Month: July 2015

Music

ARTIST TO WATCH: @halsey

by KristinLeave a Comment on ARTIST TO WATCH: @halsey

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Halsey was introduced to me by my niece and we were lucky enough to see her live when she opened up for Imagine Dragons here in Ft. Lauderdale earlier this month.

Although she doesn’t have a full length album out just yet, never fear…it’s on the way!  Halsey’s first LP, entitled Badlands is set for release on August 28, 2015 and I’m sure it will do extremely well.

Until then, you can check out her Vevo channel and you can also preview some of her previously released singles from her Room 93 EP as well as a few singles from the upcoming LP.

Looking for suggestions?  I’m loving ‘Hold Me Down’, ‘Ghost‘ and ‘New Americana.’  Another song of hers to look out for is called ‘Castle’ which has yet to be release, but it was incredible live.

ALSO…keep an eye out for more tour dates for the Badlands Tour coming soon!

Find her here:

Official Site
Badlands Tour Dates

Movies

Pitbull (& cast) visit Wynwood mural created for upcoming film, Straight Outta Compton!

by KristinLeave a Comment on Pitbull (& cast) visit Wynwood mural created for upcoming film, Straight Outta Compton!

On Friday, July 24, to celebrate the release of Straight Outta Compton, a mural was unveiled at the famous art district of Wynwood in Miami. The mural was created by a talented group of Latino artists known as TATS CRU.

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The mural honors several Miami artists that have made an impact in the world of music – specifically hip hop and rap as well as the film Straight Outta Compton.

Stars from the film, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Jason Mitchell, as well as original member of NWA, Ice Cube and director F. Gary Gray were on-site to personally check out the mural.

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As word spread about the mural, Pitbull could not resist and visited the mural later that night to share photos with his fans on Facebook.  He also included a photo of the mural on Twitter.

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON and Q&A at Miami screening 7/23/15

by KristinLeave a Comment on Movie Review: STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON and Q&A at Miami screening 7/23/15

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Directed By: F. Gary Gray

Written By: Jonathan Herman, Alan Wenkus, S. Leigh Savidge and Andrea Berloff

Produced By: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Tomica Woods-Wright, F. Gary Gray and Scott Bernstein

Starring: Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Aldis Hodge and Neil Brown, Jr. and Paul Giamatti

Production Company: Legendary Pictures, Cube Vision & Will Packer Productions

Distributed By: Universal Pictures

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Straight Outta Compton is a biopic directed by the incredible F. Gary Gray (Friday, Set It Off, The Italian Job, A Man Apart, Law Abiding Citizen).   The film follows five young men from Compton, California in the mid-1980s, and their quest to create reality rap. Dr. Dre (Corey Hawkins), Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.), Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) and DJ Yella (Neil Brown, Jr.) use their experiences with police brutality, women and life in the hood to speak truth to their audience. Coming together as N.W.A., the group changed the music industry by speaking honestly about issues that were banned during that generation. Figuring out the business, who to trust and how to survive as a family are all aspects at the forefront of this story, and it’s one we can all understand.

The performances in this film were absolutely incredible. The casting was spot on, and almost made you feel like you were watching the real N.W.A. The dialogue had the entire theater laughing during a lot of the scenes, which was great. If you’ve seen any of his other films or music videos, you already know that F. Gary Gray has a genius eye for filmmaking, and this film was no different.

I’ll admit that, going into this film, I didn’t have very high expectations, BUT after watching it…I can honestly say that I loved it! It took me back to a time when real hip hop with actual lyrics was important, and we got to see how these labels and careers really took off with no regard to the abusive authority figures that were trying to hold them down because of the color of their skin.

After the film, there was a Q&A with F. Gary Gray, Ice Cube, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and Jason Mitchell that was hosted by DJ Laz, and it was nothing short of amazing. You can tell the group really got along and worked hard to put this film together. Please see the video of the Q&A below:

Make sure to see Straight Outta Compton in theaters on August 14, 2015.

