Concert News & Reviews @ CT2

Needtobreathe — house of blues Chicago March 18, 2010

HBF members, do you want a chance to win Front Row seats at one of Mariah’s upcoming Angels Advocate concerts? It’s easy. Just log in and head to the Front Row Tickets entry page.

You must have an an active Honey B. Fly membership to participate in this contest; so, join now!

The diva brings festiveness to the rest of us

By Jesse Serwer, Time Out New York

Mariah Carey is having an interesting moment. After nearly two decades of ubiquity, for the first time her music feels sort of underrated. Released in September, her latest, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, is smart, mature and occasionally hilarious, but for an artist with more No. 1 songs than Elvis Presley, it’s been surprisingly smash-hit-free. Meanwhile, Mrs. Nick Cannon’s acting career, pronounced DOA the moment the first critic saw Glitter in 2001, is in the throes of vindication. Playing the frumpy, mustachioed welfare worker Mrs. Weiss in Precious, she has a breakout role in the season’s most talked-about indie flick. The Greenlawn, Long Island native phoned TONY from her Tribeca lair as she prepared for a busy holiday season, climaxing with a New Year’s Eve set at Madison Square Garden.

How do you wrap your mind around the enormity ofheadlining the Garden on New Year’s Eve?
I have to be festive on New Year’s. A couple years ago I sang at Times Square right before the countdown. We had a police escort, ’cause you can’t get past the people otherwise, and I’m looking up at all this confetti and sparkly stuff like, Now, this is New Year’s. It was freezing and I was in a little ensemble, which I know is shocking to you, but it was just amazing. My goal is to make everyone feel as festive–I know I’m redundant with that word–as possible. I don’t want to give it away, but I’m thinking, What can we do at this show to re-create how I felt standing in the middle of Times Square onstage? Because some people are scared as hell to go there.

A police escort might help. You know, I was listening to your album just before you called, and I actually got a little hungry.
[Laughs] Yeah, why?

You have all these foodmetaphors. There’s a line about Duncan Hines cake…
Duncan Hines yellow cake.

Sorry, Duncan Hines yellow cake. You also mention McDonald’s fries and gelato. Is there anything you like to eat before a show?
I have to eat a little, because otherwise I won’t make it through the show. I can’t give away my lovely new diet secrets, which are very intriguing.

Why?
They’re actually somebody else’s thing.

I see. I read a gossip item that said you’re a cheese freak. Is that true?
I cannot believe that was written. What’s wrong with this freakin’ world? In an appropriate manner, yeah, I like cheese and wine together. But I probably wouldn’t eat cheese just randomly like, “Let me go get some cheeeeeese.”

Hey, I do that. So can you just stop on a dime and hit those whistle-register high notes?
Sometimes I wake up and that’s the easiest thing for me to do. Because I’m still kind of raspy. [Purrs in soprano] I like to do that.

It cleans out the pipes?
Yeah. But sometimes, when my middle register is more clear, those notes are harder to hit. I have a three-dimensional vocal cord situation. The breathy voice is its own thing. It requires a certain amount of sleep.

Did you base your Precious character’s accent on anyone in particular? You really nailed that motherly woman who’s from Long Island, or maybe the outer boroughs.
The person I was basing it on was sort of [Affects accent] lowa Westchesta. She probably goes to City Island, you know, for a little bit of seafood. [Laughs]

You mean someone from Yonkers? Mamaroneck?
[In accent] Ya, ya got Yonkiz… [In regular voice] It’s a combination. There’s one woman who’s not a social worker but works with kids. She doesn’t really have an accent like that–I was channeling her behavior. And then there’s this woman from… [In accent] lowa Westchesta.

Do you feel like you’ve atoned for your Razzie Award?
I never cared about that stupid thing. It just gets annoying when eight years later, they’re like, “The Glitter star, da-da-da.” I’m like, “Yeah, you’re current.” There have been worse movies. And I’m not sticking up for that movie. ‘Cause it wasn’t my thing. I didn’t create it. But I do think the soundtrack is good.

Mariah Carey plays Madison Square Garden Thu 31.

Congratulations Mariah on winning the “Capri Award ’09 – Supporting Actress of the Year” for her outstanding performance in Precious. The award was given at the 14th annual Capri International Film Festival in Capri, Italy on Monday, December 28, 2009.

Congratulations Corlissa W.!

