many other artists can duet with Kermit The Frog, Julio Iglesias, and Snoop Dogg without missing a beat?

Trigger, Willie Nelson’s guitar

Willie is not the only one in his close entourage with a creative nickname - his guitar also has a name, and it’s almost as famous as Willie is. Many would argue that Willie’s guitar, Trigger (named after Roy Rogers’ horse), is the most famous acoustic guitar in the world! Trigger, by-now-a-very-beat-up A Martin N-20 nylon-string acoustic with the serial number 242830, was made in 1969 for Willie, as his prior guitar had been stepped on by a drunk concert goer. According to Guitar.com, “Trigger wears the scars of more than 50 years of life on the road. The frets are all original but have worn down, meaning some notes thump or buzz. Rather than fixing the issue, as is standard procedure, the artifacts have become part of Trigger’s aging sound through the years. Just as our voices age over time, the tone of Trigger can be tracked over decades of recordings and live performances.” Trigger has also been there for Willie offstage as well: word has it that he saved Trigger from a burning house (along with a bag of weed), but then when he was facing IRS problems, he re-recorded some of his greatest hits solo (just him and Trigger), and all the proceeds went to pay back his debts, and then some!

When not playing music, Willie had an active life. In 1950, he joined the US Air Force, and he went on to work as a cotton picker, saddle maker, DJ, and vacuum salesman over the years. Music, however, was always in his heart - it was the thing that kept him relevant, passionate, and inspired - it also rewarded him with a nomination to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and as a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1998. Some much to celebrate, Big Willie Style!

Willie Nelson's greatest songs LIVE on Qello Concerts!

This month, we celebrate the country legend at Qello Concerts with a unique collection featuring titles like:

The Willie Nelson Show with Ray Charles

Filmed at the Austin Opry House and out on location, this Willie Nelson special features great performances by Willie and his band, who are joined by special guest Ray Charles for duets with Willie Nelson on six songs.

Outlaws And Angels

Recorded at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles in early 2004, featuring an extraordinary lineup of guest artists including Joe Walsh, Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, Shelby Lynne, Carole King, Rickie Lee Jones, Keith Richards, and Jerry Lee Lewis, among many others).

Legends in Concert

Legends in Concert is a collection of archived performances and interviews from throughout his career and kicks off with a sweet rendition of the Elvis classic Heartbreak Hotel, along with Leon Russel.

Live at iTunes Festival

This Willie Nelson’s performance was recorded in hi-fidelity in London, UK, in 2014.

Farm Aid parts 1 + 2

These two videos were recorded in 2003, featuring performances from Willie, along with Neil Young and Crazy Horse, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crow, Brooks & Dunn, Emmylou Harris, Los Lonely Boys, Hootie & the Blowfish, Billy Bob Thorton and Trick Pony.

Austin City Limits: A Song for You

This unique film features legendary performances by Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ray Charles, Beck, Alabama Shakes, Wilco, Pixies, and Radiohead. This film highlights the PBS series’ evolution, proving that after 40 years, Austin City Limits is more relevant now than ever before.

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Female Artists On Top | Women In Music

Eric C. — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:08:54 +0000

Female Artists On Top | Women In Music Eric C. Mon, 02/28/2022

In honor of International Women’s Day, March 8, Qello Concerts is proud to present three curated collections celebrating girl power in all of its musical glory! Check them out to take note of female artists who have shaped musical landscapes around the globe, while inspiring millions to dance like no one cares, or pick up a microphone, guitar, turntable (or any other instrument for that matter), and kick some ass! These collections feature some of the most talented, ferocious, and strongest women to ever rock a stage!

Qello Concerts celebrates International Women’s Day

From The Ronettes and The Supremes to riot grrrls and Spice Girls, that extra X chromosome has always been a key factor in defining the attitude and the creative energy that puts some artists at the top of the heap. Here’s a list of some of the most famous female artists of all time.

WOMEN WHO ROCK

Women Who Rock features some of the top female artists of all time, doing their thing, owning the stage with the prowess of lioness! The collection includes Sheryl Crow’s Miles From Memphis Live at the Pantages Theater, filmed in November 2010 at the iconic Hollywood theater. By the time she filmed this collection, Crow, a backup singer for Michael Jackson early in her career, had become a seasoned professional, delivering the goods at every tour stop.

This concert film features songs like “Soak Up The Sun,” “My Favourite Mistake,” “All I Want To Do Is Have Some Fun,” and “If It Makes You Happy,” a song inspired by one of Sheryl’s heroes, Tom Petty, that won her Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 1997 Grammy Awards. The song also inspired Crow to team up with chef Chuck White in 2011 to write a cookbook called If It Makes You Healthy.

