Onlineseats.com Blog

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.

War Horse Tickets: First Replacements Announced

War Horse’s ascension may seem a recent phenomenon, but time has come to announce cast changes. The most important character, the horse Joey, will always remain. However, the role of Albert Narracott, the boy in desperate search for Joey, will be passed on from Seth Numerich to Andrew Durand. Durand’s Broadway resume is quite impressive, so War Horse tickets for the production at the Vivian Beaumont Theater should remain as popular as ever after the cast change on January 12, 2012.

Durand is the headliner of a 15-person cast change. Durand previously commanded critical praise as a member of Spring Awakening, Frank Wedekind’s famed play about the sexually-repressed culture at the beginning of the 20th century. While 15 new faces is much for any theatrical production to endure, the producers, directors, puppeteers and familiar fans appreciate the 21 actors and actresses who are remaining to provide some kind of consistency as the show adjusts to such an upheaval.

Many more young, hungry actors and actresses will be given the opportunity to portray the many characters of this Tony and Laurence Olivier Award-winning play as War Horse is set to embark on a much less treacherous journey. A touring production will tour the United States beginning on June 13, 2012 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Also, before the national tour begins, the neighbors to the north will be enjoying its own production. War Horse will begin an open-ended run at the Princess of Wales Theatre on February 28, 2012.

Of course, the Steven Spielberg directed film adaptation will likely be receiving most of the attention, as it opens in December 2011, just in time for Christmas. In the battle of media exposure and the big bucks War Horse is most definitely not wandering in No Man’s Land. It is set to continue its success as a play and will certainly become one of the best grossing films of the new Academy Award season.

George Strait Tickets to See Him on Tour and on the Golf Course

It is a cliché, but sometimes all a retiree wants is the freedom to play golf all day. Well, when you are a music icon like George Strait, you no longer want to play golf all day, since he could do that after his string of platinum albums in the 1980s. Rather, you want to own your golf course. Strait and a business partner recently re-opened the Tapatio Springs Golf Course in San Marcos, Texas. This exciting new development comes as the King of Country prepares to begin a new tour to support his new studio album.

The album, Here for a Good Time, debuted at number one on the U.S. Country album charts and the title track has already topped the country singles chart. He is hoping for a similar response from the public for this golf course and resort. If the renovated 112-room hotel is as packed as his upcoming George Strait and Martina McBride concerts, then Tapatio will not only be a labor of love, but an actual financial success.

Reportedly, the hotel needed was a little TLC. Of course, that TLC meant a huge infusion of cash to fund the construction of the redesigned dining area, pro shop, bar, locker rooms, and basically any part of the resort apart from the 18-hole golf course. The country artist who has released platinum-certified albums through the 1980s, 1990s, and the first decade of the 21st century has plenty of cash on hand to invest in such a property.

Of course, more people will end up attending a show date along the 2012 tour than will book a room and play a round on the golf course. The 2012 schedule will take Strait and McBride on the road from January 27th to February 25th to play 11 concerts. He and McBride will likely add another leg or two, just as he did when he toured with Reba McEntire. George Strait and Martina McBride tickets are currently available for the tour opener in Lafayette, Louisiana on January 27, 2012 and will last be on sale, as of right now, for a show in Kansas city, Missouri.

Strait is on tour to celebrate his 24th number one album. McBride is performing live to support her first release in two years, Eleven. Eleven became available on October 11, 2011 and reached number four on the U.S. Country albums charts. As mentioned before, this is the second time the King of Country has taken to the road with a genre matriarch. Where Reba is the queen of country, McBride is a princess, or very attractive lady in waiting.

Dallas Cowboys Tickets for the Must Win Games

As of Week 9, there is only one division that has been decided, the NFC West. However, there is one more at the cusp of picking a clear winner, the NFC East. This is especially unsettling to those with Dallas Cowboys tickets. Yes, the experts were unsure that the Cowboys would win a paltry 8 games, but the local fan base expected much more.

