Van Andel Arena

Legendary American Music Icon Barry Manilow to Tour this Spring

2012-01-24T06:12:00.001-08:00

The iconic Barry Manilow is setting out to tour the country this February with a stop right here in Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena on April 26.

Regarded as one of the greatest adult contemporary artists of all time in an almost 40-year recording career, Manilow has released an astonishing 16 platinum albums and 14 gold records beyond his numerous Grammy, Tony and Emmy Awards. The singer/songwriter/producer is best known for his string of Billboard hits which include “Could it Be Magic”, “Mandy”, and “Copacabana.”

Tickets are as low as $9.99 with additional prices at $29.99, $49.99, $69.99, $89.99 and $109.99. Tickets go on sale Saturday, January 28 at 10am and can be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticektmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone: 800-745-3000.

Fan Favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers Coming to Van Andel Arena

2012-01-23T05:48:00.000-08:00

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, one of the most popular bands of the past several decades, has announced their first tour since 2007. The group will bring their I’m With You Tour to Grand Rapids on May 26th. This will be the fourth time the band has been to Van Andel Arena since 2000.

Tickets go on sale Friday, January 27 at 10am and are priced at $38 and $58. Tickets can be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone; 1-800-745-3000.

With lead singer and Grand Rapids-native, Anthony Kiedis, the band has sold over 70 million albums worldwide on their way to seven Grammy Awards. Yet the next honor for the group is perhaps one of the most prestigious in music as they will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April.

The band, known for their funk/rock influence beyond their flamboyant personalities, has berthed multiple hits on the Billboard Top 100 Chart, including “Give It Away,” “Under the Bridge,” “Californication” and “Dani California.” The 2007 world tour was widely accepted as a commercial success—a trend they’re sure to continue. The tour will travel to multiple continents and several countries on the heels of their latest album “I’m With You,” which has been nominated for a Grammy award for Best Rock Album.

NICKELBACK Roars Back To The Live Stage With Their 2012 North American Tour

2012-01-12T07:54:00.000-08:00

Nickelback, one of the biggest rock bands of the past decade known for their extraordinary live performances, have announced their first North American arena tour in two years. The Live Nation-produced tour begins on April 10th in Moline, Illinois at the i wireless Center, making a 39-date trek throughout North America with a date confirmed in Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena two days later on April 12. Special guests Bush, Seether and My Darkest Days, join Nickelback on all tour dates.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, January 21 at 10am and are $49.50, $65 and $85. Tickets can be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone; 800-745-3000.

Fan Club members will be able to purchase tickets beginning on January 13th. Fan Club details can be found at Nickelback.com. Citi® cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, January 16th at 10:00 am local time through Citi's Private Pass® Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com.

Nickelback last toured in 2009 with the extremely successful, “Dark Horse World Tour” where the band performed for nearly 2 million fans with more than 120 shows around the world including stops in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and North America.

With the new tour, Nickelback will perform songs from the recently released seventh studio album, Here And Now, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 following its November 21, 2011 release on Roadrunner Records. Propelling Here and Now into the #2 spot were the two hit singles “When We Stand Together” and "Bottoms Up.” Here and Now is also the biggest international release in Nickelback’s history, including a #1 debut in Canada on Universal Music Canada.

Nickelback has achieved a prestigious place in music history having sold nearly 45 million worldwide. Since their 2001 breakthrough hit song “How You Remind Me,” Nickelback has sent 20 singles rocketing onto various Billboard charts. In 2009, Billboard Magazine also named Nickelback “Top Group of the Decade.” Their now classic album All the Right Reasons insured Nickelback an indelible place in rock history, having spent a staggering 112 consecutive weeks in the Top 30 of the Billboard Top 200, certified eight-times platinum in the U.S. and having sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, topping charts in four countries. All the Right Reasons spun off seven multi-format singles and made Nickelback the first band in Nielsen BDS history to send five singles onto the CHR charts.

BRAD PAISLEY ANNOUNCES 2012 TOUR NAME CHANGE

2012-01-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

During the month of December Brad Paisley and band had several days of tour rehearsals and it was during the stage set-up and rehearsals that Paisley realized the tour begged to have a new name – “Virtual Reality World Tour 2012” presented by Chevy.

“When you see plans and sketches on paper it’s one thing but to actually see it in real life is something else, and that’s what happened to me when we were in tour rehearsals. When I saw the visuals and how exciting and sometimes mind-blowing they were I just felt the tour name needed to reflect what the fans were going to see,” says Paisley. “For two hours each night of the tour they can be taken away from reality - literally.”

The tour kicks-off next week in Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena with special guests CMA New Artist of the Year The Band Perry and 2011 American Idol Winner Scotty McCreery. Log on to www.bradpaisley.com and www.livenation.com for on-sale and current information.

The show begins at 7:30PM and tickets are available now for $25, $39.75, and $59.75. Tickets can be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticketmater.com, Ticketmaster outlets or charge: 800-745-3000.

GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING CASTING CROWNS ANNOUNCES SPRING LEG OF ‘COME TO THE WELL’ TOUR

2012-01-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

Multi-platinum selling, GRAMMY®, AMA and 2010 Dove Award-winning Artist of the Year Casting Crowns will extend its massive “Come To The Well” Tour into the spring by adding an additional 44 dates across the U.S., this time featuring special guests singer/songwriter Matthew West and pop-rockers Royal Tailor (both GRAMMY-nominated), along with Christian music newcomer Lindsay McCaul. Following a hugely successful fall run, which included a string of at least 15 sell-out performances, playing before more than 155,000 people, the spring leg of the “Come To The Well” Tour will hit arenas in major markets like Grand Rapids, Orlando, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, Houston and many more.

The “Come To The Well” tour will be performing at Van Andel Arena on Thursday, February 16 at 7pm. Tickets are $22.50, $32.50, $52.50, $77.50 and are available for purchase at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or charge: 800-745-3000.

The tour takes its name from Casting Crowns’ newest studio project, Come To The Well, (released October 18, its first new studio album in two years), featuring the hit single “Courageous,” which was showcased in the recent Sherwood Pictures film by the same title. The week of its release, Come to the Well sold 99,138 copies, making it the highest debut on Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2. The album additionally topped the Billboard Contemporary Christian Overall chart, while also claiming No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart and No. 3 on its Overall Albums chart. Lead radio single “Courageous” landed at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian Songs chart and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard National Christian Audience chart in just 10 weeks.

The “Come To The Well” Tour is partnering with Christian humanitarian organization World Vision (www.worldvision.org). World Vision provides assistance to approximately 100 million people in nearly 100 countries by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Casting Crowns has helped to generate a total of 52,000 child sponsorships for World Vision to date.

All of Atlanta-based Casting Crowns’ projects are RIAA certified, with a tally of three RIAA Platinum Albums, two RIAA Platinum DVDs, two RIAA Gold Albums and a Gold DVD, holding position as Billboard’s top-selling act in Christian music since 2007. The group also claims two American Music Awards, with six total nominations, three GRAMMY Awards, and 14 GMA Dove Awards.

The Black Keys Announce Upcoming Tour Dates

2011-12-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

The Black Keys will embark on the first leg of their U.S. tour this March, with shows in arenas such as New York’s Madison Square Garden, Boston’s TD Garden, and Chicago’s United Center. Count Grand Rapids in among the nation’s biggest cities to host the duo on Sunday, March 18 at Van Andel Arena.

The shows are in support of their new album, El Camino, due out December 6 on Nonesuch Records. In advance of the release, five tracks from the record are currently streaming on the band’s web site. Concert ticket and album packages are available at the band’s site. Additionally, The Black Keys are teaming up with Tickets-for-Charity to offer fans access to some of the best seats in the house. Proceeds will benefit Community Support Services in Akron,
OH and W.O. Smith Music School in Nashville, TN.

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 10 at 10AM. Prices are $29.50, $39.50, and $49.50. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets, or charge: 800-745-3000.

In anticipation of the release, the duo will join Steve Buscemi on tomorrow’s episode of Saturday Night Live. This is the band’s second time this year as musical guests on the show, a “rare distinction,” says Rolling Stone. Other television appearances next week include The Colbert Report on December 6 and the Late Show with David Letterman on December 7. Moreover, the band is being featured on several MTV programs, including the week-long series Road to Release: The Black Keys, an interview with Matt Pinfield on MTV2’s 120 Minutes, and a live stream of their album release show at New York’s Webster Hall on December 5 exclusively on MTV Hive.

Produced by Danger Mouse and The Black Keys, El Camino was recorded in the band’s new hometown of Nashville during the spring of 2011. In advance of the release, the album’s first single, “Lonely Boy,” was released October 26, to acclaim from fans and press; the song has been climbing the radio charts rapidly and is rising toward #1 on the Alternative and AAA charts. Additionally, the accompanying video has been viewed nearly three million times on YouTube. See reverse for complete El Camino track list.

Chevy Presents the Brad Paisley CAMOBUNGA 2012 World Tour

2011-11-22T08:34:00.000-08:00

Fresh off of co-hosting the 45th Annual Country Music Association Awards for the fourth time with Carrie Underwood earlier this month, Brad Paisley has announced the CAMOBUNGA 2012 World Tour. Reaching out to his great fans in West Michigan, Grand Rapids will help to officially kick off the tour at Van Andel Arena on Thursday, January 12 at 7:30 PM.

Offering some of country's hottest rhythms today, Paisley will be joined by 3-time CMA Award winner The Band Perry, who is returning to Van Andel Arena after recently performing on the Reba McEntire All the Women I Am Tour. Joining Paisley and The Band Perry is rising star and American Idol winner Scotty McCreery.

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 2 at 10 AM and are as low as $25.00, $39.75 and $59.75. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. All dates, acts and ticket prices subject to change without notice.

After his H2O Tour was 2010's top country tour in attendance, Paisley earned CMA's Entertainer of the Year award. Paisley has also garnered several Male Vocalist of the Year awards to go along with a record-setting five consecutive Academy of Country Music Male Vocalist honors. The three-time Grammy winner released his ninth studio album, This Is Country, just this past May.

The Band Perry Wins Multiple CMA Awards

2011-11-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

One of the fastest rising groups in the music industry, The Band Perry, was a big winner at the CMA Awards Show on November 9th. The CMA's solidified that The Band Perry is country music's next big thing as the group won three awards at the prestigious awards show.

The family group was nominated for a total of five awards and won awards for Best New Artist, Best Single and Best Song. The Tennessee natives were the big winners of the night and had to take a day out of their very busy tour schedule to attend the event. They will be bringing their award winning single "If I Die Young" back on tour quickly as they will be rolling into Van Andel Arena tonight with Reba, Steel Magnolia and Edens Edge. This star-studded line-up guarantees to be entertaining and begins at 7:30 PM.

Ticket prices are $27.50, $62 and $72. Tickets are still available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices.

ROGER WATERS MAKES HIS TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO NORTH AMERICA IN 2012 WITH HIS EXTRAORDINARY AURAL AND VISUAL MASTERPIECE: “THE WALL”

2011-11-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

Roger Waters, the co-founder and principal songwriter of the archetypal progressive ban Pink Floyd, has announced the return of the historic production of "The Wall" to North America in 2012. His aural and visual masterpiece of alienation and transformation will be performed in-its-entirety featuring a full band and state-of-the-art production. "The Wall" live has played more than 120 shows around the world for more than 1.6 million fans making it one of the most successful tours of 2010 and 2011.

Making a 36 show trek throughout North America, "The Wall" will be playing Van Andel Arena on June 6, 2012. Prices are $57.50, $77.50, $101.50, and $201.50 and tickets will go on sale November 14 at 10am. The tour also includes stadium stops in San Francisco at AT&T Park on May 11th, Chicago's Wrigley Field on June 8th and 23rd and Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park on July 14th.

Waters' first reinvented his iconic stage production of "The Wall" in 2010 utilizing modern day technological advances and special effects which have been embraced by audiences around the globe with countless sold out performances and multiple-night stands including a record - breaking 9 sold out shows at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. "The Wall" remains one of the most influential albums in the history of recorded music with a profound effect on pop culture, resonating with multiple generations of music fans.

