Omfg sorry for the blog stalk I just started using tumblr again and the vixx comeback is gonna kill me im so happy my bois 😭 I wish it were all of them but I excited nonetheless

noooo don't worry!!! that wasn't even a lot tbh!!! It's so hearwarming that starlights are practically rising from the dead sekdjfsldj i was actually digging in yestrday trying to find active starlights and found pretty much none! Yeah it's so bittersweet.... I was listening to EDV yesterday after not having listened to it for a very long time and it just took me back... but i realized I'm gonna miss Hongbin's voice the most :(((

sm has to be the stupidest fucking company i have EVER SEEEEEEN (including jype and their bullshit). like way to go! youre officially the worst managment company ever

i expected things to be poorly handled since sm cant seem to properly manage, promote, and schedule things for their groups (especially older groups) but i mean come on this is ridiculous. why are you debuting two members into a group, who then become beloved and continuously talked about AND are in the perfect situation to make up your final unit, only to give them to a new boy group?? not only is the new boy group unnecessary since theres currently SEVEN active groups (including multiple nct units) but also why would you promote the rookies as nct members alongside SungTaro if youre just gonna go back on it??

at this point, i just have to consider that no one knows what theyre doing there and/or theyre trying to sabotage the groups/company for whatever reason. like from a business stand point alone, none of this makes any sense. they attached SungTaro to the nct brand for multiple years, put them in songs and merch, and marketed them as nct's ___ in what world does it make sense to suddenly change branding like that?? besides a rebrand after a scandal or suddent departures but those didnt happen. not to mention, people who watched nct content/listened to the music for those two will now exit the fandom and definitely wont be tuning into nct tokyo, who have essentially "replaced" their faves. while there probably arent a majority of fans like that, theres probably a good chunk that will feel that way. personally my enthusiasm for tokyo unit has gone all the way down and i almost definitely wont buy anything from them like i was planning on for SungTaro and Shohei

ALSO how stupid is it to debut a new nct group AND a whole ass other bg at the same time while also trying to debut TWO new girl groups??? like this is really the worst case scenario considering how many older groups are still active. BoA, TVXQ!, Shinee, Exo, and Red Velvet are all still actively promoting and doing schedules, and theres about 16 soloists among those groups (not including BoA as shes already a solosit). when is anyone going to have time to promote and have a cb unless they just stop doing shows and only drop albums.

what a nightmare. i really didnt think any company could be as stupid as jyp and yet here we are

random thoughts (part i)

this is childish but rolling my eyes at cult member pbg going to paris(?) with tae. waiting for the jk + tae + bp l + bp j love square rumors to start any time now.

personal feelings about charlie p aside, l&r is heaps better than that mess of a song that will almost definitely be #1 on next week's bb chart. getting klr+jb - stay or dl - levitating vibes from l&r.

in other news: top-line quick hit thoughts about festa dinner

the powers that be at h-y-b-e (fka and interchangeably referred to as bh) gambled with them getting an exemption and lost. there's still a chance for it in light of the busan expo bid and the existing political pressure but the clock's ticking down

hindsight is 20/20 but to think that they could still have gone on their break some time in 2019 and been done with it by around now (per what yg insinuated). no, i don't hold the same view about the e word, see point above. on the bright side, it looks like tae and jk have gotten a lot closer, or at least become far more open, since the start of 2019

in order of who comes across as least in favor of the break to the most (not a hiatus in the one d sense as everyone from the ceo to the janitor of h-y-b-e has reiterated): jin, jm, jh, yg, jk/tae, nj

think this was quite clearly backed up by who spoke out after the dinner and who remained quiet. a note: i don't think jh and jm like it but they're pragmatic and driven enough to take the time for self-improvement

nj seems so done. what happens if he decides he doesn't want to come back?

what jin will do if he gets an exemption? i'd be surprised if he has anything more than a few tv appearances lined up right now (if anything). not because i don't think he's popular enough but he seems resigned and just wants to enjoy the rest of his time as a free man. yg will have backup plans for his backup plans

an approx 28% freefall in stock is slightly more than i thought (my professional opinion would have been closer to 23-25% especially considering the delivery). the market will correct itself eventually but everyone going on about h-y-b-e making 7x the money is way off

i have way more to say about this but how the way the news was broken was a chicken fried nightmare rolled in a train wreck breaded in a greek tragedy. i understand that they wanted to reach out to fans first and "directly" but during festa and in the midst of a cb? /facepalm

anyone else no longer able to listen to fy?

