Eddie Vedder did his part. The Pearl Jam frontman was in the house at Lumen Field on Monday night (July 6) for the anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup match between the U.S. and Belgium. The Seattle native and his daughter Olivia got a little face time when the cameras swung to them during the game, but it was a crowd-hyping move the singer pulled off during a second-half hydration break that brought a roar from the sold-out stadium as the U.S.’s chances appeared to be dwindling.

With the U.S. down 3-1, the Fox cameras swung over to Vedder, 61, who promptly chugged his entire beer, with suds dripping down his face onto his shirt, before hoisting the can onto his head in a silly gesture that hyped up the crowd. Perfectly on cue, the stadium P.A. swelled with the sounds of PJ’s 1991 debut single, “Alive,” which, unfortunately, did not adequately describe the state of the American side, which seemed overmatched for much of the game and limped out of the round of 16 following a humbling 4-1 loss.

Vedder is better-known as a baseball fanatic — specifically his beloved Chicago Cubs — but his appearance at the World Cup game helped bring some joy to an otherwise rough night for the team whose prospects were slim at best against a Belgian side that had only given up four goals to date during their run to the round of 16.

There was hope that the return to the lineup of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun after his one-game suspension due to a red card in the previous game was put on hold thanks to a controversial phone call from President Trump to his friend, FIFA president Gianni Infantino might lift the U.S. to victory. Despite the howls of protest from non-U.S. soccer fanatics about the highly unusual decision, the Belgians had the last laugh, as Balogun was not much of a factor in the game.

Belgium celebrated by posting a pointed message on X after the match: “Overturn this.” They also took a little swing at Trump on their way off the pitch, with the Belgian side gathering at one end of the field to swivel their hips and pump their arms in a mocking tribute to Trump’s signature awkward “Trump Dance.”

Despite the crushing loss, Vedder appears to be enjoying a rare summer break, as Pearl Jam are not scheduled to play any shows until a Sept. 27 appearance at the singer’s Ohana Festival in Dana Point, Calif., which will be their first gig since the departure of longtime drummer Matt Cameron last summer.

Dave Grohl has heard plenty of great albums. But when asked to name a “perfect record,” one Pixies classic immediately came to mind.

In a new interview with BBC 6 Music, the Foo Fighters frontman named Pixies’ 1988 album Surfer Rosa as one of the records he considers perfect, praising its production, songwriting and vocal chemistry.

“I love that record so much for a lot of reasons,” Grohl said. “One, that it was produced by the almighty Steve Albini. And it was maybe the first album to become popular and showcase his incredible engineering sonic technique.”

Produced by Albini and released as Pixies’ debut studio album, Surfer Rosa became a defining alternative rock release, pairing jagged guitars, sharp dynamic shifts and surreal lyrics with the vocal interplay of Black Francis and Kim Deal.

Grohl pointed to that combination as part of what made the album so enduring for him.

“[Black Francis], the singer of the Pixies, was an amazing lyricist,” Grohl said. “His lyrics were just… they kind of teetered back and forth from abstract intellectual to things that just sounded so absurd and almost like dumb in a way.”

He continued, “His voice and Kim Deal, their two voices together, it was just such a wonderful blend. And it was unusual at the time. They really did sort of coin this specific dynamic and the simplicity of it was really powerful.”

Grohl’s admiration for Surfer Rosa is hardly surprising, given the Pixies’ widely acknowledged influence on the loud-quiet-loud dynamics that helped shape alternative rock in the late ’80s and ’90s. Nirvana, in which Grohl played drums, were among the bands often associated with that lineage, while Foo Fighters have carried elements of melodic noise and hard-charging guitar rock into their own catalog.

The Foo Fighters leader ended his praise with a simple measure of the album’s staying power.

“That record I’ve probably listened to 10,000 times, and I still love it,” Grohl said. “I could still listen to it every day.”

Grohl’s comments arrive as Foo Fighters continue their latest era behind Your Favorite Toy, the band’s 12th studio album. Released in April, the album followed 2023’s But Here We Are and marked the band’s first studio album with drummer Ilan Rubin.

Duffy has taken another step back into music with a secret London concert. The Welsh singer performed an intimate show at Hoxton Hall on Sunday (July 5), marking her first full concert in roughly 15 years.

The performance followed a fan ballot announced last month, with the venue kept under wraps until the day of the show.

The “Mercy” singer, born Aimée Anne Duffy, invited fans to apply for the small-capacity event in June, telling followers that she planned to perform new music.

“I’m doing a secret intimate gig in London on the 5th July, next month, and I would love nothing more than for some of you to attend,” she wrote at the time. “It’s only small capacity so we can only select a few, but really looking forward to it. I will sing some new songs.”

While a full set list has not been made public, one fan wrote on X that they were “front row” to hear Duffy perform “Warwick Avenue” live, adding, “That voice is insane!”

The London show comes as Duffy continues a gradual return to public life after years away from the spotlight. In May, she shared a photo from a recording studio on Instagram and wrote, “If only I could find the right words to explain how much I’ve missed you all. Working on coming back to you.”

Duffy rose to global prominence in 2008 with her debut album, Rockferry, and the breakout single “Mercy.” The album won best pop vocal album at the 2009 Grammy Awards, while Duffy was also nominated for best new artist and best female pop vocal performance for “Mercy.”

Her second album, Endlessly, followed in 2010, after which she largely stepped away from the music industry. In 2020, Duffy publicly shared that she had been drugged, kidnapped and sexually assaulted, later explaining that the trauma was the reason for her long absence from music and public life.

