ANDREA BOCELLI RETURNS TO THE ALLSTATE ARENA FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13 on Sale 4/7

Tickets On Sale Monday, April 7 at 10 a.m.

Performing on his United States Tour, world renowned tenor and classical music icon Andrea Bocelli will return to the Allstate Arena, 6920 Mannheim Road, for one night only on Saturday, December 13 at 8 p.m. Bocelli will be joined by conductor Eugene Kohn, soprano Maria Aleida, featured violinist Caroline Campbell, and Tony and Grammy Award winner Heather Headley for an a an evening of soaring arias, famed love songs, and crossover hits. Tickets go on sale Monday, April 7 at 10 a.m.

Thrilling audiences for more than 20 years, Andrea Bocelli exploded onto the world’s stage with his hit, “Con te Partiro” (and, later, the same piece’s arrangement as a duet with Sarah Brightman under the title “Time To Say Goodbye”).  He has since sold 80 million records and performed countless worldwide tours. Today, Bocelli is known for being one of the greatest singing talents in the world.

His commitment to performing and studying music is legendary. In 2013, Bocelli earned his Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from The Conservatory of Music, Giacomo Puccini in La Spezia, Italy. Bocelli also released “Love in Portofino” in 2013, a CD/DVD compilation featuring his breathtaking performance in Portofino, Italy in August 2012. More recently, Bocelli has been nominated for two 2014 Billboard Latin Music Awards, including Latin Pop Album of the Year and Latin Pop Album Artist of the Year (Solo). Bocelli continues to perform deep and powerful emotional interpretations of both classical and pop genres.

“Bocelli's vocal prowess in both sacred repertoire and popular ballads is undeniable. His powerful, heroic timbre, along with his range, profound control and commanding presence, makes for an overwhelming live experience,” raved the Orange County Register.

Other stops on Bocelli’s 2014 tour include concerts in New York, Dallas, Houston, Detroit and Las Vegas.

Allstate Arena, located at 6920 Mannheim Road, Rosemont, presents Andrea Bocelli on Saturday, December 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets will go on sale to the public on April 7 at 10 a.m. and are $75 - $375. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com via phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Allstate Arena box office located in the arena. For more information about the Allstate Arena, visit http://www.allstatearena.com.

WIN 4 Tickets to Monster Jam at Allstate Arena #OriginalVideo #Giveaway

Chicago Fans Revved Up for Annual 

Monster Jam^® Event!

FIVE World Champions to Appear at Allstate Arena, Feb. 7- 9!!

ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows at Monster Jam.   We've got our tickets... do YOU?!  The world’s premier monster truck series, Monster Jam^®, is weighing in with more than 100,000 pounds of super-charged star power for its annual hometown appearance, Feb. 7 - 9, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.  Be there.

Check out our original video footage from Monster Jam 2013-opening night at Allstate Arena right here:

**Click here for your chance to win a family 4 pack of tickets from ChiIL Mama for opening night, February 7th at 7:30pm at Allstate Arena.  Entries accepted through midnight February 4th.**

**All our readers are winners.  We've got a rockin' 30% discount on Monster Jam adult tickets for you with the code MOM1!  Click here to purchase yours.**

Discount does not apply to Front Row VIP or Gold Circle seats.  No double discounts.  Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.   All tickets $2 more day of show.

*Check out more of our Monster Jam video & photo footage here.*

Five World Champions:

Among the field of 10 Monster Jam trucks competing at this year’s event will be a record-setting five World Champions, including the sport’s marquee machine, the best known monster truck of all time, Grave Digger^®, driven by versatile veteran Carl Van Horn, and the Monster Jam truck many have called the fastest machine in the sport, six-time World Racing Champion Max-DSM, driven by Neil Elliot. 

In a nod to her celebrity appeal, the “Queen of Carnage,” former WCW and WWF star Madusa, returns to Rosemont after a multi-year absence in the only truck in the history of Monster Jam to be named after its driver. Madusa, also known as the “First Lady of Monster Jam,” was the first woman ever to win a Monster Jam World Finals, claiming the World Freestyle title in 2004 and, in a rarely duplicated feat, the World Racing championship the very next year.

The two remaining World Champions on the roster are the wildly popular “crazy bull,” El Toro Loco^® with driver Chuck Werner of Paxton, Ill., and 2011 World Freestyle champion Avenger, driven by “Mr. Excitement” Jim Koehler. 

