Category: Music

Gray skies and drizzle gave way to sunshine, multicolored flags and celebrations as the nation’s capital held the WorldPride parade Saturday (June 7).

Tens of thousands of people participated in parades and other festivities, in defiance of what activists say is an unprecedented assault on the LGBTQ+ community that challenges the rights for which many have fought over the years.

A rainbow flag the length of three football fields flowed through the streets, carried by 500 members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C., to kick off the parade. Behind them, people waved Pride flags and flags representing the transgender, asexual and bisexual communities from atop a bus.

Singer-songwriter and actor Reneé Rapp laughed and blew kisses from the back of a pickup truck draped with a transgender flag while Laverne Cox, a transgender actress and activist known for her role in Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, waved from an open convertible.

“Pride means us looking out for each other no matter what,” she declared to the crowd as the convertible rolled to a stop. “We know how to be there for each other.”

Many LGBTQ+ travelers have expressed concerns or decided to skip WorldPride due to anxieties about safety, border policies and a hostile political climate that they say hearkens back to another time. But that did not keep international travelers and other participants away, with groups visible from Iran, Namibia, Kenya and Russia.

Along the parade route, hundreds gathered outside the National City Christian Church as rainbow flags and balloons lined its steps and columns. A child with rainbow face paint blew bubbles at the base of the steps while Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” blared from loudspeakers.

“D.C. is already one of the biggest cities in the country for celebrating Pride,” said Cheo White, 33, from Annapolis, Maryland, “But we are all collectively more united and turning out more because of what’s happening in the White House.”

Many have said the gathering has taken on a new meaning amid the Trump administration’s aggressive policies against protections for transgender Americans and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

White’s partner, Nick Kerver, 26, who was visiting from Toledo, Ohio, said Pride has “always been a political tool” but has taken on more importance this year amid mounting threats to the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender and nonbinary Americans.

“It feels more important than ever,” Kerver said while wearing a rainbow hat, sunglasses and a T-shirt. “But we also have to get involved in our local communities too.“

David Begler, a 58-year-old gay man from Philadelphia, expressed disappointment that many international travelers felt unsafe visiting D.C. for WorldPride but said he appreciates its presence in the city during this political climate.

“It’s the perfect time to have WorldPride in D.C.,” Begler said. “We need it right now. I want us to send a message to the White House to focus on uplifting each other instead of dividing.“

Stay DeRoux, 36, usually plans a day trip to D.C. Pride from her home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. But this year, she and her wife, Deenie DeRoux, planned a full weekend. “This is a really big year,” Stay DeRoux said. “There’s been a lot of turmoil. So it’s an amazing thing to be among allies, among people who love because we’ve experienced so much hate on a daily basis.”

For the day, the idea of threats and opposition took a backseat to the celebration. Streets were closed, but filled with floats, and impromptu parties broke out with music and food in streets adjoining the parade route. Cynthia Erivo was set to perform on the Capitol Stag following the parade.

Johnny Cervantes Jr., dressed in a black suit and top hat, headed to a grandstand at a church-themed float to marry his partner of 28 years, Freddie Lutz, owner of Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia.

Events culminate Sunday with a rally and protest march and a giant street party and concert (headlined by Doechii) covering a multi-block stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue.

“This is WorldPride in the best city in the world,” Mayor Muriel Bowser declared as she walked the parade hand-in-hand with her daughter, Miranda.

Mariah the Scientist is not taking the stage at Governors Ball 2025 today (Saturday, June 7), even though her name had remained on the day’s reworked schedule after the New York City festival experienced a four-and-a-half hour delay in opening.

Billboard learned of the cancellation on the ground at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. No announcement was heard at the event, and the change of plans came with no explanation.

Gov Ball organizers posted a brief update in a temporary Instagram Story close to the updated time Mariah was set to perform (5:45-6:15 p.m. ET), but did not give a reason for her set being called off last minute. The social media message simply stated, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Mariah the Scientist will no longer be able to perform.”

The “Burning Blue” singer-songwriter — whose breakthrough hit is her first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100, where the single currently sits at No. 35 — later acknowledged the cancellation on her Instagram account, writing, “So upset I’m not getting to perform at Gov Ball today. I’m so sorry to everybody who showed up through the traffic and rain. I apologize.” She later added a photo showing a rainy view through a window with the caption “I really wanted to perform.”

Billboard has reached out to representatives for both Mariah and Governors Ball for further comment.

The three-day outdoor festival, which launched Friday, opened doors hours later than expected on day two due to forecasts of rain and thunder in the area. While those in line on Saturday were originally meant to be let in at 12 p.m., doors were delayed until 4:30 p.m.

