80s KIDS at The Virgil, Los Angeles, CAIn the world of independent artists, there are those whose musical aesthetics evolve gradually, while a rare few create rare transformations that feel almost cinematic—where everything that came before suddenly clicks into a vivid, fully realized expression. Watching Shannon Curtis confidently strut onto the stage at The Virgil as one half of 80s Kids, it’s impossible not to think back to a much earlier version of her: seated behind a keyboard at Molly Malone’s in 2009, delivering the intimate, heartfelt songs of I Play the Piano and Sing Love Songs with grace, warmth and a quietly captivating emotional pull. That artist is still very much present. But what she’s become, alongside her husband, producer and creative co-conspirator Jamie Hill, is something far more expansive, theatrical and electrifying.

What Curtis and Hill have built with 80s Kids isn’t simply a nostalgic cover project. It’s an immersive, vibrant and intricately woven aesthetic experience—a retro radio broadcast, underground synth club and deeply personal time capsule. From the moment fans entered the venue, the world was established: purple-lit ambience, a neon logo, a wall for photos, merch tables stacked with cassettes and vinyl, and the brilliantly conceived “80s Kids Radio” playing over the speakers—complete with faux ads and an over-caffeinated DJ named Ronny Rocket hyping the cultural breakthroughs of 1985 with just enough ironic hindsight to make it both hilarious and subtly dark.

This level of detail speaks to the duo’s long-standing DIY ethos. As pioneers of the modern house concert movement, they’ve spent over a decade redefining what independent artists can be—building a sustainable, community-driven career outside traditional industry structures, releasing albums at a remarkable pace, and cultivating a fiercely loyal audience through their Misfit Stars ecosystem. That same spirit of independence and innovation fuels 80s Kids, which began almost accidentally during a pause between original album cycles and quickly evolved into a full-fledged band vibe, complete with two releases (80s Kids and the just released 80s Kids 2) and a touring identity all its own.

But it’s onstage where the concept completely ignites.

Curtis appears in a striking, high-voltage look that channels the raw energy of an underground ‘80s new wave club—sheer black mesh, high-waisted shorts, fishnets, over-the-knee boots, fingerless gloves, her silver-gray hair loose and electric under saturated pink and purple lights. Gone is the seated singer-songwriter; in her place is a commanding, kinetic performer who stalks the stage, dances between vocal lines, and radiates a fierce, unapologetic presence. Part Pat Benatar grit, part Berlin-era cool, she embodies the era without ever feeling like an impersonation.

Alongside her, Hill remains mostly silent but absolutely essential, triggering meticulously crafted synth arrangements via a Roland controller and custom-programmed soft synths that recreate the original sonic architecture of each track with stunning precision. And that’s one of the show’s most refreshing choices: there’s no ironic reinterpretation, no attempt to “update” the songs. Instead, Hill faithfully rebuilds them—allowing Curtis’ powerhouse voice, drenched in reverb and heartfelt intensity, to step into and often elevate the original performances.

The set leans heavily into British and European synth-pop—a-ha, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, OMD, New Order, Yazoo—with only a few American detours, including a crowd-erupting “Dancing in the Dark” and a torchy, deeply felt take on Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away.” From the opening pulse of “Take on Me,” Curtis commands the room with boundless energy, hitting every soaring high note while channeling the wide-eyed exuberance of her younger self discovering this music for the first time.

One of the night’s most unexpected highlights is 80s Kids’ fiery rendition of Sheena Easton’s “Strut,” a track notably absent from the 80s Kids albums but perfectly suited to Curtis’ commanding stage presence. Leaning into the song’s sly, confrontational edge, she channels its proto-feminist spirit with a knowing wink—transforming what once felt like a playful ‘80s pushback against objectification into something that resonates even more sharply in a post-#MeToo cultural landscape. With a throbbing groove beneath her and a torchy, defiant vocal delivery, Curtis turns the performance into a moment of empowerment, strutting, twirling and locking eyes with the crowd as if reclaiming every lyric in real time.

