{"id":23280,"date":"2017-02-25T08:26:27","date_gmt":"2017-02-25T13:26:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=23280"},"modified":"2017-02-25T08:26:34","modified_gmt":"2017-02-25T13:26:34","slug":"on-stage-extra-a-curious-case-of-broadway-style-entertainment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=23280","title":{"rendered":"On Stage (Extra): A ‘Curious’ case of Broadway-style entertainment"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"<\/a>

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.<\/p><\/div>\n

Theater fans from this area have been very fortunate this month \u2013 mainly because of the offerings from the Kimmel Center\u2019s \u201cBroadway Philadelphia\u201d series at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of being presented for the umpteenth time with tried-and-true musicals such as \u201cAnnie,\u201d \u201cSound of Music\u201d or \u201cRent,\u201d fans are being treated to two hit shows that are fresh off Broadway and making their Philadelphia debuts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bodyguard\u201d is running through February 26. Then, from February 28-March 5, the Academy of Music is hosting \u201cThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hailed as \u201cOne of the most fully immersive works ever to wallop Broadway\u201d by The New York Times, this adaptation is the Tony Award\u00ae-winning new play by Simon Stephens, adapted from Mark Haddon\u2019s best-selling novel and directed by Tony winner Marianne Elliott.<\/span><\/p>\n

Winner of the 2015 Tony Award for Best New Play, the acclaimed National Theatre production of \u201cThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time\u201d is now on its first North American tour. Two-time Tony Award winner Marianne Elliott (\u201cWar Horse\u201d) directs this adaptation by Tony and Olivier Award winner Simon Stephens \u2013 an adaptation that brings Mark Haddon\u2019s internationally best-selling novel to thrilling life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old boy with an extraordinary brain, is exceptionally intelligent but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. When he falls under suspicion for killing his neighbor\u2019s dog, he sets out to identify the true culprit, which leads to an earth-shattering discovery and a journey that will change his life forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Christopher knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.<\/span><\/p>\n

This improbable story of Christopher\u2019s quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years<\/span><\/p>\n

Christopher lives with his father, who has told him that his mother, Judy, died two years ago. The boy discovers the dead body of the neighbor\u2019s dog, Wellington, speared by a garden fork. Mrs. Shears, the dog\u2019s owner, calls the police, and Christopher comes under suspicion.<\/span><\/p>\n

When a policeman touches him, he hits the policeman, and is arrested, then released with a police caution.<\/span><\/p>\n

He decides to investigate the dog\u2019s death, despite his father\u2019s orders to stay out of other people\u2019s business. He is severely limited by his fears and difficulties when interpreting the world around him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout his adventures, Christopher records his experiences in a book, which he calls a \u201cmurder mystery novel.\u201d Christophers father, Ed, discovers the book and confiscates it after a brief fight with the boy.<\/span><\/p>\n

While searching for the confiscated book, Christopher uncovers a trove of letters which his mother wrote to him, dated after her supposed death, which his father has also hidden. He is so shocked by his father lying about his mother\u2019s death that he is unable to move. He curls up on the bed, vomits and groans for several hours until his father returns home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ed confesses that he lied about Judy\u2019s death and also that it was he who killed Wellington. Christopher, fearing that Ed might try to kill him, decides to live with his mother and runs away to her residence in London.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a series of life-changing adventures for Christopher, the story ends on a positive note.<\/span><\/p>\n

The cast features Adam Langdon as Christopher, Gene Gillette as Ed and Felicity Jones Latta as Judy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been out since September,\u201d said Gillette, during a phone interview Wednesday from a tour stop in Durham, North Carolina.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started rehearsals in August then went to Rochester to tech the show. We opened in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center. We started this tour right after the show closed on Broadway.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI saw the show on Broadway and was really impressed. I had read the book and I was impressed how they took the book\u2019s narrative and transformed it into a huge stage show. When you see it on stage, it\u2019s a sensory assault.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey did an amazing job of transferring the book on stage. It\u2019s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It\u2019s not a musical but it has a lot of layers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome people see Ed as a villain but I don\u2019t think that\u2019s really so. Christopher and I go back-and-forth. I don\u2019t think Ed is an evil character. He loves his son. But, he doesn\u2019t always make the right choices.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gillette attributes much of the show\u2019s success to the book.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I read the book, I loved how it was open-ended,\u201d said Gillette, a theater veteran who was born and raised in Colorado. \u201cIt\u2019s up to you to decide what is going on in Chris\u2019 mind and see things from his perspective. It\u2019s a beautiful book.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven though it\u2019s a play rather than a musical, you\u2019re not going to fall asleep. It\u2019s an assault on your senses. It\u2019s going to take you on a journey. There are beautiful family moments. I think it\u2019s a good representation of the middle working class in London today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time\u201d \u2013https:\/\/youtu.be\/cnUjtOolWrY<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show will run from February 28-March 5 at the Academy of Music. Ticket prices range from $25-$125.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Megan Slankard<\/p><\/div>\n

