The Insider: Contributed by dyvinerose

KansasCity.com: Talkers: Prince turns up the heat

dyvinerose — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:34:00 GMT

Talkers: Prince turns up the heat Prince turns up heat INDIO, Calif. | Blistering. In more ways than one. Late Saturday, at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts event, Prince thrilled the crowd of 60,000 with his take on “le rock ’n’ roll hot.” His performance, the centerpiece of the three-day festival, had been announced only two weeks ago, immediately making an already very hip festival of more than 125 bands significantly more in-demand. And Prince knew it. “You are the coolest place on Earth right now!” Prince declared to a sea of tens of thousands, sweating in 99-degree heat. The three-day event, regarded as the unofficial start to the U.S. festival season, also featured The Verve and Jack Johnson on Friday, and was headlined by Roger Waters on Sunday. One of the big surprises of Prince’s concert was his cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” with some lyrics adjusted. I THINK THAT ABOUT SUMS UP MY FEELINGS IN REGARDS TO PRINCE AND THE FUNK FACE HE'S MAKING UP IN THAT PICTURE... YEP!

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SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: Prince plays Coachella, covers Radiohead

dyvinerose — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:34:00 GMT

Prince plays Coachella, covers Radiohead By JAKE COYLE AP ENTERTAINNMENT WRITER INDIO, Calif. -- "Coachella, I am here." Prince hit the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with that announcement, heralding his arrival as the much-anticipated headliner of the summer festival. Shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday, Prince strutted onto the stage wearing white pants and a white shirt with glittery fringe. His performance, the centerpiece of the three-day festival, was announced only two weeks ago, immediately making an already very hip festival of 125-plus bands significantly more in-demand. And Prince knew it. "You are the coolest place on earth right now!" Prince declared to a sea of tens of thousands. Prince, who had been sought out to perform at Coachella since the festival was founded nine years ago, told the crowd that when he agreed to perform, he informed the organizers that he would not only play, but party too. True to his word, Prince then launched his band - complete with a horn section and background singers - into "Jungle Love." Morris Day came out to sing his song, while Prince strolled around the stage with his guitar. For the beginning of the show, Prince preferred to let his guitar do the talking. He also welcomed the singer and drummer Sheila E, who took the lead for a song and then joined Prince in an extended jam. Finally, Prince satisfied the crowd with a celebratory performance of "1999." His classic "Little Red Corvette" soon followed. One of the big surprises of Prince's concert was his cover of Radiohead's "Creep," which was sure to be one of Coachella's most talked-about performances. With some lyrics adjusted, a ripping guitar solo and extended falsetto crooning for a finale, Prince's "Creep" had the crowd slack-jawed. To close the set, he gave another unique take on a song not his own: the Beatles' "Come Together." He urged the audience - whom he called his "choir" - to sing "Come together, yeah" over and over. And just as trepidation was beginning to take hold in the crowd that Prince might actually leave without playing "Purple Rain," he returned to confirm that even in the desert, it could rain purple. Even after the encore, though, he came back for more. "They're telling me that we got to go, but I can't leave!" Prince shouted. He then flew through a torrid version of "Let's Go Crazy." Prince had widely been considered the one act most all concertgoers - a diverse 60,000 of indie rockers, electronica dancers and pop fans - were certain to see. And by the end of "Let's Go Crazy," Prince had seemed to put his stamp on Coachella lore. "From now on, this is Prince's house," he shouted before triumphantly strutting off stage and tossing his guitar 30 feet behind him.

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Showtime: ROYAL DECREE FOR SEASON THREE OF SHOWTIME'S "THE TUDORS"

