Sligo Rags on the road

Sligo Rags performances:

Friday, April 4, 2008 9:00 pm
Auld Irisher
Show starts at 9:00pm
1547 W. Katella Ave (Stadium Promenade)
Orange, CA 92867
www.auldirisher.com

Saturday, April 5, 2008
SongTree concert in Santa Barbara
The Song Tree concert series takes place at the Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Congregation's Fellowship Hall in Goleta, California, just northwest of Santa Barbara. 820 N. Fairview Avenue in Goleta.

Sunday, April 6, 2008
catch Dave w/Stuart Martz at the Etiwanda Roadhouse in Cucamonga
Etiwanda Roadhouse
12583 Highland Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739-9677
Phone: (909) 899-10166- 9 PM

Friday, April 11, 2008 9:30 pm
9:30pm - 1:30am
Ireland's 3213721 Burbank Blvd
Van Nuys, CA

Saturday, April 12, 2008
UC San Diego Campus
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
UC San Diego's Cultural Celebration: The Tradition Turns 30!
Thurgood Marshall College

Saturday, April 12, 2008 7:00 pm
The Coffee Gallery Backstage
2029 N. Lake
Altadena, Ca. 91001
Reservations/Information: (626) 398-7917
The show begins at 7 PM
Tickets are $18.00

Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:00 pm
Courtyard Concert at Muldoon's in Newport Beach
202 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach
949. 640. 4110

Saturday, April 26, 2008 11:00 am
11-3 Seal Beach Car Show and Street Fair
Main Street in Seal Beach

Friday, May 2, 2008 6:30 pm
Bella Terra Amphitheatre in Huntington Beach
At the Bella Terra Shopping area quad,
Bella Terra Ave, in Huntington Beach

Sunday, May 4, 2008
Dana Point 2nd Annual Cultural Arts Day

BigBang, Dengue Fever, I See Hawks in L.A. & Loose Acoustic Trio on tour

BigBang (www.thebigbangweb.com )
04/21 @ Crash Mansion, Los Angeles, CA
04/23 @ Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles, CA
04/24 @ Viper Room, Los Angeles, CA (BMI Artists of the Month, pre Coachella Party)

Dengue Fever (www.myspace.com/denguefevermusic.com )
03/26 @ Hi Dive, Denver, CO
03/28 @ Club Deville, Austin, TX
03/29 @ Orange Show Center For Visual Arts, Houston, TX
03/30 @ Lola’s, Ft. Worth, TX
04/01 @ Orpheum Theater, Flagstaff, AZ
04/02 @ Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
04/17 @ Soho, Santa Barbara, CA
04/18 @ The Independent, San Francisco, CA
04/19 @ The Casbah, San Diego, CA
05/10 @ Santa Monica Festival, Santa Monica, CA (day)
05/24 @ Sasquatch Music Festival, The Gorge, WA
05/27 @ The Borderline, London ENGLAND
05/30 @ Tong Tong Festival, Pasar Malam Besar, The Hague, THE NETHERLANDS
06/01 @ Wychwood Music Festival, Gloucestershire, ENGLAND

I See Hawks In L.A. (www.iseehawks.com )
03/31 @ The Echo, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Chapin Sisters)
05/17 @ Claremont House, Claremont, CA
06/08 @ The Echo, Los Angeles, CA (Rec. Release party 5:30pm w/ Mike Stinson, Old Californio, Chapin Sisters)
06/11 @ Strings, Oakland, CA (Private)
06/13 @ Rancho Nicasio, Marin Co., CA (w/ Nearly Beloved)
06/14 @ KPIG, San Francisco, CA (Live radio show, 1-3pm)
06/14 @ The Palms, Winters, CA (w/ The Loose Acoustic Trio)
06/15 @ KPIG, Santa Cruz, CA (live show, morning)
06/15 @ Don Quixotes, Santa Cruz, CA (w/ Mars Arizona, evening)
06/20 @ Caltech’s Beckman Mall, Pasadena, CA (Caltech Under The Stars,acoustic)
06/21 @ Pappy & Harriets, Yucca Valley, CA

The Loose Acoustic Trio (www.looseacoustictrio.com )
04/12 @ Merryhill School 1033 Spring Carnival, Stockton CA (11 am)
04/26 @ Davis Farmer’s Market, Davis, CA (9 am)
06/14 @ The Palms, Winters, CA (w/ I See Hawks in LA)

