#O2 arena launch?

[mistressemmedi]

Tuesday on crack. I can't keep up with all these breaking news. What's going on? And what's next?

I'm sat here like

[louisupdates]

FITFWT23: TOUR RECAP MASTERPOST

FASHION RECAP: NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE (Top Ten)

LITHOGRAPHS and PORTRAITS

OUTRO SONGS

IQ 123: Tour promo and production interviews

TOUR TECHNICAL SPECS [TPI MAGAZINE]

GROUP PHOTOS NA

Louis’ care for his fans

NORTH AMERICA

26 May - Mohegan Sun Arena, UNCASVILLE, CT

27 May - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, GILFORD, NH

29 May - Place Bell, LAVAL QC

30 May - Budweiser Stage, TORONTO ON

1 Jun - Blossom Music Center, CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH

2 Jun - Michigan Lottery Amphitheater, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI

FITFWT23: WEEK 1

3 Jun - The Icon Festival Stage, CINCINNATI, OH

6 Jun - Kemba Live! Outdoor, COLUMBUS, OH

7 Jun - TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

9 Jun - Saint Louis Music Park, ST. LOUIS, MO

PORTRAITS, 1st set [10.6.2023]

IG stories and selfies [10.6.2023]

10 Jun - Starlight Theatre, KANSAS CITY, MO

13 Jun - BMO Pavilion, MILWAUKEE, WI

15 Jun - Huntington Bank Pavilion, CHICAGO, IL

16 Jun - The Armory, MINNEAPOLIS, MN

17 Jun - Harrah’s Stir Cove, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA

19 Jun - Denny Sanford Premiere Center, SIOUX FALLS, SD

21 Jun - Red Rocks Amphitheatre, MORRISON, CO: CANCELLED 😪

24 Jun - Wamu Theater, SEATTLE, WA

26 Jun - Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Center, VANCOUVER BC

27 Jun - McMenamins Edgefield Concerts, TROUTDALE, OR

29 Jun - The Greek Theatre, BERKELEY, CA

PORTRAITS, 2nd set [29.6.2023]

PORTRAITS posted 30.6 [x]

30 Jun - Louis Instagram recap

30 Jun - The Hollywood Bowl, LOS ANGELES, CA

1 Jul - The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan, LAS VEGAS, NV

3 Jul - Arizona Financial Theatre, PHOENIX, AZ

6 Jul - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, IRVING, TX

7 Jul - Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, AUSTIN, TX

8 Jul - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, THE WOODLANDS, TX

PORTRAITS, 3rd set [9.7.2023]

9 Jul: Louis Instagram recap

10 Jul RTL Radio Interviews

11 Jul - St. Augustine Amphitheatre, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

13 Jul - Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, HOLLYWOOD, FL

14 Jul - Yuengling Center, TAMPA, FL

15 Jul - Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park, ATLANTA, GA

18 Jul - Ascend Amphitheater, NASHVILLE, TN

19 Jul - Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, CHARLOTTE, NC

21 Jul - Red Hat Amphitheater, RALEIGH, NC

22 Jul - Merriweather Post Pavilion, COLUMBIA, MD

PORTRAITS, 4th set [23.7.2023]

24 Jul - MGM Music Hall at Fenway, BOSTON1, MA

25 Jul - MGM Music Hall at Fenway, BOSTON2, MA

27 Jul - TD Pavilion at the Mann, PHILADELPHIA, PA

28 Jul - Stone Pony Summer Stage, ASBURY PARK, NJ

29 Jul - Forrest Hills Stadium, NEW YORK, NY

PORTRAITS, 5th set [31.7.2023]

North America FAN EDIT

AUGUST 2023 GAP 1 recap

AWAY FROM HOME FESTIVAL

19 Aug - Parco Bussoladomani, LIDO DI CAMAIORE, Italy

AUGUST 2023 GAP 2 recap (including the 28 launch)

EUROPE

29 Aug - Barclays Arena, HAMBURG

31 Aug - Royal Arena, COPENHAGEN

1 Sep - Spektrum, OSLO [Bigger Than Me anniversary content]

PORTRAITS, 6th set [2.9.2023]

2 Sep - Hovet, STOCKHOLM

4 Sep - Ice Hall, HELSINKI

DORK MAGAZINE PHOTOS 2022 w/ links

5 Sep - Saku Arena, TALLINN

7 Sep - Arena Riga, RIGA

PORTRAITS, 7th set [8.9.2023]

8 Sep - Zalgiris Arena, KAUNAS

10 Sep - Tauron Arena, KRAKOW

11 Sep - Atlas Arena, ŁÓDŹ

13 Sep - Wiener Stadhalle D, VIENNA

14 Sep - Stozice Arena, LJUBLJANA

15 Sep - Budapest Arena, BUDAPEST

PORTRAITS, 8th set [16.9.2023]

