
Photo: KFC Yum! Center
GRAMMY® Award-winning, acclaimed alternative rock pioneers The Smashing Pumpkins today announced the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, their first tour in nearly 20 years to feature founding members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha. Produced by Live Nation, the 36-city tour will kick off in Glendale, AZ on July 12, 2018 and visit North American arenas throughout the summer. Tickets for the Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour will go on sale to the general public starting next Friday, February 23 at 10:00am local time and be available at www.smashingpumpkins.com, LiveNation.com, and via the Live Nation App.
“Some 30 years ago, as The Smashing Pumpkins, James Iha and I began a musical journey in the cramped rear bedroom of my Father’s house. And so it’s magic to me that we’re able to coalesce once more around the incredible Jimmy Chamberlin, to celebrate those songs we’ve made together,” shared Corgan.
The band broke news of the tour this morning with a dramatic video featuring original Siamese Dream album cover stars Ali Laenger and LySandra Roberts.
The monumental Shiny And Oh So Bright Tour, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the band’s formation, will highlight music from the group’s inception through 2000, and will exclusively feature material from their groundbreaking debut Gish through Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Adore, and Machina. Longtime Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder will also take part, as the band moves to a three guitar lineup to better emulate the signature tones and textures of their albums.
“This show and staging will be unlike any we’ve ever done, and will feature a set unlike any we’ve ever played. For if this is a chance at a new beginning, we plan on ushering it in with a real bang,” added Corgan.
Formed in Chicago, IL in 1988, The Smashing Pumpkins released their heralded debut album Gish in 1991 and found mainstream success with 1993’s 4x multi-platinum Siamese Dream and 1995’s 10x multi-platinum Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. With nine studio albums and over 30 million albums sold to date, the GRAMMY®, MTV VMA, and American Music Award winning band remains an influential force in alternative rock.
The Smashing Pumpkins are represented by Velvet Hammer Music and Management Group.
Louisville Metro Animal Services, in charge of keeping the public safe when it comes to animals just recently reached a mile stone by becoming a no kill animal shelter.
Councilwoman Madonna Flood (D-24) announces the next South Central Regional Forum will focus on the work of the men and women of LMAS on Wednesday, February 21st.
“Animal control has been one of the top safety concerns of the Metro Council. We have worked with LMAS to pass needed protection ordinances and fund better facilities to ensure neighborhoods are protected and animals are treated humanely,” says Flood.
The forum is set for the new South Central Regional Library at 7400 Jefferson Boulevard from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Louisville Metro Animal Services Director Ozzy Gibson will be the featured speaker at the forum and address the mission of LMAS and day to day operations of a shelter. He will discuss the 2017 Statistics that helped them achieve the no kill milestone! He will also talk about future plans and what we, as a community, need to do to help the pet population.
There may also be a few four-legged friends in attendance.
“I encourage everyone to come out and get a better understanding of how to be a good pet owner. It is also a chance to learn about how you can report a dangerous animal in your neighborhood,” says Flood.
The South Central regional Forums are sponsored by Councilwoman Flood and Council members James Peden (R-23), Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13) and Barbara Shanklin (D-2).
For more information about the next South Central Regional Forum, then contact Councilwoman Flood’s office at 574-1124.

Photo: Louisville Metro Council
Dr. George C. Wright is coming to Louisville to discuss his book on the history of race relations and black life in Kentucky as a guest of Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5) for a Black History month community event on Friday, February 23rd.
“This is a great opportunity to hear from a native Kentuckian who has chronicled the history of blacks in Kentucky covering progress and violence since 1865 forward,” said Hamilton. “It is an important meeting for those who want to understand black history in our commonwealth as we celebrate Black History Month.”
Dr. Wright is a native of Lexington, Kentucky and has served in many faculty and administrative positions at American universities since 1977.
He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in History from the University of Kentucky and his Doctorate in History from Duke University. He is a past President of Prairie View A&M University, the second oldest public institution of higher education in Texas. He is currently a full professor of history at Texas A&M University in College Station.
