Jury rules Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as an illegal monopoly and overcharged concertgoersA federal jury has ruled that Live Nation, the entertainment giant that owns Ticketmaster, illegally operated as a monopoly in a decision that could reshape the live music business.
The verdict follows four days of deliberations in a seven-week trial in New York City, stemming from an antitrust lawsuit filed in 2024 by the US Department of Justice alongside dozens of state attorneys general. The case centred on claims that Live Nation had effectively cornered the live music market by controlling ticketing, concert booking, promotion and venues.

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According to the lawsuit, that dominance enabled “anticompetitive conduct” that led to higher fees for fans, fewer touring options for artists, and pressure on venues to use Ticketmaster’s services.
Per NBC news, the jury found that Ticketmaster overcharged concertgoers by $1.72 per ticket at “major concert venues” in the plaintiff states as a result of that behaviour. Additional monetary damages may still be awarded, with US District Judge Arun Subramanian set to determine the final amount.
The ruling also lands in the wake of damaging internal messages that surfaced during the case. In one exchange, employees allegedly joked about “robbing” customers, while another message mocked fans paying high VIP fees, stating, “These people are so stupid.”
Meanwhile, Live Nation has rebuffed the verdict and signalled its intent to challenge the outcome.
“The jury’s verdict is not the last word on this matter. Pending motions will determine whether the liability and damages rulings stand,” the company said in a statement Wednesday, adding that it plans to appeal “any unfavorable rulings.”
The company also argued that the jury’s award of $1.72 per ticket applies to a limited subset of tickets – those sold at 257 venues, representing about 20% of total sales – and only to purchases made by fans in certain states over the past five years.
While the decision marks a significant moment for the live music industry, any tangible changes are unlikely to be immediate. Ticket prices and fees are not expected to drop in the short term as the legal process continues.
Judge Arun Subramanian will now oversee a second trial to determine remedies, including whether to grant the states’ request to break up parts of the company or enforce structural changes such as divestitures. Among the potential outcomes is the forced sale of Ticketmaster — a move that could fundamentally reshape the live events landscape if enacted.
“It will be an earthquake in the industry in terms of people’s perception in feeling validated,” Scott Grzenczyk of law firm Girard Sharp tells CNN. “There’s a big difference between people complaining about Goliath and getting a jury verdict that Goliath was a monopolist and doing something wrong.”
The post Jury rules Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as an illegal monopoly and overcharged concertgoers appeared first on MusicTech.

Ford EV and tech chief leaving automakerDoug Field had stints at Apple and Tesla before joining Ford in 2021.

How to use the new Splice Sounds Plugin (beta)
Learn how to use the new Splice Sounds Plugin to find loops and one-shots in new ways and get even more out of the Splice Sounds library.

Ten of the Best Iron Maiden SongsAt long, long last, heavy metal icons Iron Maiden are being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After five decades, and 17 albums with three vocalists, Maiden is finally getting its dues. Sadly, former vocalist Paul Di'Anno and former drummer Clive Burr are no longer around to celebrate. But we can all revel in the glory of all things Maiden. Here are 10 of their best songs, in order of release.

"Iron Maiden"

From Iron Maiden (1980)

"Wrathchild"

From Killers (1981)

"The Number of the Beast"

From The Number of the Beast (1982)

"The Trooper"

From Piece of Mind (1983)

"Aces High"

From Powerslave (1984)

"Wasted Years"

From Somewhere in Time (1986)

"The Clairvoyant"

From Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)

"Fear of the Dark"

From Fear of the Dark (1992)

"The Clansman"

From Virtual XI (1998)

"These Colours Don't Run"

From A Matter of Life and Death (2006)

