“The Late Late Show” host James Corden has confirmed that the composer of the hit “A Team” will be appearing on his show every day next week: “All next week the one, the only Ed Sheeran is going to be on the show every night,” Corden said. “A full week of Ed. We’re going to do comedy, we’re going to chat, he’s going to play… Ed Sheeran’s going to be our musical guest every night of the week. Plus, right here on The Late Late Show, he’s going to do the television debut of his brilliant new single “Bad Habits”.

“Bad Habits” is Sheeran’s big solo return after almost four years. He introduced the new song with a new look, which sees him in a horror-Esque costume with make-up, vampire teeth and a pink suit. In a promotional clip, we can hear a snippet of the song with the following lyrics: “My bad habits lead to late nights sleeping alone, conversations with a stranger I barely know”. The singer allowed TikTok users to use the sound of Sheeran’s video for their own personal creations, which turned out to be a very popular initiative: The video itself received over 250,000 likes and has been viewed 2.1 million times since its release date.

James Corden introduced the band as “one of the best live bands on the planet.” He continued, “after a four year break their new album ‘Blue Weekend’ is out June 4th, we’re so honoured to have them here.”

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Before the performance, the band reminisce with the British TV host about the last time they appeared on the show; drummer Joel Amey added: “Well, we were playing basketball with you on the roof, and I used to keep my passport in my back pocket for about five years and it was just gone. So yeah, everyone was scrambling round trying to find it.”

Corden also asked the band how they feel about their upcoming festival performances this summer; on this lead singer Ellie Rowsell said, “I’m bricking it to be fair, but I can’t wait. I’m missing our fans. It’s been far too long.” The host pauses to remember his American audience may need help with understanding the British colloquialism ‘bricking it.’ He said to the band’s guitarist, “Joff do you want to explain to America what bricking it means?” Joff pretends to be frozen and then jokingly exclaims, “you can google it.”

The pre-recorded performance, shot in the UK, starts in a green filter as the camera zooms in on each band member as they begin to play their instruments heavily. The camera then pans to front lady Ellie Rowsell as she begins to sing, “I ain’t afraid. I ain’t afraid// Though my steps appear tentative//I scope it out then I throw myself into it //I ain’t ashamed in the fact that I’m sensitive //I believe that it is the perfect adjective //I wear my feelings on my sleeve, I suggested it// It serves me better than to swallow in a sedative //I am what I am and I’m good at it //And you don’t like me well that isn’t fucking relevant.”

In a statement on the single ‘Smile,’ Rowsell said: “This is one of the songs we wrote thinking that we would play it live… I miss that feeling of singing on stage. It’s like screaming into a pillow or something — you can get away with being more nasty. There’s a whole other part of me missing.”

Wolf Alice have also made headlines this week after announcing they will be releasing their upcoming third studio album ‘Blue Weekend’ a week early. Announcing its early release on Twitter, the band wrote: “The vinyl has arrived & we’ve held it in our arms and let me tell u we r very proud parents.” They continued: “We’re bringing the release date forward so put June 4th in ur diaries.”

You can watch Wolf Alice perform ‘Smile’ on The Late Late Show now on Youtube.

James Corden introduces Park’s as “one of the most exciting new artists to emerge in a long time” describing her debut album as “absolutely brilliant.”

The pre-recorded performance of her single ‘Hope’ showcases the West London artist with a live band in a room furnished with standard lamps wound in flowers. Making her way around the blossoming lampshades, she sings directly into the camera. In late March, the singer also incorporated flowers in her performance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, which boasted a backdrop of sunflowers.

Speaking on her single ‘Hope,’ with the British Host, Arlo said: “This song to me… it’s exactly as the name suggests. It’s the idea of finding light at the end of the tunnel and looking at pain in a way that’s real and unflinching but realising there’s a lot to look forward to.”

