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The year is still going strong throughout the sports world in 2008. Tickets to see the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and the Detroit Pistons continue to be a great buy as the playoffs still have more games scheduled. Baseball has blossomed this summer as the Chicago Cubs and Red Sox are making their fans happy. Of course, everybody in New York always scrambles for Yankees tickets. WWE lasts all year long and has physically punishing events running all winterlong as football fans follow the Steelers and Dallas Cowboys tickets as they make their playoff runs. We are stocked with the very best sports tickets for this winter!

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We have great theater tickets to shows like the hit musicals Wicked and Jersey Boys, or see the classic South Pacific. If you are itching for music, check out our concert tickets, with shows like Madonna on her latest tour, or get George Michael tickets. Want a vacation, try Las Vegas. In addition to the casinos and clubs, sin city also incredible acts for your own time. There is no better place to get Las Vegas tickets. Check out the rotating stage at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace with Cher, Bette Midler, and Elton John. If musicals and musicians are not on your mind, catch a MLB game or buy NASCAR tickets and join the party. We have hot tickets and hot deals!

SiteHomePage_HotAndFeaturedEvents_Concert

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We’ve got tickets to all the biggest concerts this year. The New Kids on the Block are back for another tour this summer. And you do not want to miss out on seeing Demi Lovato. Of course, Kenny Chesney and Metallica are back on the road, bringing their famous live acts to those fortunate to have tickets. Summer is the time for festivals, and the Vans Warped Tour and Lollapalooza bring the best in rock, but even fans of American Idol can see their favorite of the top ten perform live with tickets to American Idols Live!

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Concert Tickets_Bon Jovi

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100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong. This commercial hard rock band, formed in New Jersey, USA. The band is fronted by Jon Bon Jovi (b. John Francis Bongiovi Jnr., 2 March 1962, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA; vocals). His four co-members were Richie Sambora (b. Richard Stephen Sambora, 11 July 1959, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA; guitar, ex-Message), David Bryan (b. David Rashbaum, 7 February 1962, Edison, New Jersey, USA; keyboards), Tico Torres (b. 7 October 1953; drums, ex-Franke And The Knockouts) and Alec John Such (b. 14 November 1956; bass, ex-Message).

Bongiovi, of Italian descent, met Bryan (ex-Phantom's Opera) at Sayreville High School, where they shared a mutual interest in rock music. They soon joined eight other musicians in the R&B cover band Atlantic City Expressway. When Bryan moved to New York to study at the Juilliard School of Music, Bongiovi followed. Charming his way into the Power Station recording studios, which was owned by his cousin Tony, he performed menial tasks for two years before Billy Squier agreed to produce his demo tape. One track, "Runaway", was played on local radio and appeared on a local artist compilation album (his work would also grace oddities such as the novelty track, "R2D2 I Wish You A Merry Christmas"). Reunited with Bryan, he acquired the services of Sambora, an established session musician, Such (ex-Phantom's Opera) and Torres (ex-Knockouts).

By July 1983, they had a recording contract with PolyGram Records and support slots with Eddie Money and ZZ Top, the latter at Madison Square Garden. Jon Bon Jovi's looks attracted immediate attention for the band, and he turned down the lucrative lead role in the dance movie Footloose in order to concentrate on his music. Their debut album preceded a headline tour and support slots with the Scorpions, Whitesnake and Kiss. Their second album, 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit, was greeted with cynicism by the music press, which was already hostile towards the band's manicured image and formularized heavy rock - this mediocre album only fuelled their scorn. The band responded in style: Slippery When Wet was the biggest-selling rock album of 1987, although it originally appeared in August 1986. Collaborating with songwriter Desmond Child, three of its tracks - "Wanted Dead Or Alive", "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "Livin' On A Prayer" - were US and European hits. Headlining the Monsters Of Rock shows in Europe, they were joined on stage by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley (Kiss), Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) for an encore of "We're An American Band". It merely served to emphasize the velocity with which Bon Jovi had reached the top of the rock league. The tour finally finished in Australia after 18 months, while the album sold millions of copies. When New Jersey followed, it included "Living In Sin", a Jon Bon Jovi composition that pointed to his solo future, although the song owed a great debt to his hero Bruce Springsteen.

The rest of 1989 was spent on more extensive touring, before the band temporarily retired. As Jon Bon Jovi commented, it was time to "Ride my bike into the hills, learn how to garden, anything except do another Bon Jovi record." He subsequently concentrated on his solo career, married karate champion Dorothea Hurley and appeared in his first movie, Young Guns II, and released a quasi-soundtrack of songs inspired by the film as his debut solo album in 1990. However, the commercial incentive to return to Bon Jovi was inevitably hard to resist. Keep The Faith, with a more stripped-down sound, was an impressive album, satisfying critics and anxious fans alike who had patiently waited almost four years for new material. To those who had considered the band a spent commercial force, the success of the slick ballad, "Always", a chart fixture in 1994, announced no such decline. On the back of its success, Bon Jovi occupied the UK number 1 spot with the compilation set Crossroad, amid rumors that bass player Alec John Such was about to be replaced by Huey McDonald. Meanwhile, Bryan released his first solo album, through Phonogram in Japan, and Sambora married Hollywood actress Heather Locklear (ex-Dynasty).

These Days was a typically slick collection of ballads and party rock, and included the hit single "This Ain't A Love Song". With their position already secure as one of the world's most popular rock bands, the album lacked ambition, and the band seemed content to provide fans with more of the same old formula. Their profile had never been greater than in 1995, when, in the annual readers poll of the leading UK metal magazine Kerrang!, the band won seven categories, including best band and best album (for These Days) and, astonishingly, worst band and worst album (for These Days)! These Days Tour Edition was a live mini-album released only in Australia.

Jon Bon Jovi began to nurture an acting career in the 90s with starring roles in Moonlight And Valentino and The Leading Man, and enjoyed further solo success with 1997's Destination Anywhere. The band regrouped two years later to record their new album, Crush. They continue to bridge the gap between heavy metal and AOR with both style and ease, and somehow manage to remain in fashion.

Bon Jovi has weathered the hair bands of the ‘80s, the grunge rock of the ‘90s and still is a major draw in the 21st century. Bon Jovi's summer tour is going to be one of the best shows anywhere.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Concert Tickets_Celine Dion

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On the off chance you've been living in a self-dug hole since before the new millennium due to Armageddon-related jitters, Celine Dion is not just a diva -- she seems to have emerged as a Titan among divas.

Since releasing her first English language recording in 1990, she's managed to give Whitney and Mariah a good scare with her remarkable vocal capabilities, while making everyone all wistful and nostalgic for a ship that sunk eons ago and becoming the first (and only) "New Streisand" to do a duet with the "Old, Original Streisand." With so many achievements under her belt in so little time, it seems likely that when the day is done, Dion may very well emerge atop the diva heap. b. 30 March 1968, Charlemagne, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The youngest of 14 children, Celine Dion was a vastly popular artist at home long before her success in the US and European charts as the "new Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey'. Her parents and large family had a singing group and toured playing folk music, the influence of which was soon felt. It was Dion's mother who wrote the first song for her, which she recorded with her brother at the age of 12. Together with Mrs. Dion, the two siblings were sent to the office of Rene Angelil, then a local rock manager, who took over the young star's guidance (later, in December 1994, he married Dion, despite a 26-year age gap). Following a series of albums addressed to her French Canadian audience she made her English language debut in 1990 with Unison, an impressive achievement as she had only learned English in 1989. Although this produced four hit singles her true international breakthrough arrived with the soundtrack of the Walt Disney movie, Beauty And The Beast. Her duet with Peabo Bryson on the title track reached the US Top 10 and earned an Academy Award for Best Song and a Grammy. Following a tribute collection comprising Dion's interpretations of the songs of Canadian writer Luc Lamondon, she concentrated on developing an international audience.

"Beauty And The Beast" formed the centerpiece of her second English language album, which also produced the hit singles "Love Can Move Mountains", "Water From The Moon", "If You Asked Me To" and "Did You Give Enough Love'. In its wake Dion became a veritable staple of awards ceremonies, making a second appearance at the Grammy's, becoming a personal favorite of The Tonight Show’s Jay Leno, and herself hosting Canada's Juno Awards where in 1993 she won the Female Vocalist Of The Year Award for the third time in succession. Before the release of a third English language set, Dion recorded "When I Fall In Love", the theme tune to the hit movie Sleepless In Seattle. This was included on The Colour Of My Love alongside a cover of Jennifer Rush's AOR classic, "The Power Of Love', also released as a single. It saw her work with songwriters including David Foster, Diane Warren, Phil Goldstone, Albert Hammond, Charlie Dore and Ric Wake. A similarly impressive cast of producers added Guy Roche, Aldo Nova and many others to a project seemingly without budget restrictions. Regardless, Epic Records" investment was repaid multi-fold by the astonishing singles success of "Think Twice", which spent several weeks on top of the UK charts and also charted strongly in the US during 1995.

The album, and its follow-up Falling Into You, simultaneously topped both UK and US charts in 1994 and 1996, and "Because You Loved Me" became the best-selling adult contemporary single ever. Dion was chosen to sing (in front of billions of television viewers) at the opening of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA. In 1997, she released Let's Talk About Love, and achieved another huge worldwide hit with "My Heart Will Go On" from the soundtrack of the blockbuster movie, Titanic. She also collaborated with the Bee Gees on "Immortality” and R. Kelly on "I'm Your Angel", both of which were predictably international hit singles.

The singer took a break from performing in the late 90s to concentrate on conceiving a child. She gave birth to a son Rene Charles in January 2001 and announced that her music career would remain on hold while she tried a new career as a mother. The lure of singing meant Dion was not away for long, returning in March 2002 with A New Day Has Come. The album went straight to the top of the US charts.

The youngest of fourteen children, Celine Dion sang in her parents’ piano bar as a child. Now the Canadian superstar has sold over 200 million records world wide singing in French and English.

Celine recently finished her long run in Las Vegas and she's now getting ready for her first tour in almost 10 years. Her current schedule has show s all over the US from Glendale AZ to Berlin Germany. She'll be playing many of her hits and also songs from her latest CD Taking Chances.

This is going to be one of the biggest tours of the year. It will last over a year, include 120 shows in 84 cities in 24 countries, and span 5 different continents. The show itself has have 4 completely different act. The different parts of the show include a rock segment, a soul segment, and two others that defy a simple category. This amazing show has 8 dancers, 20 LCD screens, and will showcase over 60 songs.

Celine has finished her Vegas run and it now going on a wold wide tour. If you haven't gotten to Las Vegas in the last 8 years then you haven't seen Celine live. This is your first chance to see this incredible performer sing her greatest hits in the biggest and most amazing show touring. With over 30 cities on her schedule this is you best chance to see her in years!

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Concert Tickets_Keith Urban

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Keith Lionel Urban (born October 26, 1967 in Whangarei, New Zealand) is a New Zealander - Australian country singer who is now highly successful in the United States.
Urban began to learn the guitar while living in Australia at age 6 and dropped out of high school to pursue music. He later went to the U.S. and formed The Ranch. The Ranch's debut album failed to gain commercial success and the members parted ways not long afterwards. Keith went on to play as a session musician on albums such as Garth Brooks' Double Live and Dixie Chicks' Fly.

In 1999 he released his self-titled debut album as a solo artist. Keith Urban, went gold in the U.S. His first major album was released in 2002, Golden Road went platinum in several countries. Finally in 2004 Be Here was released and nominated for a Grammy Award.

26 October 1967, Caboolture, Queensland, Australia. Urban's parents liked American country and, as a young guitarist, he played country festivals from the age of 10. Nevertheless, he admits his guitar playing was influenced by two rock players, Mark Knopfler and Lindsey Buckingham. Urban released his self-titled debut for EMI Australia in 1991, and enjoyed four chart-topping country hits including "I Never Work On A Sunday". After a few visits to the USA, he emigrated in 1992, taking his drummer, Peter Clarke. The two men formed the Ranch with West Virginian Jerry Flowers. In 1997, the trio released a self-titled album on Capitol Records, and had some success with the single, "Walkin' The Country". They opened for several country stars and Urban was recruited to play guitar for Garth Brooks on Double Live and the Dixie Chicks on Fly. KU, as he is known, succumbed to drug addiction and the subsequent break-up with his girlfriend formed the background of his US debut, Keith Urban. The album featured a breakneck instrumental, "Rollercoaster", on which he plays a ganjo, a combination of guitar and banjo. Urban had his first major country hit in 2000 with "It's A Love Thing". "Somebody Like You" in 2002 continued the success, by which time Urban was a major star in the current wave of new country males. His fourth album Be Here broke into the mainstream Top 5 in October 2004.

