tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15535277911825934882024-03-13T00:59:54.511-07:00Music & Sports NewsRyan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-54973332741633682482013-05-15T16:03:00.001-07:002013-05-15T16:04:25.561-07:00The Monkees Tour: 1960’s Band Hitting The Road Again In 2013<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseey7icjmBewubC1cUZmFKH21LiNdQlPEJyxF8d7MNQ1paTTprIucIdscHWwfrxD2kxuHINZuuBA9u50DmFafWSWQSoqkmlmLYuuJOBhro1oufj5e2aTtlTICDsaydFYHbno9t_b9ylY/s1600/TheMonkees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhseey7icjmBewubC1cUZmFKH21LiNdQlPEJyxF8d7MNQ1paTTprIucIdscHWwfrxD2kxuHINZuuBA9u50DmFafWSWQSoqkmlmLYuuJOBhro1oufj5e2aTtlTICDsaydFYHbno9t_b9ylY/s320/TheMonkees.jpg" /></a><br />
<strong>The Monkees Tour: 1960’s Band Hitting The Road Again In 2013</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Here we come <br />
Walking down the street<br />
We get the funniest looks from <br />
All the <em>whippersnappers</em> we meet!<br />
<br />
Hey, hey they’re the Monkees and they are touring again.<br />
<br />
No, really. The “Pre-fab” is hitting the road this summer to play 24 concerts routed all over the United States.<br />
<br />
I feel like I need to snap a picture of today’s newspaper and post it in this blog. That way you’ll be sure this isn’t a story from a year or a decade gone-by.<br />
<br />
Don’t worry. You’re internet is working fine. No one has hacked your computer. The Monkees are indeed touring in the summer of 2013.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Monkees Tour</strong><br />
Their upcoming trek is called “A Midsummer’s Night with the Monkees.” It launches July 15 in Port Chester, New York and ends Aug. 18 in Portland, Oregon.<br />
<br />
They band has routed major cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Houston and Denver but they are playing small to midsized arenas like The Mann Center, Ryman Auditorium, and Benaroya Hall.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>The Monkees Songs</strong><br />
“A Midsummer’s Night with the Monkees” will present their catalog of hits in a rather unique way. They are planning to perform their songs in chronological order. That means “Last Train to Clarksville” (August, 1966) and “I’m a Believer” (November, 1966) will be their first two songs right out of the gate.<br />
<br />
Don’t get up leave. There are still a bunch of great songs to come including “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” “Mary Mary,” “Randy Scouse Git,” and “What Am I Doing Hangin’ Round?” If they’re true to their word, and who has ever known a Monkee to lie, they should finish on “That was Then, This Is Now” their last top 20 single.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>The Monkees Daydream Believer</strong><br />
The 2012 Monkees tour was a tribute to Davy Jones. He passed away in February of that year. While that tour inspired their upcoming jaunt, the band has already said they will acknowledge Jones but “possibly not as much as on [their previous] tour.”<br />
<br />
Don’t worry, The Monkees—Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith—will still perform Jones’ section of the band’s tome. That means fans with Monkees tickets should expect to hear classic cuts like “Daydream Believer,” “Valleri,” “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” and “Cuddly Toy.” Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-8596805476396615662013-05-09T07:46:00.000-07:002013-05-09T07:51:22.832-07:00Billie Joe Armstrong Calls Psy ‘Herpes of Music’<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJIZGEgGp6YjdpcRpyKXoqazype0OHoCJYg-XOet5_HN1tLqgQ0AeGi5GjCO5TvBz8hFBB9QB4b6EaNwjaAYVKFwjmqeFFbpiK2Do7-NGDeOUal0fOIOKOXBqdw3e3U4fmQebd6G4NYM/s1600/BillieJoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJIZGEgGp6YjdpcRpyKXoqazype0OHoCJYg-XOet5_HN1tLqgQ0AeGi5GjCO5TvBz8hFBB9QB4b6EaNwjaAYVKFwjmqeFFbpiK2Do7-NGDeOUal0fOIOKOXBqdw3e3U4fmQebd6G4NYM/s320/BillieJoe.jpg" /></a><b>Billie Joe Armstrong Calls Psy ‘Herpes of Music’</b>
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<br />
Maybe he needs to go back to rehab.
<br />
<br />
Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, recently posted this on his Instagram account:
<br />
<br />
“This dude is the herpes of music. Once you think it’s gone, it comes back.”
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<br />
The “dude” in the above quotation is K-pop star Psy.
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<br />
BJA’s comment garnered 20,000 likes and 2,000 comments. Now, hold on to your hats, this may surprise you, but most of the comments agreed with Armstrong.
<br />
<br />
BJA recently got out of rehab. He and his band are currently touring Europe. What preceded his trip to the clinic was a rant about Justin Bieber at a concert in Las Vegas. After he finished chewing out the Biebs, the “American Idiot” singer checked himself into rehab.
<br />
<br />
So maybe BJA is back on the sauce, or the pills, or whatever was his addiction of choice (recording derivative music perhaps?). Not to state the obvious, but a urine test wouldn’t hurt.
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<br />
Psy (and Bieber for that matter) aren’t the most musical of musical acts. Everyone knows that. No one seriously thinks Psy is the Korean Justin Timberlake or Justin Bieber the Canadian Justin Timberlake.
<br />
<br />
Psy and Bieber make fun, disposal, light songs. What’s wrong with that?
<br />
Nothing.
<br />
<br />
Best of all, no one forces anyone to listen to Psy or Justin Bieber or, thankfully, Green Day.
<br />
<br />
BJA should keep his negative opinions to himself. Calling out other artists, even those as vapid as <br />
Psy, makes him appear bitter, petty, and trite.
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<br />
“Hey, Bill. Your musical was nominated for a frickin’ Tony Award. You’re a legitimate musician. You don’t need to knock anyone to prove it.”
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<br />
I always thought BJA was better than this. Well, I never thought that. This actually seems quite typical of the man but you know what I mean.
Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-17467853826090965102013-04-24T15:36:00.001-07:002013-07-08T11:59:25.343-07:00Robert Plant Announces Tour, Led Zeppelin Reunion In 2014<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRJzGL-zt6JTGGGAAcuRMIwKp2flaNdeURt7Q85eeXk-aeulzyKy8zGIyXF4Ny1e9Me_rFsiboW_1VrtrJvbh0ASOtzh2hnkz-5XVRNReMsTaiSXeN9LDWzjM35afmc5t4cS_TUHXKfo/s1600/RobertPlant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRJzGL-zt6JTGGGAAcuRMIwKp2flaNdeURt7Q85eeXk-aeulzyKy8zGIyXF4Ny1e9Me_rFsiboW_1VrtrJvbh0ASOtzh2hnkz-5XVRNReMsTaiSXeN9LDWzjM35afmc5t4cS_TUHXKfo/s320/RobertPlant.jpg" /></a>
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<strong>Robert Plant Announces Tour, Led Zeppelin Reunion In 2014</strong><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>I’m in the mood for a Robert Plant tour.</em><br />
<em>Or how about “Tall cool Robert Plant tickets.”</em><br />
<br />
This summer, Robert Plant and his new band, the Sensational Space Shifters, are coming to America for 21 one concerts.<br />
<br />
The legendary frontman of Led Zeppelin kicks things <br />
off June 20 at the Palladium in Dallas, Texas. The jaunt ends at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York on July 27.<br />
<br />
<strong>Schedule</strong><br />
For once, a tour by a big name artist does right by the West Coast. Plant and company will perform seven concerts in California, Oregon, and Washington. That includes the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles; the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California; the Jambase Festival in George, Washington; and the Portland Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon.<br />
Other highlights of his tour include a July 10 gig at Red Rocks, a July 12 concert at Grant Park in Chicago; and a July 24 performance at Wolftrap in Vienna, Virginia. <br />
<br />
<strong>Setlist</strong><br />
Whether as part of a band or as a solo artist, Robert Plant has a slew of material he can pull from. For his upcoming trek around the States, expect Plant to play a lot of Led Zeppelin numbers. Plant’s sound should be much harder than the music he was making with Band of Joy or Allison Krauss.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sensational Space Shifters</strong><br />
The Sensational Space Shifters are comprised of guitarist Justin Adams, guitarist Liam “Skin” Tyson, keyboardist John Baggott, bassist Billy Fuller, drummer Dave Smith, and multi-instrumentalist Juldeh Camara. The group formed in May of 2012. Together they’re toured Australia and New Zealand.<br />
<br />
<strong>Led Zeppelin Reunion</strong><br />
Plant’s tour means there won’t be a Led Zeppelin reunion tour in 2013. We knew that though. Plant has said as much. If Zep does reunite, and we hope they do, it won’t be until 2014. A new album and a supporting tour is too much to ask for but maybe they can bring John Paul Jones with them this time.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Year of Classic Rock</strong><br />
You could call 2013 the “Year of Classic Rock” or the “Year of the Geezers” depending on your point of view. The Who and Eric Clapton toured in early 2013. Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones are touring in the spring. And now, Robert Plant has announced plans to hit the road in early summer—so much for being too old to rock and roll.Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-21816518301701091032013-01-17T15:01:00.001-08:002013-07-08T11:57:05.196-07:00Super Bowl: Five Reasons Why It Should Be A National Holiday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHoxDByGape0-jRmla5_jhAtLAuiGPYsyLNDAokpx7SEStr1Z-ho5ztVRddMVrCIhHwwueLcrHgPWzh8Bath57B0K_VVU868_bDRR_nwlHMswJgxyStjFJOkffyRgzSm6MEDQBkKQJVk/s1600/SuperBowl001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHoxDByGape0-jRmla5_jhAtLAuiGPYsyLNDAokpx7SEStr1Z-ho5ztVRddMVrCIhHwwueLcrHgPWzh8Bath57B0K_VVU868_bDRR_nwlHMswJgxyStjFJOkffyRgzSm6MEDQBkKQJVk/s200/SuperBowl001.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<b>Super Bowl: Five Reasons Why It Should Be A National Holiday</b><br />
<strong></strong><br />
The Super Bowl should be a national holiday. The game, the biggest sporting event in the world, brings together the most quintessential aspects of American culture: sports, television, food, commercialism, and violence. If those five things don’t sum up America nothing does.
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<br />
By national holiday we don’t mean “Super Bowl Sunday.” We mean a national holiday scheduled the Monday after the game. Getting such a holiday enacted will be as difficult as driving 99 yards on the Baltimore Ravens defense, or shutting down the New England Patriots offense, or acquiring a top-notch quarterback for the New York Jets. But if Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons can win a playoff game then anything is possible. <br />
<br />
<b>Truly An American Event</b><br />
Everyone watches the Super Bowl. Even those who don’t like football watch the game if for nothing else than to see the halftime show and the commercials. You can’t draw more than 110 million television viewers and not attract a few causal fans—by the way the population of the United States is only 315 million. In America, football is not just a sport. It’s a quasi-religion. As a holiday, it would be a cross between Christmas and the Fourth of July.
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<br />
<b>Time To Recuperate</b><br />
Let’s not run an out route and call it a fly pattern. People watch the Super Bowl and drink way too much alcohol. I don’t but certainly others do. They also eat way too much food (again not me). Furthermore, for those on the East Coast, the Super Bowl ends late and who can go straight to bed right after a rousing football game? That’s why we need the Monday after the Super Bowl off work so we can mend our hangovers, digest our bean dips, and sleep in. No one gets anything done on that Monday anyways so we might as well have the day off from work. <br />
<br />
<b>Save Money</b><br />
An outplacement firm ran some numbers and said six percent of workers already take the day off of work after the Super Bowl. They may not sound like a lot but it’s around 20 million people. They also crunched some numbers and said for every ten minutes employees spend on the Super Bowl (either in conversation or on the internet) they cost their employers $162 million. The way I look at it we can’t afford not to make the Monday after the Super Bowl a national holiday. <br />
<br />
<b>Clearly Defined</b><br />
I know it’s sad but how many people know the origins and motivations behind Memorial, Labor, Columbus, Veterans, and Thanksgiving? Isn’t Memorial and Labor Days’ sole function to mark the beginning and end of summer? While Easter isn’t an official national holiday how many people actually know why we color eggs? There would be no such ignorance about a national holiday dedicated to the Super Bowl.
<br />
<br />
<b>Great Food</b><br />
Super Bowl Sunday is all about food. In fact, it’s the second largest day for eating food in the United States after Thanksgiving. Everyone knows that all the best holidays are associated with great food. Thanksgiving has turkey and stuffing; Easter has hard-boiled eggs and chocolate bunnies; Fourth-of-July has hot dogs and apple pie; and Christmas has candy canes and fruitcakes. Okay, strike that last one. If great food is a perquisite for a holiday then the Super Bowl more than passes.
