Tag Archives: Little Amps Coffee Roasters

Rise and Roast: Harrisburg coffee companies unite to create “Phoenix” blend to support Broad Street Market

(From left) Owner of Elementary Coffee Co. Andrea Grove, artist Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman, Little Amps Production Manager Andrew Hollinger and Little Amps CEO Peter Leonard with the new “Phoenix” coffee blend.

You’ve heard of music collaborations and craft beer collabs, but what about coffee?

For the first time ever, Harrisburg-based roasters Little Amps Coffee Roasters and Elementary Coffee Co. are participating in a coffee collab with the goal of uniting to help the Broad Street Market.

“It feels like a good time to show some unity,” said Peter Leonard, CEO of Little Amps.

The “Phoenix” blend was released this past weekend at both coffee shops’ locations, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the market, which suffered heavy damage to its brick building due to a July fire.

Not only is it the businesses’ first time creating a blend with each other, but it’s their first coffee collab, period.

“Phoenix” coffee

“The beer world does collabs all the time, but not as much in the coffee world,” explained Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary. “Because everyone kind of does the same thing, just with different styles. Roasting is roasting.”

But with both Leonard having grown up visiting the market and Grove getting her business off the ground as a market vendor, they both shared a special connection to the market and wanted to do something to help.

After tasting about a dozen coffees, the shops chose to source the beans from a provider in Uganda that they both already used. Little Amps did the roasting and then both crews came together to smell and taste the final product during a cupping session.

“It’s mostly just getting aligned on what we wanted to offer and how we want it to taste,” Leonard said.

The art on each bag of coffee features a phoenix rising out of a fiery cup of coffee, designed by Harrisburg artist Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman. The art reflects the business owners’ hopes that the market will rise again and rebuild after the fire, they shared.

“A lot of us raised here have similar memories when it comes to the market,” Hickman said. “I want people to know that, although tragedy occurs, having a strong support from the community is something you can lean on.”

The coffee is available at both shops and will likely soon be offered at Little Amps’ and Elementary’s wholesale partner locations.

The team participated in a cupping to taste the coffee.

Leonard and Grove both hope that the partnership serves as an example of unity in the city, while showing support for the market.

“Coffee, in its nature, brings people together,” Grove said. “So I hope people feel more of that unity and less division.”

Little Amps Coffee Roasters has locations in Harrisburg at 1836 Green St., 133 State St. and a kiosk inside Strawberry Square. Elementary Coffee Co. is located at 256 North St., Harrisburg, and inside Radish & Rye Food Hub, 1308 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg.

 

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Doing the Right Thing: TheBurg Podcast, October 2022

As hard as the pandemic was, and continues to be, for many people, there also continue to be glimmers of light, silver linings, business expansions, and stories about people helping others—doing the right thing.

And that’s the theme… that links all of today’s podcast interviews, together:

  • Peter Leonard, CEO/Owner of Little Amps Coffee Roasters, location of the Green Street Community Pantry
  • Kristin Messner-Baker, owner of The Vegetable Hunter, whose Harrisburg restaurant has expanded to Carlisle and Hershey
  • Kellie Black of Middletown, who recently launched Harrisburg’s chapter of the 40+ Double Dutch Club

Many thanks to the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau for sponsoring this episode of TheBurg Podcast, through their Cumberland Valley Beer Trail, with 29 locations—including Harrisburg—where everyone can find their flavor. For more information, see VisitCumberlandValley.com.

Backstories that coordinate with this episode include:

Mini but Mighty | Market Launch | Jump for Joy

Every month, TheBurg Podcast expands stories from the pages of TheBurg magazine because “there’s always more to the story.” TheBurg is a monthly community magazine based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Lawrance Binda, co-publisher/editor. TheBurg Podcast has received three prestigious podcast journalism awards over the past two years, including First place, Excellence in Journalism, Society of Professional Journalists, Keystone Chapter, 2021. 

TheBurg Podcast is hosted and produced by award-winning Harrisburg-area journalist Karen Hendricks. Visit her website for more of her writing, journalism and PR work.  

Interested in sharing your advertising message with TheBurg Podcast’s dedicated audience? Research shows that podcast sponsorships are one of the most effective forms of advertising! Contact Lauren (lmills@theburgnews.com). 

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Harrisburg artist releases first single inspired by father with Parkinson’s disease

Drew Wilburne. Photo by Amanda Mustard.

Harrisburg musician Drew Wilburne was in a few bands in the past and loved music for as long as he could remember, but it wasn’t until this past year that he realized he had his own message to share through song.

