Tag Archives: music

Sound & Artistry: Market Square Concerts pulls the string on a new season.

August 31, 2017 | by Lori M. Myers

“One piano, two pianists, four hands.”

That’s how Artistic Director Peter Sirotin describes Market Square Concerts’ first event of the 2017-18 season, which kicks off this month.

The diverse program from the Varshavski-Shapiro Piano Duo features everything from works by Schubert, Chopin and Mendelssohn to the symphonic grandeur of Brahms and Stravinsky to George Gershwin’s “An American In Paris” (the group’s own arrangement, by the way).

“In some ways, hearing ‘An American in Paris’ performed by two pianists sharing one piano may give listeners a glimpse into the composer’s original ideas and intentions, as well as offer familiar melodies in a new world of timbres,” Sirotin said.

He’s also looking forward to the pair’s transcription of music from the Russian ballet “Anyuta” by composer Valery Gavrilin, which is based on a short story by Chekhov about marriage and class in imperial Russia.

“Gavrilin has created a whimsical score that captures the spirit of Chekhov’s satire beautifully,” Sirotin said.

He said that he didn’t have to think twice about including the Varshavski-Shapiro Duo in Market Square Concerts’ new season. He’d heard the Astral National Auditions winner at the Chamber Music America conference in New York last January, and, he said, their sound and artistry “blew me away.”

So, Sirotin is clearly enthusiastic about the premiere program. But he’s equally excited about the other concerts in the coming season.

One takes place in November, featuring the Amernet String Quartet, which will offer a special program to commemorate the tragic events of the 1917 Russian Revolution. One selection will be String Quartet No. 11 by Shostakovich. Another will be the String Quartet No. 2 by Tchaikovsky, which Sirotin lists as one of his own favorite works of Russian romanticism.

“It is filled with beautiful melodies, elegant dance rhythms and spirit of poetry,” he said. “The Shostakovich piece is, in my mind, a perfect work reflecting on the tumultuous first half of the 20th century from the vantage point of the hopeful 1960s.”

The January concert is another that Sirotin describes as special, as it will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Cleveland Quartet Award. As part of this award, Market Square Concerts, along with only eight presenters nationwide, including Carnegie Hall, offers a debut opportunity every two years to a promising young string quartet. Every winner in the last two decades has gone on to develop a major career, and some have even won Grammy Awards. Two former winners, the Jasper and Jupiter String Quartets, will share the stage at Market Square Presbyterian Church for a performance of the magical and exuberant Mendelssohn Octet.

“Mendelssohn composed this piece at the age of 16, which is astonishing, and I doubt anyone would argue with me if I said that it belongs in the list of 10-best chamber music works of all time,” Sirotin said. “That piece is also particularly special to me because I had a privilege of performing it in school with one of my mentors, Earl Carlyss, a former violinist of the Juilliard Quartet.”

As in previous seasons, Market Square Concerts will collaborate with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra and Messiah College on an artistic residency, this time featuring pianist Mark Markham. He will offer the community two performances of Ravel’s magical Piano Concerto with the symphony, vocal and piano master classes at Messiah College and a recital at Whitaker Center featuring Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B Minor, along with works by Scriabin, Rachmaninoff and Debussy.

“The reason for two master classes is Mark’s unique dual career as a concert pianist and one of the most respected vocal accompanists/coaches in the world,” Sirotin said. “Having spent two decades as a pianist of the legendary soprano Jessye Norman, Mark has tremendous experience and insight, which he will share with singers and pianists in the two master classes at Messiah College.”

Sirotin doesn’t have a magic formula for how he puts a musical season together. Sometimes, it has to do with the relevance of a piece to a historical anniversary. Other times, it’s just pure luck when he’s able to book a promising young talent right before a Carnegie Hall debut. But what is consistent is across-the-board artistic excellence.

“My aim is always to offer the right balance between familiar masterpieces, which seem to nourish music-lovers year after year, and music and performances which stimulate, as well as expand, a listener’s musical reference,” he said.

Market Square Concerts debuts its 2017-18 season on Sept. 24. For more information, visit www.marketsquareconcerts.org/concerts.

The Season at Market Square Concerts

Varshavski-Shapiro Piano Duo

Market Square Presbyterian Church

Sept. 24, 4 p.m.

Amernet String Quartet

Market Square Presbyterian Church

Nov. 11, 8 p.m.

Jasper and Jupiter String Quartets

Market Square Presbyterian Church

Jan. 21, 4 p.m.

Escher String Quartet

Temple Ohev Sholom

Feb. 25, 4 p.m.

Mark Markham

Whitaker Center

March 21, 8 p.m.

Calidore String Quartet

Market Square Presbyterian Church

April 28, 8 p.m.

Author: Lori M. Myers

Like Maestro, Like Son: Zev Malina is already an accomplished pianist and composer—and he’s just 15 years old.

July 31, 2017 | by Robert Naeye

Zev Mailina

I’ve had a long-lasting musical love affair with Schubert’s “Trout Quintet” for piano and strings.

So, I snatched up tickets when I saw this piece on the program for a concert last winter at Whitaker Center. But what I remember most from that evening was the opening act—a spirited, nearly flawless solo piano performance of Chopin’s technically demanding Scherzo No. 2 by high school freshman Zev Malina.

“Wow, this kid’s got talent!” I thought to myself.

And I wasn’t alone. The audience gave the young man a standing ovation—quite an accomplishment for a musician making his professional debut and who felt nervous walking onto the stage.

If the surname “Malina” rings a bell, it should. Zev is the son of Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Music Director Stuart Malina. Stuart recognized Zev’s talent at an early age, when he realized his son had “perfect pitch”—a rare ability to identify a single note without any reference tones.

