By: Ashley Barquin - Monday, Mar 13, 2017 - 3:15pm
John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, South Boston, 1958.
Boston’s greenest (and drunkest) day of the year is almost here, and not even a blizzard could stop us from celebrating. From bar crawls to beer releases to Irish music and theatre — and yeah, that parade in Southie — here’s 20 events to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day around Boston. (more…)
By: Ashley Barquin - Wednesday, Mar 1, 2017 - 1:15pm
Photo by: @BostonTamCam
Rihanna accepted Harvard University’s 2017 Humanitarian of the Year award Tuesday at the Sanders Theatre for partnering with multiple charitable institutions that promote better global education and health care.
The artist founded the Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012, the Believe Foundation in 2006, and has worked with philanthropic organizations such as UNICEF and Global Partnership for Education.
RiRi delivered a speech at the student-packed ceremony after receiving the Peter J. Gomes award, sharing her inspiration for giving back to the community.
Photo by: @BostonTamCam
“When I was five or six years old, I remember watching TV and I would see these commercials and I was watching children suffer in other parts of the world,” the Barbados native said. “The commercials were, ‘Give 25 cents and you save a child’s life,’ and I would think to myself, ‘I wonder how many 25 cents I could save up to save all the kids in Africa.’”
Rihanna further urged the audience to give back to the community themselves.
She said: “All you need to do is help one person, expecting nothing in return. To me, that’s a humanitarian.”
The Harvard Foundation celebrated the singer through musical performances by the University’s Kuumba Singers and speeches from the students and dean.
Photo by: @BostonTamCam
“Thank you for inspiring us to use our abilities to work, work, work,” joked a student speaker, referring to the artist’s hit single.
Check out the TBC’s Twitter and Instagram posts from the event.
By: Ashley Barquin - Wednesday, Feb 8, 2017 - 10:00am
Photo provided by Matoma’s Management
Producer. Pianist. DJ.
Meet Matoma.
Known as Tom Stræte Lagergren when he’s not energizing a crowd at a festival, Matoma is a Norwegian DJ and tropical house producer. The all-good-vibes artist is well-known for his popular single with The Vamps, “All Night” and his 2015 album, “Hakuna Matoma.”
Matoma began DJing at a local student community in Trondheim, Norway and since then has come a long way – playing at major musical festivals like Belgium’s Tomorrowland and kicking off his Party at Your Place World Tour this month, featuring a stop at Boston’s House of Blues on March 30.
The talented DJ answered a few questions from TBC via email.
Photo provided by Matoma’s Management
Q: Who’s the coolest artist you’ve collaborated with so far?
A: The coolest artist I have collaborated with is a hard question because I have enjoyed all my collaborations. Astrid S., Becky Hill, Akon, Sean Paul, The Vamps, Jason Derulo, and many more are great artist and songwriters and I had such an amazing time in the studio with them.
Q: You recently collaborated with The Vamps on your shared single “All Night.” What was working with them like?
A: First of all, they are great people and so down to earth and nice. I really enjoyed working with them and to challenge myself to go outside the box and produce something I’ve never produced before was so much fun. I met the guys when we performed at BBC Radio One Live in London last fall and we had such a good time. It was also fun to meet my good friend Sean Paul who also was there to promote his song with Anna Marie.
Q: Are there any artists you wish to collaborate with in the future?
A: Yes, I have one artist on my bucket list that I would love to collaborate with, but I’m not sure if that’s going to happen, but I cross my fingers. It’s Will Smith.
Q: In 2016, you performed at Tomorrowland, one of the world’s largest electronic music festivals. What was that experience like?
A: To perform at Tomorrowland was a big milestone in my career and a big accomplishment for the team and myself. We worked hard to get me on that slot and the reaction of the crowd when I played was amazing. People around the world gathered and waved with their flags and spirits. It was also my girlfriend’s birthday, so we celebrated that backstage with champagne and cake. It was truly an amazing experience.
Q: You’re going to be performing at Panaroma, Firefly, and Hangout Fest with major artists like Frank Ocean, Solange, MGMT, and so on. Which music festival are you most excited to play? Any artists you hope to meet?
A: I’m excited to play at all the festivals I’m doing this year. The last three years, me as an artist and my team, have worked hard and dedicated to get me on these different festivals and finally I’m playing some really late night sets on some huge stages. That for me is huge and I’m super pumped.
Q: What do you do when you’re not DJing?
A: I love nature. I love making music. I love swimming. But I also love being with friends and family. When I’m with family, my girlfriend, and friends you can find me in the most happy conditions in life. Then it’s good to bring that energy along when I’m Djing and touring.
Q: Should fans expect another single soon?
A: YES! 🙂
Q: Last but not least, what’s your favorite thing about Boston?
A: The people, the atmosphere, and architectural infrastructure!
Be sure to listen to Matoma’s music here and get all the details on his upcoming show at the House of Blues on The Boston Calendar.
By: Ashley Barquin - Saturday, Feb 4, 2017 - 9:00am
Photo by: Andrew DiLeo
“Hit me with your best shot Harvard,” Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds said, sitting center stage, preparing himself for Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ annual roast.
The Golden Globe nominated actor was honored Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 51st Man of the Year award on Friday, February 3, at Harvard University’s performing arts center. The theatre company traditionally celebrates the Pudding Pot winner with a student-comedy roast followed by a press conference.