, a talented singer-songwriter from San Francisco, released her fourth album \u201cRunning on Machinery\u201d in 2015 and has been touring in support of the disc ever since.<\/span><\/p>\n

She will be playing songs from the album along with a variety of tracks from previous albums and some more recent tunes on February 25 when she performs at Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

A native Californian indie rocker, Slankard has sold over 35,000 copies of her four previous independently released CDs. On this tour, she is sharing the stage with Alex Wong, a veteran Nashvillle producer who worked with Slankard on her last album.<\/span><\/p>\n

Slankard\u2019s rising career has included opening for Jamie Cullum at a sold-out Fillmore, playing electric guitar on ABC\u2019s Jimmy Kimmel Live as part of the Jeff Campbell Band, singing the National Anthem to a crowd of 45,000 San Francisco Giants baseball fans, performing duets with Pat Monahan of Train, and touring with Dire Straits co-founder David Knopfler throughout Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working really hard,\u201d said Slankard, during a phone interview Wednesday from a tour stop in Memphis, Tennessee. \u201cI\u2019ve been writing a lot of music and doing a lot of touring. \u201cI\u2019ve also been working on a really cool thing called Patreon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Patreon is a new social-media platform that gives friends and fans the ability to support the creative process of the artists they love, in return for really cool things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike Kickstarter, where you pledge large amounts of money to fund larger projects like albums and tours, when you become a patron of Slankard, you pledge a smaller amount (like $1 or $5) every time she releases a new song or video.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrons will get access to Megan’s “patron-only stream,” (a place for Megan to directly connect with her supporters), as well as downloads of every new song she creates.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nice because fans give you a dollar every time you release a new song,\u201d said Slankard. \u201cI get supplemented for my art. My first goal is 200 patrons. Every month, I get new patrons. I just started talking about it at my shows. \u201cStreaming music is great but it\u2019s really hard for artists to get money from it. I do most of my selling at shows. That\u2019s my main income \u2013 playing live and selling stuff at the shows.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Slankard and Patreon — https:\/\/youtu.be\/krFNnUUcXIY<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith Patreon, I write and release one or two songs every month,\u201d said Slankard, who grew up in Tracy, California (a Bay Area town) and now lives in San Francisco.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have 26 songs on Patreon. If you sign up now, you get all of them for just one dollar. It\u2019s a really cool model. We go into the studio and do a single and a music video and then it goes to Patreon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love making albums but the whole industry is changing. If you spend an entire year making an album, it gets old for people pretty fast. I want to do songs in shorter segments. I want to make sure I stay in the present and say to fans \u2013 here\u2019s new stuff.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love all 26 songs that I\u2019ve done. There are 10 with my band that I would consider for an album. I just made a video for \u2018Bones Live Forever\u2019 and I\u2019m really happy with that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Slankard\u2019s most recent album \u201cRunning on Machinery\u201d features 11 strong songs \u2014 songs that can rock out or be delivered with just the accompaniment of acoustic guitar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album at the end of 2014,\u201d said Slankard. \u201cWe recorded it in San Francisco at a great old studio called Tiny Telephone. It has incredible gear \u2014 tons of analog equipment. We recorded a lot of the songs live. We then did overdubs in Nashville and mixed it in L.A.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI spent two months last year just writing songs \u2014 no gigs \u2014 just writing songs every day. I wrote a lot of stuff that was horrible but also wrote some songs I really liked. I followed whatever path each song took \u2014 mostly as a first-person observer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI ended up with about 20 songs I took to my band. I was very inspired. I also did some co-writing on a few of the songs and that was a great experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I\u2019m touring with the gentleman who produced the record \u2013 Alex Wong. He is also a great multi-instrumentalist. We perform together and back each other up \u2013 alternating my songs with his songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Megan Slankard \u2014 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=HAhT5WRuPGY<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Steel City, which also features Matt Santry and Alex Wong, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