17 Sep - Arenele Romane, BUCHAREST

18 Sep - Arena Armeets, SOFIA

20 Sep - Plateia Nerou, ATHENS w/ links to AOTV announcements

SEPTEMBER 2023 GAP recap

1 Oct - Bilbao Arena Miribilla, BILBAO (VIZCAYA)

3 Oct - Altice Arena, LISBON

5 Oct - Wizink Center, MADRID

6 Oct - Palau Sant Jordi, BARCELONA

PORTRAITS, 9th set [7.10]

8 Oct - Pala Alpitur, TURIN

9 Oct - Unipol Arena, BOLOGNA

11 Oct - Rockhal, ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE

12 Oct - Sportspaleis, ANTWERP

14 Oct - Accor Arena, PARIS

15 Oct - Ziggo Dome, AMSTERDAM

17 Oct - Lanxess Arena, COLOGNE

19 Oct - O2 Arena, PRAGUE

20 Oct - Mercedes Benz Arena, BERLIN

PORTRAITS, 10th set [21.10]

22 Oct - Olympiahalle, MUNICH

23 Oct - Hallenstadion, ZURICH

FITFWT23: LATAM promo begins [28.10]

Twitter spree: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 Hall Of Fame, [31.10]

IGTV [1.11]: transcript, gifs [x] [x] [x] [x] [x]

8 Nov - 3Arena, DUBLIN

10 Nov - Utilita Arena, SHEFFIELD

11 Nov - AO Arena, MANCHESTER

12 Nov - Ovo Hydro, GLASGOW

14 Nov - Brighton Center, BRIGHTON

15 Nov - International Arena, CARDIFF

17 Nov - The O2, LONDON

18 Nov - Resorts World Arena, BIRMINGHAM

FITFWT23 has come to an end!

ROLLING STONE UK 2023 AWARDS

23 Nov - Camden Roundhouse, LONDON

[solarpunkbusiness]

Seaweed packaging startup Notpla secures £20 million investment

The funds will be used to accelerate Notpla’s expansion into the North American market, and fuel the development of next-generation, seaweed-based packaging solutions that offer direct replacements to many single-use plastics.

Since launching in 2014, Notpla has replaced over 16 million single-use plastic items across Europe, from their seaweed-lined takeaway food containers, to their famed ‘Ooho’ - an edible liquid bubble. It is expected that they will dramatically increase this volume to over 100 million units annually within the next two years. Fuelled by increased consumer demand for environmentally friendly switch-outs, the company’s innovative packaging, which is both plastic-free and home-compostable, has been adopted by major corporations in Europe including Compass Group, Decathlon, and Just Eat Takeaway.com.

Notpla’s materials are currently used in 10 European markets and help to eliminate plastic in leading stadiums and venues such as Villa Park, The O2 Arena, the Allianz Stadium, and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

[yesterdayiwrote]

There's rumours that the car launches will be combined into one single event to be held at the O2 Arena in London next February.

I don't think that's necessarily a bad idea, especially if it's just livery launches and they make it into more of a showcase, but I imagine a) Liberty will use this as a way of profiteering off the livery launches, which are currently free to view content for fans and b) I can't imagine teams like Ferrari will be that enthusiastic given they'll be wanting to launch their line up on their terms...

[dancewithlou]

I just saw Louis sold out London’s O2. I got pretty emotional. I live on the West Coast of the US and when Louis launched Walls and LTWT he was to play at a 2k capacity theater in my city. Last time he was in my city he played at our 60k stadium with 1D. I was easily able to get great tickets and though the theater was full when he performed, it wasn’t sold out. I was thrilled to have such an intimate musical experience but down deep I knew this was tough for him. Then I got to watch momentum build and next thing I knew he was selling out arenas in LATAM and AFHF was sold out. It’s been a journey and I can’t imagine the pride Louis feels for being able to play to a sold out crowd at the O2 with ZERO INDUSTRY SUPPORT. It’s a major accomplishment!

Oh i know it’s so amazing to see everything he’s accomplishing in his solo career since 2020 he’s been growing and thriving.

He wasn’t wrong when he said this year was gonna be even better.

There is so much pride bursting from every Louie for him right now, we are on a high.

[rockposerdotcom]

Iron Maiden Presented With Gold Disc Backstage At The O2

London 10TH July: Iconic British band Iron Maiden were presented with a gold disc by Tony Harlow, the head of Warner Music UK, at the first of their two sold-out shows at London’s O2 Arena last Friday in recognition of their critically acclaimed studio album ‘Senjutsu‘ selling over 100,000 physical copies in the UK. Lead singer Bruce Dickinson says, “Gold? That’s fantastic! From the launch of the…

[theonlyfanslife]

Lily Allen launches OnlyFans to sell feet pics, reveals husband David Harbour’s reaction

Breadcrumb Trail Links Celebrity Published Jul 04, 2024  •  2 minute read Lily Allen joins Olivia Rodrigo on stage to duet her song ‘Smile’ at The O2 Arena on May 17, 2024 in London, England. Photo by Nicky J. Sims /Getty Images for Live Nation Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made…

