Will winter keep biting? Ask Queen

Will she or won't she?

Or, to be more specific: Will the Charlotte Nature Museum's resident groundhog, Queen Charlotte, see her shadow on Wednesday afternoon, or won't she? According to folklore, if she does, it means we're in for six more weeks of winter; if she doesn't, winter will (we can only hope) end soon.

"Charlotte's only live groundhog shadow check" is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the museum, 1658 Sterling Road (adjacent to Freedom Park in the Myers Park/Dilworth area). Queen Charlotte will check for her shadow at 4:30 p.m.

Learn more about the groundhog (Marmota monax), the Groundhog Day legend and other fun facts; kids can also enjoy "The Shadow Knows" Puppet Show and groundhog-themed story time and crafts.

Admission: $6 for ages 2 and older (kids younger than 2 and members are free).

The Black Eyed Peas - Just Can't Get Enough

Les Black Eyed Peas ont essuyé beaucoup de violentes critiques ces dernières semaines : "hérétiques" d'avoir osé reprendre Dirty Dancing, "escrocs" d'avoir sorti un nouvel album aussi vite et moins abouti que le précédent...

Toujours est-il que The Time (Dirty Bit) s'est dès sa sortie imposé comme un énorme hit (numéro 1 quasiment partout dans le monde) et que "The Beginning" dont il est extrait est déjà platine dans 2 pays et s'apprête à devenir disque d'or chez nous. Sans parler de leurs 2 concerts au Stade de France, prévus les 24 et 25 juin, qui ont affiché complet en moins de 3 heures.

C'est mardi prochain (le 8 février) que sortira officiellement le 2ème extrait de "The Beginning", déjà en radio depuis son annonce le 21 janvier, et malgré le début de buzz autour de Don't Stop The Party (qui sera peut-être le 3ème), ce nouveau single est Just Can't Get Enough.

A la prod : Will.I.Am (comme pour tout l'album), DJ Ammo (co-auteur de The Time) et le grand Darkchild (à qui Jennifer Lopez - avant qu'elle ne se mette à danser la Lambada -, Britney Spears, les Destiny's Child, Brandy, Lady GaGa et même Michael Jackson doivent des hits).

Ke$ha - Blow

Forte des 2 millions de copies écoulées de son premier album "Animal" paru le 1er janvier 2010, Ke$ha proposait en novembre son follow-up : l'EP "Cannibal".

Avant de repartir en tournée aux USA, au Canada et au Japon pour le Get Sleazy Tour, Ke$ha proposera officiellement mardi son nouveau single : Blow. Fruit encore une fois de sa collaboration avec Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco et Kool Kojak, Blow s'annonce aussi électrisant et planétaire que son prédécesseur We R Who We R, les radios et clubs du monde entier ne devraient pas tarder à se l'approprier.

Bruno Mars Concert part II

i'm back i'm back.

you know what ????????????

i've wrong with the price of Bruno Mars ticket

so happy, that the ticket only Rp 400.000,00

grrrrrrrrrrrrrr, happy happy

you know what ??

hanna want to go to the concert too

so me, my sister, and hanna want to watch it together

can't wait any longer Bruno Mars,
i love him so much,

can i be yours ?????????

LOL

so, i'm out from this blog

for a while absolutely.

Wanna hear Bruno Mars songs

Chris Brown - Yeah 3x

2011 pourrait bien être l'année du grand retour de Chris Brown.

Sorti par la toute petite porte en 2009 pour avoir rouée de coups sa compagne de l'époque Rihanna, Breezy de son surnom semble avoir beaucoup travaillé à son come-back en tant qu'artiste et après l'échec de "Graffiti" (sorti en 2009, alors que les médias mondiaux le boycottaient), Chris Brown se prépare à livrer "F.A.M.E." le 22 mars prochain.

En attendant le 2ème single de cet album, Look At Me Now qui sera officiellement révélé mardi, retour sur le premier dont l'exploitation vient de démarrer en France (même si certaines radios avaient commencé à le playlister en fin d'année) malgré sa sortie le 25 octobre dernier : Yeah 3X (prononcer "Yeah 3 Times").

Une production léchée de DJ Frank E à qui Madonna doit la version originale de Revolver, Flo-Rida Right Round et Enrique Iglesias son dernier hit Tonight. L'occasion de se rappeler à quel point, derrière l'ignominie de son acte il y a bientôt 2 ans, se cache un jeune artiste très talentueux (bon chanteur, bon danseur...) à qui il serait peut-être bon de laisser une nouvelle chance. Quoi qu'on en pense, ce Yeah 3x est redoutablement efficace, Chris Brown l'artiste est de retour.

[CLIP] David Guetta & Rihanna - Who's That Chick ?

Après l'affaire Doritos (où ce titre était synchro pub d'une campagne axée sur Rihanna pour la marque de chips, et s'est ensuite retrouvé en bonus track de la réédition de l'album de David Guetta) + une première mouture de clips qui y était destinée, voici enfin la version finale de la vidéo de Who's That Chick ? dans son édition "de jour" (une "de nuit" arrive).

Quasi rien n'a changé depuis ce que nous avions eu l'occasion de voir à l'automne, si ce n'est l'ajout de David Guetta à l'écran (puisque le titre n'est plus un titre de Rihanna, mais un titre de David Guetta, featuring Rihanna... subtil).

Très efficace et abouti, ce clip a été dirigé par le suédois Jonas Åkerlund à qui l'on doit celui de Telephone pour Lady GaGa et Beyoncé ou encore le futur Hold It Against Me de Britney Spears.

Maroon 5 - Never Gonna Leave This Bed

Après l'excellent Misery et le plus discret Give A Little More, les Maroon 5 proposent un nouveau hit en puissance extrait de leur dernier album "Hands All Over" : Never Gonna Leave This Bed.