Under the name “Big Happy,” Wilburne released his first single, “Summer Sleep,” in June, accompanied by a music video featuring some familiar faces in the city.

“Over the past year and a half, I found that I really had something to say,” he said.

The indie/alternative song grew roots from Wilburne’s relationship with his father who has Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. During the pandemic, his father came to live with him when Wilburne’s mom contracted COVID.

“It was a very abrupt and quick situation,” he said. “It was a realization how hard caregiving is.”

With that in mind, Wilburne wrote the lyrics for “Summer Sleep,” which reflect on caring for others and recognizing that time with them is short. The single became his first solo project.

“Ultimately, it was about realizing what it means to care about people,” he said.

But for Wilburne, the meaning of the song grew to not only include his relationship with his father, but with his friends, as well.

Wilburne, center, with producers and actors in the “Summer Sleep” video. Photo by Legend Coleman.

The “Summer Sleep” music video was shot by Harrisburg residents Amanda Berg, a documentary filmmaker and photographer, and Amanda Mustard, a photographer whose work has appeared in the New York Times and the Associated Press, among others.

Other friends of Wilburne’s, some who you may recognize from Little Amps Coffee Roasters, are featured in the video, as well.

The video starts with shots of people asleep, in a pool, in a field, under a bridge. It’s an eclectic group. One by one, they begin to move–one person frolics in a grape costume, another lifts a barbell. The youngest of the group, a boy, lifts a scooter over his head, flinging it in circles.

Wilburne explained the concept behind the video as each person acting out their dreams. Again, the inspiration came from his dad, who has trouble sleeping, just like he does.

Throughout the process of creating with his friends, Wilburne came back to that feeling of caring for those around him.

“It was really a means of spending time with them because that’s all we really have,” he said. “It helped me reconsider what it means to be present for other people and what it means for how I live every day.”

Wilburne plans to release more singles in the coming months, with a full record at a later date. He’s grateful for the support he’s received this far, especially the support of his friends.

“I feel like I did have something to say, but you’re still self conscious,” he said. “For them to buy into it and to make it better, it just cemented and validated my feelings.”

Listen to “Summer Sleep,” here. Big Happy’s music can be streamed on all major music platforms. For more information, visit his Facebook page.

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TheBurg Podcast: Hope on the Menu, September 2020

Common ground is pretty uncommon these days.

Politics and other issues aside, there is one thing we all have in common: We all need to eat.

While the September 2020 issue of TheBurg might not bring about world peace, “the food issue” is chock-full of stories about restaurants, the people and personalities behind them, and other foodie-related topics.

TheBurg Podcast’s September episode dives into three of those stories, expanding them. And all three serve up a healthy helping of hope.

First, Peter Leonard, CEO of Little Amps Coffee explains how the Harrisburg-based business has stayed strong through this challenging year—and he even reveals Little Amps’ big plans for expansion.

When you consider Jason Meckes’ title (Experience Development Director) at Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, you might wonder what kind of tourism experience is possible amid 2020’s landscape, but he explains how he brewed one up—the Brew Barons Beer Trail.

There’s no question that the restaurant industry is struggling amid the pandemic. In order to help them, Carlisle’s Phil George took a creative approach. His story is proof that one person can indeed make a difference.

How do you describe the personality of Harrisburg? Editor Lawrance Binda tackles that question in his monthly feature, “The Most Harrisburg Thing”—and he serves up a smorgasbord in September.

Show Notes: Links to the print stories featured and expanded on this month’s podcast:

“A Java Well Done”

“Banking on Beer”

“Art with a Heart”

Meet some of the Harrisburg area’s most fascinating people, and hear their own authentic stories, expanded from every month’s magazine, on TheBurg Podcast—because there’s always “more to the story.”

TheBurg Podcast is hosted by Karen Hendricks, a lifelong journalist who also dabbles in PR/Marketing. Visit her website here. 

TheBurg is a monthly community magazine based in Harrisburg, Pa.; Lawrance Binda, co-publisher/editor.

Interested in sponsoring TheBurg Podcast? Contact Lauren (lmills@theburgnews.com)

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A Java Well Done: Peter Leonard steps into new leadership role, shares his vision for Little Amps

Peter Leonard.
Photo by Dani Fresh.

If you’ve visited a Little Amps location, you know the vibe.

It’s modern and hip, with exposed brick walls, yet quirky, as you might just find a plastic dinosaur on a windowsill. The brand is somewhere between trendy and a trendsetter.

