Review: Vices & Virtues
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concerti
Panic! At the Disco is a band with an interesting background, and this is certainly a new page in their history book. The band lost two members last year, leaving just frontman Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith to pick up the band in their original direction. It's a good job that they play about twenty musical instruments between them, then. 
Vices & Virtues is the band's first album since the split, but it retains what we've come to expect from Panic!. The somewhat poppy somewhat psychedelic sound has endured, as has the lyrical style which manages to be complex as well as catchy. “There's nothing wrong with just a taste/Of what you paid for,” declares Urie during lead single The Ballad of the Mona Lisa. It's a fantastic little phrase which will stick in your head for days after you first hear it. The chorus is equally catchy, and although Urie doesn't quite measure up to the band's previous lyricist, it's still a great effort.
Highlighted tracks include the light pop ballad Ready to Go (Get Out of my Mind) which features a fairly breezy feel and atmosphere. The folk-influenced Sarah Smiles is also brilliant, with a fantastic light tone which will have you clapping along. It comes at exactly the right time after the musically-heavy The Calendar, which is equally easy to listen and sing along to.
Musically, Panic! still have the ability to produce a perfect pop hook – Oh Glory and Let's Kill Tonight prove they can still convince the masses to get up and dance. But it is the diversity of each track that is perhaps the album's strongest aspect. From rock-influenced The Calendar to folk-drenched Sarah Smiles to the groove of Hurricane, it's impossible to generalise tracks as one style. This is typical of a band which has often flown in the face of categorisation, and although they emanate their previous work, they are careful never to repeat it. There's only one way to categorise a style like this: Panic! At the Disco-style.
Tags: Album review, Vices & Virtues, Panic! At the Disc...
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Ricky Martin in Guatemala
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concerti
Ricky Martin's October concert, coming on the eve of a new Guatemalan election has him caught in the candidate's campaigns. Manuel Baldizón, one of the countries favourite candidates, has been apparently boasting that he would ¨turn Ricky Martin straight¨ as part of his presidential campaign. Whether he has a plan for that has yet to be seen. But the fact that even one of the country's top candidates is using Ricky Martin's spotlight as a promotional campaign for Guatemala's largely conservative population is hardly shocking considering the outstanding fame of the Puerto Rican singer.
.jpg "Image By: Wander2006") While still remaining wildly popular with Latin audiences, Ricky Martin's fame mostly took off after he started singing in English. His most popular songs include “Livin' la Vida Loca"¨, "She Bangs" and "She's All I Ever Had". Later on, in 2003, Ricky Martin went back to singing in Spanish, his “roots”, and the language he had missed and found emotional inspiration in. He, with the exception of his MTV Unplugged world tour, has taken a break from the music industry to focus on his personal life. His major controversies have been his “coming out of the closet” in 2010, support of same-sex marriages and his disapproval of President George W. Bush in 2001 even after performing at the President's inauguration ball.
It has been awhile since big pop stars like Ricky Martin have performed in Guatemala. Others that have come to the country mostly include hard rock bands like Metallica and Korn. It is understood that the country seemed excited about having the Latin pop star on their official “Revolution Day” (October 20th). Tickets were mostly sold in paper as opposed to online as were average in other countries; however, offers were flying around Facebook and Twitter for discounts and even freebees.
Tags: Ricky Martin, Guatemala, October, Singer
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Maná Rock Dallas
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If you haven’t heard about the Spanish rock favorites; Maná, where have you been? The band had an amazing concert in Dallas in July last year. They opened the show with their most popular number, Lluvia al Corazón. But, all in all, the first part of the concert was not very exciting, as the band played new songs that were quite slow. Most of the Maná’s songs need to be listened to more than once in order for you to enjoy them. However, as soon as they went into their previous hits the audience responded enthusiastically. This band is not very mobile on the stage. Therefore, the performance at Dallas was all about the vocals. Alex Gonzalez is the only member of the band who moves around on the stage and gives you, a visual act. It is an enjoyable experience watching him. On the other hand, the bassist and the guitarist just stand there and play their instruments. The high point of the show came when the winner of a competition was introduced. Adal Benitez is an amateur musician who won the local prize. He played guitar for the Maná’s hit song, Me Vale and he rocked the show with his endless energy. The concert became more exiting when Alex was left by his band for a solo performance. The rotating mechanical drums added to the beauty of his show. A fortunate girl was called up on the stage by the band and Fher sang Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez. Once the lady left the platform, the band sang some more of their hits. Latin American flags were displayed in the background of the stage. The classic song named Vivir Sin Aire was played and thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. Most of the crowd were seen dancing and swaying to the charming melodies. Despite the slow beginning, the concert was a big hit, overall.
