Latest news with #reunion
Sky News
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Huge steel fences erected to stop ticketless fans from watching Oasis concert
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester. Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows - their first since 2009 - with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday. While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis's first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance - in an area dubbed "Gallagher Hill" by some on social media. Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park. "After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts," it said. "The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose - both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there. 1:23 The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park's cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted. The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is "double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round". More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site "to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert", it said. John Hacking, the council's executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that "unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place". He added: "Our advice to music fans who don't have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead. "The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time. "We've got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they've got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not."
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘I wish I'd enjoyed my fame a bit more': Jim Sturgess on regrets, romance and the art of the mix tape
Like all good love stories, this one starts with a chance meeting and ends with a reunion. It was 2008, pre-Hardy and Hiddleston, post-Bale and Grant; Jim Sturgess was a rising star and the latest handsome young Brit to break Hollywood. Having landed the lead role in casino thriller 21, Sturgess needed a love interest: cue a slew of chemistry tests with a roll call of beautiful young women, a process Sturgess remembers now as 'the most exposed blind date you could ever possibly put yourself through, with five producers watching you from afar'. Kate Bosworth got the role, but one actor lingered in Sturgess's mind: an effervescent Australian called Teresa Palmer. 'When you do those chemistry tests, they put you through it, so we spent the whole day together,' Sturgess says. 'I was really hoping she was going to get the part, because we got on really well. She's Australian, I'm English, and we were both in Hollywood going, 'Where the hell are we?'' Palmer didn't get the part, but Sturgess never forgot her. And, almost 20 years later, Sturgess and Palmer have been reunited – for Mix Tape, a wistful romantic drama about two people who reunite after 20 years apart. Told in four one-hour episodes (you'll wish it was much, much longer), Mix Tape follows two teenagers, Dan and Alison, as they woo each other with letters and mix tapes in 1980s Sheffield (which means we get some amazing needle drops: the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Cure, Joy Division). Guileless young Dan (Rory Walton-Smith) is completely smitten, but Alison (Florence Hunt) is guarded, desperately trying to hide her difficult family life at home. When she suddenly disappears – for reasons revealed much later – Dan is completely heartbroken. Sturgess, now 47, plays adult Dan: a music journalist who never left his home town and, despite being married, never really moved on from his first love. When he discovers Alison (Palmer) is now a bestselling author living in Sydney, he sends her a friend request online. Letters and cassettes are swapped for Facebook messages and Spotify playlists, but the feelings remain the same. Palmer tells me Sturgess is 'the kindest, warmest, coolest, most effortless actor I've ever worked with. And that dude really has great taste in music,' she adds. 'He is that character – he is the real deal.' Before filming even began, Sturgess and Palmer were sending each other playlists, with Sturgess putting her on to UK rappers like Kano, Dizzee Rascal, Ocean Wisdom, Little Simz. 'It was just like the show,' he says. 'Twenty-odd years later, we were reconnecting.' In his 20s, Sturgess made his name as the romantic lead in the Beatles musical film Across the Universe and opposite Anne Hathaway in One Day, but he has spent the past few years in roles that require guns and running – think Hard Sun and Geostorm. But Sturgess is made for this work, with his crinkly eyed smile and soft eyes. Last year was all about 'rodent boyfriends' – well, you can take your Mike Faist, because Sturgess is the OG rodent boyfriend, with a face particularly suited for yearning. 'I've been working on my yearning,' he laughs. 'I'm actually very attracted to romance stories, more so as I get older. They're just so human – it's literally two people navigating their feelings and their emotions, which is really beautiful and interesting.' Mix tapes were a 'big, big part' of how Sturgess wooed girls. 'It works!' he laughs. 'A mix tape was a really big deal back then! That was why I was so attracted to young Daniel – I was that guy!' As a teenager, he was obsessed with US hip-hop and guitar bands from Northern England; he vividly recalls listening to the Stone Roses on his Walkman while delivering newspapers. 'That's what's so beautiful about Mix Tape – it is about that period when you first fall in love, when you first hear music,' he says. 