[clickvibes]

SZA Performs Exclusive Apple Music Live Show from Brooklyn

Stream the performance in full on Apple Music and Apple TV+ on Wednesday, December 13  Grammy-award-winning music trendsetter and icon SZA is the next artist to take the stage for Apple Music Live — the live performance series that gives the biggest stars in music a platform to connect with audiences around the world. The "S.O.S. Tour" marks SZA’s first-ever arena tour and earned the superstar endless praise. The Apple Music Live performance at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York will debut Wednesday, December 13th at 7:00pm PST / 10:00pm EST exclusively on Apple Music at http://apple.co/SZA-AML and Apple TV+. Fans can also stream the Apple Music Live performance anytime on demand on both Apple Music and Apple TV+.During the performance, SZA showcases her biggest hits and fan favorites including, “Kill Bill”, “Snooze”, “Seek & Destroy”, and “Nobody Gets Me”, plus selections from the critically acclaimed Ctrl: “Drew Barrymore”, “Broken Clocks”, “Love Galore” and more.In an extensive career spanning conversation airing tomorrow on Apple Music 1, SZA sits down with Zane Lowe to reflect on the Apple Music Live performance and her record-breaking year, telling Zane: “I love connecting with people in the crowd when I feel like it's really me and you right now. And I go eye to eye with so many people during this show, and it's something about tour that it makes the love real, and tangible.” During the candid conversation, SZA also touches on navigating fame, her spiritual hygiene, overcoming anxiety, taking creative risks, and more. Tune in to the full interview on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 10am PT on Apple Music 1 at http://apple.co/_Zane.��SZA is one the most streamed artists of 2023 with only her second full length album, so we are elated to have her S.O.S Tour be apart of our 2023 season of Apple Music Live,” said Apple Music’s Global Head of Hip Hop and R&B Ebro Darden. “The show is, of course, incredible just like her music, her songwriting and her desire to give us, the fans, so much amazing content this year. Thank You SZA!”Over the past year, streams for SZA's music has nearly quadrupled on Apple Music worldwide increasing 280% as she smashed a number of all-time records with her sophomore album SOS. Upon the release of the album, SZA broke the record for the R&B artist with the most simultaneous entries on the Global Daily Top 100, with 26 songs reaching the chart in one day. Breakout single, ”Kill Bill" spent 28 days at No. 1 on the Global Daily Top 100, her longest run at No. 1 in the chart's history. All told the song reached No. 1 in 37 countries worldwide. Additionally, "Kill Bill" finished at No. 3 on Apple Music's Top 100 2023: Global chart. With single "Snooze" at No. 5, she became the first R&B artist in the year-end chart history to have two songs in the top five of the year-end global songs chart. SOS was the second biggest album of 2023 on Apple Music worldwide, and the No. 1 R&B album of the year. Over the past two years, “SZA Essentials” has been one of the fastest-growing R&B playlists on Apple Music, with a 203% increase in streams worldwide. SZA has launched 12 songs to the top 10 of Apple Music's Global Daily Top 100. She is among the top 50 artists of all time on Apple Music worldwide. The second season of Apple Music Live kicked off this past May with a special performance by Ed Sheeran, which was followed by Burna Boy’s historic London Stadium show from earlier this summer and Dominic Fike gave an electrifying show in Atlanta. Brent Faiyaz serenaded a packed house in London and most recently Peso Pluma brought his música mexicana sound to Anaheim complete with his full live band. Additional Apple Music Live standout performances have included Harry Styles’s One Night Only in New York performance, Billie Eilish’s Live at the O2 performance; Alicia Keys’s first-ever Holiday Masquerade Ball; and riveting performances from chart-topping artists Lil Durk, Mary J. Blige, Luke Combs, and Wizkid. Explore the full lineup of past performances in the Apple Music Live archive. Get exclusive wallpapers for your phone on SZA's concert page in Shazam. Tap “Save" to unlock the Apple Music Live setlist, tour photos, and more after the show.About SZA:  Born in St. Louis and raised in Maplewood, NJ, genre-defying, and GRAMMY Award winning recording artist SZA released her long-awaited sophomore album SOS (Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records) on December 9, 2022, which earned RIAA Gold certification upon release. Instantly and universally met with acclaim, SOS debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has remained in the top spot for ten non-consecutive weeks. Amassing over 400 million streams in the US during release week, SOS became SZA’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (the second largest streaming week for a female artist and third largest of 2022 among all albums at the time), and dominated worldwide charts with No. 1 debuts in Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, and more.  While SOS also debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, several tracks dominated song charts and playlists across digital service providers, with standout track “Kill Bill” earning SZA her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Global 200 charts. Currently RIAA-certified 3x Platinum, SOS includes features by Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers and Ol’ Dirty Bastard; with production by Ctrl hitmaking collaborators ThankGod4Cody and Carter Lang, alongside Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, Kenny “Babyface'' Edmonds, Emile Haynie, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Jay Versace, and more.The launch of SOS fostered a series of new achievements for the dynamic global icon.  SZA peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart as the most popular artist across all musical genres, and No. 1 on the Hot 100 Songwriters chart. SOS broke the record for the most weeks at No. 1 by a woman on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, and the first R&B album to spend ten non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this century. SOS yielded four No. 1 hits at both Rhythm and Urban Mainstream radio - “Snooze,” “Kill Bill,” “Shirt,” and “I Hate U.”  SZA closes out 2023 as the most Grammy nominated artist of the year with a total of nine, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Kill Bill,” Album of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album for SOS, Best R&B Song for “Snooze,” and more. A multitude of critical praise complemented the remarkable success of SOS, inclusive of ranking No. 1 on several best-of lists in 2022 and 2023. Variety described the album as “cinematic in its scope and tone as it ripples with elements of folk, jazz, pop and ambient electronica and brings in undertones of even surf, trap, grunge and AOR rock,” while the Associated Press proclaimed “SZA proves in ‘SOS’ she still a voice of this generation.” Her first ever arena tour in the US and overseas sold out in minutes and garnered similar rave reviews. The New York Times called her Madison Square Garden headlining debut “vigorous, confident, theatrical and intimate – the sort of show that manages the rare trick of feeling both vibrantly communicative and also protectively insular,” while Billboard declared that the performance “delivered a message that she’s truly made a next-level step in her career.” In 2017, SZA released her major label debut album Ctrl (TDE/RCA). Revered for its raw and honest lyrics, it landed at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart, No. 2 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. RIAA-certified 3x Platinum, the albumreceived five Grammy nominations in 2018 and more than half the songs on Ctrl are currently certified multi-Platinum and Gold. Ctrl continues to remain on the Billboard 200 chart since its release and holds the record for the longest run for any Black female artist’s debut album. An Academy Awards nominee, SZA has won 27 awards since the release of Ctrl including a 2022 GRAMMY Award for Best Pop Dou/Group Performance for “Kiss Me More” with Doja Cat, Billboard Music Awards’ Top R&B Female Artist, BET Awards’ Best New Artist, BET Soul Train Awards’ Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and Best New Artist, MTV Video Music Awards’ Best Visual Effects for the “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, and NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding New Artist, among others. In 2018, she won NAACP Image Awards’ Outstanding Duo or Group for “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar and Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation for the Black Panther Soundtrack. SZA also received Billboard’s 2019 Women in Music Rule Breaker award and more recently named Billboard’s 2023 Woman of the Year, Webby Awards Artist of the Year, WSJ. Magazine’s Music Innovator of the Year and Variety’s Hitmaker of the Year.  To this day, SZA continues to set the standard on creativity and songwriting, while shattering records with over 10 billion streams worldwide across all platformsAbout Apple MusicApple loves music. Apple revolutionized the music experience with iPod and iTunes. Today, the award-winning Apple Music celebrates musicians, songwriters, producers, and fans with a catalog of over 100 million songs, expertly curated playlists, and the best artist interviews, conversations, and global premieres with Apple Music Radio. With original content from the most respected and beloved people in music, autoplay, time-synced lyrics, lossless audio, and immersive sound powered by Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Apple Music offers the world’s best listening experience, helping listeners discover new music and enjoy their favorites while empowering the global artist community. Apple Music is available in over 167 countries and regions on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, HomePod mini, CarPlay, and online at music.apple.com, plus popular smart speakers, smart TVs, and Android and Windows devices. Apple Music is ad-free and never shares consumer data with third parties. More information is available at apple.com/apple-music. Read the full article

