Danny Lipco of DBL entertainment/Vallitix/The Fox Theater passed away over the weekend. Danny was family to us here at The Fox. We worked very closely with Mr. Lipco over the years and he leaves some big shoes to fill. 

If you are a rock fan (You have to be if you're on this page) you can thank Danny Lipco for the steady stream of Classic Rock acts he brought to town. A great many of the artists that have appeared in Bako over the years did so specifically because of their relationship with Danny Lipco. They liked playing here, they liked playing The Fox Theater, but most importantly, they liked Danny Lipco. Professionally and personally. 

I've worked with many concert promoters over my 30+ years in radio. Some were crooks, some were annoying, some were great guys. 

Danny Lipco was in a class all by himself. He was a class act, and he will be missed. 

2/18 - Louisville, KY - KFC Yum! Center 

2/20 -- Auburn Hills, MI -- Palace

2/22 - Indianapolis, IN - Bankers Life Fieldhouse

2/24 - Chicago, IL - United Center

2/28+3/1 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

3/3 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena

3/5 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center

3/9 - Buffalo, NY - First Niagara Center

3/11 - Boston, MA - TD Garden

3/15 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre

3/17 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

3/21 - Ottawa, ON - Scotiabank Place

3/24 - Atlantic City, NJ - Boardwalk Hall

(TBA)

3/28 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center

3/30 - Pittsburgh, PA - Consol Energy Center

4/1 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena

4/10 -- Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- Bank Atlantic Center

4/12 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum

4/14 - Orlando, FL - Amway Arena

4/16 - Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Arena

4/19 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena

4/21 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum

4/25 - Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena

4/27 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena

5/1 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center

5/5 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome

5/7 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena

5/9 - Calgary, AB - Saddledome

5/11 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place

5/17 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre

5/19 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center

5/22 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center

5/24 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center

5/27 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena

6/1 - Los Angeles, CA -- Staples Center

6/3 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena

6/5 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion

6/12 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center

6/14 - San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena

6/16 - Phoenix, AZ -- U.S. Airways Center

6/20 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center

6/22 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center

6/24 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center

6/26 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena

If you haven't watched this on VH-1 Classic, you're missing out something special! 

The Teacher (Denise) had to take her care in to the mechanic today. It's been running rough for some time now, but (hopefully) we have the $$$ to get it fixed. Of course, that means we go from being a two car family to a one car family. At least for the day. 

One of Denise's friends came by the house to take her on a spa day today while she waited for news about her car. At this moment it dawned on her that her house key was with her car keys with her car at the mechanic. Across town. So she borrowed my house key. We left the house at the same time so that we could lock the deadbolt. A quick kiss goodbye and she was off. 

And it was THEN I realized my phone and my keys (including the key to my office here at the studio) were still inside my now impregnable home. 

Then came the moment I think more and more of us experience everyday. The moment you discover you don't know the phone number of someone important to you. Think about it. You get someone's phone number these days, you immediately enter into your contacts list on your phone, never to have to recall again. Unless of course you lock your keys and your phone inside your home.

At the studio (luckily) my boss had a pass key to let me in to my office. But how to get the message to Denise?

My solution was to email my daughter, who lives in Chico, hundreds of miles away, asking her to text Denise and let her know I need her to call me here at work on the office line when she got home so that I could drive back home and pick up my keys and phone.

Isn't modern life grand?  

And worse yet

As a rule, I don't make New Years resolutions. I know, I know, a couple of years ago I famously swore off scotch and cigars...for about a month. I have wussed out moderated my intake, more out of $$$ than worry about my health. 

This year I have only one resolution that I want everyone to make: referring to 2012 as "twenty twelve" and not "two thousand twelve."

It's just the right thing to do. 

That's all. 

Normally this is my favorite time of the year. I'm a NUT for Christmas. I'm usually in the holiday spirit by the day after Halloween. 

But this year is different, and I'm not exactly sure why. 

I'm hoping for my "Christmas Miracle." And this year that would be to feel a little of that holiday magic. 

I was in kind of the same boat about 12 years ago. I was finishing up my shopping at a strip mall over on Stine Road. I was having a bite to eat at Jack In The Box when I noticed an elderly woman standing in an empty part of the parking lot. She seemed upset, so I went up to her and asked if she needed some help. She told me she thought her car might have been stolen, or maybe she had simply forgotten where she had parked. She wasn't sure.

We spent the next 15 minutes searching the lot. Long story short, we found her car. She'd forgotten where she'd parked. She tried to give me money for helping, but I refused. Then she told me that I had made her Christmas.

And BOOM, just like that, she had  made mine.

Now don't think I'm scouring the parking lots of Bakersfield looking for elderly folk to rescue. I'm just wondering, out loud, if there's going to be that one little moment when the holiday hits me.

I hope you're not having the same problem.

Merry Christmas.