Here’s some exciting news for KISS fans: According to the promoter of the Creatures Fest event, taking place May 27-29 in Nashville, founding guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss will reunite to perform a few songs together during the first night of the festival.
Frehley and Criss, as well as two other surviving former KISS members — guitarists Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick — already had been announced as part of the Creatures Fest lineup, but promoter Neil Davis announced in a video message posted on Facebook that Peter had just agreed to join Ace during the latter musician’s previously scheduled May 27 headlining performance.
“They both spoke, said they were excited about being at Creatures Fest, they were excited about seeing you, the fans,” Davis says in the clip. “And they just thought that what would be great for the fans, for all of us, is if they got together and played some songs during Ace’s set.”
Neil continued, “I don’t know about you, but I’m speechless about this…It’s gonna be very, very cool. I know talking to them that they are both really excited about doing this together, about playing some songs.
Davis added, “I don’t know what they’re gonna play. I don’t know if they’re going to let us know. It’ll probably a secret, but whatever it is. How cool!”
Creatures Fest also will feature performances by Vincent and Kulick on May 28 and May 29, respectively. Also performing at the festival will be Quiet Riot, Vixen, Enuff Z’Nuff, ex-Motley Crue singer John Corabi and others.
The event, which will be held at the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel, also will feature ticketed meet-and-greets with the various performers, a pool party, expos and more.
Hall & Oates member John Oates will launch a brief solo acoustic tour next Wednesday, March 16, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, but fans can an advance online look at his show by checking out a livestream of a recent Nashville-area concert he played that will premiere this Sunday at Mandolin.com at 8 p.m. ET.
The streaming event and the upcoming concerts are dubbed “An Evening of Songs & Stories with John Oates featuring Guthrie Trapp,” and will feature John performing as a duo with acclaimed Nashville session guitarist Trapp, who also is a longtime member of John’s solo group The Good Road Band.
Oates tells ABC Audio that he’s “really excited” about the livestreamed show, which was filmed at the Franklin Theatre at the Nashville suburb of Franklin, Tennessee.
The concept behind the performance is John presenting his songs with Guthrie in an intimate way, playing and sharing anecdotes about the various tunes that have made an impact on his life and musical journey. Oates’ show features songs by other artists that influenced and inspired him, versions of tunes from his solo catalog and, of course, a few classic Hall & Oates hits.
John says of the recorded concert, “It’s actually the second show we ever played…and it was basically a work in progress. It was like, ‘Hey, let’s try this thing out and see if it works.’ And luckily…we did have a great night.”
Tickets for the virtual concert costs $18, and those who purchase one will be able to view the event on demand for 48 hours. VIP tickets also can be purchased for $55, and they include a virtual meet-and-greet with Oates that begins at 6 p.m. ET.
Visit JohnOates.com to check out the full list of John’s solo dates.
On Friday, Raven-Symoné returns in season five of Disney Channel’s Raven’s Home, which sees her titular character moving back to San Francisco to help her dad recover from a heart attack.
Speaking to ABC Audio, Raven said season five is jam-packed with “nostalgia.” That’s So Raven stars Adrienne Bailon and Rondell Sheridan return as Alana and Victor, respectively — as does Bayside High and The Chill Grill. “It feels like a cup a cocoa with extra marshmallows,” Raven grinned.
Raven and her co-star Issac Ryan Brown, who plays her on-screen son Booker, commented on how Disney Channel has changed since That’s So Raven firstaired in 2003. They say the network has increased its number of inclusive shows that celebrate different family dynamics, sexual orientations, genders, and people of color.
“It’s important that Disney’s moving in this direction because it shows that it’s relevant,” said Raven. “It is taking what’s happening in our society right now and validating it. I am so happy and proud and humbled to be part of the channel, but I am also humbled just to be part of our show, because we, too, are bringing that diversity within the writers room.”
