Over the past four years, few have risen as quickly as Lana Del Rey, often referred to as a “Gangsta Nancy Sinatra“. Known for her moody, cinematic Catalog of self-penned Tunes which pay homage to Americana of another era, Del Rey is an Artist and a Woman in complete control of her image and musical vision.

This marks the third time Del Rey has visited Toronto, playing Molson Amphitheatre on the Toronto leg of her sold-out Endless Summer Tour. Her Encore-free Set, preceded by Grimes, was an abbreviated 13 songs which certainly are not short on quality. I as a huge Fan of hers however, couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed seeing her perform live for the first time. Believe me, I always find the positive in things, and totally get the understated elegance which Del Rey possesses, but I couldn’t help but feel a great disconnection between her and her material. Perhaps she long is over the phase in her life to which she is confined to singing on some of her older material on this Tour – or maybe she is just fatigued from aggressive touring, but my honest impression is that Del Rey didn’t seem happy about being on-tour. Tunes like Video Games and Shades of Cool simply didn’t translate as well live for me after impacting me so deeply on-recording and vocally some of her performances were off-the-mark.

Nonetheless still, I am still happy to say I’ve seen her perform live at last, although I wish the circumstances were different and that I got more value out of this experience. The fatal omission of one of her signature songs, Young & Beautiful also had me baffled. Lana Del Rey however still to me is a Goddess, all this aside.

Del Rey did mention that she will have a new Disc out this Fall titled Honeymoon, which of course has me excited and perhaps I’ll need to see her again live again when she’s in inspired mode to give it a fair evaluation…

One thing that irks me though is that Toronto Fans were among the first to get Del Rey on the map and in her last two Tours in the City, she’s given little back to Fans.  We hear amazing stories in other Cities how she takes the time after her Shows to greet her hoards of Devotees.  Her Show at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts last Spring had her being scooted away quickly as hundreds of Fans waited patiently by the Stage Door to see her.  Ditto again this time as she was snuck-out of the venue away from Fan view and believe me, hundreds were waiting again.  What gives?

See some Snaps:

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:39pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:38pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:37pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 7:03pm PDT

Nobody does the Upfronts bigger than Bell Media year after year, and in celebration of their forthcoming Fall/Midseason Lineup, they brought out some of their big guns to pitch to Media Buyers at a Special Presentation at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.

Talent at the Bell Media Upfronts this year included Stars from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, How To Get Away with Murder, Gotham, Grey’s Anatomy, Saving Hope and new Series like Quantico, Blindspot, The Catch (from Shonda Rhimes), Lucifer and Code Black.

See some of the names in-town for the Affair:

Look who came in at the last minute! #BellMediaUpfronts #CTVUpfronts #TheFlash

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:38pm PDT

  #CharlieWeber and me, here for #HowtogetawaywithMurder. #FrankDelfino #BellMediaUpfronts #CTVUpfronts   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 6:23pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 6:19pm PDT

Jaimie Alexander (Blindspot)

 

Sorry, one last pic with my fave person of the #CTVUpfronts, #JaimieAlexander, star of #AgentsofShield. Total Babe. #LadySif #Sif #Thor #BellMediaUpfronts #BellUpfront #CTVupfront

 

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:51pm PDT

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 3, 2015 at 6:14pm PDT

  #NickBlood of #AgentsofShield. #CTVUpfronts #BellMediaUpfronts #LanceHunter   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:35pm PDT

#VictorGarber at #CTVUpfronts for #LegendsofTomorrow. #BellMediaUpfronts #DrMartinStein

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:27pm PDT

  #CamrenBicondova + #DavidMazouz at the #CTVUpfronts for #Gotham. #SelinaKyle #BruceWayne #Catwoman #Batman #BellMediaUpfronts   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:14pm PDT

#BenHollingsworth of #CodeBlack at the #CTVUpfronts. #BellMediaUpfronts

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:13pm PDT

  #BonnieSommerville at the #CTVUpfronts for #CodeBlack. #BellMediaUpfronts   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:12pm PDT

#JackyIdo at the #CTVUpfronts for #TheCatch. #BellMediaUpfronts

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:11pm PDT

  #JayHayden at #CTVUpfronts for #TheCatch. #BellMediaUpfronts   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:18pm PDT