Impressed by Rollings' knowledge of Nashville's session players, Urban asked him to produce his next record, another solo album. His tour in support of that album included opening for such major acts as Dwight Yoakam, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw, as well as headlining his own shows. Ten years on he was doing to Nashville what he'd done to Tamworth. The result was American country hits for "It's a Love Thing" and "Your Everything," and a Grammy award nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance for "Rollercoaster."

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Concert Tickets_Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

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We specialize in hunting down the "in demand" tickets for you. Need help finding tickets for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers? Our well-informed representatives can help, give them a call today. We have the hard to find tickets you're looking for! Need in demand tickets? "Out of stock" tickets for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are commonly available at Ticket Specialists.

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SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Concert Tickets_R.E.M.

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Credited as the original purveyors of archetypal, college-oriented Jangle Pop, R.E.M. have released more than a dozen albums of genuine quality over the course of their ongoing career. Having arguably penned some of the most memorable songs in '80s and '90s Alternative Pop, gems like "Radio Free Europe," "These Days," and "It's The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" are, to many, legendary mantras rather than mere pop songs. Still, Michael Stipe's warm, tattered mumbling, Peter Buck's Byrds-inspired, jangling hooks, Bill Berry's ham-fisted timekeeping, and Mike Mills' perfect harmonies in fact created a crisp, melodic pop sound that remains timelessly in contrast to the stylish flavors of the month ushered in and out of the spotlight since they bowed their debut single in 1981.

Though R.E.M. formed in Athens, GA, in 1980, Mike Mills (born December 17, 1958) and Bill Berry (born July 31, 1958) were the only Southerners in the group. Both had attended high school together in Macon, playing in a number of bands during their teens. Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) was a military brat, moving throughout the country during his childhood. By his teens, he had discovered punk rock through Patti Smith, Television, and Wire, and began playing in cover bands in St. Louis. By 1978, he had begun studying art at the University of Georgia in Athens, where he began frequenting the Wuxtry record store. Peter Buck (born December 6, 1956), a native of California, was a clerk at Wuxtry. Buck had been a fanatical record collector, consuming everything from classic rock to punk and free jazz, and was just beginning to learn how to play guitar. Discovering they had similar tastes, Buck and Stipe began working together, eventually meeting Berry and Mills through a mutual friend. In April of 1980, the band formed to play a party for their friend, rehearsing a number of garage, psychedelic bubblegum, and punk covers in an converted Episcopalian church. At the time, the group was played under the name the Twisted Kites. By the summer, the band had settled on the name R.E.M. after flipping randomly through the dictionary, and had met Jefferson Holt, who became their manager after witnessing the group's first out-of-state concert in North Carolina.

Over the next year and a half, R.E.M. toured throughout the South, playing a variety of garage rock covers and folk-rock originals. At the time, the band was still learning how to play, as Buck began to develop his distinctive, appreciated jangle and Stipe ironed out his cryptic lyrics. During the summer of 1981, R.E.M. recorded their first single, "Radio Free Europe," at Mitch Easter's Drive-In Studios. Released on the local indie label Hib-Tone, "Radio Free Europe" was pressed in a run of only 1,000 copies, but most of the those singles fell into the right hands. Due to strong word of mouth, the single became a hit on college radio and topped the Village Voice's year-end poll of Best Independent Singles. The single also earned the attention of larger independent labels, and by the beginning of 1982, the band had signed to I.R.S. Records, releasing the EP Chronic Town in the spring. Like the single, Chronic Town was well received, paving the way for the group's full-length debut album, 1983's Murmur.

With its subdued, haunting atmosphere and understated production, Murmur was noticeably different than Chronic Town and was welcomed with enthusiastic reviews upon its spring release; Rolling Stone named it the best album of 1983, beating out Michael Jackson's Thriller and the Police's Synchronicity. Murmur also expanded the group's cult significantly, breaking into the American Top 40. R.E.M. returned to a rougher-edged sound on 1984's Reckoning, which featured the college hit "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)." By the time the band hit the road to support Reckoning, they had become well known in the American underground for their constant touring, aversion to videos, support of college radio, Stipe's mumbled vocals and detached stage presence, Buck's ringing guitar, and their purposely enigmatic artwork. Bands that imitated these very things ran rampant throughout the American underground, and R.E.M. threw their support toward these bands, having them open at shows and mentioning them in interviews. By 1985, the American underground was awash with R.E.M. sound-alikes and bands like Game Theory and the Rain Parade, which shared similar aesthetics and sounds.

Just as the signature R.E.M. sound dominated the underground, the band entered darker territory with its third album, 1985's Fables of the Reconstruction. Recorded in London with producer Joe Boyd (Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention, Nick Drake), Fables of the Reconstruction was made at a difficult period in R.E.M.'s history, as the band was fraught with tension produced by endless touring. The album reflected the group's dark moods, as well as its obsession with the rural South, and both of these fascinations popped up on the supporting tour. Stipe, whose on-stage behavior was always slightly strange, entered his most bizarre phase, as he put on weight, dyed his hair bleached blonde, and wore countless layers of clothing. None of the new quirks in R.E.M.'s persona prevented Fables of the Reconstruction from becoming their most successful album to date, selling nearly 300,000 copies in the U.S. R.E.M. decided to record their next album with Don Gehman, who had previously worked with John Mellencamp. Gehman had the band clean up its sound and Stipe enunciate his vocals, making Lifes Rich Pageant their most accessible record to date. Upon its late summer release in 1986, Lifes Rich Pageant was greeted with the positive reviews that had become customary with each new R.E.M. album, and it outstripped the sales of its predecessor. Several months after Lifes Rich Pageant, the group released the B-sides and rarities collection Dead Letter Office in the spring of 1987.

R.E.M. had laid the groundwork for mainstream success, but they had never explicitly courted widespread success. Nevertheless, their audience had grown quite large, and it wasn't that surprising that the group's fifth album, Document, became a hit shortly after its fall 1987 release. Produced by Scott Litt — who would produce all of their records over the course of the next decade — Document climbed into the U.S. Top Ten and went platinum on the strength of the single "The One I Love," which also went into the Top Ten; it also became their biggest U.K. hit to date, reaching the British Top 40. The following year, the band left I.R.S. Records, signing with Warner Bros. for a reported six million dollars. The first album under the new contract was Green, which was released on election day 1988. Green continued the success of Document, going double platinum and generating the Top Ten single "Stand." R.E.M. supported Green with an exhaustive international tour, in which they played their first stadium dates in the U.S. Though they had graduated to stadiums in America, the group continued to play clubs throughout Europe.

The Green tour proved to be draining for the group, and they took an extended rest upon its completion in 1989. During the break, each member pursued side projects, and Hindu Love Gods, an album Buck, Berry, and Mills recorded with Warren Zevon in 1986, was released. R.E.M. reconvened during 1990 to record their seventh album, Out of Time, which was released in the spring of 1991. Entering the U.S. and U.K. charts at number one, Out of Time was a lush pop and folk album, boasting a wider array of sounds than the group's previous efforts; its lead single, "Losing My Religion," became the group's biggest single, reaching number four in the U.S. Since the band was exhausted from the Green tour, they chose to stay off the road. Nevertheless, Out of Time became their biggest album, selling over four million copies in the U.S. and spending two weeks at the top of the charts. R.E.M. released the dark, meditative Automatic for the People in the fall of 1992. Though the group had promised a rock album after the softer textures of Out of Time, Automatic for the People was slow, quiet, and reflective, with many songs being graced by string arrangements by Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. Like its predecessor, Automatic for the People was a quadruple platinum success, generating the Top 40 hit singles "Drive," "Man on the Moon," and "Everybody Hurts."

After piecing together two albums in the studio, R.E.M. decided to return to being a rock band with 1994's Monster. Though the record was conceived as a back-to-basics album, the recording of Monster was difficult and plagued with tension. Nevertheless, the album was a huge hit upon its fall release, entering the U.S. and U.K. charts at number one; furthermore, the album won praise from a number of old-school critics who had been reluctant to praise the band, since they didn't "rock" in conventional terms. Experiencing some of the strongest sales and reviews of their career, R.E.M. began their first tour since Green early in 1995. Two months into the tour, Bill Berry suffered a brain aneurysm while performing; he had surgery immediately and had fully recovered within a month. R.E.M. resumed their tour two months after Berry's aneurysm, but his illness was only the beginning of a series of problems that plagued the Monster tour. Mills had to undergo abdominal surgery to remove an intestinal tumor in July; a month later, Stipe had to have an emergency surgery to remove a hernia. Despite all the problems, the tour was an enormous financial success, and the group recorded the bulk of a new album. Before the record was released in the fall of 1996, R.E.M. parted ways with their long-time manager Jefferson Holt, allegedly due to sexual harassment charges levied against Holt; the group's lawyer, Bertis Downs, assumed managerial duties.

New Adventures in Hi-Fi was released in September 1996, just before it was announced that the band had re-signed with Warner Bros., reportedly for a record-breaking sum of 80 million dollars. In light of such a huge figure, the commercial failure of New Adventures in Hi-Fi was ironic. Though it received strong reviews and debuted at number two in the U.S. and number one in the U.K., the album failed to generate a hit single, and it only went platinum where its three predecessors went quadruple platinum. By early 1997, the album had already begun its descent down the charts. However, the members of R.E.M. were already pursuing new projects, as Stipe worked with his film company, Single Cell Pictures, and Buck co-wrote songs with Mark Eitzel and worked with a free jazz group, Tuatara.

In October of 1997, R.E.M. shocked fans and the media with the announcement that Berry was amicably exiting the group to retire to life on his farm; the remaining members continued on as a three-piece, soon convening in Hawaii to begin preliminary work on their next LP. Replacing Berry with a drum machine, the sessions resulted in 1998's Up, widely touted as R.E.M.'s most experimental recording in years.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Concert Tickets_Bette Midler

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Bette Davis Midler was in Honolulu, and is a singer, actress and comedienne, also known as The Divine Miss M to her fans. She is named after actress Bette Davis; her family was one of only a few Jewish families in a mainly Asian neighborhood. She was a drama major at the University of Hawaii, but was there for only 3 semesters; she earned money playing a seasick passenger in the movie “Hawaii.” She moved to New York in 1965 using the money she received for playing an extra. She landed her first professional part in Tom Eyen’s Off-Off-Broadway plays, Miss Nefertiti Regrets and Cinderella Revisited, which was a children’s play during the day, but at night, it was an adult show. She played Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway from 1966-69; Midler started singing in a gay bathhouse in the city and became close to her piano accompanist, Barry Manilow, who produced her first, The Divine Miss M.

She got her first movie role in 1986 in Down and Out in Beverly Hills, which started a successful career in comedy; she also starred in other late 80’s comedies, like Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune and Big Business. She starred in the drama Beaches in 1988 as C.C. Bloom; and loaned her voice to Georgette, an animated poodle in Disney’s Oliver & Company. Her version of “From a Distance” is one of her more popular songs and got her a Grammy; her songs “Wind beneath My Wings” and “The Rose” were selected to be included in “The 100 Years of the Greatest Songs” by the American Film Institute in 2004. Her other films include, Scenes from a Mall, For the Boys, Hocus Pocus, The First Wives Club and The Stepford Wives. She has guest-starred on The Simpsons episode, “Krusty Gets Kancelled,” a Seinfeld episode entitled “The Understudy” and on The Nanny in the episode entitled “You Bette Your Life.” She has received 4 Grammys, an Emmy and a Tony Award, and has also been nominated for 2 Academy Awards. Currently, she is performing a new concert show, The Showgirl Must Go On, live 5 nights a week at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. The show debuted February 20, 2008.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Concert Tickets_Santana

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Carlos Santana's band has been swirling blues, Afro-Cuban Jazz, rock, Fusion, and Psychedelic guitar elements into his brand of Latin Rock since the 1960s. Many of today's musicians hold Santana responsible for picking up where Ritchie Valens left off, bringing Latin sounds to the forefront of popular music. Shortly after Santana's start playing the dosed music halls of San Francisco in the liquid light-show heyday (mid-1960s), the eclectic band found themselves at the first Woodstock festival, playing one of the most memorable performances while under the influence of everything. The band has undergone many lineup changes, but Carlos Santana continues to radiate his singing tone and global soul playing new songs, live jams, and old hits that brought him popularity and musical acclaim back in the day of the longhairs.