Earlier this year, Disney+ announced an upcoming Hulu Original documentary, which will follow the singer as she shares her story in depth. The project is produced out of the U.K. and will feature access to Duffy, along with interviews with friends, family and music industry figures.

Missy Higgins, The Teskey Brothers and ICEHOUSE will help launch The Point, a new Fuzzy-presented concert series at the Fleet Steps at Sydney’s Mrs Macquarie’s Point.

The spring series will take over the harbourside site across September, October and November, with Hot Dub On The Harbour and Harbourlife also part of the lineup. Performances will be staged on the Fleet Steps’ floating stage, placing the run of shows against one of Sydney’s most recognizable outdoor music backdrops.

ICEHOUSE will open the series on Wednesday, Sept. 30, with support from Little Quirks. Higgins follows on Thursday, Oct. 1, for what is billed as her only Sydney show of 2026, while The Teskey Brothers will perform on Friday, Oct. 2, with a 10th anniversary show for their debut album, Half Mile Harvest.

The Point continues in November with Hot Dub On The Harbour on Friday, Nov. 20, before Harbourlife returns to the site on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Fuzzy’s connection to the Fleet Steps dates back more than two decades, with Harbourlife first launching at the location in 2003. For the promoter, The Point also arrives as it approaches its 30-year milestone.

“We have been hosting shows at Fleet Steps since Harbourlife launched here in 2003 and the magic of this location has never worn off,” Fuzzy CEO Adelle Robinson said in a statement. “As Fuzzy approaches 30 years, launching The Point feels like the perfect way to mark that milestone, opening up this extraordinary setting to even more artists and audiences. We cannot wait for Sydney to experience what we have planned.”

For Higgins, the show adds another major date to what has been a busy period for the Australian singer-songwriter, following the continued success of her 2024 album The Second Act, which flew to No. 1 in Australia, and its accompanying national run.

“I’m really excited to be playing with my band at The Point Series in Sydney this October,” Higgins said. “It’s a spectacular setting at Fleet Steps and we’ll be performing on a huge floating stage right on Sydney Harbour. This is our only Sydney show for 2026 and it’s going to be very special.”

The Teskey Brothers’ appearance will mark 10 years since Half Mile Harvest, the Melbourne band’s 2017 debut that helped establish their soul, blues and roots sound with a wider audience.

Tickets for ICEHOUSE, Hot Dub On The Harbour and Harbourlife are on sale now. Tickets for Missy Higgins and The Teskey Brothers go on sale to the general public at 12 p.m. AEST on Thursday, July 16, with a Fuzzy presale beginning at 12 p.m. AEST on Wednesday, July 15.

The Point 2026 dates:
ICEHOUSE with Little Quirks — Wednesday, Sept. 30
Missy Higgins — Thursday, Oct. 1
The Teskey Brothers — Friday, Oct. 2
Hot Dub On The Harbour — Friday, Nov. 20
Harbourlife — Saturday, Nov. 21

Yungblud has received support from fellow musicians and celebrities after sharing an emotional post about online criticism, industry skepticism and accusations that he is an “industry plant.”

The British artist, born Dominic Harrison, opened up on social media after headlining Bludfest in Králové, Czechia, where he became visibly emotional onstage in front of thousands of fans. In a lengthy caption, he said he debated whether to share the clip because he did not want the moment to seem performative, but ultimately decided to post it because “this is what happened and it’s genuine.”

“To be truthful. Recently, I’ve been really struggling,” Yungblud wrote, adding that after leaving the stage feeling elated, he later had “a breakdown” alone in the shower.

He went on to describe the difficulty of processing major career moments in an era where artists are expected to move quickly from one milestone to the next. “Being an artist in this day and age is so strange because everything moves so quickly,” he wrote.

Yungblud also addressed the criticism that has followed him throughout his rise, writing that “the amount of hate and disbelief” from strangers online and “bitter musicians” had weighed on him. He said all he had tried to do over the past decade was “spread love, build something I believe in and unify people in a safe space.”

The rocker also referenced a recent Blunt Magazine article that pushed back on the “industry plant” discourse surrounding him, writing that he felt validated by the piece.

The musician ended the post by thanking his fan community and acknowledging that he needs time to process the pace of his career before moving into his next chapter.

“To all my beautiful community reading this I just want to let you know how lucky I feel to have you all,” he wrote. “What an honour it is to spend this life with you.”

The post drew supportive messages from across the rock and entertainment worlds. Slayer and Exodus guitarist Gary Holt rejected the “industry plant” label in the comments, writing that an industry plant “cannot do what you did at Back to the Beginning,” referring to Yungblud’s performance at last year’s Black Sabbath-linked event.

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian also praised the performance, writing, “I stood side stage at BTTB and watched you breathe rarified air the way you elevated ‘Changes.’ You’ve earned it all Dom. Cheers brother.”

SZA offered a brief message of support, writing, “Rooting for you,” while actors Alyssa Milano and Charisma Carpenter were also among those responding. Milano praised Yungblud for allowing fans into his heart, while Carpenter said the post made her want to discover his music.

The moment comes on the back of a genuinely significant run for the artist born Dominic Harrison. His 2025 double album Idols debuted at No. 73 on the Billboard 200, while his collaborative EP with Aerosmith, One More Time, released in November, reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Albums chart, marking his first U.S. top 10.