Two things worth the ticket price

The Ten out of Ten Tour
This is a group of ten young performers from Nashville.
Butterfly Boucher, Erin McCarley, Matthew Perryman Jones, Griffin House, Katie Herzig, Trent Dabbs, Andy Davis, Jeremy Lister, KS Rhoads and Tyler James.

April 3, 8 p.m. at the Black Sheep, 2106 E. Platte Avenue.
Tickets are $12 advance, $14 the day of the show.

Ain’t Misbeahvin’
Broadway musical starring Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis
April 1 – 2 at the Pikes Peak Center.

Tickets range from $30 to $50.

A few photos of Rampart's undefeated baseball team in Phoenix

 There's coach  Adam Strah on the left,

below, Michael, Tony and Wendy Schicktanz below them, Miguel Ortega and Deb Lowandowski 

Information from YOU!

Lord, I’m such a moron

A couple of you were actually kind enough to respond and I’m such an idiot, I didn’t notice your responses until now. Therefore, let me make up for lost postings.

Mike Ernest, a Boettcher scholar, Colorado College grad, employee of the infamous Minerals Management Division of the Bureau of the Interior (wha, wha!) and my high school prom date wrote:

“I've been trying to explain a Denver band called Devotcha to my friends. They are artists on Anti Records and they are set to play Red Rocks in June or July. Mix electric guitars with a Sousaphone, violin and kettle drum. Pretty interesting band.”

It’s so hard to find a band that mixes Sousaphones and kettle drums…
However, DeVotchKa has done so very well. It and composer Mychael Danna provided the score for Little Miss Sunshine.
The band will play with David Byrne at Red Rocks, Saturday, June 20.
Tickets are on sale now, from $44.00 to $69.50.

Commander, Skip Arms, Colorado Springs Police Department wrote:
"Just a thought, I know that the Douglas County Fairgrounds occasionally brings in some good talent and we rarely hear about it here in the Springs. Could that venue be added to your list as well?"

This is exactly the sort of request I hope to get - I never would have thought of that venue but I've got myself in its mailing list and I'll make a call to its staff tomorrow, so we should be able to hear about upcoming events there in time to get tickets. I must add that, in addition to be well-spoken and photogenic, Skip is the world's BEST running partner. He has those two invaluable qualities: he shows and he runs and has done so for the past eight years.

My good buddy, Colonel Dennis Cripps, U.S. Army, Retired, and my former boss at El Paso County wrote:
“I am so glad you have found meaning in life after El Paso County. It seems so improbable now but the good guidance I gave you while you were in my platoon has benefited you in this latest endeavor.”

Denny is one of the world’s great bosses and friends, along with his lovely and long suffering wife, Sherry.

Barbara Bates, good, trustworthy friend and tireless supporter of the Humane Society, wrote:

“Hey, if people are looking for a truly terrific event here in Colorado Springs, check out the concert on April 16th, 7:30pm at Cheyenne Mountain High School.
The New Horizons Band consists of many people who are over the age of 50 who want to play in a community band. Music is absolutely fabulous. They are a non-profit organization, and their funds go toward scholarships for people who cannot afford to buy an instrument, but who want to play in a band. Tickets are only $2.00 for the concert, so check it out!

A little more on local talent:
If you enjoy watching a good high school sports team, make time for a Rampart baseball game. Its players had their way with the teams at a national tournament in Phoenix over the weekend. The Rams are undefeated this year. I'll post photos of them tomorrow and tell you more about their victories.
Ann

Hey, I didn't realize The Fray was a local band

Sure enough, it is, although, it won't be playing in our confines until it hits Denver on July 19th for the Mile High Festival.
The festival will be July 18th and 19th on the fields at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Dick's Sporting Goods Park is located nine miles northeast of downtown Denver in Commerce City, Colorado. Tickets go on sale April 3 at milehighmusicfestival.com.

I'll be posting your emails and photos tomorrow. See you then!

Communication in the communist satellite countries

Hey! We're in Phoenix, accompanying a daughter through a school tour, watching the fabulous Rampart High School baseball team retain its unbeaten record and checking out the reviews of this week's Elton John/Billy Joel Face 2 Face tour date which are, frankly, lukewarm.

Using a computer at a hotel can still be like trying to communicate in the Baltic states... incredibly time consuming and notoriously unrealiable. My apologies for the lack, I'm trying to make this pile of rotting potatoes into vodka while I wait for my computer to spool up...

If you're kicking yourself for noting getting tickets to the Elton John's World Arena appearance next week, it sounds like it might not be a big loss. Reviews of this week's Phoenix performance are, eh, so-so.. He appeared here with Billy Joel and won't appear with Joel again until May. Here's what one Martin Cizmar in Concert Review had to say:
"In 1994, when Billy Joel and Elton John first took the stage together in Philadelphia, it was quite a novelty. Two piano-playing singer-songwriters -- who've each sold more than 100 million records on their own -- together in concert! Wowza!
Five tours and 15 years later, the newness is gone. Last night's Face 2 Face Tour stop at U.S. Airways Arena was nothing if not predictable."

On to baseball -
Rampart's slayin' 'em and I have great photos, but I have to wait until the hamster running this thing learns how to draw, in order to post them. I hope to succeed tomorrow.
Ann

Quick update on some of our summer venues

The weather may still be chilly but our summer concert venues are getting ready for things to heat up.

