
Maurice White, circa 1973
Urve Kuusik, Sony Music Archives
Having recorded 19 studio albums since 1974, Rush‘s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson had a prolific amount of music to choose from while curating the setlist for opening night of their massive Fifty Something Tour on Sunday night (June 7) at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.
The 22 songs played during the three-hour show pulled from the Canadian group’s first studio album, its last and those from the roughly four decades in between, featuring many (but not all) of the major hits, loads of primordial rock and a few softer pieces, dealing heavily in Rush’s much-loved synthesizer-forward work of the early ’80s.
It was a thrill to hear it all, with the radio hits and deeper cuts alike earning fist bumps and Wayne’s World style “we’re not worthy” bows from the rapt audience. While crowds around the world have certainly heard most, if not all, of the songs from the setlist live over Rush’s 50-year tenure, there was a crucial factor giving each song — and the show itself, and the entire tour, frankly — a special poignancy, and that was that absence of Neil Peart, Rush’s drummer and lyricist who died of brain cancer in 2020, at age 67.
When announcing the tour last October, Lee and Lifeson advised that they’d selected 35 songs from the catalog to rotate during the tour, and that every show would feature a tribute to Peart and “everything that he was to us.” But “tribute” feels too small a word for the way Peart was thoughtfully woven into the entire show, as he appeared often via vintage performance videos, audio recordings made before he died, digital renderings and, of course, the formidable body of music he helped create.
Encompassing 88 shows, the Fifty Something tour will cross North America through the end of 2026 and head to South America and Europe next year. Here’s the complete setlist from night one of the run.
Bob Dylan revisited a deep cut from his catalog at his Saturday night (June 6) show at the Chateau Ste Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Washington, performing The Basement Tapes track “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” for the first time in 14 years.
The legendary songwriter opened the show with the 1967 song, last played live in 2012, with guitarists Doug Lancio and Bob Britt providing light backing vocals.
While the cut itself has long enjoyed a second life through cover versions — most notably by The Byrds, who took their 1968 rendition to No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — Dylan himself has rarely returned to it onstage.
The performances are the latest signs of Dylan continuing to mine his vast back catalog on the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour, which has now stretched on for more than five years since its launch in late 2021. Over the weekend, Dylan extended the tour into late 2026 with additional North American dates. He has previously surprised audiences across this run with similar excursions, including a cover of The Pogues’ “A Rainy Night in Soho” in tribute to the late Shane MacGowan during a Dublin show in November 2024, and a performance of a traditional folk ballad at an Irish show that hadn’t been heard from him in 34 years.
Dylan’s chart legacy is among the most consequential in music history. He has placed 11 albums in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, including two No. 1 entries — Together Through Life (2009) and Modern Times (2006) — while singles including “Like a Rolling Stone,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965, and “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,” which reached No. 2 in 1966, remain among the most influential rock recordings ever to chart.
He also recently contributed a co-written song to Willie Nelson’s new album Dream Chaser, released in May 2026, and was reported last year to be working on new music with members of his touring band in Albany, New York.
Five years after he first headlined New York City’s Governor’s Ball, A$AP Rocky returned in his full glory for a rousing finale on Sunday night (June 7). And though he spent part of his weekend cheering the Knicks onto their second consecutive 2026 NBA Finals victory, Rocky put down the jersey, picked up the microphone, and locked back into superstar rapper mode for his career-spanning set.
After Saturday night’s flash thunderstorm cut the night short — STRAY KIDS’ set was bumped two hours earlier; Blood Orange eventually rescheduled for Sunday, and Kali Uchis and Amyl and the Sniffers had sets canceled — Rocky’s finale had to make up for circumstances he had no control over.
“I came to get disrespectful,” proclaimed the Grammy-nominated rap star as he lorded over the packed festival crowd from an elevated onstage platform. Armed with a bullhorn-microphone and sporting an off-white AWGE tee, white-and-black balaclava and light wash blue jeans (which he later pulled down to reveal a “Harlem” waistband), Rocky came ready to start a riot. What exactly he was rioting against (or for?) was still unclear by the close of his set, but at least the multihyphenate reminded audiences why he has one of the strongest aesthetic eyes in his entire genre.
