Alltech Fortnight Festival

AFF 2010 Wraps!

2010-10-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

The Miranda Lambert crowd...

And the Nickelback crowd...

Well it was a long 18 days, but with 59 ticket concerts and over 60 bars featuring live local entertainment during AFF, it was worth it! Thanks for helping to make it a success!

Alltech Fortnight Festival TICKET GIVEAWAYS!

2010-07-27T05:40:00.000-07:00

THIS WEDNESDAY, July 27th, we will be giving the first pair of tickets away to an Alltech Fortnight Festival (AFF) show! Accompanying the tickets will be some AFF merchandise and some other fun stuff. Now, here's how you enter for your chance to win:

Every Wednesday from July 26th through October 6th, 2010 we will be giving away tickets to the best AFF shows. We will post a question on our facebook (facebook.com/alltechfestival) and our twitter account (twitter.com/alltechfestival) at 12pm on those Wednesdays. Everyone that responds to that question within 24 hours will be entered in a pool to win the prize. The drawing will take place on Thursday at 12pm and will be announced immediately. **IN ORDER TO WIN, you must "like" our facebook page or follow us on Twitter.**

We are excited about these shows and hope you guys are too!

Wednesday July 27th GRAND PRIZE:
2 Tickets to see Charlie Daniels Band at the Lexington Opera House October 8th, 2010
PLUS Alltech Fortnight Festival Gear

GOOD LUCK!!

WHAT? You Haven't Seen Our Lineup Yet?

2010-07-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here it is, folks. The 2010 Alltech Fortnight Festival lineup. Shows all over the state of Kentucky during the Alltech World Equestrian games this fall. We will be adding a few more big shows and announcing those closer to the time of the festival. For all kinds of information including tickets and event details, visit www.alltechfortnightfestival.com!

GET THE GOOD SEATS WHILE THEY LAST, THESE VENUES ARE SELLING OUT QUICK!

9/23 – Little Feat @ Opera House

9/24 - Wynonna Judd @ Paramount Arts Center Ashland
Christ the King Oktoberfest: Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys

9/25 - The Temptations @ Grand Theatre Frankfort
Christ the King Oktoberfest: Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band

9/26 - The Temptations @ Grand Theatre Frankfort
Tim Brumfield @ First Presbyterian Church Lexington

9/27 - Vienna Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel @ Norton Center Danville
American Spiritual Ensemble @ First Presbyterian Church Lexington

9/28 - Chubby Checker @ Kentucky Theatre Lexington
Bo Skovhus @ Singletary Center Lexington

9/29 - American Spiritual Ensemble @ First Presbyterian Church Lexington
Ronan Tynan @ Lexington Downtown Hilton
Tim Brumfield @ First Presbyterian Church

9/30 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Lexington Philharmonic @ Singletary Center Lexington
La Boheme @ Lexington Opera House

10/1 - La Boheme @ Lexington Opera House
Arnett Hollow @ Louisville Glassworks
Louisville Trolley Hop (Various Locations in Louisville)

10/2 - Marvin Hamlisch and UK Symphony Orchestra @ Singletary Center Lexington

10/3 - La Boheme @ Lexington Opera House

10/4 – Tony Bennett @ Norton Center Danville

10/5 – John Lithgow @ Lexington Opera House

10/6 - Beach Boys @ Singletary Center Lexington
Lexington Bach Choir @ First Presbyterian Church

10/7 - Kenny Rogers @ Lexington Opera House

10/8 - Charlie Daniels @ Lexington Opera House
Loretta Lynn @ Renfro Valley

10/9 – Dave Sanborn @ Singletary Center Lexington
Loretta Lynn @ Renfro Valley

Again, visit www.alltechfortnightfestival.com for more information and tickets!

Top 30 "Summer" Songs of All Time

2010-07-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

Billboard.com recently hit the worldwide web with their choices in the best 30 summer songs of all-time. Here's how they messed up, the songs had to have lyrics about summer and the top 30 songs are ranked by a point system for their performance on the billboard chart. Music isn't about math, and it's summer time, nobody does math during summer. The only summer school requirement is looking at the summer reading book list and going to Joseph Beth and grabbing the sparknotes for it.

I will say that there are some classic hits on Billboard's best summer songs, but just because every one of the beach boys songs was about surfing and California doesn't make them all the best summer songs of all time. You can find Billboard's list at http://www.billboard.com/#/features/top-30-summer-songs-1004101310.story?page=1

Now, more importantly, I present to you my "I Went On Vacation Last Week and These Songs Were Amazing While I Was Laying on the Beach" Top 30:

30. "Tell Me Something Good": Rufus and Chaka Khan
29. "I Just Want You Around": Anuhea
28. "Sweet Inspiration": The Derek Trucks Band
27. "And the Birds Sing": Tyrone Wells
26. "Kiss Me When You Come Home": Hanson
25. "Good Life": OneRepublic
24. "Dancing In The Moonlight": Toploader
23. "Put Your Records On": Corrine Bailey Rae
22. "Little Secrets": Passion Pit
21. "Hot Air Balloon": Owl City
20. "My Time": Minus The Bear
19. "The Frog Prince": Keane
18. "Still": Matt Nathanson
17. "'Til Summer Comes Around": Keith Urban
16. "Sunday Morning": Maroon 5
15. "The Songbird Athletic": Lushlife
14. "Revelry": Kings of Leon
13. "You Make My Dreams": Hall & Oates
12. "These Are The Days": Jamie Cullum
11. "Good Vibrations": Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
10. "Dreamgirl": Dave Matthews Band
9. "What's The Drawback": The Silver Seas
8. "Hurricane Waters": Citizen Cope
7. "Little Lies": Dave Barnes
6. Entire Vampire Weekend album, "Contra"
5. "I'm Yours": Jason Mraz
4. "Africa": Toto
3. "Traffic In The Sky": Jack Johnson
2. "Is This Love?": Bob Marley
1. "Summer Breeze": The Isley Brothers

-JAI

100 DAYS AWAY!

2010-06-15T05:31:00.000-07:00

Come enjoy "A Taste of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games"- an all-day celebration featuring live music, The Alltech Experience, equine exhibits, and Ariat fashion show, food and Kentucky Ale and much, much more.

Thursday, June 17th 11:00am-4:30pm
Fifth Third Pavilion
Downtown Lexington

SEE YOU THERE!!

Are We Watching the CMA's?

2010-06-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

So the Country Music Awards went off without a hitch, however the guys in charge or censoring the show had a tough job keeping up with Kid Rock hosting! The smoking and drinking wasn’t the best image to put out there to the public either. Kid Rock tried to bring humor to the awards show and threw out a warning to the crowd that there were to be no Kanye West stunts pulled, but there was no fear of that, being as Taylor Swift did not win any awards that night.

Carrie Underwood had a fantastic evening walking away with Video of the Year and CMT Performer of the Year, Lady Antebellum also had a big night with the year's best-selling album to date, and they won Group Video of the Year. However, they were the target of one of the sharpest lines of the night made by Kid Rock, "Lady Antebellum is like the hillbilly Fleetwood Mac, but I suspect they don't do drugs or sleep with each other." Yet another great example of the kind of host Kid Rock was!

