Last week I attended a baseball game at historic Calfee Park in Pulaski, Virginia. Calfee Park is one of the oldest minor league baseball stadiums in the country. It was built in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration project and is included in the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. Named after a former Pulaski Mayor, Ernest W. Calfee, the Park seats about 2,500 baseball fans.
Calfee is a mix of old school baseball tradition, with its left field grand stands appearing much as they did in 1935; and new school amenities like “open-air suites,” a new club house and press box, modern seating behind the plate and along the first base side. The ballpark underwent some major rennovations in 1999, and today, it stands as one of the nicers minor league ballparks I have visited.
I lived in Pulaski for nearly 2-1/2 years and somehow had never managed to see a game until last week. Of course, now I live in Blacksburg … go figure. To my defense, the town lost the Pulaski Blue Jays, the Appalachian League Team (Class A rookie league, the bottom rung of the professional baseball ladder), following the 2006 season and went without a team for the ‘07 season. The Seattle Mariners put a team there for the current season and so far, the Pulaski Mariners have done quite well. And judging from the attendance of the game I attended (just under 1,000), they aren’t doing too bad at all.
Whether you are a casual fan of the game, or a die-hard baseball junkie, this ballpark offers the perfect balance. For starters, it’s very inexpensive. I don’t like to use the word “cheap” because it generally means the product is sub-par; and this is not the case at Calfee. Tickets are $4 for adults, $3 for ages 6-12; and under 6 get in free. Hot dogs are $1.50 and come with as many fixins’ as you want; drinks are $1; and popcorn is a $1.50 a bag. I bought two tickets, two hotdogs, a drink and some popcorn for $13.50. You can’t beat that.
As for the quality of play … if you are a casual baseball fan, you likely won’t notice much of a difference since most of the players are on the same level, which is about the same level as a good college team. Remember, most of these guys are right out high school and are the cream of the crop, or at least they’re supposed to be. We saw a very exciting game filled with big home runs, a big rally and the thrill of watching a bunch of kids live the dream of playing professional baseball. Unfortunately, the Mariners lost the game we attended, but are still in first place with less than two weeks until the end of the season.
If you are looking for a fun, family-friendly outing, check out the Pulaski Mariners at historic Calfee Park in Pulaski, Virginia. But you’d better hurry! The team only has seven home games remaining for the 2008 season. Check out their schedule here.
Aug 12
It’s that time of the week again! SWVA Butter Roomies, your weekly events are served!
Hi Folks! Okay, we know, we’ve been slackin’ on the Mondays! But don’t worry because today is Tuesday and there’s plenty to do the rest of the week. Check it out…
TONIGHT :: It IS easy being green… Big Lick-Green Drinks is still going strong at All Sports in Salem, VA so if you love livin’ green and want to surround yourself with likeminded peeps then here’s a chance for you local “greenies” in the Roanoke Valley to get socialized!
WEDNESDAY :: Blue 5 in downtown Roanoke hosts their monthly Blue Ridge Blues Society Jam just in time to get you past the mid-week doldrums. This unique monthly event is fun, laid back, and one you don’t want to miss! So grab your friends and a brew and get the blues!
THURSDAY :: Walking Work of Art, the new tattoo shop on Campbell Ave in Roanoke, is offering anyone who mentions myScoper.com 20% OFF a brand spankin’ new tattoo all day today (and Fri/Sat). So if you’ve been contemplating the awesomeness of body art, it’s now or never! Hey, we’ve got an idea… myScoper’s eyeball would make one fantastic tattoo! YES!
FRIDAY :: The legendary STYX is performing at the newest and coolest concert series on Smith Mountain Lake. Just outside of Mariners Landing Resort the show is set in an exciting new festival style arena so be sure to bring a lawn chair or blanket! And if you want to make a weekend of it… you can stay at one of the super nice condos just down the street and right on the water at The Pointe at Mariners plus you can catch the Saturday night concert with Lonestar! You need a vacation right? Click here for more info and tix!
