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Today’s Music News: Adele ticket pandemonium sweeps Minnesota

by Staff

December 17, 2015

Tickets for Adele's two Xcel Energy Center shows went on sale to the public Thursday morning, and sold out as quickly as fans could scoop them up. Arena staff told the Star Tribune that they'd never seen such demand for any shows, ever. The melee now moves to ticket reselling (a practice that's legal in Minnesota), where ticket prices are expected to run from $250 to $750. Meanwhile, Adele is working with Songkick to sell as many tickets as possible at face value; the service says it's already blocked tens of thousands of scalpers from buying tickets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSt9RDIIa0k

Jimmy Buffett's going to have a stage musical too — albeit a much more conventional one. Producers are assembling a show that will build some kind of story around performances of Buffett's hits. "We have found our crew and I am happy to sail with them to Margaritaville," says the famously chill singer-songwriter, 68. "It's going to be a fun voyage." (Billboard)

Violent Femmes have announced their first studio album in 16 years. We Can Do Anything will be released on March 4. (Consequence of Sound)

Nigel Godrich, a producer who's a close collaborator with Radiohead, has a role in the new Star Wars movie. Don't look too closely for his little faux-hawk, though: Godrich plays a stormtrooper. (Stereogum)

It's going to take pharmaceutical magnate Martin Shkreli a little bit longer to listen to that Wu-Tang Clan album he paid $2 million for: Shkreli has just been arrested on securities fraud charges. (Billboard)

On the latest episode of the Song Exploder podcast, Björk talks about her song "Stonemilker." (Pitchfork)

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A$AP Rocky has announced that Jan. 16 — the one-year anniversary of the death of A$AP Yams — will be "Yams Day." A tribute concert in New York City will feature Rocky, A$AP MobJoey Bada$$, and more. (Pitchfork)

Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries has pleaded guilty to assaulting four people on an Aer Lingus flight last year. Appearing in an Irish court to register the plea, O'Riordan had no further comment about the alleged psychotic episode. Her sentence, which could include up to six months of incarceration, will be announced early in 2016. (Billboard)

Recent hip-hop sensation Azealia Banks, whose life has been increasingly tumultuous, has been arrested in New York after allegedly assaulting a security guard at a nightclub. Banks reportedly punched the guard and bit the guard's breast. (Pitchfork)

Move over, Bing Crosby: YouTube reports that Pentatonix are dominating Christmas music streams this year, with their top song "Mary, Did You Know?" beating out even Mariah Carey's contemporary classic "All I Want For Christmas Is You." The third most-popular holiday tune on YouTube this month? Wham! It's "Last Christmas." (Billboard)

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This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.