Valentine's Day must be around the corner, because it's Rom Com season. This weekend Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman put a fresh spin on the genre. Typically a Rom Com involving two characters who are friends follows the traditional "one friend loves the other and can't admit it because someone is in a relationship" plot. No Strings Attached sort of skips all that, and asks the question, "Can a friends with benefits arrangement work?" The movie is directed by Ivan Reitman, who certainly knows his way around comedy (Stripes, Ghostbusters, Meatballs). It's certainly nice to see a fresh take on any movie genre, and No Strings Attached looks to be just that.
If you're not quite in the loving mood just yet, and would rather see some more serious cinema, then don't miss The Way Back. Jim Sturgess and Colin Farrell star in this incredible story of survival. To put it succinctly, The Way Back chronicles a 4,000 mile journey taken by escapees from a Soviet gulag. The movie is directed by Peter Weir, who last directed 2003's Master and Commander. The Way Back carries the, "Inspired by true events" tag which even if not 100% accurate, still makes you pause and think that someone might have actually experienced this. If you like a good edge of your seat type movie, this should be a solid choice.
If you're looking for something a little more timely, there is The Company Men. This movie boasts an impressive ensemble cast of Hollywood heavy hitters with Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner and Tommy Lee Jones for example. The movie follows the lives of three men who cope with corporate downsizing. This is definitely a theme that can hit home for many movie goers, similarly to last year's Up In The Air. While the movie might be the debut for director John Wells, he is a six time Emmy Award winner in writing, which is important because he also wrote The Company Men. From a distance there is a lot to like about this movie, strong cast and a talented writer. If you want to have something interesting to talk about at the water cooler on Monday, this might be the way to go.
With Natalie Portman fresh off her win at the Golden Globes last week, I'm taking No Strings Attached to win the box office this weekend. Be sure to tell us what you think, is this another award wining performance? Write a review on Eventful and let us know!
The Mission Bells Are Ringing For Amos Lee In 2011
The 4th album of singer / songwriter Amos Lee is closing in on it's release date - January 25. It's called Mission Bell and the released singles such as "El Camino" and "Windows Are Rolled Down" are already receiving praise from longtime fans and music critics. His first self-titled album sold 500,000 copies and gave Lee the kind of respect that most seasoned artists still hope to achieve. That kind of instant fame is difficult for any musician to maintain. Although his next two albums, Supply & Demand and Last Days At The Lodge, both upheld his soulful brand of folk-pop, neither were as commercially successful as his debut. But, he's hopeful that Mission Bell will reach out to his ever-growing fan base the same way that his original album did. Lee has already said that this album is much more similar to his first in that each represents a full cycle of songs - as if they play together like chapters of a book including a beginning, middle and end. Looks like there are mere days left until we can decide for ourselves.
Another reason to be excited about Mission Bell is that he collaborated with Calexico on much of the album. He credits the group for adding a smooth and subtle complexity to his music that some critics thought his previous works were missing. A few of his new tunes include horns - a different sound for him. And, there's a hint of country in the album as well - which may not be as much of an evolution since many fans argue that his music already had a particular twang to it. Though, none of the additions that Calexico brought take away from Lee's emotion and creativity for which his songwriting is known. When combined, Lee and Calexico make sweet, sweet music. Literally speaking, of course. Also sharing some of the vocal responsibilities were Willie Nelson, Iron & Wine, Priscila Ahn and Lucinda Williams. This album seems like it will have a little bit of it all.
Now he's touring for the first few months of 2011 in support of his latest album release. The tour kicked off yesterday at the Moore Theater in Seattle. The Pacific Northwest has always treated Lee kindly and this show was no exception. A standing room crowd cheered on Lee as he performed with his newly expanded, eight-piece band. His tour opener Vusi Mahlasela - a South African native - was embraced by the crowd as well. All in all, a great start to the tour.
Amos Lee was signed to Blue Note Records after locally releasing a self-produced EP that featured only five songs. He's has three top-selling albums since 2005 - with presumably a fourth on the way. And he has toured with Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Paul Simon and Dave Matthews Band to point out just a few of the notables. Not bad for an elementary school teacher from Philadelphia. Not bad at all.
