{"id":18318,"date":"2016-01-28T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-28T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=18318"},"modified":"2016-01-28T10:03:15","modified_gmt":"2016-01-28T15:03:15","slug":"on-stage-strong-voices-in-spotlight-locally-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=18318","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Strong voices in spotlight locally this week"},"content":{"rendered":"

Break out of the winter blues with some hot local music<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Staff Writer, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"breaking<\/a>

Breaking Benjamin<\/p><\/div>\n

The weekend\u2019s abundance of standout live music gets off to a good start on January 29 and continues the next day with five concerts featuring acts that have an emphasis on strong vocal performances — Breaking Benjamin, Nalani & Sarina, Ren\u00e9 Marie, Garland Jeffreys and Raul Malo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Breaking Benjamin will bring its \u201cBreaking Benjamin — Unplugged\u201d show to Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in December, Breaking Benjamin, the chart-topping Pennsylvania-bred rock band led by founder Benjamin Burnley, announced a tour featuring a string of intimate acoustic performances throughout January and February. The band will be performing live and unplugged versions of several fan favorites.<\/span><\/p>\n

Breaking Benjamin\u2019s highly-anticipated return to rock music in 2015 scored them a Number One Billboard Top 200 album debut with the June release of its fifth studio album \u201cDark Before Dawn\u201d — an album that included two consecutive Number One active rock singles in \u201cFailure\u201d and \u201cAngel\u2019s Fall.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDark Before Dawn\u201d came out a really long time after the band\u2019s previous release — \u201cDear Agony,\u201d which was released in September 2009. A six-year hiatus can frequently spell doom for a band but Breaking Benjamin\u2019s ever-loyal fan base continued to grow with over 5.8 million Facebook fans, 267K followers on twitter and 80K Instagram followers combined.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a good reason for the long gap between albums,\u201d said Burnley, during a recent phone interview from his home in Ocean City, New Jersey. \u201cI went on a hiatus to address some health issues and then deal with a legal conflict. Those two things combined to produce an extended hiatus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But, Breaking Benjamin never died and \u201cBenjamin breaking\u201d never happened. The veteran singer did not let adversity break him. If anything, it made him more determined to keep going and growing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEverything happens in its own time and with its own reason,\u201d said Burnley. \u201cWe came back stronger than ever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The band\u2019s re-vamped lineup features musicians hand-picked by Burnley himself; guitarists Jasen Rauch (Red) and Keith Wallen (Adelitas Way), bassist Aaron Bruch, and drummer Shaun Foist (Picture Me Broken).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA six-year hiatus was hard to take,\u201d said Burnley. \u201cMost of the time, it was me going to the doctor and trying to discover the cause of the problem. I\u2019m still suffering. Inflammation of muscles, joint pain and dizziness are constant things. I\u2019m still suffering but I\u2019m pushing through and living my life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt has influenced my songwriting. Any sort of aspect of life influences any artist and what they write. As a songwriter, you never really stop writing. I put ideas down all the time — constantly. Writing is just something I unconsciously do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Burnley\u2019s writing resulted in a well-received, critically-acclaimed album.<\/span><\/p>\n

Originally known as Clan 9, Breaking Benjamin got its start in north-central Pennsylvania right around the start of the century. Late in 2001, the group became Breaking Benjamin after a lineup shuffle. Burnley grew up in Ocean City and later moved to Pennsylvania where he put the band together. Now, Burnley is back at the beach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI have my own home studio here and I\u2019m building a larger studio which is also in Ocean City,\u201d said Burnley. \u201cI did most of the writing for the new album here in Ocean City. I\u2019d say 95 per cent of it was written before I put the band together. I\u2019ve always been the primary writer for the band.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever I\u2019m writing a song for the band, I have the whole song envisioned in my mind. And, I\u2019m fluent in programming drums so that allows me to make a project that is complete.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I write something new, I don\u2019t have any expectations of a song\u2019s success. I just try to do the best I can. If it does well, it\u2019s validation — just icing on the cake. I definitely don\u2019t write anything that would coincide with a trend. I can\u2019t bring myself to be that way. And, my fans recognize that sincerity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Breaking Benjamin — https:\/\/youtu.be\/9zFfRSeA1ls<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201cBreaking Benjamin — Unplugged\u201d show at the Fillmore will start at 8 p.m. with Starset as the opening act. Tickets are $38.50.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"nalani<\/a>

Nalani & Sarina<\/p><\/div>\n

Nalani & Sarina (22-year-old twin sisters Nalani and Sarina Bolton) are already seasoned musicians — vocalists, songwriters, multi-instrumentalists who know how to rock, write insightful melodic songs and how to get their funk on.<\/span><\/p>\n

The sisters, who are performing on January 29 at MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, www.milkboyphilly.com<\/span><\/a>), have a strong following in the Philly area — especially locally having performed shows at The Flash in Kennett Square, the Steel City Coffee House in Phoenixville and the World Caf\u00e9 Live at the Queen in Wilmington.<\/span><\/p>\n