Corlissa whose HBF member name is cocohoney2 won a pair of front row tickets to Mariah’s New Year’s Eve concert at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Keep checking MariahCarey.com for your chance to win front row tickets to Mariah’s “Angels Advocate” tour.

Not a member of Mariah’s official fan club? Join now and become a part of Honey B. Fly, a community of fans who admire Mariah, her music and creative talents!

What was just a simple year-end poll has now become the most contested poll in OKmagazine.com history!The poll, which asks who had the best 2009 – Britney, Taylor Swift, or Robert Pattinson, now has over 32,000 votes and still no… …read full story

A list of America’s Best-selling Celebrity Scents of all-time has been released- and Britney took two spots!  Curious came in at #8 and Fantasy at #9.  Head over to Elizabeth Arden now to continue the trend!… …read full story

MTV has been naming their “10 in 2009″ lists to celebrate the end of the year. Britney’s #1 single ’3′ popped onto the ‘Best 10 Songs of 2009″ list at #8- we can’t wait to see what other lists Brit… …read full story

Matt, Keila and Penny met Lady Gaga on December 29th in Atlanta !

Lady Gaga was fantastic last night… What a way to end the year!

Gaga was very nice (and patient) during the meet and greet, thank you Gaga! It went off without a hitch, was on time, and the food was great. Seriously, last night was a rare experience.
Finally, Lady Gaga’s dancers deserve a shout out… every single one of them are professional and gave 200% last night, as I’m sure they do at every show. Gaga obviously picked the best of the best… Thank you guys and gals for helping to forge an incredible experience.

My wife and I had a blast, so Happy new year, and please come back to Atlanta!

Dave Mustaine, Chuck Billy (Testament), Tom Araya and Kerry King (Slayer) were interviewed for the February 2010 issue of Decibel magazine (order HERE), which features a cover story on the upcoming “American Carnage” tour. DM: “My career right now is just exploding”. Dave‘s section of the story follows in its entirety HERE

Megadeth Ultimate Fan Packages for the ‘American Carnage’ tour are now available to the general public at ILoveAllAccess.com. Packages include concert ticket in first 10 rows or priority access with general admission ticket, meet ‘n greet & photo op with Megadeth, pre-show party, exclusive Megadeth gift bag, early entrance to venue, and more! Packages are limited! Get yours HERE 

Billy Dean photo courtesy of billydean.com.

When Billy Dean first appeared in country music in 1990, he made his mark with an easy delivery and a handsome visage on his way to winning a pair of trophies at the Academy of Country Music Awards. He was, in essence, country’s version of the boy next door, but he’s now decided to put on a black suit and spiff up his sound a bit.

He quietly released an album this year titled Billy Dean Sings Richard Leigh, and it endeavored to add supper-club sophistication to Billy’s act through the invention of “Hank Sinatra.” Billy brings a big band to Florida for a New Year’s Eve show this week, and it marks only the second time he’s appeared in the Sinatra format, according to The Tallahassee Democrat.

“There are no crooners in country music anymore like Ray Price or Eddy Arnold, and my voice fits that crooning style,” Billy told The Democrat. “Richard Leigh writes that style of music, and his songs fit my voice perfectly — like a good pair of shoes. The music is real romantic and easy listening but with a little country. It’s part Hank Williams, and it’s part Frank Sinatra. That’s how we came up with the name Hank Sinatra.”

Billy and Richard have a history. They shared the ACM Song of the Year award in 1992 as co-writers of Billy’s signature ballad “Somewhere In My Broken Heart.” Richard also authored Billy’s first hit, “Only Here For A Little While.”

But Billy also has a history with the Tallahassee area. He grew up in Quincy, Fla., about 25 miles northwest of the Florida capital, and he experienced many a New Year’s Eve at a bait shop his uncle owned, making his suit-and-tie performance an appropriate way to slide into a new decade.

“Fireworks weren’t supposed to be sold in Florida but he had them hidden in the back,” Billy recalled. “On New Year’s Eve, the adults would play a little poker and sip a little whisky while us kids would blow up firecrackers. We had our own fireworks display right there on the front porch across from Luten’s on Highway 90.”

This year’s version won’t be anything like that. Billy will likely take the stage in a tailor-made Manuel suit as he puts a soft touch on the celebration at a local club.