Amos was once quoted as saying, "Nothing is more powerful than beauty in a wicked world." Some people live by their beliefs. Others create art to further strengthen them. Here's an example of a person that does both.
Nowadays all we ever hear about the recording industry is how much it's struggling. Album sales are down. Record labels are fighting to stay alive. The whole system is going to crumble! But, there is always hope. Pollstar released the figures around the 2010 North American tours. It showed one thing: North American's love seeing a live performance and listening to live music. Especially when both are combined for a really good night out. Here's a list of the top ten earners in order of gross sales:
1. Bon Jovi: Believe it or not, an 80s hair band is still at the top of the list for moneymaking tours. They played 51 shows in 38 cities across North America, sold nearly 1.2 million tickets and earned just over $100 mil. Nobody really knows who gave love a bad name, but now we definitely know a good name for selling tickets. ("Jon." "Jon" is what we were getting at.) The rockers are still touring, too. Check out Bon Jovi's full tour schedule to see if you can keep this band at the top for 2011.
2. Roger Waters: The former vocalist / bassist for Pink Floyd is showing that classic rock never goes out of style by coming in number two in the races. 56 shows in 36 cities, over 700,000 tickets sold for an impressive $89.5 million in ticket sales. Now that he's conquered North America, the tour jumped the pond and is now playing a European leg of the tour. Here's Roger Water's full tour schedule, if you're planning to take in a show in Barcelona or Budapest.
3. Dave Matthews Band: One of the non-grunge bands to emerge from Seattle in the 90s is still having no troubles filling a venue. In 2010, 50 cities bought 1.2 million tickets for 62 shows. Though they sold the most tickets out of anyone in the top ten list, they came away with enough earnings to reach 3rd on the list with close to $73 million in sales. They're currently taking a break from the road while the ants do the marching for them.
4. Michael Bublé: One of the few non-rockers to make the list and he did it with style. Bublé bewitched, bothered and bewildered 67 cities into buying just short of 800,000 tickets for 73 shows. An overall take of $65 million. It's nice to see that North America embraces all kinds of music including jazz. Though it appears as though Australia does, too, as that's where he performing next. If you're in the Down Under and might be in the mood for some singsong melodies, check out Michael Bublé's tour schedule.
5. The Eagles: Another classic rock band proves that things classified as "classic" are done so for a reason. 42 shows in 38 cities, over 610,000 tickets sold, over $64 million earned. It helps to sell a tour when the main attraction has created six number one albums since the early 70s. There's music in that show for everyone. Since their tour has completed, The Eagles have nested for a while to make plans for their next tour.
6. Paul McCartney: The Beatles are no more. Paul McCartney's Wings tour has been clipped. But, the guy still knows how to sell a show. Though, he played the fewest out of all of the top ten acts listed here. A mere 21 shows in 16 cities. But the reputation of his former music projects combined with the reputation from his recent music produced helped in selling close to 450,000 tickets. At the end of it, Paul M raked in over $61 million in 2010. North America appreciates UK music, that's for certain.
7. Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Regardless of how the year starts out, TSO will always have a good year once the holiday season hits thanks to their best-selling albums such as "The Christmas Attic," "Christmas Eve & Other Stories" and "The Lost Christmas Eve." They expertly mixed their modern orchestral music with known Christmas carols in such a way that many families cannot imagine the holiday season without a Trans-Siberian Orchestra show included. Which is one of the reasons they were able to play 159 shows in 109 cities this year - number one in the list in that regard - with over one million tickets sold. $52 million in sales should be on anyone's Christmas wish lists. They have a few more shows set for March in Europe and the UK. So, if you have some leftover holiday spirit and are near any of the towns on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's tour schedule, here's your chance for one last Christmas fix.