“He was always a very good music student,” said Stuart. “He learned things really fast. His ear and memory are remarkable. After playing through a piece of music once, he would know it by memory.”

Zev started playing the piano around the age of 4. He enjoys the feeling of touching the keys, and he relishes the piano’s sound and its wide range of capabilities for melody, harmony and expression. He is fond of many composers, but said that, “anything Chopin wrote is great to listen to and to play.”

Zev balances life as a Central Dauphin High School student with his musical exploits. He tries to practice piano 30 to 45 minutes a day, but certain times of year are busier than others. He’s currently learning works by Bach, Beethoven and Copland, along with Shostakovich’s Second Piano Concerto, which Zev describes as “a monstrous piece.”

When approaching a new piece, Zev starts off by following the composer’s intentions as closely as possible. But, as he gets to know the work better, he starts adding his own unique flair.

“I stick to the composer’s directions until I feel I have the right to elaborate,” he said.

More Gifted

Zev has been studying the piano for about five years under the tutelage of Ya-Ting Chang, who co-directs Market Square Concerts with her husband, violinist Peter Sirotin.

“Right from the first time I heard him play, I remember telling myself that this is one of those rare, talented kids who I don’t want to micromanage,” said Chang.

Zev sings in his high school choir, but he particularly enjoys playing bassoon in the band. He remembers hearing the bassoon solo that opens Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” which sparked his interest in the woodwind instrument.

“The world needs more bassoon players,” Zev said. “It’s kind of a dying art, which is a shame.”

And if being a precocious instrumentalist were not enough, Zev may be more gifted as a composer.

“Zev’s mind works much more creatively than mine does,” said Stuart, who studied composition in college. “You’d be hard-pressed to find many 15 year olds who are writing music of this sophistication.”

Zev recently submitted a five-minute orchestral piece titled “Dreamscape” to the National Young Composers Challenge. More than 100 composers aged 13 to 18 from all over the country submitted entries, and Zev was one of the three winners in the “Full Orchestral” category. The other two were three years older than he is.

What Comes Next

Zev started composing around age 9 by writing a waltz for solo piano, a piece his father describes as “very advanced” for a child who had no formal training in composition. He since has expanded his repertoire, and professional musicians have performed several of his compositions publicly.

His best-known work is a 20-minute musical accompaniment to a narration of Robert McCloskey’s 1948 illustrated children’s book “Blueberries for Sal.” The book’s pictures and story inspired Zev as he was growing up, and he wrote the piece when he was 13. Violin, piano, clarinet, bass and drums accompany the narration. The piece was performed publicly at the Forum in 2015, with Zev as narrator and his father on piano.

Zev intends to write pieces for the bassoon, the double bass and other underserved instruments. For example, at age 11, he composed a quartet for double basses, which was performed by the Shenandoah Conservatory Bass Ensemble.

Besides music, Zev enjoys reading, writing and acting. He still has not chosen a career path, but most of his interests involve the arts.

“Nowadays, it’s hard to find a stable career in the arts, which is unfortunate since those fields are such an important part of culture and society,” he said.

It would be natural to assume that Zev’s father is pushing him toward a musical career. But Stuart has refrained from steering his son in any particular direction, and emphasized that Zev’s interest in music is entirely self-motivated.

“I think he’s going to do great things no matter what he ends up doing,” said Stuart. “I know that music will be some part of his life. But I’m incredibly proud of what he has accomplished already at this young age, and I just can’t wait to see what comes next.”

For samples of Zev Malina’s works mentioned in this story, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE9zVOjJbPI www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LjPt53vwe4 and www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KtI_JSna5k. For more on classical music in the Harrisburg area, visit www.harrisburgsymphony.org and www.marketsquareconcerts.org.

Author: Robert Naeye

Heat & Energy: Hot bands for warm nights

July 31, 2017 | by Kait Gibboney

Hank & Cupcakes

Summer may be growing short, but there are still plenty of long nights to get some good music in. This month, I’ve found a few groups that promise to bring feel-good vibes with their own unique styles. If you’re a fan of indie rock, classic rock, blues/roots, funk and dance music, these acts are for you. If you’ve ever wanted to get into something new, what better time than now? End your sleepy summer right with these killer shows.

HANK & CUPCAKES, 8/5, 9PM, H*MAC STAGE ON HERR, $8

Making a return to H*MAC in early August, Hank & Cupcakes will bring the party with them. The dynamic duo of vocalist/drummer Cupcakes and bassist Hank originally hailed from Tel Aviv, Israel. After coming to New York in 2008, the group became known as a “must see” act in the local music scene, eventually signing to BMG’s label. After their first release, “Ain’t No Love,” in 2012, the two decided to walk away from the label and produce their music more independently. Their latest album, “Cheap Thrill,” was recorded in Hank and Cupcakes’ Atlanta home in a custom setup where microphones were set up all over the inside and outside of the house to create “an array of sonic chambers and an ambient live record.” Brooklyn producer Van Goose is set to join them for the evening, and he is credited with helping them produce “Cheap Thrill.” This is going to be a unique and energetic live show that you won’t want to miss.

MARK DEROSE & THE DREADNOUGHT BRIGADE, 8/13, 6PM, ITALIAN LAKE, FREE

I hate to break it to everyone, but this is, unfortunately, the last free Italian Lake concert this year. The good news is it looks like it’s going to be a good one. Mark DeRose and his band, The Dreadnought Brigade, will bring a blues roots and classic rock sound to close out the summer. If you like Van Morrison, Counting Crows or The Band, this group’s for you. Their music has been called “thoughtful and provocative, laden with metaphors of hope and celebration for life” by Fly magazine, a Lancaster publication. Grab a friend, bring a lawn chair, and get ready for some feel-good summer vibes while the sun’s still hot.