dyvinerose — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:40:00 GMT

ROYAL DECREE FOR SEASON THREE! SHOWTIME's THE TUDORS GETS 3RD SEASON PICK-UP New Season Follows King Henry as He Weds Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves LOS ANGELES, CA – (April 23, 2008) - As episode five of THE TUDORS' second season debuts this coming Sunday on SHOWTIME, the network is ramping up for a third season of palace intrigue and royal drama, premiering in 2009. Production is slated to begin on June 16th in Dublin, Ireland with series star Jonathan Rhys Meyers set to return. THE TUDORS took SHOWTIME subscribers and the media by storm when it premiered in April 2006, generating record viewership and critical acclaim. Last year, both the series and Rhys Meyers earned Golden Globe® nominations. And, season one of THE TUDORS is currently one of CBS Home Entertainment's top-selling titles. "THE TUDORS is now a fixture for us at SHOWTIME and we're on our way to completing the entire saga of all six wives of Henry VIII," says SHOWTIME President of Entertainment Robert Greenblatt. "We are enormously proud of this show, the extraordinary cast, and the production team that recreates the grandeur of the Renaissance year in and year out. There is nothing like this anywhere on American television." Viewers and critics alike have been enthralled watching the storied exploits of the sexy, hard-bodied King Henry VIII (Rhys Meyers) as he weds Anne Boleyn (Natalie Dormer) while working to declare his marriage invalid to Queen Katherine (Maria Doyle Kennedy). This prompts Pope Paul III (Peter O'Toole) to have him excommunicated -- a fall-out that changed the course of history. Anne's failure to deliver a male heir sets the wheels in motion for her beheading, and sends Henry straight into the arms of yet another prospect – Jane Seymour (Anita Briem), who dies from an infection after finally giving him his coveted male heir. THE TUDORS is an Ireland-Canada co-production, executive produced by Morgan O’Sullivan for Octagon Films; Benjamin Silverman and Teri Weinberg for Reveille Productions; Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan for Working Title Films, and Sheila Hockin; and is created, written and executive produced by Michael Hirst. SHOWTIME presents the series in association with Peace Arch Entertainment.

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AP via Yahoo! News: Prince to headline Coachella festival

dyvinerose — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:34:00 GMT

Prince to headline Coachella festival AP via Yahoo! News Prince will headline the ninth annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, festival promoters announced Wednesday. The Purple One will be the featured act on day two of the giant summer music festival, a three-day affair that runs April 25-27 in Indio, Calif. He joins a lineup that includes Jack Johnson and Roger Waters, the former Pink Floyd singer-songwriter who will close the festival. Also slated to perform: the Raconteurs, Kraftwerk, Portishead, My Morning Jacket, M.I.A., Death Cab for Cutie and the Verve, among others. ___ On the Net: http://www.coachella.com/

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Washington Post: Andrew Dice Clay: On a Roll Again

dyvinerose — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:53:00 GMT

Andrew Dice Clay: On a Roll Again By Ellen McCarthy Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, April 4, 2008 Hickory dickory dock. Andrew Dice Clay is a . . . Yeah, never mind. He's a 50-year-old comic who cursed and raged his way to stand-up infamy in the late 1980s, left two marriages in his wake, spent the past 20 years holding a home video camera up to his own face for posterity and has two treasured sons who've never seen their father at the top. We'll call him unsettled, among other things. Now he's on tour with a stop Friday at the Warner Theatre, and this certainly will be called a comeback effort. But that doesn't really capture the whole story, or at least the duration of the effort. "Any time I've done something, they've called it a comeback. It's not like I stopped working. I worked throughout all the years," he says in a rambling, 55-minute, expletive-laced phone call from his Los Angeles home an hour before leaving to pick up his 13- and 17-year-old sons from school. But this time, he insists, in moments alternately cocky and fevered, it's different. "I gotta call this 'Dice Mania II,' 'cause all of a sudden it just seems like the climate in the country has people wanting this again," he says. That's more proclamation than prediction. As evidence, he points to a moment in February when he hijacked the stage at an awards show for entertainment industry executives and unleashed six minutes of new material that found its way to YouTube. Promoters from big venues started calling for the first time in more than a decade. At his height, Clay was a boundary-destroying, love-him-or-hate-him bulldog who smoked on stage, insulted his audiences and was so offensive that SinÃ¯Â¿Â½ad O'Connor refused to appear with him on "Saturday Night Live." It worked. Clay regularly played to packed arenas, sold millions of albums and changed the image of stand-up comedy. Twenty years ago, audiences flocked to hear him rail about the flagrant, graphic sex that was central to his act. He says he has struck a similar nerve that people recognize in themselves today and are ready to be berated for: self-absorption. "When they're that self-absorbed," he says, "they're going to be plugged into nine different phones in their car. . . . They nearly cause an accident 'cause of the text they were trying to send when they were doing 45 miles an hour. It's my job to go on stage and vent about it." When he's on stage, he's talking about them. Before and after, he is looking into a camcorder, talking through and documenting thousands of hours of his own life. "I just started filming my own history," he says, so much so that he suffered a shoulder injury from the repetitive stress of angling the camera toward himself. He even had his own reality show, "Dice Undisputed," on VH1 last year, which lasted seven episodes. To his mind, the producers doomed it by not using enough of his raw footage. The success Clay got out of the series was that his kids got to see it. "My kids, who saw how much I wanted to get a show, saw that it finally happened at least," he says. His oldest, Max, was in the womb when Clay played a sold-out show in Madison Square Garden in 1990. His second, Dillon, is 13, young enough to have friends who might never associate his father's name with dirty nursery rhymes. When Clay appeared on the "Last Call With Carson Daly" show last month, the boys went with him, hung out in the green room, met Sheryl Crow and listened to the audience cheer and growl at their dad's caustic onstage persona. And it is, at least partly, a persona. "I understand how strong the image is on stage," Clay says. "I get that. If I didn't, I'd be an imbecile. I don't go 24/7 angry. But I'll leave the house and somebody will get me angry. That's what I make fun of today." Clay says retirement isn't something he has thought about, and certainly isn't now that he's sure it's just getting good again. And he is sure ("It's easy enough to see, just with the speed of the sell-outs, the number of the crowds," he says), though there are still plenty of tickets available for Friday's show. The draw for the audience, he pronounces, is this: "A performer who is still willing to give his all." And for him? It's about "accomplishment. Absolute accomplishment," he says. That, and maybe those two particularly beloved Dice groupies he knows will be waiting in the wings. Andrew Dice Clay Warner Theatre, 13th and E streets NW. 202-397-7328. Friday at 8. $28-$78. Andrew Dice Clay Warner Theatre, 13th and E streets NW. 202-397-7328. Friday at 8. $28-$78.

