Columnist Spencer Patterson: This business owner is one smooth operator

Spencer Patterson

Friday, April 18, 2003 | 8:47 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers music for the Sun. His music notes column appears Fridays. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-2309.

For most of us, the words "Smoothie King" conjure images of bananas, strawberries and calcium supplements.

To aspiring local bands, however, "Smoothie King" has come to mean something entirely different since late 2001.

That's when owner Matt Ancira came up with the seemingly wacky idea of staging concerts in the parking lot outside his store at 8502 W. Lake Mead Blvd.

"I had done many a different thing to attract attention to the store, and a friend of mine suggested I bring in some bands," Ancira said. "I immediately liked the idea, because the youth in this town have a lot to offer and never seem to get the opportunity."

Ancira began inviting area high school bands -- six at a time -- to perform outside his store on seven Saturday nights each year. The unconventional plan worked, attracting crowds as large as 800 to the all-ages events, known collectively as the "Lift Ticket Benefit Concert Series."

As its name suggests, the series also raises money for charity, with 90 percent of the proceeds from each show going to Shade Tree, a shelter that benefits homeless and battered women. Tickets are $5.

"This has been so grass roots. We rely heavily on sponsorship," Ancira said, adding that anyone interested in sponsoring Lift Ticket can contact him at 429-5999. He is especially on the lookout for someone to help upgrade the event's sound system.

"We do the best we can to make it professional, which it's not, but that's part of what makes it work. Everything else in Las Vegas is all glamour and glitz," he said.

The next "Lift Ticket" show is slated for April 26. On the bill: Hugly, Local 15, Periodic Tables, 4 S P, Rich Tradition and September Star. Fans can arrive early to meet the bands at 6 p.m., with the music scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

"The goal is to grow these shows beyond the seven we have now, and then to bring it to a bigger venue," Ancira said. "That will come with more time and more sponsors."

Ancira is also in the process of starting a Sunday event, which will follow each "Lift Ticket" concert beginning April 27. Known as the "Artist Emporium," the Sunday series will bring a variety of poets, acoustic musicians, DJs, break dancers, freestyle rappers and visual artists to the parking lot. Admission for the event is $1.

Music notes

Lighting up the Joint: After a somewhat slow start to the year, The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel has beefed up its concert schedule with the announcement of five upcoming acts.

Singer/songwriter Michelle Branch visits the venue May 16. Branch is also scheduled to open the Dixie Chicks' two July MGM Grand Garden Arena shows. Tickets for her Hard Rock date are $23 and go on sale at noon Saturday.

On May 31, the Hard Rock welcomes singer/songwriter Pete Yorn. On Tuesday, Yorn released, "Day I Forgot," the follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut album. Tickets are $28 and are on sale now.

Former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth plays The Joint June 14. Roth was scheduled to play Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts in December with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, but the show was canceled for unspecified reasons. Tickets are $43 and go on sale at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The hair-metal stylings of the '80s return to the Hard Rock Hotel July 5, when Poison headlines a concert with former Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil and Skid Row. Tickets are $53 and $78 and go on sale at 2 p.m. Saturday.

And on June 20, rock 'n' roll legend Lou Reed brings his latest project to town. The one-time Velvet Underground singer/guitarist is touring behind "The Raven," an album based on the written work of Edgar Allen Poe. Tickets are $48 and $33 and go on sale at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets for all Joint shows can be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel box office, at TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 693-5066 or 474-4000 or at ticketmaster.com.

Save the music: The Tiger Woods foundation has donated $25,000 to the music program at North Las Vegas' Jim Bridger Middle School in conjunction with VH1's Save the Music Foundation, according to Steve McCoy, spokesman for Kirvin Doak Communications.

The money comes out of proceeds from this Saturday's "Tiger Jam VI." McCoy said Woods has donated more than $1 million to charities in Southern Nevada and Southern California during the past six years.

"We understand the tremendous importance of music education in our schools," Woods said in a press release issued Monday. "I am very excited the Foundation is reaching out through Tiger Jam to some future Las Vegas musicians."

Twin bill: House of Blues at Mandalay Bay is taking a bit of a risk by scheduling back-to-back concerts May 16 in its main hall.

Rapper 50 Cent goes on first, with doors scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m. Alternative rock band Cracker is up next, with doors slated to open at 10:30 p.m.

Under normal circumstances, that might be plenty of time to empty the venue, clean it and bring in the second audience. But considering 50 Cent's history of arriving late for his shows -- or, in the case of March's advertised date at ibiza USA, skipping the gig completely -- House of Blues' booking agents might be pressing their luck.

Big country: The lineup for next month's "Academy of Country Music Awards" show at Mandalay Bay Events Center is taking shape, and it includes some of the genre's all-time biggest names.

Willie Nelson and Toby Keith are scheduled to pair up for their duet, "Beer for My Horses." Also on tap: Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn and Martina McBride.

Reba McEntire hosts the event, which takes place at 5 p.m. May 21, and will air later in the evening on CBS. George Strait will also be there to accept a special achievement award for scoring 50 No. 1 hits, while members of Alabama will be on hand to accept the "Pioneer Award."

Tickets are $100 to $350 and are available now at the Mandalay Bay box office, by phone at 632-7580 or through TicketMaster.

Finger picking good: Guitarist Richard Smith and his wife, cellist Julie Adams, will pay tribute to late country guitar great Chet Atkins with a performance in his honor at 7 p.m. Monday at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive. Tickets are $15.

On sale

Tickets for Crosby, Stills & Nash's May 31 show at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts are $40 to $65 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Aladdin box office, by phone at 785-5000 or through TicketMaster.

Tickets for four upcoming House of Blues concerts are on sale now: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on May 23 ($20 to $25); 702 on May 24 ($15 to $20); Ziggy Marley on June 20 ($40 to $50) and Boz Scaggs on Aug. 1 ($45 to $65).

Also, New York DJ Z-Trip will hold court at a late-night dance event at the House of Blues May 9. Tickets are $20 and go on sale at noon Saturday. Tickets for all House of Blues shows can be purchased at the venue's box office, by phone at 632-7600, online at hob.com or through TicketMaster.