Prarie Home Companion, Richmond Jazz Festival, Al Gore rocks out

This weekend begins with Garrison Keillor bringing the Prarie Home Companion gang, including my favorite, Guy Noir, to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens for a show.  The show will start at 7 PM, doors open at 5:30 and tix are $55.

Saturday & Sunday at Maymont is the first Richmond Jazz Festival.  Tickets are $50 for the whole weekend, or $30 for a single day pass.  The show will run noon to 10 on Saturday and noon to 9 on Sunday.  If you intend to go, note that you can't park at Maymont.  You have to take a shuttle from satellite parking.  Check the web site for details.  Here is the lineup:

SATURDAY

VERIZON STAGE

1:30 Sharon Rae North
3:00 Big Sam & The Funky Nation
4:30 Maestro J
6:00 Marcus Johnson featuring B.K. Jackson
7:30 Poncho Sanchez
9:00 Chaka Khan

DOMINION STAGE
12:30 Shanta “Bunmi” Jasper
2:00 Joye B Moore
3:30 Norman Brown
5:00 Lalah Hathaway
6:30 Stanley Clarke
8:00 Rick Braun and Richard Elliot

SUNDAY
VERIZON STAGE

1:30 Shanta “Bunmi” Jasper
3:00 Plunky and Oneness
4:30 Bob Baldwin
6:00 Alex Bugnon
7:30 Ledisi

DOMINION STAGE
1:00 Sharon Rae North
2:30 Maestro J
4:00 Marcus Johnson featuring B.K. Jackson
5:30 Chuck Mangione
7:00 Boney James

Gates open at Noon both days.

That's about it this week.  We've definitely hit the slow point in the concert calendar.  Things will pick up again after Labor Day when we will possibly be able to go outside without feeling like you're in hot soup.

I did want to bring you some big news about Al Gore.  Now that he's single he can finally listen to his heavy metal albums: http://www.theonion.com/articles/recently-single-al-gore-finally-able-to-listen-to,17824/

Have a great weekend!

Tony Jordan