What do You Think of Bowie’s “The Next Day” Video?
David Bowie has never been afraid of controversy, and he’s done it once again with his newest video for “The Next Day.” Shortly after being released on YouTube, the video was even pulled, with the site claiming that it violated their terms of service. After Billboard contacted the site for comment however, it’s back up and ready for your viewing. Be forewarned though, this is not one for the kids.
Directing the video was photographer and filmmaker, Floria Sigismondi, who has been involved with Justin Timberlake, and who also directed “The Stars (Are Out Tonight), Bowie’s last video. This one, at first, seems like an odd story of a priest (played by Gary Oldman,) Christ (Bowie,) and a saint (played by Marion Cotillard,) who are praying, handing out cash, and even chastising Bowie as he takes on his godly role. It quickly turns from weird to NSFW though, as Cotillard’s palms start spurting blood and some of the nuns in the bar get sprayed on it as they walk around topless.
Weird. Strange. Different. This is definitely a Bowie video.
After hearing from Billboard and launching an investigation, the video is now back up on YouTube and can be watched here. After it was made available once again, a spokesperson for the social media site released a statement saying,
“With the massive volume of videos on our site, sometimes we make the wrong call. When it’s brought to our attention that a video has been removed mistakenly, we act quickly to reinstate it.”
Have You Seen the New Macbeth?
You may have seen Macbeth before. And with the popularity that this play sees between directors and producers, you may have even seen it again and again and again. But no matter how many times you’ve seen this Shakespearean classic, we guarantee you that you’ve never seen it quite like this before. At least not when it’s the show being put on by Alan Cumming at the Barrymore Theater right now.
It’s not exactly a one-man play, as there are a few extras dispersed throughout to help fill out the story, such as when Macbeth is checked into the hospital and two orderlies take his street clothes. The biggest parts of the play though, are all acted out by Cumming, who many audience-goers may recognize as Eli Gold from the television series, The Good Wife.
Much of the dialogue has been left in the original script it was written in, such as the opening lines Macbeth speaks, “When shall we three meet again?”
However it just as often switches to more modern, casual banter, such as replying with “‘Twas a rough night,” after Macduff tells of the night that King Duncan was murdered, using words such as hearing “strange screams of death,” and “the lamentings heard i’ the air.”
Macbeth has been done a hundred different ways before, but you’ve never seen it been done quite like this. It’s currently playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theater, but only until June 30, so make sure you get your tickets today!
See What You’re Missing at Theatre by the Blind
Theatre by the Blind is a theater group made up entirely of blind actors. These talented individuals come together to write and create some of the most magnificent pieces you’ll ever see onstage; and they’re currently running Yesterday’s at the Promenade Playhouse in Santa Monica. The story will be enough to draw you in, and the talent that you’ll see will have you going back to see this theater troupe again and again.
Yesterday’s tells the story of Candy, a jazz club owner that is desperately trying to hang onto her business, and failing at it miserably. But while Candy may not be a great businesswoman, she is an inspiration to the cast of actors she surrounds herself with. And through her own toils and troubles, she inspires others to go on to chase their own dreams. The story, you could say, is a mirror image of what Theatre by the Blind is all about.
It’s because these actors, while extremely talented, have all faced great hardships due to their inability to see. All losing their sight for different reasons, and at different times, each actor has said that they’ve grown to have more self-confidence, and feel as though they’re not alone, all by joining the group and being a part of something so very special.
Yesterday’s was created by the entire cast, co-written by Colin Simson and Lindsay Nyman, co-directed by Greg Shane and Lindsay Nyman, and presented by CRE Outreach.
Yesterday’s opened at the Promenade Playhouse on April 18, and you have until May 5 to see what it’s all about. It’s guaranteed to be like nothing else you’ve ever seen!
Rangers Season Finale With Devils Could Be Huge
The New York Rangers are set to host the New Jersey Devils Saturday, April 27 in a game that could have enormous playoff implications. As it currently stands, the Rangers are seventh in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Ottawa Senators, who are in the eighth and final playoff spot due to a tiebreaker.
The Winnipeg Jets loom just one point back, while the Devils are just hoping to play spoiler as they’ve already been eliminated, sitting eight points back with three games remaining.
The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden could be enormous though with division rivals meeting in a game the Rangers need to win to make the playoffs, should it come to that. The Rangers currently ride a three-game winning streak and they’ve won seven of their last 10, with two losses and an overtime loss in that run as well.
In between now and Saturday, they’ll travel to Florida and Carolina. New York will likely look to lean heavily on the goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist, who is 22-15-3 with a 2.08 goals against average and a .927 save percentage.
On the scoring front, the Rangers are led by sniper Rick Nash, who has 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 41 games played. Derek Stepan has 16 goals and 24 assists through 40 games, and the Rangers have some scoring depth as well.
