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10 Things To Look Forward To At Citizens Bank Park In 2019

10 Things To Look Forward To At Citizens Bank Park In 2019

There is a lot of excitement about the Phillies this season. Roster turnover and playoff expectations will return the ballpark into the hot spot that drew massive crowds from 2007 to 2012. More than just a field of dreams, the ballpark has great food, beer, and entertainment to fill up the summer. Here are 10 things to look forward to at Citizens Bank Park in 2019:

Bryce Harper

Let’s start with…

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“Bad Umpire” Joe West's Country Music

“Bad Umpire” Joe West’s Country Music

It is not often you buy an album where a sticker underneath the price tag has a snarky comment about the artist, but that is the beauty of record stores and Major League Baseball umpire Joe West’s country music.

Longtime baseball fans are more than aware of Joe West, an umpire who has been a part of ejections, controversies, and fan wrath for decades. They might not know of his side gig as a…

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Phil Martelli Taught Me How To Be A Hawk

Phil Martelli Taught Me How To Be A Hawk

Phil Martelli was let go as the men’s basketball coach of Saint Joseph’s University today, a move that has induced a lot of feelings that I would normally post on social media. His departure is difficult to limit to 240 characters. As a lifelong basketball fan and SJU alumnus, his tenure as head basketball coach has spanned so many chapters of my life that it is hard to fathom a season where he…

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Foo Fighters' Medium Rare: My Favorite Record Store Day Purchase

Foo Fighters’ Medium Rare: My Favorite Record Store Day Purchase

In addition to being one of the world’s biggest bands, the Foo Fighters have been a frequent contributor to Record Store Day. In 2011, Dave Grohl’s group released an instant classic. One of the most in-demand RSD releases ever, the Foo Fighters’ Medium Rare is a cover album filled with rarities that still stands as a favorite of my vinyl collection.

The album was released at a particular high…

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What Is A Three-Inch Turntable?

What Is A Three-Inch Turntable?

While perusing the 2019 Record Store Day list, I couldn’t help but be surprised by one product: three-inch vinyl. That’s right. Mini-albums. In addition to the usual wealth of Classic Rock deep cuts and indie treasure, Record Store Day is now associated with bite-sized vinyl and its own three-inch turntable.

As record enthusiasts know, vinyl comes in twelve-inch, ten-inch, or seven-inch discs.…

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Peter Jackson's World War I Documentary They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

Peter Jackson’s World War I Documentary They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

Director Peter Jackson is best known for his groundbreaking Lord of the Rings movies. His new World War I documentary They Shall Not Grow Old ranks with the trilogy as a stunning cinematic accomplishment. Jackson’s studio remastered century-old footage with such incredible detail that film from the Great War is brought into the next millennium.

World War I was the last major conflict before…

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Quick Guide To The 2019 Record Store Day List

Quick Guide To The 2019 Record Store Day List

Record Store Day (the biannual day where vinyl junkies support their habit and small businesses) is almost here. On April 13, the 11th edition of the initiative will take place in music shops around the country. Earlier last week, the 2019 Record Store Day list was unveiled. To make it easier for collectors, I have assembled a guide to the best and most essential picks of this year’s music…

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February Leftovers: The Met Philly, Villanova’s Pavilion, and Bryce Harper

February Leftovers: The Met Philly, Villanova’s Pavilion, and Bryce Harper

February 2019 was a busy month. Not only did I catch an amazing show from Steve Gunn, but I threw myself into an Oscar frenzy that ended in major disappointments. As always, there are a few things that I didn’t get the chance to blog about. Here are some leftovers from a crazy month:

Spoiler-Free True Detective Season Three Take

True Detectivereturned in January. For those burnt by…

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Ten Reactions To the 2019 Oscars

Ten Reactions To the 2019 Oscars

The 91st Academy Awards are in the books. The ceremony changes, awards, and song performances made for an improved telecast. Some awards were shocking, others less surprising. I was thrilled for Olivia Colman, Black Panther, and Alfonso Cuaron, but less so for Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody. Here are my ten reactions to the 2019 Oscars:

