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Sports Daypop

Stanley Cup semifinals: NY Islanders defeat Tampa Bay Lightening in OT 3-2, tie series at 3-3

The NY Islanders’ Anthony Beauvillier scored 1:08 into overtime, as his team rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Wednesday night to force a deciding Game 7 in their Stanley Cup semifinal series.

Jordan Eberle and Scott Mayfield also scored for the Islanders, who rallied from two goals down in the second period. Semyon Varlamov finished with 22 saves. Brayden Point scored for the ninth straight game and Anthony Cirelli had a goal and an assist for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 shots.

Game 7 is Friday night in Tampa, Fla.

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Sports Daypop

Kawhi Leonard ruled out of Los Angeles Clipper vs. Phoenix Suns Game 3 with knee injury

The Los Angeles Clippers announced Wednesday that Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals due to a knee injury.  Game 3 will move to Staples Center on Thursday, after the Phoenix Suns took a 2-0 series lead at home.

Leonard hasn’t taken the floor since playing 34 minutes in a 14-point victory over the Utah Jazz in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Through 11 games played this postseason, he is averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

Game 3 is set for 9 p.m. ET on Thursday to air on ESPN.

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Country Daypop

Lanco announces ‘Honky Tonk Hippies’ tour and new 5-song EP

Lanco is launching their 30-city Honky Tonk Hippies tour this fall, and will be releasing a new 5-song EP of the same name on July 2.  The tour will kick-off on Sept. 12 in Isle of Palms, South Carolina at The Wind Jammer with Ross Ellis, traveling through Georgia the Theatre in Athens, Georgia, The Van Buren in Phoenix, and Fremont Theater in California before wrapping up at the Grizzly Rose in Denver.

Lanco’s upcoming EP was self-produced by the five-man band –comprised of Brandon Lancaster, Eric Steedly, Chandler Baldwin, Jared Hampton, and Tripp Howell — and each song on the new project was written by at least two members of the group.

Tickets for the Honky Tonk Hippies tour will be on sale beginning this Friday, June 25 at lancomusic.com.

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Country Daypop

Kenny Chesney joins Jimmy Buffett at Nashville Club Show

Jimmy Buffett performed a private, unannounced show with his Coral Reefer Band at the Nashville club Exit/In, the same small venue Buffett first performed in back in the 1970s.  As a surprise, country superstar Kenny Chesney joined Buffett to perform Mac McAnally’s “Back Where I Come From” and Buffett’s classic “Margaritaville.”

Both Buffett and Chesney shared video clips from the evening’s performances, with Chesney posting on Instagram: “Always a blast being on stage with my friends Jimmy Buffett, Mac McAnally, and the rest of the Coral Reefer Band. Thanks for the invite Jimmy.”

Opening in 1971, Exit/In celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.  The venue has hosted a wide-variety of performances from artists including R.E.M., Tom Petty, The Police, as well as numerous country.  One of the most recent performances was in 2019, a pre-pandemic appearance from Miranda Lambert to preview songs from her album Wildcard.

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Entertainment Daypop

Television Academy to allow non-gendered ‘performer’ Emmy category

The Television Academy will recognize nonbinary performers in the Emmy competition.  The organization announced that performer category winners or nominees may now request that their nomination certificate and engraving on an Emmy statue carry the term “performer” in place of “actor” or “actress.”  The Television Academy will still use actor, actress, supporting actor and supporting actress in its categories, but it will now allow each individual to choose how they wish to be identified, including the new non-gendered “performer” label.  The organization’s decision comes after Billions star Asia Kate Dillon publicly questioned the use of gendered acting categories for the Emmy Awards in 2017, which appeared to exclude those who identified as nonbinary like Dillon. In the end, Dillon asked to be entered into the “supporting actor” category that year.

The Television Academy also said that any documentary film that screens on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website “will be deemed a theatrical motion picture and thus ineligible for the Emmy competition,” which may eliminate the so-called “double dipping” of documentaries for both Oscar and Emmy consideration.

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Entertainment Daypop

Michael B. Jordan apologizes after accusations of cultural appropriation over the name of his new rum brand

Michael B. Jordan has apologized for the name of his new rum brand, saying in his Instagram Stories that he will be renaming the brand. The 34-year-old actor said Tuesday that he will change the name of his rum brand J’Ouvert after accusations that the name appropriates Caribbean culture.

