Broadway classic WEST SIDE STORY heads to South Florida!

More than fifty years ago one musical changed theater forever. It’s recent return to Broadway mesmerized audiences once again.

From the first note to the final breath, WEST SIDE STORY soars as the greatest love story of all time. Directed by Tony Award winner (and the musical’s author) Arthur Laurents, WEST SIDE STORY remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever.

The Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theater as “Something’s Coming”, “Tonight”, “America”, “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere”.

“… so exciting it makes you ache with pleasure.” – John Lahr, THE NEW YORKER

WEST SIDE STORY will be at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts from February 15 thru 27, 2011.

Robert Plant with Band of Joy head back to South Florida!

It’s not every day that you get a chance to see a member of Led Zeppelin live. But that’s exactly what lucky Americans and Canadians will be getting this year, when Robert Plant takes his Band of Joy on the road. Touring in support of his critically acclaimed album, “Band of Joy”, the North American leg is looking to make the next several months a little brighter. And if you’re wondering, yes, the band has been known to play a Zeppelin song or two during their live performance.

The latest trek began in Asheville, NC on January 18th, and then pretty much sticks to the Eastern zone for the entire set of dates. The only non-US date was a stop in Toronto on January 22nd. So far, the tour is scheduled to end near where it began, with a pair of dates in Nashville on February 8th and 9th. Backing Plant will be the same group that played with him on the record: Patty Griffin, vocals; Darrell Scott, multi-instrumentalist/vocals; Byron House, bass/vocals; Marco Giovino, drums and percussion/vocals; and co-producer Buddy Miller, guitar/vocals. The North Mississippi All Stars Duo will open for the group on all dates.

Now, since there’s Robert Plant news, obviously we can’t let you go without noting his former bandmate’s recent comments. At the Classic Rock “Roll of Honour” Awards recently, Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page mentioned plans to tour himself. “I’m desperate to be playing, but it won’t be ’til next year (2011),” Page said. “I’ll get a good vehicle to get out there and do some concerts.”

Robert Plant with Band of Joy will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on Thursday April 14, 2011.

KISS bring their HOTTEST SHOW ON EARTH Tour to South Florida!

Regarded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands of all-time, KISS holds honors as one of America's top gold record champions, recording 37 albums over 36 years and selling over 100 million albums worldwide. Record-breaking tours around the globe include high-profile appearances at Super Bowl XXXIII, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the 2005 Rockin' The Corps concert dedicated to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and most recently, the 2009 American Idol Finale before thirty million viewers.

Formed in the early 1970s, KISS was the brainchild of Gene Simmons (bass, vocals) and Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar, vocals), former members of the New York-based hard rock band Wicked Lester. The duo then brought in drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley. The band released their self-titled debut in February of 1974; it peaked at #87 on the U.S. charts.

Decked out in outrageously flamboyant costumes and makeup, KISS fashioned a stage show featuring dry ice, smoke bombs, elaborate lighting, blood spitting and fire breathing that captured the imaginations of thousands. The band’s music was a commercially potent mix of anthemic, fist-pounding hard rock driven by sleek hooks and ballads powered by loud guitars and melodies. It was a sound that laid the groundwork for both arena rock and the pop-metal that would later dominate the rock and roll scene for years to come.

Sensing it was time for a change, KISS dispensed with their makeup for 1983's “Lick It Up”. The publicity worked, as the album became their first platinum record in four years. Other releases and personnel changes followed for the rest of the decade and KISS continued to turn out best-selling albums, culminating in the early 1990 hit ballad "Forever" - their biggest single since "Beth." "Revenge" (1992) was a Top Ten hit and went gold. "Alive III" followed the next year.