All those shows allowed fans to hear and see Nalani & Sarina play in small, comfortable setting where their performances were part acoustic and part electric with just the two performers on stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at MilkBoy Philadelphia will be different. When the twins, who are from Flemington (NJ), perform shows in North Jersey and New York, they are almost always accompanied by their band. This Friday will mark the first time they have played the Philly area with a full band.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have Jim Hines on drums, Mark Carson on bass and Derek Monroe, who is from Flemington, on guitar,\u201d said Sarina, during a phone interview earlier this week from the twins\u2019 home in central New Jersey. \u201cAnd, WHYY-TV is filming the show for their \u2018On Tour\u2019 series.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year, Nalani & Sarina released an impressive debut record titled \u201cScattered World.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe did a lot of pre-production at Julian Herzfeld\u2019s studio in Wayne,\u201d said Nalani, during a recent phone interview. \u201cAfter we released our last album \u2014 \u2018Lessons Learned\u2019 \u2014 we just continued to write. We started making demos with Julian last summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, we worked on demos ourselves and also with Greg Drew. Greg started off as our vocal coach when we were 16 and just getting started. He\u2019s always looked out for us and has been our manager for the last three years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sarina said, \u201cWe tested all the new songs before we recorded them. We\u2019ve learned that the best way to test a song is by the audience\u2019s reaction. Another test is the way it feels to us as we\u2019re playing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf a song works out well live then we know it\u2019s a good song to record. We go with the mentality that you have to have 10 songs to get one good one. We\u2019re really hard on ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just go and see where a song will take us. We want the song to direct the production. The band that we used in the studio really helped with how the songs sound on the album. We are huge fans of groove and funk and it shows on the new record.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, the twins are back in the studio.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been recording some new stuff over the last few weeks,\u201d said Sarina. \u201cWe\u2019ve been constantly writing so we wanted to get it on tape. There are no big plans for these recordings although we do expect to release something.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe just recorded three songs but we\u2019re still writing. We\u2019re staying true to our normal stuff. There\u2019s rock and funk — and one ballad. Our new direction is still finding its own path. We want the songs to tell us which way to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nalani said, \u201cOne of the songs is more rock-driven. Each song is significantly different from the next — funky, rocking and ballad-style. You can expect it to be as eclectic as usual. But, we do have to go with the funk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur writing has been Stevie Wonder-driven. We\u2019ve also been listening a lot to D\u2019Angelo. He\u2019s very funky but he has a different style — still old school and very funky. We listen to a lot of different music but James Brown, Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones are always in rotation in our car.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re writing songs, there is no real method to our madness. If it\u2019s too planned, it doesn\u2019t seem natural. We\u2019ve done most of the recording at Carriages House Studio in Connecticut and we\u2019ve also done some with Julian at his Tardis Studio in Wayne (PA).<\/span><\/p>\n

With roots based in rhythm-and-blues, soul and rock, the sisters create vocal harmonies that only twins can make.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re sonically alike and there is this telepathy,\u201d said Sarina. \u201cWe\u2019ll be singing a new song and when one of us gravitates to a harmony, the other knows exactly where to go. We\u2019ve been singing together ever since we were three. Being twin sisters, there was nothing else to do. We started singing professionally when we were 15.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Nalani & Sarina have been making music together for a long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re identical twins,\u201d said Nalani. \u201cWe graduated early from Hunterdon Central High a few years ago and we\u2019ve been doing music ever since. Actually, we both started playing classical piano when were six and then studied operatic vocals when we were in sixth grade.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cClassical music and opera provided good basics for us. Our mom was a folkie so we listened to a lot of folk music when we were young \u2014 great songwriters like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. And, we\u2019ve listened to a lot of classic rock.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Nalani & Sarina, who perform mainly as a duo, list acoustic guitar, piano and ukulele as their main instruments. In their live shows, they even do a ukulele duets of the Ramones\u2019 \u201cI Wanna Be Sedated\u201d and AC\/DC\u2019s \u201cHighway to Hell.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Nalani & Sarina — https:\/\/youtu.be\/Z–xTny5aMY<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at MilkBoy Philadelphia, which also includes Chestnut Grove and Audra McDonald, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Rene-Marie\"<\/a>

