History of the Eagles live in concert February 28, 2014 – PNC Arena

Posted: January 6, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
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PNC Arena

Raleigh, NC

February 28, 2014

The Eagles – Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit – will perform classics spanning their career, including some that have never been performed live, as well as songs featured in “History of the Eagles,” the band’s acclaimed, top-selling documentary.

The Eagles have sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, earning five #1 U.S. singles and six GRAMMY® Awards. Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the best-selling album of all time, exceeding sales of 29 million units. The band’s Hotel California and Their Greatest Hits Volume 2 have sold more than 16 and 11 million albums respectively. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Check EaglesBand.com for more information.

Tickets: HERE

Wayne Brady comes to the Duke Energy Center – March 9, 2014

Posted: January 5, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Comedy, Stand-Up
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Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts – Meymandi Concert Hall

Raleigh, NC

March 9, 2014

For more than a decade, Wayne Brady has entertained audiences with his acting, improv, singing and dancing on stage, on television and in film. Brady’s career took off with his debut on the television show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” in 1998, which won him an Emmy in Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety, Musical or Comedy Series in 2003.

Since his debut on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, Brady’s success has continued with the two year run of his talk show “The Wayne Brady Show,” and guest starring on primetime television series’ such as “How I Met Your Mother,” “30 Rock” and “The Dave Chappelle Show”. Brady can be seen weekdays on CBS as host of the daytime class “Let’s Make A Deal.”

Tickets: HERE

Kenny Loggins comes to The Crown Center on February 4, 2014

Posted: January 4, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
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Crown Center

Fayetteville, NC

February 4, 2014

Kenny Loggins’ remarkable four-decade-plus career has brought him from the top of the charts to the toast of the Grammys. He’s had smash hits on Hollywood’s favorite soundtracks (“Danger Zone,” “I’m Alright,” and “Footloose,” to name a few), rocked worldwide stages, and found his way into children’s hearts while bringing his soulful, beautiful voice to platinum albums of a stunning variety of genres. His gift for crafting deeply emotional music is unparalleled, and it’s been a part of his life as long as he can remember.

Tickets: HERE

Gov’t Mule to kick DPAC on February 4th

Posted: January 4, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
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Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC)

Durham, NC

February 8, 2014

Gov’t Mule have announced a series of Winter tour dates in support of their new album, Shout!. Gov’t Mule formed in 1994 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody of The Allman Brothers Band.

Few bands have a reputation for making music as consistently honest, organic and daring as Gov’t Mule. They’re the rare rock ‘n’ roll group with an improvisational heartbeat, which allows all four musicians to expand on the songs’ themes in non-formulaic ways. That quality distinguishes the finest jazz, blues and rock recordings of the ’50s and ’60s, but is largely absent in modern music.

Blue Note Records president Don Was sums up Gov’t Mule’s place in contemporary music: “The Mule holds a unique and lofty berth. They have roots that run real deep – drawing from the entire history of rock ‘n’ roll going all the way back to Robert Johnson and the Delta….According to the Blue Note manifesto written by our founder Alfred Lion back in 1939, our label is dedicated to the recording of ‘authentic music.’ I don’t know how much more authentic you can be than Gov’t Mule! It’s an honor to release their records on the Blue Note label. On this new album, they’ve elevated their songwriting, playing and production values to a whole new plateau. It’s gonna blow people’s minds!”

Add the word “again,” because Gov’t Mule have been blowing minds since their eponymous 1994 debut. That album found the band boldly transfusing new blood into old-school psychedelic blues-rock at a time when the genre was largely ignored. Gov’t Mule’s stylistic grasp has grown inexhaustibly since. Fighting the trend in a declining music industry, the band’s fan base, too, has steadily expanded over the course of 15 studio and live releases and thousands of performances – at first in small clubs and theaters, then at halls and major international festivals.

Tickets: HERE

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones – Review

Posted: January 3, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
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Paranormal Activity The Marked Ones (2014)

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

Rated R

for pervasive language, some violence, graphic nudity and some drug use

In the summer of 2012, in Oxnard California, a young man begins his first summer as a high school graduate. The night of his graduation party his creepy neighbor is mysteriously murdered. Jesse, the new graduate, and his older best friend, Hector, decide to investigate the apartment where the murder occurred. The morning after their investigation Jessie awakens to find a curious bite mark on his arm. From that point forward he finds that he has several new “gifts” that he and Hector exploit and document on their video camera. It isn’t long before Jesse discovers that his gifts are not gifts at all, but something far more dangerous.

This installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise of movies is not really a sequel, or even prequel, to the rest of the movies. The story that is told is that of a different family and set of circumstances from the rest of the films in this franchise. Even though it is not a true sequel, or prequel, it can’t really stand on its own either. The story that takes place is clearly related to and connected to the other films in the Paranormal Activity chain.

The movie is filmed in the same “lost footage” style of movies as the other PA movies but is also different in several other key areas. The writers were not afraid to embrace comedy in this movie. The lives of 18 year olds with no jobs and even less direction in life can lead to many interactions that we will find funny. This is very true of the characters of Jesse and Hector. The two often find themselves in situations where their awkwardness or immaturity plays out in some funny ways. Jesse trying to hook up with Penelope is a good scene depicting how ill prepared these guys are for life and how funny this movie can be.

Once the story turns the corner into the realm of demons and witches, the funny moments stop, IMMEDIATELY. When it becomes clear that Jesse’s gifts are not something he really wants, the scares start to pile up and the imagery grows darker. In one scene it becomes very clear that all is not well with Jesse when he is seen playing a very twisted game with his pet Chihuahua, “Chavo”. Another scene that provides a good scare occurs when Grandma tries to cleanse Jesse of whatever “spirits” have him. That scene also uses some good special effects to draw you in for the payoff scare.

Although I enjoyed this movie immensely, there were a few things that really got to me with the story-telling. The camera battery is obviously the secret to perpetual energy and should probably be investigated by the government for uses in other areas. Other issues revolve around the half-assed way the police investigated the murder of the creepy neighbor. When Jesse and Hector are in the apartment walking around being typical teenagers, there is pertinent evidence all over the place. The Oxnard Police Homicide Division has obviously never seen an episode of CSI or Law and Order.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this movie and am now even more excited to see the next installment of the franchise that is due out in October. If you like a good scare and like a cool story, then Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is one you should check out.

By the way… If you have this game in your house…. Simon-Game_lYou won’t after watching this movie….

Helpful Viewing:

Paranormal Activity, Paranormal Activity 2, Paranormal Activity 3, Paranormal Activity 4, Paranormal Activity 5 (October 24, 2014)

Bruce Bruce and the Top Shelf Comedy Tour comes to Raleigh – January 31, 2014

Posted: January 3, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Comedy, Stand-Up
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Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts – Memorial Auditorium

Raleigh, NC

January 31, 2014

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Bruce Bruce

Bruce Bruce is a name synonymous with keeping audiences rolling with laughter thanks to his captivating improv skills and larger than life comedic style. Bruce’s steady style of comedy has been showcased across the country, and he has been entertaining audiences young and old, and of all backgrounds, for years. His wit, spontaneity and dazzling personality set him apart from other standup comedians. Although Bruce is known for his adult comedy, he prides himself on not using vulgarity to win a laugh, and is no stranger is winning over new audiences with every appearance he makes. From his role as host for two seasons of BET’s “Comic View” to his many appearances on tv and film, Bruce is clearly a comedian that has found his mark in the business.

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Arnez J

Rapidly becoming one of the most talked about comedians, Arnez J’s charisma and physical agility are unforgettable. With the physicality of Jim Carrey, his brand of comedy has dubbed him “the black Jerry Lewis.”

On his own at age 14, Arnez lied about his age to get a job at a gas station to work his way through school. Arnez wanted to be a professional baseball player. A Philadelphia Phillies Farm League pursued him, but that fell through. It was later while working as a flight attendant that Arnez discovered his comedic talent. He realized that he had the ability to keep the passengers and crew laughing and upon encouragement from friends, he made his first attempt at stand-up comedy. After that first night on stage, he knew what he wanted to do. He left his job with the airlines and made the decision to devote all of his time to a career in comedy.

In keeping with his plan, Arnez keeps up a dizzying pace performing for sold out crowds in clubs, colleges and concert halls across the country. And most recently, he has accomplished something no other comic yet has done. Arnez has been asked by The Artist Formerly Known as Prince to perform as his opening act.