She continued, “It’s so important because that is our world. You cannot shut your eyes to it, and we no longer will. To be able to give that in a positive light and really show what society is right now can only further respect and kindness in the future.”
Issac, who also voices Gus on the progressive Disney Channel show The Owl House, added, “Kids want to see themselves. Growing up, Raven was an icon to so many Black girls…It’s always great to see representation, and I feel like we’re doing a great job with that on our show.”
(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, have advanced closer to the city center in recent days despite the resistance, coming within about 9 miles as of Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Mar 11, 5:05 am
Number of refugees from Ukraine rises to 2.5 million
The number of refugees in the Ukraine crisis has increased to 2.5 million, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Commissioner Filippo Grandi called the conflict “senseless” in a tweet and said that the number of displaced people inside Ukraine had reached about two million.
Mar 11, 4:49 am
Putin orders Russian military to help volunteer fighters from Middle East travel to Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his defense minister to assist “volunteer” fighters to travel to Ukraine to join Russian forces there.
The order appears to relate to Russian efforts to recruit Syrian fighters that U.S. officials have said are underway.
Russia’s defense minister, Sergey Shoigu, claimed to Putin that 16,000 volunteers from “the Middle East” had expressed a desire to come.
Shoigu claimed that the fighters, who he said had experience fighting ISIS, wanted to come not for money but a “sincere” desire to help.
U.S. officials have said they believe Russia is recruiting Syrians experienced in urban combat from its areas held by its ally, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. They are reported to be being offered just a few hundred dollars.
Mar 10, 11:08 pm
Senate approves $1.5 trillion funding bill with supplemental aid to Ukraine
The Senate passed a $1.5 trillion government funding bill late Thursday that includes $13.6 billion in supplemental aid to Ukraine by a vote of 68-31.
The legislation will now head to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.
In a statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki thanked leaders for “getting this bill done” and said Biden “looks forward to signing it into law.”
“With these resources, we will be able to deliver historic support for the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and democracy,” she said in part.
The supplemental Ukrainian aid is split between defense and nondefense funding. The $1.5 trillion also includes funding for many of the administration’s priorities as well as sizable amounts for defense spending.
Mar 10, 10:43 pm
Biden to call for end to normal trade relations with Russia: Source
President Joe Biden will call for an end to normal trade relations with Russia on Friday, following their invasion of Ukraine, according to a source familiar with the matter. The decision would give the White House clearance to increase tariffs on the Kremlin.
“Tomorrow President Biden will announce that the U.S., along with the G-7, European Union, will be calling to revoke Most Favored Nation status for Russia, or called permanent normal trade relations, ‘PNTR,’ in the U.S.,” according to the source. “Each country will implement based on its own national processes. President Biden and the administration appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Congress and its calls for the revocation of the PNTR. Following the announcement tomorrow, the Admin looks forward to working with Congress on legislation to revoke PNTR.”
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has already publicly voiced support for this move.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Brooklyn 129, Philadelphia 100
Golden State 113, Denver 102
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Winnipeg 2, New Jersey 1
Arizona 5, Toronto 4 (OT)
Final Carolina 2, Colorado 0
Buffalo 3, Vegas 1
Ottawa 4, Seattle 3 (OT)
Boston 4, Chicago 3
Florida 6, Philadelphia 3
Minnesota 6, Detroit 5 (SO)
NY Islanders 6, Columbus 0
St. Louis 6, NY Rangers 2
Nashville 4, Anaheim 1
Calgary 4, Tampa Bay 1
San Jose 4, Los Angeles 3 (OT)
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Arizona 84, Stanford 80
Oklahoma 72, Baylor 67
Kansas 87, West Virginia 63
Duke 88, Syracuse 79
Villanova 66, St. John’s 65
Providence 65, Butler 61
UCLA 75, Washington St. 65
Texas Tech 72, Iowa St. 41
UConn 62, Seton Hall 52
TCU 65, Texas 60
Colorado St. 53, Utah St. 51
Iowa 112, Northwestern 76
North Carolina 63, Virginia 43
Southern Cal 65, Washington 61
(WASHINGTON) — Masks will continue to be required on planes, trains and buses for at least another month, the Transportation Security Administration announced Thursday. The agency said the federal mask mandate for transportation would be extended through April 18.
