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Rush Tickets and the Clockwork Angels

It has been 44 years and Rush is still alive. They are not one of those bands touring on pure nostalgia. They are not in concert to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a multi-platinum album. No, Canada’s glorious hard rocking, progressive metal band is back with their 19th album. Rush tickets are already on sale and selling well for the Clockwork Angels Tour. The tour begins in September, three months after the release of the album. On September 7, 2012 Rush will pull into Manchester, New Hampshire to play the Verizon Wireless Arena. The tour will take the band through 30 North American cities, ending on December 2, 2012 in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center.

The touring compliment will be the same as it has been since 1974, with Geddy Lee on bass guitar and singing lead, Alex Lifeson on guitar and singing backup, and Neil Peart on drums. These three have cultivated a reputation that inspires love or hate. The movie I Love You Man made Rush a central part of Paul Rudd and Jason Segal’s development as twisted best friends. Some of the fans have even been called the trekkies of rock, which is why it is surprisingly, but not shocking, that Kevin Anderson, a science fiction and friend of Peart, is creating a novelization of the album.

Perhaps, if the book comes out in time, fans can read the book and pretend the concert setlist is a soundtrack to the story of a young man and his quest through a world of steampunk and alchemy, filled lost cities, pirates, anarchists, an exotic carnival, and even a Watchmaker.

To date, three singles have been released from the album. “Caravan” and “BU2B” have been played during the last Time Machine Tour. “Headlong Flight” is the only single set to be released in the New Year. “Caravan” charted in both Canada and the United States. “BU2B” only charted in Canada.

Dallas Cowboys Tickets for 2012 to be Last with Garrett and Romo?

The Dallas Cowboys knew they would have to play NFC East foes (arguably every match up is a rivalry game, so there is no easy division win), but I am sure fans were not expecting to have to open the season against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Really, this first quarter of the field pits the Boys up against the Seahawks in Week 2, the Bucs in Week 3, and the Bears in Week 4. These are not football team of the same caliber as the Giants, but they have been tough clubs to beat in the last few seasons. Dallas Cowboys tickets are going to sell out to the home opener at Cowboys Stadium, but Jason Garrett and Tony Romo could easily be playing this game under duress, with Jerry Jones stalking the sidelines demanding a win.

Sadly, this is not the first season Garrett and Romo have been under pressure from the very first snap of the regular season schedule. The pressure has been on since the Jones fired Wade Phillips in the middle of the 2010 season and promoted Garrett from offensive coordinator to head coach. It is difficult to find any blame with Garrett in his first half season. Dallas went 5-3 under his leadership but missed the playoffs thanks to a 1-7 start. The 8-8 journey to mediocrity in 2011 attributed to injury.

Injury has often been cited as an excuse and really is allowed just once or twice in a head coach’s stay in any particular city (unless the city is Tennessee and the team is the Titans). Thus Garrett has to make the postseason, crippled starting running back or quarterback or no.

Romo was not crippled last season. He played all 16 games, posted a career-best 102.5 QB Rating, completed a very good 66.3 percent of his passes, and enjoyed an excellent touchdown-interception ratio of 3.1 to 1. He proved to be a Top-5 quarterback but the offense only scored a middle-of-the-road 23.1 points a game. The failure lay with the running game and not the passing game in this case.

Despite these underlying statistical facts, the record is going to be interpreted as a true representation of a quarterback’s worth. Thus, Romo enters the season with some suggesting Garrett draft a quarterback to infuse some competition at the position. Garrett has famously insisted he prefer to have competition at major positions to push the starters to play their best. However, competition at the quarterback position is not seen this way by either the player or the fans. The term “quarterback controversy”, or even any hint of one, is one that elicits fear amongst the fan base, doubt among the experts, and civil war in the locker room.

These first four games on the schedule must go well, perhaps with Dallas winning 3 of the first 4, to ward off a coaching change or another season of calling Romo ‘s performance into question.

Drama League vs. the Tony's

Not to be outdone by the Tony Awards, the Drama League has preannounced its nomination announcements. The Tony Awards may have Kristin Chenoweth and Jim Parsons, but the Drama League has tapped Megan Hilty and Justin Long! Hilty and Long may not have quite the resume of the Tony announcers but they are quite vogue.