Originally set for an 8:45 p.m. ET start time, Rocky didn’t take the stage until a little after 9:00 p.m., closing out a festival that was notably light on hip-hop acts (just six played across the fest’s three days) and homegrown headliners. He exacerbated that delay with increasingly clunky transitions that left the crowd literally in the dark without so much as an instrumental track playing in the background — but when things clicked, Rocky harnessed some truly irresistible energy.
Serving as the de facto NYC stop for his ongoing Don’t Be Dumb Tour — which kicked off on May 27 at Chicago’s United Center — Rocky anchored his headlining performance with his latest LP, drawing on its frenetic, expansive and still-polished energy. Don’t Be Dumb, his first studio album in nearly eight years, debuted atop the Billboard 200 in January, spawning Billboard Hot 100 hits like “Stay Here 4 Life” (No. 23, with Brent Faiyaz), “Helicopter” (No. 24), “Stole Ya Flow” (No. 33) and “Punk Rocky” (No. 56).
It would take Rocky nearly nine songs to finally play something outside of the Don’t Be Dumb era, but the raucous energy of that album’s songs made for a lively first half of his set. He kicked things off with the scathing “Stole Ya Flow,” before transitioning into “Helicopter” and “Trunks” to maintain that, well, riotous energy. Clipse may have given a live rapping masterclass during the set just an hour prior, but Rocky was more concerned with using his master of ceremonies status to call for both mosh pits and for people to take off their shirts and wave them in the air “like a helicopter.”
Comprised of American flags — with his face superimposed on them, no less — and a massive Don’t Be Dumb-branded helicopter, in addition to warring “riotters” (dressed in all white) and SWAT “personnel” (dressed in all back), Rocky’s Gov Ball stage explicitly drew from U.S. military aesthetics. And Rocky’s bullhorn-microphone only emphasized those visual notes, with the Harlem MC moving more like a commanding officer than a rap superstar at the beginning of his set. That militant energy couldn’t save him from production cutting his mic as he approached the 10:00 p.m. ET curfew with seemingly no haste.
While the transitions certainly dragged, Rocky made up for it during moments like “A$AP Forever,” when the SWAT team followed him down the runway, nailing each image the choreography demanded. Other times, like during “Punk Rocky,” the staging felt a bit nonsensical. How do you play a song called “Punk Rocky” and not have your band front and center for its duration? Like any good festival headliner, however, Rocky knew that one surprise guest or song could remedy those inconsistencies. While he didn’t tap Rihanna, though she enjoyed the show in the crowd alongside JENNIE, Rocky did call up Dominican rapper Tokischa for the live performance debut of “Flackito Jodye,” their saucy, dembow-infused Don’t Be Dumb collaboration. As she ripped through her verse and popped her butt for good measure as Rocky’s sole guest (and surprise) of the night, Corona Park turned into Uptown for a split second.
After spending the bulk of his set playing Don’t Be Dumb, Rocky transitioned into “Praise the Lord,” seemingly kicking off a retrospective section that would span his generation-defining career. While he did find time to fit in “Peso,” “Fashion Killa,” “Wassup” and “Purple Swag,” Rocky’s set was ultimately cut short, with his mic’s audio getting pulled as he was gearing up to follow “Jukebox Joints.” Once it was clear that he wouldn’t be able to charm or pressure festival producers to extend his set, Rocky tossed his gloves and wave cap into the office, right before he attempted to unscrew the microphone from the bullhorn. Once that proved unfeasible, Rocky lobbed the entire contraption into the audience and walked off stage without another word.
Given the day had already been slightly delayed due to weather (Slayyyter’s set was notably postponed earlier that afternoon), Rocky should have at least gotten ten minutes extra to tear through signature hits like “1 Train,” “No Limit” and “F—kin’ Problems,” none of which he got the chance to perform. Between that debacle and the eyebrow-raising lack of hip-hop on the lineup, this year’s Gov Ball finale didn’t quite live up to the downright euphoric mood established by the Knicks’ two consecutive NBA Finals victories. Nonetheless, Rocky turned up for his city, and they beamed that energy right back to him.