Performers for the night included Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban joined by John Mayer, Miranda Lambert, Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and the Zac Brown Band. Those were the good performers, but overall the Country Music Awards were a disappointment. Where did the real country music go? Why were Paula Deen, Snookie and Tyrell Owens on the show? The so called “country roots” that’s the CMA’s use to embody have officially been lost…

Do the Waka Waka

2010-06-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

Music and sports go hand in hand. It’s an interesting phenomenon; they always seem to amplify one another increasing the drama before a big game. Can you honestly imagine the sports world today with Queen anthems like "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions"? Just like these old school songs The Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" has recently become a modern day sports theme.

So, what’s the newest song to join the ranks? "Waka Waka" by Shakira, the official song of the 2010 World Cup. Shakira is scheduled to kick-off the opening ceremonies tonight with an exciting performance rocking the Waka Waka—now the official World Cup dance. Check out the video to learn it yourself.

So you may be wondering, will AFF and the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games have an official music video and theme song? Not as of yet, but we’re open to suggestions…

Go Team USA!

-ERB

Too Old Too Fast?

2010-06-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Yet another one of the Disney Channel stars has grown up and stepped into a different persona. Miley Cyrus is following in the footsteps of Brittney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. Miley grew up in front of America on the television screen as Hannah Montana, now as her new music video is released “Can’t Be Tamed” Miley is jumping into adulthood. With millions of little girls looking up to Hannah Montana, it is if left to be questioned on how the public feels about her latest transformation. In her video Miley is dressed in a scandalous, shredded black leather jumpsuit dancing in a bird cage, surrounded by seductive dancers. What happened to the fresh faced teen idol? There are many mixed emotions about the music video and Mileys’ new look. I personally think that being so young the sex appeal could be taken down a notch especially with so many young girls looking up to her, but then again with celebrities like Lady Gaga setting the stage the music industry seems to be changing itself.

-LCJ

Calling all Glee fans!!!!

2010-06-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Calling all Glee fans!!!! The Lexington Opera House has revealed its 2010-11 Broadway Live season! Glee has amped up the interest in Broadway shows everywhere, and luckily Lexington has a ROCKIN’ six show season that includes something for everyone.

Series subscribers will have the first opportunity to buy tickets for Tony and Emmy Award winner John Lithgow's one-man show, Stories by Heart, as part of the Alltech Fortnight Festival! Stories by Heart has received rave reviews in NYC and is a show not to be missed!

2010-2011 Broadway Live season:

The Color Purple, Sept. 10-12: experience Steven Spielberg's movie on Broadway brought to you by Oprah Winfrey.

Spring Awakening, Oct. 29-31: 2007 Tony Award winner for best musical, Spring Awakening is cited along with Hair and Rent as musicals that changed Broadway. Glee’s Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff starred in the original Broadway production!

A Chorus Line, Nov. 19-21: The revival of the 1975 hit stayed true to the show's origins and time. A must see!

Spamalot, Jan. 14-16: Killer bunnies, knights who say "Ni", the Lady of the Lake and other favorite Monty Python bits make the stage version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail HILARIOUS.

Fiddler on the Roof, Feb. 11-13: Including the classic show tunes “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “If I Were A Rich Man” the 1964 musical about Tevye the Milkman struggling with changes big and small in his Russian village is a timeless favorite.

Legally Blonde, April 15-17: Bend…and SNAP! This show made Lexington Catholic High School graduate Laura Bell Bundy a Broadway star as she originated the role of Elle Woods in NYC!

And your 2010 American Idol is...

2010-05-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

Well, you all know it now. Lee Dewyze is the official American Idol. We, as the AFF team here, are pretty split down the middle on this one. Some wanted Crystal, some were pulling for Lee, and some were rooting for both (to the point where it didn't really matter who won anymore, I mean, we all know they are BOTH going to be recording albums). This leads me to, my question I want to pose: Is it better to win Idol or to be runner-up? Automatic album is good of course, but how much control do these Idol winners get over their own sound? It is hard to say. Many break away shortly after to do their own thing. So let's hear your thoughts on the big finale last night.

Nashville Rising: A Benefit Concert

2010-05-12T05:22:00.000-07:00

June 22nd the stars will align, and I'm not talking about Ursa Major and Minor, I'm talking everyone's favorite country stars. Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn and Miley Cyrus are among the artists who will perform at a benefit to assist victims of the middle Tennessee flooding. The benefit was organized by McGraw and Hill and will benefit the Community Foundation which provides philanthropic services that enhance the Middle Tennessee area. Also featured at the event at Bridgestone Arena (formerly Sommet Center (formerly Gaylord Arena)) will be artists like Luke Bryan, Amy Grant, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes and Michael W. Smith.

Tickets go on sale May 14th at 10am on ticketmaster.com and range from $25-$75. Visit nashvillerising.org for more information!

Betty White Boosts SNL

2010-05-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend, over 510,000 facebook fans got their wish as 88 year-old Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live. It all started with a group called "Betty White to Host SNL (please?)!" on this popular social networking site and it ended in a victory for NBC and facebookers nationwide. Saturday Night Live picked up a rating of 8.8, the highest rating for the show in 18 MONTHS! The highest since the always popular pre-presidental election.

Jay-Z was brought in as the musical guest, so there was not a dull moment throughout the show. Jay even dedicated his performance of his latest hit, Young Forever to the "Most Incredible Betty White".

Betty kept the audience on the edge of their seats from the very beginning with help from an entourage of former SNL lady favorites Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Ana Gasteyer, Rachel Dratch and Maya Rudolph.

Next week, this season closes with host Alec Baldwin and musical guest Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. We'll see if they can top last week's 8.8 rating....(I'll bet against it)

-JAI

"I Gotta Feeling" It Broke A Record

2010-05-03T07:10:00.001-07:00

The Black Eyed Peas slide into the number one spot, declaring their hit single, " I Gotta Feeling" the #1 most digitally downloaded song of all-time. With over 5.56 million downloads, this single just slipped past Flo Rida's "Low" (5.53 million downloads) to claim the top spot.

Flo Rida has enjoyed holding down the #1 most downloaded spot since March 2008, when it passed Soulja Boy Tell'em's 2007 hit "Crank That."

The BEP are not only sitting pretty at #1, but their song "Boom Boom Pow" from the same record is in fourth place with 5.29 million downloads.

So the current top five most downloaded songs of all time are:

1. I Gotta Feeling: Black Eyed Peas (5,561,000)
2. Low: Flo Rida (5,536,000)
3. Just Dance: Lady Gaga (5,364,000)
4. Boom Boom Pow: Black Eyed Peas (5,298,000)
5. Poker Face: Lady Gaga (5,131,000)

So it looks like if you're planning on making it into the top five one of these days, you better write a song with some thumping bass, a heavy beat and a catchy, repetitive chorus.

-JAI

Can HANSON Make the Greatest Comeback Of All-Time?

2010-04-15T07:03:00.001-07:00

They've changed their look, cut their hair and even had a few babies along the way. Most people probably don't even kow that HANSON has released four albums since their debut smash album, "Middle Of Nowhere" that featured songs like "MMMBop" and "Where's The Love". Already chalked down as the biggest one-hit-wonder ever, HANSON has a final chance to make the greatest comeback of all-time.

HANSON announced the release of their new record, Shout It Out, on June 8, 2010. It’s a fantastically infectious collection of finely crafted, R&B-flavored pop-rock -- an homage to the music that inspired the band when they started out. The album was recorded in a studio on a 2,000-acre pecan farm in El Paso, Texas, and was produced and written exclusively by HANSON, augmented with special guests: Funk Brothers bassist Bob Babbitt, who played on some of Motown’s greatest hits, as well as horn arranger Jerry Hey, who worked with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more.