Hilty is one of the stars of the hit show Smash, so take that Chenoweth. GCB may have its fans, but Smash is Broadway for adults, a more mature version of Glee with far more realistic singing sequences. Yes, Chenoweth may have originated the role of Galinda, but Hilty owned the role when she took over on Broadway. Neither one of these actresses will be seen with Wicked Tickets now, but they are part of the Wicked lineage. Hilty has also starred in 9 to 5: The Musical.

Long is currently on Broadway in the new play Seminar, Theresa Rebeck’s new play. Long has a much longer television and film resume though, one much longer than Parsons. He may not have a sitcom as wildly successful as the Big Bang Theory. He does have Live Free or Die Hard, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, He’s Just Not That into You, and Waiting to his credit. Long has been making a career out supporting roles and celebrated reoccurring roles. Most recently he appeared on The New Girl as a romantic interest opposite Zooey Deshanel.

Similarly, the Drama League of New York is slightly less well-known and celebrated than the Tony Awards. Yet, the Drama League Awards predate the Tony Awards. The first Drama League Awards were held in 1935 while the Tony Awards were first presented in 1947. The announcement comes on April 24, 2012, a week before the Tony Award announcements. The Drama League Awards are held well in advance of the Tony Awards too. The 2012 award show will be presented on May 18, 2012 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel with Stockyard Channing and John Larroquette.

Aerosmith Tickets and the Comeback

Nearly three years ago the band Aerosmith stood at a crossroad. Steven Tyler was refusing to be a part of a South American leg to their underwhelming tour, instead choosing to focus on an autobiography and his upcoming introduction as the newest judge on American Idol. Joe Perry and the rest of the group were so outraged they believed Tyler would leave the group, courting Lenny Kravitz to become the new lead singer and front man. In the end, Tyler would stave off departure rumors and Aerosmith’s future remained a fragile creature.

Fast forward to 2012 and Aerosmith is about to begin the Global Warming Tour with more than a little heat, and it is all because of the reality show four-fifths of the group so reviled. The young fan base has been introduced to a flamboyant character who at times resembles a quirky aunt and now are intrigued by this concept known as “Aerosmith”.

This concept band is also coming out with a new album, the first in eight years. Currently untitled and set for release on a mystery date destined to fall somewhere in the middle of the tour, many are intrigued by the recording. Tyler and Perry have built it up to be a bit something old and new. Does this mean the group is going to follow in Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s footsteps, importing a little inspiration from Arcade Fire to keep up with the times?

One would look to the opening act on this massive tour to get a feel for what to expect. However, Cheap Trick is difficult to define, as they have been the influence for everything from hard to typical rock and even power pop. If anything, Arcade Fire most is likely to include Cheap Trick as an influence. So, at the very least, those interested in Aerosmith tickets should expect a set list dominated by the hits still receiving radio rotation today. That means plenty of “Sweet Emotion” and inspiration to “Walk This Way”. That also means the band should be taking a few musical risks, perhaps alienating fans who want their rock classic.

Knicks Tickets for a 4 Seed

Most of the nation did not know it, but the New York Knicks had a must-win game this past Wednesday night. The basketball team, 4-0 under the new direction of Mike Woodson, traveled to Philadelphia to play the Atlantic Division’s current leader, the 76ers. The 82-79 win closed the gap from the number three spot to the number one spot in the division (and the number four seed in the Eastern Conference) to three games.

Despite the barrage of comments from fans, there is no way the Knicks roster is going to be able to upset the Chicago Bulls or Miami Heat. Thus, if the basketball fans want to enjoy New York Knicks tickets for a second round, the team has to embrace the message of defense preached by the emissary Woodson and find a way for isolation plays favoring Carmelo and Stat to co-exist with the efforts of Jeremy Lin. Lin proved quite capable of holding his own with all three on the court in the win, scoring 16 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

The Knicks only have a game between them and the Celtics. Boston is reeling, desperately in need of a backup center or power forward to give KG a break. If Carmelo and Stat are willing to let Lin play, is Tyson Chandler continues to do his thing in the middle, but with a little help from the superstars, then the New York Knicks could creep up the Eastern Conference standings over the course of the last 19 games. (I forgot to mention the slow, atrophying state of the 76ers that makes all this possible).

The rest of the Knicks schedule is far from a cake walk. They play the Magic twice, the Bulls twice, the Heat once, the main competition – the Bucks – twice, the Celtics once, and the longshot – the Cleveland Cavs – once. Essentially, this is a 19-game section packed with five games against the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference and four games against the immediate competition.

