What crisis? Not to sound flip, but you can be creative in finding cash to see these shows. Sell plasma. Babysit. Save $15 a week. Make it happen. There is no better balm for anxiety and worry than seeing your favorite performer do his or her thing.

To wit:

We are SO making the trek to Charlottesville to see Jay-Z Oct. 25. We do wish he was somewhere a bit more central, but we won't complain, especially since the lovely, amazing and wonderful Dee Larion from Live Nation has tickets for us. That, and because we can expense the gas mileage. As Christian would say, fierce!

Speaking of fierce, we're also not missing Dolly Parton, who's at ODU Nov. 6. You don't miss an icon in your backyard, period. Plus, she's hysterical. Did you see her on Ellen? Love her.

Backing up a sec, we're also not missing Blake Lewis, who's at the Jewish Mother Oct. 15. You remember him right? Provided that you don't -- and who could fault you? -- you prove our point entirely. The American Idol contestant, bless his heart, is symbolic of what I have griped about from the beginning: this show builds them up to let them down. (Unless of course, you're Carrie Underwood, who's at the Hampton Coliseum Oct. 23, a show I'm thinking will be pretty hot.)  

Maxwell is out of hiding and at the Landmark Theater in Richmond Nov. 15.

Of course, the announcement of the century came yesterday when The Grateful Dead 2.0 Phish revealed that they're opening their tour at the Hampton Coliseum. That's major news! It's in March, which gives you plenty of time to get filters, pipe cleaners and fresh water in your, um...yeah, you know what I mean.

UPDATE: how could we forget? Eartha Kitt is here, at Chrysler Hall Oct. 11. Also one you cannot miss. Knock em' dead ma!

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