Brad Richards has popped in 10 goals while dishing out 20 assists for 30 points in 43 games, a solid pace to go along with his leadership and two-way effort. Likewise, Ryan Callahan has 14 goals and 12 assists for 26 points in 42 games.
Don’t underestimate the Rangers playoff chances should they make it in, either. They currently have the fifth-best goal differential in the Eastern Conference and have been hampered in part by a lack of overtime losses and some bad luck.
In addition, only the Penguins are out ahead of the pack in the Eastern Conference with 70 points. The Rangers are 1-0-1 against he Penguins this month and probably would go into that potential second-round matchup with some confidence.
So don’t miss out on the chance to see the Rangers battle their way into the playoffs this Saturday, get your tickets now!
Bulls Return to United Center With Hope Against the Nets
The Chicago Bulls managed to upset the Brooklyn Nets in game two of their NBA Eastern Conference Quarterfinals by a score of 90-82, which tied the series up at 1-1 and ensured that it will go at least five games.
That means the Bulls will get back to Brooklyn one way or another. It also puts them right into the series with two games coming up at the United Center in Chicago on Thursday, April 25 and Saturday, April 27. Thursday’s game is slated for 7:30 p.m. and Saturday’s for 1 p.m.
The biggest differences for the Bulls between Game 1 and Game 2 were shown at the defensive end of the floor and in rebounding. In the series-opening loss, the Bulls allowed the Nets to hit nearly 56 percent of their shots from the floor, 43 percent of their threes and 82 percent of their 17 free throws.
In Game 2, the Bulls played a more physical brand of basketball and though they sent the Nets to the line six more times and saw them hit at an 87 percent clip at the charity stripe, the Nets were just 35 percent from the floor and 19 percent from three-point range.
In addition, the Bulls went from a minus-four on the boards to a plus-five. Offensively, the Bulls didn’t see too much of a difference in their shooting numbers or point output, scoring 89 and 90 points respectively. The big change was slowing down the Nets offense and rendering Gerald Wallace ineffective. Wallace had 14 points and six rebounds in Game 1, but only scored 2 points and grabbed three rebounds in Game 2.
The Bulls hope the home crowd at the United Center can propel them forward with a scrappy, defensive brand of basketball while the Nets hope to find their shooting stroke again in the Madhouse on Madison.
Playoff basketball at the United Center is always a blast, so don’t miss out. Get your tickets today and see it in person as the Bulls and Nets continue their playoff series.
Are You in Justin Bieber’s New Video?
Justin Bieber loves his fans, and he’s constantly making efforts to show them off and tell them just how much he appreciates them. In his latest video for All Around the World, he features them in clips, standing in lines, screaming at shows, posing for pictures, and otherwise loving their heartthrob. When the cameras are turned off of the fans, you can watch the Biebs in concert, hanging out in his downtime, and lots of behind-the-scenes footage from the tour.
As you would expect from the song’s title, some of the best clips in the video contain video footage from some of the coolest places Justin has seen along the way of the tour. The Egyptian pyramids, the Sydney opera house, the Eiffel Tower, and the Colesseum in Rome are just a few of the most notable global landmarks that you’ll find in the video. Each landmark clip it seems, also has a matching clip of fandom in that city.
Of course Ludacris has a fairly big part, rapping one of the verses and then providing support for the remainder of the song. Fans of the rapper won’t be disappointed, as Ludacris appears on stage with Justin Bieber about halfway through the video, and continues to make appearances throughout.
The video has only been on YouTube for four days and it’s already received over 5 million views. You can check it out here and tell us what you think!
Was Excessive Play the Reason for Kobe’s Injury?
It seems that whenever a star player is hurt, the coach is the first one to take the blame — even often more than a player who caused the injury. And while there was no enemy interference when Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon on Friday, Coach Mike D’Antoni is taking even more than his fair share of the blame. Critics are calling the coach out, saying that too many minutes were the cause of Kobe’s injury, and that D’Antoni is personally responsible. D’Antoni in turn, has responded in a way that both accepts his part in it, but that also shows no regret.
Kobe had played a lot, even for someone in the prime of their NBA career. But the 34-year-old has played 17 seasons, and he’s only missed two this year. He averages 38.6 minutes a game, which is second in the league; and that increased to 45.6 minutes these last couple of weeks as the Lakers have made their push towards the playoffs. It was definitely a time his team needed him and according to D’Antoni, Kobe knew that, and it was one of the determining factors in why he played.
“In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have played him that many minutes,” D”Antoni said. “But without Steve Nash, Bryant said ‘I’ve got to do that or we’re not going to make the playoffs.’ And for him, that was the most important thing. It’s tough.”
D’Antoni says that had the team been better in the start of the season, Kobe wouldn’t have been relied on as much, and he takes responsibility in that sense.
“There’s a little bit of, ‘Yeah, you’re right, and we were playing a little bit with fire,'” he says. “But I thought managing tendinitis, or where Bryant couldn’t finish a game…nobody knows if there’s a correlation, so I’m not defensive about it. We’d probably do it again the same way. It’s just too bad we put ourselves in this hole. That’s the biggest thing.”
