BEWARE: Bone Collector Coming to Florence

Well that sounds scary, but no this isn’t a horror flick nor a Halloween gimmick, this is actually pretty cool opportunity to meet a legendary outdoorsman. You have all heard of the Pee Dee Deer Classic, which as you know is South Carolina’s largest outdoor and hunting expo. Well this year marks the 21^st anniversary for the Deer Classic so event coordinators wanted to make sure they brought in some big guns (big name talent that is). One of this year’s special celebrity guests is none other than Michael Waddell, a.k.a. The Bone Collector.

The Bone Collector will be making appearances and interacting with the crowd during the Deer Classic. Michael Waddell, host of The Outdoor Channel’s “Bone Collector” and creator of “Realtree Road Trips” will be available for meet and greet opportunities at select times during all three days.

With a name like “Bone Collector” I had to find out more, so I threw on my boots and my camos, packed my gear, climbed into a tree stand, then searched the web from my smartphone. I know… I’m a pretty extreme hunter. Anyhow, here’s what I found…

Michael Waddell was born in Booger Bottom, Georgia and has over 35 years of hunting under his belt. He got his start in the hunting industry by winning a Realtree turkey calling contest, and from there he started guiding and filming hunts. Before too long, he was running cameras for Realtree all over the country. Now he is the host of The Outdoor Channel’s “Bone Collector” and creator of “Realtree Road Trips”. The Bone Collector now has a fairly large line of products and gear which have become immensely popular across the U.S.

So he’s a pretty big deal, but there’s a ton of other reasons to visit the Pee Dee Deer Classic too. They’ll have a full lineup of deer hunting merchandise, camo items, tree stands, archery equipment, taxidermy, sports vehicles, fishing boats and more. There’s also a 3-D bow tournament, snake show and a live artic wolves exhibit (insert ferocious howling here).

Here’s a little more info to plan your Deer Classic weekend.
When? July 25-27, 2014
Where? Florence Civic Center
Hours? Friday 1pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-7pm, Sunday 10am-6pm.
Cost? Adults $10, Kids 7-12 years $3, Children 6 years old and under are free.
More? Visit http://www.florenceciviccenter.com

And bring the biggest truck you got because the parking is always free!

 

Crowds at the 2013 Pee Dee Deer Classic

-The Voice

Sizzling Summer Savings!

So I just came across these summer deals and had to share them while the offers last! If the blog feels a little wet is because I’m typing from my summer home (a.k.a. my neighbor’s pool which I use when he’s at work, hehehe). Summer is here, the sun is scorching, and I’ve got a hot deal for ya. Ticketmaster has just launched an online summer promotion “Me+3” deal for Florence events. The offer is valid for both Disney Junior Live On Tour Pirate & Princess Adventure (July 11) …AND… for Sesame Street Live Make A New Friend (September 3). Here’s the scoop on “Me+3”… basically you’re getting 25% off tickets when you buy 4. It’s the perfect offer for families! This is also the same as buying 3 tickets at full price and getting 1 free. Either way you slice it, it’s a great deal. This is a limited time offer though, so get a move on it. You might need to apply sun screen ‘cause this offer is blazin’. You don’t need a special password for this deal while it lasts, just be sure to select the 4-pack offer. Choose your show, then let the summer savings begin. Tickets> http://bit.ly/FloTickets.

Just like my ice cream cone, this offer won’t last much longer. Stay cool my friends.

 

-The Voice

Get Ready Florence… Luke Bryan is Coming to Town!

My good friends at the Florence Civic Center shared this press release about Luke Bryan Dirt Road Diaries Tour coming to Florence March 21, 2013.  Check it out!  It’s AWESOME!  Hope you are as excited as I am!!!