Rene Marie<\/p><\/div>\n

Ren\u00e9 Marie, who will be performing at the Kimmel Center (Broad and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org<\/span><\/a>), is one of the country\u2019s top female jazz vocalists. Amazingly, she didn\u2019t start her professional career until she was in her early 40s. But, her musical roots — and her ability to move people with her singing — go back to when she was just a teen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Warrenton, Virginia in the Roanoke area,\u201d said Ren\u00e9 Marie, during a recent phone interview from her home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. \u201cI sang at home a lot and did everything I could do musically at school. I learned a lot of classical tunes when I was in the choir.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had my own R$&B band when I was 15. I met my husband in one of those R&B bands. After we got married, we became Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses. We mutually agreed to stop singing in public. For more than 20 years, the only music we made was with Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In1996, her eldest son Michael urged her to take the plunge to pursue a career. He told her that was what she needed to do. Two years later following an ultimatum by her husband to either stop singing or leave their home, she chose to leave after 23 years of marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since then, Ren\u00e9 Marie, whose style incorporates elements of jazz, soul, blues and gospel, has quickly become a heroine to many — a woman of great strength explaining how finding her voice and self through singing gave her the courage to leave an abusive marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2011, Ren\u00e9 Marie\u2019s recording career moved to a higher level when she began recording for Motema Records. Her label debut was \u201cVoice of My Beautiful Country\u201d \u00a0with the bulk of the music on the album in the form of two interestingly-structured, multi-song pieces.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cImagination Medley\u201d featured jazz great Jimmy Van Heusen\u2019s \u201cImagination\u201d, the Temptations\u2019 hit \u201cJust My Imagination\u201d, Dobie Gray\u2019s \u201cDrift Away\u201d, \u201cJohn Henry\u201d, the Latin American standard \u201cAngelitos Negros\u201d and, strangely, the Jefferson Airplane\u2019s \u201cWhite Rabbit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201cVoice of My Beautiful Country Suite\u201d included \u201cAmerica the Beautiful\u201d, \u201cDrum Battle\u201d, \u201cPiano Blues\u201d, \u201cMy Country \u2019Tis of Thee\u201d, \u201cLift Ev\u2019ry Voice and Sing\/Star-Spangled Banner.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Not long after the release of the album, Ren\u00e9 Marie was one of the headliners at the 2011 Clifford Brown Jazz Festival in Wilmington.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had been playing all these songs for at least two years before we recorded them last September,\u201d said Ren\u00e9 Marie, during a phone interview prior to the festival. \u201cI wanted to record them back then but I didn\u2019t have a (record) label. I signed with Motema about two months before we went into the studio in Charleston (SC).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cThe catalyst for the album came when I was in Russia and the interviewer said \u2013 \u2018As an American.\u2019 My knee jerk reaction \u2013 I wanted to say \u2018you made a mistake.\u2019 Then, I realized I almost corrected someone for calling me American. I questioned why I felt that way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI realized I had spent my first 10 years living under the Jim Crowe Law and there had never been a discussion about it. For me, there were a lot of unresolved issues. So, I decided to take these patriotic songs that I loved singing and record them. I wanted to see how I could engage more on an emotional level.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ren\u00e9 Marie\u2019s next album was \u201cBlack Lace Freudian Slip\u201d in 2011. She followed with \u201cI Wanna Be Evil (With Love to Eartha Kitt<\/span><\/a>)\u201d in 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith my pro career, there was a bit of concern at first,\u201d said Ren\u00e9 Marie. \u201cAfter I made the first CD, I was going through a divorce and couldn\u2019t figure out how to make the transition from my day job at a bank. My brother told me to just jump first so I turned in two weeks\u2019 notice at the bank.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy last day was on a Friday. The following Tuesday, I got a phone call from a theater in Richmond. They needed a singer who could drop everything and go on a 10-week tour. That was enough to carry me through.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat tour was \u2018Songs from the Soul.\u2019 It was musical theater of black American music from field songs to spirituals to blues to jazz. There were four of us — me and three young guys. They were in their 20s and I was in my 40s.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ren\u00e9 Marie released her maiden album \u201cRenaissance\u201d in 1998 and has added 11 more to her catalogue since.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout the years, the versatile singer has never been one to shy away from controversy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although most of \u201cVoice of My Beautiful Country\u201d is performed in English, Ren\u00e9 Marie sings in Spanish on the Latin standard \u201cAngelitos Negros,\u201d She included the song to acknowledge the importance of Hispanic culture as a basic building block of America.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2007, Ren\u00e9 Marie released \u201cExperiment in Truth\u201d as well as the single \u201cThis Is (Not) A Protest Song,\u201d a fund-raiser for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2009, she released the soundtrack for her touring one-woman play, \u201cSlut Energy Theory\u201d (which follows the protagonist U\u2019Dean Morgan on a journey from sexual abuse to self-esteem). Ren\u00e9 Marie also released a digital single, \u201cThree Nooses Hanging,\u201d which musically embodied her shock and reaction to the Jena Six case in Louisiana.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVoice of My Beautiful Country\u201d followed up a nationally publicized incident where she was invited to sing \u201cThe Star Spangled Banner\u201d in Denver at the Mayor\u2019s State of the City address. Instead, she sang the lyrics to \u201cLift Ev\u2019ry Voice and Sing\u201d with the melody of \u201cThe Star Spangled Banner.\u201d The event touched off a firestorm of press and right wing criticism — and even death threats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, Ren\u00e9 Marie is finishing up a new album that should be out in a few months on Motema Records — \u201cSound of Red.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all original music,\u201d said Ren\u00e9 Marie. \u2018Just like blues isn\u2019t about the color blue, \u2018Sound of Red\u2019 isn\u2019t about the color red. It\u2019s more about reflections — the spectrum of human emotion. It\u2019s an acknowledgement of what we all go through if we live long enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Ren\u00e9 Marie — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AZY9B_6aVJo<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Kimmel Center will start at 8 p.m. with tickets priced at $34 and $44.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"garland<\/a>

Garland Jefferies<\/p><\/div>\n

Garland Jeffreys, a veteran rocker who has been making interesting music for more than four decades, is also an artist whose music deals with racism in America.<\/span><\/p>\n

On January 30, Jeffreys will return to the area for a show at the Tin Angel (20 South Second Street, Philadelphia, 215-928-0770, http:\/\/www.tinangel.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeffreys first came into his own as a professional musician in New York City in the mid-1960s. He released his first solo album \u201cGarland Jeffreys\u201d on Atlantic Records in 1973. Around the same time Atlantic also released a Jefferys 45 titled \u201cWild in the Streets, a song that was not on the album.<\/span><\/p>\n

