Saxon Announces Dates For U.S. Leg Of Its “Warriors Of The Road” Tour

Posted on March 5, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: UDR/Adrenaline PR/MEtal Blade Records/Chipster PR

Legendary British metal band Saxon is gearing up to hit the road in the U.S. this spring.

The members of Saxon announced this week that the band will embark on the “Warriors of the Road” U.S. Tour in May. The tour is in support of the band’s recently re-issued recordings Heavy Metal Thunder and The Saxon Chronicles. Both recordings were re-issued February 24^th. Heavy Metal Thunder included a bonus live recording titled Live at Bloodstock. The double-disc DVD The Saxon Chronicles was accompanied by a bonus live recording titled Rock ‘n’ Roll Gypsies 1989 Live.

Saxon’s upcoming tour kicks off on Tuesday, May 12^th at BB King’s in New York City and will run through Saturday, May 30^th in Los Angeles, California. One of the scheduled dates is a performance at the annual Rock on the Range Festival on Saturday, May 16^th in Columbus, Ohio. Saxon will be joined by Armored Saint for the majority of the tour’s scheduled dates. Judas Priest will join the band on a four-date string of shows from May 17^th to May 21^st. The complete “Warriors of the Road” tour schedule is listed below.

SAXON “Warriors of the Road” U.S. Tour w/ Armored Saint:

5/12 – New York City, NY @ BB Kings w/ Armored Saint

5/13 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium w/ Armored Saint

5/16 – Columbus, OH @ MAPFRE Stadium (formerly Crew Stadium) @ Rock On The Range

5/17 – Cincinnati, OH @ The Shoe w/ Judas Priest

5/19 – St. Charles, MO @ Family Area w/ Judas Priest

5/20 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Harrah’s Casino-Stir Cove w/ Judas Priest

5/21 – Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Theater w/ Judas Priest

5/23 – San Antonio, TX @ 210 Kapone’s Live w/ Armored Saint

5/24 – Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live w/ Armored Saint

5/26 – Mesa, AZ @ Club Red

5/27 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vinyl at Hard Rock

5/29 – San Jose, CA @ Rock Bar w/ Armored Saint

5/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ House of Blues w/ Armored Saint

More information on the “Warriors of the Road” tour and all of the latest news from Saxon is available online at:

Website: https://www.saxon747.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saxon

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaxonOfficial

MySpace: https://www.myspace.com/planetsaxon

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Metallica Celebrating Record Store Day With Special Cassette Recording

Posted on March 4, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: BBGun PR

Record Store Day is creeping up on the country yet again. For those that don’t know, Record Store Day is April 18^th this year. And as the countdown to the big day ticks down, more news is coming out about how different acts will celebrate. The latest piece of news comes from veteran rock band Metallica.

Metallica announced this week that unlike most other acts, it will not celebrate Record Store Day with a special vinyl release but with a limited edition cassette tape. Yes, a cassette tape. No Life ‘Til Leather will feature seven tracks. The tracks were originally recorded in 1982 at Chateau East Studio in Tustin, CA with the original lineup of James Hetfield (guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), Dave Mustaine (guitar), and Ron McGovney (bass). The songs have been re-mastered specially for the upcoming release, which has never been released until now. It will be available both in independent record stores nationwide and via the band’s official website, https://www.Metallica.com. The band released the following statement in regards to its upcoming release:

A note from Metallica:

This year we decided to celebrate Record Store Day with our friends at independent retail by taking a huge leap back in time to our humble beginnings with that little rectangle of plastic known as the “demo tape.” In 1982 we recorded seven songs that became our initial calling card known as No Life ’til Leather and it led us to our first record deal . . . the rest, as you some of you may know, is history! We hope you enjoy this little walk down memory lane with us and that you will continue to join us in supporting independent record stores around the world.

The track listing for No Life ‘Til Leather is noted below.

