Celebrity
Springsteen Has Mortality On His Mind But Celebration In His Songs AT London Show
LONDON, England – Bruce Springsteen was not going to let event promoters cancel his performance at Hyde Park 11 years ago.
“F— ’em is right,” Springsteen exclaimed, feigning fear that an impending curfew might stop his sold-out event Thursday in front of 65,000 fans.
Springsteen, still going strong at 73, had an earlier start and raced through a three-hour set Thursday in rapid succession. He took a few steps to think about the passage of time and the loss of friends.
The 28-song set included anthemic classics such as “Born in the USA,” “Prove it All Night,” and “Born to Run,” as well as several newer songs and one cover in a show that leaned heavily on a message of mortality but felt more like a celebration of life as an enthusiastic audience sang along on a beautiful summer evening.
“London, is anyone alive out there tonight?” he yelled in an entrance to “Mary’s Place,” one of the numerous songs that featured the E Street Band’s crisp horn section, dueling keyboards, and excellent collection of backup singers, all backed up by tens of thousands of amateurs. “If you’re still alive, I’m still alive.” And that is why we came here.”
The tour, Springsteen’s first in seven years, began in February in Tampa and has included nearly the same set list every night, which is rare for a performer who has frequently played requests fans leave on handwritten placards.
Springsteen and the E Street Band took the stage shortly after 7 p.m. to a shout of “Bruuuuuuce,” which can be misinterpreted as booing by the uninformed. Springsteen donned a black button-snap shirt with short sleeves folded to show off his still-taut pipes, dark pants cuffed at the ankle, and oxblood Doc Martens boots with short-cropped silvery hair slicked back.
Following the obligatory ‘Hello London’, he quickly counted out ‘one, two, three, four’ for the chest-thumping drum opening to ‘No Surrender’, which had fans howling and the band rushing forward as a hard-rocking goods train.
Bruce Springsteen would not let event promoters cancel his performance at Hyde Park 11 years ago.
Even the opening monologue about camaraderie and the power of music, with its memorable statement about learning “more from a three-minute record… than we ever learned in school,” caught the evening’s subject.
“Young faces grow sad and old,” he sings in a line that leads to “I’m ready to grow young again” before the chorus pledge of “no retreat… no surrender.”
He then sang “Ghosts,” a soaring ode to his bandmates, ending with “I’m alive and I’m out here on my own/I’m alive and I’m comin’ home.”
Springsteen, though, was not alone. He was joined by 17 members of the E Street Band, which has been rocking for 50 years, including some of the band’s longest-serving members: guitarists Little Steven Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, drummer Max Weinberg, bassist Garry Tallent, and keyboardist Roy Bittan.
At the climax of the song, saxophonist Jake Clemons, the nephew of Springsteen’s longtime sax player and friend Clarence Clemons, who died in 2011, placed his arm around Springsteen’s shoulder as they sang a seemingly endless string of la-la-la’s. Then, as he had done throughout the night, Clemons stepped center stage and screamed on his gleaming sax.
Despite a few tour cancellations due to undisclosed sickness, Springsteen remains a powerful performer, moving slightly stiffly as he rushed along the stage or descended several steps to slap hands and pose for photographs with the exuberant front-row audience.
Bruce Springsteen would not let event promoters cancel his performance at Hyde Park 11 years ago.
During a rousing rendition of “Out in the Street,” in which he sings, “I walk the way I want to walk,” he staggered back to the stage. It wasn’t as uncomfortable as a tumble on stage during a May engagement in Amsterdam. Clemons sat next to him on the steps as he finished the song.
He led the E Street Band like a symphony, flailing his arms, swinging his right hand to signify a downbeat, or counting out time with his right hand. He joked about doing the motions in the mirror at night.
After a more than ten-minute jazz jam on “Kitty’s Back,” in which Springsteen opened the song by running his fingers along the fretboard of his Fender electric guitar, producing a screeching wail of feedback and growling like Tom Waits, the band eased into “Night Shift,” a Commodores tribute to R&B singers Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. The song on his last album of soul covers, “Only the Strong Survive,” included wonderful backup vocals by Curtis King, whose astonishing ability to nail high notes made Springsteen smile.
The band took a break halfway through the show, and Springsteen approached the mic alone with an acoustic guitar. The crowd remained motionless as he described how, in 1965, he “embarked on the greatest adventure of my young life” by joining his first band, The Castiles. A half-century later, he found himself on the deathbed of the band’s founder, George Theiss, and realized he’d soon be the only survivor of that bunch of guys.
“Death is like standing on the railway tracks with a train bearing down on you,” he explained. “It brings a certain clarity of thought, purpose, and meaning.” Death’s final and lasting gift to all of us is a broader perspective on life. “How vital it is to seize the day whenever possible.”
“At 15, it’s all hellos, and later on, there’s a lot more hard goodbyes,” he explained. “So take care of yourself and those you care about.”
Bruce Springsteen would not let event promoters cancel his performance at Hyde Park 11 years ago.
He then sang “Last Man Standing,” inspired by Theiss’ death, from his most recent album of original material, “Letter to You,” released in 2020.
Springsteen classics such as “Because the Night,” “Badlands,” “Thunder Road,” “Glory Days,” and “Dancing in the Dark” were then ripped through by the band. Even with everyone singing loudly, they couldn’t drown out Bruce’s tremendous voice or the sound system that was amplifying it.
