Mega Music Talent

For many, America is the center of world entertainment. After all, America has Hollywood and Broadway-two major points in entertainment and culture. People have this belief that anyone who has made it in the American entertainment scene has made it in the rest of the world. But while this may be true, this country doesn’t have the monopoly on good singers and artists. Britain, too, is home to some of the best talents in the music industry, and their songs have the most spectacular music and lyrics. Of course, not every British artist succeeds in America, even though the music and the lyrics of their songs are similar to that from American artist. In form and content, however, the best British artists push the envelope. The structure of their songs, the composition of their lyrics, and the overall quality of their music are usually different, even avant-garde, making them a cut above the rest. Here are some of Britain’s recent artists whose music and lyrics will be remembered in America and beyond. Read the rest of this entry »

Little Mix won the 2011 UK X Factor contest and in doing that became not only the first group ever to win but the first girl group.

Little Mix – Don’t Let Go (Audio)
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Heroes

THE X FACTOR FINALISTS 2010 Heroes (2010 UK 2-track CD single featuring the 2010 X Factor finalists cover version of David Bowies classic hit Heroes released in support of Help The Heroes; includes a stripped back version)

List Price: £4.99 Price: £1.22

Purchasing tickets to a West End Theatre performance can be simple but it’s crucial that you know for sure that you’re getting the best deal possible when purchasing tickets to a show. This article will be directly related to where you can find the best discounted tickets for performances at London’s famous West End Theatre. While also giving advice on how to be sure you’re receiving safe and reliable ticket purchases.

When visiting London it is crucial to see a show in the famous West End Theatre district. The West End Theatre is a professional theatre that represents one of the first public theatres. It is known as the highest level of public performance theatre in the entire English speaking world. The first permanent theatre was built in 1576 and was used by William Shakespeare’s theatrical company. The West End Theatre is commonly referred to as Theatreland for its vast production of plays. Although a large majority of theatres in West End are playhouses that receive productions from all over the world there are also a large number of established producing theatres.

One option when booking theatre tickets is to combine tickets with hotel fees at a discounted price. It can be a tremendous deal if you are visiting London and need a place to stay for the duration of your vacation or if you would like to spend the night after the performance.

With online sites you can reserve your seats ahead of time and cut out the worry of getting tickets at the last minute and also view upcoming or current events being shown at theatre.

Another option to purchasing West End Theatre tickets is through an agent but If you chose to purchase your London Theatre tickets from an agent make sure that they are a reputable source. There are several agents that offer online discounted ticket sales which may be purchased in advance or on short notice but you must remember when purchasing tickets, to know the face value of the tickets. Ticket agents will charge a fee when booking your tickets but it should never be more than 25% of the face value on the ticket. Also be sure to look at a seating plan to make sure the seats you request are the ones you’re purchasing. You may also purchase a seat that has a restricted view as these seats will be offered at a further discounted price. Once you finally decide to purchase your tickets be sure to look over final paper work and review it thoroughly to ensure all of the information is correct. This will protect your legal rights as a consumer.

The main thing to consider when looking for discounted theatre tickets are what you’re getting for your money. Heavily discounted tickets could have a very restricted view or could be from an untrustworthy source. Touts should always be avoided as their ticket prices will never be as low as face value. Choose an online site that has plenty of information and is a secure site.

Author Bio: Click here for more information about discounted theatre tickets in London

 

Going to see a musical in London on a Sunday used to be near impossible. But a new trend is emerging with more and more West End musicals now open on Sundays. Here are 5 top London musicals for a great end to your weekend

Jersey Boys

Beggin’, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Oh What a Night, Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry… with so many hit tunes, it’s no wonder Jersey Boys has scooped 21 major international awards including the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Jersey Boys is based on the true-life story of four boys from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who went on to become one of the most successful pop bands in history: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Catch a 3pm Sunday performance of one of this London musical at the Prince Edward Theatre before it says Bye Bye Baby! Read the rest of this entry »

The remaining 5 have 2 songs to sing on this show and in the first round they all had to sing dance songs and in the second round songs of their choice. This is my opinion of their efforts.