Tracklisting

Hit The Lights

The Mechanix

Motorbreath

Seek & Destroy

Metal Militia

Jump In The Fire

Phantom Lord

More information on Metallica’s upcoming Record Store Day cassette is available online along with all of the latest updates from the band at:

Website: https://www.Metallica.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Metallica

Twitter: https://twitter.com/metallica

Courtesy: BBGun Pr

Anchor Bay, AMC Announce Release Date For Tech Drama’s First Season

Posted on February 24, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: Anchor Bay Entertainment/AMC

Anchor Bay Entertainment recently announced the upcoming home release of AMC’s hit period drama Turn–Washington’s Spies: Season 1 on DVD and Blu-ray this spring. Now not long after that announcement comes the announcement of another AMC series coming home.

Halt and Catch Fire: The Complete First Season will be released on DVD and Blu-ray + Digital HD combo pack Tuesday, May 5th. The series is a fictionalized take on the beginnings of the personal computer and those that were at the head of what would revolutionize the computer industry. It picks up one year after IBM took the world by storm with the first personal computer. It is here that former IBM exec Joe MacMillan had left the company the start his own company, Cardiff Electric. MacMillan gets friend Gordon Clark to come on board for his endeavour. It stars Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies, Guardians of the Galaxy), Scoot McNairy (Fargo), Mackenzie Davis (Smashed), Kerry Bishe (Argo, Red State), and Toby Huss (Cowboys & Aliens)

Season One is composed of ten episodes, which will be spread across three discs in both its DVD and Blu-ray + Digital HD combo pack presentation. Both sets will have a handful of bonus features including look at how those behind the cameras re-created the series’ 1980s backdrop, the rise of those at the forefront of the digital revolution in its early days, and more. the complete list of bonus features included on both sets is listed below.

Bonus Features:
· Inside Episodes
· Re-Making The 80s
· Rise Of The Digital Cowboys
· Setting The Fire: Research And Technology

Halt and Catch Fire: The Complete First Season will be available on DVD Tuesday, May 5th. The DVD box set will retail for MSRP of $49.98 and the Blu-ray + Digital HD combo pack for $59.99. More information on this and other titles from Anchor Bay Entertainment is available online at:

Website: https://www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnchorBay

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anchor_Bay

More information on Halt and Catch Fire including all of the latest updates on the series is available online at:

Website: https://www.amctv.com/shows/halt-and-catch-fire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaltAndCatchFireAMC

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HaltAMC

The Good Times Do Indeed Roll On JD McPherson’s New LP

Posted on February 23, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: Rounder Records

Singer/Songwriter JD Mcpherson recently released his latest full-length studio release Let The Good Times Roll. The album, his second, was released via Rounder Records. McPherson’s new album is an aptly titled record. That is because throughout the course of the album’s eleven tracks and thirty-six minutes, McPherson offers audiences an album that will have them dancing and singing from the album’s upbeat title track to its Buddy Holly-esque ‘Bridgebuilder’ all the way to the album’s full-on 1950s style rocker ‘Everybody’s Talking ‘Bout The All-American.’ And those are just a few of the reasons that audiences will love this album, too. There is not one bad song throughout this record from beginning to end. It takes the classic vibe established in his 2012 debut album Signs and Signifiers and takes it another step forward incorporating more influence from the rock and r & b acts that continue to make the 1960s one of music’s greatest eras ever. The end result is an album that is deservedly one of this year’s early contender’s for a spot on any critic’s year-end list of the year’s best new albums overall.