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Gary Owen

Gary Owen has been entertaining America for over a decade with his side-splitting comedy. Having performed in all of the major comedy rooms across America, including The Laugh Factory Hollywood, The Comedy Store, all of the Improvs, numerous Funny Bones and Punchlines, and Caroline’s in New York, Owen is one of America’s most loved comedians.”

Owen started doing stand-up in San Diego, and had a huge African American fan base. He went onto win the “Funniest Black Comedian in San Diego” contest. That led to his first big gig at the Comedy Store in Hollywood.

Then in July of 1997 he auditioned for BET’s Comicview. Two appearances on the multi-cultural comedy showcase won him his own one-hour “Grandstand” show. At the end of the season he was selected from the year’s four “Grandstanders” to be the host. Not only is Owen the only white man to have ever hosted Comicview, but he is the only white on-air personality the network has ever had.

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Dominique

What is there to know about Dominique? Well, if you’re interested in high-powered comedy, there is everything to know. From clubs across the country to Comedy Central’s hit “Chapelle’s Show” she’s showing America what a comedienne is.

She began honing her skills unprofessionally as a civil servant on the nightshift as a postal worker at the now infamous Brentwood Postal facility in her native Washington D.C. “I knew something like that was gonna happen. I used to see all kinds of stuff that terrorist could use come through that post office. But that was back in the good ole’ Timothy McVeigh days”, she quips about the nation’s anthrax scare. Boredom with the job and fear of going postal gave way to open mic nights at local clubs at the behest of friends and co-workers. She immediately gained a reputation for telling it like it is; raw and uncut and unknowingly garnered a loyal following. Washington’s uppity audiences gravitated toward her mixture of politics, street culture and current events. Her strong presence and a bravado rarely seen in female comics quickly gained the attention of the producers of HBO’s “Russell Simmons’s Def Comedy Jam”, the show that changed comedy forever. She went from shuffling mail to working with the likes of Chris Rock in no time. “I didn’t do anything special. I just talked about what I knew and the next thing you know I’m on T.V. I quit that job and took about 20 books of stamps. I figured they owed me.” She never looked back.

Tickets: HERE

Eastern Carolina Style Interviews: Rob Squires of Big Head Todd and the Monsters

Posted: January 2, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Interview, Music
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It is the early 1980s in Colorado, three boys; Todd Park Mohr, Brian Nevin and Rob Squires are at Columbine High School dreaming about hitting it big in music. Fast forward, a little bit, to 1986 and change the setting to The University of Colorado and those three same boys, now grown men, begin touring the college scene performing a jazz and blues inspired set as Big Head Todd and the Monsters. In 1989 they take their work to another level and form Big Records and release their first album, Another Mayberry.  It is now 1993 and Big Head Todd and the Monsters are set to release their third album, Sister Sweetly, under new label Giant Records. Sister Sweetly is widely critically acclaimed and goes on to sell well into Platinum status. From that point on, Big Head Todd and The Monsters would always consider themselves, and be considered by many to be, a truly successful band.

On February 4, 2014 the band will release Black Beehive which will be their 14th album. Throughout their careers and their large catalog of music the band has stayed true to their roots of being a blues based rock band. They were not concerned with fame or with being the “next big thing”; they just wanted to make music.

Rob Squires, the bassist and a founding member of the group, took some time recently to answer a few questions about their music, their upcoming show at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh and the new album.

MAS – You guys will perform at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh, NC on Friday, January 31. What can we expect from the show, a mix of old and new or mostly material from the upcoming album?

Rob Squires – With our new CD coming out I’m sure we’ll focus on some of the new material as well as older crowd favorites. We’ll have special guests Ronnie Baker Brooks and Hazel Miller joining us for the tour so that will allow us to present some really cool and different things as well.

MAS – Everywhere I look I read that the 1993 release ‘Sister Sweetly’ should have made you all superstars.  It sold over a million copies and was consistently ranked in the Billboard Top 200. In an interview you did a few years back with MusicPix.net it was said that you were just not ready for all that came with that type of success. Now, here you are 20 years after the release of that album, do you have any regrets about pulling back on the reigns? What would you have done differently?

Rob Squires – We are very happy with our career and have no regrets. We have always stayed true to what we believe in musically and have been rewarded by our fans with a very successful 27 year and counting career.

