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This Weekend: Smashing Pumpkins
Thursday, October 9, 2008 12:53PM
For me, this weekend is all about pumpkins. Hopefully you know by now that Spotobe will be at the Pennsboro Pumpkin Fest all weekend, and hopefully you are all planning to stop by and say hello. Putting together the contest has been fun, but last night I didn't even realize how absurd I looked pushing a shopping cart of 13 pumpkins around Giant until I noticed all of the funny looks that I was getting. I think I need a little bit of a break from pumpkins. Full Article » -
Where Do You Vote?
Monday, October 6, 2008 1:36PMYesterday was the deadline to register to vote if you planned on doing so in the upcoming Presidential Election. That's right, believe it or not, there's an election coming up. You might have heard something about it.
If you didn't get registered in time, that's okay, you'll be part of the vast majority of American's who don't vote. If one of the many roving volunteers did convince you though, you might not be sure where your new polling place is. I just moved, and I had no idea where I needed to go to cast my ballot on Nov. 4, but I found this page on the Department of State's Website that pointed me in the right direction. The form is a little bit balky, but all you have to do is type in your address and it will tell you where to go.
Also, if you just can't get enough politics, we have some election-related events coming up on the calendar. I've listed them after the jump. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Thinking of Winter
Thursday, October 2, 2008 11:13AM
Ever noticed that some bands just sound better in the summer than they do in the winter? I'd say most jam bands fall into this category. Also Tom Petty. Listening to American Girl or Running Down a Dream just isn't as fun if you aren't driving down the highway with all four windows in the car the whole way down.
This isn't only true of summer. There are certain acts that just sound better when it's cold outside. Two of them, Missy Higgins and Joshua Radin will be playing a show at the Whitaker Center on Saturday night. Maybe not everybody thinks this way. Does anyone else get the urge to listen to Keane every time it rains? Anyway, the pair is coming to town at the perfect time, because walking across the Walnut Street Bridge this morning would have been much more comfortable if I had been wearing a jacket. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Washed Out
Thursday, September 25, 2008 2:43PM
Today is the first day that really feels like fall. You can smell it in the air, and that's oddly comforting. There is something indescribably pleasant about the crispness of a fall day.
That means that your opportunities to enjoy being outside are becoming numbered, though. This weekend, there are a lot of things going on that would have given you the chance to make the most of the relatively mild temperatures. I was going to highlight a bunch of them, but unfortunately it's supposed to rain all weekend. Looks like you're either going to have to grab a poncho or try something inside. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Upcoming & Ongoing
Thursday, September 18, 2008 1:31PM
When we designed Spotobe, we tried to fix little problems that annoyed us with other events and entertainment websites. One thing that we thought about long and hard was how to handle events like exhibits. They take place every day, and if you had to wade through two pages of them every day just to find anything else, you'd probably want to smack us. To keep that from happening (nobody likes being smacked), we split our events calendar into upcoming and ongoing events sections.
Problem solved, right? Well, yes and no. Now our upcoming events calendar is nice and clean and easy to use, but I worry that all of the great exhibits we have around here tend to get overlooked. This weekend might be a good time to check one out, so if you haven't been keeping up with ongoing events, I'm providing a crash course. I'll even throw a few other weekend suggestions in along the way. Full Article » -
Q&A: Messiah College Concert Executives Jeff Rioux & Margeaux Monsour
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 11:25AM
I’ve long been impressed by the musical talent that Messiah College brings to campus. It's crazy how quickly the school has built a ridiculous amount of popular music credibility on a campus of less than 3,000 students.
Not too many indie acts have gotten more love from critics than The National and Feist, and both played at Messiah during the 2007-08 school year. The Decemberists came recently too. So did the Counting Crows. Oh, and some guy named Bob Dylan. The College’s Student Activities Board (SAB) organized all of those shows and also oversees a weekly concert series known as B-Sides that features emerging artists.