They released their first music video from the upcoming album today and can be found here:

http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.videos&videoId=104317949

And yes, that is Weird Al playing the tambourine. I'm diggin' the old school, funky motown sound and would love to see HANSON top the charts again!

-JAI

AFF Social Media Fun

2010-04-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

We are doing some fun stuff on our Facebook and Twitter accounts: trivia prize packages, ticket giveaways, scavenger hunts, and much more! Don't miss out, only 172 days left!

Follow us on Twitter: @alltechfestival
Fan us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/alltechfestival

Get ready for this week's AFF Friday Giveaway!

Study Estimates $167 million in Economic Impact to Kentucky from Alltech World Equestrian Games..WHAT!!!!

2010-03-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

Kentucky could realize a $167 million economic benefit from the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, a significant increase from early projections of $150 million, organizers said.

The 2010 Games will be held for the first time in the United States at Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park. The world championships in eight equestrian sports will be contested from September 25-October 10, with as many as 60 countries represented.

The study, conducted by Dr. Paul Coomes, Professor of Economics at the University of Louisville, shows a direct impact to state and local governments through payroll taxes and taxed purchases by spectators in regional hotels, restaurants, retailers, and car rentals.

Current ticket sale projections estimate that more than 85 percent of Games spectators will come from outside Kentucky, bringing new dollars into the region’s economy. Current ticket purchasers are averaging five days of attendance, and the lodging that comes with those visits could account for more than $20 million in spending on accommodations alone.

In addition, the study estimates significant employment opportunities, bringing employees and payroll taxes into the state and local economies.

The study also noted impacts that world-wide television exposure, branding, advertising, and media coverage would bring to Kentucky for years to come.
“An event such as the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is extremely rare for a destination, because the Games represent a huge economic engine fueled by out-of-state and international visitors and exposure, yet are fully accessible and affordable for state and local residents,” said Hank Phillips, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Travel. “The combination of high economic impact and affordability for the state and local community is indeed rare.”

The Games will be broadcast on NBC Sports, which has marked the largest commitment to network coverage of equestrian sport in U.S. television history. Current sponsors include Alltech, Rolex, John Deere, Ariat International, Inc., Meydan and Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. For more information on the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, please visit www.alltechfeigames.com.

Kentucky is indeed on its way to being a SUPERBRAND.

Three Hour Radius Concerts

2010-03-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

4/2 Train @ The Ryman, Nashville
4/5 Vampire Weekend @ The Ryman, Nashville
4/8 Miranda Lambert @ Taft Theatre, Cincinnati
4/10 Zach Galifianakis @ Singletary Center, Lexington
4/11 David Gray @ The Ryman, Nashville
4/19 Vince Gill @ The Ryman, Nashville
4/21 My Morning Jacket @ Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville
4/21 Bon Jovi @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
4/23 Hank Williams Jr. @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
4/25 Aretha Franklin @ The Ryman, Nashville
4/25 Angels & Airwaves @ Bogarts, Cincinnati
4/27 Drake w/ Special Guests @ UK, Lexington
4/28 George Straight & Reba @ Bridgestone, Nashville
4/29 Taylor Swift @ Rupp Arena, Lexington
5/6 Jason Castro @ Rocketown, Nashville
5/14 Norah Jones @ The Ryman, Nashville
5/17 Jimmy Buffett @ Riverbend, Cincinnati
5/22 James Taylor & Carol King @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
5/23 Alan Jackson @ Rupp Arena, Lexington
6/13 Carrie Underwood @ Rupp Arena, Lexington
6/15 Dave Matthews Band @ Riverbend, Cincinnati
6/26 Justin Bieber @ US Bank Arena, Cincinnati
9/4 Kings Of Leon @ Riverbend, Cincinnati

AFF Friday Giveaways

2010-03-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hey all! Just letting you know that if you're not a fan of us on facebook (www.facebook.com/alltechfestival) or if you don't follow us on Twitter (@alltechfestival), then you'd better get on the ball!

Every Friday we'll be giving away free Alltech Fortnight Festival stuff; t-shirts, drumsticks, guitar picks, sunglasses, koozies, frisbees, hats, beach balls, glow sticks, bottle openers, all kinds of cool things.

Here's how to play:
Each Friday a trivia question will be posted on our facebook page and our twitter account, the first person to answer the question wins a prize package with assortments of the prizes listed above inside.

We'll announce the winner each Friday and ship your package straight to your place! So fan us at www.facebook.com/alltechfestival and follow us at twitter.com/alltechfestival and WIN!

Tomorrow is our first installment, good luck!

-JAI

KENTUCKY ARTISTS WANTED!!!

2010-03-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are only 189 days away. So what's that mean for musicians? It means the chance to expose your music and talent to over 700,000 expected visitors! The Alltech Fortnight Festival Team is looking for talented artists to perform all over the Bluegrass; from bars and restaurants to pavilions at the Alltech Games and all other kinds of exciting events we have planned for our state and our worldwide visitors.

So, how do you get to perform for the 2010 Alltech Fortnight Festival?

Send your music samples, pictures, bios, contact information, ANYTHING that shows us who you are as an artist to:

Alltech
Attn: Fortnight Festival Team
3031 Catnip Hill Pike
Nicholasville, KY 40356

We look forward to listening to you!

-JAI

St. Patrick's Day....what are we celebrating again?

2010-03-17T05:13:00.000-07:00

If I asked you to tell me why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, what would you say? To wear green or get pinched? To have an excuse to dress your little kid up like a leprechaun? To drink a bunch of green colored beer? All great answers (except for dressing your kid up, that's kind of weird folks) BUT, let's get real for a minute.

There was a patron saint of Ireland named Patrick born around 387 AD. As a teenager he was taken captive as a slave to Ireland. According to the legend, he was told by God in a dream to escape from his enslavement and head to back to Britain. So he did, and studied to become a priest. Now a bishop, he was called by God back to Ireland to save the Irish people where he often used shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity to the people (three leaves representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). He died about 30 years after spreading the Word and is known as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is recognized as so in the Irish Church.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by some as a one day break during Lent, traditionally feasting and drinking. Most commonly in the US, people dress in green and are punished by a pinch if they lack the color. The Chicago River in Illinois is also dyed green for the day, as ssen above, and is quite a sight to see.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

-JAI

Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition

2010-03-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys!

We're excited to announce that Alltech is partnering with the University of Kentucky’s Opera Theatre department for the fifth time to present the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition. This competition awards over $300,000 in scholarships and stipends to undergraduate and graduate winners at UK. Past winners of this competition have also had the opportunity to travel with Alltech to places such as Ireland, Windsor, and along with Muhammad Ali.

The program will consist of the top finalists performing one song or aria of their choice and past winners showcasing their winning piece. This competition is free and open to the public. The awards will be presented by the head of the UK Opera Theatre program, Dr. Everett McCorvey and president and founder of Alltech, Dr. Pearse Lyons.

March 14th 2-5pm
Singletary Center
Lexington, KY

Find out all the details at:
http://www.uky.edu/FineArts/Music/scholarships/alltech/

iTunes' 10 Billionth Song Giveaway

2010-02-25T11:12:00.000-08:00

iTunes offered a 10,000,000,000th song downloaded giveaway and Louie Sulcer from Georgia was the lucky recipient. A $10,000 iTunes giftcard and a personal call from Steve Jobs. “He called me and said, ‘This is Steve Jobs from Apple.’ I said, ‘Yeah right,’ ” Sulcer tells Rolling Stone. “I have a son that loves to play tricks and he does that every now and then — calls me and imitates somebody.” After three or four times of asking “Come on now, who is this,” Sulcer saw the caller ID read “Apple,” and then realized he was the winner of the contest and a $10,000 iTunes gift card.

