When Q97 announced the “Light It Up Tour” in March, it marked the return of hip-hip to the Save Mart Center. It seemed like it would be a big one, with young hip-hop star Wiz Khalifa, plus neo soul singer Miguel, John Hart and others.
Now that it is all done, what did you think?
How was the turnout?
How were Khalifa and Miguel? What about the openers?
And did any one in the crowd take the name literally and “light it up” during the show?
Be sure to check out Craig Kohlruss‘ picture gallery from the show.
In case you forgot how great it is to have an arena like the Save Mart Center in town (from both an entertainment and an economic standpoint), the venue was just ranked 50th in the world (the world) for first-quarter ticket sales (for events between Jan. 1 and March 30 of this year), according to trade-publication Pollstar. It ranked 27th, when looking at U.S. venues only, and was 2nd for venues on a college campus.
To recap the year so far: The Save Mart Center has had George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Tiesto, Jeff Dunham, Rock & Worship Roadshow, WWE Super Show, Run For The Dream Indoor Track and Field Invitational meet, Harlem Globetrotters, Professional Bull Riders Invitational and Monster Jam. Plus Fresno State men and women’s basketball. And you can still look forward to: Chris Tomlin, Q97’s Light It up Tour starring Wiz Khalifa, Sesame Street Live’s “Can’t Stop Singing,” A Ladies Dream Night Out (featuring Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank)and Kenny Chesney.
Steve Tadlock, regional general manager for SMG, the company that runs the arena, says the ranking validates Save Mart Center’s position as the premier entertainment venues in Central California.
Either Wiz Khalifa isn’t playing many shows soon or Fresno has some clout, because when the Grammy-nominated rapper was on Jay Leno the other night to perform his single “Let It Go,” Leno gives him a nice intro, which mentioned his May 3 show at the Save Mart Center.
If that seems a bit quaint, keep in mind Dunham has a puppet, Achmed, who is a dead terrorist. So this isn’t you father’sgrand-father’s … it’s not what you’d expect, let’s say. Unless you’re one of Dunham’s millions of fans. Time Magazine called “the most popular comedian in the United States.”
He brings his “Disorderly Conduct” tour to the Save Mart Center on Sunday, and we have a pair of tickets to give away. Just leave a comment and tell us which is your favorite Dunham character. Deadline for the contest is 3 p.m. Friday.
UPDATE: If you’re eagerly waiting to get tickets, there will be a student pre-sale 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. tomorrow. The tickets are available to students only (with valid ID) and only at the Save Mart Box Office. There’s an 8-ticket limit. Good only while supplies last.
Original post: Here’s one that should end any question about hip-hop shows returning to the Save Mart Center after the incident at a Rick Ross show last year.
Q97 announced the “Light It Up Tour,” will be in Fresno May 3. The tour features the return of young hip-hop star Wiz Khalifa, along with R&B neo-soul artist Miguel and a whole bunch of others (Jonn Hart, Baby Bash, DJ Pauly D and more). Tickets are $28-$78 and go on sale Friday.
Khalifa last played Fresno headlining a show with Common and Aesop Rock in 2011.
For those who’ve never been, Professional Bull Riders is the rock concert of rodeos. For one, it’s in an arena setting. Plus, there’s first-pumping music and pyrotechnics.
And of course the bulls and riders and sometimes someone gets kicked.
We have tickets to this weekend’s PBR Table Mountain Casino Invitational. All you have to do is leave a comment with your favorite rodeo song. Mine is Johnny Cash’s “Bull Rider.” Deadline to enter is 3 p.m. today.
Apparently, Tiesto like, destroyed it last night when he brought his Club Life College Invasion tour to the Save Mart Center. We weren’t there. But looking at Twitter a bunch of you were. We’d like to know your thoughts. Was the show as crazy as we assumed it would be? Did you dance until you dropped?
Carrie Underwood is a dazzler. She sells-out shows and wins Grammys and does it all while looking stunning. Seriously, that hair … In Fresno, she’s a staple. She’s played (and sold out) both the Saroyan Theatre and the Save Mart Center and was back last night with her Blown Away tour.