The Women Who Rock collection also features Heart’s Fanatic Live From Caesar’s Colosseum, recorded in Windsor, Ontario in 2012. Heart’s founding members, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, are the quintessential rockin’ women, doing more than just holding their own among their testosterone-fueled peers like Zeppelin, Journey, Aerosmith, AC/DC, in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Even today, they have outlasted most of their fellow rockers and continue to kick butt. Originally from Seattle, Ann and Nancy Wilson moved to Canada early in their career, becoming one of the pioneering bands from Vancouver’s rock scene in the ’70s. Heart had massive success with songs like “Crazy On You,” “Heartless,” and “Barracuda,” (all of which are featured live in this concert film), the latter having been written as a reaction to the kind of discrimination they faced from men over the years. The song was about Heart’s anger towards their record label for an ad placed in trade publications that seemed to imply that Ann and Nancy were lesbian lovers.

They subsequently left that label and went on to achieve unheard-of success.

A collection of Women Who Rock wouldn’t be complete without Debbie Harry. The Blondie singer, and cultural icon, embodied the new wave ethos, ruling the stage at CBGB’s and helping to shape the sound of punk to come. Blondie’s Live at The Enmore Theatre was recorded in 2010 and shows the band in top shape (35 years after their first formed), performing hits like “Atomic,” “Call Me” and “Rapture,” often considered the first “rap” song to hit number 1 on the charts.

POP QUEENS

The charts have long been ruled by divas who have distinguished themselves as the best of the best, and our Pop Queens collection is packed with pop perfection. The Queen, herself, Madonna, who this year is celebrating 40 years in the industry, figures prominently in the collection. Watch her Confessions Tour concert video, filmed at the Wembley Arena (the top grossing tour of 2006); Music in Review, a documentary delving deep into Madge’s psyche, with interviews, rare footage, and some gems from the archives of her career; and the Sticky And Sweet Tour, which at the time, (2008/2009) became the #1 largest grossing tour in history by a solo artist, where she played for a mind-blowing 2,350,282 fans, selling over $280,000,000 in tickets!

There are few pop queens who can give Madonna a run for her money in terms of mass appeal, but Beyonce is a juggernaut all unto herself, and when she asks the question, Who runs the world?” we all know the answer! Queen Bey has two concert films in our Pop Queens collection, including Live at Roseland: Elements of 4, recorded during the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé revue in NYC in august 2011 - a much more intimate concert experience, where Ms Knowles waxes poetic about her careers highs and lows between blistering renditions of her hits.

You can also catch her uber-famous I Am...World Tour concert film, featuring 32 of her biggest hits from the oughts, including a few bootylicious numbers from her Destiny’s Child days as well, and a red hot version of “Crazy In Love,” the song that took her beyond the stratosphere as a solo artist.

The collection also showcases today’s It Girl when ruling the charts: the one and only Dua Lipa. The British-born Albanian singer has been a mainstay on the charts since first coming onto the scene, but back in 2017 when she played Live at Glastonbury, she was certainly less well known and claims she was concerned that she would be singing to an empty tent. Luckily, that was not the case, and she went on to own the stage at the prestigious festival, belting out songs like “Hotter Than Hell,” “IDGAF,” and “New Rules,” a song co-written with Chainsmokers collaborator, Emily Warren, who told Billboard the song’s success was despite the advice she’d been given at the start of her songwriting career, saying, “When I first moved to LA, I was told to never write a song in which the guy wasn’t gonna get it. Times have changed.”

WOMEN IN COUNTRY

Country music has experienced a massive rebirth in recent years, with Hot Country being one of the top radio formats in North America, and women have always been at the heart of country music. Take, for example, Dolly Parton - the legend, who has her very own amusement park in Nashville called Dollywood, wrote “I Will Always Love You” AND “Jolene” on the same day in 1972. Talk about real girl power! With a career spanning from 1956 to today, she has seen it all and remains one of the most beloved female artists of all time.

Queen of Country is a documentary about the reigning monarch of country music and tells the story of her incredible career that saw her launch 25 songs to the number one spot on the Billboard Country charts. A can’t miss for Dolly fans.

The Women in Country collection also features Canada’s most famous country export, and still one of the most important recording artists in the genre (male or female), Timmins, Ontario’s Shania Twain. With Still the One: Live from Vegas, fans are offered a glimpse into the amazing production that went into Shania’s first career residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Vegas, 2012/2013. During the residency, Shania performed over 100 shows with a huge band and an elaborate stage setup - it was like a high-intensity hoedown for the country-pop crowd, and featured all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from a Vegas show.

If Dolly and Shania represent the history of women in country music, no one quite embodies the modern female country ideal more than Taylor Swift. Tay Tay started very much in the country music mold, but as time went on, she has branched out to appeal to a much wider audience, although that country twang is still perceptible underneath the pop sheen. Taylor Swift’s Americas Sweetheart is an hour-long documentary that charts her career from the moment she arrived in Nashville at age 11 to becoming one of the most impactful artists of her generation; while her 2016 documentary, Superstar, takes a more in-depth look at how Swift successfully transitioned from vulnerable country singer to bonafide pop star, and the implications for her career.

Our three collections feature a host of other artist concerts and documentaries that demonstrate the power of women in music as well. Check them out here!

Women in music

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