Biggest Game App Releases of 2016

The mobile gaming market is thriving and this is no coincidence – more and more game developers are entering the market and even Nintendo made a sort of appearance through their partnership with developer Niantic and the immensely popular Pokémon Go.

Suffice to say, gaming on mobile is huge at the moment and there are more and more high quality titles being released than ever before. Even popular gambling casinos are raking in huge interests thanks to popular casino app they offer for mobile players. Thanks to technological gains in newer smartphone and tablet devices, we can now enjoy some of the old classics in a better, HD environment, and even VR makes a stride every now and then.

Oh and we are going to be mentioning Pokémon Go a lot in this article, so be warned… yes, this is due to the fact that augmented reality games are making history, with more and more devs being interesting in experimenting with the new game play design. Alas, let us go through the list of the finest game apps that are available in 2016, in no particular order (yes, Pokémon Go is first, deal with it).

Pokemon Go (world-wide phenomenon, free to play)

With over 40 million downloads the first week, Pokémon Go is a monolith of mobile game achievements. It is a statement that a great concept, bellowed characters with global appeal and a horrendous technical support will lead to a massive success. Part of the enormous following and explosive downloads can be attributed to the first, real world Pokémon experience to date. Players could finally go out and “catch them all”… literally. With simple gameplay that enables exploring the outside world, meeting, trading and battling other players and more, this is undoubtedly the biggest mobile game of 2016.

Final Fantasy IX (huge game, better graphics, boosters available)

This port of the 2001 classic by Square Enix is one of the biggest mobile games to date. With a truly captivating storyline that spans hours upon hours of game play and dialogue, charming graphics that have been remastered and several new additions in the form of boosters, FFIX is back and thriving on mobile. Be warned though – the download is massive as well as the install.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes (memorable battles, heroes, tournament mode, multiplayer, etc.)

Episode 7 rekindled the love for Star Wars and its licensed games and this is definitely one of the best ones out there. With a huge rooster of characters that you can use for battle on iconic locations as well as the online multiplayer mode, Galaxy Heroes is what every Star Wars fan needs in the mobile galaxy, far far away…

FIFA 16 (free, available along with PC and console version)

Football fans rejoice – not only is the new FIFA available for mobile devices alongside the consoles, it showcases some impressive graphics and game play driven by touch controls… oh and it is completely free. Yes, that’s right, though we have no idea how we managed to fit “free and EA” in one sentence, but there you go. It is a true testament how far mobile gaming has risen, having one of the “more complex” gaming experiences for both PC and consoles, and having it transferred perfectly for mobile play.

Her Story (price: $2.99, mostly videos, unique story and “game play”)

A surprising and unlike any video game out there, Her Story is more a video than a game. It can be classified as a “video detective simulator” which doesn’t say much if you don’t try it out for yourself. It is a mystery game where you watch videos and try to find out what happened to the girl in the title. It is… difficult to emphasizes just how different the experience is to anything previously played – but it is entertaining and quite something new so check it out.

 

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Filed Under: Game Headlines Tagged With: 2016, app, biggest, game, releases

Old Wounds share their experiences from the 2016 Vans Warped Tour

Old Wounds an up and coming hardcore band from New Jersey are out on the 2016 Vans Warped Tour promoting their newest release “The Suffering Spirit”. Being the bands first time on the tour they are eager to show fans both old and new their unique style of modern hardcore through energetic live performances. Media Mikes had the opportunity to sit down with the band and talk about their experience on the tour and what’s next for the band.

Ryan Albro: What made the band decide to do Warped Tour versus a smaller tour on your own?

Mikey: Our label came to us and offered us a spot on the tour. It’s an incredible opportunity to be given. It’s really a no-brainer. If you bust your ass for nearly 6 years doing this and it comes to a point where somebody is pretty much handing you a slot on Warped Tour, you have to say yes.

RA: Overall how do you like the tour thus far?

Mikey: It’s a lot more fun than I think any of us had anticipated. We had a strong feeling it was going to be good, but it’s been a blast. It’s a very unique time.

Matt: I’m having a great time and I love the food. A lot of us are vegan or don’t eat meat and the catering is really great helping us out with our needs and they make really great food. We made a lot of friends and it’s been a good time for sure.

RA: Who are you excited to see play each day?

Kevin: Every Time I Die and Motionless in White.

Matt: There are two bands that play on the Full Sail Stage with us that I love! two One is called Mother Feather and the other band is called Safe to Say. We’ve made great friends with Like Pacific as well. I usually hang close to our stage so I watch a lot of bands on our stage and those are some of my favorites that play every single day.

RA: Any cool stories from the shows so far?

Mikey: Not so much from this one. It seems every other tour we’ve done though a lot of funny and stupid shit happens.

Matt: One thing that sticks out from this tour is the storm we got in New Orleans. We were loading our stuff out and out of nowhere this crazy monsoon hit. A lot of our stuff got completely soaked. . A lot of our gear was drenched and we had to throw out all the cardboard boxes and stuff for our merch away. Everyone except for Kevin and me was just drenched.

Kevin: I always carry an umbrella around just because I don’t want to get tan.

Matt: That umbrella wouldn’t have done you any good anyway

Mikey: Luckily we didn’t lose anything gear wise. All of our cabs, heads, and guitars were totally fine. We got lucky.

RA: You guys are approaching the end of “The Suffering Spirit” tour cycle, what’s next for the band?

Mikey: We do have a tour about a month and a half after this ends. I can’t say what it is just yet though. We’re in the middle of writing a new album right now so that’s going to take priority. We toured a lot on this record and we really want to get the next record out.

RA: What can you tell us about the new material you’re working on?

Mikey: We have actually been playing one of the new songs in our set each day so we’ll be playing that on the remainder of Warped Tour. That’ll give everyone a taste of what’s to come.

Zak: Now that we have Matt as our second guitar player, the dynamics are definitely a little different. There are more harmonious guitar riffs. It’s definitely a combination of everything we’ve been doing. It’s heavy where it should be and there are melodies where they should be. There’s more of a metal influence for sure.

Kevin: It not going to be something where when you hear it you think “Oh that doesn’t sound like Old Wounds.”

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2016, experiences, share, tour, vans, warped, ...

Concert Review: Vans Warped Tour 2016, Syracuse, NY

Vans Warped Tour 2016

Date: July 7, 2016
Venue: New York State Fair Grounds, Syracuse, NY

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

The Vans Warped tour made a stop in Syracuse, NY on July 7th for what proved to be a great day of music and fun. Despite foreboding clouds which hovered over the event site earlier in the day the power of punk rock could not be stopped as once the music kicked off the negative weather took a quick turn towards the positive allowing everyone to stay dry and soak up some rays while listening to this year’s assembled line up.

