Movie Review: The Skin I Live In

Every once in a while, I will go into a movie without preparation, I won't know much about the plot, the actors nor will I read the Wikipedia synopsis beforehand. Basically, I'll go into the theater the way that movie directors had originally intended. The last time this happened was with I Heart Huckabees. Luckily for me, I was enrolled in a philosophy class and understood it.

This time, the blind side film would be The Skin I Live In.

It is a Spanish 2011 film directed by Pedro Almodovar and it stars Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya and Marisa Paredes. It is loosely based on the French novel, Mygale, by Thierry Jonquet. It made its debut in May 2011 at the 64th Cannes Film Festival.

I went in expecting a thriller, based on what I saw from the trailers, and there would be an emphasis on synthetic skin.

It really was a thriller. And it did deal with skin. Unfortunately, that's where my expectations ended.

I won't ruin the movie for everyone else, so I won't write a full synopsis. All I can say is, is that this movie was somewhat disturbing, even more than The Human Centipede. I haven't been quite this uncomfortable with a film since A Clockwork Orange. It was along the lines of The Crying Game, a movie I've only read about. That being said, it wasn't a bad film. This is what separates The Skin I Live In from mediocre shockers like The Human Centipede.

Almodovar touched so many issues in this movie, such as identity, human rights...I want to tell Tom Six (director of The Human Centipede) that this is how you really shock people with substance and this is why Almodovar is Cannes calibre.

Did I enjoy this film?

Not on the same level as I would with The Dark Knight or Inception.

Would I recommend this film?

Only if you're used to bizarre works, like A Clockwork Orange.

Would I see this film again?

I'll take this like I took Requiem for a Dream. I'll agree it's critically acclaimed but this will be a film I never intend on seeing ever again!

It's a one and done deal with me.

But will I ever forget it or stop talking about it?

Never.

And that my friends is what makes a movie so memorable.

My Experience from 97X Next Big Thing

97X Next Big Thing was only the third concert I've ever attended and it would be the first one I've had in this atmosphere. My previous experiences were a Nickelback and Saliva show at the USF Sun Dome in 2001 and earlier this year, the 97X Backyard BBQ show at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg, FL. This time, I would go the "The Amp". It used to be the Ford Amphitheater and now it's the 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheater. But I'm just going to call it The Amp for short. I've heard and read mixed reviews about this venue, so I had been a little cautious.

Getting to the Amp was another issue in itself. I overslept and ended up stuck in the off ramp traffic for an hour, due to 2 lanes converging into one and the wrap around convoy leading into the entrance. Not the Amp's fault. Unfortunately, I did miss GROUPLOVE, a band I had been looking forward to seeing. By the time I arrived inside, Manchester Orchestra began playing on the side stage and I believe I could hear an acoustic performance by Cage the Elephant off in the distance. Regardless, I wanted to get in line for The Pit.

This would be the area I would practically handcuff myself to for ten hours. This would be by far the closest I have ever been to a stage. And I will have to say, the security guards at the Amp were top notch, on top of everything, I felt completely safe in The Pit and I would gladly go back with complete confidence.

Sorry for the poor lighting, I just wanted to take a photo of the rest of the venue. You have your general seating areas and then the lawn behind that. Somewhere in the middle would be the VIP area, a place I would very much like to experience in the future!

This is most likely my best photograph from that day, as I was able to zoom in on Ritzy Bryan, lead singer of The Joy Formidable. I heard their single "Whirring" on 97X several months ago and I've seen them perform on Conan.

Ritzy was very energetic that day. She and the rest of her bandmates did not disappoint me!

This is Young the Giant doing their sound check ahead of their performance. During this time, AWOLNATION played at the side stage, but I did not want to lose my place in The Pit, so I remained in place.

This is Sameer Gadhia, the lead singer of Young the Giant. It was a very good performance and I absolutely loved "Cough Syrup".

The next band was an old favorite of mine, Taking Back Sunday. This is lead singer Adam Lazzara'

Taking Back Sunday played every single one of my favorites, such as "Make Damn Sure" and "Cute without the E".

Cage the Elephant was perhaps the most energetic act I had seen that day. I wasn't afraid to bop my head during their songs. Had it not been for holding the camera, I may have even fist pumped the air.

Cage the Elephant's lead singer, Matthew Shultz, was all over the place that day, including several crowd surfing moments and even standing up as he crowd surfed. I wish I had been able to take a photo of that moment, but I did get this iconic shot of Shultz.

My new favorite band, Foster the People, had just been amazing. This was a band I had seen through Youtube streams of Coachella, Lollapalooza and ACL. I had missed their performance in Orlando in September and I was more than thrilled to have them come back to the Sunshine State. Unfortunately, it was during their performance where my digital camera died on me and I was forced to use my cell phone the rest of the night.

Mark Foster was several feet away from me quite a few times.

Bush really took me back to nostalgic times as a teenager. When I was about 13 or 14, I always wondered what it would be like to attend a live performance of Bush and thanks for 97X, my little boyhood dream had been fulfilled. This is guitarist Chris Traynor.

I wish I had my digital camera during Bush. Gavin Rossdale ran by me as he ventured through the Amp, going all the way up to the lawn section and back. I almost lost my voice singing my favorite, "Glycerine".

A Day to Remember may have been the loudest band of the night. Things got wild with toilet paper being thrown around, beach balls flying all over and Gumby throwing out t-shirts.

Like Matthew Shultz, Mark Foster and Gavin Rossdale, A Day to Remember's Jeremy McKinnon had been all over the stage.

And in a moment where I needed a real digital camera the most, this was the only photo I have of Sublime with Rome. Rome Ramirez wore a light shirt, which made him appear angelic to my cell phone camera. It was a great way to end the show and closed out on Sublime's old hits.

All in all, I had a blast at 97X Next Big Thing. Would I go again? Definitely? Would I go back to the Amp? Only if I can get back in the Pit! Will I get a better digital camera and batteries? It'll be a requirement for me in 2012!

In closing, I'd like to thank Carey and Leisure for making this concert a reality, the staff at the Amp for making my time there quite enjoyable, all the bands that were there, including the ones I unfortunately missed, such as FUN, Sleeper Agent, GroupLove and Manchester Orchestra and I would like to thank 97X for giving me a great experience.

