May 5, 2011

ROCK LEGENDS TO SUPPORT MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS  IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEIR MAY 13th PERFORMANCE

Timeless rock stars The Moody Blues are paying it forward throughout their Voyage 2011 Precious Cargo tour, by teaming up with Ear Candy Charity and a local charity in each market to host a week-long Instrument Drive®. In Las Vegas, Ear Candy Charity will partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas (BGCLV) for collections and BGCLV will be the recipients of the instruments. Throughout the week of May 6 – 13th, community members can donate a new or slightly used instrument at any of the eight Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas locations or at the band’s concert at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on May 13th. Tickets for the show are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and The Joint box office. To purchase tickets or for more information, call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit www.hardrockhotel.com, www.thejointlasvegas.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Moody Blues know that the benefits of music education in the lives of children are undeniable, yet in these troubling economic times, budgets for music education are being slashed. To address these shortfalls, Ear Candy Charity created Instrument Drives® to collect slightly used instruments for children who otherwise cannot afford them. Individuals donate instruments at donation sites, and the instruments are placed in the hands of low income students in the community. The “Journey of the Instrument” is completed when the original donor is notified of the school or program where the instrument they donated has been placed. A tax receipt will be provided for instrument donors.

In addition to encouraging instrument donations, The Moody Blues is offering two exclusive VIP packages which include an intimate Storytellers experience, a Moody Blues merchandise package, and a pair of premium tickets to the show. The packages are available via online auction to support Ear Candy Charity’s mission of providing youth access to music education. Supporters are encouraged to visit MoodyBluesToday.com or EarCandyCharity.org to learn how and where to donate an instrument, bid on a VIP package, purchase tickets to the show, or make a financial donation. For more information on the Moody Blues, including VIP ticket packages, merchandise, news and more visit www.MoodyBluesToday.com.

The Moody Blues — guitarist/vocalist Justin Hayward, bassist/vocalist John Lodge and drummer Graeme Edge — have sold in excess of 70 million albums worldwide and have been awarded an astonishing 14 platinum and gold discs. The band’s incredible roster of hits includes: “Nights In White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” “Ride My See Saw,” “The Story In Your Eyes,” “Isn’t Life Strange,” “Question,” “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band),” “Your Wildest Dreams,” and “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere,” to name a few. The Moody Blues’ No. 1, Top 5, Top 10, Top 20, Top 40, Multi-Platinum, Platinum and Gold albums and singles, have generated sold-out tours on a consistent basis over the course of several decades, making the group one of the top-grossing album and touring bands in existence.

The Moodies’ legendary hit “Nights In White Satin,” originally released in 1967 from their landmark “Days Of Future Passed” album, recently landed at #2 on the UK Rock Chart, and at #27 on the BBC Radio 1 chart, making it the fourth time that “Nights” has charted in its 40-plus year history. The song’s resurgence ignited from a recent smash cover performance by Matt Cardle, current winner of Simon Cowell’s hit UK show “The X Factor” (check out Cardle’s performance of the song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUTGJN9qCnc).

About Ear Candy Charity

Ear Candy Charity is based in Phoenix and is devoted to Providing Youth Access to Music Education. They fulfill their mission through Instrument Drives®, Backstage Class® field trips and Community Partnerships. In 2010, Ear Candy Charity impacted well over 10,000 youth in the Arizona while actively expanding their sustainable, community driven model. To learn more please visit: www.EarCandyCharity.ORG

About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas

Started in 1961, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas currently serves more than 14,000 youth ages 5 –18 in eight facilities throughout the Valley. With the belief that every child has the potential to “be great”, the Clubs’ full-time professional staff emphasizes character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation. For more information, please contact the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas at 702.367.2582 or visit www.bgclv.org.

Apr 25, 2011

WIDESPREAD PANIC 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

With special guests July 15: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe July 16: Lotus

FRI, JULY 15 & SAT, JULY 16 @ 8PM

Tickets on-sale NOW

2011 marks the 25th Anniversary for Widespread Panic, who, among many things, has become legendary for their live performances and loyal fanbase. The band recently announced dates for their 2011 tour which will include a special two night stop at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, July 15 & Saturday, July 16. Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe will open the show on July 15 and Lotus will open on July 16. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at noon.

As part of the yearlong celebration of their 25th Anniversary, Widespread Panic wants to show appreciation for their fans by returning to some of the venues their fans deemed as favorites. A few of these halls, Panic has not performed at in recent years. The band performed to a sold out crowd at The Joint in October 2010 and selected the venue as one to return to as part of the anniversary tour. The band and fans loved Las Vegas’ best venue to see a concert and special activities will be planned throughout the property for the weekend as part of the celebration.

