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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Energetic Life at Koh Samui, Thailand


Koh Samui Thailand has an excellent sightseeing that includes all the aquatic features like white sandy beaches, delicious fresh seafood’s, hotels and tourist spots. Samui has the super entertaining nightlife which everybody will definitely enjoy. From the difficult epicurean restaurants to the well known full moon parties, the island has a quality of the finest in Thailand. Night time entertainment includes discos, club, music venues, bar beers, classical Thai dancing, mud wrestling, and Thai lady boxing are alive and set to amuse everyone.
 
This island is an ideal place for vacation to round within one or two days. The Na Muang waterfall is a very attractive because of its staircase going directly to a large pool at the base of the waterfall. There, you can go for swimming and diving too but be careful at the shallow part, some sharp rocks are hidden. The Hin Ta and Hin Yai are the stones that represent the male and female genitalia.

 


It is one of the favorite destinations of every vacationer in Samui. Just near this attraction, gift shops are accessible where you can buy beautiful bowls and vases. Another cool place and enjoyable is the Hin Lad Waterfall. A swimming pool under this waterfall is made just to add the beauty of the place. You can also see the Hin Lad monastery at the foot of this waterfall. If you have an idea to visit Thailand, you can easily look for beach vacation rentals in this islands.

Day and night, Koh Samui, Thailand is such a great place to wander. A reward for your self will become easier to achieve even if you have hectic schedule through the availability of this wonderful place.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Hawaiian Musicians Objection Grammys


Boycott of awards based on removal of ethnic music categories picks up steam

A group of musicians are intimidating a boycott of CBS after the Recording Academy sliced 31 awards from this year’s Grammys, according to the Associated Press. An official Grammy press release said the result to lessen the categories from 109 to 78 “carry on evolution” for the Recording Academy, but Grammy-nominated Latin jazz percussionist Bobby Sanabria, who is leading the alliance, says the reform is a racist decision that unfairly shorts ethnic music. Specific categories like best Zydeco or Cajun music album, best Latin jazz and best classical crossover all got the axe in favor of more universal ones.

Support for the society is growing. This morning, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reported that Hawaiian musicians like slack-key king Dennis Kamakahi support the boycott after that Hawaiian music was bumped into a vague “regional roots" category alongside Native American music and polka.

On Thursday, the Academy subjected the following statement: "The Recording Academy's board of trustees and its committees — made up of chosen, qualified voting members from The Academy's 12 chapter cities around the country and a broad range of music makers — spent two years researching and eventually making the decision to restructure the Grammy Awards categories for reasons that had everything to do with recognizing fineness in music and the integrity of our awards and nothing to do with ethnicity or race."

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Rihanna, Britney kick off invigorated Billboard Awards



After five years of dormancy, the Billboard Music Awards were invigorated Sunday with a major dose of star power.

Rihanna got the show off to a steamy start, wearing a skimpy leather outfit for her hit song "S&M," and was joined at the end of the number by Britney Spears, who came into view on a remix on the track.

Taylor Swift won the evening's first award, as top album artist, at the back the multimillion sales for "Speak Now."

"The impact of an album is all resolute by the fans," she told the audience. "You've just given me another reason to be completely in love with you."

Other award winners built-in Justin Bieber (digital artist) and the Black Eyed Peas (top duo/group).

Beyonce conventional a special Millennium Award for her career achievements: The 29-year-old phenomenon was lauded in a video by an array of legends and luminaries, as well as Stevie Wonder, Barbara Streisand, Bono, Lady Gaga and First Lady Michelle Obama.

"This is a moment I have to immerse in because it's gonna be -- and it is -- one of the best moments of my life," said Beyonce after getting the award from her mother, Tina Knowles. Beyonce also did her new song, "Run the World (Girls)."

This year marks the Billboard Awards' rebirth. The Billboard Awards had been a yclip since 1989, but gave out what came into view to be its last award in 2006. This year, the show was brought back.

It was held in Las Vegas, broadcast live on ABC and hosted by "The Hangover 2"' star Ken Jeong.

The Billboard Music Awards are given out to music's most popular artists. The finalists and winners are strong-minded by their rank on the Billboard charts and their "social and streaming activity."

Rihanna is the top finalist, competing in 18 categories. Among the awards she's up for take in top artist, top female artist, and top radio songs artist.