Prior to 2010, "The Wall" show was simply too large to contemplate a tour, but new arenas and advances in touring technology have solved that dilemma. Waters has updated the look and feel of the show to ensure it matches the astonishing theatrical extravaganza that The Wall's live incarnation became so legendary for - thus allowing yet another generation to be inspired by the grandeur of the breathtaking visual and aural spectacle. The 1980 original production of "The Wall" had been performed live in-its-entirety just 29 times during Pink Floyd's 1980 tour in support of the album and once in Berlin in celebration of the fall of the Berlin wall.

The Associated Press described opening night in 2010 with, "Roger Waters tore down the house Wednesday night in Toronto... He walked out to thunderous applause beginning with the first track of the seminal concept album, 'In the Flesh', and the adulation never stopped." While during the New York stop, the New York Post declared, "When Roger Waters finished building "The Wall" in its entirety, at Madison Square Garden, it was just another brick on what was the best arena concert I've ever been to. Period."

In addition to Roger Waters (lead vocals, bass), "The Wall" live touring ensemble includes: Snowy White (Guitar), Dave Kilminster (Guitar), GE Smith (Guitar & Bass), Jon Carin (Keyboards), Harry Waters (Hammond Organ), Graham Broad (Drums), Robbie Wyckoff (Vocals), Jon Joyce, Pat Lennon, Mark Lennon and Kipp Lennon (Backing Vocals).

For complete ticket and tour information, please visit RogerWaters.com, Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. Video news release, live press shots, EPK and interview material available to download at: Rogerwatersmedia.com
Username: TheWallLive
Password: AnotherBrick2010

SKILLET TO LEAD ALL-STAR LINE-UP FOR WINTER JAM 2012 TOUR SPECTACULAR

2011-10-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, Christian music's largest annual tour and Pollstar's #1 tour in attendance for the first quarter this year, announced its highly anticipated 2012 artist and city line-up during a special launch event held in Nashville. Founded and hosted by Grammy-nominated Christian music mainstay NewSong and produced by Premier Productions, the Winter Jam 2012 Tour Spectacular will be headlined by Grammy-nominated alternative rockers Skillet. The 47-city tour will also feature Sanctus Real, former Newsboys front man Peter Furler, Kari Jobe, Building 429, Group 1 Crew, illusionist Brock Gill, and national speaker Nick Hall. In addition, the OneVerse Pre-Jam Party will include performances from Dara Maclean, For King & Country, and We As Human. Veggie Tales' Bob and Larry will also make a special appearance.

The Winter Jam will be in Grand Rapids, MI at Van Andel Arena on April 1. Winter Jam admission is $10 at the door, with no ticket required.

"With one of the most powerful line-ups of Christian music's top artists in Winter Jam history, we are thrilled to announce what promises to be our biggest tour yet," said NewSong founding member and Winter Jam creator Eddie Carswell. "After seeing more than 90,000 people make decisions for Christ during last year's tour, we enter Winter Jam's 17th year of ministry excited to begin the adventure of what God has in store for us - and audiences around the country."

Presented by Holt International, additional Winter Jam 2012 Tour Spectacular sponsors include E. Bailey Produce, Texas TransEastern, Premier Christian Cruises, Xtreme Conferences, and Camp Electric. Additionally, 2012 marks the continuations of the popular Jam Nation fan program, which will offer individual and group memberships guaranteeing free and early concert admission. Members also receive a limited-edition Jam Nation t-shirt, a collectible Jam Nation Platinum Access Pass, and can participate in a Jam Nation Q & A with select tour artists, among numerous exclusive benefits.

Since its formation by NewSong in 1995, Winter Jam has featured many of the top names in Christian music, including TobyMac, Third Day, Newsboys, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Jeremy Camp, among others. The Winter Jam 2011 Tour Spectacular outpaced attendance for all tours in the first quarter, including Bon Jovi, U2, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, according to Pollstar's 2011 Worldwide First Quarter Ticket Sales "Top 100 Tours" chart. In addition, for the first time in its history, the tour will hit 11 cities in the western United States this fall.

Advance Auto Parts® Monster Jam Thunder Nationals® Ripping Through Van Andel Arena

2011-10-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Advanced Auto Parts Monster Jam Thunder Nationals features the same massive superstars from Monster Jam, but in a more intimate arena setting. Staged on purpose-built concrete courses, all the action that these monsters are famous for is fully intact, and even heightened by the smaller size of the tracks. Expect to see outrageous jumps, crushed cars, plenty of concrete-streaking action, and some of the most incredible donuts ever all inside Van Andel Arena.

Featured Monster Trucks: Grave Digger, Hot Wheels, AAP Grinder, Superman, High Maintenance, Bad News, and Full Boar. *Lineup subject to change.

Pit Party: Saturday, March 10 from 11:30AM to 11PM. Free entry to pit party with valid 2PM event ticket for Saturday, March 10 show. Must have a valid 2PM ticket to enter.

Dates and times are as followed:

-Friday, March 9: 7PM
-Saturday, March 10: 2PM, 7PM
-Sunday, March 11: 2PM
*Doors open 1 hour prior to each performance.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

There is an opening night discount of $10 for March 9th only - not valid for Gold Circle and Front Row Seats.

Disney On Ice Presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey Coming to Van Andel Arena

2011-10-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Due to a change in our routing, Disney On Ice Presents Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey will now be playing in Grand Rapids, MI on March 22-25, 2012 instead of Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic.

Ticket holders for Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic can keep their existing tickets to see Disney On Ice presents Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey as they will be honored at the door, or they can request a refund by returning their tickets at the Van Andel Arena box office or Ticketmaster outlet they were originally purchased from. Tickets purchased over the phone on the Ticketmaster National Sales Line or online at ticketmaster.com can be refunded by calling 1-800-653-8000.

About Disney On Ice Presents Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey

Make imagination your destination! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on a journey into the magical worlds of Disney's The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Peter Pan and Lilo & Stitch. Discover Ariel and Sebastian's enchanting undersea kingdom; visit the Pride Lands with Dimba and Nala; soar through starry skies with Peter Pan and his sassy fairy friend Tinker Bell; and say "aloha" to fun with Lilo and Stitch. You'll be captivated by the music, beauty and laughter in a journey so magical, you'll never want to go home.

Tickets can be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

Dates and show times are as followed:

-Thursday, March 22: 7PM
-Friday, March 23: 7PM
-Saturday, March 24: 11AM, 3PM, and 7PM
-Sunday, March 25: 2PM

Rock & Bus Offers Shuttles to Van Andel Arena & DeVos Place Shows

2011-10-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

Need a ride to a show at Van Andel Arena or DeVos Place? The Rock & Bus is now an option of transportation for people who are attending selected events at both venues. The bus will offer a ride from several locations to the venues for upcoming shows, including the Rock & Worship Roadshow, Reba McEntire, Katy Perry, The Gaither Christmas Homecoming and The Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival.

The Rock & Bus offers a shuttle service for patrons to get to the concert and back safely from various cities in the West Michigan region. Patrons need not worry about parking or gas, because the bus drops them off right at the door. This opportunity allows event-goers to have fun with their friends on the way to a concert and on the way back, all with the comfort of knowing that they will have a completely safe ride that drops them off right where they need to be. The buses are outfitted with many luxuries including TVs, comfortable seating, and more.

Rock & Bus prices are as low as $35 per round trip, depending on departure location, and reservations for the bus can be made at rockandbus.com. For more information on Rock & Bus, contact them at info@rockandbus.com or visit rockandbus.com.

For most show, patrons will need to purchase tickets for the event separately from the Rock & Bus service. However, the ticket price has been bundled into the Rock & Bus price for The Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival at DeVos Place November 17-19, 2011. Tickets for all other shows are available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

Harlem Globetrotters to Play World's Largest Game of H.O.R.S.E.

2011-10-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

The Harlem Globetrotters, who have continued to surprise and delight fans with their talents and showmanship for more than 85 years, announced that the team is challenging the nation to the "World's Largest Game of H.O.R.S.E." The Globetrotters launched the team's Globetrotter Nation H.O.R.S.E. challenge to a national audience online via Facebook on October 13th.

Fans will be encouraged to submit their best trick shots on a weekly basis to be performed by a Harlem Globetrotter attempting to beat them at their own game. True to game tradition, "letters" and prizes will be awarded weekly, based on fan voting.

Each week, the winning shot will earn a Spalding BEAST portable basketball system for themsleves or to donate to their favorite youth group/non-profit. As presenting sponsor of the event, Spalding has generously provided nine BEAST portable basketball systems to be shipped to the destination of the weekly winner's choosing. Fans who don't submit videos can still win Globetrotter tickets, autographed basketballs, and other merchandise just for voting.

Tickets for shows on the North American portion of the Globetrotters' 2012 World Tour are available now. For complete event and ticket information, visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com.

Official Globetrotter Nation H.O.R.S.E. Contest Rules:

The Basket:

A regulation 10' basketball hoop and regulation size rim (18 inches in diameter)

The Basketball:

A regulation size basketball (9 inches in diameter)

The Court:

Must be considered an everyday place to play basketball (driveway, street).

Automatic disqualification will occur if the court used in the entry is a location that a basketball game would not normally occur (the woods, in a pool, etc...).

The Shot:

"The Basketball" must be made into "The Basket" from anywhere on "The Court" or within a 15' perimeter of "The Court".

Modifiers:

Shot type modifiers - shooting(Hook shot, backwards, granny style) are accepted, but must be called on "The Video" before the shot was made.

Shot type modifiers - making(bank/glass, swish/nothing but net, off the wall) are accepted, but must be called on "The Video" before the shot was made.

Automatic Disqualification will occure if a prop is used in any way at any time before the shot, during the shot, or after the shot. Using a wall to redirect the basketball, but it must be a non-movable wall, is allowed.

The Video:

Must be one continuous video and the ball must remain in frame the entire video.

Must be specifically created for this contest.

Must be intended for family audience viewing and contain content that, in the sole and unfettered discretion of Harlem Globetrotters International entry review panel, is consistent with the standards for a G, PG or PG-13 rating as such ratings are determined by the Motion Picture Association of America for feature films.

Must not, in the sole discretion of Harlem Globetrotters International, contain any painful, injurious, deadly, sexually explicit, disparaging, libelous or other inappropriate content or content that favors one religion, any political party over another, or has any nudity; and

Must not, in the sole discretion of Harlem Globetrotters International, contain any commercial content that promotes any product or service.

To enter, please visit the Harlem Globetrotters' Facebook page at www.facebook.com/harlemglobetrotters.

Harlem Globetrotters' 2012 World Tour Coming to Van Andel Arena

2011-10-11T12:52:00.000-07:00

On the heels of signing one of the most extraordinary rookie classes in team history, the Harlem Globetrotters will bring their 2012 World Tour to Van Andel Arena on Sunday, January 22, 2012, at 2:00PM.

Tickets to see the world's most famous basketball team will go on sale on Monday, October 17 at 10:00AM. Tickets start at $18.50 and are available at the Van Andel Arena box office, http://www.ticketmaster.com/, or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Information on group and scout tickets can also be found at http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/ or by contacting the SMG group sales department by phone at 616-742-6185, or by email at groupsales@smggr.com.

The outstanding rookies include Paul "Tiny" Sturgess, the world's tallest pro basketball player at 7-8, Jonte "Too Tall" Hall, the shortest Globetrotter ever at 5-2, and Fatima "TNT" Maddox of Temple University, the team's first female player since 1993 and ninth female in team history. The new Globetrotters also feature the top three finishers from the 2011 College Slam Dunk Contest, including the reigning champ Jacob "Hops" Tucker. At 5-10, Tucker sports a 50-inch vertical leap, and his YouTube videos have garnered well over four million views. Tucker joins slam dunk runner-up John "Jet" Williams of UNC-Asheville and semifinalist Darnell "Spider" Wilks of the University of Cincinnati.

The 2012 rookie class has a total of three seven-footers including 7-4 Jermaine "Stretch" Middleton, the third-tallest player in team history, and 7-foot Anthony "Biggie" McClain. At 7-8, Sturgess becomes the tallest Globetrotter ever after a career at Mountain State University (W.Va). He is the 19th internationally born player in team history, hailing from Loughborough, England.

