ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Yo-Yo Ma Plays the Los Angeles River as States Sue to Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger

other · 2026-07-13

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has performed at the Los Angeles River, joining a trend of musicians using the neglected and partially restored waterway as an impromptu concert venue. In Oakland, a nonreligious choir is filling a church with people who simply want to sing together. Meanwhile, twelve U.S. states have filed a lawsuit to block Paramount's $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Netflix, struggling to retain viewers, is in talks to acquire Letterboxd, a community-built movie platform. The recording industry has proposed voluntary labels to distinguish AI-generated from AI-assisted music tracks. Actor Sam Neill, known for five decades of magnetic decency on screen, died at age 78.

Key facts

  • Yo-Yo Ma performed at the Los Angeles River.
  • The Los Angeles River is described as neglected, trashed, and half-restored.
  • A nonreligious choir in Oakland is packing a church with people who want to sing together.
  • Twelve states sued to block Paramount's $111 billion purchase of Warner Bros.
  • Netflix is in talks to buy Letterboxd.
  • The recording industry proposed voluntary labels for AI-generated vs. AI-assisted tracks.
  • Sam Neill died at 78.
  • Sam Neill spent five decades making decency magnetic on screen.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Los Angeles Times
  • San Francisco Chronicle
  • The New York Times
  • The Guardian
  • Deadline
  • Paramount
  • Warner Bros.
  • Netflix
  • Letterboxd
  • Goodreads

Locations

  • Los Angeles
  • Oakland

Sources