Summer Is The Time For Concerts

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Well, its that weekend of the year a lot of people look forward to: Memorial Day weekend. The weekend that is the beginning of summer, socially anyway. Around here, the pools start to open, Sunday is spent watching both races, and friends, neighbors, and family gather for backyard events. Also, its the beginning of the summer concert schedules. Not only your nationally known artists, but your local artists as well.

This summer, look for Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, and many others out there with great concert tours. Be sure to check pollstar.com and your favorite artist's official websites for tour information and on-sale dates. Then, if you need help, just e-mail me and I will be happy to help you out.

The CMA Music Fest this year will be June 5-8 and is always a great time. If you haven't ever been, make your plans now for next year. It is a paradise for a country music fan. We will talk about that later on this coming week.

However, something to keep in mind and support is your local artists and your local venues, especially with the high cost of living these days. Yes, the big shows and major concerts are great fun, a large part of how the artists connect to their fans, and make their living, but, don't forget to check your hometown offerings. From the smallest town to the largest city, there are so many local artists and small-scale music events going on. You may surprise yourself in how much fun you'll have, make new friends, and really get a chance to discuss music with the artist you just saw perform it. Not meaning a quick "meet and greet," but a true conversation.

So, as we prepare for Summer, be sure to add your local events on the calendar as well.