SATURDAY :: This one’s for anyone young and young at heart. Center in the Square in downtown Roanoke turned 25 this year and to celebrate they’re hosting a family fun extravaganza all day Saturday and Sunday. Everything in the center (including all the museums) is FREE and open both days plus the market square is going to be loaded up with fantasy face painting, moonwalks, clowns, balloons and more! A kid’s dream come true, who doesn’t love a moonwalk?!
SUNDAY :: The Blue Ridge Jazz Ensemble makes an appearance at Rockfish Food & Wine on Grandin Road in Roanoke. The show is only $5 and the food is superb. We especially love the black bean hummus! Yummus! Reservations are recommended so call early!
And just remember… YOUR WEEK IN EVENTS IS WAITING! So get out there and [heart] your community!
And to our roomies all over VA looking for a road trip, hop in the car, on the bus, or your bike (if you’re ambitious) and come on over. Check it out…
TONIGHT :: Its a special month for the Emerging Artist Program at the Main Roanoke Library. They have not one BUT two fantastic events starting tonight with the BOE Showcase, a Roanoke collective of hip hop, RnB, and breakdancing artists called Blackout Entertainment. DJ DickiE, Receptors, and Aaron Parker (of Red Clay River) will be providing music and Maggie Moos will provide yummy treats and its all completely and totally and wonderfully FREE! Starts at 6pm! (See Thursday for their second stellar event this week)
WEDNESDAY :: If you haven’t already checked it out and you’re in the mood for a little road trip, head on down to Galax for the Old Fiddler’s Convention in its 73rd year and already in full swing for 2008 until Saturday. Tickets range from $6 to $12 each day for some of the best mountain music around!
THURSDAY :: Another fantastic opening from the Emerging Artist Series as promised. Kate Abarbanel presents “How to Draw a Blog” utilizing her multi-genre creativity, this actual reality blog interacts with her own personal blog, resulting in song, dance, film, photography & performance. Live music from Receptors and slow food provided. Starts at 6pm at the Main Library Downtown and of course, its fantastically FREE!
FRIDAY :: How about a Night Under The Stars? Amrhein Wine Cellars is offering just that every Friday in August. For $35 you and your squeeze can spend an evening at the winery with dinner for 2 and a bottle of wine. Who says romance can’t be affordable!?
SATURDAY :: Looks like its a food, wine, and fabulous libations kind of weekend. There are two options today depending on your vice of choice. For the wine lovers, there’s the Black Dog Wine and Jazz Festival at Chateau Morrisette with everything from fine wine to american roots music and latin jazz. Then for the beer drinkers, there’s the much loved annual Microfestivus at Elmwood Park in Roanoke. Now in its 11th year, you can sample from over 50 beers (well we don’t recommend you actually sample that many, that would be bad) from over 20 microbreweries in the Mid-Atlantic.
SUNDAY :: Did you know that the Science Museum at Center in the Square is open on Sundays? What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Now showing in the MegaDome: “Africa: The Serengeti” Narrator, James Earl Jones takes viewers on a journey with more than 1.5 million animals as they travel 500 miles across the plains of the Serengeti. Fantastic and Amazing, show is at 2:15pm on Sunday afternoon.
And just remember… YOUR WEEK IN EVENTS IS WAITING! So get out there and [heart] your community!
B.B. King’s Blues Band blew the roof off the Roanoke Performing Arts Center Tuesday night.
by Misty A. Sweet (for the butter room)
B.B. King’s Blues Band blew the roof off the Roanoke Performing Arts Center Tuesday night. And that was just the seven-piece band’s two-song intro before King took the stage.
At 82 years old B.B. King, in his three-piece suit and black patten leather shoes, is the consummate entertainer. He preceded each song with a story and told as many stories as he sang songs. Jokes about talking slow because he is from Mississippi, aging and likes to intermingle his Viagra, Levitra and Cialis prescriptions were intermixed with serious statements like still missing his father twenty years after his death.
King introduced “Blues Man” by saying he wanted us to know where he’d come from. He grew up on a farm on the Mississippi Delta. He talked of plowing fields with Big Ben and Big Red, the two mules, one of which apparently had gas. Of not seeing electric lights in a house until he was sixteen. Of watching women from the drugstore window in his hometown where the railroad tracks separated the two streets and the two races. These stories were not bitter just a bit of his history.
