Next time you go to the airport, listen up.

Those scolding overhead announcements outlining the dos and don’ts at the security checkpoints may be tune-outs, but for my At the Airport column this month for USATODAY.com, I discovered that some airports offer travelers toe-tapping reasons to tune-in.

Blues and more in Chicago 

Since 2008, the Terminal Tunes program has been offering a wide range of jazz, blues, folk and other genres of recorded music by local artists on the overhead sound system at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports.

Like what you hear? The playlist is searchable online by terminal, month, day and time and currently includes everything from boogie-woogie piano tunes by the legendary Roosevelt Sykes to a polka played by the Northside Southpaws, a modern-day, left-handed mandolin/guitar duo that performs obsolete ragtime and obscure string-band music.

“Chicago is a world-class music city,” said Gregg Cunningham, special projects coordinator for the Chicago Department of Aviation. “But more than 50% of travelers at O’Hare are connecting passengers who never leave the airport. So we look to provide experiences at the airports that reflect our great city.”

Austin atmosphere 

In between the 15 live music performances that take place weekly at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, travelers hear a 24-hour soundtrack of recorded local music drawn from a 2,400-song playlist.

“We add songs frequently to keep the mix fresh and current,” says airport music coordinator Nancy Coplin. The playlist isn’t posted or streamed on the airport’s website just yet, but if someone wants to know more about a song they’ve heard at the airport Coplin is more than happy to look it up. “It happens quite frequently,” she said.

Seattle signs on 

It was the Austin airport that inspired the airport-wide local music initiative rolled out at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in January, 2012.

James Keblas, Seattle’s Director of Film and Music and Seattle Port Commissioner John Creighton flew to Austin in 2008 for a meeting. “When we got off the plane, we noticed how much stuff there was at the airport representing the music culture of Austin,” said Keblas. “And we both realized that Seattle, which is also known for its music scene, should be doing this too.”

It took a while for Sea-Tac’s music program to take shape, but eventually PlayNetwork, a Redmond, Wash.-based company that curates music for Starbucks and thousands of other businesses, stepped in to work on the project, pro bono, with the airport, the Seattle Music Commission and other local groups.

The soundtrack created for the airport includes music by Northwest artists spanning multiple decades and genres – everything from pop, rock and folk to urban, jazz, blues and electronic music – and features artists such as The Posies, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Heart, Alice in Chains, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, the Dave Mathews Band, Jimi Hendrix  and Kenny G .

“The final playlist was carefully crafted to ensure we have the right genre and energy level playing during the day,” said Nadine Zgonc, PlayNetwork’s vice-president of client management. “So there’s more chilled-out music in the early morning and a little more up-tempo and jammin’ music as the day goes on.” The music is turned off completely overnight.

In addition to the airport soundtrack, PlayNetwork created short music videos for the terminal monitors and a multichannel music player available at the airport on the free Wi-Fi, on the airport’s website and through Android and iPhone apps.

Music and messages 

Sea-Tac’s new soundtrack also extends to the welcome and safety messages heard inside the airport, with many notable Northwest musicians, including Sir Mix-a-Lot  and Chris Ballew, of the Presidents of the United States of America , voicing short announcements.

Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains  reminds travelers that smoking is only allowed outside the building, adding a sympathetic “Bummer, dude” at the end of his recorded message. John Popper  of Blues Traveler  squeezes a little harmonica-playing into his message welcoming travelers to Seattle and urging everyone to “rock out, man. But don’t forget your flight.” And rapper Macklemore  plays it straight, welcoming passengers to one of the world’s greenest airports and encouraging them to check out the free Wi-Fi, “Where you can listen to some great music created by Pacific Northwest artists.”

Several other airports around the country also use local celebrities in airport messaging.

At McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, videos dating back to 2004 and 2005 feature Las Vegas performers such as Wayne Newton, Rita Rudner, the Blue Man Group  and Carrot Top  offering tips for going through the security checkpoint.

At Nashville International Airport, Darius Rucker, Phil Vassar, George Strait  and Lady Antebellum  are among the country music stars that have recorded what airport spokesperson Emily Richard describes as “fun and quirky messages.” Andy Williams , Clay Cooper and many other entertainers have voiced parking, welcome and other helpful messages (along with promos for their shows) for Missouri’s Branson Airport.

And at Glacier Park International Airport in Montana, travelers waiting in line at the security checkpoint are entertained by a video by the local band, the Singing Sons of Beaches, crooning the TSA’s carry-on rules to a jaunty calypso beat.

Lucky you!

If you’re flying to Austin, make sure to listen up when you get to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.  As in past years, the SXSW music festival begins as soon as you walk off the plane with the first sanctioned SXSW performances of the music conference.

(Carolyn Wonderland. Photo courtesy Austin-Bergstrom Int’l Airport)

During SXSW, the airport’s unique live music offerings expand from 15 regular shows a week to a total of 27 performances from March 12-19.

Beyond the center stage at Ray Benson’s Roadside, The Saxon Pub, Lefty’s, Earl Campbell’s Sports Bar, and Austin City Limits/Waterloo Records & Video are all hosting extra shows for arriving and departing SXSW attendees.

The 13^thAnnual SXSW Airport Showcase kicks off on the stage at Ray Benson’s Roadhouse on  Monday, March 12 with the band MilkDrive (alternative folk strings) from 1-3 p.m. Warren Hood follows with acoustic Americana from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

You can see the full line-up here. 

Monday, March 19 is the SXSW send-off, with Austin blues rocker Carolyn Wonderland performing at the airport from 1-3 p.m. followed by Nano Whitman (folk pop) from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Enjoy!

Thanks to ThisDayin History.com for the reminder that on this day, February 7, back in 1964, Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight 101 from London Heathrow landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport with its special cargo of Beatles.

According to History.com:

It was the first visit to the United States by the Beatles, a British rock-and-roll quartet that had just scored its first No. 1 U.S. hit six days before with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” At Kennedy, the “Fab Four”–dressed in mod suits and sporting their trademark pudding bowl haircuts–were greeted by 3,000 screaming fans who caused a near riot when the boys stepped off their plane and onto American soil.

Here’s a great video using clips from that day:

Two days after their arrival at JFK, the Beatles made their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

So it makes sense that even the kids in town make music you’d like to hear.

That’s the idea behind Kid Band Week, underway now at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.

On Wednesday, July 20th, check out blues rock guitarist Carson Brock, who’s been playing since he was four.

On Thursday, July 21st, The Aviators make a return visit to the airport. The rock group, which had its first gig at the airport during Kid Bank Week 2008, is made up of six students, ages 11 to 16 from the Natural Ear Music School.

And on Friday, July 22 the Rian C band takes the stage. Fifteen year old Rian Castillo plays guitar, piano, and lead vocals with his twin Riley on drums, and 13 year old Brandon Vizcarra on bass guitar. The group plays a variety of country, rock, Spanish and alternative music.