The recession apparently hasn't trickled down to pre-teen girls and other fans of Taylor Swift.

The country singer's May 1 show at the RBC Center in Raleigh sold out within 30 minutes of tickets going on sale at 10 a.m. today, except for a few scattered single tickets.

Of course, tickets really went on sale earlier this week at Taylor Swift's Web site, so this morning's "official" start at Ticketmaster and the RBC Center box office was mostly for older folks who didn't know any better.

Well, we have our first big warm-weather country show of 2010 on the schedule -- except it's not outdoors. Taylor Swift will play the indoor confines of Raleigh's RBC Center on May 1, with Kellie Pickler and Gloriana opening. Tickets go on sale Oct. 30 at the usual spots.

With any luck, Kanye West will be nowhere in the vicinity...

New to the concert schedule, the very hot standup comic Dane Cook, who will perform at Raleigh's RBC Center on Nov. 8. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the usual places.

It might be the dog days of August, but Christmas is coming -- for real. And how do we know this? Because tour dates are out for Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the operatic heavy-metal Christmas extravaganza, and Raleigh is on the itinerary once again. This year's TSO visitation will happen on Dec. 2 at the RBC Center; two shows, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Ticket on-sale details to come.

A mass baptism draws nearly 10,000 church members

Fans who don't have tickets to any of the Carolina Hurricanes' remaining Eastern Conference Finals home games will be able to watch them on televisions set up outside the RBC Center, the team announced today.

The team's promotions and fan development marketing department said the "front lawn parties" on the RBC Center's South Lawn will include tents where fans without game tickets can watch the games, weather permitting.

The Carolina Hurricanes put tickets for the Eastern Conference finals on sale this morning at 10 a.m.

The Hurricanes will host three games — Game 3 on Saturday, May 23, Game 4 on Tuesday, May 26, and, if necessary, Game 6 on Sunday, May 31. All the games are set for 7:30 p.m.

By some accounts, ventriloquist Jeff Dunham is the biggest stand-up comedian in America nowadays, and it's difficult to argue with that. Watch Comedy Central for more than half an hour, and you'll probably see Dunham arguing with one of his puppets. And where most comics top out at large theater venues, Dunham is out on an arena tour that brings him to Raleigh's RBC Center for a Sunday performance.

Dunham has so many demands on his time that we had to settle for an e-mail chat. I'd have preferred a phone call, of course, but we do what we can. Check that here. 

Staff photo by Robert Willett

• Photo gallery: Bruins 4, Canes 2

• First Look: See 378 raw images from Game 6

 RALEIGH — It's going to take seven.

The Carolina Hurricanes failed for the second straight game to win its series against the Boston Bruins and now face another Game 7 on the road.

Sergei Samsonov gave the Hurricanes a little hope at 7:20 in the third period, cutting the Bruins lead to 4-2 on a rebound in front of the crease after Joe Corvo fired. But for the most part, it was all Bruins.

Staff photo by Chris Seward

• Photo gallery: Canes 4, Bruins 1

• First Look: See 309 raw images from the game

 RALEIGH — The Hurricanes scored a pair of goals late in the third period to win 4-1 and take a 3-1 lead over the Boston Bruins in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals series Friday night.

First, Hurricanes forward Sergei Samsonov gave Carolina a 3-1 lead over the Boston Bruins with 5:29 left in the third period.

Hurricanes forward Tuomo Ruutu took a big hit along the board in Carolina’s zone, but Samsonov got the puck and danced around Boston goalie Tim Thomas before putting a backhander past Thomas.

Then Eric Staal added another with 4:19 left in the game to cement the win.