WWE Flashback-Wrestlemania 35 at Metlife Stadium Part 2

April 7th, 2019--Wrestlemania 35 crowned new champions during the early part of the night....Colin Jost and Michael Che of "Saturday Night Live" showed up to compete in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Tony Nese became the New WWE Cruiserweight Champion after defeating Buddy Murphy

Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson ("The Revival") put their Raw Tag Team Championships on the line against Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder...Hawkins and Ryder would leave Wrestlemania 35 the new Raw Tag Team Champions

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Braun Strowman faced off against Colin Jost  and Michael Che of "Saturday Night Live"

Braun Strowman eliminated "Saturday Night Live" star Colin Jost to win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal 

WWE Flashback-Wrestlemania 35 at Metlife Stadium Part 1

April 7th, 2019---Wrestlemania 35.came to Metlife Stadium.

Here are some memories I had of this event...There are only a few pictures as afternoon turned to night and the natural light disappeared:

A view of the stage.

The Wrestlemania Women's Battle Royal 

Carmella would go on to win the match

Mohegan Sun Retrospect: 5/20/2018-William Michael Morgan at the Wolf Den

Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den holds free shows for its casino’s patrons.  Its placement in the center of the gaming floor gives everyone nearby a chance to hear music on any given night.   By its entrance and exit, an animatronic wolf keeps watch as it moves its head and tail and occasionally howls.

On May 20^th, 2018, Warner Bros. Nashville recording artist William Michael Morgan and his band were the concert of the evening.  The security guard inspected the bags of those going in before and then the hostess greeted them.   There were seats set along the sides for this show as well as standing room in the middle of the venue. A crowd had assembled by the stage, patiently waiting for the 7:00pm show to start. Those on the sides were conversing amongst themselves and ordering drinks.

The Show: After the band took their places, William Michael Morgan emerged, guitar in hand. His set was an hour and half of entertaining country music.  He acknowledged the music he grew up on, performing songs from artists such as George Strait.  Besides paying homage to classic country music, the show also included songs from his debut CD “Vinyl” and some contemporary songs; plus a 3-song acoustic set.  The nice surprise of the evening was a test run of concept material for the follow-up album that the band was currently working on. During the banter between songs, William Michael Morgan looked up to address the audience with his hat in his hand. He introduced the songs with a story or a fun aside. 

From my seat, I could tell that the audience members enjoyed the concert. People got up and walked over to the standing room section to dance as the show progressed.  William thanked them in a way by hanging out after the show to meet them.  He signed autographs and posed for pictures.  It was nice to meet the singer after the show, which made the night even more memorable.

Thanks to @wmmorgan for the photo-op

Partial Set List: “Vinyl”; “Missing”; “I Met A Girl”; “Somethin’ To Drink About”; “Lonesomeville”; “People Like Me” ; “The Chair”(George Strait classic); “Chasing Cars”(Snow Patrol ); “Mama Tried”(Merle Haggard); “Keep Your Hands To Yourself” (Georgia Satellites)

Not Such A Long Time Ago in a Nearby Galaxy… “Solo: A Star Wars Story” Fan Event

 This past Thursday Night -5/24/2018-New Rochelle, New York… “Solo: A Star Wars Story” Opening Night Fan Event at New Roc City Regal Cinemas

Star Wars fans gathered to see an earlier showing of the latest movie in the franchise.  The theater gave those going in a free mini-poster and a set of buttons commemorating the occasion. Concession stands offered a combo deal for a limited edition soda cup and popcorn tin. Seating was assigned, and audience members walked in hoping this film would meet their expectations.

6:00pm-the trailers started. A wide assortment of movies seemed to be represented.  The action genre was represented by “Mission Impossible:Fallout”,Marvel’s anti-hero flick “Venom”, and  another Marvel entrant “Antman & The Wasp”. Disasters, man-made and natural, were the respective subject of “Skyscraper” and “Adrift”. The extraordinary took center stage in the trailers for the “Fantastic Beasts” sequel, Disney’s “The Incredibles 2” and the Freddie Mercury/Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody”. After the trailers, it was time for the Opening Night Fan Event.  Director Ron Howard thanked those in attendance in a pre-taped video.

Following the introduction, it was time for the main attraction.  This film shows Han Solo’s beginnings working for one of the galaxy’s 5 crime syndicates.  Han (Alden Ehrenreich) wants more out of life than the hand he’s been dealt and sets out across the film to become something more: a pilot.  The journey will begin to make him the reluctant hero/smuggler that the audience knows and appreciates.

The people Han Solo encounters change him as well as provide insight to the “how” of certain aspects of the “Star Wars” Universe.  Han’s first meeting with the Wookie Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) is amusing, and sets up the dynamic the pair would grow to have.  The newly acquainted duo is recruited by Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) and Val (Thandie Newton) and their expert pilot (voiced by Jon Favreau) for a job.