JD McPherson has crafted in his second full-length album Let The Good Times Roll a record that is quite aptly titled. That is because from start to finish, McPherson does indeed let the good times roll. Every performance will leave a smile on listeners’ faces and will leave listeners wanting to listen to it again once it’s done. That is evident right from the album’s opener and title track. ‘Let The Good Times Roll’ is a great rocker that harkens back to the days of John Fogerty and others of his ilk. McPherson’s guitar work and drummer Jason Smay’s driving tempo set the song’s backbone. The additional piano line makes that backbone even stronger. McPherson’s soulful vocals complete the song as he sings, “I miss you so/Every time I fall away/I miss you so/Every time I fall away/Let the sky open up little darling/Follow me when I go/Let the sky open up and/Let the good times roll.” He goes on to sing to his figure of interest, “Why can’t you see/I’m standin’ at your door/Why can’t you see/I’m standin’ at your door/Open your home little darling/Follow me when I go/Let the sky open up and let the good times roll. It should be noted that this is not a cover of the 1956 song written by Shirley Goodman and Leonard Lee. That aside it is still an enjoyable song in its own right. Presented here is a man telling a woman how much he needs her and loves her. But it’s not done in the classic almost begging style. Rather, there’s a full on swagger to the song here. It’s a swagger that is—again—certain to have any listener on their feet, singing and dancing happily right to the last moment and just as anxiously waiting to see what he has in store next.

What McPherson offers to his audiences after the album’s opener/title track is nothing short of impressive. Every one of the songs that make up this album is well worth its own mention. That includes even the softer, slower sounds of ‘Bridgebuilder.’ The seemingly Buddy Holly/Roy Orbison influenced song will instantly take listeners familiar with music of the era back to the 1950s both with its musical and lyrical side. Audiences can almost see McPherson and his band mates—Jimmy Sutton (upright bass), Jason Smay (drums), Ray Jacildo (keyboards), Doug Corcoran (Saxophone, guitar, keyboards)—on some high school stage a la Back to the Future performing for a group of teenagers while their teachers and parents chaperone the school dance. That is not necessarily meant in a negative way. Rather, the rendition is so pure that it creates that vivid image in one’s mind. That image becomes even more vivid as McPherson sings, “I’ll build something that is real and true/Building bridges to you/I’ll build something that is real and true/Building bridges to you/Bridgebuilder, bridge builder build me a bridge/Draw a straight line on the water/Bridge builder, bridge builder/The waters are deep/Fear I may sink to the bottom/Waiting in shadow/In old merry times/Dreaming of some father’s daughter.” The combination of those lyrics and the song’s classic 1950s style music creates a truly incredible song. It actually sounds like it came direct from the 1950s rather than just being some modern song recorded to sound like something similar to the music of that era. That speaks volumes of this song. It speaks, for that matter, just as loudly as the album’s opener and every other track on this disc. Because it does so, it proves ‘Bridgebuilder’ to be yet another wonderful addition to Let The Good Times Roll.

As is evidenced by both the Buddy Holly/Roy Orbison influenced ‘Bridgebuilder’ and the Jon Fogerty influenced opener/title track to Let The Good Times Roll, JD McPherson gives audiences plenty to like about his new album. They are definitely not all that there is to like about this album, either. McPherson and his band mates keep audiences entertained from start to finish on this album. And hearing the album’s rock and roll/r & b hybrid sound of the album’s closer ‘Everybody’s Talking ‘Bout The All-American’ listeners will agree with that sentiment. McPherson sounds almost like Little Richard here as he sings, “Everybody talking ‘bout the All-American/Knockin’ down walls like a bombardier again/Hair fallin’ down like a razor blade/Breakin’ every heart in every place you’re playing/Everybody talking ‘bout the All-American.” The sax and the drums coupled with McPherson’s work on the guitar and his vocal style make this song feel like something pulled right out of a time capsule that was buried decades ago. It is a solid and rocking final statement from McPherson and company that leaves the absolute best impact on listeners’ ears. Coupled with the rest of the album’s compositions—both those noted and not noted—it will leave an impact so strong that it will have listeners hitting play almost instantly to listen to the album again. That is how impressive this album proves itself. To have such a lasting impact on listeners means that it is definitely deserving of being called one of this year’s best new albums overall.