Eminem's name appears in 16 categories, counting top artist. He's also vying for top male artist as well as top social artist.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Rachel Zoe sparks the dazzling 10carat diamond ring

Some new mothers are happy with maybe a good night's sleep or a bunch of flowers after giving birth.

But for celebrities like Rachel Zoe, 39, they take delivery of a whole lot more in the form of a 'push present'.

Rachel Zoe was presented with a huge 10-carat Neil Lane diamond ring from her husband Rodger Berman.

The couple celebrated the birth of their son Skyler Morrison six weeks ago and are enjoying in being new parents.

But Berman it seems that wanted to give Zoe amazing special to thank her for giving birth to their son.



And at nearly $300,000 - it is a a very special gift certainly. Skyler weighed in at 6lb 12oz which means the 'push present' was more than a carat a pound.

She flashed the enormous ring yesterday while celebrating her first Mother's Day with Berman during an outdoor meal.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Live Music helps disabled children to socialize


SINGING, dancing, drumming and playing the guitar to children with disabilities helps perk up their social and motor skills, Australian therapists have found.

For one hour each week, Queensland University of Technology's Kate Williams and a team of music therapists would sit on the floor with a group of immobilize children under five years old, joined by their mothers.

"We have a guitar and we use our voice ... and bring along a whole lot of instruments that are easy to get to and motivating," said Ms Williams.

"We're using some familiar, early childhood repertoire - Twinkle Twinkle and Baa Baa (Black Sheep) and what not - to get them at ease and using their hands for doing events.

"But we also compose and write a lot of our own songs because we want to be targeting particular aspects of the family relationship."

The Queensland University of Technology-based researcher interviewed the mothers of the 201 participants, who had a variety of disabilities including autistic disorders, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy.

The parents said they had learnt to use music to sidetrack and calm their children, and noticed their own mental health had improved.

Ms Williams also made clinical observations over the course of the study.

"We were observing really positive changes in parenting behaviors and the relationships between the parents and children," she told AAP.

"It's very easy to see what these children can't do and where they're lacking in their development but, I think we found in music therapy sessions, parents are really confident to see what (the children) actually can do with motivation.

"Even children who couldn't talk would vocalize.

"The focus is really strength, based on what people can do."


Monday, May 2, 2011

Taylor Swift to Close Down CMA Music Fest


Taylor Swift will bring the drape down on this year's CMA Music Fest.

Swift has been added to the Sunday lineup of the Nightly Concerts at LP Field for the June 9-12 fair in Nashville, Tenn.

Fans in Swift's hometown will get to see a bit of the live show the 2009 Country Music Association performer of the year has been dispersal around the globe on tour this coil. Swift has been concerned in some way with the festival every year since 2006.

Sunday will be a runaway success night with Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Darius Rucker among the performers on the agenda.

Other performers scheduled Thursday through Saturday include Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban and Sheryl Crow.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

'How Great Thou Art' - Carrie Underwood's




It's no surprise that country music fans were expecting the TV special Girls Night Out: Superstar Women of Country, which was ribbon at the 2011 Academy of Country Music Awards weekend earlier this month and aired Friday night on CBS. However, it was a gospel song do at the show that unexpectedly crossed all boundary lines and created a viral sensation over the weekend.

Carrie Underwood was just one of many enormous names in the all-star lineup, but her duet with Vince Gill of the classic normal "How Great Thou Art" managed to bring down the entire house--and internet, at that.

If that weren't enough, the video of the presentation has received nearly a million views, and has drawn extraordinarily high praise--with comments ranging from "Wow! God was in the house," "I am not a Christian but this is truly good-looking," "She is an angel" to "This is the most moving version of that song I have ever heard," "She rocks 'em and socks 'em," "I'm speechless."

One user even went where most dare not tread, and contrasted Underwood to the King himself--"I thought that nobody could come shut to live this song like Elvis did during hisconcerts. I was wrong; Carrie put her heart and soul into this amazing version!"

