Month: August 2022

Categories
Rock Daypop

Bret Michaels teases 2023 solo ‘amphitheater’ tour

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Bret Michaels has teased an “incredible amphitheater tour” in 2023 with his solo band called the Parti Gras Tour. The Poison frontman shared that his solo run had been pushed back due to this year’s launch of The Stadium Tour with Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard and Joan Jett after a two year delay due to the pandemic.

Said Michaels: “I put something together incredible and now we’re gonna launch that in ’23. And when I tell you what this is and the way we’ve designed it with everybody, it’s an incredible amphitheater tour that’s just gonna be, again, I think it’s gonna be insane, and gonna be what we call ‘The All Thriller, No Filler Summer Party,’ and you’ll know what I mean when it hits the stage. It’s really an exciting idea. We have a few of those select dates til the end of the year, but the big thing kicks off in ’23.”

Michaels didn’t reveal information as to who will be joining him on the trek, but teased:  “We know [who will be performing], but we just don’t want to say it yet. When you see the concept that I wrote up, I think, I think people — it’s just a great. Like I said, it’s an ‘all thriller no filler, all original singer, nothing but hits’ [tour] that’s just gonna roll. “

Michaels also confirmed that Poison will be taking a break after The Stadium Tour wraps. Said Michaels “In ’25 is probably when Poison will put a humungous world tour together and go back and be incredible. My Parti Gras, this entire amphitheater thing we’re doing and festivals — as soon as we knew we were doing The Stadium Tour, we moved that to ’23, and we got to do The Stadium Tour which is incredible and the Poison standalone shows.”

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Watch Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil make his debut at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry

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Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil played Nashville’s venerable Grand Ole Opry for the first time. The Opry, founded in 1925, hosts the longest-running radio broadcast in the U.S. and often includes a mix of country, Americana, folk, blues and gospel music performed by legendary artists as well as up-and-coming performers.

Neil tweeted about the moment: “OMG we are here live @opry!! thank you @thecherishlee for joining us!!”  He made his debut at the Opry performing Motley Crue’s 1985 power ballad “Home Sweet Home,” with the house band and Cherish Lee, daughter of country legend Johnny Lee. You can the performance footage – here.

The official Opry Twitter account noted it includes performer like Neil, from outside of the country-music genre, tweeting: “The Opry has a long-standing tradition of inviting guest artists into the circle, and we were thrilled to continue that tradition with @thevinceneil tonight! Congratulations on your Opry debut!” 

Neil will rejoin his Motley Crue bandmates along with co-headliners Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett this weekend when they resume their Stadium Tour, with two performances at Boston’s Fenway Park before wrapping September 9th in Las Vegas.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Rock Daypop

Watch Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil make his debut at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry

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Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil played Nashville’s venerable Grand Ole Opry for the first time. The Opry, founded in 1925, hosts the longest-running radio broadcast in the U.S. and often includes a mix of country, Americana, folk, blues and gospel music performed by legendary artists as well as up-and-coming performers.

Neil tweeted about the moment: “OMG we are here live @opry!! thank you @thecherishlee for joining us!!”  He made his debut at the Opry performing Motley Crue’s 1985 power ballad “Home Sweet Home,” with the house band and Cherish Lee, daughter of country legend Johnny Lee. You can the performance footage – here.

The official Opry Twitter account noted it includes performer like Neil, from outside of the country-music genre, tweeting: “The Opry has a long-standing tradition of inviting guest artists into the circle, and we were thrilled to continue that tradition with @thevinceneil tonight! Congratulations on your Opry debut!” 

Neil will rejoin his Motley Crue bandmates along with co-headliners Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett this weekend when they resume their Stadium Tour, with two performances at Boston’s Fenway Park before wrapping September 9th in Las Vegas.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Pop Daypop

Hailee Steinfeld drops new single ‘Coast’ featuring Anderson .Paak

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Actor and singer Hailee Steinfeld has shared the lyric video for her new song, “Coast,” featuring rapper and songwriter Anderson .Paak.   You can check out the lyric video: here.