Ne pas vouloir quitter le lit comme image d'un couple qui se déchire mais dont l'un des conjoints ne veut pas renoncer, astucieux. Ajoutez à cela une belle mélodie et la voix toujours aussi magique d'Adam Levine (qui a écrit le titre) et Robert "Mutt" Lange à la production (qui a déjà bossé avec AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, Nickelback ou encore Lady GaGa) : Never Gonna Leave This Bed est un hit en puissance.

The Avett Brothers book Charlotte show

The Avett Brothers are coming back to Charlotte for a show at Bojangles’ Coliseum on April 9.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. next Friday (Feb. 4) through Ticketmaster. Prices range from $25 to $45. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will open.

It’s the first full Charlotte show for the Concord-based band since they played Bojangles’ in August 2009. They played a set at Manifest Discs this past October to promote the “Live, Volume 3” CD and DVD, which was taken from the Bojangles’ show.

The band – brothers Scott and Seth Avett, plus Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon – has been touring all over the United States and Canada, including a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall in New York. They also toured in Europe and Australia.

The band formed in 2001 and put out 10 CDs before their first major-label release, “I and Love and You,” came out on Columbia Records in September ’09. Dolph Ramseur, the band’s manager, said it has sold 310,000 copies worldwide, including 272,000 copies in the U.S.

Ramseur said the Avetts have started working on a new record with Rick Rubin, who also produced “I and Love and You.” Rubin is co-chairman of the Columbia label and has produced hit records for artists including Jay-Z, Johnny Cash and Metallica.

-- Tommy Tomlinson

[CLIP] Grégoire - Soleil

Grégoire, disque de diamant avec son premier album "Toi + Moi" et déjà disque de platine avec le second "Le Même Soleil", propose le clip de son hymne à la fraternité de nouveau single : Soleil. Futur grand succès, une fois encore.

Kat DeLuna - Party O'Clock

Kat DeLuna en France c'est véritablement hit sur hit. Whine Up, Run The Show ou plus récemment Push Push, tous ont atteint le Top 10 des ventes, le tout en deux albums seulement : 9 Lives sorti à l'été 2007, et son follow-up Inside Out dispo depuis novembre dernier aux Etats-Unis et en Belgique.

Pour ce dernier, pas encore de date de sortie pour la France, mais déjà un deuxième single : Party O'Clock, envoyé aux radios courant décembre et disponible en téléchargement légal depuis hier. A la production : RedOne (derrière la plupart de ses hits ainsi que ceux de Lady GaGa). Rien de bien novateur, mais toujours aussi efficace. Un hymne à la fête au refrain puissant... Un hit de plus !

Who's on the 2011 Miss Sprint Cup roster?

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series fans and motorsports media will get their first look at this year's Miss Sprint Cup three-woman roster tonight at Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Whisky River nightclub in uptown Charlotte.

Last week, Sprint announced that South Carolina native Paige Duke will return to the Miss Sprint Cup program for a second season. The identities of the other two selections will be revealed at tonight's event.

Formed in 2007, Miss Sprint Cup is the "NASCAR fans' friend on the inside" and represents Sprint at NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events throughout the season. The Miss Sprint Cup roster takes part in the Sprint Experience at each series event, interviewing drivers and greeting fans throughout the race weekend. The women also are featured in the video section of NASCAR.com, interviewing drivers, celebrities and personalities at tracks around the circuit.

Whisky River -- located at the EpiCentre at 210 E. Trade St. -- will open its doors to guests at 8 p.m.; the first 200 fans in attendance will receive a free gift from Sprint. There also will be other prizes and giveaways, and anyone with a Sprint cellphone will receive drink specials.

NASCAR fans can connect with Miss Sprint Cup on Facebook or Twitter.

Hurts - Stay

Le duo mancunien de Hurts aura été, bien que Wonderful Life leur premier hit-single datait de l'an passé, l'une des belles surprises de 2010. Leurs sonorités synthpop limite new-wave et leur classe so british ont permis à leur premier album "Happiness" de se hisser Top 6 en Europe fin septembre (source).

Seul regret : que les médias français n'aient pas (encore ?) joué le jeu et permis au public hexagonal de mieux les connaître. Si Wonderful Life n'a pas fait son ptit effet, peut-être en sera-t-il autrement avec le tout aussi bon Stay. L'atmosphère y est sensiblement différente, moins pesante; une mélodie très efficace et de puissants chœurs sur les refrains que l'on doit au producteur suédois Jonas Quant.

NEW MASH-UP: Make It Rain Like A G6-Far East Movement x Travis Porter x DJ Mike Love

This Mash-Up was created because I always wanted to play Like A G6 in the club without Black people throwing empty Ciroc bottles at me. My needs+creativity=your musical gain.

Enjoy...

Get a sneak peek at the circus

UPDATE at 4 p.m. Tuesday: Ringling animals are now scheduled to walk between 8 and 8:30.

"The Greatest Show On Earth" is in Charlotte this week, and tonight, circus fans can celebrate the performers' arrival during the traditional "Grand Animal Walk."

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will unload its animals from the mile-long train at Third and Graham streets. The elephants -- and other exotic creatures -- are scheduled to make their way down Third, turn left onto Poplar Street, turn right onto Trade Street, head down to Time Warner Cable Arena, turn left just beyond it onto Caldwell Street, then make a final left into the back loading dock of the arena. (Note: Times and routes are subject to change without notice.)

The 140th edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey offers nine performances at TWC Arena this week: 7 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Thursday, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are on sale at timewarnercablearena.com, ticketmaster.com, the arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling 800-745-3000. For details on the show, click here.

[CLIP] Avril Lavigne - What The Hell

D'ores et déjà en lice pour le prix du clip-Téléshopping 2011 (vu le nombre de placements produits), Avril Lavigne vient de présenter la vidéo de son dernier single What The Hell (produite par Marcus Raboy).

Sympa, mais perso je m'attendais à un tout petit peu plus de rythme, à la Girlfriend.

A noter que l'album "Goodbye Lullaby" sera dispo le 7 mars prochain.

