Blue Oyster Cult to headline at the Santander Performing Arts Center
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Reading, PA (19601)
Today
Turning out mostly cloudy and not as cold. There might be a rain or snow shower late..
Tonight
Mostly cloudy with some rain and snow showers. Any rain will be early in the night.
Avalanche of goals leads Reading past Worcester
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Allentown, PA (18103)
Today
Turning out mostly cloudy and not as cold. There might be a rain or snow shower late..
Tonight
Mostly cloudy with some rain and snow showers. Any rain will be early in the night.
The Rumjacks announce new U.S headline dates for May
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Australian celtic punk rockers The Rumjacks have added a string of new U.S. headline tour dates for may, including some shows with Flatfoot 56.
The concerts will be preceded by their duty as one of two support acts on Dropkick Murphys’ 2022 St. Patrick’s Day Tour of the U.S. The outing jump starts on February 21st and runs through March 20th. All dates are listed below.
The Rumjacks’s latest single “Bloodsoaked in Chorus,” off their forthcoming ‘Brass For Gold’ EP is out now — check out the music video after the dates.
Dropkick Murphys
St. Patrick’s Day Tour 2022
With Special Guests The Bombpops & The Rumjacks
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Feb. 21, 2022 – Reading, PA – Santander Arena [TIX]
Feb. 22, 2022 – Rochester, NY – Main Street Armory [TIX]
Feb. 24, 2022 – Cleveland, OH – TempleLive Cleveland [TIX]
Feb. 25, 2022 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore [TIX]
Feb. 26, 2022 – Chicago, IL – Radius [TIX]
Feb. 27, 2022 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee [TIX]
March 1, 2022 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
March 2, 2022 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
March 3, 2022 – New Orleans, LA – Civic Theatre [TIX]
March 4, 2022 – Chattanooga, TN – The Signal [TIX]
March 6, 2022 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues [TIX]
March 7, 2022 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live [TIX]
March 8, 2022 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution [TIX]
March 10, 2022 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel [TIX]
March 11, 2022 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater [TIX]
March 12, 2022 – Washington, DC – Shamrockfest at RFK Festival Grounds
March 14, 2022 – Albany, NY – Albany Capitol Center [TIX]
March 15, 2022 – Portland, ME – State Theatre [TIX]
March 17, 2022 – Boston, MA – House Of Blues [TIX]
March 18, 2022 – Boston, MA – House Of Blues [TIX]
March 19, 2022 – Boston, MA – House Of Blues [TIX]
March 20, 2022 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
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The Bombpops on all shows except March 12 and 20.
The Rumjacks on all shows except March 12.
Jim Lindberg and The Rumjacks open March 20.
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New Dates (* with Flatfoot 56)
May 1 Brooklyn, NY @ The Brooklyn
May 2 Teaneck, NJ @ Debonair Music Hall
May 3 Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
May 5 Harrisburg, PA @ Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center
May 6 Morgantown, WV @ 123 Pleasant Street
May 7 Pittsburgh, PA @ Hard Rock Cafe
May 8 Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s (Moonrunner Festival)
May 10 Lexington, KY @ The Burl
May 11 Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI
May 15 Newport, KY @ Southgate House [TIX]
May 17 Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme * [TIX]
May 18 Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe * [TIX]
May 19 Milwaukee, WI @ Shanks Hall *
May 20 St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club *
May 21 Lincoln, NE @ 1867 Bar
May 23 Tulsa, OK @ The Whittier
May 24 Wichita, KS @ Barleycorns *
May 26 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre * [TIX]
May 27 Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theatre *
May 28 Greeley, CO @ Moxi Theatre * [TIX]
Also Check Out: Charming Liars announce new shows with The Struts
Chickie’s and Pete’s Crabfries now available for delivery in Reading
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Once a special treat that Berks County residents might seek out at a local sports stadium or arena, Chickie’s & Pete’s “world famous” Crabfries can now be delivered right to their front door.
And not just Crabfries, either, but Chickie’s & Pete’s cheesesteaks and chicken cutlets, too.
