Parmalee shares dates for 2023 ‘Take My Name Tour’

Parmalee has announced dates for their 2023 headlining Take My Name Tour. The 11-date trek kicks off February 2nd in Champaign, IL with stops in St. Louis, Green Bay, Minneapolis, Foxborough and others before wrapping April 22nd in West Chester, OH.

Parmalee’s Matt Thomas shares: “We’ve really been looking forward to this headlining tour! Everything we’ve built over the past couple years has been for this tour and for our fans. ‘Take My Name’ has such a huge connection with folks and with all the love everyone has shown the song, we decided to name this tour run after it.”

Tickets for the Take My Name Tour are available for general on-sale on Friday, December 16th at 10 am local time via the band’s website.

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Zac Brown Band to embark on 2023 ‘From the Fire Tour’

Zac Brown Band will embark on the 30-date From the Fire Tour across North America in 2023.  The tour will kick off June 30 in Columbus, Ohio, and conclude with a two-night stay in Tampa at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre on November 3 and 4.  The band will perform in Toronto, Canada, on July 14, and will make a stop at historic Fenway Park in Boston on August 19, where they hold the record for most consecutive sold-out shows with a total of 13.  Tenille Townes, Marcus King and King Calaway will serve as opening acts on select dates.

Frontman Zac Brown shares in a statement: “This past year was monumental, and we’re thrilled to bring all that momentum with us into 2023 and onto the ‘From the Fire Tour.’ We are all like family in this band and having the opportunity to bring our music from city to city is something we never take for granted. We can’t wait to be back out on the road with our fans.”

The From the Fire Tour comes on the heels of ZBB’s 2022 Out in the Middle Tour and the release of the deluxe edition of their album, The Comeback.  Tickets go on sale Friday (Dec. 16) at 10 a.m. local time. Head here for ticket information.

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Hugh Grant joins Kate Winslet in limited series ‘The Palace’ at HBO

Hugh Grant has been cast in the upcoming HBO limited series “The Palace,” joining previously announced cast members Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Andrea Riseborough. Exact character details for the series are being kept under wraps, and the drama is said to “tell the story of one year within the walls of the palace of an authoritarian regime as it begins to unravel.”

“The Palace” will be the fourth HBO limited series with Winslet in the lead role. Winslet is also attached to star in the HBO limited series “The Trust,” based on the novel of the same name by Hernan Diaz. Prior to that, Winslet starred in the HBO limited series “Mare of Easttown,” for which she won the Emmy Award for best actress in a limited series. Grant previously starred in the critically-acclaimed HBO limited series “The Undoing” opposite Nicole Kidman, receiving both an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for his work on the show.

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Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, ‘SYTYCD’ alum and DJ on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’, dies at age 40

Stephen “tWitch” Boss, dancer and judge of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and DJ on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’, has died at age 40. A cause of death was not officially announced, but TMZ has reported that Boss died by suicide.

Boss’ wife, fellow dancer Allison Holker, issued a statement confirming her husband’s death: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband, Stephen, has left us. Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends, and community above all else, and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans … To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt. I am certain there won’t be a day that goes by that we won’t honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children.”  Holker concluded her statement with: “Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.’

Boss first rose to stardom as a professional dancer in 2003, becoming a semifinalist on the MTV dance competition The Wade Robson Project and later competing on the talent show Star Search.  He competed in Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance in 2008, becoming a runner-up alongside series winner Joshua Allen, and returning to the show in following seasons as a featured ‘All-Star’. This year, he returned to the reality competition show as a judge for Season 17.  Beginning in 2014, Boss was featured on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” as the talk show’s DJ and co-host. Boss starred on the series for eight years, serving as a co-executive producer for the last two until its final episode in 2022. In addition to that gig, Boss was an announcer on DeGeneres’ NBC game show Ellen’s Game of Games, which ran for four seasons from 2017 to 2021.

Boss married Holker — a fellow “SYTYCD” alum who competed on Season 2 and returned as an all-star in future seasons — in 2013. The couple celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary on Dec. 10, just days before Boss’ death. Along with his wife Allison, Boss is survived by their three children: Weslie, 14; Maddox, 6; and Zaia, 3.

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Missing N.J. boaters headed to Florida found safe off Delaware coast

The United States Coast Guard said Tuesday night that the two men who went missing more than a week ago while sailing to the Florida Keys have been found safe. 76-year-old Joe DiTomasso and 64-year-old Kevin Hyde were found about 214 miles east of Delaware by the tanker vessel Silver Muna just after 4:15 p.m. Tuesday. The men are being taken to New York for evaluation.

Hyde and DiTommasso had departed Cape May, New Jersey on Nov. 27th on their 30-foot sailboat, the Atrevida II, along with a pet dog, according to the Coast Guard. The pair was last seen aboard their boat as it left the Oregon Inlet in North Carolina’s Outer Banks on Dec. 3. Family and friends contacted officials on Sunday after last speaking with the pair on that same day, prompting a search that included aircraft and vessels.

The Atrevida II was located Tuesday afternoon approximately 214 miles east of Delaware, after the men waved down the tanker vessel Silver Muna around 4:18 p.m. Tuesday. The Coast Guard said in a statement: “The Atrevida II was found to be without fuel and power, rendering their radios and navigation equipment inoperable.”