"The Globetrotters are excited to welcome a new generation of stars to carry on the storied tradition of the world's most entertaining basketball team," said Globetrotter CEO Kurt Schneider. "This year's rookie class features some of the most talented and promising players from across the world."

Current Globetrotters stars Special K Daley, Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang, Dizzy Grant, Scooter Christensen, and many others will team up with the world class rookies for nearly 270 games on the North American portion of the World Tour, bringing the Globetrotter magic to over 230 cities in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and five Canadian provinces.

Player rosters in each city will vary and are subject to change.

Sponsored by Howard Johnson Hotels, Greyhound Lines, Spalding, and Russel Athletic, the Original Harlem Globetrotters will celebrate their 86th consecutive year in 2012, continuing a world famous tradition of ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that continues to thrill fans of all ages. Throughout their history, the Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 120 countries and territories on six continents, often breaking down cultural and societal barriers while providing fans with their first ever basketball experience. Proud inductees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Globetrotters have entertained hundreds of millions of fans-among them popes, kings, queens, and presidents-over more than eight thrilling decades. For the latest news and information about the Harlem Globetrotters, and to purchase tickets and team merchandise, visit the Globetrotters' official website: http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/.

Ticket Hunt for Reba Tomorrow at Noon

2011-10-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

After such great participation in our previous ticket hunt giveaways, SMG Grand Rapids has decided to do it again by having a ticket hunt for tickets to see the legendary Reba McEntire at Van Andel Arena on November 10th. The ticket hunt will coincide with the last day of voting for ArtPrize, Wednesday, October 5th, and will give everyone a chance to check out some cool art and make last minute voting decisions, all while trying to find tickets for Reba.

Two pairs of tickets will be hidden in different locations downtown, and the search will begin at noon on Wednesday. The tickets will be hidden outside and will be near some of the amazing art that is spread throughout the downtown area. The search area is defined by borders at the river going east to Division Ave. and Oakes St. north to Michigan St.

After receiving great feedback about past ticket hunts for Keith Urban and the Red Wings Red & White Game, this is a great opportunity for ticket hunt enthusiasts that want to win Reba tickets to redeem themselves for coming up empty in the other searches. The same rules from previous hunts will also apply here, as participants will need to check out the Van Andel Arena Facebook fan page shortly before noon tomorrow for clues on where the tickets are hidden (facebook.com/VanAndelArenaFanPage). It is supposed to be a beautiful day, so we hope that everyone can find time out of their busy schedules to join the ticket hunt!

Winners are encouraged to post their success on the Van Andel Arena Facebook fan page to keep their fellow ticket hunters informed of the progress of the hunt. We wish everyone the best of luck!

Tickets for Reba McEntire with The Band Perry, Steel Magnolia and Eden's Edge at Van Andel Arena November 10th are still available at Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at ticketmaster.com

RED WINGS RELEASE SPECIAL STUDENT RUSH TICKETS FOR RED-WHITE GAME

2011-09-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

The unparalleled excitement of NHL hockey returns to Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 27 when the reigning Central Division champion Detroit Red Wings engage in a spirited Red-White game at Van Andel Arena, home of the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins. Co-presented by Amway and Meijer, anticipation for this special exhibition match has been growing since tickets went on sale earlier this month, with the lower bowl at Van Andel Arena now completely sold out.

As of this morning, special $10 Student Rush tickets to this game are available for purchase in person at the Van Andel Arena box office ONLY. Fans electing to take advantage of this offer may purchase a maximum of four (4) upper bowl tickets each while supplies last. A valid student identification card must be presented at time of purchase. Non-Student Rush upper bowl seats to next Tuesday's 6:00 pm contest are currently available at the Joe Louis Arena Box Office (313-396-7575), all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) and online at both DetroitRedWings.com and GriffinsHockey.com.

Downtown Venues Kicking Off ArtPrize With Public Opening Receptions

2011-09-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Van Andel Arena is getting on board. Debuting its first ArtPrize exhibit as an official ArtPrize venue, Van Andel Arena will join DeVos Place in opening the competition with public receptions simultaneously just down the block from each other.

DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena will hold the artist receptions on Wednesday, September 21 from 6-9 pm with food and beverages (cash bar). DeVos Place will hold the reception in the Grand Gallery. This is a great starting point for the "official" night as 63 different artists will have works represented in Grand Rapids' premiere convention center.

Van Andel Arena will host the artist reception at the same time in front of the Fifth Third Bank Vault (restaurant in the arena). The focus will be around the artists by our marquee. The restaurant will be open too. Food and beverages with the cash bar will be available also.

The public is encouraged to join us as we kick off the third annual ArtPrize in style! Not only will the public be able to mingle with more ArtPrize enthusiasts, they will also get to see some great art and learn more about the artists.

Joe Krajkiewcz and Van Andel Arena Bring Dinosaur to Life for ArtPrize 2011

2011-09-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

Van Andel Arena will host the metal sculpture Deinonychus by Grandville artist Joe Krajkiewcz during ArtPrize 2011. Deinonychus is being shown in front of the arena at 130 West Fulton. The installation will run until the end of ArtPrize, October 9th.

Deinonychus (think Velociraptor) is a life-size sculpture of the dinosaur. It is made of recycled auto body panels cut and welded over a steel rebar skeleton. It is Joe's first sculpture reusing auto sheet metal for shape and color. "I hope that it grabs the viewer's imagination with both the subject and construction. My goal was to create a piece that both young and old would be drawn to," states Krajkiewcz.

He works primarily with metal plate, rod, and wire to create representative sculptures. He draws inspiration from the simple and complex forms found in nature, aiming to bring those qualities of life to his metal sculpture.

Joe Krajkiewcz has lived in the Grand Rapids area for seven years. He pursues art and sculpture in addition to his full time employment as an engineer. This is his second year participating in ArtPrize. He also has artwork currently on display at the Sparta AppleJam, Grand Haven Artwalk, Holland MI ARTS Exhibition, and ArtPeers Fall Festival. His sculptures are held in many private local locations. He resides with his wife(Erica) in Grandville, MI.

He can be contacted through email at krajkiewcz@yahoo.com. Additional information on his artwork is available online at http://www.joekrajkiewcz.com/

Donate Blood and Receive FREE Ticket for Circus

2011-09-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

Michigan Blood has teamed up with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey to provide a $25 ticket voucher to anyone who attempts to donate blood at Van Andel Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The voucher is redeemable for a ticket to any of the six performances of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Barnum 200 at Van Andel Arena on Sept. 15 through Sept. 18.

"Offering a voucher redeemable for a free $25 ticket is a tremendous way to thank our donors for their dedication to Michigan Blood and our partner hospitals across the state," said Nick Wasmiller, manager of public relations at Michigan Blood.

The box office will be open at Van Andel Arena during the blood drive, making it even easier to redeem the voucher for a ticket. In addition, limited parking will be available for donors on Ottawa Avenue SW, just west of Van Andel Arena, throughout the blood drive. One hour of free parking also is available at the Monroe Center ramp (entrance off of Ionia Avenue) just one block northeast of Van Andel Arena. Donors can enter Van Andel Arena via the largest glass doors at the northwest side of the arena.

Michigan Blood conducts more than 3,700 blood drives a year in order to help meet the needs of local hospitals in Michigan. These blood drives account for 70 percent of the blood that Michigan Blood collects; the other 30 percent comes from donations at Michigan Blood's nine permanent donation centers across the state. Any healthy person 17 or older (or 16 with parental consent) who weighs at least 110 pounds may be eligible to give blood every 56 days. Blood donors should bring photo ID (or two forms of non-photo ID). Appointments (preferred, but not required) can be made at www.miblood.org or by calling 1-866-MIBLOOD (642-5663).

For more information on The Greatest Show on Earth visit www.Ringling.com

Detroit Red Wings to Scrimmage at Van Andel Arena

2011-09-02T07:58:00.001-07:00

Coming back to their home away from home, the Detroit Red Wings will accommodate its legions of West Michigan fans by bringing the Red vs. White game to Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena on September 27 at 6 pm.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, September 7 at 10 am. Prices are $18, $20, $22, $25, $30 and $40. There will be a $5 discount for season ticket holders on the $25 and $22 seats only. Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone: 800-745-3000. Groups of 10 can receive $3 off the $22 and $18 seats.

Van Andel Arena, home to the Grand Rapids Griffins, will be bringing the Griffins' NHL parent club to the west side of the state for the first time since 2007. Prior to that, the Red Wings also held a Red vs. White scrimmage at the arena in 2003.

This fall, the Red Wings intrasquad scrimmage at Van Andel Arena will be bringing in some of hockey's famous names and best players to downtown Grand Rapids including Muskegon-native Justin Abdelkader and team captain Nicklas Lidstrom. West Michigan fans can catch all the action in their own backyard as the Red Wings prepare for yet another successful year.

The 2010-2011 Red Wings' season ended last May in a Game 7 loss to the San Jose Sharks after coming back from a 3-0 game deficit. San Jose moved on to play the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Finals.

Van Andel Arena is managed by SMG. Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to moer than 220 public assembly facilities worldwide, including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, convention, congress and exhibition centers, science centers and a variety of other venues. Across the globe, SMG manages more than 12 million square feet (1.2 million square meters) of exhibition space and over 1.5 million arena and theatre seats. For additional company information, visit smgworld.com.

Earn Money for your Non-Profit with SAVOR... Non-Profit Volunteer Team

2011-08-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Want to learn how to raise money for your Non-Profit organization?

Being a part of the SAVOR... Non-Profit Volunteer Team at Van Andel Arena is a season-long commitment. We ask that a minimum of twelve (12) events, six (6) of which being hockey, be worked in order for us to provide consistent service to all of our guests.

All volunteers must have completed a thorough training program before being able to participate at an event. This includes, but is not limited to, Alcohol Management Training (TIPS) and Non-Profit Concession Operational Training.

All volunteers must be of at least eighteen (18) years of age or older.

SAVOR... will provide an apron and hat per volunteer based on the size of the group only at the beginning of the season at no cost for up to twelve (12) volunteers.

To ensure an optimal commitment, we do require groups to pay for their members to go through TIPS training. Cost for doing this is $20 per member. After twelve (12) group members have successfully completed TIPS certification, your group may become eligible to attend a "Free" TIPS class, typically offered four (4) times per year.

It is suggested that each Non-Profit Volunteer Group provide General Limited Liability Insurance.

We provide all Non-Profit Volunteer Groups with one core staff member and one fully trained cook in each necessary location.

Typical time of volunteer shifts vary depending on the event, but usually average to be around 5-6 hours.

The most successful groups currently enrolled in our program have one group lead, or point person, in charge of signing the group up and notifying them of new events. They also have a pool of 10-15 potential volunteers and work as many events as possible.

Earning Potentials

-We have locations for small and large groups based on the number of people in your pool of volunteers.

-The most successful groups are currently earning $8,000-$10,000 per month, with 15+ volunteers.

This program has been and continues to be a wonderful program allowing Non-Profit Groups the opportunity to raise funds for their cause. Should you have any further questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact SAVOR... Catering.

Lauren Doa 616-743-6233 or suites@smggr.com

Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival Featuring Avenged Sevenfold, along with Three Days Grace, Seether, Bullet For My Valentine and Escape the Fate

2011-08-19T07:43:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival featuring multi-platinum headliner Avenged Sevenfold, along with Three Days Grace, Seether, Bullet For My Valentine and Escape the Fate, comes to Van Andel Arena on Tuesday, September 20th at 5:00 PM.

Tickets are $49.75. There also is a student 4 pack available. Students with proper student identification can purchase a 4 pack of tickets for $80. Tickets may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place® box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers including D&W Stores and select Family Fare locations, charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000 and online at http://bit.ly/omA8KU.