STARSHIP MANTIS, 8/19, 8PM, THE ABBEY BAR, $10

The Abbey Bar is coming at you with some fresh funk out of Pittsburgh. Starship Mantis was founded by bassist Beni Rossman and strives to defy single genre stereotypes,embodying influences from hip-hop, funk, jazz-fusion, pop, rock, electronic and dance, to name a few. Creating an all-encompassing genre they call “Unity Music,” they say that their groovy style is “designed to cross the barrier of feel-good music and intellectual music, so as to make your mind and body communicate as one cohesive unit.” Far out, right? Joining them for the evening is Dr. Slothclaw, the Abbey Bar’s “favorite doctor of funk.”

Mentionables: Electric Love Machine, Aug. 11, H*MAC Stage on Herr; Yarn, Aug. 17, The Abbey Bar; Lara Hope and The Arktones, Aug. 17, JB Lovedraft’s Micro Pub; Taylor Perry, Aug. 18, Spring Gate Vineyard; Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Aug. 25, Whitaker Center

Author: Kait Gibboney

Happenings: Our July Calendar of Events

June 30, 2017 | by TheBurg Editor

Happenings

3rd Street Studio
1725 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-385-3315; Facebook: 3rd Street Studio

“Torn Paper Portraits,” by Robert Patrick Haldeman, at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., through July 17.

“Depth of Perception,” featuring the sculptural, story-based paintings by Zheka Art, through July 21.

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

“Hemmings Classic Car Detroit Underdogs,” highlighting the often overlooked, under-appreciated and easily attainable cars of youth, through Aug. 27.

“Camaro & Firebird 50^th Anniversary Exhibit,” featuring a show of these iconic American vehicles, through Oct. 8.

“Garage Finds: Unrestored Treasures that Survived Time,” through Oct. 8.

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Art School Annual,” featuring works of art by AAH students, through July 20.

“International Exhibition,” featuring the works of Douglas D. Anderson, Evelyn R. Burton, Cathy Frey, John Guarnera and Fred Scruton, July 28-Aug. 31; reception, July 28, 5-8 p.m.

Brain Vessel Gallery
4707 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg
717-350-2306; bvcargo.com

“Mythic Realms,” oil paintings by Jon Carraher, through mid-August; receptions: July 7 and 8, 7-10 p.m.

Carlisle Arts Learning Center
38 W. Pomfret St., Carlisle
717-249-6973; carlislearts.org

“The Yellow Fever,” an exhibition of photographs by John Wright, exploring the color yellow in urban settings, through July 23.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month: Jacob Mazurek

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

“Hanging by a Thread,” needlework exhibit showcasing handmade needlework, through Dec. 23.

Gallery@Second
608 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
galleryatsecond.com

Works by Irene VanBuskirk, Karen Commings and Mark Wesling, through Aug. 5.

Works by Joanne Finkle at Café 1500, 1500 N. 6th St., July 19-Aug. 15; reception: July 21, 6 to 9 p.m.

Gallery on the Square
Millersburg Area Art Association
226 Union St., Millersburg
Facebook: Gallery on the Square

Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, through July 8.

Membership Show & Gallery Student Show, July 13-Aug. 26.

Historical Society of Dauphin County
219 S. Front St., Harrisburg
dauphincountyhistory.org

“Uncle Sam Calls: Dauphin County in World War I,” an exhibit of historic posters and artifacts, through Dec. 22.

Landis House
Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“4 x 6 Art Exhibition,” a showcase of small-scale artwork by artists of a variety of media with dimensions not exceeding 4” x 6” x 1.5”, through July 21.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

Works by Joelle Arawjo, Yachiyo Beck, John Davis, Ann Benton Yeager and Paul Vasiliades, through July 16.

Works by Tina Berrier, Tami Bitner, Tara Chickey, Bob McCloskey and Marsha Souders, July 18-Aug. 13.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished War,” examining the unfinished issue of equality among races in the reunited states, through Dec. 31.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

“Wild America: The Art of Roger Tory Peterson,” through the end of August.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

“After the Masters,” oil and acrylic paintings by Pat Koscienski, through July.

PCCA Gallery
Perry County Council of the Arts
1 S. 2nd St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Burst Into Bloom,” selectively abstract paintings rich in contrast of lines, images and colors by Loretta St. John, through July 8.

“Weaving Through the Countryside,” paintings by Valerie Moyer and basketry by Teena Beutel, July 14-Aug. 5; reception: July 14, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Pennsylvania National Fire Museum
1820 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-232-8915; pnfm.org

Exhibits dedicated to Pennsylvania firefighting history.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Art of the State,” annual juried exhibition showcasing the work of Pennsylvania artists, through Sept. 10.

“Pennsylvania at War: World War I Posters from the Pennsylvania State Archives,” through Nov. 12.

“Pennsylvania at War: The Saga of the USS Pennsylvania,” through Dec. 30.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

“Eccentricity,” selected works from the 2017 Artistic Expressions Student Exhibition, through July 30.

“Vessels,” a juried exhibition, through Aug. 6.

“Art in Balance, Motorcycles and Fine Art,” with modern and contemporary works on display juxtaposed with rare and historic motorcycles, Sept. 17.

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

“Expanded Visions,” juried exhibition that embraces all forms of photography from the traditional darkroom to the digital image, through July 7.

Whitaker Center/The Curved Wall
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

“Art on Tour,” featuring the works of Perry County Council of the Arts member artists, through Aug. 18.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

“Art in the Wild,” nature-inspired art, through Oct. 31.

Yellow Bird Café
1320 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-635-8991; yellowbird-cafe.com

Works by Kelly Curran, through July 11.

Works by Monica Smith, July 16-Aug. 9.

