The rebirth of a spring rally mainstay, a concert by a 22-million-album-selling A-lister, and Harley at the Hard Rock highlight a jam-packed agenda for the 2008 Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Week.

You can find the full schedule of events right here. Among the highlights:

• H.B. Spokes has literally risen from the ashes, and reopened in time for the spring rally. A September 2007 fire gutted the former main building, but months of intensive rebuilding have paid off – much to the delight of its longtime regulars.
• All together now: Bawitdaba da bang a dang diggy diggy diggy said the boogy said up jump the boogy … That’s right – His name is KIIIIIIID … Kid Rock! And he’s coming to Hard Rock Park next week (Tuesday, May 13, 7 p.m.), joined by Rev Run of Run D.M.C. fame. They’ll be rockin’ the Hard Rock’s 10,000-seat ampitheater with a show that’s free with a paid admission.
• Speaking of Hard Rock Park, Harley-Davidson has now moved its entire Bike Week exhibition slate to the brand-new theme park. The “Harley-Davidson Road Tour at Hard Rock Park” runs May 13-17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, complete with free demo rides, free music and plenty of fun. Check out this link to see the lists of vendors and activities.

Get your motor runnin’, folks, ‘cause it’s almost here!

My view of Led Zeppelin The Ride, from the outside.

I can't wait ...

I’m not a Trekkie; never been, never will be. I was probably the only kid on my block who wasn’t into the Star Wars saga. And it wouldn’t faze me in the least if Time Warner Cable replaced the Sci Fi Channel with, say, 24/7 Armenian folk music.

Maybe it’s that thought process that kept me from getting into the whole laser tag thing all these years. But this new place opened up in Carolina Forest – Surf’s Up Family Fun Center – that features laser tag. And when I took the family to meet up with friends there last Saturday, I thought I’d get away with letting the boys have at it while I did some damage to the pizza and pasta buffet.

No such luck. They all dragged me into the laser tag arena (not quite kicking and screaming, but close), and laughed their heads off as I wandered into the briefing room – complete with an all-white shirt that the blacklighting immediately turned into a 200-pound bull’s-eye.

“Takin’ one for the team,” I thought.

The little snipers had other ideas as they licked their chops: “Fish in a barrel.”

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Two Myrtle Beach venues are bringing legendary rock group Queen to the forefront in the coming days, and beyond.

Carmike Cinemas at Broadway at the Beach is one of a select number of theaters nationwide that will showcase a digitally remastered version of Queen’s historic, November 1981 concert in Montreal. That show was to be the only concert by Queen that was ever shot on film, and will be shown at Carmike as part of one-night-only engagement on Monday, April 28.

Always a great live band, with arguably the greatest front-man of all time in Freddie Mercury, Queen excelled with the cameras rolling. The picture has been digitally restored from the original film and the sound has been newly mixed and mastered for DTS Surround Sound and PCM Stereo from the original multi-track tapes.

And well beyond next week’s engagement, Hard Rock Park is unveiling its “Bohemian Rhapsody” nightly show spectacular, featuring 1,000 pieces of pyrotechnics, 137 fountains and 70-foot-tall Gibson guitar icon, all on the Park’s nine-acre lagoon.

“Bohemian Rhapsody screams unconventional and we thought it would be the perfect ending to a visit to Hard Rock Park where we celebrate the essence and irreverence of rock music,” said Steven Goodwin, CEO of Hard Rock Park, in this recent release. “Nobody will want to miss this!”

Sources: PR Newswire, HardRockPark.com

Yes, even the cheap seats can produce a priceless moment.

In this case, Myrtle Beach Pelicans left fielder Willie Cabrera made a tremendous relay from the warning track to gun down the Frederick Keys baserunner you see rounding third base in the background.

Funny thing is, I got this picture by mistake. I had my Nikon D40 in prime position to get a traditional angle for an action shot, only to be thrown off by the Diet Pepsi my kid spilled in my lap. I jumped, and pushed the shutter button by accident. Here's the result.

Not bad for a $7 bleacher ticket, huh? OK, plus the $3.50 for the Pepsi, and $5 for the dry cleaning bill, but still ...

By the way, the Pelicans set multiple franchise attendance records this past weekend, with more than 15,000 fans passing through the gates of BB&T Coastal Field.

It’s like that eight-year-old pair of Birkenstocks you’ll wear with just about anything in your closet. Doesn’t matter that they’re a little beat up, or that you might have a different pair or 10 on the shelf that would go better with those new khakis. Those shoes just feel right.

And that’s probably the best analogy I can use to describe my first up-close experience with The Market Common.

Except it’s not worn-out. It’s brand-spanking-new.

It’s already popular, as evidenced by the crowds that defied the rainy weather and flocked there the first few days after last week’s soft opening.

It’s unfamiliar, and unlike anything else you’ve seen along Ocean Boulevard or throughout Myrtle Beach.

But you know what? Like that pair of your most comfortable shoes, it just feels right.