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

Another area show on February 25 will feature one of the best rock bands to come out of Australia in years when the Griswolds headline a show at the Foundry at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/span><\/a><\/span>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The Griswolds are a four-piece indie rock band that formed in Sydney, Australia in 2012. The Griswolds signed with Wind-up Records in May 2013 and began recording their debut album shortly after with producer Tony Hoffer. They are named after the fictional family from the \u201cNational Lampoon Vacation\u201d film series.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Griswolds \u2013 Christopher Whitehall, Tim John, Daniel Duque-Perez<\/span><\/p>\n

Lachlan West \u2013 released their new album\u00a0\u201cHigh Times for Low Lives\u201d\u00a0in November.<\/span><\/p>\n

Partnering with Grammy Award winning producer Andrew Dawson\u00a0(Kanye West, fun. Sleigh Bells), the Griswolds took inspiration from everything from Tame Impala\u2019s\u00a0\u201cCurrents\u201d\u00a0to Kendrick Lamar\u2019s\u00a0\u201cTo Pimp a Butterfly\u201d\u00a0for their new material.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the past year, they have performed on the Today Show and have been receiving press raves from a variety of sources including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. Now, they are touring the states with their \u201cLow Lives Tour.\u201d Additionally, <\/span>the<\/span> band has premiered its new music video for Alternative Radio single \u201cOut Of My Head.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOut Of My Head,\u201d which followed the band\u2019s debut album \u201cBe Impressive\u201d (2014), has garnered more than 1 million Spotify streams in addition to earning <\/span>the<\/span> band <\/span>the<\/span>ir national TV debut earlier this fall when <\/span>the<\/span>y appeared on <\/span>the<\/span> Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda as Elvis Duran\u2019s \u201cArtist of <\/span>the<\/span> Month.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live show, we\u2019re playing songs from both albums,\u201d said Whitehall, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from a tour stop in Atlanta, Georgia. \u201cIt\u2019s about 50\/50 \u2013 eight songs from each album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018High Times for Low Lives\u2019 last year. We started it in June in Los Angeles. It took longer than we expected \u2013 about three months altogether. We recorded it in California because there are higher caliber producers in L.A. than in Australia — and there are people who understand our sound.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve morphed from an Australian sound to an international sound. When we started out, we didn\u2019t know where we were aiming for. We were just looking to be an Australian band. All that has changed. Now, we tour more in America than Australia.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a song called \u2018Mississippi\u2019 by a band called the Griswolds. It got picked up in America and the rest is history. Also, with the name Griswolds \u2013 there\u2019s a nostalgia thing in America about the Griswold family. So, what we did in the states was fitting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Griswolds\u2019 momentum has continued to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve toured the states insistently since then,\u201d said Whitehall. \u201cWe released \u2018Be Impressive\u2019 in 2014 and one of the songs \u2018Beware of the Dog\u2019 went Top 10 in the alternative charts. \u2018If You Wanna Stay,\u2019 another song from that album, also charted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Griswolds take their work in the studio very seriously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe do a lot of writing prior to going into the studio,\u201d said Whitehall. \u201cWe spent about four months working on songs in Australia. Then, we came to America and spent a long time in the studio.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent a lot of time experimenting. This time, we didn\u2019t have a time restriction. We had freedom to try things out and, if they didn\u2019t work, we\u2019d try something else. We ended up with 24 demos that resulted in 11 tracks and three interludes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest difference between our two albums is a maturity thing \u2013 growing up and learning more. We had two years of touring and you definitely learn things being on the road. Now, we\u2019re very excited about playing the new tracks live.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for the Griswolds \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/IlYOWmLk9ik<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Foundry at Fillmore Philadelphia, which has Dreamers as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. Other upcoming show sat the venue are Ro James on February 26, Polyphia on February 28, Merry Jane Presents Juicy J – The Rubba Band Business Tour on March 1 and Colony House on March 1.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRiverdance\u201d winds up its six-day run in Wilmington with a matinee on February 26 but step dancing performances in the town will not stop then.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

