Top Picks: The Smithsonian Channel's 'First Ladies Revealed,' the Fresh Air app, and more
'The LEGO Batman Movie' features the return of hit 'LEGO' character Batman, singer Ariana Grande brought together artists including Chris Martin of Coldplay, Katy Perry, and Miley Cyrus to perform a benefit concert in Manchester, England, and more top picks.
Reuters
Healing concert
Following the bombing in Manchester, England, after an Ariana Grande concert, Grande brought together artists including Chris Martin of Coldplay, Katy Perry, and Miley Cyrus to perform a benefit concert in the city. One Love Manchester is available on Grande’s YouTube page at http://bit.ly/manchestergrande. The end of the video has one of the concert’s most touching moments, when Grande sang a lovely version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Perfect match
Songwriter, producer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Larson (aka Violents) realized that even he couldn’t do it all. So he brought in a singer, Monica Martin, who proved to be the magic ingredient his charming compositions needed, and suddenly his cocoon hatched a butterfly. Larson’s soaring and inventive music on Awake and Pretty Much Sober will surely captivate you, as Martin’s effervescent vocals float above the layers of electronic samples, strings, and piano and brass accents. It’s a match made in pop heaven.
Influential women
For the Fourth of July holiday, learn more about the women who stood by America’s presidents with the new Smithsonian Channel series First Ladies Revealed. It explores the lives of various first ladies, including Dolley Madison, Jackie Kennedy, and Michelle Obama, and the impact each has had on the United States. The first episode airs July 2 at 9 p.m.
Weather plan
The Fresh Air app features beautiful design and information such as humidity levels and the amount of snow that has accumulated, and it also lets you check the weather for events like that wedding you’ll be attending or a beach day. The app is free for iOS.
Whiplash wit
After the success of “The LEGO Movie,” Batman landed his own story in The LEGO Batman Movie. Monitor film critic Peter Rainer writes of the movie, which features Will Arnett as the voice of the Caped Crusader and Michael Cera as the voice of Robin, “At its best, it has the same whiplash wit and inspired freneticism” as the original. It’s available on DVD and Blu-ray.