Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
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Lisa O’Neill delivered an emotional performance of ‘Old Note’ during Glen Hansard’s funeral, three years after the pair sang the same song at Shane MacGowan’s memorial.
Former Frames musicians Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Joseph Doyle and Michael Buckley accompanied O’Neill during the ceremony at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin yesterday, Tuesday, August 4. The group performed the track from her 2023 album ‘All of This Is Chance’.
The performance carried added meaning because Hansard and O’Neill had previously sung ‘Old Note’ together at Shane MacGowan’s funeral in 2023, with musicians from The Pogues supporting them.
Before singing at yesterday’s service, O’Neill explained Hansard’s role in inspiring the track. She said he had given her access to a Dublin apartment, where she later composed the song. Remembering his encouragement, she quoted him as saying: “Let your imagination grow in this big space and write songs”.
Colm Mac Con Iomaire and Liam Ó Maonlaí also contributed music to the funeral, while Eddie Vedder joined Markéta Irglová for ‘The Song of Good Hope’. Hansard made three albums with Irglova as The Swell Season and regularly worked with Vedder, often supporting him in concert and appearing on his second solo record, ‘Ukulele Songs’.
Bono honoured Hansard by delivering U2’s ‘A Beautiful Day’ as a spoken word piece, changing several lyrics in tribute to him: “You write your life until the story becomes true.”
Hozier, The Edge, Steve Coogan, Imelda May, Paddy Casey, Declan O’Rourke and Angeline Ball were among those who attended to pay tribute. Ball previously appeared with Hansard in The Commitments.
Hansard, the Oscar winning star of Once and frontman of The Frames, died after a motorcycle accident in Dublin last Wednesday, July 29. He was 56.
A large number of admirers gathered at a public wake in Dublin on Monday, August 3. His family requested donations to the Dublin Simon Community or Ukrainian Action instead of flowers and presents. Hansard had supported the Dublin Simon Community for many years and helped arrange its Christmas Eve busking fundraiser in the city.
Hansard founded the yearly event in 2010, with well known artists such as Sinéad O’Connor and Shane MacGowan later taking part. Before creating The Frames, he began his own musical journey by busking on Dublin’s streets.
Following his death, video from Hansard’s last public performance surfaced online. The appearance happened at The Wren’s Nest pub in Chapelizod only hours before the accident. He had also recently discussed the strength of his friendship with Eddie Vedder.
Bruce Springsteen, Warren Ellis, Rachel Zegler and former Irish President Michael D. Higgins are among the public figures who have honoured Hansard. Barack Obama featured his music on his yearly summer playlist, while Maggie Baird, the mother of Billie Eilish and Finneas, said her children “would not be who they are” without his music.
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Lil Uzi Vert unexpectedly released a new EP only hours after their Lollapalooza performance was cancelled at the last minute over the weekend.
The Chicago festival began on Thursday, July 30, with Olivia Dean, Charli XCX, Tate McRae, Lorde and The xx among the leading performers. John Summit, Jennie and The Smashing Pumpkins also appeared near the top of the bill.
This year’s schedule covered several musical styles and featured Geese, Wet Leg, Ethel Cain, Turnstile, CMAT, Little Simz, Zara Larsson, Clipse, The Neighbourhood, Yungblud, Beabadoobee, Sombr and Wolf Alice. Lil Uzi Vert, the nonbinary rapper from Philadelphia, had been scheduled to perform before Charli XCX on Friday evening, July 31.
Uzi’s appearance was eventually called off because of dangerous weather conditions, which also caused several other performances to be cancelled or cut short during the weekend. Their set was expected to be especially significant because it fell on the artist’s 31st birthday.
Although their scheduled performance did not happen, Uzi still appeared at the Chicago event. They unexpectedly joined Major Lazer on Perry’s Stage to perform the 2022 song ‘Just Wanna Rock’, before the audience later celebrated by singing ‘Happy Birthday’.
Uzi also commemorated the moment by unexpectedly issuing the EP Maverick ‘Almost Forever’, their first project since 2024’s ‘Eternal Atake 2’. The release arrived exactly 10 years after ‘The Perfect LUV Tape’ first came out.
Awarding ‘Eternal Atake’ five stars, NME wrote: “Lil Uzi Vert still has the game in a chokehold. He’s been making masterpieces for five years now; his body of work offers timestamps for different eras of rap music in that period, from mumble rap (which he pioneered with 2016’s ‘Luv Is Rage’ and ‘Lil Uzi Vert Vs The World’), or the commercial rap he pushed out on his debut ‘Luv Is Rage 2’.
“And here, again, he has made another record that will stay close to the hearts of a generation of rap fans. He is surely our generation’s Lil Wayne.”
Lollapalooza concluded on Sunday, August 2, following several unexpected collaborations. Sombr invited 5 Seconds of Summer onto the stage, The Smashing Pumpkins reunited with Melissa Auf der Maur, Lorde welcomed Charli XCX for ‘Girl, So Confusing’, and Sam Fender joined Olivia Dean to perform their record setting song ‘Rein Me In’.
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