Originally published in The Blade on Monday, March 31, 2008
BY RYAN E. SMITH
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Toledo is going to get a little funky this summer when Earth, Wind & Fire comes to town as part of the Toledo Zoo Summer Concert Series.
Stevie Nicks is coming, too.
The lineup, presented by Live Nation, is being announced today and includes performances by parody-king Weird Al Yankovic and alt-rockers 3 Doors Down and Finger Eleven. The result should be a musical smorgasbord.
"For the Toledo Zoo, we always try to find a more diverse lineup," explained Carrie Samek, marketing director for Live Nation in Cleveland. "This year, it's the perfect lineup for that goal."
Samek said that another act or two probably will be added to the zoo concert series, which was attended by more than 10,000 people last year.
She said all the elements are in place for another successful season, which will begin May 23 with 3 Doors Down and special guest Finger Eleven.
The most recent album for 3 Doors Down, Seventeen Days, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200, and its next disc, featuring the popular single "It's Not My Time" is due in stores on May 27. The Canadian band Finger Eleven gained widespread notice with its hit song "One Thing" in 2000. Their performances start at 7 p.m. and tickets are $32.50 and $45.
Stevie Nicks, who performs here on June 25, has been a successful solo artist over the years but made her name as one of the voices of Fleetwood Mac. She was with the group in 1977 when they released the album Rumours, which sold over 17 million copies and was the best-selling album ever at the time, and she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with her bandmates in 1998.
Highlights of her solo musical career include "Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove)" and "Stand Back," and last year, her CD/DVD Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks was released. Tickets for her Toledo show, which starts at 7:30 p.m., are $49.50, $75, and $99.50.
Next up will be Weird Al Yankovic on July 6. He has ruled the world of song parodies since his first LP in the early '80s, mocking everything from rap to rock. Some of the two-time Grammy winner's more notable efforts include "Eat It," a send-up of Michael Jackson's smash, "Beat It," and more recently, "White & Nerdy," inspired by Chamillionaire's "Ridin'"
He comes to the Toledo Zoo for a 7:30 p.m. performance. Tickets are $29.50, $39.50, and $49.50.
The concert series concludes July 23 with Earth, Wind & Fire. The lively band, often known for its elaborate stage shows, shot to the top of the charts in the '70s with a sound that mixed funk with soul, rock, pop, African music, and even disco.
The group received its first Grammy award in 1975 for the hit "Shining Star." Its performance will be at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $37.50 and $55.
Tickets for all shows go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 419-474-1333, online at www.livenation.com, or the Toledo Zoo main box office near the Anthony Wayne Trail. You can also visit the zoo box office at the Broadway Street entrance the night of any show. There is a pre-sale starting at 10 a.m. tomorrow for zoo members, who can find more information at www.toledozoo.org.