Teaser de la Goom Celebration #2 avec Shy'm

En pleins préparatifs de la prochaine édition de la Goom Celebration, petite vidéo tournée avec Shy'm il y a quelques jours... Avec un bêtisier en bonus !

Chromeo & La Roux - Hot Mess

Ce matin, comme une envie de me replonger dans le Hot Mess de Chromeo et La Roux (alias Elly Jackson)... Rare en France, c'est un remix de l'ouverture de "Business Casual" le troisième album du duo montréalais dont la sortie officielle est prévue pour la fin du mois.

Stay 2 nights and save at Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour @ Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour - Metro Hotels

Stay 2 nights and save at Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour @ Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour - Metro Hotels

Metro Hotel on Pitt, Sydney: I would stay there again…. Metro Hotel on Pitt, Sydney

Metro Hotel on Pitt, Sydney: I would stay there again…. Metro Hotel on Pitt, Sydney

Noteworthy nightclub opening uptown

The first of a number of concepts planned for the so-called "District 300" block of Center City opens its doors this week.

RE:PUBLIC, at 314 N. College St., is described as "a stylish yet un-hoity haven for everyone from habitual celebrators to casual clubbers who are looking for a little extra oomph in their nightlife and a whole lot more creativity in the contents of their cocktail glasses."

Designed by Scott Weaver, RE: PUBLIC "combines the aesthetic of a swank mid-'70s ski lodge with the appeal of a modern Manhattan hideaway." Artisan tequila and cerveza cocktails created by mixologist Stefan Huebner will feature exotic ingredients -- egg whites, jalapeno, and cherry
bitters, to name a few.

Counter Culture roadside kitchen will serve "Route 66-inspired" fare during RE:PUBLIC's operating hours beginning in March, with a menu conceived by partner Andy Kastanas and chef Jason Pound of Soul Gastropub and Cosmos Café.

RE:PUBLIC will host an invite-only "friends and family" event on Wednesday, while Miami-based progressive house DJ Robbie Rivera will play Friday. Saturday's official grand opening party will feature San Franciscan DJs UR Friends and The Les.

Tickets for Friday's event are available at www.sugarsociety.com and invitations for Saturday's party are available at www.republicofcharlotte.com.

The so-called "District 300" block sits on College Street between 6th and 7th. Other "new entertainment concepts" are expected to open around RE:PUBLIC over the next few months.

[CLIP] P!nk - F**kin' Perfect

Après les premières images apparues la semaine dernière, P!nk vient de dévoiler la version complète et finale de son nouveau clip : Fuckin' Perfect.

Un clip qui heurte, dérange même par moments : de façon tout a fait explicite, P!nk et son acolyte Dave Meyers mettent en images les déchirures d'une enfant qui devient femme en traversant une adolescence difficile où sa crise d'identité la conduit à l'anorexie, la scarification et à une tentative de suicide.

La pop-star s'en explique sur son site officiel :

Je suis sûre que ma nouvelle vidéo pour "Fuckin' Perfect" sera comme mes autres vidéos, ce qui veut dire que, j'imagine, elle ne laissera pas indifférent.

Mes livres, pièces, films et musiques préférés ont toujours eu quelque chose de touchant, dérangeant. Je veux que l'art me fasse réfléchir.
Et dans cette idée, cela peut me déplaire ou me rendre mal à l'aise. Cela apporte de la connaissance, du changement et au moins des discussions.
C'est mon intention.
On ne peut pas bouger les montagnes en soufflant dessus.

Se meurtrir, se suicider sont deux symptômes différents d'un même problème qui gagne sur nous (le problème étant l'aliénation, la dépression. Les symptômes : se couper les veines, se suicider). A titre personnel, je n'ai pas autour de moi quelqu'un qui ne connaisse dans son entourage une victime de ses problèmes. Beaucoup de nous ont vu certaines starlettes exhibant leurs dernières cicatrices sur un tapis rouge, généralement juste avant de retourner vers leur centre de désintoxication favori.
C'est un problème et c'est quelque chose dont nous devrions parler.
On peut choisir d'ignorer le problème et ainsi d'ignorer cette vidéo, mais cela ne le fera pas disparaitre.
Je ne fais pas l'apologie ou n'encourage pas le suicide ou les mutilations.
Je soutiens les enfants qui se sentent tellement désespérés ou impuissants, qui se sentent invisibles et sans voix, et qui n'arrivent pas à s'en sortir... Je veux qu'ils sachent que je comprends. Je l'ai vécu. Je les vois. Parfois, c'est tout ce qu'il faut.

Faire cette vidéo a été une expérience très intense pour moi, comme écrire cette chanson. J'ai une vie à l'intérieur de moi, et je veux que mon enfant sache que je l'accepterai avec des bras ouverts, aimants et accueillants.. Et bien que je le préparerai pour ce monde parfois cruel, je vais aussi lui apprendre à en voir toute la beauté. Il y a des gens bien dans ce monde, qui sont ouverts d'esprit et de coeur. Il y a ceux qui nous acceptent avec tous nos défauts. Je le fais avec mes fans, avec mes amis, et je vais le faire avec mon enfant, quoi qu'il décide de devenir…

L'écueil du racolage n'était pas loin, mais P!nk (qui va effectivement bientôt être maman) et Dave Mayers en font, au-delà d'un beau titre (beau texte, belle mélodie, la voix si singulière de P!nk...) un clip intelligent. On est secoué durant les 2-3 du visionnage, souriant à la fin, comme rassuré.

Seule question en suspend : comment obtiendra-t-elle de la diffusion TV avec ce clip ? Impossible à une heure de grande écoute, si ce n'est dans une version censurée, extrêmement édulcorée (toutes les scènes de scarification et la "TS" seraient à couper).

P!nk, ce n'est pas seulement l'amie que tout le monde aimerait avoir (drôle et sensible à la fois) c'est aussi une vraie grande artiste. La preuve une fois encore.

Oprah specials prompt bookings spike: Tourism Australia

Tourism Australia (TA) says Oprah Winfrey's TV specials have already had an immediate effect on booking numbers, now that all four episodes have been broadcast.