After 25 years, Widespread Panic continue to be one of the top touring acts in the country, playing to packed houses and setting attendance records throughout the US. Panic’s live performances have become legendary and the relationship between the band and their fans is something to behold. Widespread Panic’s fans travel from all over to be a part of their legendary live performances, where every show is its own special event.

Tickets, starting at $44.50 (plus applicable service fees), will be available Saturday at noon at the Hard Rock Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.

Jan 8, 2011

I went to see Carlos Santana at The Joint, inside the Hard Rock’s Casino, last Wednesday. This is a concert that took me only about forty years to get to. Seriously, forty years. Where have I been? Where has Santana been? I suppose the good part of all this is: I saw Carlos Santana perform!

Given that I’m, well, “romance challenged” lately, I was my friend Judy’s date. And her husband was both of our dates. Judy and her mechanic husband are great. How 1970s of us.

Judy, Jay and I met up and started walking to The Joint. I figured it was a good opportunity to get some free mechanic advice. The bloggermobile has been a little under the weather lately. Well, a lot under the weather. I wasn’t able to get the shifter into gear without about ten pumps of the clutch. This makes city driving a little difficult.

Jay is one of those snazzy auto mechanics, not what you’d call a grease-monkey at all. He works on some fancy, privately owned cars in Las Vegas. I figured he’d tell it to me straight. And he did.

“What do you drive,” he asked.

“An Eclipse,” I replied.

“An Eclipse?!” he laughed. “That’s a stripper car!”

“WHAT?”

“That’s the car all the strippers drive,” He laughed some more.

“I don’t want a stripper car!” I exclaimed.

Ya know, this might explain some things. Jay seemed to think everyone should know this bit of Las Vegas trivia, but I didn’t. Sometimes when I drive home late from The Vegas Strip, young guys pull up next to me and wave and flirt. Even older guys do. I always thought that was odd. I mean, I’m not at all young. So… guys pull up next to me in the dark and flirt because they think I’m a stripper? Good grief. I don’t want this car anymore.

He suggested I’m sporting a clutch fluid leak in the former bloggermobile, now strippermobile as it turns out. I was taking it in to a mechanic by my office the next morning and he told me what to expect.

While we got in our last cigarettes before the show, I was still trying to get my own date for that extra ticket I was holding. I saw a very tall Japanese guy standing next to us at the ash tray. He really was tall. He was probably 6’2” at least. So I asked him if he was alone. It is a good thing he didn’t speak but a couple of words of English, because that really didn’t come out right.
After a lot of hand motions and all, I gave up. He said yes to my question, but I’m thinking he hadn’t a clue as to what I was saying. He probably figured I was some old hooker or something trying to pick him up for one last hurrah.

I gave up on the getting a date idea. Judy didn’t though. As we walked to the box office, she started yelling in the crowd, “Single man over fifty! We got your ticket right here!” She yelled that a few times, but nobody came running, so I pocketed the ticket for memories sake.

Our seats were in this comfy suite upstairs. Of course, cameras were not allowed in the venue. Isn’t that always the way? So I took photos with my smartphone. We were in a small group of Tweeters. Not, tweekers, tweeters. We all follow each other on Twitter. We were there to enjoy the concert and everyone one of us was tweeting our followers who wanted to be there, but couldn’t.

Carlos Santana took the stage a little after 8pm and rocked out! What a musician. His music was the same as it always was, but it has evolved some over the past many decades. I think it is very Caribbean, but African, sort of jazz but not really, and rock but not really. There is nobody like Carlos Santana!

The music was absolutely perfect and in time with some of the African dancers they had up on the huge screen. It was all in sync. So many bongos and so much drumming! Something that I never realized until I was watching the band play, Carlos Santana doesn’t sing. I didn’t know that. He had a couple of guys there who took turns singing. They were awesome, but it appeared they hadn’t sung with the musicians much before. That seemed a tiny bit off, but it totally didn’t matter.

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits was an incredible ride through all the songs you remember and some new stuff too. They did “Evil Ways,” “Maria Maria,” “Black Magic Woman,” and “Oye Como Va.” Of course, there was also the obligatory drum solo, much to the delight of everyone seated in front of the stage. They jumped to their feet and gave a standing ovation.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Carlos Santana’s music. He seems to appeal to everyone. As a teen I would lie on the floor with my 8-Track stereo speakers, one on each ear and listen to his tapes over and over. I never lost my love for his songs and his sound.

