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This Weekend: Go Downtown
Friday, January 29, 2010 11:20AM
We here at Spotobe are suckers for community events, but even more importantly, we are all about supporting Central Pennsylvania's downtown areas. Research suggests that people moving away from towns and cities and into cookie-cutter subdivisions is bad for a number of reasons. It makes public transportation impractical and puts more cars on the roads. In turn, that creates pollution and traffic while stressing infrastructure. All too often, population drain from downtown areas leaves towns and cities gutted and barren, giving no incentive for local businesses to invest in them. What we're left with is the same Target/Kohls/Dicks/Home Depot/Lowes/Best Buy that you see everywhere else, and no sense of place.
We can't help but admire communities that are battling this trend. Lancaster has done a fabulous job in this regard, and there are exciting things happening in Midtown Harrisburg. Even smaller towns like Lititz, New Cumberland, Camp Hill, Mechanicsburg, Hershey and many others have taken steps to preserve their identity in the face of suburban sprawl. With that in mind, if you're looking for something to do this weekend, why not check out the Chambersburg IceFest? It was started eight years ago by Chambersburg Downtown Inc., an organization whose goal is to keep downtown Chambersburg an exciting, vibrant place to live. It's become a big regional draw, and I'm sure it's a lot of fun for any family. After the jump there are some more weekend suggestions: Full Article » -
Spotobe Top 10: January 27
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 11:13AM1. Eastern Sports & Outdoors Show: February 6–14 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
2. Chambersburg IceFest: January 28–31 in downtown Chambersburg
3. Motorama Races & Shows: February 20 & 21 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
4. Lititz Fire & Ice Festival: February 12 & 13 in downtown Lititz
5. The Bal Masque: Saturday, February 6 at the Appalachian Brewing Company, Harrisburg
6. Maple Sugar Festival: Sunday, March 7 at Fort Hunter Mansion, Harrisburg
7. Taste of Pennsylvania Wine & Music Festival: May 22 & 23 at the York Fairgrounds, York
8. Tusks! Ice Age Mammoths & Mastadons: Through May 2 at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg
9. ABBA – The Music: Friday, March 12 at the American Music Theatre, Lancaster
10. Ice Park at Clipper Magazine Stadium: Through February 28 at Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster Full Article » -
Never Fall In Love On The Jersey Shore
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 3:48PM
So I got in the car the other day and before I could get my iPod playing, I heard a magical little promo on 99.3 KISS FM. Jersey Shore Party. West Shore Hardware Bar. I could scarcely contain my excitement. The muscled-up, liquored-up, tanned-up, fist-pumping traveling carnival that is the cast of MTV's "Jersey Shore" coming to our little corner of the world? Amazing. Unfortunately, when it comes to the Downtown After Dark Bars things aren't always as they seem, so there was a moment that I feared it was just going to be a lame theme party. As it turns out, it might as well be. There will be one cast member on hand. No, not Pauly D, not The Situation, not Snooki/Snickers/Snicks.