In a short interview with Corden before her performance, Arlo Parks discusses how her success is yet to sink in. She jokes: “I’m still at home doing crosswords and getting into trouble for not doing the hoovering. I’m still just living my normal life.” She continues: “My career is kind of blossoming in this beautiful way. It’s still very surreal to me.”

Arlo will be setting off on her US-debut tour later this year, performing in New York and Los Angeles. Corden asked how she feels about performing again; on this, the pop-singer said: “I mean my music is meant to be experienced in that collective way. That kind of idea of healing in public and being in these sweaty rooms. And I’ve never ever played a show in L.A. I haven’t played a headline show in London yet. So it feels like everything is yet to be experienced.”

Arlo has been at the forefront of popular music in recent weeks, after being nominated for three Brit Awards, including for Best New Artist, Album of the Year and Best Female Artist.

The artist quickly rose to fame after submitting demos to BBC Music Introducing in 2018 and catching the ears of BBC Radio 1 DJ Jess Izatt. The following year Parks performed at several major UK festivals, including on the BBC Music Introducing stage at Glastonbury Festival in June 2019.

Releasing her debut album earlier this year, ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams,’ the 20-year-old has gained recognition from well-known individuals from around the globe, including no other than ex-first lady herself, Michelle Obama. Michelle revealed last year that Arlo Parks is on her playlist of favourite music and is thought to be a keen fan.

You can watch Arlo’s interview and performance on The Late Late Show, now on Youtube.

The lineup includes; Glen Hansard, Bono, The Edge, Imelda May, Hozier, John Sheahan, Finbar Furey, Shane MacGowan, Danny O’Reilly, Roisin O, Declan O’Rourke, Lisa O’Neill and Kodaline’s Steve Garrigan.

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Glen Hansard is no stranger to busking of course. Ten years ago Glen Hansard started the tradition of taking to Dublin’s Grafton Street with a collection of musicians in order to raise money for the homeless. The usual tradition can’t take place in person this year because of the ongoing global health crisis so RTÉ will be taking on the show and broadcasting it to the world.

The show will have many special performances along with stories about memories of the busk over the years and lots of information about the wonderful work The Simon Community does, especially at this time of year. John Sheahan, Finbar Furey, Lisa O’Neill, Glen Hansard, and Shane MacGowan will be making appearances in The Late Late Show studio. Bono and The Edge will perform an acoustic version of U2’s Walk On, as well as lead a special Christmas number. Artists like Imelda May will be performing virtually from London, where she will be performing On Raglan Road. 

Presenter of The Late Late Show, Ryan Tubridy spoke about the event, saying; “This will certainly be a night to remember with the best of Irish talent in one room coming together for some incredible performances. In return, our friends here are asking viewers to dig deep to donate to the Simon Community and to help our brothers and our sisters who are currently homeless to get off the streets, to be safe, to be warm, to be treated with dignity and decency and ultimately to get the type of secure housing that everyone deserves.”

If you are looking for a gift that delivers hope in a meaningful way, why not buy a Dublin Simon Christmas Star The beautiful gold stars can be hung from a tree and represent the real difference you can make to a person’s future. #SimonStars

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— Dublin Simon (@Dublin_Simon) December 12, 2020

Ryan will also be interviewing, Philip Powell, who was staying in a hostel when he struck up a friendship with Glen Hansard, and became a staple performer of the Grafton Street busk. Philip will speak of his experiences of being homeless on and off for two decades.

If you would like to donate to The Simon Community, who work to help the homeless in Ireland, you can do so here. You can watch The Late Late Show Busk for Simon on RTÉ One, Friday, December 18, at 9.35pm or online on the RTÉ player in the UK.

Now Cave has released the trailer for the cinematic experience, which will be available in a limited capacity from November 5. Tickets information is available here (currently excluding the US). The trailer simply offers one minute of Cave at the piano, performing a fragment of ‘Jubilee Street’. “I’m transforming, I’m vibrating, well look at me now,” is the refrain.