Don't forget to check out my other post of where these bands are headed to next!

Can't wait until 2012!

For more, please check out the 97X website!

Where do they go now? Bands from 97X Next Big Thing 2011

I had an amazing time last night at the 97X Next Big Thing show. I will try to post photos later but for now, I will track down where all the bands are headed to next.

NOTE: Today, December 4, Sleeper Agent, Taking Back Sunday, Manchester Orchestra, GroupLove, Fun., Young the Giant and Sublime with Rome join Switchfoot and Middle Class Rut for the Big Ticket Show in Jacksonville, FL.

Sleeper Agent:

12/7 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

12/13 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO

12/15 The Rave, Milwaukee, WI

12/16 The Vogue Theatre, Indianapolis, IN

12/31 Aragon Ballroom, Chicago

1/19-1/23 Weezer Cruise, Miami, FL

fun.

12/12 The Landsdowne Pub, Boston, MA

GROUPLOVE

12/6 Neumos, Seattle, WA

12/7 Key Arena, Seattle, WA

12/8 New Parish, San Francisco, CA

12/10 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

12/30 The Falls Festival, Melbourne, Australia

GROUPLOVE will start 2012 in Australia and then head to Europe. 2012 dates will be posted later this month.

Manchester Orchestra

Manchester Orchestra doesn't have any US dates posted for the remainder of 2011. They will be in Australia in March, 2012.

The Joy Formidable

12/6 Lunario, Mexico City

12/7 The Joint atHard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas

12/8 The New Parish, Oakland

12/10 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

12/12 North Star Bar, Philadelphia

12/13 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO

12/14 Metro, Chicago

12/15 The Rave, Milwaukee

12/16 The Vogue Theater, Indianapolis

AWOLNATION

Today, AWOLNATION is in Tulsa.

12/7 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

12/10 The 104.1 Nightmare Before Xmas, Frenso, CA

12/15 1o2.1 The Edge 2011 Jingle Bell Rock, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

12/17 The Night 89X Stole Christmas, Detroit

12/19 Music Farm, Charleston, SC

2012, AWOLNATION will be in Alaska and head towards the Winter X Games in Aspen, CO.

Young the Giant

12/5 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

12/7 Key Arena, Seattle, WA

12/9 The Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA

12/10 Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA

12/16-12/17 Galaxy Theatre, Santa Ana, CA,

Taking Back Sunday

12/17 The Night 89X Stole Christmas, Detroit

12/27 Paramount Theater, New York

12/29 House of Blues, Atlantic City

12/30 Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA

Taking Back Sunday will head to Brazil in January, 2012.

Cage the Elephant

Today, Cage the Elephant is in Tulsa along with AWOLNATION.

12/7 The Key Arena, Seattle, WA

12/9 Ace of Spades, Sacramento, CA

12/10 Valley View Casino Center, San Diego, CA

12/11 Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA

12/13 The Pageant, St. Louis, MO

12/15 The Rave, Milwaukee, WI

12/31 Aragon Ballroom, Chicago

Cage the Elephant will be in Australia in 2012.

Foster the People

Today, Foster the People is at First Avenue in Minneapolis.

12/6 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

Foster the People will be in Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii in early 2012.

Bush

12/7 Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ

12/9 Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA

12/10-12/11 Gibson Amphitheatre, North Hollywood

12/11 House of Blues, San Diego

A Day to Remember

12/8 The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas

12/10 104.1 Nightmare Before Xmas at Selland Arena, Fresno, CA

A Day to Remember will remain in the United States in early 2012.

Sublime with Rome

As far as I can see, it appears that Big Ticket in Jacksonville is their final show of 2011. If I see new dates, I will post them.

As for every other band and act, I will try hard to post tour dates as much as I can.

The bands of Next Big Thing 2011

From Bowling Green, KY, Sleeper Agent

From New York, FUN

From Los Angeles, GROUPLOVE

From Atlanta, Manchester Orchestra

From North Wales, UK, The Joy Formidable

From Los Angeles, AWOLNATION

From Irvine, CA, Young the Giant

From Long Island, NY, Taking Back Sunday

From Bowling Green, KY, Cage the Elephant

From Los Angeles, Foster the People

From London, Bush

From Ocala, FL, A Day to Remember

And the closing act, hailing from California...Sublime with Rome

Concert: Next Big Thing 2011

Tomorrow, I will be in attendance of the 97X Next Big Thing concert at the 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheater.

The line-up:

NBT Local Band 10:00AM-10:20AM at the Side Stage

Sleeper Agent 10:30AM-11:10AM at the Side Stage

FUN 11:30-12:00PM at the Side Stage

GROUPLOVE 12:20PM-12:50PM at the Side Stage

Manchester Orchestra 1:10PM-1:40PM at the Side Stage

The Joy Formidable 1:45PM-2:20PM at the Main Stage

AWOLNATION 2:25PM-3:00PM at the Side Stage

Young the Giant 3:20PM-4:00PM at the Main Stage

Taking Back Sunday 4:20PM-5:00PM at the Main Stage

Cage the Elephant 5:20PM-6:00PM at the Main Stage

Foster the People 6:20PM-7:00PM at the Main Stage

Bush 7:20PM-8:20PM at the Main Stage

A Day to Remember 8:40PM-9:25PM at the Main Stage

Sublime with Rome 9:45PM-10:50PM at the Main Stage

There is also 5 bands who will play acoustic sets throughout the venue.

I will be in the Pit area, therefore, I will most likely not be able to see the Side Stage up close, but I should still be able to hear the music.

If anyone is going, I will see you there!

Music Spotlight: Childish Gambino

In recent years, we've seen Aubrey Graham quickly transform from his Degrassi acting years to his current profession, the hip-hop artist we know as Drake. Now, Community's Donald Glover is currently performing as Childish Gambino. Glover is an accomplished comedian and actor, but I had no idea he had musical skills. His new album, Camp, just dropped on November 15th. I will leave you with his recent performance on Conan, "Heartbeat"...it's dark, gritty, modern and catchy. His lyrics aren't for the feint of heart, but you're craving a new taste of hip-hop, please give it a listen. Anything else, remember Donald Glover has an official website as well.