– The Voice

LUKE BRYAN
ANNOUNCES FIRST HEADLINE TOUR
“Dirt Road Diaries Tour” Launches in January
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
THOMPSON SQUARE
and Florida Georgia Line
Florence Civic Center – Thursday March 21

Luke Bryan’s career has rocketed towards superstar status in the past couple of years.  He has seen his recent album tailgates & tanlines sell over one million copies and remain a Top 5 album for all of 2012, co-hosted the “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” special on ABC, taken home trophies at both the ACM Awards and CMT Music Awards and opened concert tours for artists such as Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw.  In 2013, Luke will take another giant step and headline his first major tour, the “Dirt Road Diaries Tour.”  

The “Dirt Road Diaries Tour” will kick off in Evansville, Indiana on January 17.  The 20-city first leg will go through March and features Thompson Square and Florida Georgia Line as openers.

LUKE BRYAN’S Dirt Road Diaries Tour will play Florence Civic Center on Thursday March 21 & Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville on Friday March 22.  Special guests Thompson Square and Florida Georgia Line will open the show.

Tickets go on sale Friday November 30 at 10am at LiveNation.com, the venue box offices, Ticketmaster or charge by phone 800-745-3000.  Log on to www.lukebryan.com or www.livenation.com for tour dates and information.

 “I have dreamed about this day for a very long time,” said Luke.  “We are having the best time putting together all the bells & whistles for the tour.  I have spent a lot of time out on tours with some really great artists and each night we have tried to learn from them.  I couldn’t be more excited about this!”

Citi is the official credit card of the “Dirt Road Diaries Tour.”  Citi card members will have access to presale tickets in beginning Wednesday November 28th E.T. through Citi’s Private Pass Program.  For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com .

In the past year, Luke has celebrated three back-to-back Platinum singles “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” “I Don’t Want This Night To End” and “Drunk On You,” all from his Platinum-certified album, tailgates & tanlines. The Leesburg, Georgia native has achieved five career #1 singles and is currently on his fourth annual “Farm Tour” with eight shows through several southern states, including five in Georgia, through the end of this week.  When the tour wraps on October 13 a portion of the proceeds from the concerts will have created 20 scholarships in its four-year run to students of farming families within the communities the tour has played.  Luke recently received two CMA Award and two American Music Award nominations in the Male Vocalist and Album of the Year categories as well as leading the nominations with seven at the upcoming American Country Awards.

Thompson Square, the reigning ACM “Vocal Duo of the Year” and Stoney Creek Records duo, ended 2011 as Billboard’s #1 New Country Artist and the #6 New Artist across all genres of music. The husband/wife duo’s #1 smash, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” earned them 2 GRAMMY nominations, American Music Award and Teen Choice Award nods, 4 CMA, and 5 CMT Music Award nominations.  “AYGKMON” has sold nearly 2 million singles and was iTunes 2011 Country Song of the Year. Follow-up hits include the award winning, “I Got You,” (#6) and the critically lauded power ballad, “Glass” (#15).  Thompson Square is a 3x American Country Award and a 2012 CMT Music Award winner.  The duo is currently nominated for “Vocal Duo of the Year” and “New Artist of the Year” at the 2012 CMA Awards.

Florida Georgia Line has been quickly garnering buzz among fans, media and superstars (Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles) since releasing their Top 20 single, “Cruise.” With infectious lyrics and a buoyant melody, the single has sold well over 500,000 copies and has been certified GOLD in Canada. The song is also listed in the Top 10 for sales in many major markets and sits – with the video – in the Top 5 nationally on iTunes Country Charts. The Republic Nashville duo – comprised of Tyler Hubbard from Monroe, Georgia and Brian Kelley from Ormond Beach, Florida – brings a fresh sound to the genre and beyond, combining electrifying, hard-driving rock with honest, expressive lyrics. “Cruise” is featured on their EP It’z Just What We Do produced by Joey Moi (Jake Owen, Nickelback).

“Dirt Road Diaries Tour”  

1-17      Evansville, IN                Ford Center

1-18      Huntsville, AL                Von Braun Center

1-19      Southaven, MS             Landers Center

1-25      Estero, FL                     Germain Arena

1-26      Orlando, FL                   Amway Center

2-7        Uniondale, NY               Nassau Coliseum

2-8        State College, PA          Bryce Jordan Center

2-15      Toledo, OH                   Huntington Center

2-16      Grand Rapids, MI          Van Andel Arena

2-17      Bloomington, IL             US Cellular Center

2-21      Ft Wayne, IN                 Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

2-22      Louisville, KY                KFC Yum! Center

2-23      Columbia, MO               Mizzou Arena

2-28      Green Bay, WI               Resch Center

3-1        Sioux City, IA                Tyson Events Center

3-2        Moline, IL                      i wireless Center

3-14      Orange Beach, AL         Amphitheatre at the Wharf

3-21      Florence, SC                 Florence Civic Center

3-22      Fayetteville, NC             Crown Center

3-23      Charlottesville, VA         John Paul Jones Arena

For more information go to www.livenation.com.

About Live Nation Entertainment:

Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and ecommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network.  Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five ecommerce sites, with almost 27 million monthly unique visitors.  Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally.  Front Line is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 250 artists.  These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.

“I got tickets! Who needs tickets! Cheap tickets!”

Looking for tickets?

I’ve got tickets!  Who wants ’em!  I’ve been here long enough to figure out the ins and outs of ticket buying, so I have some major deals for you!  I have been secretly creating and printing tickets that no one is aware of.  I’ll sell them to you for a great deal!  All you have to do is visit my website to purchase them.  No strings attached.  Send me your payment and I’ll ship you the tickets direct.  I even have tickets for you to buy before the venue puts them on sale!  This is a great deal.  Go now and get your tickets!  Here is the website…    http://www.YouJustGotScammed.fraud

Guess what!  You just got scammed!  I don’t really have these tickets, but unfortunately some groups out there do advertise these false impressions.  You’ve heard it before – “Buyer Beware” – and in today’s world of internet, mobile and digital sales; this phrase is now more important than ever.

Be cautious out there when looking for event tickets.  Attending concerts is one of my all-time favorite activities, plus I like going to other live shows and acts too, but when I’m ready to click “submit” on my final purchase, I always ask myself one thing “is this legit?”.  Ticket seekers are getting ripped-off daily across the nation and here in the Pee Dee the trend is growing.  The Florence Civic Center warns about 3rd party ticket sellers, scammers and scalpers plus the hazards that come with these vultures.  I recommend reading their letter below and getting familiar with the proper ticket purchasing process.  Remember, the FCC is a Ticketmaster venue, so when in doubt, always buy Ticketmaster direct or at the Box Office.

Read below and don’t get scammed.  Oh and in case you are wondering, there are great deals and discount out there, you just need to know where to look.  At the bottom of this blog I’ll spell out some special offers for you to take advantage of.

-The Voice

–STORY-

Florence Civic Center Stands Up and Fights for Ticket Seekers’ Rights

The Florence Civic Center aims to protect its ticket-buying fans from abusers in the secondary ticket market.  Upgrades in technology and the continuous evolution of the internet have led to an increase in arising issues for ticket seekers.  Hundreds of second-party and third-party ticket sellers have popped up over the past several years and aspire to take advantage of the live events market.    The Florence Civic Center, an SMG-managed facility, is on a new mission to help inform and protect its beloved fans.

Ticket scammers, re-sellers and scalpers have betrayed countless consumers over the years and the problem seems worse now than ever.  The tactics these predatory ticket scammers utilize come in many shapes and forms.  “The biggest problems we are currently seeing is coming from web-based pre-selling trends,” states Nick Hooker, Marketing Manager of the Florence Civic Center.  “Many websites give the look and feel of an authentic ticket selling point, so you visit the site and buy.  What you don’t know is that the website doesn’t own or even possess these tickets for the actual show you are planning to attend.  Secondary sellers increase the original ticket price, sometimes up to 150%, sell it to you first and then visit an authorized ticket seller, buy the tickets and ship them to you.  Imagine the outrage when you realize what the person next to you paid for the same ticket,” continues Hooker.  “This is just one scenario among many.  Sometimes the consumer sees the inflated price and decides not to buy tickets or maybe even tells their friends about the ridiculous price tag, either of which hurts the venue, event promoter and tour while giving a false negative impression.”

The Florence Civic Center is no stranger to these deceptive ticket practices.  Just last year when Lady Antebellum came to Florence, tickets were “available” online through third party ticket sites weeks before the actual public on-sale date.  Most of those “available” tickets were in sections that didn’t exist and were more than double the face-value price.  “It’s very difficult to tell someone standing at the concert gates, ready to see their favorite singer that their tickets are fakes.  We try to accommodate as much as possible, but the fact remains that the chance they’ll ever see a reimbursement for those fake tickets is slim to none“, explains Kendall Wall, General Manager of the Florence Civic Center.

To help protect ticket buyers, the Florence Civic Center is working closely with Ticketmaster, the Fans First Coalition, multiple venues throughout the nation, and several ticketing agencies to help raise awareness both nationally and on a local level regarding these concerns.  Combining forces with these entities throughout the United States builds reach, repetition and recognition.  “This is a worldwide issue that venues, events and tours deal with on a regular basis,” Mr. Wall says.  The most recent partnership the Civic Center has began is that with the Fans First Coalition, a national organization of sports teams, performance artists, fans and venues which highlights issues that affect fans’ experiences, including unreasonable prices, counterfeit tickets and other fraudulent practices in the secondary ticket market.

“We are not only excited about joining the Fans First Coalition, but we are eager to rally around the cause.  It’s our obligation to help protect our fans and our duty to steer patrons away from overpriced tickets,” states the Civic Center’s Marketing Manager.  “Scammers hurt everyone involved.  Inflated ticket prices not only rip off purchasers, but can also tarnish the tour, act and venue image by falsely advertising outrageous admission prices.”

“With our fall and winter lineup right around the corner, we want to ensure our fans know where to find proper event tickets.  We’ll continue reminding consumers to avoid third party sellers, scalpers, scammers and the repercussions involved and will make every effort to provide official ticket purchasing methods readily available.  The Florence Civic Center is a certified Ticketmaster venue, so we encourage event seekers to buy directly from Ticketmaster.com, the Ticketmaster hotline 1-800-745-3000 or at the Civic Center Box Office.  If you’re ever in doubt, please call our box office first at 843-679-4525 before committing to your purchase,” advises the Florence Civic Center.

-END STORY-

Don’t let the story scare you.  You can still see great live shows and not get scammed, you just have to make sure you’re buying from the right people.  My suggestion…  listen to what the Civic Center is saying and buy directly from them.  Besides, they’re the ones offering bottom line pricing and occasional discounts.  As promised, below are the current offers I could dig up and YES – they are all legit, but don’t take my word for it, visit the box office.
-The Voice

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy – Nov 1-4

• Labor Day Sale – one day only (Sept. 3), first 100 tickets sell for only 7 bucks!  Offer details at: http://bit.ly/Rmr7O1
• Civic Center E-blast Club offer – 1 week sale (Sept. 3 – 7), tickets only $11!  Use codeword “MAGICAL” at the box office.  Restrictions/fees apply.
• Group Orders – groups of 10 or more save $4 per ticket!  Contact the box office for details.

Chris Tomlin And If Our God Is For Us… Tour – Nov 10

• Group Orders – Buy as a group and save big! Only $18 per ticket!  Call the box office for details.
• Student Discount – Show your school ID at the box office and get tickets for only $18.
• Church & Youth Groups – Coordinate a large group and save even more!  Call the box office for pricing.