Raleigh has a new outdoor amphitheater, and the North Carolina Symphony will be there this September to help break it in. The orchestra, led by Maestro William Henry Curry, will wave goodbye to summer and kick off its bold new concert season with “Pops in the City,” a free concert in Raleigh Amphitheater, Sunday, Sept. 12, at 7:00 p.m.

Families and friends can bring a picnic, grab a lawn seat in the heart of downtown Raleigh and prepare for a musical world tour. First, in collaboration with the Independent’s Hopscotch Music Festival, Minneapolis-based multi-instrumentalist Dosh opens at the performance beginning at 5:45 p.m. with his electronic blends of folk keyboard and experimental sampling. Then the Symphony takes over with a globe-trotting symphonic showcase.

The lineup first transports concertgoers to the golden age of classical music, including Handel’s joyous Overture to Music for the Royal Fireworks—a powerhouse selection to launch the Symphony’s debut in the city’s newest venue. The fireworks don’t stop there, as Curry turns to the trumpet section to bring two Latin-flavored brass showcases to life: Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona’s “Andalucia” and his legendary jazz standard, “Malagueña.” Henry Mancini’s classic serenade “Moon River” then paves the way for a charming tribute to Mancini’s legacy and selections from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story. With a closing note by John Williams, as well as “America the Beautiful,” this free concert offers Raleigh residents an unforgettable night on the town.

The North Carolina Symphony’s 2010-11 season opens in downtown Raleigh’s Meymandi Concert Hall with renowned guest artists Navah Perlman, Giora Schmidt and Zuill Bailey joining the Symphony to perform Beethoven’s “Triple” Concerto on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24-25.

On Saturday, September 18, Tom Petty will be in Raleigh after all, as he returns to the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek. ZZ Top opens. This is a “rescheduled” event, so if you had tickets to the earlier-planned show, Ticketmaster should have contacted you by now. If you don’t have tickets, they are on sale now.

On Thursday, September 23, Lady Antebellum will return to the area. This time it is a headlining date at Cary’s Booth Amphitheater. Tickets are on sale now.

The Ramshead Rathskeller, a Chapel Hill landmark in the hearts and fatty tissues of many to drink from The Well, will open by the end of the year. Apparently the restaurant will be under new ownership, which is, reportedly, a good thing. The restaurant closed for a while about a decade ago, then closed again in 2008. Perhaps the restaurant should be called the “Cats”keller because it seems to have nine lives.

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On Sunday, October 17, Paul Simon Vampire Weekend will play the downtown Raleigh amphitheater. Slowcore fave Beach House opens. Tickets went on sale yesterday, but as of this posting, tickets in the center of the 26th row are still available.

This weekend the Raleigh Convention Center is hosting a stop on the 2010 Major League Gaming (MLG) Pro Tour, hosting the world’s top gaming talent under one roof.  Winners will earn significant cash prizes and the chance to become the next champion Pro gamer.

You can see some of the best talent in the league competing at Halo 3, Tekken 6, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Starcraft 2, and World of Warcraft. MLG’s celebrated Pro players will also be available for autographs and additional bonus activities are scheduled for the event.

Some highlights include Team Instinct, winners of the last two Pro Circuit competitions in Columbus and Orlando, are aiming for their third win of the season. Their unexpected wins so far have caused a dramatic stir within the Pro Circuit rankings as they excelled against several of the top ranking teams.

Also in town is Str8 Rippin, one of the best Halo teams in the world. Final Boss will also be a team to watch out for as they vie for the MLG spotlight and the ultimate championship

The event lasts thru Sunday evening (Sat 10a – 10p, and Sun 10a – 8p) at the Raleigh Convention Center. Spectator admission is $25.

Mike Posner is a Detroit-native, but his academic career at Duke had to be put on hold recently because his music career began to explode. His CD “30 Minutes to Takeoff” sits at #8 on the Billboard 200 chart, led by the single “Cooler Than Me”. Posner is a guest on tonight’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”, airing at 12:30am on NBC. (Will Ferrell is the primary guest, but his Raleigh ties are for another post).

The people behind the movie “Drumline” are bringing the black marching band tradition back to the stage with Drumline Live II. The tour hits Raleigh’s Memorial Auditorium on Friday and Saturday, February 25 & 26. No word on tickets yet.

The very good Sunflowers Cafe (on Peace St across from the tall Archdale building) is today’s Groupon deal. The deal gives buyers a $25 gift certificate for just $10. Sunflowers is open for lunch on all but Sunday, but also recently started dinner hours of 5pm-9pm, Wed-Sat.