This is going to be a heart-pounding final month of the 2012 NBA season, so find your Knicks tickets at OnlineSeats to catch basketball that means something at Madison Square Garden.

Wicked Tickets: A Chance to See Chandra Lee Schwartz Shine?

Broadway shows with long runs are a producers dream. They are also great for burgeoning stars of the musical theater. The latest would-be star to grace the stage at Gershwin Theatre is Chandra Lee Schwartz. She portrays Glinda the Good Witch. Schwartz has been perfecting the performance since she joined Wicked on the touring circuit.

Chandra Lee Schwartz has essentially been selling Wicked tickets since Friday, August 21, 2009. Then she joined the first national tour of Wicked the Musical as Elphaba. Schwartz would switch roles and take on the role of Glinda, a role she would reprise on Broadway.

Before Wicked, both the national tour and her Broadway performance, Chandra went the normal route. Born on August 18, 1981 and graduating from AMDA NYC, Schwartz started off Broadway in What’s That Smell and The Music of Jacob Sterling. Soon she graduated to play before much larger audiences. She played Sharpay in the High School Musical and Penny in Hairspray.

Wicked would be her chance to break out. She has gone from traveling the country to residing in Manhattan and starring in the biggest show of each Broadway season since it opened back in 2004. What will be next - a television sitcom, a supporting role in a romantic comedy, or originating another role on Broadway? Her star appears ready to rise even higher.

The Rise of the Music Festival Ticket

Just as the Internet changed the recording industry, music festivals have altered the course of concert tours. Of course, music festivals are no new initiative. I imagine if I were to be transported back to the Dark Ages I could walk into a town square in the middle of summer and enjoy a day of merry fueled by mead and live music from a number of local groups. Heck, Woodstock (the original) seemed the pinnacle of the live music experience in the 20th century.

Yet, post-Woodstock the music festival seemed a novelty. Sure Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young collaborated to develop Farm Aid in the mid-1980s. But far and wide music festivals seemed the territory of county fears and civic events like Chicago’s Bluesfest. They certainly attracted millions, but the buzz surrounding these free events now come in second to the national frenzy of private-run music festivals. They include Lollapalooza, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Summerfest, and many, many more.

The website Festival Finder claims there are 2,500 music festivals every year in North America. They celebrate every music genre imaginable, from alternative to children’s music to marching band. The bigger events last a weekend or two and attract huge names. No longer are music festivals the destinations of duo wop bands surviving on nostalgia and up-and-coming country acts.

Instead, new indie rock bands appreciate the opportunity to play before thousands instead of gravitating to a series of cramped clubs. Major label recording artists still topping the Billboard charts like to kick off world tours with an appearance at these as if they are shots of adrenaline for the long haul. Groups reuniting can play before the same thousands and attract those who enjoy the nostalgia of the hits from the 1980s and the youth intrigued to see if the group has grown musically.

From an industry POV, these are perhaps the safest venues in which to promote. There is a captivated audience wandering the grounds waiting to rock out or fighting the urge to pass out before the evening’s headliner. As the new music junkie is no longer limited to the radio, this is the only way to ensure the group plays before people with little option to listen, if at least for the time it takes to navigate the swelling crowds of beach blankets.

These events sell out quickly, whether they are offering three-day passes, single-day passes, or a combination of both. It is at these times it is best to turn to sites like OnlineSeats. Next month’s Coachella Music Festival is already sold out, but we have three-day pass tickets for a mere $213. The same goes for the other big names – Bonnaroo, Summerfest, and Lollapalooza.

Miami Heat Tickets for the Big Five

The Big Three may have not have been able to deliver in the NBA Finals last season, but perhaps the Big Five can. Coach Erik Spoelsrta has put this lineup – one with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James in the backcourt and Mike Miller, Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem in the front court – on the floor in the fourth quarter and the quintet has responded by closing out the Philadelphia 76er and the Toronto Raptors.

Against the 76ers, who have the fourth-best record in the NBA, the Heat ran with these five and went on a 15-0 run to take the lead back up to 20, after Philly had whittled it down to 5 points. I certainly would not want to have to devise a defensive strategy to diminish this lineup’s effectiveness. LeBron is a new breed of point forward and he can create on the perimeter along with Wade. Together these two average 12.1 assists and score 50.3 points. Though it may be a bit early to deem this a success, I can understand why this appeals to both King James and D-Wade.

