"Push" It In 2014 With Angela Rockwood

Angela Rockwood

2013 was shall we state an interesting year, read into that what you will. Whatever challenges we have all had and I know there have been many for all of us, let's let loose our inner "Push Girl" coming in to 2014.

"Push Girls" on the Sundance Channel, if you haven't seen it shows what reality TV can achieve, it is inspiring and entertaining without pandering to the lowest common denominator.

Tiphany, Auti, Mia, Chelsie & Angela give it to you straight and real, four of them are paraplegics with the sole exception of Angela Rockwood who is the only quadriplegic of the "Girls."

These women are amazing spirits who elevate themselves and you when you watch. They are not self pitying and really have a red hot fire in their souls.

Bringing me to Angela - I had the pleasure of meeting Angela at a Birthday Party a few years ago at Tokyo Delves in North Hollywood, CA.

Angela is beautiful inside and out and, like the other "Girls" an amazing testament to the human spirit and what it can achieve.

Well Angela has a 2014 calendar "The Yin and Yang of Ange" out that you can purchase and let her optimism and intelligence inspire you for the next 365 days.

So "Push" it like a "Push Girl" and get Angela's calendar - let 2014 be yours!

Happy New Year!

Buy Angela's Calendar at: http://www.zazzle.com/angelaRockwood/gifts

Become a "Push Girl" at: https://www.facebook.com/PushGirls

Christmas Is Over! Time To Move On With Pentatonix

Give Us Your Love

Yes it's that time of year again where it's post Christmas Day once more. So what better way to help beat those blues down than to remember Pentatonix need your love, with their video of the Calvin Harris song "I Need Your Love" featuring Ellie Goulding from their current CD "PTX Volume II"

Scott, Avi, Kirstie, Kevin and Mitch are her to make your your post Christmas funk, jump back, and remind you the Holidays aren't quite over, yet...New Years Eve is coming are you ready for 2014?!

Get out of your Daft Punk Funk and pick up your spirits, there's a New Year coming and your love is needed...!

                                                                  "I Need Your Love"

Love yourself some Pentatonix at: http://ptxofficial.com/

"Holiday" Celebrate, It's Christmas Day !

Warning: This Is Not The Virgin Mary

"If we took a holiday, Took some time to celebrate

Just one day out of life

It would be, it would be so nice"

In the wake of the group with the retro 80's sound Capital Cities recent performance of the Madonna classic on The Queen Latifah Show I thought I would wish everyone a Merry Christmas with a fond memory of my youth, Madonna's "Holiday" hey she never specified which one, or what kind, so it works in a universal sense.

When I was an impressionable 17 year old man I will never forget my first foray to Skoochie's (R.I.P.) a 16 and older club in Seattle, WA and seeing this woman with rubber bracelets and rosaries for days hanging off her bare midriff, it was really cool and an eye opener to the sheltered life I had been leading.

Since Christmas is a time of fond memories, and the 80's version of Madonna is one for me. Let's take a Holiday and celebrate, below...

Merry Christmas Everyone!

    "Holiday" Time

Celebrate The Season at: http://www.madonna.com/

"Celebrate"! James Durbin Announces His 2014 Tour Dates

Christmas has come two days early for all you Durbinators as Mr. James Durbin announces his tour dates for 2014!

So plan ahead you die hard fans and Merry Christmas! 

James Durbin Announces Tour Dates For His 2014 Acoustic Tour

Lyric Video For His Single, “Parachute” Debuts on Yahoo! Music

James Reveals Album Cover Art & Full Track Listing for His Sophomore CD Release “CELEBRATE”- Due - April 8, 2014

James Durbin has announced the initial dates for his upcoming 2014 acoustic US tour beginning January 3, 2014 at The Viper Room in Los Angeles.  The six week trek will end on February15 at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz.  Kelley James Kelleyjames.com will be direct support on all shows.  All confirmed dates listed below.

After a flurry of tweets poured through to twitter from fans wanting to tweet to unveil the album cover, James Durbin recently revealed the album cover artwork and full track listing for his sophomore CD release titled, CELEBRATE.  Wind-up Records will release CELEBRATE on April 8, 2014.

