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Stories by Mark Carpowich

Let's go crazy: Prince packs 'em in at the Hard Rock Hotel

When Prince sang the words “let’s go crazy” during the third of his four Hard Rock Hotel shows, was he talking about the people who forked over an eye-widening $250 a ticket? Was he referring ...

Muffs revisit glory days with a full Soda

If Muffs front woman Kim Shattuck regrets days gone by, as she sang during the final song of her band’s 100-minute set at Soda Bar, you’d never know it — she and bandmates Ronnie Barnett ...

Comedy Roadshow Rolls into Town

News out of Hollywood suggests that Tom Cruise is considering coming back for a Top Gun sequel. If that movie gets made, we'd all better hope it's nothing like the version Vince Vaughn and Kevin ...

Stone Temple Pilots Surprise Viejas

After nearly 20 years of live performances, it might not be fair to expect Stone Temple Pilots to bring anything new to the table. But, during the band's rescheduled date at Viejas Arena, often-aloof singer ...

Hellraiser

Toby Keith's new single is entitled “Trailerhood,” an ode to life in a mobile-home park. But if you attended his 2010 tour stop at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre and still weren't convinced that the country singer ...

Still Pretty Alright

About halfway through his engaging summertime set, Kenny Loggins told the people who had gathered to see him at the San Diego County Fair that, given the venue's proximity to MCAS Miramar, "We'll probably have ...

The Red Rocker

The last time Sammy Hagar had a hit single, The Karate Kid was a new story, the San Diego County Fair was called the Del Mar Fair, and the speed limit really was 55. But ...

McHale, a Bust

“Did you say something about boobs?” Comedian Joel McHale, who about 30 seconds earlier had indeed told a boob joke, shifted from shock to ignorance when a large-breasted woman walked up to the stage, interrupted ...

Stella!

Pechanga Casino's concert theater isn't exactly where you'd expect rock-music veterans like Aaron Lewis to entertain beer-swigging fans. Its plush carpeting, luxurious seats, and blazer-clad ushers make it better suited for something more cultured, say ...