As of Tuesday, the Chickie’s & Pete’s concession stand located inside the Santander Arena in Reading is now on DoorDash, the popular food delivery service.
That means you no longer have to wait for a game or event or even drive who knows how far to the nearest Chickie’s & Pete’s restaurant to get some of Philly’s most well-known comfort foods.
“A lot of people seem to be really excited about it on social media,” said David Farrar, general manager of Santander Arena, hours before the new program was set to launch. “With any event we have, Chickie’s & Pete’s is by far the best-performing stand — and most of the time by double — so it’s certainly something we know people like.”
For now, delivery will be available Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. exclusively through the DoorDash mobile app or online ordering.
However, Farrar did not rule out expanding the operation if it’s successful.
A regional fan favorite
The first Chickie’s & Pete’s location opened in Philadelphia in 1977, with the invention of Crabfries coming a short time after.
The fries, which many restaurants in Berks and elsewhere attempt to replicate, are crinkle cut, seasoned with crabby spices and served with a side of white cheese sauce for dipping.
Once Chickie’s & Pete’s Crabfries started popping up in South Philly sports venues during the late 1990s, their popularity exploded.
Chickie’s & Pete’s is currently preparing to open its 18th restaurant in addition to being sold at a number of arenas and stadiums throughout the region.
What’s on the menu?
While known for Crabfries, Chickie’s & Pete’s in Santander Arena has more options available for delivery.
The full menu available for delivery includes classics such as Pete’s Famous Philly Cheesesteak and Chicken Philly Cheesesteak, as well as Chickie’s Cutlets and Buffalo Cutlets.
Though the menu consists only of the chain’s most sought-after stadium foods for now, offering could be increased in the future, provided there’s a demand.
“If we can expand hours, if we can grow the menu, even better,” Farrar said. “Maybe we add some new ideas to the menu. Or, if we can do it and it works, we can hire another chef.”
Some limitations
Farrar acknowledged the Santander Arena has been exploring new revenue streams since COVID-19 impacted the event industry, but noted the building isn’t really set up for a restaurant.
“We’ve always thought about it, it’s just kind of been what do we do,” he said. “We have the franchise in the building, it’s always one of the more popular stands … so we said, ‘Let’s see how can we get it out for delivery and see if people are interested.’”
To make Chickie’s & Pete’s delivery available beyond its current limited window — particularly during events — is also likely to require resources.
“We’re gonna take it slow,” Farrar said. “If it does take off and we need to expand into another space or another stand, that’s certainly something we could look at.”
How to order Chickie’s & Pete’s
This Chickie’s & Pete’s concept is what has been termed a ghost kitchen — a delivery-only location — which means customers can’t just walk up to the building and order or pick up.
The only way right now to get Chickie’s & Pete’s is through DoorDash, which can be accessed at doordash.com or through a mobile phone app.
That also means Crabfries fanatics who live too far from Santander Arena are likely still out of luck.
On the bright side, there are plenty of copycats out there in Berks restaurants.
For the authentic Chickie’s & Pete’s experience, though, those customers will either have to buy a ticket to the venue or take a ride to the nearest restaurant locations in Lehigh or Montgomery counties.
Rajah Shrine Circus coming to an end after six decades
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Greg Lewis can still remember the excitement he felt, can still recall the sense of utter amazement that washed over him.
As a kid growing up in Pottsville in the mid-1960s he had been inside movie theaters, he had watched shows on TV and listened to the radio.
But that kind of entertainment was nothing compared to what he discovered inside the Rajah Theatre on North Sixth Street in Reading, now the Santander Performing Arts Center.
He had a friend whose dad was a member of the Rajah Shrine and was lucky enough to tag along on a trip south to check out the Rajah Shrine Circus.
Sitting in the crowd, watching the animals and performers take the stage, was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Years later he would join the Rajah Shrine himself, getting a chance to play a role in putting on the annual event. He also got a chance to share the magic of the circus with his children and grandchildren.
