Billy

Star Wars: Episode IX’: J.J. Abrams on Billy Dee Williams & Wanting Fans to Feel Satisfied

J.J. Abrams just wrapped production on Star Wars: Episode IX, which means he now officially been thrown into the Hunger Games of press for the next ten months — everyone, everywhere is going to be coming at him with all they got, and knowing Lucasfilm’s secrecy (not to mention Abrams’ famed “mystery box” mentality) he’s not going to give an inch. Which is to say, get ready for a lot of quotes that manage to tell you nothing while somehow managing to get you hyped for the upcoming trilogy sign off.

Speaking of which, the good folks at ET Online snagged a few minutes with Abrams at a recent charity event and took the opportunity to lob a few Episode IX questions at him. While Abrams declined to offer any hints about when we might finally get a title for the Last Jedi followup, he spoke super briefly about the “emotional: experience of wrapping the film, shared his enthusiasm for the film (“the cast and crew did an unbelievable job. I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve got going,” etc, etc) and reiterated that the divided fan reaction to Rian Johnson‘s film didn’t have an impact on how he approached the sequel.

Image via Lucasfilm

“No, I think that every movie is its own movie,” Abrams said. “Obviously, this is a trilogy, but we brought to that movie all the passion and hard work that we would have no matter what. I think the story speaks for itself.”

The filmmaker also spoke briefly about directing Billy Dee Williams‘ long-awaited return to the franchise as Lando Calrissian. “I’d met him once before and he was such a sweet guy. but I’ve got to tell you, I have such unbelievable respect for him,” Abrams said. “We had a great time and he was wonderful. Everyone on set — he just had this aura around him, he’s really an incredible man and an incredible actor.”

Finally, Abrams dropped a sentence that’s no doubt going to get some fan debates going. How does he want people to feel at the end of this trilogy? “There are a lot of words that we all hope that you feel,” Abrams said, “and obviously the biggest one is ‘satisfied’.” We’ll see if Abrams and Co. pulled that off when Episode IX arrives in theaters on December 20, 2019. For now, you can watch the interview in the video below.

Billy Graham Library: Attendance up after namesake’s death

FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2010 file photo, Evangelist Billy Graham is interviewed at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquarters in Charlotte, N.C. The Billy Graham Library in North Carolina says it has seen a surge in visitors in the year since its namesake’s death. Citing a blog post on the library’s website, WLOS-TV reports that 214,000 people visited the Charlotte complex in 2018, up from 144,000 in 2017. According to the post, visitors came from 55 countries. Graham died Feb. 21, 2018, at age 99. (Nell Redmond, File/Associated Press)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Billy Graham Library in North Carolina says it has seen a surge in visitors in the year since its namesake’s death.

Citing a blog post on the library’s website, WLOS-TV reports that 214,000 people visited the Charlotte complex in 2018, up from 144,000 in 2017. According to the post , visitors came from 55 countries.

Graham died Feb. 21, 2018, at age 99. He’s credited with transforming American religious life through his preaching and activism, becoming a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history.

He’s buried on the grounds of the library, alongside his wife, Ruth, in the prayer garden. The library was dedicated in 2007.

___

Information from: WLOS-TV, http://www.wlos.com/

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

From Pink to Billy Joel, Mariah Carey to Cher, 20 top Milwaukee concerts to see this spring

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It's one of the best springs for concert lovers we've recently had in Milwaukee.

I know, we said the same thing about last fall. But it's true. The Milwaukee Bucks' new Fiserv Forum continues its impressive initial run of bookings that in 2019 is handily topping the shuttered Bradley Center's strongest year for concerts.

It'll be an especially strong concert season in Milwaukee this spring, with such stars as (from top left corner) Pink, Mariah Carey, Eric Church and Billy Joel coming to town. (Photo11: Pink and Eric Church photos by Rick Wood. Carey photo by Brent N. Clarke. Joel photo by Ron Elkman.)

But they're hardly the only player in town with a strong slate of shows, which include a couple of (allegedly) final Milwaukee concerts from some big stars, and some long overdue Brew City appearances – by as much as 45 years. 

