Tag Archives: Appalachian Brewing Co.

Suds Summit: Soak up brew culture, flavor at the first Harrisburg Beer Week.

March 31, 2015 | by Andrew Dyrli Hermeling

It’s funny how, sometimes, everything comes together.

When I started covering Harrisburg’s beer scene almost two years ago, I focused on finding those interesting little stories that sometimes get missed in small cities like ours. While most beer writers focus on trendier and larger places, like San Diego or Chicago, I turned my attention to the incredible people pushing beer culture forward here.

A couple working to open a brewery in Midtown. A local homebrew supply store in Lemoyne. Women who were making an impression in a predominately male culture. A group of ambitious Harrisburg homebrewers.

All of these stories felt like Harrisburg’s best-kept fermented secrets. Well, starting on April 24, Harrisburg Beer Week is intent on letting these secrets out.

Years in Planning

Harrisburg Beer Week is the brainchild of Sara Bozich along with the writers from Stouts and Stilettos, Tierney Pomone, Colleen Nguyen and Chelsie Markel.

I first met Sara and Tierney when I was writing my article on the women who stand in the front of Harrisburg’s beer culture. And considering that all of the organizers for Beer Week are women, I fear I may have undersold their leadership.

I caught up with Sara at the Federal Taphouse in downtown Harrisburg to get a sense of this latest venture.

“Tierney first mentioned the idea for a beer week a few years ago,” says Sara. “But we first started organizing last summer.”

Most of the planning took place in Sara’s home, but it didn’t take long for their energy to become infectious.

“Once we got Appalachian Brewing Company on board as a sponsor, things started to roll,” notes Sara. “But, it took a lot of education to sell the ‘beer week’ concept.”

That’s because this isn’t a typical daylong beer festival, where you pay to spend a day sampling beer (and get a little tipsy in the process). Instead, this is a week jam-packed with different types of events, all centered on the love of fermented grains.

Something for Everyone

Of course, if you are just looking to try some new, local beer, Beer Week will feature a number of tap takeovers and firkin nights at area bars.

In dozens of events, Pennsylvania’s most renowned and successful brewers will descend upon various watering holes, offering specialty brews, complimentary drink ware, specially designed food pairings, and opportunities to meet the minds behind the beers. While such an amazing concentration of special beer nights is reason enough to get excited, there are a number of unique events that require special attention.

The first big event is not a new one. PA Flavor, a yearly Pennsylvania food-and-beer pairing, will be held at the Farm Show Complex on April 25.

The next day, the Sons of Alchemy brew club will host the Battle of the Homebrew Clubs at the Federal Taphouse downtown. Area homebrew clubs will be fighting it out, offering their best and most adventurous beers to determine which club is truly the best in the area. Attendees will receive a commemorative tasting glass, and tastings will be paired with both live music and light fare food.

Pizza Boy Brewing Co., in a partnership with Kint Beverage Concepts, will host a “Beer Science” night on April 28, featuring informative and interactive presentations on various beer styles, the perfect glassware and the perfect pour. If you can’t make it then, there will be a repeat presentation at ABC’s Abbey Bar the next day.

For those looking to expand their knowledge of craft beer, Harrisburg Young Professionals, along with the Brewery at Hershey, will present a class on craft beer concepts led by brewmaster Ryan DeLutis at Café 1500, also on April 29.

Brandalynn and Theo Armstrong, whose Zeroday Brewing Co. will debut in April, will host a screening of “Beer Wars,” a comical profile of the beer industry, at the Midtown Cinema, with three showings from April 29 to May 1.

Sara herself will moderate the first Pennsylvania Women in Craft Beer Conference on May 1 at JPL Creative. Featuring Brandalynn Armstrong, along with Irena Bierzynski from Victory Brewing Co., Sandy Cindrich from Penn Brewery and Valerie Delligatti from Tröegs Brewing Co., this event will explore the continued leadership of women within beer culture.

The week will wrap up with the Little Big Beer Fest, which will feature “big” beers from around the midstate. Hosted by ABC, this exploration of boozier beers will also include light food and a commemorative tasting glass.

