Ouch!
When did soccer become the new boxing? Everyone is talking about this unfortunate incident during the women’s U.S. v. Colombia soccer match. The Colombian soccer player who sucker punched Abby Wambach has been suspended by FIFA. Wambach handled the situation with honor and grace, going on to assist the US Women’s Olympic team in a 3-0 victory.
It's hard to deny how popular electronic dance music (EDM) has become over the last several years. What was once largely popular in Europe and Australia has made its way to the United States in a big way. Need any proof? In June, the three-day Electric Daisy Carnival brought more than 300,000 people to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There are many stars of EDM, but here’s a look at some of the biggest.
Tiesto
The stage name of Dutch producer and DJ Tijs Michiel Verwest, Tiesto is considered to be one of the preeminent EDM performers in the world. Though he rose to fame in the early part of the 2000s, it wasn't until his 2009 album Kaleidoscope where he found mainstream success. The record, which featured contributions from well-known stars such as Calvin Harris and Nelly Furtado, cracked the top 10 on iTunes.
Skrillex
Few contemporary artists have done as much for American EDM than Skrillex. While he initially broke into the scene as the lead singer of the band From First to Last, by the time they broke up it was evident he was destined for bigger things. After trying his hand at DJing, he earned a great deal of followers after the release of his second EP Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites. In just four short years, the 24-year-old has risen from relative obscurity to be one of the biggest names in the music world and has three Grammy awards to his credit.
Deadmau5
Instantly recognizable for his distinctive cartoon-mouse head and renowned for his one-of-a-kind live shows, Deadmau5 is arguably the biggest EDM superstar on the planet. Deadmau5, whose real name is Joel Zimmerman, has achieved considerable crossover success and is popular among music fans of all kinds. It's hard to imagine EDM without Deadmau5, and he has been seen performing everywhere from the 2012 Grammy Awards to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
While arguably one of the most popular DJs, Deadmau5 has come to the forefront for more than just his talent. Recently the DJ spoke out on his blog stating, “I just roll up with a laptop and a midi controller and 'select' tracks [and] hit a spacebar.” The star further stated, “People assume there's a guy on a laptop up there producing new original tracks on the fly. None of the 'top DJ’s in the world' to my knowledge have. Myself included.” Ouch!
So is Deadmau5 committing the ultimate sin by airing the dirty laundry of his genre? Maybe … but that wasn’t the artist’s only intention. It appears that the DJ sees the scene as having been too commercialized, and made his attempt to reveal the man behind curtain, so to speak. Regardless, it appears that the EDM scene is continuing to flourish, despite Deadmau5’s effort.
Avicii
Still in his early 20s, Avicii has proven to be one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in the dance music scene. Thanks in large part to the popularity of the single "Levels," Avicii's popularity has grown by leaps and bounds in a short period of time and he even was one of the headliners of Miami's renowned Ultra Music Festival earlier this year.
Not many performers can measure up to Cher. For nearly 50 years, the singer-turned-actress has been among the best in the business, and she is one of the few people who can lay claim to an Oscar, a Grammy and an Emmy. Still, despite her popularity she has toured less and less over the years. That all changed recently, when she announced via Twitter she will hit the road in 2013.
Although Cher has been performing in Las Vegas the last several years, the announcement signals the beginning of her first concert tour in around six years. The tour is expected to kick off around Valentine's Day and she has already teased her legions of fans with some details on her Twitter account.
"Oh my God!! Just saw the sets 4 the show!!! I cant show u cause you’d never 4give me!" she tweeted recently. "There's so much magic I am breathless!"
The tour comes at a good time for the "If I Could Turn Back Time" singer. She is getting ready to release her first new album in more than 10 years this Christmas, and she has already let leak that one of the tunes is a duet with none other than Lady Gaga.
Cher's most recent album was 2001's Living Proof, which performed relatively well and cracked the top 10 on the Billboard 200 charts. Despite her long time away, it would be unwise to doubt Cher's ability to rise to prominence once again; she's done it time and time again throughout her career.