#TomEllis at #CTVUpfronts for #Lucifer.#BellMediaUpfronts

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:22pm PDT

  #HayleyAtwell at #CTVUpfronts for #AgentCarter. #BellMediaUpfronts #PeggyCarter   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:23pm PDT

#YasmineAlMassri + #JohannaBraddy of new Series, #Quantico. #CTVUpfronts #BellMediaUpfronts

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:29pm PDT

  #EricaDurance at #CTVUpfronts for #SavingHope. #BellMediaUpfronts   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:16pm PDT

#CaityLotz at the #CTVUpfronts for #LegendsofTomorrow. #WhiteCanary #BellMediaUpfronts

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:15pm PDT

  #CiaraRenee at #CTVUpfronts for #LegendsofTomorrow. #Hawkgirl #BellMediaUpfronts   A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:10pm PDT

#JaimieAlexander at #CTVUpfronts for #AgentsofShield. #BellMediaUpfronts

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 4, 2015 at 3:20pm PDT

President of Bell Media, Phil King, delivered some hard facts to potential Media Buyers.  Last season, CTV aired six of the Top Six new most-watched Series.  Above this, 12 out of their 18 core Primetime Series are less than three years old, pointing-out their commitment to always deliver fresh, evolving programming options.

We’re sure excited to see some of these new Series this Fall/Midseason and thrilled to see the positively awesome Jaimie Alexander get her long overdue moment in the spotlight on new Series, Blindspot. And if there is any one new Program, destined to succeed, we’re certainly placing our bets on prophetically-named Legends of Tomorrow!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Although it doesn’t have the starpower it’s had in years past, the Rogers Upfronts are here today, a prelude to three days of Special Presentations to Media Buyers for the upcoming Television Season from Canada’s Broadcasting Giants.

Here to ring-in the festivities, among others is acting Veteran Robert Patrick who stars in SCORPION as Cabe Gallo, set to air a second season on CITY.  The Series centers around a Computer Expert who calls on his genius friends to help solve problems and save lives.

Patrick who has appeared in several high-profile TV Series and Films including True Blood, Sons of Anarchy, Walk the Line, The Sopranos and Terminator 2: Judgment Day made a visit to Breakfast Television unannounced and was awesome to stop for some Photos with Fans who were excited to see what surprises Rogers had to unveil.

We hear that an acclaimed Teen Star from an eagerly-awaited new Series will be unveiled tonight too!  News was announced earlier that The Mindy Project, despite no longer getting major network distribution in the U.S., will continue to air in Canada on the Network, while new additions like Muppet Show, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, Scream Queens from Glee and American Horror Story Creator Ryan Murphy, will debut this Fall on CITY too.

See a Preview of their Fall/Mid-Season Lineup:

See our Snap:

With #RobertPatrick, in town promoting new series, #Scorpion at the Rogers Upfronts! #SonsofAnarchy #TrueBlood #EndlessLove #BridgetoTerabithia #WalkTheLine #Terminator

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 2, 2015 at 8:22am PDT

(Photo/video credit: CITY/Mr. Will Wong)

Easily one of the hottest leading men of the ’90s, Dermot Mulroney has built an eclectic career on memorable roles including August: Osage County, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Grey and more recently, Insidious: Chapter 3 and TV series, Shameless.

The Actor currently is in Toronto working on Drama Lavender, in which he stars opposite Abbie Cornish. The Thriller has a Woman revisiting her childhood, forced to revisit a massacre in which her life was spared.

We spotted the Actor out and about after a day of work on a grocery run.  Despite not recognizing him almost in his glasses, Mulroney was kind to stop quickly for a Photo. We honestly thought we were looking at Robert Downey Jr. for a quick moment!  Really.

See our Snap:

Remember #DermotMulroney? The Star is in Toronto filming new Thriller, #LavenderMovie.

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 1, 2015 at 9:27pm PDT

Lavender wraps late June.