Photo by Ceedub13, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.The post Ten of the Best Iron Maiden Songs first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Hacking Fermentation for Infinite Pickles from Pass-thru BioreactorHome-fermented foods are great– they’re healthier, more flavourful, and cheaper than store-bought alternatives. What they aren’t is convenient: you need to prep a big batch of veggies, let it sit, and then you have to store the excess pickles. If you’re not careful, you end up with ancient, over-fermented pickles at the bottom of the crock, or worse– run out of pickles! Surely a fate worse than death. [Cody] at Cody’s Lab has a solution: a continous-flow fermentation process that keeps just the right supply of pickles coming at all times. Our grandmothers who kept a crock for months in the cold room or root cellar might be confused, but this hack brings pickles into the Just-In-Time framework of the 21st century.
Specifically this is for lactic acid fermentation, the type that gets you kosher dills, saurkraut and kimchi along with a whole mess of other tangy, tasty vegetable treats. Vinegar pickles are a whole other thing. It’s done in a brine, as the lactic acid bacteria are salt tolerant in a way that most things that would rot your food and/or make you sick would not. You can reuse the brine over and over, which is what [Cody] is doing: he crafts a U-shaped crock out of old glass bottles and a couple of pickle jars. He cuts the jars into angled pipe segments that are held together with aquarium sealant, which is apparently food safe. It holds water and looks surprisingly good, in that it isn’t hideous.
The bioreactor gets loaded up with veggies on one end, plus lots of salt and spices to taste, plus some cultured brine from an old batch to kickstart everything. The starter isn’t necessary; it just gets things going faster. The initial packing is the hardest: after filling it the first time, one needs only press new veggies in at one end, while removing tasty treats at the other. A special packing tool [Cody]makes helps with that, but he plans on adding a larger feed side. Thanks to that kickstart, the pickles were ready to try after about a week– which means his tube is a bit long, for his desired dwell time. If you like more fermentation to your pickles, then you might like this size.
May be the first time pickles have been featured on Hackaday without turning them into LEDs. We’ve featured plenty of fermentation projects, with automation to help make the best brew or a build for better tempeh, but not a lot of vegetables.
Thanks to [cam72cam] for the tip!

Sonicworld Telsie TSonicWorld Telsie T is a 3-band equalizer plug-in based on the famous W695 discrete class A equalizer from the 1970s. The W695 is known for its wonderfully silky highs and tight bass. Telsie T delivers this sound, along with some very useful upgrades compared to its analog counterpart that make it a very powerful equalizer plugin. Like the original hardware, Telsie T features a low-shelf filter at 60 Hz and a high-peak filter at 10 kHz. Its midband section operates as a presence filter with six selectable center frequencies, offering users precise tonal shaping capabilities. Building on this classic foundation, Telsie T introduces a suite of modern enhancements that significantly expand its sonic flexibility: The low band offers additional peak filter frequencies at 40, 60, 100, 160, and 220 Hz, each with selectable Q-factors (Wide, Medium, Narrow), enabling far more detailed tone shaping than the original fixed shelf. The high-frequency section retains the signature 10 kHz peak filter while adding a 15 kHz high-shelf alternative, both with up to ±15 dB gain in precise 3 dB increments. To improve tonal balance, Telsie T includes crossover controls between the low/mid and mid/high bands, allowing users to refine how frequency curves interact and extend midrange linearity. A dedicated Linear Phase mode offers a more phase-consistent alternative for critical applications. Each band also features a harmonics section with "Drive" and "Out" controls, enabling users to add subtle saturation or harmonic richness. Additional tools include continuously variable low-cut (high-pass) and high-cut (low-pass) filters with a musical -12 dB/octave slope, as well as a master gain control for precise level compensation. A comprehensive parameter bar provides clear visual feedback of all key settings, including harmonic levels, filter states, crossover points, and output gain. Read More

Live Nation operated as illegal monopoly, jury finds in landmark antitrust trialLandmark verdict could reshape the live entertainment industry.
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UAD Explore Free from Universal Audio Universal Audio’s latest bundle brings together a selection of their renowned plug-ins and virtual instruments, and is being offered free of charge!

Moog unveils super-limited Bob Moog Tribute Edition Minimoog Model DMoog is celebrating the enduring legacy of its founder and synth innovator Bob Moog with a new limited-edition version of the Minimoog Model D.
With just 500 units available worldwide, the Bob Moog Tribute Minimoog Model D is built by the Moog team in North Carolina, and boasts an updated look, with a custom quartersawn white oak cabinet, and a Bob Moog Foundation photo-anodised decal on the rear panel.

READ MORE: A banana-shaped synthesizer is going viral on Kickstarter

Functionally, it’s exactly the same as Moog’s 2022 reissue of the Minimoog Model D, which paired an analogue sound engine – recreated from the original ‘70s unit – with a number of modern features including MIDI support, spring-loaded pitch wheel and Fatar keybed with aftertouch.
Credit: Moog
At its core though, the Bob Moog Tribute Edition Minimoog Model D bears the sound analogue signal path that made the original such a legend, with a discrete analogue mixer, analogue oscillators, dual envelope generators and an analogue VCA. Of course, it also features its iconic 24 dB/octave Ladder Filter, which shaping everything from warm bass tones to harsh peaks, helped define the sound of the Minimoog Model D.