Drink for a Cause

While spending a week enjoying central Pennsylvania’s vibrant beer scene is wonderful on its own, I should highlight the real beneficiary.

Sponsorship profits, along with the proceeds of individual events and merchandise sales, will benefit the Harrisburg River Rescue. In the end, Harrisburg Beer Week wants to be about more than the area’s beer scene. The organizers want to leave a positive mark on the whole community.

“We knew we wanted to do a charity, and we wanted to keep it local,” says Sara.

So, you get to enjoy fabulous beer while also giving to a great cause. That’s worth a toast.

Harrisburg Beer Week runs April 24 to May 2. For more details and event schedules, go to harrisburgbeerweek.com.

Hop Highlights

Harrisburg Beer Week features scores of beer-related events over a seven-day period, so make sure to check the schedule online before heading out. A sample of the bigger events includes:

Kickoff Party, Appalachian Brewing Co., April 24, 7 p.m.
PA Flavor, State Farm Show Complex, April 25, 1-5 p.m.
Battle of the Homebrew Clubs, Federal Taphouse, April 26, 1-5 p.m.
“Beer Science,” Pizza Boy Brewing Co., April 28, 1-4 p.m., and Appalachian Brewing Co., April 29, 4-7 p.m.
Craft Beer 101, Café 1500, April 29, 6-7:30 p.m.
“Beer Wars” film, Midtown Cinema, April 29-May 1, 7 p.m.
Pennsylvania Women in Craft Beer Conference, JPL Creative, May 1, 5-8 p.m.
The Little Big Beer Fest, Appalachian Brewing Co., May 2, 2 p.m.

Musical Notes: Fem Feb–this month, the ladies make the music.

January 31, 2014 | by Dan Webster

I promised to balance the scales this February with leading ladies. In addition, the Millennium Music Conference returns this month to the midstate stage, hitting venues in and around Harrisburg.

One diversion from the norm is a plug in the mentionable section for a young Colombian blues player who has an affinity for central Pa. His name is Carlos Elliot Junior, and he’ll be playing on Jan. 31, barely making the February cut.

Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, Appalachian Brewing Company, 2/12, 8 p.m., $10

This band’s name is suggestive of their music—funky. Mary Frances (vocals and keyboard) leads this itinerant group around the country, evangelizing their brand of funk. “Onward!” is their most recent album, dropping in late October. The track, “Trunk Fallin’ Off,” is a blend of old school hip-hop and straight-up rap and encourages you to dance that derriere off. The album opener, “Ante Up,” is a more straightforward funk tune, employing horns and more instrumentation and relying more on the repetitious, but smooth-sounding, lyrics found in this genre. If you have the dance-bone and are in for an upbeat time, this show will be just that.

Clannad, Whitaker Center, 2/7, 8 p.m., $29

Clannad is a New Age Celtic band, comprised of three siblings (Moya, Pol and Ciaran Brennan) and their twin uncles (Padraig and Noel Nuggan). Everyone knows the Brennan’s sister, Enya, but they were the first to blend Gaelic and pop/rock and have been rewarded for their hit tunes, “I Will Find You,” (theme from “The Last of the Mohicans”) and “In a Lifetime” (featuring Bono), selling 15 million records worldwide. Their legacy is as the forerunners of earthly/spiritual music, and Moya’s voice got quite the endorsement when Bono said she “has one of the greatest voices…ever.”

Millennium Music Conference, 2/20-2/23, venues in Harrisburg/Camp Hill/New Cumberland/Lewisberry/Duncannon

The 18^th Annual Millennium Music Conference is part-educational/mentoring for young artists and a way for emerging musicians to showcase their talents. The lineup is loaded at bars, venues and restaurants in the area. Be sure to hit up their website to see the roster of events. Locally, bands will be performing at Anthony’s, The Abbey Bar, Carley’s, Ceolta’s, Midtown Scholar, Momo’s, Stage on Herr and Suba. In the past, the music has been hit-or-miss, but this is certainly a lens into the farm league of East Coast artists.