Both players prefer the perimeter. In Wade’s case, that is acceptable. He may play like a Spartan warrior, but he is the size of a guard. LeBron has the bulk of a middle linebacker, so almost every one with any understanding of the game of basketball wants him to post up, given his peculiar athleticism. By assigning James the point guard role, he does not have to answer those critics and gets to play where he is comfortable.

Yes, this may stunt his growth as a superstar (yes, I am suggesting he can get even better). However, he will eventually make the move toward the post, just as Dirk Nowitzki did. In the meantime, until a head coach emerges who can command his respect, it is useless to try and force that kind of maturity.

There are three other basketball players on the court when Wade and James reside in the backcourt. Miller’s hand is finally healed and he is once again a deep threat. Bosh demonstrated just how good he can be in the last year’s playoffs. Haslem has the Robert Horry/Derek Fisher gene, meaning he hits big shots and is generally in the right place at the right time. Before these five can be declared undefeatable it remains seen if the superstar backcourt can handle a dominant point guard, the kind that is supposed to be evolving quickly and taking over the league. Find Miami Heat tickets to see just how effective these five can be. The Heat have John Wall and Brandon Jennings on the upcoming schedule to put this five to the test.

Book of Mormon Tickets: No More Andrew Rannells

Last week it was reported that the Book of Mormon would be retaining its Tony Award winning cast until 2013. Well, evidently, the casting is not as clear cut. Andrew Rannells, who stars as Elder Kevin Price, might not be part of that returning cast. First, he is going to have to take a few weeks off to head to Los Angeles to work on the new Ryan Murphy sitcom. During those weeks an understudy would have to take his place. Of course, the bigger concern is not that Rannells will be missing for a few weeks, but that he will be gone for an extended period of time, taking up the role for the entire season.

The role is that of one-half of a gay couple interacting with the surrogate who is carrying their child. Well, chances are pretty good that the sitcom, currently known as “that new Ryan Murphy project”, will find a primetime slot for at least half a television season. It has been reported that NBC, ABC, and FOX had been bidding for the pilot. NBC won and they are desperate to put up some kind of comedy programming featuring homosexual characters to challenge Modern Family. For goodness sakes, this is the network that made Will and Grace a huge hit, this pilot will likely get an entire year no matter how good or bad it ends up being.

This is not the first time a television pilot has interfered with the cast of a Broadway play. Sutton Foster took a break from the musical Anything Goes to work on the TV pilot Bunheads. The co-creators of the Book of Mormon would be hard pressed to demonstrate any kind of bitterness if Rannells is given the opportunity to leave for greater exposure. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are, of course, famous for their animated half hour comedy South Park.

So, get Book of Mormon tickets to enjoy the true original cast before Ryan Murphy likely adds another successful program to his IMDB profile.

Trolling for Trouble with Nickelback Tickets

Nickelback is set to tour in 2012 on the Here and Now Tour. We know that on OnlineSeats, for we certainly have Nickelback tickets for the next batch of concerts. However, they have recently come under heavy criticism from a Grammy Award winner. This Canadian rock band is no stranger to the ferocity of its detractors, but this one and the power of the Internet have finally moved Chad Kroeger to speak out in his own defense.

The charges that inspired the normally mum rock band lead singer were levied by Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney. One half of the duo that took home three Grammy Awards in 2011, including Best Alternative Music Album for Brothers, stated “rock and roll is dying because people because they are OK with Nickelback being the biggest band in the world.”

The popular movement against Nickelback has come in the form of online petitions requesting the band not play venues in the city. These petitions gained particular traction when Nickelback played the Thanksgiving game half time show in Detroit.

Well, Nickelback proved to be the highest grossing rock act of the first decade of the 21st century, and perhaps that trumps all music awards. Kroeger has taken to publically stating he does not care what these critical music fans (as well as critics) think of the band. He also has stated the group is comfortable in the stagnant nature of the group’s musical evolution, meaning they will be singing about strippers, drugs, getting drunk, and sex until their fans stop giving them a monetary reason to stop.