Sulcer had no idea there was even a contest to get to 10 billion and just happened to buy one song off a Johnny Cash record. Believe it or not, that song was “Guess Things Happen That Way.” Irony at its best.

-JAI

American Idol Top 24

2010-02-22T05:17:00.000-08:00

Howdy folks! It's down to 24 on American Idol this year and this is some of the best talent I've ever seen on the show, especially on the female side. Lots of instrumentalists, diversity and passion for music. Can't wait to see what's going to happen this week when they perform in front of a live crowd and 30 million people.

-JAI

Ladies and Gentlemen, THE TEMPTATIONS!

2010-02-17T06:48:00.001-08:00

Whether you're listening to My Girl, Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, Get Ready or Ain't Too Proud to Beg, it all started here. Five guys from Detroit that could sing like they sold their soul. Though Otis Williams is the only original member still alive, the group will still dazzle you with their high energy performances, flawless harmonies and passion for Motown music.

The Temptations will be performing at the Grand Theatre in Frankfort, KY on September 25th and 26th, 2010 and tickets will range from $65.00-$90.00. Get them quick because this 428 seat venue will be sure to sell out fast!

TICKETS GO ON SALE FEBRUARY 18th
www.grandtheatrefrankfort.org
Grand Theatre Ticket Office: 502.352.7469

Three Hour Radius Concerts

2010-02-16T06:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a two month preview of some hot concerts within a three hour radius that are guaranteed not to disappoint.

2/17 Black Eyed Peas: Rupp Arena Lexington, KY
2/23 Harry Connick, Jr: Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
2/26 Tim McGraw & Lady Antebellum: Rupp Arena Lexington, KY
2/27 Eric Clapton: Sommet Center Nashville, TN
3/3 Citizen Cope: Headliners Louisville, KY
3/10 Lady Antebellum: Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
3/12 G. Love & Special Sauce: Madison Theatre Covington, KY
3/13 John Mayer: Freedom Hall Louisville, KY
3/24 Michael Buble: US Bank Arena Cincinnati, OH
3/26 Amos Lee: Mercy Lounge Nashville, TN
3/28 Taylor Swift: US Bank Arena Cincinnati, OH
4/2 Vampire Weekend: Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN

Let us know who you liked!

-JAI

We Are The....World?

2010-02-15T05:57:00.000-08:00

Let me first say, what a wonderful idea to remake an amazing song at a time when the world needs it most. All proceeds made from this track go directly to the Haiti relief, and that's great. Tylenol should have also sponsored this song because they're going to get a lot of business from the headaches it will cause.

Justin Beiber, Miley Cyrus, Lil' Wayne, Barbra Streisand, Randy Jackson, T-Pain? Really? Let's also not forget about the rap breakdown featuring rappers that took a break from their explicit lyrics to sing about being children of God. And who's that tall big foreheaded white guy in the back? VINCE VAUGHN? Is this a SNL skit? Did Quincy Jones really give the thumbs up to auto-tuning T-Pain, Akon and Lil' Wayne? What is in T-Pain's backpack? I'd love to see Michael's reaction.

Well I am glad to see that it has reached the #1 spot on the chart almost immediately. It may not be my choice in artists, but it's people continuing to come together for a common cause, and that's to help those in need. Proud of you Vince Vaughn.

Alltech Haiti Relief Fund Update!

2010-02-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

Hey Folks!

Here's a quick update on what Alltech is doing to lend a helping hand to the Haitian Relief.

Alltech's goal is to help rebuild as much of a village as possible in Haiti, to get an entire community back on their feet after everything they've ever known has been destroyed. All money donated by Alltech employees and money donated from outside our company will be matched by Alltech! What an amazing opportunity!

To make a donation, contact any Alltech Corporate Office, we'll keep you posted on how much money we've raised so far!

-JAI

2 out of 5

2010-02-01T05:55:00.000-08:00

This is why I don't gamble. I picked the right winners, wrong categories. Typical.

WOAH, what a night of performances! There could not have been a better way to start off the show than with those two divas playing piano. Well, unless Michael Jackson was still alive and parachuted out of the sky singing "Black or White" and Macaulay Culkin dancing on stage with Norm from Cheers angrily chasing him around the stage.

21 Guns turned Broadway, P!nk spun in circles on a sheet 30 feet above the stage so many times I can't believe she didn't barf all over the crowd, Taylor Swift showed us how amazing her sound engineers must be to make her voice sound good and on key, Lady Antebellum didn't miss a note despite the curtain getting stuck on the girl's head, Dave Matthews Band tore it up in honor of their late sax player, Bon Jovi was kind of boring, Beyonce was beyond flawless, the rap gang was better than usual thank to Travis Barker on the drums, The Black Eyed Peas reminded me how tired I am of them, The Michael Jackson Tribute was touching (no pun intended), and Zac Brown Band had to have an average performance so the next act looked that much more incredible.

All in all, crazy-good show. Taylor Swift and Beyonce definately aren't my favorites, but they've had a big year and deserve their boatload of awards. I hope these performances keep getting more and more insane as the years go on.

-JAI

My Grammy Predictions

2010-01-29T06:33:00.000-08:00

Alright, these aren't my Vegas choices, this is more who I think should win, not who I think is going to win. I know I've already blogged about the Grammys, but hey, it's the Grammys; give me a break.

Let's start with RECORD of the year. In case you're wondering what the difference between Record of the Year and Song of the Year is I'll fill you in. Record of the Year is given to the artist AND the producers/mixers/sound engineers. Song of the Year is purely a songwriters award given to the folks that wrote the track. Alright now that we've got that ironed out, let's look at the nominees:

-Halo, Beyonce
-I Gotta Feeling, Black Eyed Peas
-Use Somebody- Kings of Leon
-Poker Face- Lady Gaga
-You Belong With Me- Taylor Swift

My Pick: Poker Face, Lady Gaga. This chick is awesome. Wanna know why? She can REALLY sing, she can REALLY play the piano and she can REALLY be creative. Maybe too creative? Either way, her strange music videos and wardrobe mostly made of things not meant to be worn make her stand out in a coveryourselfinbloodandhangyourselfattheVMA's kind-of-way. She's a pioneer and has more talent that any other woman in show business in my opinion.

Next up, Album of the Year. Nominees:

I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyonce
The E.N.D., Black Eyed Peas
The Fame, Lady Gaga
Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, Dave Matthews Band
Fearless, Taylor Swift

My Pick: Fearless, Taylor Swift. Who am I pulling for? Dave Matthews Band. There is not a more deserving band in the business. after the death of their original saxophone player Leroi Moore, the band put out an incredible CD dedicated in his honor. Their music is not like any other group today. It's involved, with meaningful, cryptic lyrics, and I'd say easily one of the biggest band names of all time. But back to T-Swift. Everyone is tired of her scooping up all the awards, but there's a reason for it. She has an ability to connect with people through her songs all written by her, both music and lyrics. You don't see that too often any more with female soloists. The down side to her music, she's not that good at guitar. Almost all of her songs consist of four chords and all sound, let's be honest, the exact same. Still, I'll admit that I know most of the words to this album and Taylor has had a bigger year than any other artist.