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Blog

“FURIOUS 7” TO SPONSOR CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY XFINITY SERIES RACE

by KristinLeave a Comment on “FURIOUS 7” TO SPONSOR CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY XFINITY SERIES RACE

“FURIOUS 7” TO SPONSOR CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY XFINITY SERIES RACE

Cast Member Chris “Ludacris” Bridges named Grand Marshal of the Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 19

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Chicagoland Speedway today announced Furious 7, the $1.5 billion worldwide box- office blockbuster and most successful installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, as the title sponsor for its NASCAR XFINITY Series race on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Furious 7 300 will feature cast member Chris “Ludacris” Bridges in the pace car and leading the field to the green flag as NASCAR’s stars of tomorrow set the stage for the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Furious 7 will be released on Digital HD on August 25 and Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on September 15 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) as an all-new extended edition. The film has become the highest-grossing movie in the history of the franchise.

“As we saw first-hand with our ground breaking Fast Five partnership back in 2011, UPHE understands the thrills that come along with great racing and the power that can be harnessed through NASCAR Nation,” said Scott Paddock, President of Chicagoland Speedway. “We’re looking forward to giving Furious 7 and its home entertainment release the national platform that a Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend can uniquely deliver.”

“We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Chicagoland Speedway for this prestigious NASCAR tradition,” added John Morici, Managing Director, US & Canada, UPHE.  “What better way to celebrate this global blockbuster home entertainment release than to be part of an American institution synonymous with speed, cars, and family.  This event is sure to be an unforgettable, adrenaline-fueled experience for racing fans.”

In Furious 7, the entire Fast & Furious crew reunites in purpose for an epic international adventure, hunted by a vengeful assassin from Abu Dhabi to London to Tokyo and the Dominican Republic as they try to retrieve a highly advanced piece of espionage technology and rescue the gifted hacker who created it.  Furious 7 stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey and Nathalie Emmanuel with Kurt Russell and Jason Statham.

The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, Sept. 18-20, will begin with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race under the lights on Friday night. On Saturday, Sept. 19, the NASCAR XFINITY Series will hit the track as the precursor to Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series showdown, the first race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. In addition to the racing action, fans can enjoy live musical entertainment, Champions Park, tailgating and more. Tickets start at just $25 with kids tickets (12 and under) $25 OFF, and parking is always free at Chicagoland Speedway.

Tickets can be purchased online at ChicagolandSpeedway.com, by calling 888-629-RACE, through the Chicagoland Speedway mobile app,  or by visiting the Chicagoland Speedway Administrative office Monday-Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm.

The complete 2015 NASCAR schedule at Chicagoland Speedway is as follows:

Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup

Date                             Event

Friday, Sept. 18             I-Cash Pole Qualifying and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Saturday, Sept. 19        Furious 7 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series Race

Sunday, Sept. 20          NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

For more information on Chicagoland Speedway, stay connected on Twitter and Facebook or by visiting ChicagolandSpeedway.com.

 

TV Reviews

SDCC: #TheWalkingDead and #FeartheWalkingDead Trailer Reviews

by Kristin1 Comment on SDCC: #TheWalkingDead and #FeartheWalkingDead Trailer Reviews

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2015 San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone. Trailers have begun to hit the internet, including THE WALKING DEAD Season 6 trailer and FEAR THE WALKING DEAD Season 1 trailer.

Variety Radio Online hosts Mike ‘the movie guy’, Jesus, Brancey, Bri and myself, decided to get together, watch and then review both trailers. Have YOU watched them yet?

Trailer Review (Podcast)

FEAR THE WALKING DEAD airs August 23 on AMC

THE WALKING DEAD season 6 airs October 11 on AMC

See more at iWatchMike.com

Jesus (ThisFunktional.com)

Kristin (AccordingtoKristin.com)

TheVRO.com

Music

ARTIST TO WATCH: @XAMBASSADORS

by Kristin1 Comment on ARTIST TO WATCH: @XAMBASSADORS

If you think you haven’t heard of this band yet, chances are you’re wrong.  Some of their songs have been featured in video games, commercials, TV show promos and movies.  If, by some odd chance, you haven’t heard said songs, I can guarantee you will soon.

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X Ambassadors consists of members Sam Harris, Casey Harris, Noah Feldshuh (Update: Noah Feldshuh took an indefinite hiatus from the band in 2016) and Adam Levin.  They’re an alternative band from Ithaca, New York who have an amazing, authentic sound to them.  Blending rock, soul and hip hop vibes that create an unconventional sound is what draws you in, and their lyrics get you hooked.  Thankfully (for us), they were discovered by Imagine Dragons lead singer, Dan Reynolds, after he heard an acoustic version of “Unconsolable” on the radio.  What makes them extra unique is that lead singer, Sam, and pianist, Casey, are brothers and Casey was born blind.  This didn’t stop him from living the dream and helping to create this dynamic sound.

