Presque Isle Downs has scheduled a press conference for Monday to announce a concert at the slots' venue sometime in August.

No word yet on who it'll be but MTR Gaming also owns Mountaineer in West Virginia, which presents concerts throughout the year. The only event scheduled at Mountaineer in August is Howie Mandel with John Mendoza. So, it's possible they've bookied Howie twice and will bring him here, but that's just speculation. Mandel's web site does not list an Erie date.

I"m anxious to see who it'll be, and glad to know MTR is following through on its promise to bring national acts to its venue.

Thursday's Block Party with Man's Room Band and Sam Hyman Band by the ballpark was a blast, and also jammed. You give Erie fun music on a nice summer night and make it free, and presto: Erie hops like Vegas. Even away from the show, people were milling up and down State Street, weaving in and out of Nicky's Pub, Docksider, Papa George's and more.

I couldn't help but think how different this is from back in 1984, when I moved here, and downtown offered the Plymouth, the old Docksider, an adult bookstore and little more. People were afraid to hang out downtown. Sometimes it's just good to note how far we've come.

Don't miss comedian Mike Birbiglia, who plays Jr.'s Lat Laugh July 5-7. He's a regular on the"Bob and Tom Show," where he's talked about the Erie Zoo. So, the Zoo's Scott Mitchell will make a special appearance during the weekend, and Birbiglia plans to donate some serious cash to the zoo. Call 461-0911 for details. Former "SNL" star Colin Quinn is the next big name scheduled; he arrives July 19-21.

That's it for me; I'm out of here, on vacation for two glorious week, which will include Cedar Point, a family reunion, and best of all -- the Police. So this means no blogging for awhile. Check Showcase for concert updates.

Later.