A Fan Celebrates 20 Years of Reba

by Joey Webster

Guest Blogger

Let me start this review by jumping back a few years: picture this, November 11, 1995 - Florence, South Carolina.  An 11-year-old boy is on his way to see his first Reba McEntire concert with his parents at the Florence Civic Center, having been a fan since 1991.  Now, let's jump to November 12, 2011, almost 16 years to the day, and 20 years after becoming a fan of Reba, this same boy - now 27, gets in the car for the 5-hour trip to Atlanta, GA to see what will be his 15th Reba concert.

I have been to Atlanta three times before to see Reba, in 2004 and 2007 at Chastain Park Ampitheatre, and in 2005 at Philips Arena with Brad Paisley.  This was my first experience attending a show at The Arena at Gwinnett Center, and it instantly became a favorite.

I will get to the show review in a moment, but I must give major props and applause to this arena.  I loved the location, quietly tucked away back in the woods, far enough away from the busy Atlanta interstates.  We arrived early and took advantage of the chance to walk around the arena and look it over.  It was a beautiful place and we hadn't even entered the building yet.

The doors opened between 6:15 and 6:30, which is when the website said it would.  We went in and headed to our seats.  The inside of the arena was just as nice as the outside.  I was lucky enough to have floor seating about twelve rows back.  I have been on the floor and shows before, and the first thing I noticed was that these chairs had cushions on them.  I've been other places where it was just metal chairs, so the nice cushions were a great plus.

The show started on time right at 7:30 with Eden's Edge taking the stage.  I was not familiar with this group, however I was very impressed with them and I think in the coming years, country music will be glad to have them on their side. Eden's Edge seemed to transform into Steel Magnolia right before our eyes.  Steel Magnolia is a country duo headed by Meghan Linsey.  She was wonderful and full of energy.  About three songs in, she performed a great semi-rock version of Patsy Clines classing "Walking After Midnight."  She then introduced special guest, James Otto, to the stage.  The two had a great time performing "In Color," a song James co-wrote with Jamey Johnson.  The two final songs were "Just got Started Loving You," and "Keep On Lovin' You."

With a quick change of set, next up was The Band Perry.  Still high off their win as Best New Artist at the CMA's earlier in the week, they were ready to rock - and they did.  The family trio, consisting of brothers Reid and Neil, and sister Kimberly, played through many of the hit songs from their debut album, including: "Hip to My Heart," "You Lie," "All Your Life," and CMA Single and Song of the Year, "If I Die Young."  I would gladly pay to see this group in concert again.  They are here to stay.

Finally the stage was set for The Queen of Country: REBA.  Like I said, this being my 15th concert, I knew Reba was going to put on a show, not the big theatrical show like she did back in the 90s with 14 costume changes, fireworks, etc., but still I knew I was in for yet another treat.

Opening the show with "All The Woman I Am," the arena burst into cheers, screams and applause as the Oklahoma native appeared behind a see-through curtain in black pants, boots and a sleeveless blue glitter top
:It's so good to be back in Atlanta again," she said as she plowed through the hits: "Strange," "The Fear of Being Alone," her current single, "Somebody's Chelsea," and "Is There Life Out There."  Being in Georgia, the place went wild when the intro for "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" began.  Reba has great command of the stage and it's hard to take your eyes off of her.  She told stores and laughed as she sang hit after hit.  With 25 number one songs, 30+ albums, and over 35 years in the business - how do you pick what hits to play in a show?  Reba did not disappoint us long time fans throwing in several medley's of her 80s and 90s hits: "Somebody," "Till You Love Me," "You Lie," "And Still," and a personal favorite, 1986's Grammy winning "Whoever's In New England."  A second medley consisted of many of her up-tempo number one hits including: "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," "Walk On," "I'd Rather Ride Around With You," and her first number one record from 1982, "Can't Even Get The Blues."  Earlier this year, Reba's father suffered a stroke and was in a coma for several weeks.  Luckily, he is doing much better.  "Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers about Daddy," Reba said as she performed "The Greatest Man I Never Knew" while pictures of her family played on the big screen behind her.

Kimberly Perry returned to the stage and joined Reba for her hit duet, "Does He Love You."  "Consider Me Gone," "Because of You," and "Take it Back/Why Haven't I Heard from You" medley and "I'm a Survivor" rounded out the end of the show.  Roaring into her latest number one hit, "Turn on the Radio," the show ended to thunderous applause.  "Thank you so much, I love ya," Reba said as she left the sage.  However, for us long time fan who have been around for years, we know - the show is NEVER over until "Fancy" is sung.

