Meat Loaf News

Check out these photos of Bette Midler, Cheyenne Jackson, Tom Jones, Meatloaf and more at the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2012 Annual Awards Gala, New York, America yesterday on June 14, 2012. Singer, actor and comedian Bette Midler was presented with the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Julien's Auctions today announced Music Icons and Sports Legends, an unprecedented collection of music and sports memorabilia being offered in a two-day auction, June 23-24, 2012. The historic collection of items to be auctioned include iconic pieces from contemporary stars of Rock-n-Roll to legendary icons and sports heroes who made history.

On the edge of glory, GLEE momentarily brought back the ecstatic excitement and indescribably infectious joy which made the musical dramedy series a huge hit in its first and second seasons, then commanding upwards of twelve million viewers a week. Now sixty-plus episodes into the series, in a two-hour episode helmed by co-creator Ian Brennan, last night's two-episode gorge-worthy and gorgeous feast - 'Props' and 'Nationals', by the hour - was a reminder of everything that cynics have cited as lacking from episodes in Season Three, as flagging ratings and a general media lull plagues the once seemingly indomitable mega-show despite its continued inventiveness and dramatic daringness. It was fresh and sassy and outrageous, but touching and heartfelt - attributes ascribed to the best episodes of the show. Yet, it was so much more, too - and then there's the music! Both hours were a totally over-the-top tribute to all things big and wow-worthy, coming at just the right moment to pump some energizing lifeblood into the audience base - passing references to Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Marvin Hamlisch and Elton John as well as multiple winks at DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES songwriter and BAT OUT OF HELL mastermind Jim Steinman collectively pushing the theatre insider reference quotient into the stratosphere; and appreciably so. Yes, indeed, last night's double-dose of GLEE was an OD-worthy escapade worthy of returning to time and time again - Lea Michele's solo spots of Jason Mraz's 'I Won't Give Up' and Celine Dion's Grammy-winning 'It's All Coming Back To Me Now' alone were standouts of not only this or any season, but the series itself. With more than fifteen songs performed - everything from Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and The Who to STARLIGHT EXPRESS, TOMMY, FLASHDANCE and KISS ME, KATE - there was something for everyone in the two-hour GLEE extravaganza overflowing with the witty one-liners, out-of-this-world twists, outlandish characterizations, as well as the idiosyncratic theatrical reality that only GLEE can create. It was a true return to form to prove any and all naysayers wrong, and, this, coming after last week's Ryan Murphy-penned 'Prom-asaurus' season highlight, no less.

TVLine.com has revealed a parital set list for the May 15th GLEE season finale. In the episode, the Glee club competes at the Nationals Competition. According to the report, the all-female group, The Troubletones will perform a cover of Lady Gaga's hit song 'Edge of Glory'.

In celebration of the new CLUB CSI book series, CSI: The Experience at MGM Grand is hosting a book launch event on April 25th from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's newest branch, the Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane, at South Rainbow. The event is free and open to the public.

Iconic singer Meat Loaf will bring his "Mad, Mad World" tour to Hershey Theatre on Tuesday, August 21 at 8 p.m. This tour is in connection with his newly released album Hell In A Handbasket. Tickets for this show are $65, $79.50 and $99.50 (processing fees apply) and are available at Hershey Theatre Box Office. They can be charged by phone at 717-534-3405 or 800-745-3000, and online at www.HersheyTheatre.com or www.TicketMaster.com.

The new syndicated TV show ROCK STAR KITCHEN debuted on the Comcast Network on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 5:30pm. The show is expected to expand in the near future to include affiliates of NBC in select areas, as well as featured vignettes on the screens on Continental, Frontier and JetBlue Airlines flights.

In celebration of the new CLUB CSI book series, CSI: The Experience at MGM Grand is hosting a book launch event on April 25th from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's newest branch, the Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane, at South Rainbow. The event is free and open to the public.

NBC has announced the upcoming schedule of guests on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH Jay Leno for April 12 - April 20.

NEW bergenPAC shows on sale: Cinderella (June 26th), Meat Loaf (July 23rd), Marvin Hamlish (October 21st), David Caserta (October 28th) on sale Friday,April 13th at 11:00am. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or bergenPAC.org or by calling the box office at 201 227 1030.

The Barnyard Theatre has announced that its Rivonia venue is now open for bookings for its first show. This new 500-seater theatre will open its doors to the public on 20 March 2012 for SIX OF THE BEST, a tribute to Freddie Mercury, Bon Jovi, Meat Loaf, Billy Joel, Cher & Pink which then runs until 29 April.

Legacy Recordings has announced the stateside release of Hell In A Handbasket, the new full-length studio album from Meat Loaf, the iconic frontman whose 1977 breakout album, Bat Out Of Hell, defined the arena rock genre and remains as one of the world's five top-selling albums of all-time, with more than 43 million copies sold to date.

Today we are talking to one half of the supremely talented composing team responsible for ZOMBIE PROM, THE FIX, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, and, now, BROTHER RUSSIA, the lyricist of the formidable Dempsey/Rowe himself, John Dempsey. In this career-spanning conversation, Dempsey and I discuss major and minor details of his handful of skillfully written and entertaining shows written with the collaboration of composer Dana Rowe (who will also be highlighted in this column next week), in particular their affiliation with legendary producer Cameron Mackintosh and Signature Theater founder and director Eric Schaeffer, director of the US premieres of three of their musicals, including the most current one opening later this month - as well as touch on his work with Boublil & Shonberg on THE PIRATE QUEEN and his musical adaptation of the religious-themed film SAVED! As if all of that were not enough, Dempsey and I also dissect the finer points of the new Dempsey/Rowe show in previews in Washington, D.C., BROTHER RUSSIA, as he outlines its inspiration, purpose, style and the intriguing story of the new heavy metal fairy tale meta rock opera - all of that and much, much more.

According to his official website, Jim Steinman is busy working on lyrics for a new musical version of The Nutcracker. Titled Nutcracked, the musical will feature the classic music by Tchaikovsky with arrangements by Steven Margoshes. The show will include a book penned by Terry Jones.

The Barnyard Theatre presents three varied shows this month, beginning with 'Six of the Best' tribute show and concluding with 'Sultans of Swing,' another tribute show.

USA's new season of Fairly Legal will feature guest appearances from Mark Moses and Meat Loaf, TV Line reports. The show enters its second season this spring and will also star Barry Shabaka Henley (FlashForward) and Ryan Johnson (Ghost Rider, Son of the Mask).

Musical geniuses Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt & Tom Jones and Jim Steinman will become the newest members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization's 43rd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner. The star-studded event is slated for Thursday, June 14th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon.

The Barnyard Theatre has announced that its Rivonia venue is now open for bookings for its first show. This new 500-seater theatre will open its doors to the public on 20 March 2012 for SIX OF THE BEST, a tribute to Freddie Mercury, Bon Jovi, Meat Loaf, Billy Joel, Cher & Pink which then runs until 29 April.