Latest news with #Abrams'
Express Tribune
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Gracie Abrams calls Taylor a 'forever genius' and brings up Olivia in emotional tour speech
Gracie Abrams kicked off the final North American leg of her The Secret of Us tour with a deeply personal moment that left fans buzzing. During her show at TD Garden in Boston, the 25-year-old singer paused her set to read a page from her journal, a tribute to the journey she's had and the women who inspired her. "Between touring and my last few EPs and albums, the amazing festivals and opening for the brilliant Olivia and for our forever genius Taylor, it has been a very wild and lucky four years on the road," Abrams read aloud, her voice cracking slightly as fans erupted into cheers. "We are in the home stretch now and I just want to pause for a moment to let you know that we could not be happier or more grateful to be here with all of you tonight." Abrams' connection to both Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift runs deep. She opened for Rodrigo on her SOUR tour back in 2022 and later joined Swift for several shows on the Eras Tour, performing to massive stadium crowds. Those opportunities, paired with her own relentless touring schedule, have shaped her into one of the most emotionally resonant voices in pop today. Her current tour supports her sophomore album, The Secret of Us, which features the Grammy-nominated collaboration us with Taylor Swift. Before this leg, she toured Europe, making up for postponed shows and performing at major festivals across June and July. Now, as she prepares to wrap up her time on the road, Abrams' tribute to Swift and Rodrigo served as a touching reminder of how far she's come and how those who came before her continue to influence the music she makes.
New York Post
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
What do last-minute tickets cost for Gracie Abrams' ‘Secret Of Us DeluxeTour'?
Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase. Featured pricing is subject to change. Gracelanders, assemble. On July 24, Gracie Abrams resumes her ongoing 'The Secret Of Us Deluxe Tour,' which includes a pair of headlining nights with special guest Role Model at New York City's Madison Square Garden on Monday, July 28 and Tuesday, July 29. These shows are part of the second leg of Abrams' run, which began in September 2024 when she was still had a few more gigs opening for Taylor Swift on the 'Eras Tour.' Back then, she had only been enlisted to headline at Radio City Music Hall. Due to overwhelming demand, a 'deluxe' arena version of the intimate tour was created to give more Abrams fans a chance to see her live. 'I can't believe these rooms we get to play,' the 25-year-old singer shared on Instagram at the time. 'I love you so much and can't wait to see you all there.' And, while we can't confirm what she'll take to the stage at these gigs, we'd guess the hits like 'That's So True,' 'Close To You' and 'I Love You, I'm Sorry' will make an appearance based on our findings of what she performed at her last full non-festival 'Secret Of Us' concert dates in Australia, courtesy of Set List FM. If this sounds like the can't-miss concert of the summer for you, last-minute Gracie Abrams tickets are still available. At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for her MSG shows was $436 including fees on Vivid Seats. Prices start anywhere from $188 to $299 including fees for her non-New York 'Deluxe' concerts. For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about Gracie Abrams' 2025 'Secret Of Us Deluxe Tour' below. All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation. Gracie Abrams MSG ticket prices 2025 All the dates, start times and best prices for Abrams' two 'Secret Of Us Deluxe Tour' MSG concerts can be found here: Gracie Abrams MSG dates Ticket prices start at Monday, July 28 8 p.m. $445 (including fees) Tuesday, July 29 8 p.m. $436 (including fees) (Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and, if it isn't noted, will include additional fees at checkout.) Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event. Still curious about Vivid Seats? You can find an article from their team about why the company is legit here. Gracie Abrams ticket prices 2025 Gracie Abrams tour dates Ticket prices start at July 23 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA $276 (fees included) July 24 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA $285 (fees included) July 26 at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, ON, CA $299 (fees included) July 31 through Aug. 3 at Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL Four-day passes $746.85 (fees included) July 31 at Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL Single-day passes $275.27 (fees included) Aug. 1-3 at the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival Three-day passes $322 (fees included) Aug. 2 at the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival Single-day passes $150 (fees included) Aug. 6 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA $188 (fees included) Aug. 7 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, CA $193 (fees included) Aug. 8-10 at the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, CA Three-day passes $586.65 (fees included) Aug. 9 at the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, CA Single-day passes $326.04 (fees included) Aug. 11 at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO $255.88 (fees included) Aug. 12 at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO $239.28 (fees included) Gracie Abrams 2025 festival appearances On top of the 'Deluxe Tour,' Abrams is headlining a trio of major festivals this summer. If you want to make a last-minute impulse purchase and attend one of them, here's the skinny on all three. Gracie Abrams festival dates Lollapalooza July 31 through Aug. 3 at Grant Park in Chicago, IL Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler The Creator, Luke Combs, Twice Osheaga Music and Arts Festival Aug. 1-3 at the Parc Jean Drapeau in Montreal, QC, CA Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler The Creator, The Killers, Glass Animals, Doechii Outside Lands Music Festival Aug. 8-10 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA Tyler The Creator, Hozier, Doja Cat, Vampire Weekend, MARINA Gracie Abrams set list Abrams wrapped the Australian leg of her 'Secret Of Us Tour' on May 17 at Perth's RAC Arena. According to Set List FM, here's what she performed that evening. A-Stage 01.) 