In 1996, the original lineup of KISS -- featuring Simmons, Stanley, Frehley and Criss -- reunited to perform an international tour, complete with their notorious makeup and special effects. The tour was one of the most successful of 1996, and in 1998 the reunited group issued "Psycho Circus". The quartet announced in the spring of 2000 that they would be launching a U.S. farewell tour. But, on the eve of a Japanese and Australian tour in early 2001, Criss suddenly left the band, once again. Despite discord in the band, KISS kept touring. In 2008 they returned to the studio, re-recorded their hits, and released "Jigoku-Retsuden" aka KISSology or KISS Klassics. The release was exclusive to Japan until a year later when it became a bonus disc for the band's first studio album in 11 years, "Sonic Boom".

The KISS legacy continues to grow, generation after generation. The unparalleled devotion and loyalty of the KISS Army to the "Hottest Band in the World" is a striking testament to the band's unbreakable bond with its fans.

KISS will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on Thursday March 17, 2011.

Wisin & Yandel bring their LOS VAQUEROS: EL REGRESO 2011 Tour to South Florida!

Grammy-award winning Latin artists Wisin & Yandel’s highly anticipated new album “Los Vaqueros: El Regreso” was just released and the duo just announced their U.S. tour.

“Los Vaqueros: El Regreso” is yet another exciting production from the masters at creating popular urban Latin music and it includes all of what Wisin & Yandel do best, hard-driving reggaeton singles, sizzling dance tracks, vibey romantic mid-tempo songs, in short, Wisin’s electrifying lyrics backed by Yandel’s hooks prove that the dynamic duo has the one-of-a-kind formula to continue their reign as the leaders of Latin music. The album includes collaborations with 50 Cent, T-Pain, Tito El Bambino, Cosculluela, Tego Calderón, Jowell & Randy, Franco El Gorila and Alexis & Fido.

Along with the new album, Wisin & Yandel are also launching their worldwide LOS VAQUEROS: EL REGRESO 2011 Tour which kicks off on February 12th with an historical 360° concert at Mexico’s Plaza de Toros, something only legendary Mexican artists like Juan Gabriel and Vicente Fernandez have been able to accomplish.

“After the unprecedented success of the LA REVOLUCION Tour, visiting over 30 U.S. markets, we are extraordinarily excited about forming part of Wisin & Yandel’s LOS VAQUEROS: EL REGRESO 2011 Tour. AEG Live is thrilled to bring the most innovative and dynamic duo with their electrifying concert and new music to fans across the country” comments Rebeca Leon VP of Latin Talent at AEG Live.

Wisin & Yandel will be at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida on Friday June 3, 2011.

Pittsburgh Steelers meet-up with the Green Bay Packers at Super Bowl XLV!

The Pittsburgh Steelers polished off the New York Jets on Sunday in the AFC Championship, booking a ticket to Dallas for the Super Bowl in the process. Like the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship, the Steelers looked to be running away with the game before the Jets came storming back. In a game of runs, the Steelers did just enough down the wire to secure the game, and a trip to the Super Bowl.

The Steelers scored the first 24 points of the game and looked to have the championship well in hand by halftime. The Jets could only muster a first half field goal, heading into the half down 24-3.

In the second half, the Jets came alive on both sides of the ball, nearly stringing together an impressive comeback. A 45-yard strike from Mark Sanchez to Santonio Holmes early in the half brought the Jets to within 14 and was the only score of the third quarter.

Halfway through the fourth, the Jets failed miserably from the Pittsburgh one-yard-line, turning the ball over on downs and squandering a good look at a touchdown. They did, however, come away with points after forcing a safety on the ensuing possession.

After a lengthy drive following the free kick, the Jets finally found the end zone again with Jerricho Cotchery’s four-yard catch. That was as close as they’d get as the Steelers were able to run out the clock over the last three minutes to seal the game and walk away with a 24-19 win. The Packers took home the NFC Championship earlier in the day, dropping the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, 21-14.

Pittsburgh Steelers play the Green Bay Packers at Super Bowl XLV on Sunday February 6, 2011 at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Julio Iglesias brings his STARRY NIGHT World Tour to South Florida!

