Matchbox Twenty rescheduled a planned tour with The Wallflowers, originally set for the summer of 2020, to 2021, and then again to 2022. Now it seems like the band may have new material to perform when the tour finally launches May 17 in Vancouver.
Rob Thomas, who’s currently promoting his album Something About Christmas Time, tells American Songwriter that he and the band are “going to be in the studio working on a few new songs next year.”
“I’m also almost done with a whole new solo record, because before COVID the idea was I was going to be out with Matchbox Twenty with the new music touring…so everything got pushed back,” he explains. “And I’ve got the solo record sitting on ice that I’m really excited about.”
“But first, it’s going to be new Matchbox music,” he confirms. “So at least I’ve got no shortage of creative stuff going on.”
The most recent Matchbox Twenty album was 2012’s North. Before his current Christmas album, Rob released his solo album, Chip Tooth Smile, in 2019.
Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022 special, which was going to feature performances by Billy Idol and various other stars, has been canceled due to the surging number of COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant.
The show was set to be hosted live in New York City’s Times Square by Ken Jeong and Joel McHale, alongside special correspondent Kelly Osbourne, daughter of Ozzy Osbourne.
A statement from Fox obtained by Varietyreads, “While we are confident in the health and safety protocols for Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022, the recent velocity of the spread of Omicron cases has made it impossible to produce a live special in Times Square that meets our standards.”
The statement continues,”We will not be moving forward with Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022 in New York. The health and safety of our casts and crews has always been, and will continue to be, of the utmost importance. Replacement programming for New Year’s Eve on Fox will be announced in the coming days.”
Variety notes that it “remains to be seen” whether the announced musical guests, including Idol, whose performance was among several that were recorded at an earlier date, will still be part of said replacement programming.
In an unrelated note, Idol canceled his planned appearance this past Monday at the 2021 Above Ground benefit concert, an event organized by his longtime touring guitarist Billy Morrison and Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro.
Billy explained in a Twitter post that he’d dropped off the bill of the Los Angeles event because he’d caught a respiratory cold that affected his voice, while noting that he’d tested negative for COVID-19 twice.
Idol is next scheduled to perform in February, when he serves as the opening act for Journey‘s 2022 tour.
(ALBANY, N.Y.) — With COVID-19 cases in New York state reaching all-time highs, demand for testing has increased as well, bringing with it concerns of price gouging and falsely advertised turnaround times.
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office issued an alert Tuesday asking consumers to report any potential price gouging of at-home testing kits after the office received some reports of testing kits being sold for double or triple their retail price.
The office said it has received reports of BinaxNOW brand tests being “unlawfully” sold for between $40 to $70 per package, when the tests typically cost between $14 to $24 at stores such as Walgreens.
“As New York sees an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases, more and more New Yorkers are looking for at-home tests and other tools in the fight against the coronavirus,” James said in a statement. “If New Yorkers see exorbitant price increases on testing kits or other goods vital and necessary for health, safety and welfare, they are encouraged to report it [to] my office immediately. And fraudsters are on notice that if they attempt to price gouge during this new surge, we will not hesitate to take action.”
New York law prohibits merchants from taking unfair advantage of consumers by selling products “vital to their health, safety or welfare for an ‘unconscionably excessive’ price,” according to James’ office.
The attorney general also announced Tuesday it issued a warning to Brooklyn-based LabQ Diagnostics for allegedly misrepresenting its COVID-19 test turnaround time.
In a letter to the lab, which has mobile locations throughout New York City, the attorney general said some consumers have reportedly been waiting over 96 hours for COVID-19 test results to come back, even though the lab advertised that results would come back within 48 hours.
The letter, dated Monday, instructed the lab to update its website and signage at its test sites “immediately” to reflect how long people can expect to wait before they receive their test results.
“LabQ’s own website states, ‘Turnaround Time Matters,’ but so does being honest with consumers,” James said. “LabQ and all other labs should ensure that they are giving consumers accurate information about when to expect test results.”
LabQ did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
As of Tuesday afternoon, LabQ’s website says consumers can expect their results within one to five days, “due to a significant increase in COVID testing.” Earlier on Tuesday, it had stated that consumers could expect their results within one to four days.