Do I like Nickelback? That does not matter. A certain audience obviously does. So no matter how many people use Twitter to denigrate the group they will continue to thrive. The only real charge here to bring against the group is the new media strategy that has them responding to the negative tweets. Egging the twitter-verse may keep you relevant but it makes you look like a hypocrite, so please just stop. Let those people buy the Black Keys tickets as they tour in 2012 while Nickelback fans continue to support the band’s lifestyle. Remember, no matter how many do not like your music, many do. Nobody likes a troll.

New York Knicks Tickets: The Demise of Carmelo and Amare and the Rise of Tyson

As New York Knicks tickets continue to be among the best-selling amongst NBA teams, the team and its perhaps more-famous fans are bemoaning the foretold demise of a Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire duo. Pundits who existed outside of New York warned of the dangers of putting two players on the court who can only play in isolation. Now as the first long losing streak of the 2012 NBA season enters its sixth game, the Knicks fans are coming to terms with the latest flawed team building exercise.

Fans have taken to celebrating the latest “John Starks-type”. Last season Landry Fields igniting the fanbase, giving them a working man hero. He, like Starks, was a second round draft pick. Now he is starting at shooting guard. The latest hero in the making is Iman Shumpert, a point guard and the 18th pick in last year’s draft. Shumpert is not a second round draft pick, but he is not a lottery pick and he has had enough success to inspire some group of basketball fans at Madison Square Garden to proclaim him the best point guard in the league.

That praise for both players may not be quite warranted in the basketball universe outside of the media vacuum that is New York City, but at least this gives them some sort of hope. Instead, the fans should be falling all over Tyson Chandler. He is the sort of glue guy whose production is far more valuable than his statistics suggest. He is averaging a mere 9.9 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game, 1.38 blocks per game, and a 66.7 shooting percentage.

His most valuable asset may be his aversion to scoring anything but lobs and put backs. He also allows Stoudemire and Anthony to hang out on the perimeter on offense and defense. Imagine just how bad the Knicks defense would be without him manning the middle. For remember, Chandler may have been the most important piece to the puzzle in the Dallas Mavericks 2011 NBA Championship series win.

Of course, as the Knicks continue to fall under .500, the New York basketball fans are in search of the next big star to be given the task of leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA Finals since 1999 and the perhaps win the franchise’s first NBA Finals since Phil Jackson was a basketball player back in 1973.

Joe Jonas is Selling How to Succeed Tickets and Shedding The Family Friendly Image

The newest generation of Disney stars has a new role model and that role model is Daniel Radcliffe. First he makes enough money to retire by the time he is 16 by starring in the Harry Potter franchise. Next he showed his junk in Equus to bust that squeaky clean image. Then he finished it all off with a move toward legitimacy by starring in the big Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

The latest family-friendly star to try and add the adjective “former” to the list is Joe Jonas. Jonas may be doing nothing more than teasing the press, but he told the Advocate he might be up for doing a nude scene on the live stage as Radcliffe did because he understands the difference between acting and real life. Did he say he would do a nude scene? No, but he did not count it out and that may just be the best way to establish oneself as an adult in the celebrity world without going full frontal.

Besides, though How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying tickets are still selling quite well after the cast replacements (a fact that should not go without recognition). According to Playbill’s box office report, How to Succeed has found that filling the Hirschfeld at 97.5 percent capacity is a pretty solid path to prosperity.

If Jonas follows this return to Broadway with a nude scene he is just going to invite criticism for following Harry Potter’s exact path, albeit a little out of order. Instead, he should keep flaunting his hot Australian singer girlfriend and people will quickly get the point.

Meanwhile, the Advocate article spends a good amount of time dancing around the issue of the Jonas Brothers’ conservative image and Joe’s exposure to the gay community after entering the ranks of a Broadway performer at the age of 8. It is in this long series of questions where Joe Jonas truly establishes himself as an adult. His answers read sincerely with being supportive of the LGBT community while maintaining his faith, making the distinction between an individual believer, the generalized opinion of those high-profile leaders within the church, and everyone’s right to their own belief.

Where to Get Coachella Tickets After the Presale

Music festival season has now officially kicked off with the announcement of the three-day lineup (to be performed in two successive weekends) at Coachella in 2012. Coachella tickets go on sale today, with two separate three-day passes, from April 13-15, 2012 and from April 20-22, 2012.