'Felt Good About You' 02.) 'Risk' 03.) 'Blowing Smoke' 04.) '21' 05.) 'I Love You, I'm Sorry' (SNL version) 06.) 'Where Do We Go Now?' 07.) 'Death Wish' 08.) 'Mess It Up' 09.) 'Friend' 10.) 'Camden' 11.) 'Normal Thing' 12.) 'I Told You Things' 13.) 'Let It Happen' 14.) 'Tough Love' B-Stage (Bedroom) 15.) 'Feels Like' 16.) 'For Real This Time / Stay / Right Now' 17.) 'I Miss You, I'm Sorry' A-Stage 18.) 'us.' 19.) 'Free Now' Encore 20.) 'That's So True' 21.) 'Close to You' Gracie Abrams new music On June 21, 2024, Abrams dropped her second studio album 'The Secret Of Us.' Over 13 tracks, the breathy singer delivers sticky bedroom pop that lingers in your subconscious for weeks on end. Can't-miss cuts here include the strummy, folksy 'Felt Good About You,' eff-you anthem 'Risk' and heartbreaking 'I Love You, I'm Sorry,' dance floor-ready 'Close To You' and plucky disco-folk bop 'Normal Thing.' Make sure to give the smoldering yet shimmery 'Gave You I Gave You I' a chance, too. It's slow dance perfection. To listen for yourself, you can find 'The Secret Of Us' in its entirety here. Role Model Tucker Harrington Pillsbury, aka Role Model, will be on Abrams' side for her newly announced U.S. shows. For those that aren't familiar with his sound, think sunny, formally inventive guitar pop similar to Dominic Fike, Still Woozy, and Khalid. Sound deep dive-worthy? Check out Role Model's discography here. Huge stars on tour in 2025 Many iconic pop divas are taking their hits on the road these next few months. To keep you in the loop, here are five of our absolute favorites you won't want to miss live. • Sabrina Carpenter • Olivia Dean • Tate McRae • Lady Gaga • Dua Lipa Who else is out and about? Take a look at our list of all the biggest artists on tour in 2025 to find the show for you. This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change
NBC Sports
25-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
CJ Abrams using offseason changes and increased discipline to put together career year
As we near the end of June, the Washington Nationals sit 14 games under .500 with the third-worst record in the NL. They've been publicly criticized by Ken Rosenthal for failing to finish their rebuild after a 2019 World Series, and they recently lost a series to the Colorado Rockies. However, if you sift through all of that noise, you'd find that, in addition to the emergence of James Wood, the Nationals are getting a breakout season from shortstop CJ Abrams and now have two offensive cornerstones who are not yet 25 years old. Abrams has shown flashes of high-level talent before, but has been unable to keep it up for an entire season. While there's no guarantee he can do it this year either, the 24-year-old is in the midst of the best stretch of baseball in his MLB career. He's slashing .287/.360/.491 with 52 runs scored, 26 RBI, 11 home runs, and 16 steals in 67 games. He has a career-high walk rate, a career-low strikeout rate, a career-low swinging strike rate, a career-high barrel rate, and career-best exit velocities. Surely some of that has to do with a different approach to his offseason training or preparation, right? 'I got stronger in the off season, for sure,' admitted Abrams, but most of his success, in his mind, just comes down to 'swinging at better pitches this year.' For Abrams, that means 'Staying around in the heart [of the zone] and trying to give the good pitches to the pitcher.' When you look at his swing metrics, you can see what he means. Abrams' chase rate (or O-Swing%) is nearly identical to last season, but his zone swing rate is down 6%. That has led to a jump in zone contact rate and contact rate as well. Abrams is taking more called strikes, but he's only doing so on pitches that he can't do damage on. As he says, he's giving those good pitches to the pitcher and then hoping the next pitch is one he can do more with. If you look at Abrams' Statcast page, you'll see a huge improvement in his swing decisions in the shadow area of the strike zone. The shadow area is the edges of the strike zone, essentially half in the strike zone and half just off the plate. Those are often pitches that a hitter can't do tons of damage on, so it makes sense that Abrams' decision to 'give those to the pitcher' is working out for him. Statcast Abrams is swinging at 57% of the pitches in the shadow this season and posting a +10 Run Value after swinging at 60% of them in 2024 and posting a -22 Run Value. That's a change of +24 in Run Value, which is extraordinary, and Abrams' Run Value of +2 in the shadow zone ranks 10th in all of baseball. Since his swing rate in the shadow area is down only 3%, his improvement isn't just because he's taking pitches in that area significantly more, but that he's making much better decisions on both his takes and his swings. As a result, Abrams is also now seeing more pitches in the heart of the strike zone than last year, likely because he is not swinging as much when the pitch isn't there. So even though his performance in the heart of the zone is worse, his