The SAB is staffed almost entirely by students and is overseen by Jeff Rioux, a 1994 Messiah graduate. When Rioux was in school, the SAB booked strictly Christian concerts and showed Disney movies in the student union. Now it has become one of the premier concert venues in the area. On the even of last weekend's Ingrid Michaelson concert at Messiah, I sat down with Rioux and B-Sides Student Executive Margeaux Monsour to ask them about their work. Full Article » -
An Evening With Ingrid Michaelson
Monday, September 15, 2008 11:31AM
I didn't know what to expect going into Saturday night's Ingrid Michaelson concert at Messiah College. I'd heard some of her music, but I wouldn't have even considered myself a casual fan. With that said, I consider myself one now. I can only remember my opinions on a band changing so drastically for the better after a live show once before (The Get Up Kids; awesome). Full Article » -
This Weekend: It’s All First Available
Thursday, September 11, 2008 1:51PM
Love it or hate it, the Pennsylvania Smoking Ban is now in effect.
I'm sure this makes many of you quite happy, so this weekend, enjoy the fact that when you go out for a bite you won't have to choose between "non-smoking" and "first available." Smoker or not, If you don't like the law there are plenty of things going on in Central Pennsylvania to keep your mind off of it. You can even smoke at some of them. Full Article » -
America’s Oldest Fair
Monday, September 8, 2008 12:40PM
It's kind of funny how separated York and Harrisburg are from each other. The former capital of the United States is a mere half an hour from Harrisburg up or down Route 83 (assuming it's not rush hour) depending on your perspective, but the populations don't seem to mix all that much. Yes, some people from York work in Harrisburg. That's obvious to anyone who has ever been stopped two miles from the 83 split and prayed that the trucker behind him was paying attention. There are obviously some who make the trek for entertainment purposes too, but it doesn't seem to be a common phenomenon. I suppose that's why I'd never been to the York Fair, despite its claim to being America's First Fair.
I finally got around to going Sunday, not to see a concert, but just to check out the scene and see what was going on. My fiancée and I got there around noon, and things were just starting to pick up as we walked down the Midway. The fair is, at its core, pretty much like most fairs, only bigger. You've got the standard portable amusement rides, but more of them. You've got carnival games, but more of them. You've got deliciously artery-clogging food, but more of it. Full Article » -
Farewell Flight: Sound. Color. Motion.
Friday, September 5, 2008 2:47PM
I’m a bit late to the party on this one judging by the response I’ve already heard from local music fans, but we’ll pretend it’s fashionably late. I got a copy of local band Farewell Flight’s debut full-length album Sound. Color. Motion. just before their release party at Champion Ship a few weeks ago, but I didn’t get a chance to really listen to it until this afternoon. Now I can tell you, it’s one of the best albums I’ve heard from a local band in a long time.
Classifying music as “indie” is generally meaningless, but it’s a lazy tag that nevertheless fits Farewell Flight snugly. Their sound resembles “We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes” era Death Cab For Cutie, only a little bit less fuzzy. They rely heavily on the piano to drive the album, but some of Sound. Color. Motion.’s (That’s a punctuation nightmare) hidden gems revolve around Timmy Moslener’s nifty guitar work. Full Article » -
This Weekend: First Fridays
Thursday, September 4, 2008 3:20PM
My fondness for Fridays has been documented in this space before (the day, not the restaurant, although of the major Americana chains, T.G.I.'s is probably my favorite). There is just something magical about Fridays. When you leave work to go home on Friday, there is a sense of infinite possibilities. The second you change out of your work clothes, the second you take that first sip at happy hour, the second you sit down on the couch; whatever that moment is that lets you know the weekend is finally here, it's a glorious thing.