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E!: Have Dinner with Moonlight Star Alex O'Loughin

dyvinerose — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:28:00 GMT

Have Dinner with Moonlight Star Alex O'Loughin E!Watch with Kristin OK, so that title up there may be a little cruel and misleading to any fans who thought it a real invitation to have a romantic picnic in the sand with Alex O'Loughlin. (I'll pause while you visualize...and wipe your drool.) But in the Q&A that follows, you can have the next best thing (maybe?): A cyberdinnertime-chat experience with Alex, who called just moments ago, while chomping down a salad during a five-minute break on set. (Did you hear the one about TV leads being busy?) More importantly, as you may have heard, the fans of CBS' Moonlight are a wee bit...impassioned. And by "wee bit" I mean they are willing to give their own blood and have coordinated a truly heartwarming (see what I did there?) philanthropic campaign to help support the series, via a blood drive with the American Red Cross. Read on for Alex's thoughts on the fandemonium, the prospects of season two and what's in store when Moonlight returns to CBS on April 25... I heard you were so moved by the fan blood drive, you want to take part? Oh yeah, I’m a part of it. I’m hopefully gonna be spokesperson for Red Cross at some level. But I’m absolutely being a part of it. How does it feel to know your fans care that much? It’s just so great. Even more so than them caring about the show is that such initiative is being used to participate in a community service at such a selfless level. I think it’s such a great idea, and it’s such a wonderful project and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. And then on a show level, it’s thrilling to know that people care about the show as much as I do. How are you feeling now about the chances of another season? Before I tell you that, I’m going to apologize because I’m eating a salad while I’m talking to you. No problem. I know your schedule is very busy, what with you being in every scene. And it's nice to know you really eat—unlike your alter ego. I eat real food so Mick doesn't have to. As for another season, I think it’s difficult to answer, because CBS is so unpredictable in how and why they make the decisions they make. Which is why no one, not even the other networks can second-guess them at this time of the year before the upfronts. Personally, I think it’d be a smart business choice to pick the show up, because we have such a rabid fan base and people will tune in to watch. Is it hard not knowing? As an actor, I can’t ever afford to second-guess anything, because more than often, I’m wrong, and it hurts too bad. I’m so invested in this show. I’ve put a lot of love and a lot of heart and a lot of thought and a lot of creative and emotional energy into this piece, and I don’t want to go anywhere. The fans would agree. What can you tell me about what we can expect when the show comes back? Sex and drama. Lots of sex and drama. Sexy sex and sexy drama. We’re just finishing up episode 14, which leads to 15 and 16. Does it feel like you're ramping up toward the season finale? Yeah, things are getting bigger. It doesn’t feel like a finale. It feels like a beginning. I don’t feel like we’re riding for the end. We are at beginning of something huge. I haven’t read episode 16, which is our final installment, but I’ve just finished 15, and it’s fantastic. It’s so full of life, it’s awesome stuff. It’s got some incredible flashbacks, and it’s got some Mick emotion that will knock everyone out of their socks. It’s got a whole bunch of stuff that will really rock the fans. You and Sophia (Beth) have such great chemistry. We’ve become great friends. She’s a terrifically committed actor, and she’s a ball of fun on set. She’s outrageously funny herself and loves to be a part of the gag. She’s just a real team player. You'll always find her hanging out with the electrics or hanging out on the curbside laughing with the wardrobe and having a great time, as opposed to, like, stuck up in her trailer. She’s not that person. So it's great working with her. We're having a blast. If you're having a blast watching this series, holler below and show your support to CBS, then check out the blood-drive pledge site.

