airport entertainment

Musical help for Thanksgiving travel

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Are you traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday?

You certainly won’t be alone.

And, at many airports, you won’t be bored.

That’s because a full schedule of holiday music, entertainment and special events is scheduled to take place in terminals and concourses around the country.

One example:

San Francisco International Airport’s You Are Hear series, kicks off Wednesday, November 23rd, with performances from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in three different spots in the airport: Bart Davenport, a pop & soul singer/songwriter, will be in Terminal 1; the Nice Guy Trio will perform jazz and world music in Terminal 2; and the Del Sol Quartet will offer new classical music in the International Terminal.

Not traveling to or though SFO? Many other airports are offering holiday entertainment, shopping promotions, free gift wrapping and other events as well. Check your airport’s website, or check back here for more listings throughout the week.

 

 

Kid Band Week at Austin Airport

Airports, Entertainment, Music, ,

In Austin, the self-proclaimed live music capital of the world, you can’t spit without hitting a Grammy winner.

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.

All shows take place from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the post-security performance stage located near Gate 10 in Ray Benson’s Roadhouse.

SXSW at Austin-Bergstrom Int’l Airport

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The SXSW music and film extravaganza is taking place all over Austin right now – and that includes out at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

The airport’s regular live music series takes place on a center stage (Ray Benson’s Roadhouse) and four other venues inside the terminal: The Saxon, Lefty’s, Earl Campbell’s Sports Bar and Austin City Limits/Waterloo Records & Video. Usually there are 13 shows a week, but through March 21, in honor of SXSW, the schedule expands to a total of 23 performances.

All free. All great. And all post-security.

Here’s a link to the full schedule of SXSW performances at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, including the final SXSW-related event, which will take place Monday, March 21 with Austin Jazz original Elias Haslanger (1-3 p.m) and Ty Mayfield (3:30-5:30 p.m).

Enjoy!

Kids karaoke contest at Houston’s Bush Airport

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Well, this looks like it will be totally fun:

On Wednesday morning, December, 22, 2010, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston will be having a karaoke contest for kids under 17 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m in the Terminal A ticket lobby.

If you want to participate you’ll have to register right away and plan on arriving at the airport around 5 a.m.

Why so early?  The contest will broadcast live on TV; although there’s no word yet on what program or station.

Want to register? The airport is asking contestants to register by emailing: has.events@houstontx.gov.

Want more information? Call (281) 233.1171.

Good luck!

IAH Kids Karaoke

Holiday treats for air travelers

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Thanksgiving vintage postcard

Lines will be long, tempers will be short, but there will be some entertainment at many airports this holiday weekend.

Rockettes in green holiday outfits

On Wednesday (November 24th) four members of the world-famous Rockettes (not necessarily the Rockettes pictured above) will pose for photographs with holiday travelers at Nashville International Airport (BNA) from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the ticketing and baggage claim areas.

Rockettes vintage photo

Wednesday is also Passenger Appreciation Day at Philadelphia International Airport. Entertainment will include strolling entertainment, a PGA Tour Shop putting competition, Body Shop makeovers and skin consultations for men and women and food sampling – including the distribution of 2500 TaskyKakes in the B/C Food Court between noon and 5 p.m.

PHL TastyKakes

In Chicago, blues and jazz bands will perform at O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. Look for stages beyond the security checkpoints in each domestic terminal and in the Arrivals Level of International Terminal 5.  Staff from the Chicago Children’s Museum will also be on hand to host special activities in the “Kids on the Fly” play area in Terminal 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kids on the fly

At Chicago Midway Airport on Wednesday, there will be live entertainment in the Baggage Claim area from 2 to 5 pm and, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., complimentary hot cocoa just past the security checkpoint. (Look for hot cocoa on Sunday as well.)

The Thanksgiving music series at Hartsfield Jackson International Airport concludes today (Wednesday) with a performance by Johnny Roquemore and the Apostles of Bluegrass from 5 to 7 pm in the Atrium.

And on Thanksgiving Day, travelers flying on Southwest Airlines will be served a complimentary adult drink!

When was the last time you danced at the airport?

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On the first Sunday of each month, the terminal at Düsseldorf International Airport turns into an event space. One Sunday last winter a circus showed up. Last month, it was a platoon of chefs.

This coming Sunday, it will be dancers.

Dancers

During “Dance Terminal, Dance, ” professional dancers will descend on the airport to teach and perform Latin dance moves and compete in a dance tournament.

