Christmas Tale of Two Cities, Glendale Galleria & London; Lance Bass brings sparkle at Vanguard Awards; and Sharon Jones & the Dap Tones in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

By Laura Medina

The Holiday Season or exactly, Christmas Season, has become a three-ring circus.  A cheery cross-cultural, cross-continental celebration of Christmas happened concurrently at the same time in two different shopping districts in two different cities, Glendale, California and Regent Street in London.

Of course, a good eight hours ahead, London's Christmas Tree Lighting went ahead on it's top shopping street, Regent Street, to officially start the Christmas Season, a good month ahead of the usual American Christmas shopping.

 

For American actor, Ty Burrell of ABC's "Modern Family" and American director of DreamWorks Animation film "Mr. Peabody and Sherman," Rob Minkoff, this was a special treat for them, a pair of Yanks helping launch Merry Ole Christmas in the heart of London.

This is today's London.  Today's top British singers, Leona Lewis and the beloved Sporty Spice (Mel C.) and Ginger Spice (Geri Halliwell) gave an holiday concert then this cross-cultural group of Americans and Brits, all together, push the button to launch Christmas in London.  First, fireworks blasted then a series of ring street lamps spread up Regent Street, starting the English Holiday Season.

Once London's Christmas celebration was finished, it was early morning fresh start for the Glendale Galleria with locals lining up, first thing on a Saturday California morning, for Kyle and Kendal Kardashian at the PacSun shop then a special performance for all the Glendale Galleria shoppers...

A pair Christmas elves on stilts pirouetted and high kicked for the curious crowd, waking them out of their morning blurriness.

The extravaganza warmed up with an angelic aerialist twisting and turning in a loop.

Folks ooohed and awwwed when an unassuming juggler hopped on a hoop then did handstand on it but....

the real magic happened when a third acrobat join the juggler and the aerialist for a Cirque du Soliel-sque acrobatics of human chairs and ladders.  Even, the stilt walkers were gasping.

Eventually, Santa has to appear to official start the Christmas Season in Glendale.  It didn't stop there...

Another pair of stilt walkers greeted shoppers and families at the main entrance.

The day finished into a raucous choir of street drummers to jazz up shoppers into the night.

If you want to learn more about these performers, go to http://karlarossproductions.com/

When the celebrations faded away into the night at the Glendale Galleria, things were just warming up at the Vanguard Awards, providing holiday wattage from the likes of Lance Bass, Taryn Manning, Dan Bucatinsky, and the cast of "Orange is the New Black."

Amid the Christmas spectacle, one cannot forget the All-American holiday, Thanksgiving.

Retro/Neo-Soul, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are going to perform on a Float in the 87^th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

For Sharon, "In looking forward to performing on Thanksgiving, Sharon Jones recollected, “Getting to take part in this parade is so thrilling; I’ve been watching it on television since I was a young girl.” She added, “I have traveled a hard road this year and being thankful is something I relate to deeply,” says Jones."

This is their way of giving folks a "taste" of their upcoming release,  "Give The People What They Want" out January 14 on Daptone Records; and almost a month later, they'll start their nation wide tour at New York’s Beacon Theatre on February 6.

 Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings 2014 Tour Dates:
Feb 6 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
Feb 11 Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre
Feb 13 Durham, NC – Carolina Theatre
Feb 14 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
Feb 15 Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
Feb 17 Charleston, NC – Music Farm
Feb 18 Orlando, FL – Beacham Theater
Feb 20 St. Petersburg, FL – The State Theatre
Feb 21 Pensacola, FL – Vinyl Music Hall

Feb 22 New Orleans, LA – House of Blues

Feb 25 Houston, TX – House of Blues

Feb 26 Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater

Feb 27 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater

Mar 1 Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall

Mar 2 St. Louis, MO – The Pageant

Mar 4 Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue

Mar 5 Iowa City, IA – The Englert Theatre

Mar 6 Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater

Mar 8 Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall

Mar 17 Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre

Mar 18 Santa Fe, NM – The Lensic Performing Arts Center

Mar 20 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre

Mar 21 Phoenix, AZ – Heritage Square (Pavilion)

Mar 22 San Diego, CA – House of Blues

Mar 25 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern

Mar 27 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

Mar 28 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

Mar 29 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

Apr 1 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom

Apr 2 Seattle, WA – The Showbox

Apr 3 Seattle, WA – The Showbox

Apr 4 Victoria, BC – Alix Goolden Hall

Apr 5 Vancouver, BC – The Commodore Ballroom

Apr 9 Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre

Apr 11 Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
Apr 15 Detroit, MI – Majestic Theater

Special fan pre-sale begins November 12^th on the band'’s website while standard ticketing begins Friday November 15^th.

After spending the past two years battling cancer,  Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are ready to roll!