Peter Leonard is a visionary behind Little Amps—the products, the brand and the in-store atmosphere. Now, he’s also the chief executive officer.

“I think my personality and presence have shaped a lot of what we’ve become,” Leonard said. “I try to keep thinking about what’s the next best thing. We don’t like to be boring.”

For eight years, Leonard has worked at Little Amps, starting out as a barista and working his way up to part owner and now majority owner.

He was born and raised in Harrisburg before attending Temple University in Philadelphia, but eventually found himself back in his home city. When he walked into Little Amps only a couple of years after its opening, he was surprised.

“I didn’t think I’d walk into a place in my hometown that felt like it could be in a big city like Houston or New York,” he said. “I was like, oh, Harrisburg can have something cool.”

Not only did the atmosphere in Little Amps draw Leonard in, but the coffee hooked him. When he started pouring and brewing in his early days, he wasn’t necessarily a coffee connoisseur, but working with a bunch of java-loving hipsters, he became one himself.

“Anything I’ve learned about coffee is because I’ve worked here,” he said. “Little Amps’ coffee standards help push the standard for coffee in Harrisburg.”

Hard Pressed

Any good coffee shop thrives on its ability to host the community.

Some people want a quick in-and-out pit stop on their way to work in the morning, but, for many, it’s about the space. It’s a hangout spot for friends, a freelance worker’s office, or a businessperson’s escape. It’s about the coffee, but it’s also about the people—the barista you know on a first-name basis.

That’s Leonard’s favorite part.

“That’s always going to be the best for me—working with great people and serving great people,” he said.

Then a few months ago, Leonard found himself needing to lay off almost his entire staff and close Little Amps’ doors to the public.

“To have to face the group and say we are closing, that was really, really hard,” he said.

Like many in the food industry during the pandemic, Little Amps switched its focus to online sales and limited takeout options. Their online sales quadrupled in the first month, and they expanded mobile ordering options, opening their doors for takeout with shortened hours.

The hardest part has been losing the sense of community they had become accustomed to, Leonard said.

“Not having that community space moving forward, we aren’t sure what will happen,” he said. “We hope and believe someday we will be back to having a coffee shop full of people.”

Although it wasn’t the ideal way to start his position as Little Amps’ CEO, Leonard is grateful he was there to lead the team through it.

“He really made me feel like he cared what everyone is going through,” said barista Kelsey Parsons.

Parsons is also in charge of human resources for Little Amps, which has allowed her to work more closely with Leonard. Formerly a Starbucks barista, she appreciates the community-based approach of leadership that Leonard takes.

“I’ve been able to sit down with him and hear his heart,” she said. “He genuinely cares about the staff.”

Although Parsons misses former owner and founder Aaron Carlson, she was happy to see Leonard step up.

“I felt at ease through the transition even though it was so sad,” she said.

A Latte to Come

Leonard had big plans for Little Amps in 2020.

A few years prior, the business had felt somewhat stagnant, he said, but 2019 was pivotal.

“Last year, it became really clear what we are capable of,” he said.

Growth plans for the company were progressing smoothly. But then COVID hit, and things were put on hold. But there’s no bitter cup that a little creamer can’t fix.

For Leonard, that was the support he felt from his team, and so, he kept dreaming. Big things are still coming for Little Amps.

Leonard wants to see the business grow to include more of a hospitality aspect. The biggest plan is adding a restaurant with in-house food and alcoholic beverages.

He also plans to expand the store’s retail side.

“We are done saying, ‘I wish we had this thing in Harrisburg,’” Leonard said. “We are just going to create that thing.”

Leonard sees himself staying with Little Amps for the foreseeable future—there’s just something about making good coffee and making people happy. He plans to keep Little Amps growing and pushing the limits of the coffee scene in Harrisburg.

“I think Little Amps brings a fresh energy even at 10 years old,” he said. “As long as I can keep pursuing my vision and being challenged, I can’t see why I would leave.”

Little Amps Coffee Roasters has three locations in Harrisburg at 1836 Green St., 133 State St. and a kiosk in Strawberry Square at 320 Market St. For more information, visit www.littleampscoffee.com.

 

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Harrisburg’s small business owners worry, brace for hit as coronavirus anxiety mounts

Owner Adam Brackbill stands behind his counter at Urban Churn.

Running a small business is never easy, with daily concerns over everything from staffing to inventory to finances.

However, the coronavirus outbreak has turned an already tough road to success into possibly a matter of survival.