Song of the Year, nominees:

Poker Face, Lady Gaga
Pretty Wings, Maxwell
Use Somebody, Kings of Leon
You Belong With Me, Taylor Swift
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), Beyonce

My Pick: Use Somebody. If my 2009 was a movie, Use Somebody would be the title track. It's just good. It's a fresh sound, it's put together well, their concert was incredible and you couldn't go into a Jamba Juice without hearing it on their stereo. One of my favorite comments of 2009 was, "Hey, have you heard about that new band, Kings of Leon?" They formed in 1999. These guys are deserving. The End.

Best New Artist, nominees:
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
The Ting Ti....alright, I could care less about this category. There's always a stand out group in this category and this year I don't know what to think. MGMT has been together since 2005 and Electric Feel is one of the best songs ever, but they're not a new artist. Zac Brown Band's album is so cheesy they sell it at Kroger next to the Gouda and Monterey Jack. The Ting Tings....their name is The Ting Tings, that's all I got. How about Owl City, Cobra Starship, Kid Cudi? They all had big songs and are actually new artists. None of the nominated artists even had peak songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, unless you want to include Keri Hilson just because she had Kanye and Ne-Yo behind her. Alright, I pick Zac Brown Band.

Don't miss the Grammy's Sunday night CBS 8pm.

-JAI

Avatards Sink Titanic

2010-01-27T06:15:00.000-08:00

37 days, $1,858,866,889. Avatar has claimed the top spot for the highest grossing movie of all time. Did I mention it only took 37 days? Was it the special effects? The lack of big stars acting in it? The 3D experience? The fact that James Cameron is starting to look more and more like the Quaker Oats guy? Either way, I still have yet to hear a negative word about this movie.

Titanic now rests at the number two spot at a measly $1.84 billion dollars. My question is, how is James Cameron going to outdo himself again, or will he even try?

Since this is a music-aimed blog, I guess I'd better talk about the soundtrack. James Horner was used again for this soundtrack after the success that the Titanic Soundtrack experienced. And yet again, Horner is able to put his brain a hundred and forty four years into the future to put viewers smack dab in the middle of Pandora. Leona Lewis' song didn't quite make the same impression that Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" did, but if I heard Celine Dion's voice at the end of the movie, I might have uncontrollably strangled the guy next to me who had already seen Avatar so many times I could overhear him quoting the movie, but get most of the words wrong, like my mom trying to sing along with the radio in the car.

-JAI

Hope For Haiti Now: $61 Million

2010-01-26T06:25:00.000-08:00

I think it's fair to say that the United States of America still has some climbing to do before we can say the recession/slump/great depression part deux/insert sugarcoated euphemism is behind us. Even at this time when households are doing whatever necessary to cutback, we still join together and raise over $61 million for the people of Haiti. It's not just helping Haiti, it's helping PEOPLE.

Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris are topping the charts with their rendition of Leonard Cohen's (that's right folks, not Jeff Buckley) "Hallelujah." The entire Hope For Haiti Now CD is topping the charts as well, where 100% of the proceeds are added to the Haitian Relief Fund. Way to go George Clooney and way to go US!

Here at Alltech, we have started the Alltech/Haiti Relief aimed at rebuilding one of the many schools that was destroyed or badly damaged during the earthquakes. We intend to set the rebuilt school up with school supplies, teaching aids, and hope to fund a teacher's yearly salary. All money raised by 2,300 Alltech employees worldwide will be matched by Alltech and be used to help reestablish Haiti's education system.

-JAI

Big Bad Show

2010-01-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

Alright Lexingtonians, we've officialy announced the first act of our 16 day Alltech Fortnight Festival. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will make a stop at the Singletary Center and perform with the Lexington Philharmonic. It will surely be a night music lovers will not want to miss!

After first gaining mainstream popularity with their breakthrough performance in Swingers, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has gone on to become one of the most popular touring bands on the road today. BBVD now carries on the tradition of the legendary big bands and orchestras by touring non-stop, performing over 100 high-energy concerts each year around the world, all while sporting their zoot suits. And as a twist, the band has recently begun collaborating with symphonies in select cities, and as stated earlier will be teaming up with the Lexington Philharmonic for September 30th's show.

Tickets go public August 2nd on lexphil.com. Here's a link to our site for more info:
www.alltechfestival.com

-JAI

I'm With Coco

2010-01-22T05:53:00.000-08:00

It's a sad week for me as well as millions of people across the states this week as each episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien becomes more and more cherished. It is official; The Late Show with Conan O'Brien will be off the air after tonight's episode.

Depite the rallys, the show's infancy, students of Northwestern University gathering to do Conan's signature "string dance" and The Late Show's ratings being up 50% Conan is still getting the boot. When asked about the situation, he says that he's "honestly embarassed" but also decided to have fun with the show while he still had it, planning on costing NBC as much money as possible in the few nights he had left through trademark violations, expensive skits, etc. Still, Conan leaves with over $32 million, his exec producer with over $4 million and over $7.5 million to his crew.

Tonight's final show will pack more than a punch, including special guests Tom Hanks, Will Ferrell, Neil Young and lots of surprise visits from friends of the show. NBC is even raising the proce of airing a commercial due to the unbelieveable volume of watchers.

As disappointed as I am about the Tonight Show ending, I know that Conan will bounce back like no host ever has before and I can't wait to see what this gangley, poofy haired ginger has in store for us next.

P.S. I can't wait to see how low Jay Leno's ratings will be next week.

-JAI

I Haiti Earthquakes

2010-01-20T05:43:00.000-08:00

Nobody else comes together for a cause quite like the US. More than $5,000,000 dollars had been raised for the disaster in Haiti just through TEXT MESSAGES! Stars across the country like Larry King, George Clooney, and one of Kentucky's newsest and most bragged about icons, John Calapari have organized telathons that have swept in millions more. Wyclef Jean, a Haiti native, has also brought in more than a million dollars through his Twitter account.

Soon CDs will hit featuring the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Slash, Peter Gabriel called Download to Donate to Haiti. Lady Gaga will also donate all of her ticket sales from her next show plus all of her merchandise sales to the relief efforts.

Don't miss George Clooney's telethon this Friday on MTV. Artists such as Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Wyclef Jean, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen, The Edge, Sting, Rhianna, Keith Urban, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow will all make appearances on the show. Their performances will also be available on iTunes where every penny of each song downloaded will go to "Hope For Haiti Now" charities.

Mad props to all the celebrities that choose to do good with the fame and fourtune that they have inherited.

Just a reminder that if you text "HAITI" to 90999, $10 will automatically be added to your cell phone bill, which in turn will add to the millions raised by The Red Cross.

-JAI

The Golden "I Watched the Season Premiere of 24 Instead" Globes

2010-01-18T05:33:00.000-08:00

Alright, I lied in the title; I don't even like 24. But if Ricky Gervais wasn't hosting, I would have been watching re-runs of Full House. Do people really get excited about the Golden Globes? They're like the Donnie of the Wahlberg family, nobody really brags too much about having one. But if you had a Mark (Oscar/Emmy) you might put it where someone could see it. The Golden Globes is like a spork. It combines the best in Movies and TV and tries to put them together in one night filled with winners trying to navigate their way to the stage through an obstacle course over Mariah Carey's empty booze bottles, around cast of "Precious", and through Jason Reitman's creepy beard. Sure, you can be excited, but I would rather be invited to the NCAA tournament than win the NIT.