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Reuters/Hollywood Reporter: "Moonlight" fans give blood to save vampire show

dyvinerose — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:56:00 GMT

"Moonlight" fans give blood to save vampire show Tue Apr 1, 2008 11:04pm EDT By James Hibberd LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fans of CBS' "Moonlight" are so passionate about the vampire drama that they're willing to sacrifice their own blood to keep the rookie series on the air. Teaming with the Red Cross and online protest rally point YouChoose.net (http://www.youchoose.net), "Moonlight" viewers are organizing a nationwide blood drive to garner network support for a second season. They claim that more than 3,000 fans have pledged to donate a pint each. "Moonlight" star Alex O'Loughlin has been so moved by fans' efforts that sources close to the series said he is becoming a spokesman for the Red Cross. The spokesmanship position will be announced this week. For all the dramatic effort fans are expending to rescue the show, here's the kicker: "Moonlight" isn't in any imminent danger of cancellation. Although modestly rated (7.5 million viewers to date), the show is considered very likely to receive a pickup for the fall. Additionally, "Moonlight" still has four original episodes set to air when it returns April 25, so there's plenty of time for CBS to mull its fate. Still, "Moonlight" fans aren't taking any chances. "We wanted to celebrate the return of episodes and really focus attention on the show," said Barbara Arnold, who helped promote the blood drive. "They say one pint of blood saves three lives. So if we can collect 3,000, wouldn't that be nice?" The fan intensity could be wearying for CBS. The network just finished extinguishing a yearlong fan uprising about its other ratings-challenged cult drama, "Jericho" (which the network canceled last month). At least executives can take heart that, unlike in the infamous "Jericho" peanut-mailing campaign, "Moonlight" fans are using their blood to help a good cause rather than sending it to the network. I dare say that I am infinitely more in *love* with Alex O'Loughlin now than I was before. I love "Moonlight", if you haven't seen it - you're missing out. Angels, love and light, Synergy

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Michigan and Florida Voters... LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD!

dyvinerose — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:50:00 GMT

Michigan and Florida Voters... LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD! LET'S MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR DELEGATES OUR SEATED AT THE NATIONAL CONVENTION IN NOVEMBER 2008!!!

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Help Save Moonlight on CBS -- CALL, WRITE AND EMAIL CBS!!!!

dyvinerose — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:35:27 GMT

Please, Help Save "Moonlight" on CBS All about Moonlight: Moonlight follows Mick St. John, an immortal vampire/private investigator, and his struggle to exist after he was bitten 60 years ago by his vampire bride on their wedding night. It also follows his internal torment as he falls in love with one he should not, one who is mortal named Beth, a news reporter, as well as his dealings with the woman who made him a vampire, his sire Coraline. Moonlight is NOT on CBS renew list for 2008-2009 despite the fact that it won a 2008 People's Choice Award. Would you like to see Moonlight renewed? If so, there are several things you can do. This is all new to me too, but I really love this show and want to see more season... so here is my attempt at making myself heard. Please, Help us save Moonlight. (See the list below) Angels, love and light, Dyvinerose **** HERE ARE SEVERAL PETITIONS ACROSS THE WEB THAT YOU CAN SIGN, THEY WILL BE FORWARDED TO CBS: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/renewmoonlightcbs http://www.petitiononline.com/9pmcbs/petition.html http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/save_moonlight_cbs http://gopetition.com/petitions/moonlight-on-cbs/sign.html http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/moonlight_season_2 http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/moolight_fans_want http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/help_save_the_show_moonlight **** JOIN THE WRITING CAMPAIGN TO SAVE MOONLIGHT, ADDRESS AND OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION BELOW: SAVE MOONLIGHT c/o Mr. Les Moonves CEO of CBS 51 West 52nd Street New York, NY 10019-6188 ( 212 ) 975-4545 Email : lmoonves@cbs.comSAVE MOONLIGHT c/o Nina Tassler CBS Entertainment President 7800 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039-2112 ( 323 ) 575-27477 **** EMAIL OR CALL: Audience Services ~ Email : audsvcs@cbs.com Phone # ( 212 ) 975-3247**** EMAIL CBS feedback and let them know you want your Moonlight back ~ http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.shtml **** E! ONLINE HAS STARTED A CAMPAIGN TO SAVE MOONLIGHT, LEAVE A COMMENT AND THEY WILL BE SENT TO CBS: Words of Advice to CBS: Don't Even Think About Canceling Moonlight Save it or Sink It **** YOU CAN ALSO VOICE YOUR OPINION OVER AT HEY! NIELSON AND SAVE MY SHOW: Hey! Nielsen Save My Show -CBS **** I started 2 groups on this at BuddyTV so fans could share more ideas on saving the show: FANS OF "MOONLIGHT" - HELP SAVE MOONLIGHT Moonlight S.O.S - Help Save Moonlight PLEASE HELP US SAVE MOONLIGHT...Thank you!

