Tag Archives: concert

The Concert That Keeps Giving

If you find yourself near the Atlanta area this week—consider yourself lucky. That’s where you will find what is being billed as the “World’s Largest Open Mic Night.” Only instead of one night, the concert will last 10 straight nights. Ten nights of music featuring 500 bands and solo artists performing hits from a variety of genres–rock, R&B, rap, and bluegrass–but, with a couple of twists. First, the tunes will be performed, in order, each of the 500 greatest songs of all time, as ranked by Rolling Stone magazine three years ago. The other twist: the songfest’s goal is to … Continue reading →

Celebrities, The Environment, and Human Rights

Celebrities and their pet charities are a popular topic in this blog. Libby and I have written about stars lending a hand to the homeless, the innocent, and the sick. But, this week the spotlight focused on a growing concern among politicians, actors, and musicians—the environment. Actress Cameron Diaz, hip-hop producer Pharrell, and former vice president Al Gore joined forces to announce an international campaign to promote global warming awareness. The monster event to be held this summer is called Save Our Selves – The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis. It features a 24-hour “Live Earth” concert, which will … Continue reading →

Concert Cruises

In previous blogs I’ve written about Hawaiian cruises, luxury cruises, and cheap cruises, but there’s a type of cruise that’s been getting a lot of press recently and it has nothing to do with the 50th State; it’s not pretentious; and (unfortunately) it’s not that cheap. It’s called a “Concert Cruise” and it’s a chance for fans to listen to the likes of country-music star Kenny Chesney sing on a secluded beach in the Caribbean. But, that’s not all. Passengers who board the “Concert Cruises” can take part in Q&A sessions with their favorite crooners, or interact with them at … Continue reading →

Princess Diana’s Sons Plan Memorial Concert In Her Honor

Can you believe that it has been nearly a decade since Princess Diana died in that horrific car crash? Ten years since the entrance to her home was turned into a sea of flowers; her front gates transformed into a bulletin board of sorts, plastered with banners announcing the pain, shock and sorrow people from around the world felt when they heard the news of her death. It’s also been ten years since we watched her two visibly distraught sons walk silently behind her casket—–perched on top—a bouquet of flowers, and nestled among the blossoms a card that read simply: … Continue reading →

What’s Happening In The World Of Music

And you thought she just appeared at Dollywood… not so… in fact, Dolly Parton just announced she will kick off her first major European tour since the 1970s in Denmark next year. According to Parton’s publicist, the 60-year-old country singer will begin her eight-stop tour in Horsens, 125 miles west of Copenhagen, on March 7, 2007. From there Parton will continue to Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, England and Scotland before ending the tour April 2 in Dublin, Ireland. A bit closer to home, Disney announced yesterday that “High School Musical” is hitting the road with a nationwide concert tour … Continue reading →

Alan Jackson’s Unlikely TV Appearance

When you tune into tomorrow night’s episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” on ABC you’ll be in for a surprise. The “surprise” will be a real treat for country music fans and for others who prefer a different genre of music it will illustrate the power of the human spirit. You may have read news reports about the Hawkins family. Last April, a tornado destroyed Jerrod and Amy Hawkins’ Tennessee house and almost took Amy’s life. She saved her sons, 6-year-old Jair and 4-year-old Cole, by lying on top of them in the basement, but was paralyzed by the falling … Continue reading →

Farm Aid—Still Going Strong

When musicians gathered for the first Farm Aid 21 years ago did you think that its efforts would still be needed today? I didn’t… and neither did organizer John Mellencamp. The rocker who founded the charity in 1985 with fellow musicians Willie Nelson and Neil Young recently told reporters that he and his friends were mainly concerned with saving family farms which were going out of business. “We thought we’d have the concert and the government would change things,” Mellencamp said. But, alas, that hasn’t been the case. Before taking the stage at the “almost-annual concert” Saturday, Mellencamp addressed the … Continue reading →

A Place To Turn ON Your Cellphones… And Let Them Ring, Ring, Ring

You are told to turn off your cellphone ringer in church, in the movie theater, and in courtrooms. But now, a venue where you would expect the same rule to apply is actually encouraging you to let your phone ring. It’s a unique concert where the cellphone takes center stage. Not only can your cellphone ring—it should. Chicago newspapers are reporting that U.S. jazz composer David Baker is encouraging people to use their phones during the debut performance of “Concertino for Cellular Phones and Orchestra” that will open the 20th anniversary season of the Chicago Sinfonietta classical music festival next … Continue reading →

A Concert Made In Paradise

In the early ‘90s I joined about 60,000 others to experience an unbelievable concert by the rock band U2 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. It was a memory that remains with me to this day. The band was incredible and my seat was pretty good too. I have always dreamed of attending another one of their concerts, so when a friend told me that the band was scheduling a rare tour stop in Hawaii (where I was born and raised), I thought it was meant to be. Or, maybe not. U2’s April 8th Aloha Stadium date was postponed … Continue reading →