Month: July 2021

Categories
Sports Daypop

Milwaukee Bucks defeat Atlanta Hawks 123-112 to take 3-2 series lead

shutterstock_1186633879

Despite the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 123-112 in Game 5 on Thursday night, giving them a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Bucks’ Brook Lopez scored a playoff career-high 33 points, bringing the Bucks are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.  Four of Milwaukee’s starters had at least 22 points: Lopez, Khris Middleton (26), Jrue Holiday (25) and Bobby Portis (22). Middleton also had 13 rebounds and eight assists. Holiday had 13 assists and six rebounds.

Game 6 will be held Saturday in Atlanta.  The winner of the series will then face the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals.

Editorial credit: Billymay / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Sports Daypop

Washington Football Team fined $10 million after NFL investigation into workplace culture

shutterstock_171914738

The NFL announced they have fined the Washington Football Team $10 million after concluding its investigation into the team’s workplace culture. The investigation, which began nearly a year ago, was brought on after multiple scandals and reports broke of sexual harassment and misconduct within the organization, with several Washington Post stories detailing incidents with the team’s facility.

Washington owner Dan Snyder released a statement on Thursday regarding the findings, saying that his wife, Tanya, will be assuming day-to-day responsibilities and the CEO role of the organization. The NFL also released a statement on its findings and also noted that Tanya Snyder will be assuming a role as the team’s CEO over the coming months.

Washington will lose no draft picks, will receive no suspensions and no charges will be filed against the organization.

Editorial credit: Twin Design / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Jimmie Allen, Alan Jackson, Jennifer Nettles, Mickey Guyton to perform on ‘A Capitol Fourth’

shutterstock_473722510

Several country singers are among the lineup for PBS’ annual Fourth of July special A Capitol Fourth. Alan Jackson, Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and Jennifer Nettles have all been announced as performers during the show, which will air on PBS on Sunday, July 4.  Jackson will perform from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, and Nettles will perform from the famed Town Hall in NYC’s Times Square with the Broadway Inspirational Voices. Allen and Guyton will take the stage in Washington, DC.

The show will be hosted by actress and singer Vanessa Williams. Others on the lineup who will perform include Broadway stars Ali Stroker and Laura Osnes, Gladys Knight, Jimmy Buffett, Cynthia Erivo, Pentatonix  Auli’i Cravalho, and Train. The National Symphony Orchestra will play under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly and opera singer Renée Fleming will open the show with a special performance of the national anthem.

A Capitol Fourth will air on July 4 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET, as well as to troops serving around the world on the American Forces Network. The annual special can be heard over NPR member stations nationwide, and will stream on Facebook, YouTube and PBS. and will be be available as Video on Demand for a limited time only from July 4 to July 18, 2021.

Categories
Country Daypop

Maddie & Tae release their video for “Woman You Got”

shutterstock_1362873485

Maddie & Tae have released the video for their song “Woman You Got.” The song, which was released as a single in March, is the first preview of the follow-up to their album The Way It Feels.

Maddie Font (neé Marlow) and Tae Kerr (neé Dye) penned the song with Laura Veltz and Mark Holman; their long-delayed second album The Way It Feels was released in 2020 and included their second chart-topping hit, “Die From a Broken Heart.”

Maddie & Tae also will be playing live shows this summer, including supporting performances on Brett Young’s The Weekends Tour beginning in September.   Check out the video for “Woman You Got – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

‘Plaza Suite’ starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick to open on Broadway in March 2022

shutterstock_1190719885

Plaza Suite, starring real-life couple Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, will return to Broadway in 2022. Producers announced on social media that the revival of the Neil Simon play will begin previews Feb. 22 at Hudson Theatre in New York, and officially open March 28.  Tickets are available now at the link: here.

Plaza Suite is a three-act comedy that follows three different couples at the famed Plaza Hotel in New York. John Benjamin Hickey will direct the revival, which was originally to open in April 2020. The production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Broderick and Parker previously co-starred on Broadway in the 1995 revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Broderick’s other Broadway credits include Beach Memoirs, and The Producers.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

Harry Connick Jr. to play Daddy Warbucks in NBC’s ‘Annie Live!’ special

shutterstock_729628450

Harry Connick, Jr., has joined the cast of the NBC special Annie Live!  Connick, 53, will play Daddy Warbucks in the TV musical. NBC announced earlier this month that Empire actress Taraji P. Henson will play Miss Hannigan.

