Speedway to screen Avett Bros. show

The Avett Brothers have gotten pretty big over the past couple of years.

Their 2009 CD “I and Love and You” peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s album charts, and earlier this year, they performed with Mumford & Sons and Bob Dylan at the Grammy Awards.
Next month, they’ll get even bigger. Enormous, in fact.

On July 9, the Concord folk-rock band will perform a sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, and that show will be broadcast live via satellite to the band’s hometown on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s new 80-foot-high, 200-foot-wide high-definition video board (the world’s largest such screen).

“The speedway has been a hometown landmark for us our whole lives and we’re proud to have an opportunity for our music to echo through that historical infield,” said Seth Avett, who fronts the band with his brother Scott. Both men grew up on a farm in Concord. “For us, performing at Red Rocks and airing live in Concord is about the most ideal situation for being in two amazing places at once.”

The superspeedway will pump the audio through “concert-grade speakers to turn the infield area in front of the video board into a one-of-a-kind concert venue,” according to a press release issued Thursday.

Promoters reportedly are expecting as many as 10,000 fans to pay $10 for tickets (or $15 in July, or $20 at the gate).

Another thing promoters are expecting – maybe hoping for is more accurate (and this wasn’t in the press release): The event might help NASCAR lure some younger, cooler new fans.

Perhaps with this in mind, Charlotte Motor Speedway president and general manager Marcus Smith said, in describing the simulcast: “It’s going to be awesome!”
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Tickets can purchased at the speedway ticket office or by calling 1-800-455-3267.

Britney coming to Charlotte in August

Britney Spears kicked off her “Femme Fatale” tour in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday night, and it must have gone pretty well: On Friday morning, she announced she will bring the tour to Time Warner Cable Arena this summer.

The 29-year-old pop princess has set Aug. 25 as the concert date; tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 25, through Ticketmaster.

It’s likely to be a provocative, hit-filled show: According to an MTV report, Spears “took to the stage (in Sacramento) on Thursday night in a collection of revealing outfits, including fishnet stockings and a sexy silver hotpants and bra ensemble, sporting a more fuller-figure than usual. She opened her 22-song set with hit, ‘Hold It Against Me,’ powering through some of her most famous tunes and ending with ‘Toxic’ and ‘Till The World Ends.’ ”

No opening acts were announced for the Charlotte show, although rapper Nicki Minaj opened Thursday night.

Although Spears brought her “Circus” tour to Greensboro Coliseum in September 2009, she hasn’t performed in Charlotte since the “Dream Within a Dream” tour came here (to the old Charlotte Coliseum) in 2002.

The press release issued by Live Nation and Time Warner Cable Arena notes that "Citi cardmembers will also have access to presale tickets through Citi's Private Pass Program. For complete presale details visit www.citiprivatepass.com."

Spears will play the RBC Center in Raleigh the night before coming to Charlotte (on Aug. 24).

More details: www.livenation.com.

Bobcats to host draft party

The Charlotte Bobcats will host an NBA Draft Party at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at Time Warner Cable Arena.

This free, public event will feature appearances by former NBA stars David Thompson, Eric “Sleepy” Floyd and Dell Curry, as well as live analysis of the draft by team broadcasters Steve Martin and Scott Lauer.

The draft will air on the arena’s main scoreboard beginning at 7 p.m. The Bobcats have the ninth, 19th and 39th overall selections in this year’s draft; the ninth pick will be made at approximately 8:20 p.m.

In addition to live draft coverage, attendees can test their basketball skills in the Bobcats draft combine on the practice court and meet the new 2011-12 Lady Cats dance team. Kids activities will include balloon artists, face painters and magicians, and concession stands will be open.

If you're in the market for Bobcats gear, team-worn items will be on sale at a table on the concourse, with all proceeds benefitting Cats Care programming next season, and the Team Store (on the Trade Street Plaza entrance of the arena) will be hosting a store-wide 25-percent-off sale.

For more on the Bobcats and on the draft-night event: www.bobcats.com.

Lil Wayne to make lil stop in Charlotte

Rap fans, rejoice: Live Nation announced this morning that Lil Wayne will play Charlotte's Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre on Sunday, Aug. 7, with special guests Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, The Far East Movement and Lloyd to open.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, June 17, at LiveNation.com, the venue box office, Ticketmaster and via charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.

From the press release: "Due to popular demand, iconic rapper and label owner, Lil Wayne, in the midst of a high charting radio single '6 Foot 7 Foot' and the pending release of his hotly anticipated 10th studio album 'Tha Carter IV,' will extend his 2011 North American tour, the 'I Am Still Music tour,' heading back out on to the road in July and touring through September."

The multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning recording artist has sold more than 10 million records; his last tour, which ran 2008-2009, featured 78 headline shows in nine months and grossed more than $40 million, making him hip-hop's most profitable touring artist.

Martin Lawrence to perform in Charlotte

Martin Lawrence will return to his stand-up roots with a comedy show at Time Warner Cable Arena Charlotte on Thursday, Aug. 18.

The 46-year-old funnyman -- who began his career doing stand-up on the Washington, D.C. circuit and parlayed his act into a 1983 appearance on “Star Search” -- has starred recently in the films "Big Mommas: Like Father Like Son," "College Road Trip," and "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins."

Tickets for Lawrence's show go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at LiveNation.com, the venue box office, Ticketmaster or via charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000.

'The Bachelor' wants YOU, single ladies

Charlotte native Emily Maynard won the heart of Brad Womack on ABC’s “The Bachelor” earlier this year. Now representatives of the hit reality show are coming to the Queen City to see if any other Southern belles have what it takes.

Casting producers from “The Bachelor” will be at the EpiCentre (210 E. Trade St.) on Thursday, June 16, searching for prospective bachelorettes to appear on the next season. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. and on-camera interviews will run through 10 p.m. at SUITE, adjacent to the rooftop Pavilion at the EpiCentre, which will be hosting its weekly Alive After Five party.

“The Bachelor” introduces one man to 25 women who are all vying for his affection. He spends time with each woman, sometimes as a group and sometimes one-on-one. Each episode culminates with a rose ceremony where the women who receive roses can stay; those who come up empty-handed are eliminated.

Additional information about “The Bachelor” is available at ABC.com. The current season of “The Bachelorette” airs at 8 p.m. Mondays on WSOC Channel 9.