M.I.A. Finally Announces Free New York Show

M.I.A. had promised New Yorkers a free concert to make amends for her critically maligned, weather-shortened performance at the HARD Fest on Governor's Island in late June. But when she announced her tour schedule, her stop at New York's Terminal 5 wasn't planned as a freebie. The rapper responded to the complaints that followed by tweeting, "The day America stops seein my mum as a threat to national security and lets her come to my show, ill throw u d biggest jump off."

Check out M.I.A.'s wildest looks

M.I.A., however, has apparently decided to do the free show after all, announcing an October 6th set at Brooklyn Bowl. (The delayed decision probably had something to do with the fact that the Terminal 5 show, which happened last night, never sold out.) According to Interscope Records, tickets for the October 6th show will be available on the night of the concert, at the venue, on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

More Song Stories entries »

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