Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas appear at Chicago Premium Outlets

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas conduct a brief Q&A session at Chicago Premium Outlets 

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas received a warm welcome from hundreds of screaming fans who gathered at the Chicago Premium Outlets to see them and for a chance to meet them.

Simon Premium Outlets is the retail sponsor of their tour. There was a event page where people were asked to register and RSVP about a week or two ago, which meant nothing because the staff registered people on the spot. Some people in line didn't even know about it. Good thing we got there early, 7:45 a.m. to be exact.

We waited in line until about 10:30 a.m., then we went through security and made our way to the stage where we got a front row view.

The event was organized well as dozens of police officers where scattered around to make sure everyone was safe. The staff at the mall took care of the crowd by handing out bottles of water and sunglasses.

The DJ and the "pump up squad" as I like to call them, kept us entertained for another two hours until Demi and Nick arrived just after 1 p.m. That is when the madness ensued.

People pushed their way forward and the barricade almost flipped, thank goodness for security.

The actual Q&A session could have been much better. It went by so fast I don't even remember the questions. I think one was about what inspired one of Nick's songs and if Demi was into Pokemon Go. It was nothing juicy and newsworthy.

To be honest I was more entertained with pump up squad and the DJ, but it always fun to see Demi and Nick. Before they left they came around said hi to people and shook some hands.

LondonHouse Rooftop makes its debut

Summertime in Chicago means hitting up all the rooftops and patios while you can. This season everyone is talking about the LH Rooftop, the city's first tri-level rooftop lounge at the new LondonHouse Hotel. The hotel is located at 85 E. Upper Wacker Drive along the Chicago River, offering incredible views of the city.

I made reservations the first day the site went live back in May and within that day reservations for June had filled up. Fortunately, I managed to grab a reservation for the end of June. But if you can't get a reservation don't worry! LondonHouse recently announced they would be taking daily walk-ins in the afternoons. If you are looking to guarantee you'll get in, check out their website for the different options of reservations.

As for the service, the staff was nice and attentive. It was busy for a Tuesday night and I could tell some of the staff were running around like crazy making sure everyone had what they needed and that people were having a good time.

The crafted signature cocktails cost around $15. Isn't that kind of expensive? Yes and that's to be expected. But are the Instagram perfect views, cool Snapchats and selfies worth it? Yes, of course!
If you're looking for beer, they have a nice selections of craft beers at reasonable price. Cheers!

DNCE performs at North Avenue Beach in Chicago

Joe Jonas, lead singer of DNCE, performs at Castaways at North Avenue Beach.

On Saturday DNCE performed an exclusive show at Castaways at North Avenue Beach. The band is currently on tour with Selena Gomez.

About a week ago, I got one of those e-mail blast newsletters from 103.5 KISS FM which included details about a contest to win passes to see DNCE. All you had to do was tweet a photo or video of yourself getting cake smashed in your face and you were entered for a chance to win passes. My sister and I both entered and we each won a pair of passes.
Check out mine below if you missed it!

Dreaming I'll eat #CakeByTheLake this weekend! #ContestEntry @1035KISSFM @DNCE pic.twitter.com/PF28TBQRdY

— Raymond Garcia (@raymondagarcia) June 20, 2016

DNCE performed "Toothbrush" and their smash hit "Cake By The Ocean." It was a very intimate performance, I would say there were only about 30 to 40 people on the patio deck. Everyone had the chance to get up close and have a great view for the perfect Snapchat photo and video. I'm pretty sure Joe Jonas was looking directly at my phone as I took a Snapchat video but my sister who was standing in front of me said the same thing...

Cole Whittle, bass guitarist for the band, performs at Castaways.

The band played acoustic versions of their songs and they seemed relaxed. It was extremely hot especially with the sun beaming down us so thank you DNCE for starting on time!

