Latest news with #Lacy
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
How are fan projects changing the concert experience?
Picture this... you arrive at the concert you have been waiting months for. Your tickets are safely secured on your phone, you're dressed to the nines, and you're ready for a boogie. Then, in the queue, someone approaches you with a coloured piece of paper and a set of instructions. You are about to become part of a fan project. Fan projects are fan-led initiatives to create a memorable moment at a show or to communicate a message to the artist onstage. A common fan project is to light up your phone in a certain colour for a particular song, or for everyone to pull out a poster that bears the same sentence, usually some kind of pun or reference to a moment in the artist's set. For project organisers, it is a way to show their favourite artist how much they love and appreciate them. Ahead of Billie Eilish's concerts at the 3Arena in Dublin this weekend, one fan has been working for months on her fan project. 17-year-old Katie Gorman from Co Laois is aiming to get hundreds of people to light up the seating section in the colours of the Irish flag. She hopes to turn the standing section blue, in reference to the cover of the headliner's album, 'Hit Me Hard and Soft.' She has been working on the idea since May of last year. She hopes that the American singer will react as "It would make the whole thing feel like it was worth it, and it's taken a lot of work and even money." Katie has taken inspiration for her fan project from a similar effort for a different artist earlier this year. 15-year-old Ruby Campbell, from Co Dublin, planned the Gracie Abrams fan project for her concert in Dublin in March. "The fan project consisted of green, white and orange lights going across the seats to represent the Irish flag and pink hearts in the pit to represent our love for Gracie and the EU tour dates which were pink during the song 'Normal Things'." More than 90 people were involved in Ruby's fan project. She knew some of them in person, but the majority were recruited using social media. To keep things efficient, there was a google doc form where people gave their section, how much paper they'd be able to cut, and what time they'd get there to help hand out paper on the day. But the huge effort paid off. Gracie Abrams noticed the project and even took home one of the pink hearts used to light up the standing section. "For me, this was an out of body experience, I was shaking so hard, it felt like all my hard work had paid off," Ruby explained. Ruby was inspired to do a fan project by Kamila Zietek, who has organised three successful fan projects for Olivia Rodrigo concerts. For the US star's most recent concert in Marlay Park, Kamila spent months in her home in Galway organising for the crowd to hold up a sign saying, "We Care, We Care, We Care", an ode to the song 'Lacy' which lyrics' say "I care, I care, I care" "I knew I wanted to do more than just show up. I wanted to show her how much I appreciate her, her music, and the impact she made on my life," Kamila said. Rodrigo noticed the fan project during her performance of 'enough for you.' "Tonight was so much fun, and you guys are so wonderful, and you made all these signs," she told the delighted crowd. Katie, Ruby and Kamila have all become friends through working on these fan projects. There are multiple group chats filled with people they've met through the project, and they keep each other up to date on their lives and make plans to hang out in person. In Kamila's case, she didn't have anyone to go with to the Olivia Rodrigo concert in Marlay Park, so she sent a message into the group chat from the last fan project asking if anyone was going, and someone reached out and they went to the concert together. So, if you are going to either one of the Billie Eilish concerts this weekend, keep an eye out for the fan project and get involved.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Music Legend, 76, Is 'Healing' After Heartbreaking Rare Brain Disorder Diagnosis
Music Legend, 76, Is 'Healing' After Heartbreaking Rare Brain Disorder Diagnosis originally appeared on Parade. Billy Joel is on the mend following a brain disorder diagnosis earlier this year. According to Susan Lacy, co-director of the Piano Man's upcoming HBO documentary And So It Goes, the legendary singer is focusing on recovery. During an appearance on Good Morning America, Lacy said Joel, 76, has been 'doing physical therapy, he's healing, he's working on getting better.' In May, Joel revealed he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder that affects vision, hearing and balance. The condition forced him to cancel several shows, which he said were 'exacerbated by recent concert performances.' The singer shared that he was undergoing targeted physical therapy and had been advised to pause performing during his recovery. His daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, shared a touching tribute to her father following the diagnosis. "We love you and we got you, Pop," she wrote on Instagram. "My Dad is the strongest and most resilient man I've ever known… and he's entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength." This latest update comes as HBO gears up to release And So It Goes, a two-part documentary exploring Joel's life and legacy. Part one premieres Friday, July 18, followed by part two on July 25. The film offers a rare look into Joel's highs and lows — from his incredible career to his personal struggles, including past suicide attempts. It also features interviews with music legends like Bruce Springsteen, who praises Joel's songwriting, saying, 'His melodies are better than mine.' The documentary takes fans behind the scenes of Joel's most iconic songs — from 'River of Dreams,' which he says came to him in a dream, to 'New York State of Mind,' inspired by a bus ride to his new home in upstate New York. "He's a savant, and music saved his life," Lacy told GMA. "Billy trusted two women to tell his story and we're quite proud of that," added co-director Jessica Levin. "And I think we were able to really reveal a side of him that another set of filmmakers may or may not have been able to." Music Legend, 76, Is 'Healing' After Heartbreaking Rare Brain Disorder Diagnosis first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Meet 3 day-trading baby boomers who have been navigating the market for decades before the meme stock craze
The baby boomer generation wants the r/WallStreetBets crowd to know: they were here first. Baby boomers often get left out of conversations about retail investors, many of whom entered the market for the first time during meme stock mania in 2021. But there's a bustling group of 60+ year-old day traders who got into the market decades ago — and remain active — buying options and trading even as they sail into their retirement years. Business Insider spoke to three day traders over 60 who were still actively investing. The traders, all of whom have been in the market for more than 30 years, cited a handful of reasons they keep going: boredom, staying mentally sharp as they age, or simply wanting to pad out their retirement savings. They also shared some advice for younger people who are just starting their trading journey. The exec who came back from the dot-com crash Mark Lacy, a 67-year-old retiree, began day trading in 1994, in the days of dial-up internet. An exec in the telecommunications industry, he was investing with several brokers at the time, some of whom made bad bets and cost him thousands when the dot-com bubble ultimately popped. Frustrated, he joined an AOL chat room, which consisted of a "couple of guys sitting at home" and offering stock advice. Lacy had limited success at first, but eventually he hit his stride — and hasn't stopped since. Even though he's stopped working, Lacy starts his morning at 2 a.m. PT and immediately tunes into the premarket and latest coverage on CNBC. He'll eat breakfast while reading the Wall Street Journal and make a trading plan for the day. At 4 a.m., he begins executing trades and will go on for around six hours before enjoying his free time. Lacy says he looks for three things when he decides to trade a stock: Float, or how much of a stock is publicly traded How much inside ownership there is If a stock has something that could potentially drive its price higher, like corporate news or a long-term trend, like quantum computing. If a company has low float, high inside ownership, and a potential catalyst, it's one to trade, in his book. Lacy keeps going for a lot of different reasons. For one, he believes trading is a great mental exercise and helps keep him sharp. He also thinks it's a great hobby for older adults, given that they often have spare capital to deploy and are "more patient and more disciplined" than a younger trader might be. "The fact is I love the market," he said. "The downside is you spend a lot of time sitting in front of the computer, so you've got to make sure you're exercising in the other times." Over the years, his day trading profits have been enough for him to purchase a house, help his son start a business, get back on his feet after divorce, help himself and his wife become debt-free, and fund part of his kids' college education. Business Insider verified his trading activity with receipts from his brokerage account. Advice to Gen Z and millennials: "Be willing to learn, be willing to make mistakes, and be patient with yourself. That's really it," he said. The dentist-turned-trader Kenneth Schweitzer, a 68-year-old day trader based in Vermont, started dabbling in the market in the 1980s. He was in dental school at the time, and had several peers who were giving him stock tips. Intrigued, he tried playing the market, and ended up "losing everything," he told BI. Eventually, he leveled up