Each Bob Moog Tribute Edition Minimoog Model D comes with a semi-rigid case for protection during transport, and $500 from each sale will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation, to support its ongoing educational work in music, science, history, and innovation.
“Here at Moog Music, we believe in honoring Bob Moog’s legacy and his innovations that continue to have a meaningful impact on today and tomorrow’s creatives,” the company says. 
Credit: Moog
“Whether that’s behind the scenes as we’re developing new instruments, in conversation with artists, through stories on social media, or in writing like this (to you, here and now), it’s at the heart of all we do.”
The Bob Moog Tribute Edition Minimoog Model D is available now, priced at $3,999. Learn more at Moogmusic.com.
The post Moog unveils super-limited Bob Moog Tribute Edition Minimoog Model D appeared first on MusicTech.

Flow Studio is an ultra-compact control surface from Softube offering album-ready signal chains and “lightning-fast” controlSwedish audio company Softube has unveiled Flow Studio, a new control surface offering “album-ready signal chains and quick, hands-on control” in a compact form factor.
While other Softube control surfaces boast a number of knobs and faders reminiscent of a typical outboard mixing console, the Flow Studio condenses everything you need into just five knobs.
Credit: Softube
Each of them can adjust several controls at a time, including vocal tuning, delay, reverb, compression, saturation, guitar amps, and more. The large centre knob meanwhile, known as The Omni Knob, gives control for all eight macros in addition to master controls such as input gain and output volume.

READ MORE: A banana-shaped synthesizer is going viral on Kickstarter

The Flow Studio comes loaded Flow Studio Suite, which boasts over 100 signal chains designed to enhance vocals, guitars, synths, drums and more. These chains – called Flows – have been built by “top sound designers and music producers”, Softube says.

Flow Studio Suite also features 25 Softube software effects – including EQs, compressors, guitar amps, reverbs and delays – and this is expandable with an optional Flow subscription, which unlocks up to 145 additional Flows plus 65 plugins.
To streamline workflow in different phases of production, Flow Studio has three modes built in. DAW Mode is for control of parameters like track volume, pan, solo/mute and sends, Flow Mode is for exploring the Flow Studio Suite plugins, and Detail Mode allows the user to dive into each plugin in the signal chain for refined adjustments.
The Flow Studio also sports a 4.3″ full-colour hi-res screen, which gives feedback on metering and parameter adjustments via “inspiring graphics”.
Flow Studio is available now for €395/$399. For more information, head to Softube.
Credit: Softube
The post Flow Studio is an ultra-compact control surface from Softube offering album-ready signal chains and “lightning-fast” control appeared first on MusicTech.

SonicWorld introduce Telsie T SonicWorld's first software launch delivered a meticulous recreation of the Siemens W295b equaliser, and this time it’s the turn of another popular EQ design: the Telefunken W695.

A banana-shaped synthesizer is going viral on KickstarterThe market for kid-friendly synths is booming, it would seem.. You might remember hearing about the Tembo, a beginner synthesizer and sequencer made entirely of wood that smashed its Kickstarter goal by nearly 20x, with over £700,000 pledged when we covered the story last month.
Now, we’re here to share a similar Kickstarter success story in the entry-level synth space, as Banan-a-Synth – a synthesizer shaped like a banana – has already vastly exceeded its pledge goal in just days. At the time of writing, the project has raised £34,301 of funding, compared to its £2,967 goal, with 674 backers.

READ MORE: Plugin Boutique is offering “the lowest price ever” on iZotope’s Ozone 12 mastering suite

Touted as a “pocket-sized sound machine and musical science lab”, the Banan-a-Synth from MicroKits lets you use electricity to play notes and control effects.

At its heart, there’s a custom sound engine with 12 different instrument sounds, eight built-in sound effects – and even four-note polyphony for chords – and comes with a pack of alligator clips so you can turn all manner of conductive objects into instruments you can play.
Onboard instruments include guitar and bass sounds, synths, brass and a number of other miscellaneous instruments. Meanwhile, the eight onboard sound effects are: Pitch Bend, Vibrato, Octave Up, Low Pass, High Pass, 8-bit Arpeggio, Chorus and Delay.
The device also includes an analogue conductivity sensor for effect control – so the harder you press the sensor, the stronger the sound effect.