For over 20 summers now the Vans Warped tour has been the go to for traveling one day festivals featuring alternative and punk rock music. This year despite sporting a thinned down roster, less stages and fewer activities the festival still proved to be just as good if not better than years past. The Syracuse venue featured a great lay out with side by staging for the 6 main stages and a 7th smaller stage was only a short distance from all the bigger action. Each stage offered plenty of viewing space, merch areas and facilities, there was even a massive shaded pavilion area which gave fans a place to escape the sun in between acts. Aside from waiting to get into the venue there were really no other lines to speak of throughout the day which again only added to the events over all appeal. Even the free water filling station which always seems to be a hot bed of action was easy and quick to access. This year’s lineup was a great mixture of up and coming bands infused with some of Warped tours biggest veterans. As the day started out bands like Teenage Bottle Rocket, Masked Intruder and Vanna would put on stellar performances which fit in perfectly between bombastic sets from Warped tour regulars Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake and New Found Glory. Other notable performances from the day included those by State Champs complete with inflatable waving men and bubbles, Old Wounds who in my opinion dominated the Full Sail Stage, The Interrupters who despite playing later in the day were able to keep the energy going as temperatures pushed towards the 90’s. To cap off an already impressive day the closing set of the festival belonged to Sum 41 who bashed out hit after hit to the massive crowd.

Despite a scaled down lineup and production this year I felt that Warped Tour 2016 was better than ever. Sure having a bunch of stuff to do in between acts is fun and all but, when you go to a rock show you are going essentially for the music. That was clearly the focus for this year’s tour as you couldn’t have asked for a more stellar line up. Aside from the extremely long lines to get into the venue the day was a lot of fun and we heard a lot of really great music. The tour runs through August 13th so be sure to grab tickets for one of the shows closest to you. You won’t be disappointed.

Line Up:
Against the Current, Assuming We Survive, Avion Roe, Bad Seed Rising, Ballyhoo!, Broadside, Cane Hill, Chelsea Grin, Chunk! No, Captian Chunk!, Coldrain, Crown the Empire, Cruel Hand, Dash|Ten, Emarosa, Every Time I Die, Falling In Reverse, Four Year Strong, From Ashes To New, Ghost Town, Gideon, Hail the Sun, I See Stars, Ice Nine Kills, In Hearts Wake, Issues, Knuckle Puck, Less Than Jake, Like Pacific, Masked Intruder, Mayday Parade, Mother Feather, Motionless In White, New Found Glory, Oceans Ate Alaska, Old Wounds, Palaye Royale, Pepper, Real Friends, Reckless Serenade, Reel Big Fish, Roam, Safe To Say, Secrets, Set It Off, Silent Planet, Sleeping With Sirens, State Champs, Sum 41, Sykes, Teenage BottleRocket, The Color Morale, The Heirs, The Interrupters, The Maine, The Story So Far, The Word Alive, Tonight Alive, Too Close to Touch, Vanna, Veil of Maya, Volumes, Wage War, Waterparks, We the Kings, Whitechapel, With Confidence, Yellowcard, Young Guns

All photos are copy written and cannot be used without permission

 

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Filed Under: Concert Reviews, Music Tagged With: 2016, concert, ny, review, syracuse, tour, ...

Teenage Bottlerocket’s Ray Carlisle talks about being out on Warped Tour 2016

Ray Carlisle is the singer/guitarist for the Wyoming based punk band Teenage Bottlerocket. In November of 2015 the group suffered a devastating blow in the death of their drummer (Ray’s brother) Brandon Carlisle. The group made the decision to keep going and, is currently out on Warped Tour 2016 this summer promoting their latest studio release “Tales From Wyoming”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Ray after the bands set in Syracuse, NY where he spoke candidly about the bands decision to move forward and about what the band has planned for the remainder of the year.

Adam Lawton: Tell us about the bands decision to keep going after the passing of your brother in November of last year?

Ray Carlisle: The decision was something that didn’t happen overnight. Brandon passing away put a lot of things up in the like if we were going to keep going as a band and playing music and also if we were going to go out on the Warped tour this summer. We had actually confirmed our spot on the tour before Brandon passed. I personally felt that I had already lost my brother and I didn’t want to lose my band as well. I truly feel that Brandon would have wanted us to keep going. We take the stage each day with him in our minds and in our hearts. His spirit is there while we play. It’s very helpful because I like being up there playing with my buddies. Brandon and I were really close so when I’m up there it’s a chance for me to not feel alone. We were just together all the time and I miss him very much. When we finally decided to get back together Darren Chewka our new drummer was the first guy I thought of to fill Brandon’s spot. We had him come down to Wyoming for a couple days to see how he fit in and everything went real well. We are really finding our chemistry together out here and have played about 45 or so songs together throughout Warped tour as we try and play a couple different songs each day. Needless to say we have been really throwing him for a loop. That’s kind of the spirit of this band is to just go song after song so we have had some great days out here so far and we have had some terrible ones.

AL: Today you guys opened up one of the stages here. Do you find that changing set times each day makes it a little more difficult to get in to a solid routine as a band?

RC: You sort of just have to go with the groove. When you are out on Warped tour you find out at 9:30am what time your set is for that day. You then just have to adjust your whole day around that. Going first is awesome! Everyone is fresh and super excited. The down side is some people who up late so they miss things. I enjoy the earlier slots over the later ones because you can just see the energy change as the day goes on. The heat can be tough on the crowd during these shows.

AL: With this being the bands second run on the Warped tour how do you feel the tour has changed since your last appearance in 2014?

RC: I am kind of bummed that they don’t have the acoustic stage this year. I recently had a solo album come out titled “Do You Wanna Go To Tijuana” and I was hoping to be able to do double duty and play some songs off of that. They also did away with the hip hop/rap stage this year. There are less bands and stages which means a smaller line in catering. Kevin I think really did his research this year for which bands he wanted to bring out and things are really positive around everything.

AL: Your latest album came out in March of 2015. Where are you at in the writing process for your next release?

RC: We are still on the cycle for “Tales From Wyoming” however Brandon did have some songs he was working on before he passed away. Cody and I have been talking about maybe finishing those up. They don’t necessarily sound like Teenage Bottlerocket so we will have to see. Cody and I are both still writing music and we have also talked about doing a concept album as well. There will definitely be more music and shows in the future. Things really changed when Brandon died so it’s something we are going to have to embrace and move forward.

