entertain
Globetrotters take on the Elite at Power Balance
Globie doing his magic - Click for more images
The world renowned Harlem Globetrotters were at Power Balance Pavilion Sunday to take on the International Elite, as they went head-to-head to determine who would be the world champions.
Globie, the team mascot, came out before the show to entertain the crowd with a little bit of magic and some dance moves. As Globie set up chairs he had four boys lay flat on their back on the chair seat. Then Globie started pulling out the chairs one by one and you could hear the collective gasp of the crowd as Globie pulled out the last chair, leaving the boys laying on one another without the need for the chairs.
Afterward Globie started strutting around like Michael Jackson as the crowd went wild, with some kids jumping up to dance along with Globie.
Even though the stadium was far from sold out, the audience members made up for it in enthusiasm. Throughout the game the crowd was cheering and clapping for the Globetrotters, with a few boos thrown in for team Elite. At times the cheering was deafening with kids and their parents jumping in to help cheer the team to victory.
As with all Globetrotter games this was an audience participation sport. One couple found out the hard way, with the wife having her purse
Dad goes for a dance with Big Easy
taken, but in true Globetrotter style they were kind enough to give her a gift for participating in all the fun and games ““ her purse.
As for her husband, he didn’t fare any better. He was dragged out on the basketball court, or should I say dance floor, as Big Easy convinced him to dance along.
Kids joined in on the fun too, with several young kids competing for a team jersey. The kids were dressed up as if they were headed to bed. Their task was to dash to the other side of the basketball court, shoot a basket, dash back to the start where a makeshift bed awaited them. The first to complete the task won – In the end they all were winners.
Of course the game came down to the wire and with 5 seconds to go on the clock the Globetrotters made a mad dash to score at the last minute just edging out the International Elite.
Some of the Globetrotters were in town earlier last week to visit with fans. You can read all about their visit here.
cfvi812mf
Globetrotters Dribble in to Sacramento
Handles Franklin and TNT Maddox of the Harlem Globetrotters - Click for more images
The world renowned Harlem Globetrotters are scheduled to appear at Power Balance Pavilion this Sunday.
As is customary, the Globetrotters have had a couple of players in town before the big event on Sunday. They were meeting with television and radio stations in the area, but more importantly they were getting out to meet their fans.
I was able to meet up with “Handles” Franklin and one of their newest members, “TNT” Maddox. TNT is only the ninth woman in 86 years to play with the Globetrotters and the first woman since 1993.
I found the two at the Project R.I.D.E. facility next to Jesse Baker Elementary School in Elk Grove. The two Globetrotters participated in a bit of horseplay “” literally. Project R.I.D.E. offers therapeutic recreational horseback riding instruction to riders with disabilities.
When it came to mounting the horse, I have to give TNT credit. She jumped on as if she did it every day. Handles, on the other hand, was a little timid getting on his horse and looked to be a bit nervous, too.
In between horsing around, TNT talked about what it’s like being one of the few female Globetrotters.
TNT Maddox - Click for more images
“Honestly, it’s unbelievable to be only the ninth woman in 86 years to play for the Harlem Globetrotters,” she said. “What they’re about is charity, and we’re allowed to go to hospitals, schools and things like that and do things that money can’t buy. That’s something that’s special to me, and I’m happy to be a part of the organization.”
As she talked, she constantly had her basketball in motion, so I asked if she did this while sitting down to watch a little television. She said she has to in order to keep up with the likes of Handles and the rest of the team. Being one of the new kids on the block, the team is continually showing her new moves, so she’s constantly practicing to get up to the caliber of her teammates. Trust me “” she’s already there. After only two weeks of training, she said they had her playing at a junior high school.
As for the rest of the team, it looks like this will be an exciting year with 10 new players.
The 2012 rookie class has a total of three 7-footers including 7-foot-4 Jermaine “Stretch” Middleton, the third-tallest player in team history, and 7-foot Anthony “Biggie” McClain. However, Paul “Tiny” Sturgess towers over even the tallest of the tall at a whopping 7-foot-8.
Sturgess was recently recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest professional basketball player. He is also the tallest player in the Globetrotter history.
Not only do they have the tallest player in their history, but the shortest, too. Jonte “Too Tall” Hall is the shortest Globetrotter ever to play at 5-foot-2.
Other team members you may recognize are “Big Easy” Lofton and “Flight Time” Lang who, together, made their way around the world on CBS’ “The Amazing Race.”
If you’ve never seen the Globetrotters in person, you have to get off your butts and get out to Power Balance this Sunday and take in the 1 or 6 p.m. showing. These guys (and gal) are amazing to watch and extremely entertaining.
cfvi812mf
Jingle Bells Rock Thunder Valley
- Eddie Money and Mickey Thomas
Sixty-two-year-old veteran rocker Eddie Money brought his Jingle Bell Rock tour to Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Thursday. Scheduled to appear was former Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm and former Jefferson Starship lead singer Mickey Thomas.
The day before their performance at Thunder Valley, it was announced that Gramm would not be performing for the remaining tour due to acute laryngitis, so Gramm was not in attendance.
As the concert kicked off with Money and Thomas taking the stage, the audience immediately started chanting, “Lou! Lou! Lou!” Money responded by explaining the situation and said they had added a couple of songs to their setlist to make up for the missing Gramm. This was followed by more than a few polite boos ““ is there really such a thing as a polite boo?