With the weather delay, early sets by Lexa Gates, Yaya Bey, The Backfires and others were removed completely from Saturday’s schedule, while several later performances were pushed back an hour or more. Olivia Rodrigo‘s headlining set on the main stage was moved to 9:25 p.m.; Feid and Wave to Earth, both set to close other stages, had their set times shifted to 8:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

Hozier, Mt. Joy, Clairo, Raye, Royel Otis, The Japanese House and more are on the bill for Governors Ball 2025’s third day on Sunday (June 8).

Rod Stewart has canceled additional U.S. tour dates as he continues to recover from the flu.

On Saturday (June 7), the 80-year-old music icon announced on social media that he is canceling four concerts and rescheduling two others due to ongoing health concerns.

“I have to cancel and reschedule my next six concerts in June as I continue to recover from the flu,” Sir Rod wrote on Instagram. “So sorry my friends. I’m devastated and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to my fans. I’ll be back on stage and will see you soon.”

Three of the canceled shows (June 7, 8 and 10) were part of his Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Another canceled show in Nevada was set for June 14 in Lake Tahoe. Two California dates — Rancho Mirage on June 12 and Paso Robles on June 15 — have been rescheduled for Sept. 20 and 21, respectively.

Earlier in the week, Stewart — who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 American Music Awards in May — had already postponed his June 1 and June 5 shows at Caesars Palace, citing an unspecified illness.

Looking ahead, the “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” singer is scheduled to return to his native U.K. for a high-profile appearance on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival on June 29. He recently revealed that he’ll be joined by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, reuniting their classic 1960s–1970s band Faces.

Other 2025 Glastonbury headliners include The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo.

Following Glastonbury, Stewart will return to North America in July, performing across the U.S. and Canada before resuming his Las Vegas residency in late September. After that, he’s set for a run of South American dates before heading to Europe to finish out the year.

See Stewart’s announcement below on Instagram.

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Livestream WNBA superstar Angel Reese in action, as the Indiana Fever take on the Chicago Sky. The Fever-Sky game takes place at United Center in Chicago on Saturday (June 7).

When Does Fever vs. Sky Start?

Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky broadcasts live, with a start time of 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Where to Watch Fever vs. Sky Online

Fever vs. Sky airs on CBS. The game is available to livestream on Paramount+, DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV. Keep reading for more details on how cord-cutters can watch the Indiana-Chicago game online.

How to Watch Fever vs. Sky with Paramount+

Paramount+ has two tiers for streaming plans to watch Fever vs. Sky. The first is the Paramount+ Essential plan, which is ad-supported and goes for $7.99 per month. It grants you access to everything the streamer has to offer, including and catalog titles — from content hubs, including CBS, CBS Sports, CBS News, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and The Smithsonian Channel — but with limited commercial breaks throughout movies, TV shows and live TV.

The other is Paramount+ with Showtime, which is ad-free and goes for $12.99 per month. This plan has all of Paramount+ originals and network hubs, as well as programming from Showtime with hits including Yellowjackets, Billions, The Curse, The Chi and Your Honor without any ad breaks.

How to Watch Fever vs. Sky with DirecTV

A subscription to DirecTV — which comes with CBS for Fever vs. Sky — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $59.99 for the first month of service ($84.99 per month afterwards) for the streamer’s signature packages.

You can watch local networks such as NBC, ABC, Fox, and PBS, while you can also watch many cable networks, including ESPN, FS1, Lifetime, FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, BET, MTV, Paramount Network, Cartoon Network, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, CNBC and many others.

How to Watch Fever vs. Sky with Hulu + Live TV

The Fever-Sky game on CBS is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV too. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost.

Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks, including ESPN, ABC, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC, Fox Sports and more.

How to Watch Fever vs. Sky with Fubo

To watch Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky on CBS, Fubo starts at $64.99 for the first month, $84.99 per month afterwards (the streamer’s current deal) with more than 230 channels — including local and cable — that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers.

The service even gets you live access to local broadcast networks including NBC, Fox and ABC, while it also has dozens of cable networks, such as ESPN, Bravo, CMT, ID, TV Land, VH1, TLC, E!, FS1, MTV, FX, Ion, OWN, Paramount Network and much more.

Which Celebrities Are Making Appearances During Fever vs. Sky Game?

It’s likely there may be a number of celebrities and famous recording artists in attendance during Fever vs. Sky, such as Fever fans Jason Sudeikis, Travis Scott, Tim McGraw, Mila Kunis and others, or Sky fans Chance the Rapper, Barack Obama, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union and more. Tune in to the games to find out who’s sitting courtside on celebrity row.

Starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, the Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky airs on CBS on Saturday (June 7). The WNBA game is available to livestream on DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and Paramount+.

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