April Verch<\/p><\/div>\n

On the evening of February 26, The Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org<\/span><\/a>) will present April Verch \u2013 a Canadian singer-songwriter-fiddle player who also incorporates step dancing into her show.<\/span><\/p>\n

Verch is a Canadian fiddler and step dancer born and raised in the community of Rankin, Ontario. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston prior to starting her professional career. She is best known for playing traditional Ottawa Valley style fiddle tunes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Verch knows how relevant an old tune can be. She was raised surrounded by living, breathing roots music\u2014her father\u2019s country band rehearsing; the lively music at church and at community dances; the tunes she rocked out to win fiddle competitions.<\/span><\/p>\n

She thought every little girl learned to step dance at the age of three and fiddle at the age of six. She knew nothing else and decided early on that she wanted to be a professional musician.<\/span><\/p>\n

Verch took that leap, and for more than two decades has been recording and captivating audiences worldwide — exploring new places each step of the way. The veteran musician\/dancer from north of the border released her first album \u201cSpringtime Fiddle\u201d in 1992.<\/span><\/p>\n

On February 17, she released \u201cThe April Verch Anthology\u201d (Slab Town Records), an 18-track collection celebrating her life\u2019s work. Hand-picked by Verch, the songs on this compilation offer an enchanting mix of regional Canadian, American old-time, bluegrass, country and Americana tracks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe April Verch Anthology\u201d is a testament to the many chapters in Verch\u2019s musical journey. Moving from exuberant step dancer to fiddle wunderkind and silver-voiced singer; from upstart prodigy to mature and reflective songwriter, interpreter, and storyteller.\u00a0 The compilation is an excursion through Verch\u2019s 1998-2015 recordings, featuring tunes and songs dear to Verch as well as a healthy dose of fan favorites and two newly-recorded tracks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe album covers the time from my 1998 recordings to 2015,\u201d said Verch, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Raleigh, North Carolina.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a couple tracks that we went in and recorded new. We worked in a studio in Asheville, North Carolina. We did two new tracks along with two tracks from each album. We mastered everything again \u2013 just to get the right levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was interesting putting it together. I was worried what was waiting for me going back. But, it was enjoyable. It reminded me of different periods of my life. It was harder than I expected to decide which songs to use. The purpose for me was to celebrate where I\u2019ve been.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy release before the anthology album was my 10<\/span>th<\/sup><\/span> and everybody called it a milestone. So, after that one, it was a good time to look back and reflect. When I\u2019m on the road talking to fans, they ask for old tracks they\u2019ve lost and new fans are looking for the older stuff. Some of my earlier albums were on Rounder and some were only on cassette.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to her music, Verch has built a reputation was a world-class step dancer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up step dancing,\u201d said Verch. \u201cThe Ottawa Valley style is very unique. Dancers don\u2019t stand up straight with their arms down. It looks similar to tap but it\u2019s very high energy with a lot of hopping. Just like the fiddle style from this area, it\u2019s a melting pot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe old stuff gets me moving my feet as percussion. Our style — leather soles on wood — that sort of puts a stamp on it. If you learn Ottawa Valley style, you have a routine. I don\u2019t do that anymore. In my live show, I dance both tap and leather.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had no physical problems from step dancing so far. Sometimes, my feet are sore. Knee problems are common to Ottawa Valley dancers but I haven\u2019t had any \u2013 maybe because I do more hopping.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for April Verch \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/wr4eIp9NyM4<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at The Grand will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $28. Other upcoming shows at The Grand are Delaware Dance Festival<\/span><\/a> on February 26, and Janet\u2019s Planet: A Tour Through the Solar System<\/span><\/a> on February 28.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Eric Bibb<\/p><\/div>\n

Another area show on February 26 featuring traditional American music will take place at the Annenberg Center\u2019s Harold Prince Theater (3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-898-3900, annenbercenter.org<\/span><\/a>) when the venue on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania presents Eric Bibb and Corey Harris.<\/span><\/p>\n