The show has aired in the United States and Australia and is bound for television screens in more than 140 countries in the coming weeks.

TA spokesman Nick Baker says it completes what has been a positive tourism campaign over the last year.

"We launched the 'nothing like Australia' campaign successfully about six months ago and, really, this was an ideal way to show the world why there really is nothing like Australia," he said.

"If Oprah makes the decision that she can go anywhere in the world and she goes to Australia, then I think that manifestly does that."

Mr Baker says hundreds of Australian-bound bookings from US travellers have been made since the broadcast of all four episodes.

The TA website has seen nearly double the amount of traffic compared to the same period last year.

Mr Baker says similar websites promoting the Whitsundays have also been getting a large numbers of hits.

"We've probably put a combined program of about $5 million into packages to support the show that are going on around the time, to really drive as much business as we can around the show," he said.

"We've seen a massive spike in people going on to them and we've also heard from some of the operators in the US that have already seen, after two days, big hits."

See Article

Celebrate Australia Day: A grand finale fitting a great nation

Celebrate Australia Day: A grand finale fitting a great nation

Chinese New Year Australia: The Chinese Gardens will be a focal point for the 2011 Chinese New Year celebrations in Sydney

Chinese New Year Australia: The Chinese Gardens will be a focal point for the 2011 Chinese New Year celebrations in Sydney

The Wanted - Lose My Mind

Depuis fin août les anglais de The Wanted ont confirmé leur carton en Angleterre mais n'ont pas encore percé en France, faute de suivi : pas d'exploitation de single, peu de suivi médiatique (hormis, et ce sera l'instant corporate, sur Goom où nous y croyons depuis le tout début).

En revanche, bonne nouvelle : ils bénéficient d'une fans-base, qui se constitue petit à petit chez nous (clin d'oeil tout particulier à @TWfrenchteam sur Twitter, alias TheWantedFrance.com).

Qu'à cela ne tienne, après All Time Low et Heart Vacancy voici Lose My Mind et son refrain très efficace et entêtant. On y remarquera notamment le très bon travail sur les vocals. J'aime vraiment beaucoup.

En bonus : la version plus intimiste de la photo de groupe.

Bruno Mars

everybody hear about Bruno Mars concert ???????????

oh God, i want to see it, and then i realize i don't even have a money buy the ticket

but but but but but, you know what ?

my sister told me that she want see that concert, and she, she, she, she

SHE ASKED ME TO WATCH THAT CONCERT,

grrr i totally freak out when i hear her said that.

and this is the problem, she want me to collect my money as much as half of the ticket price.

i don't even can save my money, i was a wasteful child you know

i wish i was Gayus Tambunan, haha LOL

and this is another problem, when Bruno Mars Bruno will hold a concert, I will undergo tests

hah, really sucks

Curahan Hati

oh men, adakah yang bilang hidup itu unik ? i totally agree with somebody who told that.

hidup itu bisa kadang bahagia banget, sampe gak pengen mati. tapi kadang2 ngeselin sampe gak pengen hidup.

betul gak tuh para galauers ? betul dong.

gila ya, minggu ini minggu yang so hard to me you know, pasti lah. kan you know me so well

idkw, gua pengen marah2 terus, apalagi sama orang yang dari tampang aja udah bikin orang mau makan sate, grr

bahkan sama orang yang baik aja gua bisa kesel, tapi gua pendem tuh kesel gua. jadi kendem, lah ?

sebenernya ini gue gatau mau ngomong apa, tapi gua pengen membuat keributan.

you know lah, because you know me so well, grr

gua eteb begete gitu gitu ya gitu deh

grr banget deh gue, grr grr grr

ah i forgot to do my homework. bebye *mybahasa for bye

Wanted: Romantic love stories, with a twist

It's less than four weeks until the one day a year we dedicate to love: Valentine's Day.

The Observer would like to hear from/about Charlotte-area residents with truly unique stories of romance. For example, two people who divorced each other, then later on made amends and remarried. An elementary schooler with a novel take on love. Someone who still knocks on doors and does singing telegrams. Tales like this.

People associated with the selected story will be contacted for an interview and photographed in the next three weeks, with their story featured in the newspaper around Valentine's Day.

If you know of an extraordinary couple, or an extraordinarily romantic individual, e-mail tjanes@charlotteobserver.com with a summary of your story (not more than 100 words) along with names and phone numbers.

Enrique Iglesias - Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You)

Enrique Iglesias est caliente. C'est un fait. Oui il est beau, oui il est sexy, oui il embrasse une de ses fans à chaque concert.

Et après le décidément très hot Sad Eyes tourné en 2000 et censuré à l'époque parce qu'il était tout nu tout nu dans sa baignoire...

...en 2011, Enrique a pour résolution d'être plus explicite que jamais. Son nouveau single s'intitule en effet Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You) (ou I'm Lovin' You dans sa version Bisounours). Un duo avec Ludacris produit par DJ Frank E (un nom à retenir dès maintenant) à qui l'on doit notamment Right Round pour Flo-Rida ou encore la version originale de Revolver de Madonna.

Sydney Tradeshows: Are you coming to these Expos and Tradeshows in Sydney during February 2011???

Sydney Tradeshows: Are you coming to these Expos and Tradeshows in Sydney during February 2011???

Sydney Airport Confirms Visitors on the Rise

Sydney Airport has reported an unexpected 12 percent increase in earnings for the year ending 31 December 2010.

Sydney Airport’s chief executive Russell Balding said the results are outstanding and demonstrates, “Sydney’s appeal as the gateway to Australia”.

The growth was driven by solid increases across all revenue streams and strong traffic growth both domestically and international. Passenger numbers also increased by nearly 8 percent in 2010.
Much of the growth in international visitors came from China, Korean and Japan. “The growth in the Chinese market over recent years has been very strong,” Mr Balding said. The number of arrivals into Sydney from China has almost doubled from 147,148 in 2004 to 282,641 in 2010.
According to the report, In all areas of business the airport’s revenue increased by 10.5 percent to AU$943 million, up from AU$853.2 million in 2009.