Highlights come in rapid succession. “It’s a Sin” builds from a mystical opening into a raucous, dance-fueled explosion, with Curtis punctuating each refrain with sharp, physical movement. “A Little Respect” becomes a total audience clap-along, her voice effortlessly riding the track’s emotional peaks. “If You Leave” transforms the seated crowd into a communal dance floor, while “Bizarre Love Triangle” pulses with hypnotic intensity as both performers lock into its groove.

Just as infectious is their take on The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me,” which becomes a playful, semi-theatrical duet. As Hill steps in with the filtered vocal in the second verse – interestingly taking the female role – Curtis reacts in real time, half incredulous, half amused, turning the song’s familiar back-and-forth into a bit of live storytelling. She leans into the drama, punctuating lines with expressive gestures and sly glances, transforming the synth-pop classics into a wildly retro yet freshly animated crowd pleasing singalong.  

Yet what truly elevates the evening is the storytelling woven throughout. Curtis is a natural, hilarious and disarmingly honest narrator, spinning anecdotes about Gen X identity, early encounters with technology, adolescent crushes and the cultural artifacts that shaped her worldview. A particularly memorable sequence leads into “Take My Breath Away,” where she recounts seeing Top Gun at age eleven, sitting between her parents while processing the film’s now-iconic love scene knowing her ex-beau is in the audience—an experience she describes with such vivid, comedic detail that the eventual performance lands with both humor and genuine reflective resonance.

Elsewhere, she riffs on everything from Short Circuit to menopause to mixtapes, framing her generation as “punks and weirdos, theater kids and band geeks” who found belonging through music. These moments aren’t filler—they’re connective tissue, grounding the performance in lived experience and reinforcing the idea that 80s Kids is as much about identity as it is about sound.

Musically, the band moves fluidly between high-energy dance numbers and more introspective ballads. “Broken Wings” showcases Curtis’ ability to pull back into a more restrained, haunting delivery, while “Only You” creates a hypnotic, almost intimate atmosphere. Even lighter tracks like “Always Something There to Remind Me” carry a sense of joy that balances their lyrical melancholy.

By the time the show closes with “The Promise” and a soaring, deeply felt “Forever Young,” the through-line becomes clear. This isn’t just a fond, powerfully produced look back - it’s reclamation. Curtis and Hill aren’t simply revisiting the music of their youth; they’re reinhabiting it, reinterpreting their own histories through it, and offering it back to an audience that, whether they lived it or not, can feel its enduring pulse.

In that sense, 80s Kids represents not just an artistic evolution for Shannon Curtis, but a kind of full-circle arrival. The young woman who once sang alone at a keyboard has become a fearless, totally embodied performer—one who understands that the songs we grow up with don’t just shape us; they stay with us, waiting for the moment we’re ready to truly live inside them.

Photo credit: Nancy SchoegglThe post 80s KIDS at The Virgil, Los Angeles, CA first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Palantir is reportedly helping the IRS investigate financial crimesThe IRS has used Palantir's software since at least 2018, The Intercept reports.

Top memecoin holders expected to attend Trump luncheonThe US President has confirmed his attendance for the Florida event, but it's unclear whether Tron founder Justin Sun, suing the Trump family's crypto business, will appear.

A Smart Thermostat For 120V Fan Coil SystemsMany HVAC systems in North America operate off 24V systems, which can be readily upgraded with off-the-shelf  smart thermostats quite easily. However, there are many people living in buildings with 120-volt fan coil units who aren’t so lucky. [mackswan] is one such individual, who set about building a smart thermostat to work in these situations.
The build is based around an ESP32 running ESPHome firmware. It rocks a 2.42″ OLED screen with automatic brightness adjustment for showing temperature and control parameters. There’s a rotary encoder on the front with an integrated button for control, with [mackswan] building the physical device to look as clean and neat as possible. The device uses a relay to switch the fan coil system on and off to heat or cool as needed, with an SHTC3 temperature and humidity sensor used to monitor current conditions in the home.
If you’re in an apartment building or live in a condo with this kind of setup, [mackswan’s] build might be just what you’re after to improve your HVAC control. We’ve featured plenty of other DIY thermostat hacks over the years, too. Meanwhile, if you’re finding creative ways to better heat and cool your living space, we’d love to hear about it on the tipsline!