So, were you blown away? Did the elaborate light show and staging do it for you? How about her song choices? And what about the opener, the young up-and-comer Hunter Hayes? We’d love to hear your take.
Make sure to check out the photo gallery from Bee photographer Mark Crosse (that giant rose looks awesome).
I had a chance to see Tiesto at Coachella in 2010. I saw Major Lazer instead. So I missed finding out what’s with all the hype on this guy. In the EDM scene, he’s a big name and his Club Life College Invasion tour (in town on Wednesday) will no doubt be packed with fans–sweaty, pulsating fans.
Maybe you. We’ve got two pair of tickets for Beehive readers. All you need to do is tell us what’s your favorite genre (or subgenre) of EDM (also, what is EDM? Just kidding). Winners will be chosen at random and notified by email.
George Strait rolled into Fresno Friday night for his “Cowboy Rides Away” tour. And if the traffic backed up on Hwy 168 was any indication, it was a packed house at the Save Mart Center. We’d love to hear your take on his farewell concert, so post a review in the comments. And be sure to chime in on opening act Martina McBride, too. Be sure to check out our gallery of photos captured by Bee photographer Craig Kohlruss. Here’s a taste of how the night went.
Powerhouse lineup aside, the ticketing model is what makes Rock and Worship so alluring to concertgoers. Tickets cost $10, but are only available the day of the concert, at the door, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Last year’s Rock and Worship Roadshow brought out 12,594 fans to Save Mart Center. In 2011, attendance was 14,462. In previous years, the tour sold more tickets in Fresno than Dave Matthews, AC/DC and No Doubt.
Hardcore Rock and Worship Roadshow fans can purchase VIP advance tickets. Those cost $50 and include early entrance and seat selection, a tour T-shirt and VIP lanyard. They’re available for purchase at the tour website.
The winners of the tickets to the advance screening of “How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular” have been selected. They are: Christina, Ben, Lita and Andrea.
ORIGINAL POST: Opening night for the DreamWorks’ touring production “How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular” will be at the Save Mart Center Dec. 19. The production, based on the 2010 animated movies, features fire-breathing, flying dragons, some with a wing span of 46 feet.
The Beehive wants to give you a way to see the show without having to use any of your holiday money. Four winners and their guests will get to see the massive production for free.
We have four (4) family four-pack tickets to the opening night show. All the four winners will have to do is show up that evening and pick up their tickets at the will call window that gets them and three guests into the show. Just to be clear: there are four tickets for each winner.
Here’s all you have to do. Leave a comment below explaining why seeing giant dragons would make your holiday brighter. Deadline to enter is noon on Saturday. Winners will be chosen at random and notified via e-mail, so please leave a valid address. You will be notified by 5 p.m. Dec. 17 if you are a winner.
JAZZ HOP HOPS TO A NEW DAY Fresno’s Jazz Hop — the monthly celebration of live jazz in dozens of venues — cuts itself from the ArtHop umbilical cord with a new second-Thursday-of-the-month calendar spot. Not much else has changed: still plenty of live music to see for free.
Says Jazz Hop coordinator Kate McKnight: “I’m seeking to highlight jazz music (and other genres) and the musicians by dedicating a night to hop just for music. ArtHop is so big now, and people couldn’t get around to see or experience all that they want to.” Tonight’s Jazz Hop is a bit smaller because of the holidays, she says. The schedule is below.
Rick Ross performs — not in Fresno — but at the BET Awards in Los Angeles.
Rick Ross came to Fresno on Thursday night, but the concert from hip-hop’s grunting boss of braggadocio is being overshadowed this morning by what happened in the Save Mart Center parking lot after the concert: A man was shot in the leg, suffering non-fatal injuries.
What that gunshot did — besides sending one victim to the hospital and another six to Fresno PD headquarters for question– was call in to question, once again, the place of hip-hop shows in our community.
