Free Republic

In this age of hyperpartisan politics, performers have taken to lecturing concert-goers who paid for the price of a ticket to a political lecture as well. A recent example came from Lady Gaga, who at her Tuesday night concert in Arlington claimed that Texas was a "purple" state, and that she hoped her fans would help turn it "blue." Writing for the Houston Chronicle, Ariana Garcia praised and highlighted parts of Lady Gaga's speech: During Lady Gaga's Arlington, Texas stop Tuesday night for her ongoing Chromatica Ball Tour, the popstar gave an impassioned two-minute speech encouraging the Lone Star State...

S. Florida suburbs lure the makers of hip-hop From Miami Beach to Miramar, homegrown producers are laying down the tracks for the future of hip-hop. Liberty City's Martin Luther King Boulevard isn't the only local road to the future sounds of hip-hop. Head west on Miramar Parkway about as far as you can before hitting swamp. Then turn into one of the many cookie-cutter gated communities that are the American dream, suburban sprawl style. If you're lucky, along with the SUVs, you'll find a van whose sides are emblazoned with the grinning metal-teethed mug of ``Dirt Bag.'' This urban promotional...

There's only so many times you can listen to Forever in Blue Jeans, Song Sung Blue and September Morn before you lose your mind. That's what happened to Panthers Associate Equipment Manager Scott Tinkler on the morning of Feb. 21 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Maybe having heard one too many Neil Diamond songs, Tinkler was at his wit's end with the Panthers' wretched CD collection. It only boiled over when the Flyers' equipment assistant started making fun of it ...