There are so many cool concerts to choose from this March through May, we felt compelled to run a list of 20 top choices, twice as many as we typically do for our spring concert previews. And in terms of promising shows in the city, we're still barely scratching the surface.

Here are our picks, in order of occurrence. 

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1. KISS: They may want to rock and roll all night (and party every day), but this will allegedly be the last night KISS and its army of fans will come together in Milwaukee, as part of the band's "End of the Road" farewell tour. 7:30 p.m. March 1, Fiserv Forum, 1111 N. Phillips Ave. $89.50 to $1,000 at the box office, (800) 745-3000 and ticketmaster.com.

2. John Fogerty: Fogerty will revisit his classics from Creedence Clearwater Revival, and perhaps wax nostalgic about his experience at Woodstock, as he did briefly at his last Riverside show, what with the festival's 50th anniversary coming up this year and all. 8 p.m. March 7, Riverside Theater, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave. $65 to $250 at the box office, the Pabst Theater box office (144 E. Wells St.), (414) 286-3663 and pabsttheater.org. 

Editor's note: Due to incorrect information from the venue, the original description for Fogerty's show was not accurate. He will be playing songs from his 50-year career. 

3. Mariah Carey: She's one of the most influential R&B artists and celebrated singers of our time, and incredibly enough, she's never set foot on a Milwaukee stage. Until next month that is, when Carey performs here for the first time, behind an album, last year's "Caution," that's widely considered to be her best in years. (A physical or digital copy is included with each concert ticket purchased online.) 8 p.m. March 15, Miller High Life Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. $65 to $250 at the box office and through Ticketmaster.

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4. Chris Kroeze: The country rocker and endearing everyman from Barron was a powerhouse on NBC's "The Voice" last year, winding up in second place. This is first Milwaukee gig since the show, and he'll be playing songs from a self-titled album that just came out. 7 p.m. March 15, Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. Phillips Ave. $35 to $75 at the door and through the Pabst.

5. Vince Staples: Shy of Kendrick Lamar, Staples is the most consistently acclaimed rapper over the past few years, and while his early concerts didn't do justice to his thought-provoking material, he stepped up in a big way at his Milwaukee show last spring. His latest album, "FM!," is his most exciting to date, seemingly designed for electrifying live shows. 9 p.m. March 15, the Rave, 2401 W. Wisconsin Ave. $30 to $79 at the box office, (414) 342-7283 and therave.com.

6. Eric Church: If you're checking out Church, prepare to pay the baby sitter extra. The last time the country star was in Milwaukee, his two-set show spanned into the early morning hours the following day. He'll be doing two sets again, and doing two shows of 'em, both of which will be different. 8 p.m. March 29 and 30, Fiserv Forum. $79 to $196.33. 

7. Mumford & Sons: The last time Mumford & Sons played Milwaukee, they were still in their pickin' and grinnin' phase, but the British Americana band has since added some literal electricity to the mix on 2015's "Wilder Mind" and last year's "Delta." Definitely get there early for versatile singer-songwriter Cat Power. 7:30 p.m. March 31, Fiserv Forum. $204, every online ticket includes a physical copy of "Delta."

8. Mott The Hoople: Back to Carey for a second. Considering her career started in 1988, that's 31 years of shows that never included Milwaukee. But Mott The Hoople still has her beat. The glam rock band that worked with David Bowie and influenced Queen and the Clash did play Milwaukee once — back in 1974. The band will be stateside for the first time in 45 years this spring, with the tour kickoff in Milwaukee. 7:30 p.m. April 1, Miller High Life Theatre. $52 to $72.

9. Branford Marsalis Quartet: The revered jazz composer and instrumentalist's greatest legacy may be the intoxicating and adventurous work with his long-running Branford Marsalis Quartet, which he's assembled for a new tour behind this spring's "The Secret Between The Shadow And The Soul" album. 8 p.m. April 11, Pabst Theater. $45. 

10. Billy Joel: The Piano Man's Milwaukee fans have been waiting "the longest time"  for Joel to return to the city, but he's finally playing Milwaukee for the first time in 11 years. In fact, Milwaukee is the only city in the Midwest he'll be playing all year. 8 p.m. April 26, Miller Park, One Brewers Way. $49.50 to $1,450 through Ticketmaster.