Music Spotlight: Outasight

To the mainstream world, many first heard Outasight (real name Richard Andrews) through a Pepsi commercial that aired during the American debut of X Factor. But for those in the New York scene, they were well aware of him since 2007. He is described as a hip-hop artist with an electro feel. I'll admit, his single 'Tonight is the Night' is quite catchy and I initially thought it was just a Pepsi jingle until I heard it on mainstream radio. I can't wait to hear more from Outasight. For more, please feel free to check out his website and enjoy his catchy single!

Fantasy Football

It's been a while since I've updated this blog. I recently saw The Thing, but I opted to post the review on the Crimson Monkey website. I do have tons of ideas and things for this blog, as I will be attending the 2011 Next Big Thing concert in Tampa on December 3rd. In the coming weeks, I plan on showcasing the bands I will be seeing. Until then, I wanted to share my latest trend...Fantasy Football!

This is the first year I've ever played Fantasy Football. My good friends Rickey and Noelle convinced me to play in this ESPN league. I figured why not so I signed up for the draft, not really knowing what to do. And well, I made several errors. I remember I drafted Philip Rivers, Roddy White and Steven Jackson, wasted high draft picks on Randall Cobb and Santana Moss (by accident) and also had DeSean Jackson and Jermichael Finley. I didn't understand the point system, as I initially thought it was touchdowns only...only until the third week did I realize that yards counted for points as well. By then, I let go of Finley and DeSean Jackson, as well as Santana Moss and I've been playing in scraps ever since.

It's been a fun experiment though, as I've tried playing off projections, off weak defenses and hunches, which have all led me to a 1-5 record in the ESPN league, which is currently last place.

I thought, well, maybe in 2012, I'll know who to draft!

But then I thought, why wait a year?

Why not sign up for another league or two just to see how I do there as well.

I signed up for 4 leagues.

And it's been interesting. I now play on ESPN, Yahoo, CBS, NFL and Fleaflicker.

I found where I was placed in the draft order really had an impact on my team. I believe ESPN, I was second to last, but on CBS, I was third in line, which is why that team is by far my best.

So you know how I did in ESPN.

Yahoo hasn't worked out well for me, as I am currently 0-3.

My friend Noelle questioned my football knowledge and well, those 2 leagues, yeah...I've done poorly, but I made up for it with my other leagues.

CBS...3-0

Fleaflicker...2-1

NFL...2-1

So, I'll share my current starting line-up for Week 8:

ESPN: Vegas Vegans

QB: Matt Hasselbeck

RB: Steven Jackson

RB: DeMarco Murray

RB: Jackie Battle

WR: Antonio Brown

WR: Demaryius Thomas

WR: Steve Breaston

TE: Aaron Hernandez

D/ST: Bengals

K: Jason Hanson

Yahoo: French Toast Mafia

QB: Eli Manning

WR: Demaryius Thomas

WR: Antonio Brown

WR: Jabar Gaffney

RB: Darren Sproles

RB: Ryan Torain

TE: Jake Ballard

K: Dan Bailey

D: Cincinnati

CBS: The Scary One

QB: Tim Tebow

RB: Fred Jackson

RB: Ryan Torain

WR: Steve Smith

WR: Jeremy Maclin

WR: Jabar Gaffney

TE: Aaron Hernandez

K: Jason Hanson

D: San Diego

Fleaflicker: Hiders from Mars

QB: John Beck

RB: LeSean McCoy

RB: DeMarco Murray

WR: Marques Colston

WR: Antonio Brown

TE: Owen Daniels

K: Josh Scobee

D: Saints

NFL: Foster the Toty

QB: Tim Tebow

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew

RB: DeMarco Murray

WR: Jabar Gaffney

WR: Calvin Johnson

TE: Jared Cook

RB: Ryan Torain

K: Jason Hanson

D: Saints

Notable Bench Players:

Yahoo: Darren McFadden

CBS: Aaron Rodgers

Fleaflicker: Greg Jennings

Each website is different. You'll notice that the number of starting players varies on each time. Yahoo leaves me somewhat limited on who I can start. I love how Fleaflicker's flex spot also includes TE. I am not a fan of how CBS has their Add/Drop feature displayed. NFL's add/drop format is so much better. But ESPN delivers the most info on every player, plus, there's no waiver rotation and I can add and drop as many times as I please. I think I've done 100 changes to my ESPN team which probably leaves my friends thinking, what is he doing?

I'm glad I went into this, as my curiosity is fulfilled. To my friends in my ESPN league, my team might be the worst, but I'm having fun. It's a learning experience. And I thank everyone who is a part of it.

As for my other leagues, save for Fleaflicker, I know absolutely no one and I'm in it to win it!

That's it, this may be one of the few posts I ever do about Fantasy Football, so don't expect this to be a weekly thing. Maybe I'll post another in January after the season.

If anyone is wondering what is up with the names, Vegans is named for a friend. French Toast Mafia was from a name generator, but I believe it's also a youth hockey team. The Scary One seemed like an appropriate name since I have Rodgers, Fred Jackson and Steve Smith. Hiders from Mars is a loose reference to Portlandia's Hide n' Seek skit. And Foster the Toty is a combination of Foster the People and my beloved cat.

Other than that, expect me to go back to entertainment next time!

Charity Alert: 2011 Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals, Portland

Those who know me know that I tend to joke around a lot. One issue that I'm dead serious about is animal welfare, for all animals. If you believe in this too, and are in the Portland, Oregon area, there is a special event going on tomorrow.

It's being coordinated by very good people and they need all the support they can get.

And even if you're not in Portland, you can still sign up and donate.

Everything you need is right at this website.

Farm Sanctuary will have 40 Walks going on throughout the U.S. and Canada up until November.

Even celebrities like Emily Deschanel, star of Bones, supports this cause.

Compassion for all living things is a beat we can all dance to, so please check out the website, read the material and help this noble cause. Thank you.

Austin City Limits

From September 16-18th, the 10th annual Austin City Limits will take place! Headlining acts include Coldplay, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire and Manu Chao, with many more bands and artists scheduled to appear, including my personal favorite, Foster the People.

For anyone in the Austin area, I read there are still single day tickets available for Sunday. Please check out the official website for more details. And remember, there is still a drought in Texas so leave your lighters at home!