As soon as they finished the band left the stage and headed down toward their vehicle. Security was blocking the entrance we came in to keep everyone from rushing down the stairs. Apparently we were one of the few people smart enough to go find one of the other exits because everyone else just sort of stood around it seemed like. Our efforts paid off because I got a selfie with Joe as he made his way back to his car.

Walking Map of Chicago's Michigan Avenue

Chicago's Michigan Avenue, also known as the Magnificent Mile, is home to world class shops, restaurants and other cultural attractions. Hit the pavement on this walking tour that will take you from Oak Street Beach to Millennium Park.

Architecture major reflects on program

Alan Dang is a senior architecture major at Ball State University. He always loved building things as a child and working with his hands. Dang plans to graduate in this upcoming May and plans to attend graduate school for architecture. In this news package, Dang discusses his interest in architecture and how the program at Ball State has evolved.

Arts in Muncie

What began as a manufacturing town is now a central hub for arts and culture.

Muncie, Indiana has an economic out of $89 million according to a study done by the Ball State Center for Business and Economic Research. The arts and culture is a contributing factor.

Check out this video to see what leaders in the art community in Muncie have to say. 

PHOTOS: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis at Ball State

Grammy awarding win duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis played a concert at Emens Auditorium on Wednesday Feb. 3. They have been on tour promoting their new album which comes out on Feb. 26. Check out some photos from their concert in Muncie, Indiana.  

Student describes passion for design

Megan Bright is a senior apparel design major at Ball State University

Megan Bright hopes to one day create costume for the film industry. Bright is an apparel design major at Ball State University. After graduating in May, she hopes to move to Los Angeles and pursue her dream. Ever since she was a girl, Bright loved sewing and creating pieces. She even designed her own prom dress after she decided to attend at the last minute. View the audio slideshow to find out more about her insight on design and fashion.

The busiest man in the business

"I think the legacy that I hope to leave is that people think of me as their friend on the radio, their friend on TV, who made it look pretty easy and was a source or a conduit for escapism," -Ryan Seacrest

Photo: Business Wire

Ryan Seacrest is a media mogul. he does it all from radio and television to producing and editing. He is one of the only people to ever have partnerships with the big four broadcast networks. Viewers have seen his on-air work through his hosting on Fox's "American Idol," live correspondence from the Olympics on NBC and interviewing the biggest names in Hollywood on E!'s "Live From The Red Carpet." Listeners can hear him weekdays on his nationally syndicated radio show on KISS FM and American Top 40. These are just some of the many hats he wear in the business.

The quote at the top appeared in an interview with GQ where he discussed how he handles being one of the hardest working people in Hollywood. Many people have grown up watching him and he has become a familiar face whether it is on "American Idol or counting down the new year on "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve" on ABC. In the quote he describes how he wants to be an outlet for people. He wants to be a friendly face to them and wants them show them what is going on in the world of pop culture.

Actors and academy members comment on the Oscar controversy

With the Academy Awards just weeks away, actors and members of the academy continue to weigh in on the lack of diversity in the nominees this year. For the second year in a year no actors of color were nominated in the acting categories, which has caused an uproar.

Penelope Ann Miller, member of the academy, said it was a competitive year in film and she supports the talent of black people.

She told The Hollywood Reporter, "To imply we are racists is extremely offensive."

Another member of the member said race was the furthest thing from his mind when his cast his ballot and he was also extremely offended.

Actress Halle Berry, who is the first and only African American woman to win the Oscar for best actress said the lack of diversity is "heartbreaking." Berry believed that her win was a break through for African American women but she is disappointed that no other woman of color has won since she won 15 years ago.

Actress Helen Mirren defended the academy and doesn't think it is fair to attack them. She said the industry needs to look at what films are made and how they are cast.

The problem with the lack of diversity in the nominations is not with the academy, but with the studios who are creating films. More films featuring people of color and different backgrounds need to be made in order to create more diversity. It is not the academy's fault if they don't not have enough movies about a variety of people to examine and vote on. Casting directors should hire actors of color.