Earlier this year he had posted a teaser of the global streaming event. In this, Cave walking through the ornate Alexandra Palace in preparation for his performance. The voiceover is a reading from the opening of ‘Spinning Song’, the first track on Cave’s latest album, Ghosteen. The teaser video is electric with anticipation and Cave walks with a touch of swagger; although this is something of a sombre event, Cave is perfectly self-assured. You can watch it here.

Just last night, Cave offered a heartrending performance of Marc Bolan’s ‘Cosmic Dancer’ for James Corden’s Late Late Show, also recorded in Alexandra Palace. You can watch the cover below – it’s unmissable. You can also find it recorded for the album Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T.Rex, released last week (September 4).

The compilation features covers by everyone from Father John Misty to Joan Jett to Marc Almond. Between this eclectic line-up, the spirit of Bolan is alive, well and appropriately glamorous. It comes in advance of T.Rex’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November. “We’re going to make sure Marc Bolan is at the heart of this,” Martin Barden promised (Barden spoke on behalf of Britain’s Culture Consultants LTD, who currently curate T.Rex’s catalogue).

As if these offerings weren’t enough, Cave has been constantly available for fans throughout lockdown. You can find him at The Red Hand Files, where he promises “You can ask me anything. There will be no moderator. This will be between you and me. Let’s see what happens. Much love, Nick.” You can also get hold of him at Bad Seeds Teevee, a twenty-four hour live stream of Bad Seeds content: promo material, interviews, live footage and rarities, played at random.

Cave shares his energy generously. Speaking about Bad Seeds Teevee, he said, “It’s 10.30 Wednesday evening, and if the world wasn’t in lockdown, I’d be onstage in Toulouse, France singing my heart out with The Bad Seeds. But I’m not. I’m doing the next best thing—sitting at home watching Bad Seed TeeVee. Pure non-stop joy!”  All of this is helps fans to hold out until his rescheduled tour (dates below), which he promised will be “fucking mind-blowing“, by the way.

10/04/2021 – Sportpaleis – Antwerp, Belgium
11/04 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam, Netherlands
13/04 – Utilita Arena – Birmingham, UK
15/04 – The O2 – London, UK
16/04 – The O2 – London, UK
18/04 – First Direct Arena – Leeds, UK
20/04 –  The SSE Hydro – Glasgow, UK
21/04 – Manchester Arena – Manchester, UK
23/o4 – 3Arena – Dublin, Ireland
24/04 – 3Arena – Dublin, Ireland
26/04 – Motorpoint Arena – Cardiff, UK
28/04 – AccorHotels Arena – Paris, France
29/04 – Lanxess Arena – Cologne, Germany
01/05 – Royal Arena – Copenhagen, Denmark
02/05 – Royal Arena – Copenhagen, Denmark
04/05 – Ericsson Globe – Stockholm, Sweden
05/05 – Spektrum – Oslo, Norway
07/05 – Barclaycard Arena – Hamburg, Germany
08/05 – Mercedes-Benz Arena – Berlin, Germany
10/05 – Arena Gliwice – Gliwice, Poland
12/05 – Stadthalle – Vienna, Austria
13/05 – László Papp Budapest Sportaréna – Budapest, Hungary
15/05 – Stark Arena – Belgrade, Serbia
17/05 – O2 Arena – Prague, Czech Republic
19/05 – Olympiahalle – Munich, Germany
20/05 – Mediolanum Forum – Milan, Italy
23/05 – WiZink Center – Madrid, Spain
24/05 – Altice Arena – Lisbon, Portugal
27/05 – Palau Sant Jordi – Barcelona, Spain
28/05 – Zénith Toulouse Métropole – Toulouse, France
31/05 – Rome Palazzo dello Sport – Rome, Italy
03/06 – Hallenstadion – Zurich, Switzerland
07/06 – Bloomfield Stadium – Tel Aviv, Israel