Summerfest Welcomes Usher to the Marcus Amphitheater

Usher with Lyfe Jennings Tonight
Usher performs at the Marcus Amphitheater tonight, as Summerfest is nearing the half way point. Lyfe Jennings will open the show. We had one cancellation this year, and it was a biggie. Brooks and Dunn had to back out of their show. In place of the country music legends, Lynyrd Skynyrd took the stage.

Briggs and Stratton Stage Welcomes Dark Star Orchestra
Tomorrow night, we will see Carlos Santana with Steve Winwood on the big stage. As for side stage action, I suggest you get your kicks at The Briggs and Stratton stage. Dark Star Orchestra will perform at 8pm tonight.

Big Bang and Summerfest | A Milwaukee Tradition

Are you one of the thousands that will head to the lakefront for the Big Bang fireworks? Perhaps you watch them from the Summerfest grounds. Either way, it's one of the best nights in Milwaukee. This Thursday is the first night of Summerfest. I'll be heading down to see Beatallica perform their mix of Beatles songs sung Metallica style. These local stars know how to rock.

I'll be back again on Saturday night to see Tom Petty and ZZ Top play at the Marcus Amphitheater. Petty plays two nights, and ZZ Top opens for both. Are you ready for the festival of all festivals? Summerfest 2010 starts in just two days.

Milwaukee Prepares for nearly one million Summerfest fans

This is it. Milwaukee prepares for almost one million Summerfest fans. What Summerfest shows are most likely to draw the biggest crowds to the free stages? My guess for three of them are Devo on July 4, Passion Pit at the US Cellular stage on June 24th, B.B. King on June 27 at the M & I Classic Rock Stage, and The Offspring at the Harley Roadhouse on July 1. What do these bands have in common? They bring the party fans down to the lakefront. T-minus four days and counting until Summerfest Milwaukee!

Summerfest 2010 Shows at M&I Stage

The Summerfest 2010 M&I Stage is just to the north of the Marcus Amphitheater. It's one of the biggest free stages on the festival grounds. When I ventured over there to see Elvis Costello last summer, I couldn't get close enough because I was late. I have to think that well over 5000 people could crowd that area with no problem.

The following are the M&I stage headline acts for 2010:

• June 24 it's Night Ranger and Led Zepplin 2


• June 25 Think Floyd USA/The American Pink Floyd Show


• June 26 Uriah Heap 10pm with Savoy Brown at 3pm


• June 27 B.B. King


• June 28 Blue Oyster Cult


• June 29 Weird Al Yankovic with local act Tyler Traband as support at 6:30pm


• June 30 The Moody Blues


• July 1 The B52's


• July 2 Yes


• July 3 Peter Frampton


• July 4 Average White Band

This is certainly a "classic rock lineup" with the exception of the B52's. If you are headed to the M&I stage, do yourself a favor and get there a few hours before the show. That might get you a bit closer to the stage. Summerfest runs June 24th through July 4th this year.

Tim McGraw Summerfest Milwaukee Show | First Marcus Amphitheater Gig of the Week

It's been so long since the first Summerfest tickets featuring Tim McGraw went on sale. I almost forgot about it. Lady Antebellum will be backing up McGraw on June 24th. That's the first night of the Big Gig. McGraw also has a show scheduled for the next night at Country Fest in Cadott Wisconsin.

I spotted Tim McGraw in a movie just the other day. He had a small part in Four Christmases, the movie featuring Reese Witherspoon, and Vince Vaughn. He plays the part of Vince's brother. I didn't recognize him. The credits at the end of the movie revealed that he was in the film. I had to rewind the movie, just to be sure. Yes, that was McGraw.

As for Lady Antibellum, the band is backing up Tim McGraw for a large part of the summer. The band is scheduled to play at their fan club party, where they hope to raise funds for the Nashville flood disaster victims.