These musicians have never met. This weekend, they'll perform together.
Anthony Pirog and Wayne Horvitz have never played together — in fact, they've never even met.
'I'm definitely a fan of his, but I don't know how he got my email,' D.C. guitarist Pirog says of Seattle-based pianist and keyboardist Horvitz, with whom he'll play a concert of improvised music at Rhizome on April 6. 'I don't even know how he's heard of me!'
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From festivals to weddings: Why drone shows are booming
The wedding ceremony was almost over when newlywed Bobby Underwood stepped on a napkin-covered glass to break it, as is Jewish tradition, and everyone shouted "Mazel Tov!". But as he and his new wife Siobhan turned to walk back down the aisle, their wedding officiants said, "Wait." There was a surprise. "All of these drones started rising up," recalls Mrs Underwood. "It was honestly remarkable, very overwhelming – and incredibly emotional for us." She estimates that between 100 and 150 drones appeared in the night sky, displaying lights of various colours, and forming images chosen to represent the bridge and groom. These included a baseball player hitting a ball – as Mr Underwood is a big baseball fan – and a diamond ring being placed on a finger. The couple were married on New Year's Eve 2024, in New York State. Mrs Underwood's mother had arranged the surprise drone show with help from the couple's wedding planner – who had suggested it as a "wow factor" component of the day. It seemed to have the desired effect. "It was kind of just shock – 'Is this really happening right now?'," says Mrs Underwood. "I can't believe my mom did this for us." Drone shows are becoming ever more popular. Once rarities, they are now appearing at occasions ranging from birthday parties and weddings, to major sporting events. Some theme parks even have resident drone shows that take place multiple nights in a row. Glastonbury music festival had its first drone show in 2024. And record-breaking displays are pushing the technology to its limits – the biggest drone show in history took place in China last October. It featured a total of 10,200 drones and broke a record set only the previous month. So, does all this spell the end for fireworks? "They are really beautiful – they are art," says Sally French, a US-based drone industry commentator known as The Drone Girl. She says that drone shows have appeared at baseball games, corporate conferences, and even at ports, to celebrate the launch of cruises. Drone displays are becoming highly sophisticated, she explains, with some drone shows featuring thousands of flying devices, allowing them to animate figures or patterns in incredible detail. "I saw a Star Wars-themed drone show where there was a full-on lightsabre battle," adds Ms French. One barrier might be the price tag, however, with the cost per drone at around $300 (£220) in the UK, says Ms French, citing industry data from market research firm SPH Engineering: "A 500 drone show would be over $150,000." Mrs Underwood does not have an exact figure, but estimates that her wedding drone show cost tens of thousands of dollars. The sky's the limit, actually. Skymagic, one of the world's largest drone show companies, has put on major displays that cost north of $1m says Patrick O'Mahony, co-founder and creative director. Skymagic's shows have taken place in various countries – including the 2023 Coachella music festival in California. The company has also performed drone shows in the UK, including as part of the King's Coronation concert, which was broadcast by the BBC. Mr O'Mahony has experience in designing fireworks displays and other, similar events. But drones have revolutionised outdoor public displays, he says. His company has a fleet of 6,000 custom-designed drones. Each one can reach speeds of up to 10 meters per second. The drones sport LED lights and have batteries that allow for 25 minutes of flight time. To make them easier to transport, the drones are stored in flight cases and unpacked at venues in a giant marquee before they are laid out in the take-off area, half a metre apart, in a grid pattern. "Once the drones have received their 'go' command [they] fly the entire show," adds Mr O'Mahony, explaining that a single human pilot on the ground controls thousands of the devices at once. The drones are geo-fenced, based on Global Positioning System (GPS) data, which prevents them from straying beyond the allotted flight area. In windy conditions, though, they can get blown off course. In such cases, they automatically return to a landing spot on the ground, says Mr O'Mahony. Fireworks have a "boom" factor that drones generally don't, notes Ms French. However, Bill Ray, an analyst at market research firm Gartner, says that some drones can now launch pyrotechnics, for a firework-like effect. For instance, a stream of sparks raining down from the lower portion of an image created by a group of drones. Plus, Mr Ray says it is much easier to accurately synchronise drone movements with music during a show, which could be another reason behind their appeal. But the cost of shows remains prohibitive to some, and in part comes down to the fact that laying out the devices and gathering them all up again after the performance is still a relatively slow, manual process, adds Mr Ray. Pedro Rosário is chief executive of Drone Show Animations, a company that designs drone show performances for other companies that supply the drones themselves. Mr Rosário says that one challenging aspect of his work is in coming up with displays that adhere to various regulations applying to drone flights, since these rules differ from country to country. England has stricter regulations than countries in the Middle East, for example, he says. Mr Rosário adds that drone shows, which might be paired with pyrotechnics, traditional fireworks or even lasers, allow for a huge degree of creative freedom: "You can really build something that has emotional value, it can tell a story." In Mrs Underwood's case, that seems to have worked. Her guests enjoyed the spectacle too, she adds: "We've heard compliments about our wedding in general – but, consistently, the drone show is something people bring up as something they never expected to see." The people refusing to use AI Who will win the race to develop a humanoid robot? Do we need cocoa-free chocolate and is it nice?
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Disney finally owns all of Hulu, ending long tug-of-war with Comcast
Walt Disney Co. has agreed to pay Comcast Corp. an additional $438.7 million to finalize the Mouse House purchase of streaming service Hulu. Disney in December 2023 initially paid Comcast $8.6 billion for NBCUniversal's one-third stake in the streaming service. The final payment, announced Monday, brings the total amount the Burbank entertainment giant will ultimately pay Comcast for its stake to $9.2 billion. This week's agreement came after an extended appraisal process as the two companies struggled over Hulu's actual value. The platform that is home to "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Only Murders in the Building" appears to be worth about $27.5 billion. The resolution also represents a major step in Disney's years-long pivot to streaming. 'We are pleased this is finally resolved," Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said in a statement, acknowledging Disney's productive partnership with the Philadelphia-based company. "Completing the Hulu acquisition paves the way for a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu's general entertainment content with Disney+ and, soon, with ESPN's direct-to-consumer product, providing an unrivaled value proposition for consumers," Iger said. Read more: Disney to pay at least $8.6 billion for Comcast's Hulu stake The two companies have had tense relations since Comcast launched a failed hostile takeover of Disney in 2004. Tensions flared again seven years ago after Comcast jumped into Disney's bidding process for Rupert Murdoch's entertainment assets, substantially driving up the price for Disney. Disney prevailed. It gained the majority stake in Hulu as part of its $71-billion acquisition of much of Murdoch's company in April 2019. That spring, Disney and Comcast negotiated a pact that outlined the governance of the service while it was jointly owned by the two companies and also provided a blueprint to dissolve their partnership. At the time, they agreed that Hulu would be valued at no less than $27.5 billion, making Comcast's stake worth at least $8.6 billion. Comcast's divestiture process began two years ago when Chief Executive Brian Roberts signaled that his company wanted out. The parties then entered into an appraisal process to find a value for Hulu. Disney noted the $438.7 million payment was substantially less than what Comcast had wanted. The deal is expected to close by July 24. Hulu launched as an NBCUniversal and Fox joint venture in 2008. Disney joined the following year as an equity owner. 'Hulu was a great start for us in streaming that generated nearly $10 billion in proceeds for Comcast and created an important audience for NBCUniversal's world-class content," Comcast said in a statement Monday. "We wish Disney well with Hulu and appreciate the cooperative way our teams managed the partnership." Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
TV Series Filming at Carlsbad State Beach - 80s Surf Competition Recreation Invites Community Participation
CARLSBAD, Calif., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California residents are invited to experience the golden age of surf culture as Awaken Entertainment brings a nostalgic 1980s Pro/Am surf competition to life for an upcoming TV series. Filming will take place Wednesday, June 11th, from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM at Carlsbad State Beach, and locals are encouraged to attend, engage, and even appear on camera as part of the crowd. This vibrant recreation is part of a San Diego-based production aimed at showcasing the spirit, beauty, and talent of the region. The production promises an authentic throwback to the heyday of surf competitions — complete with period-accurate styling, vintage boards, and professional surfers, and more! The set will double as a community celebration, featuring free pizza, snacks, and a chance for attendees to be featured in scenes that will air as part of the series. Families, surf fans, and beach lovers alike are invited to bring their energy, beach chairs, and 80s attire to help capture the era's electric atmosphere. "We're not just filming a show — we're celebrating San Diego surf culture," said a representative from Awaken Entertainment. "This is a love letter to our coast, our people, and the wave-riding legacy that shaped generations." MEDIA WELCOME – Behind-the-scenes access and interviews with cast, crew, and surfers available upon request. DETAILS: What: TV Series Filming – 1980s Surf Competition Recreation When: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 | 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM Where: Carlsbad State Beach, Carlsbad, CA Who's Invited: Local residents, media, and surf fans of all ages Details: Text "SurfScene" to 55525 for more details Perks: Free pizza & snacks, chance to appear on screen View original content: SOURCE Awaken Entertainment Sign in to access your portfolio