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<br />
<b>No More “Hail To The Chief”</b><br />
To add a holiday we need to subtract a holiday. The only holiday currently in February is President’s Day, observed annually on the third Monday of the month. I don’t want to forget about Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, but do we really need ta day to celebrate a job once held by the likes of Warren G. Harding, James Buchanan, and Jimmy Carter? I don’t think so. Of all the holidays, President’s Day is the most likely to go away regardless of its replacement.Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-76738932845759787502013-01-05T11:19:00.004-08:002013-07-08T11:55:07.716-07:00Yes Will Perform Three Of Their Studio Albums During Upcoming Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1mqgF0Wiw1zEgLYqTJqwzuyF3CfQfbHtE6ZfXuMnQB44slG_ynJmTdYg0H7p4nDb1qfGyU91jsUCOodITO3twT8jZUXozRSl9zAdNcwk1l7B0AB8-c7JEWGQ5oHRsBx_pbZeIJRdeG0/s1600/Yes001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1mqgF0Wiw1zEgLYqTJqwzuyF3CfQfbHtE6ZfXuMnQB44slG_ynJmTdYg0H7p4nDb1qfGyU91jsUCOodITO3twT8jZUXozRSl9zAdNcwk1l7B0AB8-c7JEWGQ5oHRsBx_pbZeIJRdeG0/s200/Yes001.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<strong>Yes Will Perform Three Of Their Studio Albums During Upcoming Tour</strong>
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<br />
A major trend in live music nowadays is for a band to play an entire studio album live. <br />
<br />
The Who is currently doing that with Quadrophenia. Rush did it with Moving Pictures. And Steely Dan did it, depending on the night, with The Royal Scam, Aja, and Gaucho.
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<br />
It’s a way for an established act, one that has performed live for years, to do something different and treat their fans. <br />
<br />
It’s obviously not something a relatively new band can do like .fun, The Neon Trees, or Foster the People but it works for artists with decades of world tours under their belts and several albums to their name.
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<br />
In 2013, the progressive rock band Yes will do the same thing but they won’t be playing one album live they’ll be playing three.
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<br />
The band is slated to perform The Yes Album (1971), Close to the Edge (1972), and Going For One (1977) in their entirety.
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<br />
In case you’re not that familiar with Yes, what those albums mean is they’ll be playing classic hits like “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “And You And I,” and “Wondrous Stories.”
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<br />
Three albums sound like a lot of music but you have to remember that Yes is from a woebegone era called the 1970s. They do things a little differently than we do now. <br />
<br />
There are only 15 songs on the three previously mentioned albums; Closer to the Edge has only three track. <br />
<br />
However, seven of the 15 songs they’ll perform are longer than 8:54 and another is 7:56. The shortest track from the triad is The Yes Album’s “Clap.” It’s 3:17.
<br />
<br />
To put that in perspective, the longest song on The Beatles debut album, Please Please Me, is 2:57.
<br />
Songs not included on those three albums include “Roundabout” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” <br />
<br />
Someone suggested they’ll play those cuts as an encore. While some hope they’ll skip “Owner of a Lonely Heart” altogether. The track is widely regarded as the song that nearly ruined the band.
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<br />
Getting to hear Yes play three of their most popular studio albums all the way through does come with a price and we’re not talking about the price of Yes tickets. The tour will be without Jon Anderson. He’s being replaced by another Jon, Jon Davison. <br />
<br />
Davison was discovered while performing in a Yes cover band. This has led some fans to quip that the current incarnation of Yes is also a cover band. Their situation is reminiscent of what’s currently going on with Journey.
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<br />
Yes’ tour gets underway March 1 in West Wendover, Nevada and ends April 12 in Detroit. The band has a total of 25 dates on their itinerary. <br />
<br />
San Francisco welcomes Yes to The Warfield on March 5. Kansas City says hello to Yes and their show at The Midland scheduled for March 18, and New York City hosts a Yes performance at the Beacon Theatre on April 9.
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<br />
Look for a new Yes album, their first with Davison, sometime in 2013.
Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-23098448299639117092012-12-20T14:05:00.000-08:002013-07-08T11:58:20.906-07:00Marilyn Manson Needs Stitches In Ear After Drunken Fall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXFqWtKcpXHGnQe4xApMsLECoUwaS3lDbbnQaDXEV2XJbuGEDa3KkSIUFdB41jovabcCPnEKfpbj9gP5VsgfNGqEOKr6L_-I07vmvGI8WR6-cdpGWvuS3NThfMG2whMUkBQTEBVHeERg/s1600/MarilynManson001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXFqWtKcpXHGnQe4xApMsLECoUwaS3lDbbnQaDXEV2XJbuGEDa3KkSIUFdB41jovabcCPnEKfpbj9gP5VsgfNGqEOKr6L_-I07vmvGI8WR6-cdpGWvuS3NThfMG2whMUkBQTEBVHeERg/s200/MarilynManson001.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<b>Marilyn Manson Needs Stitches In Ear After Drunken Fall</b>
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<br />
Marilyn Manson got into a fight in Basel, Switzerland and needed 24 stitches on the inside of his ear. Manson was in Switzerland with Rob Zombie as part of their co-headlining Twins of Evil Tour.
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<br />
Manson posted a picture of his bandaged auricle on his Twitter account. It’s gross but not half as bad as the singer looked on the cover of Mechanical Animals.
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<br />
Details of the incident have not been released. All we know is what Manson Tweeted:
<br />
<br />
"I was hit by a glass table in a dangerous fight. I was however, the victor but had to have 24 stitches to keep my ear from becoming Van Goth[sic]."
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<br />
Those 30 words tell the entire story. All we have to do is interpret them.
<br />
<br />
The phrase “I was hit by a glass table…” means Manson fell into a glass table. No one throws a glass table. No one throws tables in a fight. They throw chairs, maybe an ottoman, but never a table.
<br />
<br />
“In a dangerous fight…” was Manson’s attempt at humor. He was covering the fact that he was actually fall-down drunk, fell, and hit his ear against a piece of furniture. <br />
<br />
“I was however, the victor…” means he didn’t vomit on the way to the hospital.
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<br />
“Van Goth” is not only a clever reference to “Van Gogh”—the artist who cut off part of his ear and gave it to a prostitute—but will likely be the name of his next album.
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<br />
What was even more amusing then reading about the “brawl” that almost cost Manson an earlobe was the tangents his incident inspired various Web sites to take.
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<br />
Most outlets just reported Manson’s ear wound and tapped out, but some used the incident to go off on bizarre non sequiturs.
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<br />
<b>She Knows Entertainment</b> morphed into a discussion about school shootings. They even included a sagacious quote Manson gave about the Columbine massacre. <br />
<br />
<b>Asia One</b> spent most of their lengthy article detailing a project about the West Memphis Three—Manson contributed a song to a soundtrack to a film about the killers.
