Bassist showcases his new ‘poptimistic’ project on Wednesday night. By James Montgomery The Black Cards perform at SXSW on Wednesday Photo: Daniel Boczarski/ Getty Images AUSTIN, Texas — Is it possible that Pete Wentz is really a poptimist? Despite his dark bangs and Black Cloud missives, his best Fall Out Boy songs were always, at their very core, spiky slabs of pure pop. And no matter what may be going on in his personal life these days, his new project Black Cards seems to be solely focused around the idea of optimism. So yes, perhaps he has been — and always will be — a poptimist at heart. And that much was certainly clear during the Cards’ Wednesday night performance at South by Southwest, a 45-minute set that was as heavy on sparkly synths and bubbly dub as it was on, well, pure poptimism. Wentz even said as much himself, telling the crowd that his new mission is to “broadcast sunshine,” and that “sometimes it’s good to have summer all the time.” He declared, “It’s good to be onstage and see people smiling,” slapped high fives with strangers, and closed the set by inviting everyone in Austin club Maggie Mae’s to join him and his bandmates onstage for an impromptu dance party. And in keeping with the spirit of the night, nearly everyone in the place obliged. And in between the sunshine and the smiling, Wentz spent the majority of the Black Cards’ set pogoing around the stage, thumbing out wobbly, delirious bass lines, and generally looking happier than he has in years. In fact, he seemed perfectly content to let someone else have the spotlight — the fans, his friends in the audience (most of whom received shout-outs) and, of course, frontwoman Bebe Rexha, who was more than willing to accept. All hips and lips and breathy exclamations, Rexha quickly proved to be the perfect foil for Wentz, whether she was getting low during the Cards’ dubbier, clubbier numbers (“Dirty Little Fingerprints,” “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Fame”), vamping it up (on upcoming single “Summer Nights,” when she removed a pair of handcuffs from her belt, snapped them on the wrist of a fan and then serenaded him in sultry fashion), or just plain old belting it out (on a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”). Patrick Stump she most certainly isn’t, and perhaps that’s for the best. Because, really, the Black Cards’ SXSW set wasn’t about Pete Wentz’s past so much as it was about his future. With his new project, he not only appears to be having a blast, he just may have stumbled onto something big. By combining dub, a touch of rock-steady and a whole lot of pop, he’s uncovered a recipe for something new … for him, for his fans, for everybody. “Summer Nights” seems destined to be a radio staple, “Dominos” is a starry burst of synths and bass, and performance-closing “A Club Called Heaven” probably would’ve gotten the fans dancing onstage even if Wentz hadn’t invited them to. It was, in short, poptimism, pure and simple. Not exactly new, not entirely old, with Black Cards, Pete Wentz may very well end up proving the old adage correct: Optimists are nostalgic about the future. Related Photos 2011 SXSW Music Festival Related Artists Black Cards
Maybe it’s a Canadian thing. Like his countryman, Kiefer Sutherland, Seth Rogen has a voice that’s 10 years older than he is — a combination of world-weariness and exuberance, an instrument that he’s mastered for specific comic shadings. Sutherland wrings anger and shock from the premature gray in his, and by the time 24 ended, he’d physically caught up with the age emanating from his larynx. In the likable, misfits-on-the road comedy Paul , Rogen’s soulful rustiness is used for the sound of the intergalactic traveler. With it, he lays a claim to being one of the premier vocal talents of his generation.
With spring in the air on the East Coast — and a little bit of booze; it is St. Patrick’s Day after all — what better time to be reminded that the multiplex will soon be overflowing with summer blockbusters. Of all the studios shopping their wares, Disney seems the most excited to kick-off summertime, as they’ve begun a full court press for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides . Earlier this week, that meant the release of the Johnny Depp-centric character poster; now, it’s time for Penelope Cruz to get into the spotlight.
With spring in the air on the East Coast — and a little bit of booze; it is St. Patrick’s Day after all — what better time to be reminded that the multiplex will soon be overflowing with summer blockbusters. Of all the studios shopping their wares, Disney seems the most excited to kick-off summertime, as they’ve begun a full court press for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides . Earlier this week, that meant the release of the Johnny Depp-centric character poster; now, it’s time for Penelope Cruz to get into the spotlight.
