Friends and Heroes

Country superstar makes Fort Worth his only Texas stop on upcoming tour

Blake Shelton at Houston Rodeo March 2015

Blake Shelton will bring his "Friends and Heroes" tour to Fort Worth on September 25.

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com

Country music superstar Blake Shelton will return to the road with his "Friends and Heroes" tour, a 16-city, 17-date run that will make its only stop in Texas at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Saturday, September 25.

The tour kicks off on August 18 in Omaha, Nebraska, traveling around the country for a little over a month before ending in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 2. That relatively short stint will likely allow Shelton to return to his role as coach on The Voice, which will air only one cycle this fall on NBC.

Shelton won't be alone on the tour, as the aptly-titled “Friends and Heroes” tour will also feature special guest Lindsay Ell, with special appearances by Martina McBride, Tracy Byrd, and Trace Adkins.

The singer is touring in support of his new album, Body Language, which will be released on May 21. The album has already yielded his 28th career No. 1 hit, “Happy Anywhere” with Shelton's wife Gwen Stefani, and the rising single “Minimum Wage.”

Shelton was a reliable star for the first half of his career, hitting the top 10 on the Billboard country charts with each of his first five albums. But getting cast as a coach on The Voice in 2011 made him a superstar, with five of his subsequent six albums reaching No. 1 on the country charts and two of them hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Tickets for the Fort Worth concert go on sale at 10 am Thursday, June 10 via Ticketmaster.com.

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Drone News

Watch top drone company break a record at North Richland Hills show

Sky Elements Drones

Sky Elements Drones holiday show.

Dallas-Fort Worth's most famous drone name is aiming to break a world record: Sky Elements Drone Shows, the Coppell-based company known for its ground-breaking light shows rendered via drones, will attempt to break a Guinness World Record for “Longest animation performed by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”.

In cooperation with the City of North Richland Hills, the company will fly its annual flagship Christmas drone show, this year featuring 2,500 drones orchestrated to create holiday images and themes such as Santa Clauses and "Merry Christmas."

The current record to beat is 26:26 minutes in the air and was set by a Chinese company in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Sky Elements is no stranger to Guinness World Records; they are already an 11-time Guiness World Record holder. Mere days ago, they set a new Guinness World Record title for "largest aerial display of a gingerbread village made out of drones" — a festive display that was part of a holiday drone show in Mansfield on November 27.

They are nothing if not dedicated. In September, they were a finalist on national TV show America’s Got Talent, and came in at third place.

They've produced drone shows for the MLB, NFL, NCAA sports, film premieres, the State Fair of Texas, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. They are also on the forefront of an admirable transition away from fireworks being deployed during holidays and events, to be replaced by drones. Fireworks are harmful to wildlife as well as people with sensory issues, and terrifying for pets, who frequently bolt.

The big show will take place on December 20 at 7 pm, at Birdville ISD Fine Arts/Athletics Complex at 9200 Mid Cities Blvd, North Richland Hills. The lot opens at 5 pm, and the flight time is 7 pm.

Michael Empric, a Guinness World Records adjudicator, will be on-site to confirm the record.

Spectators are invited to arrive in their cars to witness this incredible drone show from the comfort of their vehicles. Guests will be parked on a first-come, first-served basis.

The audience can tune their radio stations to 88.9 FM and listen along as they tell a story in the sky. Many liken the event to a drive-in movie experience, and spectators are encouraged to bring snacks.

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