Money exited stage left while Thomas started singing “Jane.” Thomas wore a striped shirt with a loosely worn red Christmas tie, while he banged out “Sara,” “We Built This City,” “Nothings Going to Stop Us Now.” Thomas ended his set with “It’s Christmas Time Pretty Baby,” singing in the style of Elvis Presley.
The 62-year-old Thomas’ vocals really stood out throughout his set, sounding just as good as he did all those years ago, in particular when he sang Annie Lennox’s “Winter Wonderland.”
Mickey Thomas - Click for more images
Backing Thomas was Money’s regular crew consisting of longtime band members Tommy Girvin (lead guitar) and Glenn Symmonds (drummer), with more recent additions Lee Beverly (bass) and Chris Groves (keyboards).
Following Thomas, Money came out singing “Baby Hold On” and “I Wanna Go Back.” As Money sang, he shuffled back and forth across the stage and even pulled out the saxophone to show everyone he can still play.
Rounding out the show, Money and Thomas took the stage together singing “Jingle Bell Rock” and a rocking version of “Jingle Bells.” For their encore they performed John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”
While Money’s vocals were not as pristine as Thomas’, he made up for it with his overall stage presence, sense of humor and kindness toward the audience, reaching out to shake hands with a few people in the front row.
Offstage, Money is extremely generous and cordial to all those around him, introducing himself to anyone standing near. His generosity doesn’t stop there.
Eddie Money - Click for more images
Money is a strong supporter of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which helps support families of military personnel lost in service to our nation and for severely wounded service members and veterans.
Money is hoping fans will help bring some holiday cheer to heroic members of the armed forces by going to eddiemoney.com and purchasing his single “One More Soldier Coming Home.” All the proceeds will go to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
The Jingle Bell Rock tour was originally started by Money. This past summer, Money performed at a benefit in a Los Angeles club where Gramm and Thomas also appeared. After some discussion they decided to work with Money and tour with him in the Jingle Bell Rock tour.
While this was Money’s show and he was the headliner, Gramm’s absence was a big disappointment for many of the fans in the audience. Especially after Foreigner just came through the area a couple of months ago with their new frontman Kelly Hansen leading the charge. Hansen did an awesome job and put on a high energy show ““ check out my review. I for one, was hoping to see the real deal – maybe next year.
Yes, the audience booed after they realized Lou wasn’t going to be there, but these diehard fans enjoyed the show nonetheless. It’s these types of fans that keep the old-school bands going. And it’s these types of bands that keep the old people going ““ and a little help from Geritol.
cfvi812mf
Air Supply in Demand at Thunder Valley
Click for more images
Wow. What the hell happened out at Thunder Valley Casino Resort Friday night?
It seems soft rock group Air Supply, playing to a packed house of lovesick fans, actually came out and rocked the house.
I know. I still don’t believe it, but it’s all true! It was bedlam, I tell you.
Here I Am thinking Sweet Dreams. What are the Chances I would find myself in a Sanctuary where Me Like You can feel The Power of Love – Everywhere, only to have a real rock concert break out. Seriously!?
Air Supply started out innocently enough with “Even the Nights are Better,” and then segueing into “Every Woman in the World.”
OK so far, but as veteran performers Russell Hitchcock (lead singer) and Graham Russell (lead guitar) weaved their hits through the guise of soft rock, I should have noticed the younger band members standing at the ready. That should have been my first clue.
CJ Burton - Click for more images
The newest members to the band could have been playing for Papa Roach the way they were attacking their instruments, running and jumping around the stage. This should have been my second clue.
Jonni Lightfoot (bass guitar), CJ Burton (drums), Amir Efrat (keyboards) and Aaron McLain (guitar), all kicked out some serious tunes.
As the band made their way through their repertoire, the crowd started to react more and more with every hit played, but that all changed when Russell went acoustic with their new song, “Everywhere.” Just prior to the song, Russell requested that some audience members crowd down on the floor in front of him, having them sit on the floor.
While everyone was gathering around Russell, he explained how he enjoys sitting on his balcony at home and looking off into the mountains. He pointed to the spotlight, saying it represents the sun going down, and you all are the mountains.
“This song is about how love is all around us, and it’s called “‘Everywhere,’” he said.
Now I know you’re asking yourself, how is this not soft rock? Well, it is, but it’s really rocking in a Tesla/Eric Clapton unplugged kind of way.
Russell Hitchcock - Click for more images
But really the trick here is how Air Supply corralled a large portion of the audience to the very front of the stage and between the aisles. As soon as Russell was done with “Everywhere,” the band struck up “The One that You Love,” and Hitchcock headed out into the sea of madness, followed by Russell on guitar, neither of them missing a beat. That’s when they begin working the crowd into a complete frenzy.
Hitchcock was handing out hugs and kisses as he made his way up one aisle and down another. Women were grabbing at him as his crew fought to keep them at bay. Once they made their way back onstage, it was too late for the audience. They were under Air Supply’s spell, swaying to the music, with the periodic fan jumping up to grab Russell as he came close to the edge of the stage.
For their encore they played “Me Like You” and “All Out of Love.” It was quite obvious the crowd was not ready to leave, and there could only have been a handful of people who left before the end of the show.
I hate to say it, but Air Supply is a master of entertainment. There, I said it.
I like Air Supply.
Setlist:
Even the Nights are Better
Every Woman in the World
Sweet Dreams
Here I Am
Chances
Sanctuary
Power of Love
Everywhere -accoustical
The One That You Love
Lost in Love
Dance with Me
Making Love Out of Nothing at All
Encore
Me Like You
All Out of Love