Bayside readies new release and on tour

Long Island's beloved BAYSIDE are to release The Walking Wounded: Gold Edition on July 22, 2008, a deluxe CD/DVD package of their fourth studio album. The extended CD package will include live acoustic tracks to be recorded at a special performance that will be filmed at Looney Tunes in Long Island on Monday, May 12th. (Visit www.ltcds.com for more details on the in-store performance). The accompanying DVD is planned to include the full Looney Tunes performance, behind-the-scenes documentary of the band on their Spring 2008 tour, and their music videos from The Walking Wounded.

Directed by Josh Horowitz, Bayside's new video for their track "Carry On" will debut as the "Featured Video" on MySpace.com this Wednesday, March 26th.

Once their current national headlining tour with The Starting Line wraps up in late Spring, the band plan to enter Los Angeles' Red Bull Studios in June to write and record their fifth studio album, tentatively titled Shudder. The follow-up to The Walking Wounded is set for release September 30, 2008 and will be produced by David Schiffman (Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Johnny Cash).

"I think we know what Bayside is supposed to sound like," explains vocalist/guitarist Anthony Raneri. "We have figured it out and we don't plan on changing the formula. We love what we've become and we can only hope to get better at what we do. We have the most time we've ever had to prepare for this record from the writing process to the recording process but we want to be sure not to overthink the songs and let them sound the way they were meant to sound. It is going to be the fastest, most energetic, catchiest and most exciting record we have ever made. We are feeling youthful and excited as people and I think it is going to come out in the music."

Tour dates with the Starting Line
Mar 25 People’s Court Des Moines, IA
Mar 26 Pop’s Sauget, IL
Mar 27 Beaumont Club Kansas City, MO
Mar 28 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO
Mar 29 In The Venue Salt Lake City, UT
Mar 31 El Corazon Seattle, WA
Apr 01 Hawthorne Theatre Portland, OR
Apr 02 McDonald Theatre Eugene, OR
Apr 03 Slims San Francisco, CA
Apr 04 The Boardwalk Sacramento, CA
Apr 05 BAMBOOZLE – Left Irvine, CA
Apr 06 Jillians Las Vegas, NV
Apr 07 The Rock Tucson, AZ
Apr 09 White Rabbit San Antonio, TX
Apr 10 House Of Blues Dallas, TX
Apr 11 Meridian Houston, TX
Apr 13 House Of Blues Orlando, FL
Apr 14 Revolution Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Apr 15 Jannus Landing St. Petersburg, FL
Apr 16 Masquerade Atlanta, GA
Apr 17 Norva Norfolk, VA
Apr 18 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
Apr 19 The Palladium Worcester, MA
Apr 20 930 Club Washington, DC

Recycle and win with Ultra Music Festival

Return three plastic bottles and redeem them for a collectable band sticker or recycle 250 plastic water bottles and walk away with an Ipod ®. These are just a few of the enticing prizes awarded to Ultra Music Festival concert goers to promote recycling on-site during the two day confab.

Ultra Music Festival and the Winter Music Conference have partnered once again for U.M.F.'s 10 year anniversary event on March 28 & 29, 2008 in Downtown Miami's Bicentennial Park. With more than 10 stages, 200+ artists/dj's/producers and an anticipated 40,000 music fans in attendance, Ultra Music Festival is the largest music festival of its kind in the United States.

An event where Green is the new Black, U.M.F. will host the sixth annual installment of the EcoVillage. Coordinated by Heather Read and Danny Chasen , Peter Page of Branding Forces for Rescue Earth in association with Intuition Marketing. Vector International Pictures and TownTek.com who are representing the feature length documentary Death in Darfur -The Truth directed by Mohamed Hassan.

Impact Media Group USA is overseeing much of the onsite visual production; including a trailer from the Darfur film, the performance schedule and live, ' behind- the-scenes' displayed on plasma screens throughout the common areas of the Festival grounds.

Eco Village sponsors, Rescue Earth, was founded in Miami in 2000 by Jose Rivas among others. The 501 c-3 began as a local community 'grass roots' organization serving Miami, Dade County and the Dade County Schools. Programs included an aggressive Coastal Clean Up on Biscayne Bay and its many surrounding islands.