Mentionables: Carlos Elliot Jr., Stage on Herr, 1/31; Jimkata, Appalachian Brewing Company, 2/5; Roofbeams, The MakeSpace, 2/15

Literary Dress-Up: From Gatsby to Harry Potter, your favorite characters will party at the Bal Masque.

January 31, 2014 | by Trevor Pierce

For the coming Mardi Gras weekend, Harrisburg art lovers will be given the opportunity to spend a night as their favorite literary characters at one of the year’s most stylish events.

Pictured: Scenes from last year’s Bal Masque. Photos by M.R. Gruber Photography. www.gruberpix.com

On March 1, the Art Association of Harrisburg will hold the 2014 Bal Masque at the Appalachian Brewing Co.’s Abbey Bar in downtown Harrisburg.

“The Art Association has held a Mardi Gras costume party called the Bal Masque since 1941, each with a different theme,” said Art Association President Carrie Wissler-Thomas. “This year, we’ve picked ‘Literary Allusions.’ It’s a very broad theme that we thought people would enjoy dressing up for. Guests can come as their favorite author, as a character from a book, as a depiction of the title of a book—all kinds of things. It’s always amazing to me how creative people can be with their costumes.”

While traditional party attire is welcomed, costume-wearers will be eligible for prizes in a variety of categories. The evening will also include a silent auction on literary themed gift packages, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and performances that include DJ sets by Chuck Schulz and Jonathan Frazier, psychic readings by Dr. Edward North and new-school jazz by singer Erica Lyn Everest. Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse will serve as the Bal Masque’s honorary chairman.

In addition to being one of the year’s biggest parties, the proceeds from the Bal Masque provide the Art Association with much of the funding needed for its educational programs and exhibits.

“The Art Association of Harrisburg School has about 30 different classes a year for both kids and adults,” said Wissler-Thomas, “and our gallery at 21 N. Front Street holds eight exhibits per year that are free to the public to visit, seven days a week. The money that comes in from our fundraisers helps to keep us available for the public to enjoy.

The 2014 Bal Masque will be held on Saturday, March 1 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Appalachian Brewing Co.’s Abbey Bar, 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Admission is $50 for open seating and $80 for reserved gallery seating. Tickets can be purchased online at artassocofhbg.com or by calling 717-236-1432.

Musical Notes: Music in “Man”uary–Wintertime is guy time.

December 31, 2013 | by Dan Webster

It’s Manuary here in Musical Notes, unintentionally so.

Not to worry, I will make it a personal mission next month to balance the scales. That being said, what a stellar line-up we have in the wings of our winter. I’ll be advertising The Hold Steady early (editor’s order), Keller Williams and Todd Snider. The mentionables would be stealing the headlines any other month, but be sure to do your research on those footers.

TODD SNIDER, YORK STRAND CAPITOL, JAN 6, STARTS AT 8 P.M.

This guy is prolific, writing nearly a tome of records over the last 20 years. He’s unabashedly crass in his folksy lyrics and, on-stage, his talking blues style works perfectly into his bit. Storytelling is his cash crop, and my recommendation is to stream his “Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables” album, a severe and honest repudiation of the 1 percent. His stoner delivery, meshed with a strong flavor of twang, makes his songs equally funny and sad.

KELLER WILLIAMS, FEDLIVE, JAN 26, DOORS AT 8 P.M.

The one-man band has put his solo act in the closet temporarily, teaming up with More than a Little for his most recent album, simply entitled “Funk.” Think George Clinton meets Talking Heads. The first cut of the album, “I Told You I Was Freaky,” is a nonsensical rhyming romp, and Keller applies this absurdity generously over the 10 tracks. Get ready for the weird and funk at this concert.

THE HOLD STEADY, ABBEY BAR (APPALACHIAN BREWING CO.), FEB 7, DOORS AT 8 P.M.

