Jason Aldean coming to Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Birmingham
Alabama, Auburn to play first game between No. 1 and No. 2 in SEC history
The show is part of the 'Full Throttle Tour 2025' and includes support from Nate Smith, Raelynn, and Dee Jay Silver. Tickets are on sale now.
The new amphitheater is expected to open in early summer. Aldean joins Luke Bryan and Riley Green among others scheduled to perform.
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Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
How Jessie Murph Brought ‘F-ck It and We'll See What Happens Energy' to Her Daring New Album
When Jessie Murph returns home to northern Alabama, she heads to the gas station for an oversize cup of boiled peanuts. It's one of several rituals she now enjoys when she comes back to the region that Murph despised growing up in and fled as a teenager. 'My relationship with home has changed so much since I've left,' says Murph, who grew up in a town called Athens (home to the Alabama Shakes). 'I really remember being 15, 16, even younger, and just knowing that I was not meant to be there. I didn't feel right there. But I go back and I'm so grateful to be there. There's something so sweet, something very nostalgic and beautiful, about the South.' More from Rolling Stone Jessie Murph and Teddy Swims Have No Mercy on Their Exes on 'Dirty' Duet The Only Thing Jessie Murph Cares About Right Now Is Music Jessie Murph and Jelly Roll Bring Their Thing For 'Wild Ones' to Jimmy Kimmel Murph can't find boiled peanuts in Los Angeles, where over the past few years she's launched her career as a fast-rising pop star who's collaborated with Jelly Roll, Diplo and BigXthaPlug. That rise will only accelerate with Sex Hysteria, her bold second album, due later this week. The record hops from Amy Winehouse-inspired classic R&B ('1965,' 'Touch Me Like a Gangster') to pop-rap earworms (the Top 20 hit 'Blue Strips') to downcast balladry that channels one of Murph's heroes, Lana Del Rey ('Heroin'). The album, which she says she boiled down from 100 or so songs she wrote for the record, features two of Murph's favorite artists, Lil Baby and Gucci Mane. 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San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Catch this Bay Area Grammy nominee's post-Giants game concert
Oracle Park is about to get icy — and not just because of San Francisco's summertime fog. The Bay Area's 'Icy Girl' Saweetie plans to bring her hip-hop hits to the ballpark for a post-game performance after the San Francisco Giants face off against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 16. The Santa Clara-born star is set to perform on the field approximately 30 minutes after the final out of the game, which starts at 6:05 p.m. Her set is part of the Giants' City Connect Concert series, which previously booked country music star Nate Smith for a performance on June 21. A game ticket is required for admission, and fans can purchase an additional field pass for closer access to the performance. Tickets are on sale now. The upcoming occasion marks Saweetie's first local gig since NBA All-Star Weekend, when she joined fellow Bay Area musicians Too Short, Raphael Saadiq and En Vogue on the court for a performance during the NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center. The two-time Grammy nominee was also featured on the Golden State Warriors' nine-track 'For the Soil' album, which celebrated Northern California's rap scene and was curated by Pinole rapper P-Lo. The record was released just before NBA All-Star Weekend in collaboration with its entertainment division, Golden State Entertainment. Ahead of her concert next month, Saweetie plans to release her new EP, 'Hella Pressure,' on Aug. 1. The project builds on the success of hits like 'My Type,' 'Tap In' and 'Best Friend,' and comes as fans eagerly await her debut album, which has no release date yet. Saweetie released the confident summer anthem 'Boffum,' the EP's lead single named for the slang term meaning 'both of them,' on Friday, July 18, to ring in the new era.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
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The earliest virtual world for children was created in 1999. Adam Powell and Donna Williams released Neopets with their original target as university students, yet its popularity soared among a much younger user base. Its brightly colored games, competitions, and ability to socialise with others made it particularly appealing. The golden age of children's online worlds Disney followed suit in 2003, releasing ToonTown online. Shortly after, 2005 saw the release of the iconic Club Penguin, as well as Webkins. Unlike Neopets, Club Penguin and Webkins were intentionally designed for children with colorful graphics, dress-up and customisation features, games, and prizes. They placed importance on internet safety, with reminders to keep your passwords safe and report bullies, as well as implementing safe chat features. Safe chat became a staple as curse words were automatically censored. The success of these sites ushered in a golden age for children's virtual worlds. Wizard 101, Pirate 101, Pop Tropica, Moshi Monsters, Roblox, and Bin Weevils all arrived in the following years, garnering enormous user bases. In 2007, Disney acquired Club Penguin, and in 2009, Sony released Free Realms, both of which helped push the virtual world genre into the mainstream. Brands that were even vaguely marketed towards children had virtual worlds, too. Coca-Cola had 'MyCoke' in which you could earn in-game currency by drinking virtual cokes. An emphasis on safety Despite a rise in expensive memberships, these virtual worlds offered fun and safe environments for children on the internet to play games, dress up, and chat with other people their own age in a monitored environment. Messaging around online safety was targeted to both children and their parents. Often, sites took time to educate parents on the potential dangers their child might face, and how to check in with them, making internet safety a collaborative project between parents and children. The overtake of social media As social media became more popular, the virtual worlds began to fall. Disney shut down ToonTown and Pixie Hollow in 2013. This was put down to a shift in development to focus on mobile apps. Sony's Free Realms shut down in 2014. Panfu, Moshi Monsters, Pirate 101, and, most notably, Club Penguin, all shut down in the 2010s. As subscription numbers dropped off, virtual worlds became too expensive to run, and it became more profitable for brands to target children through influencer marketing and online ad campaigns on social media, rather than spending millions of dollars on dedicated virtual worlds. Websites have consequently transformed, as can be seen on the web design museum website, a treasure trove of sites from the 90s onwards. used to have games, quizzes, and message boards. Now, the website has a few shows to click on and mostly directs users to a subscription to Paramount Plus. Many other sites are similar. for example, was filled with games and printable activities, while now it simply redirects users to a Disney+ subscription or holidays to the resorts. The future of children's spaces online For children, the internet of 2025 looks bleak. Dedicated spaces for them are few and far between, and their easy access to social media sites and apps like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram is becoming increasingly more concerning. The contrast between what young children can access on these sites and the safer spaces that used to be available is stark. As opposed to being banned from Club Penguin for swearing or bullying, young people are now exposed to a range of harmful material, from pornography to suicide and self-harm content, discriminatory abuse, and hate speech. Governments are taking action Despite the virtual world boom of the 2000s being ultimately a money-grabbing exercise, they at least provided safe and sometimes educational spaces for young people's first foray onto the internet. Now, young people are bombarded with fast fashion hauls, supplements, and unnecessary anti-aging, multistep skincare routines. Governments are taking action, with the UK's Online Safety Act set to be fully implemented by 2026, as well as the Australian ban on under-16s from social media platforms. However, it does make you wonder if there is not a better way. It seems that the idea of creating child-friendly online spaces is falling by the wayside in favour of outright bans. "The disappearance of online safe spaces for children" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