The guitarist\/singer\/songwriter wrote the song after hearing about a pre-teen rape and murder in the Bronx. He was joined on the record by a number of top musicians including Dr. John, David Spinozza, Rick Marotta and the Brecker Brothers on horns.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWild in the Streets\u201d has continued to have iconic status in the skate community and been covered by a variety of\u00a0 musicians including The Circle Jerks, Chris Spedding, Hurricanes, British Lions and Hot Water Music.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working on a new album right now,\u201d said Jeffreys, during a phone interview last week from his home in New York. \u201cIt could be done within the next month. It\u2019s coming along really well. I like to take my time. When I get in the swing of making a record, I get inspired. I find out where I\u2019m really going — what I have to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have about 15 songs now. I\u2019m very happy with it. It\u2019s going to be really special. When you work on a new album, you don\u2019t ask yourself — do I still have it? The songs I\u2019ve been writing for this album are really good.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the longest time, race has been my topic. I\u2019ve always felt the issue of race ever since I was a young kid. I\u2019m a light-skinned black. When I was a kid, I remember going into this candy store across the street from my public school in Brooklyn. The guy behind the counter said — what are you doing in here? It was because I was a black kid and I felt offended.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRacism is still very real today. I was in Nashville last year and did a show. I could see the racism. I could feel the vibe there. It\u2019s still definitely anti-Black. I\u2019m always aware of racist issues because I write about things. My daughter, who is also a singer, is hip to it too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI write about other things too. I had a great, great experience of living in Italy. I was in Florence for undergrad school. I was really interested in painting and sculpture and Florence has great museums.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1992, Jeffreys released his \u201cMatador and More\u201d album in the states. The two albums after that were only released in Europe. Finally, he came back with a pair of stateside releases. He put out the \u201cThe King of In Between\u201d album in 2011 and followed with \u201cTruth Serum\u201d in 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe King of In Between\u201d was hailed by NPR as \u201cas good a classic roots rock record as you\u2019re going to hear from anybody\u201d and earned glowing reviews from a number of publications.<\/span><\/p>\n

It also led to a performance on David Letterman as well as appearances onstage with artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Levon Helm, Lou Reed, Alejandro Escovedo and Chuck Ragan. \u201cTruth Serum\u201d was equally well-received.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI worked on \u2018Truth Serum\u2019 for quite awhile,\u201d said Jeffreys. \u201cIt had a lot to do with the players I was working with \u2014 guys like Brian Mitchell. I\u2019ve always tried to have the best players around to support my music. My band now is Mark Bosch on guitar, Tom Coriano on drums, Brian Stanley on bass and Charles Roth on keyboards.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeffreys, who will be 73 in July, is showing no signs of slowing down. He keeps making and playing music \u2014 and his 19-year-old daughter doing the same. Savannah Rae Jeffreys recently released her own album titled \u201cAsk Me Anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy direction is very clear \u2014 to get onstage and play my songs,\u201d said Jeffreys, who has recorded more than a dozen albums on his own, including the classic \u201cGhost Rider.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m grateful to still have an audience after all these years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing as many shows as I can do. I have all the vitality I need. I\u2019m blessed with that and blessed with my health. I travel a lot and play everywhere. Last year, I did shows in Australia and Tokyo. And, I\u2019m playing four festivals this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, I\u2019m playing songs from \u2018Truth Serum,\u201d songs from my catalogue and some new things. The song \u2018Truth Serum\u2019 is a fun song to play because it\u2019s blues and I don\u2019t usually do blues.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always like to use different musical styles. It helps solidify the variety. For me, variety is so important because I\u2019m telling a story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Garland Jeffreys\u00a0 — https:\/\/youtu.be\/GmOttD9n6nU<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Tin Angel will get underway at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"mavericks\"<\/a>