JD McPherson is currently touring in support of his new album. He will be at the Bowery Ballroom in New York, New York this Wednesday, February 25th for a sold out performance. From there, he and his band mates will wind their way through the Northeast before heading to the Midwest by way of Charleston, WV on March 8th. After those dates, the band will make its way down South beginning April 9th in Paducah, Kentucky. The band’s late spring schedule across the South includes a stop at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 23rd at 7pm. That performance date will see McPherson supporting country music superstar Eric Church. Even more tour dates follow that show. McPherson’s latest tour schedule can be found online along with all of the latest news from McPherson online at:

Website: https://www.jdmcpherson.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jdmcphersonhistyle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdmcphersonjr

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

StarVista’s New Carol Burnett Set Is A Good First Set For Any Fan’s Collection

Posted on February 20, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: StarVista Entertainment/Time Life Entertainment

StarVista Entertainment released its latest collection of classic episodes from The Carol Burnett Show last week in the new single-disc DVD presentation The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again. The DVD features three classic episodes from what is one of television’s greatest sketch comedy/variety shows. While the episodes have already been presented in StarVista’s previous Carol Burnett Show box sets, there are those audiences that have not picked up said box sets to this day or have not been able to add those box sets to their own personal collections. Keeping that in mind, The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again proves to be a good starting point for any viewer regardless of said viewer’s familiarity with The Carol Burnett Show. While it is for all intents and purposes a re-issue of three previously released episodes the episodes presented on The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again serve as a good starting point for anyone that has yet to start their collection of Carol Burnett Show episodes. The reason that the episodes included on this disc prove to be a good starting point is the collective work of the show’s writers and its cast. The largely family-friendly sketches will leave audiences of all ages in stitches at some points and move them deeply at others thanks to the work of all involved. And the inclusion of a fully in-detail episode guide completes the presentation. The guide in question has been a standard of every one of StarVista Entertainment’s Carol Burnett Show releases. They have always been a highly important part of each presentation, too. That is still the case even in this presentation. Because it has been included once again here along with so many wonderfully entertaining moments, it is one more part of the whole of The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again that makes this DVD a welcome watch for anyone looking to start their Carol Burnett Show collection.

The episodes that have been collected for StarVista Entertainment’s new Carol Burnett Show compilation are nothing new for many fans of the classic sketch comedy/variety series. There are those out there that have wasted no time criticizing StarVista for this. Those same people have not taken into consideration that not every fan of The Carol Burnett Show own any of StarVista’s previous Carol Burnett Show compilations or even the show’s complete series collection. Anyone that takes this into consideration will hopefully see that even though the episodes on this disc have been previously released, they make for a good start for any Carol Burnett Show fan that has yet to start their collection of episodes. Because the episodes culled for this compilation have already been presented before, it can obviously be said that they are presented exactly as they were presented in their original broadcasts on CBS back in 1973 and 1978. And just as in their previous resurrections, all three episodes look and sound just as good as they did in their original broadcasts. So anyone that has not yet started their collection will understandably be impressed at least by this much.