Fans who weren’t able to make Rocky’s Gov Ball set can still catch him on his Don’t Be Dumb Tour. After hitting Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena for the next stop (June 8), Rocky’s latest trek will take him to major cities across the U.S. and Canada, before concluding on July 11 at Newark’s Prudential Center. The tour’s European leg will commence on Aug. 25 at Brussels’ ING Arena, and visit iconic metropolises like Milan, Copenhagen and Paris, before coming to a close on Oct. 11 at Athens’ Telekom Center.
See A$AP Rocky’s setlist at the 2026 Governor’s Ball below.
The 2026 Tony Awards opened with P!nk (the host of this year’s show) delivering a hilarious, star-studded parody of “Lady Marmalade” (which she, Lil’ Kim, Christina Aguilera and Mya recorded for the 2001 film Moulin Rouge! and took to the top of the Billboard Hot 100) as “Leading Lady Marmalade.” And as if her smash-hit version of the Labelle classic didn’t have enough divas competing for the spotlight, she brought out Neil Patrick Harris, Megan Thee Stallion, Lea Michele, Dylan Mulvaney, Shoshana Bean and even June Squibb for this Tony-fied rewrite. And from there on out, it didn’t slow down.
“I’m like, living out my childhood dreams right now,” P!nk told Billboard ahead of her big hosting gig.
Taking place inside Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall on Sunday (June 7), the 79th annual Tony Awards were a three-hour parade of soaring songs, fabulous choreography and heartfelt speeches. From a 30th anniversary Chicago tribute (also boasting P!nk, Queen Latifah and a show-stopping turn from Alex Newell, among others) and a Book of Mormon performance to mark the show’s 15 years on Broadway, the 2026 Tonys didn’t shrink on spectacle.
The year’s big winner was Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, pulling in six Tony Awards. After that, second place for most wins was split between Schmigadoon!, The Lost Boys and Ragtime, three musicals that won four Tonys apiece.
But not everything that happens at the Tonys gets caught on camera. Offstage in the press room, newly minted Tony winners stop by to field questions from reporters (including Billboard) about their inspirations, their challenges and what’s next for them. Lorne Michaels, the legendary creator and producer of Saturday Night Live, even popped in after winning a Tony for Schmigadoon! to rave about this year’s show and host: “Watching the production numbers, watching what P!nk did, was just stunning,” he said.
Here are 10 things that you didn’t see on TV at the 2026 Tony Awards.
Niall Horan has hinted that Australian fans won’t have to wait much longer for a return visit, revealing that tour dates are expected to be announced soon following the release of his latest album, Dinner Party.
Speaking on Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s Rolling Stone Uncut podcast, Niall revealed that plans are already underway for a trip Down Under in support of his newly released fourth studio album.
“I’ll be down early next year for sure,” Horan told the publication. “We haven’t got to the announcement part of it yet, but there’s no doubt I’ll be down, [and] I can’t wait.”
“I just love being there, I love playing the shows down there,” he added.
While Horan stopped short of confirming dates, venues or ticket details, the comments are his clearest indication yet that an Australian tour announcement is on the horizon. The singer last visited the region in 2024 on The Show Live on Tour.
The tour tease arrives as Horan releases Dinner Party, his first studio album since 2023’s The Show. The new set continues a solo career that has made him one of the most successful members of One Direction following the group’s hiatus.
Horan’s debut solo album, Flicker, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2017, making him the first One Direction member to top the chart with a solo release. Follow-up albums Heartbreak Weather and The Show also reached the Billboard 200’s upper tier, while singles including “Slow Hands,” “This Town,” “Nice to Meet Ya,” “Heaven” and “Meltdown” helped establish him as a global solo star.
In a separate interview with Pedestrian, Horan discussed the personal inspiration behind several songs on Dinner Party. The album’s title track recounts how he met longtime partner Amelia Woolley.
