The Beach Boys Have a New Album, and Tour, Coming Soon!
The Beach Boys are not only the iconic faces of pop music beginnings; they are also a band that’s got some bad blood and a long history between them. So when they say that they’re getting back together for a reunion, that’s big news! So big in fact, that the Beach Boys aren’t just keeping it to a reunion performance or show like they have in the past — they’ve got a whole new album coming out and a world tour to celebrate!
The album will be the band’s 30th studio album and the title of it has not been released, but we do know that it will be released sometime in 2012 and that the Beach Boys will be playing some of the new material on their world tour. That tour begins on April 27 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in Louisiana, so it’s thought that the album will at least be out a few weeks before then.
But fans might not even have to wait that long until they get to hear some new Beach Boys’ tunes — they’re also set to perform at the Grammy Awards in February in honor of the band’s 50th anniversary.
All the current Beach Boys news was revealed on the band’s official website, with co-founding member Brian Wilson also saying in a later statement, “This anniversary is special to me because I miss the boys, and it will be a thrill for me to make a new record and be on stage with them again.” Mighty words for Wilson, as a feud between he and his cousin, Mike Love, was one of the reasons for the initial breakup of the band. They’ll both be along for the tour along with co-founder Al Jardine. Bruce Johnston and David Marks, both who joined the band later, will also be there when the Beach Boys tour in 2012.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita Tours the United States
Evita, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the life of Argentina-leader Eva Peron, is touring across the United States again! You may know of the play, thanks to the 1996 film starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas. However, the musical is what first earned Webber acclaim and theatre fame. Yes, you are correct in assuming that the play eventually closed down. However, it was revived in London in 2006, and most recently on Broadway, scheduled for a 2012 release.
The newest revival on Broadway is going to show at the Marquis Theatre, and will star Elena Roger as Eva Peron, and Ricky Martin as Che, the narrator. Contrary to popular belief, the character Che has never been directly identified as an homage to
Che Guevara, but plenty of critics and fans have made comparisons, since Che’s philosophy and criticism of Peron does seem consistent with what Guevara might have believed.
Political agendas aside, Evita the musical is an amazing experience, heightened by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brilliant soundtrack, which includes memorable songs such as “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”, “High Flying, Adored” and “Oh What a Circus.”
While the movie version of Evita was evenly praised when it comes out, it wasn’t universally loved. Mostly cited was the uneven performance of Madonna as well as the music-video like direction that took place under Alan Parker. No wonder that the country of Argentina released its own bio film of Peron as a rebuttal to Evita, to correct alleged “distortions” of the truth in the 1996 American version.
Yes, this is indeed a universally popular story. When it was first released in 1980, it won eight of its twelve Tony nominations, including Best Musical and Best Actor and Actress respectively for Patti LuPone and Many Patinkin. Not only has the play been performed in Brazil and throughout the U.K. and the U.S., but it has also been translated into multiple languages, including Spanish, German, Japanese, Hebrew, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Icelandic, Korean, Portuguese, and Swedish. Even in American pop culture, the play’s relevance continues; it has been parodied on The Simpsons and honored on the musical TV series Glee.
Come see Evita in person and experience the emotionally charged lyrics and what is arguably Andrew Lloyd Webber’s best stage work!
The Weirdest Odd Couples You Will Ever Meet
You probably know what The Odd Couple is, since Neil Simon’s Broadway play has been touring consistently since its debut in 1965. The tremendous success of the stage play has brought about a film adaptation, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau as well as a TV series starring Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, who outlived them all, and who still works periodically in show business (most recently Camera Obscura in 2010).
However, what you probably don’t know is just how many odd couples have been matched together in the long touring Odd Couple production. First, let’s review the cast of characters–easy one, only two. We have Felix Ungar, the neat freak news writer (or sometimes a photographer), and Oscar Madison, a messy sportswriter.
Much of the characters’ personalities were based on the original actors who performed the show on Broadway, and the first pairing was Art Carney and Walter Matthau. Eventually the originals were replaced and numerous changes were made to accommodate film and TV productions. However, if you ever happen to catch The Odd Couple in person, live and in theater, you may have the privilege of witnessing some truly bizarre couplings.
Some of the following mismatches have already toured on and off Broadway, much to the amusement of a live audience. How about Martin Short as Felix. Eugene Levy as Oscar and Dave Thomas as Murray? How about a Scotland version of the play with Gerard Kelly as Felix and Craig Ferguson as Oscar?