Travelers can watch the championship tournament, take a turn on an airport dance floor or join a workshop in Salsa, Merengue, Disco, Neotango, Bachata, West Coast Swing or Dirty Dancing.  There will also be a kids’ disco and performances by a variety of dance groups, including Step Dance World Champion Bernd Paffrath.

So when was the last time you danced at the airport?

Cinco de Mayo at San Diego International Airport

Art, Environment, ,

Today, Wednesday May 5, 2010, Ballet Folklórico de Chula Vista will perform traditional dances of Mexico in the Terminal 2 West baggage claim area of San Diego International Airport. The performance will take place between 11 am and 1 pm and commemorate the historic Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862, at Puebla, Mexico.


The performance is part of the San Diego Airport’s impressive performing arts series, ã brève, which presents as many as three events a month.

Souvenir Sunday: musical treats at Austin-Bergstrom Int’l Airport

Entertainment, Music, ,

Nancy Coplin, the music coordinator at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, has an enviable and very important job.  The airport has four performance venues and eleven live concerts each week and she’s the one in charge of the schedule.

In Austin, of course, you can’t spit without hitting a Grammy-winner or two, so when Nancy drops a note to say she was tickled by the performers at the airport that day, I take notice.  Here’s her report on some special guests at the airport earlier this week:

“Today we had the Bill Carter Trio. Bill is probably the premier songwriter in Austin-having written songs for Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and many more. Stephen Doster, is a great musician and a great record producer. The 3rd person today is Denny Freeman, who is playing the airport for the 1st time.  He just finished touring as Bob Dylan’s guitarist and has played with many greats, including Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan.”

Why didn’t she send out the alert earlier?  “We didn’t know they’d all be here!”

We’ll let her off the hook – this time – but only because Nancy was kind enough to send these photos along for Souvenir Sunday – the day we take a look at some of the fun, inexpensive treats you can find while being Stuck at the Airport. Great music – for free -certainly fits the bill.

Group shot: Denny Freeman, Bill Carter and Stephen Doster


(Denny Freeman)


(Bill Carter)


(Stephen Doster)

Curious to see who may be playing next time you pass through Austin-Bergstrom International Airport?  Check the airport Website. The schedule for at least one of the stages is usually posted.

And.. if you find a great souvenir while you’re stuck at the airport – something under $10, “of” the city or region and, ideally, a bit offbeat, please take a photo and send it along. It may end up featured on a future edition of Souvenir Sunday.

All Photos Sandy L. Stevens, courtesy of City of Austin

Circus Festival at Düsseldorf Airport

Contests, Environment, Events, ,

This time of year, you may find yourself looking around a busy airport filled with novice travelers and muttering to yourself, “This place is a circus.”

DUSSELFORF CIRCUS Main

Say that at Germany’s Düsseldorf Airport this Sunday – and you’ll be right.

On Sunday, December 20, 2009 the Dusseldorf Airport is hosting an international Circus Festival with two stages and more 40 aerialists, roving performers and circus school graduates competing for prizes that include paid gigs, prize money, and trips on Lufthansa to the renowned World Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow (Mondial du Cirque de Demain) in Paris.

DUSSELFORF CIRCUS

It’s the first time the airport is hosting the Circus Festival, but the folks there seem up to the task: in the past the airport has also hosted an airport games event that included pole vault, long jump, and javelin throw competitions.

Dusseldorf circus escalator

Michael Jackson Tribute shows at Singapore Changi Airport

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Is it Michael Jackson, or Michael Jackson impersonator Edward Moss there at Changi Airport?

Changi Michael Jackson Tribute

Sadly, since the King of Pop is still dead, the “Michael Jackson” you’ll see performing at Singapore’s Changi Airport through October 7th is going to be Mr. Moss.

Moss is performing three times a day, in Changi’s Terminal 1 Departure/ Transit Mall and in the Terminal 3 Departure Hall. The shows will include Michael Jackson trivia quizzes and prizes of Jackson CDs and DVD albums.

In addition to screenings of the trailer for the Michael’s tribute film, This Is It, scheduled to be released at the end of this month, travelers will also get to see an exhibit about Jackson’s career, watch concert and video footage, and buy Michael Jackson books and music from booths that will be open from 4 pm until 10 pm through October 7th.  Here’s a link to the schedule for Changi’s Michael Jackson tribute peformances.

CHANGI MJThriller