Leading the festival is multiplatinum headliner Avenged Sevenfold, making their successful return after co-headlining the 2010 debut Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival. Avenged Sevenfold achieved worldwide success with their platinum 2005 album City Of Evil, which featured the wildly popular single “Bat Country.” They are the only band to have headlined the Vans Warped Tour and Ozzfest while simultaneously hitting number one on MTV’s TRL. Avenged Sevenfold’s fifth album, Nightmare, debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. Their current single, “So Far Away,” is quickly climbing the Active Rock and Modern Rock Charts.

In 2006, they won the fan-voted award for Best New Artist for “Bat Country” at the MTV Video Music Awards. The following year, their self-titled album, Avenged Sevenfold, sold more than a million copies around the world. Over the course of their career, Avenged Sevenfold has built a fanatical fan base resulting in excess of one million albums sold worldwide, amassed more than 6.8 million fans on Facebook and attracted 102 million plays on YouTube.

This past year, Three Days Grace brought their live act to fans with three successful North American tours promoting their latest album Life Starts Now, which debuted at number three on the Billboard Top 200 chart. The album spawned three number one Active Rock songs including “The Good Life,” “World So Cold” and the number one Song of the Year at Active Rock, “Break.” Overall, Life Starts Now spent the year dominating the Modern, Heritage and Alternative rock radio-airplay charts across industry radio-monitoring services, BDS and Mediabase. Their latest single, “Lost In You,” follows suit and is currently climbing up the charts on Mediabase and BDS.

South African natives Seether debuted on the scene in 2002, have sold nearly four million units worldwide, and have become an impressive presence on the worldwide touring circuit, averaging more than 275 performances a year. Seether’s fourth album, Holding Onto Strings Better Left To Fray, was produced by the legendary Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against The Machine). The offering features the number one rock single “Country Song,” and showcases songwriter and frontman Shaun Morgan’s ability to successfully meld raw emotional lyrics with intensely melodic elements of heavy metal, post-grunge and alternative rock.

Bullet For My Valentine continue to tour and support their 2010 Top 3 release Fever and the follow up deluxe Fever Tour Edition CD/DVD, released in February. Fever Tour Edition features three new songs recorded live at XFM radio in the UK. The current single and title track “Fever” continues to climb the charts. Bullet For My Valentine were just nominated for three Kerrang! Awards including Best Single, Best Live and Best British Band.

Escape The Fate has been relentlessly touring in support of their recent self-titled album which debuted at number four on the Billboard Rock album chart, number three on the Billboard Alternative chart and number one on the Billboard Tastemakers Chart. The album features the singles “Issues” and “Gorgeous Nightmare.” Outburn declared “the band’s new album is a compelling modern day masterpiece.”

3rd Annual “Rock and Worship Roadshow” Continues With Star-Studded Lineup: MERCYME, Jars Of Clay, Disciple, Hawk Nelson, Matt Maher and Group 1 Crew

2011-08-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

“The Rock and Worship Roadshow” will venture into their second leg of the tour hitting 12 markets this November, including Van Andel Arena on November 4, with a stellar cast including MercyMe, Jars of Clay, Disciple, Hawk Nelson, Matt Maher and Group 1 Crew. Talented rapper Trip Lee along with other artists will serve as the pre-show entertainment. This will mark the first time "The Rock and Worship Roadshow" will tour in the fall in addition to their annual spring trek.

Admission prices will be the traditional $10 at-the-door, making it an affordable event for the whole family. Compassion International will once again serve as a tour sponsor. Compassion International is a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. For more information on Compassion International go to www.compassion.com.

Kicking off Nov. 3 in Saginaw, MI, the tour will stop in cities such as Grand Rapids, MI, Cleveland, OH, Atlanta, GA, Columbia, SC, Oklahoma City, OK, and Kansas City, MO before wrapping on Nov. 20 in Memphis, TN.

Van Andel Arena® Once More Makes Mid-Year Charts As A Top Venue

2011-08-18T08:07:00.001-07:00

Billboard Names Van Andel Arena No. 1 Mid-size Venue in North America

Based on box office figures during the first half of this year, the SMG-managed Van Andel Arena ranks as a top venue in mid-year charts compiled by entertainment industry publications Billboard, Pollstar, and Venues Today.

“Being listed as high as we are in these three industry publications is yet again a great honor,” said Richard MacKeigan, SMG’s Regional General Manager for Van Andel Arena® and DeVos Place®, of the news. “But just being consistently listed is the greater accomplishment. The entire SMG staff is delighted with our venue’s rating. We are proud to work at Van Andel Arena and proud to work in Grand Rapids. These rankings are a testament to the incredible support we continue to receive from our community, the great promoters we work with and the value of the SMG network.”

Van Andel Arena has had a terrific year so far in 2011 (from October 16, 2010 through June 30, 2011) with 36 shows, six of which were sellouts. Sellout events included Trans-Siberian Orchestra (twice), Winter Jam, Lady Gaga, Kid Rock, and Bob Seger.

Billboard

Billboard Magazine has ranked Van Andel Arena as the sixth highest grossing arena ($9,605,146) worldwide with a 10,001-15,000 seating capacity. The top five venues ranked are all overseas, making Van Andel Arena the No. 1 venue in North America. The rankings came from gross figures compiled between November 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011. The list was published in the July 30, 2011 issue.

Another SMG-managed building to make the list was Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, just behind Van Andel Arena at seventh.

Billboard Magazine has served the information needs of the entertainment business since 1894. Today, that means a core focus on the music business, providing charts, data, analysis, profiles, news and trend reporting for aspiring artists, top executives, tour promoters, publishers, radio programmers, lawyers, retailers and others. In the past few years, Billboard has committed to providing information and insight for the new industries that have sought opportunities in music, such as advertising, film, television, digital and mobile.

Pollstar

Van Andel Arena placed at number 55 worldwide on Pollstar Magazine’s Top 100 Arena Venues of all sizes in the July 18, 2011 issue. This ranking is based on an attendance of 102,525, as reported to Pollstar for shows played between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011.

In addition to Van Andel Arena’s no. 55 position, other SMG-managed buildings ranked in Pollstar’s Top 100, including The Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England in fifth; Coliseo De Puerto Rico in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico at eighth; BOK Center in Tulsa, OK at 37th; and Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, PA at 47th.

Pollstar is the only trade publication covering the worldwide concert industry. For more than 25 years Pollstar has provided music business professionals with the most reliable and accurate source of worldwide concert tour schedules, ticket sales results, music industry contact directories, trade news and unique specialized data services. Pollstar also publishes the concert industry’s leading trade publication.

Venues Today

Venues Today has named Van Andel Arena the sixth highest grossing arena ($8,474,485) worldwide with 10,001-15,000 seating capacity in the July 2011 issue. The Top Spot ranking is based on concert and event grosses, as reported to Venues Today from October 16, 2010 through May 15, 2011.

A few other SMG-managed arenas showed up on the top ten following Van Andel Arena, including INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas at eighth. Save Mart Center in Fresno, California came in at ninth followed by Long Beach Arena (Ca.) at tenth. Peoria (Ill.) Civic Center Arena is at 12 while Jacksonville (Fla.) Veterans Memorial Arena showed up at 14. North Charleston (S.C.) Coliseum came up at 17 and DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. is at 18.

DeVos Performance Hall also showed up on the Venues Today listing. DeVos Performance Hall, the only Michigan venue that hosts up to four different professional arts groups, came in 19th on the Top Spot list for venues of 2,001-5,000 capacity with a gross of $4,799,974. DeVos Performance Hall was followed at 20 by East Lansing’s Wharton Center for Performing Arts while fellow SMG–managed Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Nebraska came in at 14.

Venues Today is a leading international trade publication that covers the business side of entertainment and sports, particularly as it relates to venues. Readers include managers, owners, operators and bookers of arenas, amphitheaters, stadiums, performing arts centers, convention centers, fairgrounds and equestrian centers.

Grand Rapids Welcomes Gaither Homecoming Christmas Special

2011-08-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

Multi-Grammy Award winning recording artist, Bill Gaither will present the Gaither Christmas Homecoming music spectacular at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI, on Friday, December 9, 2011 at 7pm. The legendary recording artist will present an exciting celebration, filled with the very best in Christian music, including Gaither’s own multi-award winning group, The Gaither Vocal Band.

For nearly half a century, multiple Grammy and Dove award winner Bill Gaither has been a musical trailblazer. His reputation as a performer, songwriter and mentor for newly-discovered artists is known world-wide. Gaither’s beloved series of Homecoming CDs and DVDs continues to top the sales charts and attract an ever-increasing audience. Whether you are a brand new fan or a longtime lover of feel-good Gospel music, don’t miss this incredible concert experience. "In times like these we must reflect on what is most important in our lives...faith, family and friends," explains Gaither. "I invite everyone to join me and my special ‘friends’ for an uplifting musical extravaganza filled with joy, laughter, good music and great memories."

The roster of talented “friends” taking the stage with Gaither and the Gaither Vocal Band, featuring Mark Lowry, David Phelps, Michael English and Wes Hampton, include The Martins, Gordon Mote, The Booth Brothers, The Isaacs, Buddy Greene, Charlotte Ritchie, Gene McDonald and Kevin Williams.

Additional information is available online at www.premierproductions.com or www.gaither.com. Tickets go on sale Monday, August 22 at 10am and may be purchased by calling 1-800-745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at the Van Andel Arena box office and all Ticketmaster outlets, including D&W Stores and select Family Fare locations. Prices are $29 & $39. Special group rates are available by calling 616-742-6185.

We have a Keith Urban Ticket Hunt Giveaway Winner!

2011-07-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

Mitch Maslowski found the Keith Urban tickets! The SMG Staff at Van Andel Arena would like to thank everyone who participated in the Keith Urban Ticket Hunt Giveaway! Keith Urban performs with Jake Owen at Van Andel Arena July 22, 2011! Check out if Mitch had a difficult time finding the tickets from the clues at Van Andel Arena's Facebook fan page. Tickets to the Keith Urban concert may be purchased at http://bit.ly/mPIEBH.

The Keith Urban Ticket Hunt Giveaway

2011-07-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

Keith Urban Performs At Van Andel Arena This Friday

SMG Grand Rapids will be holding a ticket hunt giveaway for Keith Urban tickets beginning at noon on Tuesday, July 19. A pair of tickets will be hidden somewhere downtown at an undisclosed location for a lucky winner to find and enjoy. Search parties need not look inside any downtown building as the tickets will be placed somewhere outside. The search area is defined by borders at the river going east to Division Ave. and Oakes St. going north to Michigan Ave.

Be sure to check the Van Andel Arena Facebook fan page tomorrow morning for clues about where the tickets will be hiding (Facebook.com). We encourage everyone to brave the heat and get out on their lunch hour to look for the tickets!

Winner(s) will be announced via the Van Andel Arena Facebook fan page and vanandelarena.com. No stone should go unturned, no lion should be tamed, no stage should go ignored and no seat should go unfilled. SMG Grand Rapids wishes all those Keith Urban fans the best of luck!

Keith Urban will perform along with Jake Owen, at Van Andel Arena this Friday, July 22. Tickets are still available through ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Van Andel Arena box office, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Reba Reveals ALL THE WOMEN I AM Tour Dates

2011-07-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Reba Reveals ALL THE WOMEN I AM Tour Dates

Reba will embark on the ALL THE WOMEN I AM tour this fall throughout the US and Canada. The upcoming, 31-city venture features a stop in Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena on November 10 at 7:30pm with special guests The Band Perry, Steel Magnolia and Edens Edge slated to open select US dates. In conjunction with the tour’s launch, the touring industry’s leading trade outlets have named Reba the #1 female Country touring artist, selling a combined total of over 9 million tickets.

Presales for select shows will begin on Saturday, July 9 at 10am CST. Only RebaNet fan club members will have the exclusive opportunity to purchase up to four tickets maximum of the best seats available via Reba.com. RebaNet membership is free and in addition to presale privileges, benefits include Meet & Greet opportunities, Unique Bonus Content, Fan Forum Accessibility, Downloadable Complimentary Images (wallpapers, buddy icons, Twitter backgrounds) and more! Tickets for the Van Andel Arena performance go on sale Friday, July 15 at noon and may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets range from $27.50 to $72.