Melanie Amaro

Sang ‘Someone Like You’ brilliantly but you wouldn’t have known it was supposed to be a dance track from this performance.  Still I think she has the best voice.

Marcus Canty

I loved this performance of ‘Aint Nobody’ it made me want to get up and dance.

Rachael Crow

A good performance of ‘Nothing on You’ from this cute 13 year old. Good for her age but not really good enough for a prospective finalist.

Josh Krajcik

I love his rock voice and he didn’t disappoint with his dance track ‘We Found Love’ , absolutely brilliant. L A Reed and Simon Cowell didn’t agree with me but what the heck.

Chris Rene

A good performance of ‘Live Your Life’ but I found it a bit boring

Second round

After practising their second round songs all week the contestants were told with 24 hours to go to ditch the song they had rehearsed and choose a different one.

Melanie Amaro

Sang her second song ‘When You Believe’ beautifully. Melanie looked great she more than any of the other competitors is starting to look more of a superstar.

Marcus Canty

Sang ‘A Song For You’, he was pretty good but I was bored during that performance. I prefer him singing upbeat songs.

Rachael Crow

Sang ‘Music and Me’. I’m sorry if anybody reading this is a fan of hers but it was too boring, the song was too old for her and she was dressed too old. Personally I think that kids her age don’t belong on the X Factor, they should be allowed to grow up and not rush into careers at her age.

Josh Krajcik

His performance of ‘Something’ gave me goose bumps. A perfect song choice and I loved it.

Chris Rene

‘Where Do We Go From Here’ sang his own original song. Well done Chris, this was the first time that I thought you might be in with a chance of winning.

My top 3 based on performances from this particular show is:

1. Josh Krajcik
2. Chris Rene
3. Melanie Amaro

Those are also the 3 that I believe have the most talent and have  more of a chance of being future big stars.

The Results Show

The 3 chosen to go through were Josh, Chris and Melanie and Rachel and Marcus had to sing against each other for survival.

Both Marcus and Rachel put everything into their performances, I couldn’t choose which was the best. Rachel looked as if she was going to burst into tears throughout making me feel again that she is too young for stardom yet.

The judges went into deadlock giving each act 2 votes so the one who got the least votes went home. That was Rachel and there were some emotional scenes where she fell to her knees on the stage crying and it was obviously upsetting to all of the judges because they had grown to love this child. Those upsetting scenes plus some not very nice scenes when youngster Astro was in the sing off tell me that youngsters should not be appearing on an high pressure show like this.

Rachel, please enjoy the rest of your childhood. You have the rest of your life to become a star, you’ve done really well and I’m sure it’s not over for you.

It’s almost over for another year and all we’ve got left to watch are the semi finals between the top 3 contestants Marcus Collins, Amelia Lily and girl band Little Mix and then the top 2 semi finalists go into the final. Each act will do a duet with their mentor and a second song in the semi final.

First Song

Marcus Collins sang Hey Ya by Outcast. It was a really good performance but some of the high notes were a bit forced.

Little Mix sang You’ve Got The Love by Candi Staton. It was a big performance of one of my favourite oldies, a bit too much going on in the background for me but they sounded good.

Amelia Lily sang Ain’t No Other Man by Christina Aguilera. It was a really good performance but out of the three I think that Marcus won the first round.

Duets With Mentors

Marcus Collins and Gary Barlow – She’s Always A Woman by Billy Joel

A lovely performance and I honestly think that Marcus outsang his mentor Gary.

Little Mix and Tulisa – Mash up of Empire State Of Mind and If I Ain’t Got You, both by Alicia Keys

Another good performance but in my opinion not enough to win.

Amelia Lily and Kelly Rowland – River Deep, Mountain High by Tina Turner

A superb performance with just the voices on show and no big production. Out of the 3 I think that this duet won the second round, but Kelly Rowland stole the show and she isn’t in the competition.

Personally I think that after those performances Amelia and Marcus should go through to the final, but I suspect that Little Mix will get through on cuteness and popularity.

Fast Forward

The public voted Marcus Collins and Little Mix through to the final. A shame for Amelia Lily but she did well to get through to the semi finals and at only 17 she could have a heck of a future ahead of her.

