Sax man Dave Koz looks to keep his string of sell-out shows alive when he returns to the Plaza Theatre Dec. 9 with his newest "A Smooth Jazz Christmas" concert.
Koz will be joined by guitarist Jonathan Butler, pianist Brian Culbertson and saxophonist Candy Dulfer this time around.
If you're a fan, get your scorecards out: This will be the pop-jazz man's 13th annual Christmas tour (not bad for a nice Jewish guy from LA); his ninth El Paso stop in 11 years; and fourth EP Christmas show.
He has sold out seven of those eight previous shows here, pretty impressive for an artist who doesn't get a lot of media exposure.
Culbertson was here with Koz last summer at the Plaza. Southpaw Butler has been here with him twice — the 2008 Christmas show at the Plaza and the "A Smooth Summer Night" tour at the Chavez Theatre in 2004.
If you're wondering why the Koz skipped El Paso this summer, it's because he didn't want to wear out his welcome, according to promoter Connie Paul.
Paul said tickets will range from $40 to $100. But don't hit up Ticketmaster just yet. They won't go on sale until Nov. 1.
• Promoter Juanita Vazquez of El Paso's Lola Productions isn't wasting time. She's putting a Bellydance Superstars show on sale Aug. 6, just two days before she brings jazz's Hiroshima to UTEP's Magoffin Auditorium.
BDSS, whose "The Art of Bellydance" show was so impressive here last year, will return to Magoffin with a new show, "Bombay Bellywood," which promises the usual mixture of styles with more emphasis on India's contributions to the dance art.
It will be at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6.
Tickets are $28 and $34, plus service charges, on sale at 10 a.m. Aug. 6 at the UTEP Ticket Center, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.
That Hiroshima show, part of their 30th anniversary tour, will be at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8 at the auditorium. Tickets are $39.50 and $44.50, plus service charges, at the UTEP Ticket Center, Ticketmasters, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.
• Just a reminder that tickets for the Stone Temple Pilots' Sept. 21 show at the Coliseum go on sale at 10 a.m. July 31. They're $44.50 and $49.50, plus service charges, on sale at the box office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, who opened for the reunited STP on July 31, 2008 at the Coliseum, will open this one, too.
There are additional ticket packages for sale. One costs an additional $45 and includes membership in their fan club. The pre-sale runs through 11:55 p.m. July 30.
VIP packages are $110 and include tickets in the first 10 rows of reserved seating, a tour laminate, tour poster, guitar picks and STP headphones. They'll be available through Aug. 31. The pre-sale runs through 10 p.m. July 30.
• Country singer Rodney Carrington has added a second show at the Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero, NM. It will be at 8 p.m. Aug. 27 (the other show is Aug. 26).
Tickets are $25, $40, $60, $75 and $100, plus service charges, on sale now at the casino, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.
• Speaking of country acts, Texas hardcore country types Jason Boland and the Stragglers, touting their new "High in the Rockies" live album, return to Whiskey Dick's at 8 p.m. Aug. 20. Tickets are $10 at Ticketbully.
• Local playwright Martin R. Cardenas, who says he recently moved back here from Chicago, will premiere his romantic comedy "A Man Having a Baby," about an arrogant bachelor's comeuppance, at 7 p.m. Aug. 28-29 and Sept. 4-5 at the Scottish Rite Temple theater. Tickets are $12.50, on sale at Ticketbully.
• Brian Kennedy, who runs the Coliseum, confirmed that Brazilian crooner Roberto Carlos has canceled his Sept. 23 show at the venue. That show had been postponed from May. Refunds are available at the point of purchase.
• Detroit rockers Sponge, originally scheduled for Aug. 21 at the Zen-Meister, now will play the House of Rock East at 7 p.m. Sept. 30. Tickets are $18 in advance, $23 day of show, on sale at Ticketbully.
• A couple of death metal shows are headed our way. Enthroned and Destroyer lead a multiple-act bill at 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at Club 101. Tickets are $15, on sale at Ticketbully.
The "Over the Limit" tour features nine bands, including As Blood Runs Black, Oceana, Arsonists Get All the Girls and the Tony Danza Tap Dance Experience at 4 p.m. Aug. 19 at 101. Tickets are $15, on sale at Ticketbully.
• Looking way ahead, Pollstar is listing a June 24 show by the Newsboys at Abundant Living Faith Center, presumably part of its summer youth conference week.
The Band Of Heathens website has them at the State Line on August 18th. Hope its true, great band!
Posted by: madman gunner | July 29, 2010 at 09:24 PM
Doug, you state in your column that Jason Boland is from Texas. Boland and his band are from Oklahoma. Many of the bands from the Texas music scene hail from Oklahoma. They move to Austin and play mostly in Texas because of the population centers. FYI
Posted by: BMH | July 30, 2010 at 08:20 AM
Madman: You are right. Band of Heathens will be at State Line on Aug. 18. If I can work it out time and space wise, we'll run an interview with them.
BMH: You are correct. The band is from Oklahoma. In my rush to get something posted I didn't doublecheck it. Thanks for pointing it out!
Posted by: Doug Pullen | July 30, 2010 at 10:05 AM