NEW YORK CITY WELCOMES MAYOR BILL DEBLASIO

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THE GLORIOUS CORNER

By: G.H. Harding

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Bill Clinton Swears In Bill DeBlasio

HELLO MR. BILL --- I watched Bill DeBlasio’s mayoral inauguration in NYC and a few things caught my eye and ear: Apparently there was a DJ on hand; nightlife favorite M.O.S., whom played such favorites as “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk and “Good Times” from CHIC (both Nile Rodgers-project); actress Cynthia Nixon; activist Harry Belafonte; Bill and Hillary Clinton; a tense-looking Michael Bloomberg; David Dinkins; Andrew Cuomo (who was at Billy Joel’s Barclay Center concert New Year’s night); Broadway actress and singer Patina Miller, and sitting in the audience, Marty Markowitz. As I've said before, I have yet become a DeBlasio-devotee, but I whole-heatedly welcome him aboard.

PICKS FOR 2014: Here we go with a selection of picks-to-click this year:

Lorde: Already a smash for her hit "Royals," this New Zealand –native will be huge this year; even before she finishes high school.

Dane DeHaan: He is the next actor essaying the character Harry Osborn in the re-booted Spider-Man. He was a big deal playing Jesse in Kill Your Darlings.

1975 - An indie-band based in Manchester, England, who are making a lot of news with their tunes like "Sex, Chocolate and Heart Out." If you loved Bastille, then you will keep a keen eye on this new bunch of musicians.

Dakota Johnson: Who would not watch out for the one chosen to play the highly coveted role of Anastasia Steele for the upcoming film adaptation, Fifty Shades of Grey? She was also seen in the movies like The Social Network, 21 Jump Street, and The Five-Year Engagement; and, she is the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith.

Felicity Jones: This British actress is also another worth watching for. You can check her out in upcoming movies like The Invisible Woman where she will star alongside Hollywood A-lister Ralph Fiennes.

Theo James: He was first seen in Downtown Abbey and also played the character of David in Underworld: Awakening. He is eyed to be the next Robert Pattinson by next year. And, he was on the much under-valued TV-series Golden Boy.

Dayme: Was on the scene with her band Dayme & The Kicks, but has re-booted her sound and image. Working with one of the best managers around, she'll take over the airwaves here very soon.

CLOSING NOTES --- I watched bits and pieces of the two major New Year’s Eve shows on TV; NBC’s Carson Daly and ABC’s Ryan Seacrest; and found the former almost devoid of any humor …. or, fun. Actor Anthony Anderson on the Daly-show, combing the crowd for feedback came across one girl who said her New Year wish was to kiss another girl … and, when she did …. Anderson replied, “I have nothing left to say.” Apparently, neither did the rest of this show ... just a tad awkward if you ask me ...

Seacrest, who most assuredly was thinking of the late Dick Clark for moral support, was somewhat more upbeat and had a nice rapport with guest Miley Cyrus. Say what you will about Cyrus, but she had quite the banner year and while she may have been dressed like a tart from some club in Paris, she was the topic on everyone’s lips for most of the year ...

U2 have released a new video for their song “Ordinary Love” from the movie Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The new video was created by Oliver Jeffers and Mac Premo, to accompany the Paul Epworth version of the song. I think it’s one of their best songs and videos in recent memory. Here's the LINK.

Eric Clapton previously announced he would probably stop touring in three years but he obviously has no intention of slowing down just yet.The guitar-god has announced his first dates for 2014, for Japan, Singapore and Dubai, along with the lineup for his latest band.

Returning from last year are Chris Stainton on keyboards, who has been with Eric for the last 35 years, and vocalists Michelle John and Sharon White, both of which have been part of the band since 2004. Also back after appearing at a number of Clapton's 2013 shows is vocalist and keyboard player Paul Carrack.

Carrack's long career has seen him singing on such hits as “How Long” (Ace), “Tempted” (Squeeze) and “Silent Running” and “The Living Years” (Mike + the Mechanics). In 2013, he sang a couple of his own songs during Clapton's show and closed with a cover of Joe Cocker's High Time We Went. Nathan East, who played bass with Clapton from 1984 to 2004, returns to the band as does Steve Gadd on drums who has played on and off with Eric since 1976.