The injury has certainly ended Kobe’s season and kept him out of the playoffs, as the injury requires at least six months to heal.
What do you think? Is D’Antoni to blame for Kobe’s injury? Or is it just a case of really bad luck?
Newly Controversial Brad Paisley Hits North Carolina in May
Country music star Brad Paisley will play a pair of shows in Charlotte, NC and Raleigh, NC on May 2nd and 3rd respectively. Right now, though, he’s dealing with a lot of controversy after the release of his new song called Accidental Racist featuring rapper L.L. Cool J.
The song tells the story of a Southerner who walks into a Starbucks coffee shop wearing a shirt with a confederate flag and proceeds to discuss racial misunderstandings and tensions in the United States predicated around the deep South.
The controversy is gaining speed just ahead of the release of Paisley’s next album, Wheelhouse, which drops this week. Paisley told USA Today he wanted to step out of his comfort zone and create conversation.
“I still think there will be people who misunderstand what I’m saying, but welcome to the Internet,” Paisley told USA Today. “But that is the job of art, to promote discussion.”
In addition to his new songs, Paisley is sure to play a lot of old favorites including his 17 United States Country number one songs. Some favorites over the last five or six years include “Mud on the Tires,” “The World,” “She’s Everything,” “Ticks,” “Online,” “I’m Still a Guy,” “Waitin’ on a Woman,” “Star a Band,” and “Then.”
Some of his most recent number one hits include “Remind Me,” “Old Alabama,” “Anything Like Me,” and “Water.”
Given Paisley’s upbeat style in a lot of his songs, any show is sure to be a lot of fun, but especially at the start of the summer season when concertgoers are ready to cut loose and have a good time.
Throw in a dose of controversy that is sure to keep Paisley in the headlines for some time and these should be much-anticipated shows.
In Charlotte, Paisley will be playing the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre on May 2. The next night, he’ll hit the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek in Raleigh.
Don’t miss out on your chance to see one of country music’s biggest stars while he’s a big topic of conversation. Get your tickets now!
Amy Grant to Release First Album in Ten Years
“Baby, baby,” you can believe it! Amy Grant is recording and releasing her 15th studio album, “How Mercy Looks from Here.” It will be the first album released by Grant in the past ten years, and it’s one that Grant says will contain absolutely “zero filler.”
Grant started off her career recording gospel music, but broke out onto the pop scene in 1991 with her album, “Heart in Motion” that contained songs such as “Baby, Baby,” and “Takes a Little Time.” After seeing huge commercial success in the 90s, she returned to gospel music before breaking up with her record label, Interscope/A&M. Since that time she’s done reality shows, as well as making guest appearances on television and at events. Now she’s back to sing about all that she’s been doing since fans last heard from her, and it’s bound to be worth the wait!
Grant first announced on her website that she was releasing a new album on February 15, 2013. It was also at that time that she announced the release date — May 14, 2013.
“A lot of major life changes happened during these past few years,” Grant said when speaking about the upcoming album. “So on this record, there’s zero filler. Every song has a real story behind it.”
Are you excited to hear new music from Amy Grant? Will you be buying her new album when it comes out?
Experience Golf’s Ultimate Thrill at the Masters
Every April, the top golfers in the world convene at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, to play in the world’s most famous golf tournament and compete for the chance to walk away with a coveted green jacket. This year, the prestigious event will be held from April 11 through April 14, with practice rounds starting on April 8.
Since the event is always held at the same course, the history and tradition that surround the beautiful course can be mesmerizing for fans. This year could provide particularly special moments, as Tiger Woods heads to Augusta as the favorite after winning three events in the early part of the PGA season.
Woods is back to the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings and eyes his first major championship since the 2008 U.S. Open when he beat Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff with an extra hole of sudden death at Torrey Pines.
Since, Woods has been through quite the roller coaster ride including knee surgery, his highly publicized sex scandal and subsequent divorce and a slow, frustrating climb back to the top of the golf world.
Woods has won 14 majors so far in his career and hopes to top Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18, which has led to a lot of speculation over whether that feat was possible due to his struggles. A win at Augusta could put Woods back on track and also move him out of a tie with Arnold Palmer for the second-most Masters Tournament championships with five, one back of Nicklaus’s six.
Woods’ old rival Phil Mickelson could be in the mix as well, as his game tends to be well suited for the tricky greens of Augusta. Mickelson won the Waste Management Phoenix Open earlier this year with an impressive performance that reminded the world he can still be a top performer.
While Rory McIlroy as struggled lately, he’s not to be ruled out. Last year’s winner, Bubba Watson, has to garner some consideration as well and there are often surprises.
The memories last a lifetime when you attend the Masters and tickets go quickly so don’t miss out. Get yours today!