According to Pollstar, who has been tracking tour revenue and attendance figures since 1981, Reba ranks as the #1 touring female Country artist of all-time. She has sold well in excess of 9 million tickets (including shared bills) since monitoring began three decades ago and has logged more than $274 million dollars in gross revenue. Also of note, 2010 marked Reba’s highest-grossing tour on the road, proving fans still can’t get enough of the superstar! Additionally, Billboard's Boxscore ranks Reba as the #1 touring female Country artist of the past 20 years, tracking tour revenue and attendance figures since 1991. She has played 600 shows for more than 6.7 million fans, with her tours bringing in more than $218 million dollars in gross revenue.

One of the most successful female recording artists in history, Reba has sold over 56 million albums worldwide and her previous 13 studio albums have all achieved Gold or Platinum-plus status. As a leading lady in the genre, she was recently inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame for her contributions. She has won 15 American Music Awards; 13 Academy of Country Music Awards; 9 People’s Choice Awards; 6 Country Music Association Awards and 2 GRAMMY Awards throughout her extraordinary career. She is one of only four entertainers in history to be honored with a National Artistic Achievement Award by the U.S. Congress. Reba’s reign of 35 #1 hits spans four decades, prompting Billboard, Country Aircheck and Mediabase to all recognize her as the biggest female hit-maker in Country music history. The multimedia superstar recently earned her 64th Top 10 hit with “Turn On The Radio” and her 35th #1 with the lead single from her new album, ALL THE WOMEN I AM.

Reba’s unprecedented run of sales successes extended the superstar’s lead as the female artist with the most RIAA sales certifications and #1 albums in Country music history. The superstar surpassed the two-million-fan mark on Facebook, propelling her into an elite group of Country artists to achieve the popularity milestone. Also an acclaimed film, TV and Broadway actress, Reba signed with The Valory Music Co. in November 2008. For up-to-date information regarding the ALL THE WOMEN I AM tour and public on-sales (as early as Friday, July 15), visit Reba.com.

Britney Spears Hitting Van Andel Arena One More Time

2011-06-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears is coming back to Van Andel Arena on August 17, 2011 at 7:30pm. The special guests for the Femme Fatale Tour performance in Grand Rapids are Destinee & Paris as well as DJ Pauly D.

The ticket prices are $29.50, $49.50, $89.50, $149.50 and $350. There is also a Ladies’ Night Out 4-Pack for Only $88, plus margarita drink specials! Britney Spears performs tonight at Van Andel Arena! Tickets will be available at the Van Andel Arena box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, livenation.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Spears recently teamed up with Bravo, VEVO and MTV to launch a multi-platform premiere of her latest single, “I Wanna Go” last week. The Femme Fatale tour and “I Wanna Go” video come on the heels of her platinum-selling 7th studio album, Femme Fatale (Jive Records). “I Wanna Go” is the third single of the album, following a string of recent No. 1 smash hits including “Hold It Against Me” and “Till The World Ends”.

Widely recognized as a pop icon and one of entertainment’s top performers since her memorable teen pop debut in 1999, Spears is the only woman to have six albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and is one of only seven artists to have a Hot 100 No. 1 hit within three separate decades. Her albums have collectively sold over 100 million copies worldwide.

Another Griffins Alum Adds Name To Stanley Cup

2011-06-16T07:30:00.000-07:00

For the fourth straight year and the sixth time in the last seven seasons, a former Grand Rapids Griffins player will have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

Center Chris Kelly, who began his career with the Griffins in 2001-02, earned the honor thanks to the Boston Bruins' 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 on Wednesday. After joining the Bruins in a Feb. 15 trade from Ottawa, Kelly was one of their more consistent playoff perfromers, posting 13 points (5-8--13) while appearing in all 25 games. He finished sixth on the team in scoring and he ranked among the NHL's postseason leaders in points (T20th), plus-minus (+11, T3rd) and shooting percentage (17.9, 19th).

Kelly recorded six points (3-3--6) in 31 games during the Griffins' final season as the Ottawa Senators' top affiliate. He eventually played parts of seven NHL seasons with Ottawa, racking up 176 points (75-101--176) in 463 games and making his first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007.

The names of 13 Griffins alumni already adorn the most famous trophy in sports. Las June, Thomas Kopecky became the first former Griffin to win his second Stanley Cup, as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. Mark Eaton became lucky alumnus no. 13 with Pittsburgh in 2009; Detroit's Valtteri Filppula, Darren Helm, Jiri Hudler, Kopecky, Niklas Kronwall, Brett Lebda, Darren McCarty, Derek Meech, and Chris Osgood were added to the cup in 2008; Kevyn Adams won it with Carolina in 2006; and both Dmitry Afanasenkov and Darren Rumble captured the chalice with Tampy Bay in 2004.

Two other former members of the Griffins organization joined in the celebration of Boston's triumph. Reserve defenseman Shane Hnidy, who appeared in only three games with the Bruins during both the regular season and early rounds of the playoffs, played parts of two seasons (1997-98, 2000-01) in Grand Rapids. Bruce Cassidy, the assistant of the AHL's Providence Bruins, who complemented Boston's staff during the postseason, spent two seasons as the Griffins' head coach, leading them to the IHL's final regular season championship in 2000-01 before earning AHL Coach of the Year honors 2001-02.

2011 Taylor Swift Ticket Release

2011-06-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011

2010's Hottest Touring Artist Taylor Swift Takes
Van Andel Arena by Storm one Night Only
July 28th with Special Guest
NeedToBreathe!

GREAT SEATS BEING RELEASED AT 5PM FRIDAY, JUNE 10th!
DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO SEE ACM ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR, TAYLOR SWIFT!

Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster Outlets, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Spotlight Saturdays

2011-06-01T08:12:00.000-07:00

Join LACY JONES & JERMAINE PREBBLE, in conjunction with HOLLA BAKK ENTERTAINMENT, for a downtown nightlife urban social affair that's Trendy & Exciting... Spotlight Saturdays is a 21 & up event that features one of Grand Rapids, Michigan’s most in demand urban DJ ***LIVE***, PJ The DJ who spins a blend of Adult Hip Hop, Neo Soul, Urban Jazz, R&B and more takes over the 5/3 Bank Vault from 9 PM – 2 AM. Dress code is enforced and doesn't allow for any sports attire or sneakers!!! Join us and Join the Fun this Saturday @ The 5/3 Bank Vault inside Van Andel Arena....

First 50 Ladies never pay a cover, plus you'll receive a complimentary glass of Moscato Wine...

Admission is $10 at the door.

Hillsong UNITED Returns to North America Amidst Popular Demand

2011-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Announces August “Aftermath” Tour Dates Following Record Breaking Winter/Spring North American Tour, Release of Band’s Fastest Selling Album Ever, AFTERMATH

After becoming the first Christian artist to sell out Staples Center in Los Angeles, logging sold out events at major venues coast-to-coast this winter/spring and subsequently gathering Pollstar Magazine’s April 11 “Hotstar” cover feature, modern worship band Hillsong UNITED returns to North America this summer to pick up where they left off. Hitting primarily the Midwest for the first burst of tour dates in June, the band will play Van Andel Arena on August 15th at 7:30pm.

Singing the favorites that have helped sell over 11 million albums, the band will also play songs from AFTERMATH, Hillsong UNITED’s acclaimed 2011 release that topped retail sales charts internationally, hit No. 17 on the Billboard Top 200 and continues to be its fastest selling album ever.

Premier Productions, which promoted the Staples Center event, as well as promoted sold out Hillsong UNITED events earlier this year at such major market venues as ShoWare Center (Seattle), Warfied Theatre (San Francisco), Memorial Auditorium (Sacramento), Music Hall (Dallas), Berry Center (Houston), Gwinnett Center (Atlanta), Hammerstein Ballroom (New York City) and two back-to-back events the same night at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre, announces that tickets will go on sale June 3, 2011. Ticket prices are $28.50 and $38.50 (VIP) and may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets including D&W Stores and select Family Fare locations, or charge by phone at 1- 800-745-3000. All ticket prices increase $3 on the day of show. Groups of 10 or more save $4 per ticket (not valid on floor seats). Call 616-742-6185 or email groupsales@smggr.com for more details.

Additional information on how to purchase tickets can be found through www.PremierProductions.com, with a special pre-sale offer using the promotional code “aftermath” available on this website as well as all points of purchase beginning June 1.

“The appeal of Hillsong UNITED is their love for the Church and creating an atmosphere where people engage and express their faith through dynamic worship music that creates an incredible unified experience,” says Shane Quick, owner and vice president of the concert division with Premier Productions. “To hear thousands of people singing together at the top of their lungs for three hours is nothing short of amazing.”

“There is a real sense of perseverance within our team, not performance,” says Hillsong UNITED member Joel Houston. “In 2011, we are pushing the boundaries and stretching ourselves; musically, lyrically and believing that God is going to do things He has never done before.”

While on tour, and in response to nationwide food bank deficits, Hillsong UNITED is partnering with local churches and agencies to again facilitate an I-HEART :: This Means Love Food Drive in each city they visit. “Yes, the world is a mess but the Good News is that it can get better; all it takes is a little more love and unity,” says Hillsong UNITED’s Jad Gillies as he urges people attending the tour to bring to the event non-perishable food to help meet the needs of their neighbors. Over 7,000 family meals were collected for those that need them most during the Feb/March US leg of the tour.

Born out of the Youth Movement of Australia’s Hillsong Church, and fronted by worship leaders Joel Houston, Jad Gillies and Jonathon “JD” Douglass, the UNITED team is also an evolving collaboration of pastors, worship leaders, musicians and songwriters - all intentional about giving voice to a generation passionate about God. Having led worship in churches, stadiums and open fields in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, Hillsong UNITED’s AFTERMATH is the first new album from the band in over two years. The recording sparked the band’s biggest radio hit to date, “Search My Heart,” and offers an unabashedly creative collection of new songs that celebrates the One who saves, redeems and is the true representation of Hope in a world where hopelessness abounds.

More information on Hillsong UNITED can be found at www.hillsongunited.com and www.facebook.com/hillsongunited, where the band has over 1.93 million friends.

TAYLOR SWIFT OPENS SPEAK NOW … HELP NOW

2011-05-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

FUNDRAISER TO WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE VIA WEB STREAM EVENT

Taylor Swift announced today via Twitter that she will expand her fundraising efforts for tornado victims by streaming two performances during Saturday’s “Speak Now … Help Now” benefit event.

“I'll be streaming 2 of the songs from the Speak Now/Help Now rehearsal performance worldwide- Saturday at 9pm central on taylorswift.com :),” Taylor tweeted from @TaylorSwift13.

The stream will give fans around the world a first look at Taylor’s new stage and her show for the North American leg of the Speak Now World Tour. Information on how to donate to help tornado victims will be posted during the stream.

“Speak Now … Help Now”, the final dress rehearsal for Taylor’s Speak Now Tour, will be held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, May 21st, and is open to the public as a benefit event for tornado victims.

100% of ticket sales will go directly to help tornado victims via the Speak Now … Help Now Fund established through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

STREAM DETAILS:
TIME: 9:00 p.m. CDT – Saturday, May 21st
PLACE: www.TaylorSwift.com

The North American portion of the Taylor Swift Speak Now World Tour 2011 kicks off on May 27th in Omaha, Nebraska. Taylor Swift performs at Van Andel Arena on July 28, 2011!

THE ROCKETS to Open For Bob Seger at Grand Rapids Date

2011-05-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

Detroit-Natives to Warm Up the Van Andel Arena Crowd on May 28

Finishing up what could be his last tour ever, Bob Seger has announced that rock veterans The Rockets will be opening up the performance when he visits Van Andel Arena for a second time in as many months on Saturday, May 28th.

The show begins at 8PM and a limited number of tickets are still available. Tickets are $72.50 and are available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone at 1- 800-745-3000.

Natives of Detroit, The Rockets formed in 1972 and released five studio albums which offered several hits including “Oh Well,” a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s original. With founding members, Johnny “Bee” Bandajek and Joe McCarty, The Rockets have always been a popular name in Detroit and around Michigan, especially in the 70s and early 80s. In 2010, The Rockets were honored at the Detroit Music Awards with the Distinguished Achievement Award.