8. Lady Gaga: The only solo female act to make the list this year. But, she did so with her own kind of panache. Lady Gaga had no problems filling a room with thousands and thousands of people ready to dance. And pop. And possibly lock. Not necessarily in that order. She dazzled 40 cities with 55 shows which included more than 520,000 tickets sold. Gaga came in at number 8 after selling $51 million in tickets. But, she's nowhere even close to being done. There are another 43 shows on Lady Gaga's tour schedule that all occur in the US, Canada and Mexico. If LG is in a bad romance, it's certainly not with her fan base.
9. James Taylor and Carole King: James and Carole teamed together to bring us the Troubadour Reunion tour. And we were grateful. So were the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and 81 other national and local charities for the $1.5 million raised to donate for these causes. More than 610,000 tickets were sold for 44 shows in 36 cities. They were just edged out by Lady Gaga by earning $50.7 million on this tour. Both activists and music fans left the show feeling good.
10. The Black Eyed Peas: Rounding out the top ten - and giving Lady Gaga some company by adding another pop / dance group to the list - is TBEPs. Though, having over ten years more touring experience, there's no surprise that they were able to sell 800,000 tickets for their 54-show, 52-city tour. I got a feeling that they deserved a spot on this list for still being able to sell over $50 million worth of tickets.
There it is. The List. Some things we can take away from this: Rock 'N' Roll is here to stay. 2010 was the year for male-dominated acts to tour - let's see if the ladies can take over 2011. Touring isn't just for spring chickens. And buying a ticket for a quality music show is money well spent.
Seth Rogen has a new movie opening this weekend, but it isn't a "slacker with a heart of gold" comedy. It's a "buddy-action-comedy." That's right, Rogen has slimmed down, and taken to the streets in this remake of The Green Hornet. Relative newcomer Jay Chou co-stars as the Hornet's famous sidekick/chauffeur Kato. Aside from comedic actor Rogen as the titular hero, The Green Hornet also stands out because of it's director. Michel Gondry has made a name for himself with slightly surreal and insightful films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep, and Be Kind Rewind, so it will be interesting to see how he handles fight scenes and car chases. To his credit, Gondry knows how to handle drama and eccentric characters, which could help bring some depth to a hero movie like Green Hornet. And if all this hasn't been enough to get you excited for this film, then Christoph Waltz as the villain definitely should. If you saw Inglorious Basterds, then you know what a great actor and villain Waltz makes. If you haven't seen it, rent it, then go see Green Hornet.
If you prefer your comedians to stick with comedy, then Vince Vaughn and Kevin James have a new movie you should scope out. The two bring their high octane personalities to The Dilemma, director Ron Howard's newest film. Based on the premise of how you would handle knowing your best friend's wife was cheating on him, The Dilemma looks to not only bring laughs, but maybe some lessons about trust and friendship as well. The supporting cast has some depth as well, featuring Jennifer Connelly, Winona Ryder, Channing Tatum, and Queen Latifah. Pretty impressive list. Of course, since this is a Ron Howard movie, be sure to look for brother Clint Howard in one of his trademark cameos. With so many A-list names attached to this movie, it seems like there isn't really a dilemma about whether or not you should see this.
For the first time since the holidays, the box office features a clash of big name movies featuring big name casts. So what comes out on top? Does The Green Hornet sting The Dilemma? I'm going to say yes, I think audiences will be curious to see if Seth Rogen can kick butt as a hero. Whatever the final box office results, I'm sure it will be close. Don't forget to tell us what you think, after the movie head to Eventful and leave your review.
Sometimes it's not an issue of finding what events to partake in with your spare time. Sometimes it's an issue of where. Everybody at Eventful works hard to make sure our user base - our community - is completely up to speed on local happenings. But, what some people don't realize is that we put just as much time and effort in to making sure we let you know about the hottest, hippest, happeningest (?) places to spend your time. But, lots of times, you guys make it easy for us by "Favoriting" venues so we know which are the biggest, best and most beloved of them all. Based on your interactions with the site, here are the top five most popular venues worldwide:
Touted as "The World's Most Famous Arena" and, based on you guys, they might just be right. MSG is located in the heart of New York City on 7th Avenue in Manhattan. It's home to a variety of sporting teams such as the New York Knicks NBA team, The New York Liberty WNBA team, the New York Rangers NHL team, St. John's college basketball and others. PLUS, it's host to such fantastic special events like a Prince concert, or a Lady Gaga show, or even a WWE event. There are restaurants and stages galore. And even the Harlem Globetrotters make it a point to stop by a few times a year. Maybe NYC is a city that never sleeps because it has venues like this with an overload of things to do. Just maybe.