King seemed to enjoy the nearly two hours he spent on stage however he radiated most as he played his guitar Lucile while belting out fan favorites like “I Need You So,” “When Love Comes to Town,” “The Thrill is Gone” and “Rock Me Baby”. Whenever he could, King encouraged the audience in call and response. The slightly rowdy audience (one beer bottle rolled so loudly on the floor even King raised his eyebrows and made a crack) responded not only by singing, talking back (one woman shouted that she had been a fan since 1958) but also with repeated standing ovations.
If you missed B.B. King show Tuesday night it is worth a road-trip to hear the blues legend. He plays about 250 shows a year. See one soon. bbking.com/events
It’s summertime, and you’re bored!?! We don’t think so! Check out what’s happenin’ in your ‘hood this week! July 28-August 3, 2008
MONDAY :: What’s America’s favorite pastime? Baseball of course! And lucky for you the Salem Avalanche are taking on the Frederick Keys tonight on their home turf. Go show support for your local team and grab a hot dog and a pretzel for the full experience! Need more info? Click here!
TUESDAY :: BB King takes the stage Tuesday night at the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre and tickets are still available. Named the third-greatest guitarist of “the 100 greatest guitarists of all-time” by Rolling Stone magazine, King is one of the greatest and most respected blues musicians of all time. So click now for pricing and info so you don’t miss your opportunity to see this legend in action.
WEDNESDAY :: Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked bread and homemade jam in the summertime? Now you can learn how to make your own at Foodies’ Hot Bread & Jam Cooking Class. Learn how to make your own yeast rolls and delicious peach jam, a perfect present for friends or just to enjoy all to yourself! For more information, click here.
THURSDAY :: It’s LADIES night everywhere (we’re talking 202, Metro, and more), so girls listen up, tonight’s your night to get out with your girlfriends, and if you’re hitched, no worries, its Guys Night at Blues BBQ, where we’re sure your man will be more than content with the half priced apps and abundant beer specials. Plus Metro has half priced sushi from 6 to 7pm for everyone! Yummy!
FRIDAY :: It’s that time of year again, The Virginia Mountain Peach Festival is back in SunTrust plaza and with this year’s Superb Peach crop in Virginia, it should be better than ever! If you work downtown, go grab a milkshake on your lunch break or head over on Saturday too for some fantastic peach cobbler!
Also on Friday, Blackburg’s annual Steppin Out is the quintessential 2-day street fest to get your festival on from 10am - 10pm as well as all day Saturday. The village center will definitely be a-buzz with pedestrians imbibing in craft vendors, sidewalk sales, festival foods (yummy), and three stages of live entertainment with national and regional acts from bluegrass to bhangrass, acoustic work, and local talent. If traveling from Roanoke, save gas and take the Smartway Bus. For more info and schedule, Smartwaybus.com
SATURDAY :: DRI has cooked up another fantastic and FREE concert! If you’re a country music fan then there’s no excuse not to check out Carolina Rain with special guests Lisa Dames and Matt Ramsey performing live in front of the Market building downtown. Its guaranteed to be a crowd pleasing, two-steppin good time! And heck, can we mention again… it’s FREE! Click here for the full details.
SUNDAY :: Wine and Cider and Mead Oh My! No really, that’s the name of the event! Sounds fun, huh? We think so… Château Morrisette, Villa Appalachia, Blacksnake Meadery, AmRhein Wine Cellars, and Foggy Ridge Cider have teamed up to present a food and drink extravaganza or more generally known as a progressive pairing. You may travel with a handy map to each site for selected food and beverage pairings enhanced by expert advice on flavor combinations. Find our more and how to purchase tix right here!
And just remember… YOUR WEEK IN EVENTS IS WAITING! So get out there and [heart] your community!
As promised, FloydFest is on myScoper.com! Here are some highlights that you don’t want to miss this weekend, July 24-27, 2008!
THURSDAY :: Donna the Buffalo, a FloydFest favorite, returns as the Thursday night headliner on the Dreaming Creek Main Stage. Funky and danceable with a message of tribal philosophy and celebration, Donna the Buffalo’s music is a unique blend of reggae, rock, country, zydeco, Cajun, and folk traditions. Take a listen here!
