Dr. Blackwell's BLOG

Friday, February 18, 2011

Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” Video Released

Filed under: Popular Music — Dr. Christopher Blackwell @ 01:58

 

The Princess of Pop herself has released a new video for her single “Hold It Against Me” the first single off her upcoming (March 2011) album. The single was Spears’ 18th single to debut at #1. Only Madonna, with 25 #1 debut singles, tops Spears as the female artist with more debut #1 singles. Last week when Lady GaGa released “Born This Way” Britney was knocked out of the top spot. GaGa also crushed Spears record-selling digital downloads. “Hold It Against Me” was downloaded 411,000+ times when it released but “Born This Way” reached over 460,000 downloads in just 3 days! Watch the fun and poppy video for “Hold It Against Me” by following the URL below. Britney obviously had a lot of fun recording this one and she looks as HOTT as ever! If this song is any indication, her upcoming album should be great! Follow the Link to watch the video: Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” Video Released

Erasure Begins Recording New Album

Filed under: Popular Music — Dr. Christopher Blackwell @ 01:47

The internationally successful pop-synth duo Erasure headed to Vince Clark’s studio in Maine today to begin laying down tracks they’ve been working on for over 3 years! Erasure’s last album (2007’s Light at the End of the World) was a major success and was followed-up by an international tour that sold-out practically every city in which it played. The Light at the End of the World Tour played a sold-out Hard Rock Live in Orlando on July 8th 2007. Erasure has a few 2011 tour dates booked (including a March 25th performance in Miami as part of the Ultra Music Festival) but has already announced a world tour that will embark at the end of 2011 after the release of their album. Below, Erasure’s Vince Clark is pictured with one of the producers of the album Vincent Frank (of Frankmusik). You can follow Erasure’s progress in the Cabin Studio by accessing their Web Cam: http://www.vinceclarkemusic.com/studiocam/index.html.

Zach Wahls, Brave College Student who Testified for Equality in Iowa Talks to Ellen

Filed under: GLBT Social Issues and Civil Rights — Dr. Christopher Blackwell @ 01:30

An initiative to repeal marriage equality in Iowa, spear-headed by Republicans in Iowa’s House of Representatives, has been underway for the past few weeks. Democrats have vowed they will do whatever is in their power to make sure the Republicans are unsuccessful. Last week, Zach Wahls, a 19 year-old University of Iowa engineering major who was raised by two lesbian moms, provided testimony against the bigoted effort. Today, he appeared on Ellen and gave an incredible and inspiring interview. Take a look below:

Monday, February 14, 2011

Lady GaGa Wins Grammy, Gives Incredible Performance

Filed under: Popular Music — Dr. Christopher Blackwell @ 02:56

Lady GaGa’s new single “Born This Way” released on Friday has already been downloaded more times on iTunes than any other single in history–in over 21 countries! But, if that wasn’t enough–the pop superstar won the Grammy Award on Sunday for Pop Album of the Year for The Fame Monster. Just minutes before, she gave an incredible live performance of the new single. Congratulations to Lady GaGa for her Grammy win! Take a look at her performance below:

Roxette Performs Medley

Filed under: Popular Music — Dr. Christopher Blackwell @ 02:50

  From TDR: Roxette’s perfomance this weekend on the German television program “Wetten, das…?” was a high-energy medley of “She’s Got the Look,” “It Must Have Been Love,” and the new single “She’s Got Nothing On (But the Radio).” The set designer had Roxette performing in an open tunnel lit mostly with blue spotlights. In the audience shots, several fans could be seen wearing “Charm School Girl” t-shirts, complete with graduation caps at the end. The host said “Welcome back!” to Roxette and presented Marie with a bouquet of sunflowers and yellow roses. Per said the show went “very, very well.” Take a look at their great performance below:

Wonderland Close to Opening on Broadway

Filed under: Performing Arts — Dr. Christopher Blackwell @ 02:46

wonderlandcover The musical Wonderland: A New Alice. A New Musical which got its start under a slightly different subtitle (The New Adventures of Alice) at the Tampa Bay Center for the Performing Arts, is close to opening on the Great White Way. The show begins previews March 21st at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre. The show opened in Tampa at the end of 2009 and was the first ever workshop produced by TBPAC specifically as a Broadway-bound musical. According to Playbill:

Wonderland is a new pop musical about a modern mom who goes down Alice’s rabbit hole, has a book by Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy, lyrics by Jack Murphy, music by Frank Wildhorn, choreography by Marguerite Derricks and direction by Gregory Boyd. It will open April 17. The company features Janet Dacal (In the Heights) as Alice, Darren Ritchie (Little Shop of Horrors, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as White Knight, E. Clayton Cornelious (The Scottsboro Boys, A Chorus Line) as Caterpillar, Jose Llana (Spelling Bee, Flower Drum Song) as El Gato, Karen Mason (Hairspray, Mamma Mia!) as Queen of Hearts, Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde, Cabaret, Jekyll and Hyde) as Mad Hatter, Carly Rose Sonenclar (Les Miserables, Little House on the Prairie) as Chloe, Edward Staudenmayer (Spamalot, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me) as White Rabbit and Danny Stiles (regional productions of Guys and Dolls and Sister Act: The Musical) as Morris.

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