This important US group pioneered Afro-Latin rock and, as such, remains head and shoulders above all pretenders to their throne. Formed in 1966, they rapidly transcended the late 60s San Francisco new wave scene from which they emerged, and, over the past 25 years, guitarist Carlos Santana (b. 20 July 1947, Autlan de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico) has introduced jazz and funk into their unique blend of polyrhythmic music. Carlos owns the name, and has maintained his role as leader through a constant change of personnel, while fully maintaining the Santana sound of 1967. The original line-up comprised Gregg Rolie (b. 1948; keyboards, vocals), Michael Shrieve (drums), David Brown (b. 15 February 1947, New York, USA), Marcus Malone and Mike Carabello. Later important members were Neal Schon (b. 27 February 1954, San Mateo, California, USA; guitar), Jos‚ Chepito Areas, Tom Coster, Armando Peraza, Raul Rekow, Graham Lear, Orestes Vilat¢ and Coke Escovedo.

By 1969 Santana were regional favorites, and Carlos had made a prominent guest appearance on Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield's The Live Adventures Of Al Kooper And Mike Bloomfield. That year's groundbreaking Woodstock Festival was the group's major breakthrough. Their performance gave rock fans a first taste of "Cubano rock", with "Soul Sacrifice" a tour de force highlight. Signed to Columbia Records, their first three albums were outstanding examples of the genre. Santana, Abraxas and Santana III spent several months near the top of the US charts, the latter two staying at number 1 for many weeks. These albums included numerous memorable and fiery tracks including "Jingo", "Evil Ways" (US number 9, January 1970), a definitive version of Peter Green's "Black Magic Woman" (US number 4, November 1970), Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" (US number 13, February 1971), "Everybody's Everything" (US number 12, October 1971) and possibly the most sensual rock instrumental of all time, "Samba Pa Ti". On the latter track, Carlos plays a solo that oozes sexuality over an irresistible slow Latin beat that builds to the inevitable climax. Caravanserai marked a change of style following the demise of the original line-up (Rolie and Schon departed to form Journey). This important album is almost a single suite showing a move towards jazz in the mode of Miles Davis' In A Silent Way. At that time Carlos became a disciple of Sri Chimnoy and, after befriending fellow guitarist John McLaughlin, he released the glorious Love Devotion And Surrender. The same year he released a live album with soul/funk drummer Buddy Miles. Welcome (featuring vocalist Leon Thomas and guest McLaughlin) and Borboletta (with guests Flora Purim and Stanley Clarke) were lesser albums. He returned to hard Latin rock with the excellent Amigos in 1977, while a version of the Zombies' "She's Not There" reached UK number 11 in October.

In his parallel world Carlos maintained a jazz-fusion path with a series of fine albums, the most notable of which was The Swing Of Delight with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Zebop! in 1981 was a tour de force, with Carlos' guitar playing exhibiting a clarity not heard since the earlier albums. The hit single from this collection was the admirable Russ Ballard song "Winning". The solo Havana Moon featured guests Willie Nelson and Booker T. Jones, although the difference between what is solo Santana and band Santana had become almost irrelevant as Carlos is such an iconoclastic leader. Beyond Appearances in 1985 maintained his considerable recorded output. The same year he toured with Bob Dylan to ecstatic audiences. He scored the music for La Bamba in 1986 and reunited with Buddy Miles in 1987 to record Freedom. In 1989 Santana's contribution to the title track of John Lee Hooker's excellent album The Healer was arguably the highlight of the set. This featured one of his most sparse, yet breathtaking, guitar solos. During the summer of 1993 the band toured South America and a live album, Sacred Fire, was released. At the same time Carlos also put his own record company, Guts And Grace, onto the market, beginning with a compilation of classic live performances from original artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and Marvin Gaye. In 1994 Santana appeared at Woodstock II, rekindling memories of their incendiary performance at the original festival. The line-up in 1995 featured Tony Lindsay as vocalist.

Any association with the name Santana continues to be a positive one; whether with the band or as a solo artist, Carlos Santana is an outstanding figure in rock music and has influenced countless aspiring guitarists. Recent compilations such as Dance Of The Rainbow Serpent and Live At The Fillmore emphasize his steady influence and consistency over four decades. He received the Billboard lifetime achievement award in 1996.

After almost 30 years with Columbia, the guitarist relocated to Arista Records for 1999's highly acclaimed Supernatural, which included the US number 1 hit single "Smooth" (featuring Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas, it stayed at the top of the Billboard chart for 12 weeks) and "Put Your Lights On" (with Everlast). Supernatural had sold over 11 million copies in the USA by the start of the new millennium, and over 25 million worldwide. "Maria Maria", featuring The Product G&B, followed "Smooth" to the top of the US singles chart the following April. This unprecedented success resulted in him winning a staggering nine Grammy awards in 2000. The long awaited follow-up album featured another star-studded line-up of guest musicians and vocalists, including Chad Kroeger of Nickelback, Dido, P.O.D., Macy Gray, and Michelle Branch. The album carries his name but is more of a commercial enterprise than a true Santana record. However, Shaman debuted at the top of the US charts in November 2002.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Theater Tickets_Young Frankenstein

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Young Frankstein: Story

Young Frankenstein tells the story of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, the descendant of Dr, Victor von Frankestein. Frederick, now an esteemed brain surgeon in New York, is trying to distance himself from his grandfather, who is famous for re-animating the dead.

He and his uptight fiancée Elizabeth travel to see the castle in Transylvania he has inherited after his grandfather’s death. In a dream his grandfather tries to get him to join “the family business.”

Frederick of course reanimates the giant, but with the wrong brain. Amid the confusion the Monster is let loose upon the city to lost and hapless. The villagers confront the monster, but with a little song and dance the monster’s life is spared, the doctor’s brain is returned, and the characters couple up.

The wonderful shtick of the movie is preserved in the Broadway version, with a little more singing and dancing. Visit www.ticketspecialists.com to find Young Frankenstein tickets and enjoy your day on Broadway.

Young Frankenstein is the second Mel Brooks hit to make the jump from film to stage. Young Frankenstein follows Dr. Frederick Frankenstein as he stops running from his past, accepts his destiny, and runs into an angry mob of villagers.

Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan are back at it again. This time they bring Young Frankenstein from the movie vault to the Broadway stage. Brooks, who created the film, has written the music and lyrics for the musical version and has collaborated with Meehan to write the musical book.

The production parodies the horror films of old, specifically Frankenstein released in 1931 by Universal pictures. The parody had a four week run in Seattle before making its way across the country to New York.

The 2007 Young Frankenstein stars Roger Bart as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, Shuler Hensley as The Monster, Christopher as Igor, and Sutton Foster as Inga. Megan Mullally makes her way from television’s Will and Grace to play Elizabeth Benning, anither television veteran Andrea Martin plays Frau Blucher, and Fred Applegate as Inspector Hans Kemp and The Hermit.

Young Frankenstein is the newest hit musical from Mel Brooks. It's based on his 1974 movie and is one of the hottest shows on Broadway. It's currently only playing at the Hilton Theatre in New York and is a must see show. We've got a great selection of tickets to virtually every on the schedule.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Theater Tickets_Lion King

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The Lion King has been a huge hit since it first appeared on Broadway years ago.It's one of the rare Broadway musicals that appeals to everyone in the family. The show is now touring all over the country with stops in Washington, Columbus Oh, and Tampa to name just a few. We have a great selection of tickets for almost every show in the tour.

The Lion King, which is a fabulous animation movie by The Walt Disney Pictures, was released in the year 1994. This animation movie was the 32nd animation movie by the Walt Disney Pictures and this is one of the popular animation movies of all time. This movie was directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers and this movie was produced by Don Hahn. The incorporation of modern technologies and the outstanding and engaging plot are the main attractions of this movie. The story of this animation film was inspired by another animation film “Bambi”. This film was also inspired by the famous Shakespeare play “Hamlet”.

The Lion King can be termed a musical journey as this movie is strewn with some famous songs. The songs of this movie were composed by Tim Rice and Elton John. This film became so famous that The Walt Disney Pictures released its sequel within a quick span of time under the title of “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride”. Its music became so popular that this movie was honored with two prestigious Academy Awards. The plot of this film is so beautiful and captivating that it will be difficult for a child to leave the hall in the middle of the film. Obviously, it is the assiduousness and the perseverance of the team that helped this movie to garner commercial success.

The story of this film set up in the dense forest of Africa. This movie describes how a cub, Simba foils the conspiracies of his opponents in a series of incidents to become the rightful heir of the Pride Lands of Africa. In this adventurous journey, Simba was assisted by a mandrill and some of his well-wishers in ascending the throne of the Jungle. The movie was strewn with numerous shape turns, unexpected occurrences which have enhanced the attraction of this movie. The special effects and the animation are superb. Though this film is made for the children, an adult can also enjoy the film as well. The Lion King never appears boring or slow through out the movie and this is the reason why this movie is adored by the kids.

Amidst adventure and escapades, one can enjoy comic relief that is strewn in every nook and corner of this movie. Timon and Pumbaa are two most enjoyable comic characters in this movie and they created some hilarious comic situation in the movie. This movie was previously termed as the “King Of the Jungle” but later this name was changed to “The Lion King” before the release of this movie. For enhancing the animation of this movie, filmmakers ventured to Kenya to observe the wild habitat. Actually, it was the arduous work of this team that helped this movie to reach the culmination point of success.

With the very release of The Lion King, it was appreciated by the critics and the audiences as well. This film was honored with some prestigious awards. This film was honored with the prestigious Academy Award in the category of “Best Original Song” and “Best Original Score”. This film also won the Annie Awards in the category of “Best Animated Film”.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Theater Tickets_Jersey Boys

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''Sorry, out of tickets,'' is the line you will encounter if you are looking for the tickets of the mega hit musical-Jersey boys. This is the story of another mega hit act-The Four seasons. The band ruled the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, and the theater show rules the Broadway. Kudos to Jersey Boys and kudos to The Four Seasons.

The band consisted of four boys whose names are almost iconic by now. They are Frankie Valli and Nick Massi from Newark, Tommy DeVito from Belleville and Bob Gaudio from Bronx. These four boys from the wrong side of the fence are almost inspirational for many. They not only crossed the barrier but made it big in the arena too. Their music made them one of the biggest pop sensations in American musical history. The Four Seasons were a musical factory by themselves, churning out hits after mega hits consistently. They wrote and recorded their own songs.

Their sound was their own invention and the music stood out. They sold a record breaking 178 million records. Whats more, they were one among the all time greats even before they were thirty.
A genre by themselves, Jersey Boys were called as jukesicals. Jukesicals is a clever interweaving of biography and songs. The sound is fresh and original. There are die hard fans of the band out there and every show is a sell out. Most of the audience go inside the show knowing every song that was ever recorded by the band. The show is a memory arousing drama about those wild youth times.

The star cast of the play is talented and deserving of all the accolades tat they are getting now from all quarters, be it the critics or the audience. Christian Hoff stars as Tommy DeVito. Before Jersey Boys, he was known for his work in another musical 'The Who's Tommy.' Daniel Reichard is Bob Gaudio. Jersey Boys is his Broadway debut. He was previously seen in off-Broadway's Forbidden Broadway and The Thing About Men. J. Robert Spencer is Nick Massi. It is his first appearance on the broadway too. Lastly, John Lloyd Young plays Frankie Valli. He is yet another debutant on the Broadway.

The show is based on the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Bob Gaudio is the man behind the music that stands up to the expectations from the play. The lyrics are by Bob Crewe. Des McAnuff is the director whose previous credits include 'The Who's Tommy.'

The performances and staging are good and Howell Binkley needs to be thanked for the atmospheric lighting. Michael Clark is responsible for those original projections. But not to be ignored are the non-singing performers as Mark Lotitio. He expertly handles several roles.

Jersey Boys received all-around positive reviews on the first night itself. The show made more than $2 million in single tickets since the opening night. So if you wish to be at the show, please get the tickets from an online ticket vendor.

The Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys brings the story of the Four Seasons to the Broadway stage. The incredible journey of the blue collar beginnings to the rock and roll hit machine of the ‘60s is told through song, innuendo, and humor.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Theater Tickets_Shrek The Musical

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Shrek is an ogre who lives a quiet life in his swamp and loves his solitude. His life is shattered when he unintentionally rescues the talkative Donkey from the ruthless ruler of the Kingdom of Duloc, Lord Farquaad’s soldiers. Farquaad, who is obsessed with perfection, throws out all fairytale creatures because they don’t exactly fit in with his plan. e.