The Mavericks<\/p><\/div>\n

There are few American rock bands that have been able to rise to the top and then maintain that lofty plateau the way the Mavericks have. The band came together in Miami just over 25 years ago and immediately built a strong following with its eclectic mix of rock, country, Latin, rockabilly, standards and cowpunk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite personnel changes, financial difficulties, internal conflicts, a few periods in limbo and a variety of other challenges, the Mavericks are still going strong more than a quarter-century later. In February, the group just released its eighth studio album \u201cMono\u201d (The Valory Music Co \u2014 Big Machine Label Group). The current line-up of The Mavericks includes founding members Raul Malo (vocals) and Paul Deakin (drums). Jerry Dale McFadden has been the band\u2019s keyboardist since 1994 and guitarist Edie Perez joined in 2003.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band has spent a lot of time on the road since the release of the album — including several visits to venues in this area. On January 30, Mavericks\u2019 fans will have the opportunity to hear Malo performing solo when he does a one-man show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live at the Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, 302- 994-1400,\u00a0www.queen.worldcafelive.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe leave on a Delbert McClinton Cruise on Saturday — a music cruise to St. Thomas,\u201d said Malo, during a phone interview a few weeks ago from his home in Nashville. \u201cA lot has been happening for the band lately.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were named the Americana Music Awards Duo\/Group of the Year. We also earned two Grammy nominations — Best American Roots Song for \u2018All Night Long\u2019 and Best Americana Album for \u2018Mono.\u2019 We won our first Grammy in 1996 for Best Country Performance by A Duo Or Group With Vocal for \u2018Here Comes The Rain.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI never ever said we were a country group. I guess Americana is really the place where we belong the most. It\u2019s the one place where you can branch out and do different things. So, I\u2019m proud that Americana is where we\u2019re at. Americana shouldn\u2019t be defined. It should be a nebulous thing. If you look at the Americana charts, it\u2019s a pretty impressive list of great artists.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore Americana came along, I could see the writing on the wall. I saw the Gavin Report and that was a start. All these great artists weren\u2019t being played on country radio. Gavin was the start of a rebellion against corporate country radio. Gavin and Americana was really started for bands like the Mavericks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Mavericks spent a good portion of last year are touring in support of their new disc. In September, the \u201cMono Mundo Tour\u201d visited the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis past year, we worked \u2018Mono\u2019 quite a bit,\u201d said Malo. \u2018It\u2019s fun for us to play the new material. Now, I\u2019m ready to start writing again — to get back into it. But, I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll do a new record any time soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After releasing an eponymous album in 2003, the band did a support tour and then split up. From 2006-2010, Malo built a strong solo career and released several albums on his own. In 2011, a reunion, which was eagerly anticipated by fans, took place and The Mavericks have been on a roll ever since.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWhen we came back, we wanted to play this new music,\u201d said Malo. \u201cWe\u2019ve enjoyed this era of The Mavericks more than any other. No strings attaches, no agendas \u2014 it was all up to us.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWith songwriting for me, it\u2019s whenever the muse comes \u2013hopefully when I\u2019m awake. I\u2019m not that disciplined to say \u2014 I\u2019m going to get up and write. And, I don\u2019t really write on the road but I will get ideas and inspirations when we\u2019re on tour. The songs can start a lot of different ways. Sometimes, it might just be a phrase. Usually, it\u2019s a melody and a riff.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for The Mavericks \u2014 https:\/\/youtu.be\/94xEZ_cqFFI<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Raul Malo\u2019s show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 day of show.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"dukes<\/a>

The Dukes of Destiny<\/p><\/div>\n

Another band that relies on heart-felt vocals — blues style — will be playing the area on January 30. The Dukes of Destiny will be performing their tasty blend of blues and old-school soul in Chester County at a special concert at the West Grove Friends Meeting (153 East Harmony Road, West Grove).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe play at a wide variety of venues \u2014 the Mermaid Inn is our home away from home,\u201d said John Colgan-Davis, during a phone interview from his Philadelphia home last week. \u201cWe\u2019ve played The Flash a lot over the years and have always had a great time there. It\u2019s one of our favorite places to play.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I\u2019m really happy to say that the Dukes are returning to West Grove Meeting House on January 30 in a gig put together by folks from London Grove and West Grove Friends Meetings, primarily through the efforts of Rebecca Mitchell. This is exciting for us. We loved playing there for some 16 or 17 years and we are super excited about being back at the Grove.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Dukes of Destiny, who have been treating fans to live performances of top-flight blues and soul music for almost three decades, are Arlyn Wolters (vocals), AC Steel (guitar, vocals), Bob Holden (drums, vocals),\u00a0Chicago Carl Snyder (keyboards, vocals), Rich Curtis (bass, vocals) and John Colgan-Davis (harmonica, vocals).<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to performing at most of the clubs in the Tri-State area, the Philly-based band\u00a0has performed at the Pocono Blues Festival, the Waterfront Jam at Philadelphia\u2019s Penn\u2019s Landing, the State Street Blues Stroll in Media, the Bucks County R\u2019n\u2019B Picnic, the New Jersey Folk Festival and the Longwood Gardens Summer Concert Series.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our favorite places was always the Turtle Dove Folk Club,\u201d said Colgan-Davis. \u201cIt was a long-standing tradition. It started out as a folk club to bring performers in. In the second year of the Turtle Dove Folk Club, we got booked to play a January gig. That was around 1997 and the shows took place at the West Grove Friends Meeting. It was a wonderful experience — all ages of people from two to 82.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that show, I said — this is a great gig, can we do it again? It became a tradition to play a Dukes of Destiny gig every January for 17 years. We watched people grow up. It was a family vibe. Then, Todd Tyson, the guy who put the shows together, moved to Vermont and it came to an end.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It may have been dead but it wasn\u2019t buried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is always something special about playing the Friends Meeting House,\u201d said Colgan-Davis. \u201cIt was like playing in a church basement. A little while ago, we were in contact with Rebecca Mitchell and some other people at London Grove Friends Meeting. She took it to friends there and they contacted people.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the first time in four or five years that we\u2019ll be back at the West Grove Friends Meeting. I am excited. It\u2019s a special event for me. West Grove is always a lot of fun. When we first started there, MTV was a big thing. With the shows at West Grove, kids got a chance to hear music played live.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Colgan-Davis\u2019s introduction to the blues came when he was in high school and saw the Stones performing with Howling Wolf on the \u201cShindig\u201d TV show. Howlin\u2019 Wolf, whose real name was Chester Burnett, was an American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player who was one of the premier Chicago bluesmen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw Howlin\u2019 Wolf on that TV show, I jumped up and said \u2014 this is what I want to do. I started playing blues when I was 16. My dad gave me a grab bag for my birthday and a harmonica was in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI started listening to blues records a lot \u2014 players like Muddy Waters and James Cotton. I was really into Chicago blues of the 1950s and 1960s when I started. Then, I got into guys like Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. One of the first bands I played in was a Philly blues band called Sweet Stavin\u2019 Chain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A while later, the Dukes of Destiny became the main musical vehicle for Colgan-Davis.\u00a0At first they played house parties in Germantown, generating word of mouth interest. A gig at the now-defunct Taker\u2019s Cafe in Germantown launched their public career<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Dukes got together in the mid-1980s,\u201d said Colgan-Davis. \u201cSteve Brown started the band and it began with that gig at Taker\u2019s Caf\u00e9. Steve died of pancreatic cancer in 2000 and I\u2019ve been the leader ever since. Steve has always been in my mind. We did a tribute concert to him a few years ago and we still do some of his favorites in our set.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a whole range of music in what we can play \u2014 everything from Chicago blues to old-school soul. What\u2019s great about the Dukes is that we\u2019re a band. We use each other\u2019s strengths. Arlyn and I do the bulk of the singing but everybody in the band sings.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for the Dukes of Destiny — https:\/\/youtu.be\/j5fM0sugB5w<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the West Grove Meeting House will run from 8-11 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. and there is a suggested donation of $15.<\/span><\/p>\n

