Latest news with #HardRockCafé
News24
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Singer Mthandazo Gatya makes a return with One-Man Show
Despite his meteoric success in the music industry, Mthandazo Gatya remains remarkably humble. His signature sound continues to distinguish him from other musicians—a winning formula that has served him well throughout his career. At first glance he appears coy, but that is because of his palpable humility, something he hasn't lost despite his meteoric success. When Mthandazo Gatya started out in the cutthroat music industry, he didn't have it easy, but he steadily worked to prove himself and to solidify his place in the business as a force to be reckoned with. In 2023, he did his first ever live show at the Vaal and to his surprise, it was a sold out affair and now he's gearing for another installment of a live show, as he believes the demand is there, but admits that 'I know there demand is there, but I've been caught up with other things.' The singer will have a One-Man Show where he will be performing with a live band. Speaking to Drum, the star explains that his One-Man-Show is a celebration of his music and the journey he's walked since he became an artist. 'My one man Live Show is a celebration of my music. I'm looking to engage with the crowd and take them down memory lane with some of their favourite songs from my catalogue,' he says. 'It's going to be a night of fun and creating memories.' Read more | 'It's a game of patience' – Mthandazo Gatya on finally winning music award From enlisting the services of his industry friends, to having surprise acts, the singer is determined to make this experience memorable for his fans. He plans to go all out to make this an experience to remember for his throngs of fans who will be in attendance. 'I will be bringing live band element to strip down some songs and give a fuller experience with the sum up this experience I will be bringing my friends in song the likes of Anzo and Cici as my supporting/surprise acts on the night. This year, I'm going to be doing a lot of live shows and making new music,' he says. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mthandazo Gatya (@mthandazogatya) Mthandazo has first-hand experience of the brutality of the music business, as he's had his fair share of obstacles, but he's made a success of his career, and now he wants pay it forward by affording some unsigned artists the same opportunity he's been given to live is dreams. He already has artists on his radar that he's looking at signing into his record label this year. 'When I started out, it wasn't smooth sailing. I went through many challenges, so this is the reason I'm looking at signing new artists into my label this year and there are a couple of artists that I'm keen to sign. There are some artists that I've seen that I think would be perfect to work with and that plan will unfold during the course of the year,' he reveals. The award-winning musician is penciled to take to the stage on May 8 at Hard Rock Café in Sandton.
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
From the Farm: Global March Women's Month Celebrated at Hard Rock Northern Indiana
I'm an avid reader of autobiographies about the true legends of the ever-shifting music recording world. I'm also a devotee of Broadway bio stage musicals dedicated to the mountains and valleys traveled by performance artists navigating the tough terrain of the music industry. For women in this career field, the fight to cultivate a career, keep it and to control it is often even a greater tooth-and-nail struggle. Recent Broadway shows launched in the past decade, inspired by the lives, music and careers of Cher, Tina Turner, and Donna Summer, to name a few female heroes, put the spotlight on the success, failures and personal life journeys as blended into the shifting sands of bright versus what can be fading stardom. Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary is devoting this month to celebrating International Women's Month for March, as well as a few days showcased for added flavor next week themed for St. Patrick's Day menu specials. The menu items highlighted at the Hard Rock Café eatery are themed in a proceeds partnership with Colombian rock star and humanitarian Shakira, who just celebrated her 48th birthday in February. There's a Colombian Smash Burger, layered with the contrasting crunch of kettle chips and the soft sensation of a fried egg as one of the featured hits, along with a hearty chicken Caesar salad and libations such as a 'Hips Don't Lie' margarita contrasted by a non-alcoholic cocktail comprised of fresh lime and cucumber muddled with fresh mint and elderflower tonic. The signature dessert highlight is a decadent 'Dulce de Leche Brownie.' A portion of the food sales proceeds benefit Shakira's Fundacion Pies Descalzos which translates to 'Barefoot Foundation' in English. It is the Colombian charity founded by Shakira in 1997 to help poor and impoverished children, primarily focusing on education, nutrition, and healthcare in Colombia. Also throughout this holiday weekend, Friday through Monday, the Hard Rock Café will feature a special Irish menu item called the Irish Smash Burger created with two smashed burger patties, pub cheese, white cheddar cheese, cabbage bacon jam, smoked bacon and pickles served with seasoned fries. Two specialty cocktails on the menu toasting the weekend are The Irish Apple Crush featuring muddled green apples, Jameson Irish Whiskey, apple juice, lemon and Seagram's Ginger Ale, in addition to the option of Irish Coffee made with Jameson Irish Whiskey, coffee, brown sugar simple syrup and whipped cream. Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is located at 5400 West 29th Ave. in Gary, with more information about dining, events and entertainment available by calling 219-228-2383 or Among the more than 150 costumes and memorabilia on display at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana are gowns and wardrobe pieces showcased from renowned women such as Shakira, Cher, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Cyndi Lauper, Miley Cyrus, Nikki Minaj, Rihanna, Sheryl Crow, Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani, Fergie Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, and Diana Ross and Mary Wilson, the latter duo being two of the three legendary members of The Supremes. I've interviewed both Ross, who turns 81 on March 26, as well as the late Mary Wilson, who died at age 76 in February 2021. Both were founding members of The Supremes, which music producer Berry Gordy ranked as his most successful Motown act of the 1960s and best-charting female group in U.S. chart history. These two formed the musical trio with the late Florence Ballard, who was later replaced by Cindy Birdsong in 1967 in a show business backstage bitter scenario which is told in the Broadway musical 'Dream Girls.' Ballard, who suffered from alcoholism, depression and financial ruin, died at age 32 in 1976. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Supremes in 1988. While Ross doesn't welcome questions about Wilson, Mary Wilson was always outspoken and opinionated about Ross, not only in interviews but also in her two published autobiographies. Wilson told me when Ross organized a 'Supremes' reunion tour in 2000 (which I reviewed at Allstate Arena), Ross only offered Wilson and Birdsong a fraction salary compared to what Ross was to net, prompting both Wilson and Birdsong to refuse to reunite. Ross continued with the tour, enlisting singers Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne, both later members of The Supremes long after Ross departed from the original group, to join her on the 'reunion' tour which generated disappointing reviews and ticket sales. The last time I interviewed singer Mary Wilson was when she did a holiday tour with Abdul 'Duke' Fakir of the Four Tops for Christmas 2013. Wilson, even while touring, always tried to eat healthily. In her later years, she teamed with author pal Mark Bego to write a recipe blog titled 'Cook Like a Rock Star' and many recipes are still archived at Mary's recipe for a creamy and zesty artichoke heart and tomato soup is perfect for our meatless Lenten Fridays until Easter. Mary and Mark thought of the idea of replicating this recipe while sampling a similar soup offering at a restaurant in Louisville during the 2014 Kentucky Derby. While not in their original recipe, I like to transfer the soup to a blender and puree it until smooth and velvety before heating it and serving it garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@ or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374. Mary Wilson's Creamy Artichoke and Tomato Soup Makes 8-10 servings 2 cups chopped onion 2 cups chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup fresh chopped oregano 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil 1 can (28 ounces) of diced tomatoes 1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce 1 pint half and half (or one cup heavy cream) 1 cup white wine 1 can (14 ounces) quartered artichoke hearts 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper Grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top Directions: In a large pot, combine the onions, celery, garlic and olive oil, and sauté the vegetables over medium-high heat, until softened. Add the oregano, basil, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, half and half, white wine, artichoke hearts, salt and pepper to the pot, and stir together. Transfer contents of soup pot one cupful at a time to blender, and puree until smooth and return to soup pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. When the soup begins to bubble, turn it down to a low temperature, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. This 30 minutes of simmering is when all the flavors begin to meld together, and the creamy half-and-half takes on the faint red color and the taste of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally to prevent soup from burning on the bottom of the pot. Serve the soup in individual bowls; sprinkle the tops with grated Parmesan cheese and additional ground black pepper.
Telegraph
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The new resort that shows the Maldives is turning into Dubai
It was a packed karaoke night at the Hard Rock Café. Since we'd crept in at the back, two English women had belted out Valerie and a Frenchman had crooned something romantic in his mother tongue. Then just as my husband plucked up the courage to do a number, three glamorous African-American women launched into a stadium-quality rendition of Midnight Train To Georgia. The whole room went wild ('You've got to be kidding,' he whispered, sinking back into his seat). After downing our cocktails we slipped out into the tropical, star-filled night, because this wasn't just any Hard Rock Café, it was the one in the Maldives. We were staying at the Hard Rock Hotel, one of three properties at Crossroads, a mega resort development of nine artificially created paradise islands in the turquoise Emboodhoo lagoon, a 15-minute speedboat hop south of the capital, Malé. Crossroads was built by Singha, the Thai beer company, and so named because of its geographical location, where traders have met for 2,000 years. Four islands have been developed so far. The Hard Rock and its neighbour, Saii Lagoon Maldives, part of Hilton's Curio Collection, are connected to each other and to a bustling marina island by stilted wooden walkways. The third hotel, SO/ (owned by Accor), sits five minutes away by boat. Gliding into the large, circular 30-berth marina on the Crossroads ferry, framed by a 'village' of pretty, candy-coloured wooden buildings that house