Most everyone remembers her most recent comeback, which was sparked by the release of her 1998 megahit Believe. Paced by the popular title track, the album went on to sell 20 million albums across the globe (her best selling album) and earned a Grammy for Best Dance Recording.
A comeback tour seems like the next logical step for Cher, who has become increasingly more visible in recent years. Most notably, she starred in the 2010 film “Burlesque” alongside Christina Aguilera, which was her first movie role since 2003.
At 66, Cher is one of the most well-known and experienced stars in the entertainment industry, and though she's quickly approaching 70, there's no telling how long she'll be performing.
It’s hot out there, and everyone is showing a little flesh including the famous people we see flash across our TV and film screens. It seems like once someone becomes famous the tattoos seem to follow. Maybe it’s self-expression or creative outlet … or maybe it’s a mixture of too much time and money with not knowing what to do with it. Regardless, there are some good ones … and some oh, so bad ones.
For some Monday amusement (and let’s face it, we all need a little amusement on Monday), let’s check out some stars and their ink mistakes.
Rihanna
Rihanna’s tattoo faux pas is a grammatical error disaster. The phrase "rebelle fleur" is tattooed on the left side of her neck, defying proper French grammar rules that place the adjective before the noun. Sometimes, a little research into the language that you are permanently plastering on your body is a good idea.
Britney Spears
We love Brit-Brit, and all the hot mess that she can be. Sadly, Spears has been tattooed incorrectly on two occasions! The ink on Brit’s hip was intended to mean "rebellious," but actually reads "strange." Truly, the mistake could have been a foreshadowing of events to come. Luckily Spears has bounced back from her strangeness … but sadly her ink never will.
Cher
While there is nothing misspelled or grammatically incorrect about Cher’s cheeky tattoo … um, it’s just uncomfortable … maybe not for her, but I think for the general public. Still, her tattoo is pretty much overshadowed by her elaborate stage getups. And let’s face it, when Cher is on stage doing her thing, no one is focusing on her flower and butterfly (oh yeah, there is a pun there) design. Who knows, maybe we’ll get a brief glance of it on her 2013 tour!
Coolio
Coolio is, by all means, cool … and so are his tats. Except for that one that is misspelled, badly. In an effort to salute Insane Clown Posse fans that refer to themselves as “juggalos”, Coolio paid tribute by missing a “g.” Does anyone look at the sketch before the needle hits their skin?
Mike Tyson
Let’s face it, the fact that Tyson’s face tattoo has been so ridiculed in film and, well, almost everywhere else means that there really isn’t more to say on the subject. Yet it couldn’t be left out of the lineup … worst tattoo decision ever.
LA Galaxy
David Beckham is inked to the hilt, and we enjoy every inch of it … really. The only disaster on an otherwise perfect motif is the fact that Becks misspelled his wife’s name in Hindi on his left arm. Instead of reading “Victoria” the tat reads “Vihctoria.” Hmmm, not so posh.
Denver Nuggets
Chris Andersen of the Denver Nuggets isn’t to be held up as a “tattoo mistake” so to speak … it’s just that in a sea of NBA tattooed players, the Birdman stands out for his colorful and intricate designs that reflect a certain street art feel. A refreshing site in an otherwise dull landscape of panthers and eagles.
Looking at all of the big tours and concerts taking place this summer makes me realize that so many stars have been around for quite some time … or maybe it is me that’s been around for quite some time (it really is the former and not the latter) … Either way, it gets me thinking about where I was when I first heard an artist or how I listened to a band’s music in my and their formative years.
While I like to convince myself that my headbanging Metallica days date back to 1984, such is not the case. Instead I was wearing my periwinkle lace, fingerless gloves that were painted up with flowers, layers of necklaces, rows of black rubber bracelets and a slash of red lipstick while dancing around to “Borderline” by Madonna. Transfixed by the images of the film “Desperately Seeking Susan,” I desperately memorized each line of the movie. Madonna was in her music infancy and so was I.
