Roots rocker Ryan Adams and actress/singer Mandy Moore are engaged. It seemed like an odd pairing when they started dating a few years ago--the edgy alt-country musician and the sugary sweet actress--but after breaking up and spending time apart, they are back together and looking to make it permanent.
Moore's representative confirmed the engagement; Adams's people declined to comment on it.
Ryan Adams, former member of the alt-country band Whiskeytown, has released about half dozen names as a solo artist, performing most recently with his band The Cardinals. He's best know for "New York, New York," his love song to the city. He has dated high-profile women including the actresses Parker Posey and Winona Ryder and British singer Beth Orton.
Mandy Moore previously dated DJ AM, as well as the actors Wilmer Valderrama and Zach Braff, and tennis star Andy Roddick. She started out as a teen queen, doing teen-oriented movies and bubblegum pop, but her music has become more mature. Her well-reviewed album of cover songs, called "Coverage," featured new interpretations of songs from respected artists that aren't exactly household names, including XTC and Joan Armatrading.
Mandy Moore's films include The Princess Bride, A Walk to Remember, How to Deal, Chasing Liberty, American Dreamz, and License to Wed.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
2009 Black Maria Film Festival is Underway
The quirky, independent touring film festival, the Black Maria, kicked off its 28th edition the other day at its home base, Jersey City State University. I caught its show last night at a screening sponsored by the Hoboken Historical Museum, and as usual it offered an extremely diverse range of short films. There was a one-and-a-half-minute film of a filmmaker dressed as a monk in a crucifixion pose beside a highway; an amazing film noir story that combined live action and cut-out images; and a look at a matzo-ball-eating contest in New York, to name just a few.
I've written before about the history and origins of the Black Maria Film Festival, which pays homage to the Thomas Edison's film studio of the same name, which was the first movie studio in the world. The Festival tours the Northeast extensively and also ventures out to other areas of the country, altering the lineup of films to mesh with local interests and filmmakers. Check the Web site above for dates, times, and locations. The screening I attended was only $5, and some are even free (such as one I went to last year at a branch of the New York Public Library).
If the Black Maria is coming near you, skip whatever's playing at the local multiplex and check out this Festival's innovative short films instead.
I've written before about the history and origins of the Black Maria Film Festival, which pays homage to the Thomas Edison's film studio of the same name, which was the first movie studio in the world. The Festival tours the Northeast extensively and also ventures out to other areas of the country, altering the lineup of films to mesh with local interests and filmmakers. Check the Web site above for dates, times, and locations. The screening I attended was only $5, and some are even free (such as one I went to last year at a branch of the New York Public Library).
If the Black Maria is coming near you, skip whatever's playing at the local multiplex and check out this Festival's innovative short films instead.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Get Five Grammys for "Raising Sand"
It seemed an odd pairing a couple of years back when Robert Plant teamed up with Alison Krauss to make the record, "Raising Sand." The grizzled Led Zeppelin singer teamed with the bluegrass singer and fiddle player?
But the collaboration has gone better, and longer, than anyone could have predicted, and "Raising Sand" tonight received the ultimate accolade, album of the year, and four other awards at tonight's 2009 Grammy Awards.
Not only has the album garnered a lot of critical acclaim, it has sold well, and Plant and Krauss's original tour to support "Raising Sand" was extended due to popular demand. (This is to the disappointment of many Led Zeppelin fans: Plant was to reunite with his old mates for a tour after playing dates with Krauss, but then more gigs were added to his tour with her, and then Plant seemed to lose interest in a Led Zep reunion.)
"Gone Gone Gone," an Everly Brothers cover, won a Grammy last year, only the second Grammy win for Plant. Krauss, on the other hand, has been a favorite of the Grammy voters since she was a teen fiddler and bluegrass singer: she already had 21 Grammy trophies coming into this year's awards. She now has 26 to become the third most-honored Grammy winner of all time.
But the collaboration has gone better, and longer, than anyone could have predicted, and "Raising Sand" tonight received the ultimate accolade, album of the year, and four other awards at tonight's 2009 Grammy Awards.
Not only has the album garnered a lot of critical acclaim, it has sold well, and Plant and Krauss's original tour to support "Raising Sand" was extended due to popular demand. (This is to the disappointment of many Led Zeppelin fans: Plant was to reunite with his old mates for a tour after playing dates with Krauss, but then more gigs were added to his tour with her, and then Plant seemed to lose interest in a Led Zep reunion.)
"Gone Gone Gone," an Everly Brothers cover, won a Grammy last year, only the second Grammy win for Plant. Krauss, on the other hand, has been a favorite of the Grammy voters since she was a teen fiddler and bluegrass singer: she already had 21 Grammy trophies coming into this year's awards. She now has 26 to become the third most-honored Grammy winner of all time.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Grammy Awards 2009 - Live Updates on Twitter!
Yes, the music industry has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, and now the Grammy Awards are even giving us updates on Twitter tonight! If you want the latest news, facts, trivia, and gossip on everything about the Grammy Awards 2009, go to the official Grammys Twitter feed (twitter.com/thegrammys/) and you'll get all you want to know (and possibly more) about this year's awards and the telecast (tonight on CBS at 8 p.m.).
Recent tweets (as of Sunday morning) include news that Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters will be playing drums for Paul McCartney on the telecast ... who'll be playing what songs on the telecast ... who's receiving this year's Lifetime Achievement Awards ... red carpet updates ... and even what "Grammy" means (no, it wasn't named after someone's grandmother).