He uses the Magic Mirror to find his perfect princess bride, so he can finally become king and chooses Princess Fiona. Unfortunately, the princess is held captive in a castle tower guarded by a fire-breathing dragon. Shrek finds out Farquaad sent the fairytale creatures to his swamp and is VERY unhappy about it. So, he and Donkey set off for Duloc, intending to complain, but when they get there, they interrupt a tournament Farquaad is holding to find a knight to rescue the princess. Once Farquaad sees Shrek, he tells the knights to kill him. They go after Shrek and he takes them all down, with help from Donkey. Farquaad gets an idea and sends Shrek to rescue Fiona and even agrees to get the fairytale creatures out of the swamp. When Shrek and Donkey get to the castle, they split up, look for Fiona. Shrek puts on the helmet of a fallen knight and finds the princess, but Donkey gets cornered by the fire-breathing dragon. He compliments her so she won’t eat him and is then taken to her chambers. Fiona wants Shrek to remove the helmet, but he refuses at first, and then does as she says. Once she sees he is an ogre and not her true love, she refuses to go with him to Duloc. He then decides to take her there by force and throws her over his shoulder. As they walk through the woods, Fiona insists on stopping to make camp and sleeps in s rock cave. The next night, Fiona and Shrek are about to kiss when Donkey says the sun is setting; Fiona races into an old windmill nearby and Donkey thinks the two are falling in love. Shrek denies this adamantly and storms off. Donkey goes into the windmill to find an ogress, not Fiona. He starts freaking out and then realizes the ogress is Fiona. She tells him a spell was cast on her when she was a young girl and that she will take one form by day and another by night until she meets her true love and kisses him. Shrek overhears the conversation, storms off without waiting to hear the rest and the next day, takes her to Lord Farquaad. Farquaad takes her to his castle and has her get ready for their wedding. Shrek realizes he loves Fiona no matter what and decides to break up the wedding, but doesn’t think he’ll get there in time. Donkey whistles and Dragon appears. Shrek gets to Duloc and tells Fiona he loves her, kisses her and watches as Fiona turns into an ogre for good. They get married and are taken to their honeymoon in an onion carriage.

Donkey is a hip-talking, fast-walking happy-go-lucky motor mouth who meets Shrek by accident, which means Shrek’s world just got louder! Donkey loves being involved in everything; though Shrek won’t admit it, he couldn’t live without this sometimes annoying Donkey. Donkey’s good vibes and ever-rosy outlook on life complements Shrek often grumpy and pessimistic outlook. Now that Donkey is a dad, he may calm down a bit… than again, maybe not! He loves spending time with his family, but is always up for a good adventure. When Shrek is forced to take on royal duties, Puss in Boots and Donkey become his administrative assistants. They make sure he wakes up on time, knows what functions he must attend and help him carry out his tasks correctly. After quite a few unsuccessful duties, Donkey says, “I think that went pretty well.”

Dragon lived a lonely life being charged with guarding Princess Fiona’s castle. That is, until she met the attractive Donkey and the improbable pair fell in love. She’s fiery, but also has a tender heart. It’s not long before the lovey-dovey couple hears the flutter and feels the heat of dragon-winged dronkeys.

A musical version of Shrek is set to open at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre in August 2008 and later on Broadway in November. Based on the DreamWorks movie of the same name and book by William Steig, the musical will be directed by Jason Moore with music composed by Jeanine Tesori (who also composed Thoroughly Modern Millie and Caroline, or Change). David Lindsey-Abaire will write lyrics and the book, Tim Hatley will be costume designer and Josh Prince will choreograph. Two hit songs from the first movie, “All Star” and “I’m a Believer” will be made into musical numbers possibly for Shrek, Donkey and Fiona on stage. If you would like to see all the Shrek characters live, reserve your tickets now!

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Theater Tickets_South Pacific

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South Pacific: History

South Pacific became a hit musical after Director Joshua Logan adopted two short stories from James Michener’s Pulitzer Prize winning Tales of the South Pacific. Logan had served in World War II and decided to adopt “Fo’ Dolla’” and “Our Herione” into a stage production. After securing the rights to reproduce the stories, Logan contacted Richard Rodgers to compose the music for the work and Oscar Hammerstein II to write the lyrics and the libretto.

The two stories chosen for the South Pacific were very serious, so Michener agreed to write a third that featured a womanizing sailor, Luther Billis, to lighten the overall atmosphere of the production.

The two dominating stories focused on Ensign Nurse Nellie Forbush and her relationship with a French plantation owner, Emile de Becque and Lt. Joseph Cable and his relationship with a native girl, Liat. Forbush and Cable must deal with prejudices they brought from home to the World War II theatre of the South Pacific.

Forbush must learn to accept that her love interest was previously married to an islander and produced two Polynesian children. Cable must wrestle with his feelings for Liat and the possible consequences of marrying her. Not only is there the obvious interracial conflict, but he is also a soldier about to embark on a dangerous secret mission behind enemy lines and may end up widowing the young girl.

The original production ran on Broadway on April 7, 1949. The cast included Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin. South Pacific was a huge hit, commercially and critically. The shows popularity kept the musical going until 1954, which made it then the fifth-longest running show in Broadway history. It also won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Libretto, Best Director, and four acting awards.

Since its inception, South Pacific has become considered to be one of the best musicals ever and has had countless revivals. Its songs-“Some Enchanted Evening”, Bali Ha’I”, and “A Wonderful Guy”- have become classics, regularly chosen by stars and starlets young and old.

The latest revivial of South Pacific stars Paul Szot as Emile de Becque and Kelli O’Hara as Nurse Nellie Forbush. This is the latest revival from director Bartlet Sher, as he brings the cast and crew to Broadway’s Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

South Pacific tickets have already gone fast and show no signs of slowing down. Find your seats with the help of the Ticket Specialists before the show ends it s production run in January 2009.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Sports Tickets_Chicago Cubs

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The Chicago Cubs are blessed with one the most pleasant baseball experiences with day games at Wrigley Field, but are cursed with a century worth of waiting for the next World Series victory. The Curse of the Billy Goat has hung over the clubs head since the 1945 World Series. Teams destined to break the curse have broken the fans hearts in 1969, 1984, 1989, and 1998, but the fans keep believing this year is the year. The strong fan base and the great neighborhood and a schedule full of day games make a Cubs game one of the most enjoyable times in Chicago.

The Curse of the Billy Goat has hung over the Cubs' heads since the 1945 World Series, but the fans keep believing that the next year is the year. The historic stadium and the schedule full of day games make a Cubs game a can't miss.

The Chicago Cubs began playing baseball in 1878. The team has had many highs and many lows in their history. The Cubs were a force to be reckoned with early on, winning 16 pennants before 1946. The team brought home two World Series titles (1908 and 1917). The club had one of the best single seasons in the history of the National League four years after its formation in 1880. The team won .798 percent of its games. That season was only 84 games long, so the team finished with only 67 wins, but would have won 129 games if that had been a modern season.

The Cubs last World Series win was in 1918, but the team threatened several times after. It was not until the 1945 World Series against Detroit that the Cubs officially became cursed. As the story goes, local tavern owner Billy Sianis was kicked out of game four of the series with the Tigers for trying to bring in his pet goat. Sianis, upset, cursed the Cubs.

Since then the Cubs have handed their fans a century of close calls and humiliations. The ’69 Cubs and the talented roster of Ron Santo, Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Billy Williams led the National League East deep into the season, but a last-stretch crumble and a surge by the Miracle Mets found the Cubs listening to the playoffs from their radios.

The 1984 squad had a 2-0 lead in the NLCS and a team loaded with NL MVP Ryne Sandberg, Rick Sutcliffe, Scott Sanderson, and Ron Cey. The team could not finish off the San Diego Padres though, and surrendered three games in a row after only needed one more to go the World Series.

The young 1989 Cubs had Sandberg, Sutcliffe, Andre Dawson, Mark Grace, Shawon Dunston, and Greg Maddux. They won the East once again and had a lead in the NLCS again. But, once again the team collapsed with one victory to go to win the series. Three games later the San Francisco Giants were in the World Series.

Sandberg may have retired and Dunston may have been traded, but the Cubs brought in Swinging Sammy Sosa and Henry Rodriguez to replace them in 1998. The club, on the strength of Sosa’s 66 home runs, won the wild card, but was swept by the Braves in the first round.

The Cubs latest collapse was in 2007. Lou Pinniella took over as manager and took the surprising Cubs to the playoffs in a late season surge that caught and passed the Brewers. The team could not carry that spirit very far into the playoffs, losing in the first round to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a series that stranded 30 Cubbies on base.

2006 saw the Cubs finish 6th in the NL Central. They had a poor season last year. This year's spring training did not see all the players in form as they are still recuperating from their injuries. Closer Ryan Dempster logged 24 saves for the Cubs during the 2006 season. Cliff Floyd hit a three-run homer, and Ramirez a homer defeating the Mariners by 9-3. Alfonso Soriano is now content as the starting center fielder for the Cubs. Kerry Wood has been sidelined due to a minor strain of his right triceps; after four mediocre starts Kerry Wood was shut down again. However, he had a good year with his seventh strikeout this year. Mark DeRosa suffering from stomach flu has missed a lot of days of spring training. Derrek Lee's little daughter lost vision in one eye so he left for a break. He is still the only saving grace of the cubs' who never fails to deliver. He suffered a broken wrist, due to an accidental collision with ? ironically - someone the cubs' wanted in their team, Rafael Furcal. He still managed to play 49 games. Fans are awaiting Lee's recovery for he provides a stellar game. Henry Blanco's knee problems are increasing too. Alfonso Soriano is the Cubs starting center fielder, and there is no argument from him. Once a football player Jeff Samardzija, now pitcher for the cubs signed a five year contract with the Chicago Cubs'. He was later optioned to Class A Daytona. An injured left shoulder saw Sean Marshall weak and fatigued during spring training. Outfielder Buck Coats has been recalled after being optioned to Triple-A Iowa. Kerry Wood has signed a contract to remain with the Cubs'. If the Cubs' recover their health and get back in form, they might just win. There is unbridled potential still in this team albeit dormant.

The curse was supposed to end in 2008. The Cubs team that took the field at Wrigley was perhaps the best balanced team in either league. They had pitching, they had power, they had contact hitters, and they had speed. They also had the best record in the National League, as well as the entire MLB for much of the season. The first round continued to vex the team and the curse they seemed destined to reverse lived on to torment the fans another year.

The club comes into the 2009 season largely intact. Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood are gone, but most everybody else remains. The team even managed to add Milton Bradley in the midst of an attempt to sell the team. The Chicago Cubs are coming into this season with the fire power and the pitching excellence to dominate once again.

Bradley joins a roster that already has Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, and Alfonso Soriano. Hitting the ball out of Wrigley was never hard, but this group will make it seem ridiculously easy.

Aaron Miles is a downgrade power wise, but an upgrade in terms of pure contact and defense. The only everyday player who may not hit .300 or hit 25 homeruns is Reed Johnson. Basically, although nobody on the team is going to lead the league in homeruns, the Cubs could very easily score the most runs in the entire MLB.

The starting rotation starts with Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden, both excellent starters; then there is Ryan Dempster, a veteran coming off a career year; Ted Lilly follows as the solid fourth starter; and it looks like Sean Marshall, a converted reliever, end the rotation (though Jeff Samardzija is another possibility).

The bullpen restocked with Kevin Gregg and Luis Vizcaino and it looks like Carlos Marmol and his unfathomable fastball will close the games. Basically, they should go into 2009 with very good odds to win the World Series again.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Sports Tickets_Los Angeles Lakers

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The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most successful franchises in professional basketball since they began playing in 1948. Then they were the Minneapolis Lakers. Then they also found early success with a big man. His name was George Mikan and he was the first true superstar in basketball. He towered over other players at 6 foot 10 and led the Lakers to the Basketball Association of America (BAA) championship in their first season in the league. The Lakers followed the 1949 championship with a repeat in 1950 after the BAA became the NBA and began a three peat two years later.

The Minneapolis Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1959 after Mikan’s knee injuries became too much and the team struggled to remain competitive. The Los Angeles Lakers gave the city its first professional basketball team and immediately had high expectations. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Gail Goodrich reinvigorated the team and consistently went to the NBA Finals in the 1960s. Unfortunately, the Lakers met the Boston Celtics all six times and lost each NBA Championship series.

It was not until the addition of Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 that the team started down a new road toward an NBA Finals victory. Chamberlain was the 7 foot 1 center who revolutionized the center position with his blend of height and athleticism. The year after Elgin Baylor retired the Lakers were the most dominant team in the league, going 69-13. The record would stand as the single best season in history until the Chicago Bulls won 72 games in the 1995-96 season. The Los Angeles Lakers ended the dream season with their first NBA Championship since George Mikan anchored the team in 1954.

Wilt and West retired soon after and the Los Angeles Lakers began rebuilding a championship team. The first move was to fill the hole left in the post by Chamberlain’s departure. The team traded three players for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in one of the most lopsided trades in history. Abdul-Jabbar was the lone star on the team for the next few seasons, but Los Angeles drafted Magic Johnson in 1979 and the years known for the Showtime Lakers began.

Magic Johnson possessed the rare skills of a point guard in the body of a power forward. The 6 foot 9 could see the entire court and had the passing ability to make any play. His rookie season brought the Lakers back to the NBA Finals and his performance as the NBA Finals MVP brought the title back to the Los Angeles Lakers. Two years later the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers again to win the franchise’s eighth title.

The early wing players of the Showtime Lakers, Jamaal Wilkes and Norm Nixon, were replaced by James Worthy, Byron Scott, and Michael Cooper. The Los Angeles Lakers won three more titles and began a new rivalry with the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won five championships in the decade while the Celtics won three and the Lakers won two of the teams’ three meetings in the NBA Finals.

The Los Angeles Lakers have had some of the best players on their rosters that have ever played the game. George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and now Kobe Bryant have brought out the stars to watch a team that always is in the championship hunt. The Showtime Lakers of the ‘80s and the Shaq-Kobe team of the turn of the century produce seven championships and Bryant is holding the team in contention at the Staples Center. The Los Angeles Lakers continue to strive for ultimate victory, adding to the proud lineage of the franchise.

The Los Angeles Lakers have come together at just the right time in the season to make a run. Kobe Bryant is looking to show he doesn't need a dominating big man to bring home a ring.

The Los Angeles Lakers are automatically part of the championship discussion after last season’s acquisitions and their performance in the playoffs. Kobe Bryant is perhaps the best player in the league. His killer instinct is unmatched in the league and his talent is otherworldly. With the versatile Lamar Odom at small forward, Pau Gasol at his natural power forward position, and Andrew Bynum back form injury after his breakout performance last year, the Lakers are stacked.

Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmer are not the most talented pair at pint guard, but with this roster and the ability of Odom and Bryant to handle the ball they do not have to be. Luke Walton and Vladimir Radmanovic are excellent off the bench. Walton is a less athletic, but equally versatile version of Odom (minus the defense) and Radmanovic is a standout shooter who could be starting on several other clubs. The Los Angeles Lakers biggest question is whether the team can become a cohesive unit. The offensive production should be fine, but that cohesion is necessary when looking at the defensive deficiency of many of the key players.

Phil Jackson is once again blessed with a tremendously talented team and with his ability to get the most out of the very best this Lakers squad could easily end up in the NBA Finals again.

Age caught up with the Lakers and the days of the fast break and smooth passing eventually ended. The next decade found the Lakers struggling for the first time in years. By the late ‘90s the future looked bright for the franchise as the new stars for the Los Angeles Lakers became Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Shaq was the next power house at center to grace the floor for the Lakers and Kobe became an unstoppable perimeter player.

The Los Angeles Lakers finally found the spark they needed when Phil Jackson took over as coach. His reputation for being able to handle incredibly talented players proved true as the Lakers won three straight championships from the 1999-2000 season to the 2001-02 season. Though the Lakers often seemed to lose interest during the regular season, the team came alive in the playoffs and could not be stopped.

After the three-peat the rest of the league caught up and the San Antonio Spurs became their chief rivals, being the only team that could beat them in the postseason. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar duo began to tear the team apart as their personal rift began to spill onto the court and by 2004, Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat. The trade was supposed to bring a dark age to Los Angeles for hoops, but after only a single season in the lottery Kobe Bryant took the team back to the playoffs.

Bryant became increasingly frustrated with the front office as he saw his only help coming from Lamar Odom and demanded to be traded prior to the 2007-08 season. Instead young players like Andrew Bynum became solid forces and role players like Luke Walton began to lighten the load for the star guard. The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of the fire sale by the Memphis Grizzlies and acquired Pau Gasol, a talented forward/center who had suffered for years with a hopeless Grizzlies franchise.

Suddenly the Los Angeles Lakers went from playoff question marks to championship contenders. In a match up that made the basketball fans all over happy, the Lakers met the Celtics in the NBA Finals. The Celtics emerged victorious, but the Lakers began the first year of many at the Staples Center with a young talented roster signed to a long term contracts.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Sports Tickets_New England Patriots

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Team History

The New England Patriots may be known now as a dominant football team, but for much of its history the only successful season anybody knew about ended in a 46-10 loss to the 1985 Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl.

Since then, the Patriots built the team around two coaches. Bill Parcells was hired in 1993 and transformed the club from a joke to a playoff team. Two coaches later, Bill Belichick took over the modern era of domination began. The Patriots would ride Tom Brady’s arm to four Super Bowls, coming away the victors in three.

The Patriots have been characterized and despised by other teams in the league because of veterans’ willingness to take pay cuts to play for a Super Bowl with the Patriots.

The 2007 season seemed to be the season of destiny for the Patriots. The franchise became a pass-first offense that saw Brady break the record for touchdowns thrown in a season and Randy Moss break the record for touchdowns caught.

The club demolished teams and finished 16-0. The only team thought able to defeat the scoring machine was the Colts, but they were knocked off earlier in the playoffs. Instead the Patriots were heavily favored to defeat the New York Giants.

The Giants shocked the world with a 17-14 victory with a touchdown pass in the last minute by Plaxico Burress in the back of the endzone.

The playoffs exposed the vulnerable middle of the defense, something teams began to exploit more and more as the games became closer and closer in the playoffs. The Patriots are expected to spend the draft and free agency looking for talent to bolster what may be the teams’ only weakness.

The offense looks set, again. Randy Moss was resigned soon after the season ended. Moss and Wes Walker will continue to be valuable weapons next year for Brady. Laurence Maroney blossomed at the end of last season and emphatically proved that making the Patriots run is not the answer.

Gillete Stadium appears to be set for a run at the record again in 2008. Every seat is sure to be filled and New England Patriots tickets are guaranteed to be a hard find.

Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Bill Belichick are favorites for the Super Bowl every year. The talented team plays a high scoring game that leaves other teams breathless and a few touchdowns behind in every game.

The Pats have been able to stay competitive with Matt Cassel at quarterback. With or without Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker are dangerous and this season the running game ahs stepped it up to carry the load.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Sports Tickets_BCS Championship Game

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We offer the largest inventory of events and tickets on the internet. Can't find what you're looking for? Give us a call and one of our artistic representatives can help! Ticket Specialists strives to provide the polished customer service and we look forward to your business!

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The 2009 National Championship game is set and it's going to be one for the ages. It's been at least 5 years since two teams were so evenly matched in this game. One loss Florida is taking on one loss Oklahoma an it's going to be a classic.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Sports Tickets_Los Angeles Dodgers

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The Los Angeles Dodgers began their history in Brooklyn in 1883. The team tried a number of names, including the Robins, Superbras, and Bridegrooms, but returned to a shortened version of their first nickname, the Trolley Dodgers, in 1932.The Dodgers by any name have ha a run of success. Though the first 50 years were not a dominant era, the team did win five pennants in the National League and a pennant in the American Association (AA). The early history of the team did involve the start of the rivalry with the Giants. The Giants and the Dodgers used both play in New York City, the Giants in Manhattan and the Dodgers in Brooklyn. A third team was in the city, the Yankees, but the Giants and the Dodgers played in the National League. The season play resulted in a heated rivalry.

Later on, both teams would move to California in the same year and to cities (Los Angeles and San Francisco) whose natural economic and cultural rivalry on the West Coast would only add to the existing hatred between the clubs.

The Dodgers became increasingly competitive in the ‘40s, taking the NL Pennant in 1941 and finishing in the top three in the NL in every year but 1944. The ‘40s also marked a historic year in 1947 when Jackie Robinson became the first African-American player allowed to play in Major League Baseball.

Second baseman Robinson won the Rookie of the Year Award that year. He would go on to win the NL MVP in 1949 and become a six-time All Star. The All Star was one of the keys to a team that took home the NL Pennant in 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956.

The Dodgers string of pennants meant World Series appearances, which meant series with the New York Yankees. The Yankees beat them four times-in 1947, 1949, 1952, and 1953-each time having the Dodgers say wait till next year.

Next year came in 1955 when the two met again in the World Series. Pitcher Johnny Podres, outfielder Sandy Amoros, and shortstop Pee Wee Reese finally put down the Yankees in seven games.

The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958 in a controversial move that left many Dodgers’ fans feeling betrayed. The cross town rival Giants moved that year as well, to San Francisco, keeping the rivalry intact.

The Dodgers continued to remain competitive after the move, winning a World Series in 1959, 1963, and 1965.The club won with pitching, defense, and speed. Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale won four of five Cy Young Awards from 1962 to 1966. Shortstop Maury Wills led the league in steals from 1960 to 1965. The rest of the offense sputtered along.

The team always seemed to be near the top with Walter Alston as manager, but he eventually stepped down leaving a hole he had filled for over two decades with incredible success. His successor was Tommy Lasorda.

Lasorda had similar success winning pennants in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s with players like pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, pitcher Don Sutton, and infielders Steve Garvey, Dave lopes, Bill Russell, and Roy Cey. The team finally won a World Series in 1981 after two losses in 1977 and 1978.

Lasorda would repeat the magic in 1988 with NL MVP Kirk Gibson and NL Cy Young winner Orel Hershiser. The Dodgers were underdogs that year in the World Series, but a hobbled Gibson would come out in the first game to pitch hit and hit the walk-off home run that gave the Dodger a 5-4 win over the A’s and set the tone for a series the Dodgers dominated on the way to a 4-1 series victory.

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a great run to come from behind and catch the Arizona Diamondbacks and win the NL West title. They destroyed the Chicago Cubs in the first round. They even kept the NL Championship Series losses close. Still they ended up losing in a mere five games. Much of these accomplishments last season are thanks to the mid-year trade for Manny Ramirez.

In 2009, there will be no more Manny though. Jeff Kent, absent for a large chunk of last season is now retired, too. What will the Dodgers do without the dynamic outfielder to jumpstart the offense? It seems that the Dodgers fate lies in the hands of right fielder Andre Ethier, center fielder Matt Kemp, first baseman James Loney, catcher Russell Martin, and third baseman Casey Blake. Apart from Blake, all these guys are young and the next generation of Dodgers payers.

They need to make that jump that star players make to take control of this team. Left fielder Juan Pierre will do his best to throw the pitcher off by threatening to steal second when he is on base, but these guys have to grow up and make the addition of a Manny-type player needless.

The pitching was perhaps the best in all of MLB last season. The only trend-setting starter they have left is Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda. While the front office is still pursuing other free agent pitchers, young pitchers Clayton Kershaw and James McDonald and veteran Jason Schmidt are penciled in as the rest of the rotation.

Jonathon split time as closer last season, but looks to be the main guy this year. The rest of the bullpen looks pretty strong, especially with Hong-Chih Kuo and Corey Wade as the leading left-handed and right-handed options. For this Dodgers squad to repeat in the postseason at Dodger Stadium the front office will need to find another pitcher or two and somebody will have to emerge among the young batsman.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Venues_Madison Square Garden

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With a seating capacity of almost 22,000 seats, the Madison Square Garden is one of the premier music and sporting venues located in New York City. It is actually an accumulation of four arenas in New York City, United States. The first two are located at the Northeast corner of Madison Square from which the arena derived its name. Just adjacent to the Madison Square Garden is the Paramount Theater, where A Christmas Carol is an annual attraction. Famous sporting events include basketball and ice hockey that take place on regular intervals. The Madison Square Garden is home to the New York Knicks, New York Liberty and New York Rangers.