can we get a lv vlive quartet album please? they spend all their time together anyway and those performances would be fire

will we see the maknae line chilling in chicago for hope-apalooza? chi-town holler!

i hope we still see jk+tae content but i'm not optimistic. there's so much that's cut out or that they choose not to show to begin with when it's ot7/live

closing with something positive. this made me laugh

everyone: [talking about some random subject that has absolutely nothing to do with jk]

tae: [finds some way to call out to jk or talk about something jk did/said]

everyone: that's not what we were talking about???

can i just say that im excited as all hell for this comeback but the way Div2 is handling it is completely pissing me off 😠 y'all are releasing 5 versions of this album? during a GLOBAL pandemic where a lot of people are already stretched thin money-wise? AND y'all only gave us 2 WEEKS of advance notice for preorders when other groups get up to a month??? and y'all didn't even give us preorder links at first?? A N D THEIR ALBUMS ARE STILL. NOT. ON. AMAZON. LIKE. OTHER. ARTISTS. (1/2 LMAO SORRY)

WHEN A MAJORITY OF THEIR FANBASE IS INTERNATIONAL???? AND!!!!!!! PLANNING A FANSIGN FOR THIS COMEBACK ALREADY????? sure the fansign technically doesn't have a date yet, or any details but announcing one in the middle of a pandemic where large gatherings of people are STRONGLY DISCOURAGED is a dick move if it's only meant to boost album sales. it better be virtual or i'm going to set div2 on fire 😤 (2/3 I thought this was only going to be 2 parts oops)

im TIRED of them constantly mismanaging the boys since day 1. TIRED!!!!! been with the boys literally since debut and they're still! being shat on! 😡😡😡😡😡 (/rant over sorry lmao i needed an outlet for my frustration) anyway HOW ARE YOU ON THIS FINE DAY 😁😁😁😁

looollll sorry it took me a couple of days to respond to this i wanted to sit down and read it properly!! 

i completely understand the frustration. i’m a little confused myself as to why they chose NOW of all times to release a comeback.... and with such short notice?! it’s a bit odd and it worries me. i guess i’m so used to div2 making shitty decisions it just doesn’t ramp me up the way it used to lol. it sucks. i feel bad for the boys that they won’t get to perform in front of an audience when we know how much it means to them to see the fans.

but overall, instead of being pissed off i’ve decided to just be selfish for this cb. life is bleak right now and i feel very weird these days, so i’m just going to consume all the content and let it brighten my day a little bit. i definitely see all of the problems but instead of being angry i’m choosing to just enjoy it. i can just hope that they are being as safe and smart as possible during their promotions so that nobody gets sick 😔

Grammy-nominated metal band Ghost addresses ‘satanic’ accusations: ‘There are other music styles that promote a way worse lifestyle’

Bombastic, theatric, operatic metal Swedes have become unlikely Grammy darlings, winning Best Metal Performance in 2016 and scoring two nominations at this year’s upcoming 61st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song. But not everyone’s a fan. “We obviously are a polarizing band,” Ghost’s fearless leader Tobias Forge — alternately known as the diabolical priest character Papa Emeritus or Papa’s panda-eyed successor, Cardinal Copia — tells Yahoo Entertainment.

Though Ghost’s over-the-top, presumably tongue-in-greasepainted-cheek satanic imagery has always drawn detractors, the band has finally started to gain widespread acceptance. Aside from its multiple Grammy nods, its fourth album, Prequelle, went to No. 3 on the Billboard album chart and made Yahoo Entertainment’s list of the top 10 albums of 2018, and that album’s monster single, “Rats,” spent an incredible seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. However, as Ghost’s fame has grown, so have some of the protests targeting the band — including a bizarre one that took place last year in Midland, Texas, during Ghost’s “A Pale Tour Named Death” U.S. arena trek.

Last November, Larry Long, the pastor of the Fellowship Community Church, said Midland needed to be protected from the supposedly devil-worshiping group, warning a local CBS affiliate, “This kind of band will bring spiritual influences into this area. We’re concerned about it, because we believe the devil is real, just as we believe God is real. … I think if [young fans are] singing along to those lyrics, who knows what in the world they’re opening their hearts and lives up to?”

Ghost’s Midland show went on as planned, of course. “At the end of the day, what [the Fellowship Community Church] caused was more tickets sold — so thank you very much,” Forge chuckles.

