Looking for a fun night out in Orlando? The award winning “Velvet Sessions” is a rock & roll cocktail party held monthly at the Velvet Bar and Lobby Lounge of the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando. Each “Session” showcases a different type of beverage theme to sip, shoot or guzzle along with fabulous and great live music from legendary rock bands.

Admission (minimum age 21) to these popular concert events is $25 and includes free drinks, finger foods and warm-up tunes, all starting at 6:30pm. There is a cash bar when the featured entertainment begins at 8:00 pm.

Past Velvet Sessions performers include: Brett Michaels, Joan Jett, The Romantics, Eddie Money, The Tubes, The Fixx, ABC, Foreigner, Warrant, and more. The next Session on April 29, 2010 features Asia with John Payne. Popular Asia tunes include Heat of the Moment, Go, Wildest Dreams, Only Time Will Tell, Don’t Cry, and Days Like These.

On May 27, the Psychedelic Furs take the Velvet Sessions stage with songs like: All That Money Wants, Heartbreak Beat, Love My Way, Pretty in Pink, Sister Europe, The Ghost In You.

Get ready to rock the universe at Universal Studios theme park in sunny Orlando.Rock the Universe, the Christian-music event held annually each fall at Universal Studios, has announced its 2010 lineup for the two-day, separate ticket event.

The performers tentatively scheduled to appear on Friday, Sept. 10 include Newsboys, Skillet, Jars of Clay, Hawk Nelson, Decyfer Down and Kutless. The Saturday, Sept. 11 lineup includes Jeremy Camp, Relient K, tobyMac, Needtobreathe, Fireflight and Grits.

The concert event is slated to run from 4 pm til 1 am on both days. For more information on this popular event, go to www.rocktheuniverse.com.

For more on Universal Studios and the other Orlando theme parks, go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. Or find discount Orlando family vacation packages and hotel information at www.WestgateReservations.com.

Ricky Nelson Remembered.

It’s been 25 years since the passing of singer-songwriter Ricky Nelson, one of teh nation’s original teen idols. Today, Nelson’s identical twin sons, Matthew and Gunnar, help honor his memory with a concert featuring their father’s greatest hits.

The duo hits the stage for the eighth consecutive year at Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival this weekend, performing as part of the Flower Power Concert series.  The show features Rick Nelson favorites such as ”Travelin Man,” “Hello Mary Lou” and “Garden Party.”

The brothers also had their own hit called “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection” under the band name of Nelson.  They will perform Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Epcot.

Chicago… Welcome to Orlando!

Universal Orlando’s 2010 Mardi Gras celebration wraps up this weekend with special musical guest Chicago coming to Orlando on Sat. April 17 at 8:30 pm. Chicago remains one of the most popular and successful American rock bands of all time and one of the top ten best-selling U.S. groups ever. In fact, Chicago has hit the Billboard chart with hit albums in five consecutive decades. 

While Chicago brings 30 years worth of hits to the Universal stage, the annual Mardi Gras party wraps up another successful season in 2010 with its famous bead-filled parade, street performers, fantastic Cajun foods and more. And it’s all part of your regular Universal Studios admission.

 Meanwhile, the excitement continues to build toward the June official grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s sister park, Islands of Adventure. For more information on all of Orlando’s fun-filled theme parks and attractions, visit www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com or check out www.WestgateReservations.com for discount Orlando hotel and resort packages.

The popular spring music concerts continue at Orlando’s big theme parks this weekend. At Disney’s Epcot, the annual International Flower & Garden Festival offers up Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone as this week’s musical guest.The headliner for the Flower Power Concert Series at America Gardens Theatre is yet another popular performer from years gone by as the Hermits bring back their sounds from the mid-60s.

The group performs Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. and performances are included with regular Epcot admission.

Meanwhile at Universal Studios, Mardi Gras fans can enjoy a double dose of parades and fun. An added Friday night Mardi Gras event features musical guest Sheryl Crow while Flo Rida takes the Mardi Gras stage on Saturday night.

For information on all the Orlando theme parks and concert events, visit http://www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com/ or for discount Orlando family vacation packages, go to http://www.westgatereservations.com/.