[mistressemmedi]

Wait. They're actually charging people to attend the multi car launch at the O2 arena? 💀

[louisupdates]

WASSERMAN’S HOLLY ROWLAND ON THE RISE OF LOUIS TOMLINSON

"When I say I've booked a 39-date arena tour for Louis, people can't believe it and they can't believe his ticket sales," says Tomlinson's agent

By IQ on 23 Nov 2022

Wasserman Music agent Holly Rowland has spoken to IQ about Louis Tomlinson’s 2023 European arena tour.

The former One Direction star is to embark on a 39-date outing across 28 countries next year, having recently completed a pandemic-delayed tour that spanned 57 dates in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia.

“Louis wanted to go everywhere,” says Rowland, who represents Tomlinson with Wassmerman’s Alex Hardee.

“One Direction never really toured Europe extensively – they did the major cities and the stadiums – but they never went to Eastern Europe for example. During their solo careers, Harry Styles has never done it and Niall Horan has never done it.”

Rowland believes that unlike Styles and Horan, who have also carved out solo careers since the best-selling boyband disbanded in 2016, Tomlinson’s worth is often underestimated.

“When I say I’ve booked a 39-date arena tour for Louis, people can’t believe it,” Rowland tells IQ. “They don’t believe his sales or the fact he has his own festival.”

