Here in Connecticut, we can tell it's almost June because we're practically melting. After all, the general rule of thumb for New England weather is that if you're not shoveling your way out of several feet of snow, then you're probably baking in the sun.
That said, summer is totally the best time for events! Summer tours, sporting events, musical festivals, touring theater shows... it's a mecca, really. Here are a few things to look forward to in June.
Concerts
American Idol Live: Season 12 "American Idol" finalists hit the road June 29, with their first show in Saint Louis, MO.
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One Direction: 1D buzz in the U.S. calmed as the boys toured Europe and elsewhere. But they're back, kicking off their U.S. summer tour June 13 in Sunrise, FL.
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Bonnaroo: This year, Bonnaroo has more than 100 bands performing during the four-day event from June 13-16. The line-up includes Sir Paul McCartney, Mumford & Sons, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers! (For tips on surviving summer music fests, click here.)
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The NHL lockout stole three months of hockey, including 34 games per team, the Winter Classic, and the 2013 NHL All-Star Game; understandably, it upset many, many hockey fans. When the lockout officially ended, teams went into full fan repair mode, in an attempt to win back all those fans who were sick of players and owners squabbling over money, something both parties had a lot more of than the average fan. Now that the season has been back for a little over a month now, have the fans come back?
The answer is.... yes!
Oh, and the answer kinda is no, too.
Let me explain — unlike the other major sports leagues, the NHL and its franchises are really divided into two classes: the haves and the have-nots. Hockey-crazed fan bases, which include mostly cities in Canada and the Northeast U.S., have returned in full force, filling arenas on a nightly basis. According to ESPN.com's attendance figures, all seven teams located north of the border have 100% attendance or better so far this season. Same goes for major hockey markets including Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and Detroit. Some of those have even improved from last season.
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This week we’re into collectively stepping into a music time machine, the end of that-couple-that-we-thought-would-last-forever, and hockey is kind of, almost, back.
Old artists, new music
If I told you Destiny’s Child and Justin Timberlake were both releasing a new song, you’d probably think we were somewhere around 2004, and that the world had not yet experienced the famous Super Bowl XXVIII Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson controversy. But you’d be wrong — both artists announced yesterday that they’d be releasing new music, and the world collectively danced to "Rock Your Body" and "Survivor," because why not? Justin Timberlake linked us to a website that counts down till the release of his next single, while Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams will release their second compilation album called "Love Songs" with a new song on it . This mostly means nothing to people who weren't a huge fan of music in the mid-2000s, but for the rest of us, it’s like the music goddesses have been listening to our prayers and delivered.
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According to at least one website, September 5 is Be Late for Something Day, and September 6 is Fight Procrastination Day. So you should get in one last procrastinator's hurrah on the 5th before you have to reform and actually get everything done on time. In other news, check out live events coming up in September:
Concerts
Bruce Springsteen: The Boss kicks off his North American tour on September 22, with dates scheduled through December 6.
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Rush: The Toronto group is heading up a tour beginning September 7 in Manchester, NH, with dates through December 2.
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Justin Bieber: Don't worry, Beliebers, it's finally time for the Biebs to hit the road. He begins his tour September 29 in Glendale, AZ.
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Other Concerts in September:
- The American Idols Live tour ends on September 11.
- Def Leppard & Poison end their tour on September 15.
- Peter Gabriel kicks off his tour on September 16.
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When in comes to sports, fans know that the regular season is just the warm-up for the playoffs, where everything gets ratcheted up to a new level. No where will that be more apparent than in Los Angeles this weekend when the Lakers, Clippers, and Kings all host home playoff games.
From May 17 through May 20, Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles will be the epicenter of sports with six postseason games taking place in that span. Normally, playoff competition in L.A. is reserved for the Lakers who have 16 championships to their name, compared to zero from the Kings and Clippers. This season has been different, though, with the Clippers and Kings shedding the losing mentality that has hounded them for years.
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