Luckily, X Ambassadors recently released their first full album, entitled VHS (track list below) and it definitely doesn’t disappoint.

On a personal note, prior to the release of their album, my eleven year old niece introduced me to their song, Unsteady.  I immediately loved it, but a few weeks later, my dad was diagnosed with end stage liver cancer.  As we sat in hospice waiting for him to stop fighting, I found comfort in the song.  I tweeted about it and found that other fans had similar experiences with the song, and I even got a response from the band showing support for my family and I.  So, not only is their music great to listen to, the band itself is humble enough to show support to those of us who support them!

Here’s the track listing for VHS and you can buy the album on iTunes here:

1. Y2K Time Capsule (Interlude)
2. Renegades
3. Moving Day (Interlude)
4. Unsteady
5. Hang On
6. Gorgeous
7. First Show (Interlude)
8. Fear (feat. Imagine Dragons)
9. Smoke (Interlude)
10. Nervous
11. Low Life (feat. Jamie N Commons)
12. Adam & Noah’s Priorities (Interlude)
13. B.I.G.
14. Feather
15. Superpower
16. Loveless
17. Jungle (feat. Jamie N. Commons)
18. Good News On the Remix (Interlude)
19. Naked
20. VHS Outro (Interlude)

Also, check out this video of an acoustic version of one of my favorite songs on the album:

X Ambassadors Official Site

TV

COMCAST OFRECE AHORA LLAMADAS TELEFÓNICAS ILIMITADAS A CASI MEDIO MUNDO

by KristinLeave a Comment on COMCAST OFRECE AHORA LLAMADAS TELEFÓNICAS ILIMITADAS A CASI MEDIO MUNDO

La Compañía Agrega a México a su Plan de Llamadas Más Popular Sin Costo Adicional

Xfinity Voice

Comcast anunció que agregó a México a su plan de llamadas más popular, Xfinity Voice Unlimited, un cambio que se ofrece sin costo adicional y que brinda a los usuarios la posibilidad de ahorrar cientos de dólares cada año. A partir de hoy los clientes pueden hacer llamadas ilimitadas desde dentro o fuera de su hogar a teléfonos fijos o móviles en el territorio mexicano. El servicio ahora también se extiende a India, China, Hong Kong, Singapur y Corea del Sur, además de las otras seis regiones ya incluidas fuera de Estados Unidos.

Este nuevo plan se encuentra disponible hoy en la División Central de Comcast que incluye mercados importantes como Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Miami y Nashville. La próxima semana estará disponible en la División Noreste de la Compañía – que incluye 14 estados, desde Maine hasta Virginia y el Distrito de Columbia – y ya para finales del mes de agosto estará disponible para todos los demás clientes de Comcast. 

Los hispanos de origen mexicano, representan el 64% de la comunidad hispanoparlante de Estados Unidos, además constituyen el 57,6% y el 79% de las poblaciones hispanas de Atlanta y Chicago. Otras ciudades de Estados Unidos con una importante presencia hispana, tienen a su vez un gran porcentaje de personas de origen mexicano entre las cuales se encuentran McAllen (97,7%), El Paso (95,6%), Fresno (94,1%), San Antonio (89,6%), Denver (81,1%), Houston (77,5%), San Francisco (69.5%), Atlanta (57,6%), Washington DC (16,3%), y Orlando (13,9%). 

“Es importante mantenerse en contacto con familiares y amigos sin consideraciones geográficas.  Pero a veces hasta las conversaciones telefónicas más breves pueden resultar muy caras”, expresó Patti Loyack, Vicepresidente de Comunicaciones de Comcast Cable.  “Esperamos que los cambios que estamos realizando en Xfinity Voice Unlimited ayuden a más personas a mantenerse conectadas por menos dinero”.

En la actualidad los norteamericanos gastan miles de millones de dólares en cargos por llamadas internacionales desde teléfonos móviles y millones más en tarjetas para hacer llamadas internacionales. Los datos de la Federal Communications Commission (Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones) demuestran que muchas de estas llamadas son a la India, México y Canadá. 