If Tomlinson was overlooked before, it all looks set to change now. Last Friday (18 November), the star beat Bruce Springsteen to score his first solo UK No. 1 album with ‘Faith In The Future’ via BMG. At the same time, ticket sales for his forthcoming tour are “really strong” despite going on sale a year in advance.

“It will sell out,” says Rowland. “London’s The O2 [cap. 21,000], for example, is on 90% and even markets which are typically late sellers, like Greece, are nearly sold out even though the concerts are still a year away.”

Rowland says it’s thanks to a symbiotic album-tour campaign that Tomlinson’s sales are strong on both the recorded and the live side.

“You wouldn’t typically go on sale with a tour so early but we needed to go out before the album so we could get the pre-orders,” she explains. “Synchronicity with recorded and live has sometimes been missed before but now, more than ever, it’s so important. An artist does well because their whole team is across everything and is communicating with each other.”

Rowland and Tomlinson’s team are particularly proud of the ticket prices for the tour, which start at £27.50 regionally.

“He’s a man of the people,” she says. “For example, he won’t do any golden circles or platinum or flexible ticketing or increased isle seating or paid meet-and-greets. That’s his philosophy.

“The issue nowadays is costs are going up so you have to cover your base but also keep it fair for the customer. The promoters crunched the numbers on their side and there was a lot of back and forth on the ticket price but obviously, the tour is spread across multiple dates so that helps. Plus it’s something Louis really wants to do.”

Promoters working on Tomlinson’s forthcoming tour include Live Nation (Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria), 8 Days a Week (Baltics), Pop Farm (Greece), Follow The Step (Poland), Charmenko (Romania), Fource Entertainment (Czech Republic) and SJM (UK).

The Faith In The Future 2023 outing is the follow-up to Tomlinson’s first world tour, which concluded in September, having been pushed back due to the pandemic.

Highlights from the tour include South America – “one of Louis’s biggest markets” – which saw the star sell 30,000 tickets in Brazil, 30,000 in Buenos Aires and 21,000 in Mexico.

Rowland also notes an open-air show in Milan, Italy, at the beginning of September, which saw 34,000 tickets fly off the shelf in 48 hours.

2022 also saw the evolution of Tomlinson’s own festival, Away From Home, which launched last year in Crystal Palace Park, London, and was free to attend.

This year the event moved to Malaga in Spain and featured The Vaccines, Sun Room, Stone and Hinds, all of whom performed alongside Tomlinson. This time around the event was ticked and Rowland says it sold 15,500 tickets in two days.

“I programmed it [alongside Louis] so it was quite fun to be on the other side of things, being the promoter and offering out supports to agents,” says Rowland.

Launching a festival was the natural progression for Tomlinson, who is known to hand-pick his own tour supports – many of whom go on to see great success, according to Rowland and Hardee.

“His fanbase is so loyal and they hang on every word he says,” says Rowland. “He’ll go onstage after the support acts and say ‘How amazing were they, go out and follow them,’ and that’s what his fans do because they really believe in him and trust him.”

Rowland notes that Tomlinson’s fanbase is surprisingly young – between 14–18 years old – which translates into strong merchandise sales, thanks to the parent pound.

“What’s crazy is that his fanbase is so young, they weren’t even around when One Direction were having their heyday. They must’ve found the band through siblings or something…” she notes.

When asked if it has been difficult to extricate Tomlinson from his previous work in One Direction, Rowland says: “He can’t hide from his past – One Direction were one of the biggest boybands of all time – but we need to respect his path and see him for the artist he wants to be and not who he was.

And as for comparisons to his former bandmates’ solo careers, she adds: “Harry is pop, Niall is more singer-songwriter and Louis is indie. That’s the music he loves and you can see that through the acts he requests to support him. It’s time now to shine the light on who he is.”

IQ MAGAZINE Nov 2023: more on FITFWT planning

[ear-worthy]

"JoJo Siwa NOW" Podcast Premieres

I confess that I wouldn't have known much about JoJo Siwa if it weren't for my three granddaughters. They loved the young teenage sensation on YouTube. Then I watched her on Dancing With The Stars a few years ago, and her dancing and demeanor impressed me. 

 I think she's been a positive role model for all teens, especially LGBTQ+ teens, and a responsible activist.

So, I'm curious and excited about her new podcast. 

iHeartMedia has premiered “JoJo Siwa NOW,” the new podcast hosted by the pop superstar and internet icon, on its Outspoken Podcast Network. “JoJo Siwa NOW” is the first show to launch from Siwa’s exclusive slate with iHeart, and promises to be an intimate and empowering exploration of JoJo Siwa’s life, career and her thoughts as a Gen Z on current headlines and the world around her now. Fans can hear the first episode of “JoJo Siwa NOW,” with new episodes releasing each week.

“I am so excited for my fans to get to know me like never before. I’ve authentically shared my life online for over a decade, and this podcast will dive even deeper into who I am and what makes me, me. I’m also incredibly lucky to have my very best friends join me as guests to laugh with me and get deep about life and who I am, separate from the headlines,” said Siwa.