And the signs are this upward trend will continue during 2011. The continued strong Australian dollar has seen a steady growth in outbound tourists while not detracting from the growth in visitors from emerging markets such as China. And to top it all off, the Oprah effect may see visitors from the US and other parts of the world increase far beyond expectations.

Festivals Offer Free Fare for the Frugal

Complimentary events are used as a magnet to draw attention to ticketed acts, writes Hannah Tattersall.


Festivals are a highlight of summer but penny-pinching after the global financial crisis has forced organisers to offer more free events.

Sydney Festival director Lindy Hume says more free events have been added to the bill this year, with new events in Penrith and Parramatta, alongside big-ticket events such as Emmylou Harris and her Red Dirt Boys and Michigan born singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. A free event on Saturday, Summer Sounds: Los Lobos, drew 60,000 to the Domain while it is estimated about 200,000 attended the opening night of the festival.
Overall ticket prices are lower this year, with more smaller, $30 shows added to the line-up in a bid to make the festival as accessible as possible. But the $125 tickets to the Giacomo Variations featuring actor John Malkovich sold out quickly and an extra show was added.
“We sold more tickets last year but the tickets were ones that were more affordable so we took that lead and made a decision to try and lower the average ticket price,” Hume says.
She adds that the decision has paid off as Sydney Festival met its box office target on Monday.

Facebook has been a big driver: there had been at least 50,000 referrals from Facebook to the Sydney Festival Web Site.

Art Month Sydney kicks off on March 1 and will also feature fewer ticketed events than last year.

“I think an event has to be pretty special for Sydneysiders to fork out for it,” says Art Month board director Kym Elphinstone.

The Chinese new year festival begins in Sydney next week.

Last year’s event drew more than 600,000 to the city for the free parade and contributed about $18 million to the local economy, according to the City of Sydney.

Sydney Hotel Accommodation with Metro Hotels

Royals Visit Australia: Cunard confirms royal timetable - Rendezvous in Sydney Harbour

Royals Visit Australia: Cunard confirms royal timetable - Rendezvous in Sydney Harbour

My Major Company fête ses 3 ans

Le label participatif My Major Company, qui depuis a fait quelques bébés (My Major Company UK et My Major Company Books), vient de souffler sa troisième bougie.

Pour fêter ça : une vidéo très sympa que voici, dans laquelle on retrouve parmi de belles séquences de vie, un extrait d'une des émissions spéciales que je produis et enregistre aux côtés de l'équipe pour Goom Radio (à 4"35).

Bravo MMC et merci. Le meilleur est à venir !

Chinese New Year Australia: Discover Chinese culture in Sydney

Discover Chinese culture in Sydney

Chinese New Year Australia: Sydney prepares to welcome the Year of the Rabbit

Chinese New Year Australia: Sydney prepares to welcome the Year of the Rabbit

Oprah introduces Australia to the World

A day after it was aired to millions of fans across America, Australian viewers were treated to Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure last night with three more one hour shows to air tonight, Friday and Sunday.

Over 700 hours of footage was shot during Oprah’s visit downunder to create the four episodes, with much of the footage featuring Queensland. Some of the highlights of Oprah’s first show include throwing a shrimp on the barbie at Whitehaven Beach on Queensland's own Great Barrier Reef with Aussie Chef Curtis Stone and cuddling a rather amorous koala on Hamilton Island.

The programs are punctuated with consumer promotions and packages to encourage Americans and other viewers around the world to come and see first-hand what Oprah and her audience experienced themselves. In addition to the TV shows, coverage has been developed for oprah.com and Australia.com to promote Queensland holidays. Mention was also made during the program of the devastation caused by the Queensland floods and viewers were directed to Oprah’s web site to make donations to help flood victims.

Experience Sydney Oprah Style

Next time you come to Sydney and not sure what to do, then take some direction from Oprah and her band of Ultimate Viewers and experience the city by taking on some of these great activities.


Bonza Bike Tours: A bike tour is a memorable way to see well-known Sydney attractions including the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge and The Rocks and Darling Harbor.
Sydney Opera House Tour: One of the world's most famous buildings and busiest performing arts center and tourist attraction, Sydney Opera House offers a diversity of performances. Go inside on a guided tour and experience the magic for yourself.

Sydney Uncovered Walking Tours: Sydney Uncovered unlocks the hidden secrets in and around Sydney, showing you back streets and fascinating sights. Step into the lives of the locals, find out what makes the city tick and get acquainted with the local food, culture and traditions.

Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb: Scale the summit of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, which stands more than 439 feet above Sydney Harbor, with the award-winning bridge climb.
Chic in the City: Sydney's first boutique shopping tours and styling business brings you Sydney's best-kept shopping secrets. Visit the inner-city suburb of Paddington, home to Australian designers Collette Dinnigan and Sass & Bide. Stylist-led, you'll be inspired by the latest Australian designers and independent stores, all haunts of the style-savvy.

Let's Go Surfing–Bondi Beach: What better place to learn to surf than on world-famous Bondi Beach? Here you'll find fantastic waves, year-round sun and Lets Go Surfing (LGS). At LGS, their dedicated, fully-qualified staff can help you catch the wave of your dreams.
Manly Surf School: Manly Surf School is Manly's only full-time surf school operating exclusively on Manly Beach and Sydney's northern beaches, seven days a week, all year round.

Sydney Art Tours: Go behind the scenes of Sydney's art world. Visit a range of spaces from established commercial galleries to artist-run spaces and studios, guided by an art professional.

Sydney Photography Tours: Sydney Photography Tours' slogan is "Unlock Your Creativity," which is exactly what they do when they teach you all about photography. Come along and learn digital photography from a professional.
Westfield Sydney: With more than 150 fashion, food and lifestyle stores, Westfield Sydney is the ultimate shopping and dining destination for both locals and world travelers alike.
East Sail Sydney: Take an exciting harbor journey past Sydney's stunning harborside icons, secret beaches and harbor islands. You can participate as one of the yacht's crew members or simply soak up the atmosphere deckside.