“We literally met at a dinner party, and we’re still together,” Horan said. “It’s kind of like one of those — to me — once-in-a-lifetime things that you never expected to come in, and it hits you. You don’t realise, you’re not looking for it at the time.”
Elsewhere, Horan revealed that the song “Flowers” was inspired by a fan tweet he came across while writing the album.
“Just seeing a tweet online while we were writing the song, ‘Your eyes could grow flowers,’ I thought was a great concept,” he said. “I just love the idea of someone being so powerful that they could do something so unrealistic.”
No official Australian dates have been announced, but Horan’s comments suggest fans can expect news sooner rather than later.
New York ain’t the Windy City, but Radio City Music Hall hosted a star-studded tribute to Chicago on Sunday (June 7) during the 79th annual Tony Awards.
P!nk (2026 Tonys host), Queen Latifah (who played Matron “Mama” Morton in Rob Marshall’s 2002 film adaptation), Whitney Leavitt (who currently plays Roxie Hart on Broadway), Dylan Mulvaney (who recently wrapped a run in Broadway’s Six), Alex Newell (2023 Tony winner and Chicago Broadway veteran) and Julianne Hough (who hosted the 2022 Tonys pre-show) and more participated in a medley of the musical’s best-known songs.
After an introduction and torch passing (“from one mother hen to another”) from Queen Latifah, Newell belted out a song both of them know well: “When You’re Good to Mama.” Newell’s boisterous voice was on full display, making Mama a helluva hard act to follow. But it helps when you have a round-robin of murderesses talking about how they killed the men who had it comin’: “Cell Block Tango,” which everyone (including Jesse Tyler Ferguson in a brief but hilarious cameo) sold with gusto. To wrap it up, P!nk sang Chicago centerpiece song “All That Jazz”: the hardest-rocking pop star served jazz hands, vocal excellence and a bit of the cat who caught the canary energy at the end, clearly living her childhood fantasy on the Tony Awards stage.
“We always come from a theatrical place,” the Grammy winner told Billboard ahead of her Tonys hosting gig when asked about the connection between live theater and her concerts. “I mean, for me, I’m a carney, right? So it’s sort of like a circus, without the animals of course, other than the humans.”
The multi-song performance commemorated 30 years of Chicago on Broadway; while the John Kander and Fred Ebb musical debuted on Broadway in 1975, the current revival opened in 1996 and has been running ever since, making it the longest-running show currently on the Great White Way and the longest-running musical revival ever.
Prior to the Chicago stopover, P!nk opened the 2026 Tonys with an extravagant, hilarious parody of her collaborative 2001 smash “Lady Marmalade” (a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1) rewritten as “Leading Lady Marmalade,” which brought out Megan Thee Stallion, Lea Michele, Neil Patrick Harris, the Tony-nominated women of 2026 and dancers from The Lost Boys, Cats: The Jellicle Ball, Schmigadoon! and more.
Morgan Wallen‘s Still the Problem Tour added another headline-making moment to its run on Friday night (June 5), when the country superstar grabbed a cellphone out of a security guard’s hand mid-performance and flung it across the stage at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium.
Video of the incident, posted to TikTok by user jcroo419 and rapidly circulated on social media, shows the guard holding up a phone while recording Wallen perform — reportedly at the request of a fan who had passed the device forward in the hopes the guard would hand it to the singer.
Instead, Wallen gestured toward the phone, walked away, then returned, removed it from the guard’s hand and dramatically launched it across the stage. “I get it… security should be doing security things, but…,” the user captioned the clip. Billboard has reached out to representatives for Wallen for comment.
The phone-throwing came at the end of a turbulent week on the road for the I’m the Problem tour. Just days earlier, Wallen experienced an onstage meltdown during his Denver show, when his piano appeared to malfunction during a performance of “Sand in My Boots,” forcing him to finish the song a cappella. He then walked back to the piano, shoved it about a foot, and flipped it over — breaking it on the stage.
The next day, Wallen posted a TikTok video addressing the moment, showing himself at a new piano. “Hey, I just want you to know that right now this piano is working,” he said. “That’s what they told me last night, too.”