It doesn’t get much stranger than this: Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak and Hawaii TV News anchor Joe Moore in a special show for Hawaii’s Minoa Valley Theater. For about two weeks, Broadway’s favorite pair Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick played the role in 2005 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre in New York. When Lane bowed out, Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond) took his place.
The mismatches continue: Ethan Hawke and Billy Crudup, and even odder, Sally Struthers and Rita Moreno in a female version of The Odd Couple. Last but not least, just imagine how much fun it was to see an all female Japanese version of The Odd Couple starring Yu Todoroki as Oscar and Misa Noeru!
The mismatchings continue well into 2012, but that’s all part of the charm: Felix and Oscar never quite match, but they’re still loads of fun to watch on stage! Get your Odd Couple tickets today at TicketSupply.com.
Donald Trump Takes Credit for Lady Gaga’s Success
There are a few people in this world that don’t like Donald Trump and now, you can probably add Lady Gaga to the list.
It was in July 2008 when Lady Gaga appeared at the Miss Universe pageant, and it’s this concert performance that The Donald thinks can be attributed to Gaga’s entire career. As he writes in his book, Time to Get Tough: Making America #1 Again, Trump writes, “maybe she became a star because I put her on the Miss Universe Pageant. It’s very possible, who knows what would have happened without it, because she caused a sensation. I really believe I had at least something to do with it.”
Really? Fans (and the general public) seem to believe that Lady Gaga causes a stir wherever she goes, and that she most likely would have reached stardom regardless of whether or not she performed at the pageant. And, let’s not forget that the song had already been released for three months before the pageant took place. And it’s not like Gaga saw a huge overnight jump in stardom either, after the pageant was over. While “Just Dance,” (the song performed during the Pageant,) was a hit during the summer of 2008, it didn’t reach #1 status on the Billboard charts until January of 2009. So it’s hard to say that Trump is solely responsible.
But who knows? Donald Trump has had a hand in the success of many, so maybe this one appearance by Lady Gaga really did something for her fame. And it’s not like Trump is taking credit for every single thing that Lady Gaga has done. He’s simply saying that he may have been part of her rise to the top. Is he right?
The Red Hot Chili Peppers Are Much Hotter in Person!
The year 1983 was a good year for entertainment. Return of the Jedi was out in theaters, The A-team premiered on TV, and one of the greatest bands ever was formed. We are talking of course about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is a band that is hard to classify, as their style dips into a lot of musical types. Punk, funk, hip-hop, and psychedelic all are mixed with the sound of rock. The main faces in the band are vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Michael Balzary, who is better known as Flea, as well as drummer Chad Smith. Guitarists seem to be consistent in rotation, but the current band member is Josh Klinghoffer.
It has been quite a crazy ride for these fun guys from California. Thus far, the band has won seven Grammy Awards and has sold well over 70 million albums! Their latest album “I’m With You” was recently nominated for a Grammy Award. Could this make eight? Fans will find out when the awards show is held in February.
Though there were a few albums prior, “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” is the album that finally rocketed the Red Hot Chili Peppers into fame. The track “Give it Away” won a Grammy, and the album was listed in the 500 greatest albums of all time in Rolling Stone. The album “One Hot Minute” was next in line, but didn’t get the reaction that Blood Sugar had. The album “Californication” came out in 1999 and was one of the band’s deepest works yet, as it incorporated various sexual innuendos into the lyrics but also discussed themes such as death, suicide, drugs, globalization, travel and of course, the very sunny California state.
The latest album is I’m With You and it has received many positive reviews, with notes stating that this is a new beginning for the band. Fans in person can expect a compilation of new and old hits in concert. Why not come enjoy this award-winning, history-making band in person? Give it away, Give it away, Give it away now for these pioneers of psychedelic rock!
There is Good News for Creed Fans in 2012
Creed was a band that started out strong, and over time began to receive a lot of controversy, which divided music lovers. However, Creed remains one of the most popular touring bands and for long time Creed lovers there may be some positive news in the near future!
Creed formed in 1995 in Florida, and it didn’t take long for them to reach the top. In the late 1990s, the band had multi-platinum albums, with 28 million records sold in the United States alone. They are the 9th best selling artist in the 2000s period. Public opinion is a fickle thing, however, as by the year 2004 a reader’s poll in Guitar World had ranked them second worst band. How is that possible?
