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Music News: Beach Vibes Festival canceled

James Murphy performs with LCD Soundsystem
James Murphy performs with LCD SoundsystemMark Metcalfe/Getty Images

September 22, 2016

Earlier this summer, it was announced that a new music festival, curated by LCD Soundsystem, would be held in January, 2017, on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. On Thursday, it was announced that the festival will be canceled.

A statement from Beach Vibes Festival organizers reads, "The event was not coming together in the way that it was envisioned, and all parties have agreed that putting on an event that is less than 100% would be a disservice to the fans and bands alike. Therefore, canceling the weekend-long event is in the best interest of all involved." (Pitchfork)

John Lennon's suit to be put up for auction

An upcoming auction in Cambridge, Mass., will feature a custom-made suit belonging to the late John Lennon. The tweed black and gray two-piece suit is expected to fetch around $65,000. Other Beatles artifacts up for sale include a signed postcard (with the signature of fill-in drummer Jimmie Nicol) and signed receipts of other band members. (NME)

Atlanta honors Killer Mike

Atlanta city officials announced this week that they will name a giant, 400-foot-long tunnel-boring machine "Driller Mike" — honoring Atlanta based-rapper Killer Mike (one half of hip-hop duo Run the Jewels).

"It was the funniest thing in the world to me," Killer Mike says. "I didn't take it seriously, because I'm a rapper. Cities don't associate themselves with rappers. But I'm a business owner, a dad, an active member of politics in Atlanta, so I was honestly honored that people in Atlanta saw fit to name something after me." (Billboard)

New video from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis: "Comancheria"

Last month, the official soundtrack for the film Hell or High Water (starring Jeff Bridges, along with Chris Pine and Ben Foster) was released by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. There's now an accompanying video for the soundtrack highlight, "Comancheria." Watch the video below. (Pitchfork)

A new strain of marijuana developed by Merle Haggard

Prior to his passing in April, 2016, country legend Merle Haggard (with help from his daughter Jenessa Haggard-Bennett and son-in-law Brian Bennett) had been growing medical marijuana on his 280-acre California property. Since his death, relatives — along with partners from Colorado Weed Co.— have worked toward bringing a strain of marijuana to Colorado dispensaries, where recreational use of marijuana was legalized in 2012. The sativa strain is known as "Merle's Girls," and gets its name from a California girls soccer team sponsored by the late singer.

Willie Nelson, who partnered up with Haggard for a 2015 album featuring the song "It's All Going to Pot," recently launched his own line of cannabis products — Willie's Reserve. (Rolling Stone)

Scarlett Johansson's band covers New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle"

Scarlett Johansson and her band Sugar for Sugar (which also features Julia Haltigan, Holly Miranda, and Kendra Morris) have covered New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle" for a new album benefiting the AIDS organization amfAR. The album, titled The Time is Now, will be released on Oct. 7. (NME)