Making their Chicago-area debuts are the Spark Industries-inspired Iron ManTM, driven by Lee O’Donnell, cult favorite Metal Mulisha, driven by former off-road star and rising Monster Jam driver Todd LeDuc, and arguably the most futuristic machine ever to hit the Monster Jam circuit, New Earth AuthoritySM, a.k.a. N.E.A. Police. Unveiled just a few weeks prior to its arrival here, the chrome-plated New Earth Authority, driven by police officer Norm Miller, commands order, seeking out and destroying those who stand in the way of peace. 

Rounding out the elite line-up are Monster Jam’s 2013 “Fans Choice,” the unmistakable and hauntingly hard-core Zombie, driven by Sean Duhon, and the aptly named Wrecking Crew, driven by Steve Koehler.

Produced by Aurora, Ill.-based Feld Motor Sports^®, Monster Jam events attract more than 4 million fans annually at the most prestigious arenas and stadiums throughout the world. Monster Jam trucks are custom-designed machines that average 12 feet tall by 12 feet wide, sit atop 66-inch-tall tires and weigh a minimum of 10,000 pounds. Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, Monster Jam trucks generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and are capable of speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. They can fly up to 125 to 130 feet (a distance greater than 14 cars side by side) and up to 35 feet in the air.

Allstate Arena Monster Jam shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9. Tickets are available at the Allstate Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and by phone at (800) 745-3000. There are a limited number of premium-priced Gold Circle and VIP seats available for every show. All opening night tickets, with the exception of Gold Circle and VIP, are $12.

            

Two pre-show pit parties – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 –afford fans (with a pit pass and 2 p.m. show ticket) the chance to see their favorite Monster Jam trucks up close, meet drivers, take pictures and get autographs. Pit passes are available for $10 at all Ticketmaster locations, while supplies last.

            

For additional information, visit www.MonsterJam.com. Fans can also follow Monster Jam on Facebook, Twitter, and www.instagram.com/MonsterJamLive, or subscribe to the Monster Jam YouTube channel atwww.youtube.com/MonsterJamLive.

INCOMING: Monster Jam at Allstate Arena 2/7 #TicketDiscount #ChiMonsterJam #OriginalPhotos #Video

Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.   We've got more smokin' original video footage from last year's Monster Jam at Allstate Arena coming soon.   For now, check out our full set of stills in the slideshow below and our favorites imbedded at the bottom of this post.  







**All our readers are winners.   ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama and a rockin' 30% discount on Monster Jam adult tickets with the code MOM1!  Click here to purchase yours.**

Discount does not apply to Front Row VIP or Gold Circle seats.  No double discounts.  Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.   All tickets $2 more day of show.

Here's our fun, original Monster Jam Video From 2012.

Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam 2012--opening night at Allstate Arena in Chicago. Check out ChiILMama.com for more original content including event videos, photo filled features, live show clips, original band video interviews, great giveaways and more. Like the music? It's Red Fang's tune, Dirt Wizard. Check 'em out.

Click here for more of our past photo & video filled Monster Jam coverage.

Monster Jam is THE most exciting form of family motorsports entertainment on the planet.  The stars of the show are the biggest performers on four wheels: the Monster Jam trucks! The twelve-feet-tall, ten-thousand-pound machines will bring you to your feet, racing and ripping up a custom-designed track full of obstacles to soar over - OR smash through. The 2014 touring season brings more Monster Jam excitement providing entertainment tailored perfectly for your family's budget, and these colorful, larger-than-life beasts are sure to capture the hearts of both young and old.

ChiIL Tips:

Advanced tickets save $2 over day of show, so buy your tickets now!  Pit Passes are limited get those in advance or you may miss out.   Got decent seats?!  Ear protection is highly recommended for all and necessary for kids.   They do sell over the ear, muff style earplugs for the kids there that look like Monster truck tires. Cute for the littles, but I'm not sure how much sound they block.  

As we wrote last year...helpful hint:   Bring ear protection.   Eh, what was that?    I said, you'll be regretting not throwing in earplugs for everyone.   What?! I can't hear you over the deafening roar of those powerful truck engines.   I SAID....BRING EARPLUGS!  YOU CAN BUY SOME FUN TIRE SHAPED ONES ON SITE FOR $20, BUT IF YOU'D RATHER SPEND THE CASH ON A COOL SHIRT YOU CAN WEAR MORE OFTEN OR A CREEPY SNO CONE CUP, THEN BRING YOUR OWN EARPLUGS.

Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. Feb 7-9, 2014

You can purchase tickets online at www.Ticketmaster.com now!

Show Dates: Feb 7-9, 2014 at Allstate Arena

Ticket Prices:

Ticket prices may vary.  Please refer to www.ticketmaster.com for more details.