Solo crosses paths with old friend Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke of “Game of Thrones”) and a gangster with a grand vision Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany of “Avengers: Infinity War”).  Vos places an ultimatum in front of Han’s new alliegance, which is essentially a second chance mission. To complete the assignment, they turn to Captain Lando Calrissian (a charismatic Donald Glover), his droid L3-37(voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and the famed Millennium Falcon.  What follows is a combination comic caper/action-filled adventure that can please newcomers to the “Star Wars” Saga while providing others with hidden references to the films they grew up on.

People left the “Solo: A Star Wars Story” Opening Night Fan Event happy.  The film was funny and set-up further adventures for Han Solo and his Wookie co-pilot Chewbacca.  Those who figured out where the story would progress discussed theories as they left. Those slightly less familiar left with a general impression in regards to Han’s character.  Regardless of your level of knowledge, though, one thing is certain:  as the Millenium Falcon set off to its next destination, it can be assured that adventure-and misadventure- will be sure to follow Young Han as he continues his journey.

Marvel Universe Assemble!...Thanos Commands It: “Avengers: Infinity War Part 1” Fan Event

This is the spot where the customary SPOILER ALERT comes in any Marvel blog/article.  I saw this on the night of April 26^th, 2018, and have taken a week to process what I have seen.  Some on social media are probably experiencing the same feeling of shock and awe as I did when the movie had ended. It is hard not to tell too much about what happens in this film…but that is what this blog will attempt to do.

Allow me to journey back to 1 Week earlier…Thursday April 26^th, 2018 to be precise.  The place was the New Roc City Regal Cinemas in New Rochelle, NY. Marvel fans assembled in the theater for a 6:00pm Fan Event screening. They were given a collectible coin to commemorate the occasion, and offered a deal at the concession stand. The seats were assigned and the excited people entered ready for the movie; one even came in for the occasion dressed as Captain America-complete with the shield!

At 6:00pm, the preliminary content started.  The trailers started to roll, including the ones for Fox’s “Deadpool 2”, Lucasfilms Ltd’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and Marvel Studio’s “Antman & The Wasp”. After the previews, a featurette honoring the 10 years of Marvel Studios movies followed that showed how far the film series has come. 

Following the featurette, “Avengers: Infinity War Part 1” started. The audience was deeply engaged in the film as it kicked off where “Thor: Ragnarok” left off.  Thanos and his army appear in all their glory and continue their quest to possess the 6 Infinity Stones.  The galaxy’s biggest threat really does seem as imposing as he looks, creating chaos where he goes.  His agenda is evident in the desire for power reliant upon obtaining the stones capable of manipulating Reality, Soul, Space, Power, Time, and the Mind.

In Thano’s way are the heroes that have been introduced over the course of 10 years. While the presence of Thanos is the clear threat, the Avengers are a team divided by now. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) are planning their future.  Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson), and Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) have been fugitives after the Sokovia Accord was enacted; they went rogue instead of signing the document.  Newest entrant to the Marvel Universe T’Challa /Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) is now King of Wakanda and has granted sanctuary to a de-programmed Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sabastian Stan)…And of course, there’s your friendly neighborhood Spiderman/Peter Parker (Tom Holland).

Thanos will need to get through the Avengers to achieve his conquest. Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) has been in his New York residence protecting his Time Stone from those who would seek to take it from him. Vision (Paul Bettany) - created with the Mind Stone-has been off the grid in Europe with Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). Amongst the Guardians of The Galaxy, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax(Dave Bautista) have deep grudges and scores to settle with Thanos.

The battlefields are set across the universe and are well-crafted.  In the theater I was in, the crowd reacted enthusiastically during the amusing interactions between characters.  Plotlines intertwined in such a way that promised a well-developed confrontation.  All the chaos on the screen created a wide range of reactions in the theater. The audience was fully drawn into the film.

Now, I will not divulge any further information about “Avengers: Infinity War Part 1”.  Based on its $1 Billion+ worldwide box office take, it can be said that this latest installment in the Marvel franchise united the audience in a shared experience that left social media buzzing. Some have taken to the internet to discuss their feelings about the film, being careful to note SPOILER ALERT as I have done while others are counting down the days until 2019’s “Avengers: Infinity War Part 2”. However fans expressed their feelings, they are looking forward to Marvel’s next project.                 

“Bandstand” Revisited: The Donny Nova Band At Birdland Jazz Club

11/27/2017-New York City— “The Donny Nova Band Featuring Julia Trojan” was the focus of the show “Bandstand”. Once brought together, Corey Cott (Donny Novitski/Donny Nova), Laura Osnes (Julia Trojan), Geoff Packard (Wayne Wright), Joe Carroll (Johnny Simpson), Joey Pero (Nick Radel), James Nathan Hopkins (Jimmy Campbell), Brandon J. Ellis (Davy Zlatic)  got to understand the show’s message, and enjoyed playing music from it.  To promote the show, they had made appearances outside of the stage show during its run.  The show closed on September 17^th, 2017; the show’s fans wondered where the cast would go next.

