Seattle is not just a great place to drink coffee, it’s a great place to make and hear music.

And you shouldn’t have to wait until you’re in the city to start your aural adventure.

That’s why I’m delighted to learn that this weekend Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
will be kicking off the Sea-Tac Airport Music Initiative.

The program will include overhead music featuring local artists such as Fences, Beat Connection and Allen Stone, along with local legends ranging from Ray Charles to Heart and Nirvana.

There will also be safety and informational announcements read by local musicians such as Ben Gibbard, LeRoy Bell, Macklemore, Jerry Cantrell and Sir Mix-A-Lot, and video segments on the terminal monitors.

But wait, there’s more:

The project will include a web-based music player available via the airport’s free WiFi and an Android mobile app, that will offer links to the music playlist, videos and local concert listings. (iPhone, Windows Phone 7 and Blackberry apps should be coming soon.)

It’s going to be party-time all the time at Sea-Tac.  So I hope the TSA doesn’t start pulling people out of line for dancing.

I’ll have lots more information shortly, but in the meantime, here’s a video of some of the music you’ll likely hear.

Categories: Events, Music
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Free Wi-Fi on Delta Air Lines

From now till January 2, 2012 passengers on Wi-Fi equipped Delta airplanes will be able to use the in-flight Gogo Wi-Fi for free for 30 minutes each flight.

It is a partnership with eBay, so you can continue shopping on that one site for the entire flight.

More info on free Wi-Fi on Delta Air Lines here.

Holiday music at JFK and LGA airports

Jazz trios, quartets and quintets from the New York Pops orchestra and up to 25 members of the performance choir from the Choir Academy of Harlem will entertain American Airlines passengers with holiday music at LaGuardia and JFK International Airports during the next few weeks.

In LaGuardia Airport, performances will be in the Central Terminal Building, American Airlines Concourse D, Gate D5.

• Dec. 14, 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Trio
• Dec. 20, 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Trio
• Dec. 22, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quartet

At JFK International Airport, the concerts will be held in American Airlines Terminal 8, Concourse B Lobby by Gates 14 and 16.

• Dec. 16, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quintet
• Dec. 19, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Choir Academy of Harlem Performance Choir
• Dec. 20, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Choir Academy of Harlem Performance Choir
• Dec. 22, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quintet
• Dec. 23, 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The New York Pops Jazz Quintet

During their performances, The New York Pops will offer travelers an opportunity to win tickets to an upcoming concert at Carnegie Hall.

Photos with Santa

Southwest Airlines, Clear Channel Airports and Microsoft Windows are teaming up to offer free holiday photos with Santa at 19 airports around the country through December 24th.

Look for the holiday-themed kiosks , Santa and a “Windows 7 Elf” at some of the Southwest Airlines gates at these airports:

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Detroit Metro Airport (DTW)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL)
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Categories: Airlines, Environment, Events, free Wi-Fi, Fun Stuff, Music, Wi-Fi
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Here’s a fun – and funny – airport amenity that you’ll only find at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas: a Dance Heads Video Booth

Located near Gate D-5, this booth looks like a photo booth, but is actually a video booth that lets you pick from one of 45 songs (Elvis – of course – Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, James Brown and others) then superimposes your face over animated videos of dancers. Then it makes a recording. For $10, you get a DVD copy of the “performance.” Extra copies, $10 as well.

If you try it out, be sure to send a copy along to StuckatTheAirport.com.

Categories: Airports, Environment, Music
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Since way back in 1999, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has been presenting free, live local music in the terminal.

Now the music program is hitting a big milestone: on Friday, October 7, 2011, when jazz musicians Silvie Rider and Red Young begin performing on the Asleep at the Wheel stage at 3:30 p.m. it will the airport’s 5,000th live music performance.

The Austin airport’s Music in the Air program launched in June 1999, just one month after the airport opened. Back then, there were two performances per week. Now there are 13 shows per week and, beginning in November, the schedule will expand to 15 performances a week.

Venues include Ray Benson’s Roadhouse, The Saxon Pub, Lefty’s, Earl Campbell’s Sports Bar, and Austin City Limits/Waterloo Records & Video.
Performances are held Mondays through Fridays. Here’s the schedule.

Categories: Music, Uncategorized
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The Philadelphia International Airport is having a summer-long customer appreciation festival.

Throughout the summer, passengers can hang out in the Chillin’ Zone by Gate D-4 -

And each week there’s a fresh line-up of events. Here’s what coming up next.

On Friday, July 29, Swing Shift will be strolling through the airport playing Dixieland, blues and swing from 3:30p pm to 5:30 pm.

On Monday, mascots from McDonald’s and Jamba Juice will be wandering the airport handing out treat coupons from 11 am until 1 pm.

On Tuesday, August 2, its doo-wop music by Memory Lane from 2:30 pm until 4:30 pm, and  on Wednesday, August 3 travelers can stop by the Terminal B/C food court stage between 3 pm and 5 pm for beauty makeovers from The Body Shop.

On Thursday, August 4, the PGA Tour Shop will be hosting a putting competition from 4 pm to 5 pm at the Terminal B/C Food Court Stage and on Friday, August 5 the Paula Jazz Quartet
takes the Terminal B/C Food Court Stage from 3:30 to 5:30 pm.

Categories: Entertainment, Events, Music
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