JoJo Siwa is a recording artist, actress, producer, New York Times bestselling author and internet sensation with more than 70 million followers across social media. Named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020, Siwa delivers her message of positivity, self-love, inclusivity and acceptance. In 2018, JoJo Siwa made her introduction as a recording artist with the release of her debut EP. She went on her first-ever tour the following year, selling out over 100 arenas and becoming the youngest artist ever to headline and sell out the O2 Arena in the UK. The inaugural run ranked #5 on the Hot Tours Chart as reported by Billboard. JoJo Siwa was recently a judge on So You Think You Can Dance and was the first same-sex couple to compete on Dancing with the Stars season 30. You can watch her compete on season 2 of FOX’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, airing now.

A household name known for her signature high ponytail and iconic bows, JoJo Siwa has transcended her early days as a dance sensation to become a beloved LGBTQ+ icon, recording artist, actress, producer and internet sensation. Fans can expect a never-before-seen glimpse into Siwa's life as she sits down with top names like Tyler Cameron (The Bachelorette), reconnects with Abby Lee Miller (Dance Moms), and welcomes her “Dancing with the Stars” partner Jenna Johnson to share the person behind the glitter.

“JoJo's authenticity and global influence align perfectly with The Outspoken Podcast Network’s mission to provide unfiltered and empowering content,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We are so excited for JoJo to lend her voice to this mission as we continue to build a space for Gen Z talent and listeners everywhere to celebrate who they are.”

All shows on the Outspoken Podcast Network are distributed by iHeartPodcasts. The network aims to amplify, elevate and reflect the diversity, richness and humanity of the voices throughout the LGBTQ+ community. “JoJo Siwa NOW'' is now available on the iHeartRadio app and all major podcast platforms.

[steveinscarlet]

My experience up in the top tier of the stands was somewhat similar. I don't really mind people going up and down the aisle, but having to stand up every two minutes for people to get past was pretty annoying. And the seats at Wembley are indeed really small and close together.

The friend I went with is really not into Motley Crue, so we chose to have dinner in the middle of their set. But I purposely booked aisle seats so we could do this easily without disrupting other people too much. I understand why people do go in and out during the sets, because the queues in the breaks are crazy! I went to pee in the break before Lepp and it took the whole half hour to make it through the queue.

I think they don't usually put seats over the back half of the floor because the view would be terrible. And also safety/security - if that many people decided to rush towards the stage it would be a big problem. But it does somehow make that cavernous space at the back of the stadium feel much bigger. I thought it was better once it got dark; you didn't notice it so much.

Ultimately I wasn't exactly disappointed, because I knew what Wembley's like and that stadiums in general are not the best venues for music. But I think because I've watched all the slogs and fan videos, it felt more like I was watching YouTube from very far away rather than being a real thing happening in front of me! I would have liked more atmosphere and 'realness', but I have had a close-up Lepp experience (the book launch event) so I'm kind of okay with it. I really hope they do a single headliner tour in the future and maybe play the O2 arena, which is 20,000 capacity and more suited to concerts.

My Wembley Stadium Tour Experience (Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe)

TLDR: the Wembley Stadium tour just felt so empty, like half capacity if not less. There were people CONSTANTLY walking in front of me, like at least once per song, more than that before I moved seats. I was seated far away, so it was already harder to get into than when you're down the front, but this made it almost impossible and killed the experience for me.

So I mentioned this in the previous posts tags, but I was honestly a little disappointed by the London show. I know I'm not the only one, as I've seen numerous people online say similar things. Also I do not wanna come off as ungrateful, as I know lots of people would have killed to be in my place, however I am also allowed to judge experiences as they are. I AM grateful to have been there for such an iconic show, especially for Leppard, and I am also privileged to have front row to compare it to, but that doesn't mean I can't be disappointed by it.

The lead up to the concert before I went into the venue was honestly great! I met up with my friend from Italy, who I'm also going to Glasgow with, and we just hung out around the Wembley Park until she had to go in (she had a VIP package, I just had a regular seated ticket in the stands, so I went in after her). When I got in, MammothWVH played first and they were amazing! They honestly stole the show and I wanna hear more from them.

The first thing that threw me off was the fact that people would not stop getting up and walking around. I understand you may need the toilet or want food etc, (and that is the advantage of a seated ticket) but this was constant. I had an aisle seat originally, and I stayed in that for MammothWVH and Mötley Crüe. I am not kidding when I say people were CONSTANTLY walking up and down this aisle throughout both bands. Again I know the aisle is there for that reason, but it really took me out of the experience. This is kind of on me tho, as I didn't think about this when getting that seat, but I just feel like it shouldn't have been that constant, y'know?