Underwood and Gill's fellow stars in the audience appeared moved by the presentation, as well. Martina McBride stares fascinated at the stage, the ordinarily humorous Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert watch respectfully, while Sugarland's Kristian Bush nods his head and Jennifer Nettles mouths "What a voice."
After drumming the final, climactic notes, Underwood wrapped the powerful presentation up with a hug for Gill. Then, she wiped away a few tears...and faced a standing ovation from her peers. How great, indeed.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Mechanical Animal: Lady Gaga's Insane Album Wrap Is the Best Part of 'Born This Way'


Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild" is very closely linked with the motorcycle road movie Easy Rider. That's the main clue we're working with today in our study into why Lady Gaga decided to make her Born This Way album wrap an odd mix of a calendar hanging in a mechanic's office crossed with the roaring jaguar on the cover of Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure.

Obviously some of Gaga's fans don't care for the cover, but it's our favorite part of Born This Way yet by a long shot. Little Monsters are so upset, there's in fact a theory circulating that Gaga is revealing her fans three times, and that the cover she tweeted is a fake.

Here are their primary complaints:

It looks like it Cost $2 and a Photoshop Intern to Make: "Love you Gaga-always will but this album cover is just........cheap looking," tweeted Cristink3. "Gaga I really love u but this cover is awful, very mediocre and unprofessional...I'm in shock. Please do not dissapoint your fans," added Iotiprego.

It Lacks Certain... Je Ne Sais Quoi: "wait, is this serious? With all due respect, i expected something ... classier?" complained Cglink. "I think this looks like random fan ar," Alan_PB wrote.

It doesn’t seem to relate to the Music: "Gaga I'm so disappointed! I love u but this cover is not pop, rock or even 70's metal. It sucks. :S," sniffed Thisislordl. "No graphic designer in their right mind would approve of such an atrocious font, and not only that, It has an awful metallic- looking bevel and emboss! It is terrible," wrote bleakc.

Gaga tweeted the artwork with a note that referenced a "highway unicorn" and implored fans to "'get your hot rods ready to rumble." Make of that what you will. But the good news is plenty of people are making something out of that ludicrously incredible album cover, like Rolling Stone did when Adam Lambert released his similarly wackadoo For Your Entertainment artwork. Gawker put together a small gallery of great Born This Way parodies, and we highly recommend you check that out.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rihanna a finalist for 18 Billboard Music Awards


Rihanna is leading the set as a finalist for the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.

The finalists were proclaimed Wednesday, and Rihanna got herself into 18 spots including Top Hot 100 Artist and Top Female Artist. Love the Way You Lie, her collaboration with Eminem, makes her a force to be reckoned in six song categories.

Eminem isn’t far behind; he’s a finalist in 16 categories. Lady Gaga is up for 12 awards and Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber are up for 11 each.

The Billboard Music Awards show will air May 22 on ABC, when winners in all 46 categories will be proclaimed. Chart-topper Rihanna will perform, as will the Black Eyed Peas, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and more.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra was back.


The men and women in black and white come into view in Orchestra Hall on Saturday night for the first time after a corrosive six-month strike, having reached an agreement with management last week.

Detroiters broke up free tickets for the hastily arranged reunion. People stood in the back of the hall and a screen was set up for the run over. Dozens were turned away. Many appeared to be newcomers to the hall, and dress was a mix of ties, bandannas, pearls and T-shirts. Couples clutched hands and some in the audience teared up. Shouts of “Yeah!” and whoops and whistles sounded in the middle of the applause.

“Welcome home,” said the music director, Leonard Slatkin. “It’s been the longest six months,” a period to be and put in the past, he said. “This evening is about celebration. It’s about you.”

The moment was about amazing more than the end of a bitter labor argument. The sounds of music at the hall (along with the Tigers’ victory in their home opener on Friday) were like the chirpings of a bird in the bleak days of late winter. It finally meant some good news in a town so often explained as hollowed out, shriveled up and deserted.

The census figures in March were the latest dark development. They showed that over the past decade the population fallen by a quarter in Detroit, where a fifth of the lots are vacant, and the city’s leaders are knocking down 10,000 empty residential buildings.

At the least the orchestra stays alive, albeit with the phrase “near-death experience” repeated often. Detroiters are used to seeing businesses go bust, leaving workers — on strike or not — without jobs. The strike played out, sometimes cruelly and to a large degree over Facebook, as the governor in nearby Wisconsin sought to cut back on collective bargaining rights, fueling a national debate over the place of unions in society.

The strike ended a dispute over pay cuts that the players said would turn them into a second-class orchestra, along with changes in work rules that they said would detract from the mission of presenting top symphonic performances. Management said Detroit had simply run out of money to pay for an orchestra at its old level of spending.
A number of other major orchestras — including those in Philadelphia, New York and Boston — are facing or undergoing negotiations for new contracts, and the outcome here will be scrutinized by musicians and their employers.

