Arizonians were treated to a special performance on Wednesday night at the Margaritaville Cafe in Glendale, Arizona. Jimmy Buffett and Coral Reefer Band member Mac McAnally played an afternoon acoustic show to celebrate the opening of the restaurant.

Buffett mentioned during the show that they would end the 2008 tour in Hawaii.

The set list was largely “Songs You Know By Heart”, but a great acoustic version of “Stories We Could Tell” finished off the night. View the entire set list here and Bamafan’s show review here.

Did you attend the show? Share your thoughts on our Discussion Board or post your photos in our Photo Gallery.

Update – The Arizona Republic has a story on the show: “Buffett opens ‘Margaritaville’ to cheering crowd”. The article includes a great slideshow of pictures from the show.

The 2008 tour kicks off Monday, April 21st with a show from Houston, Texas.

As we reported two weeks ago, Jimmy Buffett will play a free show at his new Margaritaville Cafe in Glendale, Arizona. The date is now set: Wednesday, April 9th, according to AZCentral.com.

Although the private concert is free, tickets are required for entry. Fans can win pairs of tickets through various Valley media outlets or by visiting Margaritaville, in Westgate City Center. Winners of tickets will be chosen nightly at the restaurant.

The Glendale Margaritaville opened in November. Just last month, Buffett opened another Margaritaville in Panama City, Florida.

Update – Margaritaville.com has more:

Glendale is celebrating their Grand Opening with an intimate concert for Arizona residents by none other than Jimmy Buffett himself! Tickets will be offered for this exclusive show through daily drawings from entries received at Margaritaville Glendale and online. Five pairs of tickets will be given away online every day between April 1st and April 8th, and only one entry per person per day is allowed. Read the rules, and if you’re an Arizona resident, enter now for your chance to win!

A very good source says Jimmy will appear at the Margaritaville Cafe in Glendale, AZ in early April. A performance is possible but not known at this time. No further details are available.

Check back frequently for updates on this story.

Jimmy Buffett’s latest Margaritaville opens today in Panama City, Florida at the brand new Pier Park retail and entertainment center.

Radio Margaritaville will broadcast live from 4-8 pm central time, so be sure to tune in!

Diners to the new Margaritaville will be able to sit outside at the restaurant’s Front Beach location and delight in a spectacular view of the Gulf’s blue waters and sugar-white beaches.

This makes the sixth Margaritaville that Buffett has opened in the states: Key West, New Orleans, Orlando, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and Phoenix. International locations include Jamaica, Cancun, Cozumel, Grand Turk, and Grand Cayman. Another Margaritaville will open at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut in the fall of this year.

Get directions to Pier Park here.

Also, learn more about Buffett’s business empire here.

Freelance writer Gary Logan writes a piece for the Washington Post entitled “Returning to Margaritaville.” The article follows the writer’s life from when he was first introduced to Buffett in the 70’s, how his life changed over the ensuing 30-plus years, and how Buffett’s music was always a constant.

It’s a good read, check it out here.

Update – Editor Tom Shroder weighs in on the article here.

When I first encountered the manuscript that became “Return to Margaritaville,” the story that begins on Page 14, I said: “We’ll run a story about the deeper meaning of Jimmy Buffett over my dead body.”