Wallen also abruptly canceled his Saturday show in Pittsburgh, citing high winds and stage safety concerns rather than the swirling “nonsense” speculation about his behavior.
“My team walked on the bus and told me they had been consulting with local officials and that I should cancel my show in Pittsburgh tonight,” he explained in a video posted to his Instagram Stories. “They said that there was going to be strong winds in the area… I’ve been seeing a lot of nonsense about me that is simply not true, and I just wanted to clear the air.”
The Pittsburgh phone moment is the latest in a string of headline-grabbing incidents tied to Wallen’s chart-dominating 2026. His current album I’m the Problem, released in May 2025, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the largest streaming week ever for a country album, and produced the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “I’m the Problem.”
He had previously topped the Hot 100 in 2024 with “I Had Some Help” featuring Post Malone, which spent six weeks at the summit. One Thing at a Time (2023) spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, one of the longest-running chart-toppers of the streaming era.
The Still the Problem Tour continues across the U.S. throughout the summer.
Tony Awards host P!nk brought an iconic pop culture reference from 25 years ago to 2026’s ceremony, opening the televised show with a leading lady-themed remake of “Lady Marmalade.” Megan Thee Stallion, who recently took an early exit from her run in Moulin Rouge, took the New York stage in her Zidler costume next to P!nk and reworked Lil’ Kim’s rap from the 2001 supergroup single during Sunday night’s (June 7) lively performance.
The parody of “Lady Marmalade” (based on the Grammy-winning version of the song P!nk once recorded with Lil’ Kim, Christina Aguilera and Mya), “Leading Lady Marmalade,” had P!nk highlighting several of Broadway’s best in the tune’s “gitchie, gitchie” chorus.
Lea Michele, who wasn’t nominated for an award this year, joined in for a cameo to hit Xtina’s big vocal note from the original “Lady Marmalade” — but swapped in a fitting lyric, all things considered: “We don’t do it for the awards.”
June Squibb, nominated in the best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play category, and seated in the front row at Radio City Music Hall, also had a scene-stealing moment. When the mic was pointed her way, Squibb — who’s the oldest acting nominee in Tony Awards history — quipped to the tune of “Mocha Chocolata, ya-ya“: “All the parts I’ve played, I’ve slayed ’em.”
Backed by a full-stage ensemble that included familiar faces like Broadway’s Dylan Mulvaney, Shoshana Bean, Neil Patrick Harris and more, the opening number ended with a soaring “Welcome to the Tony Awards!” from P!nk.
Harris, who’s had four turns hosting the awards ceremony himself, had helped P!nk lead into the “Leading Lady Marmalade” scene after the pop star first made a spinning-in-the-air entrance, dressed as Peter Pan.
“I just wanna show how much I love theater even though I’ve never been on Broadway,” she told Harris, who wondered what she was up to.
“But you’re P!nk, you can do anything,” he replied.
“But I’m worried some people will wonder why P!nk is hosting the Tonys. I just want to make sure everyone knows I’m thrilled to be here and I want my opener to be as ‘Broadway’ as possible,” P!nk insisted.
P!nk had hinted at a “wild” Tony Awards opening number in interviews in the days leading up to this year’s ceremony. Without spoiling the “Lady Marmalade” nod, P!nk told Broadway.com, “It’s just a full-blown ridiculous celebration. I told them my one caveat was that immediately as soon as I step onto the stage, I have to make fun of myself, and make it absolutely just about fun and celebrating everyone.”
Follow a complete list of the 2026 Tony Awards winners, updating live as they’re announced, here.
After exiting the group Salty Peppers, Maurice White moved to Los Angeles from Chicago and created a new band. A strong believer in mysticism, the Sagittarian sought inspiration from his astrological chart in divining the band-to-be’s name. Three elements caught his attention: earth, fire and air.
“I changed air to wind,” late founder White says in a clip from the HBO Original documentary Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World). “And the rest is history,” he continues. “Earth, Wind & Fire is basically the true elements of the universe.”