Despite the Saturday night love fest serious problems remain. Even with the cost savings, the symphony is projecting a yearly deficit of $3 million and labors under a $54 million debt from the music center that was built to supplement its hall, a 1919 gem that seats 2,000 people.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Miley Cyrus and Charlie Sheen Trade Flattering Tweets


Miley Cyrus has only been back on Twitter for a few days, but she has already revealed strange obsessions with both mustaches and Charlie Sheen.

When Cyrus rejoined the service a few days ago -- she had quit in October 2009 -- she listed the factors at the back her return, which we're hoping she doesn't weight equally in meaning:

"'Do not fear...the Sheenius is here!' I'm not gonna lie. I came back to twitter for 2 reasons. My fans and to follow @charliesheen #winning," she wrote.

Well, now the Twitter love affair has urbanized.

Sheen, never missing an opportunity to self-promote, wrote the following to Cyrus:

"Dear Miley, Welcome back to Twitter! Always felt you were epic... Now you proved it! Thanks for the love! ybh c @gypsyhearttour."

Cyrus responded: "@charliesheen I always felt the same about you! You have trained me everything I know about WINNING. Duh!"

And she apparently can't get Sheen off her mind, later tweeting to a friend of hers that he had been replaced by @charliesheen as her BFF, and then writing, "Makin dinner for my fam right now. Honey sesame chicken, garlic rice & salad. There's only one thing missing & that's @charliesheen YBH!"

If we were counseling Sheen, we'd try to get Cyrus to stop by his tour, which would at least renew interest in his deteriorating pop-cultural stock for a day or two.

Friday, April 1, 2011

'The Music Never Stopped' gives the healing power of rock music its due

Music has charms to calm the savage breast. All kinds of music . . . even rock 'n' roll.

Especially rock 'n' roll. In the four-hankie "The Music Never Stopped," a father reconnects with his brain-damaged son by acceptance another generation's music.

Jim Kohlberg's straighting debut is based on a real-life case study travel around by neurologist Oliver Sacks in the essay "The Last Hippie." It's an audience-friendly drama about family, disagreement and the curative power of music.

Set in the mid-1980s in upstate New York, the film centers on Henry and Helen Sawyer (J.K. Simmons, Cara Seymour), who learn that their long-estranged son Gabriel (Lou Taylor Pucci) has been found living on the streets.

Now 35, Gabriel has a brain tumor. It's removed, but so is his ability to produce new memories. Sometimes he talks in old advertising slogans; often he's catatonic.

The one thing he reacts to is music. Henry engages a therapist (Julia Ormond), who discovers that the patient comes alive when pay attention to tunes popular before the tumor began its ugly work. True, he thinks it's still 1969, but he can recall tiny details, make jokes and talk continually and enthusiastically about his favorite songs.

The problem is that Henry, who loves the big-band sound, illogically blames rock music for his son's estrangement. The only way they can truly converse is for Henry to immerse himself in "that damn music" of the '60s. More specifically, the Grateful Dead.

"Music" isn't always the most elegant film writers Gwyn Lurie and Gary Marks sometimes falter when balancing the film's present with the many flashbacks but it has a huge heart and great acting.

Simmons, perennially one of the best behind actors in American film and TV, gets a rare leading role and deftly negotiates the divide between Henry's parental love and his almost ridiculous hatred of rock.

Watching this film, a boomer experiences the same alteration as Gabriel. Certain songs right away take us back to when we first heard them.

Once it's lodged in your brain, a good song isn't going wherever. It's there for the duration.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Rebecca Black has a holy place to Justin Bieber


Rebecca Black has a little Justin Bieber shrine in her room, she has exposed.

The singer, who factually became an overnight sensation last week with her song 'Friday’, said in an interview with People magazine ' is so dorky when it comes to Justin Bieber. I have a little holy place in my room.'

She has before admitted to trying to get Bieber's attention on twitter in an attempt to tee up a duo.

She recently said on Good Morning America that she would 'scream at the top of my lungs and perhaps not be able to sing again' if a Bieber teamwork were to happen.

Bieber's only comment on Black was in a Twitter post reading 'Sunday comes after Saturday? Weird.'