The years 1997 and 1998 were the best for Creed. Their debut album My Own Prison was released and the fan count began rising. The title song along with three other hits all reached #1 on the Billboard charts. The year 1998 saw the band awarded Rock Artist of the Year by Billboard Music Awards. Things didn’t slow down with their second album’s release Human Clay. Hits included “Higher”, “With Arms Wide Open” and more, with concerts selling out. With seven hit singles under their belt, they won a Grammy Award in 2001 for “With Arms Wide Open”.
When you are feeling on top of the world, your ego can get a little inflated as it did for the band’s bassist Brian Marshall who, in a radio interview, criticized the much beloved Pearl Jam. Fans were not happy, and Marshall soon left the band on so-called “friendly terms”. Around the same time, Limp Bizkit lead singer Fred Durst insulted the band, which led to Scott Stapp proposing a boxing match (which nothing ever came of). Many people began labeling Creed as a Christian rock band due to its spiritual lyrics, which turned away some fans.
The next albums did not sell as well, and tour delays angered many. The lead singer’s personal “demons” began taking their toll leading to some rather bizarre incidents on stage. By 2004, the band had disbanded.
However, now at the end of 2011 and embarking upon a new year, there is hope on the horizon. The year 2012 is going to be a great year for a newly reunited Creed with Scott Stapp, who is back on board. A fifth album and new tour are scheduled. Scott Stapp is looking well, and the band is hopeful. Get your Creed tickets and be there to see them perform live in your hometown!
Colin Mochrie is This Week’s Winner!
It’s been a long time since you’ve heard either Clive Anderson or Drew Carey mutter those words, but once you heard them, there was very little argument. Sure, the points never mattered on Whose Line Is It, Anyway? and the logic in the way that the host awards the fake points was always absurd. Still, whenever comedian Colin Mochrie received the win, nobody could possibly object. The man was just bloody hilarious!
In the company of performers like Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady, and if you go back that far, Mike McShane, Tony Slattery and Greg Proops, that is an impressive achievement. They don’t breed them like Colin Mochrie anymore. This Canadian-Scottish actor is an iconoclast, a scholarly wit and a slapstick comedian all in one sitting.
After a long career of auditions, bit parts and theater, he earned mainstream fame on Whose Line Is It, Anyway?, both the British version and the U.S. version. He has stated before that his favorite sketches were “Scenes From a Hat”, which was an interactive segment co-written by random audience members in the crowd. He also stated that the “Hoedown” sketch (which featured the task of creating improvised funny and catchy songs) was his weakest point and caused him great trepidation. (Just watch the old episodes and crack up when he so desperately talks the lyric instead of singing them!)
So what happened after WLIIA? Mochrie is still alive and still funny, and has actually been touring across North America showcasing his comedy and improvisational skills. Mochrie often works with fellow WLIIA alumni Brad Sherwood in a two-man stage show. It is sometimes referred to as “An Evening with Colin and Brad.” The show was so successful that it spawned a DVD of the duo’s best performances.
However, even when Mochrie doesn’t have his improv friends to fall back on, he is still one of the funniest human beings you will ever have the privilege of giggling to. He brings a certain childlike innocence to all of his performances, all the while approaching comedy with that caustic tone that could only come from a Canadian smart-ass and veteran of the comedy stage.
To see him in person is a delight! And Clive is delighted to say that the winner for the show is Colin Mochrie who will be reading the credits in the style of a funny man who cannot hoedown!
The Lion King on Broadway Turns 14
If you find it hard to believe Disney’s The Lion King is 14 years old then it’s with good reason–the movie is 18 years old, as it was first released in 1994. However, the Broadway musical is 14 years old, as it was first released in 1997. The Broadway film was based on the Disney cartoon, and featured familiar songs as well as a few originals by the team of Elton John, Tim Rice, as well as Hans Zimmer (score) and Lebo M. (choral arrangements).
The play was truly something inventive and avant-garde in its own wholesome way. After all, it’s easy to turn Hamlet into a Broadway play. However, how do you turn Hamlet with a cast of African jungle animals into a Broadway play? Disney had their work cut out for them. The Lion King on stage could have been something very good or very bad. (Just look at the mixed reaction the Broadway version of Spider-Man received!)
