BMO Harris Pavilion Summerfest Stage Layout

Let us welcome the BMO Harris Pavilion to the largest music festival in the world: Summerfest. The set-up of the stage overlooks the beautiful Milwaukee skyline and the lovely Lake Michigan as well. The BMO has a capacity of 10,000 people with a half circle arrangement. The front 5,000 seats are protected from the weather by the innovative roof overhead, while the other half is provided standing room that is exposed to the elements of Milwaukee summers, aka our current drought. The first 25 (or so) rows of the covered area is dubbed the “Lower Bowl.” Those seats have backs with cup holders. Fancy stuff, right? The “Upper Bowl” has room for 2,500 people. These folks have the luxury of sitting on bleachers that have back rests.  They are also under the roof. That is a big step up from the wobbly benches at other stages.
Also, the fact that the BMO is a FREE stage at Summerfest is another plus. (After all, who gets back rests 25+ rows away from the stage?) There is a twist, of course. What makes this stage unique is the new concept of the “Blue Circle Seat Pass.” The “Blue Circle Seat Pass” applies to the Lower Bowl, or “Blue Circle.” During the day, fans can sit anywhere they want in the theater. Once the clock strikes 7:00pm (before the opener and main act,) everyone has to vacate that area in order to let people with the “Blue Circle Seat Passes” to get to their assigned seats before the headline act performs.

Now where can we all get this Blue Circle Seat Pass to secure our spots up close and avoid the crush? They are given out free each day to the first people that ask for them. Tickets are issued on a first come, first served basis. Please remember that the BMO’s Blue Circle Seat Passes are not the same as admission tickets to Summerfest and the Upper Bowl benches up for grabs like other stages. This assigned seating is a clever new approach. If you ask me, this plan is excellent because it eliminates the pushing and shoving we all encounter when thousands of people push forward to get the best view of the big act.

As a plus, the BMO will continue to host great bands throughout the summer. In particular, the Counting Crows have been booked for next week (to be exact July 25^th.) Boston will play on August 3, and Daughtry on August 6 to name only a few. I would personally recommend going to at least one of the shows to see this new stage in person before the next season of Summerfest. If you decide to go to My Morning Jacket on August 11^th, you may just see me.

Badgers George Marshall Ready To Replace Brandon Taylor

The Badgers may be holding one of college basketball's best kept secrets well; at least that is what you would think if you asked the players about red shirt sophomore George Marshall. Wisconsin's former point guard Brandon Taylor said of Marshall that he would also be among the names of all time greats in Wisconsin basketball history. Guard John Gasser said that Marshall was one of the toughest guys that he had to cover all of last year. All of this praise is being heaped upon a nineteen year-old red shirt from Chicago, who played no minutes in 2011.

Marshall Sits Out First Year at Wisconsin

At any other program in the country, Marshall would have seen time as a true freshman. Wisconsin already had a top NBA prospect at the point-guard position, playing an average thirty-six minutes per night. Marshall chose to save a year's eligibility and take his red shirt. And now with Taylor moving on, the point-guard spot is wide open. Marshall says that he is pleased with his decision to join the practice squad for his freshman year at the school. He told reporters that the time was well spent on learning the pace of Big Ten play, and he now feels confident about proving himself in 2012. His time on the drill team also gave coaches a chance to chart his skills and weaknesses, though, as assistant Lamont Paris noticed, there are few of the later.

Paris touted Marshall's keen ability to read plays and to react accordingly. He told reporters that Marshall has a dead on mid-range shot, which will help in situations when a planned play breaks down. He added that the point-guard can also pressure the ball on defense better than any player he has seen at Wisconsin in years. Marshall led his high school to a Chicago Public League championship his senior year. He averaged eighteen points per night at Chicago Brooks College Prep School, as well as six rebounds and five assists.

Marshall remains humble when asked about all of the off-season hype. He knows that the team doesn't expect him to fill Taylor's shoes right off the bat, and he admits that he will make mistakes along the way. For fans though, this could be the beginning of four years of pleasure at the point-guard spot.

Wisconsin State Fair Bands for 2012

The Wisconsin State Fair wrapped up it's band list for this August's festivities. The annual event announced that Shiny Toy Guns will open for Neon Trees on August forth, while country stars The Band Perry will play on the sixth at the Potowatimi Bingo Casino Main Stage, opened by Sunny Sweeney. These latest musical acts join the already announced shows, which begin with Jeff Dunham on August second.

2012 Wisconsin State Fair Performers List

-        August 2^nd – Jeff Dunham

-        August 3^rd – Billy Currington with David Nail

-        August 4^th – Neon Trees with Shiny Toy Guns

-        August 5^th – The Happy Together Tour

-        August 6^th – The Band Perry with Sunny Sweeny

-        August 7^th – Styx

-        August 8^th – Chris Tomlin with Chad James

-        August 9^th – Victoria Justice

-        August 10^th – Last Summer On Earth Tour featuring the Bare Naked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd & The Monsters and Cracker

-        August 11^th – Tesla, Great White, and Slaughter

-        August 12^th – The Fearless Flores Thrill Show