The two men and dog were brought aboard the tanker and evaluated by the vessel’s medical staff “with no immediate concerns.”  Ditommasso and Hyde are now aboard the Silver Muna, headed to New York. Once they arrive, they’ll be transferred to a Coast Guard vessel and reunited with family, which is expected Wednesday. Cmdr. Daniel Schrader, the spokesperson for the Coast Guard Atlantic Area, said in a statement: “This is an excellent example of the maritime community’s combined efforts to ensure safety of life at sea. We are overjoyed with the outcome of the case and look forward to reuniting Mr. Hyde and Mr. Ditomasso with their family and friends.”

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President Biden signs “Respect for Marriage Act” into federal law at White House ceremony

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act o at a White House ceremony, enshrining federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages into federal law for the first time. Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff also attended the signing, along with Democratic and Republican lawmakers and more than 5,000 guests in a ceremony held on the White House South Lawn.

Mr. Biden said: “Today is a good day, a day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone … Today, I sign the ‘Respect for Marriage Act’ into law. Deciding whether to marry, who to marry, is one of the most profound decisions a person can make. And as I’ve said before and some of you might remember, on a certain TV show 10 years ago, I got in trouble. Marriage, I mean this with all of my heart, marriage is a simple proposition: Who do you love and will you be loyal to that person you love? It’s not more complicated than that.”

The Respect for Marriage Act overturns the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibited the federal government from recognizing marriages that were not between a man and a woman. It also requires states to recognize any valid marriage performed in other states, regardless of sex. The law comes after Democratic leaders expressed concern that the Supreme Court could follow its June decision to overturn Roe v. Wade with a ruling that rescinds the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Singer and longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights, Cyndi Lauper, sang “True Colors,” and Sam Smith performed “Stay With Me.” Lauper told reporters in the White House briefing room ahead of the event: “Americans can now love who they love.”

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Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray to miss remainder of season with torn ACL

Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said on Tuesday that quarterback Kyler Murray will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.  An MRI on Tuesday confirmed the injury.  Said Kingsbury: “That’s obviously unfortunate and tough to see … And talking to him last night, um, yeah, it was a tough night… He’s [Murray] as competitive as anybody I’ve ever been around, so he wanted to finish the season strong, and we’d faced a lot of adversity so far this season and we’re looking forward to this last month and trying to really build going into next year. So, definitely disappointed.” Kingsbury said that Murray will get additional opinions and tests done on his knee, and the team expects they’ll get a final report on the severity of the injury by Wednesday.

Murray suffered the knee injury during Monday night’s 27-13 loss to the New England Patriots after a 3-yard run on the third play of the game in the first quarter, when scrambling to his right. Murray immediately went down, which was of immediate concern because it was a non-contact injury. Murray stayed on the ground for several minutes before he was carted off the field, and Colt McCoy took Murray’s place to finish the game.

Murray signed a five-year extension worth $230.5 million in July after a 2021 season where he appeared in his second consecutive Pro Bowl. Last season he threw for 3,787 yards and 24 touchdowns while also rushing for 423 yards and five touchdowns.  Murray’s 2022 season finishes with 2,368 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also tallied 418 yards on the ground and rushed for three touchdowns.

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Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez help Argentina reach World Cup 2022 final

Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez helped Argentina defeat Croatia with a 3–0 win in the World Cup semifinals on Tuesday, advancing them to the World Cup Final. Messi scored the first point to become Argentina’s all-time leading goal scorer at World Cup finals, and Alvarez completed a direct solo run through Croatia’s defense to help double Argentina’s lead before half-time. Argentina have won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, and with Tuesday’s win will advance to Sunday’s final where they will face either France or Morocco, who play on Wednesday.

Said Messi: “Throughout the World Cup it has been incredible what we have experienced. We are going to play the final which is what we wanted … I don’t know if it’s my best World Cup, it’s been a long time I’ve been enjoying. This team is crazy. We are going to play one more final, we are going to enjoy all of this.” Messi added: “We have gone through some tough situations, some very good ones. Today we are experiencing something spectacular … I’m enjoying it with all these people and with all the Argentinians who are in our country. I imagine it must be crazy.”

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Scotty McCreery announces 2023 ‘Damn Strait Tour’

Scotty McCreery has announced his Damn Strait Tour, making 20 stops in 2023 until the end of April. The tour gets its name from McCreery’s fifth consecutive chart-topping hit Damn Strait, which stayed at No. 1 for three weeks.

Said McCreery: “Looking forward to hitting the road in 2023 with the Damn Strait Tour. I’ve enjoyed my time at home learning to be a Dad to Avery, but I’ve missed being onstage with the band and performing for the fans. Can’t wait to see everyone in the new year!”

McCreery will close out his successful 2022 with four remaining shows, including three acoustic co-headlining shows with Lee Brice. Both artists will be on stage for the entire concert, and they will trade off songs with each other, providing a more intimate concert experience than usual.

Fan club presale for the 2023 Damn Strait Tour are available now, with a general on sale set for Friday, December 16th at 10 am local time.

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Chase Rice to launch 2023 ‘Way Down Yonder Tour’

Chase Rice has announced the ‘Way Down Yonder Tour’ which will kick-off in March 2023.  Rice’s tour announcement comes shortly after he revealed his new record I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell will be released on February 10, 2023.

Rice will be playing at venues like Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Boston’s House of Blues, and Athens’ Georgia Theatre in the spring, with supporting acts on the 23-show-run including Conner Smith, Tyler Braden, Dalton Dover, Ashland Craft, Avery Anna, Kameron Marlowe, and Read Southall Band.

Tickets will go on sale on December 15 at 10 a.m. local time at ChaseRice.com. Pre-sale begins on December 13 at 10 a.m. local time.

Chase Rice heads Way Down Yonder for 2023 tour

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