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If you want to do something fun and get out of town for a few hours head for the state's capitol and enjoy these Columbus area entertainment options.

Panic at the Disco

When: 6 p.m. Saturday, May 17
Where: Lifestyles Communities Pavilion, 405 Neil Ave., Columbus
Directions: Take I-70 East toward Columbus. Veer left on I-670 East. Take Exit 3 toward Neil Avenue. Merge onto Spruce Street. Turn right on Neil Avenue.
Cost: $32 (advance), $30 (day of show)
More info: (614) 461-LIVE or www.promowestlive.com
The Scoop: This acclaimed pop group comes to the capital to support their just-released sophomore album, "Pretty. Odd."
Verdict: Panic at the Disco combines rock, electronica, reggae and jazz (among other things).
Worth the trip?: Their 2005 debut sold over 2 million copies, which included the typically long-winded hit single, "Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off."

Blind Melon

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 20
Where: Newport Music Hall, 1722 N. High St., Columbus
Directions: Take I-70 East toward Columbus and veer left on I-670 East. Take Exit 2B onto OH-315 North. Take the Medical Center Drive/King Ave./Hospital Exit. Turn left on Cannon Drive. Turn right on West 12th Avenue. Turn left on North High Street. Newport Music Hall will be on the right.
Cost: $18 (advance), $20 (day of show)
More info: (614) 292-3535 or www.wexarts.org.
The Scoop: The notoriously acclaimed but ill-fated roots alternative rock band reformed two years ago with new singer Travis Warren, formerly of Rain Fur Rent.
Verdict: Three new Blind Melon songs have been recently released, and a full-length studio album is forthcoming.
Worth the trip?: Here's to hoping that a promising career cut short by the premature death of ex-vocalist Shannon Hoon can get back on track.

Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 15-16; 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17; 1 p.m. Sunday, May 18
Where: Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd., Columbus
Directions: Take I-70 East to Columbus. Take the Fourth Street exit and continue onto Fulton Street. Turn right on Front Street. Look for the signed parking garage entrances.
Cost: $10 to $65
More info: (614) 246-2000 or www.nationwidearena.com.
The Scoop: Led by orange-haired ringleader Bello Nock, the traditional storyline of tigers, elephants and acrobats will be on hand to delight the kids.
Verdict: Getting there one hour beforehand will allow the children to learn circus skills, meet the performers and get a closer look at the animals.
Worth the trip?: It's the event that never seems to go out of style.

Hell City Tattoo Festival 6: The Respawn

When: Friday to Sunday, May 16-18
Where: Hyatt Regency Hotel, 350 N. High St., Columbus
Directions: Take I-70 East toward Columbus and veer left on I-670 East. Take Exit 4 (Fourth/Third/High St.) toward Fourth Street. Turn right on East Goodale Street. Turn left on North High Street. The Hyatt Regency Hotel will be on the left.
Cost: $20 per day, $40 for a two-day pass, and $55 for a weekend pass. Kids 10 and under are free
More info: (614) 463-1234 or HellCity.com.
The Scoop: More than 200 of the best tattoo artists in the world will converge on "Killumbus" to offer their needle guns and various other bits of merchandise.
Verdict: More than 80 booths featuring tattoo artists, jewelry, piercers, books, fine art and temporary tattoos for the kids. There will also be a raffle for a special tattoo appointment with Guy Aitchison, a Midwest-based artist who helped transform modern tattooing and is so much in demand that he now only sees a select group of clients.
Worth the trip?: Seeing that everyone has a tattoo nowadays, you might have the interesting experience of running into your priest down there.

Pan Pan's "Oedipus Loves You"

When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, May 15-17
Where: Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High St., Columbus
Directions: Take I-70 East to Columbus and veer left on I-670 East. Take Exit 2B (OH-315 N). Turn right on West Lane Ave. Turn right on North High Street.
Cost: $16 for the general public, $13 for members; $10 for students
More info: (614) 292-3535 or www.wexarts.org.
The Scoop: Dublin's leading vanguard theater ensemble brings you this savvy update on the Sophocles classic.
Verdict: The blind sage Tiresias is now a therapist, whom Oedipus opines to over his barbecue grill.
Worth the trip?: With various rock instruments on hand for characters to spontaneously pick up and jam on, venting their emotions, Pan Pan brings a "punk rock sensibility" to the play.

Dream Theater

When: 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 16
Where: Lifestyles Communities Pavilion, 405 Neil Ave., Columbus
Directions: Take I-70 East toward Columbus. Veer left on I-670 East. Take Exit 3 toward Neil Avenue. Merge onto Spruce Street. Turn right on Neil Avenue.
Cost: $35 (advance), $40 (day of show)
More info: (614) 461-LIVE or www.promowestlive.com
The Scoop: A band that started out uniquely combining hair metal with progressive rock comes to town supporting its latest album, "Systematic Chaos," released last summer.
Verdict: Dream Theater doesn't truly belong to any era, coming into its own actually after 80s-style metal died and co-existing relatively peacefully with grunge, partially due to their high technical proficiency.
Worth the trip?: Like many of Dream Theater's works, "Systematic Chaos" is structured like a piece of classical music: unabashedly lengthy and subdivided into several movements each.

Compiled by Aaron Epple

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