As for the rest of us who are not in the Lone Star state, Youtube will run a live stream from the festival all 3 days!

Check out the ACL Youtube page for the streams and the scheduling! Enjoy the show everyone!

Music Spotlight: Calvin Harris

The UK have given us several amazing talents in the techno and electronica genre, such as Leftfield and The Chemical Brothers. Now, I bring you Calvin Harris. He is 27, out of Scotland and has worked with the likes of English rapper Dizzie Rascal and Kylie Minogue. Since his debut album in 2007, he has dominated the UK charts.

In his early years, he started making demos in his bedroom and also stated during those times, he was an anti-social person. His music on Myspace gained him underground popularity. After his debut album hit big, he worked with Rascal, even performing with him at Glastonbury 2008 and caught the attention of Minogue.

He actually turned down the chance to work with Lady Gaga in 2008, citing that he did not like the demo given to him, did not want to offend her and still considers her to be a good artist.

Chris Brown and British boy band JLS may have plagiarized some of Harris' work without his permission, with Brown's "Yeah 3x" and JLS's "Eyes Wide Shut". Harris did acknowledge this and said he favored the JLS song and will not seek legal action against either artist.

His latest single, "Feel So Close", recently dropped on August 21.

It's been announced he will be one of the headline acts for Rhythm and Vines, a New Year's musical festival in New Zealand.

For anything else on Harris, such as his tour dates, feel free to check out his website.

And I will leave you with "Feel So Close", a song I actually heard a few months ago through Hype Machine. I know not everyone enjoys techno, but this song has a special meaning to me. Enjoy!

New Football Blog

This month has been a little hectic for me, as I haven't been able to review many movies or musical acts and as busy as I've been, I decided to do yet another blog!

Battlefield Turf!

It will be over at Crimson Monkey, updated each week. I'll make predictions, share news, thoughts and make a few jokes. No cheerleader photos...the internet has enough of those girls without me posting them. So yeah, for those who want to read a little football news, please feel free to check it out!

Movie Review: The Devil's Double

If it wasn't for Comedy Central showing previews of this movie late at night, I would have missed this great movie. It is directed by Lee Tamahori (Muholland Falls, Die Another Day), and is based off of the true story of Latif Yahia. Yahia was forced against his will to be the fiday (body double) of Uday Hussein, the son of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Uday Hussein was the embodiment of evil, the man lived to terrorize, torture, rape and destroy.

Latif had actually met Uday in school at age 15 and many thought they looked alike. At 23, during the Iran-Iraq War, Latif was brought into the Presidential Palace and requested to be the fiday of Uday, since Stalin and Saddam also had body doubles to trick would-be assassins. At first, Latif refused and was imprisoned. After his release, he reluctantly agreed to his new role. From then on up into Desert Storm, Latif witnessed much of the carnage firsthand. He would eventually escape and wrote about his experiences in 1997 (I was Saddam's Son), but the story would go ignored up until the US Invasion of Iraq in 2003. Latif would later publish The Devil's Double in June of 2003.

Uday Hussein, alongside his brother Qusay, were gunned down in a 4 hour battle by a combined team of Task Force 20 and 1o1st Airborne a month later.

The movie was very good, it was very violent, brutal and grizzly. It took a controversial subject and made it into the story of how Latif was forced to live in the shadow of a monster. English actor Dominic Cooper did a great job portraying both men and showed his versatility as an actor. I'm not sure if it will be up for any Academy Awards next spring, but I feel it should be.

I've seen only a few movies set in Iraq, such as Three Kings, Jarhead and The Hurt Locker. All three movies were good, but they had been from an American perspective. And from what I remember from history class, Desert Storm had been a cake walk for American forces. The Devil's Double is the first movie that truly put me into Iraq, and it was anything but a cakewalk for me. I had only read about the horror of the Hussein family and the warfare, but it wasn't until this movie that I completely understood what had happened.

Anything further on how I feel about Saddam Hussein, Uday Hussein and the War in Iraq will have to be saved for another article on another blog. But after this movie, I am glad to know that Uday Hussein is no longer on this Earth to terrorize the Iraqi people.

I would highly recommend this movie, but it is not for the feint of heart. I would also recommend the books, but it appears they are out of print and are considered collector's items. The real Latif Yahia does have a website and blog.

Let Carson Palmer Go!

As you all know, my blog covers all things entertainment and that's why I occasionally cover sports. In recent weeks, I've heard about the struggle in Cincinnati and here it.

Carson Palmer, star quarterback, wants out of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown, who also acts as team GM, will not grant Palmer's request. Brown, being the stubborn old coot he is, says that Palmer signed a contract and he's holding him to it, and that by seeking a trade would "reward" Palmer, therefore, he is sticking to his guns by refusing Palmer's request.

Really?

Here is my take on the situation.

Brown, you wouldn't be rewarding him, you'd be rewarding your fans.

Carson Palmer is not John Elway. He's not Troy Aikman. He could be another Rex Grossman, but he's not a Super Bowl winning QB.

Even with Palmer taking snaps, it wouldn't make a difference.

Trade Palmer and get that ridiculous contract out of Cincinnati.

Act now and maybe even get a first round draft pick out of the deal.

The Bengals are going into 2011 like lambs to the slaughter, wouldn't it help to know that with an additional first round draft pick, you might not only land Stanford's Andrew Luck in the draft, you may even get his offensive tackle, Jonathan Martin. That could be achieved by trading Palmer to another lowly team in desperate need of a QB, a team like the Buffalo Bills.

Like I said, this season is going to be brutal for Cincinnati fans.

The idealist in me wants to think, maybe Bruce Gradkowski will be another Kurt Warner, maybe Cedric Benson will post a 1500 yard season, maybe A.J. Green will win NFL Rookie of the Year honors...

The realist in me says, that the Bengals are in the same division as the defending AFC Conference Champions, the Steelers...the Ravens who may have a Super Bowl run in the making and the Browns with the emerging force that is Peyton Hillis...3 dangerous rivals in an already tough schedule. At best, I can only see a 3-13 record out of this.

With that, why not trade Palmer and make a serious effort towards rebuilding the franchise?

Andrew Luck may be your QB of the future.