Jordan wrote: “I just wanna say on behalf of myself & my partners, our intention was never to offend or hurt a culture (we love & respect) & hoped to celebrate & shine a positive light on. Last few days has been a lot of listening. A lot of learning & engaging in countless community conversations…We hear you. I hear you & want to be clear that we are in the process of renaming. We sincerely apologize & look forward to introducing a brand we can all be proud of.”

J’Ouvert is a festival celebrating Caribbean culture that signals the start of Carnival. The festival is held annually in Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada, and celebrated by many Caribbean people worldwide.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

Foo Fighters announce first full-capacity show in Los Angeles’ Forum

Fresh off their full-capacity NYC Madison Square Garden show this past weekend, Foo Fighters announced they will reopen Los Angeles’ Fabulous Forum at a full-capacity performance.  The band announced the show will take place July 17th, the first show at the Forum in over a year.

Unlike the MSG show, fans who are not vaccinated can still get in if they provide proof of negative COVID test within the last 72 hours. The Forum website suggests wearing a mask inside, but it is not posted as mandatory.

Tickets will be on sale to the public this Friday, June 25 at 10am PT.  You can purchase tickets and find general information at the link: here.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

Wolfgang Van Halen’s ‘Mammoth WVH’ debut album reaches the top of the charts

Wolfgang Van Halen has reached the top of the charts with his hugely successful ‘Mammoth WVH’ album. Following its release on June 11, the album has hit No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums, Hard Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts, as well as No. 2 on the Top Album Sales and Current Album Sales lists, and at No. 12 on the Billboard 200.  Van Halen said on social media: “I’m blown away and eternally grateful for the support you’ve all given me. This is absolutely crazy. Thank you (Like seriously… a DEBUT ROCK album getting a top 15 placement on the Billboard Top 200 in 2021?! Absolutely insane. You are all incredible.)”

Van Halen debuted the album’s lead single “The Distance” – a tribute to his late father Eddie Van Halen – last fall to critical acclaim and huge popularity.  Wolfgang writes all the songs and performs all of the instrumentation and vocals for Mammoth WVH.   Said Wolfgang: “The name Mammoth is really special to me. Not only was it the name of Van Halen before it became Van Halen, but my father was also the lead singer. Ever since my dad told me this, I always thought that when I grew up, I’d call my own band Mammoth, because I loved the name so much. I’m so thankful that my father was able to listen to, and enjoy the music I made. Nothing made me happier than seeing how proud he was that I was continuing the family legacy.”

Mammoth WVH will hit the road this summer, joining Guns N’ Roses for a tour of US stadiums.

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Categories
Pop Daypop

Britney Spears speaks at hearing asking to end conservatorship

Britney Spears appeared before a judge on Wednesday, asking to end the court conservatorship that has controlled her life and money since 2008.  Spears’ request at a Los Angeles hearing was the first time she spoke in open court under the conservatorship during its 13-year existence.

In the written speech that lasted more than 20 minutes, Spears revealed many details that have been carefully guarded for years by the court.  Spears, speaking by phone, called the conservatorship “abusive” and condemned her father and the others who have controlled it, saying: “I want to end this conservatorship without being evaluated,” Spears said, adding, “This conservatorship is doing me way more harm than good. I deserve to have a life.”  Spears said she wants to marry her boyfriend Sam Asghari and have a baby, but the conservatorship won’t allow her to, telling the court she’s being forced to take birth control against her will. When an attorney representing her co-conservator said the hearing and transcript should be kept sealed, Spears objected, saying “They’ve done a good job at exploiting my life, so I feel like it should be an open court hearing and they should listen and hear what I have to say.”

James Spears serves as co-conservator of his daughter’s finances, and also had control of her life decisions for most of the conservatorship. The conservatorship was put in place as she underwent a mental health crisis in 2008.  Vivian Thoreen, attorney for James Spears, gave a brief statement on his behalf: “He is sorry to see his daughter suffering and in so much pain. Mr. Spears loves his daughter, and misses her very much.”

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Categories
Pop Daypop

Elton John announces North American and European dates on 2022 ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour

Elton John announced on social media his final concert dates for North America and Europe as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. John said in a video addressed to fans“Shows that I announce today will be my final tour dates ever in North America and Europe. I’m going to go out in the biggest possible way, performing at my very best, with the most spectacular production I’ve ever had, playing in places that have meant so much to me throughout my career.”

The new dates will kick-off May 27, 2022 at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany and end on Nov. 22, 2022 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. John will also be touring in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.

John  first announced the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour back in 2018, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Tickets go on sale for the general public in Europe next Tuesday, June 29th and on Wed, June 30 for North America. For pre-sale tickets, join the Rocket Club at eltonjohn.com/rocket-club

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