The 25-year-old Steinfeld first announced the song in a social media post on July 20, describing it as the start of a “new chapter.” She wrote: “If you’ve been with me for a while you know this has been a long time coming. If you’re new here… I’m about to release my first song in over a year.”

The single marks Steinfeld’s first music release in two years. She began her solo career in 2015 with her hit song “Love Myself,” the lead single on her debut EP, Haiz. “Love Myself” peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard charts, making it the highest debut for a solo female artist in 17 years. Her second EP, Half Written Story, was released in 2020.

You can stream Coast (featuring Anderson .Paak): here.

Editorial credit: Cubankite / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

Senate approves legislation to expand veteran health care benefits due to burn pit exposure

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On Tuesday night, the Senate overwhelmingly approved the PACT Act with an 86-to-11 vote. The PACT Act is a bill to expand health care benefits for veterans who developed illnesses due to their exposure to burn pits during military service.

The vote came after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Tuesday afternoon that he and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had come to an agreement.  Schumer said after the vote: “This is a wonderful moment, especially for all the people who have made this happen who are observing it. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.” The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk.

Burn pits are holes in the ground the U.S. military dug near bases in countries that had limited infrastructure where troops would dump trash and burn it to dispose of it. The legislation would expand benefits for an estimated 3.5 million veterans exposed to toxic burn pits during the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as remove the burden of proof from veterans seeking care for conditions related to exposure from burn pits by presuming a number of conditions, including terminal cancers, are related to the exposure.

Editorial credit: Mark Van Scyoc / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lands in Taiwan despite threat of Chinese retaliation

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On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taipei, showing support for Taiwan despite China’s threats of retaliation over the visit. Pelosi’s visit marks the first time that a House Speaker has visited Taiwan in 25 years. A Taiwanese official told CNN that Pelosi is expected to stay in Taipei overnight.

Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan comes at a low point regarding US-China relations, and despite warnings from China against a stop in Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory. China warned against the “egregious political impact” of Pelosi’s visit, saying that the Chinese military “won’t sit by idly” if Beijing believes its “sovereignty and territorial integrity” is being threatened.

The stop prompted not only warnings from China but from the Biden administration, which has briefed the speaker about the risks of visiting the democratic, self-governing island.  During remarks at the United Nations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the decision to visit Taiwan was Pelosi’s: “Congress is an independent, coequal branch of government. The decision is entirely the speaker’s.”

Sources told CNN that President Biden has said publicly that the military did not believe it was a good time for Pelosi to visit Taiwan, but he stopped short of telling her directly not to go, two sources previously told CNN. Administration officials are concerned that Pelosi’s trip comes at a particularly tense moment, as Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to seek an unprecedented third term at the upcoming Chinese Communist Party congress. Chinese party officials are expected to begin laying the groundwork for that conference in the coming weeks, putting pressure on the leadership in Beijing to show strength.

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Sports Daypop

Philadelphia Phillies acquire pitcher Noah Syndergaard and outfielder Brandon Marsh from the Los Angeles Angels, closer David Robertson from Chicago Cubs

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The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired right-handed starter Noah Syndergaard and outfielder Brandon Marsh from the Los Angeles Angels, and closer David Robertson from the Chicago Cubs. The Phillies announced that reliever Jeurys Familia and outfielder Odubel Herrera were designated for assignment in corresponding moves.

In exchange, the Angels received minor league outfielders Mickey Moniak and Jadiel Sanchez from the Phillies for Syndergaard, and minor league catcher Logan O’Hoppe in exchange for Marsh. The Cubs received minor league pitcher Ben Brown in exchange for Robertson.

The 29-year-old Syndergaard is 5-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 15 starts for the Angels this season, his first with the team after signing a one-year contract as a free agent in the offseason. Robertson, 37, has given up just 23 hits in 40⅓ innings while earning 14 saves and a 2.23 ERA for the Cubs.  Robertson previously pitched for the Phillies in 2019, when he had a 0-1 record and 5.40 ERA in 6⅔ innings pitched before injuring his elbow. The 24-year-old Marsh is hitting .226 with eight home runs and 37 RBIs this season, and is expected to play center field for the Phillies.

