November 4th, 2013
Imagine Dragon is one of those bands that seem to come from out of nowhere and reach superstardom overnight. Of course, as with most bands, they did put in their dues and were performing and writing music for a number of years before their debut release in September of 2012. The album, Night Visions, was a phenomenal success for them, and that was why they seemed to have launched into the public consciousness so quickly. The album went to number two on the Billboard 200, and that helped them to get to launch a world tour and get onto a number of different television shows, such as Conan, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Perhaps the most popular hit from their debut was the song “Radioactive”.
The band started in 2008, and they’ve gone through a few lineup changes in that time. The current members are Dan Reynolds, the vocalist, Wayne Sermon on guitar, Ben McKee on bass, and Daniel Platzman on drums. Former members include Andrew Tolman on drums and his wife Brittany Tolman on keyboard. Some of the band’s influences include Muse, Arcade Fire, and, of course, The Beatles. You can hear these influences in their sound. In addition to their studio album, you can hear some other songs on their EPs, which came out between 2009 and 2013. Some of these include the self-titled Imagine Dragons, as well as Hell and Silence, It’s Time, and Continued Silence.
The success they found in the United States followed with similar successes all around the world, which helped to make their tour such a success. Naturally, this means that everyone is going to be wanting, and expecting, a new album sometime soon. The band is finishing up a tour right now — and will be touring through March of 2014. After that, you can expect they will go into the studio to start recording. If you hope to see the band soon, you really do want to get out there right now and get your tickets! The band sounds great live, and you don’t want to miss them.
October 7th, 2013
A few people today can be called living legends. People who were or are at the pinnacle of their profession and who helped to make their profession what it is today fall into this category. One good example might include Stan Lee — without him, pop culture would not be the same. Another great example is George Strait, the King of Country. He’s been putting out hit after hit since his first single debuted in 1981.
The Grammy winner has been entertainer of the year multiple times, and he actually has the record for the most number one songs on the Billboard country chart. The previous record holder was Conway Twitty, who had 40 number one hits. Strait surpassed that with 44. He’s sold more than 70 million albums in the United States, and he’s actually number twelve on the list of best selling recording artists in the country. That’s quite an accomplishment. He is also in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Strait would not have all of those awards, records, and accolades if he weren’t such a great performer though. The musician puts on great live shows, and he has ever since he first stepped onto a stage back in the 1970s. Some of his most famous songs include hits such as “Amarillo by Morning”, “All My Exes Live in Texas”, “Love without End, Amen”, and “I Saw God Today”. Whenever he performs live, you can be sure he will perform quite a few of his top hits.
Today, most people consider Strait to be one of the biggest and best names in country. He’s also one of the last performers of the old guard. He was coming into prominence and performing while many of the other legendary performers were still tearing up the country charts, such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson.
If you love great country music that still sounds like country music should sound, then you should make it a point to see George Strait on his tour. Check to see if he’s coming to a town near you and get your tickets before they sell out.
September 17th, 2013
A combination of great music and humorous parody helps to make Weird Al one of the most popular and recognizable music stars today. He’s been a fixture since the 1980s, even though his first song actually aired in 1976, and he’s still going strong. His songs poke fun at pop culture better than many of his contemporaries, and the songs that “reimagine” other hit songs are often genuinely funny. More than that, they are actually good. Weird Al doesn’t just “go for the funny” without bringing serious musicianship to the song. He can sing, play instruments, and write original music. He’s a supremely talented individual who does not always get his due. He is brilliant with the accordion, and you can be sure to hear some polka music if you get to see him live.
Weird Al has sold more than twelve million albums, starred in his own movie called UHF, and he has been a guest star on countless television shows. He’s even appeared on The Simpsons, which is when you know you’ve really made it! Even though his trademark mustache and Hawaiian shirt from the early days are gone, he’s still an instantly recognizable figure in many circles. He always puts on high quality, energetic shows too. Seeing him in concert is a real treat.
When it comes down to it, people love the music and that’s what they want. Some of Weird Al’s most popular songs include “Fat”, which was a parody of Michael Jackson’s “Bad”, “Like a Surgeon” that parodied Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”, and “Another One Rides the Bus”, which is a parody of Queen’s hit “Another One Bites the Dust”. That’s just the beginning of his extensive catalog though. Some of the other songs you can hear when you see Weird Al live could include popular songs such as “Gump”, “White and Nerdy”, “Amish Paradise” and “The Saga Begins”, which is about the Star Wars universe.
Al is touring once again, and you do not want to miss your chance to see this comedic legend hit the stage. You will have a great time at the show! Buy your tickets today.
August 6th, 2013
Wrestling has been a fixture of television for decades now, and it does not seem as though it is waning in popularity at all. In fact, it seems to be getting even more popular. The field has always had a reputation for spawning superstars that transcend wrestling to become pop culture icons, actors, and more. Some of the most notable examples over the past few years include Hulk Hogan, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, and, of course, Dave Batista, who will be in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy next year.