Full Track Listing For CELEBRATE

1.     Children Under the Sun

2.     Parachute

3.     You Can't Believe

4.     Issues

5.     Fool For You

6.     Louder Than a Loaded Gun

7.     Live Right Now

8.     You're Not Alone

9.     Forget It

10.Celebrate

11.Real Love

As previously announced,  James, who co-wrote 10 of the albums 11 tracks is busy putting the finishing touches on the 2014 release with producer Scott Stevens. The first single fromCELEBRATE is “Parachute” and is available for purchase via iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/parachute-single/id738550728?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

The lyric video for “Parachute,” an homage to 80’s retro arcade games, made its premiere onYahoo! Music and can be viewed on James’ VEVO channel on

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjgJCbV5rNE

In addition, a robust album pre-order campaign for CELEBRATE includes the following four offers: 1. Autographed album.  2. Autographed album & exclusive Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) Charity shirt - $5 from each sale is donated to the TSA.  3. Autographed album & exclusive “CELEBRATE” bracelet.  4. Autographed album & exclusive hoodie & limited edition autographed canvas photo print.  All orders will automatically grant fans access to exclusive VIP opportunities with James (buyers will receive a special code allowing them early purchase for VIP opps and concert tickets).  All orders include an instant download of “Parachute” at http://shop.durbinrock.com/

“Parachute” is the first new music from James since his last two singles “Love Me Bad” and “Stand Up” were released in 2011.  “Love Me Bad” cracked the Top 30 at Hot AC/Top 40 radio while the anthemic NFL rock single “Stand Up” landed in the Top 20.  “Stand Up” was an official NFL anthem used on jumbotrons nationwide during the NFL’s 2011-12 seasons. Both tracks were featured on his debut release Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster which debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Rock Album chart and #36 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album chart.   MOAB has sold over 120,000 copies to date and was named one of Billboard’s Best Rock Albums of 2012.

“Parachute” showcases new territory for James leaning more on sing-a-long choruses with crisp pop-rock hooks while still letting his powerful and energetic voice shine.  “Parachute was the 10^th song I wrote for the new album and as soon as we finished in the studio I knew it had to be the first single.  I can’t wait for everyone to hear it” said James.  “Parachute” is available on iTunes now and will impact Hot AC & Top 40 radio in January 2014.  .

Follow James on Twitter and Facebook here: 

http://twitter.com/durbinrock,

http://facebook.com/durbinrock,

 http://www.durbinrock.com

 http://www.winduprecords.com/

2014 Tour Dates

January

3                                          The Viper Room                       Los Angeles, CA

7                                           Belly Up Tavern                      Solana Beach, CA

8                                           Pub Rock Live                         Scottsdale, AZ

10                                         HOB-Cambridge Room           Dallas, TX

11                                         The Station Bar & Grill           Lafayette, LA

12                                         HOB-Peacock Room               Houston, TX

14                                         The Parrish                              New Orleans, LA

15                                         Wills Pub                                Orlando, FL

17                                         Brewster’s megaplex              Jacksonville, FL

18                                         The Masquerade                      Atlanta, GA

21                                         Ziggy’s                                     Winston-Salem, NC

22                                         Lincoln Theater                       Raleigh, NC

23                                         Empire                                     Springfield, VA

24                                         I Play America                         Freehold, NJ

26                                         The Note                                  West Chester, PA

29                                         The Hollow                               Albany, NY

30                                         Marlin Room@ Webster Hall   New York, NY

February

4                                            The Rock Factory                    Akron, OH

5                                             Agora Ballroom                      Cleveland, OH

6                                            Thompson House                     Newport, KY

7                                            Austin’s                                   Libertyville, IL

8                                            Another Hole in Wall              Steger, IL

9                                            7^th St. Entry                             Minneapolis, MN

12                                          Marquis Theatre                      Denver, CO

15                                          The Catalyst                            Santa Cruz, CA

    

Holiday Eating Tips With Dr. Nina

Dr. Nina Says

OK, as we are in the grip of "The Holiday Season" aka "The Eating Season" I though it would be a great idea to call in our favorite expert on eating disorders at "Entertain Me" Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin to offer tips to us about how to keep it in check.