This concert, and in fact, this tour, is wholly dedicated to the memory of Harrisburg’s Mike Van Jura, fondly and almost ubiquitously known as “Jersey Mike.” The band decided to raise money in honor of this change-maker, who championed The Hold Steady via The Unified Scene, a hardcore fan board. Not only are these guys dedicating all the proceeds from this sold-out show to a foundation for Van Jura’s kids, they are kick-ass rock ‘n’ rollers. Go back to their “Boys and Girls in America” (2008) for some gritty and witty messages. And, if you can somehow score a ticket, you and a couple hundred others can uphold Jersey’s creed that “Live music can make a city.”

Mentionables:

Marc Cohn & Paula Cole, Whitaker Center, 1/11, Starts at 8 p.m.
Skogen, The MakeSpace, 1/23, Starts at 8 p.m.
The DuPont Brothers, Stage on Herr, 1/30, Starts at 8 p.m.

Musical Notes: Seasonal sounds, different takes on the Yuletide.

November 26, 2013 | by Dan Webster

Hark. The show goes on in December, so here are a few holiday offerings. Jeffrey Gaines is our only exception—a hometown hero and a holiday present. So, rock round the clock (and your Christmas tree) in this final month of 2013.

The Celts, Whitaker Center, Dec. 5, doors @ 7:30 p.m.

The Celts are a straight-out-of-PBS special: Irish jigs, the flute, the fiddle, and the folksy tunes of these Irish-born musicians will bring their traditional set of holiday favorites to Whitaker Center. The “Christmas with the Celts” CD will give you a taste of their seasonal selections. Standards, such as, “O Holy Night” and “Little Drummer Boy” will be played, and others of Irish origin will be on tap, as well.

Tim Warfield, Strand Capitol, Dec. 21, doors @ 7:30 p.m.

A York native, saxophonist Tim Warfield and his impressive band, featuring Terell Stafford, will rely less on scat for this performance and more on the solid sounds of holiday faves. Expect some creative arrangements of “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.” Warfield has appeared on The Today Show and Bill Cosby’s You Bet Your Life, where he was member of the house band. His presence in the central Pennsylvania jazz scene is prominent, being a board member of the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz and now artist-in-residence at Messiah College.

Jeffrey Gaines, Appalachian Brewing Company, Dec. 28, doors @ 8:00 p.m.

Jeffrey Gaines has been playing the Harrisburg circuit for more than two decades, yet he’s known nationally and internationally for his ruminative songs on love. His claim to fame occurred after his cover of “In Your Eyes” hit a mainstream audience in the early ‘90s. Since his self-entitled debut album in 1992, he’s put out four other full-length albums. His ostentatious attire and make up on stage is in direct contrast to his throaty, yet soulful, voice. His songs are schmaltzy but grounded in theme. Start off with his classics, “Fear” and “A Simple Prayer,” for a taste of his talent.

Mentionables:

David Bazan, Mechanicsburg, (location revealed upon purchase), 12/2, doors @ 8 p.m., purchase tickets @ The Undertow.com

Stop Making Sense (Talking Heads Tribute), Appalachian Brewing Company, 12/7, doors @ 9 p.m.

The Irish Tenors, Strand Capitol, 12/8, doors @ 7:30 p.m.

Bromberg in the ‘Burg: Legendary musician stops by to strum a few tunes.

October 29, 2013 | by Jess Hayden

In a career that has spanned more than 45 years and has included numerous solo recordings and prolific studio work, David Bromberg has made an indelible mark on American music.

David Bromberg

Bromberg calls himself a “musician’s musician” because so much of his work has been in collaboration with other artists.

“I’ve been all over the map,” he said during a recent interview. “I wrote a song with George Harrison. I’ve played with people like Bob Dylan, Phoebe Snow, Tom Paxton and Carly Simon. I’ve also recorded with Blood, Sweat and Tears, Rick Derringer, Dr. John and John Prine.”

“All in all,” he said, “I’m on over 150 recordings of other people’s.”

Those that have followed the trajectory of Bromberg’s career know that he established his own band back in the 1970s to give attention to the roots music that he loved, as well as his growing repertoire of originals.