11. Pink: Seeing Pink literally fly around a venue and give her all to her heart-pumping pop catalog is always a blast; it's why her last two Milwaukee shows were near the top of our best concerts of the year lists. And while that last local gig was just two years ago, Pink will have two new albums to pull from: 2017's "Beautiful Trauma" and this April's "Hurts 2B Human." Get there early to see Pink's touring DJ, Milwaukee's own KidCutUp. 7:30 p.m. May 2, Fiserv Forum. $332 to $1,685.

12. The 1975: With thanks to last year's universally acclaimed "A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships," the most ambitious album to date from a British band always determined to push the envelope, the 1975 has graduated to arena and amphitheater headlining status in the States. Which makes its Milwaukee show at its local venue of choice, the 3,500-capacity Eagles Ballroom at the Rave, all the more special. 7 p.m. May 10, Eagles Ballroom, the Rave. $67.50 to $77.50. 

13. Caroline Rose: Arguably the great new discovery at Summerfest last year, the indie pop artist uses delicious humor and unshakable hooks on latest album "Loner" to push past pain and celebrate self-love, resulting in a jubilant live show experience. 8 p.m. May 11, the Back Room at Colectivo Coffee, 2211 N. Prospect Ave.  $12 in advance through the Pabst, $15 day of show. 

14. Cher: We're getting a fair number of farewell tours this year, but this isn't one of them. Fourteen years after ending what she billed as her final tour, Cher is back with all the hits and fabulous costumes from across the decades. This time out she's also singing some ABBA songs, following her role in "Mamma Mia 2," and bringing along Nile Rodgers & Chic as her opening act. 8 p.m. May 12, Fiserv Forum. $141 to $900. Each ticket purchased online includes a digital or physical copy of Cher's ABBA covers album "Dancing Queen."

15. Judas Priest: Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, the influential metal band continues to reach new milestones; last year's "Firepower," praised as a return to form, managed to be the band's highest-charting album on the Billboard charts of its career. it played a sold-out Riverside Theater behind the album last spring, and is back for a two-show Milwaukee stint in May. Uriah Heep opens. 7:30 p.m. May 22 and 23, Riverside Theater. $59.50 to $99.50.

16. India.Arie: During these turbulent times, there's a growing hunger for music that's deep, that truly matters, which is good timing for socially conscious R&B star India.Arie's new album "Worthy." 8 p.m. May 23, Northern Lights Theater, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 1721 W. Canal St. $70 at the box office and through Ticketmaster.

17. Snarky Puppy: Since 2014, the vibrant, versatile, 19-piece jazz fusion jam band (featuring Wauwatosa native Mike "Maz" Maher on trumpet) has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and won all three of them. This is the first time since Snarky Puppy started collecting golden gramophones that the band's playing Maher's hometown. 8 p.m. May 23, Pabst Theater. $35 to $45.

18. The 5,6,7,8's: Remember that Japanese rockabilly band that performed a full three songs in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill, Vol.1?" Yep, this is them, and for one night Shank Hall will transform into the swinging House of Blue Leaves from the film (minus all the dismemberment, naturally). 8 p.m. May 28, Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave. $20 at the box office, (866) 468-3401 and shankhall.com. 

19. Hozier: Possessing one of the most radiant voices to emerge in recent years, the Irish artist complements his impeccable instrument with Gothic and Gospel-inspired soul, resulting in the left-field megahit "Take Me To Church," and coming soon, the highly anticipated new album "Wasteland, Baby!" (copies of which are included with tickets to this show). 8 p.m. May 30, Eagles Ballroom, the Rave. $45 to $55.

20. George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic: Yet another final Milwaukee show, this time for the 77-year-old funkmaster. But Clinton, who kicks off his final tour in Milwaukee, is going out swinging, bringing along opening acts Galactic, Fishbone and Miss Velvet and the Blue Wolf, all indebted to his grooving example. 7 p.m. May 30, Miller High Life Theatre. $20 to $200