Posts Tagged ‘Bruce Springsteen’

Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor has announced that their performance Sunday at the Bonnaroo Music Festival was their last in the United States. For those unaware, Bonnaroo is a popular music festival in Manchester, Tennessee which has been dubbed as “The New Woodstock.”

The industrial rock group performed their last set in the early morning hours Sunday, shortly after Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band wrapped up. “It just dawned on me that this is our last show ever in the United States,” Reznor said during his band’s set. “Don’t be sad. I’ll keep going. But I think I’m going to lose my … mind if I keep doing this, and I have to stop.”

NIN just completed a U.S. tour with Jane’s Addiction. Their summer tour continues in Europe and Asia. The tour is entitled “Wave Goodbye” and was conceived as a farewell tour to mark the 20^th anniversary of their debut album, “Pretty Hate Machine.”

Best wishes, Trent. It’s been an impressive journey.

Yet another musician fed up with Ticketmaster. AP reports that Bruce Springsteen is furious with the company, calling its selling practices a “conflict of interest.”

These comments come after complaints that the vendor was redirecting fans to a more expensive ticket seller owned by the company. When tickets for Springsteen’s show at the Meadowlands went on sale Monday, some fans got an error message on their computer screen that shut them out. An ad then appeared for TicketsNow offering tickets for hundreds of dollars more than face value.

Shame on Ticketmaster. When will they ever learn? I feel your pain Springsteen fans.

The Wrestler is a powerful drama dealing with several pressing issues in the life of aging pro wrestler Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson. It is a part played brilliantly by Mickey Rourke. If Rourke manages to edge out Sean Penn for an Oscar, there’s sure to be plenty of talk along the lines of: “But he’s just playing himself.”

30 RoI can’t renounce that claim as one that’s untrue, but it diminishes the value of his performance. There is something within the subtleties of Rourke’s characterization that is downright touching and deeply moving.

This film immediately made me recollect “Million Dollar Baby.” They are both powerful dramas staged in the realm of sports. The difference here is that The Wrestler presents a unique behind-the-scenes-like look into the world of wrestling experienced firsthand by Randy ‘The Ram.’ We are struck by the savagery of the sport; if this is just acting, as we have been led to believe, then why do the actors go to such extremes to make it appear painful and real? “Million Dollar Baby,” on the other hand, presented its sport (women’s boxing) merely as a backdrop for the dilemmas its two protagonists were confronted with along the way.

Not in this case. Wrestling is much more than that here; it literally defines Mickey Rourke’s character. He is (as stated in the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen’s title song) a “one-trick pony” through and through. He wrestles initially for glory; twenty years later he wrestles simply because it is who he is. He’s been reduced to eking out an existence between the ropes in his own words as a “broken down piece of meat.”

But that living has come to define him now; and if you were confronted with the prospect of dying alone, no loved ones by your side, as ‘The Ram’ is, can you really fault him for wanting it to happen between the ropes?

Sringsteen’s Super Bowl performance this Sunday will be a teaser for his upcoming world tour. The tour officially kicks off in San Jose, California on April 1. He’s also headed to Europe, hitting countries like Spain and Sweden. This news comes on the very day of his latest release, “Working on a Dream.” Best wishes, Bruce.

The nominees for this year’s 81st annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday with not too many surprises. The top two films slugging it out are “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which leads the pack with 13 nominations, and “Slumdog Millionaire,” which won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and has 10 nominations.

What about the snubs? “The Dark Knight” didn’t get a Best Picture nomination, Clint Eastwood and his film, “Gran Torino,” got shut out, “Revolutionary Road” got no noms including its stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Springsteen’s song from “The Wrestler” didn’t get nominated even after it won the Golden Globe, and Sally Hawkins didn’t get a Best Actress nom fresh off her Best Actress Golden Globe win.

But the biggest surprise? Who would have ever thought Robert Downey, Jr. would get a nomination for his role as “a dude playing a dude, disguised as another dude”? 

Find out who wins on Feb. 22 at 8 pm EST on ABC, and in the meantime the nominees are:

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director

David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

Gus Van Sant, Milk

Stephen Daldry, The Reader

Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionare

Best Actor

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn, Milk

Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie, Changeling

Melissa Leo, Frozen River

Kate Winslet, The Reader

Meryl Streep, Doubt

Best Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin, Milk

Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt

Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, Doubt

Penélope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona

Viola Davis, Doubt

Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin

Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Best Animated Feature

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Wall-E

Best Original Screenplay

Dustin Lance Black, Milk

Courtney Hunt, Frozen River

Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky

Martin McDonagh, In Bruges

Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E

Best Adapted Screenplay

Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin

John Patrick Shanley, Doubt

Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon

David Hare, The Reader

Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

Football fans will have something extra to watch and listen for this weekend: the world premiere of a new Bruce Springsteen song, from his forthcoming album due out in January.

“Workin’ On A Dream” will be used as a soundtrack to an NFL highlight reel, probably either pre-game or at halftime.  The lyrics are hopeful and optimistic and talk about working hard to achieve something grand…but the song is not about sports.

Springsteen has played the song live in a stripped-down acoustic version this fall, as a duet with his wife Patti Scialfa, on a tour that has largely been to support Democratic candidate (and now President-elect) Barack Obama. 

It is no secret The Boss supports Obama; he stumped for John Kerry in 2004 on his Vote For Change tour.  What is a secret is why the NFL would choose a song so politically entangled for a highlight reel.  Apparently, the politics don’t bother them…and lyrics like “the sun rises up, I climb the ladder, a new day breaks and I’m working on a dream” are transparent enough not to tie it to a particular viewpoint.

