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Kardashian Khaos in Las Vegas

Kris Jenner

There’s a chance you’ll see me in the background of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, so I might as well admit I went to see Kris Jenner at Kardashian Khaos. The reality TV family’s celebrity lifestyle boutique is located at The Mirage, my home away home on the Strip.

The excitement following Kanye West’s grand proposal hasn’t worn off yet. Kris looked positively radiant and I don’t think it’s just because some eager viewers paid $150 for a photograph with her. Las Vegas is the perfect place to experiment with bold prints and Kris fit in seamlessly.

Klassic Kris

While the series transitions from documenting Kim’s pregnancy to her momager’s separation, it will be interesting to see which side of Kris surfaces the most. Though she seemed friendly from afar, Kris can come across as stubborn and impatient. As an executive producer, Kris has an enormous opportunity to choose how she presents her personality and I’m intrigued as to how the Kardashians and their team will support her mission to garner more attention.

Publicist Jonathan Cheban’s surprise appearance was a treat for tourists like myself who planned to see only one TV personality on Saturday. He was very relaxed and wore the Royal Triumph python leather pocket black t-shirt he posted a photo of on Instagram. It looked like partying at Kim’s birthday bash at TAO took a toll on Jonathan because he looked tired, but that did not stop him from enthusiastically engaging with fans. Minutes after he escaped the crowd, Jonathan called someone and I’ve been curious who was on the other end ever since.

Jonathan Cheban

Keeping Up With The Kardashians airs Sunday nights on E!

October 27, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Live From Queen West… It’s The Social!

I’ve been eager to attend a live taping of CTV’s The Social since it premiered in September. The Social is like a younger version of The View with a stronger interactive component, as viewers’ social media engagement is integral to the series.

The Social takes the second screen experience to a new level because it’s filmed live and selected Twitter and Facebook posts are displayed onscreen. Offering opinionated viewers an opportunity to gain exposure on national television is definitely a better incentive to follow the show’s social media accounts than simply for the sake of entering contests or seeing behind the scenes photos.

Interestingly, the invitation to live tweet the show is extended to audience members as well, so I think Bell Media should install a mobile charging station in the audience waiting area. That would be a cost-effective way to ensure more fans can post on social media with the show’s hashtag. If iPhone chargers were available, then I would’ve taken more pictures and tweeted more commentary. Nevertheless, I preserved my battery as much as possible and was able to take photos with the hosts after the cameras stopped rolling.

I was so excited to see Wednesday’s special guest Jessica Alba that I didn’t care what brought her to Toronto. The fact that Jessica booked interviews with Canadian media outlets to promote her new line of eco-friendly baby products rather than a new movie didn’t matter. Plus, I’m certainly not complaining about getting a free copy of Jessica’s book, The Honest Life.

October 10, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Concert Review: KT Tunstall

TIFF might be over, but Toronto remains a star-studded destination. On Friday night, Avicii, Sarah Silverman and Serena Ryder all had events I would’ve loved to attend, but thanks to Nokia & Live Nation, I saw KT Tunstall. Twitter for the win, once again!

Tunstall kicked off her North American tour at the Danforth Music Hall and it was obvious that she was a little bit rusty. The apologetic singer repeatedly said “sorry” so many times that it became a running joke and the audience started counting. The Danforth Music Hall is a small enough venue that each time a fan shouted something at her, everyone could hear. This lighthearted banter created a laidback vibe that made the evening more enjoyable.

It was fun to hear Suddenly I See, Funnyman and Black Horse and the Cherry Tree live, but I wish she played more of her early hits. Instead, Tunstall focused on playing newer material. At some point between performing songs from her latest record Invisible Empire//Crescent Moon, Tunstall said she liked writing tracks in Arizona because “it’s the perfect place to meditate.” This album marks a transition in her career because after making upbeat pop-rock songs, she became interested in darker subject matter, including death.

Overall, I thought the sound quality was good, but the concert was short and there wasn’t anything too memorable. Though I’m grateful for having amazing seats in Row F, KT Tunstall’s performance didn’t top my first experience at the Danforth Music Hall when Sam Roberts rocked the house in 2008.

September 22, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Behind the Band: June and the Bee

After meeting June and the Bee at Aspetta Cafe in Kensington Market, I was delighted when the band’s lead singer Emma agreed to do a Behind the Band interview.

What makes June and the Bee’s music unique?

We write our music using our lives as a malleable creative substance from which to draw upon. We play from a place of infectious joie de vivre and are utterly unconcerned with being anything other than what we are.

What can you tell readers about your songwriting process?

As a trio we all bring an ingredient. My brother, Eli, is the melody guy. While he plays, words are usually jumping down from the shelves of my mind and arranging themselves into lyrics. Lyric writing happens all the time. My way of processing an experience is turning it into a song. Zoe, our third member writes the wonderful harmonies. Her technical background in classical music grounds the band in an awareness of dynamics and all those elements that may seem miniscule but are responsible for the song being something we love to sing. As we have continued to grow as a band, we have started to share the different roles in the songwriting process.

Professional role model: Carrie Ferguson

When we first entered the folk scene, Carrie took us under her wing, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the essence of pure joy when playing regardless of the stresses and pressures the road ahead could present. We pride ourselves in being able to tend to that creative joy and let it radiate through our music. This joy is detached from the ego and is more about collectively sharing than about individual self-worth.

What is your approach to promoting the band?

I manage the band’s social media, regardless of the fact that I have historically been ‘living under a rock,’ so to speak. We love to keep things as personal as possible. Being from a small town, you know everyone. We want to invite all of our fans to be a part of our musical family. We usually just send out our mailing list via carrier pigeon. so if one morning you hear a tap on your window…you’ll know we are in town. If you are a part of the Facebook world, Like us because we adore you!

August 10, 2013 by Sarah Prince

Never Say Never

Justin Bieber and Dancers

I never thought I would see Justin Bieber perform live, but never say never!

Though I didn’t immediately recognize opener Hot Chelle Rae, it was fun to see them play their 2011 hit Tonight, Tonight, which instantly became familiar when they closed their set with it.

More than half an hour after Justin’s scheduled stage time at the Air Canada Centre on Thursday, a dramatic ten-minute countdown began. When he emerged from the ceiling wearing oversized wings, the first thing I thought of was Pink’s showstopping trapeze act at the 2009 Grammys. Justin may not have done any acrobatics, but his entrance was more than enough to excite fans.

Justin Bieber Toronto

From there, Justin literally started the show with a bang, as fireworks went off during his first song, All Around the World. Usually stars hold off on fireworks and confetti until the encore, so it was cool that these effects were used early on.

The themes for the graphics, video backdrops and dancers’ costumes ranged from outer space to underwater. Justin changed outfits at least four times and my favourite part was how he rocked fire engine red high top sneakers. (You know how much I love all things red!)

July 26, 2013 by Sarah Prince

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