Dr. Nina is awesome as she does not recommend dieting, I mean really dieting never works, she digs until she finds the root of the overeating and works with it from there. So here with a few tips to help you through the rest of "The Eating Season" is Dr. Nina!

Here are some tips and strategies for how to make it through the Holiday Season without losing control:

I suggest that trigger foods may be correlated with specific emotions.  She says, “If you are drawn to pumpkin pie and sweets, maybe you need more comfort and sweetness in your life.”

Dr. Nina also helps normalize real family dynamics during the holidays.  She asks listeners, “Does it seem as if everyone else is living in a Hallmark commercial, full of peace, love and happiness - and your family is more like a reality show?”

Check out her Holiday podcast below:

http://winthedietwarpodcast.com/

As Dr. Nina says, “If you struggle with food, weight and body image, the holidays can be difficult.  But with a little help, you can survive them without losing control, or losing your mind!”

Listen To Dr. Nina

Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin, Psy.D. is a psychoanalyst who specializes in emotional eating and is a recognized expert on binge eating, interviewed for her expertise by the Los Angeles Times, Prevention and other publications. 

She has written articles on disordered eating from a psychoanalytic perspective. 

Her award-winning blog, Make Peace With Food was named a “Best Eating Disorder Blog of 2012” by Healthline. http://makepeacewithfood2day.blogspot.com/

 Her newest project, The Dr. Nina Show, is now available on YouTube.

Extra! Extra! Darlene Love's Annual Christmas Performance On David Letterman Is Tonight!

Darlene on "Letterman"

"Entertain Me" favorite & friend, and one of  the Stars of the documentary "20 Feet From Stardom," Darlene Love takes David Letterman's stage tonight for her annual performance of  "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."

I had the extreme privilege of interviewing Ms. Love for her project "Concert of Love" just prior to her being inducted into the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame....

Here is the link:

http://www.chorusandverse.com/content.php?id=20101110A

So give yourself a Holiday treat and tune into Letterman tonight, if that is past your bedtime, Tivo, DVR or whatever the heck it is you do to feel the Season of Love, Darlene Style!

Check out one of her past, annual "Late Show" performances below...Ho ho ho!

                                                            "Baby, Please Come Home"

Give yourself a whole lotta Love at: http://darleneloveworld.com/

Courtney Love Gives You "A Spoonful Of Bones" For Christmas

Lot's Of "Love" In This Spoonful

What else did you expect from the reigning Punk Priestess? With "Saving Mr. Banks" coming soon to a theater near you, Ms. Love decided to give us her take on the "Mary Poppins" classic "A Spoonful Of Sugar" for a spoken word piece in Garage Magazine.

This rendition that I found out about via Stephan Horbelt in Frontiers Magazine on my Facebook  home page really made my day, Thanks Stephan! We all need some edge to our Holidays, no? Because really the season tends to be a little bit overkill on the saccharine.

So for something a little different here is Ms. Courtney Love with her poetic take on a  "A Spoonful Of Sugar" - "A Spoonful Of Bones" lock up the young ones and take a swig of whiskey, or three and enjoy!

Do You Hear What I Hear? Listen To "A Spoonful Of Bones" Here: http://garagemag.com/

Ghosts Of Christmas Past - David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Ghosts Of Christmas Past: David Bowie & Bing Crosby

While writing about The Holiday Season this year one of my most interesting and favorite Ghosts of Christmas Past memories kept haunting me...

As a youngster I remember watching one of Bing Crosby's Holiday Specials with my parents, when what to my wandering eyes did appear but David Bowie to sing "Little Drummer Boy" with Bing this year.

Even as a kid I was a little taken aback as I was keenly aware of Bowie's reputation as a Rock-N-Roll raconteur and Crosby's as the picture of family wholesomeness.

But this was pure magic to me and truly formed an aesthetic that would be part of the basis of who I became in my adult life.

Of course guess who I became a fan of and guess who stayed my parents singer?

Here is one of the greatest most influential moments in Entertainment history, not to mention my  young life.

"Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum"....