They booked Angelina. Ange-frickin-lina. Senorita trashbags herself. Of all of the disappointments, this is the disappointingest. Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Empire Asian Bistro
Friday, January 22, 2010 11:00AM
We've got a quick and dirty little Restaurant Round-Up for you today, which is incidentally two words that can be used to describe many of the Chinese restaurants in Central Pennsylvania. Nen Q. Zhang, owner of the Jumbo Buffet in Swatara Township, recently opened Empire Asian Bistro in the building left behind by the eminently awful Ruby Tuesday's on Union Deposit Road. The goal is to create a more upscale, pan-Asian dining experience. Spotobeing Katie checked it out last Friday and here's what she had to say. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Mountain Music
Thursday, January 21, 2010 2:00PM
There is a proliferation of folk music in Central Pennsylvania this winter. At least music that generally resembles folk. The Susquehanna Folk Music Society is as busy as it has ever been, and a number of local bars, coffeehouses and concert venues are booking acts playing all manner of folk-influenced music. In the next few months, Central PA folk and indie folk fans will have a chance to see artists as diverse as Earl Pickens, The Felice Brothers, Ani DiFranco, Denison Witmer, The Hackensaw Boys, Cheryl Wheeling, Keller Williams and The Welcome Wagon. That's just fine with me; I just wish someone around here would book Mumford & Sons. Pretty please? There are a few folky offerings this weekend, and whether or not that's your thing, here are some other weekend suggestions: Full Article » -
Spotobe Top 10: January 20
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 11:00AM1. Eastern Sports & Outdoors Show: February 6–14 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
2. Owl City: February 13 in the Brubaker Auditorium at Messiah College, Grantham
3. 3rd in the Burg: February 19 in downtown Harrisburg
4. Pennsylvania Auto Show: January 28–31 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
5. Motorama Races & Shows: February 20 & 21 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
6. Maple Sugar Festival: March 7 at Fort Hunter Mansion, Harrisburg
7. Chambersburg IceFest: January 28–31 in downtown Chambersburg
8. Taste of Pennsylvania Wine and Music Festival: May 22 & 23 at the York Fairgrounds, York
9. B-Sides: Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears: March 10 in the Larsen Student Union at Messiah College, Grantham
10. Darius Rucker: January 21 at the American Music Theatre, Lancaster Full Article » -
B-Sides Season Preview
Monday, January 18, 2010 9:15AM
The state schools go back to class this week (about freaking time) meaning that the students have officially returned to all of Central Pennsylvania's college campuses. That also means that spring semester arts and cultural events schedules are being finalized, posted and entered onto Spotobe's calendar. One of our favorite ongoing college offerings is Messiah College's weekly 'B-Sides' series. It brings interesting and generally under the radar bands to campus to play free shows on Wednesday nights. While these bands might not play the kind of music that you hear on the radio, a number of them have generated a buzz in the indie community. After the jump, I've compiled the schedule for the spring with a little information about some of the more noteworthy acts: Full Article » -
This Weekend: Playing Nice
Thursday, January 14, 2010 5:21PM
It is our experience that people in Harrisburg don't always like working together. There are lots of wonderful people living, working and playing in the city and many of them have been extremely helpful to Spotobe. Still, sometimes the overall entertainment scene suffers because individual organizers or venues are unwilling to cooperate. There are so many awesome things happening here that simply don't get talked about; frankly, that's one of the reasons Spotobe was started in the first place. Maybe it's all of the politics in this town. There are particularly exciting things going on in Midtown right now, and one such event is a new community celebration called 3rd in the Burg. All the details on that and other weekend suggestions after the jump. Full Article » -
Spotobe Top 10: January 13
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 10:35AM1. Pennsylvania State Farm Show: Through January 16 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
2. SFMS Winter Folk Coffeehouse: January 16 at Fort Hunter Mansion, Harrisburg
3. Eastern Sports & Outdoors Show: February 6–14 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
4. Ice Park at Clipper Magazine Stadium: Through February 28 at Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster
5. Pennsylvania Auto Show: January 28–31 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg
6. Owl City: February 13 at Messiah College, Grantham
7. Chambersburg IceFest: January 28–31 in downtown Chambersburg
8. Lititz Fire & Ice Festival: February 12 & 13 in downtown Lititz
9. Maple Sugar Festival: March 7 at Fort Hunter Mansion, Harrisburg
10. Motorama Races & Shows: February 20–21 at the PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg Full Article » -
Local Radio Station Gearing Up For Christmas
Monday, January 11, 2010 12:08PM
York soft rock station WARM 103.3 announced Friday that it will be bring the holidays back to Central PA a little bit earlier than usual in 2010. The Cumulus Media owned station plans to switch over from its soft rock format to holiday music on February 15.
"It's a natural progression," said station manager Frank Goldstein. "We felt that this year our Christmas Kick-Off got a little bit overshadowed by Halloween parades, trick-or-treating and the like, so we've decided to help usher in the holiday season in February instead." Full Article »
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