Kids’ Choice Awards 2008
April 3, 2008 by Romy
Arguably the most fun and funny award ceremony – The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards promises nothing short of a great time this year! Especially with Jack Black hosting no one knows what’s in store.
Favorite Movie:
Alvin & The Chipmunks
Are We Done Yet
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
The Transformers
Favorite TV Show:
Drake and Josh - Volume One
Hannah Montana - One in a Million
The Suite Life of Zach and Cody
Favorite Animated Movie:
Bee Movie
Ratatouille
Shrek the Third
The Simpsons Movie
This year catch the Awards March 29th at 8 PM!
Official Website: http://www.nick.com/shows/specials/kca/
The Best of the South by SouthWest Music Festival
March 31, 2008 by Romy
Don’t Mess With Texas –- Once a year people from all over the globe gather in Austin, TX to check out the best of new music and film, not to mention Austin’s incredible Indie scene. Maybe you’re thinking – Austin, why would the cowboy state hold one of the most prestigious Indie music fests in the world? Location, Location, Location! It’s smack dab in the middle of the country and Austin has always been a hotbed for all things cool (University of Texas at Austin grads include Indie movie marvel Wes Anderson).
This year’s 11th edition of SXSW saw over 1500 bands performing – and with that many bands the challenge is deciding who to see or how to clone yourself so that you can go to all the shows. Nevertheless here are some of the bands we were particularly impressed with this year:
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular CD
- Official Band Website
The Slits - Cut
- Official Band Website
NOFX - They’ve Actually Gotten Worse Live
- Official Band Website
Digitalism - Idealism
- Official Band Website
The Kills - No Wow
- Official Band Website
Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
- Official Band Website
Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
- Official Band Website
Learn more about SXSW:
- South By Southwest Official Website
The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame: 2008 Inductees
March 25, 2008 by Romy
Who knew that March would be Rock and Roll month? Here at Tower.com we love Rocktober, but it’s time to start celebrating Ma-rock-ch. Ok, that really doesn’t work as well as Rocktober…
Anyway, every March the Rock and Roll Hall of fame chooses and inducts performers who have released their first recordings at least 25 years ago. This year’s inductees are b-i-g and to celebrate this major accomplishment, let’s take a look at their repertory…
Leonard Cohen
Back in the late 1960s, a talented and deeply poetic Canadian was emerging out of Montreal. He wrote about women, masculinity, religion, love and all those other themes that really pull at the heartstrings. Cohen’s early works are found in his Best of Leonard Cohen album.
Skip ahead a few decades, and Cohen’s iconic and notorious baritone vocals, a voice unmistakably marked by years of chain smoking, is heard in his beautiful albums I’m Your Man and Various Positions.
Leonard Cohen is a poet, a novelist, a theologian. He has influenced generations of other musicians, has had tributes produced and even a recent DVD with live performances and other artists performing his songs.
Tower Essentials:
Leonard Cohen – The Best of Leonard Cohen
Well, I’m sure it comes as no surprise that the Material Girl has finally been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In fact, it’s probably more surprising that she hasn’t been inducted already! Her controversial acceptance induction speech couldn’t have been more fitting for her career.
Madonna’s Acceptance Speech, Part One
Part Two
If you don’t have Like A Prayer, Immaculate Collection, Bedtime Stories and Erotica yet – it’s time to induct them into your own rock and roll collection. Of course, if you already have those, pre-order her new album Hard Candy – which hits the streets at the end of April! The single ‘4 Minutes’ with Justin Timberlake has already taken over the airwaves!
Tower Essentials:
It’s official: The ‘Coug is a part of rock and roll history! Check out his compilation album of work from 1978-1988 The Best That I Could Do, or his albums from the 90s and new millennium, Cuttin’ Heads, Big Daddy, Rough Harvest, Dance Naked and Scarecrow. We’re proud of you JM – it’s about time your hard work was recognized!
Tower Essentials:
John Mellencamp – Uh-Huh (Remastered)
This Week on Late Night
March 6, 2008 by Romy
Special Musical Guests on Letterman, Leno, O’Brian & More…
Prep yourself for another great week in music with some of the artists / bands scheduled to appear on late night TV this week: March 3-8, 2008. All those that are encore episodes are marked with an “*”.
MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2008
- Bobby Brown (panel guest) - Jimmy Kimmel Live* (12:05am - ABC, CityTV)
- Kate Nash - Late Night with Conan O’Brien* (12:35am - NBC, A-Channel)
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2008
- Lenny Kravitz - Late Show with David Letterman* (11:35pm - CBS, OMNI)
- Janet Jackson - Jimmy Kimmel Live
- Pink (panel guest), Bettye Lavette (musical performer) - Late Night with Conan O’Brien*
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2008
- Willie Nelson - Tonight Show with Jay Leno* (11:35pm - NBC, A-Channel)
- Ayo – Late Show with David Letterman*
- Nicole Atkins - Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:35am - CBS, E!)
- Coheed & Cambria – Jimmy Kimmel Live
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2008
- John Legend - The Colbert Report (11:30pm - Comedy Network)
- Herbie Hancock - Tonight Show with Jay Leno*
- Matt Nathanson - Late Night with Conan O’Brien
- Grizzly Bear - Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2008
- The Hives - Tonight Show with Jay Leno *
- Les Savy Fav - Late Night with Conan O’Brien *
SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2008
- Vampire Weekend - Saturday Night Live (11:30pm - NBC, GlobalTV)
Tower Wrap-Up : 2008 Academy Awards
February 27, 2008 by Romy
No one was sure if the 80th edition of the Academy Awards would happen this year because of the Writer’s Strike. It seemed as if the milestone 80th year would come and go without a celebration…
And just like in the movies, we had a surprise happy ending! The strike ended two weeks before the ceremony, so the show would go on. Jon Stewart hosted (his second year in this role) and was arguably a funnier host this second time around.
The unpredictability of this year’s Academy Awards was further showcased by the fact that there were no blockbusters competing for best picture. It felt as if all films had a fair chance at winning, and perhaps it is no surprise that the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men walked away with Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor in Supporting Role with Javier Bardem’s very creepy role as a ruthless serial killer. Interestingly, the Coen Brothers film Fargo won 2 Oscars in 1996, and the film followed a similar plotline – ruthless killer being chased by a quirky cop in a remote and desolate location in the US. Other films they’ve written or directed that were nominated for Oscars include: O Brother Where Art Thou? and The Man Who Wasn’t There. Of course, my favorite Coen brothers’ film will always be The Big Lebowski.
Other winner’s this year included everyone’s favorite ‘Indie’ film Juno – which walked away with Best Original Screenplay (check out the soundtrack).
The stunning Tilda Swinton won Best Supporting Actress in Michael Clayton, this year’s law firm drama-thriller. While Marion Cotillard walked away with Best Actress for her portrayal of Edith Piaf’s biopic La Vie en Rose.
Of course, no Academy Award celebration seems complete without a film about oil and greed winning at least one Oscar. This year’s There Will Be Blood won Best Cinematography and Best Actor going to Daniel Day-Lewis’ portrayal of a merciless oil prospector.
I must admit that I was very pleased to see Once win Best Song (Music) because I’ve been listening to that album on repeat for months! Meanwhile the Bourne Ultimatum soundtrack won both Best Sound Mixing AND Sound Editing. The incredible Atonement score by Dario Marianelli won Best Music (Score).
All in all, this year’s 80th edition of the Academy Awards was a success and a pleasure to watch. And I hope Jon Stewart returns next year – and of course he’ll have a bunch of new political satire to work with as 2008 will see a new president in the White House.