Multi Grammy award-winner Julio Iglesias got his start in 1968 at the Benidorm Music Festival with a performance of his original song “La Vida Sigue Igual,” which landed him first prize and a record contract with an independent label. During the ’70s, he toured Europe and Latin America, gaining a large fan base with hits such as “Un Canto A Galicia” and “Manuela.” Toward the end of the decade, Iglesias signed a contract with CBS International and began to record in Italian and French in addition to Spanish.

Soon after, Iglesias began recording in English and in 1981 his cover of “Begin the Beguine” became a No. 1 hit. His success continued throughout the decade and he won a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album in 1988 for the album “Un Hombre Solo”. In 1998, Iglesias’s album “Tango” was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the Grammys and won the World Music Award.

Iglesias’ popularity has continued to grow throughout the four decades he has been recording music. He has sold more than 300 million copies of his 79 albums released worldwide, including original versions in various languages, compilations and live albums, making him the Spanish-speaking artist who has sold the most albums in history. Recently, Iglesias received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Sony Music Entertainment Malaysia, for his extraordinary 42-year career.

His current STARRY NIGHT World Tour, named after his third English album, is taking him to five different continents where classic songs like “Hey!,” “Me Olvidé de Vivir,” “Lo Mejor de tu Vida,” “Abrázame,” and “Crazy” touch the hearts of millions of fans no matter what language they speak.

Julio Iglesias will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on Sunday March 6, 2011.

Katy Perry brings her CALIFORNIA DREAMS World Tour 2011 to South Florida!

Pop star Katy Perry will back her smash 2010 album, "Teenage Dream," with an extensive tour of North American arenas that gets underway June 7 in the Atlanta area, and will run for more than two months.

The North American outing is scheduled to visit nearly 40 cities in all, wrapping with two shows Aug. 13-14 in her hometown of Santa Barbara, CA.

Perry opens her CALIFORNIA DREAMS World Tour February 20 in Lisbon, Portugal, making stops in Europe, the U.K., Australia and Japan before returning home to North America in June.

The North American tour announcement was made via a live Perry appearance that streamed on Facebook. Perry -- a constant presence on Facebook and Twitter -- plans to continue to interact with fans via social media networks during the tour. According to a press release, fans will be able to check into the tour's venues each night to receive "special treats" using Facebook Places/Deals. Fans will also be able to submit photos they've taken at Perry's shows via Twitter, some of which will be used during future shows and on Perry's website.

"Teenage Dream" has sold 5 million copies worldwide, according to Capitol Records. The album's lead single, "California Gurls" featuring Snoop Dogg, was the top-selling track of 2010, according to Nielsen SoundScan, with nearly 4.4 million sold. The album also spawned two other No. 1 singles in the title track and current single "Firework." The next single will be "E.T."

Perry is nominated for four Grammys this year: Album of the Year, Best Pop Album, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Teenage Dream" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "California Gurls." She'll also perform at the February 13, 2011 Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

Katy Perry will be at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday June 11, 2011.

Kenny Chesney brings his GOIN’ COASTAL Tour to South Florida!

After a hiatus from the road in 2010, Kenny Chesney, a four-time CMA and four-time ACM Entertainer of the Year will take his GOIN’ COASTAL Tour through the United States. 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.

Chesney will co-headline the stadium dates with Zac Brown Band, GRAMMY’s “Best New Artist” in 2010 whose latest album ‘You Get What You Give’ debuted at #1 on the Billboard top 200. 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.’ Uncle Kracker, who sang with Chesney on the #1 country hit “When The Sun Goes Down,” will open all the stadium dates except Foxboro, MA.

The man the Associated Press calls “among the hardest charging acts on the road” is already excited about returning to the stage. “We’re going to be playing new songs and lots of old favorites, and I can already tell it’s going to be a lot of fun,” says Chesney. ”I can’t wait to get back in front of my fans.”

“With four acts on the bill, we’ve created these shows as all-day events, and are working hard to make them affordable for our fans,” says tour promoter Louis Messina.