The first night of each weekend, the Black Keys are headlining with the Swedish House Mafia playing a close second as the indie dance music fans choice. Radiohead headlines Day Two, with Bon Iver playing for those aware of up-and-coming groups, the Shins appealing to those who were indie music fans at the turn of the century, and David Guetta appealing to hip hop dance fans across the world. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg will end the weekend along with Florence and the Machines. The farther you delve into the lineups the more it becomes clear that this art and music festival is as dedicated to appeasing hipsters from every decade.

This presale is going to sellout quickly, as it does every year. There are only 75,000 tickets made available per night, so there is more than enough demand for indie music fans throughout the country, despite the economic climate. Last year, Coachella ticket sales totaled $23 million and the year before they totaled $21.7 million.

For those fans who are not able to take advantage of the presale, there is the secondary ticket market. OnlineSeats has the very best prices on these music festival tickets, so if you are too late for the presale, take a look at our stock of tickets and enjoy the three-day event of a lifetime.

Super Bowl Tickets: Who do you Want To See Play?

Eight playoff teams remain, meaning the Super Bowl picture remains fuzzy at best. One 80-yard dash by Demaryius Thomas, another multi-pick game from Jabari Green, or a near perfect game by Eli Manning could drastically alter the picture. Yet, it is fun to take a look at the Divisional Playoff round, a round in which March Madness-like upsets still seem possible, and decide what would be the most entertaining Super Bowl matchup.

History has demonstrated that though the game at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5, 2012 is the most important game of the 2011-2012 NFL season, it is guaranteed to be the most entertaining. Thus, in search of a fun topic in the face of frivolous analysis derived from the same three sources, let’s have a completely inane discussion for pure entertainment value.

The AFC and the NFC each have four teams remaining. The AFC has the Denver Broncos playing the New England Patriots and the Houston Texans visiting the Baltimore Ravens. This may be unnecessary, but the Patriots-Broncos game already has the most pre-game buzz. Tebow and Brady are quarterbacks of a remarkably different ilk. One was anointed Football Jesus before taking that first snap and sprinting for the first down marker. The other emerged as one of the most poignant starters in the league from the deep dark bottom of the draft. One team seemingly has religion on its side while the other has a coach closely associated with the Antichrist. One is an upstart and the other entered the season with fans saving for Super Bowl tickets.

The other game is the Texans versus the Ravens. An unseasoned quarterback versus a superb defense and an astonishing dull quarterback versus an underrated defense, this is bound to a dull exposition of the history of the running game in the NFL. For my money the most exciting team to emerge from this field is the Denver Broncos. The Patriots have been in the Super Bowl far too often in the 21st century to remain an interesting story. Really the only advantage to a Patriots appearance is the obligatory cutaways to Giselle Bundchen and her thoroughly confused, soccer loving family.

The NFC has the New York Giants traveling to Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints heading west to play the San Francisco 49ers. The Packers-Giants game is the more appealing of the two. The Packers are in search of the first repeat Super Bowl victories since the Patriots. It is always fun to see a team trying to establish a dynasty. The Giants are just fun to root for because of that legendary Super Bowl XLII performance.

Meanwhile, the Saints-49ers game should be more entertaining. It is an explosive offense vs. a stingy defense. It is a classic battle, but is better suited for theoretical discussions than watching the real thing because the 49ers quarterback is Alex Smith. So, which of these four teams would be most fun to watch in the Super Bowl? Thought I was going to say the Packers? Wrong, and that is not just because I am a Bears fan. No, it is the Saints because a Saints-Broncos game would end in Tim Tebow’s demise and would set up a huge storyline next season, a battle royal between the Saints and Packers for the domination of the NFC. When thinking of the best possible game, always think of its place in history.

Rock of Ages Tickets Coming to a Theater Near You

The nature of success for a Broadway musical has remained quite the same since the advent of film. First, a show makes to Broadway and sells out, quickly recouping the producers’ investment. Then a national tour is launched. In the post-Lion King world of big budget theater this means that the Broadway show and the tour run concurrently. Add a West End run and then all this leads to a big budget production of a different kind, the kind that graces the silver screen. War Horse quickly concluded along these lines, but it now has Broadway brethren (or perhaps a cousin, since War Horse conquered the London before crossing the Atlantic) in the Rock of Ages.