'Your receptors are just so wide open and everything is so important to you. And that's why, when people ask you what your favourite band is, you'll probably say what your favourite band was when you were 16.' Sturgess had a hand in choosing the music used in Mix Tape and even taught Walton-Smith and Hunt how to make mix tapes on cassette: 'It blew their minds. They were like, 'This is an art form. And this is a lot of work!'' he laughs. 'I was explaining to them how you couldn't just get the music off the internet – you had to own it, all your mix tapes came from what was in your collection. They couldn't believe it.' Director Lucy Gaffy let Sturgess in on the audition process for young Dan; they picked Walton-Smith, a complete newcomer who will be in everything soon. 'There was a real gentleness to Rory that some of the other actors didn't bring,' says Sturgess. 'He's got that natural Northern swagger and charm to him. And it was his first job! He was so wide open and desperate to learn. Beautifully inquisitive. He was brilliant. I'm really proud of what he's done.' When Sturgess was his age, he was too afraid to ask for help: 'I was dropped in at the deep end.' He never formally trained as an actor, but he got the bug as a six-year-old when he was cast in a production of Wind in the Willows. 'I was not very good at school. I struggled to concentrate … I was slightly tarnished with the naughty brush. But I just took to [acting]. I still remember the sense of community, of making something together – which I still crave now.' When he was cast opposite Evan Rachel Wood in Across the Universe, Sturgess was propelled to international stardom. 'I didn't really know what I was doing. I was just a kid from England, playing in bands – and suddenly this movie thing happened. Everything changed quite quickly. I didn't really understand how to navigate myself through all that. I didn't have anybody guiding me. I'd be invited to these big parties, but I would always not go. It was a bit scary, it feels a bit mad.' Over the years, he's been in the very good (Cloud Atlas), the worthy of reappraisal (Across the Universe – 'I feel like if it came out now, it might have done all right,' Sturgess muses), and the very bad (London Fields, a spectacular box office flop overshadowed by the subsequent tawdry trial between his co-stars, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard). He's passed on some big opportunities (playing Spider-Man on Broadway) and said yes to much smaller parts that made him happy. If anything, he's learned to focus on the experience of making something, rather than the reception: 'It's such a rollercoaster ride … If your end goal is just to have it be well received and get all the admiration that might come with that, you're going to fall over a lot. You're going to trip yourself up. If it is well received, that's the icing on the cake. I don't really read reviews. I just don't. I'm not trying to hide from them or anything. I'm just never that interested. If I read a bad one, I'll probably agree, you know? Fair enough!' At the premiere for that casino film 21, which was held in Las Vegas, he remembers his face was plastered across billboards on the Strip, on the blackjack tables at the hotel and even on his room key. What is his relationship with fame now? 'It is easier,' he says. 'I was definitely more famous when I was younger and, sometimes, I wish I'd enjoyed it a bit more. But I shied away from fame a lot. I had it at an arm's length. And, looking back, I think I would have got more out of it if I opened myself up to it and embraced it, if I wasn't quite so wary of it all.' Now, he is recognised 'just enough that I'm quite flattered when it happens'. These days, Sturgess is performing music under the moniker King Curious and his next film will be 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank, alongside Liam Neeson and – you guessed it– Teresa Palmer, who plays his girlfriend again. Is this what they're doing now, a la Fred and Ginger, Kate and Leo, Hanks and Ryan? Sturgess laughs. 'If you could just find somebody you got on with and kept making relationship movies … well, I'd be down!' Mix Tape is on BBC Two and iPlayer
CNA
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Iconic K-pop group 2NE1 reflects on long-awaited reunion and legacy: 'It felt like coming home'
Just a mere four years ago, the thought of all four members of K-pop girl group 2NE1 performing on stage together, much less going on tour, seemed impossible. After all, the quartet's agency, YG Entertainment, announced in 2016 that the group would be disbanding, and following 2NE1's 2017 single, the aptly named Goodbye, it seemed that the book on the beloved hitmakers had been closed. That all changed in 2022, following a surprise reunion of the foursome at that year's Coachella festival. Videos of 2NE1's performance of I Am The Best reached tens of millions of views as older K-pop fans worldwide revelled in what used to be a wistful dream. With just one performance, the hope of Bom, Dara, CL and Minzy returning to their rightful place in concert halls again, surrounded by thousands of Blackjacks (fans of 2NE1), was within the realm of possibility. Fans' prayers were answered in 2024 after it was announced that 2NE1 would embark on a tour to celebrate its 15th anniversary. 