The Madison Square garden that is also known as “The Garden” or simply MSG is one of the most famous arenas in the world. Artists like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen are just to name a few who have performed at Madison Square Garden. This popular venue has also hosted the Democratic National Convention, Republican National Convention, a visit by Pope John Paul II and the famous 1971 battle in which Joe Frazier defeated Muhammad Ali

The roots of the Madison Square Garden can be traced back to over 100 years, where there are facts that prove that it is the same place where North America’s first artificial ice rink in 1879 was built and the first indoor professional football game was held in 1902. The present building that is known as Madison Square Garden, was opened in 1968. The Madison Square Garden, L.P, manages it and is a subsidiary of Cablevision.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Venues_Wachovia Center

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The Wachovia Center that was earlier known as the CoreStates Center and the First Union Center is a beautiful indoor arena. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States, the Wachovia Center is home to the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers for almost 21 years. The Wachovia Center is also home to the Philadelphia Wings of the NLL and Philadelphia Soul of the AFL.

The construction work of Wachovia Center was completed in 1996 that was actually a dream of Ed Snider. It was his dream to build a new state-of-the-art facility that can be the home for the 76ers and the Flyers. Since then, the Wachovia Center built at a cost of $206 million has been serving as the best entertainment venue in the metropolitan Philadelphia area. The indoor arena, Wachovia Center can accommodate 21,600 spectators for basketball and 19,519 for hockey. But with additional standing room admissions, the total paid capacity increases much higher. The Wachovia Center has 126 luxury suites and 1,880 club seats.

The Wachovia Center set a record in February 2006 for the highest crowd for a college basketball game played between Villanova and Uconn. The Wachovia Center has hosted numerous concerts of popular names from the entertainment like Billy Joel, Van Halen, Britney Spears,The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Spice Girls, Justin Timberlake, Coldplay, Mariah Carey and David Bowie among others.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Venues_Staples Center

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The Staples Center sports arena is located in downtown Los Angeles, California. It is a multi-purpose venue that was inaugurated on October 17, 1999. The Anschutz Entertainment Group owns and operates the center that hosts a number of events such as basketball games, hockey games, arena football and concerts.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band inaugurated the Staples Center with their performance. The arena has been a host to the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the 52nd NHL All-Star game, the 2004 NBA All-Star Game, the 2004 Pac-10 Basketball Finals and the WTA Tour Championships from 2002 to 2005. It also hosted the first Latin Grammy Awards in 2000, besides some World Wrestling Entertainment events such as the WrestleMania 21, the Unforgiven 2002, the Judgment Day 2004 and the No Way Out 2007.

The Staples Center is an important venue in Los Angeles and has a seating capacity of around 20,000 people. In the year 2008, the center will host concerts by Alicia Keys, Kenny Chesney, Dave Matthews Band and Celine Dion. It will also host the WWE: World Wrestling Entertainment and the World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Venues_Gillette Stadium

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Gillette Stadium is a superb place to enjoy a hard-hitting game of football each year. The venue is a riot house every weekend as 70,500 rabid fans watch and cheer their team on. You can sit anywhere in the massive stadium and have a unobstructed view of the the 100-yard field. The tremendous experience at Gillette Stadium makes tickets worth the price of admission.

The field has been a huge national attraction since being built in the 1970s. Gillette Stadium has been a concert venue as well as a football stadium. Acts like Celine Dion have played there and schools have used the field for big marching band competitions. Almost each week something seems to be scheduled at the stadium, especially during the spring.

After a terrific game at Gillette Stadium there are many places to eat to visit in the neighborhood. Nearby are Eastern European restaurants and neighborhood bars.

Gillette Stadium tickets are always going to available on . We have a large selection no matter what the event and great prices no matter how big the game. The site’ schedule keeps track of every change to the venue’s schedule, so you know the exact starting time for every game. will help you choose which tickets you want with a seating chart of Gillette Stadium. Our site has everything you need to plan your trip, the tickets, the complete schedule, the seating chart, and a map of the area around the venue, allowing you to find parking or whatever else you are looking for.

SiteHomePage_ HandPickedEvents_Venues_Aragon Ballroom

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The Aragon Ballroom is a historic ballroom located in Chicago, Illinois. The Aragon Ballroom is located on West Lawrence Avenue in Uptown, Chicago. It was built in 1926 and was designed to resemble a Spanish village. The Aragon Ballroom was named after a province in Spain.

The ballroom with its stylish interior decor, courteous but watchful staff and strict policies against any alcohol consumption, was aimed to silence the critics and convince them that public dancing was not a bad thing. Soon the Aragon Ballroom was a huge success and remained a popular attraction throughout the 1940s. The Aragon ballrooms' proximity to Chicago's elevated railway helped people flock the hall. The ballroom often used to have 18,000 audience for its shows. The Aragon ballroom has hosted nearly all of the top names of the big band era. A few of the best known names would include Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, Xavier Cugat, Glenn Miller, Lawrence Welk, Guy Lombardo, Duke Ellington, Wayne King and many such avant garde artists.

Today, the Aragon ballroom hosts many Spanish language shows and also, English language rock concerts. Recent rock acts performed in the Aragon ballroom have names like Muse, Slayer, Morrissey, The Mars Volta, Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand and the likes. Nowadays, the Aragon ballroom is even used as an arena for hosting a wide variety of events, including wrestling matches, roller skating and even at time for disco nights.

SiteHomePage_SpotLight_Jersey Boys

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SiteHomePage_SpotLight_Boston Celtics

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The Boston Celtics are simply the most decorated franchise in the NBA. Celtics tickets have been available for 20 NBA Finals and 17 series victories. The road to dominance took a decade, but in 1956 the Celtics began to go down the road that established them as the leagues best tickets for decades. Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and Tommy Heinsohn formed the core of a group that went on to win championship after championship.

From the 1956-57 season to the 1968-69 season the Boston Celtics won 11 NBA Championships. Boston Celtics tickets to every game on the schedule saw a collection of incredible talent that sacrificed individual glories, like scoring, rebounding, and assist titles and MVP seasons for a team game that made them the most dominant period team ever.

The franchise struggled for a couple seasons after the run in the late ‘50s and throughout the ‘60s. Once again Boston Celtics tickets were tickets for a champion in 1974 after Dave Cowens, Paul Silas, Jo Jo White, and John Havlicek (a hold over from the ‘60s squad). The franchise came out of the 1970s with two more NBA championships.

The 1980s has widely been acknowledged as the golden age of basketball. NBA tickets were hot buys all around the country and especially in Boston. Celtics tickets were a must have for the annual games with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers and Celtics battled three times in the NBA Finals. The Lakers would win twice, but the hotly contested series were among the most desired tickets in sports.

Boston would win three total championships in the decade with Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish in the front court and guards like Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge. The lineup spirited the sale of Celtics tickets for the decade and beyond because of their legendary play and their bevy of Hall of Fame players. Celtics tickets were sadly a disappointment in the ‘90s as Bird became less and less effective because of a back injury and the tragic death of Reggie Lewis (who passed away due to heart problems associated with a structural heart defect).

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen have dominated the season and look to return the Boston Celtics to the glory that once defined the franchise. the NBA for years. The three players play with a tenacious defense and skilled offense that would make the Celtics' teams of Bill Russell and Bob Cousy in the '60s and Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale in '80s proud. The Celtics of today continue to fill the TD Banknorth Garden with tradition, great basketball, and true fans.

The Celtics have brought the city another great team that will rival the greatest Celtics teams of the '80s and '60s when they are finished. The incredible trio of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen make the team a championship threat in the NBA.

After years of rebuilding attempts, the promise of Boston Celtics tickets finally came true in the 2007-08 season. Offseason trades by General Manager and former Celtics guard Danny Ainge united Paul Pierce with Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Boston basketball tickets for the regular season saw the collection of All Stars go 66-16 and enter the postseason as the overwhelming favorites. The team was a team of destiny and won the NBA Championship over the Lakers in six games and brought the first new banner to TD Bankworth Garden.

The Boston Celtics will have tickets to a strong contender again this season. The team still has future Hall of Fame players Pierce, Garnett, and Allen, but this season the role players from last year have grown and become notable in their in right. Rajon Rondo finally figured out how to be more than just a player to bring the ball up the court ad Kendrick Perkins found his place in the post. Celtics tickets are almost assured another trip to the postseason, if not the finals.

The bench is thin. Luckily the three stars are enough to carry the club through the regular season in the Eastern Conference though. Still, those postseason tickets might not go as deep this season. Eddie House is a great scorer, but Leon Powe, and Glen Davis are rarely playing well at the same time. Bill Walker could be a steal. The second round pick showed incredible potential, but knee injuries made teams sour on the one-time predicted lottery pick. If he is able to recover from the latest surgery and stay healthy then he could play a big role on the team.

The Boston Celtics are best known for their great teams and their domination of the NBA for years. The Celtics of the ‘60s had a run of eight straight championships that has not been even close to reproduced since. Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale were one of the top teams in the golden era for the NBA in the ‘80s. The success of the Boston Celtics has been key to the Celtics, as the NBA has relied on the power franchises to spread the game around the world.

SiteHomePage_SpotLight_Dallas Cowboys

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The Dallas Cowboys became “America’s Team” in the late 1979 thanks to Bob Ryan, the Vice President and editor-in-chief of NFL Films, but came to embody that phrase with a rich history that dates back to 1960.

America’s Team did not look so good in its first season, going 0-11, but the Cowboys slowly began to lay the groundwork for a team that dominated multiple decades of football.

The Cowboys immediately began stockpile through the draft, picking up quarterback Don Meredith, running back Don Perkins, linebacker Chuck Howley, linebacker Lee Roy Jordan, cornerback Mel Renfro, and wide receiver Bob Hayes. The team could not go far without a coach, and the legendary Tom Landry took over the team from the beginning and lasted nearly three decades.

By the mid-60s the Cowboys has become a power in the Capitol Division or the East Division that would follow. The team won six straight division titles starting in 1966. The collection of talent began to change as key players started to retire, but they were replaced with quarterback Roger Staubach, tight end Mike Ditka, and running back Calvin Hill.

The Dallas Cowboys ended the 2007 season with a 13-3 record and an explosive offense and a good defense. The goal for 2008 is to improve on the past season and hold off the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, who are in their division.

Tony Romo stars as quarterback. His strong arm excellent mobility combines with a receiving core of Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, and tight end Jason Witten to create an explosive offense that will surely replicate last season’s 28 points a game. The Cowboys added Felix Jones to the backfield to pair with Marion Barber and solidify the suspect running game.

Dallas also used the draft to add some depth to the secondary. The one glaring weakness was the pass defense and the Cowboys added cornerback Michael Jenkins in the first round and Orlando Scandrick in the fifth.

The Cowboys finished their second straight season in the playoffs with a divisional playoff game loss to the New York Giants. The club won the NFC East crown though with a 13-3 record and strong play from quarterback Tony Romo.

Romo led a team that averaged 28 points a game. The explosive offense also had great receivers with wide receivers Terrell Ownes and Patrick Crayton, both of whom are due back in 2008, and tight end Jason Witten, who punished teams in the middle of the field. The Cowboys would like to answer the running back question, with Marion Barber and Julius Jones splitting time in the backfield, but last years success makes that situation acceptable.

The 2008 offseason will be spent trying to find a cornerback to couple with Terrance Newman, a few linemen to bolster the offensive line, or a feature running back who can take over the position full time. The Cowboys will play their last season at Texas Stadium this next season, and it looks to be an exciting one with games scheduled against all the team’s NFC East rivals. Find those hard to find Dallas Cowboys tickets with the Ticket Specialists.

This offseason they also added Zach Thomas through free agency. The inside linebacker has experience playing in a 3-4 defense from his time in Miami and is expected to bring veteran leadership and his signature ferocity to the game.

This season will the Cowboys last season at Texas Stadium, and it looks to be a good one. Check out the tough NFC East schedule and find a ticket with the Ticket Specialists, the best ticket site on the Internet.

The Cowboys reached the Super Bowl twice to start the ‘70s, winning in Super Bowl VI handedly 1971. Roger Staubach won the Super Bowl MVP award for a performance that had two touchdown passes on the way to a 24-3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The game remains the only Super Bowl in which a team was held without a touchdown.

Dallas continued their success throughout the decade, only missing the playoffs once in 1974 with an 8-6 record and third place finish in the NFC East. The Cowboys soon returned to the Super Bowl with a new star running back in Tony Dorsett and talented defensive players like defensive linemen Harvey Martin, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, and Randy White.

The Cowboys lost Super Bowl X to the Steel Curtain in 1975, but won again in 1977 against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII. The defense was so dominant that year that defensive end Harvey Martin and defensive tackle Randy White shared Super Bowl MVP honors.

Dallas returned to the Super Bowl the next season, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 35-31 battle of offense. The Cowboys reached the NFC Championship game three times in the following seasons, but could not get back to the big game. Dallas did not have a down year again until 1984. The franchise finally fell onto bad time for the next few years, with only 1985 as an anomaly.