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Somewhere Here on Earth: Prince

dyvinerose — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:28:00 GMT

Wow. I just finally got to see this newest Prince video, "Somewhere Here on Earth", Mille Grazie to those that made it possible. I can't seem to catch it on BET to save my life. Oh.... Man. This video is amazing. I had seen an interview on it on Italian Television several months ago, it seemed beautiful by the actress' description... but it's really beyond beautiful. The metaphor of one's other half being there shadowing the other and yet not being physically there yet... being more something that is felt before revealed thus the revelation - when it happens - feels like your coming home into the arms to which you belong to be made love to as you were destined... finally. It's breathtaking. Breathtaking... Literally, You stop breathing while watching this video... and I watched the video several times, because honestly, I kept closing my eyes and singing along lost in the dream Prince creates with this song and elaborates with the video. It's romantic, seductive and grown up. Different than "Somebody's Somebody" where you can truly feel the loneliness. S.H.O.E. is optimistic, believing with all faith that love - the right love - is out there... I think that is precisely what makes it so breathtakingly beautiful to me, so beautiful - in this world of 2 second hookups and 5 minute marriages - to believe it's out there. Somewhere. Love. I have loved this song since I got the CD... the music in itself is stunning, Prince's vocals soul-stirring and intoxicating... the whole composition touched me deeply. I guess because I want to believe that that kind of love - unconditional and intoxicating, unrivaled and so powerful - is out there waiting, somewhere, somewhere here on earth. Here... and real. Just as sure as there is beauty in each and every note of this song... just as sure and real as the beauty that comes in spring... Yeah, I want to believe. It's here... Somewhere Here On Earth. Make sure to check out this video. I don't care if you have to camp out in front of the TV tuned to BET for a year, see this video. As for Prince? Well, The Man is delicious. And Mmm Mmm Mmm... uh... the tie as a blindfold? Good GOD! I wanted to reach through my screen... It's breathtaking, literally AND seriously! I love him. See it for yourself, loves. I have to go see it for a thousand more times, at the very least... lol! Angels, love and light, Synergy

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JOIN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE MOONLIGHT ON CBS

dyvinerose — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:38:00 GMT

HELP SAVE THE CBS SERIES "MOONLIGHT" JOIN THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE MOONLIGHT ON CBS CALL, WRITE AND EMAIL CBS: USING THE ADDRESSES AND CONTACT INFORMATION BELOW: Mr. Les Moonves CEO of CBS 51 West 52nd Street New York, NY 10019-6188 ( 212 ) 975-4545 Email : lmoonves@cbs.com Nina Tassler CBS Entertainment President 7800 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039-2112 ( 323 ) 575-27477 CBS Audience Services ~ Email : audsvcs@cbs.com Phone # ( 212 ) 975-3247 CBS feedback ~ http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.shtml PETITION DRIVE: SIGN YOUR SUPPORT! You Can Help Save "Moonlight" by signing one or all of the following Petitions: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/renewmoonlightcbs http://www.petitiononline.com/9pmcbs/petition.html http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/save_moonlight_cbs http://gopetition.com/petitions/moonlight-on-cbs/sign.html http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/moonlight_season_2 http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/moolight_fans_want http://www.youchoose.net/campaign/help_save_the_show_moonlight E! ONLINE COMMENT DRIVE Add Your Comments to the "Watch with Kristin" blog on E!online.com Go to "Watch with Kristin" on E! online.com (link below), she has posted an open letter to CBS asking that they not cancel the show or even think about canceling the show, lol. With that, She is asking that fans leave comments supporting the show, why it should remain on-air and why fans love the show so much. These comments are then being sent on to the powers that be at CBS. So, go and comment your support, love and reasoning for another season of Moonlight... Let your voice be heard, loudly! Here's that link: Watch with Kristin - Word of Advice to CBS: Don't Even Think About Canceling Moonlight MOONLIGHT S.O.S - HELP SAVE MOONLIGHT And Last, If you love Moonlight - Alex O'Laughlin, Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring and the rest of the cast - and want to save this show from an early retirement... PLEASE, join the Group I created to Help Save Moonlight on BuddyTV.com - "Moonlight S.O.S - Help Save Moonlight". Here's that link: Moonlight S.O.S - Help Save Moonlight Thanks, Angels, love and light, Synergy