Chesney took a break from the road in 2010 to record his new album ‘Hemingway’s Whiskey’ (BNA Records), which entered the Billboard 200 at #1 (his sixth album to achieve that feat) and to produce BOYS OF FALL the documentary about high school football.

“I’ve always loved playing stadiums because I get to see so many of my fans at one time, but after everything I learned from the football heroes I met while making BOYS OF FALL, I’m seeing stadiums in a whole new way,” Chesney says.

Kenny Chesney will be at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida on Thursday March 17, 2011.

Enrique Iglesias brings his EUPHORIA Tour to South Florida!

More popular than ever, heartthrob Enrique Iglesias makes a stop in South Florida with his EUPHORIA Tour.

“Euphoria” is the ninth studio album by the Spanish pop singer-songwriter and it features guest appearances by Akon, Usher, Juan Luis Guerra, Pitbull, Nicole Scherzinger and reggaeton duo Wisin and Yandel.

The album’s first single “Cuando Me Enamoro” reached number one on the Hot Latin Songs, while the album’s second single “I Like It”, reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100. This is his first bilingual album.

Enrique Iglesias will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on Thursday February 10, 2011.

Tim McGraw brings his EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC 2011 Tour to South Florida!

Tim McGraw has announced that he is heading out with a new tour, EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC, along with opening acts Luke Bryan and the Band Perry. The superstar has released dates for the first leg of the trek, which will kick off in Houston, TX, and take him to his home state of Louisiana, as well as to Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, West Palm Beach and West Virginia.

Tim's EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC 2011 Tour comes on the heels of his hugely-successful SOUTHERN VOICE Tour, which included opening acts Lady Antebellum, Love and Theft and the Lost Trailers. The SOUTHERN VOICE Tour was the highest-ranking country tour on Billboard's list of top grossing tours for 2010, coming in at No. 13.

Tim is currently enjoying the No. 1 position on the charts, thanks to his latest single, 'Felt Good on My Lips,' from the new CD, 'Number One Hits.' But while the superstar likes being at the top, he says the credit goes more to the fans for embracing the music he delivers.

"I just try to go in and find the best songs I can find, songs I really like, and try to let the music and the songs take you where they take you," Tim tells The Boot. "I don't really put any kind of parameters on anything I'm doing. It's gonna be me when I open my mouth, no matter how much I do anything different, it's still gonna be me. Ultimately, as an artist, you have to go in and cut songs you like and make them sound the way you want them to sound, and hopefully, the people will like it."

Tim McGraw will be at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday April 30, 2011.

Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks debut their HEART & SOUL 2011 North American Tour in South Florida!

The two rock legends join forces for a co-headlining extravaganza beginning March 20 in Florida.

Rod Steward and Stevie Nicks announced their HEART & SOUL 2011 North American Tour on Ellen DeGeneres’s TV show this week, saying each stop will feature them performing their hits while backed by top-flight production and an incredible band.

The tour begins in Fort Lauderdale on March 20, plays Tampa’s St. Pete Times Forum March 23 and cruises into Atlanta for a night at the Philips Arena March 24. From there it’s on to New York City’s Madison Square Garden March 26; at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT March 27 and Boston’s TD Garden March 30.

Other stops include Montreal (April 1), Toronto (April 2), Philly (April 5), Chicago (April 9), Detroit (April 10) and Phoenix (April 15) before wrapping in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl April 16.

“We haven’t yet begun rehearsals but I can already tell you this, with Stevie on board our audiences are in store for an evening of pure rock ‘n’ roll music,” Stewart said. “I’m already thinking about which songs might be great fun and well-suited for a duet or two.”

Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks will be at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday March 20, 2011.

Michael McDonald heads to South Florida!

Grammy Winner Michael McDonald's soulful style is set to captivate audiences at the Seminole Hard Rock Live.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Michael McDonald not only grew up on Motown music, he went on to incorporate his vocal passion of the music with his love of rock n' roll into a stellar Grammy winning 30-year career.