Saint Mike DSP PitchCureMost vocal tuners make you choose. You can sound perfectly in tune, or you can sound human. PitchCure gives you both. It is a high-end vocal tuner. Some plugins turn real singing into robot sounds. PitchCure does not do this. It tracks the voice and keeps the real feeling safe. Words stay crisp. Breaths stay natural. The tuning feels subtle and natural. It is built for fast work. You do not have to draw lines on a screen. Find your key with one click. Pick your voice range. Then, turn the main knobs. Use Speed to fix bad notes. Turn up Humanize to keep the song's emotion. Use Transition for smooth slides between notes. Use the Color knob to add rich tone. You might want hidden tuning for a quiet song. You might want fast tracking in the vocal booth. Or, you might want vocals locked to your MIDI chords. PitchCure gives you great pitch that still sounds human. Features: - Transparent Tuning: Artifact-free, time-domain pitch shifting without metallic phase-smearing. - Vibrato Protection: The Humanize engine actively maps and preserves natural vibrato and emotional expression. - Fluid Transitions: Control the glide between notes—from instant hard-snaps to smooth, natural portamento. - Auto Key & Custom Scales: One-click key detection, or build your own scales using the interactive Edit Notes matrix. MIDI Target: Override the scale and force the vocal to follow the exact chords or melodies you play on your keyboard. One-Knob Color EQ: A built-in tilt EQ to instantly add chest warmth (Dark) or brilliant air (Bright). Live Tracking Ready: Near-zero latency in Real Time mode, or switch to HQ for maximum processing quality during mixdown. Ultra-Light CPU: Highly optimized to run at low CPU, easily handling massive multi-vocal sessions. Read More

From 75,000 AI tracks hitting Deezer daily to UMG’s copyright lawsuit against Quince… it’s MBW’s weekly round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
Source

Tori Letzler and Steven Richard Davis showcase their film scoring setups
Expert composers Tori Letzler and Steven Richard Davis give us an exclusive tour of their two incredible home studios.

Stone Voices releases Retro Radio, a FREE AM radio simulator plugin
Retro Radio from Stone Voices is a free plugin for macOS and Windows that emulates the sound of vintage AM radios. The sound of AM radio is generally characterised by low fidelity and numerous flaws. But, if there’s one thing that we all share as music makers, it’s that we strive for imperfection! Joking aside, [...]
View post: Stone Voices releases Retro Radio, a FREE AM radio simulator plugin

VSL announce free Big Bang Orchestra expansions VSL have recently introduced some new free expansions for two of their most popular Big Bang Orchestra Packs.

At last, u-he has launched Zebra 3Berlin-based synth and effects company u-he has launched Zebra 3, a modular-style synth plugin “a very long time in the making”.
“Rebuilt from scratch”, the latest iteration of u-he’s Zebra synth features an adaptive interface – with modules only appearing when added to a patch via drag and drop – plus a new unified spline editor for oscillator waveforms and MSEG curves with geometric morphing.

READ MORE: Get 25% off Ableton Live 12 – one of the best DAWs on the market right now

With this editor, waveforms can be manipulated from Bézier curves to create intricate details within either classic wavetable or Zebra 3’s additive engine. The latter flaunts 1024 partials for extreme micro detailing. Plus, the oscillators then have two effects slots that come preloaded with 20 different options, including spectral decay, sync, and phase remapping.
Zebra 3’s filter bank features 13 models, including Ladder, Cascade, and SVF. All 13 can have 12 responses, such as low pass, high pass, and band pass applied to them.
Zebra 3 brings updates to the FM oscillators as well. Similar to the vector-based spline editor for wavetable synthesis, the FM oscillators have a Vector mixing module that enables users to alternate between four sound sources that can be moved around an X/Y grid.
One brand new feature is how the combination of the modal resonator and comb filter modules works off the exciter module to create the organic properties of physical objects.
“Zebra 3 has arrived! Building on everything we learned from Zebra2, it adds powerful new modules and pushes Zebra’s renowned workflow even further,” U-He writes on YouTube. “We also overhauled the user interface during beta, making it more streamlined and user-friendly. Dive in, explore, and experiment!”