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RT Entertainment: Prince Croke Park gig confirmed

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:56:00 GMT

Prince Croke Park gig confirmed RTÉ Entertainment Prince will play a gig at Dublin's Croke Park in June. The 'Purple Rain' singer is lined up to perform his greatest hits for the last time for Irish fans at a concert in Croke Park on 16 June. Tickets, priced €66.50, go on sale on 5 March. Advertisement Celine Dion, Westlife and Neil Diamond have already confirmed shows at the venue for later this year. Prince played 21 gigs at London's O2 arena last year to promote his 'Planet Earth' album. He played the Point Theatre in 2002 and afterwards performed at an impromptu private party at Spirit nightclub on Abbey Street in Dublin.

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Independent.ie: Prince is coming to Ireland

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:47:00 GMT

Prince is coming to Ireland IT’S one of the most soughtafter concert tickets ever. The diminutive singer will play live in Croke Park and has said this will be the last time that he will play his greatest hits. Promoters MCD announced today that the Purple One will take to the stage at Croke Park on June 16 for one night only. His Irish concert comes on foot of his 21-date blockbuster tour where he thrilled fans by performing Purple Rain, Cream, Kiss, U Got The Look, Diamonds and Pearls, Raspberry Beret, Sign O The Times and many more. Tickets from €66.50 (including booking fee) go on sale on Wednesday 5 March at 8am from 100 Ticketmaster outlets nationwide or online at www.ticketmaster.ie .

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'La Vie en Rose' director to shoot in US deep south

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:42:00 GMT

'La Vie en Rose' director to shoot in US deep south PARIS (AFP) — The director of Oscar-winning French biopic "La Vie en Rose" said Tuesday he would start work straight away on his next film, set in the US South and Midwest and featuring a star-studded American cast. "I recently wrote my next film and I am leaving on a location shoot on Wednesday," Olivier Dahan, who directed 32-year-old Marion Cotillard's academy award winning performance as the chanteuse Edith Piaf, told RTL radio. Speaking from Los Angeles, Dahan said the movie was "a surrealist drama set between Kansas and Louisiana," and would "normally" star Forrest Whitaker and "perhaps Sharon Stone". An Oscar win "gives me access to all the actors I want today, and that's a good thing," he said. Cotillard paid a personal tribute to Dahan, who reportedly insisted on casting her for the film, as she scooped the best actress Oscar Sunday, capping previous honours at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs as well as a French Cesar. Dahan said his team had celebrated Cotillard's triumph at a private party at the home of the singer Prince. "We had the fortune to see Prince and Stevie Wonder play in a living room to a group of 80 people," he said.

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The List: Jennifer Lopez's home return

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:33:00 GMT

Jennifer Lopez's home return Jennifer Lopez has returned home with her newborn twins.The 'Do It Well' singer - who gave birth to a twin boy and girl last Friday (22.02.08) - left Long Island's North Shore University Hospital on Monday (25.02.08), her obstetrician Dr. Anita Sadaty has confirmed. Jennifer and husband Marc Anthony welcomed a baby girl, weighing 5 lbs 7 oz and a baby boy, who weighed 6 lbs, into the world with just 11 minutes between each birth on Friday morning. Jennifer's long-term friend Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, who threw the 38-year-old beauty a baby shower in New York last month, has revealed Jennifer and Marc "can't take their eyes off" the new additions to their family. Elaine, who produced Jennifer's hit 2002 film 'Maid in Manhattan', said: "Jennifer sounds very peaceful, happy and blissful. She told me she and Marc can't take their eyes off them." Jennifer and Marc are reportedly set to name their babies Max and Emme.

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The list: Prince's purple party

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:18:00 GMT

Prince's purple party Prince insisted all his guests wore purple to his post-Oscars party on Sunday (24.02.08). The 'Purple Rain' singer - who held the £200,000 bash at his £10 million Los Angeles mansion - told stars including George Clooney, Johnny Depp and James McAvoy they must don the colour in order to enjoy purple-coloured snacks and Purple Rain cocktails. A source said: "Purple has always been Prince's favourite colour. He decided the guests must wear something purple. All the drinks and food were purple and the house was given a purple makeover." Prince's sensuous party was in sharp contrast to Madonna's post-awards bash. Her guests, who included Jack Nicholson and John Travolta, were given a wheat and diary-free macrobiotic dinner. The health-conscious singer had flown catering staff from London to prepare the main meal of steamed seabass. After eating, Madonna took to the dancefloor, and urged her guests to follow her example. The mother-of-two partied the night away until 4am, but just three hours later she had to turn up for jury duty at the Beverly Hills courthouse. Although she didn't get picked for any of yesterday's (25.02.08) cases, she was overheard saying she only "got three hours sleep last night." A source added: "She was exhausted."