I had never realized that Central Pennsylvania has not one, not two, not three but four First Friday celebrations to help you shake off the work week at the beginning of each month. First Friday is a great thing. It's a chance to grab a bite with friends, have a few cocktails, look at some art and celebrate the downtown experience. This weekend would be the perfect chance to check out First Friday in Carlisle, New Cumberland, Lancaster or Lebanon. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Closing Out Summer, Kicking Off Fall
Thursday, August 28, 2008 2:37PM
It’s easy to focus on the negatives of Labor Day Weekend. Pools and parks close for the year. The days are getting alarmingly short. If you are a kid, you’re probably already back in school or pretty close to it. Even Labor Day barbeques tend to lack the joie de vivre of their Memorial Day cousins.
But there’s no reason to dwell on that stuff. Seriously, sweatshirts and Elliot Smith albums can wait for a few more weeks. Friday night, high school football is back. Spotobe has compiled the Friday night and Saturday afternoon schedules for every week of the season, so if you need directions to an away game at any time this year, come back and visit us. Full Article » -
Free Food! For Some of You
Monday, August 25, 2008 9:26AM
I know this applies to a limited number of Spotobe users, but it’s a segment that’s near and dear to my heart. For today only, any of you who were born in the great year of 1983 can get free food at Isaac’s Restaurant and Deli. I’m not talking a free bag of chips with the purchase of a sandwich either, if you were born in 1983, you get a soup or salad, a sandwich, dessert and a drink on the house. Isaac’s is celebrating its 25th birthday, and they are graciously hooking up anyone who turns 25 in 2008. Dine in only. You wouldn’t walk into a party, take a 6-pack out of the fridge and leave, would you? (Wait, don’t answer that).
If you haven’t guessed, that applies to me. 1983 was a great year. Just think what the world would be missing without the birth class of ’83. In addition to my sparkling wit, you’d all be deprived of the devastating changeup of Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels, the boozy stylings of Amy Winehouse, the carbon dioxide produced by Nicky Hilton, the poetry of Juelz Santana and the, um, short game of Natalie Gulbis
That would be quite the dinner party, no? Full Article » -
This Weekend: Brevity is the Soul of Wit
Friday, August 22, 2008 10:51AM
After yesterday’s treatise on the Perry County Fair, I’m going to keep this short. The fair actually continues through Saturday night, so if you’d like to go and check it out yourself, go for it.
Friday night, the Senator’s open their next-to-last home series of the season. That is absolutely unbelievable to me. Where has this summer gone? Before you know it we’ll all be turning in our red and black ball caps for oversize chocolate and white jerseys. Absolutely amazing. From a musical standpoint, Gullifty’s will be hosting August Assault Vol. 2, which should be an, er, raucous affair. Also, Farewell Flight, a local band that appears to be going places, is throwing an album release party at Champion Ship in support of their full-length debut “Sound. Color. Motion.” I’ll try to review it sometime soon.
Icelandic band Parachutes will be at der Maennerchor Friday night, as well. They sound a lot like Sigur Rós. I guess that’s a good thing (if you say you don’t like Sigur Rós, a group of mopey, sweater wearing enforcers from the department of indie music comes to your door and revokes your license to carry poorly concealed smugness), but I’m getting a bit worn down by this movement toward tonal, ethereal music. It’s about run its course. Full Article » -
Wednesday Night at the Perry County Fair
Thursday, August 21, 2008 1:11PM
At times, I am reluctant to step outside of my social comfort zone. I am an outgoing person who enjoys meeting new people, but when it comes to entertaining myself, I tend to fall into a routine. I guess that’s fine; everyone likes certain bars, restaurants, hangouts, etc., and there’s nothing wrong with that. Still, I know that if I’m going to really do a good job chronicling life in Central Pennsylvania, I’m going to have to do more than write reviews of indie concerts and restaurants in downtown Harrisburg.
That’s why I decided to go to the Perry County Fair.