Tags: Maná, Dallas, Concert, Gonzalez, Rock
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South African Music Laws
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The introduction of the new reference book for music laws has been introduced in South Africa. This is no doubt a very positive step for the prosperity of music. This book provides detailed information on the Music Law and Music contract regulations. The book has been written by Nick Matzukis and is titled as ‘South African Music Law and Contracts’. This is a small and complete guide for the musicians who are interested in continuing their music career in South Africa. It is a great guide for amateur musicians who can learn strategies through which to negotiate the best contracts. This book tells us about the procedures that can be followed in order to make money, through music, in South Africa. The book provides an overview of the music industry, all around the world. It discusses the most common issues of music copyright and royalty streams in great detail. If you have been waiting for such a source that can guide you through your music-related problems, ‘South African Music Law and Contracts’ could be the perfect match. All the legal principals regarding the South African music industry are clarified by the writer. This volume tells you about everything that you must know, before entering the business of music. After giving a general idea, this book explains every rule, clause by clause. Various examples from the music industry have been used by the author to make it easier for the readers to understand. It includes all the publishing agreement information, record deals and artist management contracts. The law of copyright is extremely important to understand. Matzukis, the director of the Sound Engineering Academy, explained that the major reason behind publishing this book was making South African music excel.
Tags: Music, South Africa, Laws, Matzukis, Book
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NYC NYE Cancellations
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New Yorkers were disappointed at the end of last year due to Hurricane Irene interference in their lives. All the concerts on New Year’s Eve in the city were canceled due to bad weather conditions. People were forced to wait for their favourite stars to perform in their city. All the shows that were planned in the area were either delayed or cancelled, due to the expected Hurricane Irena. The Hurricane was expected to affect places like Virginia and South Carolina and then all the way up to the eastern boundary of Canada. The Governor of New York declared a state of emergency, throughout the entire area. The transit system of the city was completely suspended for some time. All these circumstances had a negative impact on the concerts and gigs that were to be held in the city. Most of the organisers managed to delay the shows. The Caravan events of Dave Matthews Band were expected to be held at the Governors Island. However, they were postponed by the organisers. This was a major disappointment for all the fans that were waiting for the concert for a very long time. All the tickets were already distributed. MTV News confirmed the delay of the concert. The show was then held in late August. The Roots and Gogol Bordello were going to perform in New York, but their show was also delayed due to the climatic conditions. The Afro-Punk festival was also one of the most anticipated events that were going to be held in New York. It was a major setback for the citizens to wait for the delayed events. The organisers tried to not to postpone the festival, but they had to take such a step, for security reasons. However, the planners did a great job in keeping the people updated. There was a distinct apology on Twitter by Himanshu Suri of Das Racist who was hoping to perform at the festival.
Tags: Hurricane, New York, Virginia, MTV, Das Racist
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Pink Floyd Return?