The quality presentation of the episodes chosen for The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again is by itself plenty of reason for the series’ fans to pick up this DVD or order it online. It’s just part of the reason for fans that are looking to start their collection to purchase this collection. The work of the writers across all three episodes gives even more reason for fans to pick up this DVD if they haven’t already purchased any of the series’ previous DVD sets. Even roughly thirty years or so after their original broadcasts, these episodes will still have audiences laughing uproariously at some points, and moved almost to tears at others. Some of the laughs even come as a result of the writers’ tributes to Hollywood’s golden era as in the set’s final episode “High Hat.” The skit pays homage to the great films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It actually takes its name directly from the pair’s 1935 hit film Top Hat. Ken Berry even provides a surprisingly entertaining tap number and his own singing performances. Anyone that is a fan of Top Hat or classic song and dance films in general will truly appreciate this sketch for both its historical and its comic value. The sketch “Raised To Be Rotten” offers just as many laughs as it spoofs all of the trashy soap operas of the day. Ironically enough, it could even be considered a spoof of many of the soap operas of the past twenty years or more. That continued relevance and comic value make it yet another prime example of how the work of the writers on this show makes these episodes so entertaining even today and in turn why their work makes this collection so enjoyable for anyone looking to make the first of maybe many additions to their Carol Burnett Show collections. On the opposite end of that spectrum, Carol’s portrayal of her beloved Charwoman character in Show # 705 is certain to put both a smile on fans’ faces and maybe even a tear in their eyes. The Charwoman discovers in this episode’s sketch “Silence is Golden” an old seemingly abandoned room loaded with classic silent films and even a projector that magically seems to work. When turned on, the projector seems to transport the Charwoman into what is supposed to be a classic Charlie Chaplin film. In this case, actress Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard) plays the part of Chaplin. And she does so quite convincingly, too. There’s something about both Swanson and Burnett’s acting here that makes this sketch enjoyable and charming in so many ways. The Charwoman’s reaction in realizing she might actually have been in the film and her interaction with “Chaplin” in realizing it makes for a truly sweet moment that is sure to have any viewer tearing up at least a little bit. Whether for that moment and the more lighthearted laughs offered in the sketch, the smiles and laughs brought on by the tribute to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or any of the laughs and smiles brought on throughout the presented episodes, every single episode and every sketch proves in its own inimitable way why the work of the writers behind The Carol Burnett Show makes this compilation just as worth the purchase as any of the show’s previous DVD releases. This is especially the case for anyone that has yet to start their collection of Carol Burnett Show collections.

The episodes that StarVista chose to include as part of the whole that is The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again, their presentation, and the work of the writers in each episode collectively shows why this new DVD release is a good starting point for anyone looking to take the first step in starting their collection of DVDs from what is one of the greatest series in the modern history of television. While the noted elements each make for so much enjoyment, one more element should be noted of the whole package that adds to its enjoyment. The element in question is the disc’s companion booklet. The booklet included with the DVD is, like the episodes themselves, nothing new for StarVista’s Carol Burnett Show DVD sets. The companion booklet outlines each show in just enough detail to give viewers a relatively vivid idea of each episode and sketch. It outlines the highlights of each show and notes the title and cast of each sketch within the episodes. It even notes each show’s original air date as part of the full outline. All of the details noted of the disc’s companion booklet are also part of the booklets included with each one of StarVista’s previously released Carol Burnett Show collections. This is so significant because it shows once more the careful approach taken by those charged with assembling the episodes and the package in whole. It shows that those people wanted to pay proper respect to the show and its legacy one again as well as to the show’s legions of fans, too. So many television shows’ DVD collections either come with standard, straight-forward episode listings or nothing at all. Those that do include the list include no background or any other extras for fans. That’s not the case for any of StarVista’s Carol Burnett Show DVD sets including this single-disc presentation. And it continues to show in this situation, too. The end result of such lengthy efforts being taken to honor both the legacy of the Carol Burnett Show and the fans of The Carol Burnett Show is one more layer of depth to what on the surface seems a simple DVD yet is a DVD in which audiences and critics alike will find plenty to like.

The fact that those charged with assembling The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again would go to such lengths to continue paying homage to both the legacy of what is one of television’s great modern series and to its fans says plenty about those individuals and of StarVista in whole. The same can be said of all involved merely by examining the episodes included in the set in terms of their writing and their production values. By themselves, each of the noted elements plays an important role in the enjoyment and success of the DVD in whole. Collectively, they prove once and for all why this disc is a wonderful starting point for anyone looking to take that first step in building their Carol Burnett Show collections. The Carol Burnett Show: Together Again is available now in stores and online. More information on this and other titles available from StarVista Entertainment is available online at:

Website: https://timelife.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeLifeUS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TimeLifeUS

ESPN’s 2014 Jimmy V Week For Cancer Sets New Fundraising Record

Posted on February 15, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN’s Jimmy V Week For Cancer set a new record in 2014 for money raised.