By the mid-’70s, the David Bromberg Big Band included horn players, a violinist, several multi-instrumentalists and such notable members as mandolinist Andy Statman and fiddler Jay Ungar. For 10 years, the David Bromberg Big Band crisscrossed the states delighting audiences with high-energy music and slyly humorous songs such as “Sharon,” “Suffer to Sing the Blues,” “The Hold-Up” and “I Will Not Be Your Fool.”

At the height of the band’s popularity, Bromberg surprised his fans by suddenly dissolving it. The rigors of the road and the countless days of being away from home had begun to wear on him, and he had decided to take his life in a different direction.

“My career was doing really well at the time, but I just didn’t feel that I was a musician anymore,” he said. “I didn’t want to be one of these guys who drags himself on the stage and does a bitter imitation of something that he used to love.”

For the next 22 years, Bromberg was rarely seen on the concert stage, but instead moved to Chicago with his wife to pursue an interest in instrument building at the Kenneth Warren School of Violin Making.

“I found it really fascinating that a person could look at an instrument, and, by looking at it, it tell when and where it was built and by whom,” he said. “That’s what I wanted to do, so I felt I had to learn how they were made, or make them myself, to really know how to look at them.”

After studying awhile, Bromberg opened David Bromberg Fine Violins, a retail store and repair shop for high-quality instruments in Wilmington, Del. Workers in the shop build and repair the violins while Bromberg does the appraisals.

Frequent participation in Wilmington’s weekly jam sessions helped rekindle Bromberg’s desire to make music again. So now he’s back on the road with his big band, as well as in smaller configurations. Seeing him live in concert, it’s clear that his two-decade hiatus has done him good. He has returned to the stage with renewed enthusiasm—joyfully sharing his masterful playing, stirring vocals and eclectic repertoire with audiences.

Since returning to the spotlight, Bromberg has made a few recordings, including the solo CD, “Try Me One More Time,” which was named a finalist in the “Best Traditional Folk Recording” category of the Grammy Awards. He says his latest CD, “Only Slightly Mad,” which came out just last month, is the best recording that he has ever done.

“We recorded it at Levon Helm’s famous barn in Woodstock, N.Y.,” he said. “It’s mostly my band, but I did bring in a few ringers like my old friend John Sebastian, who came in and played harmonica on one track, and John McEuen from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who had wandered into the studio, and I made him get out his banjo and play on one track.”

You can catch David Bromberg in a solo performance at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. Information and tickets are available at www.sfmsfolk.org, by calling 800-838-3006 and at the door if not sold out in advance.

Jess Hayden is executive director of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society.

Musical Notes: Jersey Jam–out-of-state bands migrate to central PA.

October 29, 2013 | by Dan Webster

Juggling Suns (photo credit: bbkingblues.com)

Border state musicians attack the center of the Keystone this November. MCs from Columbus, Ohio, and two bands from central Jersey—the rock ‘n’ roll breeding ground of the East—will peddle their musical wares to our own growing music scene. Love thy neighbor as yourself (or however that command goes) and take in their talent.

Juggling Suns, Appalachian Brewing Company, Nov. 1, doors @ 8 p.m.

Intel is slim on this jam band from Perth Amboy, N.J. They are greatly inspired by The Grateful Dead and have personally played for one of the most famous deadheads of all, Bill Walton, the great basketball player and mediocre sports broadcaster. Mark Diomede, the frontman, has shared the stage with Santana and Bruce Springsteen. For you jam band aficionados and Grateful Dead lovers, this one’s for you.

Greenhouse Crew, Appalachian Brewing Company, Nov. 8, doors @ 8 p.m.

Illogic and Blueprint are old school MCs from Columbus and spit many social and environmental justice rap sermonettes. “Microwave America,” off their first full-length album, “Bend Don’t Break,” immerses you in their dense socio-econo-politico-enviro motifs. Good for ABC for bringing in some underground rap.

River City Extension, FedLive, Nov. 23, doors @ 8:30 p.m.

This band from Toms River, a stone’s throw from Asbury Park, the mini-mecca of rock ‘n’ roll, is so many things, but above all, they’re just an excellent band. Joe Michelini, the frontman, can croon like Conor Oberst in “Standing Outside a Southern Riot,” blend in with a sweet-sounding duet in “If You Need Me Back in Brooklyn,” and provide lush vocals in “The Ballad of Oregon,” a song about losing oneself in more expansive lands. River City is exactly that, expansive and dynamic. They have received praise from Paste and NPR for many reasons.