X Factor 2011 Final

Marcus kicked off with the classic Jackie Wilson song ‘Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher And Higher’ and showed us what he does best. A cracking performance for Marcus, just wish they hadn’t put him in a pink jacket.

Little Mix answered that with an excellent performance of Don’t Let Go by En Vogue

Next they performed Christmas songs and George Michael’s Last Christmas was the choice of Marcus. I’ve always found that song pretty boring and that didn’t change, but that’s my personal taste.

Lttle Mix sang the Christmas Carol Silent Night, nice but boring too.

This whole series hasn’t been all that good but I never thought I’d be bored in the final. Kelly Rowland didn’t help with her silly cutesie comments.

Next they both sang the single which will be realeased by the winner.

The performance from Marcus was really strong. I found myself wanting him to win because he has such a lovely personality as well as a voice.

I think that the version from Little Mix was slightly better and that they will win the X Factor 2011.

And the winner is Little Mix

 

Heroes

THE X FACTOR FINALISTS 2010 Heroes (2010 UK 2-track CD single featuring the 2010 X Factor finalists cover version of David Bowies classic hit Heroes released in support of Help The Heroes; includes a stripped back version)

List Price: £4.99 Price: £1.22

Historical evidence points to the fact that the basic design of all brass instruments, namely a long tube with a bell-shaped front, has been in existence for well over three thousand years. They probably started out as unwieldy straight lengths, but over time people realised that the tube could the bent into more manageable shapes. We’ve all seen the large rounded Roman horns that start at the mouth, curve round the back and end up perched a few inches above the player’s head. This shows an amazing lack of foresight when it comes to hanging flags from them, but they probably caused fewer injuries and de-helmetings on the march.

Around the start of the nineteenth century, the piston valve was invented, and this meant that the effective length of the tube from mouthpiece to bell could temporarily be lengthened by diverting air along extra sections of tubing. This lengthening of the tube causes the pitch of the note played to be lowered, just as an Alpine horn sounds lower than a piccolo. By including three valves, several different lengths could be achieved, making it easier to play various notes more precisely. Along with the ability of players to change the pitch by changing the shape of their lips to achieve various harmonics of the key note, the valves make the cornet a fully chromatic instrument, i.e. one that can play every semitone in its range. Read the rest of this entry »

UK X Factor

The UK X Factor has been disappointing for me this year up to previous years, Maybe the show’s format is getting jaded, maybe the acts aren’t as good, or it could be the new panel despite them keeping things lively with their arguments. Saying that I’ve found the US version more interesting despite the same format.

With just the final left to go I’m going to take a bit of a look back at some X Factor moments, but first I’m going to take a look at the last 3 finalists who will be performing in the Wembley final.

Marcus Collins

The only male left in Garly Barlow’s team of finalists is Liverpudlian hairdresser Marcus Collins. He has managed to hold his own despite a predominance of female performers. Marcus is at his best singing old classics like Jackie Wilson’s Reet Petite and Signed, Sealed Delivered by Stevie Wonder. In the final he will be dueting with his mentor Gary Barlow singing Billy Joel’s She’s Always A Woman. A good choice for Gary but not so good for Marcus.

Little Mix

The first ever female group to get through to the final show were forced to change their name from Rhythmix part way through the series. They are good but I don’t think them great, but they are and will be very popular because they are a cute bunch. In the final they will be dueting with their mentor Tulisa and the song choice is a Mash up of Empire State Of Mind and If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys.

Amelia Lily

Amelia was dropped by her mentor Kelly Rowland after the first live show. This was when each of the 4 mentors had to choose one of their acts to leave and that particular night Amelia’s performance wasn’t as strong as the other 3 girls. Fortunately for Amelia and ourselves one of Gary’s boys Frankie Cocozza got thrown off the show and the public voted Amelia back on in his place. In the final Amelia will be singing Tina Turner’s River Deep Mountain High with her mentor Kelly and that is the performance that I’m most looking forward to, I’m sure that it will be a belter.