Can't wait for the Grammys.

-JAI

Judge A CD By Its Cover

2010-01-15T12:02:00.001-08:00

So there's 120 categories for Grammy nominations now? Well, of course we wouldn't want to forget about the "Best Chamber Music Performance," and you know that everyone will be biting their nails when they present the nominees for "Best Native American Music Album."
Anyways, of all the top selling grammy-nominated albums and records this year, only a small handful create any kind of lasting impression as far as album artwork goes. I will now grant 1,000 points to Dave Matthews Band and Kings of Leon for showing music goers that CD covers can still be creative and live up to being called "art," not just look like a high-school facebook profile picture.
Be sure to check out the Grammy's January 31st on CBS for a lineup of the best of the cliche, overplayed radio song awards. May real, innovative and deserving artists leave the awards with a little golden gramophone.

-JAI

THE FESTIVAL

2010-01-14T07:32:00.000-08:00

"Hey intern, how about mentioning our festival every once in awhile instead of always using that sharp wit of yours to analyze everyone on the cover of US Weekly?" Yes sir. Here we go.

For the past two years Alltech has put on the Fortnight Festival to build anticipation for the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky (which by the way is the biggest thing to happen to the U.S. since the 2002 Winter Olympics). We've had artists like Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, The Doobie Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Punch Brothers, Liza Minnelli, The Decemberists and tons of local artists have played for our Kentucky-wide festival.

Not a bad warm up.

Get ready folks, it's the year of the games. Kentucky is expecting 600,000-900,000 visitors for the games, and we aren't here to disappoint. Just imagine going to witness the unbelieveable equine events at the Kentucky Horsepark during the day, seeing all the sights, exposing yourself to different cultures, and experiencing the shared love for the eight spectacular events. Now, what's different about these Games is after the day is over, there will be several events happening in different Kentucky cities EVERY night; combine live music and KY Ale and something magical happens!

We are now looking for talented Kentucky musicians, both solo artists and bands, of every genre to enterain across the bluegrass. If you're interested, send your music samples, biography, anything that shows us who you are as an artist to:

Alltech, Attn: Fortnight Festival
3031 Catnip Hill Pike
Nicholasville, KY 40356

-JAI

KE$HA? Really?

2010-01-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

You know what Lady Gaga is missing? A money sign in her name...what a missed opportunity. But like a beautiful, washed up angel with whiskey stains on her shirt and a First Response in her pocket, KE$HA glides in on the chance. And with this day in age's taste in music, it wouldn't be right if her album didn't top the charts. After all, she does have a band on stage with her that pretend to play instruments and she's blurring the line between what's fashionable and what's stolen from the crossdresser in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. With deep, philosophical roots hardwired into her lyrics such as "Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack" and "Ain't got a care in world, but got plenty of beer," KE$HA's most popular fan demographic (females 12-17 years old) will learn so many life lessons from this Californian twentysometing. It also seems that she has acquired a protégé after writing songs with Miley Cyrus. Which reminds me, what ever happened to that show "To Catch a Predator" with Chris Hansen?

-JAI

Simon Says, Goodbye

2010-01-12T13:26:00.000-08:00

It will be a bittersweet feeling for American Idol addicts tonight as they tune in for the season premiere of Idol knowing that Paula is gone, Simon will be leaving after this season and Kara’s lackluster presence will continue to hang around the show like that smell in your fridge that you can’t quite get rid of. Paula’s replacement this season, Ellen DeGeneres sure has some big prescriptio-I MEAN-shoes to fill. But what about Simon? Who could take his spot? Do we secretly love it when he throws cruel, suicide-inducing remarks to the people dressed up in leotards? Or is it his baby-sized wardrobe of white, grey and black t-shirts that we can’t get enough of? Either way, I’m going to miss those faces of his while he listens to the tone-deaf beekeeper from Nebraska stumble through “Unchained Melody” like a bad high school talent show dream.

Check out our newly updated Twitter, MySpace and Facebook accounts!

-JAI (Just Another Intern)

2009-12-02T14:14:00.001-08:00

A new look. A whole new level. Get ready for 2010!

Scarlet Johansson Tries Vocals

2009-10-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest, I am quite hard on the actors that attempt music careers. Not being a huge fan of Johansson as an actress, I was skeptical. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Let it be known that Pete Yorn is a good partner in the music business. Yorn and Joahansson's CD is refreshing. There are few artists in today's world that are different, but the combination of their voices is unique and something to hear.

Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers First Tour to Hit Kentucky

2009-09-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

As a child of the “Bluegrass State” I, of course, rebelled against the sounds of banjos, fiddles and mandolins as soon as I got control of the radio dial in our car. This rebellion lasted through my angst-filled high school years and about halfway into my college freshman year. It was in this year that I had a professor who required his students attend Woodsongs: Old Time Radio Hour. I went with a group of friends so that I could sit in the back, talk through the performance and, with any luck, sneak out a little early. As fate would have it, my friends and I had chosen a special day at Woodsongs that cost 10 dollars instead of the usual 5 because there was a big name band on the bill. After having driven over an hour to get to the performance we, begrudgingly, did pay the double admission that we were charged.
I honestly cannot tell you who the big name band was that caused the ticket price spike but I do remember vividly the opening act. At the beginning of the show onto the stage walked, not an old man in overalls and cowboy boots but, 6 young men only a little bit older than me wearing clothes that I would wear. This got my attention but it was their musical style, I was later informed that it is called Alt. Country, which really grabbed and held me through the performance. This band was called The Infamous Stringdusters. These young men had opened my eyes to a style that I had always shrugged off as outdated or boring leading me to other artists like Chris Thile, Gillian Welch, Dirk Powell and many more.
This story does have relevance to the blog. It was in this time of discovery that the members of Nickel Creek decided to go their separate ways and try their hand at solo careers. Chris Thile was the artist that I followed most closely after leaving the band. His solo album was enjoyable but, when I heard that he was teaming up with one of the founding members of the Alt. country band that sparked my conversion: The Infamous Stringdusters, I knew that, together, they would bring their style of music to new highs. Their new band, The Punch Brothers, are going on tour this fall and will be visiting Kentucky as a part of the Alltech Fortnight Festival! Getting to see these two, as well as 3 other virtuosic musicians in a very intimate setting will be a truly great experience that I look forward to!

Until next time,
The Intern

"The Great Lady of Soul" Brings The Who to Tears.

2009-09-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

As far as tributes go, the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors for The Who was among the best that I have seen. This star studded tribute brought honorees Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey to tears multiple times but none of the performances were as moving as Bettye LaVette’s cover of The Who’s Former hit, “Love Reign”. This performance made many in a younger generation, which is infatuated with the classic rock of the 1970’s, stand up and take notice of an artist, and really a genre, that has been almost forgotten about. I know when I watched the performance, I was moved by her soulful rendition of this classic song.
Recently gaining the nickname “The Great Lady of Soul”, Bettye LaVette has had a tumultuous career filled with more emotional highs and lows than last night’s Steelers game. Fortunately, LaVette never gave up on her career; even after her studio mysteriously decided not to release an album that she had just recorded with “the Swampers” in Muscle Shoals in 1972. This incident, while devastating her emotionally, did not cause her to give up on her dreams. The album was later bought by another label and released in 2000, with high acclaim, as Souvenirs. Souvenirs is now regarded as one of the top 5 albums that every fan of Soul music should own.
I am personally excited to see “the Great Lady of Soul” perform in person. I have seen her on the Kennedy Center Honors, Barack Obama’s Inauguration Celebration and a benefit concert with Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney and I think that it will be a see her in the intimate setting of the Singletary Center’s theater. In my opinion, there is no soul singer that has bridged so many styles of music with her albums. Her voice is moving and soulful, fitting perfectly into many different genres; though it always carries with it the same emotional dedication that she shows to her music. It is no wonder that she could take a classic rock song written by someone else and so make it her own that the original artists were brought to tears.