The Phillies (55-47) currently hold the NL’s final wild-card spot with a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Sports Daypop

Washington Nationals trade Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres

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The San Diego Padres acquired star right fielder Juan Soto and first baseman Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals ahead of MLB’s trade deadline Tuesday.  In exchange, the Padres agreed to send Luke Voit, MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell, James Wood and Jarlin Susana to Washington.

The 23-year-old Soto previously rejected a 15-year, $440 million offer from the Nationals.  The two-time All-Star is due to hit free agency in 2025, and he could be the first player in MLB history to sign a $500 million contract. The St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers were among the other teams bidding to acquire the star outfielder.

Soto is hitting .246 with 21 homers and 46 RBIs through 101 games this season. He hit .313 with 29 homers and 95 RBIs in 151 games last season, and led the National League with a .351 batting average in 47 games in 2020.

The 29-year-old Bell is hitting .301 with 14 home runs and 57 RBIs through 103 games this season. The 2019 All-Star owns a career .266 average with 127 home runs over seven seasons.; he is set to become a free agent next off-season.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Barbara Mandrell celebrates her 50th Grand Ole Opry Anniversary with two shows from some of her famous friends

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Grand Ole Opry celebrated Country Music Hall of Fame member Barbara Mandrell on her 50th Anniversary as a member of the Opry family with two shows. Opry member Carrie Underwood, CeCe Winans, Suzy Bogguss, Linda Davis, Jeannie Seely, Janelle Arthur, Mandy Barnett, and Connie Smith honored the music legend, who was in attendance along with her family and friends.

Said Mandrell on Instagram: “To my fans, thank you for celebrating my 50th Opry Anniversary with me last evening. Whether you were there in person or watching from home, I felt so much love from each of you and I wish you could know how you made me feel. Thank you to @carrieunderwood, @cecewinans, @lindadavisnashville, @suzybogguss, @seelyofficial, @realconniesmith, @mandybarnettmusic & @janellearthur for all of the beautiful songs you sang last night. Thank you to the @opry for celebrating me and welcoming me home. Lord knows I love the Opry! Love, Barbara 💜”

Mandrell released “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” in April 1981 as the lead single from her album Barbara Mandrell Live. The song hit the No. 1 spot on July 4, 1981, helping her live album to be certified Gold by the RIAA and earning the 1981 CMA Entertainer of the Year award.  Mandrell is also a three-time ACM/CMA Entertainer and four-time ACM/CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, and was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on July 29, 1972.  Regarding the historic Opry stage, Mandrell said, “My last show when I retired in 1997 I chose my home to do my finale performance on and it was this one.”

Editorial credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning to co-host 56th Annual CMA Awards

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Country superstar Luke Bryan and NFL superstar Peyton Manning have been announced as co-hosts of the 56th Annual CMA Awards.  The show, billed as ever as “Country Music’s Biggest Night,” will be broadcast live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 9, from 8-11pm EST on ABC.

Bryan, who’ll be co-hosting for the second consecutive year, said in a statement:  “Being a part of such a historical night that honors my peers and Country Music is such a privilege. When I was asked if Peyton Manning was someone I would consider co-hosting with I didn’t hesitate. We have become great friends through the years and what he brings to the table is gonna make it even more of a blast. I know he’s been to the CMA Awards before, but he’s never been with me. Hey Peyton, I hope you’re ready for the night of your life!”

Adds Manning: “I cannot wait to head to Nashville and take the CMA Awards stage alongside my friend Luke Bryan. I am such a huge fan of country music, so to have the chance to stand among so many incredibly talented artists is an absolute honor.”

Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, added: “Country Music’s Biggest Night will without a doubt live up to its expectation this year. During an evening when we celebrate the best of the best in Country Music, we are thrilled to have two award-winning hosts at the helm! I cannot wait to see what Luke and Peyton have up their sleeves, which I’m sure will be hilariously unpredictable and playfully energetic, just like the two of them.”

Final nominees for the 2022 CMAs will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com