PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
Tonight's 'Evenings' concert salutes armed forces

The Civic Band will entertain tonight in Seville Square.

The Pensacola Civic Band will pay tribute to our armed forces at the Evenings in Olde Seville Square concert on Thursday, May 24 from 7- 9:15 p.m. in historic Seville Square in downtown Pensacola. Opening the evening is Baldwin Pops with a mix of jazz, marches and traditional band music.

Get into the spirit of Memorial Day as The Pensacola Civic Band, conducted by Don Snowden, will present a patriotic tribute with songs such as "Armed Forces Salute," "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America." American Tenor Sergeant First Class Antonio Giuliano will return to Pensacola to join the Pensacola Civic Band as guest artist for this special evening. SFC Guiliano is a member of the U.S. Army Chorus in Washington, DC, and former PJC music student who studied voice with Bill Clarke.

One of the Evenings' highlights is Giuliano's rendition of "Nessun Dorma," the popular aria from Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot, which achieved pop status through Luciano Pavarotti and as the BBC's theme song for the 1990 Football World Cup held in Italy.

The Evenings in Olde Seville Square concert season continues May 31 with "Broadway à la Carte." directed and choreographed by Roy Bracken.

When attending concerts, bring a lawn chair or a blanket for seating. Also, bring your appetite! Located on Alcaniz Street, concession stands also offer sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, sausage, snacks and the Evening's famous freshly popped popcorn as well as frozen desserts, soft drinks and bottled water.

This year's concert series would not have been possible without the support of the Olde Seville Square Club members. Concertgoers can join the club for only $15 annually during any of the concerts.

The Northwest Florida Bloodmobile will also be present from 5- 9 p.m. at every concert on the corner of Alcaniz and Zaragoza Streets offering you the chance to give the gift of life by donating blood.

Reunion Band kicks off Summer with Serenade Series Wednesday

The Reunion Band leads off the Summer Serenade Series at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 3200 N. 12th Avenue on Wednesday May 30 at 6:30 p.m. The Reunion Band plays music of the '60s to '80s. This popular group has performed in the area including Evenings in Olde Seville Square and it played the initial performance for St. Christopher's Summer Serenade last year.

The concerts are free and are presented on the lawn of St. Christopher's church. Patrons are invited to bring lawn chairs and snacks, if desired. However, there will be some snacks and soft drinks for sale at the event.

The Rev. Lester Durst, Rector of St. Christopher's said, "Our series last year was successful so this year we will present concerts every Wednesday through August 1. We invite the interested public to come help us enjoy the music. We'd like to meet you. There is adequate parking at the church. The event is rain-or-shine. If weather is unfavorable, we will move inside the parish house."

For details, call 433-0074.

Tickets on sale for Angels on the Beach Getaway

Tickets are now available for the Angels on the Beach Getaway. The winner will enjoy a three-night stay in a gulf-front room at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front on Blue Angel Weekend, July 19, 20 and 21. A meal package for the weekend is also included.

Tickets are available at Independence for the Blind of West Florida (IB West). The drawing will be held June 29. No purchase is necessary to win, however a donation of $5 for two tickets will benefit IB West, a private nonprofit agency dedicated to helping the blind and visually impaired achieve maximum independence.

Details: 477-2663 or lindsay@ ibwest.org or visit www.ibwest.org.

311 tickets now on sale at Civic Center

311 is back on the road with their "Summer Unity Tour" and hitting the Pensacola Civic Center on Sunday, July 15. 311's mix of rock, reggae, metal and funk are sure to be one of the highlights on the gulf coast's todo list this summer. 311 has a reputation for putting on an incredible concert and fans won't want to miss hits including "All Mixed Up," "Down," "Amber," "Don't Stay Home"and many more! Hasidic rapper Matisyahu and the cult favorite jam band Particle are set to kick off the show.

Tickets on sale Saturday, May 19 at 10a.m. Ticket price is $42.50 (all seats general admission). Tickets are available at The Pensacola Civic Center Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, Charge By Phone (850) 434-7444, or www.ticketmaster.com (additional fees may apply).