And what a history it’s been as director-producer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson relays in the illuminating, two-hour documentary premiering Sunday night (June 7; 9 p.m. ET/PT). In the nearly 60 years since White’s vision took shape, the nine-time Grammy Award-winning and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band has achieved global acclaim and legendary status.
Via spirited fusions of jazz, R&B/soul, Afro-funk, pop and disco, the band mined a deep vein of classic gold and platinum hits and fan faves like “September,” “Shining Star,” “Let’s Groove,” “After the Love Is Gone” and “Beijo” (aka Brazilian Rhyme interlude). In fact, Questlove pegged another iconic EWF hit, “That’s the Way of the World,” in crafting the title for his latest Questlove Jawn.
“I love a good pun,” said the Academy Award-winning music historian during a Zoom interview with Billboard following the documentary’s June 3 premiere at the 25th Tribeca Film Festival. “All of my documentaries have a long title continuation that also explains what you have to consider [while watching]. Sly Stone was about the burden of Black genius. With Summer of Soul, the revolution was happening, but it couldn’t be televised. In this particular case, it’s about human beings. We’re all celestial; all light shiners. But oftentimes, we dim our light to blend in and be part of the ecosystem.”
“Maurice White is basically an orphan, given away by his mother to a neighbor,” Questlove continued, “yet he somehow gets a metaphysical belief at the age of seven in Memphis … a calling to say, ‘It’s my job to bring positivity and love into the world.’ But however well-intended the mission, you must learn not to hold within any pain. That’s what I want people to learn from this: Do not dismiss your dreams. But you also have to let things go. And Maurice never let that anger go of being given away. He was crumbling inside because he had a broken heart.”
Through strikingly candid conversations with group members, family, friends and high-profile fans — and access to a cache of treasures including the group’s recordings, outtakes and unreleased live shows plus Maurice’s diaries, affirmations and favorite books — Questlove delivers a riveting look at the hard work and joy behind the band’s ascension. But he leans into the creative tensions and personal issues that arose as well. Viewers will witness the magic tricks and psychedelic/space-age costumes that became hallmarks of EWF’s showmanship. They’ll also learn what EWF smash inspired one of Stevie Wonder’s own classic hits, among other insightful tidbits.
Above all, “Earth, Wind & Fire taught us how to dream,” says Questlove. “As we continue to search for answers in these very tense times, their music always s same conclusion: the answers are inside yourself. It’s the same metaphysical story as The Wizard of Oz. Listening to their songs during the pandemic was my eureka moment; I realized what they were doing: they tricked us into positivity. This is the story of a band that tricks you into eating your vegetables.”
Ahead of the film’s Tribeca premiere and their performance with The Roots that same evening, EWF original members Verdine White, Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson — the doc’s co-executive producers (Maurice’s son Kahbran “KB” White is a producer) — also sat down for a Zoom interview with Billboard, printed below. Later this summer, the indefatigable Earth, Wind & Fire will launch their “Sing a Song All Night Long” tour with fellow icon Lionel Richie on June 24.
What was your immediate reaction after viewing the documentary?
Bailey: Questlove is really a music historian. Talk to him for five or 10 minutes and you recognize he has an innate gift for knowing a lot of facts about music history. He’d bring stuff up about EWF, and I’ve been there all the time [with the group]. But I’d be like “How’d you know that?” So he was the perfect person to do this because he goes deep below the surface. It’s surreal.
White: He’s an historian and a musician. That combination particularly works well when it comes to the music and the message. He captured our essence and spirits, our manhood and humanity. I’m really proud of it.
Johnson: It’s a job well done.
The documentary also doesn’t shy away from the thorny issues the group — and Maurice — encountered along the way.
Bailey: That’s the way of the world, right? You can’t live life without experiencing the highs and lows, the good and bad, the pretty and ugly. It’s part of what makes us what who we are. And it’s really a testament to the fact that we’re still here, doing music on a very high level some 50+ years later.
Johnson: Philip covered it. The ups and downs all get back to the duality of the universe.
White: When you have a long career, it’s not linear. It moves around; grows as you grow. It has its own rhythm mechanism. [The documentary] shows that we were living our truth.