Still, although Forge says such outrage is “to an extent, amusing,” he adds, “To a greater extent, I think it’s sad. … I find it saddening thinking that there are people who don’t know f***ing bad from good and s*** from Shinola. I find it saddening that people would choose to stand out in the cold [protesting Ghost], thinking that they’re making a difference. I think it’s sad that people are wasting their time thinking that we’re bad for people, when actually what we’re really trying to do is make people happy and make people feel good about themselves when they come to our show and have a good time.”

Although certain PMRC-baiting shock-rockers that paved the way for Ghost — Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Marilyn Manson — have been accused of encouraging suicidal or homicidal tendencies among impressionable fans, Forge believes that “dark music, everything from gothic to death metal and black metal and hardcore” can, on the contrary, be a source of celebration and even salvation. “There are definitely rock fans over the years that have done negative things toward each other and or towards themselves, but I don’t think that’s because of the music. That’s because they were in a bad place in their lives,” he stresses. “Actually, it might have even been the music that made them live so long, that kept them going. Hard rock, in general, does not promote that you should harm anyone.

“I definitely think there are other music styles that promote a way worse lifestyle, that you could look upon as being more negative,” Forge says. “Other music styles that promote a way of living that their fans will never have — when music is all about ‘making it’ and wearing ‘bling-bling’ and ‘all them bitches,’ and the idea that without that stuff you’re nothing — that is a bad influence for your fans. At least with most gothic or hard rock music, it’s about feeling good about yourself.”

Forge instead sees Ghost as following in tradition of “the big shock-rock bands of 1984” that his much older, punk-rocker brother introduced him to when he was growing up in a liberal, pop-culture-savvy home in Linköping, Sweden. “The artists I immediately grasped onto were when I was 3 years old,” Forge recalls. “[Motley Crue’s] Shout at the Devil, [Twisted Sister’s] Stay Hungry, KISS, stuff like that. My brother was so nice and just passed those records on to me, like, ‘Here, you’ll like this more.’ I played them all the time. Then it just blossomed from there.”

Now Ghost is being heralded as the imagination-sparking band that will serve the same purpose for today’s rock-starved youth. “I do believe that there is a glimmer of hope in what we do with regards to the fact that there are a lot of kids coming to our shows. We are the first band that they see live. That is a really good thing, thinking long-term,” Forge muses. “I don’t mind being that glimmer of hope. I do believe that the more exposure we get, the more time that we spend in people’s ears, I hope that the interest in analog rock will be kept alive or awoken or might find a way into kids of today. I guess we could be a little bit [for today’s young fans] what KISS was in the ’70s.”

That being said, Forge is reluctant to accept the pro-Ghost media’s proclamations that Ghost are the new saviors of rock ‘n’ roll. “I’d love for the mainstream music climate to steer back towards rock, and I’m sure it will at some point. But does that mean there will be image-driven shock-rock bands, as far as a movement? I don’t know,” he says. “I do believe that the rock bands that will be big in the future are the ones that are being formed by kids, the 18-year-olds, today, right now. They are the ones that will rock the future, because that’s how it always is. The bands that will be big in five or 10 years, when there might be a big domination of rock again, will be bands that we most likely don’t know as of right now.”

But those bands, as Forge hints, may very well be Ghost disciples, because today’s kids, despite the handwringing of concerned conservatives like Long, are loving Ghost’s epic live shows — in which a Pope-robed Papa Emeritus, flanked by horn-headed and occasionally keytar-wielding Nameless Ghouls, perform anti-authority anthems like “Satan Prayer,” “Depth of Satan’s Eyes,” “Death Knell,” “From the Pinnacle to the Pit,” “Witch Image Life Eternal” and the undeniably earwormy “Dance Macabre” in a rock ‘n’ roll church bedecked with inverted crosses. Such imagery and song titles may be alarming to some, but it seems the little kids understand.

“The biggest misconception [about Ghost] is that the lyrical content is being provocative because it’s about God. And it’s not. It’s not about God at all,” insists Forge. “It’s about man, mankind. I use language and analogy to make it seem that it is about other things, but the songs are usually, they are about very real things. Sometimes I think it’s almost laughable to the point of annoying that protesters are just picking up on the literal meaning.

“There are many misconceptions about who I am or how I think, and of course it’s annoying. But that is just part of being in a band nowadays. If I didn’t want any of this, I shouldn’t be in a band. But I want to do this. I want to rock.”

Yahoo.com

This Week on Broadway ~ 5/20-5/26

As promised, here is my feedback on the latest Broadway.com show, summarizing the news from the past week!

