Hi there J-14ers!

It's crazy that after an excruciating year-long wait since its predecessor, in the fastest 130 minutes ever, it was all over.

There was the debate over whether Taylor Lautner would be recast, there were the surprise big-name casting announcements (Dakota Fanning!), and there was the endless speculation about whether on-screen sparks between Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart had lead to a real-life relationship.

But strip away the controversies and hype around The Twilight Saga: New Moon (opening tomorrow), and what you have is simple story anyone can relate to: a young girl with a "hole" in her heart after losing her first love.

Sure, with its sleeker makeup (less campy, more vamp-y) and high-tech special effects (sparkles worth "ooh"-ing for), New Moon is more of a slick "Hollywood" film than the gritty indy feel of the first Twilight. But at the core, it retains what has turned it into an international phenomenon -- the irresistible eternal love story between Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, this century's Romeo and Juliet.

And then, of course, there's the werewolf factor -- which heats up this movie (literally!). With Rob Pattinson as the clear central character of the first film, skeptics doubted whether 17-year-old Taylor Lautner could step into the role of a physically more powerful character, Jacob Black.

From the first millisecond he appears on screen, there's no doubt that this guy was born to play this role. His age is barely a factor, as he steps it up big time, taking charge -- both flirting with and protecting Bella. Taylor shows he's got the chops to take what was a three-scene role in the first movie into leading-man territory.

Oh, and did I mention yet that this serious heart-wrenching vampire-werewolf movie is actually funny?! The theater erupted in laughter constantly -- from the wisecracks of Bella's high school friends to the endearing one-liners from Bella's dad, Charlie (dare we suggest Team Charlie?!).

But whether you're Team Jacob or Team Edward (which I clearly remain after this movie!), New Moon is really all about Team Bella. Kristen Stewart is the true star of the film -- capturing the realness of the confusing times of heartache, heartbreak, and ultimately true love.

And I promise you no spoilers, but I'll guarantee you one thing -- the very last line will leave you screaming... and wishing you could borrow Hermione's time-turner from Rob's other movie franchise, Harry Potter, to fast-forward to June 30, when The Twilight Saga: Eclipse hits theaters!

Let the countdown to Eclipse begin!

As soon as you see New Moon, let us know what you think!

Can't wait to hear all your thoughts!
Rachel
J-14 Editor

Photo: Courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Hey there J-14ers!

I don't know what it is about The Academy Is...'s William "Bill" Beckett -- but there's something so magnetic about the way he performs that I can't take my eyes off of him. Maybe it's the the way his long lanky legs march up and down the stage, maybe it's the too-cute grins that seep out from the corner of his mouth, or maybe it's the way he sings his heart out with all his soul. Whatever it is, Bill is the definition of a rockstar.

The irony is... when the band first hit the stage in New York City last Wednesday night as the headliners of the Alternative Press Fall Ball tour (with Mayday Parade, The Secret Handshake, You Me At Six, and Set Your Goals), we didn't recognize him at first. It was the first time I'd seen him perform with his new haircut (I know, so old news) and he looked so different in his spiffy tuxedo t-shirt and suspenders that we thought he was Zac Efron! Even the way his locks framed his face were so Zac-ish (in a good way!).

But once he started singing the TAI classics like "About A Girl" (prob my all-time fave song of theirs!), there was no doubt that it was 110% pure Bill Beckett. The band also performed tracks off their new EP, Lost in Pacific Time -- The AP/EP, out now.

Unfortunately the tour wraps up Sunday in Pittsburgh at the Altar Bar -- but at the rate these guys are going, there's no doubt they'll be rockin' well into 2010.

In the meantime, check out one of my guilty pleasures, Bill's blog at thewilliambeckettblog.com

What do you guys think of The Academy Is... (and are we totally crazy for thinking for a minute that he was Zac Efron?! ;) ).

Can't wait to hear from you!
Rachel
J-14 Editor

Hey J-14ers,

Yesterday was a busy day for us at J-14! In the middle of all of it, I was lucky enough to check out Mayday Parade live at the Fillmore at Irving Plaza -- I've been a fan of the band since they went on tour with Brandston back in 2006.