I knew the response that was coming as soon as I heard the news. You probably did too.
From The Bee’s comment section: “It’s a known fact that shootings, drugs, gangs and rap go hand in hand. This is why rap concerts must be banned.” From ABC30′s Facebook page: “Hip hop sucks. Ban it” and ”No more rap shows at smc.”
It’s a few days before Rick Ross announces he’s coming to Fresno’s Save Mart Center. I’m talking to my buddy Sam. Some synth-heavy indie rock song is booming overhead, but for some reason I’m thinking about Rick Ross. Raaaawssssss! (Sorry, can’t resist).
I ask, totally serious, “Does anybody actually like Rick Ross?” What I mean specifically is this: Are there diehard Rick Ross fans? People who wear Rick Ross T-shirts or put things like “Rick Ross is my favorite rapper” in their Twitter profile. Do these people exist? Because I don’t know them.
I know people who say they like Rick Ross because he’s on the radio a lot. Because he’s on the top rappers in the game — whatever that means in 2012. Or because he does songs with Drake. Or because he raps about money and fancy cars and yachts.
Fast forward to right now. Tonight, Ross and his goon squad clique bring their Maybach Music Group Tour to town. This includes star-in-the-making Meek Mill, perpetual bridesmaid Wale and Machine Gun Kelly, a white dude that Puffy signed who notably went nuts in a Microsoft store. There was a Groupon for tickets last week, so it’s not exactly Bieber Fever up in here. Tickets cost $46.75-$66.75. Does Fresno like Rick Ross that much? Does anybody? Yeah, we’re back to that again.
1. WAIL WITH THE WAILERS
The name that every reggae fan knows — The Original Wailers — is at Fulton 55 tonight. Sure, Bob Marley is long gone, but his guitarist Al Anderson carries the Wailers torch these days. Local band Irie Sun opens. So get up, stand up, go see a show. [More]
Lewis Black plays Saroyan Theatre on Feb. 7 as part of his “The Rant is Due” tour. Black is a Grammy winner, who used to be a regular on “The Daily Show” and now performs more than 200 dates a year, selling-out shows in places such as Las Vegas, Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center and Broadway. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, costing $39.50 and $49.50. Get ‘em at the Fresno Convention Center box office or through Ticketmaster. If you’re wondering: Black last appeared in the area in 2009, for a Table Mountain Casino show.
Jeff Dunham, a popular ventriloquist and stand-up comedian, is back at Save Mart Center, which is a regular stop for him. He’s starting his new “Disorderly Conduct” tour this month and it stops in Fresno on March 24. Tickets cost $46.50. They go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. They’ll be available at the Save Mart Center box office or through Ticketmaster. Dunham played Table Mountain in May and was at Save Mart Center last in January of 2011.
Country superstar and “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood will return to Fresno’s Save Mart Center on March 5, the arena announced this morning.
That, however, is about all we know. Neither the Save Mart Center nor Underwood’s camp has released ticketing info for the Fresno show. We’ll update when we hear more. We do know the show is one of 40 new shows that Underwood announced today, a few days before she hosts the 46th Annual CMA Awards with Brad Paisley on Thursday. The March 5 date will be her first Fresno show since May 2010, when she played a 7,126 sell-out at Save Mart Center.
Since Taylor Swift announced concert dates on Friday that didn’t include us in Fresno, does this Underwood news soften the disappointment?
One of my favorite pics is the one below, mainly because I can’t help but wonder what The Biebs is looking at. So let’s have some fun. Leave a comment below and tell us what Justin is thinking in this pic.
The two rock bands announced their co-headlining tour on Monday morning, and Fresno is on the itinerary for Dec. 13. P.O.D. opens. Tickets for the show go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, costing $29.50, $39.50 and $49.50.
They’ll be available at the Save Mart Center box office, at Ticketmaster locations, including many Save Mart supermarkets, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000.
It’ll be 3 Doors Down’s first time at Save Mart Center. For Daughtry, it’ll be a second trip. He played there in 2010.