McDonald started out in local combos throughout St. Louis, singing Motown tunes in clubs. In 1972, he moved to California and worked with Steely Dan before joining the Doobie Brothers in 1976. With his smooth voice and songwriting style, he helped transform the Doobie Brothers into a more soulful rock ensemble with hit songs like "What a Fool Believes," "Real Love," "You Belong to Me," "It Keeps You Runnin'," and "Little Darling (I Need You)," among countless others.

Quickly becoming one of most distinctive and popular singer-songwriters to emerge from the '70s rock scene, he branched out into a successful multi-platinum solo career after the Doobie Brothers disbanded in 1982. He has since released eight albums with singles that have reached Top 10 on the Billboard R&B and Pop Charts. Additionally, he has penned songs for Kenny Loggins ("This Is It") and Carly Simon ("You Belong to Me") as well as for Patti Austin, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Anita Baker, Paul Carrack, Stanley Clarke and more. He and James Ingram had a Top 10 R&B hit with their duet, "Yah Mo B There," in 1983.

Recently, McDonald sang "Takin' It to the Streets" on the final episode of FOX TV’s American Idol, Season 9. He also released “The Voice of Michael McDonald”, a compilation of Doobie Brothers and his own hits and duets with various artists.

Michael McDonald will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on Sunday March 20, 2011.

The 2011 South Beach Comedy Festival returns to South Florida!

The Sixth Annual South Beach Comedy Festival has just announced its dates for 2011. Looking to an even bigger and better year, the event will run from Wednesday March 2nd to Saturday March 5th, 2011. COMEDY CENTRAL returns as the national media partner and Live Nation as the sole producers of the Festival handling all marketing, PR, talent booking and production.

Now in its sixth year, the South Beach Comedy Festival continues to grow and remains the premiere comedy festival for top comedic talent and fans across the country. To accommodate the burgeoning audience, Live Nation and COMEDY CENTRAL have added more featured performances in South Beach.

The Free Live Comedy Stage on Lincoln Road will once again offer up outrageous laughs nightly to any and all attendees. The comedian roster for this will be: Theo Von, Sheng Wang, Michael Kosta and Rachel Feinstein.

“The South Beach Comedy Festival has emerged as one of this country’s premier comedy events, bringing with it all the benefits of tourism, business and great entertainment to Miami Beach and our whole South Florida community,” stated Neil Jacobsen, President of Live Nation Florida, producers of the Festival. “This year promises to be even bigger and better than before and we are privileged to again be partnering with COMEDY CENTRAL to make it all happen.”

THE FILLMORE MIAMI BEACH:

Thursday March 3, 2011: Gabriel Iglesias

Friday March 4, 2011: Wandy Sykes

Saturday March 5, 2011: Kevin Hart

COLONY THEATRE:

Wednesday March 2, 2011: Doug Benson

Thursday March 3, 2011: Adam Carolla

NEW WORLD SYMPHONY:

Friday March 4, 2011: Bill Burr

Kylie Minogue brings her LES FOLIES Tour to South Florida!

Following her ultra-successful first tour of the States in 2009, Kylie Minogue is heading back to the U.S. for her brand new LES FOLIES Tour, in support of last year’s “Aphrodite” album.

Minogue’s LES FOLIES Tour kicks off February 19th, 2011, in Denmark and will move on to dates all over Europe, including dates in Finland, Germany, France, and England before moving on to Asia and then to the highly-anticipated North American leg.

She’ll kick off at Montreal’s Bell Centre on April 28th and will hit cities like New York, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and Houston before wrapping up in Las Vegas on May 22nd.
She’ll perform some of her biggest hits on what’s expected to be one of the most technologically advanced stage spectacles ever, including her two U.S. #1 dance hits off “Aphrodite,” “All the Lovers” and “Get Outta My Way.”