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

“Playing with Light,” photography by Jesus Martinez, through July 20.

“Science Meets Art,” geometrical and symbolic designs by Katie Trainer, July 21-Aug. 17.

Read, Make, Learn

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

July 13: Pound and Pour w/Omni Fitness, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
July 27: Pop Up Class—Beer and Yoga, 6-7:30 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

July 14: Cruising Caribbean, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
July 19: South of the Border Delights, 6-9 p.m.
July 27: Great Sandwich, Pizza and Beer Pairing, 6-9 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

July 3, 10, 17 24, 31: Summer Drop-in Story Time, 9:30 a.m.
July 3, 17: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Teen Meetup Discussion Group, 2 p.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Teen Movie Matinees, 2 p.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Plot Twisters Teen Writers Group (ages 15-18), 6:30 p.m.
July 8: Story Time and Music Therapy by Sovia Therapy, 3 p.m.
July 10: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
July 10, 24: Teen Short Story Workshop, 7 p.m.
July 11: Curl up with the Classics—“Animal Farm,” 10 a.m.
July 11: What’s the Matter? w/Maryland Science Center, 10:30 a.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Master Gardener Plant Clinics, 6 p.m.
July 18: Teen STEM DAY, 2 p.m.
July 18: Fredricksen Reads—“Rise and Shine,” 7 p.m.
July 19: WickedTunes After Hours, 6:30 p.m.
July 21: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
July 21-22: Safe Sitter Training, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
July 25: Build a Better Cupcake, 2 p.m.
July 25: Gardening with Nature—Weed Identification, 7 p.m.

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgimprov.com

July 3-Aug. 21: Improv Level 3, Mondays, 7-10 p.m.

Healthy Living Kitchen
16 S. Rosanna St., Hummelstown
717-512-0077; healthylivingkitchenpa.com

July 19: Cooking Class—Summer Cook Nights, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Hershey Art Association
hersheyareaartassociation.com

July 25-26: Dive Into Color, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Kalpa Bhadra Kadampa Buddhist -Center
251 Wiconisco St., Harrisburg
717-232-2700; meditationpa.org

July 29: The Key to Inner Peace: Understanding the Mind, 1 to 4 p.m.

Landis House
Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

July 1: Drop-in Art, 1-4 p.m.
July 15: A Novel Idea 102, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 29: Intro to Expressive Abstract Painting, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

The LBGT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
July 4: Men’s Group, 6 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
July 11: Seniors Group, 6 p.m.
July 13: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
July 18: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.
July 25: LGBT Parents, 6 p.m.

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; musicatmetropolis.com

July 10-14: Rock Band Summer Camp Guitar Intensive, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 17-21: Rock Band Performance Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 24-28: Rock Band Songwriting Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 31-Aug. 4: Boom Pop Jam Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

July 1: Author Event w/Jim Minick, 1-3 p.m.
July 1: Good News Café, 6 p.m.
July 4, 11, 18, 25: Coffee, Cake and True Islam, 5 p.m.
July 5, 12, 19, 26: Midtown Chess Club, 11 a.m.
July 6, 13, 20: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
July 7, 14, 28: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
July 13, 20: Camp Curtin Toastmasters, 6:30 p.m.
July 15: Poetry Reading w/Alan Krasner, 1-3 p.m.
July 15: Author Event w/Keith Law, 3-5 p.m.
July 16: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
July 16: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
July 22: Author Event w/Steven Levingston
July 29: Book Signing w/Tim Wesley, 1-3 p.m.

The Movement Center
2134 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-238-0357; themovementcenter.net

July 9: Community Yoga—Free Beginner Class, 10 a.m.

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

July 7: Fun Friday, 3 p.m.
July 7, 21: Library After Hours, 6 p.m.
July 7, 21, 28: Fairytale Building, 10:15 a.m.
July 8: Write-On Writer’s Workshop, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
July 10, 11, 17: Hands-On Science, 1 p.m.
July 10, 17, 24, 31: Summertime Storytime, 10:30 a.m.
July 11, 15: Family Fun Night, 5:30 p.m.
July 11, 18, 25: Book Babies, 11:15 a.m.
July 15: Couponing Workshop, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 18: The Science of Sound, 1:30 p.m.
July 22: Robots, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 26: Pennwriters Writing Group, 6-9 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

July 5, 12, 19, 26: Nature Lab, 11:30 a.m.
July 6, 13, 20, 27: Nature Lab, Archaeology, 11:30 a.m.
July 7: Storytime, 10-11 a.m.
July 7, 14, 21, 28: Learn at Lunchtime, 12:15-12:45 p.m.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

July 8, 15, 22, 29: Saturday Morning Art Club (ages 4-7), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 8, 15, 22 29: Young Artist Camp (ages 8-12), 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 19: Instructed Life Drawing Class, 6-9 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

July 1: Saturday Morning Bird Walk, 8-10 a.m.
July 2: Beginner’s Yoga and Walk, 10-11:30 a.m.
July 9: Flower Walk – Still More Blooms, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
July 12: Stress Relief Walk, 6-7:30 p.m.
July 20: Get in Shape Walk, 6-7 p.m.
July 24-28: Photo Boot Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
July 31-Aug. 4: Photo Boot Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Live Music Around Harrisburg

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

July 9: The Righteous Brothers—Bill Medley & Bucky Heard
July 14: The Texas Tenors
July 16: The Glenn Miller Orchestra
July 30: Replay America—The Ultimate 80s Festival at Clipper Stadium

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

July 14: The Wild Hymns and The Red Eye Kings
July 15: D-Bo
July 20: Chris Jacobs
July 21: Matt Otis and the Sound
July 22: Appalachian Gypsy Tribe
July 28: Frog Holler
July 29: June Divided, One Trick Grizzly, Nothingmen