With a musical background rooted in classic rock thanks to my vocalist mother who belted out the lyrics of “Share the Land” by the Guess Who on a regular basis, it’s not such a far leap that I meandered from Madonna to Aerosmith in a short time. Trading in my lace gloves and red lipstick for slashes of black eyeliner and big hair, I air guitared to “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” and watched the video for “Cryin” so many times that the images were burnt into my brain.
During my descent into guitars and big hair, I had friends tugging me in a different musical direction. What you may now call Furthur was the proper Grateful Dead back in the day. The intricate notes of Jerry Garcia’s guitar swirled about me while the rumble of Phil Lesh’s bass grounded me. I found no difficulty in accommodating my love of heavy metal in the same space as my affinity for something sweeter.
Music has been a part of my life from the moment I was born. My mother rocked me to sleep cooing lyrics from “The Jazz Singer” and cleaned the house while lilting an aria from Madame Butterfly.
Music has also been a part of your life since the moment you were born. Whether your mom turned up the car radio for Rod Stewart or your grandparents danced around to Frank Sinatra, music has been tickling your ears for longer than you can recall.
Stop and think; what was your musical evolution?
It’s hump day … anyone in the Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 work world is counting down the hours to the weekend. Whether you are heading up the planning committee for your friends, scheduling a night out for you and your significant other or trying to find something to do because everyone planned a weekend in Cabo and forgot to tell you … you still need an event to make your weekend happen.
Check out what the rest of the greater public is doing, and what are shaping up to be the most popular events for this weekend:
- Rascal Flatts at DTE Energy Music Center, Clarkson, Michigan on Friday, July, 20, 2012
- Kiss with Mötley Crüe at Jiffy Lube Live, Bristow, Virginia on Friday, July, 20, 2012
- Florence and the Machine at White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington on Saturday, July, 21, 2012
- Dave Matthews Band with Tower of Power, Cruzan Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday, July, 21, 2012
- Vicente Fernandez at Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado on Sunday, July, 22, 2012
- American Idols Live at HP Pavilion, San Jose, New Mexico on Sunday, July, 22, 2012
So get up off your duff and start planning what events you’re going to hit up this weekend!
Summer is often associated as being the best time for concerts, and while that's certainly the case for many people, others head to the theater. There are many big-name productions hitting the stage this summer that even the most casual thespian can appreciate. Here's a look at some of the best.
The Book of Mormon
This popular musical comes from the minds of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and while it may seem like their humor wouldn't translate well from cartoons to the stage, nothing could be further from the truth.
This spot-on satire of organized religion came to fruition after years of development and it was certainly worth the wait. Thanks to a catchy score written by Avenue Q composer Robert Lopez, The Book of Mormon won nine Tony Awards including Best Musical and also captured a Grammy award.
Once
Based on 2006 film of the same name, Once has quickly become one of the most successful musicals in recent memory. The story centers around two down and out musicians who form a close relationship while deciding what direction their lives should go - all while creating some beautiful music of their own.
Once, which captured the 2012 Tony for Best Musical, is aided by the great soundtrack from the movie. Most notably, the production features the tune "Falling Slowly," which became a moderate hit for Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, who played the two protagonists in the film. Check out a taste of the soundtrack that made this musical a hit.
The Best Man
Penned by literary legend Gore Vidal, The Best Man returned to Broadway this summer and stars Will and Grace actor Eric McCormack. The story, which centers around the 1960 presidential election, seems especially topical in the runup to the 2012 election. In its original production, it went on to earn six Tony nominations, and this revival marks the first time its hit Broadway in more than 10 years.
Harvey
The 1945 Pulitzer Prize winner remains one of the most unique plays around more than 65 years after its release. The story of Harvey follows Elwood P. Dowd, who seems like an ordinary man except for one thing: he claims to be friends with an enormous white rabbit nobody else can see. The latest production, which is running at New York's Studio 54, stars The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons in the lead role.