Zebra 3 is available now for €249. For more info, head to u-he.
The post At last, u-he has launched Zebra 3 appeared first on MusicTech.

Get 25% off Ableton Live 12 – one of the best DAWs on the market right nowBeen thinking about getting into Ableton Live, but never quite landed on the right moment – or the right price? This might be your sign.
Ableton has launched a limited-time promotion offering 25% off Ableton Live 12, alongside discounted upgrades and its full range of Packs. Running until Wednesday, 29 April, the deal gives producers a chance to jump into one of the most widely used DAWs in modern music production.

READ MORE: Jamu: Your ChatGPT-style AI co-producer for Ableton Live is here – just tell it what to do

The offer applies to Live 12 Suite and Standard, as well as upgrades to both versions. Ableton is also extending the 25% discount across its entire catalogue of Packs, which expand the software’s core sound set with additional instruments, samples, and effects.
In practical terms, this means Live 12 Standard drops from $439 to $329, while Live 12 Suite falls from $749 to $562, making this one of the more appealing deals the brand is running in recent memory.
Ableton Live 12, which we previously described in our review as “one of the best DAWs out there”, remains a go-to choice for producers more than two decades after its original release. And it isn’t hard to see why.
The latest iteration of the software expands its creative toolkit even further. Live 12 includes generative MIDI Tools designed to spark new ideas, alongside devices such as Meld, Roar, and Granulator III for Suite users. More recent free updates (Live 12.3) have also introduced Stem Separation, real-time pitch correction and Splice integration, further streamlining modern production workflows.
Meanwhile, Ableton’s Packs span a wide range of sampled sounds and studio-grade effects to complement Live’s core tools – from orchestral libraries and experimental synth collections to versatile drum libraries, electro-acoustic instruments, analogue-style saturators, and more.
If you’ve been waiting for a reason to dive in or build out your setup, this is it: head to the Ableton shop to check out the full offer before it ends on 29 April.
The post Get 25% off Ableton Live 12 – one of the best DAWs on the market right now appeared first on MusicTech.

AlphaTheta DJM-V5 review: Are niche setups the future of DJ gear?Inspired by the Pioneer DJ DJM‑V10, the new AlphaTheta-branded DJM-V5 is a three-channel performance mixer aimed at providing top-notch sound quality with creative mix control.

READ MORE: AlphaTheta RMX-Ignite is the effects and sampling box that nobody asked for but everyone will want