Mayday Parade was so energetic it was almost contagious! Actually, it was completely contagious if you saw the huge crowd that was not just singing along to every song -- a group of guys in the back formed their own mosh pit and one girl attempted crowd surfing! I was psyched because they performed my fave Mayday song, "Miserable At Best," and I even got to meet guitarist Alex Garcia after the show!

Mayday Parade is currently part of the Fall Ball '09 tour -- The Academy Is... headlines the shows, and both bands are supported by Set Your Goals, The Secret Handshake, and You Me At Six -- and their first headlining tour starts November 27. Their new album, Anywhere But Here, is on sale now! Check out Mayday Parade's tour dates after the jump.

I'm such a fan that, I even bought a pair of Mayday Parade shorts! Hello, they were kelly green and awesome! Which reminds me -- I used to collect tees from every show I went to. Are you guys into buying band gear at shows? And who are you dying to see live this winter?

<3,
Emily, J-14 editor

Hey J-14-ers!
 
Interns Nicole and Steph here! Last Wednesday, we had the opportunity to see the awesome indie rock band Say Anything in concert at the Highline Ballroom in New York City and we're so excited to dish all the details for you guys! Though neither of us were too familiar with the band, as two girls with a huge appreciation for all types of music genres, Say Anything definitely gained two fans by the end of the show!
 
The intimate venue was perfect for the band's off-beat vibe. The 19-song set (wow, these guys must have been beat afterwards with the way they were running around the stage!) was one of the most energetic shows that we have ever seen, that had just about everybody in the room head-bobbing, body-jumping, and fist-pumping! They rocked New York with songs from their past two records and a bunch of songs from their new self-titled album which dropped November 3.
 
Opening with a new (and still relatively unfamiliar song to the fans), "Fed to Death," it wasn't until the second song, when the audience was greeted with the sound of a phone ringing that the crowd went absolutely crazy (as did Nicole, since she knew the words to this song)! "Wow, I Can...," is a high energetic song with a catchy beat that just about everyone in the audience was singing (and dancing!) along to and that we will likely have stuck in our heads all week! (Steph's been jamming to this song nonstop ever since the concert! It's such a fun song to rock out and dance to!)
 
Lead singer Max Bemis's stage presence, humor, and charisma carried the show along smoothly. When an audience member shouted, "I love you!" Max was on his feet with a remark. "I love everyone," he said with pause, "I hate everyone," he countered, making the crowds go wild, before launching the band in to the next song, the first single off their new album. "Hate Everyone," left the crowd in a frenzy as enthusiastic fans (guys and girls alike!) crowd surfed to the stage to rock out with the band before launching off in to a sea of entranced fans. Too funny! One guy even lost his shoe as he made his way through the crowd to the stage! No worries though, Max flung the shoe back out to the crowd so that it was returned to its owner! (We remained safely away from the stage! ;))
 
Eisley opened up the show and set the energy for Say Anything with a set of indie, rock, and pop songs. The band consists of four siblings (and a cousin!) who definitely know how to rock! Sherri Dupree, rhythm guitar and vocals, is married to Max, the lead singer of Say Anything and they were brought out during each other's band's set, which was so cute! Sherri harmonized with Max during Say Anything's new song 'Cemetery,' which was one of Nicole's favorite songs in the set. It was so sweet! Lead singer and keyboardist, Stacy DuPree, reminded me of Paramore's Haley Williams -- if you like Paramore, definitely give them a listen!
 
Overall, the concert was so much fun! We've never been to a concert with so much energy before -- where you could tell the crowd was feeling every single word the singer put out there. They definitely know how to engage the crowd with fun banter and interaction between the songs. This band knows how to rock and it's very clear that they love doing it. After the concert, the first thing we did was go home and buy their music off of iTunes!
 
Check out their official page at: SayAnythingMusic.com!
 