his trading strategy, and after he became a partner at a dental practice, he traded throughout the workday, zipping back to his personal office to check the market in between seeing patients. Nowadays, he says he can expect to make a minimum of $300 a day trading and has a profit quota of around $1,200, equivalent to making as much as $36,000 a month. Business Insider verified his trading activity and daily income. Schweitzer says his strategy revolves around a stock's Relative Strength Index (RSI), a gauge that shows the momentum of a stock's price and can indicate whether a company is overbought or oversold. If a stock's RSI dips below 30, that's a signal for him that there could be upside momentum, and he begins to research the stock before purchasing and selling shares for short intervals throughout the day. Schweitzer is also aware that there aren't many day traders around his age, and says he occasionally gets comments from others who say he's gambling. Still, he sticks with it. It keeps him mentally on his toes, and while he's not worried about retirement, it's nice to have the extra assurance that he's still making income even after leaving dentistry. "This kind of fills the gap. But I'm not one to sit on a rocking chair and then have a beer and just look up at the sky. That's not my style," he said. It's also provided extra security for his family. Schweitzer also trades in a custodial account for his granddaughter, the account balance of which can now help fund most of her college education in the future, he says. "I think we could always use more money. I mean, that's kind of why I do it," he said. "You can sit down and trade and say, 'Okay, yeah, I made a thousand dollars today. I can do this. I can do that. And you just feel better about it," he said. Advice to Gen Z and millennials: Schweitzer has a few pieces of advice for younger traders out there: Find a risk management strategy that works for you. The right trading strategy differs from person to person, depending on how much risk they want to take on, how upset they'll be if they have a big loss, and if they have another source of income, Schweitzer says. Stay disciplined and trade regularly. But don't quit your day job. Schweitzer said he was assured by the fact that he had second-income from dentistry while he was trading. He's also dubious of millennials and Gen Zers who become full-time traders at an early age. "I enjoy trading, but it's not what I'm contributing to the world. Honestly, I couldn't see doing this for my entire life from age 21 because it really doesn't contribute anything to the world. And people need a purpose in life." The former floor trader Paul Kornreich, a 65-year-old day trader based in Florida, made over $300,000 in profits from day trading in the first quarter of 2025, according to brokerage statements seen by Business Insider. That's far more successful than the typical retail investor, 97% of whom are thought to lose money after trading for 300 days, one study found. "I am kind of living that trade dream," Kornreich told BI in an interview, adding that he used some of his day trading funds to travel and live abroad for years at a time. Kornreich got his start in markets shortly after graduating from college with a mathematics degree and launching his own commodities brokerage. Eventually, he began working as a commodities trader on an exchange floor, and from there, was "hooked." Kornreich had always yearned for a career on Wall Street. Paul Tudor Jones, the billionaire hedge fund manager, was his idol. "I was always good at playing games. So that's kind of how I got it," he told BI in an interview. "I wanted to go home and just trade." After the 1987 stock crash, Kornreich saw an opportunity and began to trade using his own money. At the time, the market was just starting to open up to everyday investors with the rise of discount brokerages like Charles Schwab. Kornreich is aware that his success as a day trader is rare. He attributes most of his success to his experience on the trading floor, describing himself as a fundamentalist and a long-term forecaster who frequently trades using technical analysis and jumping on key signals in the market, like when the VIX spikes. He continues to trade partly because he's bored by other hobbies aimed at older Americans. He takes his trading computer with him even on vacation and says he checks the market at nearly every hour of the day. "I love what I do," Kornreich said. "Even when I'm losing, I love it." Advice to Gen Z and millennials: Kornreich doesn't advise younger people to get into day trading. Despite his own success, he remains skeptical that younger generations can do it safely and navigate the big swings in the market without a background in finance. Referring to YouTubers and other influencers who sell online courses to help people make money trading, Kornreich had a bleak assessment of their chances: "It's just not going to happen."