In Harrisburg, many small business owners have just begun to assess what the epidemic means for them.

“We just can’t ride the waves in the same way as a larger business can,” said Andrea Grove, owner of Elementary Coffee Co.

The challenge is two-fold, business owners say.

In the short term, small businesses are taking measures to continue to operate in the safest way possible for both their customers and their employees. In the long-term, they’re hoping simply to make it, trimming their sails and strategizing to survive the duration of the epidemic.

To that end, Grove decided on Friday afternoon to cut back the hours at her North Street shop, which just opened a few months ago. For now, the café will close at 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, two hours earlier than usual, as business already has slowed down.

“We feel we’re cinching our belts a little tighter and a little tighter,” she said.

For Grove, it’s a one-two punch, as,  just last month, a water-main break forced her to close down for several days.

Up N. 3rd Street, Adam Brackbill, like Grove, opened a brick-and-mortar shop recently after finding success in the Broad Street Market. As a craft ice cream producer, he was just beginning to feel better now that winter had passed, with warmer weather usually leading to better sales.

But, now, the coronavirus—and people’s response to it—has him nervous.

“For the first time in my life, as a business owner, I am concerned about how the panic over the virus will impact business,” he said.

In the late afternoon, his scoop shop actually looked pretty busy, with a line of customers waiting their turn to order creative flavors like honey banana, pista mint and dirty chai.

Still, worry hung in the air—you might call it anxiety of the unknown, over both the outbreak itself and when life, and commerce, will return to normal.

“I fear that we might be at the point where we might start feeling a slowdown,” he said. “It’s a matter that you just don’t know.”

Brackbill is urging the community to stand behind Harrisburg’s small businesses, so that they survive past the health and now, the resulting economic, crisis. Even if you don’t want to visit the shop in person, you can order via a food delivery service like Grubhub or Uber Eats, he said.

Likewise, Grove said that she’d be happy to deliver coffee right out to your car if you call or text ahead. Another way to support Elementary, she said, is to buy whole coffee beans, enjoying her small-batch coffees even if you’re self-isolating at home.

Brackbill suggested purchasing gift cards to use later, which will help businesses survive a short-term cash crunch.

“In Harrisburg, there are a lot of regulars,” Brackbill said. “If they know they’re going to use them eventually, buying gift cards will really help.”

Some businesses have decided to close altogether, including Gamut Theatre Group and Midtown Cinema, which just announced that it will shut down through March 27. Open Stage has announced several show cancellations and plans to scale back its annual performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Late on Friday, Whitaker Center said it would close through March 20, and Harrisburg University is switching to all-online instruction through the end of the semester.

Many businesses that are remaining open are emphasizing that they’re re-doubling efforts to provide the cleanest and safest possible environments for customers.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, for one, has stopped using mugs and has gone exclusively to single-serve cups.

“We’re being as proactive in our cleanliness and sanitation as possible,” said CEO Peter Leonard. “We want people to feel comfortable in our stores.”

Little Amps in Strawberry Square

Both Grove and Leonard lamented that the virus has another pernicious effect, keeping people away from places, like coffee shops, that play a unique social role in the community.

“We’re doing our best to continue to serve our community,” Leonard said. “So, we’ll adapt as needed.”

Another coffee hotspot, Midtown Scholar Bookstore, also announced on Friday that it would use only disposable vessels and utensils, would increase cleaning of tables and other high-touch areas, and would have hand sanitizer available.

Similarly, Zeroday Brewing Co. stated on its Facebook page that it is taking extra safety precautions. For instance, menus will be sanitized after each use, and staff will only fill new growlers.

Over at Outside the Box Escape Room, manager Sean Michael Kelly said that some room availability has been cut, as staff is taking more time to “clean and sanitize” rooms between groups. That includes the escape room’s “Outbreak” game, in which players try to prevent a deadly virus from spreading—in a bizarre case of fiction turning into reality.

“We want people to be safe and healthy and happy,” he said.

While it’s not giving refunds, Outside the Box is allowing people to reschedule without a penalty, Kelly said.

And, in another weird twist, one group had to cancel its Escape Room adventure this past week. The state Department of Health had scheduled a team-building exercise, Kelly said, but then attendees had to deal with a genuine virus outbreak.

“They suddenly had to disperse around the state,” he said. “We definitely understood.”

Click here for a related story on businesses at the Broad Street Market.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

An aerial rendering of the revised plan for Harrisburg University’s new academic building (center)

The health crisis created by the coronavirus epidemic dominated the news this past week, and we had our first local stories on the outbreak. However, we published numerous other stories, especially before the news became all coronavirus, all the time. If you missed any of our coverage, we have our articles listed and linked below.