Credit much of the play’s success to Julie Taymor who helped producers figure out a way to combine live actors with animal costumes and with puppetry! The Disney Theatrical company debuted The Lion King to great acclaim, and it was a hit at the Orpheum Theatre in Minnesota even before it hit Broadway. Today, it has been performed over 5,000 times and is ranked as the seventh longest-running show in history.
Now The Lion King is turning 14 and it just can’t wait to be king! It has grossed over $4.7 billion dollars and been seen by over 63 million people. Now is the perfect time to publicize the live action musical’s 14th birthday, as The Lion King franchise lives on. Why even Disney hasn’t stopped celebrating this timeless story. They recently released the original Lion King film in 3D and have consistently made sequels to the original story, including The Lion King 1½ (featuring Timon and Pumbaa) and The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, which is a cheap but still ambitious project, which seeks to adapt the tale of Romeo and Juliet into traditional Disney anthropomorphism.
However, nothing can compare to witnessing the stage show of The Lion King The Musical in person! It’s a larger than life experience, not quite human, not quite nature, but ultimately unforgettable!
Behind The Houston Astros Relocation
You had to know something was up with the Houston Astros. After all, they finished disastrously last season, and became the first team in the franchise’s history to lose 100 games in one season. Not the sort of history making event Drayton McLane was hoping for!
Perhaps someone decided it was time to take drastic measure. Now, we hear the big news–that the Houston Astros are moving to the American League after nearly half a century playing in the National League. This move will balance the number of teams in the MLB. More importantly to Texas fans, it will set up a very interested rivalry with the Texas Rangers.
The deal is practically done, as the team was already sold to Jim Crane (Crane Capital Group) and approved by the league. The word is that the Astros will join the league and be ready for competition as soon as 2013. While this isn’t the first time a team has changed leagues, it is the first time it has happened in a while–well over ten years have passed since the trick was last done in 1998.
When the team re-launches, each league will have 15 teams. The Astros will be part of the AL West, leaving behind the NL Central. Team owners remain positive about the change, and hope that the new territory will help attract more viewers to America’s favorite game.
The only piece of the puzzle left is what legendary player and current team owner Nolan Ryan thinks of the news. Ryan of course, used to play with the Houston Astros, before becoming president of his favorite team, the Texas Rangers. Reportedly, Ryan is very happy with the news and is anxious to see Houston battle the Rangers on a regular basis. “If both teams are competitive in a given year,” commented Ryan, “It will create a good rivalry within the state. There’s a lot of pluses from our perspective.”
Yes, the Astros have clearly fallen from grace (their final record this past season was 56-106) but perhaps brighter Texas skies are ahead for the team. Perhaps things are much better in the American League, which produced a stellar season for the Texas Rangers who finished 96-66 and reached the World Series two seasons in a row.
What do you think? Is Houston going to come back in a big way?
Glengarry Glen Ross Returns to the Stage
Some of the best lines from playwright and screenwriter David Mamet come from Glengarry Glen Ross, a successful 1984 play that became a movie in 1992. Whether it’s “Coffee’s for closers only,” or “Only one thing counts in this world: get them to sign on the line which is dotted,” Mamet’s ear for crisp, cynical and street-smart edgy dialogue is so well known that it has earned its own categorization: “Mamet speak.”
It has been said that in Mamet’s scripts that he uses heavy italics and quotation marks in order to highlight particular words so that he can point out when characters are attempting to manipulate each other. Other distinctive qualities of a Mamet script include overlapping dialogue, characters interrupting each other and trailing off sentences.
Mamet once commented that he learned his use of language from his family, and admitted they used to all “speak the language viciously.” Perhaps Mamet’s most distinctive play is Glengarry Glen Ross, which tells the story of four desperate real estate agents who have two days to sell the most poor quality real estate to buyers. The men resort to all sorts of unethical and sometimes illegal acts, and as Mamet has stated before, some of the plot is based on what he saw in the Chicago real estate business in the 1960s.
The play started in London in 1983 and eventually opened on Broadway in 1984. It only ran for approximately a year, and starred character actors Joe Mantegna, Robert Prosky, J. T. Walsh and others. The play went on to win four Tony Awards. However, the 1992 film (with a new character role created just for Alec Baldwin) wasn’t the last the world would hear of these sneaky Chicago real estate agents.
The production was revived in 2005, eventually winning a Tony Award (Best Revival of a Play) and a Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play. To this day, you can still buy Glengarry Glen Ross tickets in your local area. Find out why David Mamet is one of America’s most iconic playwrights, and why his characters are larger than the stage!
