Popcorn and Pen

Within five minutes of meeting the Jonas Brothers, you learn that Kevin, Joe and Nick have not changed since the extreme stardom from “Camp Rock” has struck them.

While visiting Indianapolis Motor Speedway before their show at Verizon Wireless Music Center on Wednesday, the boys were shaking hands and asking employees how they were doing and stopping their tour of the Hall of Fame Museum to sign autographs and greet visitors.

While each of the Jonas Brothers were taking their turn inside an official Corvette pace car around the track, the Daily Times had a chance to hang out and talk with Kevin, 20, Joe, 18, and Nick, 15.

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Brooks & Dunn began Sunday night’s show with an upbeat mix of new songs off Cowboy Town and classic hits. On their eighth song, the country superstar duo slowed the concert down as they performed acoustically on barstools in the middle of an extended center stage. Brooks & Dunn connected with their fans, not just by location, but by talking to them before and after songs. [Read more →]

Friday, July 19 at the 2008 Hamilton County 4-H Fair included the Pygmy Goat show, rabbit show, chicken barbeque contest, aquatic science judging, sheep fitting contest, homemade ice cream contest and dairy goat show. Click “Read More” for photos from the day’s activities. [Read more →]

Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz showed his music, guitar playing and onstage antics are just as quirky as his personality while performing to a sold-out The Lawn at White River in Indianapolis Thursday night.

Wearing a fedora, white shirt and dress slacks, Mraz walked onto the stage barefoot – flashing a half-grin behind a Styrofoam cup he sipped on. After setting the cup down and rearranging his guitar from his back to his chest, Mraz proceeded to begin his 100-minute musical journey.

Mraz opened with “Live High,” an indicator of what to expect from his concert – a heavy setlist of We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things songs. But after playing the first song off his latest album, which was released on May 13, Mraz performed his first career single, “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry).”

As if the fans losing control wasn’t enough, Mraz himself got swept up in the song and began dancing around the stage as his band – complete with a big band ensemble of saxophones, trumpets, trombones and a rhythm section – continued playing a live jam session. The extended remix of “The Remedy” also included the famous Mraz rap in between his impromptu dances. [Read more →]

Thursday, July 17 at the Hamilton County 4-H Fair included poultry judging, the bucket calf show and junior and senior showmanship, Kids Farm Adventure, the 4-H beef grooming contest, dog obedience and dog showmanship. For photos from the day, click “Read More.” [Read more →]

2008 Hamilton County 4-H Fair Schedule [Read more →]

For Kari Lee Castetter, Friday’s 4-H Queen Pageant was “like a dream.”

The 18-year-old Hamilton Southeastern graduate was chosen to reign as queen for 2008.

Visibly trembling and genuinely surprised following the judges’ decision, the Ball State-bound beauty said she is looking forward to the 4-H fair which begins Thursday and following in the footsteps of her predecessor, the 2007 Hamilton County 4-H Queen Erika Obereiner. [Read more →]

The novelty of a John Mayer concert is fading if you’re a mainstream fan of his music.

Nowadays a Mayer concert ticket should come with a warning: Expect the unexpected and assume nothing, especially if there is a song you want to hear.

Mayer is nothing short of a talented musician and a fine technician of the guitar. His voice is smoky smooth and his ability as a songwriter is shown by his strong, simple melodies and mass crowd sing-alongs.

But his past two concerts at Verizon Wireless Music Center – including Saturday night’s stop – have shown Mayer’s live performance as an immensely talented snooze-fest. [Read more →]

To see more photos of Fourth of July festivities from Noblesville, Cicero and Sheridan, follow the link.

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As Tom Petty performed his greatest hits to a sold-out audience in Noblesville, parody king “Weird Al” Yankovic was busy entertaining his crowd musically and comically at Indianapolis’ “The Lawn” at White River Thursday night.

While the two hour and 15 minute set included all variety of genres – alternative rock, classic rock, rap, R &B, pop, funk, ‘70s and ‘80s – “Weird Al” started off the evening with his bread and butter – polka.

“Polkarama” included a polka remix/mesh that begins with the “Chicken Dance” and ends with Kayne West’s “Gold Digger.” Other songs in the medley include radio hits from the Black Eyed Peas, Franz Ferdinand, Weezer, Coldplay, Modest Mouse, Gorillaz, Pussycat Dolls, The Killers, Velvet Revolver, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Pharrell and Rihanna. [Read more →]