AC/DC Coming to Greensboro
One of the pillars of rock, AC/DC, is coming to the Greensboro Coliseum on October 25. Tickets went on sale at Ticketmaster outlets this morning at 10am.
Jimmy V Classic Comes Home
On Sunday the stars will be out at the brand new
Lonnie Poole Golf Course
on N.C. State’s Centennial Campus for the 16th annual
Jimmy V Classic
. In addition to the main event, several other events will comprise this special week such as tomorrow night’s Wine & Dine event at the convention center (
tix
), the cancer research symposium (Saturday, free), and the black tie Gala featuring
Lyle Lovett and his Large Band
on Saturday night (
tix
).
The Big Event
Sunday’s main event begins with a shotgun start at 9:30am. Tickets are only $5 thru Ticketmaster . Fans will need to park on Centennial Campus in the designated parking deck on Varsity Drive, and take a shore ride on the shuttle bus to the course. From the classic’s site:
There is no public parking at the golf course. Spectator parking is available in several lots on Centennial Campus. For those entering from Varsity Drive, take the 2nd right off Varsity to the parking deck adjacent to the Venture buildings. For those entering from Loop Rd. via Centennial Parkway, take Main Campus Drive to Varsity; then left on Varsity; then left onto Partners Way to the parking deck there. Satellite lots will be available if the main lots fill. Look for the signs to help guide you. For reference, the following lots are our primary spectator parking lots:
- Lot A : Venture parking deck, between Varsity Dr. and Research Drive
- Lot E1 : Monteith Research parking deck, at the corner of Main Campus Drive and Campus Shore Drive
- Lot V1 : Partners Way parking deck, on Partners Way off Varsity Drive
Celebrities
The classic this year has many familiar faces as well as some extremely interesting lesser-known celebs. Here is the current list:
- Bates Battaglia (Former NHL, Carolina Hurricanes)
- Tim Brando (CBS Sports Announcer)
- Rod Brind’Amour (NHL, Carolina Hurricanes)
- Kimberlin Brown (Shelia Carter, "The Young and The Restless")
- M.L. Carr (Retired NBA, Boston Celtics)
- Rick Cerone (Retired MLB, NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox)
- Erik Cole (NHL, Carolina Hurricanes)
- Joe Corvo (NHL, Carolina Hurricanes)
- Bobby Cremins (Head Coach, College of Charleston’s Men’s Basketball)
- Paul DiMeo (ABC’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition")
- Dakoda Dowd (16-year-old Golf Prodigy)
- Todd Eldredge (U.S. Figure Skater)
- Jack Ford (Co-anchor, "Banfield & Ford: Courtside"; on tru TV)
- John Forslund (TV Play-By-Play Announcer, Carolina Hurricanes)
- Terry Gannon (Commentator, ABC Sports and ESPN)
- Bill Goldberg (Retired WWE Wrestler, Host of Spike TV’s "Bullrun")
- Seth Greenberg (Head Coach, Virginia Tech Basketball )
- Chris Harrison (Host of ABC’s "The Bachelor")
- Gregory Harrison (Actor, Producer, Director)
- Dennis Haskins (Mr. Belding, "Saved by the Bell")
- Dennis Haysbert (Jonas Blane, ‘The Unit’)
- Gregory Itzin (Virgil Minelli, "The Mentalist")
- Chad LaRose (NHL, Carolina Hurricanes)
- Matthew Laurance (Former Duke Radio Analyst)
- Ewa Laurance (ESPN Billiards Analyst / Former World Champion)
- Mitch Laurance (Host, "On The Green Golf Video Magazine")
- Meat Loaf (Recording Artist)
- Sidney Lowe (Head Coach, NC State Men’s Basketball)
- David Mobley (Long Drive Champion)
- Tom Penders (Head Coach, University of Houston Basketball)
- Jeff Ruland (Former Head Coach, Iona College Basketball)
- Stefanie Schaeffer (Season Six Winner of The Apprentice)
- Stuart Scott (ESPN SportsCenter / Studio Host)
- Howard M. Stevens, Jr. (Retired NFL, Baltimore Colts)
- Bob Valvano (ESPN Radio Host/Former College Basketball Coach)
- Dennis Walters (Host, "The Dennis Walters Golf Show", The Golf Channel)
- Bucky Waters (Former Head Coach, Duke Men’s Basketball)
- Garo Yepremian (Retired NFL, Miami Dolphins)
Donate
Whether you can or cannot make the event, you still can make a difference. We still have a long way to go with cancer research, and more funding is needed. Anything you can do to help may save a loved-one’s life. The V Foundation’s site has more information on how you can help .
Don’t Give Up, Don’t Ever Give Up
When I held up the bumper sticker featuring this phrase from the second row behind the UNC bench at a game in 1993 and Phil Ford gave me a thumbs up, I knew it was the beginning of something big. Soon after, Jimmy V’s ESPY speech would become an important part of his legacy; a speech that time will never erode. It takes just over 11 minutes to watch, but it lives with you much longer (just be sure to have the tissues handy).