A career spanning five decades, 36 albums, countless radio and television shows and non-stop touring has made Bibb one of the leading bluesmen of his generation.\u00a0 A progressive preservationist and a fiery singer with true soul, gospel and folk roots, Bibb creates blues tunes that are honest and powerful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Born in New York City, Bibb is the son of Leon Bibb, a senior figure on the New York folk scene of the 1960\u2019s.\u00a0 His godfather was actor\/singer\/activist Paul Robeson and his uncle was the composer and jazz pianist John Lewis, founder the Modern Jazz Quartet\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad was the one who introduced me to music,\u201d said Bibb, during a phone interview Tuesday from a tour stop in New York. \u201cI remember Pete Seeger playing his banjo with my teddy bear\u2019s paw. Odetta was there a lot. I remember meeting Bob Dylan when I was 11 \u2013 in my own house.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When Bibb was 19, he moved to Paris, where a meeting with American guitarist Mickey Baker focused his interest in blues guitar.\u00a0 A few years later he moved to Sweden and settled in Stockholm, where he found a creative environment that reminded him of his teenage days in Greenwich Village.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He made a handful of albums, starting in 1972, and began meeting and playing with local musicians, as well as other American expatriates.\u00a0 His breakthrough album, \u201cSpirit & The Blues\u201d, was released in 1994 and led to tours of the UK, the United States, Canada, France, Sweden and Germany.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, Bibb has recorded and performed with such luminaries as Taj Mahal, Pops and Mavis Staples,\u00a0Charlie Musselwhite, Rory Block,\u00a0Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Raitt, Mamadou Diabate, Toumani Diabate,\u00a0 Dirk Powell, Cedric Watson, Larry Crockett and Habib Koite.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bibb is currently on tour in support of his latest album, \u201cThe Happiest Man in the World,\u201d which was released in 2016. The album was recorded with Danny Thompson.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRecording with Danny Thompson had been a dream of mine,\u201d said Bibb. \u201cI really felt I wanted to express my contentedness and happiness despite the shape the world is in. I am the happiest man in the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lately, Bibb\u2019s focus has been on his new album \u201cMigration Blues,\u201d which is scheduled to be released in March.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018Migration Blues\u2019 in Sherbrooke, Quebec back in September,\u201d said Bibb. \u201cIt was a trio with Jean Jacques Milteau and Michael Jerome Browne.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason we went there to make the record really was the engineer Larry O\u2019Malley. We decided on this trio because we really like each other. We used a high-end digital system but all the studio gear was old school.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I had the idea for this record, I thought it was a good idea because of the refugee crisis now and also the African-American migration. I realized that migration had been around for a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI really wanted to make the point that to be against cultural refugees is craziness. We\u2019re all in the same boat. I see migration as an opportunity to see that we all are one. We are connected. We are all human beings who want the same thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bibb\u2019s fans will have to wait to hear the songs from \u201cMigration Blues\u201d performed live.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not focusing on the new album on this tour,\u201d said Bibb. \u201cI\u2019m waiting for it to be out there at the end of March. Right now, I\u2019m doing the stuff that works for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Eric Bibb — https:\/\/youtu.be\/Mqa6Wcs6s1I<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Annenberg, which also features Corey Harris, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Brent Cobb<\/p><\/div>\n

February\u2019s live music schedule will close on February 28 with a show by Brent Cobb at Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/undergroundarts.org<\/span><\/a>). Cobb will be one of the opening acts for Nikki Lane on her \u201cHighway Queen Tour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we\u2019re riding through rural Georgia on our way to Birmingham, Alabama,\u201d said Cobb, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cTonight, we kick off this tour with Nikki Lane. It\u2019s fun. Nikki is a badass. We\u2019ll be out for a while \u2013 touring on this side of the Mississippi.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cobb is an American country music singer-songwriter who is currently signed to Low Country Sounds, an imprint of Elektra Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

He has released two studio albums and one EP. Cobb has also written songs for a variety of country artists including, Luke Bryan, Kellie Pickler, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, and Little Big Town.<\/span><\/p>\n