AL: After Warped tour wraps up what are the tour plans for the band?

RC: In September were going to be doing a few shows in Canada which is where our new drummer is from. We will be up there to prove to all of Derrick buddies that he is in fact in the band. It’s also really great touring up in the Edmonton area. In December we are going to be doing a European tour with a band by the name of Bones.

For more info on Teenage Bottlerocket you can check them out at http://teenagebottlerocket.com/

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Filed Under: Interviews, Music, Music Interviews Tagged With: 2016, bottlerockets, carlisle, ray, talks, teenage, ...

Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest Set For Fall 2016

THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH COMIC-CON HQ
MARK HAMILL’S POP CULTURE QUEST
SET FOR FALL 2016

The stage and screen star will host and executive produce the new series with fellow Star Wars alum, Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian

SANTA MONICA, June 2, 2016 – Best known for his iconic role as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, Mark Hamill will bring his encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture and passion for memorabilia to Comic-Con HQ, the new subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) destination that will extend the experience of San Diego Comic-Con into a year-round event.

Mark Hamill’s Pop Culture Quest, a docu-style series featuring authentic stories about passionate fans and their collections, will be hosted and produced by Hamill. Production on the series will begin in June when he returns from shooting Star Wars VIII in the U.K. The series will debut on Comic-Con HQ this fall.

Hamill has been amassing memorabilia, including comic books, toys, lunch boxes, records, puppets, original artwork, and much more since the early 1970s. Now with Pop Culture Quest, he can share his appreciation and introduce other interesting collectors and their treasures to the Comic-Con community.

“I’ve been a collector all my life,” said Hamill. “This show is a natural outgrowth of that passion. Now I have an opportunity to collect other people’s collections! I can’t wait to see what’s out there and share it with the world. Collectibles are a living history of who and what we are, so we just might learn something…but there’s no doubt we’re going to have fun!”

Seth Laderman, EVP and General Manager, Comic-Con HQ, added, “From the moment I started talking with Mark about this idea over three years ago, his enthusiasm was infectious. It had such an impact on me that after I came to Comic-Con HQ, my first call was to him and his team about how to bring this show to our community. Passion is at the heart of all of our original series, with a goal to allow innovators like Mark the opportunity to create and bring their ideas to life. We couldn’t be happier to help Mark’s show find a home.”

Hamill will once again team with his friend and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi producer Howard Kazanjian. Kazanjian was Executive Producer on Raiders of the Lost Ark and served as VP at Lucasfilm during the dramatic expansion of the company in the 1980s. Producer Darren Moorman, whose film Same Kind of Different as Me will be released next year, and longtime collector and vintage show promoter Scott Kinney will round out the producing team as Executive Producers on the series.

More news about upcoming programming and partnerships for Comic-Con HQ will be announced in the coming weeks. Anyone can register now for a free extended trial on Comic-ConHQ.com via web browsers and iOS/Android devices. The paid subscription service will officially roll out this summer across more connected devices and distribution platforms such as Roku, AppleTV and Amazon’s Streaming Partners Program, with additional devices becoming available in the months to come.

 

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Movies, TV, TV Headlines Tagged With: 2016, culture, fall, hamills, mark, pop, ...

MediaMikes 2016 Summer Movie Preview

Written by Mike Smith

As Memorial Day approaches you can count on two things: a lot of furniture stores will have sales and the multiplexes will be full. It seems like every year “summer” comes early. The first volleys have already been fired, with “Captain America: Civil War” jumping out of the gate and earning an amazing $355 million world wide in its first two weeks. Heck, even a movie based on a PHONE APP has made over $40 million in it’s first week. What’s next? Pull up your popcorn and big box of DOTS and let’s find out. As always, opening dates are subject to change at the whim of the studios. Some synopsis information courtesy of our good friends at the Internet Movie Data Base. If you want a more in-depth look at this summer’s offerings, give a listen to our special edition of the “Behind the Mikes” Podcast here. If you notice a set of initials after a title, that tells you that the film in question is highly anticipated by one of our critics (MG – Mike Gencarelli, LL – Loey Lockerby, MS: Mike Smith, JW – Jeremy Werner)

MAY 27

“Alice Through the Looking Glass”

Starring: Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp. Directed by: James Bobin.
-The continuing story of Lewis Carroll’s young heroine. Director Bobin has an extensive background with Ali G and the Muppets.

“X-Men: Apocalypse”

Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence. Directed by: Bryan Singer
-The original big, bad Mutant (Oscar Isaac) visits 1983 to settle some scores.

JUNE 3

“Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” JW

Starring: Andy Samberg, Imogen Poots and Bill Hader. Directed by: Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.
-The Lonely Island guys, who have given “Saturday Night Live” some of it’s best shorts in the last few years, tell the story of a former boy band member trying to remain relevant.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”

Starring: Megan Fox and Will Arnett. Directed by: Dave Green
-The Turtles are back and this time they’re bringing Casey Jones with them.

JUNE 10

“The Conjuring 2”

Starring: Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. Directed by: James Wan
-The further adventures of Lorraine and Ed Warren, who seem to have nothing better to do then find places and things that scare us!

“Now You See Me 2”

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson. Directed by: Jon M. Chu
-The Four Horsemen are back, as is apparently everyone from the first movie. And Dave Franco. You’ve been warned.

JUNE 17

“Central Intellegence”

Starring: Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson. Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber.
-After he reunites with an old pal through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.

“Finding Dory” MG

Starring the voices of: Ellen Degeneres and Albert Brooks. Directed by: Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane
-Everyone’s favorite blue tang is lost and her ocean friends set out to find her.

“Swiss Army Man” JW

Starring: Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe. Directed by: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
-A hopeless man stranded in the wilderness befriends a dead body and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.

JUNE 24

“Free State of Jones”

Starring: Matthew McConaughey and Keri Russell. Directed by: Gary Ross
-As the Civil War rages, a poor farmer from Mississippi leads a group of rebels against the Confederate army.

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” LL

Starring: Sam Neill and Julian Dennison. Directed by: Taika Waititi
-A national manhunt is ordered for a rebellious kid and his foster uncle who go missing in the wild New Zealand bush.

“Independence Day: Resurgence”

Starring: Bill Pullman and Liam Hemsworth. Directed by: Roland Emmerich
-They’re back. Well, not Will Smith or Randy Quaid, but Judd Hirsch is still around.

“The Shallows” MG

Starring: Blake Lively and Brett Cullen. Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
-A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills. I love “Jaws” as much as the next guy…ok, maybe more…so I’m hoping this doesn’t stink.

JULY 1

“The Purge: Election Year” JW

Starring: Frank Grillo and Elizabeth Mitchell. Directed by: James DeMonaco
-After two successful movies, it only makes sense that they would complete the trilogy, promising more bloodshed. This time around you get to see if a U.S. Senator can survive the deadly night.

“The BFG” MS

Starring: Mark Rylance and Ruby Barnhill. Directed by: Steven Spielberg.
-Meet Sophie and her friend, a Big Friendly Giant who is an outcast because he won’t eat children!

JULY 8

“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”

Starring: Adam Devine and Zac Efron. Directed by: Jake Szymanski
-Two brothers need dates for their sister’s wedding and end up running an on-line ad.


“The Secret Life of Pets” LL, MS

Starring the voices of: Jenny Slate and Lake Bell. Directed by: Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney.
-Ever wonder what Baxter and Charlie are up to when you go off to work. Wonder no more!

JULY 15

“Ghostbusters” MG

Starring: Melissa McCarthy and Kristin Wiig. Directed by: Paul Feig
-This time it’s up to the ladies to tell us that they ain’t afraid of no ghosts.

JULY 22

“Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie” LL

Starring: Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders. Directed by: Mandie Fletcher.

Edina and Patsy are still oozing glitz and glamour, living the high life they are accustomed to; shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around London’s trendiest hot-spots. Blamed for a major incident at an uber fashionable launch party, they become entangled in a media storm and are relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi.

“Star Trek Beyond” MS

Starring: Chris Pine and Zachary Qunito. Directed by: Justin Lin

J.J. Abrams has moved on and turned the reins over to multiple “Fast and Furious” director Justin Lin. I’m intrigued that Simon Pegg helped write this film.

JULY 29

“Bad Moms”

Starring: Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell. Directed by: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
-When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.

“Jason Bourne”

Starring: Matt Damon and Alicia Vikander. Directed by: Paul Greengrass
-The Jeremy Renner experiment a failure, Damon returns as Jason Bourne, a man who now remembers who he is trying to discover his past.

AUGUST 5

“Suicide Squad” MG JW

Starring: Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. Directed by: David Ayer.
-A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency. As much praise as Heath Ledger got for his stamp on the Joker, word is that Leto takes it a notch higher.

AUGUST 12

“Pete’s Dragon”

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford. Directed by: David Lowery.
-A retelling of the classic 70’s Disney musical. And no, Redford is NOT the Dragon!

“Sausage Party” MS

Starring the voices of: Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen. Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon.
-An animated movie about one sausage’s quest to discover the truth about his existence. Coming from Seth Rogen and his writing partner, Evan Goldberg, I’m expecting one long 90 minute dick joke!

AUGUST 19

“Ben Hur”

Starring: Jack Huston and Haluk Bilginer. Directed by: Timur Bekmanbetov
-A falsely accused Jewish nobleman survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his Roman best friend, who betrayed him. I’m not big on remakes, but the Chariot Race looks amazing.

“Kubo and the Two Strings” MG

Starring the voices of: Rooney Mara and Charlize Theron. Directed by: Travis Knight
-Kubo lives a quiet, normal life in a small shoreside village until a spirit from the past turns his life upside down by re-igniting an age-old vendetta.

“War Dogs” LL

Starring: Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. Directed by: Todd Phillips
-The true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan. This is the third time that Jonah Hill has played a real person on film, earning Oscar nominations the two previous times. I’m just saying.

AUGUST 26

“Blood Father”

Starring: Mel Gibson and Erin Moriarty. Directed by: Jean-Francois Richet
-An ex-con reunites with his estranged wayward 16-year old daughter to protect her from drug dealers who are trying to kill her.

“Hands of Stone”

Starring: Edgar Ramirez and Robert DeNiro. Directed by: Jonathan Jakubowicz
-The legendary Roberto Duran and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel change each other’s lives.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines, Movies Tagged With: 2016, absolutely fabulous, alice through the looking glass, apocalypse, bad moms, ben hur, ...

The Journeys Alternative Press Music Awards Fueled by Monster Energy Announces 2016 Award Show Categories & Nominees

THE JOURNEYS ALTERNATIVE PRESS MUSIC AWARDS
FUELED BY MONSTER ENERGY

ANNOUNCES 2016 AWARD SHOW CATEGORIES & NOMINEES

EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW – ALL TICKETS ON SALE APRIL 4th
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS NOW!

2016 APMAS * JULY 18, 2016 * COLUMBUS, OH
LIVE FROM SCHOTTENSTEIN CENTER

Honorees, Presenters, Performers and More Coming Soon:
WWW.ALTPRESS.COM/APMAS

As announced last month, the 2016 Journeys Alternative Press Music Awards, Fueled by Monster Energy will air live on TV and social media on the evening of July 18th from Schottenstein Center in Columbus, OH (555 Borror Dr., www.schottensteincenter.com). Displaced due to the Republican National Convention taking over its hometown of Cleveland, Alternative Press will stage their own Punk Rock Convention, hosted by Alex Gaskarth and Jack Barakat of eight-time AP cover stars All Time Low.

Although many of Alternative Press’ young readers may not be able to vote in the upcoming U.S. election, those same readers (in addition to music fans all around the globe) can let their voices be heard by voting for their favorite artists at the Alternative Press Music Awards! Voting is open now – in fact, during the past 16 hours, over 50,000 votes have been cast from 113 different countries around the world (including all 50 U.S. states). This is more than double the first round voting numbers within the first 24 hours from 2015.

See below for the official list of newly announced award categories and nominees, and visit the Vans Voting Site at www.altpress.com/apmas to cast your vote.

Best Vocalist:
1. Alex Gaskarth – All Time Low
2. Patrick Stump – Fall Out Boy
3. Kellin Quinn – Sleeping With Sirens
4. Lzzy Hale – Halestorm
5. Corey Taylor – Slipknot
6. Caleb Shomo – Beartooth

Best Drummer Presented By DW Drums:
1. Maxx Danziger – Set It Off
2. Loni Robinson – letlive.
3. Dani Washington – Neck Deep
4. Aaron Gillespie – Underoath
5. Jerod Boyd – Miss May I
6. Christian Coma – Black Veil Brides

Best Bassist Presented By Razor & Tie:
1. Skyler Acord – Issues
2. Ryan Neff – Miss May I
3. Matthew Taylor – Motion City Soundtrack
4. Ralph Sica – Being As An Ocean
5. Ahren Stringer – The Amity Affliction
6. Kelen Capener – The Story So Far

Best Guitarist:
1. Jack Fowler – Sleeping With Sirens
2. Kevin Skaff – A Day To Remember
3. Chad Gilbert – New Found Glory
4. Misha Mansoor – Periphery
5. JB Brubaker – August Burns Red
6. Kellen McGregor – Memphis May Fire

Artist Philanthropic Presented By Hopeless Records and Sub City:
1. Jake Luhrs – HeartSupport
2. Andrew McMahon – Dear Jack Foundation
3. The Used – Living the Dream
4. You Me At Six – Passport Back To The Bars, The Ghost Inside U.K. Fundraiser, PETA
5. The Wonder Years – Puppies Behind Bars, After School All-Stars, The Herren Project, Futures Without Violence
6. This Wild Life – National Breast Cancer Foundation

Most Dedicated Fanbase Presented By Fearless Records:
1. The Ghost Inside
2. New Years Day
3. Issues
4. PVRIS
5. The Maine
6. Mayday Parade

Song Of The Year Presented by Epitaph Records:
1. Pierce The Veil – “The Divine Zero”
2. Panic! At The Disco – “Hallelujah”
3. Of Mice & Men – “Would You Still Be There”
4. State Champs – “Secrets”
5. Falling in Reverse – “Just Like You”
6. Never Shout Never – “Hey! We OK”

Best International Band:
1. Babymetal [Japan]
2. Marianas Trench [Canada]
3. Parkway Drive [Australia]
4. One OK Rock [Japan]
5. As It Is [United Kingdom]
6. You Me At Six [United Kingdom]

Best Underground Band:
1. Moose Blood
2. Tiny Moving Parts
3. Creeper
4. Too Close To Touch
5. ROAM
6. Cane Hill

Breakthrough Band:
1. State Champs
2. Set It Off
3. Knuckle Puck
4. I Prevail
5. New Years Day
6. Neck Deep

Best Live Band:
1. Slipknot
2. Issues
3. Neck Deep
4. Beartooth
5. Motionless In White
6. Attila

Best Music Video Presented By Journeys:
1. Twenty One Pilots – “Stressed Out”
2. Panic! At The Disco – “Emperor’s New Clothes”
3. August Burns Red – “Identity”
4. State Champs – “If I’m Lucky”
5. The Wonder Years – “Cardinals”
6. All Time Low – “Something’s Gotta Give”

Artist Of The Year Presented By Monster Energy:
1. Real Friends
2. PVRIS
3. Fall Out Boy
4. Twenty One Pilots
5. Beartooth
6. All Time Low
7. Motionless In White
8. Slipknot
9. Panic! At The Disco
10. Sleeping With Sirens

Album Of The Year Presented By Journeys:
1. Bring Me The Horizon – That’s the Spirit
2. All Time Low – Future Hearts
3. Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface
4. Knuckle Puck – Copacetic
5. The Maine – American Candy
6. Sleeping With Sirens – Madness
7. State Champs – Around The World And Back
8. August Burns Red – Found In Far Away Places
9. Marilyn Manson – The Pale Emperor
10. Neck Deep – Life’s Not Out To Get You

Watch all of the exclusive Journeys Alternative Press Music Awards nominee announcement videos here, hosted by Tonight Alive’s Jenna McDougall and Set It Off’s Cody Carson.

Alternative Press Music Awards Early Bird tickets are on sale now – visit THIS LINKto grab yours! General sale tickets will be available through Ticketmaster beginning April 4th. In addition, the APMAs is partnering with PromoWest Fest (www.promowestfest.com, Columbus, OH, July 15-17), so tickets will also be available via their box office through Ticketmaster.

“Columbus is a huge music city, so we’re excited to host the APMAs this year. The date aligned perfectly with PromoWest Fest and we are working with the APMAs to leverage our two events to create a 4-day weekend that showcases top artists and music industry professionals. Stay tuned for some surprises,” states Becky Long, Vice President of Sales & Brand Marketing at PromoWest Fest.

Details regarding tickets and VIP packages, honorees, presenters, performers, pre-show parties, red carpet appearances, and more will be available soon via www.altpress.com/apmas.

Each Alternative Press Music Awards show has featured some of the greatest artists in modern music, ranging from today’s biggest rock stars such as Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! At The Disco and Weezer, to musical legends such as Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Slash, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Smashing Pumpkins and Ice-T. Countless renowned artists such as Rob Zombie, Blink-182, Twenty One Pilots, Taking Back Sunday, All Time Low, Motionless In White, Run of RUN DMC, Bring Me The Horizon, and beyond have appeared at the APMA’s, with spectacular performances from artists including (but not limited to) New Found Glory, Yellowcard, A Day To Remember, Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace, Motion City Soundtrack and more. Additionally, the APMA’s is recognized for presenting collaborative cover performances unlike music fans have ever seen before, like Joan Jett and Slash teaming up to perform “Star Star” by the Rolling Stones, Asking Alexandria performing Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like The Wolf” with Jonathan Davis of Korn, Halestorm and Slipknot/Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor covering Temple Of The Dog’s “Hunger Strike”, and many more.

Last year’s event – which took place July 22, 2015 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland – was a massive victory for the music community, garnering unprecedented support demonstrated by a staggering 15.7 billion total media impressions (over seven times the impressions of the 2014 show). Last year’s event also earned the title of “The GRAMMYs of Alternative Music” by TIME Magazine. The 2015 Alternative Press Music Awards achieved over 1 million views on AXS TV, and over 3 million views on YouTube. Re-live 2015’s best moments via the highlight reel here.

Building upon the success of last year’s event, the APMAs is thrilled to once again be supported by returning title sponsor Journeys, a leader in the teen specialty retail scene focused on lifestyle-driven branded footwear and accessories in over 800 stores across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. In addition to Journeys, the APMAs also welcomes fellow sponsors Monster Energy, CreativeLive, DW Drums, CD Baby, Disc Makers, Rise Records, Eleven Seven Music, Better Noise Records, Musician’s Institute, Earthquaker Devices, Razor & Tie, Hopeless Records, Sub City, Ernie Ball, Epitaph Records, Equal Vision Records, Merch Now, Vans and Fearless Records.

Don’t miss the 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards and your chance to cast your vote for your favorite bands! Check www.altpress.com/apmas over the coming weeks for new announcements and information.

The APMAs are produced by Mike Shea, Joe Scarpelli, Josh Bernstein, Kevin Lyman and Marc Grant.

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Filed Under: Music, Music Headlines Tagged With: 2016, alternative, announces, award, awards, categories, ...

Donavon Frankenreiter Heads through Florida for his 2016 Tour starting March!

Singer/guitarist/songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter is heading throughout Florida (and one show in Hilton Head Island, SC) starting in March 2016! His latest album was released in 2015 called “The Heart” and if you haven’t heard it I would highly recommend it.

Check out below for a complete list of dates to catch Donavon live! Don’t miss it!

March 10, 2016
687 Central Ave Saint Petersburg, FL – State Theatre
8pm

March 11, 2016
Culture Room 3045 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL – Fort Lauderdale, FL,
8pm

March 12, 2016
Culture Room 3045 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, FL – Fort Lauderdale, FL
8pm

March 13, 2016
FLORIDA , Key West – Parade Grounds’
7pm

March 14, 2016
Dixie Roadhouse 1023 SE 47th Terrace Cape Coral, FL – Cape Coral, FL,
7PM

March 15, 2016
Stuart, FL, – TERRA FERMATA 26 SE 6th St Stuart, FL
7pm

March 16, 2016
Plaza Live Orlando 425 N Bumby Ave Orlando, FL – Orlando, FL,
7pm

March 17, 2016
Meg O’Malley’s – FLORIDA , Melbourne
7pm

March 18, 2016
Beachside Tavern 690 E 3rd Ave New Smyrna Beach, FL – New Smyrna Beach, FL
7pm

March 19, 2016
Slide Into Spring Music & Craft Beer Festival / Main Beach Park – Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 Florida, PR
7PM

March 20, 2016
38 Shelter Cove Lane, Suite 122 City: Hilton Head Island, SC – Rooftop Bar at Poseidon Hilton Head Island
7pm

Click here to purchase tickets to any of these show above!

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: 2016, donavon, florida, frankenreiter, heads, march, ...

The top gambling apps for your smartphone in 2016

“Close up person using smartphone” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by  Japanexperterna.se 

Online gambling is such a vast and ever expanding market, and 2016 is set to see even more huge developments in the ways in which people can gamble. If you aren’t already using multiple platforms to get your gaming fix, this might be the year to do so. When wearable technology gets in on the act, you will want to be there with it. Get some of these apps for your smartphone now before you get left behind.

Betting Expert

For people who like to have a flutter on the horses or stake on the outcome of a football match, there are plenty of betting apps available to download that you can use on the move. You can also do in-play betting while at a sports event for ultimate convenience. Once you have found the betting app that suits your needs, why not download an app that provides you with those much-needed betting tips as well? Betting Expert is ideal for anyone who wants to have that extra little bit of help when placing bets. All successful bettors will tell you that one of the most important things before you even think about placing a bet is to have some insider knowledge.

With the app, players can browse sports tips and get a quick overview of the main events going on that day. It has a notifications feature which means you never miss an important tip, and you can also choose to follow your favourite tipsters so if someone helps you out with a good bet you can see what they say about another event. With loads of satisfied customer reviews, this seems like a must-have app for any gambler.

32red Casino

Online casinos are growing by the day, and most of the top ones have branched out and developed their own smartphone apps. This allows keen gamblers to play while on the move and the apps are ideal for anyone with a hectic schedule. Players who need to satisfy their blackjack or roulette urge while on the move have plenty of sites to choose from such as Vegas Slots Online, 32red, and Smartphone Casino. Taking the 32red app as an example, players have all the games that are available on the website at their fingertips. They can play blackjack by 32red and new members can take advantage of a welcome bonus. Existing members can log in to the app using the same details as they would on the computer. Once you’re in, you can bet on all the games and tables as you would do online or in a casino. Of course, there are plenty of other casino apps to choose from and, if you are already a member of an online casino, why not see if they have their own app for you to download?

World Series of Poker-WSOP


“Pocket Aces” (CC BY 2.0) by  John-Morgan

Fans of casino apps may also be interested in the wide range of poker apps available to download. There are so many to choose from, but if you don’t feel like shopping around, the World Series of Poker app is your best bet. This is a free play app where players can enjoy the thrill of playing poker games and tournaments without the risk of staking any of their own money. It is ideal for people who are a bit rusty and want to get back into the swing of things, or newcomers who want to learn the ropes. There are multi-level tournaments, players can play live with friends, and receive free chips every four hours. A great feature of the app is that it allows you to track your stats so you can look into ways to improve your game. You can connect the app with your Facebook and also play slots mini games in between hands. Once you have got the hang of things and think you know what to do when you hit bullets, then you could check out some of the other poker apps that let you play for real money.

These are only a few examples of the hundreds of great gambling apps out there right now. 2016 is set to see even more apps rise to prominence, along with apps being available on a multitude of platforms. Get with the trend now and download these apps for free.

 

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 2016, apps, gambling, smartphone, top

“The Peanuts Movie” Arrives on Digital HD February 12, Collector’s Edition Blu-ray & DVD March 8, 2016


LOS ANGELES, CA (January 12, 2016) – Fans of all ages will rejoice as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment’s THE PEANUTS MOVIE arrives on Digital HD Feb. 12 and Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™ & DVD March 8, 2016. Every underdog has his day in this fun, family film hailed by critics as “clever and charming” (USA Today), “the year’s best family film” and “funny and heart-warming” (CBS Radio News).

And for a limited time, get a Snoopy Flying Ace plush toy with THE PEANUTS MOVIE DVD,
Blu-ray™ and Digital HD combo pack on March 8 making it the perfect gift for Easter baskets.

In THE PEANUTS MOVIE, good ol’ Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved Peanuts gang appear as you’ve never seen them before in a brand-new feature film from the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of Ice Age. Join everyone’s favorite eternal optimist, Charlie Brown, as he embarks on a heroic quest, while his beagle pal Snoopy takes to the skies to pursue his arch nemesis, the Red Baron. It’s a hilarious and heart-warming adventure!

THE PEANUTS MOVIE is directed by Steve Martino (Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!) and produced and written by Bryan Schulz, Craig Schulz and Cornelius Uliano. Paul Feig (Spy, The Heat) and Michael Travers are also film producers.

With the Collector’s Edition Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD fans can go deeper into the world of THE PEANUTS MOVIE with these fun-filled special features! Watch all-new Snoopy Snippets, check out the delightful documentary about the film’s extraordinary journey from the comics to the big screen, learn to draw Peanuts characters, sing along to music videos, choose your favorite songs from Snoopy’s Playlist and more!

THE PEANUTS MOVIE Blu-ray 3D™, Blu-ray™ & Digital HD includes:

Feature film in high definition
Special Features:

  • Snoopy Snippets – Can’t get enough of your favorite Peanuts characters? These six all-new Snoopy Snippets will brighten your day!
  • You Never Grow Up Charlie Brown – In this fascinating documentary, you’ll learn about Charles Schulz, the history of the Peanuts gang, and their journey to the big screen!
  • Snoopy’s Sibling Salute – It’s a Snoopy family reunion as The Peanuts Movie filmmakers introduce viewers to Snoopy’s siblings: Andy, Olaf, Spike, Belle and Marbles.
  • Learn To Draw Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown – Director Steve Martino provides fun, step-by-step tutorials on how to draw Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown.
  • Get Down With Snoopy and Woodstock Music Video – Clap, dance and sing along with Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown to an all-new version of everyone’s favorite Peanuts song!
  • “Better When I’m Dancin’” Meghan Trainor Lyric Video – The Peanuts gang is dancing up a storm with moves like you’ve never seen before—and on-screen lyrics so you can sing along.
  • “Better When I’m Dancin’” Meghan Trainor Music Video – Escape to a wonderful, whimsical world with Meghan Trainor’s music video for her hit song “Better When I’m Dancin’.”
  • Behind The Scenes of “Better When I’m Dancin’” – Meghan Trainor takes you on an exclusive tour behind the scenes and on the set of her “Better When I’m Dancin’” music video!
  • Snoopy’s Playlist – Now the music from the movie is at your fingertips—use Snoopy’s Playlist to jump directly to your favorite songs.

THE PEANUTS MOVIE DVD includes:

Feature film in standard definition
Special Features:

  • Snoopy Snippets – Can’t get enough of your favorite Peanuts characters? These six all-new Snoopy Snippets will brighten your day!
  • Learn To Draw Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown – Director Steve Martino provides fun, step-by-step tutorials on how to draw Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown.
  • Get Down With Snoopy and Woodstock Music Video – Clap, dance and sing along with Snoopy, Woodstock and Charlie Brown to an all-new version of everyone’s favorite Peanuts song!
  • “Better When I’m Dancin’” Meghan Trainor Lyric Video – The Peanuts gang is dancing up a storm with moves like you’ve never seen before—and on-screen lyrics so you can sing along.
  • “Better When I’m Dancin’” Meghan Trainor Music Video – Escape to a wonderful, whimsical world with Meghan Trainor’s music video for her hit song “Better When I’m Dancin’.”
  • Behind The Scenes of “Better When I’m Dancin’” – Meghan Trainor takes you on an exclusive tour behind the scenes and on the set of her “Better When I’m Dancin’” music video!
  • Snoopy’s Playlist – Now the music from the movie is at your fingertips—use Snoopy’s Playlist to jump directly to your favorite songs.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 12, 2016, 8, arrives, bluray, collectors, ...

“Gasper Noe’s LOVE” Available on Blu-ray and DVD on January 5, 2016

AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD ON JANUARY 5, 2016
Los Angeles, CA (November 24, 2015) — Alchemy is proud to announce the home entertainment release of the intense drama, LOVE starring Aomi Muyock, Karl Gussman (Ratter), Klara Kristin. Written and directed by first time feature filmmaker, Gasper Noe, LOVE premiered at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival and was an official selection at the Festival De Cannes 2015.  LOVE has a running time of 130 minutes, is not rated and will be available on Blu-ray™ and DVD on January 5, 2016.

LOVE is a sexual melodrama about a boy and a girl and another girl. It’s a love story, which celebrates sex in a joyous way.

ABOUT ALCHEMY
Alchemy is the largest independent distributor of film and television content across all platforms and windows in North America. Alchemy develops tailored distribution strategies, from theatrical release to DVD, digital, VOD, and television.  Under CEO Bill Lee’s direction, the company has distributed the work of some of the world’s finest filmmakers including Richard Linklater, Werner Herzog, Gregg Araki, Dito Montiel, John Hillcoat, John Turturro, Lee Daniels, Oren Moverman and James Cameron. The company’s current releases include Ravi and Geeta Patel’s MEET THE PATELS, and Gaspar Noe’s LOVE, with past successes including WELCOME TO ME, FADING GIGOLO, WHAT MAISIE KNEW, RAMPART, and BERNIE. Upcoming releases include Nanni Moretti’s MIA MADRE, Rob Zombie’s 31, Yorgos Lanthimos’s THE LOBSTER, and Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s French horror film EVOLUTION.

Alchemy boasts the independent content industry’s preeminent end-to-end supply chain solution for physical and digital distribution. The company is the industry’s largest physical distributor outside of the major studios and Lionsgate, representing the majority of non-studio content at Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Sam’s Club and is the leading independent supplier to digital platforms including iTunes, Netflix and VOD.

Alchemy owns a catalog of more than 1,000 film titles and has deals for the ongoing distribution of film titles and programming for clients including DreamWorks Animation, Magnolia, Microsoft, MPI Media, Music Box Films, nCircle, Phase 4 Films, PBS Distribution, Team Marketing, Well Go USA and Vertical, among many others.

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 2016, 5, bluray, dvd, gasper, january, ...

Witness Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Schenker and More on the 2016 Axes & Anchors Cruise

Learn from Your Favorite Musicians on the High Seas!

Featuring More than 40 Blazing Performances

Tons of FREE Guitar Workshops with Guitar Heroes

Personal Meet & Greets

Gear Demos and Tutorials

On-Board Parties and Exotic Beach Stops

+ More Bands Confirming Soon!

Book Your Cabins Now at www.AxesAndAnchors.com

In an age where heavy metal music cruises with high-profile line-ups are becoming a dime a dozen, it’s about time that true guitar pros, gearheads, theorists and hobbyists have a voyage of their own. Imagine a cruise exclusively planned for guitarists and instrumentalists, featuring performances and personal lessons from some of the greatest guitar gods on the planet.

Wake up – you are not dreaming! Prepare to learn from the masters on what fans have dubbed the “shredders cruise”: the 5-day/4-night AXES & ANCHORS cruise aboard the Carnival Victory, departing from Miami, FL on February 20, stopping in Key West, FL and Nassau, Bahamas, and docking back in Miami on February 24.

Witness blazing performances and take lessons directly from world-class rock and metal guitarists including ZAKK WYLDE (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society), YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, MICHAEL SCHENKER (Scorpions, UFO, MSG), ALEX SKOLNICK (Testament, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), TRACII GUNS (Guns N’ Roses, LA Guns), DARIO LORINA (Black Label Society, Lizzy Borden), and more, all while sailing the high seas and visiting exotic locales.

Passengers can look forward to more than 40 performances, about a dozen free guitar workshops, as well as games and mingling with guitar gods, and more. In addition, the cruise plans on featuring gear demos and displays from some of today’s premier guitar and gear manufacturers.

