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U.S. Air Force Band to perform Feb. 9

Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble, one of the groups sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, will perform Feb. 9 in Cape Girardeau.

The 18-member ensemble plays Big Band, swing and modern jazz numbers.

The free concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the Central High School Auditorium.

Ticketholders will be allowed to begin seating at 6:15 p.m. and are requested to be seated by 6:45 p.m., at which time people who don't have tickets may be seated.

Tickets can be picked up at the Southeast Missourian newspaper or can be obtained by mailing a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Air Force Band concert, C/O Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702.

The concert is sponsored by the Southeast Missourian newspaper and the Central High School Music Department.

Haupt to perform Delta blues at Book Bug

JACKSON, Mo. -- Don Haupt Jr. will perform Delta blues tonight at the Book Bug and Coffee Cafe, 127 W. Main St.

The free concert will begin at 8 p.m.

Haupt's photography also will be on display.

Tickets to go on sale for REO Speedwagon, Styx

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday for the Feb. 28 performance by REO Speedwagon and Styx at the SIU Arena.

Wristbands will be distributed from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. today at the SIU Arena South Lobby Box Office. Wristbands also were distributed Thursday. There is a 10-ticket limit per person.

Those with wristbands will be placed in line for tickets Saturday according to a random drawing.

For more information, phone (618) 453-5341.

Poet to speak to writers guild

CARTERVILLE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University poet Rodney Jones will speak to the Southern Illinois Writers Guild Thursday.

The free meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Terrace Dining Room at John A. Logan College in Carterville.

St. Louis Mardi Gras begins festivities Feb. 1

ST. LOUIS -- The 12-day St. Louis Mardi Gras celebration begins Feb. 1 in Soulard, St. Louis' original French neighborhood.

The Mystic Krewe of Barkus Pet Parade, which annually draws about 1,500 dogs plus owners, will begin at noon Feb. 3 at the corner of Allen and Menard. Other animals, including a camel, ducks, llamas, cats and a cow, also have participated in past events.

The parade continues 10 blocks through the neighborhood to Soulard Market Park.

The Grand Parade of St. Louis Mardi Gras will begin at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, winding down Broadway to Seventh Street and onto Soulard Market Park.

Nights during Mardi Gras, Soulard clubs will reverberate with the music of such bands as Gumbohead, the Soulard Blues Band, Hudson and the HooDoo Cats, and Big Bamou and Zydeco Rodeo.

For more information about St. Louis Mardi Gras, phone (800) 916-0040 or go to the Web site www.explorestlouis.com.

Art Trail Gala slated Feb. 2 at Logan College

CARTERVILLE, Ill. -- The second annual Art Trail of Southern Illinois Gala will be held from 6-10 p.m. Feb. 2 at John A. Logan College.

Artists from all over Southern Illinois will showcase and sell their work at the gala to be emceed by Jak Tichenor, producer for WSIU/WUSI TV in Carbondale, Ill.

Art centers to be represented include John A. Logan, Shawnee and Southeastern Illinois community colleges, Southern Illinois University, Little Egypt Arts Association of Marion, the Renaissance House of Eldorado and Associated Arts Gallery of Carbondale.

Other towns represented on the trail are Anna, Cairo, Carmi, Elizabethtown, Fairfield, Goreville, Harrisburg, Herod, Ina, Jonesboro, Makanda, McLeansboro, Mount Vernon, Murphysboro, Red Bud, Sparta and Ullin.

Martha Ferguson, a Cobden woman whose artwork was chosen for the White House Christmas tree, will be present.

The Dorians and other groups will perform music at the free event.

For information, phone the (618) 457-7676, (618) 985-2828 or TTY (618) 985-2752 or e-mail activities@jal.cc.il.us.

'Phantom of the Opera' returning to St. Louis

ST. LOUIS -- Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "The Phantom of the Opera" will return to the Fox Theatre Feb. 13 through March 9.

Ted Keegan, who made a flying entrance from the dome of Madison Square Garden singing "Music of the Night" during the halftime show of the NBA All-Star Game, will play The Phantom. Rebecca Pitcher will play Christine, a role she also has played on Broadway.

For information, phone (314) 534-111 or visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com

Quilt appraisal scheduled for Feb. 23 at MAQS

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The public is invited to bring quilts to the Museum of the American Quilter's Society Feb. 23 to have them appraised.

An oral appraisal will cost $10 per quilt, a written appraisal is available for $40 per quilt.

Appraisals include a description of the quilt in terms of patterns, fabrics, techniques, construction and condition, documentation of information known by the current owner and establishment of an approximate date and value.

The appraisal is a fund-raising event benefiting the MAQS permanent collection.

To schedule an appraisal at a particular time between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., phone (270) 442-8856.

The museum is at 215 Jefferson St. in Paducah.

-- From staff reports