“The reaction to 'Aphrodite' has been absolutely incredible and has inspired me and my creative team to develop a new show that will take all of us on a euphoric journey of joy, excitement and glamour,” Minogue said about the tour. “I can't wait to get on the road and see all my fans in 2011."

Kylie Minogue will be at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday May 7, 2011.

Barry Manilow brings his Las Vegas show to South Florida with 2 stops!

Legendary musician and performer Barry Manilow announces a series of first-ever Florida symphony concerts backed by The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra of Punta Gorda, Florida in January of 2011. Stretching across five major Florida cities, Manilow will be bringing his greatest hits to the Sunshine State.

The Florida concert series is an entirely exclusive and distinct experience from Manilow’s current critically acclaimed Paris Las Vegas residency shows, and features The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra plus Manilow’s Band and Cast from his Las Vegas Show. The concerts, produced in partnership with STILETTO Entertainment and BRE Presents, will mark the first time Manilow has performed with an orchestral accompaniment in Florida.

Recently, Manilow wowed fans in Atlantic City with a one-night-only show backed by the esteemed New York Pops to a sold-out crowd at Caesars Boardwalk Hall. Prior to that, he lit up the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, to rave response.

While in both cities, and in signature Manilow fashion, he was able to raise money and collect instruments for the Manilow Music Project to benefit local school music programs. The Manilow Music Project provides scholarships and musical instruments to secondary and high school music programs throughout the country.

“I am thrilled to share the stage with such an impressive collection of musicians and bring some of my greatest hits to Florida fans for this exclusive series,” says Manilow.

Barry Manilow will be at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Friday January 28, 2011 and at the BankUnited Center in Coral Gables, Florida on Saturday January 29, 2011.

The 25th anniversary production of LES MISERABLES heads to South Florida!

Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schonberg’s legendary 80’s musical, LES MISERABLES, with glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.

This new production has already been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes.

The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original.”

The Western Mail says “an outstanding success – the best version yet.”

LES MISERABLES will be at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from January 18 thru 30, 2011.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus bring their new Barnum’s FUNundrum! to South Florida!

Ladies and Gentlemen... children of all ages... the greatest show on Earth just got great with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Barnum's FUNundrum! Featuring 130 performers from six continents, almost 100,000 pounds of performing pachyderms, cowboys, pirates, and mermaids, Barnum's FUNundrum! is a super-sized spectacle so massive you just can't miss it!

The monumental, once in a lifetime event celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of the legendary P.T. Barnum, the Greatest Showman on Earth! and can only be experienced at The Greatest Show on Earth, Barnum's living legacy!

Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iversion 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 Barnum's FUNundrum! "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 Meetal, 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's FUNundrum! 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's FUNundrum! for an un-miss-able, colossal, historic extravaganza.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Barnum’s FUNundrum! will be at the American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami, Florida from January 7 thru the 17, 2011.

The Gipsy Kings bring their 2011 Tour to South Florida!

The gypsy flamenco band the Gipsy Kings is touring North America and the band’s added a unique song to its repertoire.

The group is from the South of France… and they’re of Spanish Romani heritage. Their style of music is rumba flamenco, often mixed in with popular beats. They’ve had a busy career and they are loved in the United States where they tour about twice a year. The band first burst onto the world stage in the late 1980s with hits like “Bamboleo”.

They haven’t released a new studio album in over three years so it’s a little puzzling that their latest work is heard in an animation movie: Disney-Pixar’s’ TOY STORY 3. Since Buzz Lightyear is switched to Spanish in this film the theme song is too. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” becomes “Hay un Amigo en Mi,” a full-blown rumba-flamenco tune, courtesy of the Gipsy Kings.

Tom MacDougall is TOY STORY 3’s music supervisor says, for the scene in which Buzz Lightyear starts to dance, they needed a band with an iconic sound that would identify flamenco, and Spain, immediately in American moviegoers’ minds. And no band could do that better than the Gipsy Kings.