The video screen lit up with the beginning dialogue of the 1991 video of the song.  Reba returned in a leathery type knee length red dress and red heels.  The sound in the arena was deafening.  I'm sure it's hard to keep the song fresh and new having performing it at every concert since its release in 1991.  However, when she sings the lyrics "you know I might have been born just plain white trash, but fancy was my name," not only do you believe her, but you kind of want to be her.

The song ended and the curtain fell on my 15th concert.  At 56, Reba still sounds amazing and has more energy onstage than most of the younger generation we see today.  This year, Reba was inducted into the highest honor in country music - The Country Music Hall of Fame.  I see no sign of Reba slowing down anytime soon.  As I walked out of the arena, two employees at different areas said "Thanks for coming out - drive safe," and "thank you for coming."  I've never had that happen before.  I would gladly trek back to the Gwinnett Center for another show, being one of the best arenas I have EVER been to.  Maybe one day I'll return for my 20th, or even 30th, Reba concert.

Country Music's Biggest Night

Last night was a big night for country's finest at the CMA Awards in Nashville, TN.  There were so many great performances, funny jokes and interesting outfits it's hard to know where to start with my re-cap.  Since I am not a fashion blogger, and this is a blog for an entertainment venue, not InStyle - I should probably leave Natasha Bedingfield and LeAnn Rimes' fashion choices alone and focus on the music :).     

Mostly, I was really excited to watch the show because we have so many CMA winners and legends coming through the Arena between now and February, that this show was a nice sneak peek at what to expect in the coming months!  

If you didn't catch the show, The Band Perry pretty much stole the spotlight the entire night.  In their first time at the CMA Awards as nominees, the band took home three awards including Single and Song of the Year as well as New Artist of the Year, and gave a killer performance.  What an amazing night for them!  They will be playing here Saturday night with Reba, who presented the award for Entertainer of the Year and is also a 4-time winner of the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year award.  We do have limited tickets still available - click here.  I am getting more and more excited about this show as Saturday gets closer!  

Our boy Blake Shelton also had a big night taking home the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year award.  And with his wife Miranda Lambert's win for Female Vocalist of the Year, it seems Tim & Faith have been ousted as the reigning King and Queen of country music.   

It wouldn't be a country music awards show if some artists didn't bring in their friends from other genres to lend a helping hand.  Grace Potter, Matt Nathanson, Natasha Bedingfield and Lionel Ritchie all made performances on the show. 

Even though the night focused on a lot of newcomers, country veteran Martina McBride gave a touching performance amid a sea of cell phone lights doing exactly what she does best - bringing songs with a message to life.  The 4-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year winner showed once again that she can mesmerize an audience simply by singing a song that resonates with so many people. 

In their fourth year as hosts, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood left no tabloid favorites untouched making jokes about everyone from Hank Williams Jr. and Eddie Murphy to Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber - with a little help from Little Jimmy Dickens.  

Overall I thought this was one of the better CMA awards shows in recent memory.  It made me even more excited when I saw all of these artists who will be performing at our Arena soon:

November 12th - Reba w/ The Band Perry
December 13th - Matt Nathanson (as part of Star 94's Jingle Jam)
January 27th - Blake Shelton
February 10th -George Strait and Martina McBride

Foo Fighters Rock Gwinnett!

We had an awesome time with the Foo Fighters and a SOLD OUT crowd on Monday night!  Thanks to everyone who came out, and a special thank you to our Guest Blogger - Matt Martin.