Rescue Earth along with the Miami All Stars and the Junior NBA working with inner city 'at-risk' children with a focus on restoration and education including the replanting of indigenous trees, such as the threatened Red Mangrove species.

The EcoVillage also comprises a Recycling Center, a Rescue Earth merchandise store and non-stop, live entertainment.

Eomb (ecomb.org) founded in 1991 to maintain and sustain Miami beaches and Dine Magazine ® will be providing complimentary eclectic world cuisine prepared by 'Top Chef' Micah, from the Wandering Chef Catering kitchen.

Ingredients were donated by Charles Coiner and John Roussel, President and Marketing Director respectively of the eco friendly farms Rock Garden Herbs ® , purveyors of "the fresh herbs that rock" infused in Olive Oil by Ciolino Enterprises on faccaio bread from Jennifer's Homemade. Soya y Pomodoro (voted Best Downtown Miami Restaurant by New Times), Cheney Brothers Inc. Food Service Distributors since 1923, Perfect 1864 Vodka ® , "the smoothest Vodka on Earth" and Liquor Group, LLC , Miami Wine Tasters and Farello Wines are also sponsoring the V.I.P. Tent.

Another popular component in the Eco Village is the TRASHed Recycling Store.

Additional prizes for the recycling of plastic bottles include netflix ® memberships to autographed guitars and organic jeans. Global Inheritance is another strong presence at this year's U.M.F. Reinventing activism for today's young generation, Global Inheritance focuses on the power of creativity to generate social change and reject conflict.

They have raised awareness about public transportation through their Public Displays of Affection concert series and Tour Rider program. More information visit www.GlobalInheritance.org

Ultra Green is an on-site recycling program that was launched during Ultra 9 2007. An additional 100 recycling bins are strategically placed throughout the festival grounds to encourage festival attendees to recycle their plastic water bottles. By creating this program Ultra Music Festival was able to recycle 3 tons of recyclables that were directed away from Miami's landfills.

This years 2008 Lineup includes Moby, Underworld, Justice, The Crystal Method, Paul van Dyk, Benny Benassi, David Guetta, BT, Armin van Buuren, Tiësto, Digitalism, Sasha, Fedde le Grand, Hybrid, Calvin Harris, Photek, Wink, Carl Cox, Sander Kleinenberg, Goldie, Boys Noize, John Digweed, Richie Hawtin, Shy FX, M.A.N.D.Y., Sander van Doorn, Steve Lawler, Hyper, Krafty Kuts, Stanton Warriors, Danny Tenaglia, DJ Icey, Meat Katie, Erol Alkan, James Zabiela, Dirty South, Rabbit in the Moon, General Midi, Enur, Pete Tong, Dylan Rhymes, Second Sun, Dynamix II, DJ Baby Anne, Audiofly and Annie Mac among many more.

Win Atreyu prizes from Monster Energy

MONSTER ENERGY has exclusive rights to bring to you the coolest video premier of the year. Atreyu’s video “Falling Down,” the new top 10 single from their album Lead Sails Paper Anchor.

The band, who are currently co-headlining the Taste of Chaos tour with Avenged Sevenfold, recently shot a video for “Falling Down” with Sean Stiegemeier that’s loosely inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film, The Outsiders.

Along with this cool video premier you can sign up to win Atreyu prizes all week long at http://www.monsterenergy.com/ Viewers can register to win the following prizes:
Autographed Atreyu Lead Sails,
Paper Anchor posters
Autographed Atreyu Lead Sails,
Paper Ancho Cd's
1 Viper 400 Monster Energy/Atreyu ESP/LTD Guitar
1 EX 400 Monster Energy/Atreyu ESP/LTD Guitar

So start your summer fun now and watch the exclusive video premier from Atreyu on the Monster Energy site on March 26th and sign up for your chance to get killer prizes!

Monster Energy supports the music industry. Seems bands are rockin’ ’Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out the types – –Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster M-80, new Monster MIXXD and the huge 32 oz. Monster Heavy Metal with a south-of-the-boarder-inspired flavor. Then there’s the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Everybody at Warped Tour will be diggin’em – –so will you. More details on the Net at http://www.monsterenergy.com/.

http://www.monsterenergy.com/
http://www.atreyurock.com/
http://www.espguitars.com/
http://www.hollywoodrecords.go.com/

36 Crazyfists to celebrate Record Store Day with new EP

On Saturday, April 19, 36 Crazyfists will celebrate Record Store Day by releasing “The Oculus,” a three song EP featuring two new tracks from the band’s upcoming release, The Tide and Its Takers, PLUS an unreleased song that fans can’t get anywhere else!

“The Oculus” EP contains “Absent Are The Saints” and “We Gave It Hell,” from the May 27 release of The Tide and Its Takers. The third track is titled “Criminal Justice,” and was originally written and recorded by the Seattle band Satchel.

Record Store Day is being observed by over 375 independent music stores across the country. For more info on Record Store Day, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

Singer Brock Lindow commented on Record Store Day: “I have always had a big thing about supporting locally-owned, independent, mom and pop stores. Independent record stores always have a cooler vibe, and you can usually find a bigger selection of underground gems in those spots.”

36 Crazyfists are currently on tour with DevilDriver, Napalm Death, and Invitro, and recently debuted the brand-new song “Absent Are The Saints” from their upcoming album, The Tide and Its Takers, exclusively on Myspace Metal. The track is available at www.myspace.com/metal and www.myspace.com/36crazyfists.

36 Crazyfists will be making their first appearance on a major US festival tour when they play this summer’s inaugural Rockstar Energy MAYHEM Festival. The festival features Slipknot, Disturbed, and Dragonforce headlining, with 36 Crazyfists landing a spot on the Jagermeister Second Stage.

Be sure to head out to your local music store on April 19 to pick up 36 Crazyfists’ “The Oculus” EP and support Record Store Day. Don’t miss the band as they tour to support The Tide and Its Takers, due May 27 on Ferret Music.


36 Crazyfists with DevilDriver, Napalm Death, and Invitro:
3/25 – Allentown, PA – Crocodile Rock
3/26 – Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre
3/27 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
3/28 – Bedford, NH – Mark’s Showplace
3/29 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Lights
3/31 – Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls
4/01 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall
4/02 – Cleveland, OH – Peabody’s
4/03 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection
4/04 – Detroit, MI – Harpo’s Concert Theatre
4/05 – Flint, MI – The Machine Shop
4/06 – Mokena, IL – The Pearl Room
4/08 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
4/09 – Maplewood, MN – The Rock
4/10 – Bloomington, IL - New Lafayette Club
4/11 – Sauget, IL – Pop’s
4/12 – Kansas City, MO – The Beaumont Club
4/13 – Salina, KS – The Blue Goat
4/15 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
4/16 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
4/17 – Farmington, NM – Gator’s Bar and Grill
4/18 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre

Alaska's Fiddling Poet Ken Waldman coming to Fullerton

In late June 2001, Ken Waldman, Alaska’s Fiddling Poet, loaded his Nissan Sentra and left his home in Anchorage. Two self-produced CDs had received rave reviews in print and wide radio airplay on public and community stations nationwide. Also, his first book of poetry with Albuquerque’s West End Press, a collection set in and around Nome, Alaska had gone into a second printing within a year, and another book was due out in early 2002.

A long-time Alaska resident, he’d begun touring outside the state in the late 90’s. Now, Waldman has six books and six CDs, including a big double CD, the 2006 release All Originals, All Traditionals, which includes 27 original fiddle tunes with five-piece band, and another 27 traditional tunes, all but two with Waldman’s trademark poetry and storytelling.

So, Waldman continues on tour, working a variety of venues, from concert series, to university reading series, to arts festivals, to folk clubs, to schools. For two nights, Wednesday and Thursday, April 9 and 10, at 8 p.m. Waldman comes to The Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Avenue in Fullerton for his first public Los Angeles area performances in over a year.

Wednesday, Waldman will be accompanied by stellar Arcadia traditional multi-instrumentalists Tom Sauber, and his son, Patrick. Thursday, Waldman expects to be solo. From Waldman, expect new poems, old favorites, Alaska-set storytelling and some first-class Appalachian-style old-time fiddling. Ticket price is $15 in advance. $20 at the door.

Waldman says the National Poetry Month shows will be like a quick trip north to Alaska .

A twenty-two year Alaska resident, Waldman’s live performance has been described by Michael Miller, music columnist for The State in Columbia, South Carolina, as “Picture William Carlos Williams behind a dog sled. Walt Whitman jamming with the Carter Family.”

According to Austin Chronicle writer, Ric Williams, “Feels like a Ken Burns movie. . . . Always recommended.”

Recently, Shepherd Express Weekly in Milwaukee termed Waldman, “A one-man Prairie Home Companion.”

More? www.kenwaldman.com . Or www.themuck.org . Or call 714/738-6595.

Who's Bad, Michael Jackson tribute band, on tour

Who’s Bad, the world’s top Michael Jackson tribute band, is delighted with the news their musical inspiration won’t be losing his celebrated home. The group has dubbed its upcoming concerts the “Neverland Victory Tour” to celebrate Jackson managing to avoid foreclosure on his longtime Santa Ynez, CA, estate.

The tour began March 22 at the Surrey Tavern in Augusta, GA, and goes through May 30 at the Triangle Town Center in Raleigh, NC.

The band had previously announced that the concerts would be dedicated to “saving Neverland,” and considered donating a portion of the proceeds to help Jackson avoid having the house taken away and auctioned by the court.

“We were ready to take up a collection for him,” says Tadepalli. “We especially wanted to help him keep the giraffes. We really felt sorry for the animals who were being uprooted from their environment.”

Who’s Bad performs 120-150 shows a year to sold-out audiences around the United States, including clubs, summer festivals and corporate shows, giving the crowd its money’s worth with a live show that miraculously duplicates the music and showmanship of one of the world’s greatest musical artists.

“We celebrate the songs and the memorable live performances,” explains Tadepalli, who arranges all the charts for the group, which includes the remarkable Joseph Bell, Jr. on vocals, with some of the area’s finest musicians, including Ray McCall, Kevin Timmons, Stephen Coffman and Hugh Swaso. “We incorporate as much of the original choreography that we can. We want to remind people of those great videos and why he remains the King of Pop.”

“We want them to have that feeling they had hearing ‘Billie Jean,” ‘Thriller,’ “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’ and ‘Off the Wall’ for the first time,” explains Tadepalli. “We don’t get involved in the media controversies. We’re all about the music and putting on a great show that gets people up in the aisles and dancing.”

Since the beginning of the year, which marks Jackson’s 50th birthday and the 25th anniversary re-release of Thriller, which has hovered near the top of the chart all over the world, Who’s Bad? has sold out every show they’ve played.

“Once they see us perform, they’re convinced,” says Tadepalli. “We’re big fans of Michael Jackson’s music, and that shows in our performances. We’re all about honoring the music.”
The North Carolina-based Who’s Bad, widely acknowledged as the world’s ultimate Michael Jackson tribute band, was founded by Vamsi Tadepalli in Chapel Hill five years ago to recreate the music, the choreography and the over-the-top showmanship of the self-proclaimed King of Pop, from his days in the Jackson 5 up to Invincible.

Who’s Bad fills the void created in the absence of Michael Jackson himself, who hasn’t toured in the continental U.S. since 1988’s Bad Tour, except for performances at the 1993 Super Bowl, the 1995 MTV Video Awards and a benefit concert at Washington, DC’s RFK Stadium in 2001.

Who’s Bad have dedicated the performances on their “Neverland Victory Tour” to helping him celebrate the fact his beloved home is now safely out of foreclosure.

“We have continued to offer our moral support to Michael through this entire ordeal,” says Tadepalli of the band’s dedication. “Each performance is the ultimate party waiting to happen… Everyone who’s seen us ends up ‘gloving’ it.”

For a taste of what you can expect, visit
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=29352670

Link to website:
http://www.whosbadmusic.com/

TOUR DATES

March 27: Taboo, Columbia, SC
March 29: The Soapbox, Wilmington, NC
April 4: The Pourhouse, Charleston, SC
April 6: Greene Street Club, Greensboro, NC
April 11: Rhythm and Brews, Chattanooga, TN
April 12: The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
April 18: The Canal Room, New York, NY
April 19: Rhythm House Café, Bridgeville, PA
April 25: Andrews Upstairs, Atlanta, GA
April 26: Cats Cradle, Carrboro, NC
April 28: Rehab Lounge, Greenville, NC
May 1: Duffy’s, Chicago, IL
May 2: John Barleycorn, Schanburg, IL
May 3: The Bluebird, Bloomington, IN
May 8: Duke University, Durham, NC
May 9: The Vogue, Indianapolis, IN
May 10: Santa Fe Café, College Park, MD
May 15: Five Points Pub, Columbia, SC
May 16: Party on the Point, Charleston, SC
May 29: City Center After 5, Charlotte, NC
May 30: Triangle Town Center, Raleigh, NC

Jim Curry to perform John Denver music live

John Denver music returns with Jim Curry’s North American Dream Tour.

Theatres are selling out as the “Dream Tour” hits town. Jim Curry and his band are delivering a stunning tribute to the music of John Denver.

Ontario, CA: Jim Curry will be performing his “Dream Tour” concert, which first played last October in Aspen Colorado then played 30 shows in Arizona during the month of January and is now beginning it’s run in California with the first show in Ontario on April 5th. At the Ontario Nazarene Church, at 1311 W. Fifth Street, at 7:00pm. Concert will benefit the Point Loma Nazarene College.

Call or email to reserve your tickets:
(909) 987-9355 nswift39@verizon.net

More Information can be found on www.jimcurrymusic.com

Beader snd jewelery designer contest

Interweave announced today the nationwide casting call for all beaders and jewelry designers in the United States and Canada to enter the inaugural Bead Star challenge—an exciting competition with more than ten thousand dollars in prizes and a Grand Prize all-expense paid trip for two to beautiful Santa Fe for Bead Expo 2009, $1,500 in beading supplies, and the cover of the new magazine, "Bead Star."

Winning entries will be published in "Bead Star," the first-ever beading magazine comprised entirely of prize-winning designs selected by beaders worldwide, launching on newsstands nationwide this December 23 from Interweave.

The deadline to enter an original beaded jewelry design is May 6.

"Beading Daily" Editor Michelle Mach describes Bead Star best: "It's like American Idol for beaders— but better. You won't have to forgo your morning shower and stand in line with thousands of other sweaty contestants for days as you wait to audition. Simon Cowell won't be judging the finalists— the much nicer editors of "Beadwork" and "Stringing" will select them.
Instead of phoning in your votes, everyone on Beading Daily—readers from all over the world—will get a chance to vote online for the winners. Instead of singers going on tour, the winning designs will appear in the pages of "Bead Star" magazine, which will be available in bead shops and bookstores in December."

It's Up to the People to Choose the Winners
The editors of "Bead Star," "Stringing," and "Beadwork" magazines will select the top 20 finalists among submissions in each of nine design element categories: Crystals, Seed Beads, Glass, Pearls, Stones, Metals, Plastics, Designs Under $25, and Designs with a Heart.

"We want real beading enthusiasts from around the world to participate in the selection process," says Danielle Fox, editor of "Bead Star" magazine. "So, after our editors select the finalists, we'll leave it up to the people to pick the winners."

Enthusiasts around the world will be able to log on to BeadingDaily.com June 12–18, 2008, and cast their votes for their favorite designs among the finalists. Votes will be tallied and a first-place, second-place, and third-place winner and two honorable mentions will be awarded in each category. Then one Grand Prize winner will be selected by the Grand Prize sponsor, Fire Mountain Gems, from the first-place category winners. This Grand Prize winner will receive a trip for two to beautiful Santa Fe for Bead Expo 2009, win $1,500 in cool beading stuff, and see his or her design featured on the cover of Bead Star magazine! This grand prize has a value of $5,000.

Winners will also have the chance to donate their projects to an auction benefiting the American Heart Association's women's heart health initiatives.

Visit www.BeadingDaily.com/BeadStar for complete contest rules. Bead Star is sponsored by Fire Mountain Gems, K. Gottfried Inc., Lima Beads, Beadalon, The Beadin' Path, The Bead Goes On, Tambrook Bead & Trade, Beaded Impressions, FusionBeads.com, Jane's Fiber and Beads, Venetian Bead Shop, and Vintaj Natural Brass Co.