Just a reminder that you can audition for "Wheel of Fortune" today at Raleigh Wide Open 4.

You'll get a chance to fill out an application, be entered into a random drawing to play a simulated version of the game on stage, and win prizes. Applicants will be randomly selected for a chance to participate in a final round of auditions.

According to the show, the majority of contestants who appear on "Wheel of Fortune" come out to Wheelmobile events in their hometowns. 

Wheel of Fortune's Wheelmobile will be parked at the steps of the Wake County Court House today from 2pm to 6pm to evaluate contestants for the show.

Good luck! And if you make the show, let us know!

You know it's a slow news month when the Raleigh Public Affairs Department issues a four-page news release about the city's Sir Walter Raleigh statue being moved--three months ago--to the front of the convention center. Apparently, Sir Walter is "starting some buzz" among conventioneers and has become a good luck charm for all those tourists wondering around downtown Raleigh. (Maybe the newspaper industry needs to start rubbing Sir Walter's boot.)

The statue, of course, has been around for decades. Yes, Sir Walter did take a sabbatical to the Midwest, but the city unveiled his refurbished physique in 2006 at Raleigh Wide Open 1 (not do be confused with the AWESOME Raleigh Wide Open 2 featuring headliner Eddie Money). Sir Walter's popularity was evident that night when he proved to be a bigger draw than Mayor Charles Meeker.

Still, I think it's fair to say some people find the 11-foot bronze statue a bit strange looking, possibly even creepy. Clearly, the Sir Walter standing outside the Convention Center won't ever be confused with Clive Owen. The city's news release notes that sculptor responsible for the statue viewed Sir Walter as being an elegant man, not a sloppy man. I think the city should consider commissioning a companion statue that would stand along side Sir Walter. Somebody who like Sir Walter is elegant, but not sloppy. Somebody who could bridge Raleigh's past with its future.

I'd suggest a bronze 11-foot Eddie Money. Got a better idea?  

Click through for an amusing account of Mr. Berry sweeping into downtown Raleigh on Friday, leaving a trail of pork ribs in his wake.

Despite the nasty weather, the outdoor-music portion of Friday night's Raleigh Wide Open festivities went off pretty well. Saturday's forecast calls for continued storm-related ugliness in the morning, with things clearing off by afternoon. So the plan is to press on and have bands start playing at noon, as planned, or as soon after that as possible. Depending on how that goes, some acts might have to play shortened sets to get everyone in.

Check here for the complete schedule.

NOON UPDATE: Everything has been pushed back to later in the afternoon, due to lingering wind and rain. Events will commence as follows:

Plaza Stage -- Starts at 2:15 p.m.
Cherry Bounce Stage -- Starts at 2:45 p.m.
Main Stage -- 3:30 p.m.

The parade is still on for 6 p.m.

Some acts will be canceled, while others will shorten their sets. One cancellation is Tres Chicas, who were scheduled for 2 p.m. But Caitlin Cary is still scheduled to play this evening's Coalition to Unchain Dogs benefit in Durham.

Thanks to all the umbrellas in the crowd, you had to do some contortions and crane your head at just the right angle to see him; but Chuck Berry put on a pretty dynamite performance on a soggy Friday night at Raleigh Wide Open. If I ever get within shouting distance of 82 years old, I hope I'm in half as good shape as Berry. Same as always, he busted out his signature duck-walk move on "Johnny B. Goode," and the crowd went nuts.

"It makes my heart flutter -- well, all it does anymore is flutter -- to see you standin' in the rain out there to see a li'l ol' boy like me!," Berry crowed afterward.

Of course, the set only lasted about a half-hour and Berry's relationship to details like pitch and tuning was casual at best (more than once, his backup band looked bewildered at what he was trying to do). But that didn't matter. It was cool just to hear him fire up those guitar riffs you've heard a zillion times, and want to hear a zillion more.

ADDENDUM (9/10/08): Lots of pictures from the show here.  

Well, Tropical Storm Hanna is playing havoc on the outdoor-live-music portion of today's Raleigh Wide Open celebration. One change in the schedule is that Chuck Berry's headlining set at the Fireworks stage has been pushed ahead to 7:30 tonight, to try and finish before the storm's heaviest rains are expected to hit.

What this means for the rest of the schedule is still not clear. Annuals are scheduled for 8:00 at the Cherry Bounce stage, and I hope they'll be able to play. Funny piece of timing, though, I just heard from Annuals' publicist, who sent along the cover to their upcoming album "Such Fun" (coming Oct. 7). It's a landscape by the late Bob "The Joy of Painting" Ross:

This weekend brings Raleigh Wide Open to downtown Raleigh, with a bunch of free music. Click through for some explanatory verbiage.

The Durham Performing Arts Center isn't the only under-construction building announcing concerts today. The new Raleigh Convention Center is set to open with "Raleigh Wide Open," a three-stage event featuring some three-dozen acts playing free shows around downtown the weekend of Sept. 5-6. And the most intriguing booking is the great and venerable Chuck Berry, in his first performance around these parts in eons (near as I can tell, he's not played here in the 17 years I've lived in Raleigh). We'll see if the man can still duckwalk at age 81.

The other headliners include hometown buzz band Annuals; a couple of Raleigh Downtown Live alumni, '90s-vintage hitmakers Soul Asylum and Arrested Development; and '70s rock dude Lou Gramm. Bunches more support acts should be announced soon.

ADDENDUM: Unrelated to "RWO," but another cool upcoming downtown event: Magnetic fields at Meymandi Hall Oct. 18.