about 50 businesses including 14 restaurants and an assortment of bars, a nightclub, coffee shops, food stands and little boutiques, we passed an assortment of gleaming yachts, including a 193ft beast called Idol, owned by French billionaire and Decathlon CEO Thomas Leclercq. How very Dubai. I couldn't help wondering whether the Maldives had lost its way. As unromantic as they sound, man-made islands will prove essential to the survival of this Indian Ocean archipelago in the face of global warming. As the world's lowest-lying country, a majority of its 1,192 islands sit less than a metre above sea level and some estimate that 80 per cent of them could be submerged by 2050. Projects such as Hulhumalé, a nearby residential island built to solve the chronic housing shortage in Malé and provide locals with a safe haven, are important. But building more islands just for luxury tourism, further depleting the fragile natural ecosystem? Bit harder to justify. There is, however, something about welcoming, family-friendly Crossroads that sets it apart from other luxury resorts. It actively encourages day trippers to come for free, laying on a complimentary mini-ferry from Malé, for tourists and locals alike, who can enjoy all the facilities of its marina including the Saii beach club and gelato bar. For people living in high-rise Malé – almost half the population – this has become a game-changer on a day off and gives Crossroads a refreshingly local flavour. I stayed at all three hotels, each of which has overwater and beach rooms and villas set within an impressively lush tropical landscape, plus restaurants and facilities just for hotel guests. Nothing is far apart but it could take you half an hour to walk between certain points, so there are bikes to borrow and golf buggies you can flag down for a lift. First up was Saii Lagoon, my favourite and the cheapest: simple and unpretentious, with friendly and efficient staff. Its pretty wooden villas and rooms are mostly white with pops of colour in art and fabrics and additional touches depending on the room category, from hammocks and outdoor bathtubs to plunge pools and daybeds. We enjoyed its laid-back beach club, where an international mix of guests including lots of families relaxed around the pool or snorkelled in the turquoise ocean (the gear is free to borrow). It's also right next to the marina, so easy to pop to, say, the Len Be Well spa for a massage (from about US$100 for an hour) or the mini-mart for a snack. 'When you've got a multi-generational group like ours, value for money is really important and Saii Lagoon had a great Black Friday deal, which we jumped at,' a man called John from London told me at the swim-up bar. One morning we had an 'unplugged cooking session' with the chef, in the middle of the hotel's thriving organic garden, where we learnt to make fishcakes with papaya salad (and an amazing dressing of olive oil, soy, fish and plumb sauces) before sitting down to enjoy it under the swaying palms. Over at the Hard Rock Hotel, the vibe was a bit different. Checking in next to us was a Hells Angels type from Michigan in an AC/DC T-shirt and his bleach-blonde wife in super-tight jeans. 'My wife and I are huge music fans and for years now, we've been travelling the world trying to visit every Hard Rock Cafe,' said Michigan Mike. 'When they started opening hotels, we were so happy. Hard Rock in the Maldives is a dream holiday for us.' Hard Rock references were everywhere, from vintage festival photography (Woodstock, Isle of Wight etc) in all-day restaurant Sessions and mounted guitars signed by the likes of Keith Richards and the Ramones. Our overwater villa was surprisingly understated, painted in multiple shades of blue and splashes of sunshine yellow, with huge white bathrooms. The most expensive hotel, SO/, has a 'fashion' theme, so, for example, they refer to the jetty as the 'runway' (over-theming alert). It is beautiful, with cool modernist glass villas and Missoni-like zigzag headboards. My only niggle was the overly intimate bedroom loo, in a cubicle with a glass door, only frosted to waist height. The hotel has three excellent restaurants, including a beachclub for casual wood-fired pizzas and the like, Asian-fusion Citronelle Club in an earthy dining room with basket lampshades and up a sweeping, Insta-ready staircase, Moroccan restaurant Hadaba. The range of experiences available at Crossroads is mind-boggling: sunrise yoga; sunset dolphin-watching cruises; big game fishing; Aqua Zumba; snorkelling and diving; water polo; cocktail, mocktail, sushi and pizza making; art sessions at the kids' clubs; coral propagation at the Marine Discovery Centre; interactive exhibitions at the Maldives Discovery Centre; and not forgetting the likes of jetblades, jetpacks and jet surfboards. A highlight of our trip was the 'Ultimate Surf & Turf' dinner at the marina, taking in three restaurants from renowned Sri Lankan-Japanese chef Dharshan Munidasa, whose Ministry of Crab in Colombo has been voted one of Asia's best restaurants and has an outpost here. You are collected in a buggy stocked with Moet & Chandon and ferried from one to the next – exquisite snapper sashimi at Japanese Nihonbashi Blue followed by delectable Sri Lankan mud crab at Ministry of Crab and finally unbelievable sirloin steak at Carne Diem Grill. While enjoying all that these newly created resort islands have to offer, it's difficult not to feel conflicted. The most sustainable way to visit the Maldives would be to book into a Maldivian-owned guesthouse on a local island – and there are plenty to choose from. But given these artificial islands are here to stay, it's good to see Crossroads doing things a bit differently. Francesca Syz travelled as a guest of Crossroads Maldives, which offers doubles at Saii Lagoon from £193; Hard Rock from £247 and SO/ from £1,159, all including breakfast.