The troubled Cowboys switched owners, with Jerry Jones taking over in 1989. Jones immediately let Tom Landry, the only coach of the Cowboys up to that time, go and hired Jimmy Johnson. Johnson began stacking the team through the draft in similar fashion to Landry in the ‘60s.

Johnson added fullback Daryl Johnston, quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith, and several key lineman on offense and defensive tackle Russell Maryland and safety Darren Woodson on defense.

The team that would dominate the ‘90s had some talented leftovers from Landry’s Cowboys, including wide receiver Michael Irvin, guard Nate Newton, linebacker Ken Norton, Jr., and offensive lineman Mark Tunei. Dallas was completed through free agency, which bough them tight end Jay Novacek and defensive end Charles Haley.

After two tough rebuilding and growing seasons, the Dallas Cowboys emerged for the first playoff appearance since 1985 in 1991. The following year the franchise won the first of back-to-back Super Bowls and the first of three Super Bowls in four years.

The first Super Bowl victory was one of the most dominant performances ever, as the Cowboys destroyed the Buffalo Bills 52-17 and forced nine turnovers. The rest of the ‘90s saw an aging team on the decline, and the perennial NFC East champions began to struggle with early playoff exits.

The turn of the century had the Cowboys searching for a new direction. They put together a mix of good and bad seasons, but did not really emerge as a true threat until the rise of Tony Romo in 2006. The rise of the Cowboys has always been dependent on a quarterback and Romo looks to have the arm and the moxie to take the Cowboys to the next level.

The Cowboys fell just short of getting back to the Super Bowl last year. They should be poised for another run at it with all the major pieces returning this year. If Tony Romo keeps improving and Terrel Owens can hold it together for another year the Cowboys could be looking at their first championship in over 10 years.

SiteHomePage_FeaturedContent_Wicked

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Based on Gregory Maguire's novel, this prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" stars Idina Menzel as the Wicked Witch of the West, Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, the Good Witch and Joel Grey as the Wizard.

This big, bold, beautiful and thoroughly impressive show fills the huge (by Broadway standards) Gershwin Theatre. That is no mean feat - many a musical that has played this house has seemed to be swallowed up in its cavernous space. But set designer Eugene Lee has packed the stage with a fantastical set of twirling gears, cables and platforms, Director Joe Mantello has assembled a fabulous cast including Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, and Winnie Holzman has found a way to tell most of the story from Gregory Maguire’s fantasy novel of what transpired in Oz before Dorothy was blown there by the cyclone.

Storyline: Glinda, who would ever be known as “The Good Witch” as a result of the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” and Elphaba, who would be known as “The Wicked Witch of the West” were, in fact, college roommates in their youth. How that came to be, why Elphaba was green, what the Wizard’s reign was like and how other characters from that famous story/movie came to be a tin man, a lion and a scarecrow, is the basis for this musical extravaganza staged as only Broadway could present it.

Just who is the top billed star is hard to say, for Kristin Chenoweth’s name is farthest to the left while Idina Menzel’s is higher up. But it is Menzel that has the more intriguing role and she makes the most of it. The show starts strong with Chenoweth’s opening number (“No One Mourns the Wicked”) but seems to settle into a too-lengthy period of exposition to explain the complicated plot line to the audience. It comes back to life with Menzel’s thrilling rendition of “The Wizard and I.” With that number she seems to establish herself and her role as the real driver of the evening’s delights.

Names listed in the program below the title include some very well known people doing some very good work. Joel Grey, as the Wizard, is “Wonderful” in the song of that name. Carole Shelley is a delight as the evil Madame Morrible. William Youmans is touching as a goat loosing his career as a college professor and his ability to speak as a result of an evil plot. And Norbert Leo Butz is, as he most often is, impressively distinct and convincing in his vocals, especially “As Long As You’re Mine.”

This score, by Stephen Schwartz sounds very much like something we would expect from the composer/lyricist of Godspell and Pippin who collaborated on songs for “Pocahontas” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” They are folk-rock flavored pieces with a tendency to lushness in the melody, pop influence in the rhythms and spirituality in the lyrics. All of this works well for this show. Once upon a time it was also necessary to assess whether any “hits” would emerge from a show, but it has been a long time since Broadway shows generated hit songs - now it seems the other way around. These numbers do have the virtue of making effective scenes for the show and provide the cast with opportunities to shine - opportunities never wasted by this particularly splendid cast.

Before the house fell on the Wicked Witch of the east and before Dorothy went down the golden brick road, there was the time of Wicked. Wicked tells the back story of Elphaba’s rise from awkward step sister to Wicked Witch of the West. Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name, the show takes the audience down the twists and turns of jealousy and friendship while entertaining the audience with wonderful songs and a sense of humor.

Before the house fell on the Wicked Witch of the east there was the time of Wicked. Wicked tells the back story of Elphaba’s rise from awkward step sister to Wicked Witch of the West. Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel the show takes the audience down the twists and turns of jealousy and friendship while entertaining with wonderful songs humor.

Wicked tickets have become available beyond the Gershwin Theatre with productions playing open runs in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The first open run in Chicago was a surprise after the end of the first North American tour. The support from the Chicago audience led to an open run at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre from July 13, 2005 until January 25, 2009. This was the first sign that Wicked could be a musical that extend far beyond the theaters on Broadway.

Shows have sprung up internationally in London’s West End, in Tokyo, and in Melbourne. In addition to the international success, there are two North American tours currently moving from city to city, giving even more people a chance to enjoy Wicked tickets.

SiteHomePage_RotatingContent_Wicked

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Based on Gregory Maguire's novel, this prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" stars Idina Menzel as the Wicked Witch of the West, Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, the Good Witch and Joel Grey as the Wizard.

SiteHomePage_RotatingContent_Tina Turner

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The most dynamic female soul singer in the history of the music, Tina Turner oozed sexuality from every pore in a performing career that began the moment she stepped onstage as lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in the late '50s. Her gritty and growling performances beat down doors everywhere, looking back to the double-barreled attack of gospel fervor and sexual abandon that had originally formed soul in the early '50s. Divorced from Ike in the mid-'70s, she recorded only occasionally later in the decade but resurfaced in the mid-'80s with a series of hit singles and movie appearances; her high-profile status was assured well into the '90s.

Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939) is an African American R&B, pop, rock and soul singer, Buddhist and occasional actress probably best known for her scorching performances with the Ike and Tina Turner Revue and for her remarkable solo comeback in the mid-1980s.

Tina Turner is noted for her overpowering stage presence -- long legs, big hair, and powerful voice. She was discovered by Ike Turner, a noted pioneer of rock and roll, whom she later married. She began as an occasional vocalist in his show at the age of 18, but within a couple of years she not only had a new name, but was the spotlight of a popular soul revue led by Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm.

Ike and Tina Turner recorded a number of hits in the 1960s, including "A Fool In Love", "It's Gonna Work out Fine", and the legendary "River Deep, Mountain High" (with producer Phil Spector). Their signature hit became their frantic rendition of "Proud Mary" (1971).

Ike's increasingly abusive behavior led Tina to abruptly leave him in 1976. She credits her newfound Buddhist faith with giving her the courage to strike out on her own. Around this time, she appeared solo in a memorable cameo as the Gypsy Acid Queen in the film of The Who's Tommy rock opera. Tina finalized her divorce in 1978 after 18 years of marriage, accusing Turner of years of severe spousal abuse and rampant drug addiction in her autobiography I, Tina, which was later made into the film What's Love Got to Do with It. To put the marriage (and Ike) behind her, Tina left the marriage with no money or property, asking for and retaining only the use of the stage name Ike had given her.

She began touring extensively to pay the bills and released several solo albums in the 1970s, but her career stalled until teaming with BEF for a remake of "Ball of Confusion" drawing the attention of Capitol Records. The 1984 album Private Dancer had three top ten singles: "What's Love Got to Do with It", the title track, and "Better Be Good To Me".

In 1985, she appeared as Aunty Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome with Mel Gibson, and scored another hit with the movie's theme song, "We Don't Need Another Hero".

She led several extensive world tours in the 1980s and 1990's and released several more successful albums.

In 1995, she recorded the title theme of the James Bond movie GoldenEye.

Her last world tour, which ended in 2000, was a sell out.

Tina has two natural sons (one is Ike's, the other from a previous relationship with a musician from the Kings of Rhythm). She also raised Ike's two sons from his previous marriage.

She gained great popularity throughout Europe and moved there permanently in 1986 to share a home with Erwin Bach, a German-born EMI record company executive 16 years her junior. In addition to a lakeshore home on the Goldküste, the most exclusive district of Zurich, Switzerland, Turner has an estate in France at Villefranche-sur-Mer, a small town about 4 miles (6km) east of the city of Nice. Her home there sits atop Mont Vinaigrier, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Now semi-retired, she teamed up with Phil Collins to record a song for the Disney film Brother Bear (2003).

She is currently preparing for the release of her next album, which is a greatest hits with two new tracks. Her next single is currently being air played in the UK, which has had mixed reactions from listeners.

Albums
1973 "The Country of Tina Turner"
1975 "Acid Queen" #155 US
1978 "Rough"
1979 "Love Explosion"
1984 "Private Dancer" #3 US, #2 UK, US Sales: 5,000,000
1985 "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome" #41 US
1986 "Break Every Rule" #23 US, #2 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000
1988 "Tina Live in Europe" #86 US, #8 UK
1989 "Foreign Affair" #31 US, #1 UK, US Sales: 500,000
1991 "Simply the Best" (compilation) #113 US, #2 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000
1993 "What's Love Got to Do with It" #17 US, #1 UK, US Sales: 1,000,000
1994 "The Collected Recordings - Sixties to Nineties"
1996 "Wildest Dreams" #61 US, #4 UK
1999 "Twenty Four Seven" #21 US, #9 UK, US Sales: 500,000
2004 "All the Best" (compilation)

Hit singles
from Private Dancer
1983 "Let's Stay Together" #26 US (1984 release), #6 UK
1984 "Help!" #40 UK
1984 "What's Love Got to Do with It" #1 US, #3 UK
1984 "Private Dancer" #7 US, #26 UK
1984 "Better Be Good to Me" #5 US
1985 "Show Some Respect" #37 US
from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
1985 "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" #2 US, #3 UK
1985 "One of the Living" #15 US
from Reckless (Bryan Adams album)
1985 "It's Only Love" (with Bryan Adams) #15 US, #29 UK
from Break Every Rule
1986 "Typical Male" #2 US, #33 UK
1986 "Two People" #30 US
1987 "What You Get Is What You See" #13 US, #30 UK
from Foreign Affair
1989 "The Best" #15 US, #5 UK
1989 "I Don't Wanna Lose You" #8 UK
1989 "Steamy Windows" #39 US, #13 UK (1990 release)
1990 "Look Me in the Heart" #31 UK
1990 "Be Tender with Me Baby" #28 UK
from Vagabond Heart (Rod Stewart album)
1990 "It Takes Two" (with Rod Stewart) #5 UK
from Simply the Best
1991 "Nutbush City Limits" #23 UK
1991 "Way of the World" #13 UK
1992 "Love Thing" #29 UK
1992 "I Want You Near Me" #22 UK
from What's Love Got to Do with It
1993 "I Don't Wanna Fight" #9 US, #7 UK
1993 "Disco Inferno" #12 UK
1993 "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight" #16 UK
from Goldeneye soundtrack
1995 "Goldeneye" #10 UK
from Wildest Dreams
1996 "Whatever You Want" #23 UK
1996 "On Silent Wings" #13 UK
1996 "Missing You" #12 UK
1996 "Something Beautiful Remains" #27 UK
1996 "In Your Wildest Dreams" (feat. Barry White) #32 UK
from Twenty Four Seven
1999 "When the Heartache Is Over" #10 UK
2000 "Whatever You Need" #27 UK
from All the Best
2004 "Open Arms" #25 UK

Tina Turner will grace the stage with her legendary performances again this fall. With a 17 dates, the tour will start in Kansas City on October 1st and end on December 8th in Montreal. The announcement came while she was on Oprah. Turner said that she was inspired by the rush of her Grammy performance with Beyonce. Catch the artist’s first tour in eight years with Tina Turner tickets from the Ticket Specialists.

Tina Turner is back on the road for the 1st time in 8 years this fall! her schedule is going to take her all across the country and we've got a great selection of tickets to virtually every show. The "The Queen of Rock & Roll" is going to be playing her biggest hits so make sure you don't have to wait another 8 years and get your tickets to see her live today!

