By the time Nashville songwriter Travis Meadows took the stage on a recent Sunday afternoon, more than 500 music fans had found their way 333 feet (100 meters) below the ground, some taller guests ducking their heads just a bit.
They took their seats in lounge chairs and on a handful of rock outcroppings beneath an antique chandelier that once adorned a New York City theater. The enormous light is now bolted into the ceiling of the Volcano Room inside Tennessee's Cumberland Caverns.
In this Feb. 25, 2018 photo, singer-songwriter Chris Knight (center) and his band perform 333 feet below ground in Cumberland Caverns near McMinnville, Tenn. Tennessee will soon have not just one, but two caves vying for fans who want to see music performed in a subterranean environment. (AP Photo/Jeff Martin)
"The patrons and performers are all sort of awed by this magical and majestic setting," said Todd Mayo, who had the idea of hosting concerts 10 years ago, during a family vacation that included a tour of the cave.
The phenomenon draws fans since it pairs live music with the lure of exploring the caves and their unique environments, promoters say.
"Caves are spiritual, special places, so when you combine that natural wonder of a cave with music, it's just special," Mayo said.
Tennessee will soon have not just one, but two caves vying for fans who want to see music performed in a subterranean environment.
Mayo is the creator and executive producer of the PBS show "Bluegrass Underground," which has filmed concerts in the Volcano Room since 2009.
He recently bought his own cave at the base of Monteagle Mountain near Pelham, Tennessee, and is planning that cave's first-ever show Saturday with performances by Nashville artist Billy Strings and a band from Havana, Cuba known as the Sweet Lizzy Project. The PBS show is also moving to that cave known as The Caverns, where Mayo hopes to put on about 40 to 50 shows this year. It can seat 750 people or expand to 1,000 for standing-room-only shows.
In this Feb. 25, 2018 photo, singer-songwriter Chris Knight, center, and his band perform 333 feet below ground in Cumberland Caverns near McMinnville, Tenn. Tennessee will soon have not just one, but two caves vying for fans who want to see music performed in a subterranean environment.(AP Photo/Jeff Martin)
Meanwhile, the original home of the PBS show in Cumberland Caverns is continuing to host concerts on its own and aims to book about 20 shows this year beneath the giant crystal chandelier in the Volcano Room, spokeswoman Amanda Blank said. Atlanta singer-songwriter Shawn Mullins recently performed in the Volcano Room, which has a capacity of around 700.
"These shows, because they are so unique and on a lot of music lovers' bucket lists, I think there are enough people to fill both places," Blank said.
Mayo said the shows have drawn fans from around the world, from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.
"It's a destination now — people want to come do this," he said.
While producing the PBS shows in the Volcano Room, Mayo recalls meeting a woman from Dubai who had seen the show, and sold her car to buy plane tickets to fly to Tennessee to see a show.
The artists who have performed there say they didn't know exactly what to expect.
"It was kind of surreal, man, in its own kind of way," said Jimbo Hart, a bass guitarist who performed in the Volcano Room with Alabama artist Jason Isbell's band, The 400 Unit.
"It sparked the science nerd in me," said Hart, who had studied geology at the University of North Alabama and found himself noticing the waterfalls, the stalactites and various formations of the cave.
Tim Nielsen, a bass player in the Georgia band Drivin' N Cryin', recalls their gear being loaded into the cave on small all-terrain vehicles. Fans are guided about 900 yards (820 meters) past underground pools and waterfalls to reach the Volcano Room for shows.
"We had no idea what we were getting into, but we were just like 'Ok, we're going to play in a cave way down under the Earth,'" Nielsen said. "It was a cool vibe, a cool experience."
In this Feb. 25, 2018 photo, music fans fill much of the expansive Volcano Room beneath an antique, 1,500-pound chandelier that once hung in the Loew's Metropolitan Theatre in New York City. in McMinnville, Tenn. More than 500 music fans had found their way 333 feet below the ground, some taller guests ducking their heads just a bit. (AP Photo/Jeff Martin)
Mayo said there are several reason he went cave-shopping, and ended up buying one historically known as "Big Mouth" for the new venue he's named "The Caverns." It's closer to Nashville and Chattanooga, Tennessee, and also allows easier access for fans to get inside, he said. And it gives him the ability to install permanent lighting and audio equipment.
