Latest news with #EmpireStateofMind
Epoch Times
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Not Throwing Away Our Shot in New York City
When Carmen's new role called for a trip to New York City to lead a customer training session, it opened the door for a travel experience we hadn't shared in years. We seized the opportunity—professionally and personally—and made the most of every minute. We arrived at JFK International Airport early in the week, and as tradition dictates, Tony cued up 'Empire State of Mind' on his headphones during descent. The lyric 'Concrete jungle where dreams are made of ...' always stirs something in him. And this time, New York delivered.
New York Post
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Music-blaring pedicabs are interrupting Broadway performances more and more — a new bill seeks to ban them from the theater district
Broadway is increasingly being taken for a ride. 'Rogue' pedicabs blasting New York-themed earworms around the theater district are causing chaos — interrupting Broadway performances, clogging sidewalk space and forcing theatergoers to weave dangerously around traffic, according to disgruntled locals and other drivers. The issue has gotten so out of control over the last year that some actors have started ad-libbing 'Empire State of Mind' blasting from pedicabs outside shows, according to Kenneth Winter, a longtime driver and the spokesperson for the New York Pedicab Alliance. 6 'Rogue' pedicabs blasting New York-themed earworms around the theater district are causing chaos in Midtown, according to disgruntled locals and other drivers. Michael Nagle 'It happens pretty often: They park in front of the theater waiting for the show to come out, as much as an hour before the show lets out,' Winter said, noting that the culprits are 'mostly' unlicensed pedicab drivers who charge excessive and sometimes illegal fees. 'Their point is to make as much money per transaction as possible — they're like piranhas.' 6 Pedicabs seen interrupting Broadway shows outside the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Nicole Rosenthal / NY Post 'Yeah, you can hear it inside the theater,' Belasco Theatre security guard Pete Tarr, 53, told The Post. 'I'll be working the stage door, and they'll be coming down the street [as] this show is still going on. 'A lot of times we tell them to turn down the music, and they give us the finger.' 'The complaints have been well documented for this,' a guard at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater told The Post. '[The pedicabs] create a problem.' The growing nuisance has inspired a City Council bill, which looks to squash the 'excessive noise and regular harassment' and ban all pedicabs from within 50 feet of theaters. 6 The growing nuisance has inspired a City Council bill, which looks to squash the 'excessive noise and regular harassment' that some pedicab drivers use to target unsuspecting tourists. AFP via Getty Images 'Broadway performers shouldn't have to compete with blaring pedicab speakers,' Council Member Erik Bottcher, who is co-sponsoring the bill with Council Member Keith Powers, told The Post in a statement. 'Our bill puts some basic boundaries in place to protect the theater experience and bring order to the chaos outside the stage doors.' A spokesperson for Bottcher's office confirmed receiving 'numerous' complaints about the matter from both residents and theater workers beginning last year. 'It's a problem,' Winter, who charges a flat $35 rate, said of the noisy vehicles. But 'it's a bigger problem when they're ripping people off for $300, $400 for a 10-minute ride,' he added. Pedicab driver, John Aybaz, 26, from Turkey, admitted he blasts music to get attention from customers after a performance lets out. 'When I play the music, I'm gonna get a lot of attention from the customers,' he said, 'but I play after the show is over. Why would you play during the show? There are no customers.' 6 Pedicab driver, John Aybaz, 26, from Turkey, admitted he does blast music to get attention from customers after a performance lets out. Nicole Rosenthal / NY Post 'It's unfair to punish all of us … for the few that do that,' Aybaz added. 'Banning us from waiting outside the theaters will kill our business.' Winter said there are already laws on the books to deter nuisance pedicab drivers – and that moving their vehicles 50 feet down the street isn't a solution. 'We don't support this bill on any level, it's dumb,' he said. Instead, Winter hopes the NYPD will crack down on unlicensed fraudsters with stiffer penalties and confiscation of their vehicles. As it stands, the NYPD confiscates unlicensed cabs — but will oftentimes give them back, he said. A spokesperson for the NYPD told The Post the agency has been working to address the 'complex and chronic quality of life conditions throughout New York City,' including nuisance pedicabs. 6 Pedicab drivers look for tourists in Times Square on a busy summer night. Michael Nagle In both the Midtown North and South precincts, which encompass the theater district, there were 425 pedicabs seized and 965 summonses issued from Nov. 1, 2024 to Jan. 31, 2025, the rep said — though seized pedicabs can be returned to the owner once a summons is adjudicated. Patrons of the theater district aren't the only ones affected by the swarm of bike taxis, according to Hell's Kitchen's 45th and 46th Street Block Association President David Stuart – who argues that locals are mostly concerned with street safety. 'When theaters get out … the pedicabs are generally in the streets, and maybe the congestion that they cause forces more people into the street,' Tom Harris, the president of the Times Square Alliance business improvement district, told The Post. 6 Patrons of the theater district aren't the only ones affected by the swarm of bike taxis, according to Hell's Kitchen's 45th and 46th Street Block Association President David Stuart – who argues that locals are mostly concerned with street safety. Michael Nagle But not everyone seems to mind the commotion. 'I'm not bothered by [the pedicabs], no more than I hear sirens or any other New York atmospheric noises from the Times Square area,' said Ezra Knight, an actor performing in 'Othello' at the Ethel Barrymore Theater. 'I have heard sirens, garbage trucks, honking cars,' said David Webber, 39, who was waiting in line to see 'John Proctor is the Villain' at the Booth Theatre on Wednesday. 'This is New York: If you pay attention to the noise, you'll drive yourself crazy.' Melanie Trintin, 43, who was leaving 'The Lion King' with a friend, called the move to ban pedicabs from the theater district the 'dumbest thing I've heard all day.' 'If you can't handle the noise, please move to the country,' she said.
