On Stage: A tale of two Lauras on the concert schedule
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Laura Auer
This weekend, two of the top shows in the area will feature singer/musicians named Laura — Laura Auer and Laura Cheadle.
Laura Auer is a singer from West Chester who relocated to the West Coast and established a reputation as one of the best new classical crossover artists.
This weekend, she returns to the area for a pair of...
On Stage: ‘Sweet’ show coming to Sellersville
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Steve Priest’s Sweet
There was a band that formed in London in 1968 and went on to log a series of top-rated singes such as “Fox on the Run,” “Block Buster!” and “Ballroom Blitz.”
Right from the very beginning, the was a confusing element to the band’s name. On all its record issues, the band was billed as “The Sweet.”
Founding...
On Stage Extra: John Lodge is helping to keep the sounds of the Moody Blues alive
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
John Lodge
There was a time when the Moody Blues were one of the hottest bands in the rock music world.
In the United States, 14 of the group’s albums reached Gold or Platinum status, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
From 1969-1971, the band had three Number 1 albums in the U.K. – “On the Threshold of a Dream,”...
On Stage: Longley returns home for a pair local shows
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Liz Longley
Liz Longley, one of Chester County’s major contributions to the world of popular music, released her debut album, “Take You Down,” in 2007. Since then, she has built a very large fanbase – both here in the states and internationally.
On July 17, Longley will headline a show at Tellus 360 (24 East King Street, Lancaster, 717-393-1660,...
On Stage: People’s Light offers a new take on ‘Little Shop of Horrors’
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Little Shop of Horrors
Gold is always good – as long as you’re not talking about bibles, sneakers or cologne.
People’s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, www.peopleslight.org) has been celebrating its Golden Anniversary season for the last 10 months.
The theater, which has been a cherished Chester County attraction for 50 years, is closing...
On Stage: Dar Williams talks music, writing before her KOP show
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Dar Williams
The most ambitious summer outdoor concert series – the one filled with name acts – is the 2025 Concerts Under the Stars series in King of Prussia, which is now in its 39th season.
One of the highlights will be provided by Dar Williams this weekend.
Presented and produced by Rising Sun Presents!, the summer-long series will again...
On Stage: With weather warm (really warm), the music heads outside
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Time seems to drag by ever so slowly during the brutal winter months – one cold, grey day followed by another one cold, grey day.
Then, when summer arrives, it speeds along like Shinkansen (the “Japanese Bullet Train” that can travel at speeds greater than 200 mph).
Amazingly, this is already the penultimate weekend before Fourth of July...
On Stage Extra: Davy Knowles comes to area for two shows this week
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Davy Knowles
The Isle of Man is a small island in the Irish Sea that is an independent country. It is a self-governing kingdom – a Crown dependency that belongs to neither the U.K. nor the European Union.
The island nation covers 222 square miles and has a population of 84,523. It is also known as Manx nation.
For such a small place, it has...
On Stage: Kaisa Mäensivu making a name for herself on double bass
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Kaisa Mäensivu
The number of female jazz double bass players around the world pales in comparison to that of male players.
But while lacking in quantity, the list of female players holds its own in quality.
One of the most famous is Grammy Award winning Esperanza Emily Spalding, an American jazz bassist, singer, songwriter and composer.
Many...
On Stage: Philly singer-songwriters come home for shows
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Kate Gaffney
The Philadelphia area has for a long time maintained a tradition of producing top-flight female musicians – from highly-sought L.A. session bassist Lynne Davis and jazz vocal extraordinaire Billie Holiday to pop/rock singer P!NK and punk rock pioneer Joan Jett to legendary R&B/soul singer Patti LaBelle to world superstar Taylor...
