Rolling Stones US Tour

The Rolling Stones have had a lot to celebrate this year, after being announced as one of the headliners for the prestigious Glastonbury Festival 2013 with the Arctic Monkeys and Mumford and Sons, they have announced details of a full tour of the USA.

The tour will start on the West Coast of America, with a flyby in the gorgeous Staples Centre in LA before stops in Oakland, San Jose, Anaheim, Toronto, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. The Stones have a strong work ethic and are renowned for their relentless touring schedules. If any rockers have lived life in the fast lane, it is the Stones and they don't want the good times to end, so the tour is going to continue into Europe.

With a schedule 18 dates in the USA so far, there are sure to be number of surprises in store considering only 9 of the destinations have been announced hitherto. The Stones have truly global appeal, and the title ‘super-band' is bandied about too often, but they meet the criteria more than anyone (over 200million album sales worldwide). Only the likes of U2, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd could generate as much USA buzz before a tour.

And this adventure is particularly important considering they have just passed the 50 year mark last December. The "50 and Counting" tour celebrates their longevity of this band, which seems all the more astounding if you think how many young pretenders have tried to emulate them and failed. The music business is tough, and only the strong survive – just look at Keith Richards.

Mick Jagger is more energetic than most 20 year olds and he has intimated the stage will be visually spectacular for the whirlwind tour, saying: "The stage is shaped like lips and goes off into the venue so I get to run around in the crowd. It's great fun to be able to get that close to the audience."

It was reported a few months back that global brand AEG Live stumped up the cash to be lead promoters of the North American tour, purported to be in the region of $80million. So there is no shortage of money behind the venture, and it promises to be a truly awe-inspiring musical journey.

Abbey Road on The River 2013

When the Beatles first ventured to the USA there was a huge media scrum in JFK airport to meet the fab four. Crowds of screaming girls had turned out in force in the Big Apple and held banners above the terminal welcoming their heroes. In the press conference immediately after, one Journalist asked the young Liverpudlian's when they would retire, possibly thinking that such popularity was a short-run thing and couldn't last forever. But The Beatles proved to be the biggest selling rock and roll band of all time, and their popularity in America has never diminished.

Now there is a special commemorative event to mark 49 years since The Beatles first stepped foot on American soil, and that is Abbey Road on the River. Organisers have big plans and want to bring the biggest Beatles inspired festival back to Cleveland on Labour Day (Aug 30- Sept 1). It has been a long time coming (8 years since the last show here after moving to Louisville, Kentucky) and now hard-core Beatle-maniacs can look forward to a day of peace and love at the Nautica Entertainment Complex, where they have set aside the Jacobs Pavilion specially.

For more ticket info see: sale at

www.arotr.com

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The festival is named after Abbey Road Studios in St. John's Wood, London, which is of seminal importance to the Beatle story. It is of course the place where the Beatles recorded their most famous albums, including Sgt Pepper, and this festival allows people to engage with the Beatles in a myriad of ways with a variety of tribute acts and live music.

Some of these bands include All You Need Is Love, Jukebox, The LSB Experience, The Norwegian Beatles, The Newbees, Steve Sizemore Group, The Traveling Beatleburys and Wingsbanned. Alongside this hootenanny of artists there will be a range of commissioned artwork which reflects some of the themes in the Beatles canon, as well as singing lessons, souvenirs, talks with Beatles scholars and much more.

Mardi Gras Louisiana Style

Mardi Gras is part of the fabric of USA life. Having been brought to the Deep South by the early French settlers, it has become a hybrid of Catholic tradition and partying which draws thousands of tourists each year. The date that it starts fluctuates, but usually commences on Ash Wednesday.

The first Mardi Gras dates back to 1699 in Louisiana on the banks of the Mississippi River and now every year, revellers come dressed in beads for a day of fun and frolics on the streets. Louisiana is a notoriously a melting pot of cultures and traditions, so it is interesting to note that no two areas celebrate the festival in the same way. Everything has a unique flavour.

The modern day carnival has a legacy which dates back to the Rex Organisation in 1872. Rex is colloquially known as King of the Carnival and it was him that chose the official colours which are still worn with pride today: purple, green and gold. Although it is undeniable that this colour combination goes well together, Rex was not merely interested in aesthetics. He gave each colour its own meaning knowing that symbolism is very powerful in the South. The purple stands for justice, green is indicative of faith, and gold represents power.

But one of the most interesting aspects of the event is the parade which happens before Fat Tuesday, and culminates in the parade of 60 boats which travel the packed streets across from Slidell to Madisonville. Some of the best views can be found around Lake Charles and Houma, which are famous for the procession of brightly lit boats. Lafayette's take on Mardi Gras differs somewhat, and they are more family-oriented with lots of activities for children and youths.

The festival has a little bit of everything to titillate the senses, with dancers, food stalls, fancy dress, cocktails, awesome parades, and all you have to do is find a good spot and enjoy the procession. It is evident that the most fantastic celebrations happen on the streets of New Orleans, but all the surrounding neighbourhoods join in which gives it a fully inclusive atmosphere.

Annual Tour de Troit

The bicycle is one of the most energy efficient modes of transport there is. When the whole world relies so heavily on dirty fossil fuels, which pollute the atmosphere, cost billions of dollars to maintain and cause countless ecological disasters. Sometimes you have to sit and wonder the logic of it all. Especially in urban areas, who needs a car when you have a bicycle which is the greenest mode of transport and it keeps you healthy.

One city that is encouraging the use of the bicycle is Detroit. The irony being that Detroit is also known as The Motor City for its strong links to the automotive industry. But they obviously want to promote cleaner modes of transport as well with the 12th Annual Tour de Troit, which is due to take place on September 21st. This level of support from such a major player in the car business can only be a good thing and shows a step in the right direction for a more sustainable future.

This is a bike ride with a difference as you will be circumnavigating the historic streets alongside 5000 other cyclists. The scenery is beautiful in this part of the world and people will literally be allowed to take over the streets for a unique and breath-taking tour around the birthplace of Motown. After the frivolity is done and your legs are tired you can relax with some good food and music in Roosevelt Park.

Safety on such an occasion is obviously vital, and all of the precautions have been put in place, including a police escort. More experienced riders can opt out of this chaperone service if they choose to. Each rider is asked before the ride their skill level and speed so that they can be organised into groups. It is important to be honest about your capabilities, because if you are surrounded by cyclists who are faster than you that could pose a health risk.

For more info see:

http://www.tour-de-troit.org/