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PageSix.com: Prince: An Au Naturel Showman

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:14:00 GMT

Prince: An Au Naturel ShowmanWho wants to party with the Purple One? After word got out about his post-Oscar bash, we sure do! PageSix.com had a spy on the guest list - and he came back telling stories about a party full of stripper poles! "One lady toyed around on a motorcycle and then worked the pole (which our sources say looked good and planted in the cellar, as if it was used frequently) while another room was made to look like a boutique fitting room with a girl trying on (and stripping off) a pair of jeans," PageSix's source said. And it sounds like Prince's guests enjoyed the show, too - when they weren't enjoying each other! Page Six delighted in reporting on Orlando Bloom and Rumer Willis "canoodling" like a couple of high-schoolers - "They were sitting on top of each other, brushing hands," sources told them. Also hooking up in grand fashion? Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz - and new couple Sean Penn and Petra Nemcova! Double date alert! (And Penelope wasn't the only object of Javier's affection - Page Six says he never let his Best Supporting Actor statue slip from his fingers!) Other celebrity guests included Tilda Swinton and Marion Cotillard (fresh from receiving their respective Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress statuary), Tony Parker, Eva Longoria, P. Diddy, Jeremy Piven, Dane Cook, Forest Whitaker, Spike Lee and Superbad stars Jonah Hill and Seth Rogan. Of course, no party thrown by Prince would be complete without the host putting on a show - and luckily for his guests, he was even able to recruit a few of his friends to help! Prince took the stage in his living room for nearly an hour and a half, performing songs with Stevie Wonder, Doug E. Fresh, and John Legend Holy cow - if Prince can throw an Oscar afterparty like that, maybe next year he should host the Oscars themselves!

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OrlandoSentinel.com: Review: Janet Jackson's latest CD 'Discipline'

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:09:00 GMT

Review: Janet Jackson's latest CD 'Discipline' Glenn Gamboa OrlandoSentinel.com On the title track of her new "Discipline" (Island Def Jam) album, over a loop of heavy breathing and Prince-ly slow-grinding synth-funk, Janet Jackson coos, "Take out your frustrations on me." Well, she didn't need to invite more of that, did she? Since the infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction in 2004, which unfairly torpedoed her "Damita Jo" album, Jackson has been struggling to regain her hit-maker status, a punching bag of sorts for those frustrated by everything from sexualized popular culture to FCC reform. To her credit, Jackson didn't back down on 2006's "20 Y.O." and she doesn't give any ground thematically on "Discipline," named after a detailed account of her S&M fantasy. Of course, she has every right to sing about whatever she wants. But at this point, she's more interested in carrying on that fight than delivering anything new creatively. It seems like her mind is holding her back more than any sort of leather restraints she wants to fantasize about - and that may be the biggest frustration of all. For the first half of "Discipline," Jackson seems determined to leave all the sexual shock-and-awe talk behind for a more radio-friendly sound. The first single "Feedback," with its robo-vocals and club-ready rhythms, is more flirty than outright sexy. "Luv" grooves along like it could have come from Ciara's album, aside from a few trademark Jackson harmonies. And the midtempo ballad "Can't B Good" could be one of her best. "2 Nite" may be Jackson's strongest bid for a hit in years, with its swirling synths and a vibe that sounds like a playful throwback to her dance music period in the late-'90s marked by "Together Again." And that's where the frustration really develops. While that song uses the backdrop to paint a touching story of a love affair that is stronger than death, "2 Nite" uses a similar backdrop to talk about being horny. Now that would be fine, if there weren't another pile of songs on "Discipline" that were about the same thing and if there weren't piles of songs on her previous albums that were also about being horny. It's the same problem that hampers the promising "So Much Betta," which cleverly alternates between an industrial sounding Daft Punk sample and Jackson's unprocessed voice. Kanye West used a Daft Punk sample to combine a come-on with an inspirational message on "Stronger." Jackson squanders it on another string of boasts about her sexual prowess. In her career, Jackson has written about personal struggles, about racism and sexism, about the importance of education and unity and about love. For "Discipline," she assembled a dream team of writers, including Ne-Yo and The-Dream, and producers, including L.A. Reid, Rodney Jerkins and her beloved Jermaine Dupri, who engineered Mariah Carey's comeback. And yet, "Discipline" is about the concerns of 14-year-old boys expressed with the same amount of finesse that they would use. Jackson has some great songs on "Discipline" and a handful of possible hits, but still somehow leaves you cold. How's that for frustrating? DISCIPLINE. Janet Jackson uses new collaborators and new sounds to write about the same old thing. In stores Tuesday. Grade: B- ALSO IN STORES. Erykah Badu's ambitious, soulful "New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)" (Universal); Goldfrapp's dreamy, electronic "Seventh Tree" (Mute); Tift Merritt's Paris-influenced "Another Country" (Fantasy); Chris Thile's new bluegrass project Punch Brothers' debut "Punch" (Nonesuch); Dolly Parton's "Backwoods Barbie" (Dolly); Ludo's power-poppy "You're Awful, I Love You" (Island); Lizz Wright's jazzy "The Orchard" (Verve Forecast); Missy Higgins' Aussie folk "On a Clear Night" (Reprise); Ghostland Observatory's experimental rock meets dance grooves on "Robotique Majestique" (Trashy Moped); and a bunch of reissues from Nat King Cole and Dan Fogelberg. SONG OF THE WEEK. It's been nearly four years since Gavin DeGraw's debut "Chariot" (J) arrived with a whole lot of Clive Davis-sanctioned hullabaloo and a lot has changed in the music world. Judging from his new single "In Love With a Girl," however, it seems DeGraw has stood still. In fact, this retread of his hit "I Don't Want to Be" is kind of a step backward with its bland- rock guitars and obvious chorus of "I'm in love with a girl." This is far more about being uptight than playing it safe. In fact, it's barely playing at all.