The Intern

Hot New Band "Love and Theft" to Open for Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert

2009-09-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Any band you talk to, if there is a problem on tour, they immediately blame their lead singer. I have spoken to several of my friends, who spend 80% of their year touring with their respective bands, and they all say the same thing, “yeah, it was a great tour except…” What follows that “except” is 100% of the time a complaint about the lead singer being unmanageable on the tour. Because this happens to everyone I know who is in a band, I assume that it is a universal phenomenon. Lead singers simply must be unmanageable. If I have a popular band who tours constantly I would have to assume that the lead singer would cause problems that would borderline tear the band apart but we would always finish the tour and solidify the band relationships afterwards. It is the same story every time.
Enter Love and Theft. For those of you who have not heard of them, Love and Theft is a three man band from Nashville, TN. They are, as you might expect from their city of origin, a new country band.
What is interesting about this band?
They are all lead singers!
Listening to their music from the studio this works very well. The positives of having three band members that all have the ability to lead their own band vocally are endless. They produce harmonies that are very seldom heard and are rooted deeply in the country music of old. The driving force of this band is not a drumbeat, like the current Pop-country scene, it is harmonic vocals and guitars (did I mention they all also play guitar?). Three lead singers who all play guitar! This made me question; what is it like on tour?
If I have heard nothing but complaints from bands about their lead singers on tour, I had to ask myself how this band of three lead singers, who all play guitar, make it through their tours without killing each other. The only other band that I remember having success on tour with three lead singers is Hanson but even they played different instruments.
Surprisingly to me, Love and Theft has thoroughly enjoyed all of their tours according to their interviews. They claim to love playing music together. The closeness of the band, in my opinion, leads to a great chemistry in the studio and on stage. With their single “Runaway” hitting #18 on the country charts, Love and Theft are poised to rock Applebees Park on Sept. 25th where they will be opening for Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert, the best concert value of the year!

The Intern

Alltech Brings Inventor of Slam Poetry to Host Lexington Competition!

2009-08-28T09:09:00.001-07:00

“The very word 'poetry' repels people. Why is that? Because of what schools have done to it. The slam gives it back to the people.... We need people to talk poetry to each other. That's how we communicate our values, our hearts, the things that we've learned that make us who we are.” -Marc Smith-

Marc Smith has spent years in an effort to bring poetry back to the people. Slam Poetry has revolutionized poetry, turning it from a snobby, highly-refined form of fine art into what, most people will argue, it was meant to be: a raw expression of one’s emotions and humanity. Smith invented the poetry slam and, thus, Slam Poetry. Smith’s efforts and ideals have allowed the rise of, now, stars like Saul Williams, Michael Cirelli and many others.

Marc Smith’s quote embodies my experience with poetry. The constant emphasis that schools place on form, length and the refined nature of poetry completely turned me off to the idea of poetry. My junior year of high school I discovered, through a friend, Saul Williams’ album “Penny for a Thought/ Purple Pigeons”. Finding this album caused me to delve deeper into the works of Saul Williams and discover a new brand of poetry that had been hidden deep under a pile of Haikus by English teachers everywhere.

Slam poetry is raw, a slam poet is an individual expressing how they truly feel deep down in a place that they only allow people to see in their poetry. I got one taste of this style of poetry and have been hooked ever since. This style of poetry has been called very macho, masculine and like a sporting event, this is what causes some people to dislike it but the raw bravado is what hooked me, as well as many other people. Marc Smith has not only created a genre, he has empowered people. Saul Williams said of slam poetry,
“It filled a tremendous void for me and my friends growing up... The only thing that prevented all the young boys in the black community from turning into Michael Jackson, from all of us bleaching our skin, from all of us losing it, just losing it, was slamming (slam poetry). That was the only counter-existence in the mainstream media. That was essential, and in that same way I think poetry fills a very huge void today [among] youth. And I guess I count myself among the youth”

Slam poetry is coming to Lexington! This genre of entertainment has not yet made a real jump to the southern states, other than Atlanta, and I am excited to get to see the inventor of the genre, and a group from his weekly show, bring Lexington into the future of poetry by allowing Lexington poets to enter this slam poetry contest!

The Intern

Aldean Rides “Big Green Tractor” to No. 1 on the Charts

2009-08-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

A mere 14 weeks after being released “Big Green Tractor” lands Jason Aldean another No. 1 song. Aldean has been making waves in country music ever since he debuted his self titled album in 2005. This album gained him 3 Billboard top 50 hits as well as the award for top new male vocalist at the 2006 Academy of Country Music awards.

To be honest, I have had a serious bone to pick with country music, of late. I grew up on country music. It was, in fact, the only thing that was allowed to be played in my mother’s car. In those days it seemed like the industry was driven by the artists; you had talented musicians who expressed their emotion through music. The artists were not driven by what the industry wanted to hear, and that’s what made them great. Because of this there was a group of talented, independent artists who came out with several albums, each album an evolution in the individual’s musical style. Growing up with these country greats, I have been very disappointed in the way that the country music industry has conformed to the style of the music industry as a whole. The industry has begun to praise the artists that are here today and gone tomorrow. Always searching for new talent and not cultivating the old has become the MO of the music industry and, therefore, of country music.

This said; I have been more than impressed with Jason Aldean’s staying power in the scene. 4 years after his debut, Aldean is still around and bigger than ever. In a musical environment that prizes new musicians and new styles, Aldean has been able to stay ahead of the reaper (unlike many of the other musicians that have come along in the last 5 years). “Big Green Tractor’s” rapid rise to the top shows that he still has what country music fans are looking for and embodies my hope that the industry is going back to its roots, where the truly talented few, not the “one hit wonder” drove the industry.

Aldean is joining one of his peers, Miranda Lambert, in concert at Applebees Park in Lexington as part of the Festival. Miranda Lambert is another relatively new artist that has shown her resilience in the industry. Having been around since 2003 Lambert has proven herself ready to stand in country music for a long time as well. More to come about her later…

The Intern

Decemberists visit Lexington for first time!

2009-08-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

As an avid fan of live music (and an Alltech Fortnight Festival Blogger) I have, of course, been following the signings and concert announcements for the Festival. While there are several that I am excited about, I have to say, the concert that intrigues me most is that of the Decemberists. This band has exploded onto the scene over the past couple of years and I couldn’t help but ask myself why. I have come up with 3 reasons that I think led to their meteoric rise through the indie rock scene and their rapid appearance in the spotlight of mainstream music.