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Rihanna to carry out with Sugarland at Academy of Country Music Awards

Rihanna is leaving a little bit country. The pop siren will join country pair Sugarland for a special performance at the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

Ryan Seacrest reports that RiRi and Sugarland frontwoman Jennifer Nettles will duo on a country-tinged version of “California King Bed,” a ballad from the Barbados singer’s newest album Loud.

Fellow songbirds Beyoncé and Keri Hilson have both before performed with Sugarland at the American Music Awards and “VH1 Divas greeting the Troops.”

The ACM Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 3 at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Other performers comprise Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, Reba, Carrie Underwood, and more.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Lil Wayne Brings His 'Whole Clique' On I Am Music II Tour


Lil Wayne is a superstar act, but the New Orleans MC isn't just a solo wrap up. When he hits the stage at his I Am Music II showcase, he has his Young Money crew in tow, counting Nicki Minaj, Lil Twist, Mack Maine, Jae Millz and Shanell.

It's a lesson the Cash Money Records artist erudite from watching Bad Boy and Roc-A-Fella treks in the past.

"That's where I get my little vigor from, when I bring my whole group out there, and I want them to be heard," Wayne told. "I keep in mind when [Bad Boy] had Total, Biggie, Ma$e, Junior Mafia, all of them other people. Then you think of the Roc. We're more so like the Roc. 'Cause Jay always had artists the world didn't know, but he put them on the proper song and everyone knows the song. But this time approximately, I want you to know the song, I want you to know the person, I want you to know us. And it's no secret about it; I got the toughest team in the game right now and later."

On Wednesday, Weezy kicked off the follow-up to his winning I Am Music Tour. The show is set to run for 31 days, and all through, he'll be joined by Rick Ross and Travis Barker with DJ Mix Master Mike. Drake, Tyga and the rest of Wayne's YM family are predictable to drop in for select dates.

Wayne is touring in support of his approaching Tha Carter IV album, which he says is due in stores and online May 16.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

MGMT to winner the Future Music Festival


New Yorkers MGMT are set to winner the Future Music Festival with their psychedelic sound. By Craig Mathieson.

Most days now, it's far easier to be in MGMT. The panic-stricken highs and unforeseen lows of 2008, when the New York duo of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden were alternately celebrated and savaged as the future of pop music, have dissipated.

Their much-scrutinized debut, 2007's Oracular Spectacular, now has an heir, last year's gladly eccentric Congratulations, and the pair can now enjoy the prospect of a long-term career making music.

''We never determined that this is what we're going to do,'' Goldwasser says, calling from Manchester in Britain the morning after a sold-out gig. ''But something occurs and one thing leads to another and one day you realise this is your career.''

The band, who play the Future Music Festival on Saturday next last night's show at the Enmore Theatre, are comfortable in their own communal skin. Their three on the road musicians - bassist Matt Asti, drummer Will Berman and guitarist James Richardson - are now fully fledged band members, lightening the communal burden.
''We'd have driven each other wild if we hadn't added some more people to the band,'' Goldwasser sighs. ''They add to the nature of the band and we're all on the same page imaginatively.''

''One of the hardest things is that at this point in my life, I don't have that many things I feel that way about - you lose that sense of the supernatural,'' Goldwasser says.

''One of the things we do again to ourselves is that kids really do know what's going on in so many ways.

''We didn't really appreciate what Oracular meant when we put it out, or even when people started act in response. But from meeting people at shows, particularly younger people, it was clear what it meant to them.''

Friday, March 4, 2011

iTunes Unlimited Downloads May Move toward Midyear – Report


Unlimited download of previously bought music from Apple’s iTunes store may be applied by midyear, reports Bloomberg.

Citing “three people with information of the plans”, the publication says that customers may gain “easier access to music they’ve purchased across multiple devices” if the deal do well.

Kind of like cloud storage of music previously purchased, Bloomberg reports that iPads, iPods and iPhones linked to the same iTunes account will be clever to download purchased media.

According to the report, Apple is at present in talks with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group Corp., and EMI Group Ltd.

Two of the three basis of the publication had apparently said that a deal may be announced by midyear.

“A deal would give iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost, said the people,” Bloomberg says.