Foo Fighters Guest Blog 

by: Matt Martin

We live in a generation where rock n roll is becoming second tier.  It may not be dead, but rock is on musical life support.  Today’s music is ruled by pre-teens and young adults that prefer a good looking solo act who can’t play instruments or write their own songs to bands like Cage the Elephant, The Black Keys, or Foo Fighters.  It really says something about an artist or band that spends minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years working on an album that truly means something to them and that shares an intimate lesson with their fans.  Real artists can make people listen to their songs endlessly because of a deep connection in the lyrics that saves people.  The Foo Fighters are a rare breed who write and record albums themselves in a garage studio.  Dave Grohl said they do this to make their live performances sound just like the album.  I have never seen a band who gives the crowd everything they could want like the Foo Fighters.  Dave will start a song in the middle of the stage, then once you look away just for a moment; he’s on the other side of the arena.  Dave is the main man in the band and everybody knows it, but Dave takes time out of his shows to give much deserved credit to the band and let them share the spotlight.  My favorite song was played in the way I hoped it would be – reminiscent of Coldplay’s “Fix You,” – “My Hero” is a great song that is perfect for a crowd to sing along with the band.  It was a fantastic show with a lot of great energy from both the band and the crowd.  The Foo Fighters definitely know how to put on a show and I hope they come back really soon!  As the band left I thought to myself, there goes my hero, watch him as he goes. 

Ant in Atlanta

Recently, I got the opportunity to spend the day with this guy:

Who is he, might you ask?  You can probably tell pretty easily that he is a Harlem Globetrotter, who is clearly very good at performing tricks that make the team so well-known.  His name is Ant Atkinson and he was the first-pick in the Globetrotters very first draft in 2007. 


Ant came to spend some time visiting local elementary schools in the metro-Atlanta area presenting the Globetrotters' C.H.E.E.R program.  This program teaches children about Cooperation, Healthy mind & body, Effort, Enthusiasm, and Responsibility. 

The kids at each school we visited LOVED Ant and told me that this was the coolest day they've ever had at school.  My favorite quote of the day came from a little boy who said "oh my goodness it's LeBron James!"  Oh, the things kids say. 




I love that the Globetrotters feel the importance of getting out into the community to encourage young people.  I think we might have even come across a few future Globies on our adventure around Atlanta!  Some of those kids were pretty good at learning the tricks Ant taught them!  Me on the other hand, not so much.  I don't think I'll be joining TNT Maddox (the only female Globetrotter) anytime soon. 


Tickets for the Harlem Globetrotters are on-sale NOW.  They will be here March 18th and I know Ant (and the rest of the team) would love to see all of you there! Click HERE for tickets.  Got a group to bring?  Call 770.813.7533 for group discounts.  This is a great outing to bring kids to, and is just as enjoyable for adults as well!

October, Already?

Is anyone else having a hard time believing it's already October?  What a beautiful week we've been having here in Gwinnett! 

It's been a busy week too as we've had the Catalyst Conference on campus with us.  They will be finishing up their sessions today before two big events tomorrow - Dance with the Stars Atlanta, benefiting the American Cancer Society, and Vicente Fernandez will be performing at The Arena! 

I always feel once October hits, so does the start of the "holiday season" and all of the fun chaos that surrounds this time of year.  Be sure you are a part of our Facebook community, following us on Twitter and a part of our Insider club so you don't miss any of the action.  We have LOTS of exciting stuff to announce this month and I don't want you to miss out! 

Not only do we have lots of fun announcements to make, we have plenty of things for you to come out and do this month!  Don't miss Enrique Iglesias w/ Pitbull & Prince Royce on October 20th and our Gwinnett Gladiators hockey team will kick off their season October 21st. 

Happy October!!   

Backstage w/ SYTYCD!

Well friends, the dancers from Season 8 of So You Think You Can Dance have taken over The Arena and are ready to blow you away in their show here tonight!

I got to sit down with them earlier this afternoon for an interview and let me tell you, they are extremely nice and a ton of fun!!  They promised fans one, well really two, things tonight - a good time and lots of sweat (there are over 50 numbers in the show!). 

 The Season 8 dancers of So You Think You Can Dance in a pre-show interview at

The Arena at Gwinnett Center.

For Mitchell and winner, Melanie, tonight is a particularly special stop because they both will be performing in front of their hometown crowd.  In fact, the group paid a visit to Melanie's house in Marietta when they got into town last night!  Wondering what that's like?  Well I asked both Mitchell and Melanie their thoughts on being back home in Georgia:

Melanie: I will be more nervous tonight because I will know the crowd.  My dance teachers will be there and they're proud, but they will point out mistakes!

Mitchell: Yea, these are people who know your dancing skills and are excited for you, but are also used to pushing you to be your best.  We want to make Georgia proud and we want everyone here to be proud of what we are doing.

Since this is only the 3rd stop on the tour, the group is just getting adjusted to life on the road, but they LOVE (and I mean, LOVE) the busses - especially the "magical buttons."  One thing that isn't so great?  Missing family.  That was a unanimous, and very understandable, answer.   

Our contest winner, Johnny Phelps, wanted to ask the group how their lives would be different if they didn't have dance and if they would still be the same person they are today.  They all agreed that dance is their life and they couldn't imagine their lives without it.  Mitchell went on to further answer the question by saying that he would probably be on a reality TV show (this would definitely be a successful option for you, Mitchell!).

I was curious to know what else this group might be interested in doing in the future...it comes as no surprise that most of it centers around dance and/or the entertainment industry:

Clarice - modeling/film

Ricky - tour w/ Cirque du Soleil

Nick - move to L.A. (he would play football if he couldn't pick dance)

Sasha & Mitchell - choreographer

Caitlynn - get into film/Disney channel

And Melanie is of course...DANCE!

So what else did our Georgia girl have to say?

How did she cope with often being dubbed as "the favorite" throughout the season?

Melanie: I tried to put that out of my head and take each week as it's own.  I didn't need pressure from anyone else. 

She also narrowed down her favorite performances from the season:

1. First performance

2. Duet w/ Sasha the "powerhouse" (using Melanie's term)

3. Total Eclipse w/ Neal

I know I am really looking forward to seeing this personable and talented bunch take the stage tonight!  Who knows, maybe I will even pick up a few new moves.  If you don't have tickets, we still have limited seats available, so get yours already (time is ticking!).  You can get them here at the Arena box office. 

So You Think You Can Win??

The Fox hit So You Think You Can Dance will be bringing the 2011 tour HERE next Tuesday, September 20th and guess what...we have a chance for you to WIN two tickets to the show! 

The show will feature the Top 10 finalists from Season 10 including two fellow Georgians - winner Melanie Moore as well as Mitchell Kelly.  Sounds like Georgia is a pretty talented place! 

How do you enter?  Simple.  Click on the link below which will direct you to our website.  I will have the opportunity to interview some of the contestants before the show on Tuesday and I want to hear what questions YOU want answered.  To enter the contest, you will submit an interview question in the entry form on our website (link below) to have an opportunity to win the two tickets.  A Gwinnett Center employee will determine the best/most unique question as the ticket giveaway winner on Friday, September 16th.  Be sure to get your entries in by 5:00pm EST on 9/16/11 to qualify! 

Good luck my friends!!

ENTER HERE!!

Dragons, Lions and Amazing Acrobats

If you've checked out our Facebook or Twitter pages, you've probably noticed the rave reviews Cirque du Soleil's Dralion received from fans who came out to see the show last weekend. I must say that I can't help but agree with everyone - this show was awesome!

Preparing for the show's arrival, I had read (and even written!) a lot about Dralion and what to expect from the show. Even though I'd never seen a Cirque production before, I thought I was ready for what I was about to see. However, I was blown away by the amazing stunts these performers can execute.

Like many, I was left wondering how in the world someone could balance solely on one hand while managing to move the body in ways I did not even know were possible. I'm not even sure I could balance on one hand at all, let alone for an entire act - and trying those moves would definitely be out of the question! And those trampoline jumpers? I would have for sure went flying off the trampoline and broken a bone...or several. One of the Cirque staff told me that many of the jumpers in the trampoline act were actually once part of an Olympic trampoline jumping team. No wonder they could fly through the air and land on those tiny little blocks like magic. I loved the energy and awe-inspiring moments that brought to the show.

Out of all the amazing acts, if there was one Dralion stunt I could choose to learn, it would be the aerial hoop act that was performed so seamelessly by the Air character. Twirling in midair through all of those hoops and ribbons, the aerial acrobats were incredible. I guess years and years of practice has taken away any fear they have about sailing through air, because I know I would be terrified trying to learn that trick - no matter how fun it appears.

Aside from the incredible performers that were a part of Dralion, I can't leave out the equally amazing costumes. As I mentioned before, these costumes take a lot of effort to design and maintain and the show travels with an entire wardrobe department just to keep these performers looking sharp. I can now see why they need those wardrobe experts. The costumes were vibrant, elaborate and just flat out amazing!

Between the acrobats and costumes, it's hard to imagine there was another part of the show that could top the list as my favorite - but four hilarious clowns managed to do the trick. They would pop out during various parts of the show providing the audience with quite the comedy routine. Props to the clowns as I know I was not the only audience member laughing at their witty performance!

I think the show definitely achieved its goal of celebrating culture and combining the elements of the east and the west (which I know you smarties already knew since you read the last blog post!). Thanks to the crew and performers for a job well done and a big thanks to all of YOU who came out to spend your Labor Day weekend with us!

Inside Cirque du Soleil: Dralion (+ FREE Tickets!)

Cirque du Soleil is bringing Dralion here to The Arena at Gwinnett Center in less than a week and I want to take a moment to bring you behind the scenes of the show and introduce you to the stars! What's even better? At the end of the blog, you will have the opportunity to win two tickets to one of the shows! Pay close attention so you can answer the trivia question and win our ticket giveaway.

So, I know some of you might be wondering what exactly a Dralion actually is and what things you need to know about the show - well, here are the basics:

• The show premiered in 1999 and has been seen by over 7 million people worldwide
• This is the first time it has moved from the usual big top location to arenas
• How did they get the name? The name comes from two emblematic creatures: the dragon, symbolizing the East, and the lion, symbolizing the West
• There are four main elements in the show that take on human form and are each represented by a certain color: air (blue), water (green), fire (red) and earth (ochre)
• The show features 50 international acrobats, gymnasts, musicians and singers

Meet the Characters:

Remember how I mentioned that the four main natural elements come to life in human form? Well Azala is the goddess of Air and her job is the guardian of the sun and immortality. You will find her floating through space in many shades of blue.

Gaya is the goddess of Earth and possesses human warmth (represented by fire) and the cool, fresh vitality of life (represented by water). You can recognize her through her ochre, or earthlike colored, attire.

The goddess of Water is represented by the color green and is called Oceane. She is the queen of movement and through the art of dance can control the movement of the oceans.

The character you've seen in our Facebook profile picture is Yao, the guide to the fiery demons (represented by red). As you might suspect, he controls the rhythm of the show and symbolizes both good and evil.

If you noticed, those costumes are incredibly elaborate. Can you imagine being in the wardrobe department? The team includes 4 permanent touring staff and 3 local wardrobe employees in each city. Talk about a big job! Over 16,000 feet of fabric was used to create the costumes and the fabrics come from regions all over the world. The costume designers spent over three months to create the original costumes and are continuosly creating new ones.

Ok, ok...now for the moment you've really been waiting for. How do you win those tickets? Easy. Read the trivia question below and leave a comment on this blog post, a comment on our Facebook status about the contest (http://ow.ly/6dyfk), or tag us @GwinnettArena on Twitter with the answer. Every name will be entered into a random drawing on Tuesday, August 30th.

Question: Where does the name "Dralion" come from?

All entries MUST be submitted by Tuesday, August 30th at 12:00 noon EST to be entered into the drawing.  Only one entry per person.

Good luck!!

Keith Urban "Gets Closer"

If Keith Urban’s two-night stop here at The Arena at Gwinnett Center last Thursday and Friday didn’t impress you, then I’m not exactly sure what will.  Whether it was his superb guitar skills or his down-to-earth attitude, this show was delivered in top-notch fashion.  When he titled his tour “Get Closer,” he definitely wasn’t kidding!  As Keith took the stage singing “Put You in a Song,” fans got their first clue that they were about to experience something a little different than your typical concert.  The stage setup was unlike any other I’ve seen, including tracking resembling a roller coaster ride at Six Flags and a stage with a rounded edge and a ramp descending down into the crowd – no barriers separating Keith from the thousands of you that packed the venue to see him sing his massive catalogue of hits.  But he took it even further by making his way out into the screaming crowd not once, but twice, giving all fans an up-close and personal view of his cover-worthy face and even giving away his guitar to one lucky fan!  In case that wasn’t enough fan interaction, later on in the show he decided to turn The Arena at Gwinnett Center into a karaoke party, inviting three fans up on stage to battle it out in a little friendly competition for a chance to sing “Kiss a Girl” with the Aussie himself.  This proved to be a highly entertaining (and my personal favorite) part of the show.

As an observer, I was impressed how genuine and personable Keith appeared.  Another one of my favorite parts of the show happened Thursday night with Steve and Rhonda from North Carolina.  Clever Steve made a bet with his wife Rhonda that if he could get her a kiss from Keith Urban he would be allowed to get a new banjo.  Keith made dreams come true for both by inviting them onstage for a kiss and a picture – well actually, no kisses for Steve, just Rhonda (sorry, Steve…you only cared about the banjo anyways, right?).

It was very apparent that his genuine attitude, Aussie accent, killer guitar skills and easy-on-the-eyes appearance have earned him many adoring fans.  The crowd couldn’t have had a better time, singing every word of every song at the top of their lungs and dancing the night away to the spectacular light show that accompanied each song of his two-plus hour set.

Whether this was your first experience seeing Keith Urban live, like me, or you are a die-hard fan who has seen him many times, I don’t know if there is any way you could have left disappointed.  Keith Urban delivered two energetic, give-it-all-he’s-got, fan-centered performances solidified by his sweat-drenched hair and piles of confetti raining down from the ceiling after his final number.  Thanks for the rocking performances, Keith!

Getting To Know Paul McDonald of American Idol

Paul, so you went to Auburn… What did you think of the national championship?

Man it was awesome!! I was actually doing all this American Idol stuff and I was the only one backstage watching the game. Everyone kept coming up to me asking who I was cheering for and what I was doing. To be honest I had to beg for them to put the game on for me in the green room. They wanted me to stay focused for my song, but I had to watch the game!

 If you could tour with any two artists who would they be?

That is a great question. Um, there are so many people to choose from. I love Mumford and Sons and Ray Lamontagne. I would really be happy touring with anyone who is one of the higher level shows at Bonnaroo or Coachella music festival.

When Katy Perry was here she said that she would rather have Chick-fil-A than In-N-Out Burger on the road. What is the one thing you would like to have on the tour?

Oh man, Chick-fil-A everyday would be awesome! We really don’t ever get to eat there on the road, but they just put the first one right down the road from my apartment in L.A. I would love to have that as much as I could! There chicken biscuits are awesome!

Getting To Know Lauren Alaina of American Idol

What is your favorite thing about touring?

It would definitely be being able to tour and pump up crowds across the country. I love to have my audience dance and jump up and down while I perform. I will let them know I want them to get up as soon as I get on stage.

What are the two things that that you have to have while you are touring?

My mom!!! My mom and sweet tea! There are not a lot of places that we tour that don’t have sweet tea so I have to make it myself while I am on tour.

 If you could tour with any two artists who would they be?

I would absolutely love to tour with Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. That would be incredible!

Who has been the most exciting celebrity that you have met? I see that Justin Bieber follows you on Twitter.

I know, I saw that two or three days ago and I thought how sweet is that [Lauren pumps her fist]. I have met a lot of great people since I have been on American idol. One of my favorites has probably been Keith Urban. He came up to me, knew my name right away and I was blow away.

What song are you most excited about singing tonight?

I would have to say my Carrie Underwood cover. I love singing her songs.

We know you and Scotty are really close, are you and the rest of the idols the same way?
Yes we are all really close. To be honest that guy over there [Points at Paul McDonald] are really close. I think of him like another big brother and love his Fiancé.

You seem to me very down to earth, I have seen interviews where you have said “Everything happens for a reason.” Is this your approach on life or is this something you have been taught by your family.

Well, it is something that I have been raised with. Everyone asks me about coming into second place on Idol, but God has a reason for that. I just go out and trust in God because he has a plan. My family has been very supportive throughout this and has taught me some great qualities.

 Here is a question from one of our Facebook Fans (Tiffany Braswell)- “Have you become more confident that you are a great singer now that you are on the road? I can’t wait for the show!”

I started becoming very confident in myself around the top 4 on the show. At first I started to read some of the negative things that I shouldn’t have and as a teenager you don’t want to hear all that kind of stuff. I am very confident now and I am just being myself.

 Here is a question from another Facebook Fan (Karen Pirkle)- “Where do you see yourself on down the road?”

I have a cd coming out in mid September-October ish… somewhere during then. Hopefully my CD will do really well and I can tour with Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood!!

 

American Idol Live

In a little over twenty-four hours The Arena at Gwinnett Center will be moving and grooving to the voices of our favorite contestants of season 10 American Idol. The concert will take place at 7:00pm and will showcase our favorite jazz, rock and roll, R&B, and country covers that made this season one of the best American Idol has ever had. The sold out arena is already setting up for what should be one of the best concerts of the summer.

We expect to see Scotty McCreery and our own Georgia native Lauren Alaina give a goose bump duet, rock out with James Durbin, and see unforgettable performances by  Casey, Haley, Jacob, Naima, Paul, Pia, Stefano, and Thia that we saw during season 10. This past season Georgia has seen the highs and lows of the contests, but have not experienced a live performance like this. Now everyone has their chance and those who do will get hear great new song mixes including Katy Perry (Sold out Gwinnett Arena in June) and Usher (Atlanta’s very own).

Check back after the show to see our blog of everything that happened.

Maná

Maná

Maná, a Latin rock band played our Arena last night. Weeks before the band played I did some research on Google to find out as much as I could about Maná. In this business it helps to know as much as you can about the shows that are performing at your arenas and I learned a lot about them. First off, I had no idea that Maná had won over 4 Latin Grammy Awards and over 4 MTV Music Video Awards. After reading that one sentence I knew that we were going to be in for a treat.


The first thing that pops into my head when I think about seeing a live show is how good or bad the band or artist might sound. I have been to many concerts who have not sounded well and we have all heard the errors and misfortunes on TV. Maná front man Fher Olvera was nothing short of incredible! Even though I cannot understand spanish, I could not help but relate to the rythem or tone of the songs Maná played. I quickly found myself nodding my head as Sergio Vallín ripped on his gutiar. I was loacted in the pit for the first threee songs and could feel the excitement and rush Maná gives to their fans. I will have to point out that Maná may have some of the most loyal and dedicated fans that I have seen.

Gwinnett Arena News

I wanted to take this time to point out some awesome shows that will be coming up at the Arena. Enrique and Pitbull will be performing October 20th- this should be a fantastic show! We have just announced two new shows that will be coming in November. We will have the Foo Fighters on November 7th and Reba with The Band Perry on November 12th. Go to our website at www.gwinnettcenter.com to check out all the information!

Josh Groban

By:  Melissa Morris (melissaal05)

I have been a Josh Groban fan for years, a fan club member for 7 years and this was my first JG concert experience.  And, I have to say, he certainly lived up to all my expectations and beyond.

At first, I was devastated because I thought the concert would have to be cancelled due to his illness.  I said God, you let me get the front row seats that I prayed so hard for, please don’t take them away from me.  I prayed, A LOT!  And, I was so thankful that he recovered & the concert went on as scheduled.  If not, I would have been sitting in a dark corner, listening to his cd’s and crying for days, literally!

From the moment Josh took the stage, he blew my mind.  Yes, I’ve listened to his cd’s for years, but hearing him sing live, that was a whole new experience.  From the singing to the piano playing to the drums, I am just so amazed by all his God given talents.

He is such a kind & caring person.  He is always wanting to do the best for his fans & he certainly did that with the fan interaction.  From taking questions to singing Happy Birthday to a 17 year old (how lucky can you get), to the very lucky fans who got to sit on the stage while he sang a couple songs.  We were just truly blessed by his presence.

When he sang his final song, his “signature song”, YOU RAISE ME UP, I had tears in my eyes.  Not just because it is such a moving song, but, because we had to say goodbye.  I certainly did not want the night to end.

He is and always will be my favorite performer.  Not only because of his talents, but because he is such a kind soul.  And, I love his smile!  I am so glad I got to share my experience with my daughter.  Thank you Josh for making MY dream come true.  Hopefully next time I will actually get to meet you.  Now that would be a wonderful blessing! 

Since the Duluth concert, I have now decided to attend the concert in Charleston, SC with another Grobanite that I met in Duluth. Making new friends because of Josh.  I cannot wait for my next concert!  Stay safe!

This picture was sent in by our Guest Blogger from the

Josh Groban Concert

Katy Perry

I am not sure where to begin with the Katy Perry Blog so before I start I wanted to let everyone know that Katy Perry had one of the best performances and set deigns that I have seen in a long time. If you like shows that keep the fans involved and you want to see a display of fireworks, foam, and lasers then this is the show for you!


Just hours before the show Katy Perry put on her twitter account “I AM SO EXCITED FOR TONIGHT I MIGHT ESPPPPPPLOAAAAD #ATLANTDREAMS.” From then on I knew this concert was going to be one of a kind and I quickly thought about what things may be in store since we were the first show on her North American tour. I was out taking pictures of Katy’s fans hours before the show started and the one thing I noticed was how incredibly excited every fan was to see Katy perform. It’s you the fans who drive these shows and make a magical experience for everyone at the arena.


The crowd roared and girls screamed when Katy took the stage in her white dress flowing with moving peppermint candies as she broke into one of her hit song Teenage Dream. Katy, an energetic superstar whose costumes fit the tour, cd, and songs perfectly did not let her fans down when she broke into I Kissed A Girl, Hot n Cold, and E.T. The music terrific, but that was not the highlight of my evening. The highlight of my evening was during one of her breaks when she started talking to the audience. She asked if she could be our Georgia peach for the night and then stated something I was not expecting. “If I had the choice of an In-N-Out burger over the Chick-fil-A, I would not do it. I would pick the Chick-fil-A.” Katy then pointed on how great their Polynesian sauce is.


Another high point of my night was getting to see Katy interact with some of her biggest fans. I was down stairs of the arena for Katys meet and greet and was blow away by her beauty and her loyalty to her fans. She was not only interested in her fans, but more than willing to sign an autograph or take a picture and for that I commend Katy Perry.




Please check out some of our fan photos at www.facebook.com/gwinnettcenter or www.gwinnettcenter.com/photogallery

Professional Bull Riding

Hey everyone!

My name is Greg and I am the marketing intern at the Gwinnett Arena. I have never written a blog, but I am extremely excited to start this summer. Gwinnett Arena has some great shows coming up this summer and I cannot wait to let everyone know how they were.

My very first show at the Gwinnett Arena was Professional Bull Riding. At first I was not sure what to think, but after being in the arena for Friday and Saturday’s show I cannot explain how great a PBR event is. The interaction that PBR has with the patrons is unbelievable and how can anyone pass up the opportunity to watch pro bowl wide receiver Chad Ochocinco ride a 1,500-pound bull called Deja Blu?

If you have never been to a PBR show then take it from me… Go to one! The introduction is incredible and you will not find a more welcoming bunch of riders and entertainers anywhere in the world. Saturday started off with a bang when PBR flashes fire and pyrotechnics while welcoming the riders to the ring, the next thing you know the crowd screams when Ochocinco walks through the arena.

During the show you can’t help but wonder how these riders can last 8 seconds on a bull. We have all heard the horror stories of what can happen within 1 second on a bull and luckily no one was seriously injured. The one thing that really separates PBR from other events is the riders. These riders show true passion and love for their jobs, how many people would be willing to ride a 2,000 pound bull every weekend? Another part of PBR that people don’t typically ask about are the ranchers who move the bulls from their cages to the chutes. When I spoke with a PBR representative, she described them as “bull-whisperers.”  She stated that “sometimes they do not even have to touch the bulls, it’s almost like they are talking to them.”

The best part of the event was obviously watching Chad Ochocinco ride Deja Blu. Many people who have not seen the event missed Ochocinco get on the bull for the first time which in turn caused the bull buck at him. He instantly stood up and what looked like he was rethinking his decision. However, Ochocinco proceeded with the challenge and lasted 1.5 seconds. I personally believed the risk was greater than the reward, but there is a reason behind Ochocinco’s madness and I for one would like to know more about it and him. 

Get Ready, Gwinnett!

This weekend, The Revolve Tour returns to The Gwinnett Center for Dream On. There are still a few seats left, and trust me, you DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Revolve is a one-of-a-kind inspirational weekend for 6th to 12th grade girls that combines award-winning bands, dramas, and speakers with real, relevant messages.

 

But Revolve is much more than just a fun time for girls. Since it began, more than 35,000 girls have indicated they made first-time decisions for Christ at a Revolve Tour event. More than 16,000 children have been sponsored through World Vision as a result of The Revolve Tour. This year’s event, Dream On, will feature speakers Chad Eastham, Jenna Lucado Bishop, Kathryn McCormick, Jamie-Grace Harper, and Courtney Clark Cleveland; compelling dramas; and be highlighted by musical artists Hawk Nelson, Britt Nicole, and Group 1 Crew. Not only is The Revolve Tour a great event but they also have wonderful resources for you and the girls in your life. You can find more information The Revolve Tour blog and also find books and other products, designed specifically for reaching the teenage girls in your ministry, here.



For more information, please call 877.9.REVOLVE (877.973.8653) or visit http://www.revolvetour.com/.