"The cave is very carefully lit because the cave is the co-star for whoever is on stage," Mayo said. "The lighting is very subtle and it's really beautiful and it's really respectful of this natural environment."
The return of “Hacks” and a new Jerry Seinfeld movie are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: New episodes of “Behind the Music,” Selena Gomez taking her cooking skills to restaurants and a video game for political junkies.
– Jerry Seinfeld has been very picky about his post-”Seinfeld” projects, but the comedian stars in, co-writes and directs the new Netflix comedy “Unfrosted” (out now). The film, an origin story for the Pop-Tart, is as stocked with comic talent as it is ridiculousness. Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant and many others co-star in Seinfeld’s satire of Kellogg’s and Post in a heated raced to create a new breakfast treat.
– “Documenting Police Use of Force” is the result of a three-year investigation by PBS’ “Frontline,” The Associated Press and Howard Center for Investigative Journalism examining deaths that have followed police use of tactics known as “less-lethal force.” Though tactics like prone restraint are meant to be less deadly than firearms, the investigation found that their use, or misuse, led to more than 1,000 deaths over 10 years — often in encounters that began with a minor incident. The film began streaming on APNews.com, PBS.org/frontline and in the PBS app on Tuesday. It also airs on PBS stations (check local listings), on Frontline’s YouTube channel and will be available on the PBS Documentaries Prime Video Channel.
– If you missed “The Holdovers,” Alexander Payne’s Oscar-winning ’70s-set boarding school comic drama, the film arrived Monday on Prime Video. The film was nominated for five Oscars, including best actor for Paul Giamatti, and went home with one: best supporting actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Giamatti stars as a curmudgeonly teacher tasked with watching a student (Dominic Sessa) over Christmas break.
— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle
— First came “Houdini,” a club-banger with new edge. Then the lively ambitiousness of “Training Season,” and the elastic bass of “Illusion.” The English-Albanian pop superstar Dua Lipa ’s third album, “Radical Optimism,” is built of her longstanding pop sensibilities. But she’s shifted slightly away from the disco-pop of 2020’s “Future Nostalgia” and instead, has embraced pop-psychedelia in influences like Primal Scream and Massive Attack, at least partially thanks to a new collaborator in Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker. It’s a euphoric ride straight to the club, and a reminder of the necessity of danceable music in resilience.
— In the late ’90s and carrying into the 2010s, VH1’s documentary series “Behind the Music” offered in-depth insight into the top performers of the past and present – highlighting their path of success and obstacles faced in the process. For music obsesses, it was an education. If you missed it, or if you’re missing it right now, long no more: Paramount+ debuted new episodes of “Behind the Music” on Wednesday, spotlighting Bell Biv DeVoe, Trace Adkins and Wolfgang Van Halen. And while you wait: There are episodes from the original series available to stream on Paramount+ right now, featuring everyone from Boy George and Busta Rhymes to Jennifer Lopez and New Kids on the Block.
— Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar – and his band, Nigerien guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane, drummer Souleymane Ibrahim, and American bassist Mikey Coltun -- have been celebrated on the global stage for their ferocious psychedelic rock. On their forthcoming album, “Funeral for Justice,” those riffs have only gotten bigger, better, more explosive atop an anti-colonial message. “Oppressed in all three / In addition to lack of unity, ignorance is the third issue,” Moctar sings for Niger, Mali and Algeria on “Sousoume Tamacheq,” a rallying cry for the Tuareg people. And at the foundation is one of the most exciting rock bands in years.
— Maybe the UK-pop firebrand Rachel Chinouriri first hit your timeline when the music video for her song “Never Need Me” featured an unlikely star, the actor Florence Pugh. Or maybe it is from one of her many viral moments on TiKTok (“So My Darling,” anyone?), or from her malleable EPs, 2019’s “Mama’s Boy,” 2021’s “Four In Winter,” and 2022’s “Better Off Without.” Whatever the case, it is time to prepare for her alternative pop in the form of a debut album, “What a Devastating Turns of Events,” out Friday. Begin with the whistled-hook and talk-sung lyrics of single “It Is What It Is.”