“It’s me, your zombie wife, Blake Deadly,” taunted one Harvard actor dressed in a white gown and plastic butcher knife headband, who Reynolds later gave a lap dance to.
Photo by: Andrew DiLeo
“You starred in Big Monster on Campus which could have described you, if you went to college” joked another student. “I did 45 minutes of community college and it sucked,” Reynolds defended.
The students even made poor Reynolds insult Massachusetts’ King, Tom Brady. Hesitant, Reynolds chose to rag on Brady’s voting skills.
Photo by: Andrew DiLeo
At the press conference, live-streamed on Hasty Pudding’s Facebook page, Reynolds touched on various topics – his time in Boston, his proudest moment as a parent, and his outlook on the importance of comedy.
When The Boston Calendar asked, “Who’s a better kisser, Blake (Lively) or Andrew (Garfield)? referring to his mouth-to-mouth exchange with Andrew Garfield at the Golden Globes, the actor responded: “I’m going to go with my wife on that one, for a number of reasons. Not the least of which, is that, you know, with my wife it’s going to be unleashed. … But make no mistake, Andrew Garfield is a wonderful kisser.” The press room laughed.
Ryan Reynolds received Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ Man of the Year award a week after Octavia Spencer received her Woman of the Year prize.
By: Ashley Barquin - Thursday, Feb 2, 2017 - 12:00pm
“I need to say this: This is my first show of my first U.S. tour. I don’t think anyone can top this.”
Photo by: Neelu Mohaghegh
Swedish indie pop queen LÉON performed live at the Sinclair in Cambridge last night and left the crowd in awe.
Cold beers, conversations, and college students consumed the room. Dim blue and purple stage lights gave a glow to the dark venue. The crowd started off small, but it grew.
Dressed in a black beanie and Boston Bruins jersey, British singer Jacob Banks opened the show and brought all his emotion and passion to the stage. The singer started with his song “Monster.”Orange and yellow lights beamed into the crowd. “They made a monster out of me,” he sang with his deep voice.
Photo by: Neelu Mohaghegh
The song stopped and Banks began: “Good evening, I’m Jacob Banks and this is Boston.” The crowd screamed. “It’s my first show in America. I’m from London.”
He apologized for singing “depressing shit,” and yet began to sing “Unknown,” leaving my body in chills. “Say that you don’t want me, say you don’t need me, tell me I’m a fool,” he sang holding his chest and spilling his soul into the song. Banks continued to kill the show with his performances of “Silver Lining” and “Unholy War.”
White lit letters reading “LÉON” stood on stage, and moments later so did she.
Photo by: Neelu Mohaghegh
LÉON opened her act with “Think About You” and left the crowd screaming, and thinking about how good she looks in an all black dress and black boots.
“Thank you for coming out tonight. This is nice. I just have to say, this is my first time in Boston and it feels pretty good.”
The Swedish star effortlessly strutted her vocals on her hits “Sleep Deprived” and “Nobody Cares.” She has no particular stage choreography, but her vocals are enough to entertain the crowd. One of her favorite moves, however, is bending her knees and lowering to the ground with the mic in her hand.
She covers Arctic Monkey’s “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” doing them complete justice.
Feelings and flawless vocals flooded the venue as she hits every note of “Liar.” The artist looked like she was tearing up herself as she was performing.
Photo by: Neelu Mohaghegh
“I need to say this: This is my first show of my first U.S. tour… I don’t think anyone can top this,” she said.
LÉON closed with her well-known and magical “Tired of Talking” single.
Hopefully, LÉON comes back to Boston soon. Her concert was so simple, yet engaging and emotional. She kicked off her tour perfectly.
By: Ashley Barquin - Monday, Jan 30, 2017 - 6:41pm
Photo by: Andrew DiLeo
Two days after receiving her second Oscar nomination, actress Octavia Spencer was honored Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 67th Woman of the Year award. The Hidden Figures star celebrated by parading through the Cambridge community and accepting a Pudding Pot, of course, only after being put on the spot by Harvard’s student theatre group.
Photo by: Andrew DiLeo
“Octavia, you’ve played no fewer than 22 nurses,” one member teased during the theatre group’s annual roast. Another member prepped a chocolate pie for Spencer to splat on their face, referring to the actress’s major scene in The Help (2011), when her character Minny Jackson feeds Hilly Holbrook (Bryce D. Howard) a poop-filled-pie. Thankfully Spencer survived the roast, laughing the whole way through, and proceeded to thank the theatre company for her golden Pudding Pot.
Spencer later attended a press conference that was live-streamed on the Hasty Pudding’s Facebook page. She answered questions relating to her acting career, stating that her dream role was “that of a producer” and that her most challenging role was playing God in her upcoming movie The Shack (2017). She also addressed questions pertaining to social issues such as the Women’s March on Washington and the importance of inclusion of all women of color in feminism and film positions.
Photo by: Andrew DiLeo
When asked which award was more difficult to earn, the Oscar or the Pudding Pot, Spencer answered, “That pot was hard to get. It was difficult to get, but it is one that will be forever indelibly etched in my memories. This has just been so much fun today.”
On Friday, February 3, Ryan Reynolds will be honored Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 51st Man of the Year award. For more information on tickets and event location click HERE.