Yes, the Rock of Ages debuted recently and appears to be the second sign of Tom Cruise’s return to legitimacy as a movie star (the first being Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol). Now, in addition to the option to purchase Rock of Ages tickets for the Broadway production at Hayes Theatre, the West End production at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and the second national tour, fans of the 1980s rock, musical theater, and star studded casts will be able to rock out in air conditioned movieplexes across the nation come June 1, 2012.

While, it is important Broadway brag about the superiority of a live show, it is difficult to be underwhelmed by this cast. Diego Boneta and Julianne Hough play the protagonists and star-crossed lovers Drew Boley and Sherrie Christian. They are not he draw though. Rather it is Tom Cruise as cocky, ridiculous Stacee Jaxx, Alec Baldwin as aging rock venue owner Dennis, Russell Brand as Lonnie, Bryan Cranston as the Mayor of Los Angeles, Catherine Zeta-Jones as the Mayor’s wife and rock concert antagonist, and Paul Giamatti as Jaxx’s manager that will bring in the crowds.

It appears the film took liberties with the plot, nixing the German investors and going the anti-fun league route. This is not necessarily disconcerting, but at least offers a slight deviation from the live stage version.

Ok, so here is the scary thing. I do not know which version I am going to prefer. Rock of Ages takes on rock and roll during the stadium glam rock era, so perhaps the story will play out better on a big screen. Certainly Cruise has demonstrated he can capture an over-the-top character like Stacee Jaxx. Add Alec Baldwin being Alec Baldwin and is difficult to hate on the Hollywood adaptation.

Kenny Chesney Tickets are Some of the Best Selling of the Year

Simply put, Kenny Chesney is a touring sensation. Pollstar reported that he earned $84.6 million in 2011 on the Goin’ Coastal Tour. That number was good enough to put him in the Top 5 selling concerts of the year. He is likely to repeat in 2012, when he heads out on the Brothers of the Sun Tour with Tim McGraw.

Unlike McGraw, Kenny Chesney is not promoting a new album. He will continue to tour to support Hemingway’s Bottle, his 2010 album. It took a year, but the album finally went platinum, in December. It certainly helped that the album had three number one singles: “The Boys of Fall”, “Live a Little”, and “Somewhere With Potter”. Right now the album has a fifth single out, “Reality”, which has entered the Top 10. It even has a new music video.

Chesney and McGraw will be joined by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Jake Owen. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals were featured on Kenny Chesney’s “You and Tequila”, which reached number three on the Billboard Country charts and went Gold according to the RIAA. Owen is touring in support of its own number one album, Barefoot Blue Jean Night.

The tour begins on June 2, 2012 at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and ends on August 25, 2012 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, the second of a two night show. So far the Brothers of the Sun Tour has sold nearly 300,000 Kenny Chesney concert tickets and is on pace to become Chesney’s eighth consecutive to sell more than a million.

The NBA: Knicks Tickets for the Finals and Other Surprises

After the first weekend of NBA play, it appears all is well. The slate of games actually increased from 6 million to 6.2 million from last year to this. Many feared repercussions similar to those after the NBA lockout in 1999. However, the players and owners proved most wise to save the Christmas dates. Besides, it is rare that the league enjoys much national attention (read – a national broadcast) until the holiday weekend.

While the league must be ecstatic about these developments, the fans should be just as thankful the NBA season is destined to challenge any notion of favorites. The Lakers are 0-2 and Dwight Howard has looked like anything but the best two-way player in the NBA. New York is already abuzz, ready to coronate the Knicks as true contenders. Of course, it is far too early for anyone in Los Angeles, New York, or any other basketball-obsessed city to expect a championship. That discussion has to include the Miami Heat, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs, and even the Denver Nuggets have to be mentioned. Knicks tickets, Heat tickets, and Lakers tickets oh my!

Ignoring the flurry of early predictions, the beginning of the NBA season also had a few surprises. Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio lived up to every expectation. He only played 26 minutes, coming off the bench and scoring 6 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. Rubio ran the break like a magician and discovered seams in the half court only a player like Magic Johnson could see.

The other Los Angeles basketball team provided the fire power with power forward Blake Griffin and point guard Chris Paul. These two will be one of the best combos in the NBA. They may just steal the spotlight from Kobe and the Lakers.

Last season was one of the best in the history of the NBA, and this season is shaping up to be an even better one. The powers are shifting and we the fans get to watch traditional powers burned and the youth rise like the sun.