Tom MacDougall: “For that moment we needed people to know immediately what’s happening you hear those first chords on the guitar and even when I see the film now with audiences they get right away so for that minute or so of the footage the song identifies what’s going to happen and you just enjoy the ride.”

Gipsy Kings’ band member Andre Reyes says they were immensely pleased to get the song request from Disney-Pixar. He says they worked to make it their own -- “we gave it a Gipsy Kings makeover, with the style of singing of Nicolas, the lead singer, and the traditional Flamenco rhythm.” He adds that the song may give the band a special connection to American audiences during this tour. And if they get requests, Reyes says they’ll definitely play their version of the TOY STORY 3 theme song.

The Gipsy Kings will be at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida on February 28, 2011.

Diana Krall brings her new QUIET NIGHT Tour to South Florida!

Husky-voiced Diana Krall has written a new chapter in acoustic jazz improvisation and interpretations of old standards for the present generation. Younger jazz musicians do not ordinarily have the mass appeal to sell out tickets in large concert halls; she has changed that, thus a full house is anticipated at the Broward Center when fans get to spend the evening with the delightful Diana Krall.

The Canadian was raised on jazz by both parents who were jazz pianists, and she studied piano at age four. Later Diana Krall would draw inspiration from Nat King Cole and from piano-playing singers, particularly Carmen McRae. She played in the school band, but by age 15 had a gig three nights a week in the town of Nanaimo.

At age 16, she won a Vancouver Jazz scholarship to study at Boston's Berklee College of Music for the next year. Afterwards, the Canadian Arts Council awarded her a grant to study with pianist great Jimmy Rowles in L.A. The next few years she bounced between Toronto, Boston, and New York, studying with master jazz musicians and playing in small clubs.

Diana Krall began singing against the rhythm, developing a sultry but pure voice compared most to Julie London. She built a small following and released a few albums.

Those few albums debuted with “Trust Your Heart”, a 1995 album tribute to Nat King Cole was successful, but “All For You” in the same year remained in the Top 10 of Billboard's Traditional Jazz Charts for over a year and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz vocals. 1997's “Love Scenes”, filled with smooth ballads like “ They Can't Take That Away From Me," also received Grammy nominations. Throughout the 1990's, she was building both a catalogue and a following well beyond jazz idiom.

1998 and Diana Krall reached new levels of popularity with “When I Look in Your Eyes”, an album with a diverse repertoire including hit parade favorite from the 20's, 50's and won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal performance, Best Non-Classical Engineered Album, and was up for Album of the Year against Santana, the Backstreet Boys, and the Dixie Chicks. Though she didn't win, everyone now knew the name Diana Krall.

Her “Live in Paris” 2002 album earned a Grammy. The 2004 release, “The Girl in the Other Room” was more pop than jazz, but fans never complained.

The new tour promotes her latest work “Quiet Night”, an intimate mix of ballads and bossa nova, her ninth studio album.

Diana Krall will be at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday February 5, 2011.

Mel Brooks’ YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN returns to South Florida!

The classic 1974 Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE and singing… and it’s headed back to South Florida!

You’ll have a monstrously good time at the spectacular new production, winner of the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award and the Broadway.com Audience Award for Best Musical.
Don’t miss the sensational cast delivering all your favorite moments from the classic film (“Puttin’ on the Ritz”), plus brand-new show-stopping numbers for the stage, including “Transylvania Mania” and “He Vas My Boyfriend”.

This wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that's Fronkensteen) as he attempts to create a monster--but not without scary and hilarious complications.

The brains behind the laughter is mad genius and three-time Tony Award winner Mel Brooks himself, who wrote the music and lyrics and co-wrote the book along with his record-breaking team from THE PRODUCERS: five-time Tony Award winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman and three-time Tony Award winning writer Thomas Meehan.

Mel Brooks’ YOUNG FRANKENTSTEIN will be at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Florida from February 1 thru 6, 2011.