Roundup

I’ve already mentioned Frankie Cocozza being thrown out but what I can’t understand is why Gary Barlow  thought that Frankie was talented enough to put through to the live shows. Disappointing was when Craig Colton was voted off. In my opinion he is the most talented of the boys and it was good to see his improvement. For me he is the most likely of the boys to sell albums.

My favourite of Tulisa’s groups the Risk were voted off quite early. It just goes to show that my opinion isn’t always right

The overs didn’t impress me massively. Sami Brookes was the best singer and Kitty Brucknell put on the best show but I think the time was right when they were voted off.

Kelly’s girls were all good in different ways. Shy Janet Devlin has a wonderfully different voice, but not very flexible. Comeback girl Amelia Lily has a cracking voice and shows a lot of promise. Misha B has one of those great, instantly recognisable voices and would probably have been a stronger contender for winner if she had connected more with the audience. Tulisa set the cat amongst the pigeons on one of the live shows when she said that some of the other contestants had complained about Misha B being a bully. There were denials but true or not it wouldn’t have helped the singer.

12 year old rapper Astro got through to the live shows but I don’t know why. It’s a singing not a rapping contest. OK some contestants sing and rap, like Chris Rene but Astro didn’t sing at all. I was glad when he got knocked out. I know that he is only young and has masses of talent but he is an arrogant little sh*t and I doubt growing up famous will do him any favours.

14 year old Drew was one of my favourites, but I don’t think that the songs she sang were the best choices for her. I really hope that she continues singing, with more maturity she could become a big star. Too cutesy for me was 14 year old Rachel Crow, great singer, but again she will be bestter with maturity.

My top 3 US X Factor voices are:

1. Melanie Amaro

2. Josh Krajcik

3. Chris Rene

By coincidence Melanie Amaro is a comeback act like UK competitor Amelia Lily. Simon Cowell who is mentoring the girls didn’t include her in his top 4 but on the first of the live shows he admitted making a mistake and brought her back.

Maybe these comeback girls are trying harder because of their setbacks, whatever, they are still my favourites.

Mick Rock Exposed: The Faces of Rock 'n' Roll

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Mick Rock is one of the true legends of music photography, who helped shape the images of a gallery of rock stars from the 1970s through to today, and whose work is showcased here in a career-spanning collection of edgy, sexy, and intimate portraits reproduced in immersive large format.

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To download a free song from Hoodless, visit www.facebook.com/hoodlessrocks. Hoodless are a hard rock band from Jersey City, New Jersey and ‘Waiting’ appears on their most recent release – “Music For Jerks.” The album is available now on iTunes and CD Baby. Hoodless make the most of the wide ranging influences to create a rich hard rock sound. “Our list of heroes and favorites is really quite a long one: From Prince to Mr. Bungle, Johnny Cash to Tony Williams, Brahms to Dimebag, Zeppelin to Kevin Gilbert,” explains bassist B Lee. The first incarnation Hoodless had their hard rock music video “Don’t Waste My Time” featured on HBO and had a solid relationship with Andy Hilfiger Entertainment. When things got too hot and heavy, their original singer exploded (you’ll have to ask them how) and quite frankly, they thought it was the end. Hoodless finally began to search for a new front man. Scanning the country for talent, they set up an exhausting regimen of ‘American Idol’ like auditions. Things were looking grim; nobody seemed to fit. Then, Twon appeared in musical form from the interwebs and they just had to have him. Twon obliged and the new unit worked tirelessly – for a year and a half – on their new record, “Music for Jerks”. The band brought Grammy-award winning engineer Geoff Sanoff (Fountains of Wayne, Green Day, The Sheepdogs) and producer/mastering engineer Joe Lambert (Animal Collective, Black Label Society) onto the team to make the record. Hoodless, whose music …
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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West Side Story has the music. Phantom of the Opera has the romance. Jersey Boys has the nostalgia. But Wicked has the fun.

By far, Wicked is the most enjoyable Broadway musical of all-time. It earned this title despite having a somewhat minor flaw. As a self-proclaimed theater buff I have to admit that if I was to list my ten favorite musical scores, Wicked’s would not make the cut.

Yes, Wicked’s music is only slightly above average.