While the field does help to propel many into the spotlight, and those wrestlers often move on to start in Hollywood films, the real reason people love watching wrestling is for the drama and the spectacle it offers. All of the wrestlers are larger than life characters with fun and over the top personas that often conflict with one another. They take their backstage and in the ring drama and play it for all it is worth, ramping up the energy level in the crowd.
Throughout the year, the WWE has many special events and Pay-Per-View events such as SummerSlam and Wrestlemania. While these shows, along with the weekly shows on regular television can certainly be entertaining — akin to soap operas in tights — it can be fun to get off the couch and get down to the local arena to see these athletic giants in action. As much fun as it might be to sit in your own home and watch it, being part of a crowd of thousands is a different experience entirely. Just as with a concert or a sporting event, it’s possible to “feel” the energy that courses through the crowd as their favorite heroes and villains take center stage.
If you want to have a great time with your family or your friends, and you’ve always been a wrestling fan, check out when the WWE will be in your area. Buy some tickets and be a part of a live show. It’s different, it’s fun, and it is a time you will never forget.
July 15th, 2013
The Ottawa Senators faced more devastating injuries this past season than perhaps any other NHL team. But it was in their post-season that they were dealt their final blow. In a free agency agreement made on Friday, the Sens have lost their now-former captain of 13 years, Daniel Alfredsson.
The news broke early Friday morning and was such a shock to everyone that it largely overshadowed any other free agency talk that day. Talk of angry conversations between Alfredsson and the Sens’ owners and management ran rampant. Some questioned Alfredsson’s loyalty and of course, whether or not this was the right move at the right time in his career. Others pointed the finger at the Sens organization, blaming them for not giving Alfie whatever he wanted way before free agency even began.
In the end, it came down to one simple fact. Alfie has little time left in his career and he wants to win a Cup. And he doesn’t think he can do it by staying with Ottawa, who he had been with for 17 years. It’s a bitter pill for Sens fans to swallow, but is it the truth?
Detroit and Ottawa were pretty much even in the regular season. Detroit lost to Chicago in the second round of the playoffs, but only by one goal. Ottawa also made it to the second round, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games, but most of their star players were just returning to the ice after sitting out with injury most of the year.
Alfredsson will join other Swedish stars currently playing for Detroit, including Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, and Jonathan Ericsson. But he leaves great players like Erik Karlsson, Mika Zibanejad, and Canadian veterans Chris Philips and Chris Neil.
The answer as to whether or not this was a good move by Alfie isn’t an easy one. But for the man himself it is, and although fans might not like it, right now that’s really all that matters.
June 28th, 2013
This weekend the PGA Travelers Championship ended in a classic way — with a playoff round, and a bit of personal history for the victor.
Chris Stroud, Bubba Watson and Justin Rose were all in contention for the win going into Sunday’s match but it really came down to a match between Ken Duke and Watson. Rose put in a fair showing, shooting 6-under, but with three bogeys and only three birdies, he clearly wasn’t as focused as he was during his U.S. Open win a few weeks ago.
It looked throughout much of the day like this one was Watson’s to win, but he ran into trouble on the 16th, shooting a six on the par-three. Duke meanwhile found a tree to be his good luck charm on the 10th, after his ball ricocheted off one and fell onto the green, mere feet away from the hole. That put him as one of the front-runners in the championship, and after he easily sank his putt on the 18th, he and the crowd both thought he had it. That was, until Stroud chipped his in on the last hole to force a playoff.
That playoff consisted of two holes that felt like a lifetime to those watching. Stroud and Duke both put in a huge effort, and made it impossible to tell who would emerge as the winner. When Stroud missed his 25-foot putt for birdie though, he could only watch as Duke sank a short putt.
This is the first PGA win in his 187th PGA start for Ken Duke, and he’s in good company. Six other golfers have claimed their first PGA win here in the last eight years — one of them being Bubba Watson.
June 4th, 2013
The Los Angeles Kings are no strangers to 2-0 deficits, such as the one they currently face in the Western Conference Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. The good news for the Kings is that the next two games are in Los Angeles, where the Kings have won 14 games in a row.
The Kings trailed the Blues 2-0 earlier this postseason and were able to come from behind and take the series. The defending champs are four wins away from a trip back to the Stanley Cup Finals, but they’ll need to win four of the next five to do it.
Jonathan Quick looks to bounce back from a shaky Game 2 performance that saw the Kings goaltender yanked for Jonathan Bernier. Overall, though, Quick has been stellar this postseason with a 1.76 goals against average and a .940 save percentage. Offensively, Mike Richards has gotten things going with two goals and eight assists, while Slava Voynov has four goals and five assists. Jeff Carter also has nine points, with six goals and three helpers.
One issue for the Kings is the potential absence of Richards, who missed Game 2 with a head injury. Richards hadn’t previously missed a game all season.