World-renowned guitarist and AXES & ANCHORS performer ALEX SKOLNICK states, “For generations now, the guitar has remained a source of creativity and symbol of coolness, defying strange musical trends, poor economic forecasts and more, all the while providing a sonic backdrop to good times and bad. I consider it a great honor to be joining Yngwie, Zakk and many other great players as part of AXES & ANCHORS, the very first cruise built around the guitar.” 

Tickets for the cruise start at the competitive rate of just $899 per person (based on double occupancy), and include all accommodations, meals, concerts, open workshops, games, photo ops and more. Since the ship holds a limited number of passengers, early booking is highly encouraged.  Sail less-expensively and get more heavy metal bang for your buck on the AXES & ANCHORS cruise! Tickets are on sale now at www.AxesAndAnchors.com, and monthly payment plans are available

“This cruise will surely appeal to guitar players who want to take their skills to the next level in this really fun, unique, and immersive setting,” said Ann Squire, co-owner of AXES & ANCHORS.  “Passengers will get to meet their idols and learn from them in between stops at exotic beaches and on-board parties. All of the performers are bringing full bands, and we will be adding some iconic bands to our lineup as well, but as our name implies, the focus now is on guitar-dominated rock.

Squire is also thrilled to have fans experience the unique “pool stage” featured on the AXES & ANCHORS cruise. “The pool stage is unique because it was designed as a pool “theatre”.  Most stages built on a pool deck are the typical raised stage and then a large flat area in front for standing or sitting that goes back but on the same level.  This stage is raised with a flat area in front but has tiered levels as it goes back. The different tiers allow for much better viewing for those not as close to the front of the stage.  You don’t have to be concerned about the guy in front who is 7 feet tall when you’re only 5’3”.”

Stay tuned for more artist announcements, various upcoming contests in addition to more workshops and activities (both music and non-music related), and more!

Follow AXES & ANCHORS at:

Website: www.axesandanchors.com

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/AxesCruise

Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/AxesCruise/

Twitter: @axescruise

 

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: 2016, anchors, axes, cruise, malmsteen, michael, ...

Jesse Ventura talks about his new show on Ora.TV, “Off the Grid” and 2016 Presidential election rumors

You might know him by the name Jesse “The Body” Ventura or Governor Jesse Ventura, the former pro-wrestler and Minnesota governor has a new online TV series on Ora.TV called “Off the Grid”,a daily political news show, starting January 27th, 2014. If you want to know what happens when the mainstream media is owned by the corporations and isn’t diligently investigating or reporting the news? Then you are going to want to turn in to this show at www.ora.tv/offthegrid. Media Mikes had a chance to ask him a few questions about the show and about the rumors of him running for President in 2016.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what we can expect from your online TV series “Off the Grid”?
Jesse Ventura: Tune in to find out! Every episode will feature news you won’t hear anywhere else. Mainstream media is too focused on entertainment. We hear more about when an actress trips in a dress during an award show than the fact that the majority of Congress only works three days a week. The main focus of my show is the hypocrisy of America’s political leaders – nothing and no one is off limits. I am “Off the Grid” in the sense that I don’t have anyone telling me what to report or how to report. All I am interested in reporting is the truth.

MG: How did you end up getting involved with Ora.TV?
JV: Through Larry King. After I went on Larry’s show [Politicking] he told me that Ora TV gives him the freedom to report what he wants and that greatly appealed to me.

MG: What do you think the benefits are of working in internet TV?
JV: My show is being produced at undisclosed locations in Mexico, so I can avoid any threats of government censorship. That’s the true benefit of internet TV. I give the people the news they want to hear and I don’t have to worry about corporations or big brother getting in the way and censoring me.

MG: Tell us how you plan to interact fans on social media like Facebook and Twitter?
JV: The show will have several features which will allow me to answer questions from Facebook and Twitter fans. There will be an #AskJesse segment where I’ll answer any questions fans have and they’ll also be able to suggest questions to ask my upcoming guests too. There’s more information about this on my blog: http://OffTheGridBlog.ora.tv

MG: Can you talk to us about the rumors of you running for President in 2016?
JV: I’ll be addressing those rumors on my show, but again, running for president as an independent comes down to two things: ballot access in all 50 states and participation in the debates. Like I say, if I can debate ’em, I can beat ’em.

Here is some Media Mikes exclusive content from “Off the Grid”

Here is the first episode of “Off the Grid”

.

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Filed Under: Interviews, TV Interviews Tagged With: 2016, election, grid, jesse, oratv, presidential, ...

DVD Review “2016: Obama’s America”

Directed by: Dinesh D’Souza, John Sullivan
Starring: Dinesh D’Souza
Distributed by: Lionsgate
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: October 16, 2012
Running time: 89 minutes

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

It is rare that a documentary makes this big of a splash. With 2012 being a Presidential election year, it is not unexpected though. Back in 2004, Michael Moore released “Fahrenheit 9/11”, which didn’t shine light well on George Bush. “2016: Obama’s America” is Dinesh D’Souza’s attempt to show the unknown story of Obama. It is like a repeat of 2004 for me personally, except this time I am on the other-side of the table. The film has grossed over $30 million at the box office, so it has this hype behind it but I wasn’t going for it at all. Having voted for Obama myself back in 2004, and will again in 2012, even though the film is anti-Obama I still thought I would give it a shot. I wasn’t looking to be converted to the “dark side”, just curious to see his points.  Let’s just say that 89 minutes felt like over 3 hours.

Official Premise: Immersed in exotic locales across four continents, best-selling author Dinesh D’Souza races against time to find answers to Obama’s past and reveal where America will be in 2016. During this journey he discovers how “Hope” and “Change” became radically misunderstood, and identifies new flashpoints for hot wars in mankind’s greatest struggle. The journey moves quickly over the arc of the old colonial empires, into America’s empire of liberty, and we see the unfolding realignment of nations and the shape of the global future.

The film is based on the New York Times best seller by Dinesh D’Souza, “The Roots of Obama’s Rage”, who is a former staffer for President Ronald Reagan and member of the American Enterprise Institute. I may not agree with Dinesh’s speculation about where America may be four years from now if President Obama is re-elected but he isn’t really bashing our president just providing his views focusing on the negative angles.  Love it or hate it.  Everyone is able to have their own opinions and this is expected around election time.  The DVD was obviously rushed from theaters and released to be timed with events this November comes completely bare-bones with no extra content at all. It also is only available on DVD, no Blu-ray. This will definitely find a market within the conservative parties but will not appeal to any supporters of our current President.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 2016, america, dvd, obamas, review
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