Rather than simply shrinking the V10, AlphaTheta has built something more focused. The V5 borrows key elements from its bigger sibling while introducing a handful of entirely new ideas. In many ways, it’s a rethink of what DJs actually want in a mixer. However, a few curious design choices and feature oversights leave me scratching my head.
Fades and filters
Let’s start with the positives. The V5 inherits several of the most celebrated features of the V10: a compressor on every channel, four-band EQ, and a dedicated filter per channel. Most of all, it also retains the V10’s high-end sound. It’s the same 96kHz, 64-bit mixing DSP, combined with 32-bit A/D and D/A converters from ESS Technology. This combination helped establish the V10 as one of the best-sounding mixers the company has ever produced, and the V5 benefits directly from that lineage.
Physically, the V5 may look compact compared to the V10, but it’s actually close in width to classic four-channel mixers such as the Pioneer DJ DJM‑900. But at 8 kilograms, it feels incredibly solid. Build quality remains first rate, and its footprint will slot comfortably into most DJ booths.
Image: Press
One of the V5’s most interesting additions is a new fader curve alongside the standard linear and exponential curves. While the usual fader curves only affect volume, this new mode subtly attenuates the high-frequency response as the channel fader moves upward. As the fader reaches the midpoint of travel, the mixer gently attenuates treble content. The result is subtle but surprisingly effective. After spending time with it, it quickly becomes my preferred fader curve and sounds great on large sound systems.
There’s also a brand new filter type. Now, alongside the familiar low-pass and high-pass options, the V5 introduces a new XPF cross-path filter. Sweeping the knob clockwise cuts mid-range frequencies, preserving both the low-end energy and the top-end sizzle. In use, this creates dramatic filter sweeps without losing the weight and energy of the low end. The overall filter quality is excellent, and buttery smooth in use.
However, there is one drawback. Because the filter type must be selected globally, you cannot assign different filter styles to individual channels. For me, that’s a slight step backwards compared with mixers like the Pioneer DJ DJM‑A9, where each channel can be filtered independently with the standard low-pass/high-pass design. But, the benefit of a larger, more detailed filter sweeps with this method will be a preference for some DJs.
Send effects and performance workflow
The V5 includes six send effects, all of which sound polished and musical. A clever detail appears in the Time Control knob, which physically changes behaviour depending on the effect type. When using BPM Sync effects, you hear a satisfying, mechanical clunk as the knob changes to a stepped, click-style rotation, making it easier to snap to rhythmic divisions. With non-sync effects, it becomes a smooth rotary for more precise Send FX adjustments. This is super smart and I wish this dual style was applied to the filters too, allowing them to be used in the standard low-pass/high-pass design if required.
Another unusual design choice is the master mix level fader for the effects level. Its cap is designed differently from the channel faders to allow more sensitive control over the amount of effect applied to the master mix. It looks a little odd, but makes total sense and allows for much more precise control.
Image: Press
The familiar Beat FX found on most Alpha Theta/Pioneer DJ-style mixers has been removed with just the six Send FX available. Compared to the 19 total effects available on the Pioneer DJV10, the V5’s six sends feel relatively minimal in practice, but that reduction doesn’t bother me. Like many DJs, I rarely use the full Beat FX suite anyway. Still, for a product marketed as a performance mixer, some users might expect more built-in effects options.
Clearly, AlphaTheta’s solution is effects expansion. The mixer supports external processing via USB-C multi I/O, allowing extremely easy integration with tools such as the Pioneer DJ RMX‑1000 iPad app or the new Alpha Theta RMX-IGNITE hardware.
Speaking of expansion, add a set of AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 headphones and the V5’s built-in SonicLink wireless transmitter will connect them for ultra-low latency wireless monitoring without an external transmitter dongle. The V5 is the first mixer to include the SonicLink tech directly.
Layout and connectivity quirks
The V5 uses 60mm long-throw faders, the same style found on the Pioneer DJ DJM‑V10‑LF. Interestingly, there’s no crossfader and currently no alternative model with one. Because the mixer isn’t branded as a ‘V5-LF’, it suggests that a V5 crossfader version may not be in the works. The V5 really would have benefited from multiple variants. A shorter-throw fader version with a crossfader — or even a rotary mixer configuration — could have broadened its appeal significantly to different DJ styles.
Image: Press
One of the more puzzling design decisions is the microphone section. For a mixer that emphasises compactness, the large mic control area in the top-left corner occupies a surprisingly large amount of panel space for a feature most DJs do not use. It feels as though that real estate could have been used more effectively, perhaps for effects or even a master isolator/filter. The inclusion of such a prominent mic section feels slightly at odds with the decision to reduce the mixer to three channels and no crossfader.
Input options are relatively straightforward: laptop, phono and line. What’s missing is a digital input, which feels like a notable omission given the almost-£2,000 price tag, and that it’s selling itself on sound-quality. On the positive side, the mixer does include a booth output EQ with low and high controls.
The verdict
The AlphaTheta DJM-V5 is not simply a scaled-down V10. It’s a focused reinterpretation that prioritises sound quality, mixing finesse and creative filtering over maximal features. The audio performance is superb, the new filter and fader concepts are genuinely inventive, and the overall build quality is exactly what you’d expect from a professional mixer.
But the V5 also leaves questions unanswered. The limited effects suite, frustrating filter implementation, unusual layout priorities and lack of digital inputs feel slightly out of step with the otherwise forward-thinking design.