Hugh Jackman Tickets and Ben Brantley

Most often it is those on stage who fear the written word, but this time the barrels of ink and reams of paper have gotten Ben Brantley in trouble. Noted New York Times theater critic was busy lauding praise upon Hugh Jackman and used a term that sent the collective Internet into a tizzy. He referred to the actor as bisexual.

Now, Brantley puts the word in context, making it clear he does not intend to insinuate that the popular actor and heartthrob is gay. Brantley is saying that Jackman is unapologetic about his love of musicals while loving playing Wolverine, a character who would rather regrow an arm than sit through The Boy from Oz. Brantley is not the first to discuss sexuality with regards to the actor. Hugh Jackman’s wife has repeatedly shot down rumors that he is indeed homosexual.

Brantley’s assertion is not meant to challenge this. However, one look down the comment board and hateful comments spew forth, from multiple sides. One lady accused Brantley of being unable to accept that he has no chance with her. Another person, whose name was simply displayed as J, “can’t think of anything more insidiously terrible than Hugh Jackman, or any red meat eating male for that matter, prancing about shirtless in a silly musical”.

Really, the most intriguing aspect of the article is not the use of any language or loaded terms, but that Jackman is unable to carry himself on stage with the same intrigue as Judy Garland. I never witnessed this spectacle on stage, but his description definitely piques my interest. Garland allegedly adored and resented her audience. Jackman, unequivocally, loves his legions of fans however they come – male, female, gay, or straight. He is the LBGT’s choice for a superhero, a performer comfortable in his own skill and able to play roles ranging from a Broadway legend to a man teeming with testosterone.

If only the Internet could focus on Jackman’s range as an actor and let the messenger live. Currently Hugh Jackman tickets are on sale to see this limited engagement at the Broadhurst Theater, one of the few Broadway venues to embrace the American “er” instead of the British “re”.

RHCP Tickets: The Return

It had been five years since the world has had the pleasure of enjoying the Red Hot Chili Peppers on vinyl or in person. Then on August 26, 2011, the RHCP released their 10th album, I’m With You. The album is the result of working with Rick Rubin, a little bit of book learnin’ for Flea, and the all too human experience of growing up.

Now, after the album dropped, fans were going to demand the band follow suit and announce the first tour in five years. The I’m With You Tour has already started overseas with a few domestic dates mixed in for good measure. The RHCP will be finishing off the European leg with a few dates in Spain and France before taking roughly a week off to celebrate Christmas with their families. The Red Hot Chili Peppers will then begin its first official North American leg.

Red Hot Chili Peppers tickets will be available for the first concert date on January 20, 2012 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. The group will be sticking close to the warmer states since they are touring in winter and they are from California. So, 21 of the 22 concert dates will be in areas referred to as the South in some regard.

The 22nd concert, the April 14, 2012 show, is a special one – a performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio to celebrate the group’s induction in to the Hall of Fame. The group will then head overseas for a second European leg. The Red Hot Chili Peppers will likely return for a fall tour of the upper states of the union, when audiences in New York, Chicago, and other major rust belt cities will have a chance to rock out with Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

Lakers Tickets: Worth More Without Paul?

While the rest of the basketball universe is busy condemning David Stern for blocking a blockbuster trade that could have jumpstarted interest in the NBA, I am wondering if the Los Angeles Lakers would be that much better with if they had acquired Chris Paul and traded away Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom.

Without Gasol and Odom the Lakers are going to be starting Andrew Bynum at center and a free agent to be named later at power forward. Bynum is hyped as a developing superstar every year, but the fact the Lakers front office was talking about acquiring Dwight Howard is pretty solid anecdotal evidence Bynum is not the man in the middle of the future.

Even with the best backcourt in basketball (CP3 and Kobe), the Los Angeles Lakers would have to survive with Metta World Peace jacking up unadvised three point shot, whoever is playing backup center, and the future free agent power forward. This would require Kobe and Chris Paul to score a combined 70 points a game.

I venture a guess that Lakers tickets would not go much farther into the postseason than with a three-headed monster. Meanwhile, the teams involved are appealing the decision to veto the trade. If anything, the other teams in the trade actually benefited from the trade. The Houston Rockets get the center they wanted to replace Yao Ming as well as a few first round draft pick. The New Orleans Hornets get Odom, Luis Scola, and Kelvin Martin, warding off futile seasons for a few years.