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TheGlobe: Janet Jackson's hot and heavy act grows old

dyvinerose — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:06:00 GMT

Janet Jackson's hot and heavy act grows old By Joan Anderman, Globe Staff Artists desperate for a hit record usually don't make one. The need to reconnect with an audience seems to crush the very impulses - indulging a sense of adventure, finding a fresh perspective - that might seal the deal. But trying something new is risky, particularly when there are charts to climb and products to sell, so the default move is to repackage whatever has worked in the past. On the heels of two disappointing albums and that notorious Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction, Janet Jackson found herself at just such a crossroads. Her star power and commercial clout had dimmed. She and her boyfriend/producer, Jermaine Dupri, left their longtime home at Virgin Records to make a new start at Island Def Jam, which releases Jackson's 10th album, "Discipline," today. A quarter-century into her career, it was Jackson's moment to take a breath, dig a little deeper, and make a bold - or at least a different - statement. Instead, she has trussed herself up in vinyl to coo another batch of digitized porn. "Daddy I disobeyed u/ Now I want u to come punish me," Jackson sings on the title track. Let there be no confusion: "Discipline" is not a riff on "Control," a declaration of independence that was the artist's 1986 breakthrough. On the contrary, Jackson's giving it away, and if a borderline incestuous S&M fantasy is the culmination of years of erotic exploration - a perfectly legitimate pop-music pursuit - that's just depressing. Jackson's decision to recycle the nympho routine one more time is just boring. Even Prince and Madonna, who find endlessly interesting ways to sing about sex, have discovered in the onset of middle age an opportunity to investigate alternative topics. On "Discipline" Jackson, now 41, follows her favorite blueprint, alternating narcotic spoken interludes with uptempo dance cuts and slinky jams. The droid-like lead track, "Feedback," also the first single, is built of metaphors and analogies: "Strum me like a guitar/ Blow out my amplifier/ When you hear some feedback/ Keep goin', take it higher." Compared to the hard-core dirty talk of 2004's "Damita Jo," this one is poetry. Frequent collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were shown the door (Jackson's idea of moving forward), but their presence is felt on sunny, jungly "Rollercoaster," a song written and produced by Rodney Jerkins and one of the disc's few engaging tracks. Jerkins gets Jackson's sassy-sweet side, and - more impressively - she lets him. Jerkins's "LUV," another standout, is a plump, crackling confection. Dupri, however, ignores the need to salt his sugar and winds up with pure syrup on "Never Letchu Go." Elsewhere Jerkins, Dupri, Ne-Yo, The-Dream, and StarGate have outfitted Jackson with plenty of thumping, mechanical beats, and the disc is loaded with numbing come-ons like "So Much Betta," "The 1" (featuring Missy Elliott), and "What's Ur Name," a glorified text message. Maybe there isn't anything more to her. Maybe it's wishful thinking to imagine that Jackson would wear the family name like a badge of honor. There is one ballad, "Can't B Good," that's eerily reminiscent of "Human Nature," one of brother Michael's most elegant records. Alas, records don't sell much anymore, and Jackson is betting the farm that there's still a thriving market for heavy breathing.

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