Whatever your favorite flavor of theater may be; Broadway, plays, opera or dance, hustle on over to TicketsNow to grab tickets for the best seats in the house.
With the sun on display in the sky, temperatures at record highs and school out, it’s not rocket science to deduce that summer is not peak theater season. Generally people want to kick it outside and enjoy the weather, not be hanging inside. Which lends us to wonder over here at TicketsNow … Why are sales for Wicked tickets picking up in the middle of outdoor festival season?
Maybe the uptick in the public’s interest in the musical Wicked has something to do with the upcoming 2013 film “Oz: The Great and Powerful” starring James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz. Based off L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” the film, directed by Sam Raimi, is producing a lot of hubbub. Kunis and Williams made appearances at Comic-Con where they sat down and chatted about their upcoming roles.
It’s interesting to pull back from the trees to see the entertainment forest as a whole. Here film is influencing live theater and vice versa. The success of Wicked sparked a greater awareness of the Oz books, as people realized that there was more to Oz than the original 1939 film portrayed. This in turn inspired Raimi to take on the task of creating a film that showcased more of Oz than just the adventures of Dorothy and Toto. Coming full circle we see the public’s interest piqued in the greater Land of Oz by the upcoming film, leading to a resurgence of interest in the theatrical version of Wicked outside of theater’s peak season. It is so pleasant to see different aspects of the entertainment industry playing nice together.
To alleviate the headache that may have just been produced by following that last paragraph, check out the interview with Franco and Kunis below:
Since Lance Armstrong captured the world's attention by winning the Tour de France a record seven straight times, the race has been one of the most anticipated events of the summer. A true test of endurance and athleticism, the three week cycling race makes its way through 2,000 miles of France and is among the most unique competitions in the world. The 2012 Tour de France kicked off on June 30 and comes to a finish on July 22 in Paris.
The Tour de France has been held nearly every year since 1903, but it has certainly changed a lot since then. Today, the event is comprised of 22 distinct stages, ranging from individual time trials to team events.
Many of the stages of the Tour de France trace the beautiful French countryside, but perhaps the most well-known is the Col du Galibier. Located in the southern portion of the French Alps, the mountain pass is often the highest point in the race and has been placed at several different spots along the course including the ninth, 19th and 18th stages.
The Tour de France is also famous for its closing stage. Every year since 1975, the racers have closed out the competition by riding along the Champs-Elysees, which provides the perfect conclusion to the weeks-long event.
While its history dates back more than 100 years, much of the global community became transfixed by the competition when Lance Armstrong captured his first title in 1999. He would go on to win each of the next six years and helped breathe life back into sport. Though he has retired from cycling, his presence is still felt at the event.
Though the 2012 Tour de France is still in its earliest stages, it's never too early to take a look at the potential winners. Of course, it is hard to ignore last year's winner Cadel Evans. The Australia native has been on a roll as of late, including two runners up at the Tour de France and he is surrounded by one of the most talented teams in the competition.
Canada's Ryder Hesjedal also has a good shot at winning. He's coming off a successful spring with a win at the Giro d'Italia, and despite crashing early on in last year's Tour, he has shown great promise in his other appearances in the race. Other contenders include German Tony Martin and the U.S. veteran Levi Leipheimer.
When Ryan Seacrest announces something, you know it’s official. And so it goes with this year’s iHeartRadio Music Festival lineup. A mashup of country, pop, alternative, EDM and every genre that one can think of; iHeartRadio will be making its home at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, once again.
Friday, September 21st, 7:30pm PST
Saturday, September 22nd, 7:30pm PST
The Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star Winner Megan & Liz will also be showcasing their talent. Whether you prefer Friday, Saturday or both nights, be poised to pounce on your tickets when they go on sale Saturday, July 14, 2012 1pm PST!