After the show, which was two hours long, I ran out to smoke before jumping into my strippermobile to pump the clutch a whole lotta times to get home. Jay was right, by the way, it was a leak. Well, beyond leaking, it had gone dry. I had the clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder replaced the next day. Now I have easy Las Vegas driving once again.

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits

This performance at The Joint is extremely loud, so you might want to invest in some ear plugs. Judy game me some to put in before the show started and it was still an outstanding experience. I hope it isn’t another many decades before I see him again.
Jan. 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15 and 16, 2011.
Additional performances:
April 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 29 and 30. May 1st, 2011.
Show Time: 8 p.m at The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
www.thejointlasvegas.com / www.hardrockhotel.com
Tickets: Tickets start at $51 and can be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000. For groups of 20 or more, call the Hard Rock Box Office at 702.693.5233.
Website: www.supernaturalsantana.com

Dec 14, 2010

WEEZER

Performing 2 albums in 1 night!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21 @ 8:30PM

Tickets on-sale Sat, December 18 at noon!

Las Vegas, NV (December 14, 2010) – Multi-platinum, Grammy® winning alternative rock band Weezer will bring “The Memories Tour” driven by State Farm® to The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, January 21. Las Vegas has been added to the list of cities getting special Weezer full-album shows. But, unlike other markets, Vegas fans will get to see the band perform two of its classic albums — their triple-platinum 1994 debut Weezer (aka “The Blue Album”) & 1996’s follow-up and fan favorite Pinkerton– from start to finish in just one night! Tickets go on sale for this incredible show on Saturday at noon. American Express early on sale is Thursday at 10 am EST through Friday at 10 pm EST

“There was a special feeling in the air, a feeling that you were being treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” - MTV

“There is literally nothing else we could’ve possibly asked for from this set of controlled chaos… Better than: Almost everything. Seriously.” – SF WEEKLY

“(Weezer’s) Memories tour felt like an audio/visual scrapbook that hosts Rivers Cuomo and his bandmates were just as giddy about sharing as the capacity crowds at Los Angeles’ Gibson Amphitheatre were about receiving.” - SPIN

Weezer recently inked a deal with leading independent label Epitaph Records signaling the next phase of their acclaimed career. The new studio album entitled Hurley (released on September 14) marked their sixth consecutive Top 10 album release as it entered the Billboard 200 at #6.

Weezer’s November 2^nd release of Death To False Metal (DGC/UMe) is an album created using the basic tracks of 10 previously unreleased recordings—nine never-before-heard songs plus one cover—to assemble a brand new and truly modern-sounding record.  The two-CD Pinkerton – Deluxe Edition (DGC/UMe), also released November 2, 2010, adds color to the band’s musical journey with the original Weezer-produced album remastered and 25 contemporaneous bonus tracks, including every official B-side and 16 previously unreleased recordings.

For more info, visit:

www.weezer.com

www.myspace.com/weezer

www.facebook.com/weezer

Tickets, starting at $45 (plus applicable service fees), will be available Saturday at noon at the Hard Rock Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.

Nov 12, 2010

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF LAS VEGAS

To Collect Donations DURING January Performances Of SUPERNATURAL SANTANA: A TRIP THROUGH THE HITS at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Santana is pleased to announce a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas (B&GCLV) to raise money and educate children about the positive influence of music during the January 5 – 16 run of Vegas’ first and only rock-n-roll residency show, Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through The Hits at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

As a new resident of Las Vegas, Carlos Santana’s support of B&GCLV continues his philanthropic mission to support the local community by enhancing the lives of children. Donations will be collected by B&GCLV volunteers during the eight January performances. All contributions will aid the organization’s mission to enable all young people, especially those who need extra support, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.

Schedule: *Red indicates a B&GCLV donation collection evening

Jan. 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15 and 16*

Additional performances:

April 20, 22, 23, 24, 27, 29 and 30

May 1

Show Time: 8 p.m.

Donations will be collected from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Show Description: Showcasing the band’s career-spanning classics such as “Oye Como Va,” “Smooth,” “Black Magic Woman,” “Evil Ways” and “Maria Maria,” Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through The Hits takes fans on a multi-sensory journey through the most prolific Santana songs. Each show includes a unique take on the band’s repertoire to create a one-of-a-kind experience for show-goers. Fans can expect an ever-changing set list where no two shows are ever the same. The Supernatural Santana set was designed exclusively for The Joint, which was named “Best New Major Concert Venue” by Pollstar Magazine. Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through The Hits is produced by AEG Live.

The Joint

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

www.thejointlasvegas.com / www.hardrockhotel.com

Tickets: Tickets start at $51 and can be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000. For groups of 20 or more, call the Hard Rock Box Office at 702.693.5233.

Website: www.supernaturalsantana.com