Mentionables:

Rebecca Miller, Appalachian Brewing Company, Nov. 7, doors @ 8 p.m.
Here Come the Mummies, FedLive, Nov. 15, doors @ 8 p.m.
John Gorka, Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Nov. 14, doors @ 7 p.m.
The Clarks, Appalachian Brewing Company, Nov. 30, doors @ 8 p.m.

Musical Notes: Eclectic Autumn

September 29, 2013 | by Dan Webster

A giant “glamour” shot of a Canadian and, no, we aren’t talking Bieber. A family of band members and a band of boys grace our Harrisburg haunts this October. Get the skinny on them below.

Robert Randolph & The Family Band, FedLive, Oct. 3, doors at 7:30 p.m.

The past few years have been a dedicated slog for Robert Randolph and his two parts rock ‘n’ roll, one part gospel and a twist of blues of a band. His new album, “Amped Up” (three years in the making), has all the elements of the past success he’s had with the energizing, steel-guitar sounds. While the first track, “Amped Up”, is a crowd-pleaser, the band takes on issues of economic justice (“Lickety Split”), returning vets (“Welcome Home”) and a long, lost friend (“Blacky Joe”), all while maintaining great spirit and the foundational undertones of gospel, a musical heritage Randolph grew up on.

Jay Arner, The MakeSpace, Oct. 13, doors at 7:30 p.m.

Jay Arner, a Vancouver-based artist, has released his self-entitled album with a giant headshot of himself on the cover, a bold move for a relatively obscure artist and a self-described “shy guy.” His songs harken back to new wave music due to his use of analogue synths and a flat, calm vocal sound. The songs have an Ambulance Ltd. (remember those one LP wonders?) vibe to them, albeit with less production. Call it Canadian summer at The MakeSpace and check this artist on the rise.

The Hackensaw Boys, Appalachian Brewing Company, Oct. 25, doors at 8 p.m.

This string band from Charlottesville has busked and brought game around the world with their old timey songs. After having just completed another European tour, they come to fall in America at just the right time, prepared to elicit yee-haws and boisterous hoedowns. Listen to favorites, “Keep it Simple” and “Can’t Catch Me” for a taste of their country music variety.

Mentionables

Marco Benevento, Appalachian Brewing Company, Oct. 10, doors at 8 p.m.

March Fourth Marching Band, Appalachian Brewing Company, Oct. 11, doors at 8 p.m.

Cabinet, FedLive, Oct. 25, doors at 8 p.m.

Last Blast: Hot sounds then a cooling trend.

August 29, 2013 | by Dan Webster

We’re winding down the summer with a strong and varied lineup.

Soak up the last of the summer at the FedLive festival, catch an up-and-comer in Pokey LaFarge and start to make your way into fall with modern bluegrass/folk bands, American Opera and The End of America.

BIGTADOO, FedLive, Sept. 1, 6 PM – 2 AM

A one-day music festival with 20 bands and four stages fills our newest concert venue in town, FedLive. They’re keeping it fairly local for the Labor Day weekend shindig. Hailing from York, Dana Alexandra brings her sexy pop and frequent road miles back to her homeland. Kate Glorioso is another female act from York, delivering an equal amount of depth in both her key playing and vocals, recently performing at WXPN in Philadelphia. Chelsea Caroline, a Harrisburg resident, is coming off her successful Kickstarter project, prepared to offer up her sultry sounds. The Dead 50s drive a different engine, releasing a high-energy punk element into the festival. And Ducky & The Vintage, Joy Ike and another modern folk act, Canyon, round out my recommendations.