Similar to this, after I moved from my aisle seat to another seat nearby, I had another problem. People around me were still getting up and walking past/over me. And the space between seats is super small, so you really are being walked over. I could see this happening all over the stand seats too, as well as on the floor. I had this new seat for Leppard, and again it was at least once per song where a group of people got up and walked in front of me. Also the people in front of me kept on standing up, which you just DO NOT DO if you're in a seat (unless you're on the floor) there were even signs saying please remain seated. So this meant I couldn't see. I wasn't going to tell them to sit down, as at the end of the day they were just enjoying themselves, but it was still annoying. Maybe this is common? I've never been to a gig in a stadium where I've been in upper seats, so maybe this is just what its like? idk.

Also, and probably the main thing about the show itself, was that it felt SO. EMPTY. I would say the seats were about 75% full at MAX, and the floor was barely half full. The floor was all seated as you can't queue for GA around Wembley, but it looked barren, and sort of ruined the atmosphere. This is why I could change seats so easily, as I was spoilt for choice. I hate to say this, but I honestly think Leppard and Crüe set their sights a bit high with Wembley, but even then they could have added more seats to the floor at a cheaper price, and lowered the price of the stand seats.

Also people just did not seem to be into it? Maybe it was just my section, but it kinda goes hand in hand with people constantly getting up and moving around. People seemed to treat it as just another night out, rather than a concert where the artists are performing live in front of you. No matter how far away they are (and I was quite far away for this one) they are still there.

And remember my friend who had VIP? she was in the FRONT. ROW. and STILL SAID THESE SAME THINGS? And I have seen other comments and show reports saying the same. Mostly about how empty it was.

Soz for the long post you guys, but I feel like I needed to say this to get it off my chest. I know this comes off as super ungrateful and tone deaf, and I did enjoy some parts of it, but overall, for something I have been looking forward to for months, I was very disappointed. Of course, this is all my personal opinion and experience, and I know so many people had an amazing night, so please don't think I am trying to rain on your fun!

[littlemixnet]

Little Mix vow they WILL reunite and say ‘we can’t live without each other’ in their LAST interview before hiatus.

THEY have spent 11 years as a group, had five No1 singles, won three Brit Awards and released seven hit albums. But as Little Mix prepare to bow out - for now, at least - they have insisted they are doing it as the best of friends and are doing everything they can to ensure they aren’t pitted against each other as they prepare to launch their post-band solo careers. In an exclusive final print interview with The Sun, just a week before they go their separate ways, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall have revealed their timetables will be carefully managed so there is no way they will put new music out at the same time. Perrie, 28, said: “We’ve all said we will let each other know when we’re going to release so we don’t end up clashing in the charts. We’re rooting for each other, not competing against each other.” Jade, 29, who has signed a solo deal with RCA, added: “It’s just not going to happen. There will be a conscious effort from all of us to make sure of that.” Leigh-Anne, 30, said their friendship was too precious to risk a head-to-head and the fact they remain so tight-knit will mean they’re able to be open with each other about their solo plans. She has recently signed with Warner and said: “We are so close and that’s the thing. We’re all going to be in communication about this the whole time.” In the 11 years since Little Mix were first brought together on The X Factor, they have become Britain’s most successful ever girl band, selling more than 50 million records worldwide and collecting over 22 million monthly Spotify listeners. Next Saturday will see the final performance of their sold-out Confetti tour. It will end with an emotional show which will be livestreamed around the world from London’s O2 Arena – the last chance to catch the girls before they bow out for their hiatus. Perrie, who has also already started working on solo music, said: “Even though it’s a massive, epic show, I think knowing everyone is watching it is going to make it feel super intimate.” However, they are already plotting their comeback as a band and promise they won’t follow the lead of One Direction, who went on their “hiatus” in 2015 and show no signs of reuniting. Perrie said: “Honestly, we haven’t even parted ways yet and we’re already talking about when we’re coming back! We’re like: ‘is two years away enough? Two and a bit years?’.” Jade points out they are parting as the closest of friends and so there’s every reason to get back together sooner rather than later. She said: “You can’t deny our relationship – whenever anyone comes to watch the show or sees us in interviews or on social media it’s pretty obvious that we can’t actually live without each other. We know how phenomenal we are together, so why would we never want to do that again? Change has to happen in life, you have to move on at some point and try new things, but it’s such a comfort to know we have each other to come back to. We don’t know how long this will be for but I’m already ready for that reunion!” MAKING HISTORY There have been plenty of record-breaking Little Mix moments over the last decade, not least when they made history in 2021 by becoming the first girl group to win Best British Band at the Brits. They used their moment to pay tribute to the likes of All Saints, the Spice Girls and Girls Aloud who came before them but were always overlooked. Perrie said: “We couldn’t get our heads around the fact that a girl group hadn’t won it before. There were incredible girl bands before us who deserved that award, but it always went to males. We’d thought there was no way we were ever going to win simply because we’re female, which is kind of s**t. So we were really shocked when we won and we wanted to shout out all those women who were so deserving of it. We’re so grateful to have won that award and it’s a huge deal for us. But it should have happened sooner.” Huddled together in their hotel room today, it’s clear how close the three of them are. Leigh-Anne says that after all the success, they no longer feel like they have anything to prove. She said: “As a girl group we’ve been constantly trying to prove that we’re credible. But this tour I feel like we’re all up there just having fun because we frickin’ earned it.” Jade agrees and says the bond between them is stronger than ever. “People have come and gone throughout the last ten years but this relationship we have has remained and I think that’s very telling. We’ve come through a lot together, all the ups and downs and to get to this point and be as close as we are, I think says a lot about how we’ve grown as women.” MUMS ON TOUR They all laugh when talking about how different the atmosphere is on tour now compared to the party days of the past. Leigh-Anne and Perrie both became mothers within a week of each other last August and say the backstage booze has all been replaced by baby paraphernalia. Perrie said: “It’s all baby bouncers, highchairs, you name it. Life has changed. I mean, we were never exactly rockstars before – it wasn’t like you’d walk into bottles of Jack Daniels all over the place with us having it large. But it is a different dynamic.” Perrie has a boy Axel with Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 28, while Leigh-Anne has twins with fiancé Andre Gray, 30, who plays for QPR, although she hasn’t made the babies’ names or sex public. She said: “I’m just trying to keep it as private as possible for as long as possible. It was a decision we made at the time because [the attention] was freaking me out a little bit.” Both say that going into rehearsals so soon after giving birth was a challenge. Perrie said: “I feel like me and Leigh-Anne should have had a note from the doctor saying: ‘Perrie and Leigh have baby brain, go easy on them today’. Baby brain is real! Jade would pick up the routine in two seconds and we’d be there for an hour doing the simplest of things and then totally forget what it was. I’ve never struggled so hard for a tour. I thought I was going to die! Our bodies weren’t ready, our minds weren’t ready. If it wasn’t for Jade, keeping the morale up and the positivity going then I don’t know if we’d have made it.” However, Jade said she was in awe of how well the new mums managed everything. “Perrie and Leigh-Anne have had to adapt after having kids and being able to go into full-on rehearsal mode while breastfeeding and having the babies there was so amazing. And then to get on stage and these fabulous costumes! They’ve been incredible. I struggled with rehearsals, never mind having to look after children as well. So I know I’ve had an easier ride.” As for what’s next, they are all playing their cards close to their chests but say they are excited and nervous in equal measure about what the future holds. Jade said: “I’m just stepping into the unknown, I don’t really have a plan! We all sort of have an idea what we want to do and how we want to do it. But personally, I’m going to enjoy not putting pressure on myself to have to do something by a certain time.” Perrie added: “As long as I can sing somewhere and at least someone is listening, I’m happy.” Leigh-Anne said while they hoped to explore lots of avenues, music is where their hearts remain. She said: “I feel like we’ll probably all dabble in a bit of everything, I don’t think we’d ever want to restrict ourselves. But being on stage is everything to me and I can’t picture myself being anywhere else. It’s what we do, isn’t it?”