The Grammy Awards 2009 Twitter feed also has links to other Grammy info and trivia, including the Grammy nomination process.
If you're not into the breathless nature of Twitter, you can find info on nominees, past awards, and more in a less-breathless format at the official Grammys Web site, www.grammys.com.
The Grammy Awards will be telecast on CBS tonight at 8 p.m., but the Twitter feed says a live Webcast will be streaming awards in 100 different categories starting at 4 p.m. Eastern, if you are a completist.
Kudos to the Recording Academy for using Twitter... the Grammys have entered the social media age. Now, if they could only bring their strategy for selling music up to date and avoid going out of business...
Recent tweets (as of Sunday morning) include news that Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters will be playing drums for Paul McCartney on the telecast ... who'll be playing what songs on the telecast ... who's receiving this year's Lifetime Achievement Awards ... red carpet updates ... and even what "Grammy" means (no, it wasn't named after someone's grandmother).
The Grammy Awards 2009 Twitter feed also has links to other Grammy info and trivia, including the Grammy nomination process.
If you're not into the breathless nature of Twitter, you can find info on nominees, past awards, and more in a less-breathless format at the official Grammys Web site, www.grammys.com.
The Grammy Awards will be telecast on CBS tonight at 8 p.m., but the Twitter feed says a live Webcast will be streaming awards in 100 different categories starting at 4 p.m. Eastern, if you are a completist.
Kudos to the Recording Academy for using Twitter... the Grammys have entered the social media age. Now, if they could only bring their strategy for selling music up to date and avoid going out of business...
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Lost Untangled: Snappy Summaries with Action Figure Re-Enactments
In its latest attempt to help viewers understand the many twists and turns of its hit show, Lost, ABC has launched a series of short videos called "Lost Untangled." (You can view them at ABC's Lost Web page, www.abc.go.com/primetime/lost/index?pn=index.)
There are many shows on TV that have multiple plot lines and that pretty much need to be seen every week to be really appreciated (or understood), but Lost adds a few more monkey wrenches with its recurring themes of time travel, smoke monsters, islands that disappear, and dead characters who won't stay that way.
"Lost Untangled" is meant to bring viewers up to speed in a humorous four-minute video clip. It's not your ordinary summary, though... it features action figures and cardboard cut-outs of Lost characters re-enacting scenes.
The first "Lost Untangled" summarizes the most recent episode, "The Little Prince," Season 5, Episode 4 (504), while also throwing in bits of background from the previous season. Since "Lost Untangled" crams a lot of plot development into a very short amount of time, it might get the uninitiated Lost viewer more tangled than untangled.
It seems "Lost Untangled" will feature new episodes each week with snappy summaries and action figure re-enactments.
There are many shows on TV that have multiple plot lines and that pretty much need to be seen every week to be really appreciated (or understood), but Lost adds a few more monkey wrenches with its recurring themes of time travel, smoke monsters, islands that disappear, and dead characters who won't stay that way.
"Lost Untangled" is meant to bring viewers up to speed in a humorous four-minute video clip. It's not your ordinary summary, though... it features action figures and cardboard cut-outs of Lost characters re-enacting scenes.
The first "Lost Untangled" summarizes the most recent episode, "The Little Prince," Season 5, Episode 4 (504), while also throwing in bits of background from the previous season. Since "Lost Untangled" crams a lot of plot development into a very short amount of time, it might get the uninitiated Lost viewer more tangled than untangled.
It seems "Lost Untangled" will feature new episodes each week with snappy summaries and action figure re-enactments.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Congress Votes to Delay Digital TV (DTV) Transition
Not ready for the switch to digital TV? Don't worry: the U.S. House of Representatives voted today to delay the switchover to digital TV by four months, until June 12th. The Senate already passed the bill delaying the transition, and President Obama has said he will sign it.
The transition to digital-only broadcasting will now take place on June 12th, 2009. On that date, broadcasters are to turn off their analog TV signals and broadcast only digital signals. The DTV switchover was to take place on February 17th, but a delay was sought to give consumers more time to prepare for the switchover.
The U.S. government has a program that gives each household up to two $40 coupons to subsidize the cost of a digital converter box, but it was announced several weeks ago that the coupon program had run out of money. (Some coupons may still be available since not all coupons previously issued have been have cashed in, and some have expired. You can find out more at www.dtv2009.gov).
Newer TVs have digital tuners built in and will receive the digital signals, as will older TVs that are connected to a cable or satellite TV programming. Older, non-digital TVs that receive signals over an antenna need a digital converter in order to display the new digital signals.
Although the Congress has approved the delay to digital-only broadcasting, it remains to be seen if the government will make funds available to pay for additional DTV converter coupons.
The transition to digital-only broadcasting will now take place on June 12th, 2009. On that date, broadcasters are to turn off their analog TV signals and broadcast only digital signals. The DTV switchover was to take place on February 17th, but a delay was sought to give consumers more time to prepare for the switchover.
The U.S. government has a program that gives each household up to two $40 coupons to subsidize the cost of a digital converter box, but it was announced several weeks ago that the coupon program had run out of money. (Some coupons may still be available since not all coupons previously issued have been have cashed in, and some have expired. You can find out more at www.dtv2009.gov).
Newer TVs have digital tuners built in and will receive the digital signals, as will older TVs that are connected to a cable or satellite TV programming. Older, non-digital TVs that receive signals over an antenna need a digital converter in order to display the new digital signals.
Although the Congress has approved the delay to digital-only broadcasting, it remains to be seen if the government will make funds available to pay for additional DTV converter coupons.
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