On January 30, another show in the area will feature \u201cThree Tenors\u201d — but attendees should not expect any vocal pyrotechnics.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Irvine Auditorium (3417 Spruce Street, Philadelphia) will feature \u201cThe Three Tenors (who can\u2019t sing).\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Three Tenors (who can\u2019t sing)\u201d is a night of stand-up (and a sit down) with three made men of comedy. The 22-city national tour started January 22 in Boston and will run until April 8.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show stars Vic DiBitetto, now considered the \u201cGodfather of Comedy.\u201d DiBitetto has taken the internet by storm with tens of millions of views and multiple viral videos including \u00a0\u201cBread and Milk\u201d and his own television talk show.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joining DiBitetto are two stand-up guys from the neighborhood — Richie Minervini and Fred Rubino — both top headliners in The Family. The three performers will bring their incredible stand up to the stage and then have a sit down together with hilarious improvisation and audience participation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy manager Russell Betz came up with the idea — three tenors who can\u2019t sing,\u201d said DiBitetto, during a recent phone interview from his home in North Jersey. \u201cHe picked the cream of the crop.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all national touring headliners and we have an MC. Each comic does his own set and then we have an Act IV with all four of us. I\u2019ve got a lot of fans in Philly and Richie Minervini is a legend. He started at the East Side Conedy Club in Long Island a long time ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all friends. This show has that Italian team — stand-up with three made men. You don\u2019t have to be Italian to enjoy it — but it helps. I\u2019m the main guy. I got the following with YouTube and Facebook. I\u2019m the locomotive. I do 30 minutes and then bring the other guys out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

DiBitetto\u2019s comedy is very up-front and approachable.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI talk about growing up in Brooklyn,\u201d said DiBitetto. \u201cI talk about being marries and having kids. I\u2019m not clever like Seinfeld. I\u2019m the workingman\u2019s comedian — a blue-collar guy like Archie Bunker and Ralph Kramden.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy video for \u2018Bread and Milk\u2019 went viral during a snowstorm. If it wasn\u2019t for social media, I don\u2019t think I\u2019d have the following that I have. After I did that video, I saw what a reaction it got. It\u2019s a great thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Vic DiBitetto\u2019s \u201cBread and Milk\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/i6zaVYWLTkU<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Irvine Auditorium will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at $35 and $55.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christian McBride, one of the most respected upright bass players in the jazz word, is a Philadelphia native. Not surprisingly, any time he has the opportunity to do a show in his hometown, it means something special to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in November 21, the Kimmel Center presented a special McBride show at the Merriam Theater. <\/b>McBride\u2019s \u201cThe Movement Revisited\u201d <\/b>featured spoken texts from four major figures of the civil rights movement — Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King Jr. — along with a jazz band and a gospel choir.<\/span><\/p>\n

McBride will return to Philly for a show this weekend as bassist and musical director of the Mack Avenue SuperBand. On January 31, the all-star band will perform at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-898-3900, http:\/\/www.annenbergcenter.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Mack Avenue SuperBand brings together an impressive ensemble of jazz greats for an unforgettable concert experience. This stellar group includes seven-time Grammy Award-winning vibraphonist Gary Burton; R&B saxophonist Tia Fuller; Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trumpeter Sean Jones; and four-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride backed by pianist Christian Sands and drummer Carl Allen.<\/span><\/p>\n

The initial SuperBand made its debut at the 2012 Detroit Jazz Festival. Every year since, it has returned. And, each year\u2019s live show has been recorded and released as an album. And, each line-up features top talent from the roster of Detroit-based record label Mack Avenue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey called me from Detroit and asked me to be the musical director,\u201d said McBride, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. \u201cThis was the first time I did this. But, with a line-up like we have, it\u2019s not that hard. Everybody brings songs in and we see which ones fit well. When I heard the songs we had, I was pleased. It worked out well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve played with everybody in the band before. For example, Gary (Burton) and I played together on one of his CDs a few years ago — a tribute album to Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, Milt Jackson, and Cal Tjader. Christian Sands is in my trio and Carl Allen is in my band Inside Straight.<\/span><\/p>\n

McBride, who went to high school in Philly at CAPA and then later graduated from Juilliard School of Music, always has a lot of projects going.<\/span><\/p>\n

