Arts & Culture

Agribiz giant Monsanto began collecting data on Neil Young after he put out a 2015 album critical of the multinational conglomerate.  The company also kept tabs on other individuals and media outlets that spoke out or reporting any negative. Paul Simon played a transcendent set at Outside Lands in San Francisco last night. He brought out Bob Wier for a duet of "The Boxer," the first time they ever played together. He hushed the crowd with a particularly moving "Sound of Silence," after what had been a tumultuous week in our political discourse. Foster the People tweeted out wild conspiracy yesterday that claims convicted sex offender and wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein is still alive. And a coroner has concluded that Silver Jews and Purple Mountains frontman David Berman died by his own hand last week. 

A preview of the the International Summer Potluck Music Festival, which is coming up on Saturday the 17th in Moorhead. (Not really a potluck, but there will be music!) Organizer Peter Schott visits with Doug Hamilton in a conversation that will broadcast on August 15 on Prairie Public during All Things Considered at 6:50 on 91.9 FM in Fargo. Find more information on the event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/487915131778303/

The Everly Brothers Experience featuring The Zmed Brothers is coming to Pelican Rapids to help furnish the beautiful arts auditorium at the high school.

In San Francisco this weekend, Outside Lands will become first major music festival to allow the consumption and sale of marijuana. Normally, nothing can be smoked in Golden Gate Park, but the city issued a waiver to festival organizers. Roger McGuinn has said "no" to David Crosby's very public efforts to reunite The Byrds. And World Cafe mothership station, WXPN in Philly, has announced that they will broadcast the ENTIRE Woodstock Festival, as it happened 50 years ago next week!

Silver Jews and Purple Mountains frontman and revered indie rock poet David Berman has died at the age of 52 of, thus far, unrevealed causes.  He had battled depression and substance abuse in the past and once attempted suicide. Friends and fans like Stephen Malkmus, Neil Halstead and Kurt Vile have tweeted out loving tributes. Brian Wilson's longtime guitarist Nicky Wonder is dead at age 59. Wilson said in statement that Wonder, who fronted power pop band The Wondermints, passed away in his sleep and that he'd dedicate a show to him tonight. Willie Nelson has had to scrap the remaining dates of his current tour, save for his planned appearance at Farm Aid in East Troy, WI in September, because of breathing problems. And Bon Iver surprise-released their fourth, and what Justin Vernon called their most "adult" album, I,I on various digital platforms today. The physical release is still slated for August 30th. 

On Late Night with Seth Meyers last night, Noel Gallagher revealed that when he gets the rights to Oasis' masters in five years, he'll sell them to the highest bidder and use the profits to buy a plane, a rocket and a monkey with a top hat who will go on tour with him and have his own bus! The go-to funny rocker guest also complained that young fans don't know the names of his songs, just the track numbers, and that when he introduces a tune in concert by name, it's crickets. But when he introduces it as a track number, wild cheers erupt. Ha!  In celebration of the release of his debut Grace 25 years ago, Columbia/Legacy is reissuing Jeff Buckley's entire catalogue with tons of rare and bonus material, including four live albums. In the wake of three recent mass shootings, online music biz critic and provocateur Bob Lefsetz has proposed three mega-concerts somewhat near the three areas affected. He wants to reunite Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young for the Bay Area gig, Destiny's Child for Texas and the James Gang for the Ohio concert. And he wants an accompanying manifesto which demands universal background checks and assault weapons bans. Several musicians on his mailing list have chimed in with their support and eagerness to participate. Woodstock 50 or Fyre Fest or Live Aid? We shall see. 

In the wake of mass shootings in El Paso, TX and Dayton, OH that left 31 dead and scores injured, noirish singer/songwriter Lana Del Rey debuted a new song on Instagram. After hearing the news, she quickly recruited producer and fun. guitarist Jack Antanoff to get to a studio and play electric guitar on her sparse "Looking For America." Lucy Dacus penned an op-ed in the New York Times on her reflections on the cancelled Woodstock 50 and the legacy of the original event and the brand. And to celebrate what would have been Elliott Smith's 50th birthday today, Universal Music has released deluxe digital editions of the singer-songwriter's last two albums, 1998's XO and Figure 8 from 2000.