“The Moon has the feeling of an old show room — like an old Vegas show room — so I thought it would be a good place for this type of show,” Billy said. “It’s also nice to be with a hometown crowd, a forgiving crowd. At least that’s what I hope. We’re going to test it out and see how it goes.”

The last time we headed into a new decade, it was the beginning of a completely new millennium, and it kicked off with a bang: The <a title="Wynonna Judd Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_wynonna_judd” target=”_self”>Judds reunited in Phoenix; Trisha Yearwood and Kenny Rogers performed for President Clinton in Washington, D.C.; <a title="Kenny Chesney Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_kenny_chesney” target=”_self”>Kenny Chesney opened for <a title="Tim Mcgraw Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_tim_mcgraw” target=”_self”>Tim Mcgraw and Faith Hill at the arena in Nashville; and Grand Ole Opry stars Marty Stuart and Connie Smith went to church in Mississippi.

As we enter 2010, country stars are once again a big part of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Martina McBride and Diamond Rio will be on TV; Shania Twain carries the torch for the Winter Olympics; Lady Antebellum and Tim Mcgraw will appear at college bowl games; and Garth Brooks, Rodney Atkins and the Eli Young Band will help transition into January on stage.

Here’s how some of country’s biggest stars will add to the turning of the calendar on Thursday and Friday:
• Martina McBride continues as host of GAC’s Top 50 Videos Of 2009. The countdown started on Monday, and the No. 1 video of the year will finally be revealed New Year’s Day. Check here for the complete schedule.

• Shania Twain carries the Olympic torch during the final segment of a New Year’s Day relay in Timmins, Ontario, with a two-hour celebration slated at the city’s Hollinger Park, The Timmins Times reports. The event is part of a broader torch relay leading up to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The games kick off Feb. 12.

• Garth Brooks begins his second weekend of shows at Wynn Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Thanks to the casino’s anti-scalping policy, some previously purchased seats have opened up, The Las Vegas Sun reports. The venue will have a stand-by line each day.

• Not surprisingly, Vegas has numerous country shows on tap. Gary Allan and Merle Haggard play the area on the final night of ’09, according to Pollstar, while Phil Vassar visits nearby Henderson the first day of ’10.

• GAC’s Storme Warren will emcee the first-ever Bash On Broadway in downtown Nashville. Rodney Atkins is on the Dec. 31 bill along with blues guitarist Jonny Lang, singer-songwriter Marc Broussard and “Change The World” songwriter Tommy Sims.

• The Eli Young Band serves as grand marshal for the Comerica Bank New Year’s Parade in Dallas, according to KDFW-TV. The prior evening, the band rings in the year with a performance at the Verizon Wireless Theater in Houston.

• EYB isn’t the only act playing Texas for the holiday. Jack Ingram appears in San Antonio Thursday and Corpus Christi Friday, Pollstar reports. Chris Young and Reckless Kelly have competing New Year’s Eve shows in Dallas; Cross Canadian Ragweed counts down to 2010 in Houston; and Austin has a pair of year-end concerts on tap — Joe Ely and Dale Watson at Antone’s while Robert Earl Keen and the Randy Rogers Band top the bill at the Austin Music Hall.

• Diamond Rio and Lee Greenwood are slated for Fox News’ “All American New Year’s Eve.”

• Tim Mcgraw will be on the field for the opening coin toss at the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day, according to The St. Petersburg Times. He’ll also be on the sidelines during the game to help honor a group of Marines that will be recognized during halftime.

• Lady Antebellum sings “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day when the University of Cincinnati plays Florida.

• Richie McDonald does double duty in Jacksonville for the holiday. He’s one of the grand marshals of the Gator Bowl Parade on New Year’s Eve, and he delivers the national anthem the next day when Florida State and West Virginia hook up in the game.

• Riders In The Sky host the opening segment on the Grand Ole Opry New Year’s Day at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The lineup for evening includes Little Jimmy Dickens, Josh Thompson, John Conlee, Jean Shepard and Exile.

• Americana acts Old Crow Medicine Show and Chuck Mead warm up the Ryman with a New Year’s Eve performance. Others playing around the country include Wayne Hancock in Kansas City New Year’s Eve, Junior Brown in K.C. New Year’s Day, Billy Dean closing out the year in Tallahassee, and Randy Houser doing a New Year’s Eve gig in Kennesaw, Ga.