Honestly, when my friend Evan and I hopped in my Volvo and started up 22/322, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The two Perry County experts in my office — one a current resident of the county and one an ex-pat — had given me the rundown on the event. Still, I was absolutely convinced that I was going to look like a moron. I am completely agriculturally ignorant. Beyond that, I didn’t want my picture-taking and question-asking — my complete and utter lack of knowledge about things that are important in rural Pennsylvania — to be mistaken for condescension. In the end, I don’t think it was, and a few surly sheep aside, I didn’t seem to offend anybody. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Musical Mishmash
Thursday, August 14, 2008 2:32PM
I think that Napster, which begat Kazaa, which begat Limewire, which eventually somehow got us to iTunes, has done great things for musical variety. My sense is that everyone who doesn’t live in New York City, Milwaukee or Austin occasionally gripes about their local music scene, but to me, this weekend is the perfect example of how far we’ve come in certain respects. This weekend there are a bunch of different bands playing original music all over the area in a bunch of different genres.
The easy availability of music has allowed people to explore different kinds of stuff that they would never have bothered with before. Today, we have tools like Pandora and iTunes that introduce us to new music all of the time, and as a result, we are more open to trying new things. With that in mind, this weekend is a great opportunity to try new things, because off the top of my head, I know you have the opportunity to listen to Roots Blues, Jam, Parisian String Jazz, Classical Bluegrass and Retro Brit-Pop live in Central Pennsylvania within the next few days. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Is It Really August Already?
Thursday, July 31, 2008 1:41PM
It is absolutely amazing how quickly this summer is going. It feels like just last week I was cursing under my breath while I shuffled across the Walnut Street Bridge in sub-zero wind chills on my way to work. Now it’s August. Unbelievable.
If, like me, you feel like you’ve spent too much time in the air conditioning this summer, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to catch up on some summer stuff. With that in mind, the Live, Collective Soul and Blues Traveler concert will probably be a good time, but I really don’t understand why it’s inside. Seems like it might have been a good fit for the Star Pavilion or Stadium. It’s still a concert that is worth seeing without a doubt, but imagine how enormous it would have been in 1995 (local boys Live coming off of "Throwing Copper," Collective Soul coming off of “Collective Soul,” and Blues Traveler coming off of “Four”). Full Article » -
This Weekend: Hershey Goes & Makes Things So Complicated
Thursday, July 24, 2008 1:30PM
Judging by the fact that Friday posts don’t get read as much as the rest, I’ve decided to bump up weekend posts to Thursday afternoon. That way you can peruse them whenever you happen to have time to kill on Friday.
First, a few events span the whole weekend and are worth checking out. Bikefest is in Carlisle this weekend, and if you have even the slightest interest in motorcycles, you’ll have a great time. Even if you don’t, it might be worth having a look. There are 10 local bands playing and traditionally Bikefest is a pretty wild event. Take the kids at your own risk. The Senators also have a three-game home set against Altoona that runs Friday through Sunday. Might be a more family-friendly event. Full Article » -
A Potentially Epic Embarrassment
Monday, July 21, 2008 4:03PM
I try to be as funny as possible in this space, after all, the internet is all about snark these days, right? Hopefully if you read my ramblings regularly, you’ve found them good for a ha, maybe even a haha. Well, if you’d like to see me raise the bar to an entirely different level, come watch my performance in the Harrisburg Open.
That’s tennis, folks. Full Article » -
This Weekend: I Strive To Be More Eventful & More Entertaining
Friday, July 18, 2008 2:23PM
Sometimes I feel like I’m the worst Events & Entertainment blogger ever. Right now, I don’t attend all that many events, and I’m afraid that as a result, my writing is not all that entertaining (see what I did there?). That should all be changing soon.