The Oscars Wasted Queen

Much like the entirety of B…

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Forget Best Picture, Bohemian Rhapsody Is A Bad Movie

Forget Best Picture, Bohemian Rhapsody Is A Bad Movie

There is little doubt that Bohemian Rhapsody was one of the surprise box office hits of 2018. Maybe the biggest. The more unexpected feat from the Freddie Mercury biopic is its substantial award season buzz. Not only has it won Best Drama at the Golden Globes, but it was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards – which is hard to believe, because Bohemian Rhapsody is a bad movie.

And…

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My Confident, Likely Wrong 2019 Oscar Predictions

My Confident, Likely Wrong 2019 Oscar Predictions

Sunday night will be an Oscar ceremony unlike any that we have ever seen before. No host, non-actors as presenters, and negative feelings about the Academy’s attempts to shake up the ceremony will make for an interesting telecast. With that in mind, I have little doubt that my 2019 Oscar predictions could be wildly off.

Unlike 2018, where there were few surprises, the 2019 Academy Awards are…

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The Classic Rock Perfection of Queen + Paul Rodgers

The Classic Rock Perfection of Queen + Paul Rodgers

Over the weekend, I caught up on Best Picture Nominee Bohemian Rhapsody (more on that later). Given that I was six when Freddie Mercury died, I never had the chance to catch the arena rock band live. The movie did allow me the chance to revisit one of my favorite live albums: the Queen + Paul Rodgers record Return of the Champions.

The 2005 record is a double live album that was mostly…

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Netflix’s Oscar Odds And Academy Award History

Netflix’s Oscar Odds And Academy Award History

2019 is not Netflix’s first dance with the Academy Awards, but it is the company’s most significant year at the Oscars. The streaming service is up for 15 nominations in some of the industry’s most important categories.

Two Netflix films (Roma and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs) were recognized in major categories like Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress, and Best Director. Alfonson Cuaron’s R…

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Conan’s New Podcast Is Comedy Gold

Conan’s New Podcast Is Comedy Gold

Conan O’Brien has spent parts of four decades in television. I have been a fan since the mid-2000s, using Late Night as an excuse to procrastinate while writing college papers. Despite the vast comedy brilliance that has brought more laughter to me than any other late-night host, Conan’s new podcast Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend is the perfect medium for the comedian.

The podcast began in…

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With The Return Of True Detective, HBO's 2019 Lineup Poised For Monster Year

With The Return Of True Detective, HBO’s 2019 Lineup Poised For Monster Year

In January, HBO answered its biggest question mark of the year with the return of a series in need of a rebound. Thankfully, the new True Detectiveis good again. Led by Mahershala Ali, the show is recapturing its magic with a similar story arc that made season one successful. True Detective is not the only show in the premium channel’s powerhouse year. HBO’s 2019 lineup will offer an incredible…

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Steve Gunn Shreds His Way Through Union Transfer Set

Steve Gunn Shreds His Way Through Union Transfer Set

I am fortunate to live in a city that is a regular tour stop for a host of bands. I am even luckier to be in an area that has a tremendous homegrown music scene. One truly special Philadelphia-bred musician, Steve Gunn, played a show at Union Transfer on Saturday night.

The Lansdowne, PA native and former member of Kurt Vile’s band was touring in support of his tremendous new album The Unseen…

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Steve Gunn Reaches New Heights With The Unseen In Between

Steve Gunn Reaches New Heights With The Unseen In Between

I will try to approach the next eleven months with an open mind, but my favorite album of 2019 might have been released just eighteen days into the year. Singer-songwriter Steve Gunn’s The Unseen In Between is an incredible record that I can’t stop listening to.

I had been waiting for this album from Steve Gunn. Not because of anything on the record itself. I am thrilled that he is finally…