As you might hope from a banana-shaped synthesizer, the Banan-a-Synth is completely portable, powered by two AA batteries and boasting a built-in speaker and headphone jack. The unit can also be powered via USB-C.
“Yes, it’s a banana shaped synthesizer. It’s also a synthesizer that turns bananas and other conductive objects into musical keys you can play,” says Dave of MicroKits. 
“This is both a pocket sized sound machine and a musical science lab that lets you use electricity to play notes and control effects. Whether you’re a STEM student or pro musician, there’s so much to explore with the Banan-a-Synth.”
At present, there’s a Kickstarter Special tier available, with which customers can back the project for $60 and get the Banan-a-Synth plus 10 alligator clips for experimenting with real-world conductive objects.
For an in-depth rundown of the Banan-a-Synth project, head over to Kickstarter.
The post A banana-shaped synthesizer is going viral on Kickstarter appeared first on MusicTech.

Elementary Sounds releases TSUD, a FREE sample-based kalimba instrument
Elementary Sounds has released TSUD, a free sample-based kalimba instrument for macOS and Windows. This is Elementary Sounds’ first free release and their first new product after roughly a year of silence. I was a bit surprised I hadn’t heard of them before, since their paid stuff looks pretty cool. They have a handful of [...]
View post: Elementary Sounds releases TSUD, a FREE sample-based kalimba instrument

AI datacenter startup Fluidstack in talks for $1B round at $18B valuation months after hitting $7.5B, says reportFundraising is reportedly flowing for Fluidstack after it secured a $50 billion deal to build data centers for Anthropic.

Live Review of Warren HaynesBlue Note LA  Los Angeles, CA

Contact: Bari Lieberman, Press Here Publicity - bari@pressherepublicity.com Web: warrenhaynes.netPlayers: Warren Haynes, guitar, vocals

Leading The Allman Brothers in their resurgence as lead guitarist and vocalist in 1989, founding Gov’t Mule alongside bassist Allen Woody in 1994, and known for collaborations with members of the Grateful Dead, Warren Haynes remains one of the most revered guitarists and southern rockers around. With over 20 live and studio records to date, and millions of track and album sales, the GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer blends folk, soul and Americana, collaborating in genres from blues to modern rock (recently joining forces with Billy Bob Thornton to create “Desiree” for Paramount+’s Landman).

Sharing music across his three-decade career (including selections from Man In Motion, Ashes & Dust, Life Before Insanity and Gov’t Mule’s Dose and Peace…Like A River), during the last show of his Winter of Warren series in Los Angeles, Haynes was in fine form, marinating the room in blissful nostalgia. Entering quietly through the crowd, his gentle, unassuming presence gave way to a powerful, stripped back solo performance for a packed house of sophisticated fans. Lauching into “This Life As We Know It,” a post-pandemic reflection from 2024’s solo album Million Voices Whisper, Haynes intense simplicity captured the crowd immediately. 

A “Gold Dust Woman” cover followed, with tasty minor underpinnings traversing a fabulous use of dynamics and subtly-graveled vocal. “Melissa” brought cheers and swaying from the crowd, while previously unrecorded/unreleased “Dusk Till Dawn” (on his cherry red signature 1961 Gibson ES-335) added an exquisite deep guitar tone, and gritty, swampy pedal effects. “Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday” added more delicious southern rock sound before incredible vocal control sprang to the forefront in punchy lyrical lines on “Hattiesburg Hustle.”

Switching to his 12-string Epiphone Riviera, Haynes delivered grungier guitar sound on “Gone Too Long” (from Gov’t Mule’s Peace…Like A River), before “Life Before Insanity” added psychedelic stylings and intricate riffs, which continued into “Raven Black Night,” also sharing softer vocals and vibrato, and building an incredible sound for a solo act. “The Sky Is Crying” had Haynes taming his steel a fabulous thick blues and phenomenal slide guitar, before shifting back to his Guild acoustic for encore, “In My Life.” LA-centric bonus “Angel City” shared a divine guitar opening and beautiful vocals, walking the line between angels and demons in lyrics around homelessness.

Haynes’ distinct, masterful guitar stylings, warm vocals and earthy, wholesome sound brought forth the comfort of a bygone era of music. The post Live Review of Warren Haynes first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.