Another Roadside Attraction

One of the most impressive bands I have had the privilege of watching in the Roanoke area would have to be Another Roadside Attraction. Sometimes I am not aware of some of the neat cultural activities going on in Roanoke, and I have to say that Bazaar Consignments is truly adding something to the culture of Roanoke serving as a music venue. My dear friend Dettchet introduced me to Charlie, Jordan, and Lucy (all members of the band) the night before I saw them perform, and I was so impressed that these three people were so grounded and friendly. Oftentimes you'll find that people with promising music careers are not the most approachable people, and this is caused by a lack of kindness and an excess of arrogance. Not these folks, all three of them were nice, and they lent there musical talents to our Friendsgiving party. I could tell they were talented, and I knew I was in for a treat the following night.

When I arrived at Bazaar the following night, the first thing I noticed after they set up, was the hilarious drum set they have pieced together. The drum set to me sort of summarizes the band itself. The music, members, and instruments are truly a mixture of odds and ends that truly mesh. Many people have said this about the band, but it really is reminiscent of a band of gypsies that play folk music. They make wonderful music! The funny part about the show that I saw, is that it only included the percussionist and the lead guitarist/vocalist. Their two person show was impressive, and this prompted me to buy their CD (equally impressive). It always amazes me to see a band with enough talent to compensate for having partial attendance. If you pull each member away from the band, they can perform just as well alone or with another member as they can with the whole band. That kind of versatility is so useful!

If you have not heard their music yet, I encourage you to check them out at their reverbnation profile or their facebook profile. They are always playing in Roanoke, so it shouldn't be tough to catch this wonderful band playing in one of the local venues.

Contributor, Patrick Williams

My Trip To Hogwarts

I realize this article is not Blue Ridge related, but after a recent family vacation I decided that I had to talk about the cool new attractions I saw. I was fortunate enough to join my family on a vacation to Orlando, and it didn't disappoint. I will be writing about everything I did and saw for a while, because I think everyone needs to know about all the cool things to do in this great city. Many of you already know about Disney and Universal, but I just can't help addressing those too.
The one I would like to focus on right now is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Man oh man, this place definitely made me speechless. I saw the promotional video for this park a couple of years ago, and I didn't think I would see it as soon as I did. I am a Harry Potter geek, and I was in awe of what Islands of Adventure was attempting. There is no way that you could fail in taking one of the greatest subcultures in literature and film and turning it in to a theme park. What they have done with Harry Potter and his world is incredible. When I first arrived at Universal Islands of Adventure, I wanted to go to Hogsmeade first. For those of you who don't know, Hogsmeade is the fictional town where Harry goes to shop for all of his school supplies. I figured that it would be wise to conquer this mini-park first, since everyone would pre-occupied with it. I practically jogged through Seuss Landing (came back there later and loved it) and The Lost Continent (great shopping) to get to Hogwarts. Upon entering the park, the first thing to gaze upon is the Hogwarts Express! I got a picture with the conductor, why not? Since it was the first thing I did, I have to first tell you about the wonderful ride through Hogwarts and the world of Harry Potter. It is an absolute wonder to see a replica of Hogwarts high upon the hill. If you are a Harry Potter nerd, you will explode with excitement. The ride is called "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey," and I would say this is the centerpiece in the park. The only problem I had with this ride, is that before you get on you must put your stuff in lockers. There is not a lot of warning concerning the lockers, and I got separated from my family. It is also connected to the gift shop, which makes it prone to heavy crowding. Other than this rather small imposition, the rest is uphill. Even the wait for this ride was exciting! My two favorite sites during the wait is walking through Dumbledore's office, and seeing the hall of portraits. Dumbledore's office is just like it is in the movie, and it lacks no props. The hall of portraits is a riot; all of the portraits are discussing Harry Potter and other matters at hand, and they ramble and argue just as they do in the books and movies. I was surprised at first that our stuff had to be stored in the lockers, but when I realized what a thrill ride it was, I understood completely. I will do my best not to give away the plot of the ride, but it is definitely exhilarating. Throughout the whole ride it simulates the feeling of being on a broomstick, and does a good job capturing the speed and feeling I imagine you would have riding a broom. The ride combines an Imax feel with actual sets and moving objects to create the feeling of traveling through numerous Harry Potter environments. It is amazing! I would issue a word of warning to people who become dizzy easily, that it may not be for you. The story line you are placed in makes you feel like you're there, and if I was much younger I would be a little scared. I don't want to give anything away, but I will say you encounter many creatures and characters from Harry Potter. You will not be disappointed on this ride! I will be back soon to tell you all about the other great attractions in this park.


Contributor, Patrick Williams

Comedian on the Rise

Over the last several weekends I've had the privilege of attending the Lynchburg Comedy Zone, and it has certainly impressed me. I'll admit I had some preconceived notions, and I was dead wrong. I have had many laughs already in the three or four times I have attended the shows. Thanks to Alan Perry, Carl Cee Jay Jones, Paul Hooper, Dales Jones, and others, I have had the most unbelievable ab workouts. While many of the aforementioned names are veterans, I would like to turn my attention toward a new comedian on the scene, Jeremy Meador. Unfortunately I wasn't around when he was acted as a variety of characters on The Homegrown Show, but I did see him on a funny episode of Tuned Out. The last four times I have attended the Lynchburg Comedy Zone, I have seen Jeremy either perform, emcee, or both. From my understanding, he has only been doing stand-up for the last two or three weeks. You would definitely not know it. I am a big fan of sarcasm and self-deprecating humor, and if you are too, I would check out his act. He mixes those two traits with his story-telling ability and interesting observations to put on quite a show. It is also important to take note that his material takes some thought, so you better be well-versed in culture and timeless references. Despite his lack of experience, his act is ten fold funnier than some of the comics I've seen in the circuit for years. Keep an eye on this guy, because I bet it won't be long before you see his name in lights.


Contributor,
Patrick