To me, it doesn’t scream commercialism. It just says, “Hey, you can hang here any time … (more pics after the jump)

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Wanna be known forever more as “Led Zeppelin – The First”?

As of Friday night, the honor will cost you at least $600. That’s for Row 1, Seat 1 – right next to Hard Rock Park CEO Steven Goodwin – on the maiden voyage of the theme park’s eagerly anticipated “Led Zeppelin – The Ride.”

Here’s the cool part: All the proceeds will go to a very deserving charity.

Online agency Auctionwire is coordinating the auction through eBay, with proceeds from the sale of this and 14 other seats on the coaster’s first-ever run to benefit the Sarah Goodwin Memorial Foundation and its Rock My World Children’s Village.

Working with hundreds of established charities from across America, Rock My World Children's Village provides a once-in-a-lifetime, cost-free experience for young people to visit "The World’s First Rock 'n' Roll Theme Park" where they can live, learn, play and grow within the Rock My World Village.

Designed to accommodate kids of all ages and backgrounds, Rock My World Children's Village has facilities designed to cater to the needs of children with life-threatening illnesses, programs to help troubled kids who have lost their way or simply kids who have lost their loved ones. The Village gives them a helping hand towards a more fulfilling life by introducing them to the empowering energy of rock music and the rejuvenating pastimes of the surf, sun and sand.

Beyond their historic seats, the winning bidders also receive a signed Led Zeppelin poster; a commemorative certificate; and a photo taken at the event. Each of the 15 seat auctions ends Monday evening, April 7, and the first run of “Led Zeppelin – The Ride” takes place on April 15, the first day of the park’s soft opening event.

The Cultural Council of Georgetown County boasts an impressive lineup of activities for April. Whether you’re living in the Pawleys Island-Murrells Inlet area, visiting on vacation or taking the short drive south from Myrtle Beach, you’ll see exactly why Georgetown County has become a go-to destination for the best in cultural celebrations and the arts:

• The final performance of the 1st Sundays at 4 Chamber Music Series will be held on Sunday, April 6, 4 p.m. at Holy Cross Faith Memorial Church. Previous performances with members of the Long Bay Symphony and other local talents have been a tremendous success; tickets for Sunday’s performance are $20 each. Click here for more information.
• The Seacoast Artist Guild of SC, Inc. will hold its 2nd Spring Arts Show on April 11-13 at Precious Blood of Christ Catholic Church. Guild members and non-members alike will be exhibiting 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, and photographic works. All works will be for sale. People's Choice Awards will be given at the reception on April 13, 2-4 p.m.: viewing the exhibit is free and open to the public. Check out the event page for details.
• Mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Treasures of the Tidelands Festival, kicking off on Friday, April 25 with the opening of the Gullah Rice Celebration in Pawleys Island. This is an exciting year as the festival partners with the Gullah Rice Celebration, drawing attention to the importance of the Gullah culture and its historical impact. Other events will showcase many talented youths in the area with dance and musical performances, as well as poetry and photography. The festival concludes May 3 with the Long Bay Symphony playing on the waterfront in downtown Georgetown. Many events are free, and showcase the rich arts and culture along the South Strand. Visit the Treasures of the Tidelands home page for more information.

The company’s VP mentioned it back in November as a possibility, and the Orlando Sentinel appears to have confirmed it earlier this month – WonderWorks is headed to Myrtle Beach.

What is WonderWorks? “An Amusement Park for the Mind,” they say. A dizzying experience just looking at it, I say. The kids overruled me on this one, though, and got me to take them to the Pigeon Forge, Tenn. location earlier this week while we were vacationing in nearby Gatlinburg. They absolutely loved it.

If you’ve been to the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area and already checked this place out, time for you to weigh in and let our readers know what they can expect!

Chart-topping hip-hop sensation Soulja Boy makes his way to the Grand Strand concert scene next month, performing at the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach on Friday, April 11, 7 p.m. with special guests Lil’ Mama, Tiffany Evans and V.I.C. Tickets range from $27.50 to $70.

Soulja Boy made his splash in 2007 with “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” which reached the peak of both the Billboard U.S. Hot 100 and Rap charts and remained number one in the U.S. for seven non-consecutive weeks. Here’s a peek at the video for the song that’s been all the rage:

Now comes the caveat emptor part – particularly for parents of young school kids who want you to take them to a show that’s part of Soulja Boy’s nationwide “21 and Under Tour.” The song shown in this video is the “clean” version; no word on what rendition he’ll be performing during the Friday night show. A simple Google search – and a follow-up visit to UrbanDictionary.com, if necessary – will reveal all you need to know about the “regular” version. Just be prepared for R-rated content.

According to Wikipedia, though, Soulja Boy cites his goal in music as making “upbeat, party-themed music that avoids the negative, violent image that he sees in most hip-hop.”

My only suggestion? Do a bit of homework before deciding what you think is age-appropriate for your child.