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<br />
<b>Mail Online</b> shared a brief rundown of the musician’s romantic relationships. Manson has bedded Dita Von Teese and Evan Rachel Wood and is currently seeing American photographer Lindsay Usich. <br />
<br />
After reporting the gammy lug, <b>NME</b> detailed Marilyn Manson’s brush with Charles Manson. The latter sent the former a letter from his prison cell. After citing a bizarre and incoherent passage from the dispatch, NME revealed that Manson is conservative in the bedroom.
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<br />
A few articles made a more obvious segue into either Manson’s current tour with Rob Zombie or his upcoming trek of North America.
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<br />
From late January through the end of February, Marilyn Manson tickets will be collected all over the United States and Canada. This will be a solo campaign with Manson headlining.
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<br />
Manson’s expedition begins Jan. 18 in Milwaukee and concludes Feb. 21 in Los Angeles.
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<br />
Perhaps we should give those aforementioned Web sites a break. How much column space can you devote to a 30-word Tweet and a photograph of an ear? If this article is any indication then you can devote 532 words.Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-86248574152605782942012-12-18T13:06:00.002-08:002013-07-08T11:52:41.567-07:00Rod Stewart Teams With Steve Winwood For North American Tour In 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVx7c6dYd_NkVEcnZz0_iHUY-RFJQlU3YlxGkev_NGGQzoxpN3tVLx3cXzi2ekeRU8jeVHLCJcEwY7wtOw1Vnj27osCEHk2Wpahyphenhyphenyq_WIghinNYqJd05Of_Ipv-KhRgwhnO30bvexsIr4/s1600/RodStewart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVx7c6dYd_NkVEcnZz0_iHUY-RFJQlU3YlxGkev_NGGQzoxpN3tVLx3cXzi2ekeRU8jeVHLCJcEwY7wtOw1Vnj27osCEHk2Wpahyphenhyphenyq_WIghinNYqJd05Of_Ipv-KhRgwhnO30bvexsIr4/s200/RodStewart.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<strong>Rod Stewart Teams With Steve Winwood For North American Tour In 2013</strong>
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<br />
When I was young I had this coffee table book that profiled a bunch of rock stars. One of the rock stars profiled was Jim Morrison. His section began with a story detailing a degenerate night in which he ingested cocaine and imbibed blood with a witch.
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<br />
I was devastated and disturbed. I couldn’t believe what I had read. My father, who knew the book was published by Rolling Stone magazine, doubted the yarn’s validity. Still, it took a long time before I got that tale out of my system and I could listen to The Doors again. <br />
<br />
Laugh if you must but I just didn’t have enough life experience to realize rock stars were, for the most part, sad pathetic people you wouldn’t want to invite into your home for dinner. I was such an innocence child.
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Nowadays, I don’t care about rock stars and the sordid details of their licentious and decadent lives. All I care about is the music (that’s why I can still listen to John Mayer). So when I learned that Rod Stewart once took cocaine anally I nary batted an eye.
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Early in 2013, Stewart released “Rod: The Autobiography.” The fun read included the confession that he used to get high by taking cocaine suppositories. <br />
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What he and his friends did was buy cold medicine in capsule form from a pharmacist (called a “chemist” in the U.K.). They’d replace the cold medicine with coke and then stuck it where the sun don’t shine. The body would eventually dissolve the capsule and the cocaine would enter into the blood stream. <br />
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Stewart worried that snorting cocaine would damage his vocal chords. Yeah, that was his ONLY worry.
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Obviously, the anecdote was included to help sell copies (by the way his book makes a great stocking stuffer). What I find funny isn’t that he revealed such an embarrassing account but the fact that it’s really not that embarrassing—at least by today’s standards—although it’s sure to make him the butt of more than a few jokes.
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Of all the crazy things rock stars do nowadays, Stewart’s attempt to get high via the rectum so he can protect his voice reeks more of responsibility than reprehensibility. Dare I say it’s a cute story (relatively speaking of course).
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It was a big year for Stewart. Also in 2012, he released a holiday album, Merry Christmas, Baby, and announced plans for a tour of North America.
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Dubbed “Live the Life,” Stewart’s trek begins April 10 in Chicago and ends May 1 in Toronto. Right now, there are just nine dates planned, all in the eastern part of the U.S. For example, Rod Stewart and Steve Winwood visit Boston on April 13, Rod Stewart and Steve Winwood will be in New York City on April 19, and Rod Stewart and Steve Winwood roll into Atlanta on April 28 for a show at Philips Arena.
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I don't have a crystal ball but it's very likely that more Rod Stewart concerts are forthcoming.
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Since his recent touring partner Stevie Nicks will be busy touring with Fleetwood Mac, Stewart has tapped Steve Winwood to join him on the marquee. It should make for quite the night of blue-eyed soul.
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More good news for Stewart fans, the singer is planning on releasing new material in 2013. Even better news, it won’t be like his American Songbook series but a “sequel to Gasoline Alley.” Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-14796784093314887002012-12-04T20:32:00.000-08:002013-07-08T11:51:24.645-07:005 Top Christmas Shows For The 2012 Holiday Season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong>5 Top Christmas Shows For The 2012 Holiday Season</strong><br />
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The Nutcracker. A Christmas Carol. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Mannheim Steamroller. <br />
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Those are five of the most popular and well-known live Christmas shows in the United States but they are far from the only ones. Below, we look at five lesser-known Christmas/Christmas-related musical performances organized for the 2012 holiday season. Some of these live events aren’t really Christmassy they’re just scheduled near the Dec. 25. Still, what they lack in Yuletide atmosphere they more than make up for it by providing attendees with a great evening of live entertainment.
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<b>British Invasion X-Mas Party</b><br />
We doubt there will be much “Fa la la la la-ing” but on Dec. 22 the House of Blues in San Diego, California is hosting a British Invasion X-Mas Party. HOB is welcoming four of the best tribute acts in the country to its stage. If you’re in to The Beatles, Elton John, Billy Idol, and Elvis Costello then Christmas comes three days early. It should be both a “jolly” and “groovy” time.
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<b>Hollywood Christmas Spectacular </b><br />
The Hollywood Christmas Spectacular is set to go down Dec. 22 at the California Theatre of the Preforming Arts in San Bernardino, California. This show features singers, dancers, and of course, the big guy in the red suit. The spectacular employs music from some of Hollywood’s most famous and popular holiday flicks like Home Alone, Elf, The Muppet Christmas, and Polar Express.