Apple, which is set to open a $1 billion North Carolina data center, is seen by analysts to move more of its armed forces to the cloud.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Hip-Hop Marketing Guru Blasts Grammys Over Bieber slight


Hip-hop marketing expert Steve Stoute took to the New York Times over the weekend to blast the Grammys for slighting artists like Justin Bieber. He also spoke out against recent losses by Kanye West and Eminem.

In a full-page ad in the newspaper, Stoute wrote "I have come to the end that the Grammy Awards have clearly lost touch with modern popular culture."

He added, "The awards show has become a series of insincerity and disagreement, leaving me to question why any contemporary popular artist would even participate."

About Bieber, Stoute wrote, "How is it that Justin Bieber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not win Best New Artist?" Justin Bieber lost the Best New Artist Grammy to Esperanza Spalding.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Neil Young wins first Grammy for music


A year after he won the first Grammy of his career, eclectic rocker Neil Young dual his tally on Sunday. The win marked the first recognition for his musical skills, since last year's honor was for his work as an art director on the wrapping of a boxed set.

This time he won a statue in the best rock song category for "Angry World," a tune from his album "Le Noise."

"This is my first Grammy for music, and it's valued greatly," Young said.
He lost another race to Paul McCartney, and remains in argument for best rock album.

Young, now 65, is often nominated 11 times since 2006 alone but his musicianship evidently was not forceful enough for Grammy voters, who now number about 12,000 music industry professionals.

Young, in turn, has made no secret of his scorn for the Grammys, declaring that he was "not Grammy material" in a 1987 interview told in the authorized biography "Shakey." But his look at both this year's and last year's events appears to point to a softening of his approach.

The Canadian singer-songwriter has confounded fans over the past 40 years with an idiosyncratic output spanning folk, rock, grime, soul and country. "Le Noise," his 31st studio let go since 1969, debuted at No. 2 on the Canadian albums chart and at No. 14 in the United States.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Black Eyed Peas underwhelm at halftime


On second consideration, maybe Escort should have been the headliner for the Super Bowl halftime show.
The superstar had only a brief cameo in the glass case, but his tightly choreographed moves and acrobatics marked the brief exciting moment of a surprisingly stale medley from the normally frantic headliners, the Black Eyed Peas.

The Super Bowl presentation was debatably the biggest stage yet for the quirky quartet, whose fusion of pop, dance and hip-hop have made them global superstars. But in the huge Cowboys Arena, the group appeared to be as stiff as frontman will.i.am's plastic hair hat.

It started out with a wow factor: will.i.am, Taboo, Fergie and apl.de.ap go down from atop the stadium, outfits glittering, bewildered outfits, singing (with the help of auto-tune) the party anthem "I Gotta Feeling" with hundreds of dancers channeling in step on the field.

But the Peas didn't match the energy of the song; they seemed hesitant, and tense. It didn't help that Fergie's mic didn't kick in until she was midway through her first verse.

If the clarification for the Peas' flatness was nerves, those nerves never settled, as they trudged through such songs as "Pump It" and "Boom Boom Pow." strictly, they were fine Fergie's voice soared, the raps were performed right. They didn't excite. Even former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Slash seemed bored as he joined Fergie for a short snippet of "Sweet Child O' Mine," an needless cameo that failed to add any sizzle to the set.

So it fell to Usher to breathe some life into the halftime show, and he didn't let down as he appeared in all white with a side of dancers. Although Usher seemed to dance more of his No. 1 hit "OMG" with will.i.am than sing it, his syncopated moves and flips provided the power jolt that the Peas lacked.

The Black Eyed Peas brought the youth, but little else. "I Gotta Feeling" the NFL will be looking to try and find a better balance in time for Indianapolis next year.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Don't miss the 'Kids Day Out Music Festival'



The Kids Day Out Music Festival features a line-up of some of Australia’s most popular children’s entertainers and live stage shows, as well as giving your children the chance to meet their favorite characters.

Held at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre on February 26, the headliners include Hi-5, Ben 10, Yo Gabba Gabba, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Bob the Builder, Go Diego Go, Nickelodeon’s Slime Time Live, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Powerpuff Girls, The Simpsons and many more.

The kids will sing and dance along with their idols in three huge stadiums, with backstage meet-and-greets included in the ticket price. There will also be action centres, workshops and rides.

We are giving away six double passes to the event. Just tell us in 25 words your child’s favorite character and why. Entries close February 8. Winners will be notified mail.               