Some people might think this is a homecoming for Daughtry bass player Josh Paul, who lives in Clovis. But it, in fact, is not. Paul recently announced he is leaving Daughtry and his run with the band is ending before the upcoming U.S. tour.
Yeah, I might have just hit play on “Everlasting Light” again. What of it? If you’re still thinking about Monday night’s Black Keys concert too, then consider this your Twitter time capsule. Here are our 11 favorite tweets — funny, true, odd or just plain amusing — about last night’s concert:
Leading up to Justin Bieber’s sold-out Fresno appearance on Friday, we’re keeping an eye on all things Bieber. Join us in marveling at the insanity of it all.
You could almost hear the shrieks here in Fresno, as teeny boppers who have been tightly clutching concert tickets for months started to worry that their tiny heart throb might not be OK.
Fear not, Fresno, we’ve tracked down one of the most authoritative sources out there next to Justin himself, his mom, his doctor and Usher. I’m talking about Carly Rae Jepsen. Yes, the “Call Me Maybe” girl. She’s also Bieber’s opening act. We chatted yesterday and she told me:
He’s just fine. I don’t totally know if it was just an upset tummy or what, but what a pro to turn it around as quick as he did. I was really impressed by that. I don’t know that I would be able to do the same. But he was right back up there two seconds later. What a professional.
The Black Keys proved Monday night at Save Mart Center that sometimes you don’t need all the bells and whistles of the modern concert world.
The duo — Dan Auerbach on guitar and vocals, next to drummer Patrick Carney — gave a largely no-frills performance, without much on-stage jabbering or over-the-top gimmickry. Instead, they gave the Fresno crowd a straight-up rock ‘n’ roll show and did a damn fine job of that.
UPDATE: The Rick Ross concert was officially announced today. Tickets are on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. with tickets costing $39.75, $49.75 & $69.75.
ORIGINAL POST, 9/27: Country legend George Strait and hot-rapper-of-the-moment Rick Ross are Fresno-bound, according to new tour announcements from each artist.
Strait announced 2013 tour plans at a Wednesday news conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Strait said the tour, titled “A Cowboy Rides Away,” would be his last. Strait will perform Feb. 1 at Save Mart Center. The tour includes Martina McBride. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Oct. 12. They’ll cost $72.50 and $92.50.
Meanwhile, rapper Rick Ross announced his Maybach Music Group tour would stop at Save Mart Center, too. Tour dates tweeted by the rapper include a Nov. 29 show in Fresno. That tour includes Ross labelmates Meek Mill, Wale and Machine Gun Kelly. Save Mart Center has not confirmed the Ross date, nor have ticket details been announced. Watch for those in future updates.
Also: Superstar DJ Tiësto has postponed his October concerts because of a back injury. His Fresno show, originally Oct. 17, has been rescheduled for March 6. Tickets from Oct. 17 will be honored at new date. But refunds are also available.
I had the chance to speak to Dan Auerbach recently about the Fresno show and the band’s rise to a pair of arena-level rockers. Our interview was in Friday’s issue of The Fresno Bee, but here’s one part that I thought was important to share.
“We’re not like KISS. We’re not spitting out blood and wearing costumes. But we do fill these rooms.”
With 10 years of touring under their belt — from dive bars to major festivals along the way — Auerbach does say it’s a bit sweeter having taken the long road.
“We appreciate it,” he says. “We’ve played little club shows that were terrible and little club shows that were amazing. We’ve played arena shows that were terrible and arena shows that were amazing. It all depends on the audience and the energy they want to give you. It doesn’t matter what size room we’re in. Every time we’re play, that’s what we’re hoping for.”
Translation: Bring your A-game, Fresno concertgoers.
When Q97 announced the “Light It Up Tour” in March, it marked the return of hip-hip to the Save Mart Center. It seemed like it would be a big one, with young hip-hop star Wiz Khalifa, plus neo soul singer Miguel, John Hart and others.
In case you forgot how great it is to have an arena like the 
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