                                                                 "Little Drummer Boy"

Bang A Drum With Bowie at: http://www.davidbowie.com/

Every Time A Bell Rings, Pentatonix Sings

Keep Those Bells Ringing

In celebration of the Holiday Season and PTXmas the deluxe edition cracking Billboards Top 10,

PTX has given given us another gift, a new video version of their already classic "Angels We Have Heard On High."

Yes, "It's A Wonderful Life" - Have a terrific Sunday and remember only 10 more shopping days until Christmas!

                                                                    "Angels"
Sing, PTX, Sing! at: http://www.ptxofficial.com/

Merry Christmas Pentatonix! PTX Scores Their Second Billboard Top 10!

Pentatonix Scores A Second Billboard Top 10 with PTXmas, Jumping to #7 on the Top 200 and #1 on the Digital Chart

YouTube Channel Surpasses 3 Million Subscribers, as Video for “Little Drummer Boy” Eclipses 15 Million Views in its First Week

2014 North American Tour Dates Selling Out, New Dates Added

Upcoming performances lined up with The Today Show, Conan, The Queen Latifah Show and more

PTX is indeed having a very Merry Holiday Season. First PTX Volume 2 debuts in the Billboard Top 10 and now PTXmas climbed it's way there too, it looks like the skys the limit in 2014 for  these guys!

 Vocal sensations Pentatonix have landed back in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart for the second time in less than a month with the release of their new, deluxe version of PTXmas, titled PTXmas (Deluxe Edition).  PTXmas soars into the #7 spot on the chart this week with more than 59,000 copies sold.  Pentatonix recently scored their first Top 10 debut on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart with their latest PTX Volume 2 release from Madison Gate Records, landing at #10 while also topping Billboard’s Independent Artist Chart in the same week.  The PTXmas (Deluxe Edition) holiday album includes brand new recordings of “Little Drummer Boy” and “Go Tell It On The Mountain.”  The video for “Little Drummer Boy” has been a worldwide viral hit since its debut one week ago racking up over 15 million views and landing in the Top 10 on iTunes. 

Watch “Little Drummer Boy” Here: http://bit.ly/1hAAdsG

PTX Volume 2 features 8 brand new tracks, with 3 original songs and 4 covers including a 7-song Daft Punk medley, its video released via the group’s YouTube Channel has garnered over 25 million views. The iTunes version of the album also features a medley of the  Swedish House Mafia hits “Save The World” and “Don’t Worry Child” as an iTunes album-only bonus track. 

Watch “Daft Punk” Here: http://youtu.be/3MteSlpxCpo

Watch “Save The World / Don’t Worry Child” Here: http://bit.ly/SHMCptx

PTX Volume 2 follows the group’s two 2012 Madison Gate Records Releases – PTX Volume 1 and PTXmas – both debuting on Billboard’s Top 200 when originally released and re-entering Billboard’s Top 200 chart last month selling more than 275,000 albums to date.

In support of the huge success of PTX Volume 2, Pentatonix have performed on Ellenhttp://www.ellentv.com/2013/11/04/pentatonix-performs-evolution-of-beyonce/, Conanhttp://teamcoco.com/video/pentatonix-12-10-2013 and The Queen Latifah Showhttp://queenlatifah.com/loving/pentatonix-new-album-tour-dates.  The group was also featured on CNN Headline News http://www.hlntv.com/video/2013/11/08/cappella-pentatonix-sing and on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer in the highly coveted “Persons of the Week” segment.  Click here to watch:http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/amazing-success-story-testament-giving-20834572   

Next up, Pentatonix is set to perform on The Today Show December 17, Fox & Friends December 19, Arsenio Hall Show December 20, The Queen Latifah Holiday Special December 23, The Sing-Off December 23, Hallmark’s Home & Family Christmas Special December 24 and Sesame Street on February 7, 2014.

Pentatonix recently announced dates for their 2014 North American and European headline tours with many of the North American shows already sold-out (European shows go on sale this Friday).  The touring will begin February 4, 2014 and go through April 2014, with shows at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles (3/1 & 2), as well as, at Oakland’s Fox Theater and New York City’s Beacon Theatre (4/3 & 10).  All tickets and limited VIP Packages – including meet & greets, access to soundcheck, exclusive merchandise and even a private performance – are available at http://www.ptxofficial.com/tour.