This year, his schedule includes shows with the Christian McBride Trio, the Christian McBride Big Band and the duet of Edgar Meyer and the Christian McBride. He also will be performing with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, the Houston Chamber Choir and the Christian McBride\u2019s \u201cNew Jawn.\u201d And, there is the 21-show tour with the Mack Avenue SuperBand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live shows on the SuperBand tour, we\u2019ll be playing pretty much everything from the CD — because that\u2019s all we have,\u201d said McBride. \u201cWe\u2019re playing four straight nights at Birdland in New York before we come to Philadelphia. I\u2019m glad we\u2019ll have time to work things out there so that when we get to Philly, we should have a pretty good set.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always great for me to come back to Philadelphia. The show at the Kimmel back in November was a really great night. And, I\u2019m looking forward to another great show when we play there this weekend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Mack Avenue SuperBand — https:\/\/youtu.be\/BBNiAKfR14U<\/b><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Annenberg will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20, $35 and $50.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also on January 31, music fans can head in a different direction for a very different style band. If they head west to Lancaster, they can check out hard rock band Failure Anthem\u2019s performance at the Chameleon Club (223 North Water Street, Lancaster, 717-299-9684, http:\/\/www.chameleonclub.net<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Failure Anthem, a quartet from Greensboro, North Carolina, is led by guitarist\/producer Kile Odell and vocalist JD Eubanks. The group also features Ryan Nimmo on bass and Zame Frye on drums.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been together for about two years,\u201d said Odell, during a phone interview last Thursday as the band was travelling to Texas for a show in Houston. \u201cWe all got together in Greensboro.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPrior to being in this band, JD was in a power metal band and the other two guys were in pop-punk bands. I\u2019ve been playing in bands for about 15 years. I was in a lot of metal bands — Euro-style thrash bands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a producer when I\u2019m not touring. I had written a few songs I thought were cool. I had recorded JD before. I hit him up and he came out and sang the songs. That was the start. I had been friends with the other guys prior to this band.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we got the four of us, we knew it was the right line-up. We\u2019ve kept the same line-up ever since. Our first gig was two years ago at Ziggy\u2019s in Winston-Salem.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Failure Anthem\u2019s debut album \u201cFirst World Problems\u201d was released on Razor & Tie on January 22.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow is the big day,\u201d said Odell. \u201cIt\u2019s a little crazy. I can\u2019t believe it (the album\u2019s release day) is finally here. We recorded the album in Greensboro where we have our own studio. It took between six months and a year to record it because we write so many songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe album was pretty much all done when we started talking to the label. We still needed the opener for the CD. I had the perfect song — \u2018First World Problems.\u2019 We finished the album and turned it in to the label in November.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe band\u2019s name comes from a European metal band called Soilwork. They had a song called \u2018Great Failure Anthem.\u2019 I\u2019m also a fan of the American band Gaslight Anthem. So, I wanted a band name that had the word \u2018anthem\u2019 in it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Failure Anthem — https:\/\/youtu.be\/9b1R3jqUCP4<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Chameleon, which starts at 5:30 p.m., features Failure Anthem and headliner Adelitas Way along with Through Fire, Eye On Attraction and She Pulled the Trigger. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 at the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

High Waisted, a New York-based surf-pop-rock band, came into existence two years ago in the city\u2019s Lower East Side. The band has grown and evolved since then and now is taking it to a new level.<\/span><\/p>\n

The rocking quartet has recently embarked on its first national tour and is ready to release its debut album \u201cOn Ludlow\u201d in March. The tour brings High Waisted to Philly for a show February 1 at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The band was formed by Jessica Louise Dye, who handles the vocals and plays guitar. The other three members are Jono on drums, Jeremy on bass and Steven on guitar and vocals.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some anomalies associated with High Waisted.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band\u2019s music sounds as if it were created by young musicians who grew up along the ocean in Santa Monica and Orange County in California rather than a group of musicians who came together in the lower end of Manhattan.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI met my bassist Jeremy in New York,\u201d said Dye, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa. \u201cHe worked in a bar called Los Feliz that had a \u2018Bring Your Own Vinyl Night.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI brought a lot of my old surf records and we immediately clicked. Jeremy was really into surf music and has an amazing collection of surf records. I got into surf music because I used to surf at Rockaway Beach here in New York.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s another anomaly. Dye didn\u2019t grow up as a surfer. She was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and there aren\u2019t a lot of reef break waves in the deserts of the Southwest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just got into surfing because I thought it would be fun,\u201d said Dye. \u201cThere is a pretty cool surf community in Rockaway Beach. After awhile, I put down my board and got into surf music. I began listening to albums by the Ventures and Link Wray.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI originally moved to Washington, D.C. when I left Phoenix. Music came late in the game. I bought a guitar in D.C. five years ago and haven\u2019t put it down since. I started going solo stiff and then played in different bands in D.C.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I moved to New York three years ago. I was always playing with other people and then put this band together. We all have broad musical tastes that overlap nicely. We all met on Ludlow Street. I work at a music venue called Pianos. The other three are bartender\/bar managers — Jono and Steven at Black Tree and Jeremy at Los Feliz.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After writing and road-testing their songs for a year, the four musicians headed into the studio early last year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album last February in the middle of a blizzard at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, New York,\u201d said Dye. \u201cIt\u2019s a nice studio with a big room and we wanted to track it live. There is an energy you get when you record live. Anything else is too sterile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe gigged the songs a lot before we went into the studio. We went in with 14 songs and cut it to 12 for the album. Most of the songs were recorded in one or two takes. We were in a great mindset. The album is ready to go and we\u2019re putting it out through Eat Trash Be Free on March 4.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for High Waisted — https:\/\/youtu.be\/aFebC9i0J9U<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie will start at 8 p.m. with three opening acts — The Mysteries, Seismic Thrust and Motherer. Tickets are $6.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last but far from least on the list of music talent heading to the area over the next week is Butch Trucks.<\/span><\/p>\n