He is the author of “Life Behind a Veil: Blacks in Louisville, KY from 1865 to 1930”. Dr. Wright has also authored “A History of Blacks in Kentucky: In Pursuit of Equality, 1890—1980, Volume II” and “Racial Violence in Kentucky, 1865- 1940: Lynchings, Mob Rule, and “Legal Lynchings”.
The community meeting is set for the Portland Memorial Baptist Church, 3802 West Market Street beginning at 1:00pm.
“In order to move forward, it is always important for everyone young and old, black or white, to understand our history in Louisville and Kentucky. Dr. Wright knows that history and is able to put it in perspective for the 21st Century. I encourage everyone to come out and share this experience,” says Hamilton.
For more information about this event, contact Councilwoman Hamilton’s office at 574-1105.
Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5) is encouraging the community to attend the next meeting of the Shawnee Park MSD Basin Project on Tuesday, February 20th.
“This is an important meeting for everyone in the Shawnee Park and the Westover Subdivision in the Chickasaw Park Neighborhood because MSD will update how construction is going and give a time table as to what areas will be affected on West Broadway during the upcoming spring and summer months,” says Hamilton
The meeting will be held at the Shawnee Golf Course Club House, 460 Northwestern Parkway from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
The Shawnee Park Basin Project, also known as Southwestern Parkway CSO Basin Project, consists of construction of the retention basin to eliminate untreated storm water and sewage from entering the Ohio River, new park features, and improvements.
According to MSD officials, the Shawnee Park Basin Project will create a cleaner river, provide new amenities, and restore the core of Shawnee Park.
The update meeting will focus on:
“This meeting will be a chance to ask questions and understand the benefits of this project,” says Hamilton. “It is important that the neighborhood surrounding this project stay in the loop about construction so they can adjust as construction moves forward.”
For more information about the meeting, contact Councilwoman Hamilton’s office at 502-574-1105.
For fans who want to catch the high-horsepower action of the National Tractor Pull Championship, today is their last opportunity for the 2018 edition of the event, which is celebrating its 50th year in Freedom Hall this year. The finals will feature a variety of tractor sizes and stocks as well as 2-wheel drive Super Modified Trucks.
Visitors will be on the edge of their seats as they watch drivers use their trucks and tractors to drag the massive weighted sled down a dirt track. The sled (Bauer Built’s Iron Man) weight varies from class to class, but some of these vehicles are hauling more than 20 tons down the short 250 foot track.
Qualifying heats have been running since Wednesday for the finals tonight, which will feature such previous winners such Steve Bunnage from Golden Gate, IL as he tries to beat his Wednesday night result of 232.062 feet. The 2-wheel modified trucks will feature three lady drivers, including Bethany Nelson from Altamont, IL who won the heat last night by going 223.952 feet.
The Championship starts tonight at 7:00 PM with an early showing at noon and tickets are still available. As always with the Exposition Center, there’s a $8 per vehicle charge for parking. If you arrive early to get a good parking spot, the National Farm Machinery Show is open until 6:00 PM and admission is free.

Photo; Kentucky Derby Museum
Tickets are now on sale for the much-anticipated Big Brims and Fancy Trims Annual Hat Sample Sale, presented by CaloSpa and CaloAesthetics with support from Kendall-Jackson, Luc Belair and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Find your perfect Oaks and Derby hats or fascinators at the Kentucky Derby Museum on Wednesday, April 5th.
Over 400 hats samples will be on sale, with no sample hat priced over $75 and some hats as low as $18. The Museum’s 2018 Hat Collection will also be available for the first time this season.
This year men are encouraged to attend and find their official Derby looks in the dedicated men’s shopping area, complete with signature bourbon tastings and cocktails. Purchase an early bird ticket for $20 to gain exclusive entry in the hat sample area from 4:30 – 5:30 pm, an hour before all shoppers are allowed in. General admission tickets are $10. Museum Members general admission tickets are just $5. The doors officially open to all attendees at 5:30 pm.