The Rockets have already opened for Seger earlier in the week for the first of his three dates at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Showing his allegiance to Michigan-bred artists, Seger has also featured Battle Creek-native Frankie Ballard as an opener for several shows. Ballard opened for Seger during their last stop in Grand Rapids last April.

Spotlight Saturday Grand Opening This Weekend

2011-05-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for Urban Social Entertainment in an upscale downtown setting, then the 5/3 Bank Vault is for you! Grand Rapids' most in-demand urban dj, PJ the DJ, will be spinning a mix of adult hip hop, R&B, reggae, Jazz, neo-soul and more...

Come out and experience the best in urban night life!

This event is hosted by Lacy Jones and Jermaine Prebbles!!! Sponsored by Holla Bakk Entertainment. This is a 21 & up event. No sports attire allowed.

Saturday, May 21 at 9PM-2AM
Van Andel Arena 5/3 Bank Vault
Tickets $10

VEE Corporation Announces A Musical & Imaginative 2011-2012 Tour Season

2011-05-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Including 1st Sesame Street Live Tour to Mainland China

As VEE Corporation raises the curtain on its 32nd touring season, we are delighted to announce Elmo and friends will be coming back to Grand Rapids. “Elmo Makes Music” will be taking the Van Andel Arena Stage from Friday, November 11 to Sunday, November 13.

Tickets are $14.50, $18.50, $24.50, $32.50 (Gold Circle), and $57.50 (Sunny Seats). However, opening night tickets are all $14.50 excluding Gold Circle and Sunny Seats. Tickets go on sale Monday, May 16 at 10am. Tickets may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Groups of 10 or more receive a $3 discount per ticket (excluding Gold Circle and Sunny Seats). For group discounted tickets, please call 616.742.6185 or email groupsales@smggr.com.

For this first time in its distinguished history, Sesame Street Live will also commence an eight-week tour of Mainland China with “Elmo’s Green Thumb”. Opening June 26, Sesame Street Live will perform at the finest theatres in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Chongqing, Wuhan, Henan, Hefei, Changzhou, Wenzhou, Qingdao and Yantai. Performances will be presented in Mandarin and/or English based on local preferences. The production will then transfer to Singapore for a multi-show run in that territory where it has toured previously.

The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families, produced in partnership with VEE, is an around-the-world tour exclusively for military families on bases. The fifth installment kicked off on April 14 in Columbus, Ohio with First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. This USO tour, created to help military children deal with the challenges of deployment and homecomings, is based on Sesame Workshop’s award winning Talk, Listen, Connect (TLC) initiative. Stops on this tour include Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Korea, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Spain.

VEE is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with Sesame Workshop to create and produce Sesame Street Live, the longest running touring production for children in history. Like the award-winning television show on which it is based, Sesame Street Live uses the power of Muppets to teach critical skills such as literacy, math, healthy habits, and respect for others – all while entertaining in a positive, family-friendly way.

For the most up-to-date information, visit http://www.sesamestreetlive.com/. For a full schedule of the performances in Grand Rapids, go to http://www.vanandelarena.com/.

SMG Named Private Manager of McCormick Place Complex in Chicago, Illinois

2011-04-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Metropolitan Pier and Exhibition Authority (MPEA) has selected SMG, the global leader in convention, arena and stadium management, as private manager of its McCormick Place Complex. The complex includes 9 million square feet in six buildings and is the nation's largest convention center.

"We are proud to have been selected and look forward to working with the Authority to forward their reform agenda," explained Wes Westley, SMG president and chief executive officer. "SMG has both the experience and success to enhance Chicago's draw as a world-class convention destination."

SMG was chosen following a highly competitive bid process for its focus on cost reductions and customer experience enhancements. The company reiterated its large market experience, industry relationships, CVB partnerships and labor relations expertise as hallmarks of its approach to McCormick Place.

Also announced today was the re-appointment of David Causton as General Manager of the facility. "David is an industry leader who has successfully led the most recent efforts to enhance the customer experience at McCormick Place. We are thrilled to have him as part of the SMG team and know that the continuity he will provide will ensure a seamless transition to private management," noted Westley.

SMG is responsible for the management and marketing of more than 220 public assembly facilities worldwide. The company has built a specialized Convention Center Division, including 67 convention and exhibition centers. SMG's seasoned executive team works actively with municipalities, convention bureaus and hospitality partners in offering first class service and fully integrated management and marketing systems. At 2.6 million square feet of prime exhibit space, McCormick Place is the nation's largest convention facility.

"Chicago is one of the nation's most attractive trade show markets because of its size, space, location and the recent reforms put in place," said Gregg Caren, senior vice president of strategic business development. "Having the expertise to manage the facility is critical but understanding how to enhance the customer experience through relationships and industry partnerships is where SMG differentiates itself."

About SMG
Founded in 1977, SMG provides management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theatres, performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, science centers and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 12 million square feet (1.2 million square meters) of exhibition space and over 1.5 million sports and entertainment seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming, construction and design consulting, and pre-opening services for such landmark facilities as the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Houston's Reliant Park and the Louisiana Superdome. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions and catering company SAVOR, currently serving more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit http://www.smgworld.com/.

East Meets West Gospel Showcase (CANCELED)

2011-04-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

*** The event is canceled. Purchased tickets may be refunded at the point of purchase.

Friday, May 13th
7:30 PM- 9:30 PM: Showcase & Competition ($15 & $30, + $2 the day-of-show)
10 PM- midnight: After Glow Party ($10)

Saturday, May 14th
10 AM- 12 PM: Southern Gospel Jazz Brunch with special guest, Shekinah Glory ($20)
12:30 PM- 3 PM: Showcase & Competition ($15 & $30, + $2 the day-of-show)
6 PM- 9 PM: Grand Jazz of West Michigan ($10)

-VIP Weekend Package ($75)

East Meets West Gospel Showcase and Competition
Special performances and Celebrity Judges include:

Shekinah Glory from the first ever two-time Gold Recording Gospel Choir.

Twinkie Clark of the Legendary Clark Sisters

Neechy from The Word Network TV Show, Neechy is Rockin Featured in Sister to Sister Magazine

Ryan Rutley, President of the Psalms Group Recording Label- Detroit Michigan with distribution through Universal Records.

Laurelle from JQ 99.3

Affinity`and The Issac

East Meets West Southern Gospel Jazz Brunch
Begin the last day of the Inaugural East Meets West Gospel Showcase and Competition with a brunch to sing for! Featuring a Special Performance by Shekinah Glory Ministries, the fun only begins here!

Grand Jazz of West Michigan
A true Jazz-lover's concert event! Six local jazz artists from West Michigan will showcase their awesome talent at 'Grand Jazz of West Michigan'. The three-hour event will allow us to showcase the Jazz culture, music and other musical organizations from our city to all West Michigan music lovers. Jazz up your night with a little music and dancing while supporting local artists! This is an event you don't want to miss...

East Meets West After Glow Party
Finish a great first night of Michigan's finest Gospel at the official East Meets West After Glow Party inside Van Andel Arena's Fifth Third Bank Vault. Put the cherry on top of your night while listening to a live Jazz set and hang out with many of the evenings' attendees.

*Dates, times, & prices subject to change.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey present BARNUM 200

2011-04-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen…Children Of All Ages… The Greatest Show On Earth just got Greater with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents BARNUM 200. Featuring 130 performers from six continents, almost 100,000 pounds of performing pachyderms, cowboys, pirates, and mermaids, BARNUM 200 is a super-sized spectacle so massive you just can’t miss it!

This monumental, once in a lifetime event celebrates The Biggest Birthday Bash in Circus History that can only be experienced at The Greatest Show On Earth, Barnum’s living legacy! Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson invites the audience to leap aboard the Ringling Bros. Express and go on a family FUNtastic adventure to meet exotic characters and witness thrilling performances that attempt to answer “What special wonders create The Greatest Show On Earth?”

Step right up and see the Flying Caceres attempt to complete the elusive quadruple somersault on the flying trapeze; a feat that hasn’t been mastered in over three decades. Watch the Puyang Troupe from China dazzle with a stunning display of dexterity as they bounce, flip, and twirl to new heights on a two tiered trampoline. Be amazed as you witness the impossible contortions of the body benders who fit three humans in a cube the size of a milk crate. Enjoy the wondrous ability of the Mighty Metal, the strongest man in the world as he lifts over 1,200 pounds. And savor the stupendous skills of the hand balancers featuring Duo Fusion, a married pair of performers with a twist; the wife does the heavy lifting.

The thrills continue as you cast your eyes above at the Sky High Ice Gliders who take the high wire to new extremes and in new directions, from horizontal to nearly vertical, combining intricate acrobatic skills and extreme agility as they execute flips, perform splits, and even walk while balancing their partners on their head. Rev up the energy as the Torres Family blast around inside a 16-foot diameter steel globe with seven motorcycles at speeds up to 65-miles an hour with only inches to spare between them in The Spherical Miracle.

In addition to treasured Asian elephants, the most of any circus in North America, BARNUM 200 features a dazzling array of exotic animals you cannot see together anywhere else including horses, ponies, llamas, Pygmy and Nubian goats, tigers and even a rare Watusi. So get your ticket today and hop on board the Ringling Bros. Express at BARNUM 200 for an un-miss-able, colossal, historic extravaganza.

Dates:
Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Friday, Sept. 16, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011 at 3:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011 at 2:00 PM

Ticket Pricing:
Circus Celebrity: $68
Front Row: $41
VIP: $30
$25
$20
$15
Opening Night Special: $12 for all seating excluding the top 3 ticket prices.

Scouts save for the Friday at 7:00 PM Performance!
Contact groupsales@smggr.com or call 616-742-6185 for additional details.
Discount expires: Sept. 8, 2011.

Groups of 10 or more save $4 per ticket on the Friday at 7:00 PM performance as well as the Saturday at 11 AM & 7:00 PM performances for the $30, $25, $20, & $15 tickets!
Contact groupsales@smggr.com or call 616-742-6185.
Discount expires: Sept. 8, 2011.

Tickets go on sale April 25, 2011 at 10:00 AM. Tickets may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, all ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000.

Iconic Mötley Crüe back on the Road Headlining Summer Tour

2011-04-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Legendary glam-rock band Mötley Crüe is headlining their summer tour with support from fellow legendary bands Poison and special guests New York Dolls—all of whom will be celebrating particular anniversaries. The tour sets stage in Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena on Wednesday, August 3 at 7:00 PM.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 15th at 10 AM and will be available through ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, or charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000. Ticket prices are $35, $55, and $99.50.

Rising to international fame in the early eighties, Mötley Crüe struck a chord with fans worldwide almost immediately. Orchestrating a mixture of heavy metal and glam rock stylings of the time, the iconic band has produced several best-selling albums with sales reaching 80 million worldwide.

Starting with their debut album, 1981’s “Too Fast For Love,” Mötley Crüe produced a string of hit albums throughout the eighties including “Shout at the Devil” (1983), “Theater of Pain” (1985), “Girls, Girls, Girls (1987) and “Dr. Feelgood” (1989). Known for their backstage antics and outrageous clothing, hair, and make-up, Mötley Crüe’s fantastic following has transcended time due in part because of their love of the road—performing in over 30 different tours across the globe. Now, they come back to Grand Rapids to help celebrate their 30th anniversary.

Fellow eighties metal band Poison joins the tour on the heels of their 25th Anniversary release, “Double Dose of Poison: Ultimate Hits.” The two-CD collection will feature 35 of the multi-platinum band’s top hits. But perhaps it is special guest, New York Dolls, who is the most seasoned band on the tour. Forming in 1971, the New York Dolls offered a prelude of what would be the punk-rock era’s Ramones and Blondie with the visual appeal that glam rock bands like Mötley Crüe and Poison would later emulate. With hits going back to 1973, the New York Dolls will be performing in promotion of their latest release, 2011’s “Dancing Backward In High Heels.”

