Flag Flying - Eurovision bosses have relaxed their flag rules, meaning the UK entry can fly a Welsh flag. It was originally included in a list of banned flags because its red dragon was considered a political statement. Previously only flags of contest members and UN states were allowed due to the event's non-political nature. The UK entry features Joe Woolford from Ruthin, Denbighshire who will be performing You're Not Alone with Jake Shakeshaft from Stoke-on-Trent.
Tout Action - Mumford & Sons and Little Mix have joined forces to tell their fans to "stand up" to rip-off ticket touts. The rock and pop stars, using the hashtag "#ToutsOut," want music fans to sign a petition so that tougher penalties for touts can be debated in Parliament. They are hoping to get the 100,000 signatures needed for the government to consider a debate about tougher sanctions for resale websites, and to force ticket resellers to reveal their identities.
More than 13,000 people have so far signed the petition, and Mumford & Sons have issued a passionate message on their website. "If getting on stage is one of the best things about being a musician, seeing your audience get ripped off is undoubtedly the worst," it says. "At M&S HQ we try hard to ensure that true fans have the best opportunity of getting into shows, at the right price, but are often powerless when faced with organised industrial-scale ticket touting. At the moment, the law makes it easy for these shady operators to hoover up tickets and profit at your expense - so we are joining with others across the music and creative communities to support a petition that demands politicians tighten up consumer legislation. If 100,000 of you sign it, then Government will be pressurised to consider the issue for Parliamentary debate."
Off The Campaign Trail - The Rolling Stones have told US presidential hopeful Donald Trump to stop using their songs at his campaign rallies. The brash billionaire is an avid music fan and The Stones' 1969 hit You Can't Always Get What You Want was a particular favourite in a soundtrack that included Sir Elton John, opera and classic rock songs. In a statement, the band said, "The Rolling Stones have never given permission to the Trump campaign to use their songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately."
They are not the first musicians to distance the tycoon from their music. In February, a spokesman for Adele said, "Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning." Aerosmith frontman Steve Tyler asked him to stop playing Dream On during campaigning, a request that prompted a backlash from Trump, who tweeted that he had a legal right to use the song but had found "a better one to take its place". Neil Young also objected when Trump used Rockin' In The Free World during the announcement of his campaign last year.
Picture This - An exhibition of 40 photographs of David Bowie, some previously unseen, is to begin a nationwide tour in July. Norwich is the first stop for David & I, which features pictures taken by rock photographer Denis O'Regan who was official tour photographer when most of the photos were taken between 1978 and 1990. Exhibition organisers said that as well as live shots, many images featured the late singer out and about in countries he was touring.
In Neverland - Broadway production Finding Neverland will open in the West End next spring. A theatre for the show has not been revealed, but producers said details would be announced next month. News of the London opening of the show, which has music co-written by Gary Barlow, comes as the Broadway production announces its closure in August. By then it will have played more than 500 performances. The book is written by James Graham, with music by Barlow and Eliot Kennedy. It is directed by Diane Paulus. On Broadway, it stars Alfie Boe and Laura Michelle Kelly.
Opening Time - Liverpool's Royal Court is set to buy a neighbouring pub to convert into extra backstage space for wardrobe and technical use, as well as an area for youth theatre activity. The city council has agreed to loan the theatre £1.2m to complete the purchase, which it hopes to complete in the next two weeks. In addition to use by the Royal Court's youth theatre and community choir, the converted pub, called The New Penny Farthing, will also host a restaurant and cafe - while there are long-term plans to fully integrate the new space to the existing theatre.
(Jim Evans)