SiteHomePage_RotatingContent_New York Giants

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Team History

The New York Football Giants are among the oldest teams in professional football. Forming in 1925, the storied history has had success throughout the history of the NFL.

Before the Super Bowl existed and before the AFL was formed in 1960, the Giants were one of the most recognizable teams in the NFL. The club won championships in 1927, 1934, 1938, and 1956. The team also put together a string of NFL Eastern division titles tint he late ‘50s and early ‘60s.

The Super Bowl era and the merger of the NFL and the AFL took its toll on the Giants, as they struggled to put together the teams that had dominated the NFL back in the days of leather helmets.

The Giants began to accumulate the talent in the ‘80s that would bring home the Super Bowl trophy in 1986 and 1990. Bill Parcels was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach in 1983, and he would develop a roster with quarterback Phil Simms, linebacker Lawrence Taylor, running back Jack Morris, and linebacker Harry Carson.

The roster would bring the Giants to their first Super Bowl in 1986, and win the game behind a 22 of 25 pass performance by Phil Simms. That 88 percent completion percentage still stands to this day as the highest percentage by a quarterback in a Super Bowl.

The Giants made runs in the ‘90s behind a great defense and an offense whose only job was not to turn the ball over, but could not reach win the big game. The 2004 draft took the team in a new direction, with the drafting of Eli Manning. The quarterback with an impressive lineage at quarterback in the NFL (his father is Archie Manning and his brother is Peyton Manning). Manning struggled to live up to his hype in his first two years with inconsistent seasons, but came through in 2007, delivering a Super Bowl title.

The 2007 season shocked the league with the emergence of Eil Manning. There was talk of his future being in jeopardy after a 4-4 start at the beginning of the season, but a end of the season and playoff performance landed him the Super Bowl MVP.

The team has spent the 2008 offseason trying to replace the players taken from the Super Bowl roster by other teams. The Giants signed linebacker Danny Clark and safety Sammy Knight. The defense was a little weak last season, although it performed tremendously down the stretch, and the Giants want to establish themselves as dynasty and not a one-hit wonder.

Giants Stadium is sure to be filled every game next season. The Giants play the usual rival-filled schedule and will have every team gunning for them after winning a Super Bowl in the 2007-2008 season.

The New Giants are one of the most recognizable franchises in any sport around the world. The team is known for a tough, dominant defense every year, but now has Eli Manning to run an offense that will challenge for years to come. 2007 was a shocking season that found the Giants in the Super Bowl after many did not think they would make the playoffs. Manning’s place as quarterback was also in jeopardy, but his performance in the final games of the season and in the playoffs solidified his place on the team and in Giants history at Giants Stadium.

Eli Manning and the New York Giants have brought home a Super Bowl and now look to start a football dynasty. The young team with its aggressive defensive line punishes quarterbacks and stops running backs before they hit the hole.

The New York Giants are once again underdogs, even after winning the Super Bowl. The team has turned those doubts into fuel as they dominate the NFC East, the toughest division in the NFL. Eli Manning is ready to take the step to become “the” Manning with his favorite target Plaxico Burress finding seams in the secondary and Brandon Jacobs running over the opposing lines.

SiteHomePage_RotatingContent_Metallica

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Metallica has been a force on tour since 1981. The drummer Lars Ulrich originally started the Metallica as a jam band through, recruiting the original members, James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine, through newspaper advertisements. The group took huge strides in popularity in the ‘90s that brought the thrash metal group out of the underground and into the forefront, making Metallica tickets one of the hardest finds every since. The groups went through tragedy and internal strife, bnut eventually the fearsome foursome of James Hetfield, Lars Ilrich, Kirk Hammet, and Robert Trujillo came out on top, ruling the world of rock and leaving everyone salivating for Metallica tickets.

Lars Ulrich had struck a deal with Metal Blade Records to get a song on the compilation album, Metal Massacre. After finding Hetfield and Mustaine the group recorded its first song. The band found its name through another of Ulrich’s friends, Ron Quintana, Quintana was brainstorming for titles for his fanzine and had narrowed it down to Metal Mania and Metallica. Ulrich convinced Quintana to use Metal Mania took Metallica for the name of his band.

Early on in Metallica’s history, the group went through several roster changes before even playing a concert. The original bassist, Ron McGovney was ousted in favor of Cliff Burton, who Ulrich and Hetfield saw at a concert at Whiskey a Go Go, in 1982. His addition moved Metallica to San Francisco in 1983. The original lead guitarist, Dave Mustaine, was replaced during the recording of the group’s first album in 1983 in Rochester, New York, after the group alleged he had issues with drugs and alcohol. He was replaced by Kirk Hammett and still holds a grudge to this day against the band despite his success with Megadeath.

Metallica struggled for years, failing to be much of a draw on early headlining tours or as a supporting act. Their concerts did not fail to impress record executives though, and in 1984 Elektra Records A&R director Michael Alago and Q-Prime Management co-founder Cliff Burnstein saw them perform and signed them to a record contract and management deal. The result was Metallica’s first commercially successful album, Master of Puppets. The album spent 72 weeks on the charts and peaked at number 29, their first time breaking in the Billboard 200’s top 100. certified gold in November 1986 and platinum six times, 17 years later, the album brought Metallica into the public sphere for the first time.

A tragic bus accident took the life of bassist Cliff Burton while the Metallica was on the European part of their Damage Inc tour in 1986. Shocked, the group tried to piece things back together by adding Jason Newsted and continuing with the tour schedule. The new lineup returned to the studios in 1987. The album, …And Justice for All, was released in 1988 and was a huge hit. The album was certified platinum just nine weeks after its release. Metallica tickets to the Damaged Justice tour became almost impossible to find.

The album was a commercial success despite being wrought with production problems, but still garnered the group’s first Grammy Award nomination for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrument. In a stunning upset that became fodder for comedians and sketch comedies, Jethro Tull, a jazz fusion group, won the award. Metallica followed the nominated album with a self-tiled release in 1991. The album gave Metallica their first number one album and went on to become the group’s best selling album.

Heavy criticism from metal fans dogged the next two Metallica releases, Load (1996) and ReLoad (1997), for taking a more alternative rock approach, but the album still sold and Metallica tickets still sold very well, as tour dates constantly sold out. Metallica was accused of being out of touch with its fans, especially after their conflict with Napster in 2001. A demo that was supposed to be released on the Mission Impossible II soundtrack was leaked to radio stations and became a hit.

Metallica began recording its ninth studio album in March 2008 and is planning a September release with their first new producer in 15 years, Rick Ruben. The group will have a heavy touring schedule that includes rock festivals throughout the world before touring to promote their soon-to-be released album.

Metallica tickets will be an extreme rarity now that the new album is coming out, so find your tour and festival tickets with the Ticket Specialists, the very best online ticket broker.

Artist: Metallica
Genera: Rock/Heavy Metal
Latest Album: St. Anger

One of the most influential, engaging, vital, enduring and just plain rad bands of the past two decades, San Francisco's Metallica rule all that is metal. Their inexhaustible energy and masterful riffage have the uncanny ability to compel metal heads, indie geeks, hippies and punks to simultaneously pump their fists in the air. Combining genre-defining Speed Metal with spit-in-your-face punk attitude, Metallica provided perfect crossover material for millions of disaffected youth, garnering the band a legion of fans as loyal as they are diverse. The late 1990s found the group shifting toward a stripped down, blues-heavy style.

The change tested the resolve of some head banging fans, but tens of thousands of Metali-friends new and old still show up to every sold out show, knowing that they will leave completely satisfied.

The most consistently innovative metal band of the late 80s and 90s was formed in 1981 in California, USA, by Lars Ulrich (b. 26 December 1963, Copenhagen, Denmark; drums) and James Alan Hetfield (b. 3 August 1963, USA; guitar/vocals) after each separately advertised for fellow musicians in the classified section of American publication The Recycler. They recorded their first demo, No Life Til' Leather, with Lloyd Grand (guitar), who was replaced in January 1982 by David Mustaine (b. 13 September 1961, La Mesa, California, USA), whose relationship with Ulrich and Hetfield proved unsatisfactory. Jef Warner (guitar) and Ron McGovney (bass) each had a brief tenure with the band. At the end of 1982 Clifford Lee Burton (b. 10 February 1962, USA, d. 27 September 1986; bass, ex-Trauma) joined the band, playing his first live performance on 5 March 1983. Mustaine departed to form Megadeth and was replaced by Kirk Hammett (b. 18 November 1962, San Francisco, California, USA; guitar). Hammett, who came to the attention of Ulrich and Hetfield while playing with rock band Exodus, played his first concert with Metallica on 16 April 1983.

The Ulrich, Hetfield, Burton and Hammett combination endured until disaster struck the band in the small hours of 27 September 1986, when Metallica's tour bus overturned in Sweden, killing Cliff Burton. During those four years, the band put thrash metal on the map with the aggression and exuberance of their debut, Kill 'Em All, the album sleeve of which bore the legend "Bang that head that doesn't bang". This served as a template for a whole new breed of metal, though the originators themselves were quick to dispense with their own rule book. Touring with New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands Raven and Venom followed, while Music For Nations signed them for European distribution. Although Ride The Lightning was not without distinction, notably on "For Whom The Bell Tolls', it was 1986"s Master Of Puppets that offered further evidence of Metallica's appetite for the epic. Their first album for Elektra Records in the USA (who had also re-released its predecessor), this was a taut, multi-faceted collection that both raged and lamented with equal conviction.

After the death of Burton, the band elected to continue, the remaining three members recruiting Jason Newsted (b. 4 March 1963, Battle Creek, Michigan, USA; bass) of Flotsam And Jetsam. Newsted played his first concert with the band on 8 November 1986. The original partnership of Ulrich and Hetfield, however, remained responsible for Metallica's lyrics and musical direction. The new line-up's first recording together was The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited - a collection of cover versions including material from Budgie, Diamond Head, Killing Joke and the Misfits, which also served as a neat summation of the band's influences to date. Sessions for And Justice For All initially began with Guns N'Roses producer Mike Clink at the helm. A long and densely constructed effort, this 1988 opus included an appropriately singular spectacular moment in "One' (a US Top 40/UK Top 20 single), while elsewhere the barrage of riffs somewhat obscured the usual Metallica artistry. The songs on 1991"s US/UK chart-topper Metallica continued to deal with large themes - justice and retribution, insanity, war, religion and relationships. Compared to Kill 'Em All nearly a decade previously, however, the band had grown from iconoclastic chaos to thoughtful harmony, hallmarked by sudden and unexpected changes of mood and tempo. The MTV-friendly "Enter Sandman" broke the band on a stadium level and entered the US Top 20. The single also reached the UK Top 10, as did another album track, "Nothing Else Matters".

Constant touring in the wake of the album ensued, along with a regular itinerary of awards ceremonies. There could surely be no more deserving recipients, Metallica having dragged mainstream metal, not so much kicking and screaming as whining and complaining, into a bright new dawn when artistic redundancy seemed inevitable (the album was certified as having sold thirteen million copies in the USA alone by June 2001).

The band, however, discovered that the source of the leak was the peer to peer music sharing network, Napster. Metallica waged a public war with the popular site. They eventually won despite the backlash that blamed the high prices of the CDs despite their low production cost.

When the group returned to the studio in 2001, a documentary crew followed them and Hetfield went to therapy for drug and alcohol abuse. His decision to hire a therapist drew criticism from Newsted and in 2003 he was replaced by bassist Robert Trujilo. That same year, Metallica released their eighth studio album, St. Anger. Once again rabid fans rushed to get Metallica tickets ad the album. Fans and critics were critical of the change in musical direction for the album, with less guitar solos and the use of a snare drum. The title track won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2004.

The follow-up Load entered the US charts at number 1. The album marked a change in image for the band, who began to court the alternative rock audience. The following year's Reload collected together more tracks recorded at the Load sessions, and featured 60s icon Marianne Faithfull on the first single to be released from the album, "The Memory Remains". Garage Inc. collected assorted cover versions, and broke the band's run of US number 1 albums when it debuted at number 2 in December 1998. The following year's S&M, recorded live with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, evoked the worst excesses of heavy rock icons Deep Purple. In January 2001, Newsted announced he was leaving after almost 15 years service with the band. He resurfaced with two unknown musicians in EchoBrain, before joining Canadian prog metal outfit Voivod. His replacement in Metallica was former Suicidal Tendencies' bass player Rob Trujillo.