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Business Standard
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Wall Street gets a desi makeover with grand Indian wedding baraat of 400
In an unexpected burst of colour and music, New York's iconic Wall Street — usually associated with stock tickers and serious suits — was recently taken over by a jubilant Indian wedding procession. With nearly 400 guests dressed in traditional attire, the baraat (groom's wedding procession) turned the financial district into a lively celebration that has since gone viral on social media. A 'once-in-a-lifetime' scene 'We shut down Wall Street for a 400-person baraat — who would've ever thought?!' wrote DJ AJ, who helmed the musical beats at the event. 'Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime kind of magic.' His video captured the smiling crowd dancing their hearts out beneath the towering skyscrapers and the shadow of the New York Stock Exchange, lending a surreal touch to the celebration. At the heart of the baraat, the bride and groom danced alongside friends and family as dhol beats echoed through the historic district. Another Instagram user, sharing the scene from a different angle, remarked: 'One can only imagine the \$\$\$ they paid to close off a block of Wall Street, but this was damn fun to watch.' Internet applauds (and some criticism) Social media reactions ranged from delight to criticism. Many users were awestruck by the grand scale of the celebration and the sheer novelty of it. 'So wild! 450+ guests… never-ending baraat… And you! Such a great time planning this,' one user posted. 'Never thought I would be hearing Empire State of Mind's dhol version, that's wild,' added another. Some comments focused on the sheer extravagance, with one saying, 'When dude is done shattering glass ceilings at every party he plays, he now turns the Wall Street into a dance floor!' Others, however, raised concerns about the display's impact on public space. 'Why oh why do we come away from India to indulge in this ostentatious display of wealth!!! Do this without inconveniencing the public,' one user wrote. Another added, 'It's sad to see people don't even have space for their party. The road is the only space for them.' One user summed it up: 'Wow'.
NDTV
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"400 Person Indian Baraat" Shuts Down Wall Street, Video Goes Viral
A grand Indian wedding procession brought a slice of desi celebration to New York's iconic Wall Street, and the internet can't get enough of it. A video of a baraat (groom's wedding procession) with nearly 400 people dancing on the streets of Lower Manhattan has gone viral on social media. Dressed in vibrant traditional Indian attire, the group was seen dancing joyously to DJ beats, temporarily transforming the heart of New York's financial district into a full-blown Indian wedding scene. "We shut down Wall Street for a 400-person baraat - who would've ever thought?!" wrote DJ AJ, who performed at the event. "A once-in-a-lifetime kind of magic," he added. The video shows the wedding party dancing with infectious energy, with the bride and groom, dressed in a red lehenga and a beige sherwani, at the centre of it all. The backdrop of skyscrapers and the New York Stock Exchange adds a surreal touch to the already extravagant scene. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ AJ (@djajmumbai) Reacting to the now-viral clip, one Instagram user wrote, "When dude is done shattering glass ceilings at every party he plays, he now turns the Wall Street into a dance floor!" Another user wrote, "So wild! 450+ guests... never-ending baraat.... And you! Such a great time planning this." "Never thought I would be hearing Empire State of Mind's dhol version, that's wild," the third user commented. "Wow," the fourth user wrote. "Insane," wrote the fifth user.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fan Favorites Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson Return to 'The Voice'
The Voice Season 27 finale is a little more than a week away and the list of big-name entertainers who will be making guest appearance was revealed today and includes several of our fan favorite previous coaches, including Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton, Chance the Rapper and Kelly Clarkson. But they won't be alone. Also appearing will be Amanda Reid, Foreigner, James Bay with Mega Mentor Sheryl Crow, Joe Jonas and The Voice Season 22 winner Bryce Leatherwood. 🎤 SIGN UP for our The Voice newsletter to get access to exclusive news, interviews, insider info, sneak peeks & more🎤 Here is a list of the performances: Alicia Keys ft. Amanda Reid from Broadway's Hell's Kitchen will perform the TV debut of 'The River/ 'Empire State of Mind.' Blake Shelton will sing 'Texas,' from new album For Recreational Use Only, which marks his 30th career No. 1 country radio single. Chance the Rapperperforms the latest song from his Star Line project, 'Space and Time.' Foreigner will entertain with a medley of its greatest hits 'Feels Like the First Time,' 'Juke Box Hero' and 'I Want to Know What Love Is.' James Bay ft. Sheryl Crow will debut the TV performance of 'You and Me Time.' their first collaboration. Related: Joe Jonas will take the stage with his new single 'Heart by Heart' from his forthcoming solo album Music for People Who Believe In Love, arriving May 23. Kelly Clarkson will perform her newest single 'Where Have You Been.' Season 22 WinnerBryce Leatherwood will sing 'God Made' from his self-titled, debut album set for release on May 16. In addition, coaches Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé, John Legend and Adam Levine will perform special duets with their final artists. All five finalists will also perform and then one will be named the winner of The Voice Season 27. The Voice Season 27 finale will air on NBC on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Next,