It’s a compelling, beautifully built mixer, but it’s just too expensive considering some of the missing features. A few questionable layout choices mean it won’t suit every DJ. However, it’s clear that this divisive design is absolutely on purpose. The V5 is not meant to be a new industry standard that covers all bases for all DJs, it’s a more niche product, in the same way that the Euphonia rotary mixer is, or the scratch-happy DJM-S7. If you look at it in the context of the entire range, it makes total sense (apart from half being Pioneer DJ and half being AlphaTheta!).
If you’re a DJ that loves long, smooth transitions, layers of multiple track elements then the features, sound, control and quality are right here in the V5.
Key features

3-channel mixer with compact layout
60 mm long-throw faders
4-band EQ and compressor per channel
New fader curve type and XPF mode filter
6 send-based effects
Built-in SonicLink transmitter
2-band booth EQ
Weight: 8 kg
Dimensions: 302.0 × 437.5 × 107.9 mm

The post AlphaTheta DJM-V5 review: Are niche setups the future of DJ gear? appeared first on MusicTech.

IK Multimedia ARC X Immersive arrives IK Multimedia’s ARC X Immersive expands the original room-correction system, extending support from standard stereo setups through to full 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos immersive monitoring systems for complex multi-speaker environments.

Brennan Wedl Signs with ANTI-Date Signed: March 2026Label: ANTI-Type of Music: Indie rock / Country / GrungeManagement: Another Management CompanyBooking: TBA AgencyPublicity: Kelly @ ANTI- A&R: Andy Kaulkin + Allison CrutchfieldWeb: brennanwedl.com

When singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Brennan Wedl signed with ANTI- Records, the alt-roots sister label to the very punk-centric Epitaph, the deal made perfect sense. Placing Wedl on a roster that also included the likes of Fleet Foxes, Gitterer, and Mavis Staples saw the appropriate stars align. 

Her debut for the label is a cover of Canadian artist Kathleen Edwards’ “Six O’Clock News,” though listeners should be ready for Wedl’s original material.

“I made up songs a lot as a kid—always testing my two younger brothers’ patience and eardrum receptivity levels,” Wedl says. “I started writing songs on the acoustic guitar in fifth grade, and my first show was on November 26th, 2011. I took it upon myself in that coffeeshop to humbly offer the world my rendition of his 2011 hit song, ‘How To Love.’” 

Wedl describes her sound as, “acoustic guitar singer/songwriter roots hot-wired to a pair of go-go boots playing an electric guitar telecasting spells of crunchy, twangy truth bombs with hooky, singable melodies.”

The artist claims that the deal with ANTI- came about “through the power of music, magic, and madness.” For Wedl, “Six O’Clock News” was the perfect vehicle to introduce herself to her new label.

“[Kathleen Edwards] is a legendary alternative country Queen and this song has always been a standout favorite of mine,” she says. 

With her feet firmly under the table at her new spiritual home, Wedl is ready for a big 2026. “I’m opening the shows on the Waxahatchee / MJ Lenderman tour starting April 13th in Atlanta,” she says. “The joy and enthusiasm that fills my soul is beyond compare. I’m going to be playing solo and experimenting with the good ole trusty six-string acoustic guitar. Beyond that, more exciting tours—support and headline dates, hanging with loved ones, taking Spanish lessons, continuing to grow together in community and fighting to protect one another from the fallout of the American imperial war machine imploding all around us with each new day. We have the power in numbers, people. It’s never too late to speak out. Time to join local organizations that align with what’s right! We can build a better future when we organize together. Love you thanks for reading.”The post Brennan Wedl Signs with ANTI- first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

These are the countries moving to ban social media for childrenAustralia was the first country to issue a ban in late 2025, aiming to reduce the pressures and risks that young users may face on social media, including cyberbullying, social media addiction, and exposure to predators.