[tisthenightofthewitch]

Ghost announce UK and Europe ‘Imperatour’ arena dates for 2022

Ghost will perform their dark rituals in some of Europe’s largest indoor venues on their Imperatour in spring 2022.

Ghost will launch their biggest ever European headline tour in April, kicking off the trek with four arena shows in the UK.

With the follow-up to the band’s 2018 Prequelle album due for release at some point next year, Tobias Forge’s ghouls will follow up on their 26-city US co-headline tour with Volbeat, with an expansive tour of their home continent in the spring.

Ghost’s Imperatour will commence on April 9 at Manchester’s AO Arena and visit London, Glasgow and Birmingham before tapping into Europe with a show at Rotterdam’s RTM Stage Ahoy on April 17. The European dates will run through to May 18 at the Budapest Arena in Hungary.

Apr 09: Manchester AO Arena, UK Apr 11: London O2 Arena, UK Apr 13: Glasgow OVO Arena Apr 15: Birmingham Resorts World Arena Apr 17: Rotterdam RTM Stage Ahoy, HOL Apr 18: Paris Accor Arena, FRA Apr 19: Cologne Lanxess Arena, GE April 21: Leipzig Quarterback Immobillen Arena, GER Apr 22: Frankfurt Festhalle, GER Apr 24: Prague Arena, CZE Apr 27: Tampere Nokia Arena, FIN Apr 29: Stockholm Avicii Arena, SWE Apr 30: Oslo Spektrum, NOR May 01: Malmo Arena, SWE May 03: Brussells Forest, BEL May 05: Milan Mediolanum Forum, ITA May 07: Barcelona Olympic Arena Badalona, SPA May 08: Madrid Vistalegre Arena, SPA May 11: Vienna Stadthalle, AUS May 13: Zurich Hallenstadion, SWI May 15: Hanover Zag Arena, GER May 16: Munich Olympiahalle, GER May 18: Budapest Arena, HUN

Support on all shows comes from Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats and TwinTemple.