Online, the Pentatonix YouTube channel boasts over 235 million views, buoyed by more than 3.2 Millionsubscribers, and is one of the Top 100 most subscribed-to music channels. Pentatonix fanbase is rapidly growing with over 308,000 new fans added on Facebook and Twitter this past week bringing the current tally to more than740,000 Facebook fans and nearly 180,000 Twitter followers.  

2014 U.S. Tour Dates

February

4                         Midwestern State University          Wichita Falls, TX

5                         Cain’s Ballroom                              Tulsa, OK

6                          Gillioz Theatre                               Springfield, MO

8 (sold out)         Chicago Theatre                         Chicago, IL

9                          Egyptian Room                            Indianapolis, IN

11                        Milwaukee Riverside Theatre      Milwaukee, WI

12 (sold out)        State Theater                               Minneapolis, MN

15 (sold out)        Paramount Theatre                      Denver, CO

17                         The Complex-Rockwell                Salt Lake City, UT

19                         Vogue Theater                            Vancouver, BC

20                          Paramount Theatre                     Seattle, WA

22                          Fox Theater                                 Oakland, CA

23                          Grand Sierra Resort                     Reno, NV

25                           Soma                                           San Diego

26                           House of Blues                            Las Vegas, NV

27                           Rialto Theatre                              Tucson, AZ

March

1 (sold out) & 2      Orpheum Theatre                        Los Angeles, CA

19                           Peabody Opera House               St. Louis, MO

20                           Robinson Center Music Hall       Little Rock, AR

22 (sold out)          Ryman Auditorium                      Nashville, TN

23                           Iron City                                      Birmingham, AL

25                           Hard Rock Live                           Orlando, FL

26                           Georgia Theatre                          Athens, GA

27                           The Fillmore                               Charlotte, NC

29                           DAR Constitution Hall               Washington DC

30                          The Electric Factory                   Philadelphia, PA

April

3 (sold out)  & 10  Beacon Theatre                          New York, NY

5 (sold out) & 6      House of Blues                           Boston, MA

8                             Danforth Music Hall                     Toronto, ON

9                             UB Center for the Arts                Buffalo, NY

http://ptxofficial.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/ptxofficial?feature=results_main%20

https://www.facebook.com/Pentatonix

https://twitter.com/PTXofficial

Lindsey Stirling & Kuha'o Case - Inspire This Christmas

Myself & Lindsey Backstage at The Roxy, LA

I love Ms.Lindsey Stirling, she is a Rock Star on the violin! This Christmas she has teamed with someone who will inspire and create awe in your heart for the Holiday Season....Kuha'o Case.

For those who have never heard of Kuha'o he is a blind, self taught seventeen year old piano 
prodigy whose love of music brings him light and happiness.

They have combined their musical forces on the Christmas classic "Oh Come, Emmanuel"

Prepare to be inspired and keep the Holiday joy flowing.

Give it up for Lindsey and Kuha'o!

                                                          "Oh Come, Emmanuel"

Check out Kuha'o on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kuhaocase?feature=watch

Lindsey is everywhere and here: http://www.lindseystirling.com/

Merry "Midnight Red" Christmas

Merry "Midnight Red" Christmas

OK, it time for something silly, it's time for Midnight Red. Yes, they are a boy band and Yes I have a soft spot for Colton Rudloff one fifth of the band as I have interviewed him for Chorus and Verse and he has made an appearance on "Entertain Me" as well:

http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2012/06/colton-rudloff-of-midnight-red-gets.html

MIDNIGHT RΞD have reason to be ‘thankful’ this Holiday Season,.  In celebration of Christmas, Joey, Thomas, Anthony, Eric and Colton are sending a Christmas and Holiday greeting to all their fans with the release of their latest music video “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays."

The song originally recorded by NSYNC, is destined to become a Midnight Red fan favorite as the boys are often referred by fans as NSYNC2.0.  Filmed in a home setting, the five boys spread holiday cheer with friends, family, and a visit from Santa Claus and one of his elves.  But is it a dream?  Waking up in their footed pajamas, what did Santa bring them or did Santa come at all?  Cut to the video and find out....Happy Monday!

                                                     Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

Go "Red" at: http://www.midnightred.com/