The attorney general’s office also asked LabQ to contact all customers currently awaiting test results to inform them when they should expect to get them, according to the letter addressed to LabQ.
“We appreciate that there is undoubtedly an increase in demand for COVID-19 testing due to the holidays and omicron variant. However, it remains important, especially during the holidays, to advertise and otherwise convey accurate information to consumers about when they can receive their test results so that they can plan accordingly,” Mary Alestra, special counsel for the attorney general’s office, said in the letter.
(NEW YORK) — With on-site work in a state of flux due to the pandemic, small towns, big towns, regions and even states, have launched programs to incentivize people to move.
Anela Malik and Ahmed Zuhairy have worked from their home in Washington, D.C., for over a year. They say that over the course of the pandemic, what they were looking for in a hometown, has changed.
“Though we loved our apartments, our various apartments over the years, they were all really small. With two people and two cats that were now working from home, fighting for space on calls, and trying not to interrupt each other’s Zooms,” said Malik. “Our life shifted dramatically during the last year.”
Anela Malik is a social media influencer and her husband, Ahmed Zuhairy, is a financial crimes analyst. They said they were looking to find more space, a good community and a place that suited their other interests outside of work.
“[My husband] really wants to be in a place with a great cycling infrastructure. We both really like nature,” said Malik. “I was looking for a place that had a thriving or at least a growing food scene. When we started our Google searches, Northwest Arkansas came up every single time.”
The couple decided to take advantage of an incentive program in Northwest Arkansas called, “Life Works Here,” that offered $10,000 and a credit that can be used at any local shop that piques interest. The two were chosen for the program out of more than 35,000 applicants.
“I filled out the application late at night on a whim and then we booked a trip here and right before we came, they notified us we were selected,” said Zuhairy. “So that was on our minds when we visited, but I would say that, in my view, it was the people here that made up our minds for us.”
Malik and Zuhairy signed a lease in October for their new home in Lowell, Arkansas, a town with a population less than 10,000.
The “Life Works Here” program was launched in November 2020 and only 64 applicants have been accepted, according to Nelson Peacock, the CEO and president of the Northwest Arkansas Council.
“People are finding that they can come here, have an exciting employment opportunity, just live their life and excel here,” said Peacock, who oversees the program. “And so I think that’s what we’re taking advantage of.”
Peacock said that the program focuses on accepting three different categories of professionals: remote workers, STEM workers and creative entrepreneurs.
“We also want to bring in these entrepreneurs so they can build, grow, and scale their companies to help us with job growth in the future,” said Peacock. “And then the creatives to help us build out a well-rounded quality of life here.”
Northwest Arkansas isn’t the only place taking advantage of newfound remote-work flexibility and offering incentives to urge people to relocate.
Tyler Jaggers, a 41-year-old video game designer, moved from his home in San Jose, California, to Topeka, Kansas, in October 2020.
He said the high cost of housing in Silicon Valley was a wake-up call.
After applying to the “Choose Topeka” relocation incentive grant, Jaggers was awarded $10,000 and decided to trade in his small rented California apartments for a house that he owns.
“There would be almost 20 people living in the same house where people were renting couches,” said Jaggers. “For me, when I saw that, I was like, ‘It’s time to start investing in my own personal, long-erm existence.'”
“Why would someone give you $10,000 if they don’t want you there, right?” he added.
Jaggers bought a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Topeka for $47,000.
“The real part of the move that was so exciting to me was the idea of home ownership,” said Jaggers.
In order to keep the awarded $10,000, relocated residents have to stay in Topeka for a minimum of a year.
It’s been a little over a year since Jaggers made the move, and he said he has no plans to leave anytime soon.
“I’m not planning on flipping this house, ever. I’m not planning on moving ever. It’s the best living experience I’ve ever had in my life,” said Jaggers, who is almost finished renovating his new home and continues to work remotely for a video game company.
Jaggers said that the pandemic forced him to rethink about what he values in a home.
“The pandemic years made me make the best decisions I’ve ever made and actually gave me that nudge to grow up in a sense,” said Jaggers.
Back in Arkansas, for Anela Malik and Ahmed Zuhairy it’s still too early to tell whether or not the move was the best decision for them, but they said they’re only optimistic.