Make plans now on rebuilding around a rising star.

And who knows, maybe in 5 or 6 years, the Bengals might have that Lombardi trophy that escaped them in the 1980s.

But all of this is just mere suggestions from a former Cincinnati Bengal fan. I expect Mike Brown to still be stubborn and continue to do so until the day he passes away and the reigns will go onto his successor.

It's a shame too, because I do believe the Bengals have potential of being a contender...but only if Brown makes the right moves, maybe hires a real GM to make decisions and maybe he will get to hold the trophy once in his lifetime.

Something I'd like to see in music...

This year has been the first real year I have ever truly paid attentions to music festivals in the United States and across the world. Before 2011, I had never heard of Coachella, Glastonbury or Splendour in the Grass. I had only heard of Woodstock and Lollapalooza but never gave them much thought. And thanks to Pandora and Hype Machine, I've discovered new music like Foster the People, Two Door Cinema Club and Florence and the Machine and rekindled my love for Coldplay and Foo Fighters. As I explored new music, I ran into tour information and was intrigued by these festivals.

I was really excited earlier this year when Youtube ran a live stream of Coachella, Vevo had one for Bonnaroo and Virgin Mobile Australia ran one for Splendour in the Grass. This weekend, Youtube is again streaming from Lollapalooza.

Unfortunately, there is a drawback as either there is no replay option or there is only one replay offered. It was a real struggle to stay up early hours to see Coachella or Splendour and it's a shame that I can't replay a performance whenever I want.

My Roku offers me a lot of services, from Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, Pandora, but it would just be amazing if there was a service that deals with live performances and major musical events. I'd like to have the ability to sit back and watch all of Splendour in its glory, I'd like to see the the grandeur of Glastonbury, the fireworks and light shows and everything else, I would love to have this experience. And I'm sure I'm not the only one here.

And I'd be willing to pay for it.

Lollapalooza 2011

I forgot to look at the calender, folks, I apologize. Lollapalooza has just kicked off in Chicago today and will run into Sunday.

Click Here for the Lineup.

And Youtube is doing a live stream!

Spotlight: Alexandra Stan

Romania has been the home to great musical acts such as Edward Maya, Inna and O-Zone. Now, we get 22 year-old Alexandra Stan. She has been very popular in Europe. Her current single, "Mr. Saxobeat", has been gaining much airplay over American radio. Back in her home country, it was number one for eight weeks on the Romanian Top 100. It is by far her most successful song.

Upon first hearing it, I was somewhat iffy. I was not immediately taken with it as I had been with "Stereo Love" by Edward Maya. But, over the past few weeks, it has really grown on me. I really don't have anything else on, rather than direct you to her official website. She is very talented and I wish her the best of luck in her career. Her debut album, Saxobeats, will be released this September.

For now, I will leave everyone with her single, "Mr. Saxobeat."

Splendour in the Grass

Splendour in the Grass recently kicked off in Woodford, Queensland, Australia. It is an annual music festival that takes place every July. It's estimated that 30,000 will show up for this event. Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange (under house arrest in the UK) made a special announcement via video.

I'm not sure if I agree with mixing politics into a music festival, as I would want to go to a festival politician free, but I will have to admit, Assange probably would have won me over.

Anyway, the music is underway as I write this. From what I understand, Jay-Z made a special guest appearance during Kanye West's segment of the show.

But what's even more exciting, is that unlike Glastonbury, there will be online streaming!

Thanks to the good people at Virgin Mobile, there will be a live 4-hour web stream from the main stage. The video said it's at 4:30 on Sunday, July 31, but I am somewhat confused, if it is 4:30 Australian local time or if it 4:30 PM EST. I did the calculations and 4:30 in Queensland is 2:30 AM EST, which would mean I need another bottle of Coca-Cola!

But considering the schedule, I'm guessing it is 2:30 AM EST. Regardless, here's the link.

Sunday:

SET TIMES

The Vines (4:45-5:45 PM)

Elbow (6:15-7:15 PM)

Kaiser Chiefs (7:45-8:45 PM)

Coldplay (10:45-Midnight)

Cloud Control TBC

The Vaccines TBC

I'll be honest, I'm only familiar with The Vines and Coldplay and if that live stream is 4:30 in Australian local time, it'd be over before Coldplay takes the stage. I've already missed their show at the iTunes Festival, I'd be really bummed to miss them again. I will definitely check out what other bands.

If anything, you can always catch videos of the performances through Splendour's Youtube channel.

I leave you now with an awesome look at what to expect at Splendour in the Grass. Wish I could be there!

Live Performance: Matt and Kim "Block after Block"

I decided that I'm going to post more live performances that I come across. Which has always been a gamble for me, as I would love a band on the radio but come time for their appearance on The Tonight Show or Saturday Night Live and I would feel let down. I'm not sure if it was because their sound was off or if they were just not a live performance caliber band.

Matt and Kim does not fall into that category.

They are a band that I've loved since 2009, their song "Daylight" changed my life and I love their lively performances and they really know how to get the people moving. This is from their most recent appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

"Block After Block" from their album, Sidewalks.

Matt and Kim are on tour. Be sure to check out their official website and buy yourself a copy of Sidewalks!

When movies go too far for Trent Storm

In recent weeks, it has come to my attention that the UK has banned The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) because of the content featured. I won't lie, this is a tricky issue for me. One in which I will try to jam so much into one article as briefly as I can. I've read about the fine lines between obscenity and artistic freedom before, I've studied the works of Robert Mapplethorpe and the infamous "Piss Christ" photograph. Although I had been perplexed by the subject matter, I reluctantly understood the arguments.

Moving onto the subject of film (which is another form of art), I've made several observations of blurring the line between obscenity and art. I've seen many controversial movies that featured disturbing scenes, and yet, they had some kind of meaning. Case in point, my first time dealing with this was the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange. It took me 3 times to move past the "Singin' in the Rain" scene to understand where Stanley Kubrick was taking me. Since then, I've seen equally disturbing scenes and content, such as Deliverance, Pulp Fiction and Irreversible. Those movies were hard to watch at times, and yet, I understood the plot and message each film presented.