While his castmates Amy Adams, Christian Bale, and Melissa Leo got Oscar nominations for their roles in The Fighter (out this week in a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack from Paramount Home Entertainment) — with the latter two winning the trophy — Mark Wahlberg’s performance went unheralded. (He did, however, share in the film’s Best Picture nod as one of its producers.) But given the larger-than-life quality that Bale and Leo, in particular, brought to their roles, it seemed like an intentional call on the part of Wahlberg and director David O. Russell to let Wahlberg’s on-screen personality recede a bit so the spotlight could shine elsewhere. Still, he’s just fine in the film, and it inspired me to think of the sublime (and the ridiculous) turns he’s had elsewhere — and no, we’re not counting The Marky Mark Workout in either category.
The hits just keep on coming at the Tribeca Film Festival. Just one week after announcing the competition slate for the April fest , organizers unveiled the 33 films selected as Spotlight presentations, and the list looks pretty cool. God Bless Ozzy Osbourne will have its world premiere at Tribeca, as too will A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (starring Jason Sudeikis) and Carol Channing: Larger Than Life . Tribeca will also show Vera Farmiga’s directorial debut Higher Ground and the latest from Michael Winterbottom. Click ahead for the full list of films.
Our girl Bey, is back in the studio according to this twitpic of her. Rumor has it that Jay requested that Rihanna take some time out the spotlight so Beyonce can shine(not that she would need to). Hopefully Beyonce is working on her new album, we can use some upbeat music around here! Preview Alicia Keys & Beyoncé’s Long-Delayed “Put It In A Love Song” Video Beyonce Gives Tips On How To Be Sexy Around Your Man
Casey Abrams shouts, James Durbin croons and Naima Adedapo puts some dancehall into Rihanna’s Umbrella on Wednesday night. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top 13 Photo: Michael Becker / FOX It may not have been live , but Wednesday night’s (March 9) pre-taped “American Idol” top-13 performance show was lively, with plenty of surprises as this year’s baker’s dozen sought to solidify their onstage personalities off the bat. That meant that bearded lad-killer Casey Abrams served up some more gritty soul, Naima Adedapo showed off her reggae flair and Scott McCreery, well, let’s just say he stuck with the “good ol’ boy” songbook. But first up on “Your Personal Idol” night was precocious teen Lauren Alaina, who sang a song by her musical inspiration, country/pop superstar Shania Twain. Sounding a bit out of breath, Alaina swiveled her hips to “Any Man of Mine” and used all her considerable 16-year-old hair-flipping charm and reedy country twang to win over the crowd. Showing his tough side, Steven Tyler said he loved the song, but just wished it had been “a little more kickass” and Jennifer Lopez said it was time to shift into a higher gear. Randy Jackson said it was good, but didn’t allow Alaina to unleash her big, versatile voice. Abrams was right in the pocket with Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and mentor Jimmy Iovine encouraged him to feel the song with every inch of his body. Starting off sitting on the steps and singing in a soft, cuddly voice, Abrams did a slow walk down-stage as a group of gospel backup singers joined him, and his voice climbed into a high, raspy wail. Though it took a bit to warm up, by the end, Abrams was throwing in some bluesy improvisational howls that showed off his gritty side. Lopez said she was beside herself, telling a smiling Abrams, “[You] blew me away,” with Randy chiming in that he can always count on Casey to hit the notes and provide a show. “You are a rainbow of talent, man … and you are a plethora of passion,” Tyler tossed in. After scooting in as a wild card, Ashthon Jones went with Randy’s suggestion to sing Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” She opened a bit shaky with some flat, breathy notes and never seemed to really find the right groove, singing a competent, but not stellar version of the tune. Randy deemed it safe, but complimented her for recognizing when she was going off key and pulling it back. Lopez said she also saw some budding professionalism in Jones’ stagecraft, but encouraged her to find more popular songs that the audience can sing along to. Speaking of somewhat obscure songs, resident quirky guy Paul McDonald chose indie singer/songwriter Ryan Adams’ “Come Pick Me Up.” Wearing a military jacket, McDonald seduced the crowed with a whispery delivery, building up and bouncing all around the stage like Coldplay’s Chris Martin, mixing arena stagecraft with an intimate, understated delivery. It was a bit pitchy for Tyler, who said he still loves anything Paul sings, praising his unique character. Jennifer