The good news is Dallas is far from out of contention. The next four weeks could not be more different for the Cowboys and division-leading New York Giants. Dallas has four cream puffs with a combined 11-21 record. The only team with a winning record is the Buffalo Bills at 5-3, but they have lost 2 of the last 3 games as Ryan Fitzgerald has struggled. New York has one hellish itinerary over the next four games. The 49ers, Eagles, Saints, and Packers are four teams with a combined 24-9 record. The only team with a losing record is the Eagles and they have won 2 of the last 3 games.

The Cowboys should be able to vanquish the Bills, Redskins, Dolphins, and Cardinals just in time for the Week 14 matchup with the Giants; even with the bevy of injuries at skill positions on both sides of the football. At the very least, the Cowboys should be able to take three of the four, enter the home game at Cowboys Stadium at 7-5 and in position tie for first place at the very least.

Frankly, with how the early NFC playoff picture is shaping up, the Dallas Cowboys have to finish in first place because it appears the East will be without a wild card representative in the 2011 NFL playoffs. The Detroit Lions are the front runner for the first spot and the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons are in position and playing with the momentum to take the last wild card spot.

Also, the NFC East’s preseason favorite, the Eagles, may be in the beginning of a midseason renaissance. Philly has two straight division wins and they stayed close through three quarters before bowing out to the Bears in the fourth. This is not atypical in the NFC East. Often it is the last team to make a run that wins the division. The Giants do not appear to be the typical NFC East team though, as Eli Manning has sparkled and his reputation has filled in the void left by Peyton’s unusual absence. That means this is the lone opportunity, nay… campaign before the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo, and his broken rib have resigned themselves to a postseason lamenting and watching from the couch.

Man and Boy Tickets and Seminar Tickets, A Patriarch’s Delight

The summer heat can be fun, but later in July and August it can bring muggy, saturated days. Thankfully it is now November and the fall breeze is in full effect, offering a refreshing blast of lightly chilled air before the temperatures become downright bitter. Broadway is not immune to this sudden change, as the summer big-budget blockbusters like Spider Man and Sister Act have given up their time on the media, and more dramatic offerings grace the live stage. The 2011 theatrics include two world-renown actors and two very serious tomes.

Both plays essentially deal with patriarchs. In Man and Boy, the patriarch is a father and head of an international finance company visiting his son, who has been thought dead by the rest of the world. In Seminar, a famous and accomplished writer visits with a small writers’ group and the four would be literary stars jockeying for his ever-fickle approval.

Those with Man and Boy tickets will see Frank Langella portray Gregor Antonescu, an international financer desperate to see a merger during the Great Depression to save his company and cover his shady business practices. This production by the Roundabout Theatre Company questions his sincerity and his motivation as he shows up at the door of his estranged son. Business and other family find their way through the same door on stage at the American Airlines Theatre. Though the show is just in previews, the early reports rave about Langella in this minor Terence Rattigan work.

Less than half a mile away at the John Golden Theatre, Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright Theresa Rebeck debuts a dark comedy. There, Seminar tickets provide entrance to witness Alan Rickman as he brings international literary figure Leonard to life as he torments four young writers who are trying to publish their first novel.

Langella and Rickman, as Gregor and Leonard, represent two almost pathologically controlling men dedicated to preserving their strange hold in their perspective worlds. Perhaps this sounds far bitterer than refreshing, but these slightly heavier, darker productions (Seminar is a dark comedy) help cleanse the palate after two seasons of domination by shows intended to be much lighter and louder. The seasons have changed and so has the taste on Broadway, so enjoy these works before their limited engagements end.

It’s Turning into the Year of Bob Seger Tickets and Albums

Bob Seger and the Sliver Bullet Band used to be a platinum selling band that dominated the 1970s and 1980s. Now they are an annual touring sensation dominating the road, choosing to play hits like “Turn the Page” rather than frustrate fans with new material. If Seger consistently recorded new material, the Silver Bullet Band would have to grow with the times, and his fans do not want him to expand his musical horizons. No, they are happy to enjoy their Bob Seger tickets to take part for a set of nostalgia and are willing to dish out some big bucks for compilation albums so they can take that sentimentality on the road.

Well, the latest opportunity to rekindle some of those fond memories on both the stage and on the stereo comes this fall. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band are going to be touring again in November and December. They have already been on tour once this year, but will end 2011 with enough concerts to get to 50 for the year. The man and his backing band will also be cashing in with a new compilation double album.