2NE1's Welcome Back tour saw the group reuniting with fans in South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and more. Even though the tour itself has since ended, it seems that this time, 2NE1 has plenty of miles left in its journey. The group recently performed at Los Angeles' Head In The Clouds festival as well as Waterbomb Seoul 2025. Come Aug 31, 2NE1 will return to Singapore for the country's Waterbomb festival. Speaking to CNA Lifestyle ahead of the event, the members of 2NE1 reveal how their reunion came about and their thoughts on the impact they've made in the K-pop industry. It still feels surreal that 2NE1 is back and performing all over the world. What made you decide to return as a foursome again, and how has that experience been so far? CL: We were all able to grow a lot as individuals and artistes during the time we were apart. But 2NE1 as a team was always inside us. Like the title of our song, Come Back Home, it felt like coming home. Bom: We had such a happy time during the 2NE1 tour last year and the decision to get back together wasn't just because of the music. The strong bond we share and the love of Blackjack, who still cheer us on from all over the world, were a huge strength. Dara: The members have been talking to each other since a long ago, and when the timing was right, everything flowed naturally. It's so overwhelming and empowering to be back on stage as four. Minzy: There's a special energy that can only be felt when the four of us are together. Blackjack, your love and support made everything more meaningful, and I'm so grateful to be able to share this new chapter with you. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CL (@chaelincl) 2NE1's impact is still felt in the industry, with many new groups citing you as their inspiration. How has that made you feel? Why do you think 2NE1 still has the influence it has? CL: There are so many great juniors and I think it's cool that they work hard to achieve their dreams. We still have the same passion for the stage as our juniors and we're always working hard. We're still spending time on stage to meet our fans more. I think that's why many juniors think well of us. Bom: It makes me so happy. We put a lot of heart into our music and I think that emotion stayed with people. That's what keeps the connection alive. Dara: I feel really proud. We created our own style. Maybe that's why people still remember us and find strength in what we did. Minzy: It's an honour. I think our energy and passion left a strong impression. We were fearless and that kind of spirit lasts beyond the moment. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MINZY (@_minzy_mz) Since you've returned, you've shared the stage with many new acts. What are your thoughts on this generation of K-pop artistes and how the K-pop industry has changed? CL: The new artistes are so talented and polished. It's really impressive. K-pop has grown so much and I'm proud to see the new generation leading it in bold, creative ways. They're fearless and confident and I really respect that. The industry's gotten bigger and faster but I think what matters most still stays the same: Being real with your music. Bom: K-pop is loved in many countries around the world and there are many great K-pop artistes actively working. I am so proud of them and I am grateful for the love they have received from the global community. K-pop will continue to move the world even more. Dara: I'm always excited to see how creative and fresh the younger artistes are. Their energy is amazing! The K-pop scene has definitely evolved but I think the passion behind it is still just as strong. That part hasn't changed. Minzy: It's inspiring. I see so many strong performers who are always pushing themselves. The level of artistry has gone up so much. I feel honoured to stand on the same stage and share in this new era of K-pop. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 박봄 (@newharoobompark) You finally get to perform at Waterbomb Singapore as a group. CL and Dara, did you give any tips to Minzy and Bom? CL: I've performed on the Waterbomb stage in several cities as a solo artiste, and every time has been an incredibly fun and memorable experience. This time, it's especially meaningful and exciting for me to be sharing the stage with the members in Singapore, where I performed last year. Minzy and Bom are such powerful performers on their own, I know they'll shine without needing any tips. But if I had to give one piece of advice, I'd say: Conserve your energy and don't get tired too quickly! Waterbomb is all about high energy. You have to keep moving, jumping and having fun with the crowd until the very end. Dara: Last year's audience at Waterbomb Singapore was truly passionate and full of energy, so I'm really looking forward to this year's stage as well. If I could say one thing to the members, it would be: Don't be nervous, just enjoy it! When you're having genuine fun and jumping around with the audience, that excitement naturally spreads. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sandara Park (@daraxxi) How does preparing for Waterbomb differ from your past concerts? CL: Waterbomb is a whole different vibe. It's more raw, spontaneous and interactive. There's a powerful energy exchange with the audience. Bom: I usually prepare emotionally for concerts but with Waterbomb, I'm also thinking about how to perform while getting soaked! It's a new kind of challenge but I'm enjoying it. Dara: Waterbomb has a more playful and unpredictable vibe. At concerts, the stage is the centre but at Waterbomb, it feels like we're partying with the fans. So I'm preparing with a lighter, more fun mindset. I'm also putting extra thought into styling, especially making sure everything holds up when we're soaked! Minzy: The energy at Waterbomb is way more dynamic. I'm training harder physically and mentally. Dancing while being splashed isn't easy but it's so much fun! View this post on Instagram A post shared by CL (@chaelincl) You've visited Singapore multiple times. Do you have a favourite memory from your trips here? CL: Performing at Waterbomb Singapore last year as a solo artiste left me with unforgettable memories. The energy from the crowd was incredible and it's something I've carried with me ever since. Bom: This is my first visit back to Singapore since our concert in December and I'm so excited to reunite with our fans on such a vibrant stage. Dara: I also took part in Waterbomb Singapore last year and it was such a memorable experience. The audience's energy was amazing and I'm thrilled to return, this time with the full group. Minzy: This time, being able to perform together as 2NE1 in beautiful Singapore feels truly special. I'm looking forward to making new memories with the members and all our fans. What is something that you haven't done in Singapore that you would like to do this time round? CL: I'd love to try something fun in Singapore that's only possible during the summer, so I'd really appreciate any recommendations. Bom: I enjoy resting on off days, so relaxing in my hotel room, watching the city lights and ordering room service is something I'm really looking forward to. Those quiet moments mean a lot to me. Dara: I always try to walk around local streets when I travel. This time, I'd love to explore Singapore's markets and neighbourhoods like a local, just soaking in the atmosphere. It's one of my favourite ways to enjoy a city. Minzy: I've heard so much about Singapore's amazing food! I want to go on a little food adventure, especially trying different desserts. A sweet treat tour sounds like fun! View this post on Instagram A post shared by CL (@chaelincl) What is your message to Blackjacks in Singapore? CL: It's been way too long, hasn't it? I've missed you all so much! Thank you for sending so much love from afar. Just thinking about being back on stage in front of you makes my heart race. Until we meet again, stay happy, stay healthy and keep shining. Bom: My lovely Singapore Blackjack, how have you been? Thinking of you always warms my heart. When we meet again, I'll sing you all the sweetest songs and maybe we can enjoy some yummy food too! Can't wait to see your smiling faces again! Dara: I've missed you all so much! I'm genuinely excited and looking forward to returning after such a long time! Let's laugh a lot, take fun pictures and make unforgettable memories together next time! Minzy: Thank you so much for your constant support and love. You inspire me to keep dancing, singing and giving it my all. Next time we meet, I promise an explosive stage just for you! Until then, keep smiling and take good care of yourselves.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Rescue Shocked After Finding Stray Cat in Michigan, Who Is the Missing Pet of a Person in Germany
Trixie the cat was found as a stray in Montague, Mich., before being brought to Oceana County Animal Friends The shelter scanned the cat for a microchip and found one loaded with contact information for an owner in Germany Trixie the cat had been missing for 5 years before the shelter found her pet parentA woman and her cat are set to reunite after being apart for five years; the pet parent just needs to cross an ocean first. According to WZZM13, about six months ago, a family in Montague, Mich., found a feline living as a stray and took it in. Unfortunately, the new addition did not get along with their current pets, so the family brought the black cat to Oceana County Animal Friends in hopes of finding the pet a new home. The animal welfare nonprofit's director, Amy VanderWilk, told WZZM13 that she took the cat to the veterinary office to be spayed and checked for a microchip. The scan revealed that the mysterious feline did have a microchip, one that showed the cat's name was Trixie and that her owner could be contacted — in Germany. According to VanderWilk, when the shelter heard back from the microchip company and confirmed Trixie's registered owner, Olga Heigis, lived in Germany, they were baffled. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. After the nonprofit contacted Heigis, the story of how a cat with a German phone number ended up in Michigan began to make sense. Per WZZM13, Heigis used to live in Montague, Mich., but moved to Germany in 2020 for her husband's job. Trixie, who lived in Michigan with Heigis, disappeared a few months before her owner's big move and wasn't found until five years later. Trixie had likely been a stray cat until she was rescued by the Monatgue family, who brought her to Oceana County Animal Friends. 'When I talked to [Heigis], she had a friend who was on the phone. And he just kept getting on the phone saying, "Oh my god, you've made her day. She's just so excited and she's so happy.' And I was just floored," VanderWilk said of Heigis' reaction to Trixie being found. Heigis has already made plans to return to Montague and retrieve her dear cat, VanderWilk told WZZM13. The two friends are expected to reunite before the end of July. "Could you imagine somebody would fly from Germany to pick up their cat?" VanderWilk mused. "I just think it's amazing that she'll come get her. It's very cool." Read the original article on People
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
All the Oasis tour rows so far as Liam Gallagher is booed by crowd