The Band’s Visit is coming to Broadway this fall and I am ALL about it. I was fortunate enough to see it during its (now award-winning!) off-Broadway run at the Linda Gross Theatre this past season, and was intrigued. It’s far from a perfect show, and it definitely needed some work to be of Broadway caliber, but I have no doubt they’ve made those changes in the time since. The story itself is very unique and focuses on a part of the world that doesn’t get much attention in the Broadway community, which is really exciting. Not to mention Katrina Lenk is a gorgeous singer and human being. Here’s hoping she makes the transfer to Broadway along with the show. The Band’s Visit will be at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre with previews beginning on October 7th of this year.

You’ve probably heard that a second Mamma Mia! movie is on its way. Substance-wise, the first one was far from a great movie, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend many a Saturday night with my gals reenacting the scene with Sophie and Sky on the beach singing “Lay All Your Love on Me.” The chorus of chiseled men with flippers coming out of the ocean is #iconic. So even though it’ll likely be a cinematic disgrace, I may or may not be watching the first one as I wait in anticipation.

Encores! at New York City Center is presenting a new concert next year, called “Hey, Look Me Over!” Encores! is known for putting up musicals with very little rehearsal time for a few performances. They’ve done a lot of amazing shows, but this new concert is going to be a collection of songs from musicals Encores! has yet to produce. I think this is a brilliant idea, and I’m pretty bummed I’ll be missing it. Catch it February 7-11, 2018, at New York City Center.

John Cameron Mitchell is working on a new autobiographical musical TV show, titled Homunculus. JCM plans to star in the series, which currently does not have a set timeline. I’m thrilled about this. Hedwig is a fantastic piece of theatre, and I imagine JCM is aware of how high he’s already set the bar for himself. I only hope it gets picked up by a network like HBO, where he won’t have to censor himself. If we’re being honest though, it’s probably more likely to show up on Fox or something of that nature.

Possibly the most exciting news (imho) is that Santino Fontana is slated to take on the leading role of Michael Dorsey in the upcoming June development reading for the musical adaptation of Tootsie. I have mixed feelings about all of the musicals being adapted from pre-existing movies (I’d like to see more original content), but Tootsie is a comedic classic and with Santino on board, I can’t imagine it being anything short of fantastic. If you can’t tell, I really love Santino. Not to mention, I found out the book is being written by David Yazbek...yup, that’s right -- The Band’s Visit!

As of last night, Brendon Urie has officially stepped into the high heels of Charlie Price, leading man of Kinky Boots. Like many other musical theatre fans, it rubs me slightly the wrong way when a Hollywood person just steps into a leading role on Broadway. I could go on for pages about why that’s frustrating, but I won’t, because if you’re reading this you probably get it. I try to keep an open mind, though, when somebody new joins the theatre community. I got off on the wrong foot with my opinions of Brendon Urie immediately while watching an interview in which he called the musical he’s doing a “play,” and then called a cast recording a “soundtrack.” They may be small things, but it just shows the distance between theatre-bred actors and Hollywood. I decided to give him another chance, however, and watch the newly released video of him singing Charlie’s heartbreaking number, “Soul of a Man.” I should preface this by saying I LOVE role-originator Stark Sands, and have watched the video of him doing this song a million times. What’s so wonderful about his performance (besides his inhumanly perfect vocals) is the fact that even when he’s in the studio with no obligation to “act,” he still puts on the full performance as he records because every time he sings the song he wants the full emotional experience for the listener. When I watched Brendon Urie perform, on the stage of the show, knowing he was being recorded, it seemed like a concert to me. He sounded fantastic as I presumed he would, but I felt nothing watching it. It was just a boring ballad. That’s what separates mediocre theatre from great theatre -- performers who are so emotionally invested in what they’re doing, you can’t help but be on the journey with them. I hope Brendon finds that deeper connection to the music soon, because his voice suits the material so well. Catch Urie in Kinky Boots at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre through August 6th.

Kevin Spacey is hosting the Tonys, and I’m excited. I wasn’t sure how to feel at first, but now I’m just pumped. Nothing real to report there, just had to say it. The Tonys will air live Sunday, June 11th, on CBS 8pm-11pm EST.

Finally, the promo for Falsettos on “Live at Lincoln Center” for PBS was released and it is everything I wished that it would be. I know the cast album like the back of my hand, and listening to those songs as images and clips from the performance rolled by made me so emotional. I can’t wait to see the full thing! 

“There's no people like show people, they smile when they are low!” -Annie Get Your Gun, “There’s No Business Like Show Business”