<3 Your J-14 Interns,
 Nicole & Steph

And check out this pic from the show we took:

Hey J-14ers,

Back in the day, I was a huge fan of the punk group, The Donnas. They were four girls who loved music and refused to let anyone tell them they couldn't rock as hard as the boys. Flash forward to right now, and you've got Care Bears On Fire following in The Donnas' footsteps. The trio just released a music video for their single, "Barbie Eat A Sandwich," and I want to know what you think. Weight and eating disorders is a huge issue for so many teens, and CBOF is putting their own spin on the matter.

Are you into Care Bears on Fire's all-girl punk rock sound? What do you think about their message?

Check it out and comment below to let J-14 know!

<3,
Emily, J-14 editor

Photo: Courtesy of The Riker Brothers

Hey J-14ers!

I'll admit it - I'm obsessed. I don't just catch Greek every week, I DVR it so I can rewatch ibecause there's nothing better than Ashleigh's crazy fashions, Rusty's 'can't-catch-a-break' girl drama, or the Cappie-Casey-Evan love triangle. Plus it's hilarious.

And tonight's mid-season finale, "Friend or Foe," looks so good! I've always been Team Casey & Cappie, so I hope they're officially back together after last week's kiss. And what's up with Cappie and Evan? I definitely spotted cops in the preview which doesn't look promising for their rekindled friendship. As much as I want to find all that out (trust me, I'm so counting down to 9 p.m.!), I'm also really sad because that means no more new episodes of Greek until January!

It's okay though, because High School Musical 3's Olesya Rulin is back for her guest-starring role as one of the Zeta Beta Zeta pledges, and she's choreographing a dance routine for the ZBZ house -- how HSM of her!

Check out the Greek mid-season finale this Monday, November 2, at 9/8 central on ABC Family, then head back to j-14.com and let me know what you think!

Are you as excited to find out about Casey and Cappie as I am?

<3,
Emily, J-14 Editor

Photos: Courtesy of ABC Family

Hey J-14ers (and Adam fans, hello)!!

It's finally here!

"For Your Entertainment," the first official single off of Adam Lambert's debut album with the same name, hit the radio on Ryan Seacrest's KISSFM radio show this morning. It only took minutes for Twitter and blogs to explode with opinions on the highly anticipated single from American Idol's fierce & fabulous (and my fave) runner-up! With a catchy, pop vibe and a fun chorus, the song makes me want to get up on my feet and dance! And as a huge Adam fan, I think he totally delivered. I love it and can't wait to hear what else "Glambert" has in store for us with his album. If you missed the single's premiere this morning, listen to it on: AdamOfficial.com, or Adam's official MySpace page!

"There are songs that dip into an electro, pop feel, like this one, and then there's songs on the album that have guitars, live drums, a real rock sound," Lambert told Seacrest on the air this morning, describing what to expect on the album. "There's something for everybody and there's something for every mood." I've got high expectations for the album and its collaborations with Lady Gaga, Pink, and Muse! Adam's album For Your Entertainment drops November 23rd, and I will definitely be picking it up!

Sooo: Love it or Hate it? What do you think, J-14ers? Are you as excited for Adam's album as I am? What about Kris Allen's album? Dish with me below!

Your J-14 Intern,
<3 Nicole

Photo: Courtesy of RCA Records

Hey there J-14ers!

There's nothing I love more than gabbing about pop culture with my friends... so when I was invited to chat with the fab & funny gals of PopEater's Girls on Pop, I was totally psyched!

We had a total blast talking about J14.com's exclusive scoop on Kevin Jonas' upcoming wedding, the upcoming J-14 interview with Kim Kardashian, and YOUR Team Adam Lambert vs. Team Kris Allen battle on our blog!

And of course, I had to throw in the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato's "Bounce" video (um, should I be embarrassed that I actually did the ham & cheese and the chicken wing on the podcast?! I obvi need Big Rob to show me how to bounce. ;))

Check out the episode here:

Here I am (looking all cool with headphones -- ha!) with PopEater's Amber!

And for more PopEater Girls on Pop, click here:
PopEater: Girls on Pop: Our Inappropriate Love

Be honest -- tell me what you guys think!

Can't wait to hear from you!
Rachel ;)