Taronga Zoo: Australia's unique wildlife welcomes you to Sydney's Taronga Zoo. Board the Captain Cook Cruises' MV Sydney 2000 for a luxury cruise across spectacular Sydney Harbor before meeting the friendly locals, including koalas and kangaroos.

Royal Botanic Gardens: See why the world flocks to Sydney in the summer. Enjoy the Royal Botanic Gardens, which is nestled between the city and the harbor.
Find Sydney Accommodation with Metro Hotels

Take That - The Flood

2010, c'était sympa. Sur plein de plans. Et rien que parce que Robbie Williams rejoignait tous ses copains de Take That (qu'il avait laissés à l'abandon lors de leur premier come-back il y a deux ans), 2010 valait le coup.

Le résultat : un nouvel album, "Progress", produit par Stuart Price (Madonna, The Killers, Kylie Minogue, Seal...), enregistré entre juin et août de cette même année et dont le making-of passionnant a été filmé, projeté (au mk2 de Paris par exemple) et DVDisé sous le nom de "Look Back, Don't Stare".

Le premier extrait : The Flood est une merveille de bonne pop. Les boys, toujours band, y sont décomplexés et classieux jusque dans leur clip. Inlassablement dans ma playlist depuis 3 mois.

The Saturdays & Flo-Rida - Higher

Si je vous dit girls band, vous me répondez ? Spice Girls ? L5 ? Pussycat Dolls ? Très bien. Et si j'ajoute "2011" ? "Girls band qui cartonne vraiment en 2011" ? Pensez aux anglaises de The Saturdays.

Je vous en avais déjà parlé il y a quelques mois avec Ego, les voici de retour avec un single sur-puissant : Higher (produit par Arnthor Birgisson qui a co-écrit l'excellent Out From Under de Britney Spears).

Petit détour : saviez-vous qu'en Angleterre des artistes chantent sur un mini-plateau télé pendant le tirage du LOTO ? Regardez, nos amies les Saturdays y sont passées !

Depuis, les filles ont croisé la route de Flo-Rida qui a intégré une version remix du titre encore plus forte que l'originale. Souhaitons leur ça les aide à traverser La Manche et l'Atlantique. En attendant, ça fait 2 bons mois que j'écoute ce titre en boucle.

Is it Showtime for Charlotte?

As you may have heard, the city of Charlotte is getting its close-up this month thanks to 20th Century Fox -- which has a film crew in the area shooting a pilot for the Showtime cable network.

Reporter Caroline McMillan provided details about the production of "Homeland" in a recent Observer story; on Tuesday, one of the series' executive producers gave us a few more pieces of info.

Howard Gordon, who was executive producer and showrunner for "24" during its eight-season run, said North Carolina was an easy sell for his team.

"It matched the location we wanted, the tax credits were great, and Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin, who are two of our lead actors, are based in New York (so) it was a commutable distance for them," he said. "We scouted Wilmington as well, but the architecture and everything worked better here."

Charlotte is standing in for the Virginia-D.C. area, Gordon says.

In addition to south Charlotte's Mountainbrook neighborhood -- where two homes are being used as the primary domestic settings -- filming is taking place at locations including the Ritz-Carlton in uptown, the Carolinas Aviation Museum adjacent to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, and the shuttered Philip Morris USA plant in Concord (which is doubling as the CIA headquarters, Gordon says).

Shooting originally was to start on Jan. 10, but the recent snowstorm hit the area that morning, and production was shut down for two days. Otherwise, Gordon says, "It’s been a wonderful experience. ... It's great and it's a terrific crew and it's interesting in a non-Hollywood town to see a film crew."

Gordon says filming of the pilot is scheduled to wrap here on Feb. 2. Production then moves to Washington, D.C., for a day, then everyone flies to Israel for two days of shooting (Israel will stand in for Baghdad).

As McMillan reported, once they've finished filming and editing the pilot, Fox will show it to the executives at Showtime. The network would probably make their decision in mid-March.

If they order a series, pre-production would start in April and the crew would likely film June to October. The first episodes would begin airing on Showtime around the end of August, while they're still in production.

Gordon says the plan is to continue shooting in Charlotte if the show gets picked up. "I'm protecting myself by lowering expectations. But we're optimistic."

The show stars British actor Damian Lewis as a U.S. Marine sergeant who comes home a war hero after having been held as a prisoner of war in Baghdad for eight years, during which time he was presumed dead. Danes, who won a Golden Globe on Sunday night for the HBO movie "Temple Grandin," plays a CIA agent who suspects that he's plotting an attack on America.

Interested in working as an extra in the Showtime pilot? Submit your photo and information to homelandcasting@gmail.com. You also can keep up with casting news and needs on the Homeland Casting Facebook page. As of Wednesday night, the production was "still in need of Professional/CIA/Government types and folks with newer American made cars."

Tourism prepares for Oprah effect - Sydney Tourism News

The first of Oprah’s Australian television specials aired in the US overnight as anxious tourism officials wait to see what impact the Queensland floods will have on arrivals.

The first episode sees Oprah travel to Hamilton Island and Uluru with a group of her 300-plus audience members. It will be screened in Australia tonight at 7.30pm EDST on Channel Ten.
Oprah will mention the devastating floods in Queensland, with the talk show queen’s website also featuring a link for people to donate to the relief effort. A Tourism Australia spokeswoman said the flood issue was dealt with “in an appropriate manner”.

Queensland tourism minister Peter Lawlor said the specials “couldn’t be airing at a better time” given the challenges facing the industry. He said Tourism Queensland and Tourism Australia had strategies in place to capitalise on the exposure. “Activities include consumer promotions and packages which will encourage Americans and other viewers around the world to come and see first-hand what Oprah and her audience experienced themselves,” Lawlor said.
Coverage will also appear on Oprah.com and Australia.com to promote Queensland holidays. The remaining three episodes will screen on Channel Ten on Thursday, Friday and Sunday evening.