Ultimate Hits: Rock and Roll Never Forgets will be made available on November 21, 2011 and will include 26 tracks. Never before have all the rock and roll legend’s radio anthems been available on a single release. “Old Time Rock and Roll”, “Night Moves”, “Like a Rock”, and “Katmandu”. Fans have already had a chance to bolster their iTunes library with a free six-song EP made available back in September. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band also released re-mastered live albums Nine Tonight and Live Bullet.

Basically 2011 has turned into the year of Bob Seger. Fans of classic rock and roll of a bygone era may rejoice in the surprising development.

Detroit Lions Tickets are a Hot Ticket for the Falcons Game

The seventh week of the NFL season has a surprisingly few premier games on the schedule. There is one game that stands out among the many others though. On Sunday, at 1:00 PM ET, the Atlanta Falcons will travel to Ford Field to play the Detroit Lions.

This game is particularly important to both football teams. The Atlanta Falcons are 3-3 and in third place in the NFC South. They are chasing the Bucs and Saints, both of whom are 4-2. If they hope to remain a threat in the division and, more importantly, keep a playoff berth within sight, then they need this win desperately. So far it seems as though the two wild cards are coming out of the NFC North and NFC South, so this is an early must-win game for the Falcons.

The Lions harbor hopes of earning a first round bye, which will require 5-1 Detroit to catch 6-0 Green Bay. Lions tickets for this game are not NFL tickets for a must-win game, but a game that is very advisable lest they fall two games behind the Packers.

The team stats definitely favor the Lions. Detroit has been a pass happy team since the beginning of the season, and now that the Lions are missing Jahvid Best they should be an even more pass heavy football team. Matthew Stafford is averaging 272.5 yards a game and has thrown 15 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions. The Falcons defense has allowed 226.2 passing yards a game. That is the 13th worst in the league, so the Stafford-Calvin Johnson connection should have a field day. The only hope is that the opportunistic secondary add to its nine interceptions in 2011.

I would expect safety Thomas DeCoud to come over the top on double coverage for Johnson all day. Atlanta should be able to keep him in coverage since the rush defense is already one of the best in the NFL and the Lions struggle running the football when they have their starting running back. Maurice Morris is the third string, so I doubt he is going to challenge the Falcons front seven.

Still, never underestimate the motivation generated by desperation. The Falcons were able to keep up with Vick and beat the Eagles and contain Cam Newton and defeat the Panthers. Obviously, this football team has the potential to upset the Lions. Otherwise this game would not be my game of the week.

War Horse Tickets for a soon to be Oscar and Tony Award Winner

The first War Horse trailer intrigued audiences, gently tugging at the heart strings across the English-speaking world, but this second War Horse trailer takes a tight grip and pulls back as hard as it can. Watching this extended War Horse trailer makes me hold my breath as the title screens and the soft symphonic movie music make me want to cheer while sitting in my chair.

Indie Wire’s blog called it Oscar bait, and if there is one director that knows how to seduce the Academy Awards it is Steven Spielberg. He also is smart enough to take a product that is already receiving its due attention and ramp up the emotional cues with incredible orchestration and beautiful action sequences.

War Horse will be the darling of the silver screen across the United States come Christmas, but it is already the glint in the eye of Broadway. Every once in a while the theater community needs a dramatic play to avert some of the criticism of its penchant for big budget musicals that are saccharine are smug. Recently that has meant a journey down the deep dark path that is David Mamet’s mind, but this time Broadway has welcomed a British import that is surely sentimental but understated enough to stand alone as something different.

Last week War Horse grossed $990,180 at the Beaumont and nearly filled the theater to capacity, coming in at 99.9 percent. The astounding puppetry and the harkening back to a Great War often forgotten by the History Channel - probably because of the lack of footage - has earned an audience. The movie is certainly going to inspire interest in the play across the nation, so while Spielberg has benefited from a pre-packaged product, the relationship is symbiotic. I expect the Playbill receipt numbers for War Horse tickets to exceed 100 percent as the movie release draws near.