During the extension, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will work with government agencies to “help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor,” according to a TSA press release.
Airlines for America (A4A), the group that lobbies on behalf of all major U.S. airlines, said in a statement that its members would support the extension, but it urged the Biden administration to find a path forward for lifting mask and testing requirements.
This is the shortest extension of the travel mask mandate since it was first enacted under President Biden. Previously, the extensions had lasted for 90 days.
A coalition of Republican Senators called on the president to end federal Covid-19 travel restrictions Thursday. The group, led by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said, “It is time for the federal government to recognize this reality, follow the science, and reduce or eliminate these restrictions immediately.”
Former Empire actor Jussie Smollett has been sentenced to 150 days in county jail on Thursday for fabricating a 2019 hate crime attack on himself.
Smollett was also ordered to pay $120,000 in restitution to the city of Chicago, fined $25,000 and must serve 30 months of felony probation.
As Cook County Judge James Linn was imposing a sentence, Smollett screamed out, “I am not suicidal. I am innocent.”
The judge ordered Smollett to be taken to jail immediately.
Smollett, 39, appeared Thursday afternoon in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago to hear his fate after a jury convicted him in December on five of six felony counts of disorderly conduct stemming from him filing a false police report and lying to police, who spent more than $130,000 investigating his allegations.
Prior to the sentencing, Linn denied Smollett’s motion for a new trial following a lengthy hearing.
“We’ve talked about this for two years,” Linn said. “I do believe that at the end of the day, Mr. Smollett received a fair trial.”
Russian forces move within 9 miles of Kyiv’s city center: Pentagon Ukraine update
Matt Seyler, ABC News
(WASHINGTON) — Here are highlights of what a senior U.S. defense official told reporters on Thursday:
Russians approaching Kyiv
The Russian forces closest to the heart of Kyiv are coming from the northwest, in the area of the Hostomel Airport. Since Wednesday, these troops fought their way three miles closer, bringing them within roughly nine miles of the city center, according to the official. The airport is only about five miles as the bird flies from the outer city limits.
Two parallel lines of advance from the northeast are also making progress on their push to the capital, the closest of these troops now about 25 miles from the center of Kyiv.
Some Russian troops from one of those lines, emanating from above the town of Sumy, seem to have turned around, heading back northeast. The official said the reason for the about-face is unclear.
Russian bombardment continues
Russian forces have now fired more than 775 missiles against Ukraine, the official said. This is up from an estimate of 710 on Wednesday.
No Patriots to Ukraine
The official said there is no talk at the Pentagon of sending Patriot systems to Ukraine, as they would require U.S. troops on the ground to operate them.
“It’s not a system that the Ukrainians are familiar with. And as we have made very clear, there will be no U.S. troops fighting in Ukraine,” the official said.
Other air-defense options for Ukraine
Security assistance continues to flow into Ukraine, even in the last 24 hours, according to the official.
While the U.S. is sending its own anti-armor and anti-aircraft weapons, it is also working with other countries to send items the U.S. doesn’t have in its arsenal but could be used effectively by Ukrainian troops.
When asked, the official said this includes air-defense systems that are “more sophisticated” than the shoulder-fired Stinger missiles being sent by the U.S. So, while the Pentagon has rejected the idea of sending Patriot missile batteries, it could be helping facilitate the transfer or replenishment of similar systems that Ukrainians are trained on.
Ukraine making little use of its fighter jets
The official repeated the Pentagon’s rejection of a Polish proposal to pass its fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine by using the U.S. as an intermediary.
“We do not support a proposal whereby jets would be transferred to our custody, then to be brought into Ukraine,” the official said.
The Defense Department views sending aircraft to be an inferior form of support for Ukraine, despite Ukrainian officials’ requests.
“They are not flying their fixed-wing aircraft very much on a daily basis. We’re not making a judgment here, it’s just a fact. What they are using very effectively to slow the Russian advance, particularly in the north, are their own surface-to-air missile systems and MANPADS, as well as … anti-armor munitions,” the official said.
(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Ted Cruz rolled up to the Capitol rotunda on Thursday in a honking semi-truck, the lead vehicle of a convoy that for the past five days has encircled the D.C. Beltway in protest of COVID-19 restrictions.
The Texas senator, fully vaccinated, rode in “People’s Convoy” co-organizer Mike Landis’s truck from Hagerstown, Maryland, before stepping out for a press conference in support of the truckers — many of whom traveled from California in late February.
Cruz thanked the truckers while standing alongside Landis and another co-organizer, Brian Brase.
The “People’s Convoy” met with Cruz and Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., on Tuesday for a roundtable discussion at the Capitol and later with Republican members of the House Transportation Committee.
The truckers said they would continue their protest until they had sat down with more members of Congress and had their demands met. Those demands include rolling back the national state of emergency designation as well as any existing vaccine mandates. The truckers are also calling for congressional hearings on the origins of the pandemic along with an investigation into state and federal COVID responses.
Across the country, however, most COVID restrictions have already been lifted. Some states, like Florida, have maintained lax COVID mandates throughout the pandemic.
If Republicans gain control of Congress next year, Cruz, who has flirted with the idea of a 2024 run as the GOP presidential nominee, said he’d work for legislation to support the truckers’ demands.
The senator took a swipe at Democrats and some Republican colleagues in the Senate over failed votes to end COVID restrictions like mandates for active-duty military, federal civilian employees, federal contractors and private-sector mandates through OSHA.
“I’m fighting to vote on it again… This shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” Cruz said. “This should be ‘leave me the hell alone.'”
Cruz used the press conference to touch on a number of hot-button conservative issues, including mandating voter ID.
“It is insane that you have the left and corporate media that tell you it’s wrong to ask for an ID to vote. That voter ID is a horrible, racist idea, which is nonsense. But at the same time, they demand, ‘show me your papers to lunch.’ That’s idiotic. That’s none of their damn business.”
A crowd member yelled at Cruz during the event, “You should run for president,” to which the senator responded: “Thank you.”
So how does Kelly Clarkson feel about her divorce? According to a source, People reports, “Kelly is obviously happy to have the divorce finalized.” The source adds, “The kids have always been her main priority through everything. She truly is able to begin the next chapter of her life with her kids, and she’s also busier than ever with her career. She’s in a great place.” The Grammy winner and her ex, Brandon Blackstock, were married for seven years.
Kristin Chenoweth wept when she found out Ariana Grande would be playing Glinda in the upcoming Wicked movie. “I love her so much; I’ve known her since she was 10,” Kristin, who originated the role on Broadway, told Today. “I think that crown and wand are going to the exact correct person. And I think she’s gonna nail it… I did cry when she got it.”
Kesha is celebrating her recent 35th birthday with brand-new merchandise. She launched the Kesha Birthday Collection online store, which features new clothes, hoodies, sweatpants and socks with new prints. “In honor of my birth and to all my Pisces season emotional open hearted ocean rainbow babies, happy birthday! To all of you with all the zodiac signs, this merch was designed by me to encourage opening that third eye,” Kesha said in a statement.
Doja Cat had an interesting way of promoting her new partnership with Taco Bell, for which she previously starred in a Super Bowl commercial. She shared a video on TikTok begging fans to forgive her for her upcoming Taco Bell “jingle” — a word she “banned” because she hates the word so much. “They want me to rap about Mexican pizza,” she explained. “Just know, it’s contractual. I know it’s bad.” Then, with fake enthusiasm, she dropped her jingle, in which she jokes the Mexican pizza “ain’t even Mexican food.”