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Legendary rock band Pink Floyd reunited back in 2005 for charity. They performed eight live shows in London and sold more than 200 million albums that year. A sheer hope sprang from the fans of the band all over the world that they may start playing shows again. The death of Richard Wright, the keyboardist, was one of the major reasons behind the end of the Pink Floyd’s performances. The unfortunate passing of Wright in 2008 did major damage to the group. However, Hoping Foundation’s benefit concert brought them back together. Nick Mason, the drummer, has recently revealed that the group may be doing live concerts together soon. They are trying to repeat the concept of Live 8, the way they did in 2005, and likely to play for the sake of charity. According to the drummer, the band is ready to perform, for the right reasons. He further explained that it may not be beneficial for them, but they are not performing for their personal interests and everyone must appreciate this fact. Band mates, David Gilmour and Roger Waters left the group during 1980s, but the very idea of charity has brought them on the same stage again. They performed the three Pink Floyd classic in their recent concert for Hoping Foundation. This organisation helps Palestinian children. The show was held in Oxfordshire, in July 2011. The band members are regarding Live 8 as an opportunity as a stepping stone, for future reunions. The group is no longer interested in launching new albums or making money. They want to end their careers by performing for aid organisations. They are expected to be seen in many similar concerts, in the near future. Mason has been one of the most vocal members of the groups and has been updating the media about the future plans of the group. Pink Floyd fans can hope to look forward to the band performances.
Tags: Pink Floyd, Gilmour, Live 8, Mason, Wright
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Mana in Concert
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The legendary Latin rock band from Mexico is performing their Drama y Luz in a world tour on the 2nd November coming with 2 hours of music, 80 tonnes of equipment and a brand new album. The opening of the tour will start with the Guatemalan band “El Tambor de la Tribu” and will begin with three concerts in Puerto Rico, following with dates in North America and Europe. The current concert is the Mexican band's seventh tour which celebrates their eighth album. The tour was scheduled only to run at the Rock in Rio Madrid Festival in Spain. However due to demanding fans the Drama y Luz tour was expanded to include American states and other European countries.
José Fernando and Gustavo Orozco formed the group in 1978, later joining Juan Diego and Ulises Calleros. Alex González was employed after reading their advertisement posted in a classified newspaper. The first album in 1981, “Sombrero Verde”, was followed by “A Tiempo de Rock”. However, their commercial breakthrough didn't come till two new members were added to the group, Iván González - keyboards and César López - guitar and released the album “¿Dónde Jugarán Los Niños?” Mana won their fourth Grammy award for “Revolución de Amor” changing their music style to match that of rock and roll from the sixties and seventies.
Mana's tour comes after a long awaited album since Orozco stated they would have a new album ready for December 2010 and Drama y Luz was not released until April 2011. After five years of waiting from their last album, it is no wonder fans are demanding more from the band in tours. Finally Latino rock fans are getting Mana's masterpiece they've all waited for, live. It is understood that it is going to be a great celebration. Prepare your way to go.
Tags: Mana, Concert, Latin, Mexico, November
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Steven Tyler Movie?
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Ron Howard, the Oklahoma born actor, director, and producer whose films include the Academy Award-winning Cocoon, Apollo 13, and A Beautiful Mind has recently obtained the film rights for Aerosmith front man, all around rock star and recent American Idol judge, Steven Tyler.
Steven Tyler was recently quoted saying to Women's Wear Daily, "I'm thinking since Ron Howard bought my book, his production company is thinking about doing something. This whole thing with Aerosmith has been like a dream come true."
"It's like it's been plotted out and planned and written about before. Every time something happens, I think, ‘Is this a movie?'"
And why not? The American rock star has already acted as himself in a number of films including Wayne's World 2, Lizzie McGuire, Be Cool and Chris Botti in Boston. His life in many ways has been like one big film. Stating that he grew up “under his father's piano", and that from what his father played, he got "that emotional thing" that he has with music. When he was sixteen, he formed his first band, called the Stranguers, later changed to Chain Reaction, where he was the drummer, and later the lead singer. Around 1970, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Joey Kramer formed what we now know as Aerosmith; with Tyler writing their breakthrough song “Dream On” just a bit before that.
His rise from a garage band to a rock icon is the dream, rarely seen in real life. The breaking up of the band in 1983 and their reuniting in 1986 isn't something every band has been able to handle maturely. His overcoming of drugs and substance abuse after seeing what it caused for him and the band is an admirable feat for a drug as strong as heroin. It may appear that if Ron is thinking of making this movie it's because perhaps Tyler's story is enough to give him an academy award.