Schedule:

Friday, Feb 7 – 7:30pm

Saturday, Feb 8 – 2pm & 7:30pm

Sunday, Feb 9 – 2pm & 7:30pm

PIT PARTY

11am – 1pm prior to each 2pm performance.  Walk the track, meet the drivers, grab autographs!  Pit Passes available for $10 online and at the Allstate Arena box office.

Monster Jam Video, Ticket Discount & Fun Facts #ChiMonsterJam

Monster Jam-ChiIL Mama's Original Video Footage 


Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam 2012--opening night at Allstate Arena in Chicago.  Like the music?   It's Red Fang's tune, Dirt Wizard.   Check 'em out.

Check out our past coverage here, including original photo filled Monster Jam features.

Our readers get 30% off advanced adult tickets with the code MOM.

Check your Monster Truck Trivia Level with these Fun Facts...then try to stump your family & friends:

1. Body
   – Made of_____________, a monster truck body is custom designed to
   create a character or theme for the truck.
   1. Fiberglass
   2. Steel
   3. Iron

2. Driver
   Seat – Most monster trucks have the driver seated
   ______________the vehicle so he or she can best see the track for
   weight distribution.
   1. in
      the center of
   2. on
      top of
   3. on
      the left side of

3. As
   a safety measure, all seat belts employ ________________ to restrain
   the driver’s body.
   1. an
      auto-lock feature
   2. a
      5 point harness
   3. an
      escape pod

4. Paint
   – Most Monster Jam® monster trucks require _______________ of
   paint time.
   1. more
      than 25 days
   2. more
      than 40 hours
   3. less
      than 10 hours

5. Engines
   – Custom-built, supercharged and methanol-injected, a monster
   truck engine burns up to _________________ of methanol per run
   (approximately 80 meters) and delivers about __________________.
   1. 30
      liters; 2,000 horsepower
   2. 10
      liters; 1,500 horsepower
   3. 5
      liters; 1,000 horsepower

6. Suspension
   System – In order to allow the drivers to withstand the punishing
   impacts of jumping and crashing a monster truck during a
   performance, each Monster Jam monster truck is equipped with
   specially-engineered extra long 76cm shock absorbers filled with oil
   and ________________________ that are installed with each tire.
   1. vinegar
      
   2. water
   3. nitrogen
      gas

7. Each
   monster truck tire is custom made but must be ______________ inches
   high and _____________ inches wide.
   1. 120;
      99
   2. 33;
      33
   3. 66;
      43

8. The
   average monster truck team will go through _____________ tires in
   one year.
   1. 80
   2. 8
   3. 20

9. ________________
   was the 25 year
   anniversary for the Grave Digger Team
   1. 2005
   2. 2010
   3. 2007

10. More
    than ____________________ Monster Jam fans attend events each year
    worldwide
    1. 1
       million
    2. 2
       million
    3. 4
       million

11. The
    World Finals in ____________________ brings 24 of the top trucks in
    the world to compete for the World Freestyle and Racing
    Championships. Competitors are by invitation only.
    1. Houston,
       TX
    2. Las
       Vegas, NV
    3. Atlanta,
       GA

12. A
    monster truck race team will travel _______________ Miles a year by
    land to attend events.
    1. 45,000
    2. 1
       million
    3. 27,000

13. Typical
    monster trucks cost ___________________ yearly to build, staff,
    compete, transport and maintain on the Monster Jam tour.
    1. $1
       million
    2. $350,000
    3. $600,000

14. Average
    number of cars crushed per year: _____________________.
    1. 3,000
    2. 500
    3. 1,000

Dig Dragons? Win 4 Free Tickets to Ringling Bro. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Dragons #giveaway #ChiRingling

All of our readers are winners.   Enter the code MOM for discount tickets.   

We're circus freaks.  Our kids have been performing with CircEsteem for two years now, learning everything from aerial arts and juggling, to clowning, Spanish Web, Chinese Pole and more!   So our family live and breaths circus, and we freak out and get super excited when the pros come to town.   


What's better than circus?   DRAGON themed circus!!!!    Oh yeah.  We seriously can NOT wait to see them bring it for 2012--Year of the Dragon.  It's a lucky year for the Chinese and lucky for us, too, cause we've seen some amazing dragon themed shows already...with more to come.


What's better than DRAGON themed circus?   Winning free tickets from ChiIL Mama!  Enter through midnight 10/21.


Once again, we'll be giving away a family 4 pack of tickets to one of our lucky readers.   Winner can pick 4 tickets to either opening night at Allstate Arena Thursday Nov. 1 at 7:00pm, or Friday Nov. 2 at 10:30am at Allstate Arena, or Friday Nov. 14 at 7pm at United Center.


*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up right here (if you've gone through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page title or "a Rafflecopter giveaway link" and it should pop right up).   Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to FELD for once again providing us with review tickets, special pre-show opportunities & 4 tickets for our give away.


Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS is a once in a
millennium event that honors The Year of the Dragon. Circus performers
from the farthest reaches of the earth have assembled for Ringling
Bros.® Presents Dragons to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and
astonishing athleticism. Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Johnathan Lee
Iverson presides over this fantastical celebratory tournament of circus
champions that brings together mystic dragon lore with authentic circus
feats. Dragons is a never-before-seen blend of renowned spiritual and
real life legends that can be found only at The Greatest Show On
Earth®! 

Ringling Bros® and Barnum & Bailey Presents DRAGONS

Allstate Arena: Nov. 1-11, 2012

Prices: 

Circus Celebrity - $90 

Front Row – weekend =$60 / weekday = $50

VIP - $40

P1 – $25

P2 – $19

P3 - $13

•  Purchasing Link - http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/i89mql

**Circus Celebrity seats sell out early, with 20+ minutes where you and your family become a part of the show on the Arena floor.   Act fast if that's of interest.

Schedule: 

Thursday – 7:00

Friday – 10:30, 7:00

Saturday – 11:30, 3:30, 7:30

Sunday – 1:00, 5:00

Wednesday thru Friday – 7:00

Saturday – 11:30, 3:30, 7:30

Sunday - 1:00, 5:00

	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
	NOV. 1	NOV. 2	NOV. 3	NOV. 4
		10:30 AM	11:30 AM
			3:30 PM	1:00 PM
	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	7:30 PM	5:00 PM
Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
NOV. 7	NOV. 8	NOV. 9	NOV. 10	NOV. 11
			11:30 AM
			3:30 PM	1:00 PM
7:00 PM	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	7:30 PM	5:00 PM

United Center:  Nov. 14-25, 2012

Prices: 

Circus Celebrity - $90

Front Row – weekend =$60 / weekday = $50

VIP - $40

P1 – $25

P2 – $19

P3 - $13

•  Purchasing Link - http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/i89mql

Schedule: 

Wednesday – 7:00

Thursday & Friday – 10:30, 7:00

Saturday – 11:30, 3:30, 7:30

Sunday – 1:00, 5:00

Tuesday – 7:00

Wednesday –2:00, 7:00

Friday  & Saturday – 11:30, 3:30, 7:30

Sunday - 1:00, 5:00

	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun
	NOV. 14	NOV. 15	NOV. 16	NOV. 17	NOV. 18
		10:30 AM	10:30 AM	11:30 AM
				3:30 PM	1:00 PM
	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	7:00 PM	7:30 PM	5:00 PM
Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.	Sun.
NOV. 20	NOV. 21	NOV. 22	NOV. 23	NOV. 24	NOV. 25
	2:00 PM		11:30 AM	11:30 AM
			3:30 PM	3:30 PM	1:00 PM
7:00 PM	7:00 PM		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	5:00 PM

• Doors open an hour prior to each performance ALL tickets holders are invited down to the arena floor for the FREE ALL ACCESS PRE-SHOW Power Up Party!!  Arrive early and bring your cameras for a chance to meet your favorite performers and animals.

The anticipation builds throughout Ringling Bros. Presents DRAGONS as Children Of All Ages bear witness to one phenomenal Ringling Bros. circus act after another, from Shaolin Kung Fu Warriors, charging Cossack riders, magnificent Asian elephants, fierce tigers to the frenzied Globe of Steel. As the audience observes these and even more real world displays that pay tribute to the dragon, their continued excitement will bring glimpses of the elusive beast. But, the big question remains; what will it take to lure a true dragon from its golden lair? 

Ringling Bros. Presents DRAGONS opens with the All Access Pre-show available to all ticket holders. Families can join Pre-show Host Andre McClain and participate in interactive experiences such as learning juggling and balancing skills, get performer autographs, see one of Ringling Bros. majestic Asian elephant’s paint a one-of-a-kind masterpiece and meet the Ringling Bros. Clowns, whose side-splitting spoofs, absurd antics and comical parody are guaranteed to keep audiences roaring with laughter!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey searched far and wide, from north to south and east to west, to bring audiences spellbinding acts, including:

•  The Shaolin Warriors, from China, eintense and fearless Kung Fu martial arts dating back to the 5th Century. Trained at an early age to become masters of their discipline, the Shaolin Warriors demonstrate powerful concentration and skill by using rapid movements and the sheer strength of their own bodies to twist eight foot long metal rods; break six foot long wooden poles in one precise strike; or be lifted seven feet in the air on the points of five handheld spears. Not even 16 steel blades rotating within a metal ring of fire can unnerve the steady mind of a Shaolin Warrior as he jumps through the razor-sharp blaze blindfolded!

•  The Riders of the Wind, a dozen of the most deftly-balancing Cossack riders, charge into the ring on their thoroughbred horses, displaying great strength and amazing dexterity. The equestrian acrobat riders perform intricate maneuvers on horseback, including a double-man pyramid that builds to a remarkable Roman riding five-man high pyramid, all while the horses are galloping at full speed!

•  The Globe of Steel features the Torres Family who will shatter all records by putting eightfamily members on specialized motorcycles. Once locked inside a 16-foot steel globe, all together they will orbit at an unprecedented 65 miles per hour within inches of each other.

•  Hailing from Great Britain and appearing in the United States for the first time, Alexander Lacey, trainer and award winning presenter, along with his big cats including tigers and lions, summons brazen bravadoand valor in one mixed cat display. Lacey’s fearless command of the big cats’ agility and strength demonstrates unconditional respect between man and predator.

•  Featured in a dazzling aerial display, Viktoriya Medeiros and Widny Neves, the Hair Hang Heroines ascend 35-feet in the air from just the strands of their long dark hair. Relying on the pure strength of their hair, they juggle, flip and even spiral down a silk chiffon!  

•  The Flying Caceres,with their double decker high trapeze specifically for Ringling Bros., will soar elegantly through the air at The Greatest Show On Earth. will present the wildly difficult forward triple somersault and in the first worldwide attempt, troupe leader George Caceres will undertake a full twisting double bar-to-bar somersault.

Lions....and tigers....and DRAGONS?!   OH MY!

•  A whimsical, heartwarming and awe inspiring display of showmanship brings an animal menagerie from 10 pounds to 10,000 pounds only found at Ringling Bros. DRAGONS. Treasured Ringling Bros. Asian elephants, the largest herd of any circus in North America, are presented in an incredible spectacle of majestic wonder and strength. Andre McClainpresents a charming display of mixed hoofstock including horses,ponies, mini-donkeys, goats; Hans Klose his ten high-energy rescue dogsdisplay their animal athleticism by high jumping, hurdling, back flipping, walking on their hind legs and even diving from 16 feet up in the air; and, Mayyaand Andriy Panfilovamaze as their troupe of performing domestic felinesscale a “kitty low wire,” balance on top of balls, jump through hula hoops and walk across parallel bars only using their front paws.

•  In a friendly tournament of Russian Bar Renegades and Teeterboard Titans, two amazing acrobatic troupes attempt to outdo one another as they vault from a 12-foot-long, six-inch-wide Russian bar showcasing an overwhelming series of flips, twists and somersaults sequences. These athletes will astonish as they ramp it up by securing themselves to six-foot-tall stilts before being launched from the teeterboard, executing not a just single, not even a double, but an unbelievable triple somersault!

 Roaring through the arena sky is the dueling double motorcycle high-wire!  Hearts will pound as two daredevil riders race their motorcycles on specially designed high-wires suspended 30 feet over the audience. Precariously poised from each bike are beautiful aerialists who feed the flames of excitement with flips and spins all while on the moving bikes!

All Access Pre-show Descriptions:

Don’t miss DRAGONS, all-new circus entertainment from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®! Arrive an hour early and meet our animals and performers at the All Access Pre-show Power-up Party – free with your ticket!

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® DRAGONS! goers can meet some of Ringling Bros.majestic animals, see a pachyderm paint a portrait and learn more about Ringling Bros. commitment to elephant conservation at the All Access Pre-show―Free with your ticket! Playing Allstate Arena Nov. 1-11 and united Center Nov. 14-25.  Get your tickets today at Ringling.com.

An hour before show time, audiences can join Ringling Bros.talented performers and learn new circus skillsthe All Access Pre-show, FREE with your ticket! Audience members can get up close and personal with Ringling Bros. performers to take photos, get autographs and learn circus skills at the All Access Pre-show. 

Playing Allstate Arena Nov. 1-11 and united Center Nov. 14-25.  Get your tickets today at Ringling.com.

Click here for sweet show videos, behind the scenes fun and more details.     





I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre -Show events.  


Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine