Jennifer Lopez Inappropriately Brings “JLO” to Motown at The Grammys

Jennifer Lopez and Smokey Robinson at The Grammys
Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

Jennifer Lopez’s presence alone just about guarantees a solid, show-stopping performance at any show, but that doesn’t make it an appropriate choice, especially when Motown is involved. She’s received hefty criticism as the choice performer for the Grammys’ Motown tribute, in which she sang “My Girl,” alongside Smokey Robinson, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” with Alicia Keys, “Another Star” with Ne-Yo, “Please Mr. Postman”, and “Money (That’s What I Want).”

Berry Gordy, who founded Motown Records in 1959 sat in the audience and according to Lopez, was “thrilled” with her involvement. During his tenure, Gordy signed some serious titans, including The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Commodores, the Velvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder and the Jackson 5. The twitter-sphere has rightfully suggested that Gladys Knight or Stevie Wonder would have been a far more suitable choice. Lopez furthered that, “Any type of music can inspire any type of artist. You can’t tell people what to love. You can’t tell people what they can and can’t do, what they should sing or not sing. You gotta do what’s in your heart.” Smokey Robinson also came to her defense, saying, “Anyone who is upset is stupid.”

First, I resent being called stupid for making an extremely obvious-yet-important point. To quote one twitter user, “No doubt Latinos would be upset if they had a black soul singer doing a tribute to Latin music.” Additionally, while Motown lives in everyone’s heart, I find it distasteful to forgo using a black artist, especially during Black History Month. Have we learned NOTHING? Remember Emma Stone’s recent “I’m Sorry” exclamation about playing an Asian-American role in ‘Aloha?” Or how about Scarlett Johansson whitewashing ‘Ghost in a Shell?’ To say it’s simply about the art, is to demean the contribution of African American artists who represent the history of Motown. It’s whitewashing, and it’s extremely important to point out — NOT stupid. Finally, if you’re going to do a Motown tribute — at the very least — change up your standard “JLO.” I love a good leotard, and she can certainly rock it, but nothing about her performance suggested Motown. Nothing except the songs itself.

Maroon 5 at Super Bowl LIII – Review

Dale Zanine, USA Today Sports

If you had no knowledge of Maroon 5 and tuned into the Super Bowl halftime show last night, you’d have thought Adam Levine was a solo act. That’s a shame, especially since I’ve seen Maroon 5 live, and the only good part of the show is lead guitarist James Valentine. Mr. Valentine is the extremely well-dressed, long-haired gentleman who can play. He’s often lost in the shadows of Levine, who is less than generous to his band. When I saw them perform live at The Forum, his band was barely visible behind the ridiculous light show and stage placement. If you’re curious what it looks like when a lead singer is generous to his fellow musicians, go see Bruce Springsteen live. I realize that no one compares to The Boss, but given his performing prowess, one might expect that he too would steal the spotlight at the expense of his band — and he does the opposite.

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Future, Ciara, and Russell Wilson Drama Continues

In the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp, my eyes have opened to sexism in the media, and one such realization lies in the fact that men are often way more dramatic and messy than women. Such is the case with Future, who took aim at Seattle Seahawks player and husband of Ciara (his baby mamma), Russell Wilson, during a Beats1 interview radio interview saying:

[Wilson] do exactly what she tell him to do… He not tellin’ her, ‘Chill out with that on the internet. Don’t even talk to him. I’m your husband! You better not even bring Future’s name up!’ If that was me, she couldn’t even bring his name up. She know that. She couldn’t even bring her exes’ names up.

It’s interesting that Future recently said the hardest part of monogamy is a woman’s jealousy when his own statement about Ciara confirmed his hypocrisy. Any man that imposes parameters on what his wife/girlfriend can and cannot say is inherently possessive and jealous. That being said, Ciara and Wilson’s response seems even less mature. Posting a picture of Future’s son on social media is an innate jab wrapped in a pretty bow. If Future has inherent issues with his access/role in his son’s life, keep it private. In fact, keep the entire thing private.

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All that matters. #Love

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Rise Above.