NRL Finals - All about Rugby league Australia: Official draw announced for 2011 NRL premiership season

NRL Finals - All about Rugby league Australia: Official draw announced for 2011 NRL premiership season

Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull - On The Floor

C'est l'un des buzz surprise de ce début de semaine : un nouveau single de Jennifer Lopez en duo avec Pitbull (jusque là ça va...)... Produit par RedOne (Lady Gaga, Kat Deluna... ça va toujours donc)... et samplant la Lambada !

FLASHBACK.

Oui donc, la Lambada. Officialisé aujourd'hui comme premier single de son prochain album attendu pour le printemps, les réactions sont contrastées (certains adorent, d'autres détestent). Et vous, qu'en pensez vous ?

Bruno Mars - Grenade

Après Just The Way You Are, Bruno Mars proposait il y a quelques semaines un deuxième extrait de son très bon album "Doo-Wop And Hooligans" : Grenade.

Bruno Mars parle à nouveau d'amour, déclare à nouveau sa flamme à la femme qu'il aime... Et se déchire pour elle.

Une voix de velours, de belles paroles et un sens de la mélodie imparable (qui donne sa dimension au travail des Smeezingtons), Bruno Mars réussit avec brio à passer le cap du deuxième single. Pour preuve : il est déjà numéro 1 aux US et en Angleterre.

On attend plus qu'une chose : l'applaudir le 5 mars sur la scène de La Cigale de Paris (originellement prévu à La Maroquinerie).

Alesha Dixon & Jay Sean - Every Little Part Of Me

Alors que son ex-copine de girls-band Sabrina Washington (avec qui elle formait les 2/3 des Mis-Teeq) se lance enfin en solo avec OMG (Oh My Gosh), Alesha Dixon a besoin de passer la troisième.

Bien qu'elle ait cartonné partout dans le monde il y a 2 ans avec The Boy Does Nothing (et dans une clairement plus modeste mesure avec Breathe Slow et Let's Get Excited), la jolie Alesha a eu beaucoup plus de mal à convaincre pour son troisième album qui est sorti en novembre dernier en Angleterre dans l'indifférence la plus totale.

Aussi, Alesha Dixon switche vers un troisième single, en duo avec Jay Sean dont le clip a été révélé ce week-end : voici Every Little Part Of Me.

Julian Perretta - If I Ever Feel Better

Ce n'est (jusqu'à preuve du contraire) ni le dernier, ni le prochain single de Julian Perretta mais ce titre, extrait de son album "Stitch Me Up", est juste un bonheur : une reprise très réussie du hit de Phoenix, If I Ever Feel Better.

Vous aimez vous aussi ? En bonus : le live qu'il a donné à l'équipe d'OFF TV (le nouveau portail communautaire de contenus exclusifs autour des artistes Universal Music).

Now that's a download: 101 musos enter real world - To play

After uploading winning performances, an entire cyber-orchestra will meet in the very real surrounds of the Concert Hall.

More than a few nerves will be jangling when YouTube brings 101 musicians from all over the world to the Sydney Opera House in March.

After auditioning and being judged online, then rehearsing and communicating online, for some of the musicians, just leaving cyberspace for the Concert Hall in Sydney will mark the first time they’ve travelled outside their home countries.

For four of the selected musicians, the pressure will be even higher – they’re the ones who scored a coveted soloist spot at the March 20 multimedia extravaganza, which audiences can catch in person at the Concert Hall or online. The gala performance includes not only performances of Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Stravinsky’s Firebird and Mothership, a special commission from American composer Mason Bates, but vast images projected onto the interior and sails of the Opera House.

Advertisement: Story continues below Canberran John Burgess is one of the lucky soloists. He auditioned on a custom-made electric double bass then sent his video to the judging panel. The Sydney Symphony was one of nine orchestras from around the world, including London Symphony Orchestra and the Berliner Philharmoniker, which helped judge the musicians.

His fellow soloists, a Brazilian electric guitarist, an American violinist and a Chinese player of the guzheng - a traditional plucked instrument invented about 91BC.

The international music experts liked more than 300 finalists from 46 countries; the YouTube user community then had their say during a week of online voting in December. San Francisco Symphony music director and London Symphony Orchestra principal guest conductor, Michael Tilson Thomas, took the online votes into consideration when selecting the orchestra he will conduct in Sydney.

Three other Aussies made the final cut: cellist Mathisha Panagoda from St Ives in Sydney, violinist Rollin Zhao from Brisbane and timpani player Brent Miller from Toowoomba.

Panagoda told The Sydney Morning Herald: “It felt a little bit weird filming myself playing and then uploading it to the internet for everyone to see, for all the other cellists out there to see. It was a bit daunting and a bit embarrassing.”

Miller, meanwhile, is delighted to have the chance to show off his instrument in such grand surrounds. “There are limited opportunities for me to play the timpani and this experience will realise my lifelong dream to perform in one of the world’s most iconic concert halls,” he says.

The orchestra’s 101 members and soloists range from 14 to 49 years old and include amateur and professional musicians, students and teachers. They will take part in a week-long classical music summit with Tilson Thomas and other performers, culminating in the concert. YouTube is donating all box-office proceeds to the Opera House’s digital education initiatives.

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[CLIP PREVIEW] P!nk - F**kin' Perfect

Pink fait encore le choix d'alterner entre titres déjantés et plus posés en proposant comme 2ème inédit de son best-of sorti fin-novembre et follow-up du barré Raise Your Glass (n°1 US, Top 10 en Europe) le plus intime F**kin' Perfect.

Hit annoncé (joli texte, belle mélodie, Max Martin et Shellback à la prod + l'effet Pink garanti), son clip sera dévoilé dans les prochains jours, mais en attendant en voici les premières images.