On February 3, Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/span><\/a>) will host a special show featuring former Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Freight Train Band line-up includes Damon Fowler on lead vocals and second\/slide guitar, Trucks\u2019 son Vaylor Trucks on guitar, Heather Gillis on guitars\/vocals, Tad Isch on drums, keyboard legend Bruce Katz, and Berry Oakley Jr. (son of Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley) on bass.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis project came together because I didn\u2019t to go through a year without playing in a band,\u201d said Trucks, during a trans-Atlantic phone interview Wednesday morning from his home in Monblet, France. \u201cI may be 68 but I\u2019m not planning to quit by any exit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI played a couple shows last year with Oteil and Jaimoe (former Allman Brothers bandmates Jai Johanny \u201cJaimoe\u201d Johanson and Oteil Burbridge) but they were just one-offs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, Berry Oakley Jr. and I got together and decided to do some shows. I had been in my place in France since May so I decided to fly back to the states and do a few shows with him. We did a couple shows, got a manager and then he got serious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe went and played six shows — one after another. I hadn\u2019t done six straight shows since 1971. I was tired at the end of the six — but it was a good tired. Now, we\u2019re starting off this run in Nashville — with Bonnie Bramlett as our special guest for that show.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the whole tour, I\u2019m bringing along Heather Gillies who sings and plays guitar. I discovered her at a club in Tallahassee. We have a great band and we work together really well.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy son Vontay was that cute blonde-headed kid on the Allman Brothers\u2019 \u2018Brothers and Sisters\u2019 album. He\u2019s not that cute anymore, but he\u2019s one hell of a guitar player and I always wanted to play with him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo get ready to tour, we had to do a lot of rehearsing over the internet because I\u2019m in France and they\u2019re scattered around the United States — mostly in Florida. We knew we wanted to do some Allman Brothers songs but we\u2019re not an Allman Brothers cover band by any extent. We came up with about 15 cover songs that we loved and made them outr own. I even get up and sing a song — the first time I\u2019ve done that in 41 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe last show we played was on New Year\u2019s Eve to a packed house in Clearwater, Florida. Now, we\u2019re doing a lot of driving on this tour and that\u2019s a great place to work on writing some songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ffVXXtfiPdw<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Ardmore Music Hall, which has Old Soul Revival as the opening act, will start at 7:45 p.m. Tickets are $29 in advance and $36 day of show.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the venue are Splintered Sunlight (January 29), Echotest (January 30), and Tauk (February 2).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/b><\/span><\/a>) will present Adrien Reju, Aaron Parnell Brown and Elijah Wolf (January 28), The Dispersions, Luvcraft and Californium (January 29), Francis Dunnery (January 30) and The Remedy and The Absolute Sky (January 31).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/b><\/span><\/a>) will host Night Windows, Davis Jameson Howley and Todd Fausnacht (January 28), The Jost Project (January 29) and Jim Boggia (January 30).<\/span><\/p>\n

Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/b><\/span><\/a>) will host Project Ico and George Weldon on January 29 and Gabbii Donnelly, Dylan Andre, Rachel Daniels, Rachel Thomas and Morgan Smith on January 30.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Watson\u2019s Public House (150 North Pottstown Pike, Exton, 610-524-2424, docwatsonspublichouse.com<\/span><\/a>) will be rocking to the sounds of the Chatterband on January 30.<\/span><\/p>\n

Valley Forge Casino (1160 First Avenue, King Of Prussia, 610-354-8118, www.vfcasino.com<\/span><\/a>) will host a show by Stellar Mojo on January 30 in The Vault.<\/span><\/p>\n

Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547,\u00a0www.burlapandbean.com<\/span><\/a>) will present Jason McGovern, Peter Linwood & Chelsea Allen on <\/span>January 29, and <\/span>Robinson Treacher and John Beacher on January 30.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/span><\/a>) presents Steven Wright \u00a0on January 29, \u00a0\u201cWho\u2019s Bad: The World\u2019s Number 1 Michael Jackson Tribute Band\u201d on January 30, \u00a0and the Indigo Girls on January 31.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/b><\/span><\/a>) will have Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift (January 28), Indigenous and the Levi Platero Band (January 29), Captain Jack — Billy Joel Tribute<\/span><\/p>\n

(January 30), Judy Collins and Ari Hest (January 31) and Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea (February 3).<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Break out of the winter blues with some hot local music By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times The weekend\u2019s abundance of standout live music gets off to a good start on January 29 and continues the next day with five concerts featuring acts that have an emphasis on strong vocal performances — Breaking Benjamin, Nalani […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51,4],"tags":[7042,7044,5324,7043,5030],"class_list":["post-18318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-featured","tag-breaking-benjamin","tag-garland-jefferies","tag-nalani-sarina","tag-rene-marie","tag-the-mavericks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18318"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18318\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18323,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18318\/revisions\/18323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}