Brooks & Dunn photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

#2 on GAC’s Top Stories of 2009 |  View all »

“After 20 years of making music and riding this trail together, we have agreed as a duo that it’s time to call it a day. This ride has been everything and more than we could ever have dreamed. We owe it all to you, the fans. If you hear rumors, don’t believe them, it’s just time.”

With that simple message, Brooks & Dunn announced in August that they were riding off into the sunset. They did it in style, recounting their successes with a two-CD, 30-track compilation, #1’s…And Then Some. It included a pair of new hits, “Indian Summer” and “Honky Tonk Stomp,” in addition to such signature cuts as “Brand New Man,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Play Something Country” and “Only In America.”

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn benefited from their two-man lineup; there aren’t a lot of duos in the business, and they came along just as the <a title="Wynonna Judd Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_wynonna_judd” target=”_self”>Judds were ending their run at the top in 1991. As a result, Brooks & Dunn won the Country Music Association’s Vocal Duo of the Year 14 times in 15 years on their way to landing at No. 2 on the CMA’s all-time list of winners.

The guys put on high-energy, party-focused concerts, and they threaded their albums with big, sing-along choruses. But they also left some very meaningful music, including the spiritual “Believe” and the reflective “Red Dirt Road.”

Both Kix and Ronnie are expected to continue their work with solo albums. And they’ll make one final push on the road with a 2010 tour, The Last Rodeo.

Want to win 20 country CDs? GAC and the CMA have teamed up to give you a chance to win CDs from artists including <a title="Brad Paisley Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_brad_paisley” target=”_self”>Brad Paisley, <a title="Taylor Swift Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_taylor_swift” target=”_self”>Taylor Swift and <a title="Kenny Chesney Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_kenny_chesney” target=”_self”>Kenny Chesney! All you have to do is watch our encore presentation of the 2009 CMA Music Fest  — tonight at 9 p.m. ET and tomorrow at 1 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET for a special code and texting instructions. The deadline to enter is Wednesday, December 30 at 5 p.m. ET.

Two grand prize winners will receive a 20-CD catalog from GAC and the CMA. The catalog contains CDs from these 2009 CMA Music Fest performers: Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Jake Owen, Jamey Johnson, Jason Aldean, John Rich, Julianne Hough, Kellie Pickler, Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Sugarland, <a title="Taylor Swift Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_taylor_swift” target=”_self”>Taylor Swift, Trace Adkins, <a title="Wynonna Judd Artist Section” href=”http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_az_wynonna_judd” target=”_self”>Wynonna and Zac Brown Band.

Click here for sweepstakes rules.

For several years, GEICO has turned to self-pitying cavemen and a gecko with a British accent for a series of very weird TV commercials to tout its insurance policies. Now it’s grabbed a Grand Ole Opry member to handle the chore.

Charlie Daniels began appearing Monday in a TV ad that melds his lightning-fast fiddle licks with the rhetorical question, “Could switching to GEICO really save you 15% or more on car insurance?”

The question prompts the appearance of the Southern rocker and country hitmaker in a white cowboy hat and blue plaid shirt, sawin’ on a fiddle and playin’ it hot. A hair in the bow breaks as Charlie careens through his solo, supported only by a fierce smile and the tap of his western boot on the hardwood floor. After a 14-second tidal wave of sound, the camera pulls away to reveal a fancy restaurant, where Charlie’s essentially serenaded a table of aristocratic guests with the same ferocity that marked “The Devil Went Down To Georgia.” He hands the fiddle to a tuxedoed server with a friendly greeting — “How you doin’, son?” — then walks away.

So the rhetorical question — “Could switching to GEICO really save you 15% or more on car insurance?” — gets answered with another question: “Does Charlie Daniels play a mean fiddle?” The answer to the latter is yes. The answer to the former is… well… implied.

You can you do your own homework on that pesky insurance bill. You can research Charlie’s commercial here.

More than 60 guitars signed by country artists such as Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift were stolen from a storage unit facility in Garland, Texas, on Thursday (Dec. 24).

Shania Twain has returned to her hometown of Timmins, Ontario, to participate in the Olympic torch run on Friday (Jan. 1).

Carrie Underwood will attend the People’s Choice Awards on Jan. 6 in Los Angeles.

Faith Hill’s recent television special, A Home for the Holidays With Faith Hill, brought in 6.39 million viewers, according to Nielsen estimates.