overall performance has been better because of the increased amount of good pitches he's seeing. The struggles in the heart of the zone may be connected to the fact that he's taking those pitches more often. In 2024, Abrams saw 26% of his pitches in the heart of the zone and took just 25% of them. In 2025, he's seeing pitches in the heart of the plate 28% of the time but taking them 31% of the time. Obviously, the heart of the zone is over the middle of the plate, and hitters can do the most damage there, so the only reason you'd take a pitch there is if you're fooled or it's early in the count and you get a pitch that you're not looking for and choose not to swing at. Abrams had a +13 Run Value when he swung in the heart of the plate last year, but just a +1 Run Value when he swings in the heart this year, so perhaps he needs to recalibrate to be a bit more aggressive when a pitcher makes a mistake. Another change that Abrams has made this year that has contributed to his offensive growth has been in his stance. As you can see from the column all the way on the right, Abrams has gone from a stance that was three degrees closed off in 2024 to a stance that is two degrees open in 2025. He has also widened his stance, adding almost 5.5 inches of space between his feet. His depth in the box and distance from the plate are essentially the same, but the wider stance has allowed him to get the ball out front a little bit more, which may have a lot to do with why he's hitting the ball harder this season. 'I didn't really do it on purpose,' admitted Abrams. 'It kind of just happened with my thought process. I want to stay on that back hip as long as I can, and I guess the wider stance helps with that. I want to be in the best position I can be to hit all pitches, being able to be on the fastball and also stay back on the off-speed. So just being in that back hip kind of helps with all that.' It's a useful insight from the 24-year-old that sometimes a mechanical change doesn't start with the mechanics themselves but with the intention. Abrams wanted to keep his weight back so that he didn't get out in front of breaking balls. That led to a focus on putting weight on his back leg, which led him to naturally shift his stance to something that felt more comfortable and in line with his new intention. So far, that change has worked. Abrams is pulling the ball less this season and also hitting it in the air less often, but he's making the most of his contact with a career-best HR/FB ratio and career-best .204 ISO. Some of that could also come down to him flattening his attack angle a bit, but that would be another change that's simply a side effect of a process change for Abrams. 'I think it's all just [swinging at] better pitches,' he said. 'You want to hit balls hard. You don't want to hit them too high or too low, so just kind of hard line drives is the thought, and I try to execute that.' These are important lessons learned by a player who seems young at 24 years old but has been doing this for a while now. Abrams was the 6th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft and was the 8th-ranked prospect in all of baseball in 2021 before he made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2022. He hit just .232/.285/.320 in 46 games with the Padres as a 21-year-old with a 27/4 K/BB ratio. He was then shipped off the Washington as part of the Juan Soto trade that also included teammates MacKenzie Gore and James Wood. He put together a decent season in his first full MLB year with the Nationals in 2023, hitting .245/.300/.412 with 18 home runs and 47 steals. While the steals carried his value from a fantasy perspective, Abrams had an aggressive approach that produced just a 5% walk rate with a 53% swing rate overall. He took a step forward in the first half of the 2024 season but seemed to fade in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326 with a nearly 24% strikeout rate. While that may have set off some alarm bells in regards to Abrams' true ceiling, the truth is that the saying 'Prospect growth is not linear' is one of the more accurate idioms out there. It takes young players, especially young hitters, time to adjust to the gap in talent between Triple-A and the majors. We saw that this year, with Kristian Campbell starting the year with a strong April and then being demoted back to Triple-A by the middle of June, and Jac Caglianone tearing up the minors before coming up and struggling in his early MLB plate appearances. For Abrams, the key to navigating that gap in talent was unlocking a level of discipline that he didn't need to have when he was coming up as a prospect. 'Pitchers are better in the majors,' he said matter-of-factly. 'They execute better. They hit their spots and all that, so being able to be disciplined at the plate is probably the biggest thing that I learned. You know, you can't swing at everything. Those hits you get in the minors are probably not hits here, so being able to drive the ball in the heart of the zone is the biggest adjustment. Laying off those good pitches and trying to get the ones that you can get in the heart of the zone, and just take your walks.' That growth as a hitter is a clear sign of Abrams' maturation as a player and a testament to the lessons you can learn when you've had four seasons against MLB pitching. However, despite his years of experience and the relative youth of his teammates, Abrams, who turns 25 in October, doesn't see himself as any kind of veteran leader. 