Also on Thursday, and recommended by our good friends at The Butter Room, The Kings of Belmont will be playing a late night set on the Pink Floyd Garden Stage. Whether its rock or country or hip-hop or jams, you will find it woven into the sound of The Kings of Belmont. Listen to them here!
FRIDAY :: Railroad Earth lights up the Dreaming Creek Main Stage from 9 to 11pm. From their first shows back in May 2001, Railroad Earth began carving a path deep and wide throughout the American Roots Music scene. With the support of a legion of incredibly loyal fans, Railroad Earth has become an undeniable force whose superb songwriting, singing and live performances have made them one of the most talked about bands to hit the U.S. Music scene in years. Wanna hear them? Click here!
Friday night also brings Tea Leaf Green to the Streamline Hill Holler Stage for a two hour late night session. Here’s what The Butter Room has to say about them “…very talented musicians with a unique sound; kind of a cross between Traffic and The Allman Brothers.” Take a listen here!
SATURDAY :: Three Heavy Hitters on One Stage!
The David Grisman Quintet hits the Main Stage for a late afternoon serving of “dawg” music, a blend of many stylistic influences (including swing, bluegrass, Latin, jazz and gypsy) so unique he gave it its own name. Listen here!
Immediately following the Quintet is none other than Amos Lee, a folk, soul, and jazz singer-songwriter out of Philly, who has toured with the likes of Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, and Merle Haggard. Hear him right now!
And topping off the night on the Dreaming Creek stage is Rusted Root, a musical organism of quintessential essence, monumental substance and vast appeal! Wanna hear them now? Click.
SUNDAY :: Catch an early show with Turbo Pro Project, an eclectic group from North Carolina making their FloydFest debut on the Main Stage at 11:15am. Take a listen!
Also, Stick around for the Avett Brothers, also from NC, at 4:30pm on the Streamline Hill Holler Stage. Their songs are honest: just chords with real voices singing real melodies. But, the heart and the energy with which they are sung, is really why people are talking, and why so many sing along. Listen to them here!
With over 60 musicals acts and performances plus workshops, yoga classes, and even belly dancing and hulahooping, it’s really an everybody’s festival! After all it’s a family affair!
All main stage acts can be found on myScoper.com and all other performance schedules can be downloaded on the FloydFest website. So enjoy and we hope to see you out there!
And just remember… FLOYDFEST IS WAITING! So get out there and [heart] your community!
Brought to you be the number 7 and you friends at myScoper.com.
Jul 21
To our SWVA Butter Roomies, Here’s Your Week in Events (July 21-27, 2008)
Hiya Friends! It looks like a great week in SWVA. Enjoy!
MONDAY :: Hey, having a Monday ladies? No worries, grab your gal pals and head to Martin’s tonight for Martini Mondays! Nothing cures a Monday quicker than an ice-cold Appletini!
TUESDAY :: Wanna move your body and feel good? Try out the newest Modern Dance class at The Water Heater! Two hours of dance and movement for all skill levels starting at 5pm for only $5!
WEDNESDAY :: James Kellogg, Comedy Hypnosis Show lands at VWCC. And if you’ve ever wondered what its like to be hypnotized, who knows, maybe you’ll get picked from the audience and wake up as Elvis! Bonus: your attendance is for a great cause, Roanoke’s Junior Achievement.
THURSDAY :: FloydFest opens today! Of course it deserves its own post… too much goodness to list here! So stay tuned for a message about the lineup that you won’t want to miss!
Can’t make it out to Floyd? Then we recommend this awesomeness closer to home… Circumstantial Evidence: an amazing video installation and sensorium by Misty Sweet premiering at The Water Heater from 5pm to 7pm with refreshing goodies.
FRIDAY :: You betcha! Oh Yah! Fargo, one of the Coen Brothers’ finest, is the Midnight Movie at Grandin Theatre! You’ve got all week to work on your best Minnesotan accent. Some pre-film trivia… Filming of outdoor scenes in Fargo had to be constantly moved all over Minnesota, North Dakota, and Canada because spring was approaching and the snow kept melting.
SATURDAY :: Last weekend there was TransformUs, the festival…, this week there’s Transformers the Movie! A great movie that takes us late 20s/early 30s somethings back to our youth… and its a drive-in to boot! The movie is free and will start at dusk at Green Hill Park in Roanoke County. Autobots, transform!
SUNDAY :: Feeling the need for some zen on your day of rest… the newest addition to the Roanoke yoga lineup has just what you crave. Power Yoga at Uttara Yoga Studio starts your day at 8:30am with a warm up, moving onto vigorous sun salutes and other poses, and finishing with deep stretches and a period of relaxation. Sure to energize you for another dazzling week in SWVA!
And just remember… YOUR WEEK IN EVENTS IS WAITING! So get out there and [heart] your community!
Doug and Telisha Williams in concert at The Water Heater this Friday July 18th
country-folk artists Doug & Telisha Williams, a married couple from Martinsville, VA who tour nationally will perform at The Water Heater in Roanoke, VA Friday July 18th 7-10pm.
$15 for a ‘button ticket’, bring a chair or cushion. No Alcohol. Family Friendly!
They have become a favorite of celebrated Nashville songwriters, having opened recently for Lucinda Williams, Charlie Louvin and Darrell Scott. Check them out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu-liz6n650
“Telisha’s vocals carry the twang of Steve Earle and Nanci Griffith, while Doug’s bluesy, country guitar conveys both rhythm and harmony.” Performing Songwriter
The Black Crowes @ Charlottesville Pavilion - Saturday, July 5 2008
Last weekend, I caught another solid concert at the Charlottesville Pavilion. The Black Crowes were in town to help celebrate the July 4th weekend.
This was the 6th time that I’ve seen the Crowes, which is hard for me to believe. I am not a hardcore Black Crowes fan, but am probably more of a fan now than I was 18 years ago when I first caught them on the Shake Your Money Maker tour. My enthusiasm for the Crowes waned after their first couple albums, but was refueled when I caught them 2 years ago at the Pavilion. The reason? First off, their live catalog has obviously grown (both originals and covers), and second, all those years sharing the stage with jam bands and Jimmy Page has transformed the bar band sound I heard in 1990-1991 into a unique form of southern hippie rock.
Unfortunately, we missed almost all of Grace Potter & the Nocturnals due to another torrential rain storm. We got in as they were finishing up a cover of the Rolling Stones’ Sweet Virginia. The Crowes came on to only about a half-filled venue, but we were treated to a great set list. Highlights for me were Seeing Things, Wiser Time, Thorn in My Pride, and The Band’s The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.
If you missed the Black Crowes last weekend, you can buy a copy of the show here or catch them in October when they will play a 2 night stand at The National in Richmond.
Setlist:
Movin’ On Down The Line, Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution, Hotel Illness, Thick ‘n’ Thin, Walk Believer Walk, Young Man Old Man, There’s Gold In Them Hills, Boomer’s Story, Seeing Things, Welcome to the Goodtimes, The Mighty Quinn, Wiser Time, Thorn In My Pride, Wounded Bird
Last week I attended a baseball game at historic Calfee Park in Pulaski, Virginia. Calfee Park is one of the oldest minor league baseball stadiums in the country. It was built in 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration project and is included in the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. Named after a former Pulaski Mayor, Ernest W. Calfee, the Park seats about 2,500 baseball fans.
As for the quality of play … if you are a casual baseball fan, you likely won’t notice much of a difference since most of the players are on the same level, which is about the same level as a good college team. Remember, most of these guys are right out high school and are the cream of the crop, or at least they’re supposed to be. We saw a very exciting game filled with big home runs, a big rally and the thrill of watching a bunch of kids live the dream of playing professional baseball. Unfortunately, the Mariners lost the game we attended, but are still in first place with less than two weeks until the end of the season.
tour. My enthusiasm for the Crowes waned after their first couple albums, but was refueled when I caught them 2 years ago at the Pavilion. The reason? First off, their live catalog has obviously grown (both originals and covers), and second, all those years sharing the stage with jam bands and Jimmy Page has transformed the bar band sound I heard in 1990-1991 into a unique form of southern hippie rock.