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Best entertainment bets for Jan. 31-Feb. 4

Best entertainment bets for Jan. 31-Feb. 4
Here’s the best in Twin Cities music, theater and special events for Jan. 31-Feb. 4.

Read more on Pioneer Press

Tags: 31Feb., Best, bets, entertainment, Jan.

Exhibit on Canadian Engagement in Afghanistan to Be on Display at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Complex

Exhibit on Canadian Engagement in Afghanistan to Be on Display at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Complex
OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Jan. 28, 2010) – Afghanistan360, a multimedia exhibit on Canada’s civilian and military engagement in Afghanistan will be on display at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Complex from February 2nd-11th. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the Afghanistan360 exhibit featuring stories from the field and short video segments on the training and development …

Read more on Marketwire

Tags: Abbotsford, Afghanistan, Canadian, Complex, Display, Engagement, entertainment, Exhibit, sports

Entertainment key to Apple iPad success

Entertainment key to Apple iPad success
4 million iPad-type devices in 2010 Apple yesterday announced its iPad media tablet. The media tablet device category, which began to gain traction in 2009, will come into its own during 2010 and beyond, and it’s the entertainment field that will be its most lucrative, forecast analysts.

Read more on PC Advisor

Tags: Apple, entertainment, iPad, success

Alcohol, entertainment rules may change

Alcohol, entertainment rules may change
The City Council will get back to work after almost a month-long hiatus Tuesday with a number of issues, including a resolution for tougher conditions of approval for downtown businesses selling alcohol or providing entertainment.

Read more on Huntington Beach Independent

Tags: Alcohol, change, entertainment, rules

Madonna 'files papers for adoption'

New addition ... Madonna holds David Banda in her arms in April, 2007 / AP

MADONNA has reportedly filed papers in an attempt to adopt another child from the African country of Malawi. Officials from Malawi and the US confirmed the pop singer wanted to adopt a child, The Associated Press reports. Officials said Madonna would bring her Malawian son David, whose adoption in 2006 was controversial, and that an adoption hearing could take place as early as Monday.

Madonna’s spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg would not comment, AP reported Critics accused the Government of skirting laws that ban non-residents from adopting children in Malawi, which has been badly hit by an AIDS epidemic. The local Nation newspaper this month quoted Madonna as saying that Malawian friends had told her David needed a brother or sister and that she would consider adopting another child, but only with the support of the Malawian people. David is growing up in the high-flying life of a global popstar, worlds away from his village of Lipunga, where his relatives eat staple food like maize meal from simple bowls and meals are cooked on open fires.

Madonna is expected to visit a site where her charity, Raising Malawi, will start building a multi-million dollar school for girls, the officials said. David’s father, Yohane Banda, said that he may see his son next week. “Someone from Raising Malawi visited me last week and told me that my son may be visiting me sometime next week. I am delighted, I want to see my son,” he said. Madonna, who began adoption proceedings in 2006, took David when he was 13-months-old after his father had placed him in an orphanage following the death of his wife.

She has said he was happy to be involved in a case that might pave the way for more adoptions in Malawi. An estimated one million children in the country have been orphaned by AIDS. Rights groups tried to block David’s adoption, saying it would be illegal.Child rights activist John Soo Phiri said Madonna may find it more difficult to adopt another child as a single parent after her divorce from film director Guy Ritchie.

“She will have to prove that as a single parent she still has the abilities to raise another child alone,” he said.

- with Reuters

Tags: adoption, entertainment, madonna

Danny Gokey comes out strong on Idol

The “American Idol” judges shocked everyone a week ago by adding an extra finalist to the mix, and apparently, the show isn’t finished with the surprises.

The beginning of the March 10 Michael Jackson-themed show brought the news that two singers would be sent home on Wednesday, while the ending promised a rule change that would involve the judges, be revealed tomorrow, and might not be approved of by some viewers.

Hopefully that rule change won’t involve more commentary from Paula Abdul, because she was in rare form on Tuesday. Anyone who doesn’t like spoilers had to be disturbed when she announced that both Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert are both bound for the May finale. With 10 weeks to go, Abdul has everyone else singing for third place.

It’s a little too early to make that call, but after a night where everyone had to pick from the Michael Jackson songbook there were a few performers that drew special attention.

The show-stoppers
Simon Cowell said that Gokey reminded him of “Michael McDonald — you’re a white man with soul.” That came after he remade the beginning of “PYT” into a slow and boring ballad. Just as the show execs were having nightmares about one of their most marketable contestants bowing out early, he broke into rocker mode and rescued the song. “Take it all in … take it all in,” Paula gushed afterwards as the crowd applauded, adding “I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re on your way to the finals.”

If Paula’s right, Adam Lambert will be Gokey’s opponent, as she said “I believe in all my heart we’ll see you running all the way to the end to the finals.” Lambert was awfully over-the-top with “Black or White,”  but the judges ate it up. Simon actually credited Lambert’s theater experience as a positive, which is a first for the British judge.

l Rounds will not be one of the singers going home either, and not just because she reminded everyone beforehand that she’s a single mother of three who survived a tornado. The most controversial part of her performance of “The Way You Make Me Feel” was her outfit, which looked like white pants and the top half of a pink prom dress. The judges had mixed opinions on that, but not on her singing. “I hope we get to hear you on the radio,” Kara DioGuardi gushed. “You are great.”

Safe for another week
Allison Iraheta talked about singing in supermarkets, and her video showed her performing in a store before what looked like a good two dozen people. That wouldn’t seem like it was great preparation for the “Idol” stage, but Iraheta once again showed no fear and plenty of attitude with “Give In To Me.” Simon actually told her she might want to lighten up, to which the 16-year-old responded “I’m not dark — I’m not, like, cutting myself or anything.”

Did anyone not know that Michael Sarver worked on an oil rig? If they didn’t, they found out in Sarver’s pre-performance video, when he went back in his fancy new clothes to greet his old co-workers. He picked “You Are Not Alone,” which is not exactly an oil rig roughneck kind of song, but sang it well enough to win the kudos of all four judges, although Simon did snark “I just wish we knew what you did for a living.”

The judges have talked often about how they’d like to see Scott MacIntyre accompanying himself on the piano, and they got their wish when he played “Keep The Faith,” off the “Dangerous” soundtrack. Selecting a lesser-known song was a risk, but the choice of an inspirational tune by the first blind singer in the show’s history made it safe — too safe for some. “It’s fine being artistic, but not on this show,” Simon said.

Kris Allen went onstage with his guitar to sing “Remember the Time,” which looked either “clumsy” (to Simon) or “adorable sexy” (to Paula), or “Jason Mraz-y” (to Randy Jackson). Nobody knew quite what to make of it, but nobody hated it, and he also earned props from Kara for helping everyone out by accompanying them on the guitar during rehearsals.

Alexis Grace probably isn’t in any danger, but it was a strange night for the singer who closed the show. In the past, she’s been praised for her singing, but was asked to show more personality. This week, the judges loved her moxie on “Dirty Diana,” with Kara summing it up by saying “You’re a naughty girl, and I liked it.” But Paula and Simon both thought the vocals were over-the-top, and it might not help that viewers had to dial “IDOLS-36” to vote for her instead of a number that actually made sense.

m s n . c o m

Tags: American Idol, entertainment