"Get To The Point"-North to South, It's All A Great Time For Everyone

When someone we are engaged with in conversation rambles on about where they are going on a particular subject matter, we often say, "Get to the point." If you are from Ohio, like myself, getting to the point could mean something entirely different. "Get to the Point" was also an advertising slogan for Cedar Point, a world class amusement park located at the tip of a peninsula on Lake Erie in Sandusky. When I lived in Ohio, going to Cedar Point was a tradition I eagerly looked forward to every year.

We lived about two hours driving time from the park, so it was a always a full day excursion. We would get up at the crack of dawn to leave with enough time to make it for the opening and would stay until near closing. A complete day of flips, dips, over the top high-speed gut-wrenching plunges, and tennis shoe water-soaking rides accompanied by an entertaining dose of shows, games, and attractions.

Cedar Point has been around long time. It opened in 1870. It is the second-oldest operating amusement park in the United States. It features a world-record 72 rides, including 15 roller coasters making it the park with the third-most roller coasters in the world. It is the only amusement park in the world with four roller coasters taller than 200 ft - Magnum XL-200 at 205 ft, Millennium Force at 310 ft, Wicked Twister at 215 ft, and Top Thrill Dragster at 420 ft. It received the Golden Ticket Award for "Best Amusement Park in the World" from Amusement Today for the past 15 years. It is the "Roller Coaster Capital of the World". This year it will open with a 16th roller coaster called the GateKeeper at 174 ft. If you are a roller coaster enthusiast, Cedar Point is a must do.

I no longer live in Ohio. It has been some time since I have been to beautiful Sandusky and Cedar Point. I now live in South Carolina and beautiful Charleston, but getting to the point is still a priority, that is to say Patriots Point. There are no world class roller coasters on this point. Patriots Point is home to Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum and a fleet of National Historic Landmark ships, including the World War II aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. The old carrier has become one the state's major tourist attractions with more than 270,000 visitors each year.

Patriots Point also has a golf course, a hotel, and a collegiate athletic complex. The hotel is the Charleston Harbor Resort. It is host to the main reason I get to the Point, the Party at the Point.

The first installment of the weekly event for 2013 begins April 26th. The beach party offers you an opportunity to stick your feet into the cool sands of the resorts waterfront beach, revitalize yourself with a cool drink after a long day of whatever, and enjoy some music with Charleston Harbor as the backdrop. A long pier stretching out into the bay is perfect for taking a relaxing stroll to soak in the gentle, salty ocean breezes and viewing the shipping activities of one of the largest and busiest ports in the United States. Maybe, you will catch a glimpse of one of the many huge container ships passing close by.

  
The featured band on April 26th will be Blue Monday. The band is a 5 piece female fronted band performing music from the cool and fun music of the 80's. Music from bands like Journey, U2, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, and others. The band relocated from New York City after a successful 10 year run. The bands hard hitting classics will take you back into a 30 year old time machine. It is billed as a tribute to the MTV revolution of music. On May 3rd Daggermuffin, a Folly Beach based trio, will be the featured band along with Old You. May 10th will be the CofC Graduation Party with Long Miles. For the complete schedule go to Party on the Point.

This is a family friendly event. The gates open at 5:30 pm, and the bands start at around 6:30. Bring cash for admission and for the bar, and bring your friends too. See you on the beach.

Charleston Area Concerts And Music Venues Highlighting Its Homegrown Talent

The sound of music is in the air, it is everywhere in the Lowcountry. Few people may know this, but Charleston was home to the first musical society in North America called the St. Cecilia Society. It was formed possibly in 1766 as a private subscription concert organization, meaning members only. The exact date of its formation is speculative because early records were destroyed during the Civil War.

Popular musical tastes were much different then compared to what they are at present-no shakin' your booty or shagin' on the pier in those early colonial days. The musical society was greatly influenced by British tastes. Works of concert composers then favored in London were heard in Charleston between 1766 and 1820, the year the concert series came to an end. Musical tastes were changing, a country wide financial crisis unraveled the local economy and induced the society to curtail its activities. The society still exists today. The organization has a punch named after it called the St. Cecilia Society Punch.

Over the next two hundred years music has morphed in the Lowcountry. A period of time significant in the evolution of music in Charleston was the early 1900's. The Gullah culture of Charleston's sea island and its dock workers played a huge role in the development of what would become America's classical music, jazz and everything associated with it. Step aside New Orleans, jazzy Charleston humbly and quite possibly predates you, if you were to consider the evidence and the sociological development of enslaved Africans where European art was Africanized.

Avery Research Center

Many Charleston musicians of that period learned their craft with the Jenkins Orphanage Bands who were taught and trained at Charleston’s Jenkins Orphanage, one of the country’s first private black orphanages. Others were taught and trained at a school founded in 1865, Charleston’s Avery Normal Institute, now the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture. The Center is located on the site of the former Avery Normal Institute at the College of Charleston.

In 1923, James P. Johnson, composed a song bearing the cities name using the driving rhythm of ragtime. Cecil Mack penned the lyrics for the song, but the words are relatively unknown in comparison to the tune. A dance of the same name was inspired by the song that became a dance synonymous with the 20's, the "Charleston". Everybody in the country was twisting their feet and kicking up their heels and the dance found a permanent place in musical history all due to the cities cultural influences. At the time, the "Charleston" was considered an immoral and provocative dance. Little did they know what was yet to come.

