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!

Since its founding in 1971, Hard Rock International has been committed to its "Save the Planet" motto, with the goal of making the earth a safer, healthier and better place to live. Continuing its mission, Hard Rock has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation for the launch of its new Lil' Rockers Menu, featuring delicious kid's meals packaged with fun activities that show youngsters how they can help protect the environment.

Beginning this past Arbor Day (April 25th), each kid's meal at the Hard Rock Café in Myrtle Beach, and at Hard Rock restaurant locations throughout North America and Puerto Rico, now includes tree seed packets, encouraging lil' rockers to plant trees and help produce more oxygen and preserve wildlife habitats. Hard Rock International has also teamed up with the Arbor Day Foundation, making the commitment to plant at least 25,000 trees this year. Additionally, with the help of the new Lil' Rockers menu, Hard Rock and the Arbor Day Foundation hope to help plant an additional one million trees in 2008.

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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

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.

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.

Its U.S. tour has taken it from Alaska to Avery Fisher Hall, and this Saturday an internationally acclaimed ensemble makes a special appearance on the Grand Strand.

Chamber Orchestra Kremlin performs this Saturday, March 8, 7:30 p.m. at Coastal Carolina University’s Wheelwright Auditorium. The concert is a highlight of CCU’s 2007-2008 cultural season, and will feature a sonata by Gioacchino Rossini, the Symphony for Strings by Dmitri Shostakovich and the Serenade for Springs by Antonin Dvorák.

Under the direction of founder Misha Rachlevsky, the group was formed in 1991 for an extensive recording project in Moscow. Crowds and critics alike were enthralled by their initial performances, and as they clamored for more Chamber Orchestra Kremlin was established as a full-time entity.

Their performances have earned the “Critic’s Choice” distinction from The New York Times, and as music critic Rick Justice of the Charleston Daily Mail recalled after a “stunning” October 2006 performance, “When they appeared here several years ago in the same venue … I remembered being overwhelmed by the precision in their music making. I'm happy to report that on Sunday afternoon, it was deja vu.”

Here’s a sampling of the ensemble in a recent concert, performing a seven-movement suite (“Adoracion al Ritmo”) with percussionist Frank Colon:

For more information and tickets, contact the Wheelwright Box Office at (843) 349-2502.

The Georgetown Lunch Rotary this week announced plans for the 3rd Annual Shag Festival, to be held on Saturday, April 12, 7-11 p.m. on King Street in Downtown Georgetown. The event has quickly become a favorite for many locals who enjoy an evening with the South Carolina state dance.

"New this year, the shag festival becomes a street dance on King Street in Downtown Georgetown!" says festival chair Jenna Jordan. "We expect to double our crowd and are thrilled to announce that we will be dancing to the popular sound of The Band of Oz. Mark your calendars now and plan to join us for a wonderful evening that results in a significant contribution to Alzheimer's Research and other community projects."

Food and beverage will be available throughout the evening. Those needing a shag refresher course are invited to arrive at 6 p.m. for a lesson before the band begins an hour later.

Tickets will go on sale this Saturday, March 1, and may be purchased at the Georgetown and Pawleys Island Chamber offices, the UPS Store on Highmarket in Georgetown and the Cultural Council office in Litchfield. They are $20 in advance and $25 when purchased at the event. Tickets may also be purchased from any member of the Georgetown Lunch Rotary club, and many sponsorship opportunities are still available.

For more information, contact Annette Fisher at (843) 546-8436 or afisher@visitgeorge.com.

Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary's global membership is approximately 1.2 million men and women who belong to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Source: Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce

If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear that “Evolution of Dance” guy on YouTube was my kid.

Of course, in our house there are only so many chances in the day for Christian to release his inner MC Hammer (minus the Hammer pants). That’s where one of the latest additions to the Grand Strand youth entertainment scene certainly comes in handy.

Hip Hop-n-Chillin, located on Gateway Drive across from Carolina Forest Elementary School, offers a fun, safe and convenient place for kids to spend evening time with their friends while the ‘rents just … chill. Open to children ages 8 to 13, Hip Hop-n-Chillin offers Friday and Saturday evening sessions (6:30-10:30 p.m.) that feature numerous arcade games, refreshments, music and, of course, dance contests.

Just bring your kids, check them in, and after they’ve either worked out enough sweat on the dance floor or spent sufficient time with their friends for the night, check them out (proof of ID required). And for $12 per child (the fee includes games and activities; snack bar refreshment prices range from $0.50 to $1.50), you won’t find a better last-minute babysitting option, especially if you and your significant other simply want to enjoy a modest night out on the town.

Hip Hop-n-Chillin also runs an after-school program for grades K-6. For as low as $150 a month for membership with discounts for families, it provides a structured environment that not only keeps your children occupied but ensures that they stay on track with their studies, with a minimum of one hour daily devoted to their homework.

For more information, visit their Web site or call 843-903-4995.

If you’re either not from the South or unfamiliar with entertainment culture south of the Mason-Dixon line, we’re not talking about “shagging” in the Austin Powers movie context.

We’re referring to the “Carolina shag,” and if you hang around these parts long enough you start to realize it’s got quite a loyal following.

So … what is shagging? First, here’s a look-see:

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