Red Rocks
The benches at Red Rocks Amphitheatre having been holding concert-goers since1941. Needless to say, they’ve gotten a bit worn over the years. Happily, the amphitheatre is currently replacing them with brand, new ones. If you’re one of us who’s spent a wonderful evening at Red Rocks and has a nostalgic attachment, you’ll have a chance to purchase wood from the original benches.From time to time, it’s made available to the public through a City and County of Denver surplus property online auction. To find out about upcoming auctions, you can sign up on the city’s website at http://www.denvergov.org/auctions

Fiddler's Green is now Coors Amphitheater
Located in the southwest Denver metro area, it will kick off the season with Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction on May 26. On May 27 it's No Doubt with Paramore. Then, July 30, Rod Stewart is coming.

That's all for today. We're off to Phoenix to check out the Arizona State University campus with our daughter Kate. We also have the pleasure of delivering Rampart baseball players extrordinaire, Zane Watkins and Miguel Ortega to a tournament. They will no doubt show everyone how it's done!

Ann

Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Blog responses

Ok, it’s very “high school year book.” You guys sent some great comments and I appreciate them, but more than anything, I want you to know a little about each other, so here are the emails I received yesterday. Take a look at what fun these folks are. Next time, I may be a big enough person to just tell you about them instead of including their lovely comments!

“Looking forward to your new blog. Are you sure there are not too many letters in the blog address?”Julius Hunter, KMOV, sexy St Louis anchor emeritus and author of several books, including, “TV One-on-One”, a compilation of interesting interviews he’s done, including a whopper with Sophia Loren and a dandy with Barack Obama. We'll get him to talk about his book here in the next few weeks.

He’s right about the blog name, it is too long, but it was the closest domain name available. Such is life.

“That is awesome! Let me know when it’s up and running! Blogs are the way of the future!Christina Klamser, Senior Manager-Global Brand Marketing, Smashbox Cosmetics (and winner of any beautiful smile contest. I’ll try to post a photo of her – check out the pearly whites!) Christina is a Colorado Springs native now living in Los Angeles with husband, Robert and son Harrison. Harrison being among the most wonderful toddlers on the planet.

“I think that's wonderful!! I will check it out and hope I can catch up on all things Colorado Springs!!”Mary Cobb - One of Colorado Springs’ most generous philanthropists (especially to her friends) from her rockin’ cool house in Austin where she lives with husband, Tim and dog-who-thinks-he-is-person, Davis.

“I can't wait!”Neil Katz, President, Architectural Solutions (and handsome, 50-something, Colorado Springs bachelor. I added that part, it’s not on his card.)

“Annie – I’ll take a look.”Les Gruen, President, Urban Strategies, planning and development company. Les is a good sport – enough to participate with his daughter when I used to organize games of neighborhood hide-and-go-seek for all of my friends and our kids.

“Just checked it out. You got a great idea there.”Kevin Maki, Montana Public Radio – one of my favorite reporters in the whole, wide world and one of the best people in it too. Remember Kevin from Channel 5? We reported there for years. Kevin’s gift is being able to make you laugh so hard, you cry.

“Very cool.”Vickie Smith – Animal lover and fund raiser, extraordinaire. She’s taken the Humane Society’s Furrr Ball to fabulous new levels and helped a bunch of animals in the process.

Entertainment News

The Broadmoor – The Weekend of Jazz is coming right up, March 26 through 28. Artists are Earl Klugh, Patti Austin, Spyro Gyra, RnR (Rick Braun and Richard Elliot) Jessy J and Bob James in a team-up with Klugh. This is some remarkable music for our town! If you’ve ever had a romantic jazz moment, you’d get some tingles out of this.

In Denver:

Pepsi Center

Mile High Dreams Gala: Hollywood Nights, Monday, March 30, 7:00.

I promised more information about this because it’s such a creative fundraiser. I think it’s too bad it’s scheduled for a Monday night.

Mile High Dreams lets you be a high roller along with the players and coaches of the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Mammoth and Colorado Rapids. It’s held on the Pepsi Center arena floor. This season's theme is Old Hollywood, so you can break out the boa’s and the cigarette holders. Proceeds benefit the education, health and fitness programs of Kroenke Sports Charities and Denver Active 20/30 Children's Foundation.

Thanks for checking in,

Ann

Blog Inaug

Hey dear friends!
Having wheedled and coerced you into visiting this site, I'm delighted you're here.
This blog is aimed at keeping you abreast of what's going on in entertainment here, in Denver and in Pueblo. Many times the trick is hearing about it before it's too late to get tickets.

There have been some great folks in town that we heard little about - Taylor Swift, for instance. My daughter would've traded a month of latte's to see her.

On the other side of the spectrum, Tone Loc was here. He's the rapper that did those weird, old songs, "Funky Cold Medina" and "Wild Thing." I would love to have seen him.

The plan is to get the blog going, then add a webcast to All the Talk of the Town. That's coming soon.

So take a look, then if you're so inspired, tell me what you think at: allthetalkofthetown@gmail.com
Thanks!
Ann

Here's what's coming up in our town:

World Arena
Thursday, March 26 – 29, Disney On Ice
Friday, April 3 – Harlem Globetrotters
Saturday, April 4 – Elton John (What a score for the World Arena! Margo Mircos of the Arena tells me Sir Elton isn't interested in playing huge venues anymore. He liked the World Arena's size so we lucked out. Of course, there's the fact that we're also fabulous fans.)

Pikes Peak Center
Wednesday, April 1 & Thursday, April 2 - Ain’t Misbehavin
Saturday, March 28 - Mel Tillis,
Tickets are now on sale for Boz Scaggs, May 10th.

Cowboys
Wednesday, April 1 - the Gloriana Band

In Denver:
Pepsi Center
Monday, March 30 - Mile High Dreams Gala (More on this tomorrow. It's wild.)

The Ogden
Saturday, April 11 - acoustic rock with Hot Buttered Rum from the San Franscico Bay area.

The Bluebird
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Omadaka, FLiP, Sparta Locals, Samurai Attack, and Detroit 7