Coronovirus outbreak took its first big swipe at daily life in the Harrisburg area. First, the St. Patrick’s Day parade and other events were cancelled then, on Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all schools closed for the next two weeks.

Harrisburg City Council turned back a mayoral veto regarding the seemingly dull subject of street vacations for the federal courthouse project. However, there was a larger issue at stake. Get the details of this and several other council actions from our online story.

Harrisburg University unveiled its revised design for a new academic building in downtown Harrisburg. The project has been scaled back after a planned hotel was removed. Read the details in our online story.

Home sales in the Harrisburg area were strong in February, according to the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors. Take a dive into the local data by reading our online story.

Knead Slice Shop is the newest pizza purveyor in town, setting up shop along the 3rd Street corridor. Our feature story tells how the latest venture from Knead’s owners came to be and how the pizza is different from that in the Broad Street Market.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters had planned to hold its annual latte art competition, one of its most popular annual events. Due to the coronavirus, it’s been postponed. But you still can get a flavor for the event from our online feature story.

Midtown Cinema will begin showing a new film this weekend called “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” In her monthly column, our reviewer sums up the movie to offer a taste before you head out.

Sara Bozich has your weekend plans, as she has a habit of doing. You’re likely to find something on her lengthy list to suit your taste.

Theatre Harrisburg debuted its latest production, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” which runs through this weekend. Find out our reviewer’s thoughts after she attended the opening.

TheBurg Podcast is back, returning to the pod universe after a long hiatus. We’ve changed almost everything about it, opting for a magazine format. But one thing remains the same. Give a listen and find out what that is.

U.S. Census has begun, with some households already receiving their census forms or instructions in the mail. Our March magazine feature story explains what participating means and why it’s so important.

Do you receive TheBurg Daily, our daily digest of news and events delivered right to your email inbox? If not, subscribe here!

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Competition in a Cup: Little Amps to hold annual latte contest, fundraiser

Which is which? Coffee cuppers makes their selections during last year’s “throw-down” at Little Amps. Photos: Aimee Nguyen

Most days, Little Amps is pretty chill—a good place to hang out, enjoy a cup, chat and work. But, for one night each year, the competition really heats up.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters is holding its annual latte art competition at its State Street location on March 20. Contestants will put their pouring skills to the test as they go head-to-head to win judges over with their coffee masterpieces. [Please note: this event has been postponed.]

“Every year, we do a throw-down,” Rik Shellhamer, marketing director for Little Amps, said. “The latte art is like a celebration. People get really excited.”

This year’s contest is called the “Spring Break Oatdown” because it is sponsored by Oatly, an oat milk company. All the milk used in the lattes will be oat milk. To match the theme, Little Amps is encouraging attendees to wear spring break attire.

Each barista or self-taught coffee connoisseur will enter a bracket of around 26 to 32 participants. The top three will win Little Amps swag and coffee-related items.

“It’s a party that anyone’s welcome to come to,” Shellhamer said.

Little Amps Barista Kaiti Pates learned the art of a beautiful latte through YouTube and competed in the showdown a couple times over the years.

“I like when other coffee houses come through,” Pates said. “I like that sort of community, and I like a competition.”

In addition to the latte art, there will be a cupping triangulation contest with people tasting three cups of coffee to determine which is different.

The event is open to the public and is free to watch and $5 to participate, Shellhamer said.

Throughout the night, there will be music, catering by Korealicious and beer from Troegs. Money from the signups and additional donations will go to Brigada Solidaria del Oeste, an earthquake disaster relief team in Puerto Rico.

While the competition may be hot, Shellhamer explained the event is all about having fun.

“It’s just to have a good time with our community,” she said. “It’s just to get out of the winter funk and get everyone together.”

Please note that, due to the coronavirus crisis, the Spring Break Oatdown, which was supposed to take place next week at Little Amps, 133 State St., Harrisburg, as been postponed. For more information, visit https://littleampscoffee.com/.

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Furloughed? Little Amps offers free coffee to unpaid federal workers.

The sign outside Little Amps on State Street.

A month into a partial federal government shutdown, many furloughed workers are beginning to wonder how they’re going to pay their bills.

In Harrisburg, there’s at least one expense they won’t have to worry about—their coffee tab.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters announced today that they’ll provide one free, 12-ounce coffee per day to furloughed federal workers for the duration of the shutdown.