1. Talent: It is rare these days to find a band that is talented at every position. From a drummer, who brings a driving rock beat, to a guitarist, who makes one reminisce the days of talented folk musicians who dominated the mainstream of the 1960’s and 70’s, to a songwriting style that is unique, ballad-like and equally impressive. It is not often that a songwriter that has intriguing lyrics that evoke legitimate emotion can pull together the instrumentalists necessary to bring his lyrics, skillfully, to the public eye.
2. Timing: The music scene was poised for a band that hits America in its folk music roots. Set up by other successful indie bands turned mainstream phenomena, the Decemberists bring their unique style into the mix at the perfect moment for their music. The music industry was ready for a band, similar to the pioneers of indie-folk rock but unique in what it brings to the table with songwriting and overall musical ability.
3. Presence: The news is filled with musicians who get in brushes with the law to the point where it is hard for the public to care or be surprised. Often these stories are shocking to people because of the pure selfishness that is shown by the perpetrator; rarely are these brushes with the law because of a band trying to give back to its fans. The Decemberists break the mold again with the recent news coming from Portland, Oregon that featured a spontaneous, free concert put on by the band in the streets of their hometown. This concert was broken up by the police, cited as a public disturbance, but I have to respect a band for scraping with the law in order to give back to their fans. The news of this concert confirms something that I have been suspicious of for a long time… The Decemberists love to play music. I have been following the Decemberists and have noticed that they play every show with energy like it is the first show of their tour. Also they have been featured at many different well known music festivals, always drawing a large crowd and never disappointing. I am hopeful that their performance will bring the Alltech Fortnight Festival to a new level and we will see many great performances in the months and years to follow.
It is these three things that, in my opinion, bring the Decemberists to the forefront of a music industry filled with pretenders. That is why I am excited to have them as part of the Fortnight Festival, bringing good music to a town that has, historically, lacked a live music scene worth talking about.

The Intern

2009 Lineup Announcement

2009-08-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

2009 Alltech Fortnight Festival Line-up!!!

2009-08-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

9/25 Jason Aldean & Miranda Lambert @ Applebee’s Park – Lexington, Kentucky (Opener: Love & Theft)

9/26 Bettye LaVette @ Singletary Center for the Arts – Lexington, Kentucky

“Beguiled Again” @ Black Box Theatre – Lexington, Kentucky

9/27 “Beguiled Again” @ Black Box Theatre – Lexington, Kentucky

9/28 Fairplay Collective @ Black Box Theatre
Lexington, Kentucky

9/29 Singer-Songwriter Night @ Black Box Theatre
Lexington, Kentucky

9/30 Marc Smith Poetry Slam @ Black Box Theatre
Lexington, Kentucky

10/1 Makem & Spain Brothers @ Lexington Opera House
Lexington, Kentucky

10/2 Mary Chapin Carpenter @ Equus Run – Midway, Kentucky

10/3 .38 Special & Kansas @ Murray State University Regional
Special Events Center - Murray Kentucky

10/4 TBA

10/5 TBA

10/6 The Decemberists @ Singletary Center for the Arts
Lexington, Kentucky

Battle of the Bluegrass @ Tin Roof – Lexington, Kentucky

10/7 Battle of the Bluegrass @ Tin Roof – Lexington, Kentucky

10/8 Ricky Skaggs @ Paramount Center for the Arts
Ashland, Kentucky

10/9 John Sebastian @ The Grand Theatre – Frankfort, Kentucky

10/10 Ronan Tynan & The Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra @
Singletary Center for the Arts - Lexington, Kentucky

Ricky Skaggs @ RiverPark Center – Owensboro, Kentucky

String Band Day @ Appalshop – Whitesburg, Kentucky

Alltech Fortnight Festival 2009 Fall Line-up to be Announced--- THIS FRIDAY!!

2009-08-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

Who: Alltech Fortnight Festival
What: 2009 Fall Line-up Announcement
When: Friday, August 7th @ 6:00 p.m.
Where: Joseph Beth Booksellers --- Lexington, KY

Drinks and food will be served.

This event is open to everyone. We hope you can make it!!

Heard of Brooks?

2009-07-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

If you haven't, you have been missing out! Check him out on ITunes.

Love & Theft

2009-07-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Opener is Official

2009-07-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

Look who will be opening for our Jason Aldean/Miranda Lambert show!

Love and Theft. Heard of them? If you haven't, you should probably check them out.

Thoughts?

2009-06-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

Walker Hayes opened for our Doobie Brothers show in April and we were impressed. What do you think?

Question of the Day

2009-06-22T06:52:00.001-07:00

What is the best concert you have ever attended? What made it the best??

We Signed Jason Aldean & Miranda Lambert!

2009-06-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

Media Release

June 12, 2009
For Immediate Release

Kicking off the 2009 Alltech Fortnight Festival: Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert

[Lexington, KY] – The Alltech Fortnight Festival joins forces again with Applebee’s Park in Lexington, Ky., to kick off its 16-day, statewide celebration marking the final year before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010™ with platinum country artists Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert. Ticket sales for the September 25th concert will begin on July 10th at 10 a.m.

A two-time Grammy winner, Lambert’s albums have earned glowing accolades from The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Entertainment Weekly among others. The noted songwriter releases her third album, “Revolution,” on September 29. Fans will be treated to a live preview when she hits the stage in Lexington with Jason Aldean, the 2006 Academy of Country Music Top New Male Vocalist. “She’s Country” from Aldean’s latest album has been his fastest rising single yet.

“The Alltech Fortnight Festival was created by Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech, as a means of building excitement throughout the state for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games while investing in the development of the arts in local communities,” said Thomas Stephens, director of the Alltech Fortnight Festival. “We are very excited to be starting our 2009 Alltech Fortnight Festival celebration at Applebee’s Park with Jason Aldean and Miranda Lambert in concert together.”

“I couldn’t be happier with the show we have locked in,” said Andy Shea, general manager of Applebee’s Park. “This is a concert for men and women of all ages and should be a fantastic evening at the ballpark.”
The 2009 Alltech Fortnight Festival will be held September 25 – October 10, mirroring the Alltech Fortnight Festival’s culmination in 2010 with nightly entertainment held concurrently with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Since July 2008, the Alltech Fortnight Festival has produced 24 entertainment events of various genres in nine cities and 12 venues covering all regions of the Commonwealth. For more information on the Alltech Fortnight Festival, visit http://www.alltechfortnightfestival.com/.

Alltech is the proud sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010™ to be held in Lexington, Kentucky, from September 25th to October 10th, 2010 and the Alltech European Championships to be held in Windsor, United Kingdom, from August 25th to 30th, 2009.
-Ends-

Press Contact:
Susanna Elliott
Public Relations for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Alltech Corporate Headquarters
3031 Catnip Hill Pike
Nicholasville, Kentucky
United States
Telephone: (859) 887-5144
Mobile: (859) 473-2696
Email: SuElliott@alltech.com
Web site : http://www.alltechfortnightfestival.com/

Keith ElkinsDirector of Broadcasting and Media RelationsLexington Legends/Applebee’s Park207 Legends LaneLexington, KY 40505Telephone: (859) 422-7859Email: kelkins@lexingtonlegends.com

2009-06-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

The Alltech Fortnight Festival is now on Twitter! Find us at: http://twitter.com/AlltechFestival.

Signing Acts

2009-05-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

We are currently securing our fall 2009 line-up! We are looking forward to the 2009 Alltech Fortnight Festival: September 25th-October 10th. Keep checking back for the official announcement!

Welcome Fans

2009-03-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

We hope that you enjoy our brand new blog! We are about to finish up the first phase of the festival with the Doobie Brothers next weekend, April 3rd, in Paducah, Kentucky at the Carson Center.

Currently, we are planning and booking entertainment for the fortnight period this fall: September 25-October 10, 2009. Keep checking back for updates and the soon-to-be announced fall 2009 line-up!