Buddy Guy on stage at his club, Legends

Catch the excitement of live Chicago blues bands competing to win the International Blues Challenge at Buddy Guy’s Legends on November 15.   Over the last few months, local acts have belted out their best blues performances in four  rounds of contests to represent Chicago in the International Blues Challenge, held in Memphis in January.  Sponsored by the Windy City Blues Society, the event supplies a great opportunity to hear the best up and coming blues performers in one night.  The line-up kicks off at 7:30PM and includes 12 acts battling to be the best in blues. Read More »

Like any good fish story, this one got away.  That’s right, you just missed Salmon Days in Issaquah, WA and you should be ashamed of yourself.  Go ahead and cry it out.  I’ll wait.

Okay, enough.  You brought it upon yourself.  Now sit still and let me tell you what you missed, aka, rub it in.

Every year about this time the salmon leave the deep, salty waters of Seattle’s Puget Sound and they start swimming.  They swim through lakes and streams and wind their way to Issaquah Creek, where the water is shallow and clear.  They swim all the way to the hatchery in which they were born, they do their thing with the eggs and the stuff and then they die.  Needless to say the salmon don’t find the occasion as festive as we do.  I watched them for hours and never saw a single party hat. Read More »

School

Officially, summer does not begin for a few more weeks.  June 21, I believe, is the Summer Solstice and it marks the official beginning.  Unofficially, summer begins in just a few days—when school lets out!  In about two weeks though, parents all over the country who have been looking forward to the academic reprieve that summer affords and the opportunity to renew quality bonds with their children will be wondering what the heck they were thinking!

Summertime can be draining on parents.

Fortunately, summertime also marks the beginning of concert season in Columbus and there is nothing better than a good show to recharge tired minds.  It’s a chance to let your hair down (if you still have any), soak up some local flavor and quite frankly, act like a kid again.  Away from the kids.  Call the sitter and make plans for a night out.  You owe yourself.

Concert Photo by AndiH

There are many local venues with excellent local and regional acts making their way through our fair city this summer.  The larger venues:  Value City Arena, Nationwide Arena, and Lifestyles Community Pavilion (The LC) have some great artists lined up.  Here’s a brief rundown.

Value City Arena

June 2009

Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood

June 15

August 2009

American Idols Live! ‘09

August 25 at 7PM

August 26 at 7:30PM

Nationwide Arena

June 2009

Yanni Voices Tour

Sunday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Skate for Hope

Saturday, June 20 at 5 p.m.

July 2009

Billy Joel and Elton John Face 2 Face Tour

Tuesday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. – Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

August 2009

Cirque du Soleil presents Saltimbanco

August 12-23 (14 performances)

Keith Urban with special guest Jason Aldean

Friday, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. – Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009

Wednesday, August 26 at 7 p.m. – Doors open at 6 p.m.

Lifestyles Community Pavilion

June 2009

July 30

August 2009

Lynyrd Skynyrd

August 18

Summer will be here before you know it so start planning now.  A good concert and a night on the town can make for the perfect local escape.

Concert Tickets Photo by planteschwa

(Photos courtesy creative commons by pixiesticks23, AndiH and planetschwa.)

Fireworks light up the Las Vegas Strip, ringing in the New Year.

It’s that time of year again, when we bid farewell to past and ring in the New Year. What better place to welcome 2009 than Las Vegas. From spectacular fireworks to VIP parties to star-studded performances to celebrating with 300,000 revelers on the Las Vegas Strip, Sin City knows how to throw an unforgettable New Year’s Eve party to suite anyone’s style.

Planning a New Year’s vacation to Las Vegas? Here are some tips:

• Book as early as possible. With 300,000 visitors in town, hotel rooms usually sell out early and prices increase dramatically as the holiday approaches.  Luckily, this year’s gloomy economic conditions have resulted in fewer expected visitors than years past. This means lower room rates and special vacation packages are available, so shop around.
• If you’re not staying at a hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard then arrive early. Traffic can be incredibly challenging, and often times frustrating, as The Strip is closed to all traffic at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. This transforms the usually congested roadway into a giant pedestrian party spot. If you plan on celebrating on The Strip, early afternoon arrival is recommended so you can claim a parking spot at a hotel /casino parking garage. Parking becomes increasingly hard to find as the evening hours approach.

The Las Vegas Monorail makes travel along The Strip quick and easy.

• If you’re staying on The Strip, the best way to get from one end to the other is the Las Vegas Monorail.  It runs from the Sahara Hotel & Casino to the MGM Grand Hotel with stops at the Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas Convention Center, Harrah’s/Imperial Palace, Flamingo/Caesar’s Palace, and Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas.  Cost for passengers is $5.00 per person or you may purchase a day pass, offering unlimited rides, for $12.00.
   
• For a smaller, yet just as enthusiastic crowd, head Downtown to the Fremont Street Experience and ring in the New Year with a spectacular light show under its famous canopy. A highlight this year is Tribute Palooza, featuring 14 live tribute bands blasting the music of Aerosmith, U2, Queen and The Rolling Stones, among others. The event is free for locals with valid Nevada identification and only $20 for visitors.  As on The Strip, arrive early for best parking.
   
• If you don’t like hanging out with the masses on The Strip or on Fremont Street, many of the hotels host VIP parties. There are also special musical performances and Las Vegas’ world-famous stage productions providing New Year’s Eve entertainment. You can also see and be seen as you dance the night away with Hollywood stars at one of Las Vegas’ exclusive night clubs. However, if you choose one of these options, be prepared to spend money as they can be expensive. Check with your hotel’s concierge or check out Visit Las Vegas for an event that suites your taste and pocketbook.

Enjoy live music at the Fremont Street Experience.

• Despite the fact that it’s winter, you’d be amazed how many visitors don’t realize that it gets down right cold in the desert. Be sure to bundle up if you plan to venture out on The Strip on New Year’s Eve. And don’t worry, many of the parties and shows have coat check so you can still celebrate in style once indoors.
   
• Don’t do anything stupid. Any time you have a gathering of hundreds of thousands of people jammed into a relatively small area, you’re bound to get a few bad apples. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is vigilant in keeping the peace on the The Strip allowing everyone, young and old, to celebrate safely. In fact, over the past few years there have been no major incidents bringing down the party. Just remember, no crowd diving, climbing light poles or kissing strangers who don’t want to be kissed as the New Year rings in. The last thing you want is to spend your New Year’s Day in jail or an emergency room.
   
• Once the New Year has arrived stick around. A lot of people will be leaving all at once creating a traffic jam. Instead of rushing out of the area, you can head indoors to grab a midnight meal, enjoy time reminiscing about the past year and planning for the future with family and friends at a lounge or bar, or win a big jackpot in a casino to start 2009 off with a bang.