And so it begins … the principal cast of The Twilight Saga: New Moon were on hand for an in-store appearance at the Hollywood & Highland Complex here in Hollywood, CA to kick off a nationwide mall tour that will take various members of the cast in various incarnations to malls around the US so that fans can press the flesh with their fave Twilight stars … and to hear live music from bands like Deathcab For Cutie, Anya Marina, Band of Skulls and more. A horde of rabid Twilighters filled the open-air mall last night just to get as close to Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Kellan Lutz and Kristen Stewart as possible … behold:

The scene was electric outside of Los Angeles’ Hollywood & Highland open-air mall on Friday evening. A huge line snaked out into the streets, and much of the crowd looked strikingly similar: gaggles of teenage girls (plus guys, moms, dads, and little ones) in black T-shirts emblazoned with five key words: The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Awaiting them inside? Autographs and a Q&A with the film’s supporting cast, plus courtyard performances from four bands who contributed to New Moon’s excellent soundtrack: Band Of Skulls, Sea Wolf, Anya Marina and, to close it out, Death Cab For Cutie. In other words, this was the Hot Topic-sponsored New Moon mall tour. One of the first fans to the stage screamed to no one in particular, “Oh my God! This is the coolest thing ever!” And for the crowd that braved the odds to get there – camping out at the mall on Halloween eve to buy the shirt that would grant them their entrance – it truly seemed to be. The coolness began when Twilight heartthrobs Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner paid a surprise visit. On stage, opening with their bluesy “I Know What I Am,” U.K. three-piece Band Of Skulls burned through a set that ran just shy of 20 minutes and channeled bits of the White Stripes, Black Sabbath, and the Black Keys. An apropos performance of “Hollywood Bowl” prefaced the closing song – their garagey New Moon contribution, “Friends,” which was met with squeals at an octave previously reserved for the likes of the Beatles. Indie folk-poppers Sea Wolf followed, delivering a cello-swathed selection of songs whose titles were matched to the event: “You’re A Wolf,” from 2007’s Leaves In The River, “Turn The Dirt Over” and “Wicked Blood,” both off of the just-released White Water, White Bloom, and the at once bouncy and autumnal soundtrack piece “The Violet Hour.” Both were impressive, but Anya Marina, whose “Satellite Heart” is one of New Moon’s most captivating moments, stole the show. “What’s up Hollywood? Are you guys having fun?” the grinning singer asked to a chorus of shrieks. “Well, we want to have fun with you.” She meant it. Marina was the only musician to engage the exuberant crowd – at one point leading them in a “Team Jacob” vs. “Team Edward” cheer-off – and it paid off. Her ubiquitous hits “Vertigo” and “All The Same To Me” were extremely well-received. Another surprise, mostly lost on the audience, was regular Morrissey collaborator Alain Whyte manning guitar, especially shredding on “Afterparty At Jimmy’s.” At the other end of the spectrum, Death Cab For Cutie greeted the incredible mania with zero banter and two songs – New Moon single “Meet Me At The Equinox” and Narrow Stairs highlight “Cath…” – well-performed, but over far too soon. The band said their thanks, unplugged and walked off. Before the ensuing melee caused by the rush to see Pattinson and Stewart up close, we asked one fan if she had a favorite band on the soundtrack. “I don’t really listen to this kind of music,” said Carmina, backed by an army of self-described “Twi-tards.” “But I like it now!”

Not since Tiffany took the US by storm with her mall tour back in 1987 have mall tours been this hot. To be honest, anything attached to The Twilight Saga franchise will generate huge interest … you throw in the actors themselves and you could sell anything at a high premium. Lord, this is just the beginning of the fervent Twilight melee that is about to be unleashed upon the world. The Twilight Saga: New Moon opens in theaters in just a few weeks … I don’t know that we’re quite ready to handle the onslaught … but it’s comin’ nonetheless.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Last Friday we saw a few photos of Twilight actor Kellan Lutz engaged in a really hawt work-out with his sexy self in Vancouver, BC (where the cast of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse are currently holed up filming the next sequel film) but today we get to see a couple photos of Kellan back here in SoCal fully dressed (unfortch) but still pretty hawt:

Kellan’s shirt reads, Are you checking Mii out? which seems to be a reference to the Nintendo Wii video game system … but the obvs answer is, Yes, we are!! While I would vastly prefer to see photos of Mr. Lutz in various states of undress, I suppose any photos of the big lug are worth checking out ;)

[Photo credit: INFdaily]

Kellan Lutz, who is currently residing in Vancouver, BC while he films The Twilight Saga: Eclipse with his Twilight cohorts, was spotted doing a bit of working out at a local gym this week with nary a work-out partner in sight. As you may recall, Kellan stepped out for a yoga class with Twilight castmate Peter Facinelli last week but this week the only work-out partner Kellan needed was Kellan … behold:

Can I get a Hawt Damn?! I can’t say that I can honestly blame Kellan for working out with himself … I mean, look at him. If I were him there would be a lotta things that I’d do with myself … all the time ;) Homie is gettin’ big in the muscles department … and I wholly approve. Yummo!!

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Twilight co-stars and all around BFFs Peter Facinelli and Kellan Lutz were spotted making their way to a yoga class together in Vancouver, BC recently (where the pair are hard at work on the sequel film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) and, wouldn’t you just know it, they looked so cute heading off on their bromantic date:

I think it’s quite nice that these manly dudes have no problem practicing yoga together but, you know, in a guy way … in bro-ga way. Men have been work-out buddies since time immemorial so I don’t think there is anything wrong with this … do you?

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Kellan Lutz, who just this past week was spotted roaming the streets of Vancouver, BC with the rest of his castmates on The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, has made his way back home to LA this weekend. Here are a few photos of Kellan taking his pooch Kola out for a walk/skateboarding session this weekend:

HMMM, homie knows how to work a tank top, don’t he? Yes, he does. But anyways … I recently mused that the Twilight kids were starting to make themselves at home in Vancouver, where they are currently in production on the third Twilight film, but it seems that Kellan knows exactly where his home is — SoCal. I’m not sure if he made his way back to LA for a special occasion or if he just wanted to be home when he didn’t need to be in Vancouver … as long as he continues to wear tight-fitting clothing like this, I don’t really mind where he pops up. Woot!

[Photo credit: INFdaily]

Here are a few photos of the B-Lister castmembers of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse who are all settling down and making themselves at home in Vancouver, BC where their film is currently in production. Jackson Rathbone has put his music career on hold to be in town for filming and Ashley Greene managed to wrench herself away from new BFF Vanessa Hudgens long enough so that she could walk her little pooch. Kellan Lutz went shopping at Zara and Xavier Samuel was just out lookin’ cute … behold:

It looks like they’re everywhere, y’all! There haven’t been any new sightings of main stars Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and/or Robert Pattinson to report … one presumes they were bizzy actually working on the film. Nonetheless, everyone will be working sooner or later so that they can continue to bring the Twilightness to the hungry masses. If you are in Vancouver, be on the look out … you never know when YOU might run into a real life Twilighter.

[Photo credit: Splash News, Bauer-Griffin]

Now that all the principal castmembers of the newest sequel film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse have made their way to Vancouver, BC to begin production it’s time for the work to get underway … but before the grueling grind of movie making can get started, the assembled castmates – led by Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner — gathered for a fun sushi dinner party at a place called Miko Sushi in downtown Vancouver:

And so … the party officially gets underway. I presume the kiddies are hard at work on the movie starting today and will be hard at work for the weeks to come. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more pics of the cast chillin’ in Vancouver as production continues.

[Photo credit: INFdaily]