Rodeo Lineup Revealed

The superstar acts among the Houston Rodeo's 2014 concert lineup are . . .

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo changed things up this year, waiting until 11:59 p.m. on a Sunday to reveal its full 2014 concert lineup rather than breaking it up into several releases.

Still, the midnight hour certainly hasn't turned the Rodeo into a pumpkin. Not with a lineup that includes Luke Bryan (March 17), Brad Paisley (opening night March 4), Blake Shelton (March 20), Usher (March 7), Reba (March 6), 2013 one-song sensation Robin Thicke (March 18), tween favorite Selena Gomez (March 9) and REO Speedwagon (March 11). Anticipation for these Rodeo lineups has grown so heated that the Rodeo site was temporarily overwhelmed by fans checking out the announcement, causing extremely slow load times.

Thicke and Usher are something of crossover coups for the Rodeo, while many of the major country acts are Houston Rodeo regulars. Keith Urban is coming back for the fifth time. For Luke Bryan, it's his third straight Rodeo. And Reba McEntire — whose show figures to be one of the most-sought-after tickets — is returning for the 19th time.

Just looking for eye candy? Adam Levine — People Magazine's reigning Sexiest Man Alive — and the rest of Maroon 5 will be hitting the Rodeo as well.

The full 2014 Rodeo concert lineup:

Tuesday, March 4....................................................................... Brad Paisley

Wednesday, March 5 – Armed Forces Appreciation Day....................................................... Eli Young Band

Thursday, March 6....................................................................................................................................... Reba

Friday, March 7 – Black Heritage Day, sponsored by Kroger ................................................................... Usher

Saturday, March 8........................................................................................................................... Chris Young

Sunday, March 9.......................................................................................................................... Selena Gomez

Monday, March 10................................................................................................................. REO Speedwagon

Tuesday, March 11........................................................................................................................ Jason Aldean

Wednesday, March 12...................................................................................................................... Jake Owen

Thursday, March 13.............................................................................................................................. Maroon 5

Friday, March 14.............................................................................................................................. Keith Urban

Saturday, March 15...................................................................................................................... Hunter Hayes

Sunday, March 16 – Go Tejano Day.................................................................................... Pesado, Banda MS

Monday, March 17..................................................................................... Luke Bryan, presented by Miller Lite

Tuesday, March 18......................................................................................................................... Robin Thicke

Wednesday, March 19*..................................................................................................... Florida Georgia Line

Thursday, March 20...................................................................................................................... Blake Shelton

Friday, March 21........................................................................................................................... Easton Corbin

Saturday, March 22 – RodeoHouston BP Super Series Championship................................. The Band Perry

Sunday, March 23 – RodeoHouston Super Shootout........................................................... Zac Brown Band

This year's lineup has a lot to live up to considering George Strait said his Rodeo goodbye in one of the most anticipated Houston concerts ever in 2013. And Mary J. Blige and Pitbull shook things up as well.

RodeoHouston is not afraid to embrace the future though. Houston's entertainment granddaddy became the 10th most checked in Facebook location in the United States in 2013, putting it up there with places like Walt Disney World and Fenway Park despite the fact that it's only a three-week-long event. With more than 300,000 Facebook fans and a record-shattering 2.5 million visitors, the Houston Rodeo is arguably more popular than ever in its 83rd year.

The 2014 Houston Rodeo runs from March 4 to March 23. Season tickets for all the Rodeo concerts are available here. Individual tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.

Usher

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Movie Review

George Clooney shines in Jay Kelly, a sharp and heartfelt look at fame

Photo by Peter Mountain/Netflix

George Clooney in Jay Kelly.

The life of a celebrity is paradoxical in that your life is lived in the public eye, yet who you really are is almost unknowable. Movie history is littered with films that try to dig into the private lives of real and fictional actors, with varying results. The latest film to try to unearth what it means to be famous is Jay Kelly.

In a perfect bit of casting, George Clooney stars in the title role as an actor who’s still world famous even if he’s edging toward the downside of his career. His coterie of helpers, including manager Ron (Adam Sandler) and publicist Liz (Laura Dern), make sure he is taken care of at every turn, often anticipating his needs before he realizes it.

A run-in with an old friend, Timothy (Billy Crudup), sends Jay spiraling, questioning not just the meaning of his 35-plus year career, but also his relationships with his two daughters, Jessica (Riley Keough) and Daisy (Grace Edwards). Jay’s attempt to manage the crisis pits his identity as a celebrity and as a father and friend against each other.

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, and co-written by Emily Mortimer (who has a small role), the film has to walk the tightrope of making the audience like Jay even as he does and says things that might make him unlikable. There’s a very thin line between the character of Jay Kelly and the real life George Clooney; each is seemingly infinitely charming when dealing with the public, but they lead very different private lives.

Baumbach takes a light approach to the story, occasionally dipping into more serious territory but never going too deep. For some, this may seem like a copout, as if he’s merely pretending to want to explore what celebrity truly is. But as you see Jay navigate his way between his work, his family, and being out among the public, little details emerge that make him increasingly complex.

A lot of the film’s pleasure comes from the strong actors cast in relatively minor roles. There are not enough words to express what it means to have actors like Jim Broadbent as Jay’s mentor, or Greta Gerwig as Ron’s wife, or Stacy Keach as Jay’s father, or Patrick Wilson as a fellow longtime actor. Each of them and more lend an instant air of excellence to the film that elevates the story beyond its simple premise.

Clooney may be playing a version of himself, but as the film notes on multiple occasions, playing yourself is more difficult than it seems. He is deserving of an Oscar nomination, as is Sandler, who doesn’t give off even a whiff of insincerity as a man who has given perhaps a bit too much of himself in aid of another man’s career.

Jay Kelly is not a world-changing film, and some may accuse it of being another navel-gazing Hollywood story. But the forcefulness of Clooney’s performance, the long line of strong supporting actors, and the subtly effective storytelling by Baumbach and Mortimer (making her feature screenwriting debut) help it become much more than might be expected.

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Jay Kelly is now playing in select theaters. It debuts on Netflix on December 5.

movies film

Rodeo Lineup Revealed

The superstar acts among the Houston Rodeo's 2014 concert lineup are . . .

Usher

Movie Review

George Clooney shines in Jay Kelly, a sharp and heartfelt look at fame

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