Résolution 2011

Ce blog vit vraiment la vie d'un blog. Avec ses périodes fastes (souvent pendant les périodes de congés), et ses périodes de disette (parce que personne n'a encore eu la présence d'esprit d'inventer les journées de 48h - à bon entendeur, salut).

Et pourtant ce n'est pas le contenu qui manque entre les nouveautés, les oldies qu'il fait bon de ressortir, les interviews que j'ai l'occasion de faire, les concerts où je vais... Donc résolution de ce début d'année : on se relance !

Bonne visite à tous... Et tous mes vœux pour 2011 :)


B

Jimmy Buffett to return to Charlotte

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre will once again transform into Margaritaville this spring.

Live Nation announced this afternoon that Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will perform at the Charlotte venue at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 21, as part of the singer's "Welcome to Fin Land" Tour.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, and charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.

Nature Museum plans to do chicken right

Feel like chicken this weekend?

The Charlotte Nature Museum will highlight the diversity and popularity of this feathered friend during its montly "Creature Feature" event, set for 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday.

Scheduled highlights include: live chickens on display, from the Rhode Island red (America's best-known breed, which lays brown eggs), araucana (which lays blue eggs and has feather tufts near their eyes), and dominique (popular for both their eggs and their meat); museum birds Nellie, a barred owl, and recently born button quails; and presentations from naturalists who will teach guests about habitats, behaviors of local birdlife, and raising chickens in your own backyard. There will also be a "story time" session and a puppet show for kids.

"Creature Feature" activities are free with museum admission ($6 for ages two and older, free for anyone younger and museum members).

Charlotte Nature Museum is at 1658 Sterling Road, adjacent to Freedom Park in the Dilworth/Myers Park area. Click here for the website.

Weekly Accommodation Rate at Aspire Hotel Sydney @ Aspire Hotel Sydney - Metro Hotels

Weekly Accommodation Rate at Aspire Hotel Sydney @ Aspire Hotel Sydney - Metro Hotels

9 short films, all made in Charlotte

Movies aren't often made in Charlotte, but nine short films were shot here recently using local talent, and they're now available to view online.

Each is less than 10 minutes in length, and each will be vying for 11 awards -- including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture -- at an event set for 7 p.m. Monday at the Whisky River nightclub in uptown.

At least 75 percent of each film had to be shot within 60 miles of Charlotte, and all had to incorporate a queen of spades playing card in a key way. Eight judges voted on the "Made in Charlotte" awards, including Matt Harris and Ramona Holloway of 107.9 The Link.

Admission to the "Made in Charlotte" event is $10 in the door, and light hors d'oeuvres will be served. The EpiCentre (where Whisky River is located) is at 210 E. Trade St., near Time Warner Cable Arena.

The event -- presented by the non-profit Charlotte Film Community -- was originally scheduled for this past Monday, but was postponed due to the winter storm.

For details on the "Made in Charlotte" project and to check out the films, click here.

Valentine's Weekend Pampering Package at Metro Inn Ryde @ Metro Inn Ryde - Metro Hotels

Valentine's Weekend Pampering Package at Metro Inn Ryde @ Metro Inn Ryde - Metro Hotels

Hey, ladies: Wanna play some roller derby?

Race City Roller Derby (RCRD), a Charlotte-based women’s flat track roller derby organization founded last summer, has launched a player-recruiting drive.

To be eligible to participate, interested women must be at least 19, have health insurance, and be in "reasonable" physical condition. Skating experience is "helpful," but not necessary.

The organization currently fields the Charlotte Speed Demons, which will be competing on the national level; it will launch a second team late this year that will compete regionally. The Speed Demons kick off its 2011 season on Feb. 26, when it takes on the Columbia, S.C.-based Bad Co. at First Ward Recreation Center (610 E. 7th St.). Tickets are $10 in advance here, or $14 at the door.

To express your interest in participating, e-mail your name and phone number to info@racecityrollerderby.com. Details: Click here.

More than 40,000 women currently are competing in roller derby in the U.S., according to RCRD.

Art events in Sydney for 2011

Ask any Victorian and they will tell you that Melbourne is the Arts Capital of Australia.

Well, in 2011, Sydney is set to put that claim to the test with a huge line up of art events throughout the year.

Polixeni Papapetrou
Oz photo artist photographs her kids in colourful scenarios.

ACP, 4th February to 12th March

Wendy Sharpe: The Imagined Life
One of Australia’s most beloved painters in retrospective.

SH Ervin Gallery 26th February to 10th April

Art Month Sydney
Sydney’s galleries and artist-run initiatives join forces for four weeks of education and entertainment.

Throughout Sydney 1st to 31st March

Michael Stevenson
New Zealand’s “anthropologist of the avant-garde” gets a retrospective of sculptures, installations and films.

MCA 5th April to 9th June

Opening of John Kaldor Family Gallery
The AGNSW will double its space for contemporary art when this new wing opens with works by Sol LeWitt, Jeff Koons and Christo and Jean-Claude to name a few.

Art Gallery of NSW 21st May

Archibald, Wynne & Sulman Prizes 2011
The portrait show we love to hate galvanizes the city’s art scene every year.

Sydney 16th April to 26th June

The Mad Square: Modernity in German Art 1910 – 1937
Life is a crazy, modern cabaret in the Weimar-era works by Dix, Beckmann, Schad, Kollwitz, Schwitters, Sander and Moholy-Nagy.

Art Gallery of NSW 6th August to 6th November

Art & About
The public outdoor art festival returns for another year including Sydney Life Hyde Park.

Throughout Sydney 22nd September to 23rd October

Sculpture by the Sea
Art meets the ocean as the Bondi to Tamarama Coastal walk hosts another 100 new sculptures.

Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso
Discover the breadth of work of the 20th century’s most famous artist in the largest Picasso exhibition ever to come to Australia.

Art Gallery of NSW 29th October 2011 to 19th February 2012

Elemental Reckoning: The Art of Tim Stoner
The first major survey of this great Australian artist.

SH Ervin Gallery 11th November to 18th December

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