The Event: Between a slew of the world's top professional snowboarders fresh from their first Olympics, and the next big thing(s) in the music industry (including the best unsigned band in the land), "Sam Goody's UnVailed 1998: The Ultimate Band and Board Event" March 26-28, 1998 is shaping up to be the premier spring break spot in the country.

The Pros: Three up-and-coming, major label acts -- Our Lady Peace, Sister 7, and The Why Store will headline two hot nights of musical revelry in Vail's Dobson Arena. Preceding the hot sounds during the day will be the cool swoosh, thud and slap of snowboarding geniuses like Olympians Todd Richards and Barrett Christy on a rider-designed double-barrel, halfpipe snowboard course.

The Amateurs: On the music front, four unsigned bands will compete for $10,000 and exposure in a nationally syndicated TV show. After persevering through six months, four rounds of judging and a field of over 800 bands from across the country, only one of the finalist bands will stand in the winner's circle.

Now let's meet our contestants. Opening Thursday, March 26 for Sister 7 and Our Lady Peace are: Ace Troubleshooter, a Christian pop-punk trio from Minneapolis, and Ever Since Day One, a groovy ska/funk sextet from the Boston area. Opening Friday, March 27 for The Why Store are Heavy Petting Zoo, a blues, folk 'n roll band from San Francisco, and BabyFat, Washington D.C.'s grooving rock and funk four-piece.

When: March 26 - 28, 1998

Where: Vail, Colo. The press room, where media can obtain material about the event, is located in the Marriott Mountainside Resort's Executive Board Room.

Tickets: Concert tickets are $10 in advance, or $12 at the door for each night of concerts and can be purchased by calling the UnVailed ticketline at 970-476-3781.