Officials with ESPN announced this week that the annual Jimmy V Week For Cancer raised a total of $2,232,000 last year. That tops 2013’s total of $1.8 million and then some. Counting 2014’s newly announced total, the Jimmy V Week For Cancer has now raised $10.5 million for cancer research over the course of eight years. The 2014 Jimmy V Week For Cancer ran from December 3rd – 9th. It featured a simulcast of late NC State coach Jim Valvano’s iconic ESPYS speech across all of ESPN’s domestic networks as well as a number of PSAs and special content encouraging viewers to donate. There was even a sweepstakes benefitting The V Foundation, which included a grand prize trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship and other special ESPN packages.

Along with breaking its own record, 2014 also marked the first year ever that the Jimmy V Week For Cancer welcomed donations ahead of the Jimmy V Men’s and Women’s Classics basketball tournaments. Those supporters included: Corona, Universal’s Unbroken vs. Cancer Foundation, The Louisville Friends of the V, and the New York City Marathon Marathon’s “Team V.” The donations from the noted supporters totaled more than $500,000.

V Foundation CEO Susan Braun noted the importance of ESPN’s yearly event, noting the number of donors that helped the cause in 2014 and how much it helps in the V Foundation’s long-term goal of finally beating cancer one day. “We are once again extremely grateful for the outpouring of support during V Week,” she said. “More than 5,900 donors contributed to the effort — a testament to the incredible reach and energy that ESPN brings to the table. With 100 percent of all donations going directly to cancer research, the campaign will help get us that much closer to our ultimate goal stopping cancer.”

More information on The Jimmy V Foundation including how to donate and all of the foundation’s latest news is available online now at:

Website: https://www.jimmyv.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevfoundation

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheVFoundation

Anchor Bay, Starz Conjure Up Second Season Of Da Vinci’s Demons On DVD, Blu-ray

Posted on February 11, 2015 by philspicks

Courtesy: Anchor Bay Entertainment/Starz Media

Fans of the original drama Da Vinci’s Demons have reason to be excited this winter. That is thanks to Anchor Bay’s announcement Tuesday that it will release the hit drama’s second season next month.

Officials with Starz announced Tuesday that the second season of Da Vinci’s Demons will be released Tuesday, March 3^rd. It will be released on Blu-ray + Digital HD and DVD. Season Two picks up where the series’ first season left off. Da Vinci continues to defend Florence against the powers that be in Rome. Meanwhile he also continues his quest for the fabled Book of Leaves and for answers about his mother. New enemies rise up along the way, too; forces that prove to be even more dangerous than even Pope Sixtus and his minions. Both the DVD and Blu-ray + Digital HD presentation of Da Vinci’s Demons include a handful of bonuses to complement its ten-episode run. Those bonuses include a “making of” featurette, a recap of Season One, a look at the new sets used in Season Two and more. The full list of bonus material included on Season Two’s box set is noted below.

New Bonus Features:

New Sets
Creating the World
A Closer Look

The Journey Begins: Season 1 Recap

Da Vinci’s Demons stars Tom Riley (I Want Candy, Return to House on Haunted Hill, Happy Ever Afters) as famed inventor Leonardo Da Vinci. He is joined by Laura Haddock (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Inbetweeners Movie), Blake Ritson (Rock N Rolla, Titus, Red Cap), Elliot Cowan (Happy-Go-Lucky, Alexander, The Golden Compass), Lara Pulver (Edge of Tomorrow, True Blood, Sherlock), and James Faulkner (Downton Abbey, Bridget Jones’s Diary, X-Men: First Class). The Blu-ray + Digital HD box set will retail for $54.99 and the DVD box set for $44.98. All of the latest updates on Da Vinci’s Demons are available online at:

Website: https://www.davincisdemons.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davincisdemons.starz

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaVincis_Starz

All of the latest information on Da Vinci’s Demons and other titles from Anchor Bay Entertainment is available online at: