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/.

Ethan Bortnick and Ben Folds

Straight from the stage of "The Sing Off," Ben Folds hangs out with Ethan Bortnick before performing a benifit show in Nashville, Tennessee.

Check out a little of what the audiance was graced with when Ethan Bortnick and Ben Folds hit the stage together!

4 Times the FUN!

Game-changing 4-pointer will make its mark at The Arena at Gwinnett Center on March 12

The Harlem Globetrotters, who have contributed more innovations to the game of basketball than any other team in history, have implemented the first-ever 4-point shot as part of all of its games on the team’s 2011 “4 Times the Fun” North American tour, the team’s record 85^th season of touring.

From the alley-oop to the slam dunk to the behind-the-back pass, the Globetrotters have long brought innovations to basketball that are now staples of the game, and the 4-point shot is sure to change the game of basketball going forward.

Check out the video!

This game-changing innovation will be on display when the Globetrotters take on the Washington Generals at The Arena at Gwinnett Center on March 12! 

Every Globetrotters game will now feature two designated 4-point shooting spots on each side of midcourt, each located 35 feet from the basket (the spots are 12 feet beyond the NBA’s official 3-point line). The 4-point option is expected to further open up the playing floor for the Globetrotters as well as their opponents, the Generals, and is expected to generate even more high-scoring action and competitive play.

Crazy. Insane. Dedicated. by guest blogger Holly

Those are some of the words that were being thrown out at me and my partner in crime, Dayna, for driving all the way from Canada and Ohio for her 30^th and my 47^th Jason Aldean show. We may be all of those things, but one thing is for certain: Aldean’s show keeps getting better and better each and every time I see him, and he’s the ONLY artist I would travel that far for.

   

We started our day by heading over to the venue, the lovely Gwinnett Center, at around 12 in the afternoon, where the waiting began. We had pit seats, which was completely general admission, so we wanted to make sure that we got a good spot. During our 6 ½ hour wait in line, we met some new friends and met up with a few awesome girls we have already had the pleasure of meeting at previous shows. Including Dayna and myself, there were girls from Canada, Ohio, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky and New Mexico all there to see Jason! Oddly enough, we didn’t meet anybody from Georgia! Ha! 

The Gwinnett Center staff was extremely helpful the entire night by telling us where to go to stand in line, how to get to the pit, and how the paperless ticketing worked. I have been to many venues to see Jason, and this was one of the most helpful staff I have ever encountered!

Once inside, the final show of Jason’s “Wide Open Tour” began! Thompson Square kicked things off with a five-song set, including their current top-40 single, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not?” I felt as though they did an excellent job getting the crowd ready for Luke and Jason, even throwing in the name of one of Jason’s songs into their song, “One of Those Days.”

Next up was Luke Bryan! He is quite the performer! Not only does he have an amazing voice and great songs, but he keeps the audience entertained throughout his entire set. He loves to crack jokes, and his booty shaking keeps the ladies’ attention easily. On this particular night, Luke even threw in a brand new song that will be on his new album, out in a couple of months. It was a song by the name of “You Don’t Know Jack” and it brought the audience to tears. The acoustic element of it really added some additional emphasis as well. He ended his set with his first single, “All My Friends Say,” which had a little bit of Metallica thrown in there as well. The whole audience was head banging and really enjoying themselves.

Finally, it was time for the main act! Jason entered the stage behind a white curtain, which showed only his shadow when the lights hit it. The crowd immediately erupted into screams when the curtain dropped and his Top 5 single, “Crazy Town” began rocking the entire venue. From there on out, it was non-stop energy and excitement. Jason played a 17-song set, including hits such as “Amarillo Sky,” “Hicktown,” and a crowd favorite, “She’s Country.” Luke even joined Jason on stage to sing Jason’s current single, “My Kinda Party,” and Jason’s favorite Luke song, “We Rode in Trucks.” Also in the set-list was two songs off of the new album called “Tattoos on This Town” and “Dirt Road Anthem.” The crowd responded incredibly well to the both of them.

As I have said earlier, I have seen Jason numerous times and his energy level at this particular show was off of the radar! He gave the crowd their money’s worth and then some. I think this show just proved what an excellent entertainer Jason is.

I am so sad to see the Wide Open Tour come to an end, but there was no place I would have rather seen it wrap up than in Jason’s home state of Georgia!  I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us fans on his 2011 “My Kinda Party Tour!”