said McDonald’s infectious smile translated into some grins in the crowd, but she wondered whether the song was too obscure. Sudden frontrunner Pia Toscano tried to solidify her status with Celine Dion’s version of the big weeper “All By Myself.” Wearing a skintight golden mini-dress, Toscano looked the part and hit he kind of showy notes a diva has to have in her pocket. Saying she topped even last week’s Pretenders showstopper, Lopez called it simply beautiful and Randy said despite taking on one of the dreaded big-three female singers, Pia nailed it. The last person you could imagine rocker James Durbin working with is hip-hopper Jim Jonsin, but the Lil Wayne producer put a thick beat to Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” and Durbin showed his sensitive side while showcasing his contemporary potential. “Yo, this dude can do anything man. … James Durbin is dangerous!” Randy gushed, saying he was impressed with JD’s versatility. Tyler heaped on some of his twisted praise as well, adding, “James, you have taken everything you’ve ever felt and kicked it into the middle of next week,” whatever that means. Haley Reinhart has been singing LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” for most of her life, so she set aside the R&B sass for some hip-swaying yodeling and country-gal charm. Tyler was blown away and said Reinhart nailed it as Lopez gave her props for the versatility of her vocals. Randy? He said it was a bit sleepy, like being at a boring luau. It was R. Kelly’s uplifting “I Believe I Can Fly” for former spa concierge Jacob Lusk, who slowed it down into a vibrato-filled pop/gospel skyscraper, complete with a crazy falsetto run in the middle. “Pure passion, pure music, I can’t even judge ya, that’s how good you are,” Tyler said, kicking off a three-judge love-fest. After getting King of Pop comparisons last week, 16-year-old Thia Megia chose Michael Jackson’s (via Charlie Chaplin) “Smile,” bringing an old-school, jazz-diva class to the gentle ballad before a corny hip-hop-lite beat broke in and she kicked it up a notch. Randy loved the soft, Adele-like acoustic intro, but he and Steven thought it went a bit pitchy and wobbly in the second half. Talk about staying in your lane: Wild card Stefano Langone chose Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” and Karen Rodriguez kept tapping into her Latin background with Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love,” while resident country boy McCreery opted for Garth Brooks’ very trad “The River.” Langone over-emoted a bit and producer Polow Da Don’s thumping beat overwhelmed him at times, forcing Stefano to rush to keep up and keep the spotlight on his often-crystalline vocals. Selena superfan Rodriguez got a Beyonc
Casey Abrams shouts, James Durbin croons and Naima Adedapo puts some dancehall into Rihanna’s Umbrella on Wednesday night. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top 13 Photo: Michael Becker / FOX It may not have been live , but Wednesday night’s (March 9) pre-taped “American Idol” top-13 performance show was lively, with plenty of surprises as this year’s baker’s dozen sought to solidify their onstage personalities off the bat. That meant that bearded lad-killer Casey Abrams served up some more gritty soul, Naima Adedapo showed off her reggae flair and Scott McCreery, well, let’s just say he stuck with the “good ol’ boy” songbook. But first up on “Your Personal Idol” night was precocious teen Lauren Alaina, who sang a song by her musical inspiration, country/pop superstar Shania Twain. Sounding a bit out of breath, Alaina swiveled her hips to “Any Man of Mine” and used all her considerable 16-year-old hair-flipping charm and reedy country twang to win over the crowd. Showing his tough side, Steven Tyler said he loved the song, but just wished it had been “a little more kickass” and Jennifer Lopez said it was time to shift into a higher gear. Randy Jackson said it was good, but didn’t allow Alaina to unleash her big, versatile voice. Abrams was right in the pocket with Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” and mentor Jimmy Iovine encouraged him to feel the song with every inch of his body. Starting off sitting on the steps and singing in a soft, cuddly voice, Abrams did a slow walk down-stage as a group of gospel backup singers joined him, and his voice climbed into a high, raspy wail. Though it took a bit to warm up, by the end, Abrams was throwing in some bluesy improvisational howls that showed off his gritty side. Lopez said she was beside herself, telling a smiling Abrams, “[You] blew me away,” with Randy chiming in that he can always count on Casey to hit the notes and provide a show. “You are a rainbow of talent, man … and you are a plethora of passion,” Tyler tossed in. After scooting in as a wild card, Ashthon Jones went with Randy’s suggestion to sing Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.” She