François-Xavier Roth – the man who can do everything, and is doing it in next Tuesday's prom

François-Xavier Roth (known to his intimates as FXR) is an oddly elf-like French conductor you may not have registered yet but should – partly because he turns up in a notable Prom on August 9, with a Simon Holt première and the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony, but also because he’s one of the more interesting figures on the threshold of baton-celebrity.
Ten years ago he won the Donatella Flick competition which led to a series of engagements with the LSO. Then he seemed to drop out of the picture so far as UK work was concerned, with only occasional appearances on London platforms. But in the meantime he was building a high-profile career back in France with a band of his own creation called Les Siècles. And what made Les Siècles special was that their concerts would start on period instruments, playing Rameau, Couperin whatever, and end on contemporary ones playing Boulez and Birtwistle.

Keith Richards | Richards' Daughter Cancels Gig

"Keith Richards' model daughter Alexandria cancelled a gig in France this week (beg18Jul11) after her boyfriend was struck down with a nasty virus.
The model/DJ was due to play at a private party in St. Tropez on Wednesday night (20Jul11), but decided against flying in from Italy because her partner Nick Cohen had fallen sick with 'Mediterranean flu' and been advised not to travel.
Richards' representative tells the New York Post's gossip column Page Six, 'Alexandra must be by his side. They were both looking forward to DJing. I don't know what the 'Mediterranean flu' is, but he did come down with flu-like symptoms and was advised not to travel.'"

Via http://www.contactmusic.com:

Every Women's World Cup brings out the naked sexism in the world of sports.

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeEvery Women's World Cup brings out the naked sexism in the world of sports.: "Congrats to the U.S. women's soccer team for today's 3-1 win over France in the semi-finals of the World Cup. The game felt like a nice, easy trot to victory, especially after Sunday's nail-biter of a game against Brazil. (Which produced one of the most fun sports fan videos I've ever seen.) As both a fan of women and World Cup, I'm always happy to see the U.S. women's team do well and increase American enthusiasm for women's soccer. Plus, star players Abby Wambach and Hope Solo, the goalkeeper, are fun personalities to root for, with Solo having what is probably the greatest name ever for a professional athlete to sweeten the deal.
However, we are talking about women's sports and nothing can ever be simple when it comes to women using their bodies to do things other than sexually entice men and bear children. While it would be nice if we could just conduct a single women's World Cup without sexual objectification, lesbian panic, and claims that women's sports don't count as real sports, I don't imagine that will be happening any time in my lifetime."