Springsteen and his E Street Band will also be performing during the Super Bowl halftime show this January.

The Office: Crime Aid

Michael gets Pam a part time job at corporate while she’s in NY.

Michael and Holly explore their new relationship in and out of the office and have a late night rendezvous. Andy passes out Save the Date cards. Dwight confides in Phyllis about Angela and wonders why she’s marrying Andy.

The next morning, the Dunder Mifflin crew finds they’ve been robbed. Michael and Holly realize they forgot to lock the door the night before.

Phyllis advises Dwight to give Angela an ultimatum as to whether she loves Andy or him. Dwight poses Angela with the ultimatum and gives her until 6:14 pm to decide.

Michael plans a charity auction to recover the losses of the robbery and promises Bruce Springsteen tickets. Items like Yoga lessons from Holly, a hug from Phyllis, getting a beer with Darrel, and Creed, are all sold. Jim buys the outing with Darrel and while out he runs into Roy, Pam’s ex fiancée. Roy asks about Pam and Jim reveals their engagement. After the conversation with Roy, Jim decides to see Pam, but later stops himself realizing “I am not that guy and we are not that couple.”

At 6:14, Angela seems to choose Andy as the time for her ultimatum runs out. Dwight panics and asks Phyllis how to win her back.

When it’s time for the Springsteen tickets Michael makes a classic move by stating he “can’t find them” and concludes that the tickets must have been stolen. Phyllis’ hug is the last item up for auction and a bid war begins between her husband and Dwight. Ultimately her hug is bought for $1,000 by her husband.

The Office – Employee Transfer It’s Halloween at Dunder Mifflin. We have a Carrie Bradshaw, Creed (and Kevin) as the Joker, Uncle Sam, a cat, “Dave” and a Cornell student (Dwight) which turns into an all out war between Andy an Dwight. Pam is the only one at corporate dressed up, she’s Charlie Chaplin.

Corporate found out about Michael and Holly and is transferring her to New Hampshire. Jim goes to NYC to have lunch with his brothers and Pam. Pam meets with Jim’s brothers early to plan a prank. The brothers come up with the idea to rag on Pam about being a professional artist and how she won’t make any money in front of Jim. When Jim finally joins them the joke begins and the brothers come on a little strong, but Pam and Jim hold their own and eventually the prank is revealed to Jim.

Dwight announces he is applying to Cornell making Andy a little angry. Throughout the day Dwight tries to talk Cornell with Andy. He hangs a Cornell flag over his desk and puts a bobble head Big Red Bear on his desk. Andy tells Dwight he is in charge of Dwight’s entrance interview. During the interview Andy gives Dwight “sub-par” scores and Dwight springs an “Interviewer Review” on Andy. This turns into a final battle of who can write the worst review. The next day Andy comes to the office dressed in farmer’s clothes carrying a bushel of beets and announces he’s bought his own beet farm.

On the road with Holly, Michael and Darrel they start things off with “You’re Going My Way.” Michael and Holly finally talk about the logistics of having a long distance relationship. Holly doesn’t think it will work and Michael tries to rationalize with her saying it will work. Michael panics confessing he’s not strong and will go back to Jan. When they are finally in NH they unpack. Michael tells Holly he’s going back home with Darrel leaving their relationship in limbo. Darrel tries cheering up Michael on the drive home with singing some blues in a way that only Michael could do.

Bruce Springsteen has been rocking his way across the Democratic Campaign trail, showing his allegiance to Barack Obama and speaking out about the ills of the Bush presidency, which he calls “a disaster.”

Springsteen began October with consecutive Obama rally concerts in Philadelphia and the Ohio State campus in Columbus, Ohio, where he encouraged the 10,000 plus fans in attendance to register and vote for Obama on November 4. This isn’t entirely new territory for Springsteen; he performed Democratic rally concerts during John Kerry’s ill-fated 2004 presidential campaign.

If you aren’t fortunate enough to catch Springsteen on the campaign trail, you can surely find him at the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, where Springsteen will perform a halftime concert. The last two musicians slated for half-time entertainment delivered spectacularly (Prince in ‘07 and Tom Petty most recently), and this time around should be no different. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street band are one of the greatest live acts in all of music. Next year’s Super Bowl will surely be one awesome event. (Get your popcorn ready, people.)

The Hold Steady continues their ballistic campaign to be the Best Rock Band In America.  And also perhaps the World’s Greatest Lapsed Catholic Rock Band.

The Brooklyn-based band still writes songs about adolescent overdrinking and messy relationships, set in the Twin Cities.  But instead of writing songs for 17-year-olds this time, it sounds like the band is writing songs for 22-year-olds now.  For the song’s characters’, reckless living is turning out to have real consequences, and things aren’t as good as it was 5 years ago.

The breakthrough of this album is the band’s increasing self-awareness: the rousing choruses, rapturous Springsteen-esque keyboards and classic rock solos build what frontman Craig Finn calls their “singalong songs.”

Their fourth album, “Stay Positive”, out since July 17th, attempts to extend their winning streak; the first three albums are considered minor masterpieces.  But is Finn sincere about his urge that “we gotta stay positive?”  Is he trying to convince the fans, or remind himself?  That may be at the heart of what makes The Hold Steady the Hold Steady: the ability to say something tongue-in-cheek but simultaneously inject a healthy dose of earnest enthusiasm as well.

And that Catholic thing?  Who knew that divine salvation and temptations of the flesh made such great rock music?