The Oasis reunion might not have seen Liam and Noel Gallagher fall out again so far, but there have already been other rows brewing just a week in to the tour. Brothers Liam and Noel are back on stage together for the first time since 2009, when one of their many arguments over the years put an end to the band after one performance at their two-day V Festival booking. In good news for Oasis fans, all seems friendly in the Gallagher camp so far. But Liam was booed at a homecoming date at Heaton Park over the weekend, while Noel stuck up for him. An Oasis reunion was never going to be without incident - these are the controversies so far. Read more: Who is Liam and Noel Gallagher's older brother Paul? The best and worst band reunions, from Pulp to Led Zeppelin How well do you know Oasis' songs? Take our lyrics quiz ahead of the reunion tour One of the highlights on the reunion tour is five nights in Manchester's Heaton Park, where the band will perform to a home crowd. But on the first night in Manchester, Liam managed to get on the wrong side of some of their fans by igniting the city's footballing rivalry. He and Noel are Manchester City fans and Liam paid tribute to the team's manager - who was also pictured partying backstage with the Gallaghers' family - by dedicating the song D'You Know What I Mean to him. He said: "I'd like to dedicate this to the greatest manager of all time, Mr Pep Guardiola." But Manchester United fans at Heaton Park were unimpressed and began to boo, with Noel leaping to his brother's defence by telling them: "Who you f***ing booing, who you f***ing booing?" Luckily, the crowd seemed to see the funny side and laughed as Liam pretended to pray to Guardiola. Even ahead of the tour starting, Liam had caused controversy with a social media post that appeared to include a racial slur. It used a derogatory term used to mock the accents of people of Chinese origin, and the post has since been deleted. Some of Liam's fans had commented to warn him that the word was unacceptable and he had replied to ask why, responding to one person: "It's an ancient thought process get on it." Sorry if I offended anyone with my tweet before it wasn't intentional you know I love you all and I do not discriminate. peace and love LG x — Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) July 1, 2025 However, he did later delete it and posted: "Sorry if I offended anyone with my tweet before, it wasn't intentional, you know I love you all and I do not discriminate. Peace and love." Liam seemed to make a vague reference to the controversy on stage at Heaton Park, where he wore sunglasses and told the crowd: "Gotta wear the shades tonight, didn't wear them last night, woke up this morning like a grasshopper? You're allowed to say grasshopper, right?" Not all of the controversy has come directly from the band - despite putting on 17 UK shows, demand has been so high that plenty of fans were still unable to get tickets. In Manchester, some of them had made a last bid to see Oasis with Greater Manchester Police saying they had arrested six people for trying to get into a concert with "fake accreditation", while others attempted to scale the fence at Heaton Park. A large hoarding barrier has now been put in place at the park as hundreds of fans had gathered on a hill branded "Gallagher Hill" to get a view of the band for free. Business dealings around the tour have put backs up in some quarters, after it emerged that photo agencies had only been granted rights to pictures from the first night in Cardiff for a year. The image rights will then revert back to the band and management. The initial deal was even worse, as rights had been granted for use for just one month until it was extended to a year. Photographers, news outlets and photo agencies will usually retain the rights to images they have taken so that they can be used in future. There are apparently negotiations going on to get a better rights deal for the other shows, although images from Heaton Park currently show the same one-year restriction. According to The Guardian, chief exec of the News Media Coalition Andrew Moger said: "News photography has had a significant role in amplifying interest and telling the visual cultural story of artists such as Oasis, it's part of the legacy. And that does not stop after 365 days." Of course, Oasis fans will be familiar with the headline-grabbing spat that began a year ago, when tour tickets first went on sale. Tickets were expected to start from around £75 and could have been as much as roughly £148, but due to dynamic pricing, some fans who made it to the front of the queue got a shock when they were told that they could secure tickets for an eye-watering sum of £355. Dynamic pricing sees sellers set a higher price if demand for an event is proving very high, which obviously it was for the Oasis shows. It even prompted culture secretary Lisa Nandy to weigh in, who said: "After the incredible news of Oasis's return, it's depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favourite band live. "This government is committed to putting fans back at the heart of music. So we will include issues around the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, including the technology around queuing systems which incentivise it, in our forthcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket resales. "Working with artists, industry, and fans we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales, and ensures tickets at fair prices." As recently as a week before the tour began, the UK competition watchdog had written to Ticketmaster threatening legal action over the way Oasis tickets were sold.