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Shania Twain named into Canadian Music Hall of Fame


Newlywed Shania Twain has one more reason to smile -- the Timmins, Ont., native has been proclaimed as the 2011 inductee to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

The 12-time Juno Award winner will be privileged during this year's award telecast in Toronto on March 27, marking her first return to the Junos since hosting the 2003 bash in Ottawa.

Twain married Swiss businessman Frederic Thiebaud on New Year's Day in Rincon, Puerto Rico in face of 40 family members and friends.

The 45-year-old Twain is getting ready to launch a TV show on Oprah Winfrey's cable channel, OWN, called "Why Not? With Shania Twain," and has plans to issue a memoir.

With over 80 million albums sold worldwide, the five-time Grammy-winning Twain places among the best-selling artists of all time.

The 40th Juno Awards ceremony will be hosted by 24-year-old Toronto rapper Drake. Nominations will be announced on Feb. 1.

"Shania Twain revolutionized the look and sound of country music, and truly is one of the most accomplished and famous music artists of her era," said Melanie Berry, president and CEO of Junos organizer the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, in a statement.

"Her authenticity as a songwriter and performer has made her a global basis of power, and we're so proud to honour her at home in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame."

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Warner signs fresh publishing chief EMI signs Pink Floyd – again


Warner Music signs issuing exec behind Cee Lo’s “F*** You”

Warner Music Group has signed up a fresh publishing chief Cameron Strang as CEO of Warner/Chappell Music, its music publishing unit. The world’s No.3 music company said David Johnson, who previously held the joint title of chairman/CEO of Warner/Chappell, will carry on as chairman until July at which point Strang will take on the additional role of chairman as well.

Johnson, who was before the company’s general counsel, has led Warner/Chappell since 2006.
Strang, 44, founded New West Records and Southside Independent Music Publishing in 1995. As part of deal Warner/Chappell has obtained Strang’s Southside whose songs include 2010 hits like B.oB.’s Nothin’ on You and Cee Lo Green’s “F*** You” (pictured left) both nominated for Record of Year 2011.

Music publishing has usually been the unfashionable arm of the music industry when compared to the label side. But in recent years it has become more and more valuable part of the business because of its steady cash flow from a variety of revenue sources beyond decrease CD sales.

Song publishers are usually run by some of the veterans of the business like Marty Bandier, 70, at Sony/ATV Music Publishing who have great skill at extracting value out of songs for decades after they were first released. Strang’s knowledge of today’s hit music could put him in good stead for both short and the long-term.

Monday, January 3, 2011

When is the new Britney Spears single being free?


She’s keyed up for her new album to drop in March and in the interim Britney Spears has a hot new single on the way.

And in spite of the report from New York’s Z100 that “Hold It Against Me” was scheduled to release on January 7th, the “Baby One More Time” singer’s manager Adam Leber says nothing is in stone yet.

Leber tweeted, "Lot of misinformation out there regarding the release of Brits 1st single. Don't believe everything you read. Unless of course it's an official declaration coming in January. STAY TUNED....."

"That said, the single is absolutely coming in January. PS- happy new years people. Sorry guys, but never pay attention to unofficial announcements. Just trying to clarify. Please don't 'hold it against me.' "

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Lady Gaga Publicize Release Dates For Born This Way, First Single


The clock struck midnight and fetched good news for Lady Gaga fans.

As promised, the pop superstar tweeted a big statement with regard to her forthcoming album, Born This Way. While others were tasting champagne to trumpet in the New Year, the Gaga faithful were pending news from their beloved. And at midnight, the singer tweeted that her third album will be free in stores on May 23 and the first single from it will be released on February 13.

"THE SONG 2 13 11 THE RECORD 5 23 11," is all she wrote.

Along with the statement, Gaga tweeted a new black-and-white photo in which she is nude from the waist down, with her hair blowing about, and sporting a jacket with the album's title emblazoned in what look like dazed jewels.

Before she made the statement official, she teased her Twitter followers with lyrics from Born This Way, writing, "I'm beautiful in my way, 'cause God makes no mistakes/ I'm on the right track baby, I was born this way/ Don't hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and you're set/ I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way."

This could be one more stellar year for Gaga. Her last album, The Fame Monster, was the best-selling album of 2010 worldwide, selling nearly 6 million copies. She also has had seven successive singles that have been top 10 hits, with two of them hitting no. 1.