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
— The long-awaited third season of “Hacks,” starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder returns May 2. The show picks up about a year after the finale of season two, with its two stars seemingly worlds apart. Smart’s Deborah Vance is at the top of her stand-up game in Las Vegas and Einbinder’s Ava is busy working as a writer in Los Angeles. The separation doesn’t last long as the two can’t seem to quit each other. Another reason to tune in? The comedic duo Paul W. Downs and Megan Stalter (playing agent Jimmy and his not at all trusty assistant, Kayla) have been bumped up to series regulars. The first two episodes of “Hacks” are now out on Max.
— Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds continue their grand experiment of owning a football club on season three of FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham.” We begin with a rewind to last summer –- with the Red Dragons on a high, touring America and enjoying the perks of upgrades to their facility. “Welcome to Wrexham” season 3 debuted Thursday on FX. Streams next day on Hulu.
— While fans wait for the sixth and final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a new Elisabeth Moss series called “The Veil” is coming to Hulu from FX. The series takes place in the high-stakes world of international espionage with Moss portraying a MI6 agent. “I can change into anything, become 100 strangers,” Moss says in the show’s trailer. “The Veil” is streaming now on Hulu.
— We watched Selena Gomez learn to cook over Zoom for four seasons of “Selena + Chef,” and now she’s ready to say “Yes, Chef!” in restaurant kitchens. In her new Food Network series “Selena + Restaurant,” Gomez and her bestie Raquelle Stevens visit popular LA-area restaurants to try to create a dish that would make the menu. The show is now on Food Network and streams on Max.
— The best-selling book “The Tatooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris has been adapted as a limited series for Peacock. It tells the true story of a Slovakian Jewish man named Lale Sokolov, sent to Auschwitz and given the job of tattooing fellow prisoners. He ends up falling in love with a girl named Gita. The story is told through flashbacks and Harvey Keitel plays an older Lale, recounting the experience to Morris — played by Melanie Lynskey. The series debuted Thursday on Peacock.
— The comedy festival Netflix is a Joke is upping the ante by offering some events live on the streamer. Katt Williams, known for his no holds barred commentary is set to go live with a stand-up set called “Woke Folk” on Saturday. And Kevin Hart will host “The Roast of Tom Brady” on May 5. “I played in the NFL, so I’m not worried about a bunch of comedians, trust me,” taunted the seven-time Super Bowl winner in a video shared with NBC’s “TODAY “show. Brady says he does not know who will appear to roast him.
— Alicia Rancilio
— Judging from the polls, a lot of Americans aren’t happy with their choices in this fall’s presidential election. Thank goodness for The Political Machine 2024, which lets you create your own White House candidate from scratch. Sure, you can play as Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or an also-ran like Ron DeSantis or Nikki Haley, but why not try to get yourself or your grandma or your favorite teacher elected? Publisher Stardock, best known for intergalactic strategy epics like Sins of a Solar Empire, has cranked up The Political Machine every four years since 2004, and this season’s edition adds primaries, debates and action cards that “undermine your opponents and bolster your campaign.” Hit the stump on PC.
— Lou Kesten
Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/entertainment.
Dua Lipa poses for a portrait to promote her new album "Radical Optimism" on Friday, April 26, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Drew Gurian/Invision/AP)
Wrexham Co-Owner Rob McElhenney, left, chats on the pitch after the English League Two soccer match between Wrexham and Stockport at the Racecourse Ground Stadium in Wrexham, Wales, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Wrexham AFC got promoted to League One.(AP Photo/Jon Super)
This image released by Netflix shows Melissa McCarthy, from left, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan in a scene from "Unfrosted." (Netflix via AP)
This cover image released by Warner Music shows “Radical Optimism” by Dua Lipa. (Warner via AP)
This cover image released by Matador shows “Funeral for Justice” by Mdou Moctar. (Matador via AP)
This image released by Elektra Records shows “What a Devastating Turn of Events" by Rachel Chinouriri. (Elektra Records via AP)
This image released by Focus Features shows Dominic Sessa, from left, Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in a scene from "The Holdovers." (Seacia Pavao/Focus Features via AP)
This combination of images fshows promotional art for the Hulu series "The Veil," left, the Hulu series "Welcome to Wrexham," center, and the comedy series "Hacks." (Hulu/Hulu/Max via AP)