David Copperfield Coming to DPAC
Magician David Copperfield is coming for four shows at Durham’s performing arts center. The times are 5:30 and 8:30 for each day of October 20 and 21.
5:30 shows:
8:30 shows:
Zac Brown Coming to Cary
The Zac Brown Band is coming to Koka Booth Amphithteatre in Cary on September 24. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
The Fray Coming to Durham
Durham’s performing arts center has snagged a date on
The Fray’s
tour. They are coming September 8th, and tickets go on sale tomorrow at Ticketmaster outlets.
Dogfish Head Beer Tasting at Sitti Thursday Night
Dogfish Head Brewery will be hosting an evening of beers In
Sitti’s
courtyard tomorrow night (Thursday). Special pricing will be available on Festina Peche, Raison D’Etre, and Sah’ Tea. A tasting flight featuring these three along with the rare Burton Baton will be available for $14. A Dogfish Head representative will be present from 5:30pm-8:00pm to give insight and answer any questions.
Rock Hall Concert Postponed
The 2nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert scheduled for September 6 at Booth Amphitheatre has been postponed until some time in the Spring of 2010. The show was to feature the members of Prince’s bands (Revolution and Grand Central), White-Sox All-Star band (Alan White, Spike Edney, Jamie Moses, Jeff Scott Soto, Randy Hansen, Geoffery Castle, Berndt Bodal), Darryl McDaniels (Run D.M.C.), Patty Smyth and Scandal, 94 East, Blessed Union of Souls, Nine Days, Freddy Jones Band, Atlanta Rhythm Section, and the Georgia Satellites.
Tickets purchased in person at an outlet or the Amphitheatre Box Office for the September 6 show will be refunded at point of purchase starting tomorrow (Aug 12). Tickets purchased via phone or Ticketmaster.com will be refunded automatically on the same date. Tickets purchased for the September 6, 2009 event will NOT be honored for the rescheduled date in 2010. Tickets for the 2010 rescheduled show will go on sale later this Fall.
Radio Deal Means End of Line for 850 The Buzz
Capital Broadcasting made a
stunning announcement
today that will shake up the sports radio market. In a complex deal, Capital Broadcasting will acquire 620 The Bull and most of the local talent at 850 The Buzz. Curtis Media will take the 850 signal and convert it to a music format (presumably either a Latin variant or Retiree Radio).
The move means the end of the line for the area leader in sports talk, 850 The Buzz. For me it began back on September 6, 1996, Hurricane Fran had devastated Raleigh, leaving hundreds of thousands without power for days. The next day we were scanning the dial for afternoon discussion about the hurricane damage, and landed on the old KIX signal, 850 am. I didn’t realize that they were doing talk radio at that point, but we couldn’t turn it off. In that era they had The Fabulous Sports Babe, Mark Jackson (sports), and some chick who talked about sex every night. Excellent grammarian Pat Mellon took the afternoon drive time for a while and talked about local issues, especially the struggle to land an NHL team and to get funding to complete the planned arena in West Raleigh.
By a couple of years later, under the direction of programming director Craig Schwalb, 850 had dedicated itself to sports talk and firmly cemented its presence as the local sports talk leader. While 620 had some mumbling curmudgeon each evening mocking the future of the Canes, 850 had a strong local lineup including Mike Solarte, Adam Gold, and Morgan Patrick.
I happened to be the big winner of 850’s trip to eat lunch in NYC with The Fabulous Sportsbabe contest. The station put us up in the Helmsley Park Central, gave us tickets to the BOS/NYR hockey game at The Garden ( lame crowd), and tickets to see Saturday Night Live. It will go down as one of my favorite weekends, so 850 The Buzz will always hold a place in my heart.
As the sports talk format grew in America this decade, 850 faced new challengers. The race for the all-important 18-40 male market has been an interesting one. With a coveted place on the FM dial and lots of “capital” behind it, Capital Broadcasting buys a strong station and will reorganize its lineup.
99.9 FM carries the ESPN brand, and has a long-term contract with the radio network, so we are likely to see the national programming on that station staying put. The popular Jim Rome Show will likely shift over to 620 The Bull. According to someone close to the situation, local sports talk will fill the gaps on both stations in order to always bring a national/regional + local one-two punch.
In the end what we are really seeing is a shift of 850 The Buzz over to 620 The Bull, with a few exceptions. ACC expert Dave Glenn will take the 99.9 drive time slot, while it is likely that Mark Packer will be carried on 620 opposite.
Many, many questions remain to be answered, though. There is no word on what will happen to other local talent such as Morgan Patrick, Bomani Jones, Amnon Nissan, Scott Jackson, Mark Thomas, and Mike Maniscalco. Who will carry Imus In the Morning? What will happen to the Dan Patrick Show?
The transition date has not been set. In fact we don’t know that it will happen before year’s end. In the meantime, enjoy the “strong” signal on 850 the Buzz while you can, and enjoy some of these local talent people I mentioned…while you can.
8/11 Note: This bit of info comes from the TBJ story :
"In addition, Curtis Media is forming a new sports network, which will syndicate radio shows hosted by 850 The Buzz mainstay David Glenn and WPTF sports anchor Taylor Zarzour. Capitol has agreed to broadcast Zarzour on WDNC weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon, while Glenn’s program will air from noon to 3 p.m. on 99.9 The Fan."