opened a bit shaky with some flat, breathy notes and never seemed to really find the right groove, singing a competent, but not stellar version of the tune. Randy deemed it safe, but complimented her for recognizing when she was going off key and pulling it back. Lopez said she also saw some budding professionalism in Jones’ stagecraft, but encouraged her to find more popular songs that the audience can sing along to. Speaking of somewhat obscure songs, resident quirky guy Paul McDonald chose indie singer/songwriter Ryan Adams’ “Come Pick Me Up.” Wearing a military jacket, McDonald seduced the crowed with a whispery delivery, building up and bouncing all around the stage like Coldplay’s Chris Martin, mixing arena stagecraft with an intimate, understated delivery. It was a bit pitchy for Tyler, who said he still loves anything Paul sings, praising his unique character. Jennifer said McDonald’s infectious smile translated into some grins in the crowd, but she wondered whether the song was too obscure. Sudden frontrunner Pia Toscano tried to solidify her status with Celine Dion’s version of the big weeper “All By Myself.” Wearing a skintight golden mini-dress, Toscano looked the part and hit he kind of showy notes a diva has to have in her pocket. Saying she topped even last week’s Pretenders showstopper, Lopez called it simply beautiful and Randy said despite taking on one of the dreaded big-three female singers, Pia nailed it. The last person you could imagine rocker James Durbin working with is hip-hopper Jim Jonsin, but the Lil Wayne producer put a thick beat to Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” and Durbin showed his sensitive side while showcasing his contemporary potential. “Yo, this dude can do anything man. … James Durbin is dangerous!” Randy gushed, saying he was impressed with JD’s versatility. Tyler heaped on some of his twisted praise as well, adding, “James, you have taken everything you’ve ever felt and kicked it into the middle of next week,” whatever that means. Haley Reinhart has been singing LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue” for most of her life, so she set aside the R&B sass for some hip-swaying yodeling and country-gal charm. Tyler was blown away and said Reinhart nailed it as Lopez gave her props for the versatility of her vocals. Randy? He said it was a bit sleepy, like being at a boring luau. It was R. Kelly’s uplifting “I Believe I Can Fly” for former spa concierge Jacob Lusk, who slowed it down into a vibrato-filled pop/gospel skyscraper, complete with a crazy falsetto run in the middle. “Pure passion, pure music, I can’t even judge ya, that’s how good you are,” Tyler said, kicking off a three-judge love-fest. After getting King of Pop comparisons last week, 16-year-old Thia Megia chose Michael Jackson’s (via Charlie Chaplin) “Smile,” bringing an old-school, jazz-diva class to the gentle ballad before a corny hip-hop-lite beat broke in and she kicked it up a notch. Randy loved the soft, Adele-like acoustic intro, but he and Steven thought it went a bit pitchy and wobbly in the second half. Talk about staying in your lane: Wild card Stefano Langone chose Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” and Karen Rodriguez kept tapping into her Latin background with Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love,” while resident country boy McCreery opted for Garth Brooks’ very trad “The River.” Langone over-emoted a bit and producer Polow Da Don’s thumping beat overwhelmed him at times, forcing Stefano to rush to keep up and keep the spotlight on his often-crystalline vocals. Selena superfan Rodriguez got a Beyonc
Casey Abrams, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery and more make up voter-approved top 10. By Gil Kaufman Stefano Langon performs on “American Idol” Photo: FOX After what’s felt like years (OK, just two months), “American Idol” finally got to its first live elimination show Thursday night (March 3), and it was not pretty. The biggest cut-down in show history came after host Ryan Seacrest said more than 40 million votes were cast over two performance nights. The good news was that favorites like Lauren Alaina, Casey Abrams, Thia Megia and Jacob Lusk made the cut, but that meant that a few beloved singers like Brett Loewenstern and Julie Zorrilla were eliminated as the show revealed its top 13 finalists. After copious time-killing segments, Ryan Seacrest finally got to the first elimination nearly 25 minutes into the two-hour episode, with country boy Scotty McCreery moseying into the top 10 while Robbie Rosen was sent packing. Next up were Clint Jun Gamboa, Jovany Barreto and Jordan Dorsey. After blowing it with Usher’s “OMG,” Dorsey got the hook, along with karaoke host and eyeglass aficionado Gamboa and Barreto. The girls were in the hot seat next, and it was hard to believe that Pia Toscano and Alaina