Goldenvoice, the Los Angeles-based concert promoter behind the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals, has signed a long-term agreement with the Empire Polo Club through 2050 for full operational control of the venue, opening the door for music events year round in the Palm Springs area.

The agreement also provides Goldenvoice and parent company AEG Presents with oversight of Empire Grand Oasis, a special event property in Thermal.  This event space features a 4,800 sq ft estate house, a lagoon with beach, a grass polo field, open air tiki structures and more.  

The expanded lease agreement comes as former President and CEO of AEG Tim Leiweke and former Executive Chairman of Live Nation Entertainment Irving Azoff broke ground on a $250 million, 300,000-square-foot arena in June on unincorporated land near Palm Desert that will be home to an AHL team, and host other entertainment events.  

As more and more people are visiting the California desert for events, vacations, extended living stays, eco tourism and more, the more things there are to do out here.  

The plaza Theatre is a historic theater located at 128 South Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs.  It's an anchor of La Plaza, a street side collection of shops, one of the first planned shopping centers in SoCal, that opened in 1936.  When I moved here in 2004, the 800 seat theatre was home to The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies, a dance and musical review show in which all performers were over the age of 55. It was very popular and a fixture in the city until it ended in 2014.  The Plaza Theatre has been unused for the most part ever since.  Bringing it back to life has been discussed since it's closing and a fundraising effort to do so gained steam awhile back.  Well, that restoration effort just got a $5 million shot in the arm by an Emmy award winning TV producer, director and writer named David C. lee.  To learn more, click here...

 The Andreas Hills Luxury Estate was already one of Dry Heat Resorts' most amenity-rich rentals with its lagoon-shaped pool, bubbling spa, covered outdoor dining area, fire pit, outdoor kitchen, basketball hoop and guest house with full kitchen.  The homeowner recently added a five-hole putting green to take it to an even higher level.  

 

One of my favorite alternative rock bands in the 90's was Third Eye blind.  They're best known songs are "Semi-Charmed Life", "Jumper", and "How's It Going to Be".  You may also remember the song, "Never Let You Go".  They had a very unique sound and catchy lyrics.  I had no idea they were still together and just learned that they'll be headlining this year's "Greater Palm Springs Gay Pride" festival in November.  The festival, which takes place from November 1 - 7 also features two hit wonder 80's new wave band "A Flock of Seagulls" as well as pop and R & B singer Jodi Watley.  I still have a great 3 bedroom Palm Springs vacation home that's available for the entire event if you're looking to come to town for a little break.  To learn more about the event, click here. 

 

My last blog was about an old western town located up the hill from Palm Springs called Pioneertown.  Up the hill is the high desert.  As opposed to the low desert which is where Palm Springs is located.  It's roughly a 40 minute scenic drive and transports you to a very different desert.  While Palm Springs is chic, hip, trendy, upscale and all about midcentury modern pool culture, the high desert is more sparse, laid back and bohemian.  Art is a big deal in the high desert, and if you are visiting Palm Springs in October, the high desert offers you a change of scenery in a very artsy way.  During three October weekends, high desert artists will open their studios and give guests a chance to see them at work during the Highway 62 Open Studio Art Tours.  I went to this event a few years ago and it's a unique experience.  You drive around the various high desert towns such as Joshua Tree, Twenty Nine Palms and Morongo Valley and view artwork at the artists home studios.  It's like an adventure as you follow the map from one place to another, often driving along deserted desert highways into seemingly endless vistas.  The event will feature 165 artists this year over the weekends of Oct 9, Oct 16 and Oct 23.  An opening night party is slated at 6 p.m. on Oct 2 at the Joshua Tree Art Gallery.