“I think a lot of young people right now, especially, are thinking about leaving the bigger cities, because our work has changed so much, so our home lives also need to change to accommodate that,” said Malik.
She said one of the most important things to think about when thinking about relocating is to consider the community.
“I would say just make sure that you could imagine your life in that community and there are a lot of incentive programs out there,” she said. “And that is an opportunity. But just make sure you could imagine your life in that place.”
The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe installment finds Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange grappling with the magnitude of the multiverse, and going to Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff for help.
“I knew sooner or later you’d show up,” Wanda says. “I made mistakes and people were hurt.”
“I’m not here to talk about Westview,” he says, referencing the events of WandaVision. “…I need your help…what do you know about the multiverse?”
We then hear a voiceover of Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo, telling Doctor Strange, “The greatest threat to our universe — is you.”
The trailer concludes with a shot of Doctor Strange coming face to face with another, seemingly evil, version of himself.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters May 6.
Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
(NEW YORK) — U.S. traffic safety regulators have launched a formal probe into certain Tesla vehicles after reports emerged that drivers can play video games on the car’s touchscreen while in motion.
A spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that the agency has opened a preliminary evaluation into certain Tesla vehicles, including the Model 3, S, X and Y, that were produced between 2017 and 2022.
The investigation seeks to “evaluate the driver distraction potential of Tesla ‘Passenger Play,'” the spokesperson told ABC News in a statement.
“NHTSA based its decision on reports that Tesla’s gameplay functionality is visible from the driver’s seat and can be enabled while driving the vehicle,” the statement added.
The agency said it has received one owner complaint describing the gameplay functionality and has confirmed that this capability has been available since December 2020 in Tesla “Passenger Play”-equipped vehicles. Prior to this, enabling gameplay was only possible when the vehicle was in park, according to the NHTSA.
The agency said it seeks to evaluate scenarios in which a driver could interact with the “Passenger Play” feature through its investigation.
Earlier this month, the New York Times published an investigation into Tesla’s video game features highlighting the so-called “passenger play” option. The report stated that an update in Tesla’s software package added at least three games drivers could access while the car was in drive — and that in a warning that appears before the game starts, Tesla signals it is aware of this and that “playing while the car is in motion is only for passengers.” The outlet reports a button asks if the player is a passenger, but a driver can also play by simply touching it.
Distracted driving has been blamed for the deaths of more than 3,000 people in 2019, according to separate data compiled by the NHTSA.
Tesla, which previously disbanded its media relations team, did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on Wednesday.
In its statement to ABC News, the NHTSA added that it “reminds the public that no commercially available motor vehicles today can drive themselves.”
“Every available vehicle requires the human driver to be in control at all times, and all State laws hold the human driver responsible for the operation of their vehicles,” the agency added. “Certain advanced driving assistance features can promote safety by helping drivers avoid crashes and mitigate the severity of crashes that occur, but as with all technologies and equipment on motor vehicles, drivers must use them correctly and responsibly.”
The latest investigation from regulators comes on the heels of separate, ongoing probe into Tesla’s Autopilot systems that was launched by the NHTSA in August.
Post Malone is ready to face a greater challenge with his latest endeavor — bringing back Friday Night Magic with the role-playing platform, Wizards of the Coast.
Posty, who is an outspoken fan of Magic: The Gathering, owned by Wizards of the Coast, aims to reboot the popular play program for the trading card game. The Grammy winner will help bring back those Friday night Magic tournaments to game stores across the globe and entice new players to give the tabletop strategy game a try.
The “Circles” rapper said in a statement, “I’m obsessed with Magic: The Gathering. This is really a dream come true. We’ll be doing some cool stuff so keep an eye out.”
He also teased on Twitter, “It’s about to get wild.”
Nathan Stewart, head of franchise marketing for Wizards of the Coast, offered in a separate comment, “You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger fan of Magic: The Gathering than Post Malone.”
“As a fan for years, he knows just how much Friday Night Magic means to players. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Posty in ways that will allow his signature style, talent and love of the game to combine in ways fans will never forget,” continued Stewart.
Magic: The Gathering was released in 1993 and has ballooned into a global fan base of 50 million players.
Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022 special, which was going to feature performance by Imagine Dragons, has been canceled due to the surging number of COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant.
The show was set to be hosted live in New York City’s Times Square by Ken Jeong and Joel McHale, alongside special correspondent Kelly Osbourne, daughter of Ozzy Osbourne.
A statement from Fox obtained by Varietyreads, “While we are confident in the health and safety protocols for Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022, the recent velocity of the spread of Omicron cases has made it impossible to produce a live special in Times Square that meets our standards.”
“We will not be moving forward with Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022 in New York,” the statement continues. “The health and safety of our casts and crews has always been, and will continue to be, of the utmost importance. Replacement programming for New Year’s Eve on Fox will be announced in the coming days.”
Variety notes that it “remains to be seen” whether the announced musical guests, including Imagine Dragons, who pre-recorded their performance, will still be part of said replacement programming.
Founding Vanilla Fudge lead singer and keyboardist Mark Stein recently released his first official solo album, There’s a Light.
Stein put the album together during the COVID-19 pandemic, mixing brand-new songs with older originals and a few covers, all featuring themes reflecting issues that the U.S. and the world have been facing during this volatile period in history.
Speaking about There’s a Light to ABC Audio, Stein notes that the album features “songs about love and patriotism and social issues that we’ve all been dealing with. Songs like ‘Racism’ and ‘All Lives Matter’ and ‘We Are One‘ and my cover of [The Temptations‘] ‘Ball of Confusion.’ It all holds together and has a message.”
Stein says the song that kickstarted the project was “We Are One,” a song about unity that he wrote in response to the divisiveness he noticed in the U.S. during the early days of the pandemic.
“I wrote that about six weeks after the initial pandemic, in April 2020,” he recalls. “I was compelled to write this song, and it started out like a ball of fire.”
Another song with a positive message on the album is “Let’s Pray for Peace,” and Mark recently released a music video for the tune to coincide with the holidays.
“During this Holiday Season, I hope this song helps to bring our volatile world a little closer together,” Stein says in a message. “Merry Christmas & A Happy Healthy New Year.”
Among the guest musicians featured on “There’s a Light” are longtime Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton, former Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto and Vanilla Fudge’s bassist, Pete Bremy.
There’s a Light is available now. Limited-edition bundles featuring a signed CD copy of the album and special merchandise items can be purchased at MerchBucket.com.
The International Animated Film Society revealed the nominees for its 49th Annie Awards on Tuesday, and Netflix leads leads the pack with 52 nominations, followed by Disney with 29 between its film and TV projects. Netflix picked up nine nominations for Arcane, its series based on Riot Games’ online multiplayer game League of Legends. The Mitchells vs. The Machines earned eight nods, with the streaming service’s limited series Maya and the Three, has seven. Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon led all content with 10 nominations, followed by Encanto, which picked up nine. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a double nominee for feature music. He’s nominated Germaine Franco for Encanto as well as for his work on Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix’s Vivo, alongside Alex Lacamoire. The complete list of nominees can be found here...
FX has set February 23 for the season five premiere of its hit drama series Snowfall, according to Deadline. The series, co-created by the late John Singleton takes place in 1980s South Central, Los Angeles, where the crack epidemic has taken over, as Franklin Saint, played by Damson Idris, expands his California drug empire. Snowfall‘s fourth season was the cable net’s most-watched series of 2021…
Fox has scratched its New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022 production in New York due to the ongoing surge of COVID-19 and its Omicron variant. “While we are confident in the health and safety protocols for Fox’s New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022, the recent velocity of the spread of Omicron cases has made it impossible to produce a live special in Times Square that meets our standards,” Fox Entertainment said in a statement obtained by Variety. Joel McHale and Ken Jeong were set to co-host the program, alongside special correspondent Kelly Osbourne. Musical performances by Billy Idol, Imagine Dragons, Pink, Maroon 5 and others were also set to appear…
Actress Sally Anne Howes has died at age 91, Variety reports, citing a tweet from Howes’ nephew. A Tony-nominated stage and musical theater star for most of her career, which spanned more than 50 years, the British actress and singer is best know to most for playing Truly Scrumptious opposite Dick Van Dyke in the 1968 children’s musical film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, about a magical flying car, based on the novel by James Bond creator Ian Fleming. Howes died December 19…