Comcast ofrece servicios telefónicos a más de 11 millones de clientes y casi la totalidad de sus clientes telefónicos residenciales están suscritos al plan Xfinity Voice Unlimited.  Además de los cinco nuevos países que se agregaron hoy, el plan ya ofrece llamadas ilimitadas a Canadá, Puerto Rico, Guam, Islas Marianas del Norte, las Islas Vírgenes de Estados Unidos y Samoa Americana, alcanzando un total de aproximadamente la mitad de la población mundial.  Xfinity Voice Unlimited también incluye servicios como identificación de llamadas en diversos dispositivos, llamada entre tres y llamada en espera.

Las llamadas internacionales ilimitadas son sólo una de las formas en que Xfinity Voice ahorra dinero a sus clientes.  Con la aplicación Xfinity Connect app los clientes pueden utilizar hasta cuatro números telefónicos virtuales para hacer y recibir llamadas y mensajes de texto gratis desde un teléfono inteligente, tableta, o dispositivo con conexión Wi-Fi.  Esta función permite ahorrar dinero en la factura de telefonía móvil y en cargos internacionales durante viajes al extranjero.  A través de esta aplicación los clientes también pueden revisar su email, leer o escuchar el correo de voz de su hogar, así como tener acceso a sus contactos.

 

TV

COMCAST PHONE CUSTOMERS NOW GET UNLIMITED CALLS TO NEARLY HALF OF THE WORLD

by KristinLeave a Comment on COMCAST PHONE CUSTOMERS NOW GET UNLIMITED CALLS TO NEARLY HALF OF THE WORLD

Company Adds Five New Countries to Most Popular Calling Plan For No Additional Cost; Mexico, India, China, Singapore, and South Korea Now Included

Xfinity Voice

Comcast today announced it added five new countries to its most popular home phone plan Xfinity Voice Unlimited a change that comes at no additional cost and has the potential to save users hundreds of dollars each year.

These changes allow customers to place unlimited calls from home or on the go to mobile and landline phones in Mexico, India, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea, in addition to the six regions outside the United States already included.

The updated plan is available today in Comcast’s Central Division, which includes major markets like Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, and Nashville.

Next week, it will be offered in the company’s Northeast Division, which includes 14 states from Maine to Virginia and the District of Columbia, and it will be available to remaining Comcast customers by the end of August.

Hispanics of Mexican heritage, who represent 64% of the U.S. Hispanic population, make up 57.6% and 79% of Atlanta and Chicago’s populations, respectively. Other U.S. cities with large Mexican populations include McAllen (97.7%), El Paso (95.6%), Fresno (94.1%), San Antonio (89.6%), Denver (81.1%), Houston (77.5%), San Francisco (69.5%), Atlanta (57.6%), Washington D.C. (16.3%), and Orlando (13.9%).

“Staying in touch with family and friends is important, regardless of geography. But sometimes even the shortest phone conversations can get expensive,” Patti Loyack, Vice President of Communications, Comcast Cable, said. “We hope the changes we’re making to Xfinity Voice Unlimited helps more people stay connected for less money.”

Americans spend billions of dollars on cell phone charges related to international calling and millions more on worldwide calling cards. Data from the  Federal Communications Commission shows that many of these calls go to India, Mexico, and Canada.

Comcast has more than 11 million phone customers, and nearly all of its residential phone customers subscribe to the Xfinity Voice Unlimited plan. In addition to the five new countries being added today, the plan already allows unlimited calling to Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, totaling nearly half of the world’s population. Xfinity Voice Unlimited also includes features like caller ID across multiple devices, three-way calling, and call waiting.

Unlimited international calling is just one way Xfinity Voice saves people money. With the Xfinity Connect app, people can use up to four virtual phone numbers to make and receive calls and texts for free from a smartphone, tablet, or device connected to Wi-Fi. This feature helps save money on wireless bills and on international charges when traveling abroad. Customers can also check email, read or listen to home voicemail, and access contacts through the app.

The terms of service for Xfinity Voice Unlimited are available here.

About Comcast Cable:
Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses.  Comcast has invested in technology to build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home management offerings.  Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company.

Visit comcastcorporation.com for more information.