His most recent album, \u201cShine on Rainy Day,\u201d was released in October 2016 and is his major-label debut. The album quickly rose to the Top 20 on Billboard\u2019s Top Country Albums chart.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018Shine on Rainy Day\u2019 in about four days in December 2015 and it came out last October,\u201d said Cobb.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it was time to make the album, Cobb decided to work with his cousin and fellow Georgian, Dave Cobb, the Grammy Award-winning producer whose Elektra Records imprint Low Country Sound is home to the album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded it in Dave\u2019s basement studio,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cWe just went there, hung out and tried to make the best music we could. I had a lot of songs that had been building up for a while.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent four days in the studio and recorded it all live. We did go back and add a few guitar overdubs. We did two or three takes for each song and then picked the best. We went straight to tape. It was the way it Was supposed to sound.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cobb didn\u2019t set out to write an album that feels and sounds like the place he grew up. But now that the grooves have been cut on \u201cShine on Rainy Day,\u201d there\u2019s no denying the people, the places and the vibe of his southcentral Georgia home infuse almost every song.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Cobb, \u201cIt just is Georgia. It\u2019s just that rural, easy-going way it feels down there on a nice spring evening when the wind\u2019s blowing warm and you smell wisteria, you know?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Though cousins, the Cobbs didn\u2019t know each other growing up. Dave is a little bit older than 29-year-old Brent and his father was the one brother who left the area and moved away \u2013 to an island off the coast from Savannah. So, when they first met \u2013 as adults at an aunt\u2019s funeral \u2013 Brent was wary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re standing around outside and I was like, \u2018Man, we hear you’re producing in L.A. What you produced?\u2019 I was just kind of like a jerk, really,\u201d said Cobb.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me Shooter Jennings\u2019 ‘Put the O Back in Country,’ and that floored me, man. Because me and my buddies working at a tree service, we\u2019d get off work, somebody would get a 12-pack, we\u2019d get stoned and listen to ‘Put the O Back in Country,’ man. We knew it was the cool country. We knew it was for real. Man, I mean it was the shit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Brent\u2019s dad shamelessly slipped Dave a disc of six acoustic songs Brent recorded as he left town. Dave didn\u2019t really want to listen to it, but his wife, Lydia, convinced him to stick it in the car\u2019s player on the way to the airport.<\/span><\/p>\n

Back on L.A., Dave played it for Jennings. A short while later, Jennings called and invited Brent out to Los Angeles.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe I was getting called by Shooter Jennings,\u201d said Cobb. \u201cThey wanted me to come to L.A. to make a record. So, I went. It was my first time to leave Georgia.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was there for four months but eventually moved to Nashville. Now, I\u2019m tinkering with the idea of basing out of Georgia. I have a two-year-old now so it would make more sense if we were living in Georgia.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Brent Cobb \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/2TSk_PHdiEE<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Underground Arts. Which has Nikki lane as th eheadlie act, will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $17.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking for a great way to kick off March musically?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Adrian Belew<\/p><\/div>\n

An obvious answer is to attend Adrian Belew\u2019s concert at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Belew first appeared on the guitar-world radar when he toured with Frank Zappa who later said, \u201cAdrian reinvented electric guitar\u201d. Belew\u2019s signature tones, unique use of effects and whammy bar remains completely different, and his techniques continue to be a huge influence on today\u2019s guitarists.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was guitarist, songwriter and frontman for progressive rock powerhouse King Crimson for more than 30 years. \u201cDiscipline,\u201d Belew\u2019s first record with King Crimson, is listed among the most important rock records ever made.<\/span><\/p>\n