Celtic Woman Trivia Ticket Giveaway

2011-03-15T05:19:00.000-07:00

The Celtic Woman trivia ticket giveaway is simple; here are the rules & regulations:

You must answer all five questions correctly by March 17at midnight EST.
Send your answers, along with your name and e-mail address, to: vaagrmi@yahoo.com. Label the subject as: Celtic Woman Trivia. Please only one submission per individual.
The name of every individual who answers all five questions correctly will go in a random drawing to win the 2 free Celtic Woman tickets at Van Andel Arena for April 5^th at 7:30 PM!
The winner will be contacted via e-mail on March 21^st with information on how to claim their tickets.
Good luck!

Celtic Woman Trivia:

What are the names of all four women in Celtic Woman?
What’s the name of the newest Celtic Woman singer?
Who is the youngest Celtic Woman singer?
What is the name of the Celtic Woman’s most recent limited edition c.d.?
Who is the musical director of Celtic Woman?

***On St. Patrick’s Day, be sure to view Celtic Woman on the Today Show in the 10 AM hour with Kathie Lee & Hoda!***

Celtic Woman’s #1 Streak Continues as Lullaby Debuts at #1 on Billboard’s World Album and #3 Children’s Album Charts

2011-03-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick’s Day Performance on NBC’s Today Show

Multi-platinum Irish music sensation, Celtic Woman, earns their seventh straight No. 1 on Billboard’s World Album chart with the debut release of Lullaby. This also marks the first time Celtic Woman conquers the Top Children’s Album chart with a No. 3 debut. Lullaby also debuted at No. 17 on the Internet Albums chart.

Released on February 15, Lullaby (EMI/Manhattan), is a special limited edition collection of sweet and heartfelt lullabies combining Celtic Woman’s most recognized songs mixed with brand new ones.

Celtic Woman is currently on tour in the U.S through May with a breathtaking new live show performing songs from their critically-acclaimed CD and Emmy-nominated DVD Songs from the Heart. Making stops in over 70 cities, highlights include multiple nights in Baltimore, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Antonio and a St. Patrick’s Day performance on The Today Show and Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Celtic Woman will make a stop in Grand Rapids, performing at Van Andel Arena on April 5^th at 7:30 PM. The April 5^th tickets are available through ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

During the 2011 tour, vocalists Lisa Kelly, Chloë Agnew and newest member Lisa Lambe along with violinist Máiréad Nesbitt capture the hearts of fans with what critics are calling an “uplifting,” “breathlessly dramatic” and “beyond captivating” concert experience.

Songs from the Heart is Celtic Woman's most dazzling production yet, moving seamlessly between Irish classics, contemporary covers and original compositions featuring renditions of Jimmy Webb's "The Moon's a Harsh Mistress," Billy Joel's "Goodnight My Angel," "Amazing Grace," and Irish classics "My Lagan Love," "Galway Bay," as well as a new favorite "Níl Sé'n Lá."

Since their March 2005 debut, this unique all-female ensemble continues to have mainstream success without the aid of traditional sales drivers such as radio or video airplay. No other group of this particular adult contemporary genre can claim over 6 million CDs/DVDs sold worldwide, two Top 10 album debuts on the Billboard Top 200, 3 Gold and Platinum albums, 4 Top 5 releases on the Billboard Top Video chart and over 1.2 million concert tickets sold. They have succeeded by connecting directly to fans via their Public Television specials, their frequent touring and then having those fans share the experience with friends and loved ones.

A true celebration of Ireland with an unforgettable signature style, Celtic Woman, along with a 6 piece band and the Aontas Choir, perform unique renditions of Irish standards, classical favorites and contemporary hits.

For more information please visit, www.Celticwoman.com.

Celtic Woman Trivia Ticket Giveaway

2011-03-14T05:40:00.000-07:00

Van Andel Arena is proud to announce the Celtic Woman Ticket Giveaway!

The Celtic Woman trivia ticket giveaway is simple; here are the rules & regulations:

There will be five trivia questions posted on March 15 by 10 AM.
You must answer all five questions correctly by March 17at midnight EST.
Send your answers, along with your name and e-mail address, to: vaagrmi@yahoo.com. Label the subject as: Celtic Woman Trivia. Please only one submission per individual.
The name of every individual who answers all five questions correctly will go in a random drawing to win the 2 free Celtic Woman tickets at Van Andel Arena for April 5^th at 7:30 PM!
The winner will be contacted via e-mail on March 21^st with information on how to claim their tickets.

Country Super Star, KENNY CHESNEY “Goin’ Coastal Tour” 2011 rolls into Van Andel Arena on Saturday, May 7

2011-03-03T12:06:00.001-08:00

Kenny Chesney's Goin’ Coastal Tour

Packs Two Firebursts
Special Guests, Billy Currington & Uncle Kracker

Kenny Chesney's "fans can count on his shows to be fun, fun, fun", and they can prepare to see "how deep this country megastar's talent really runs" as Chesney announces the arena leg of what will be his biggest tour in five years. Chesney comes to Van Andel Arena on Saturday, May 7th at 7pm.

After a hiatus from the road in 2010, the four-time CMA and four-time ACM Entertainer of the Year will take his "Goin' Coastal Tour" this year on the road. Chesney was the second biggest ticket seller of the decade and the only artist in any genre to sell over a million tickets for eight consecutive summers. His current smash hit “Somewhere With You” held #1 for four weeks.

Multi-GRAMMY nominee Billy Currington has secured the highly coveted support slot powered by six No. 1 Billboard country singles and the success of his fourth and latest album' Enjoy Yourself.' Currington’s hit singles include “Doin’ Something Right”, “That’s How Country Boys Roll”, “People Are Crazy”, and recent smash chart topper “Pretty Good at Drinking Beer”, and his current hit “Let Me Down Easy” continues to climb the chart.

Uncle Kracker, broke thru with his 2002 pop hit “Drift Away”, teamed up with Chesney on the #1 Country hit "When The Sun Goes Down," then scored with his biggest hit single in 2010 with the Country / POP crossover smash “Smile”. Kracker’s current release is “Good To Be Me” featuring Kid Rock.

Tickets are $79.50 & $49.50 and go on sale Friday, March 11 at 10:00 AM. Tickets may be purchased at Van Andel Arena & DeVos Place Box Offices, Ticketmaster locations including D&W and select Family Fare locations, charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

"Upscale Urban Nightz" Downtown Diversity Mixer at Van Andel Arena!

2011-03-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

'Upscale Urban Nightz' Downtown Diversity Mixer

A Production of Holla Bakk Entertainment Inc.

Come experience this classy, social downtown mixer catering to an elite demographic of upscale and chic professionals. Cash bar and drink specials all night long. Enjoy valet parking or the arena parking ramp located directly across the street.

5/3 Bank Vault inside Van Andel Arena

9pm - 2am

Age 25+

$10 with inflation at midnight

Upscale Chic and Professional Attire

DJ Governor Slugwell spinning the hottest R&B, Neo-Soul, Jazz

Including a vintage Hip Hop set at 12:30am

RSVP & VIP Info:

VIP $50 per person

RSVP and VIP guests enjoy a catered cheese and fruit buffet. VIPs enjoy express entry and reserved seating in the VIP lounge along with a bottle of Moscato Wine! VIP seating is limited, RSVP now at hollabakk2@sprint.blackberry.net.

Steven Heacock, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) Chairman, was named the “West Michigan Business Person of the Year”

2011-03-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

Steven Heacock, the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) Chairman, was named the “West Michigan Business Person of the Year” by the MSU Alumni Club this past February the 24th.The announcement was made at the 16th Annual MSU Means Business Networking Event at the Secchia Center in Grand Rapids. The featured speakers were Stefanie Lenway (the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean of the Eli Broad College of Business and Eli Broad Graduate School of Management) and Scott Westerman (Executive Director of the MSU Alumni Association).The CAA is the seven-member board that owns Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place. For more information please visit, www.westmichspartans.org.

Get Motivated: Business Seminar

2011-02-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

Get Motivated! Business Seminar is at Van Andel Arena on Thursday, April 14^th from 8:00 AM- 4:45 PM.

The motivational speakers are as follows:

General Colin Powell
Lou Holtz
Rudy Giuliani
Terry Bradshaw
Dr. Robert Schuller
Rick Belluzzo
Krish Dhanam

Get Fired Up! Call 1.800.610.7931 or go to GETMOTIVATED.COM!

* The line-up, date, and time is subject to change.

Josh Groban "Straight To You" World Tour Coming To Grand Rapids

2011-02-28T14:08:00.000-08:00

Van Andel Arena welcomes the much eagerly-awaited Josh Groban and his "Straight To You" World Tour. The "Straight To You" Tour will bring the feel of a theater experience to an arena setting through stage design, lighting, and projection, as well as through the spontaneity and interactivity Groban delighted his fans with during last year's "Before We Begin" shows, in which he solicited feedback from the audience on which songs would be included in the set-list.

As a result, for the "Straight To You" shows, Groban will continue to interact with audiences and perform favorites from his best-selling albums, including his self titled debut, Closer and Awake as well as songs from Illuminations.

Tickets are $45, $59.50 & $79.50. Student Tickets for students of all ages are $25 plus fees and can only be obtained with a student ID at the Van Andel Arena box office or local ticketmaster outlets.

Tickets may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, including D & W stores and select Family Fare locations, on-line at ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000.

Van Andel Arena and SAVOR Proudly Announce “The Chef’s Knife”

2011-02-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

A New Carving Cart in Van Andel Arena’s Amway Section A

Van Andel Arena announces a new carving cart, The Chef’s Knife, located in Amway Section A, Van Andel Arena’s new concourse expansion area. The carving cart will feature fresh and local products from Michigan Turkey producers during all Griffins games and the majority of events at Van Andel Arena. The food is prepared by SAVOR… Grand Rapids, Catering by SMG’s Executive Chef Chris Simpson, as well as his staff. All items featured at The Chef’s Knife are $9.00 each. The Chef’s Knife made its debut Sunday, February 20th at the Griffins vs. Rivermen game, the Griffins won 4 to 2.

The delectable items featured at The Chef’s Knife, include:

The Carved Turkey Grinder - hand carved turkey breast piled high on a sour dough roll with cherry chutney and pesto mayo.
Smoked Turkey Thigh- Each thigh is hand rubbed with our Chef's own secret spices then slow smoked for 6 hours. The hand pulled turkey is packed into a sub roll with apple coleslaw and your choice of sweet or zesty BBQ sauce.
Griffins Jumbo Wing - Jumbo turkey wings rubbed with ancho chili spice and fire roasted; served with southwest ranch dipping sauce or sweet BBQ.
Turkey Sticks- Slow smoked turkey legs with a mild spice rub and a robust hickory smoke; served lightly glazed with Chef's own sweet sauce.

SMG offers food and beverage operations through its concessions and catering company SAVOR, currently serving more than 100 accounts worldwide. Savor Catering by SMG’s food and beverage expertise extends from elegantly catered events for up to 10,000 guests to thematic portable food carts, exquisite suite presentations and permanent concession stands designed to create a memorable experience for all of our patrons. Savor Catering by SMG raises the bar for culinary excellence for patrons, meeting planners and special events. By placing emphasis on freshness, quality, and customer care, we ensure that only the finest service is provided. Savor Catering by SMG displays detail in presentation, menu selections and decor to incorporate an ambiance and flavor for each unique event.

2011 Sugarland Meet & Greet Contest Open Now

2011-02-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

Are you Sugarland's biggest fan?

Do you spend hours thinking about what you might say if you ever met Jennifer and Kristian in person?

Dear dreamers, here's your chance: The 2011 Incredible Machine Tour meet & greet contest is now accepting requests!
Here's how it works: If you're a Sugarpass member in good standing, please visit our Meet & Greet Contest page, and choose your city from the dropdown menu. (Note: Only Sugarpass members can access this page.)

Click "Sign Up for This" and you'll instantly be registered for the random drawing. Ten (10) Sugarpass members will be selected to win a meet & greet -- and this year, you can bring a guest! We'll contact winners approximately 48 hours before showtime to give you the good news. (Tickets, travel, accomodations, special parking etc. are NOT included -- you gotta get yourself to the show.)

