Before attending this concert, I had never been to Duke University Chapel. I had heard of its splendor, of the peace found within its walls, and of the reverence that its architectural design inspires. As I entered on Thursday...
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Flamekeeper is an apt name for the band of award-winning bluegrass fiddler Michael Cleveland. It’s a band on fire and a man on fire, for sure. In the first concert of the Sounds of the Mountains series’ eighth season, the musicians all played as if they were on fire or about to burst into flames.
The Sounds of the Mountains series is an inspired collaboration between the Willingham Theatre at the Yadkin Arts Council in Yadkinville and the Blue Ridge Music Center near Galax, Virginia. The Music Center holds concerts in its amphitheater May through September. By partnering with the Willingham Theatre, they can keep giving fans the great bluegrass and Americana music that they’re missing when it’s too cold for music out of doors.
Cleveland and Flamekeeper warmed the 30-degree night right up, as they kicked off the three-concert series with two sets of tunes that managed to be both nostalgic and avant-garde simultaneously. I promise you that Cleveland’s mind-blowing rendition of “Orange Blossom Special” opened up new pathways in my brain. I’ve never heard anything like it.
Read MoreTheatre Charlotte Sings the Right Tunes in Smoke on the Mountain at The Great Aunt Stella Center
There’s a bit of a Tar Heel tug-of-war going on between two small towns east of Charlotte, Mount Pleasant and Mount Olive, for the honor of having the best claim on being the site of Smoke on the Mountain, a homegrown...
Read MoreThe Story, Song, and Dance of The Justice Theater Project’s Black Nativity in Concert
On Saturday afternoon at the North Carolina Museum of Art’s outdoor Joseph M. Bryan, Jr. Theater, The Justice Theater Project, an organization formed to “produce compelling theater experiences that create...
Read MoreKaren Poole Brings Joyfulness and Soul to NoteWorthy Concert Series
“Listen. Love. Take Note.” is the slogan of the Charlotte-based NoteWorthy Classical series – the latest livestreamed concert, featuring contemporary gospel singer Karen Poole, was certainly full of love. NoteWorthy is the result of collaboration between the FAIR PLAY Music Equity Initiative and WDAV radio, featuring David Dae-Lee Arrington of FAIR PLAY and Frank Dominguez of WDAV as co-hosts. This event continued the pattern of NoteWorthy concerts spotlighting and celebrating Charlotte’s diverse artists.
Read MoreIf the sold-out, packed house at Brendle Recital Hall were not evidence enough of popularity, Wikipedia lists 99 professional a capppella groups, including Chanticleer, the King’s Singers, Manhattan Transfer, Pentatonix,...
Read MoreLizz Wright Invokes the Spirit of North Carolina and the South
Lizz Wright’s musical style transcends genre – her powerful yet nuanced voice is so captivating that labeling it in one category would be outrageous. Of course, her wide discography speaks for itself, including her...
Read MoreFoot-Stompin’ Music, Stellar Singing Voices Make RLT’s Crowns a High Old Time
There’s a revival meeting over at Raleigh Little Theatre this month! In the opening production of their 2017-18 season, director Terra Hodge has assembled some soulful piano, six dynamite singing voices, a list of gospel...
Read MoreThe Cary Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. presented an evening of jazz at the Cary Theater, featuring vocalist Connie McCoy and the band Mo’ Jazz. Proceeds from the gala contributed directly toward the...
Read MoreThe Cary Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. presented an evening of jazz at the Cary Theater, featuring vocalist Connie McCoy and the band Mo’ Jazz. Proceeds from the gala contributed directly toward the...
Read MoreAbyssinian: A Gospel Celebration Raises High the Roof at UNC
It is a presumption that good parents should not favor one child over the other, at least not in an obvious manner. The same could be said about presenters of arts events with respect to their “children,” but every...
Read MoreRichard Smallwood & Vision Sing Praises for Easter
What could be better for an Easter celebration than getting on your feet and singing along in praise to Jesus? According to Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter-pianist Richard Smallwood and his Vision Choir, nothing! Hosted by...
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