I take most controversial films with a grain of salt, and for those who fiercely oppose it, I often tell them, "If you don't want to see the movie, then just don't go into the theater!" and I stand by that. It's what I'll say when asked about Saw and Hostel.

That being said, I move onto a film I stumbled across last year, The Human Centipede (First Sequence). It is a 2010 Dutch body horror movie directed and written by Tom Six. I will let you click on the link to read the full plot, but from what I will divulge here (spoiler free) is that an evil surgeon takes three captives and performs a very horrific procedure on them. I did read the full plot and had been sickened by it and vowed to never see it. Then, a few months went by where I began to laugh about it and my curiosity eventually got the best of me. I read the behind-the-scenes of the movie, the technical aspect and through an online streaming site (the one time I didn't mind resorting to piracy to avoid paying for a movie), I watched it with a friend.

I was disturbed, but not offended. It was not the worst movie experience I ever had. Definitely not the best either, but not the worst! I even saw a little World War II reference and maybe even a statement on how Hollywood business is conducted. It is not among my favorite movies, I will never hold the DVD in my hands nor will I recommend anyone see this film on a full stomach. But, I saw a tiny shred of a message in the movie.

Then, Tom Six decided that he was going to make the first movie look like My Little Pony. I get that he wanted to push the envelope and go over the limit. And well, he did. He did more than that. He outdid himself, and not in a good way. Click on this link to read why.

And here is where my own point truly begins. Those films that I mentioned above, were violent, brutal, yet honest and held substance. Tom Six argues that all he did was make a film and it was nothing more than art. No, it wasn't. If I were to address Six now, I would tell him that what he had produced is anything but art. Six is not Robert Mapplethorpe. He is not Stanley Kubrick. He is a man who has insulted me as a horror movie fan by just throwing together this hash piece like a college student writing a term paper the night before it's due. There was almost no real attempt to create a plot nor was there any attempt to make a slightly coherent statement like the first movie. I could have written a screenplay for Tom Six, it would have been very disturbing but it still would have had meaning.

What this movie has, there is nothing. The only thing that upsets me more then the subject matter is that he has done nothing with it. What good is pushing the limits when there is nothing to push?

Not all films are meant to be entertaining. But Six is a director. He is a storyteller. He is supposed to be giving the audience a story. A very dark and disturbing story, but a story nonetheless. If he wants me to even consider this movie, he would have to shoot the film all over again, with an actual plot in mind. But I won't see this movie. Nor should any other fan of horror movies. We deserve better.

I am unlike any critic you've read...

A few months ago, I said that don't like being labeled a critic, and yet, people still think of me as one. But perhaps it's because I am the most unusual critic. And I have a wide and unusual taste in music. I enjoy the classic works by Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky.

As for music from the 20th century, I will always cherish Johnny Cash. I'll give props to the musicians of his early years, Patsy Kline, Buddy Holiday and Elvis but Cash was by far my favorite.

The 1960s is a decade I'd like to know more about, but from the soundtracks of movies set during those years, especially Vietnam movies, I liked what I had heard. Some notable favorites include The Beatles, The Doors and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

The 1970s is perhaps my least favorite decade of music. Had I been alive, I would have absolutely hated disco. But from this decade, came some of my favorites songs. The Who and Pink Floyd are on my playlists. And who could forget Sid Vicious's rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way"?

But of course, my absolute favorite song is an American classic. "American Pie" by Don McLean!

The 1980s is a time I can barely remember, and it would not be until my late teen years where I fully appreciated it. I would have to devote another article just for this decade, from A-ha to Men at Work on down to Wham! But I would have to say, The Cure's 1987 single "Just Like Heaven" is one of my all-time favorites from that decade.

The 1990s was the decade I went from a child to a teenager. And like the 1980s, I would have to write a separate article. But off the top of my head, it was the Alternative Rock scene that spoke to me. I would stay up past my bedtime to watch Alternative Nation on MTV (back when MTV still played music videos) and I had been exposed to The Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Sponge but my all-time favorite 1990s band comes to us from Tempe, Arizona. Their debut album, New Miserable Experience, was one of the first cassettes I ever had!

As for music from the year 2000 on to today...I'm sure many will say that today's music is nothing compared to those of the past. And to a point, I'll agree. I could name off all the bands and artists I could do without, but it'd take me into 2012 to finish.

But I can say, that in recent years, I have become a fan of several bands. Particularly in the Indie Rock scene. But for now, I will end this musical carousel with one of my most recent favorites...I am talking about...Coldplay!

So, that should cover my wide arrange of taste in music. I'm sure it's some that people will recognize, some will loathe and some will be in shock to how I can enjoy such noise. I can't really explain it. Like I said before, I hate being called a music critic because music is something for each individual personality. I can't stand modern day country music and heavy metal rock and 1990s R&B are two genres I found myself avoiding. But I know that there's a lot of people out there who love it. And I will respect that.

As for me, I can only tell you what the music reminds me and why I particularly like it or don't like it. I can't flat out trash an artist and I will never do that. It's your choice whether you want to watch the videos I post or buy the album. I am only here to introduce you to the artists, videos and songs.

Amy Winehouse

This is one of the hardest blogs I've had to write, but I'm going to be brutally honest here. I was never a fan of Amy Winehouse. I had never heard her album, Back to Black and I am only familiar with "Rehab" because it was overplayed countless times on several radio stations throughout the Tampa Bay area. And even without doing the research, I heard of where Winehouse came from and what she was singing. I saw "Rehab" as flagrant promoting of alcohol and drug use and denial of rehabilitation. And at the time, I was appalled that she was getting awards for her work. And I know that throughout the years, other artists have promoted taboo subjects and continue to do so, but it was the fact that she made the top ten was just mind boggling for me.

I'm sure that newspapers had her obituary ready for years, just waiting to run it in print. And anyone who takes part in those celebrity death gambling circuits was just hoping this day would come so they could win their bet.

And many will look at her life and say that her personal addictions got the best of her. That she will be another sad tale of caution to steer others away from the road she took.

But in the end, Amy Winehouse was a beautiful singer. I may not have agreed with her lyrics, her message or anything else, but she did have a beautiful voice. She now joins Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain, all great musicians who were dead by 27.

And like those artists, Amy Winehouse will be missed.