Tags: Steven Tyler, Movie, Aerosmith, Rock
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Rights of Concert Goers
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If you consider yourself a concert aficionado in South Africa, you may be glad to know that you can resort to legal options if you are dissatisfied with the management of concerts. This is part of their new Consumer Protection Act, and it provides music lovers and concert goers the right to complain about receiving less than par, or simply awful service. Well, people who go to concerts are still consumers. They pay tickets, so it's only right that they receive good service as consumers. The Act aims to make companies handling concerts to improve their service.
The director of Norton Rose in Johannesburg, Rosalind Lake, talked about the new Act. Concert goers are actually quite entitled to the service that average consumers receive. It's not clear to us whether we can complain about bad performances on stage, but people certainly have the right to complain when they think that they didn't get what they paid for.
If you went to a concert venue to watch an artist who cancels the show because they are drunk, then you can go to the organisers of the concert to get your refund. But you can't head for the performer and rant at them. It's the organizers that bring people to perform, so making sure the artist can and will perform is their duty. You can get a claim in a situation like this.
But what if an artist didn't sound good or their throat was hoarse? It seems unclear whether you can ask for refund if you were not satisfied with the way a singer sang on their show. Satisfaction is quite a subjective thing. Lake said that it was difficult to say that an artist did not sing properly or perform they way they are expected.
According to her, you can ask for a refund of a portion that you paid, but not the whole amount. The reason for this is that receiving a service is different from buying goods. You can return the latter and get your money back, but you cannot do that with the former. A performance is likened to a service offered. Bad performance equals bad service, but bad service is different from no service at all. Hence, you cannot get total refund for a bad service.
This is warning to concert promoters to stop making false promises about events. This means that concert organizers should plan their shows appropriately and that concert goers should be informed about difficulties in advance. Lake said that the advice in this law is do not charge people for something other than what you have promised.
The Act requires organizers to issue notice to people ahead of time if an artist could not come because of sickness or other serious reasons. People can claim refund if they have come to the venue because organisers failed to announce to them that the artist isn't coming.
Tags: Concert, South Africa, Legal, Act
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Elton John Concert
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Sir Elton John shall once again grace the audience, this time in Summerside, Canada; at Credit Union Place on the 14th September. The director of the Community Services Department, Bobby Dunn, said they are already ready. This will be the biggest show in the history of the place.
Dunn said that the nice part of it is they have some great staff that has been through a number of big events. This is probably the biggest event that will be held at the Credit Union Place. Other big events were the World Junior Hockey championships and a Kenny Rogers' concert. The announcement seemed to have come a little too soon, but the staff had already been working for many weeks before it was released. In fact, they have been working hard in the past several weeks. Preparation meetings were necessary to make sure nothing gets wrong. Part of the preparations is addition of resources to the facility.
Dunn said, “Typically we have the three ticket booths down below, but we've added a few extra ones upstairs because what we're told is that typically for a concert of this magnitude 75 per cent of the people will purchase online.” They are expecting that more people would buy tickets online, so it's probably a wise plan to set up more stations. A majority of audiences attending concerts in big cities buy tickets online. Most people, regardless of their age, are fairly computer savvy and may find ticket sales online. Tickets will be available on July 22nd at about 10am.
Elton John is known for classic songs like Daniel, Rocket Man, Bennie and the Jets, Candle in the Wind, and Skyline Pigeon. His music has featured various genres, making him a widely loved artist for decades. Elton John has been around for five long decades, and in the span of his career, he has accomplished a lot. He has 35 gold and 25 platinum albums, plus 29 consecutive Top 40 Hits. He has sold over 250 million records around the world. His “Candle in the Wind” is the biggest selling single of all time, having sold 37 million copies worldwide. In the span of his remarkable career, he has already clocked up almost three thousand shows.
On Rolling Stone's 100 greatest artists of all time, Elton John was placed on the 49th in 2004. Ten years earlier, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
John's work outside the halls of music is notable, being involved a lot in the campaign against AIDS for more than twenty years. In 1992, he put up the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Mayor Basil Stewart said in a press release that the city of Summerside is honored that Sir Elton John is visiting them. Most people would agree with Mayor Stewart that it will be an unforgettable night.
Tags: Elton John, Concert, Canada, September
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