Don't see your city listed? We'll announce more meet & greets as we formally announce more shows and venues. If your city hasn't been added to our Tour page yet, stay tuned -- as soon the show is formally announced, it might be added to our M&G contest!

A few more points of interest:
1. You may only sign up for ONE meet & greet city, and you may only win ONE meet & greet on the 2011 tour. Choose a show you know for sure you'll be able to attend! And yes, you may only enter once. We want everyone to remain productive at their day jobs, not spend all their time clicking on the "Sign Up for This" button.

2. All you need at meet & greets is photo I.D. and a smile. Please do not bring anything to be personally signed -- you will receive a signed 8x10 at the event -- and please do not take out or use any cameras during the meet & greet. There are NO exceptions to these two rules, and breaking them will result in your being asked to leave the meet & greet, which would be bad.

3. Please do not write or call asking if you have won a meet & greet. If you're a winner, we'll send confirmation and instructions to the email address associated with your Sugarpass account approximately 48 hours before the show.

4. Your meet & greet photo will be available on the Sugarlandmusic.com Tour page 48-72 hours after the show for download. You will also be able to purchase prints and other items. Stay tuned for more info on how this will work -- photos from 2007-2010 meet & greets will be available again soon!

Can't wait to meet you, greet you, and see you on the road! Good luck!

-Sugarland

Win VIP Platinum Passes & More In 'The Ultimate Winter Jam Facebook Challenge'

2011-02-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular announces a very special city by city challenge that will run each weekend of the tour! Is your city up for the challenge?

YES, WE ARE!

How does this work? The tour is challenging each Winter Jam city to invite the most people to Winter Jam via the Facebook event page. Your city will compete with the other Winter Jam cities that are the same weekend as your concert date: SUNDAY, MARCH 27th at 6PM! Only $10 at the door; no ticket required!

Each Wednesday we'll tally up the Facebook event invites and the city that has the most invitations WINS!

What's the prize?

Winter Jam will randomly pick 3 people who have marked "Attending" on the Facebook event page in your city to win two (2) VIP Platinum Passes. These passes will grant the winner and a friend free admission to Winter Jam, early admittance to the concert, first choice in seating and a free Winter Jam t-shirt!

Plus! Your city gets bragging rights over the other concert cities that weekend! Have fun, invite your friends and let's see what cities have the most Winter Jam fans!

Let's Go Grand Rapids!

Taylor Swift Speak Now World Tour 2011 at Van Andel Arena on July 28th

2011-02-09T14:55:00.000-08:00

Taylor Swift announces that she will tour the world in 2011 in support of her blockbuster Speak Now album, which shattered sales records with over a million copies sold in its first week of release. Taylor Swift Speak Now World Tour 2011 will perform at Van Andel Arena on July 28^th at 7:00 PM with special guest NeedToBreathe. Tickets will go on sale Friday, February 18^th at 10am. Ticket prices are $72, $62, and $27.50. Tickets are available through the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place Box Offices, all Ticketmaster Outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 800-745-3000.

Taylor is currently slated to play 87 shows in 19 countries spanning four continents on the TAYLOR SWIFT SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011, which kicks off February 9^th in Singapore.

The 2011 dates will include six stadium shows – Foxborough, MA’s Gillette Stadium, Detroit’s Ford Field, Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, and Dallas’s Cowboys Stadium. Taylor’s 15-month, 107-date FEARLESS 2009 / 2010 Tour sold out arenas and stadiums in 88 cities in five countries.

Taylor will play shows throughout Asia and Europe during the first quarter of 2011, before kicking off her North American tour on May 27^th in Omaha, Neb. SPEAK NOW Tour dates are planned for later in the year in Australia and New Zealand. The North American leg of the tour is sponsored by COVERGIRL.

The SPEAK NOW WORLD TOUR 2011 is one of the most-anticipated musical experiences of the year, as Taylor’s live show is renowned for her incredibly high-energy theatrical presentation of graphics, sets and visual elements, all conceptualized by Taylor herself. During the course of her show, Taylor plays a variety of instruments and has multiple wardrobe changes. Each show, Taylor performs hit after hit from her three Big Machine Records albums, including the chart-topping “Mine,” “Love Story,” “You Belong With Me,” “Our Song,” and “Fifteen.”

“Swift’s fans don’t just believe in her savvy songwriting and gracious, magnetic stage presence. They trust her as a peer,” raved the Los Angeles Times. “And if the unerring pleasures of her set – and the crowd’s Beatles-sized reactions – were any indication, they’ll be trusting her for a long time.” The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic wrote: “Swift shoots to superstardom. Her two-hour set at the sold-out arena showed a level of creativity – and more important, sincerity - which many other acts don’t reach for decades, if ever. There is a new master of the stage in pop music moving quickly up the ladder.”

“I’m so excited to go back out on tour again in 2011!” says Taylor. “The FEARLESS Tour was so much fun and even more unforgettable than I ever imagined, and I can’t wait to get back out and play my new music from Speak Now! The fans have been so amazing, and I’m thrilled to play in new cities around the world and meet even more of my fans in 2011!”

Taylor Swift is a four-time GRAMMY winner, the top-selling digital artist in music history, has had singles top both the Country and Pop radio charts, and had the #1 best-selling album in any genre of music in 2009. With 1,046,718 copies sold in the US in the first week of release, last month her Speak Now album scored SoundScan’s biggest single-week sales total since 2005 and is the biggest debuting country studio album in history. With the release of Speak Now, Taylor made history on the Billboard Hot 100, charting a record-breaking 11 songs from one album in a single week. Taylor, who writes all of her own songs, has career record sales now in excess of 17 million albums and 31 million song downloads.

For more details, log on to www.taylorswift.com.

New Kids on the Block & Backstreet Boys Bring Their Tour to Van Andel Arena on May 26th

2011-02-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

After weeks of speculation, New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys joined the legendary Green Monster on January 26th at the historic Fenway Park to announce a special once in a lifetime performance at the legendary Boston ballpark on Saturday, July 31st. The superstar groups join the exclusive ranks of musical greats Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Phish and Aerosmith who have all performed on the field of the world famous ballpark.

“This is a tremendous honor for us. As a group of South Boston kids we never thought we would get an opportunity like this. Our dreams are coming true,” said New Kids’ Donnie Wahlberg. “And one of the best parts is that we get to share this moment with our friends the Backstreet Boys.”

“We are all so grateful and excited to have this opportunity. It’s a once in a lifetime moment. And to get to experience this with our Boston friends New Kids on the Block puts it on a whole other level,” added the members of Backstreet Boys.

The Fenway announcement is part of the highly anticipated New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys tour, produced by Live Nation, set to begin on June 2nd with sold out shows opening night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville and Boston’s own TD Garden, as well as, sold out shows in Philadelphia, Toronto, New York, New Jersey, Chicago and Los Angeles. With the continued and insatiable fan demand, the unstoppable phenomenon that is the New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys will add a slew of new dates to their tour including a third New York area show, a third Chicago area show and additional stops in Grand Rapids, MI; Buffalo, NY; Baltimore, MD; Ottawa, ON; Montreal, QC; Hamilton and London, ON.

New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys will perform at Van Andel Arena on May 26th at 7:30 PM. Tickets will go on sale on February 11th at 10 AM. Tickets will be available through ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices are $32, $52, $72, and $92.

The announcement of the Fenway Park show and the upcoming announcement of even more new tour dates will bring the historic New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys tour to over 50 stops, giving fans across North America more chances to catch their favorite groups on one stage.

"We are very pleased that we are able to bring together New Kids on The Block, The Backstreet Boys and their New England fans at Fenway Park. This will be an unforgettable night for us all,” said Dave Marsden, Vice President of Booking for Live Nation New England.

New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boy’s Fenway Park announcement comes just after their epic performance on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2011.” New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys sent thousands of screaming and dancing fans into a fan frenzy. With throngs of fans in the middle of Times Square singing along to their smash hit singles, and millions more tuning in from home, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys once again reaffirmed their place in pop culture proving why their ticket is the hottest ticket of the summer.

New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys first shocked and delighted fans when they took the stage together for a medley at the sold out New Kids on the Block Radio City Music Hall show. The two groups wowed audiences again in their first joint televised performance at the American Music Awards this past November. The performers had the audience on their feet when they unleashed hit after hit including Backstreet’s “I Want It That Way” and New Kids on the Block’s “Hangin’ Tough,” sending the crowd into rip-roaring applause.

With over 200 million albums sold between both bands, and smash hit after smash hit, these two pop sensations have dominated the music scene for over three decades. Aiming to please, these guys are giving concert goers and diehard fans everywhere the ultimate “night out” experience.

For more information please visit www.nkotbsb.com.

Disney On Ice Presents Princess Wishes at Van Andel Arena

2011-01-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

Seven Inspiring Princesses Wish for Happily Ever After In a Magical Ice Show

Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Princess Wishes features an incredible display of special effects, stunning set design and elegant artistry on the ice. Disney On Ice presents Princess Wishes will perform at Van Andel Arena March 10th, 11th, 12th & 13th.

Tickets are currently on sale for $15, $19, $23 and $35, with a limited number of $45 VIP and $55 Front Row seats. Tickets for the Thursday, March 10th Opening Night Performance are $12 (excluding VIP and Front Row seats). All seats are reserved and additional service and handling fees may apply. Tickets are available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place convention center box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, including D & W stores and select Family Fare locations, charge by phone: 1.800.745.3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For 10 or more tickets, call 616.742.6185 or email groupsales@smggr.com.

Believing is just the beginning in Disney On Ice presents Princess Wishes! Dreamers from all over West Michigan will witness the magic when Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine and Mulan all make their wishes come true in this collection of celebrated tales wonderfully told through artistic skating and acrobatics.

With the help of the magical pixie Tinker Bell, the Disney Princesses embark on an adventure to find their heart’s fondest wish. Ariel dreams of a life above the sea, Mulan finds her inner strength, Jasmine discovers a whole new world and Snow White finds her true love. Cinderella, Belle and Sleeping Beauty also find happiness in this beautifully imagined ice show.

Starting one hour before each performance, families will be treated to the Disney Princess Pre-Show, an exclusive fairy tale collection of gowns and treasures from the Disney Princess stories. This bonus experience is free with a ticket purchase per individual and includes a special appearance by a live Disney Princess.

Performance Schedule:

Thursday, March 10			7:00 p.m.
Friday, March 11			7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 12	11:00 a.m.	3:00 p.m.	7:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 13		2:00 p.m.	6:00 p.m.

To learn more about Disney on Ice, log on to www.disneyonice.com.

Three- Time Grammy Award Winner Keith Urban Performs at Super Bowl XLV on Fox. Pregame Show Performance to be Broadcast Live.

2011-01-25T06:22:00.000-08:00

Three-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban will help kick off Super Bowl XLV as part of the pregame festivities at Cowboys Stadium in North Texas on Sunday, February 6. FOX SUPER BOWL SUNDAY pregame coverage begins at 2:00 PM ET.

The appearance marks Urban’s return to North Texas where, just this past November, he rocked an audience of millions with an electrifying halftime performance at the Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints.

Urban’s Super Bowl XLV performance will feature music from his recently released CD Get Closer, and will serve to kick off his just announced on-sale dates (to begin February 11) for his “Get Closer 2011 World Tour”, which will begin on June 16 in Mississippi. July 22, the “Get Closer 2011 World Tour” will perform at Van Andel Arena at 7:30 PM. Ticket prices are $27.50, $57.50, and $77.50. Tickets are available through the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, ticket master outlets, and charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

More than 153 million viewers in the U.S. watched last year’s Super Bowl, the most-watched television program in history. The pregame show and Super Bowl XLV will be broadcast worldwide.

Urban’s recently released sixth studio CD Get Closer follows two previous consecutive Billboard country and pop #1 albums, as well as five previous CDs, all of which have been certified platinum or better. He is the first artist to have ever won the Country Music Associations Horizon Award and Entertainer of the Year Award. He has sold nearly 20 million CDs, is a three-time Grammy Award winner, and has won a People’s Choice and American Music Award. He won five Academy of Country Music Awards, had 11 #1s, including 21 Top 5 hits.