The days are dwindling for the long-running Universal Mardi Gras celebration in Orlando. But music fans can get a double dose of Mardi Gras fun this weekend.The weekly party which started back on Feb. 6, continues with two live concerts starting with a Mardi Gras bonus night on Friday, April 9 featuring special musical guest Sheryl Crow.

The bold and free-spirited Crowe uniquely blends her smooth mix of rock, country and pop into one contemporary mainstream sound that has produced a steady stream of hits and nine Grammy Awards.

The very next night there will be more Mardi Gras excitement as musical guest Flo Rida takes the Universal Studios stage on Saturday, April 10. Both musical celebrations include the usual Mardi Gras revelry consisting of Cajun foods, street performers and a parade.

Mardi Gras 2010 wraps up at Universal Studios on Sat. April 17 with musical guest Chicago.

For more information regarding Mardi Gras, go to http://www.universalorlando.com/ or http://www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com/ where you’ll also find discount Orlando family vacation packages, theme park tickets and accommodations including the 5-Star Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa.

With the beach just a short drive from Orlando, it’s easy to fill any trip to central Florida with some sunshine and surfing. But this week, Universal Studios Orlando can help bring that surfing experience to the theme park.That’s because the Mardi Gras celebration continues at Universal Orlando and this week’s special musical guest features the Beach Boys, live in concert on April 3 at 9:30 pm.

 Since their debut album in 1961, the group was originally comprised of the Wilson brothers - Brian, Dennis and Carl - plus cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. Together they combined to knock out 36 Top 40 hits with their extraordinary harmonies and popular surf music.

The Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and have had four Number One singles, including “Good Vibrations.”

Mardi Gras continues at Universal Orlando through April 17. For additional details, visit http://www.universalorlando.com/ or for details on discount Orlando vacation packages, to go http://www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com/.

Are you ready for some beads? Get yours this weekend by heading over to the Mardi Gras celebration at Universal Orlando.  The long-running event continues this weekend through April 17, 2010 with the usual array of great Cajun food, high energy street performers, an epic parade featuring some floats directly from the New Orleans parade and, of course, a top flight musical guest live in concert.

This week’s concert features 3 Doors Down. The quintessential rock band has achieved huge mainstream success while maintaining its small town Mississippi roots. Best known for the breakthrough hit “Kryptonite,” 3 Doors Down continues the Mardi Gras tradition of great music by hitting the Orlando stage at 9:30 pm on Sat., March 27.

The Mardi Gras party keeps on rolling at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando. The popular spring Mardi Gras celebration continues now through mid-April with a variety of rocking musical guests appearing each weekend. This week’s artist is the amazing Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.

Her list of achievements goes on and on, including a dozen million-selling singles, 20 Number 1 R&B hits, a cover story in Time magazine, the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 15 Grammy Awards with a lifetime achievement award in 1995, and a roll in the movie, The Blues Brothers.

Now the legendary singer brings her smooth voice to the big stage at Universal Studios Florida starting at 8:30 pm on Saturday, March 13, 2010.

You can go to http://www.orlandothemeparkvacations.com/ for additional details on Universal Studios, Mardi Gras and the many other Orlando area theme parks and attractions. Or check out the list of discount theme park tickets and money-saving Orlando vacation packages. If you would like information on discount Orlando resort and hotel lodging, you can also visit www.WestgateReservations.com/sweepstakes.cfm.

The party goes on and on at Universal Studios Florida as the popular Mardi Gras celebration continues through mid-April. This week’s musical guest stara is Akon, the Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter and one of the music industry’s fastest-rising stars.

Akon’s special mix of hip-hop, R&B and rap includes a number of chart-topping hits like Lonely, I Wanna Love You, Don’t Matter and Dangerous. He’s the first artist to accomplish the feat of holding both the number one and two spots simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 charts twice.

A frequent guest on TV’s American Idol, Akon brings his act to Universal’s Mardi Gras at 8:30 pm on March 6, 2010.

Go to www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com for information on Universal Studios, Mardi Gras and other Orlando area theme parks and attractions, as well as details on discount theme park tickets and Orlando vacation packages. Or visit www.WestgateReservations.com/sweepstakes.cfm for information on discount Orlando resort and hotel lodging.