Belew has had a career that commands both awe and respect from fellow musicians and loyal fans — from his first solo record \u201cThe Lone Rhino\u201d to the Atlantic Records hit album \u201cMr. Music Head\u201d or any of his other 20 plus solo records that push sonic boundaries. He also has been involved in countless world tours and albums with David Bowie, Talking Heads, Laurie Anderson, and Paul Simon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working on our set and getting things ready for the tour,\u201d said Belew, during a phone interview two weeks from his home in Nashville. \u201cNext week, the band joins me for rehearsals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Belew, who is also a guitarist with the Bears, is a strong fan of the power trio format that was popularized by Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience in the late 1960s.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe trio is something I always like to do,\u201d said Belew. \u201cYou can stretch out more when it\u2019s just a trio and that\u2019s what I want to be able to do. It\u2019s a nice form to work in because you have to work really hard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur music is complicated and to hold it together is difficult. The drummer has to deal with a variety of electronics and I loop a lot with my guitar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a power trio with Julie Slick on bass and Tobias Ralph on drums. I\u2019ve worked with Julie for 10 years and Tobias for five years.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI like the closeness of having the same people. There\u2019s a certain inspiration there that happens with people who play together for years. I feel really happy with what we can do.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe power trio has been a great vehicle for me. It\u2019s a great way for me to take my material and regurgitate it. It\u2019s a great format for me as a guitar player and a singer. We use a lot of looping to fill in for the fourth player.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s time for the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll be doing 50 shows in the states in March and April,\u201d said Belew. \u201cWe\u2019ll have two weeks off and then do two weeks in Europe. We\u2019ll tour the states for most of May. Then, in June we got to Australia \u2013 and maybe Japan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Belew\u2019s stateside fans have been waiting for a while to hear him play live.<\/span><\/p>\n

He recently scored the music to \u201cPiper,\u201d a short movie by animation studio Pixar, which was released on June 17, 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

The six-minute production tells the story of a small bird that lives on a beach, and must challenge herself to find food while avoiding treacherous waves. It was screened before \u201cFinding Dory\u201d, the full-length sequel to 2003\u2019s \u201cFinding Nemo\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do a tour of the states for the last two years because I was working on the Pixar film,\u201d said Belew. \u201cIt took three years because they wanted me to be right there from the beginning \u2013 which is unusual. But, for this, because there was no dialogue, the director and I replaced the dialogue with music.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSix minutes of music took three years \u2013 that\u2019s two minutes a year. It\u2019s very detailed. Working with the Pixar people, I saw how perfection worked. \u2018Piper\u2019 just won the Annie (animation\u2019s version of the Oscar) for \u2018Best Animated Short\u2019 \u2013 and it\u2019s been nominated for an Oscar.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Music link for \u201cPiper\u201d — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JF9EshweFjE<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Belew continues to work on the latest additions to his FLUX project, including an album called \u201cFLUXbybelew Volume Two\u201d and an in-app addition entitled \u201cFLUXation Pack Two.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

FLUX:FX is an award-winning professional multi-effect processor app for the iPad that lets you \u2018play\u2019 your effects. Innovative, intuitive and exciting, FLUX:FX lets you manipulate your audio signal into something entirely new and redefines the possibilities of studio sound design and live performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

FLUX by belew is an ever-changing mix of Adrian Belew\u2019s new music, songs, sounds and visual art that comes at you in quick, surprising pieces. FLUX by belew is the newest way to experience music that never plays the same way twice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe ideal for FLUX was in my head since 1978 when I was sitting outside between two caf\u00e9s in Marseille, France,\u201d said Belew. \u201cBetween the cafes, I heard background sounds like seagulls and different music coming from the two cafes. I realized I\u2019d like my music to be constantly changing. I wanted it never two sound the same two times.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout six years ago, I talked about this to some guys from Amsterdam and I\u2019ve been working on it for six years now. The content is pretty broad. I cut the songs into bits and then make it so the computer algorithms will choose different parts. There is something about the immediacy and the surprise element. It\u2019s like real life.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a whole generation of people who get things in short, quick bursts. I thought there should be music that goes along with this format. It\u2019s never finished and will always be changing. My lifelong dream is to come up with something that has never been done before \u2013 and I did it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Adrian Belew \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/Q00TNTTjVkg<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Sellersville, which has Saul Zonana as the opener, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29.50 and $40.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times Theater fans from this area have been very fortunate this month \u2013 mainly because of the offerings from the Kimmel Center\u2019s \u201cBroadway Philadelphia\u201d series at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, www.kimmelcenter.org). Instead of being presented for the umpteenth time with tried-and-true musicals such as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[5384,8587,8584,8588,6518,8585,8583,8586],"class_list":["post-23280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-adrian-belew","tag-april-verch","tag-brent-cobb","tag-eric-bibb","tag-featured","tag-megan-slankard","tag-the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time","tag-the-griwolds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23280","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=23280"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23281,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23280\/revisions\/23281"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}