Pokey LaFarge, Appalachian Brewing Company, Sept. 23, 8 PM

Pokey LaFarge, a St. Louis-based artist, is a multi-genre genius, dipping his creative musical toes across the American roots. Blues, ragtime, early jazz and western swing are all present in his four-album career. Last month, he released his self-titled album on Jack White’s label, Third Man Records, and recently collaborated with White on his album, “Blunderbuss,” while also being featured on HBO’s acclaimed show, “Boardwalk Empire.” Pokey’s reputation is rising and is a fresh pick if you like music that has echoes from a bygone era.

American Opera/The End of America, The MakeSpace, Sept. 26, 8-9 PM

A perfect pairing of folk bands, American Opera and The End of America synch into the musical era of 20-somethings trying to reclaim their national identity through sound and song. They are the type of acts you want to listen to while sitting on hay bales and drinking hard cider. The MakeSpace venue is the perfect informal homestead to take in their tunes. Be sure to listen to “Broken Roads” by American Opera and The End of America’s rendition of Beck’s “Please Leave a Light on When You Go.”

Mentionables: Sept. 19, Ana Popovic, Whitaker Center, 7:30 PM/ Sept. 21, The Dirty Sweet, Appalachian Brewing Company, 8 PM/Sept. 23, Zula and Starlight, The MakeSpace, 8 PM

Take Two: Duos rush in for August.

July 31, 2013 | by Dan Webster

Spirit Family Reunion

Ben and Jerry, Michael and Scottie and Simon and Garfunkel all define the “duo” in the traditional sense. They play off one another, they’re successful and, if we’re lucky, they stick it out for more than five years (I’m looking at you Ren and Stimpy).

The following pairs coming to central PA harmonize more in the collaborative sense, bound by an appreciation for their respective crafts (sometimes overlapping) rather than the “with our without you” sense. These artists crisscross genres, some awaken spirits from the old-time twangs or Motown melodies. Other times, these pairings give us timeless and unique music from the here and now and of yore.

Prairie Empire/Spirit Family Reunion, Appalachian Brewing Co., Aug. 18, doors at 8 p.m.: Spirit Family Reunion embodies the revived tradition of old-timey twang with a fleet of foot-stomping numbers off their debut album, “No Separation.” As Paste Magazine puts it, “It’s the type of music that blurs the line between past and present so thoroughly, and so deftly, that time feels irrelevant.” Amen.

Prairie Empire will be joining them. The group is comprised of three-fifths of the Decembrists clan and features a string band that includes an accordion, a dobro, an upright bass, a fiddle and that good ole six-string. They combine a keen understanding of instrumentation with clear vocals, and their musical clout and sensibilities allow them to break the traditional rules of Americana music. Listen to the folk/klezmer string hybrid in the song, “How Do You Ruin Me?”

Both will have played the internationally acclaimed Newport Folk Festival by the time they touch down at the Abbey Bar. They’re the real deal, and we should “pay” and “heed” their art.

Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake, Hersheypark Stadium, Aug. 4, doors at 8 p.m.: Hova and J.T. will put on their suits and ties for their “Legends of the Summer” tour. Both are riding legacy-cementing albums into the fall (Jay-Z’s “Magna Carta Holy Grail” and Timberlake’s “20/20 Experience”). Timberlake’s album is seen as status quo lyrically relative to his other albums, if not a bit more cheery (Remember, “Cry Me a River,” circa 2002?). However, he stretches his song structures and genres due to the genius pop production of Timbaland. Jay-Z’s twelfth studio album had a robust and enigmatic ad campaign, his three-minute mini-doc premiering during the NBA Finals in June. Most of it featured spliced interactions of Jay spitting axiomatic phrases at Pharrell and team, and Rick Rubin playing the eccentric hobo on the couch. Odd. The album is again a production masterpiece because of Timbaland, but he’s getting the universal thumbs down on this one. Regardless, if you can fork over the dough for this one, you know they won’t disappoint on the main stage.

Mentionables:

Aug. 1, Beach Arabs, Baby Brains, DJ Garret Price, Gingerbread Man-Harrisburg, 9 p.m.

Aug. 7, CC3-Chris Cawthay Trio, MakeSpace, 8 p.m.

Aug. 9, Timurid, Warrior Rabbit and Good Graeff, Little Amps, 6 p.m.

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