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
Directors of 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes' give update on singer, talk new documentary
The directors of "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" recently opened up about the making of the new HBO documentary and provided an update on the legendary singer's health. Billy Joel, who has been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder that affects his vision, hearing and balance, is currently undergoing physical therapy to regain his health and return to performing. "He's doing physical therapy, he's healing, he's working on getting better," said Susan Lacy, the documentary's director during an interview with " Good Morning America" which aired on Wednesday. This update follows the cancellation of several of Joel's shows due to his diagnosis, leaving fans concerned about his health and future performances. The documentary offers a rare and intimate look into Joel's life, exploring both the highs and lows of his personal and professional journey. From childhood struggles to the iconic songs that have defined his career, the film delves deep into not only Joel's musical genius but also the challenges he faced behind the scenes. Behind the music The documentary also uncovers the stories behind some of Joel's most beloved songs. From the haunting "River of Dreams," which he said came to him in a dream, to "New York State of Mind," which he wrote after a bus ride to his new home in upstate New York, the documentary explores how Joel's personal experiences shaped the music that touched millions of people. "He's a savant, and music saved his life," Lacy explained. "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" also sheds light on the women who played pivotal roles in Joel's life, including his mother, who ensured he received piano lessons at an early age, and his ex-wife, model Christy Brinkley, with whom he shares a daughter, Alexa. "'Uptown Girl' ... it could have been a Mozart piece … here I am dating a supermodel. Me? I'm from Hicksville!" Joel jokes in the film's trailer, recalling his life with Brinkley and their time together. Also highlighted is his lesser-known ex-wife, Elizabeth Weber, who played a crucial role in Joel's early career and was instrumental in getting "Just the Way You Are" released as a single, marking his first major hit. "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" is not only a celebration of his music but also a reflection on his tumultuous childhood, including the absence of his father and the joy he found in music, despite early challenges. "His mother knew that Billy had a gift, and she made sure he had those piano lessons," Jessica Levin, the documentary's co-director, told "GMA." Levin also reflected on the personal approach she and Lacy took to tell Joel's story. "Billy trusted two women to tell his story and we're quite proud of that," she said. "And I think we were able to really reveal a side of him that another set of filmmakers may or may not have been able to." "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" will premiere in two parts on HBO on Friday July 18 and Friday July 25.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Garrett Nussmeier Wins Hearts With Touching Tribute to Kyren Lacy at SEC Media Days
Garrett Nussmeier Wins Hearts With Touching Tribute to Kyren Lacy at SEC Media Days originally appeared on Athlon Sports. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier delivered a heartfelt gesture at SEC Media Days that touched fans across the college football world. In a photo shared by LSU Football's official X account, Nussmeier was seen wearing a jacket that featured the number 2, the number worn by his late teammate, wide receiver Kyren Lacy. Advertisement Lacy tragically passed away in April, leaving the LSU community heartbroken. The team has made it clear that his impact is still deeply felt, as evidenced by Nussmeier honoring Lacy. Since Lacy's passing, his teammates have continued to honor him in both quiet and visible ways. From Brian Kelly's comments to emotional social media tributes, Lacy's presence remains strong inside the LSU locker room. Nussmeier's jacket was just the latest example of how much Lacy meant to the team. The tribute was subtle but powerful, showing that his quarterback continues to carry Lacy's spirit with him on and off the field. Advertisement "LSU is family 💜💛🥰," said one commenter. "RIP K2 🕊️," replied another fan. "LLK2 💜💛," read one reply. "That's my QB. RIP K2 🪽," a fan said. One fan had an idea for Nussmeier, "I know it probably wouldn't happen but Nuss changing his number to 2 this season would be electric." "Tough af, he rocking that 2 for Lacy," said one fan. LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) speaks during a post-game interview at NRG Stadium. Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images© Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images Lacy was more than just a playmaker for the Tigers. He was known for his infectious energy, big personality, and the tight bond he shared with teammates. Coaches and players alike have described him as a glue guy in the locker room, someone who brought people together. Advertisement With Nussmeier's gesture at SEC Media Days, it's clear that No. 2 will never be forgotten in Baton Rouge. Related: Three Top-Ranked Recruits at Their Position Have Committed to This College Football Program Related: Paul Finebaum Didn't Hesitate To Put Top SEC Head Coach On Hot Seat This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