Amy Jade Winehouse...born September 14, 1983 in Southgate, London, England.

She was found dead today, on July 23, 2011 in Camden, London, England.

I leave you all with her beautiful voice.

Spotlight: Theophilus London

I was recently exploring new music and was immediately drawn by the young rapper out of Brooklyn known as Theophilus London. His EP, Lovers Holiday, was released on February 7, 2011. His debut album, Timez are Weird These Days, will be released on July 19th of this year. You can pre-order it on iTunes now. It was one of his songs, "Why Even Try" that first caught my attention. I also listened to his other songs, "I Stand Alone" and "Last Name London". I am by no means a rap aficionado and I normally don't listen to too much rap outside of Eminem and Jay-Z but there was just something about London that just pulled me in. "Why Even Try" almost felt like a throwback to the age of disco, like a disco rap?

"I Stand Alone" had shades of a TV on the Radio song. Which is a very good thing for me. Plus, I read that London had worked with Dave Sitek from TV on the Radio. It really had me moving along.

And finally, for "Last Name London", it came out as close to mainstream rap as I can tell, but again, retained a retro feel from the late 1980s/early 1990s. It's very reminiscent of Afrika Bambaataa and again, that's a very good thing.

London is definitely very different. I wouldn't quite classify him with Eminem, Jay-Z or any other current hip-hop artist. I don't know if he'll receive any airplay on my local stations, 93.3 FLZ or Hot 101.5 but I hope that mainstream stations will consider playing his songs.

As for me, Theophilus London has won me over and I intend on purchasing his work on iTunes.

Until then, be sure to check out his website.

Spotlight: AWOLNATION

AWOLNATION is a band I've had the pleasure of hearing live, as they were at the 2011 97X Backyard BBQ. They are an indie rock band and the solo project of Aaron Bruno. Bruno's previous bands included Home Town Hero (2000-2004) and Under the Influence of Giants (on hiatus as of 2008). Joining Bruno are Christopher Thorn, Hayden Scott, Dav Amezcuz and Kenny Carkeet.

Their first EP, Back from Earth, was released on iTunes on May 18, 2010.

In February of this year. their first single, "Sail", debuted.

The digital download and physical CD of their debuting album, Megalithic Symphony, were both released back in March. Purchases through iTunes and Amazon feature bonus tracks.

I had missed seeing AWOLNATION at the 97x Freebie Weebie show but I did make it to their appearance at the BBQ. From what I remember, I really liked what I had heard and were worth the intense weather that day.

You can download a free track through their official website.

For now, please enjoy the music video of "Sail".

Hot 101.5 Tampa Bay, the new radio station!

I was at a Fourth of July party last night with today's hits playing nonstop and I initially thought, it's nice that 93.3 FLZ went commercial free to the night...only to be stunned that it was not WFLZ nor was it a Clear Channel station. It turned out that a new station emerged over the weekend. And it was something I had no idea had happened.

On July 1, 2011, at 11AM, the Cox Media Group turned 101.5 The Point into Hot 101.5 and has made a pledge to play 10,000 songs, commercial free.

I wish there had been television ads or more advertising of some kind because I would have listened all weekend.

But I'm glad that I went to that party and discovered the new station. I'll admit, a part of me will miss The Point, maybe it could be reinvented elsewhere, but I am thankful now that there is an alternative to 93.3 FLZ and other stations.

And as much as I've loved the MJ Morningshow, there are just some mornings where I would rather jam out to some tunes rather than listen to politics and pranks.

But most of all, I'm thankful I will no longer have to put up with Ryan Seacrest talking about Hollywood gossip that I could care less about and his weekly interview with the likes of Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian...I don't want to hear Seacrest anymore...he has American Idol, he has the Top 40 Countdown, now he has a Daily Top 5, I'm like ENOUGH ALREADY SEACREST!

I am curious though when the 10,000 songs are though and what kind of DJs that I'll be introduced or if they'll continue this wonderful experiment of less talk and more tunes.

In the end, I'm very happy I have a musical escape...and that escape is called Hot 101.5

Feel free to friend them on Facebook and check out the funny video on their website.

The Run Down: Foo Fighters

It's come to my attention that not all my readers are really aware of this band. Therefore, I'm starting a new segment...The Run Down. Basically, here's how it works...The Foo Fighters have released six albums prior to Wasting Light. If you scroll down, you will see their latest single.

But for now, I have posted 6 videos for each of their previous albums. Enjoy!

From 1995, this comes from their self-titled debut album.

From The Color and the Shape (1997)

From There is Nothing Left to Lose (1999)

From One by One (2002)

From In Your Honor (2005)

From Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007)

And this is just a taste of what the Foo Fighters have put out there. Just get on Youtube and watch the rest of their music videos and live performances from SNL and David Letterman.

Music Video: Coldplay -Every Teardrop is a Waterfall

I found the official music video for their new song and wanted to share it. Still iffy on the song but I have to admit, Coldplay makes some very interesting videos.

Spotlight: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

I have noticed a Heineken commercial for weeks on television and playing before the feature at the movie theater.

Two years ago, through a Bacardi Mojito commercial, I discovered Matt & Kim. Now, it's The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. They come to us from Copenhagen, Denmark. From what I understand, it consists of vocalist Metta Lindberg and producer Lars Iversen. As a live performance, the band also consists of Miloud Carl Sabri on trumpet, Sven Meinild on saxophone, Mads Brinch Nielsen on guitar and Rasmus Valldorf on drums. They have gone on to play with Amy Winehouse during her tour of Copenhagen and Katy Perry during her 2009 European tour.

In 2008, their single "Around the Bend" was used during an iPod Touch commercial.

But it is their other song, "The Golden Age" that caught my attention.

Their debut album is called Fruit and if you stop by their website, you can not only see more footage of the commercial but you can download a free mp3 of a stripped version of The Golden Age.

Foo Fighters and Coldplay are back!

Recently, two of my favorite bands have come back with fresh new singles.

Foo Fighters

Quick Recap: The Foo Fighters have gone through a series of members since their creation around 1994-1995. Frontman Dave Grohl had been the drummer of Nirvana prior. Today, along with Grohl, they have Nick Mendel on bass, Taylor Hawkins on drums and backing vocals, Chris Shiflett is on lead guitar and backing vocals and finally, Pat Smear on guitars. They have released six albums over the years, all were nominated for Grammys and three albums won.