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<b>Miracle on State Street</b><br />
Getting your mittens on Miracle on State Street tickets earns you the pleasure of seeing Train, Karmin, and Ed Sheeran in concert at the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. Planned for Dec. 14, this Christmas party is sponsored by radio station 101.9 The Mix. San Diego singer-songwriter Tristan Prettyman has been tapped to open the night’s festivities. Yes Virginia, there is a great concert in the Windy City this holiday season.
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<b>The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Show</b><br />
Get yourself into a holiday mood with one of country music’s most beloved and enduring acts (the quartet was founded in 1947; the current lineup has been together since 1973). The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Show visits Florence, South Carolina on Dec. 6; Dodge City, Kansas on Dec. 16; and Lincoln, Nebraska on Dec. 18. The band is supporting their sixth holiday CD, Christmas Time’s A-Coming.
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<b>Singing Christmas Trees</b><br />
A lot of cities have singing Christmas Trees shows. Two of the oldest, and most successful, are found in Edmonton, Alberta and Charlotte, North Carolina. You can catch Edmonton’s 43rd version of the crooning Christmas tree at the Northern Alberta Jubilee from Dec. 7 through Dec. 9. In Charlotte, residents are celebrating the 58th Annual Singing Christmas Tree at the Ovens Auditorium on Dec. 8. The star of that show is the 80-plus members of the Main Stage Choir. There are also singing Christmas trees in Portland, Oregon; Jackson, Mississippi; and Muskegon, Michigan.
Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-71336532536769014352012-11-28T21:09:00.000-08:002013-07-08T11:49:55.386-07:00Why Jon Bon Jovi’s Daughter’s Overdose Is An Important News Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJbW7RXJWRCUe-iff-4h6JYCRvPu6SxnFTEKoxefELou6mhLmOcsyksAMw5GEzKPOtYv1S5dTOXZRohk1QRDhyEpdrtaTXh1mBFRVKQw0NCWyUEFwiCmqGQGsYMs0DZYk7Mt-wTsc_L8/s1600/JonBonJovi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJbW7RXJWRCUe-iff-4h6JYCRvPu6SxnFTEKoxefELou6mhLmOcsyksAMw5GEzKPOtYv1S5dTOXZRohk1QRDhyEpdrtaTXh1mBFRVKQw0NCWyUEFwiCmqGQGsYMs0DZYk7Mt-wTsc_L8/s200/JonBonJovi.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<b>Why Jon Bon Jovi’s Daughter’s Overdose Is An Important News Story</b>
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Lately, Jon Bon Jovi has been making a lot of headlines. Unfortunately, it’s not for his band’s upcoming tour—Bon Jovi tickets will be collected beginning Feb. 9 in Uncasville, Connecticut—or their pending album (Because We Can). Nor is it for sitting on the advisory board of the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.
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Jon Bon Jovi is making headlines because his daughter, Stephanie Bongiovi, was hospitalized in mid-November for an apparent heroin overdose. <br />
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A week later, Jon Bon Jovi told a local news station that the “tragedy was something that [he would have to] face.” He said he would “get through it” and thanked his fans for their support.
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Usually, I say children are off limits. However, this story is important and deserves media attention (although I’d rather see more headlines about his involvement in Hurricane Sandy relief). Besides, Stephanie Bongiovi is the child of Jon Bon Jovi but she’s no longer a child. At nineteen she’s barely an adult but an adult nonetheless.
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The general public needs to know about this incident for four reasons…
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<b>1) </b>Even if she wasn’t the daughter of a major rock star her drug overdose is newsworthy (at least locally). Stephanie Bongiovi not only O.D. but she was arrested for drug possession. The public has the right to know who the police arrests and why. It should be noted that all charges against Stephanie Bongiovi were dropped. Is that another benefit of having a famous and wealthy father?
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<b>2) </b>It’s the media’s job to be watchdogs of the wealthy and powerful. Granted, Jon Bon Jovi is pretty much the epitome of what we want in a celebrity, but he’s still not above scrutiny. His daughter’s overdose making the papers (to use an outdated phrase) may shed light on other issues that are far worse than a heroin overdose. We doubt it but it’s possible.
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<b>3) </b>Say what you will about Jon Bon Jovi’s music, he is an artist. Many of his songs draw from his personal experiences. If he’s going to make himself vulnerable through his music, and reveal his deepest feelings, like all artists do, then his fans deserve to know the events behind his life experiences. If an artist bares their soul on stage, and shares their most private moments, they lose the privilege of privacy. Artists can’t have it both ways.
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<b>4) </b>Drug use is a disease and the public needs to be informed when and how it’s spread. It’s especially relevant when someone as privileged as Stephanie Bongiovi overdoses. Knowing the reasons behind her use of narcotics—a person who seemingly has all the material possessions one could ever hope for—may help others stay away from drugs.
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While this sordid story is legitimate fodder for news agencies it’s still the hope of decent people everywhere that she gets her life back in order and never does drugs again. <br />
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It is tragic if the rigors of her father’s career propelled her towards drug use. Having her plight broadcasted to the world is not insult to injury but the price she must pay for being her father’s daughter.
Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-46652134408459523812012-11-16T12:54:00.000-08:002013-07-08T11:48:26.378-07:00Miranda Lambert: “I Love Projects”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHmXWJ_eP5bqz7MjKIGwVcHHBFL4HepJ5I12uZfdyoBGVSEcK9WzExrR30-LVs82vqMsTB6phAPDf_OFpRY-urZlCYGu0StHK-BhHmnufwFXKwmRuL-2bvScDec85RPTeIii-qnNmBtPg/s1600/MirandaLambert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHmXWJ_eP5bqz7MjKIGwVcHHBFL4HepJ5I12uZfdyoBGVSEcK9WzExrR30-LVs82vqMsTB6phAPDf_OFpRY-urZlCYGu0StHK-BhHmnufwFXKwmRuL-2bvScDec85RPTeIii-qnNmBtPg/s200/MirandaLambert.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
<strong>Miranda Lambert: “I Love Projects”</strong><br />
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Miranda Lambert recently told an online country music publication that she loves projects... “anything that stimulates my creativity.”
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That’s good because the 28-year-old singer is having a busy November and December. In other words, she’s got projects coming out of her cowboy boots.