(Photo credit: eOne Films/Mr. Will Wong)

American-Canadian Thespian Colm Feore certainly has made us proud. Chicago, The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, Face/Off, The Chronicles of Riddick and more recently popular TV Series Gotham, are among his more high-profile roles over the years in a career on-stage and screen spanning 40 years. Frequently he has appeared at the Stratford Festival and just last year played King Lear to much acclaim.

We spotted Feore out having Burgers with his Family, before heading to do a quick grocery run, a hint he’s here working on something…

The Officer of the Order of Canada, was awesome to stop for a quick Photo, insisting another Fan take my photo versus a Selfie.  What a Gent and an honour!

Our Snap:

Awesome spotting this screen and stage legend, #ColmFeore! A great Man.

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 1, 2015 at 9:23pm PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Colm Feore)

If you’ve seen There’s Something About Mary, chances are the character Woogie has forever left a mark on you! Chris Elliott‘s body of work has ranged from Film to turns on highly-recognizable TV Series like How I Met Your Mother, The Nanny, Wings, Saturday Night Live and now Toronto-filmed Sitcom, Schitt’s Creek.

Elliott in the Series, plays Roland Schitt on the Series about a formerly-wealthy Couple (Eugene Lev forced to start over on their one remaining property in a small town called Schitt’s Creek. The Series wraps filming of its second season at the end of June.

We spotted Elliott stopping for a quick grocery run. Despite working all day, he was more than nice still, taking Selfies with Fans. Coincidentally his Mary Co-Star Lin Shaye also was just in town!

See our Snap:

Awesome meeting this Funnyman, #ChrisElliott. Remember him from #TheresSomethingAboutMary and #SNL? He’s in-town filming #SchittsCreek Season 2.

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Jun 1, 2015 at 9:25pm PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/CBC)

Yesterday we sent-off a Legend.  Known as “The Voice of Woodbine” for the past 29 years, Race Announcer Dan Loiselle now is officially retired after calling his final race yesterday, the Lady Angela Stakes at the Toronto Racecourse.

As a huge Racing Fan, this comes with mixed emotions.  Sure, we are happy to see him get a well-deserved break at last but more for selfish reasons, we are sad to see him go.  Since childhood and as long as I remember going to Woodbine Racetrack, Loiselle‘s voice became synoymous with the thrill of a stretch drive, distancing the Winner that much further from the Runners-up. It could have been a Photo Finish, but Loiselle had you believing the Winner won by a mile. Each Race Call had its own individual story and he never was short on ideas to tell them smartly.  Fans partly were cheering for the horses and jockeys, but few could deny that the excitement of a race finish at Woodbine was heightened considerably by Loiselle‘s exhilarating narrative. The tremor in his Baritone, the perspective and heart of a true Racing Fan. He told each Race as a Fan would see it, but a level of dexterity and accuracy no other Fan ever could.

Upon running into Loiselle this past Winter at an Open House event which he hosted, I semi-jokingly expressed my disapproval of his then-forthcoming retirement, crying “How dare you retire on me Dan!?”.  He gave back an appreciative expression, but I knew at that point he was beyond a doubt certain of his decision and there wouldn’t be any reconsideration. Trust me, we’ve seen many false retirements in the Sport.

It brings me a great sense of pride to know that Loiselle considers me a Friend and upon exchanging hugs before his final Race Call yesterday, he tells me, “Will Wong, you’re a great Friend to have!”.

I’m going to miss Dan Loiselle so much, but know he won’t be that far away.  I wish his Wife Wendy Loiselle, also an Employee at Woodbine nothing but happiness in this next chapter of their lives.  We also look forward greatly to the Race Calls of Robert Geller, who comes to Woodbine Saturday, June 13th, by way of Emerald Downs in Washington.