Maurice White, circa 1973
Urve Kuusik, Sony Music Archives
What is one lesson or affirmation learned from Maurice that you still follow?
Johnson: Three things: commitment, trust and humility. If you believe in something, then you’ve got to commit to it. And you must trust that in the end it’s going to be OK. Then if things get so great for you that your ego goes out of control, then you’ve got to turn on the humility and put yourself back in check.
White: Love for your brothers, particularly Ralph and Philip. The love, the connection, the trust, the bond: that’s what I’ve come away with.
Bailey: When we were first together, practicing and hoping to go out on the road, there were several times when on the way to the airport, we’d literally get a call that it [a gig] was canceled. I’m living with people and primarily eating oatmeal; I got a new baby. Yet every time things would happen, Maurice would always say, “There’s something better for us.” He never complained; never had a defeatist attitude or statement.
How would Maurice feel about the documentary?
Johnson: He’d feel the story has been told the right way.
Bailey: He’d be proud of it. It’s indicative of who we are.
White: Reese would be really proud that the three of us are still together — from almost teenagers to adults.
And what lasting impression do you hope fans will have after seeing the documentary?
Johnson: Vintage fans will be happy. They’ll think the story was told correctly. New fans will be very enlightened because they’ll find out some stuff about this group they just didn’t know.
Bailey: That the documentary makes the music real and gives people a deeper understanding of the music.
White: Vintage fans will remember that this journey was part of their lives too. And newer fans will learn something about being able to have a mission — as Maurice did — of rendering a service to humanity and actually bringing people together. When people mention our name, there’s a smile that comes to their faces.
Milo J wrapped up his international La Vida Era Más Corta Tour in spectacular fashion on Saturday (June 6) in Mexico City, with a grand celebration of folk and urban music. The rising Argentine star conquered the Palacio de los Deportes with an explosive trap performance, which included a tribute to the late Argentine rocker Indio Solari and Colombian folklorist Totó la Momposina, both of whom passed away recently.
The South American artist’s debut at the iconic venue in the Mexican capital — his biggest concert in the country to date — gathered 21,000 attendees, according to promoter Ocesa. Milo J wanted to make the event unforgettable for himself and his fans, so the show was livestreamed on social media platforms, which he’d announced just hours before.
Considered one of the rising stars of Latin American music, the 19-year-old artist, whose real name is Camilo Joaquín Villarruel, took the stage alongside the Uruguayan band Agárrate Catalina — the same group he collaborated with for his April Tiny Desk performance — setting the tone for a colorful celebration.
“I want to feel this energy! How I missed this place, brother!” he exclaimed with emotion, prompting a wave of applause and cheers from the audience.
The nearly two-hour show began with “Bajo de la Piel,” a track from his 2025 album La Vida Era Más Corta. This was followed by hits like “Solifican12,” “3 Pecados Después,” “Retirada” and “Buen Día Portación de Rostro.” During “No Soy Eterno,” his 2023 hit produced by Bizarrap, he interacted with thousands of fans watching the livestream through a camera.
A tribute to the legendary Indio Solari, the leader of the iconic Argentine rock band Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota who just died on Friday (June 5), came as Milo J wore a T-shirt featuring the cover of Oktubre (1986), the band’s legendary second album known for its Soviet-inspired aesthetic and references to the Russian Revolution. He also honored Totó la Momposina, who passed away in May, by projecting the face of the Colombian music legend on massive screens during the song “Cuando El Agua Hirviendo.”
Other Latin American icons, such as Cuban troubadour Silvio Rodríguez and late Argentine folk singer Mercedes Sosa, were also highlighted during Milo J’s performance, with their sampled voices appearing in “Jangadero” and “Luciérnagas,” respectively. Both tracks are also included on his latest album, which recently earned Milo J a record-breaking 13 Gardel Awards.
Saturday’s show in Mexico City followed his performances in Monterrey and Guadalajara (on June 2 and 4) and marked the conclusion of Milo J’s series of concerts across Latin America in recent months.