Corey Crawford has been fantastic in goal for the Blackhawks as well, with a 1.68 goals against average and a .939 save percentage. Patrick Sharp has paced the offense with eight goals and six assists, while Marian Hossa has chipped in with six goals and seven assists. Duncan Keith provides Chicago with some offense from the blue line. The defenseman has a goal and nine assists in these playoffs. Patrick Kane is not to be overlooked either, with a pair of goals and eight assists despite drawing a lot of attention from opposing teams.
Expect the home crowd at the Staples Center to be rowdy for this one as they try to cheer the Kings on as they climb back into the series. Don’t miss out on all of the action, as tickets this late in the playoffs can be tough to come by. Act now and lock your spot up today.
June 4th, 2013
The Vans Warped Tour is one of the biggest rock concerts of the year, and it’s one of the only ones that travels all around the United States to ensure that all hard rock fans can enjoy the show. The tour is starting in just over two weeks, and there are some huge acts lined up for it.
As every other year each stop will have an entire day dedicated to it, and with so many great bands they’re going to need it. Motion City Soundtrack, Reel Big Fish, Sleeping With Sirens, The Wonder Years, We Came as Romans, and Bring Me the Horizon are just a few of the acts that are scheduled to perform. And they’re going to be bringing the act to a lot of cities!
Over 40 cities will be entertained by the Vans Warped Tour this year, and it will all begin on June 15 in Auburn, Washington. From there they’ll travel to Seattle, Portland, Pomona, San Diego, Las Vegas, Toronto, Indianapolis, Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Cincinnati to name just a few. You can find a full listing of dates right here.
But fans who can’t wait even the two weeks can get a taste of what to expect. This year the organizers of the event have announced that they’re going to be releasing a compilation album that will include a track from each of the bands performing on this year’s tour. The album will be out on June 4.
May 29th, 2013
So far, the Atlanta Braves have had a firm hold on the top spot in the National League’s East Division, but the Washington Nationals hope to pose a challenge this weekend. The gap between the two teams is 4.5 games, and the Nationals have lost six of their last 10 while the Braves have won eight of 10.
Still, this weekend’s three game series in Atlanta will be a great opportunity for the Nationals to send the message that this battle is far from over. They meet Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday June 1st at 7:15 pm and Sunday at 1:35 pm.
So far this year, the Braves have relied on strong pitching to get the job done, as their team 3.43 earned runs average leaves them fifth in all of baseball. That’s helped the Braves to a 30-20 record as of May 28th, despite batting just .245, 22nd in the major leagues. The Braves are pushing more runs across than their average would dictate, with 222 runs to rank 14th in baseball.
The Nationals, meanwhile, have struggled mightily to score runs, ranking 28th in Major League Baseball with just 175 runs. The Nationals hold the same ranking with their .230 average at the plate. The saving grace in the nation’s capital has been a strong pitching staff, which has a 3.53 earned runs average, good for seventh in the league.
There could be some great pitching matchups in this series, as the Nationals have Jordan Zimmerman, with an 8-2 record and a 1.71 earned runs average. Zimmerman is backed up by Gio Gonzalez, who is 3-3 with a 3.90 earned runs average.
Depending on how the rotation lines up, the Braves could counter with Mike Minor’s 6-2 record and 2.47 earned runs average. Paul Maholm is 6-4 with a 3.38 earned runs average, as well.
Don’t miss out on your chance to see these National League East rivals go at it, as two of baseball’s best pitching staffs square off in Atlanta. With summer finally upon us, it’s time to start getting out to the ballpark and enjoying some great baseball action.
May 24th, 2013
This week the 54 members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame will whittle down their list of the next possible Hall of Fame inductees, of which there are currently 20, and choose the five that will join some of the greatest names in the sport. This year 14 drivers are on the ballot, which is a fairly high number. Of them, which ones would you choose? Here are the names, and the claims to fame that they hold.
- Red Byron — first NASCAR driver to win the Strictly Stock championship
- Jerry Cook — career total of 342 wins; six-time NASCAR Modified champion
- Tim Flock — career total of 39 wins; has won the NASCAR premier series championship twice
- Jack Ingram — career total of 31 wins; has won the NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Championship twice; three-time Late Model Sportsman champ
- Bobby Isaac — career total of 37 wins and 49 poles; 1970 Cup champion
- Dale Jarrett — career total of 32 wins; winner of the 1999 Cup Championship
- Fred Lorenzen — career total of 26 wins; most notably in only 158 starts
- Benny Parsons — career total of 21 wins; winner of the 1973 Cup Championship
- Larry Philiips — career total of 226 wins; five-time winner of NASCAR Weekly Series
- Fireball Roberts — career total of 33 wins
- Wendell Scott — first owner/driver to win in NASCAR’s Cup series
- Curtis Turner — career total of 17 wins
- Joe Weatherly — career total of 25 wins; 1953 Modified champ
- Rex White — career total of 28 wins; premier series champ in 1960
Who would you like to see entered into the Hall of Fame? Is your favorite driver among the potential inductees?
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