Their current new single, Walk, is from their seventh album, Wasting Light, which was released back on April 12th. The single dropped on public radio on June 6th. Movie goers may have already been familiar with the song as it can be heard during the closing credits of Thor.

The video itself is interesting and reminded me of the 1993 film, Falling Down. But unlike the Michael Douglas thriller, the music video had a very comedic twist.

Coldplay

Quick Recap: Their hit single, Yellow, put this band on the map in 2000 and Coldplay has continued to hang around the music scene ever since. Chris Martin is the lead singer and is on the keyboard. Johnny Buckland is on lead guitar. Guy Berryman is on bass. And Will Champion is on drums. Buckland, Berryman and Champion all serve as backing vocals. They have released 4 albums, 3 of which were both nominated and won a few Grammy awards. Their fifth album is yet to be named and is expected to be officially released this fall. The band has played a few of their new songs at festivals such as Glastonbury. Their new single, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, was released on June 3rd.

I'm still iffy on Teardrop, it's a good song, I certainly like it better than Viva La Vida, which I felt was not their best single, but I have to listen to this song a few more times before I decide if I want to buy it on iTunes. But that's just me. Can't wait for the official release!

My Thoughts: The Adjustment Bureau

I was hesitant of The Adjustment Bureau when it was first released. From what I gathered, it looked like a different version of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But then again, I've been skeptical of most movies. When I first saw the preview of Inception, I saw The Matrix meets Dark City. And then when I saw Inception and was just blown away.

The Adjustment Bureau is loosely based of the Philip K. Dick short story The Adjustment Team. Dick passed away in 1982, but many of his stories would adapted into films, which included Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report. Dick enjoyed playing with the future, science and politics and some of those elements transfered to the films. Blade Runner with the use of androids, Total Recall with its clash between real and false memories and Minority Report with the concept of thought police. So, the idea of an organization that was in charge of destiny intrigued me. It was also then I realized that this was not Eternal Sunshine.

I enjoyed the movie. The visual effects were really good. Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie and Terrance Stamp gave good performances. I want to say I liked the plot, and well...I liked the idea of the plot...but there was just something missing. Compared to the other adapted films, this one just didn't quite meet my standards. It was better than Scanner Darkly, but by no means did it reach Blade Runner. Like I said though, there was just something missing from the story that could have put it over the edge for me.

I know that director George Nolfi was trying to go with this message of fate, destiny, free will and borderline religion, but I felt he could have pushed the envelope more. It wasn't as thought provoking as Children of Men or The Matrix.

The other issue is, after Inception, it will be hard for me to watch other science fiction movies. Just like after The Dark Knight, my expectations of comic book based movies changed.

But, it still was a good movie for me, held my interests and was very enjoyable.

The next Philip K. Dick adaptation that I know of will be another version of Total Recall. But it won't be an exact remake of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger film, as producer Neal Moritz said it will be more close to the original story. This version will have Collin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Bryan Cranston and Jessica Biel. It is scheduled for release on August 3, 2012.

My Thoughts: Thor

Why am I posting my Thor review almost 8 weeks after it's release? A: I haven't been able to go to the 30 movies I used to at age 22 but more importantly, B: I loathed the Thor character. Going back to the days when kids collected Marvel trading cards, I didn't even want to handle the Thor cards. Why read about the God of Thunder when I could look at Spider-Man taking on Venom and Carnage or Wolverine against Sabertooth. So, I still stand by my anti-Thor stance when it comes to Marvel Comics.

But, thanks for director Kenneth Branagh, Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, it's a complete 180 on the film version. What bored me about the comic books, actually kept my interests up during the movie. I also credit the new image of Thor, instead of the dull Fabio-like figure I saw as a kid, we get this awesome rugged version that I should have seen back in the comics.

Anthony Hopkins was great as Odin, and Tom Hiddleston wasn't too bad as Loki. He's not the most diabolical Marvel villain I can think of, but I've read that Loki will be much more of a threat for the 2012 Avengers movie. Natalie Portman, Kat Dennings and Stellen Skarsgard played their supporting roles very well and a movie packed with several characters, I didn't feel at all weighed down like I did with the first Transformer movie.

I found the movie funny at times, and I thought the visuals of Asgard were amazing, some of the best backgrounds and settings I've seen in a Marvel movie. I know some critics didn't like Thor's appearance on Earth, but I actually did. I liked seeing Thor as a human level and it served well for the plot.

So, will I pick up a Thor comic book? Probably not.

Will I see the sequel? Oh yes.

Eagerly awaiting the Captain America movie!

A Look at Glastonbury 2011

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is almost ready to begin. For those of you who don't know, Glastonbury is one of the largest outdoor venues in the world. It is known for the music but it also offers dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and more. It is held the final weekend of June at the Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, UK. Tickets for this year's festival went on sale back in October, 2010 and sold out in 4 hours.

This year's festival have several music acts scheduled to appear, ranging from rock to electronica. Listed below are just some of what Glastonbury has to offer.

Friday:

Cee-Lo Green

Fatboy Slim

Ke$ha

Mike Posner

Grouplove

Two Door Cinema Club

Cage the Elephant

The Naked and Famous

Mumford and Sons

Wu-Tang Klan

B.B. King

Headline Act: U2

Saturday:

Big Boi

The Chemical Brothers

Friendly Fires

Jimmy Eat World

The Gaslight Anthem

Headline Act: Coldplay

Sunday:

Kool and the Gang

Foster the People

The Joy Formidable

OK GO

The Streets

Cold War Kids

TV on the Radio

Queens of the Stone Age

Don McLean

Paul Simon

Headline Act: Beyonce

U2 was scheduled for the 2010 Festival, but due to Bono's back surgery, they had to back out.

Coldplay is on the verge of releasing a yet to be named album and I imagine they will be playing a few new songs on Saturday.

And Beyonce has a new single out as well.

I'm not sure if Youtube will have a stream up like they had with Coachella, but I would think that Vevo would have one going.

It looks like it should be a good line-up. And if there is streaming, be sure to get your fill now because there won't be a Glastonbury 2012 Festival!