Some of my favourite Race Calls from Loiselle…

Dance Smartly winning the Breeders’ Stakes:

Sky Classic winning the Rothman’s International:

Benburb winning the Molson Export Million:

Izvestia winning the Queen’s Plate:

Lexie Lou winning the Queen’s Plate:

See our Snap:

So honoured to call this man a Friend. Sad to be sending off The Voice of @woodbineracing, #DanLoiselle today. The joys he has given us racing fans are uncountable. Wishing him a well-deserved and happy retirement! #Woodbine #Racetrack #HorseRacing #GetintheGame

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on May 31, 2015 at 10:52am PDT

Sending off #DanLoiselle in celebratory fashion! A big round of applause for the Voice of @woodbineracing! #Woodbine #Racetrack #HorseRacing #GetintheGame

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on May 31, 2015 at 12:16pm PDT

(Photo/video credit: Woodbine Entertainment/Mr. Will Wong)

Although we haven’t been seeing much of him on-set these days, Alex Meraz v. much still is in Toronto! By chance we saw the Arizona-born Actor earlier today as he had out to train for his still undisclosed role in DC Comics’ SUICIDE SQUAD. Meraz, who had a role in The Twilight Saga as Paul, is also a Dancer and Martial Artist also.

He was amazingly nice to stop for some Photos today and gave me the best Selfie of all! Actually thrilled as we kept missing him on-set these past couple weeks.

Keep a tab – Meraz definitely is a star on the rise.

See our Snap:

OMG. Look who we ran into on the street coincidentally! #AlexMeraz of #SuicideSquad!

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on May 30, 2015 at 12:12pm PDT

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Filming just began this week for ABC Family‘s Shadowhunters, based on Cassandra Clare’s bestselling The Mortal Instruments Series of Young Adult Novels. After some night shoots this week, the Cast had a relaxing day around town.

We spotted stars Harry Shum (Magnus Bane), Isaiah Mustafa (Luke Garroway) and Matthew Daddario (Alec Lightwood) out and about – the former two meeting up for a Movie at Scotiabank Theatre, while the latter was out playing some Basketball before going out to dinner.

All were more than nice to stop for Selfies! Daddario (brother of Alexandra who stars in this weekend’s #1 Movie at the Box Office, San Andreas) made himself presentable even promising a Pic after he showered and walking right over to me after he was Photo-ready!

We know how supportive you Shadowhunters have been so this one is for all of you!

Our Snaps:

Harry Shum

With #HarryShum at the Movies. The #Glee star is filming #Shadowhunters in Toronto, starring as #MagnusBane. #TheMortalInstruments #TMI

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on May 30, 2015 at 4:13pm PDT

With #IsaiahMustafa who stars as #LukeGarraway in #Shadowhunters. Remember him as the #OldSpice Guy? #TheMortalInstruments #TMI

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on May 30, 2015 at 4:13pm PDT

Matthew Daddario

With #MatthewDaddario, who stars as #AlecLightwood in #Shadowhunters. #TMI #TheMortalInstruments

A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on May 30, 2015 at 4:23pm PDT

Shadowhunters films through mid-October in Toronto!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

NOTE: These are estimates.  Final totals to come Sunday.

If there ever were any doubt that Dwayne Johnson was a big Movie Star, this oughta settle it!  SAN ANDREAS debuts at number one this weekend with a stellar $46.5 million for Warner Bros.  from 3,777 theatres. As a Leading Actor, this would be his highest debut yet, besting 2013’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which opened with $40.1 million.  Critics were on-the-fence with a 49% on the Tomatometer, but Audiences were pleased with an A- CinemaScore.

TOMORROWLAND after debuting on-top last weekend lands in second his weekend with $16.5 million for Disney, from 3,972 theatres.  In its two weeks domestically, it has made $64 million.

PITCH PERFECT 2 won’t quit singing in third for Universal Pictures, with $13.9 million in its third week out, well on its way to surpassing $150 million early this week.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD continues to do well in fourth this weekend with $11.6 million for Warner Bros., a three-week tally of $114 million.

ALOHA is Cameron Crowe‘s latest and despite a superb Cast including Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone and Rachel McAdams, it missed he mark among Critics, getting 18% only on the Tomatometer.  Audiences were more forgiving with a B- CinemaScore. It opens in 2,815 theatres with $10.4 million, placing sixth.

FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD continues to hang-on to the Top Ten with a smart release strategy from Fox Searchlight. In its fifth week out, it has made $1.2 million, good enough for eighth. Thus far in a limited number of theatres, it has made $8.2 million.

HOT PURSUIT rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.1 million for Warner Bros., in its fourth week out.  Its total is at $32 million in North America.