Ever since I started writing in this space, I have been living in Boiling Springs. In reality, my little town is not all that far from Harrisburg, but it is an inconvenient drive when I want to go out and do something. For instance, this weekend I’d love to come to Harrisburg, have dinner at Bayou and grab a few drinks somewhere. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like driving home, changing, rounding up company, driving back to Harrisburg and eventually driving home again. Luckily, in the next few weeks I’ll be moving into my sweet new loft apartment in Lemoyne, and then I’ll be a little bit more fun. Bear with me. Full Article » -
And The Winner Is…
Thursday, July 17, 2008 3:08PM
After counting and recounting the balls in that enormous container and going through all the submissions, we’ve determined the winner of the Spotoball Guessing Contest that took place at the Harrisburg Street Festival. Full Article » -
A Saturday Full of Spotoballs
Monday, July 14, 2008 4:00PM
Now that the dust has settled from Spotobe’s first contest (contests, actually!), I’d like to take the time to thank everyone that visited us at the Harrisburg Street Festival and painted, guessed and had fun. In all honesty, Spotobe is all about getting out and enjoying Central Pennsylvania, and I hope everyone that stopped by on Saturday had a good time chilling with us. I know we enjoyed meeting all of you. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Feelin’ Good
Friday, July 11, 2008 1:52PM
I was just remarking to Dori the other day that I couldn’t remember the last time I had a tetanus shot. Funny I should bring it up, because I just walked the whole way from Bricco to Spotobe headquarters on Locust with one foot shoeless. I spend most of the summer barefoot, but not walking down the streets of Harrisburg. Ick.
I was walking down the street listening to Coconut Records on my iPod, when a woman waiting to cross the street backed up into me, stepping on my cheap flip-flops. Naturally, I pulled the thong part straight through the bottom when I tried to raise my foot. She didn’t even apologize, and now I have 67 diseases. Lovely.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter, because I can always buy more 99-cent sandals, and nothing is getting in the way of my optimism this weekend. Maybe it’s the weather, but right now, I’m feeling very festive. I wish I could go sit outside somewhere and have a beer (yeah, you all make fun of Sawyer's but isn't it nice to spend happy hour outside during the summer? Forget the astroturf and the ugly outside bar, doesn't that look like a place you could have fun?). Instead, we’ll go over the weekend. Full Article » -
Further Proof That We Love All of You
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 3:45PM
We’ve got a lot of Spotoballs. Seriously, when we stage our Friday afternoon battles here in the office, it is complete and utter chaos. That’s using one box. We’ve got a lot of boxes. Trust me, we’ve got plenty of Spotoballs. This weekend, if you can figure out how many, you could win four passes to Hersheypark. Simple enough right?
Spotobe’s pals at the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District have graciously offered us space at the Harrisburg Street Festival, which takes place this Saturday between noon and 6:00pm on the streets surrounding the intersection of 3rd and Walnut. We’ve responded by putting together two pretty fantastic and completely free community contests (and we’re modest too!). Full Article » -
Friday at American MusicFest
Friday, July 4, 2008 8:01PM
Checked out American MusicFest this afternoon with Meg, her brother and his girlfriend. The weather looked threatening the entire time, but it really didn’t do much other than drizzle. To be honest, I was a bit surprised by the crowd. I thought it would be a bit larger and a bit more enthusiastic. Maybe in the evening when the bar crowd started filtering over things picked up a little bit. I’m sure the weather didn’t help. Full Article » -
This Weekend: I looovvvvveeee Friday Holidays
Thursday, July 3, 2008 3:35PM
Really, there is nothing better than having Independence Day fall on a Friday. In fact, I propose that July Fourth should be a Friday every year from now on. Impossible? Nah. Next year, with the Fourth falling on a Saturday, we all get hosed. Bad times, right? Wouldn’t it just be better to flip the third and Fourth. Really, it would bother you that much if July next year went Wednesday the first, Thursday the second, Friday the Fourth, Saturday the third and Sunday the fifth? I didn’t think so.
With the Fourth on Friday, not only can you get after it on Thursday night if that’s your scene, but you also have three straight days of vegetation. I suppose when the fourth is on a Thursday, that gives you four straight days of vegetation with the slight inconvenience of one of those days taking place in the office, but whatever. Full Article » -
Fired Up?