'I still see myself as one of the young guys,' he smiled. You know, I came up with them, kind of, over there in San Diego.' Gore, who came with Abrams from the Padres, is 26 years old, which makes him something of a veteran statesman on this team; however, Wood is just 22 years old, and Robert Hassell III, who also came over in the Juan Soto trade, is just 23 years old. Dylan Crews, who began the year as the team's starting centerfielder before getting hurt, is 23 years old. Brady House, the team's starting third baseman, is 22 years old, and Daylen Lile, the starting right fielder, is also 22 years old. Still, despite being older than those starters and having years more experience against MLB pitching, Abrams is more focused on 'just seeing them being able to be in the bigs and start their learning experience. We're all still getting better, for sure.' It seems the Nationals' growth as a team will come from learning together. 'We have to come together as a group, like we have been,' said Abrams. Perhaps his teammates will see the adjustments Abrams is making at the plate or talk with him about it in the dugout, but the newfound patience the shortstop has found has unlocked a level of potential that always seemed to be lurking under the surface. On the season, Abrams is the 34th-ranked player in fantasy baseball, according to FanGraph's Player Rater, and is the 6th-most valuable shortstop, behind Elly De La Cruz, Jeremy Pena, Trea Turner, Francisco Lindor, Bobby Witt Jr., and Jacob Wilson. Of that group, De La Cruz, Wilson, and Abrams are the only ones 24 years old or younger. Abrams and De La Cruz are also the only two of that group with 15 or more steals and double-digit home runs, putting them in a grouping by themselves at the position. 'I think there's a bright future for sure.' Perhaps for both Abrams and his young Nationals teammates.
The Herald Scotland
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Jenna Ortega spotted in Glasgow as star joins 'Ghostwriter' cast
Plot details are being kept under wraps but the movie - Abrams' first since 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - is rumoured to be a fantasy film inspired by The Last Starfighter, a 1984 space opera about a video game player recruited to fight an interstellar war against aliens. Film crews took over a number of streets in Edinburgh to shoot scenes for the movie, before production then moved to Glasgow at the weekend. On Tuesday, Glen Powell and JJ Abrams were spotted on set on Newton Street under the Kingston Bridge. Meanwhile, Jenna Ortega has also been spotted away from the set in Glasgow, confirming her casting in the movie. Locals shared photos of the star walking her dog in the city's Necropolis on Tuesday afternoon.
Business Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
New York real estate industry appeals broker-fee case ruling
[NEW YORK] Real estate groups are challenging a ruling by a federal judge that allowed New York City to begin enforcing a new law requiring landlords, rather than their tenants, to pay fees for hiring listing brokers. US District Judge Ronnie Abrams on Tuesday (Jun10) denied a request by the Real Estate Board of New York, the New York State Association of Realtors and others to pause the law while their lawsuit proceeds. The ruling was another setback for the industry's legal fight against the measure, which went into effect on Wednesday (Jun 11). The groups on Thursday filed an appeal of Abrams' decision to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The City Council adopted the measure in November to end the longstanding practice of tenants being forced to pay costs incurred by landlords to hire the brokers who list their properties, which can add thousands of dollars to housing costs. The real estate industry argued the new law branded brokers as villains and would force landlords to raise rents to cover the costs of hiring them. New York City renters who settle on apartments that have broker fees pay an average of almost US$13,000 to secure the keys to a property, which frequently includes thousands of dollars in fees for brokers hired by landlords to secure tenants, according to an analysis by StreetEasy released last year. Roughly 40 per cent to 50 per cent of listings on StreetEasy have required lease signers to pay the commissions of agents hired by their new landlords, which have typically ranged from one month's rent to 15 per cent of the annual bill. The Real Estate Board contends that the law, known as Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses Act, or FARE Act, interferes with exclusive agreements that landlords sign with brokers to list their properties and find tenants, in violation of the Constitution's bar against state laws impairing private contracts. It also argues the law violates the free-speech rights of landlords and brokers who publish real estate listings and then seek to receive compensation from tenants for the cost of the listing service. The industry's lawsuit alleges that the law will make rent-stabilised apartments too costly to operate and force landlords to raise rents to cover the cost of broker fees. The industry says tenants usually pay less over the life of a lease when commissions are paid separately, and that some are already refusing to pay broker fees even though the law hasn't taken effect yet. A state-approved broker-fee ban was briefly in place in February 2020, just before the first Covid lockdown brought the rental market to a near halt. By the time renter demand began rising the next year, a court had struck down the state law and brokers were eager to capitalise on what quickly became a very competitive market where prices have continued to rise. The law could dramatically change the dynamics of the city's highly competitive rental market, where prices have soared since pandemic restrictions began easing in 2021. The median cost of new Manhattan leases was US$4,571 in May, reaching another all-time high, according to appraiser Miller Samuel and Douglas Elliman. Prices have also set records in the outer boroughs. BLOOMBERG