Darius Rucker in concert

Today, Charleston is still a cultural center for the musical arts. The Spoleto Festival and its compliment, Piccolo Spoleto, are proof of Charleston's immeasurable contribution to the performing arts. The two festivals feature music of all genres ranging from classical to jazz. Their mission is to present programs of the highest artistic caliber with a mix of distinguished artists and emerging talent both internationally and locally. Over the years Charleston has produced some phenomenal talent.

August 17 and 18 one of Charleston's sons, Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish, will perform a concert at Family Circle Magazine Stadium called Homegrown. The band came together in 1986 while in college at USC. Hootie and the Blowfish plays a mainstream pop variation of blues-rock, with an easy-going sound. Since debuting in 1994, the band has produced a string of Top 40 hits and sold over 25 million albums over the years. This is their 8th consecutive time at the Family Circle Magazine Stadium. They established the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation benefiting children of South Carolina through education and supporting school music programs. You can purchase tickets for the concert.

Eddie Bush and myself

Eddie Bush is another homegrown talent and a Charleston favorite. From the time he decided music was his calling, and that was a very early age, Eddie committed himself to becoming a great guitar player, which he has accomplished. He astounds his audiences with his fiery guitar licks. He also dedicated himself equally at being an excellent singer and songwriting. He toured with Eric Johnson, played as part of a trio called One Flew South, and has been recognized nationally and locally for writing various moving ballads. I have seen Eddie perform on many occasions throughout the Charleston area. I have met Eddie personally and he is as engaging one on one as he is on the stage. He makes you feel like he is your next door neighbor, which in my case Eddie is a close neighbor. For the list of Eddie's future engagements, click here for his calendar.

Chelsea Summers

New musical talent continues to emerge in the Lowcountry. A young singer/songwriter I call "Summerville's Sweetheart" is making inroads into the local pop scene. Like any journey, it begins with the first step. Chelsea Summers began her journey at the age of thirteen, teaching herself to play guitar. Her first venue was outside her mother's store on W Richardson Ave in Summerville. She played for the Third Thursday crowds who gathered on the brick patio in front of the store to share some light conversation and refreshing beverages courtesy the Summers. It was then and there I first discovered Chelsea. I was captivated. You could compare her to Taylor Swift or Hilary Duff, but she is uniquely Chelsea. I have closely watched Chelsea hone her acoustic skills, sweet vocals and emerging stage presence. She has opened for Parachute, attended Nashville Songwriter’s Association International Advanced Songwriter’s Camp, and recently returned to Nashville. Her newly released CD features her own works and the songs are soulful and soothing. Click here for the list of venues she will be appearing at around the Lowcountry.

Charleston Is An Attractive Place To Play In More Ways Than One

One recent Friday night I sat outside of the Southend Brewery to watch the crowds of people go by. As a refresher, I ordered the popular beer sampler the brewery makes available and sat back. The purpose behind this was to satisfy my curiosity that Charleston is the city with the most attractive people. My rather insignificant study evolved around the female gender because in my narrow male thinking the poll done by "Travel and Leisure" based their results on women only. The reason for that conclusion was derived from the fact that pictures published in articles about this study showed exclusively women, but the usage of the word "people" would seem to imply including both genders. Anyways, it goes against my grain to see it any other way.

The female nightlife crowd did not disappoint. The challenge was distinguishing between vacationers and locals. Vacationers obviously wouldn't count since they are not from Charleston. Groups of four dressed to the hilt and around the same age was pretty much a given they were locals. Other groups consisting of various ages were more difficult, but there are obvious indicators that give away visitors, one being cameras and another alot of pointing. Couples presented the greatest challenge. With the sampler polished off and my evaluations completed, my final summation was ready. The poll done by "Travel and Leisure" in my thinking was verified, if attractive was based solely on looks. Other cities may disagree, like Miami and San Diego, but somebody had to be number one and it might as well be Charleston.

Other top honors pulled in by Charleston were in categories such as antiques shopping, cool boutique hotels, cozy bed and breakfasts and awesome neighborhoods. These results were based on what visitors had to say. Charleston was also ranked number one in friendly. Like every thing in life, these findings are subjective. I am also from Northeast Ohio and if you were to plant yourself outside of Playhouse Square in Cleveland or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame you may come to the same conclusion. Although, there is a huge difference in what you may call a city, because I do not consider Charleston a city type city, meaning high rise buildings, concrete structures, huge city streets, business people focused completely on self, and all else.

So, what do the attractive people of Charleston do on a Friday night? There is no shortage of partying in Charleston. Vacationers looking for a good time, college students looking to blow off some steam, and knowledgeable locals all converge on the downtown area where the watering-holes and sports bars are willing cater to their needs. If you are seeking a more sophisticated release the district's higher-end restaurants, such as High Cotton and McCrady's, and swanky cocktail joints like Torch Velvet Lounge are there to please. Also, local bars and music halls offer an enviable lineup of live entertainment. Topping out the long list are Pavillion Bar and Cafe, King Street Grille, Henry's on the Market, Rooftop at the Vendue, Music Farm, Torch Lounge, Blind Tiger Pub, Windjammer, McGrady's, and JB Pivot's Beach Club.