Connick confirmed the news in a statement to People: “It’s such a classic show and it’s a show that I’m so familiar with, just from seeing it a million times. And it’s one of those things where you watch it and enjoy it and never really imagine yourself a part of, so when I was asked to play Daddy Warbucks it was kind of surreal because that’s such an iconic role. It wasn’t something I ever really thought about. I was just thrilled that I was asked to do it.”

Annie Live! is based on the Broadway musical, which was itself inspired by the Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie.  Annie Live! will air late this year and will be NBC’s first live musical since Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, which aired in 2018.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Rock Daypop

Five Finger Death Punch earn their 12th No. 1 single with “Darkness Settles In”

shutterstock_164781467

Five Finger Death Punch officially topped the Mediabase Active Rock Chart with their latest single “Darkness Settles In,” marking the band’s 12th all-time #1 on the chart. The track, from their latest chart-topping studio album F8, follows in the footsteps of the album’s three previously released smashes,“Inside Out,” “A Little Bit Off,” and “Living The Dream,” all of which reached the top spot on the same chart. The band is also celebrating the recent Gold certification of “A Little Bit Off” in the U.S.

Last month, the band released the official music video for “Darkness Settles In,” containing an exclusive first look at footage from the upcoming horror-thriller film ‘THE RETALIATORS,’ due out later this year.  The track will be included on the film’s original soundtrack, the band will be seen starring in special cameos in the movie.

Editorial credit: Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Rock Daypop

Of Mice & Men announce official Twitch partnership

shutterstock_629247329

Of Mice & Men — comprised of Aaron Pauley (bass + vocals ), Valentino Arteaga (drums), Alan Ashby (guitar), and Phil Manansala (guitar) — have announced an exclusive Twitch partnership, and will be streaming on the service going forward.

Starting in July, the band will stream live on the service multiple days per week. The debut stream debuted on Thursday, July 1. Subsequently, the band will go live  on Twitch every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 11am PT/2pm ET. This gives fans plenty of opportunities to interact directly with the group and to watch them as they write and record new music in real time on the service. In addition to inviting fans into the writing process, the band will engage in Q+As and will discuss past and forthcoming releases.

Phil Manansala said: “We’re so happy to get the opportunity to stream exclusively on  Twitch. Over the last year, I’ve been streaming and got to be a part of an amazing community I had no idea existed but am happy that I discovered. Twitch is the streaming service that cares about each community and gives power to the streamer, and we couldn’t be more excited to be involved.”

OM&M will also be releasing the final EP in its planned trilogy, that will comprise a full album later this year.

Editorial credit: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

The Weeknd teams up with creator of ‘Euphoria’ for new HBO series

shutterstock_1192062658

The Weeknd is teaming up with ‘Euphoria’ creator Sam Levinson on a new HBO series. The Weeknd will star in, co-write and produce The Idol, a drama series he co-created with Levinson and Reza Fahim.

The Idol follows a female pop singer who develops a romance with a Los Angeles club owner who is the leader of a secret cult. Joshua Epstein will serve as showrunner, writer and executive producer on the series, with Mary Law to write and co-executive produce. Kevin Turen and Aaron L. Gilbert will also serve as executive producers.

This isn’t The Weeknd’s first stab at acting; in 2019, he played a fictionalized version of himself in Adam Sandler’s acclaimed crime drama, Uncut Gems, and in 2020 he lent his voice to an animated version of himself on American Dad! in 2020. The Weeknd released his fourth studio album, the critically acclaimed After Hours, in March 2020.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Imagine Dragons announce new album ‘Mercury – Act 1’

shutterstock_759266971

Imagine Dragons have announced their new album, titled ‘Mercury – Act 1,’ which will officially arrive on September 3rd. The band confirmed the news in an Instagram post, which features the album cover. On Friday July 2nd, Imagine Dragons will release their new track “Wrecked.”  In addition to “Wrecked,” the album will feature recent singles “Follow You” and “Cutthroat.”

Mercury – Act 1, executive produced by Rick Rubin, will mark the fifth studio album by Imagine Dragons. According to the band, the record “explores themes such as love, faith, pain, passion and loss.”

You can now pre-order Mercury – Act 1 – here.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com