MAS – Since the early 90’s you all have produced 13 or 14 albums all with varying degrees of success. Your musical style in those albums has been described as “a little bit of everything.” With your interests and abilities being so diverse, how do you assemble all of those styles into the identity that is Big Head Todd and the Monsters?

Rob Squires – Even with the differing styles in CDs I think you can find a common thread and that’s the sound of the band and the underlying influence of the blues. Blues spawned so many varieties of music but everything can be traced back to those basics.

MAS – You guys are a true success story in music, three buddies from high-school that decided to make music; and keep it working for over 20 years. How do you make it work in the age of “creative differences” breaking up groups every day?

Rob Squires – We have always been good friends and supportive of each other’s ideas. Also, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have Todd who is such an incredible songwriter.

MAS – Your soon to be released studio album, Black Beehive, sounds like some of your very best work. Tell me about the development of the album. What was the inspiration? Who developed the overall concept? Is there anything noteworthy about this album as compared to your others?

Rob Squires – Todd came up with an incredibly strong batch of songs and we were fortunate enough to connect with Steve Jordan as a producer. Steve is one of the most musically talented people on the planet and has worked with a who’s who of legends. Steve really focused the project and brought great sounds and vibe to the recording. We recorded fairly live in a one room studio and it really captures the essence and the sound of our band.

MAS – In looking through the current Billboard Hot 100, blues music or even blues inspired music is barely represented if at all. The charts are dominated by the likes of Katy Perry, One Direction, Miley Cyrus and others like them. Does that make you feel challenged or pressured to pursue a more pop style of music too?

Rob Squires – Not at all. We’ve never chased trends. We make music that we love and we’ve been blessed that enough people love it too.

Queens of the Stone Age …Like Clockwork at Duke Energy Center – January 30, 2014

Posted: January 2, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
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Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts – Memorial Auditorium

Raleigh, NC

January 30, 2014

Queens Of The Stone Age have submitted to popular demand and extended the life of the …Like Clockwork global touring juggernaut yet again.

In addition, Queens Of The Stone Age and The Creators Project, a partnership between Intel and VICE, have unveiled the interactive video for “The Vampyre Of Time And Memory.” This bold production, directed by Kii Arens and Jason Trucco and designed and developed by Darknet, re-imagines the classic music video in the context of a virtual art installation distinguished by horror, weird beauty, and surrealism, and pushes the boundaries of creative expression. More than that, Joshua Homme and the band’s commanding performance is simply not to be missed.

Tickets: HERE

Tickets still available: It’s Shatner’s World at the Duke Energy Center – January 12, 2014

Posted: January 1, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Comedy, Stand-Up
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Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts – Memorial Auditorium

Raleigh, NC

January 12, 2014

In SHATNER’S WORLD…a one man force of nature delivers a larger than life performance complete with his laugh-out-loud humor, signature storytelling and select musical selections in his inimitable style.

Through anecdotes, songs, jokes and even some poignant moments, you will experience William Shatner ‘s phenomenal path from classically trained Shakespearean actor to cultural icon, brilliantly creating the larger-than-life and most important character he has ever played, William Shatner.

“Undeniably fun!” –EW.com
“Resistance is futile!” – Hollywood Reporter

Tickets: HERE

Bill Cosby …Far From Finished comes to Fayetteville on January 17, 2014 – Crown Center

Posted: December 31, 2013 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Comedy, Stand-Up
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Crown Center

Fayetteville, NC

January 17, 2014

Bill Cosby …Far From Finished

This January, one of America’s most beloved comedians of all time will take the stage in Fayetteville.

He has captivated generations of fans with his comedy, iconic albums & best- selling books like Fatherhood and his current best-seller, I Didn’t Ask to Be Born, But I’m Glad I Was. Cosby transcends age, gender and cultural barriers.

Cosby broke TV’s racial barrier with I Spy, becoming the first African-American to costar on a TV series while winning 3 consecutive Emmys. He created and produced the Emmy-winning cartoon Fat Albert & The Cosby Kids. Perhaps Cosby’s greatest contribution to American entertainment & culture is The Cosby Show, which features a close-knit, upper class black family. For more information, please visit billcosby.com.

Tickets: HERE

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