Snoop Dogg in the house; concert tickets on sale now

VAIL – Fo’ schizzle, tickets for the April 16 Snoop Dogg concert at Ford Park are on sale now at various Vail Valley locations. Tickets for the concert are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate.Snoop Dogg tickets will be available at the following locations: The Sandbar in West Vail, Beaver Liquors in Avon, Active Communications in Edwards and the Grand Avenue Grill in Eagle. All tickets are general admission and must be paid for in cash only. The gates at Ford Park will open at 4 p.m. and the concert will take place from 5-10 p.m.

The Snoop show caps off Spring Back to Vail’s two week lineup of events and concerts that includes free performances by Mix Master Mike of the Beastie Boys, Toots and the Maytals, Maceo Parker and more. Snoop Dogg, who burst onto the scene with the release of his multi-platinum album, “Doggystyle” in 1993, is at the height of his popularity. Snoop’s personal brand of slang, including terms like “Fo’ Shizzle,” has invaded the pop culture lexicon. Last fall, Snoop released his latest project; a solo album entitled “Rhythm & Gansta: The Masterpiece,” to rave critical reviews and chart-topping popularity. The first single off the album, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” was one of the year’s most popular songs. Snoop’s acting career has also taken off. His role as Huggy Bear in last year’s “Starsky and Hutch,” opposite Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, was a scene-stealing performance.

In addition to the Snoop concert, the Spring Back to Vail festival includes legendary horn man Maceo Parker April 8. Maceo, fresh off Prince’s “Musicology” tour, will play his own unique blend of funk and jazz during a free street concert in the heart of Vail Village. The following evening, April 9, Mix Master Mike, longtime DJ for the Beastie Boys, will get the party started with another free street concert. Mix Master Mike will be immediately followed by the exclusive premier of a new film shot by the Warren Miller crew. Finally, the legendary Toots and the Maytals will take the stage. Toots and his band, pioneers of modern reggae music, will play some of their reggae classics as well as songs from their latest album, “True Love,” which just won a Grammy as “Reggae Album of the Year.”

Other highlights of the Spring Back to Vail Festival include the Warren Miller Experience April 9 and the World Pond Skimming Championships April 16. Lift ticket prices start as low as $10 a day.For an updated schedule, lodging and lift ticket packages or more information on Spring Back to Vail, visit http://www.springbacktovail.com or call Highline Sports and Entertainment at 476-6797.Vail Daily, Vail Colorado