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 5:10PM
I have mixed feelings about fireworks. That may seem a strange statement; who doesn’t like fireworks, right? Fireworks are all about being outside with friends and family and about warm summer nights. When you’re in middle school, they’re all about awkwardly making out on a scratchy blanket. Once you get older, they become the world’s easiest and cheapest date. You can even take her out for some ice cream after and you’re still under $10 unless you go to Cold Stone Creamery. Cha-ching.
Yeah, great. They also mean horrific traffic jams that usually last longer than the show itself and equally terrible neck cramps. Plus, when I was a kid, my parents would never buy me glow sticks or a neon necklace (maybe that's why I bought one last New Years in Florida. No lie). I was so deprived. Full Article » -
This Weekend: Celebrate We Will
Thursday, June 26, 2008 7:26PMI’m going to try to keep this brief because I just finished a delicious rib eye and a glass of Fox Run Cabernet Franc Lemberger on the porch overlooking Seneca Lake. I’d take a picture for you, but the camera is upstairs and I could barely muster up the energy to get to the laptop. Anyway, I’ll be back in town on Saturday, and if I were so inclined, there would be plenty of stuff worth doing. As it stands, I’ll probably be too busy recovering from my week of relaxing. Nevertheless, on with the show… Full Article »
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This Weekend: Something Different
Friday, June 13, 2008 4:31PM
We’ve been spoiled with lots of great community events lately, but this weekend there’s really not all that much going on. Nope, not joking. I suppose it’s on weekends like this that an events and entertainment website should really earn its keep, but honestly, it’s Friday afternoon and I just can’t see myself finding the energy.
Okay, I kid, I kid. In the words of Mario in Mario Tennis 64 "Here ve go!" You’ll have to trust me on some of these, we’re going outside the box… Full Article » -
Foundry Day Photos
Saturday, June 7, 2008 1:26PMHot, hot, hot… That’s about all my sun-addled brain has to say. Full Article »
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This Weekend: Spotobe at Foundry Day
Friday, June 6, 2008 3:33PM
The main reason that Spotobe will be at Foundry Day in Boiling Springs this weekend is quite simple: It’s really close to my house. I’m in the process of looking for an apartment closer to Harrisburg, but since returning from Philadelphia, I’ve been living back where it all started for me. My current residence is nine holes of golf away from downtown Boiling Springs, and that makes traveling to said event quite convenient.
But if I’m going to be honest, I have to admit that even if I didn’t live in Boiling Springs, even if I still lived in Philadelphia and didn’t help run an events and entertainment website, I still would have come home for Foundry Day. Full Article » -
Sunday at Artsfest
Sunday, May 25, 2008 2:48PM
Yesterday I went to Artsfest to give stuff away, today I went and enjoyed myself. Once again, the weather was gorgeous and once again the food was pretty good. Given time to look more closely, I really enjoyed a lot of the art. Full Article »
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Saturday at Artsfest
Saturday, May 24, 2008 3:57PM
Just back after spending Saturday at Artsfest. My girlfriend Megan and I handed out 500 Spotoballs and hopefully made some new friends for the site. The weather could not have been better and the food was super. We got barbeque from Bob’s Big Beef (highly recommended), and a blooming onion. I also polished off a Cookies & Cream waffle cone that was bigger than my head. Full Article »
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This Weekend: Come Visit Spotobe at Artsfest
Friday, May 23, 2008 10:59AMMost Fridays in this space, I’ll be giving you a quick rundown of what’s going on over the upcoming weekend. I know, original right? This week that seems a little silly. Most everyone in Central Pennsylvania knows this weekend is Patriot-News Artsfest, one of the most-anticipated community events in the area. That’s not to say that there isn’t plenty of other interesting stuff happening though. Full Article »
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