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The Revivalists Hit Los Angeles — Catch Them on Tour Now

I have yet to see a show at the legendary Red Rocks  Amphitheatre, but I’ve hiked the venue in the daytime, and it’s jaw-dropping. Below is a video of The Revivalists performing “All My Friends” live from the Denver, Colorado spot. The Top 10 Alternative Radio hit can be found on their ‘Take Good Care’ LP, which was released in November of last year. The band will be performing in Los Angeles tomorrow, January 19, at The Forum for   iHeartRadio ALTer Ego 2019  alongside  twenty one pilots, Muse, The Killers, Weezer, Rise Against, and Bishop Briggs.

The Revivalists consist of David Shaw (lead vocals, guitar), Zack Feinberg (guitar), Ed Williams [pedal steel guitar), George Gekas (bass), MichaelGirardot (keyboard, trumpet), RobIngraham (saxophone), Andrew Campanelli (drums) and PJ Howard (drums, percussion). 

Catch them on tour now.

Adam Lambert Moves Cher to Tears at Kennedy Center Honors

CBS Photo Archive

Adam Lambert is one of the best voices of our generation, and the former American Idol finalist proved his vocal prowess once again with a stunning rendition of Cher’s “Believe” at The Kennedy Center honors, which left the legend in tears. Cher later took to twitter to express her adoration for Lambert’s performance, saying her “senses [were] overwhelmed.”

You can catch Lambert with Queen for their 2019 Rhapsody tour. Watch below.

Lorde v. Kanye: Battle of the Boxes

Kanye West and Es Devlin
Photo courtesy of @esdevlin

Lorde Have Mercy

Kanye West is an easy target, and he’s the subject of some much-deserved criticism as of late. But don’t touch the man on the music front. Lorde recently took to Instagram to proclaim that Kanye and Kid Cudi (the Kids See Ghosts rap duo) lifted Lorde’s floating stage in the shape of a box, saying:

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TV Tunes: Jessica Lamb’s “Just Don’t Have the Time”

Jessica Lamb singerDiscovered the gem that is Jessica Lamb while watching Teen Mom OG (don’t judge), and the Shazam-worthy moment brought me to “Just Don’t Have the Time,” which you can listen to below. As for who she is behind-the-scenes, there is little to know information on her personal page, so the music will have to speak for itself.

Florence + The Machine Slays at The Hollywood Bowl

Florence Welch performing at the Hollywood Bowl with Florence + The Machine
Photo by Lillie Eiger

AN UNFORGETTABLE ENTRANCE

I’ve been to a lot of shows at the Hollywood Bowl and it’s not my favorite venue (I prefer The Greek). But if you ask non-concertgoers in Los Angeles, they will overwhelmingly endorse the Bowl. It’s legendary. Plus, it certainly helps that the Bougie wine-and-cheese crowd can pay a little extra to sit inside a glorified box. It was not until seeing Florence + The Machine that I finally realized the true value of that venue. At approximately 9:15 p.m., Florence Welch entered the stage in unison with her very talented musicians, and it was as if the heavens opened up and released a gift from G-d amidst the stars and the mountains. The aesthetics of a show are often overlooked, and she optimized every inch of available space. Her staging was impeccable, with perfect lighting and a background that made the large area feel incredibly intimate.

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‪Amos Lee Plays Steamboat’s ‘Strings Music Festival’

Photo by Molly McCormick

Nestled in the stunning town of Steamboat, Colorado is the Strings Music Pavilion, which showcases over 60 genre-spanning performances during the summer months. The venue houses just 569 people, which provides for a beautiful, personal experience between the audience and the artist. As a devoted Steamboat-goer since a very early age, I can safely say that the venue and concerts have only improved over the years. And given its uncompromising quality at the outset, that’s a mighty task.

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Dispatch Releases New Song — Listen Now

There is a soft spot in my heart for Dispatch, given that the indie band made the rounds in my college, and since they’re still playing to sold out crowds, their new song is worth mentioning. With their first album in five years. ‘America, Location 12,’ they will be releasing  a special song every couple of weeks throughout the summer and the collection will culminate as one bundle after the last song is out later this year.  Listen to their latest release below, and catch them on tour soon.