During a rollicking “Tenth Avenue Freezeout,” a video montage featuring the larger-than-life figure called “The Big Man,” and former organist and accordionist Danny Federici, who died in 2008, played behind the band.
Springsteen appeared alone with an acoustic guitar and harmonica for an encore, joking that he was only getting warmed up.
He then sang, “I’ll see you in my Dreams,” a lullaby-like ode to mortality inspired by the death of yet another buddy.
“For death is not the end,” he sang, “’cause I’ll see you in my dreams.”
SOURCE – (AP)
Celebrity
2024| Judge Rejects Claims That Generative AI Tanked Political Conspiracy Case Against Fugees Rapper Pras
Washington – Pras, On Friday, a court denied a request for a fresh trial in a multimillion-dollar political conspiracy lawsuit against Fugees rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly determined that his defensedefense attorney’s employment of a generative AI software during closing arguments and other errors made throughout the Washington, D.C. trial did not constitute a substantial miscarriage of justice.
Judge Rejects Claims That Generative AI Tanked Political Conspiracy Case Against Fugees Rapper Pras
Michel was found guilty of ten counts after a jury heard testimony from witnesses, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. On the most serious charges, he faces up to 20 years in prison. He is free until sentencing, which has yet to be decided.
The Grammy-winning rapper was accused of funneling money from a now-fugitive Malaysian financier through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, then attempting to deter a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition case on behalf of China during the Trump administration.
The defense said Michel received lousy advice as he attempted to support himself while recreating himself in politics.
His defense attorney, David Kenner, who has previously represented rappers like Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg, pleaded guilty to leaking grand jury evidence to reporters.
Michel hired a new lawyer, who claimed Kenner had made several errors, including deploying an “experimental” generative AI software that botched closing arguments by misattributing a lyric from his client’s influential 1990s group.
Judge Rejects Claims That Generative AI Tanked Political Conspiracy Case Against Fugees Rapper Pras
Michel, however, failed to prove that Kenner’s handling of the case influenced the jury, according to Judge Kollar-Kotelly.
She accepted that some of Michel’s faults were valid, but they did not neutralise the prosecution’s extensive evidence against him or render the nearly month-long trial unfair.
Michel’s representative had no immediate comment on the ruling.
SOURCE | AP
Celebrity
Julian Ortega, Actor In Netflix’s ‘Elite’ Series, Dies Aged 41
Julian Ortega, a Spanish actor best known for his role in the popular Spanish-language Netflix drama series “Elite,” has died, according to the country’s actor and actress union. He was 41.
“Our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” the union said in a statement Monday.
The sun
Julian Ortega, Actor In Netflix’s ‘Elite’ Series, Dies Aged 41
Ortega, the son of Spanish actress Gloria Muñoz, was born in Madrid in 1983. According to the organization, he attended acting school in the Spanish capital.
He began his career in Spanish-language films, including the 2000 drama “El Otro Barrio” (“The Other Side”) and the 2008 horror fantasy “La raíz del mal.”
He appeared in various Spanish television programs before becoming well-known internationally after appearing in six episodes of Netflix’s Elite.
Ortega played a restaurant manager in the murder-mystery-infused high school thriller, which follows privileged pupils at a prestigious school.
His most recent performances were in drama programs like “The Countryside” (formerly called “El Pueblo”) and “4 estrellas.”
“You were a great man; humble, always smiling, generous, and thoughtful…” I have a great colleague. “Thank you for everything,” wrote his “Countryside” co-star Ruth Diaz in an Instagram post.
Julian Ortega, Actor In Netflix’s ‘Elite’ Series, Dies Aged 41
According to the Spanish Theatre in Madrid, Ortega has worked on theatre ventures, including the 2021 play “Ira,” which he created and co-starred in with his mother.
The reason for the death has not been officially confirmed.
SOURCE | AP
Celebrity
Selena Gomez Reacts To Taylor Swift Cameo Rumors in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ S4
Selena Gomez has recently put a fun twist on rumors swirling about a potential cameo by Taylor Swift in the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building. In an interview with E! News, Gomez responded to the speculation with her signature humor and charm.
Laughing off the rumors, Gomez quipped, “You’re hilarious. She’s a little busy, you guys.”
Her playful tone continued as she added, “Oh dear, I love that,” while still chuckling. Gomez’s light-hearted response showcased her easy-going nature and her ability to handle fan speculation with grace.
Gomez’s co-stars, Steve Martin and Martin Short, also joined in on the playful banter. Martin, in a comedic twist, said, “Listen, she calls us every day. Here – she’s calling right now. Ahh I’ll take it later.”
‘Only Murders in the Building’ S4
Martin Short added to the jest, joking, “No, I was talking to Taylor around 3:00 a.m.” Their jokes highlighted the camaraderie and fun atmosphere among the cast.
Beyond the jokes, Martin took a moment to genuinely praise both Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez for their poise.
He commented, “Taylor Swift handles everything perfectly and so does Selena. In the situations I’ve seen—politically, trolls, everything—she just seems to have a wisdom about how to do something quietly, effortlessly.”
The interaction underscores not only the strong bond between the cast members but also their mutual respect and admiration for each other.
Gomez and Swift’s friendship, along with their shared ability to navigate public life with elegance, continues to be a topic of interest and admiration among fans and colleagues alike.
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