Posted: April 27, 2006
College Newspaper: Spectator

The end of the semester is here and while some students will still be spending their summers hustling between West Hall and Nevins Hall, others will be spending their summer break spending more money than they can count on trips to baseball games or NASCAR races, following their favorite singer or band on tour or stuck in front of the television, playing the latest video game.

Here are some summer choices in entertainment, whether you’re stuck taking summer classes or you’re heading home.

Upcoming Concerts & Tours

Some of this year’s biggest summer tours are coming to Georgia and Florida.

Ashlee Simpson will be appearing at Hard Rock Live in Orlando on May 7. Tickets are usually general admission for Hard Rock Live. If you get there early and wait in line, you’ll have a good chance of getting up front.

One of the biggest tours this year, the SoulIISoul II Tour, starring husband and wife duo Tim Mc- Graw and Faith Hill, start the first of two southern dates on May 29 when they play at Phillips Arena in Atlanta. McGraw and Hill, who haven’t toured with one another since 2000, also pop up in Orlando on June 3 at the TD Waterhouse Center.

On July 1 in Tampa, both Kenny Chesney and Kelly Clarkson will be holding concerts in separate arenas. Chesney’s tour, The Road and the Radio, will be playing at Raymond James Stadium with opening acts Dierks Bentley and Sugarland. Clarkson will be playing at the Ford Amphitheatre at the State Fairgrounds in Tampa.

If you’re going to be stuck in Valdosta, there are always small bands playing at the bars in Remerton. Also Wild Adventures has a few concerts coming up including superstar Alan Jackson next weekend on May 6, Sugarland on June 10 and Raven (of Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven) on June 24. Also, don’t forget that the American Idol tour dates will be announced soon and they always come to the Atlanta area along with Tampa and Orlando. Now some of you will be able to hold up your “I love Chris!” and “Ace Rocks My Face” posters for your favorite idols!

Upcoming Albums

Music this summer will be scarce. With new albums just released by performers like LL Cool J, Rascal Flatts and Bubba Sparxxx, album releases this summer don’t par up to the movie releases. Tuesday brings new releases from Mobb Deep, “Blood Money,” Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell’s first solo Christian album, “Welcome Home” and Jewel releases her long awaited next album, “Goodbye Alice in Wonderland,” which is supposed to be her most personal album yet.

On May 6, Ludacris releases “Release Therapy.”

On May 9, the soon-to-be former Mr. Jessica Simpson and 98 Degrees member, Nick Lachey, releases his second solo album, “What’s Left of me,” which is supposed to be really good. Jagged Edge’s new album, appropriately titled “Jagged Edge” comes out and Red Hot Chilli Peppers also releases its new album, “Stadium Arcadium.”

May 16 is the date that all Ashley Parker Angel fans have been waiting for. The former member of O-Town, who has been riding high off of his reality show on MTV, will release “Soundtrack to Your Life.” Rock group Hoobastank releases its new album “Every Man for Himself.”

May 23 is the day the The Wreckers, the group Michelle Branch started with friend and fellow singer/songwriter Jessica Harp, release its first album, “Stand Still, Look Pretty.” Another all girl group, the Dixie Chicks, also release its long-awaited album, “Taking the Long Way.” Def Leppard’s “Yeah” also releases that day.

On May 30, Eminem’s protegee, Obie Trice, releases his album “Second Round’s On Me.”

Good album releases in June are slow. The only promising albums are Kelis’ “Kelis Was Here” on June 13 and Dashboard Confessionals album on June 27, which is still to be titled.

July brings a few good albums. On the 11th former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland releases her second solo album, “My Story: Kelly Rowland.” Rock group Seether also releases “One Cold Night,” a two disc CD/DVD package.

There are still a few albums that don’t have release dates yet like Christina Aguilera’s “Back to Basics,” which is rumored to be released in June. Valdosta native Rhett Akins will release his brand new album sometime this summer and American Idol alumni, Josh Gracin is set to release his second album also. Good Charlotte’s new album is set to be released sometime in July while former ?N Syncer, Justin Timberlake’s, follow up to “Justified” will be released sometime this summer.

Upcoming Movies

The 2006 summer movie season starts out this weekend when the long awaited third installment of “Mission Impossible” comes out. Sure, we’ve heard Tom Cruise in the news lately, but the movie should be good, considering new Oscar win ner Phillip Seymour Hoffman (”Along Came Polly,” “Capote”) plays the new villain terrorizing Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt.

On May 12, Lindsay Lohan’s new movie, “Just My Luck,” opens where she plays a lucky girl who becomes unlucky after a kiss. Unlike a lot of Lindsay’s other movies, it’s rated PG-13 for some “brief sexual references.” That same weekend, “Poseidon” is released, staring Josh Lucas (”Sweet Home Alabama”) and Kurt Russell.

May 19 brings “The Di Vinci Code,” the long awaited movie that is based on the best-selling book. The movie stars Tom Hanks in a very different role from his recent movies.

One of the most awaited movies this summer, “The Break-Up,” will be released on June 2. The movie stars real-life couple Jennifer Aniston (”Friends,” “Rumor Has It”) and Vince Vaughn (”Wedding Crashers,” “Old School”). “The Break- Up” is about a couple who ends their relationship, but both refuse to move out of their condo that they share together. Expect some good humor with this movie, because if not, then “The Break-Up” may become what “Gigli” was to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.

June ends with probably one of the most anticipated movies of the year, “Superman Returns” when it’s released on June 30. After an absence, Superman returns to earth to find there is a new bad guy and Lois Lane may have moved on with her life. Because of the death of the original Superman, Christopher Reeves, unknown actor Brandon Routh is taking on the role while Kate Bosworth (”Blue Crush,” “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton”) is taking on the role of Lois Lane.