However, if I had to make a list of the ten musicals I most wanted to see, either again or for the first time, Wicked would be number one with a bullet.

My thesis is proved 52 times a year. Just about every week Wicked is Broadway’s top grossing production-it regularly eclipses the $1.5 million mark. Not bad for a show that debuted on Broadway in October of 2003 to lukewarm reviews.

Below are ten reasons why Wicked is the most enjoyable musical of all-time. Is that an overstatement? It is if you haven’t seen the show. Fortunately for Wicked fans they can not only catch the musical at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway but via the National Touring Company as well.

1. Elphaba and Glinda’s Relationship
Elphaba and Glinda’s unique relationship is quite refreshing. They are not only rivals but best friends. And even though they are witches from a fictional world, their relationship is far more honest than those you’ll find in more realistic shows. Wherever you see Wicked you won’t be cheering for just one of the two witches, you’ll be cheering for both.

2. The Wizard of Oz Franchise
Long before our imaginations were captured by the Star Wars and Harry Potter franchises, they were captured by the Wizard of Oz franchise. Most of us know the story of the Wonderful Wizard and the Land of Oz through the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland. The movie was based on the 1900 book by L. Frank Baum. He continued to write about the Land of Oz for 13 more books. Wicked is taken from a parallel novel by Gregory Maguire that was published in 1995.

3. Movie References
The musical makes several references to events that transpired in the film. Sometimes the musical extrapolates while other times it adds back story. Sometimes the references are germane to the plot while other times the references are strictly for comedic purposes. Spotting them only adds to the show’s enjoyment.

4. “Popular”
The song “Popular” is Wicked’s version of “Master of the House.” It’s the song you won’t be able to get out of your head. It doesn’t matter if you hear the song on iTunes or live in a theater, you’ll be humming its ultra-catchy melody all the way home. The memorable tune appears in Act 1 when Glinda decides to give Elphaba a makeover.

5. Laughs
There’s no one character in Wicked that provides comic relief. Every character is funny. Wicked doesn’t stop being funny when the second act starts. The show is funny from start to finish. Wicked doesn’t rely solely on ironic references to the movie. The show creates genuinely funny moments.

6. Talking Animals
You gotta love talking animals. In Wicked, you have Doctor Dillamond. He’s a talking goat that teaches history at Shiz University. In fact, talking animals, or more precisely animals losing the ability to speak, is a major part of Wicked’s story. While he never speaks in the musical, the Cowardly Lion does make an appearance as a caged cub. It’s Wicked’s only use of gratuitous cuteness.

7. Great Names
Sure Tony and Marie are nice solid names. Yes, Christine Daae is elegant and Frankie Valli is cool, but nothing can touch the character names in Wicked. You’ve already been introduced to Elphaba and Glinda (who begins the movie as Galinda) but that’s just the tip of the witch’s hat. There’s Fiyero (Scarecrow), Madame Morrible, Nassarose, and Boq (Tin Woodman).

8. Green
Kermit the Frog sang how it’s not easy being green and the green thing never seemed to work for The Incredible Hulk. Yet despite their problems we still love them. The same can be said for Elphaba who also has green skin. Don’t worry if you’re watching the show off-Broadway

9. “Defying Gravity”
“Defying Gravity” is the show-stopping moment that ends Act I. And if the hairs on the back of your neck don’t stand up as Elphaba ascends over the stage then you should have your ticket to Wicked revoked. The “Defying Gravity” number is one of musical theater’s all-time greatest moments. If you’ve seen Wicked, whether on Broadway or in another city, you’ll know that’s not hyperbole.

10. Quality
Wicked isn’t the only “fun” Broadway musical. Rock of Ages, Legally Blonde, and Avenue Q are also a blast but you wouldn’t put them in the same category as West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, and Jersey Boys. Wicked belongs with those elite musical-dramas because besides the good times the show is a serious drama with a powerful message. It’s a high quality production that’s also a whole lot of fun.

Author Bio: Ryan Hogan writes for ClickitTicket.com, a website that sells inexpensive family show tour tickets such as Wicked tickets and Wicked Chicago tickets or Wicked Indianapolis tickets to any other Broadway show.