were standing next to each other, since Toscano got a standing ovation and high praise from the judges, and Alaina has been a favorite for weeks. It was good news for 16-year-old Alaina and, of course, for Toscano as well, as Seacrest reveled in his favorite game of elimination psych-out. But when Ta-Tynisa Wilson and Julie Zorrilla came up, after a night when both blew their chances with subpar performances, it was no surprise that both missed out on the top 10. It was hard to know who might lose out when glamazon Kendra Chantelle, baby-diva Ashthon Jones and funky bilingual singer Karen Rodriguez took center stage, though. Shockingly Jones was sent packing, as was Chantelle, with Rodriguez filling out the third women’s slot. Young Luther Vandross-alike Lusk huddled up next to bearded wild man and budding sex symbol Abrams and cutie crooner Tim Halperin. Lusk sang hallelujah when he got the call, and to no one’s surprise, Abrams was next, as Halperin made the long walk. The hits kept on coming, as funky soul singer Naima Adedapo, 16-year-old wunderkind Megia and blues mama Lauren Turner all got the boot. With only two spots left, Adedapo and Turner got some bad news, as Megia became the second high-schooler to get a magic ticket. It was anyone’s guess who would be out when two of this season’s standouts, spunky ginger Loewenstern and flair-loving showman Paul McDonald stepped up to the spotlight. Alas, sensitive teen Loewenstern would have to hope for a wild-card spot, as McDonald got the call. Vying for the final spot on the girls’ bench were Haley Reinhart and resident quirk Rachel Zevita, who went over the cliff on Wednesday night with a mannered cover of Fiona Apple’s “Criminal.” Without much drama, Reinhart got the call, as multiple-auditioner Zevita washed out. The judges were digging Stefano Langone on Tuesday night, certainly more than James Durbin, who took a chance with a Judas Priest song and may have overplayed his rocker card. But only one of the roommates could snag the final men’s spot, so it was curtains for Langone and joy for Lambert-like rocker Durbin. With 14 singers vying for the wild card, the judges chose six to get another chance. Jones was up first, strutting to her spot to sing the song that made Jennifer Hudson a star, the “Dreamgirls” classic “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” giving it plenty of attitude, but coming off a bit shouty as she played to the rafters in an attempt to work her way back. Steven Tyler thought she brought it again, Jennifer Lopez felt the passion and Randy Jackson loved the attitude. Langone picked Smokie Norful’s emotional ballad “I Need You Now,” filling the tune with lots of passion and turning it into a tour de force that tugged heartstrings and seemed to punch his ticket. Randy loved that Stefano picked one of his favorites and Lopez said he nailed it when he needed to. Chantelle got the next shot with Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia on My Mind,” starting out low and breathy and then climbing into her high, sweet range and hitting a series of giant notes near the end that felt like her attempt to swing for the fences. Jackson wasn’t sure where it was going at first but said she totally pulled it off. Barreto dedicated Jon Secada’s “Angel” to the woman he once loved, figuring he’d try to curry some favor as well by singing a half Spanish/ half English tune. His vocals were strong and moving, but it was unclear if it was enough to get him back in the mix. All Lopez could say was “you did all you could do,” which didn’t sound promising. Tyler called Adedapo, which meant the definitive end of the line for Zorrilla, Turner and Wilson. At first Naima didn’t seem to have enough in the tank to take on soul icon Donny Hathaway’s “For all we Know,” but she gave it her all and put some smooth soul into the performance. Tyler felt she dug deep, but Naima’s tears signaled that she didn’t feel confident. The final shot went to Rosen, meaning Gamboa, Dorsey, Loewenstern and Halperin said bye-bye. Double-R chose Elton John’s “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Hard,” reworking the song into a kind of flamenco torch song, which he sang while flashing his puppy-dog eyes and over-emoting by several measures. Jackson called it nice and tender, saying the decision was going to be a brutal one. After the break, the judges weren’t ready, so Seacrest cued up the glittery video for Lopez’s “On the Floor” to give them a chance to deliberate some more. With time running out, it was redemption time for Jones and Langone, as well as Adedapo, who helped fill out the top 13. The first live performance shows of the season kick off next Wednesday. Do you agree with the top 13? Did your favorite make it? Let us know what you think in comments below! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty ! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