This is where people in Southern California - or anywhere close enough to make the trek - go for an outdoors concert of grand scale. Probably because Pollstar magazine awarded it the Best Major Outdoor Venue six years in a row! Or maybe because it's the largest natural outdoor amphitheater in the United States. Or it's possibly because it boasts a seasonal calendar that features such talents as Harry Connick Jr, Vampire Weekend and Pink Martini sprinkled between some of the most moving classical concerts in the world. It also doesn't hurt that this is one of the most popular places in the US to watch the 4th of July fireworks. If you like to picnic and enjoy outstanding music under the stars, a trio to LA might be in order.
We leave the US coasts for a more centrally located venue in Dallas, TX. But, much like Madison Square Garden, this is a venue that specializes in it all. Home court for the Dallas Mavericks NBA team and home ice for the Dallas Stars NHL team. But, this venue goes one step further and offers events like the Legoland Brick Factor where you get your chance to prove you've got what it takes to be a LEGO Master Model Builder. If sport and toys aren't your thing, you can check out Dane Cook's stand-up routine here. Not into comedy, either? Take in a concert by the likes of Linkin Park or Keith Urban. Don't like music, either, huh? Then you can take the whole family here to see Disney on Ice: Toy Story 3. This truly is a one-stop shop for any kind of event you're looking for. All you have to do is make your way to the Lone Star State.
Next we head to the warm waters of Miami - the southernmost major metropolitan city in the 48 contiguous United States. BAC is where the Florida Panthers NHL team protect their home ice. It's also the place to take in a show of the Taylor Swift or Sade caliber. This is a big-time venue that pulls fans of music, sports and special events from all over the East coast and the southern United States. Any venue that has Celine Dion perform as the inaugural event is headed in the right direction from the get go.
We skip across the pond to round out our list. This is a venue that's easily recognized by its distinctive dome-like shape as well as it is by it's nonstop calendar of huge events. Usher, Justin Bieber, Enrique Iglesias, Roger Waters from Pink Floyd, Jerry Seinfeld, etc, etc, etc. The line of top-tier performers waiting to hit this stage seemingly never ends. Plus, if you want to see an event that's a bit more unique, there are always special events happening here such as Apassionata - awarded “Show of the Year” at the 2010 PRG Live Entertainment Awards due to its combination of performing humans, horses and combining it all with brilliant audio and video displays. A trip to the UK is incomplete without a visit to The O2.
There it is. The list of most popular venues according to you: The Eventful community. But, if the world seems like too big a place to tackle head on, here is your the list of most popular venues in your area. Check them out and let us know your thoughts!
Ke$ha is no stranger to traveling all over the place to put on concerts for zillions of screaming fans. She already toured all of the country as a supporting act on the North American leg of Rihanna'sLast Girl Earth Tour. But now Ke$ha is about to embark on a tour where she's the star and the party don't stop...at least not until May 6 unless additional tour dates are added
The tour is called the Get $leazy Tour. It's in support of her latest album "Cannibal" - which is somewhat of a sister album for her insanely-huge selling debut album "Animal." The tour basically goes coast-to-coast in the US. And coast-to-coast in Australia. And then coast to coast in Japan. Finally one more visit from one coast to the other in the US. All within the span of 2 1/2 months. This tour schedule is as crazy as Ke$ha's reputation. But, that's why we love her, right? We wouldn't want her to be any different. After all, We R Who We R.
When we're talking about a person so daring as to break into Prince's Beverly Hills home when she was still an aspiring singer/songwriter to try to convince him to produce her first album, you never know what's going to happen in a live situation. This show is guaranteed to be a party. And, as with Ke$ha's songs, videos and life stories, each party-concert is going to be completely unique. This one's not to miss!
