Emily and Ellen

Add comment April 30th, 2008

See Emily Bear, 6, of Rockford, whose new CD is available now, play piano on YouTube, taken from last week’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” of favorite moments during 800 shows.

Emily’s on screen from about 3:10 minutes into the segment until about 4:10.

V-ICE

7 comments April 30th, 2008

We all have moral weaknesses.

LT’s is causing some of us to think twice about our own vices with a billboard outside the bar and grill on Alpine Road in Rockford.

Ah, but wait, the bar’s aim really isn’t to get us into self-examination. It’s to get you into the place Friday night to see rapper Vanilla Ice (”Ice Ice Baby”) perform.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vp-is6S_b_g" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

My colleague at the paper, movie man Will Pfeifer, told me today he saw V-ICE on LT’s billboard.

Where to buy USA-made clothes, household items

12 comments April 29th, 2008

A reader writes to ask where she can buy USA-made clothes and household items.

She says she’s done online research, but come up pretty empty-handed.

Can you help?

Can u c on MetroCentre stairs?

3 comments April 29th, 2008

I’ve been to more than a few concerts at the MetroCentre lately, but I’ve had trouble seeing when descending stairs there.

No, I wasn’t drinking. Can’t drink on the job, ya know.

But I saw more than a few people from ages 12 to 55 walk gingerly down the steps at the Three Days Grace show and other shows as well. The lights on the steps are too dim to see when you’re walking down them and the light is barely visible when you’re walking up them.

I mentioned this to a MetroCentre staffer who said he’d send my comment to the bosses, but I haven’t pushed for an answer on whether they’re doing anything about it as part of the renovations.

Just wondering if you’ve had trouble seeing on the stairs.

Deluxe nosebleed section a must-do

Add comment April 29th, 2008

Got a birds-eye view of Dierks Bentley a few weeks ago at the MetroCentre from the Press Box Group Suite. (Check out our coverage.)

Because the suite wasn’t sold to a corporate somebody two weeks before, the box was opened to anybody who hadn’t already bought a ticket for the show. Cost: $49, compared with $35.50 for a regular seat. It was mostly well worth it.

You got a free beer or soda, good-tasting chicken wings and popcorn, a private bathroom, an unobstructed view from the top of the arena, leather high-top chairs to sit in and a table area in front of you to put your drinks on and to lean on during the show. The suite can accommodate 50.

What you couldn’t see from there, though, was that opener Bucky Covington was wearing a necklace. And it’s just not quite right if you’re a big fan of the star performing to not be in the heat of the excitement on the floor.

Still, for an elbows-free experience, it’s good. It’s not available for individuals for every concert, though. Just when the staff open it up like two weeks before a show if they haven’t sold it to a group.

Sign up for the MetroCentre’s Scoop e-mail news, and you’ll get to know right away when the suite is open for individuals.

Me and my blog

14 comments April 29th, 2008

So, I’ve just started this blog.

And I’m so excited, I’m ripping off the B-I-N-G-O song and vow to sing this version of it — “A-S-K Gee-Oh” — when I’m bloggin’ to get my juices flowing. You’re welcome to sing it too when you respond to my blog posts or when you ask me a question that I’ll try to answer.

Anywho, my bosses advised me in my newbie-ness to blogging to post a few comments so you all think I’ve got something to say, even before I get going. So, wanting to keep the paychecks flowing, I’m doing just that.