Fast forward nine weeks later. The Birdland Jazz Club, established 1949, played host to “The Donny Nova Band Featuring Julia Trojan”.  The night served as the “Bandstand” cast reunion. News of the event was spread via social media and Playbill’s website, and quickly sold out.  Looking around the room, you could see fans of the show, guests of the actors, “Bandstand” ensemble dancers, and some of the “Bandstand” creative team.

The Birdland club has a history you could see on its walls, and  you could get lost in.  After he got everyone’s attention, Jim Caruso (the event’s emcee) welcomed those gathered and introduced Corey Cott and James Nathan Hopkins to the stage.  Cott and Hopkins took time to address the audience who may have -or may not have- seen “Bandstand” before. The response was mixed, prompting Cott to comment: “This will be a weird 70 minutes for you then…”.

To introduce the rest of “The Donny Nova Band”, Corey Cott and James Nathan Hopkins used the song “I Know A Guy” from their show; they referenced a different actor in each verse.  As each person appeared, they quickly caught up with everyone before singing about the next one.  This in-between banter got more and more amusing, and Laura Osnes was finally announced as the final person in this band.

As they had on stage nine weeks ago, “The Donny Nova Band Featuring Julia Trojan” picked up where they left off: with the songs they played on stage, and bantering amongst themselves.   As they played “First Steps First”, the actors paused to admit times they forgot their lines.  During “Ain’t We Proud”, they related to the audience that “Bandstand” received the status of “Got Your 6” certification-an honor awarded for portraying the soldiers’ stories accurately and responsibly.   They were enjoying re-visiting the show and talking about it.

There were surprises in this show that delighted the crowd. Laura Osnes and Corey Cott mentioned that “Bandstand” cut some material from the Broadway production. The duo introduced and performed two songs that had been edited out: “Worth It” (one of the original contest entry songs) and “Give Me A Reason” (Donny’s Act 2 song). Laura Osnes also performed an extended version of one of the songs in the production.

Besides bringing up “Bandstand” stories, the cast performed standards and original songs.  For his part, Joey Pero played a piece he wrote.  James Nathan Hopkins went over to the piano to play one of his favorite Jazz pieces.  Brandon J. Ellis stepped away from his stand-up bass to sing “My Funny Valentine”; Hopkins took Ellis’ place on bass for this song. Joe Carroll and Geoff Packard sang about their actor-musician challenges to the tune of “Agony” from musical “Into the Woods”.

“Nobody”, a high-energy musical number from “Bandstand”, closed out the show.  People in the audience applauded the finale, expecting an encore.  Corey Cott sensed this and began crooning “I’m Dreaming of White Christmas”.

For one night on November 27^th, 2017, the cast of “Bandstand” re-united at the Birdland Jazz Club.  Audience and actor alike had a good time.  This show was sold out, and generated interest regarding additional encores.  The response to this interest was quick: The Birdland Jazz Club will have “The Donny Nova Band Featuring Julia Trojan” back for a return engagement in March.           

Christmas Concert Season: Celtic Thunder at the Grand Theater at Foxwoods Casino

12/2/2017-Connecticut—Irish singing group Celtic Thunder returned to Foxwoods Casino for their “Symphony Tour 2017”. Backed by an orchestra, their set list consisted of songs from their new album “Inspirational”, Christmas classics, and their well-known hits.  The stage was adorned with a winter theme in mind: a snowy landscape with snowflakes hanging above the stage.

1^st Segment: The first part focused on the new album “Inspirational” for the most part.  The quintet (Damian McGinty, Ryan Kelly, Neil Byrne, Emmet Cahill and Michael O’Dwyer) walked out in suits as the orchestra kicked off the show and got the concert off to a good start. Celtic Thunder conveyed the tone of their recent recordings through songs like “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (from the musical “Carousel”). “Take Me Home” sounded really good when backed by an orchestra.

Solos in the First Half Included: Ryan Kelly’s cover of “The House of the Rising Sun”….Michael O’Dwyer’s version of the Elvis song “If I Can Dream”…Emmet Cahill’s rendition of  “Jekyll and Hyde”musical highlight  “This Is The Moment” …Damian’s performance of “Feels Like Home”

2^nd Segment: After an intermission, the show resumed with the holiday themed-set.  Celtic Thunder’s version of “Carol of the Bells” started the segment. Also, there was a medley of holiday tunes that displayed their ability to play off each other amusingly; their dancing at this point in the show was later referenced by Ryan Kelly as a casual remark. They addressed the audience, expressing their warmest holiday wishes before preparing for their strong finale “Ireland’s Call”.  The finale was a perfect song to end the evening.

Solos in the Second Half Included:  Neil’s performance of “Mary, Did You Know?” … Emmet’s version of “O Holy Night”…Damian’s joyous cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”… Michael’s beautifully sung version of “Hallelujah”

This concert was memorable.  Besides this being my first Celtic Thunder show, The “Symphony 2017 Tour” was a nice evening out.  Celtic Thunder’s vocals were great.  The orchestra backing them up enriched the experience for the listener.  Like the album title says, the concert was “inspirational”.