Presumably the concept here is to take these two, especially Glenn, and syndicate them to smaller markets in the region. It is perfectly reasonable to see his show, for instance, being carried in markets like Wilmington, Greensboro, Fayetteville, and smaller towns. Perhaps, though, it would be interesting to people in Asheville, Richmond, and beyond given Glenn’s expertise of ACC issues.
Downtown Live Features Tonic
Here is today’s press release from Deep South Entertainment about today’s events:
From the office of Deep South Entertainment, co-producers of Downtown Live, below is key information regarding the concert this Saturday.
Weather: The ABC11 Accuweather Forecast for Saturday, August 8th, 2009: Mostly Sunny with a high of 96 and a low of 74!
Date:
Saturday, August 8th
Time:
Gates at 1:30 pm. Music from 2:00 pm until 11pm.
Cost: FREE
Artists Performing on the Bud Light Main Stage:
- 2:00 PM – Red Sonja Band
- 3:30 PM – Kevin Wing
- 4:30 PM – Th’ Bullfrog
- 5:30 PM – Jensen Reed
- 6:30 PM – River City Ransom
- 7:30 PM – Marcy Playground
- 9:00 PM – Tonic
Monster Second Stage (All day during breaks) – Colourslide
Location:
Moore Square Park, corner of Blount St. and Martin St., downtown Raleigh, NC
Where to Park
(courtesy of Downtown Raleigh Alliance)
:
http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/get-around/parking
Park Anywhere Downtown and Ride the R-Line
: (Downtown Live is the R-16 stop)
http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/_files/docs/r-line-map-as-printable-pdf.pdf
Parking, Dining and Bars
(courtesy of DowntownRaleigh.com)
:
http://downtownraleigh.com/maps/lwp-dining-guide.pdf
Family Event:
Downtown Live is a family event. From 2pm until 7pm there is a huge Downtown Live kids zone complete with inflatables, bouncing houses, slides, and pony rides. Also, expect visits from many of the area sports teams. All ages are welcomed at Downtown Live, but you must be 21 to consume alcohol. If you plan on consuming alcohol, please remember to bring a valid I.D.
What can I bring inside the park?
You MAY bring:
– One bottled water
– Needs for children (i.e. diapers, strollers, etc.)
– Blankets and chairs
– Umbrellas
You may NOT bring:
– Professional recording or camera equipment. Professional cameras are defined as cameras with a detachable lense. Small digital and phone cameras are okay.
– Food or Beverage (including alcohol). There are a wide variety of local food vendors set up inside the park, in additional beer and beverage stations.
– Pets, even if on a leash. No pets allowed of any kind.
– No coolers, bags, picnics, bikes, rollerblades.
Forget something?:
Fear not, there is a full service Convenience Store set up on site. ATM’s are also available inside the park next to the Convenience Store.
Don’t Drink and Drive:
A full-service taxi stand will be set-up outside the Blount and Martin St. exit of Downtown Live.
Rain or Shine:
Downtown Live is a rain or shine event. As they say in North Carolina: "If you don’t like the weather, stick around 15 minutes, it’ll change." Us North Carolinians know that throughout the summer stray thunderstorms often pop up out of nowhere. This may cause a slight delay in the schedule, but the show will go on. Day of show stay tuned to 96Rock for weather updates.
How can these concerts be FREE?
Downtown Live is free because of amazing sponsors. Whenever you have the option, please support these companies. It REALLY does make a difference and helps to ensure Raleigh will always be the home of North Carolina’s biggest outdoor concert series; Downtown Live.
Bud Light, 96rock, WTVD ABC 11, ZSpotlight.com, DowntownRaleigh.com, Raleigh Downtowner, Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Monster Energy, City Limits Saloon, Social Magazine, LazyDay.com, City Market, Hunter & Associates,
TheRaleighLife.com, City Search, Docusource,
Dasani Water, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Marriott
Raleigh
City Center, and Taco Bell.
Direct TV Ad Features Philip Rivers
This is even cooler than if Philip himself were the pitch-man.
First Friday
It’s a bit hot, but still a good night to get out for First Friday. The monthly gallery walk features art, food, and music in downtown Raleigh. To learn more about this edition of First Friday, there’s no better place than godowntownraleigh’s First Friday site .
Drivin’ n’ Cryin’ Comin’ to Pour House
Atlanta’s
Drivin’ n’ Cryin’
is returning to Raleigh! This time they will be at the Pour House for two nights: Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10.
Tickets
are $30 in advance and $40 at the door.
Two-night passes are available for $50
. If they are half as good as they were 20 years ago, then drop what you’re doing and get there.
Friday 10/9:
Saturday 10/10:
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Coming to RBC Center
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will return to the RBC Center for two shows on Wednesday, December 2. The first show begins at 4:00pm and the second begins at 8:00pm. The TSO actually will have two companies touring nationally concurrently. The western company plays Fresno that night.
4pm show:
8pm show:
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