Sydney Mardi Gras parade 2025
All the colour, costume and camp of the 47th edition of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
Jim Powell Main image: Ally poses before the start of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Photograph:Sat 1 Mar 2025 11.58 CET Last modified on Sat 1 Mar 2025 12.14 CET
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Metro
03-06-2025
- Metro
Ross Lynch confesses he gets 'territorial' when hardcore fans misinterpret songs
Life in the spotlight is never easy, especially when you're publicly putting your heart out there in the form of a catchy love song. Dedicated listeners can't help but analyse lyrics, attempting to glean some insight into their favourite star's life (just look at Taylor Swift's fans). While US band The Driver Era are still fairly under the radar, thanks to the family's previous music and acting careers, their songs get a little extra scrutiny. If you're not familiar, the alternative brand is made up of brothers Rocky and Ross Lynch — yes, that Ross Lynch, star of My Friend Dahmer, Teen Beach Movie, Austin and Ally, and more. Putting your emotions out there while famous can have some downsides, as Ross, 29, confessed to Metro as the brothers discussed their latest album, Obsession. 'We definitely have our fair share of hardcore fans,' he laughed before becoming contemplative and adding: 'I think sometimes, as a man, I'm wanting to protect [my] relationship. 'It's not concerning, but when people misinterpret the meanings behind songs, I get a little … almost territorial because they're misinterpreting my intentions. That can be a little hurtful.' His brother Rocky, 30, backed up this sentiment and added: 'It's not really like a song is about this one thing. A lot of it has multiple angles.' 'Sometimes you add a line in there because it sounds good,' agreed Ross, chuckling with his brother about their songwriting process. Rocky added that when he was younger, he was a little more reckless about exposing his ex relationships but that has fallen away in more recent years. 'The songs have multiple interpretations, I like that in songs,' he said. 'It is pulling from a scenario, that maybe spawned it, but it is this softball idea that expands the vibe of it. 'It takes on a life of its own at some point.' Obsession, which they are currently touring in the US with third brother and Glee actor Riker, 33, on guitar, is about love and desire but is far less autobiographical than the lyrics might suggest. The brothers revealed one writing session took place in the middle of the Palm Springs desert, away from the chaos of their daily lives. 'The desert is a wonderful, mystical, spiritual, energetic abyss,' Ross said. 'You can just howl, scream, and run around and the sound dissipates. It's a really interesting sensation. 'We went to this big house, threw a bunch of studio gear on the dining room table, and — it sounds weird — but like, didn't really sleep for three days, but it was so just were making music for three full days, just like in a trance.' The album has the biggest team the duo have worked with so far, with Rocky emphasising how much he loves 'bringing the squad along' for this creative endeavour. Ross added: 'What lessons we were learning and what stage of experiencing love or how we understand relationships were we at? This is the furthest along [in life that we've been]. 'We feel like we've grown as humans and individuals, and we're maybe the most honest and we can reflect on those perspectives.' He doesn't divulge what those lessons are exactly, as the experience was 'highly personal' and the former Disney stars are reluctant to throw the spotlight onto their lives. However, the brothers' rockstar good looks means they tend to go viral often while on tour, especially with Ross' tendency to sing shirtless on stage. Unfortunately, these clips regularly get a trending song attached so while you're seeing Ross' abs you're not hearing The Driver Era's music. 'I understand how that works, that all makes sense to me,' he said, weighing up the pros and cons of going viral. 'That doesn't really have anything to do with me or like what I'm doing, as much as it's like about people just trying to get a ton of views on their TikTok.' While he has 'definitely seen' videos pushing 'certain narratives' or performances, this effort feels completely detached from his work as an artist. 'I'm fully capable, we can write good music, and I fully believe that the best is yet to come,' the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star added. For new potential The Driver Era fans, Ross and Rocky aren't sure they want you to 'know anything' about them at all. More Trending 'I think there's a fun experience for people when you find a new artist that you're really vibing with to figure out what the person's all about,' said Ross. 'But honestly, I think if someone were listening to our music, I kind of don't want you to know. I kind of want you to just experience it objectively.' Despite previous work bringing fame to the brothers, Rocky says he likes that Driver Era is still largely 'undiscovered' – for now. Obsession is available to purchase and stream now. Driver Era are currently on tour in the US with tickets available on their website. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: SXSW: 'The creative eyes of the world will be on London' MORE: SXSW London: Five live performances, film showcases and talks you must see MORE: 'SXSW London will be a love letter to the city – we ought to be here'
The Herald Scotland
10-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Walter Smith tried to set me up with Miss Scotland, says Big Dunc
Ferguson says his manager Walter Smith tried to set him up with Miss Scotland. 'I didn't even phone her,' Ferguson says when I bring it up. 'Whenever he handed me her number he said, 'She'll calm you down.' "I didn't want to be calmed down. That's the problem when you're young. 'I chased Ally around though, I chased Durranty around,' he admits, naming his Rangers team mates Ally McCoist and Ian Durrant. Read more 'They were very close. I was running around with them before I ever went to Rangers. If I was on Scotland trips I'd be in the card school or in their room. I was a Rangers fan as a kid and it was my dream to play for the Rangers when I was young and seeing Ally and Durranty. "When you've stood on the terraces to watch them play … Davie Cooper was my idol,' he adds, a fan again for a moment, before picking up the thread of his original point. 'I didn't want to be calmed down. You don't, do you? If she had been Miss World she still wouldn't have tied me down.' Ferguson says it was Smith - when he was assistant at Dundee United - who discovered him. 'Walter was a great man. He had experience, he had been around. He just knew how to carry himself without saying a lot of words. He had respect. All the players loved him.'