“We’ve been hearing a lot of fed-up talk from federal workers who come to our shops, and so we’re doing our little bit to help out,” said owner Aaron Carlson.

About 800,000 workers have received no pay since Dec. 22 due to an impasse over funding for a border wall demanded by the Trump administration. Roughly 380,000 have been furloughed, while 420,000, deemed “essential,” are working without pay.

The free coffee applies to both, Carlson said, and is available at all three Little Amps shops in Harrisburg. Workers will need to show their federal IDs to get the gratis joe.

Carlson noted that Little Amps is in the business of both selling coffee and fostering community. Indeed, many locals regard Little Amps shops as something of a second office, where work is conducted and meetings held.

“Who knows, maybe a furloughed worker affected by the shutdown can meet someone in the same boat or maybe someone looking for temporary help,” Carlson said.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters is located at 1836 Green St., 133 State St. and inside Strawberry Square, all in Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

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Musical Notes: Big Names, Little City

It’s almost time to bid adieu to 2018. The past year in local music has been a wild ride. But there’s still a bit more to be had before that classic final song of the year—“Auld Lang Syne.”

We’ve got some pretty big shows on deck that might make for a great holiday event. If you’re not into buying gifts, make memories and experience some talented artists at the same time. If you want to support Toys for Tots, there are two opportunities, one sponsored by The River 97.3 on Dec. 1 and the other by BOB 94.9 on Dec. 7, both at Club XL. If you’re short on cash, an unwrapped toy will gain you entry and help with donations.

A few weeks later, local legends Yam Yam and friends Ex Mag will play at Club XL for a killer way to ring in the new year. Holiday-themed shows are featured this month, and talented local musicians are in the mix, as usual, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Happy holidays to all and to all a good night out!

 

DAVID CROSBY, 12/2, 7:30PM, WHITAKER CENTER, $60-90
I almost didn’t believe my eyes when I saw this show on Whitaker Center’s website. Certain musicians make a connection with me from my childhood, and David Crosby is one of them. When I was in high school and just discovering his music, little did I know of his extensive career (and two-time Hall of Famer status), starting with The Byrds in 1964. He went on to meet Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, later forming the group known as Crosby, Stills & Nash. Neil Young joined in 1969, and the classic album, “Déjà Vu,” followed shortly afterwards. Crosby released his first solo album in 1971 and has been playing in groups on and off since. Today, he continues his solo performances as he makes his way to Harrisburg on his “Sky Trails” tour. Performing music from his 2017 album of the same name, Crosby also will bring his classic sounds to Harrisburg, so don’t miss out on this legend.

  

DON MCLEAN, 12/8, 7:30PM, WHITAKER CENTER, $39-57
It’s time for a soulful rendition of everyone’s favorite bar song to celebrate Don McLean performing in Harrisburg early in the month. McLean is known for his 1971 hit song “American Pie,” and, fun fact, in March 2017, the song was honored as an “aural treasure” by the Library of Congress, “worthy of preservation” in the National Recording Registry. The iconic lyricism and ties to the tragic deaths of artists such as Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson lend to the song’s popularity, subsequently making its mark on American music history. Catch some of his lesser known works during the show, as well, and get to know the folk rocker behind the legend.

 

THE LARRY KEEL EXPERIENCE, 12/9, 8PM, THE ABBEY BAR, $15-20
December just keeps rolling out the mellow music, and we close this column with an upcoming performance by Larry Keel. That’s his name, and acoustic flatpicking is his game. His West Virginian sensibilities and bluegrass approach earned him a place among acoustic and jam artists, performing and respected among acts such as Keller Williams, Steve Martin, Little Feat and Greensky Bluegrass. Keel has released 15 albums throughout his career and shows no signs of slowing down. His core band, “The Larry Keel Experience,” features the award-winning Jared Pool on vocals and mandolin and his wife Jennie Keel on bass and vocal harmonies. Joining them for the evening are Horseshoes and Hand Grenades and the Jon Stickley Trio. Bluegrass is coming, and you’d best be ready.

 

Mentionables

Project/Object, Dec. 1, The Abbey Bar
Willie Jack and the Northern Light, Dec. 7, The Abbey Bar
Rev. Horton’s Holiday Hayride, Dec. 13, Club XL
A Very Court Street Cabaret Christmas, Dec. 14, Open Stage of Harrisburg
Felix Black, Dec. 18, Little Amps Downtown
Yam Yam & Ex Mag, Dec. 31, Club XL

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