Features
Spike Lee Gets Unstaged
You already know that John Legend and The Roots are the next artists to be featured on the “Unstaged” live concert series but you might be interested to hear that Spike Lee has been announced as the next director.
“Unstaged: An Original Series from American Express” features breakthrough artists playing landmark venues across the country along with some of today’s most influential filmmakers directing the live-streams.
Arcade Fire kicked off the premier of the series, which is a partnership with YouTube and VEVO, the music video site owned by Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Music Co. The Canadian indie rock band played New York City’s Madison Square Garden Aug. 5 with the livestream directed by Terry Gilliam.
John Legend and the Roots will be featured as the second concert in Unstaged’s five-part series with a gig at Terminal 5 in New York Sept. 23.
Photo: Steve Jennings
Wells Fargo Center For The Arts, Santa Rosa, Calif.
While ticketholders enjoy the show in NYC fans at home will be able to view the stream on YouTube via Vevo.
Viewers at home will once again be offered various interactive ways to get involved with the show including the option to select their camera view.
“It’s not necessarily a Spike Lee joint,” Lee said. “It’s a John Legend and the Roots joint.”
Photo: AP Photo
Independence Mall, Philadelphia, Pa.
Lee said he’s never watched a concert online but says he’s going to do his homework with “due diligence” before the NYC show.
The director said he’s already made up his mind not to shoot “8 million close-ups.”
“I’ll tell you this: I’m not shooting for people to look at on their iPhones,” Lee said. “At least a 15-inch computer screen. For me, it’s criminal to watch a movie on your phone.”
Legend’s and the Roots’ new collaborative album, Wake Up!, is set for release Sept. 21.
Three more “Unstaged” concerts will be streamed online later this year. The artists have not yet been announced.
Click here for the AP story.