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
Tickets for popular gigs including Reading Festival listed for eight times face value
Consumer group Which? is calling for a clampdown on online "touts" after discovering tickets being advertised at huge mark-ups and risk that fans will be refused entry Fans risk being ripped-off by concert tickets that are being advertised for up to eight times their face value, an investigation has found. Consumer group Which? found tickets for gigs and popular events on big name resell websites Viagogo and StubHub International at what it called 'eye-watering' price hikes. To make matters worse, guidelines from event organisers mean fans risk being turned away at the door. The findings have prompted Which? to call on the government to ban online 'ticket touts' from charging over-inflated prices. Its researchers found tickets for the Reading Festival - where rapper Travis Scott is among this year's headliners - listed at £596 on Viagogo and £616 on Stubhub International, despite tickets costing £325 still being available through the official ticket agents. Yet Which? says that Reading Festival explicitly lists Viagogo and Stubhub International as unauthorised ticket agents and warns people against buying tickets through them, meaning fans risk being turned away. Tickets for an IDLES gig in Bristol in August this year cost £59.65 at face value, and are still available to buy via the primary ticket seller. However, tickets were listed on Viagogo for as much as £480 - eight times the face value price. Which? found a similar situation when it comes to non-sporting event too. For instance, tickets for Royal Ascot were listed on Viagogo for between £150 and £154, and on Stubhub International for £96. Yet entry to the famous horseracing event in June were still available on the official website for just £34. And tickets for this year's British Grand Prix were listed on Stubhub International for £181, while face value tickets were still available on the Silverstone website for £159. Stubhub International's listing for the Grand Prix included a disclaimer stating tickets may not be valid for entry, but said this was 'unlikely'. However, Silverstone told Which? fans attempting to use a ticket at the gate that had not been purchased directly from an official ticket agent ran the risk of being refused entry. The situation isn't helped by secondary ticket sellers often being listed at or near the top of Google search results, says Which? It revealed what happened to one Which? member, Ally, whose husband bought two tickets to see Pink in concert listed on Viagogo. He paid £400 for the two tickets when the face value was around £40 each. Ally said: 'He didn't realise how inflated they were. We didn't end up going to the concert as I absolutely refused to spend that much money so I put them back on the site to try and get some money back. Resale sites often appear at the top of Google search results and it's not always clear that they aren't the official selling site.' Which? is urging the government, which has pledged to introduce stronger consumer protections for ticket purchases and is currently consulting on changes to ticket resales, to take tough action. It is campaigning for the introduction of a price cap to ensure that tickets can only be re-sold on secondary sites at the original price paid - the ticket's face value plus any fees - which should be shown up front in the ticket price. It also believes resale platforms should be required by law to verify that the seller owns a ticket before it can be listed on their site and should verify key information about a ticket, such as the original price and location within the venue Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: 'It's shocking that secondary ticketing sites like Viagogo and StubHub International are allowing sellers to charge more than eight times the face value price for tickets to popular music and sports events. These sites often appear at the top of Google search results, making it hard for fans to decipher which platform is the official ticket seller. 'Tickets also appear on these sites despite warnings from the event organisers that anyone buying from a secondary seller risks being turned away at the door. 'Which? is calling on the government to make the ticketing industry fairer for fans by banning touts selling tickets for inflated prices and making secondary sites responsible for stopping tickets being sold if they won't be valid at the door.' In response, Viagogo said: 'Viagogo is a safe, secure and regulated marketplace that helps connect millions of ticket sellers to fans wanting to see their favourite artists, sports teams and enjoy great live events. As a marketplace, Viagogo doesn't sell tickets or set prices. Sellers set the price and fans ultimately decide the ticket value that meets their budget. 'Fans can easily choose the option which works best for them. This transparency also means sellers must compete against each other on price, in an open market, often leading to affordable options for fans. For example, during Beyoncé's 2023 Renaissance tour in the UK, tickets were available for as low as £24, while tickets for the UK leg of Taylor Swift 's Eras tour were sold for as low as £80. 'Transparency is a priority for us, which is why we reject any suggestion that Viagogo misleads users. What you see in a listing price is what you will pay for the ticket on Viagogo. Viagogo's UK website discloses the face value for every ticket , and includes the disclosure that 'We're the world 's largest secondary marketplace for tickets to live events. Prices are set by sellers and may be below or above face value'. We also include disclosures, as required, to highlight all primary event restrictions which are made clear to the buyer before purchase, even if those restrictions are never enforced. Viagogo takes its obligations under the law seriously and is fully compliant in the UK.' It added: 'We will continue to advocate for access, transparency and open marketplaces for event lovers. We oppose anti-competitive actions taken by event organisers to restrict purchasing and resale options to certain platforms in a transparent attempt to control the market as they ultimately harm fans by limiting their choice, flexibility, and access.' StubHub International said: 'We are committed to bringing the joy of live events to fans through a safe, trusted, and transparent marketplace, which is already highly regulated in the UK. As a marketplace, we do not set ticket prices - sellers list at their preferred price, and buyers decide whether to purchase based on what they believe is worthwhile. 'We ensure complete ticket and price transparency by displaying all relevant information, including restrictions and face value price, from the earliest stage of the purchase journey. In our experience, tickets listed at exceptionally high prices rarely, if ever, sell. 'We also enforce strict measures to protect consumers. Speculative listings are not allowed on our platform - any tickets listed before general sale come from pre-sale purchases, and fans can choose to resell them if they wish.' It concluded: 'We look forward to working with the Government to ensure any policy changes continue to protect fans and provide access to the events they love.'