“The circus meant an awful lot to me, the heritage of it,” he said. “I took my son and daughter, I took my grandkids. It’s generational for us. There aren’t too many events that you can say are generational.”
Future generations, however, will not get a chance to share the experience of the Rajah Shrine Circus. On Tuesday, the Rajah Shrine Board of Directors announced that the curtain is closing on the long-running event.
The circus, which was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has now been canceled for good.
The event, which is produced by Hamid Circus Inc., was slated to run from March 9 through March 13 at the Hamburg Field House.
Rajah Shrine Potentate Joseph Hagan Sr. said health and safety concerns and an overall move away from circuses as popular entertainment led to the decision.
“I hate to see it go, but circuses are fading,” he said, citing the closure of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in 2017.
Lewis, who serves as director of communications for the Rajah Shrine, said the group is looking for an entertainment event to replace the circus but has not yet come up with a plan.
“We’re not out of show business, just the circus business,” he said.
Six decades of tradition
The Rajah Shrine Circus got its start in 1961.
It was initially held each March at the Rajah Theatre in Reading, with a second location at Muhlenberg College in Allentown added from 1974 to 1995. The two shows ran on back-to-back weeks.
Needing more room for the performers and animals, the events were moved to the Hamburg Field House and the Stabler Arena in Bethlehem. The Bethlehem show was discontinued in 2006.
The Berks version temporarily was moved to Reading’s Santander Arena but found its way back to the Hamburg Field House in 2006.
Since 2010, the circus has featured a total of eight shows over five days each year.
Bringing smiles and laughs
Lewis said that over all those years and through all those moves, one thing never changed.
“The reaction of the people on the way out,” he said. “People come out raving about a bicycle performer or something. Just seeing the smiling faces — and not just the kids, but the adults, too.”
A few years back, Lewis said, he came across a family leaving one of the Hamburg shows. The parents were in their late 20s or early 30s.
“They said it was the first circus they’d even seen,” Lewis recalled. “They were so excited.”
Hagan has similar memories about the joy the circus brought to those who visited it. In particular he recalls the annual Friday morning kids show where students were bused in from all around the county.
“They really liked it,” he said. “They clapped, they yelled, they screamed. They had a really good time.”
As for himself, Hagan said he always enjoyed the animal acts — in particular the massive, lumbering elephants. Well, at least watching them, that is.
Hard and fun work
As a member of the Rajah Shrine since 1982, Hagan has often found himself over the years helping to put on the show. And he’s well aware of the pitfalls of working with live animals.
When the circus was held at the Rajah, he said, the animals were kept in a garage across an alley from the theater.
“When they left it was almost unbearable to go in there, the stink,” he said with a laugh.
But that, and the hard work putting on a circus entails, was well worth it, Hagan said.
“I remember that it was a lot of hustle and bustle, getting the animals and the acts, the performers, on and off the stage,” he said. “It was hectic, but everybody had a good time.”
Lewis said he got a lot of joy out of helping to put on the annual circus.
“I can remember standing in front of the marquee, I’d take off work that Friday morning to help with the kids show,” he said. “I’d stand there and help get the kids off the bus. It was a thrill to watch, to see the children entertained.
“It’s hard to say how many thousands of people have been entertained over the past six decades.”
Lewis said he has on occasion had a chance to actually perform at the circus. He said he’s a member of the Rajah Shrine’s clown brigade and has been able to entertain crowds by blowing up balloons in costume.
“It’s very heartwarming when a kid comes up to you as a clown and you interact with them on a positive note,” he said.
The final curtain
The Rajah Shrine Circus has brought a lot of smiles and laughs to a lot of people, Hagan said.
“It has meant a lot of joy for a lot of young people in the area who would not otherwise get to see a circus,” he said.
That’s something he said he has a lot of pride in having a hand in. And it’s something he’s sad to see end.
He’s not alone in feeling that way.
Lewis said that when the announcement was made at a recent Rajah Shrine meeting the news was met with pained groans.
“It was like deflating a balloon,” he said. “It’s a shame, it really is. We’re heartbroken to have to say that’s the end of it.”