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<strong>The Pink Pistol</strong><br />
The day after Thanksgiving, Lambert will be at the grand opening of her new mega store, The Pink Pistol. The establishment is located in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. <br />
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The day following T-Giving is known in the retail business as “Black Friday” but the country music songstress is trying to turn it into “Pink Friday.” To do so, her and her Pink Pistol staff are holding a pageant where fun-loving contestants will flex their creativity, and show off their spunkiness, by dressing in pink. <br />
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Lambert’s store sells a variety of wares including boots, jeans, and antiques. There’s even a pink bicycle hanging from the ceiling. The store sounds interesting but it will only be successful IF Lambert finds qualified people to run it and doesn’t interfere. <br />
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<strong>Christmas Special</strong><br />
Yes, the program was probably recorded in July but she’ll still have to do press for it. On Dec. 3, Lambert appears on her husband’s television special, “No Sot Family Christmas,” airing on NBC. Blake Shelton’s holiday program also stars Christina Aguilera, Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson, and his mother Dorothy Shackleford.
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As for the holidays themselves, Lambert told People magazine that she and Shelton will spend four days together around both Thanksgiving and Christmas. For those dreaming of becoming a big-time recording artist get ready not to see your family.
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<strong>Pregnancy Rumors</strong><br />
If opening a store and promoting a Christmas special weren’t bad enough, Lambert also had to deal with pregnancy rumors. The social media world recently lit up over speculation that Lambert was with child.
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Now, rumors about a married couple of 18 months having a baby are fairly mundane. However, they’re a big deal if the suspected expecting couple are alcoholics. Okay, I can’t say that for sure (wink wink) but Lambert and Shelton (especially Shelton) are notorious for their partying. <br />
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In responding to questions about a “bun in the oven,” Shelton tweeted that he hoped not because his wife is “passed out with a bottle of Bacardi in her hands.” <br />
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They can’t drink and party all they want. They can also have as many kids as they want. They just can’t do both.
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<strong>Locked & Reloaded Tour</strong><br />
Lambert already has a project planned for 2013. She’s joining forces with Dierks Bentley for a co-headlining trek of the United States. The duo kicks off their “Locked & Reloaded Tour” on Jan. 17 in Columbia, South Carolina. Their odyssey ends March 8 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Warming up audiences will be singer-songwriter Lee Brice.
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<b>Highlights Of Lambert & Bentley’s 2013 Tour</b><br />
>>Jan. 24 - Miranda Lambert & Dierks Bentley in Baltimore<br />
>>Jan. 26 - Miranda Lambert & Dierks Bentley in Atlantic City<br />
>>March 2 - Miranda Lambert & Dierks Bentley in Albany<br />
>>March 8 - Miranda Lambert & Dierks Bentley in Oklahoma CityRyan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-68526186538853920212012-11-06T20:25:00.002-08:002013-07-08T11:45:48.163-07:00Taylor Swift Shows Her Intelligence By Saying She’s Stupid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Taylor Swift Shows Her Intelligence By Saying She’s Stupid</b>
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Taylor Swift is refreshing. No, I don’t mean her blue eyes and the lilt in her step, I mean her attitude. In a day and age where everyone thinks their every thought is worthy of a blog entry, Tweet, or Facebook update, Swift impresses us with her ability to keep at least one of her opinions to herself.
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And it’s an opinion most celebrities just have to tell everyone.
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Leading up to the 2012 U.S. Presidential election, Swift refused to say who she voted for. Interestingly enough, she was in London (opening a mall) on Election Day.
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She told Time magazine “I don’t talk about politics because it might influence other people. And I don’t think that I know enough yet in life to be telling people who to vote for.”
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Hallelujah!
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Thank you Taylor for saying what most fans want to hear from big-time recording artists. In fact, have you ever heard a musician say they don’t know “enough” especially when it comes to politics?<br />
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Okay. Okay. I know what you’re saying, especially you over there—the cynical one by the window—that her statement was a calculated message written by a team of handlers. She has millions and millions of fans from all walks of life. An endorsement of either candidate would likely alienate some of them.
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I don’t care why she said it. I only care that she said it.
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We get enough politics from people who really know politics. We don’t need political analysis from our musicians as well. Besides, if Swift wants to spread her views she can always do so with a song.
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Kudos to Taylor Swift for recognizing, either on her own or through the help of a public relations firm, that just because she’s famous doesn’t mean she knows everything. <br />
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“I… feel like I don’t have enough wisdom,” Taylor told NPR.
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I wish more singers would follow her lead. Heck, I wish more people would follow her lead.
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By the way, I found it cute that she said that she doesn’t “talk about politics because it might influence other people” which is the definition of politics.
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Music fans consistently vote for their favorite artists but instead of punching a ballot they buy albums and concerts tickets. That’s good news for the 22-year country singer because she sells a boat load of albums and a bunch of Taylor Swift concert tickets.
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Her fourth studio album, Red, dropped in late October. It debuted at number one with more than 1.2 million copies sold. That’s an amazing total for 2012—Wilco couldn’t sell that many records in a decade.
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To support her release, Taylor will embark on the “RED Tour” in 2013. The trek kicks off March 13 in Omaha, Nebraska and ends Sept. 21 with a Taylor Swift concert in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Highlights of her outing include Swift in Newark (March 27-29), Swift in Atlanta (April 18 & 19), Swift in Washington D.C. (May 11 & 12), Swift in Arlington (May 25), Swift in Foxborough (July 27), and Swift in Los Angeles (Aug. 19 & 20).
Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-49702723057201444462012-10-31T11:13:00.000-07:002013-07-08T11:44:10.491-07:00Bocelli, Rieu, Williams, Pavarotti: The Mount Rushmore Of Artists Who Have Popularized Classical Music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Bocelli, Rieu, Williams, Pavarotti: The Mount Rushmore Of Artists Who Have Popularized Classical Music</b> <br />
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Classical music is to music what baseball is to sports. You don’t start watching baseball and immediately fall in love with it. Someone has to teach you the game. You have to be taught baseball’s nuances. Someone has to explain how the shortstop and second baseman turning a double-play is a thing of beauty. Baseball is not like football, a sport you love from the first snap of the ball.
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Classical music is the same way. It needs to be taught. The uninitiated needs to learn about its history, its forms, and most of all, what the heck the composer is trying to say. Unfortunately, few popular music fans have access to classical music teachers (or the time to teach it to themselves). Fortunately, there have been a few artists that have done the next best thing, they’ve popularized the genre and introduced it to music fans that would have otherwise never listened to symphonies, concertos, or arias.
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Below are four classical musicians—two singers and two conductors—that have done more to attract adherents to the genre than anyone else. If there was a Mount Rushmore dedicated to artists that have popularized classical music the faces of the following four gentlemen would be on it. <br />
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<b>Andrea Bocelli</b>
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Andrea Bocelli has sold more than 80 million albums. His sales figures have made him the best-selling solo classical artist of all-time. He’s been able to sell all those albums by singing opera, light opera, and affluent pop songs. Bocelli’s beautiful voice and his accessible setlists helped to make opera music palatable to the masses. Called “pop opera” or “operatic pop” or “popera,” Bocelli has not only introduced millions to the wonderful world of opera music but he paved the way for artists like Josh Groban, Il Divo, and Il Volo.
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<b>André Rieu</b><br />
André Rieu has sold more 32 million albums during his historic career but that’s not why he’s on our list. Rieu is the Phish of classical music. Every year the master of the waltz sells thousands of André Rieu tickets. His 2011 tour was the ninth highest grossing tour of the year. That’s impressive since he plays classical music and 1732 Stradivarius violin.
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In 2013, Rieu will once again pack stadiums and arenas this time with his “And The Waltz Goes On Tour.” The North American portion of his outing commences March 7 in Orlando, Florida and ends March 20 in Vancouver, B.C. While the majority of his setlist is comprised of waltzes and other classical music selections he does dabble in other genres including folk and showtunes. You’ll be moved by the sweeping melodies, dazzled by amazing soloists, and you’ll laugh at Rieu’s delightful wit—for a classical artist he has a great sense of humor.
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<b>Highlights of Andre Rieu's "And The Waltz Goes On Tour"</b>
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>>March 7 - Andre Rieu tickets Orlando @ Amway Center
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>>March 8 - Andre Rieu tickets Tampa @ Tampa Bay Times Forum
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>>March 9 - Andre Rieu in Sunrise @ BB&T Center
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>>March 12 - Andre Rieu in San Diego @ Valley View Casino Center
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>>March 16 - Andre Rieu in San Jose @ HP Pavilion
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<b>John Williams</b>
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John Williams has composed some of most memorable film scores in the history of cinema—Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws. He also conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra for more than two decades. Those two accomplishments alone has made him one of classical music’s greatest proponents. Think of how many pimpled face boys got into classical music after listening to his symphonic movie scores. <br />
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<b>Luciano Pavarotti</b>
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Bocelli sells records. Rieu sells concert tickets. Williams gets people used to music without words, but Pavarotti popularized classical music—opera to be exact—based solely on his talent, not necessarily a conscious effort to “dumb” the genre down. He was, and probably still is, the only opera singer most popular music fans can name. Pavarotti performed with a number of big-time pop artists and at a number of high-profile events. All that exposure meant Pavarotti was able to introduce millions of popular music fans to the beauty and majesty of opera.Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-59569842694861790712012-10-23T17:11:00.000-07:002013-07-08T11:36:34.200-07:00Madonna’s ‘MDNA World Tour’ Causing One Controversy After Another<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTnhXo5eho89i4ZDWXxoheZ_qICXUyqV4-_fxHcPntSS50ynFQMslrh8EqMbDv5V2v04ZFOHfCYeATWRsxapKjOsz7GSilV-yzmSDGAerozWV3RjvO9a_lYhM90wVcBzEsPTUHAIAt6k/s1600/Madonna001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTnhXo5eho89i4ZDWXxoheZ_qICXUyqV4-_fxHcPntSS50ynFQMslrh8EqMbDv5V2v04ZFOHfCYeATWRsxapKjOsz7GSilV-yzmSDGAerozWV3RjvO9a_lYhM90wVcBzEsPTUHAIAt6k/s320/Madonna001.jpg" /></a><b>Madonna’s ‘MDNA World Tour’ Causing One Controversy After Another</b>
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During a recent tour stop in Dallas, Madonna took a tumble during her performance of “Like a Prayer.”
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Video of the spill has created a bit of a stir on the internet. People relish a good fall. I do too but I also give performers some slack when it comes to losing their footing.
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Madonna spends a lot of time on stage and stages not exactly known for being easy to navigate. So she, and the rest of her ilk, are bound to fall every once in a while.
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Regardless, Madge’s stumble is one of the smoothest things that have happened on her global odyssey. Her trek has been plagued by controversy, remonstration, and nudity.
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Her MNDA would tour kicked off May 31 in Israel. It ends Dec. 22 in Argentina. Her North American leg began Aug. 28 in Philadelphia and will conclude November 20 with a second Madonna concert in Miami.
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In the near future: Madonna will be in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4; Madonna will be in Pittsburgh on Nov. 6; and Madonna plays Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13.<br />
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Even if you can’t get Madonna tickets you should still follow her tour. Why? So far the Material Girl has made headlines by superimposing a swastika over the face of a French politician, showed her breast in Istanbul, challenged a gay-pride ban in St. Petersburg, and publically demanded the release of Pu**y Riot in Moscow.
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Just about everywhere she went in Europe she was greeted with protest from those who took exception to her vocal support of the LGBT community and her lascivious stage show.
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The fun didn’t stop when she came to the United States. While gallivanting around America, Madonna has called President Obama a “Black Muslim,” mysteriously canceled a show in Dallas due to the world’s briefest case of laryngitis (she was originally scheduled to perform two nights in Big-D), used a handgun during her concert in Denver, and showed her buttocks in Los Angeles to support a 15-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the head.
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There are some very worthy causes mentioned in the last few paragraphs. However, Madonna has supported them in the most boorish of manners.
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Madonna’s heart is bleeding without a shred of class.
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During her concert in Denver, Madge wielded a gun and pretended to shoot a masked gunman during the song “Gang Bang.” Many in attendance were shocked at her homage to violence.
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The Denver area is still recovering from a mass shooting at a movie theater, the unsolved murder of a <br />
10-year-old girl, and the slaying of five people at a bar and grill.
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In response to complaints by Colorado concert-goers, Madonna’s press agent said the bit was a crucial part of the show and removing it would be like “taking out the third act of Hamlet.”
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No, removing it would not have been like removing the third act from Hamlet. Removing it would have been Madonna not picking up the prop gun. For Madonna to compare herself to The Bard only shows us her hubris. Who does she think she is, Bono?
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In Los Angeles, Madonna performed a striptease in which she revealed the name “Malala” written on her back between her bra strap and her throng. Malala was fighting for women’s education in Pakistan when she was shot in the head by the Taliban. For Madonna to support this brave girl by showing her buttocks is like a strip club holding a celebration for Eleanor Roosevelt.
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Some say Madonna brought attention to Malala’s cause. Some say she’s enabled extremists to further cast Malala as a symbol of Western immodesty. It doesn’t really matter, Americans would have known about Malala with or without Madonna’s striptease and extremists don’t need any help when it comes to hate. The striptease was just Madonna being uncouth.
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Calling President Obama a “black Muslim” was an extremely shortsighted statement for Madge to make. Certainly the Obama campaign rued the singer’s poor choice of words. When asked to clarify her ignorant statement Madonna said she was being ironic. <br />
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We all know Madonna has a compulsion to be controversial but there’s also another factor at work. The pop singer doesn’t connect her actions with her message. Madge says and does whatever she wants. She justifies it later and usually with the flimsiest of logic.
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Take her support of Malala, a victim of a gunmen’s bullet. Yet, Madonna’s brandishes a gun every night during her live concerts. How can she reconcile those two actions? Intellectually she can’t. <br />
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They completely contradict one another.
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Her proponents contend that she’s an artist and it’s an artist’s prerogative to be as illogical as they want. I disagree. I think there’s more to it.
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I’m no fan of the hippie but there’s not a single artist from the 1960s that would have used a gun during a rock concert and then protested the Vietnam War.
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Madonna is all style and no substance. She wants her act to conform to a certain aesthetic but she won’t bend that aesthetic to fit all of her values. To make the two conflicting forces jive, she contrives circuitous justifications long after the curtain falls.
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She’s not the only performer who does this but she’s certainly the most famous.
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Perhaps her aforementioned antics are quintessentially Madonna or perhaps they’re the product a 54-year-old singer desperately trying to be relevant.
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Regardless, I believe Madonna is a great performer who doesn’t need to be controversial to entertain her fans. She’s called the “Queen of Pop” for a reason.
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Her inability to realize that she doesn’t need to make headlines in order to put on a good show is her greatest stumble of all.Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-14459019044320000282012-10-15T17:22:00.000-07:002013-07-08T11:30:50.347-07:00Current Television Stars That Are Also On Broadway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGHUxlCiKhQkTfihRqr7FYgv5e2Jgn7glagpYpFLw7IA1s4a37QxGnNOMOXp-XICtIxzKVi9vijmB5Ixv9XAvv2pJyRO34enKpFO4RVfcPAWVLZjhSbDz66tx-YB95aSbKxKni4MQMpU/s1600/AndrewRannells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="5" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGHUxlCiKhQkTfihRqr7FYgv5e2Jgn7glagpYpFLw7IA1s4a37QxGnNOMOXp-XICtIxzKVi9vijmB5Ixv9XAvv2pJyRO34enKpFO4RVfcPAWVLZjhSbDz66tx-YB95aSbKxKni4MQMpU/s400/AndrewRannells.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>
<b>Current Television Stars That Are Also On Broadway</b>
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One of the best new sitcoms of the 2012-2013 television season is NBC’s The New Normal. It stars Andrew Rannells. The name should sound familiar to Broadway fans. Rannels originated the role of “Elder Price” in The Book of Mormon.
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The hilarious and Tony Award winning musical can be seen on Broadway and in several major U.S. cities. For example, The Book of Mormon is currently running in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theatre. You can also buy Book of Mormon tickets for Boston, Chicago, and Washington D.C. to see the national touring company.
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Now, Rannells <i>WAS</i> starring on Broadway but is <i>NOW</i> starring on television. We thought it would be interesting to go the other way and look at current television stars (and we use that term loosely) that are also on Broadway. Below are eight actors pulling the very difficult stage and boob-tube double.
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<b>Paul Rudd</b><br />
America’s sweetheart Paul Rudd plays “Bobby Newport” on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. He can currently be seen at the Cort Theatre in Craig Wright’s play Grace. The drama stars another television veteran, Ed Asner. He recently appeared in an episode of “The Middle” as a newspaper man.
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<b>David Strathaim</b><br />
David Strathaim plays “Dr. Lee Rosen” in the SyFy original series Alphas. It’s a great show and you should watch it. While the hour-long drama is on hiatus, Strathaim is starring in the play The Heiress. It’s running at the Walter Kerr Theatre. The drama is based on Henry James’ novel Washington Square.
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<b>Jackson, Silverstone & Winkler</b><br />
You need a spreadsheet and a PowerPoint presentation to keep track of all the television stars in The Performers (Longacre Theatre). The play stars Cheyenne Jackson, who’s “Danny Baker” on 30 Rock; Alicia Silverstone, who’s “Eden” on Suburgatory; and Henry Winkler, who’s “Eddie R. Lawson” on Royal Pains. How do the actors find the time to be on small screen and walk the boards? Well, all the aforementioned TV roles are recurring characters.
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<b>Laurie Metcalf</b>
The great Laurie Metcalf is set to star in The Other Place, a Sharr White play scheduled to open Jan. 10 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Metcalf has been delighting television audiences for years with her various roles but she’s currently “Mary Cooper,” Sheldon’s mom on the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.”
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<b>Kathie Lee Gifford</b><br />
Kathie Lee Gifford, who holds down the fourth hour of the Today Show, isn’t actually starring on Broadway, but her words are. The much-maligned television host wrote the book and lyrics for the much-hyped musical Scandalous. The show, about Aimee Semple McPherson, officially opens at the Neil Simon Theatre on Nov. 15.
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<b>Michael Cerveris</b><br />
Michael Cerveris isn’t a household name but his face his. He plays “The Observer” on the Fox science fiction drama Fringe. I tried watching the program when it first debuted but I just couldn’t get into it. Next spring, Cerveris will play “Juan Peron” in my all-time favorite musical, Evita. Cerveris won a Tony Award in 2004.
Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1553527791182593488.post-24896381732270840282012-10-15T08:00:00.000-07:002012-12-18T00:29:24.449-08:00Hello and Welcome To Music & Sports News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Hello and Welcome To Music & Sports News</b>
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In Ken Burns' great documentary Baseball, a commentator says he has two loves in life: baseball and opera. He says they are very similar, you have to sit through a bunch of boring stuff to get to the exciting stuff.
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My two loves, besides Star Trek and the blonde cheerleader from Glee, are football and musicals. While they seem to be very different, they are, in fact, very similar.
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Okay, you're right. They have nothing in common and are complete polar opposites.
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Despite all that I still think a blog dedicated to Broadway and sports, and why we're at it let's throw in music concerts, makes perfect sense.
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For one, they are all better live than on television and to attend you need to tickets.
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Apart from that, concerts, Broadway shows, and sports capture the imagination and showcase the best of what humans can express with their minds and bodies.
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Sports, plays, and musicals have characters to love and hate, plot twists. and gripping drama only difference is one is scripted and one is spontaneous. Sports and concerts incite passion from their attendees and you're encourage to scream. All three administer a special type of excitement that can only come from live events.
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That's why I've decided to combine sports, Broadway, and concerts into one blog. All three are passions of mine and all three will be explored in-depth right here at Music & Sports News. Ryan Hoganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219223035849993071noreply@blogger.com0