All ticket holders will enjoy complimentary cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music, local vendor pop-up shops and giveaways! Guests are encouraged to bring their Derby ensembles for styling tips and more.
The Museum’s Official Milliner, Jenny Pfanenstiel of Formé Millinery will have her couture hats on display and will also offer hat styling tips.
Learn more about the event and purchase tickets at DerbyMuseum.org.
America to Zanzibar: Muslim Cultures Near and Far opens to the public at the Muhammad Ali Center on Friday, May 25th. The family-friendly interactive exhibit, which runs through December 30th, explores the diversity of Muslim cultures in our community, country and the world. The innovative hands-on exhibit, and specially designed programming, will showcase the cultural expressions of various Muslim communities around the world through experiences with art, architecture, travel, trade, design and more. America to Zanzibar will be the largest and longest running exhibit the Ali Center has ever had in its twelve-year history.
America to Zanzibar was developed by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and comes to the Center after a two year stay in New York City.
The “American Home” area within the exhibit will feature Muhammad Ali’s artifacts from the Center’s collection. These items, donated or loaned to the Center’s collection, have never been displayed before. Ali is arguably one of the most famous Muslims in the world, and the items will reflect his sport, humanitarianism and religion.
“The Ali Center is proud to be one of the first museums in the country to exhibit the highly lauded America to Zanzibar exhibit,” said Donald Lassere, President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center. “We are at a time in history when there is a growing need to explore, understand, and respect our cultural diversity. America to Zanzibar does this is a way that exposes visitors—especially young ones—to the arts and everyday activities of the Islamic culture in an engaging and thoughtful way.”
America to Zanzibar, designed for children ages 2-10 and their families, but enjoyed by all ages, consists of five major sections: a Global Marketplace, and exhibition areas that display Trade Routes, a Courtyard space, Architecture and an American Home area.
The Global Marketplace features stalls from around the world brimming with sounds, smells and goods, where children can pretend to buy and sell spices from Egypt, ceramics from Turkey and rugs from Morocco. They can also weigh their fresh catch at the Zanzibari fish market, smell Indonesian fruits, serve Tajik tea, and design outfits inspired by the West African tailors.
Visitors learn about the exchange of culture across continents and centuries in the Trade Routes area. Children can climb aboard a replica of a multi-level Indian Ocean dhow (boat) and experiment with navigation techniques, travel to various ports, learn to bargain, and unload goods from around the world. Below deck, they can experience a multisensory exploration of the dhow’s cargo. Children can also decorate a Pakistani truck, then hop in the cab and embark on a pretend trip through the Western Himalayas. They can also climb on top of a life-size camel and journey across the desert.
The Architecture area virtually transports visitors into a series of magnificent, international mosque architectural styles. Breathtaking panoramic images are projected onto a 21-foot curved screen and explore the wide range of aesthetic styles from Asia to Africa and to America. Visitors can also try their hand at drafting their own structures, complete with domes and arches, while gaining insight into architectural traditions from around the Muslim world.
The Courtyard features warm light flooding through a lattice roof. Visitors can explore key elements of design, water and geometric patterns that are central to a traditional Muslim courtyard. At a central fountain, visitors can sample verses from renowned Muslim poets and share how they would make the world a better place–one drop at a time. Children are also encouraged to make music with digital instruments, and compete in a guessing game with authentic objects that illustrate the significance of geometric patterns in Muslim cultures.
The American Home area is a contemporary living room filled with objects donated by American Muslims. Visitors explore the wide variety of American Muslims’ stories through their unique objects, clothing, art and books. They can also learn to write “My name is…” in 21 of the languages spoken by American Muslims, view artistic works by emerging American Muslim artists, and follow the history of Muslims in the U.S. through a visual timeline. As mentioned earlier, Muhammad Ali’s personal items from the Ali Center’s collection will also be on display.
The Ali Center will also produce programming in tandem with the exhibit. More information will follow in the future.