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; appellcenter.org

July 7: Peter Bottros

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

July 1, 9, 23: Anthony Haubert
July 5, 7, 21, 25: Noel Gevers
July 6, 27, 29: Corinna Joy
July 8, 13, 15: Roy Lefevre
July 11, 19: Maria Battista
July 12, 20: Chris Purcell
July 14, 18: Daniel Sheahan
July 22, 28: Ted Ansel
July 26: Deborah Anderson

Chameleon Club
223 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-299-9684; chameleonclub.net

July 1: Blackbear
July 3: In This Moment
July 7: Cayetana
July 13: Saintseneca, Michael Ray
July 14: New Found Glory
July 15: Fuel
July 16: Myles Parrish
July 20: The Menzingers
July 21: Ja Rule
July 22: Primus, Clutch
July 25: Theory of a Deadman
July 27: Moose Blood

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

July 1: Jeanine & Friends
July 7: Mike Banks
July 8: Hard Travelin’
July 9: Shelba Purtle
July 14: Kevin Kline
July 15: Doug Morrise
July 16: Emily Lynn Wilkins
July 21: Antonio Andrade
July 23: Colby Dove
July 24: Dominick Cicco
July 29: Michael Arthur & Kristina Machusick

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

July 11: After Hours Big Band
July 24: West Shore Symphony Orchestra

Greater Harrisburg Concert Band
717-576-758; ghcb.org

July 7: Concert at Bethany Village
July 8: Concert at Hampden Township Park & Pool, Mechanicsburg
July 14: Concert at Messiah College
July 16: Concert at Jewish Home, Harrisburg
July 21: Trinity Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg
July 28: Cumberland Crossings, Carlisle
July 30: Messiah Lifeways Chapel, Mechanicsburg

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

July 1: Vito DePiero, Entellekt, Rawston George & Young Swerve
July 8: Sons of Pitches, Back in Black
July 21: Aortic Valve

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
The Forum at 5th and Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

July 1-4: Summer Concert Series

Hollywood Casino
777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
717-469-2211; hollywoodpnrc.com

July 1: DJ Magic, Vinyl Groov
July 7: Radio Neon
July 8: DJ Ray Rossi, Ryan Pelton Elvis Tribute, Restless
July 14: Funktion
July 15: DJ Dave Styles, Sapphire
July 21: Emily’s Toybox
July 22: DJ Matrix, Smooth Like Clyde
July 28: The Luv Gods
July 29: DJ Dave Styles, Green Eggs

Johnny Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill
5327 E. Trindle Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2254; johnnyjoesbar.com

July 1: fith
July 15: SOS
July 22: Decipher Life
July 29: Acedias

Keystone Concert Band
145 E. Main St., First Floor, Mechanicsburg
717-421-1512; keystoneconcertband.com

July 23: Concert at Adams-Ricci Park

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Uptown
1836 Green St., Harrisburg
717-695-4882; littleampscoffee.com

July 25: Jeffrey Lewis

Luhrs Performing Arts Center
1871 Old Main Dr., Shippensburg-
717-477-7469; luhrscenter.com

July 9: Shippensburg Symphony w/Simone Lamsma
July 14: Shippensburg Symphony w/Jean-Yves Thibaudet
July 16: Shippensburg Symphony & Chorus w/the Towne Singers

Majestic Theater

25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg

717-337-8200; gettysburgmajestic.org
July 11: Lake Street Dive
July 25: Graham Nash

Market Square Concerts
marketsquareconcerts.org

July 21: West Garden Trio
July 23: Brasil Guitar Duo
July 26: Stuart Malina

The Mill in Hershey
810 Old West Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-256-9965; themillinhershey.com

July 1: Charlie Fry
July 8: Sherri Mullen Duo
July 11: Ryan Moran
July 15: Conrad Fisher
July 18: Dave Kelly
July 22: Corinna Joy
July 25: Wayne Thompson
July 29: Keith Goldstein

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

July 15: Cruise Control w/No Last Call

Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

July 26: Coffeehouse at The Winery at Hunters Valley

Rusty Rail Brewing Company
5 N. 8th North St., Mifflinburg
570-966-7878; rustyrailbrewing.com

July 7: Rivers
July 21: Anthony Gomes

Sand Trap Grill & Pub
3804 Lisburn Rd., Mechanicsburg
717-691-5335; thelodgeatlibertyforge.com

July 6: Stan & Wes
July 13: Shea & Len
July 20: Jeffery J. Walker
July 27: Swish & Joey

Stock’s on 2nd
211 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-233-6699; stocksonsecond.com

July 1: Shea Quinn and Friends
July 7, 22: TBA
July 8: Swisher Sweets
July 14: Cruise Control Trio
July 15: Natalie Ness
July 28: Music Thru Science Lite

The Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

July 5: Howard and the Islanders on Pride of the Susquehanna

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; millersville.edu/muarts

July 14-21: Lancaster International Piano Festival

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

July 9: Josh Dominick
July 21: Jelli

The Stage Door

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

July 21: “Corks & Candies”

Appell Center for the Performing Arts
50 N. George St., York
717-846s-1111; appellcenter.org

July 14: “#IMOMSOHARD”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

Through Aug. 12: “Peter Pan”

Gamut Theatre Group
3^rd Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamutplays.org

July 7-9: “HEDY! The Life & Inventions of Hedy Lamarr”
July 12-Aug. 19: “The Ugly Duckling” (Popcorn Hat Players)

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S. Eisenhower Blvd., Middletown
717-939-9333; hbg-cpac.org

July 21-23: “Oklahoma!”

Harrisburg Comedy Zone

110 Limekiln Rd., New Cumberland

717-920-5653; harrisburgcomedyzone.com
July 8: Earl David Reed
July 23: Paulie Shore

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

July 1: Improv Mixer

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheyentertainment.com

July 19-23: “Motown the Musical”

Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg
915 S. York St., Mechanicsburg
717-766-0535; ltmpa.com

July 21-Aug. 6: “Tintypes”

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

July 21-22: “Romeo and Juliet”

New Cumberland Public Library
1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland
717-774-7820; newcumberlandlibrary.org

July 6: Sing and Dance w/Matthew Dodd
July 13: Grins & Grins Comedy Show
July 20: Da Vinci Science Center’s “Grossology”
July 27: Popcorn Hat Players

Open Stage of Harrisburg
223 Walnut St., Harrisburg
717-232-OPEN; openstagehbg.com

July 22: “Play-in-a-Day”

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Rd., Camp Hill
717-737-6768; oystermill.com

July 7-23: “Hollywood Arms”

The Playhouse at Allenberry
1559 Boiling Springs Rd., Boiling Springs
717-258-3211; allenberry.com

July 7-22: “Shrek the Musical”

Untitled: A Storytelling Project
untitledhbg.com

July 13: “Things that begin with the letter K” (at Zeroday Brewing Co.)

Summer Songs: Amanda Carter teaches about music–and life.

November 30, 2016 | by Ashleigh Pollart

Amanda Carter is known by several very different names.

To her friends, she’s simply Amanda. To her students, she’s Ms. Carter. And, to her fans, she’s “330.”

Carter adopted that last moniker while a law student in Washington, D.C., where she began gaining recognition as a musician, writer and performer. She later moved back to Harrisburg to support her mom, who was going through a cancer diagnosis.

“At the time, I released a mixtape called ‘Sorry I’m Late’ because everyone was looking at me like I’m a lunatic, and maybe I am, but that’s what felt right to me,” she said. “I have my law degree, and I can use it whenever.”

As a substitute teacher at Camp Curtin Academy, she saw a need for an alternative after-school program to teach the fundamentals of songwriting to middle and high school students. With support from school administrators, HBG Summer League was born. In it, student artists, ages 10 to 13, displayed their talent for conceptualizing, songwriting and vocal performance on an eight-track mixtape.

“I was really proud of them because some of them had some behavioral issues, but they made a decision to keep it together so they could meet with us after school,” Carter said, beaming with pride. “I wanted those kids to have a tangible body of work that they could present to their friends and family. If you learn how to articulate yourself, you don’t have to resort to other outlets of expression that might get you in a lot of trouble.”

The group learned how to write original music, how to write authentically about their lives, how to perform and about studio etiquette.

“Studio etiquette is how to behave in a tiny space when you’re an excited middle school kid and there are a bunch of buttons,” she laughed. “Day one, they did an excellent job. Day two, I don’t know what happened. They completely unraveled.”

Other important factors in Carter’s program are respect and working as a team.

“Life is hard, and the world will tear you down. We’re supposed to be building each other up all the time,” she said, recounting the lessons she worked to pass on.

Carter also addressed the content and messaging of the music from the beginning of the program.

“There is so much negativity and age inappropriate stuff in music out here,” she said. “Let’s send a message that might empower our listeners—something that might spark a good idea or a positive idea to make them think. We don’t need to match what’s out there. Let’s put our own spin on it.”

Teriq (Lil’ Riq to his fans) was one of the students in HBG Summer League.

“He wants to be a rapper so badly,” said his mom, Jamala Glenn, who noted how the program keeps kids out of trouble. “It gives them a chance to be free in expressing how they feel in writing.”

Carter told me about one of these instances. She relayed the touching email she received following the terrorist attack at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla.

“‘Ms. Carter, I’m working on a verse for the people that got shot in Orlando,’“ she recited from memory. “This was a 13-year-old kid. It touched me that he felt what happened enough to be inspired to write about it.”

Teriq remembers it, as well.

“I did it for a lot of reasons,” he said. “Everyone’s dying. ISIS is killing people. Police officers are killing black males. There’s just a lot going on in the world.”

Carter is now casting her gaze to her next project. She hopes to turn a space on Allison Hill into “City Arts Space,” a safe place for middle and high schoolers to come and express themselves creatively through audio and visual arts.

“I want to encourage literacy,” she said. “Being able to read and absorb what you’ve read takes you to other worlds.”

She already has hold of the space. She just needs to transform it now.

“The property that we’re trying to convert is something that my grandmother gave to me,” she said, noting how important its preservation is to her.

Some media would lead you to believe that nothing positive happens in areas like Uptown Harrisburg and Allison Hill. Carter is aware of these prejudices and has addressed them head on.

“You can never say that the residents of Harrisburg don’t want to improve their neighborhood,” she said, explaining how she collected signatures to transition the property through grant funding. “There is a wave of millennials taking ownership of the city. We have these ideas, and we’re working together. It’s crossing color lines, and it’s crossing gender lines.”

To support HBG Summer League and to help make City Arts Space a reality, you can purchase HBG Summer League’s mixtape for $5 at www.hbgsummerleague.bandcamp.com.

Carter’s music can be found on any major music site or app, such as Spotify, by searching “330.”

Author: Ashleigh Pollart

Get Down, December: Party like it’s 2017.

November 30, 2016 | by Kait Gibboney

Driftwood. Photograph by Marc Safran Photography.

As 2016 winds down, it’s the perfect time to listen to some vibrant music to get you into that new year spirit.

This month, I’d like to draw the focus away from the mindless holiday music this time of year. Don’t get me wrong—I like holiday tunes. But it’s rare to hear something new, unfamiliar and exciting among the repetitive classics. I mean, how many covers of “Santa Baby” have you heard in your lifetime? As a remedy, these bands promise to be lively and grab your attention. If you’re looking for something new and energetic to listen to, these three acts have some hot tunes to keep you warm.

THREESOUND, 12/3, 5PM, H*MAC STAGE ON HERR, $TBD
Threesound comes to the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center from Virginia on their “Different Spaces” tour. This quartet has an upbeat, happy sound paired with smooth guitar and solid drum rhythms. The band fuses genres together to create unique music that guarantees some groovy tunes. Their second album, “Different Spaces,” was released earlier in the fall. Also on the bill for the evening is DigitalDavy, a DJ from Pennsylvania playing what he calls a combination of Nu-Disco and Deep House. Both acts’ sweet sounds will undoubtedly stir up some dance fever in the audience.

SEASONS, 12/4, 1:30PM, PA FARM SHOW COMPLEX, $8
Taking place during the Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show, local Celtic folk band Seasons will play in the afternoon. This band is what you get when you mix contemporary folk to new-age Celtic music featuring exciting vocals and soaring strings. Seasons is made up of siblings Mary-Kate Spring, Peter Winter, Mary-Teresa Summer, Mary-Grace Autumn and Mary-Clare Chun Lee. The group is well traveled nationally and internationally and has opened for Grammy award-winner Ashley Cleveland. Celtic music isn’t too common around these parts, so it makes my inner-Irish self happy to hear a new take on a familiar sound. If you’ve never heard them before, you can find their self-titled album on their website for an introduction of a distinct take on the Celtic genre.

HUMAN HOST, 12/10, 7PM, LITTLE AMPS COFFEE ROASTERS, $5 suggested donation
This experimental New York jam band is accompanied by Lancaster experimental alternative rock band Future Dinosaurs and Pottstown alternative punk band Boffo. The group formed in 2002 and consists of members Mike Apichella, Steve Yankou and John Hollahan. This band is definitely worth checking out beforehand. Their album “Ophiopogon’s Blue Wonder” provides a surreal listening experience. Their bizarre style, blended with traditional rock, makes for an interesting sound, so swing by Little Amps Coffee’s Uptown location in the evening for a fun, house-style show.

Mentionables:
Get the Led Out, Dec. 1-3, Whitaker Center; Driftwood w/Rivers, Dec. 9, Abbey Bar; Strangled Darlings, Dec. 10, Midtown Scholar Bookstore; Corinna Joy, Dec. 10, Carley’s; Catullus, Dec. 31, H*MAC Stage on Herr

Author: Kait Gibboney

Little Bit o’ Soulville: The search for the little-known story of Soulville Records

October 31, 2016 | by Rebecca Oken

One day, an album appeared in a Harrisburg coffee shop, sparking a search for the little-known story of Soulville Records.

This past April, a few days before Little Amps Coffee Roasters’ annual celebration of Record Store Day, a man named George Luckette came into the coffee shop on Green Street, unannounced, to donate two wrapped vinyl copies of the album, “Soulful Sounds of Soulville.”

We put the album on the turntable and swooning voices and soulful tempos from another time filled the café. I happened to be working that day, and Luckette nonchalantly mentioned that all of the songs were produced in Harrisburg.

Later, after Luckette had left, I thought more about that album, about the old songs, about the times they evoked and about the oddity that the record was made right here, in Harrisburg. And so began a months-long quest as I set out to discover exactly what—and who—Soulville was and, in the process, learn more about Harrisburg’s place in the legendary soul music era of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Things Took Off

“It’s a long story,” said Rev. Bobby Fulton, one of Soulville Records’ founders, when we spoke in August.

Tracking down the right people to tell me about Soulville was a challenge, especially because Fulton had moved to Pittsburgh decades ago. When I finally did reach him, he was happy to talk about the start of his label.

“I can’t take all the credit for Soulville,” he said. “I just like to say that Soulville was all [the people] really from the village where we lived in Harrisburg. The whole city, in my coming up, had so many people that never get talked about.”

Fulton was raised in the neighborhood of the Greater Zion Baptist Church, which, at the time, was at 4th and Reily streets. Today, it’s on Progress Avenue.

Soulville grew out of Harrisburg’s rich entertainment scene during Fulton’s upbringing in the 1940s and ‘50s, he said.

“Even before Soulville, Harrisburg was a central crossroads between New York, Baltimore, D.C. and Pittsburgh,” Fulton said.

Many venues, especially clubs along the 6th and 7th street corridors, hosted famous black artists passing through, and the city became known for its vibrant jazz and blues scenes.

Growing up around music and the church, Fulton started writing and playing music early on, and it was always his dream to record. The Hallelujah Chorus at Greater Zion “was most impactful on my coming up,” he said. His parents and aunts played piano at church.

As a young adult, Fulton was in a popular group called the Emperors, which performed locally and on the college circuit. Around 1964, he and two friends formed the Bobby Fulton from Soulville Band, scoring some hit songs and playing in New York. Then local musician Hulie Diggs, whom Fulton idolized, “came knocking on my door one day to tell me I was in the recording business.” This, Fulton recalled, was the moment that Soulville was officially born.

With his friends and business partners—radio personality George “Toby” Young and financier Jimmy Walker—Fulton was able to make his dream of recording his music a reality. Word of the new label got out in the tightly knit Harrisburg music community and in nearby bigger cities, partially thanks to the van that Fulton drove around with “Bobby Fulton’s Soulful Sounds from Soulville” plastered on the side.

The first group Fulton, Young and Walker signed to Soulville was the Soulville All-Stars, made up of both black and white musicians.

“I hate to mention color, but it was very unusual for us to start like that,” Fulton said. “But that’s been the way we grew up, and the way we live today.”

Another one of Soulville’s more popular groups, The Continental Four, had chart-topping soul music hits.

“So, it was all kind of miraculous to me,” Fulton said.

Groups from Harrisburg and Philadelphia became interested in working with Fulton, and “things just took off,” he said. Some acts recorded in studios in the cities where they were based, and, without any equipment of its own, Soulville’s local groups often recorded in a place in Mechanicsburg.

We Like That

Throughout our phone conversation, Fulton apologized for jumping from thought to thought. There were too many people and events involved in Soulville for each part to make perfect linear sense.

At the end of our talk, Fulton suggested I get in touch with Young, who he knew lived at the Homeland Center nursing home. When I reached out to the center to speak with Young, who suffers from dementia, I was told I could but under one condition: his friend had to be there with him. Coincidentally, that friend was Luckette, whose phone number I had lost shortly after he gave the albums to Little Amps months before. It seemed like fate, that everything was finally falling into place for me to tell Soulville’s story.

“Wherever I can go, or whatever I do, I try to speak highly of Soulville because it meant so much to me, the fact that they were in Harrisburg, and they were people that I knew,” Luckette said.

During our meeting at the Homeland Center in September, he spoke passionately and lovingly on behalf of Young, who was present but didn’t talk.

Luckette credits Young, who had established himself on the radio long before Soulville, for his role in connecting the label’s music with the public. Despite adversity and racial prejudice from radio executives, Young remained on the radio in Harrisburg until he became ill a few years ago.

“Bobby Fulton worked with so many groups, and then Toby was the connection between the record and the people, because a lot of people couldn’t go see the Emperors at [the club] Superette,” Luckette said. “But we could hear it if Toby was playing it, and we could go, ‘Hey we like that!’”

Blessed

Luckette recalled his first real experience with Soulville as an example of how Fulton and Young ran their business: They came to his house to sign his brother’s group.

“But my brother acted a fool, and they picked up all their papers nice and neat, told everybody, ‘thank you,’ and left and never came back,” he said.

Fulton and Young stayed true to Soulville’s Harrisburg roots and to their strong ideals, not trying to mimic bigger labels like Motown or Soul Train Records.

“Toby told me a long time ago, ‘Everybody stands on their own merit,’” Luckette said. “He said, ‘What they’re doing in Philadelphia is fine and wonderful. What we’re doing in Harrisburg is our thing.’”

Fulton moved to Pittsburgh from Harrisburg in 1971 to get involved with a friend’s record label. Soulville continued for a short time after his move, releasing material from various independent producers around the country, and eventually lost momentum.

Decades passed. Fulton became an ordained pastor, and he remains involved to this day in music through gospel projects and ministry. Years ago, when a record convention took place in Pittsburgh, Fulton went to see if anyone there had ever heard of Soulville. He was amazed to find some record store owners who were collecting and selling Soulville albums.

Eventually, Fulton connected with Gregg Kostelich, CEO of the Pittsburgh-based label Get Hip Records.

“He had all these records, and I had all of the photos, and he said, ‘We have to do an EP,’” Fulton said.

In 2001, the double-LP compilation, “Soulful Sounds from Soulville,” was released.

Otherwise, though, little of Soulville’s physical history has been documented, except for what Luckette has collected. During our meeting with Young, Luckette filled the table with old soul albums featuring Soulville and Harrisburg acts and pictures of Young as a youthful radio personality.

“I saved it only because I’m a music collector, and I knew there was so much stuff that [Young] did,” Luckette said.

Despite the value Soulville held for Harrisburg, its community and its music, Luckette thinks it was about 15 years ahead of its time, and, for that reason, didn’t have the same revolutionary impact as Motown and other major African-American-led labels.

“Had Soulville Records come on the market in, I would say, 1975, everybody would’ve been a millionaire,” Luckette said.

But that’s irrelevant, he emphasized, because the legacies and culture that came out of Soulville are rich.

“Rev. Bobby Fulton, George Young, Jimmy Walker and all those involved in formulating it, they were blessed,” he said. “And because they were blessed, they were able to bless others, and they’ve touched people that they don’t even know they’ve touched.”

Author: Rebecca Oken

Happenings: Our August Calendar of Events

July 29, 2016 | by TheBurg Editor

Happenings

Museum & Art Spaces

3rd Street Studio
1725 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-385-3315; Facebook: 3rd Street Studio

“Guardians & Guides,” acrylic paintings by Dreon Olivetti, Aug. 19-Sept. 19; reception: Aug. 19, 6-9 p.m.

AACA Museum
161 Museum Dr., Hershey
717-566-7100; aacamuseum.org

“Early Off-Roaders,” through Oct. 15.

“Mods vs. Rockers,” motorcycles and scooters, through Oct. 15.

“Steampunk U,” recycled gears and parts, repurposed with artistic and functional form, through Nov. 6.

Art Association of Harrisburg
21 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-236-1432; artassocofhbg.com

“Off the Wall,” featuring sculptures by Mike Cerbone, Hannah Dobek, Jeremiah Johnson, Daniel Kalbach, Sean Matthews and Paul Nagle, Aug. 5-Sept. 1; reception: Aug. 12, 5-8 p.m.

Aughinbaugh Gallery
Messiah College School of Arts
One College Ave., Mechanicsburg
717-766-2511; messiah.edu

“Student Juried Show,” featuring the artwork of Department of Visual Arts students, through Sept. 1.

BrainVessel Gallery
4707 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg
717-350-2306; bvcargo.com

“Somewhere: A Path to Abstraction,” artwork by Michele Taber, receptions: Aug. 5-6, 7-10 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Artist of the Month: Janice McCracken

Fort Hunter
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
717-599-5751; forthunter.org

“Downton’s Last Stand: A Reprise of the Fort Hunter Fashions of the Downton Abbey Era,” through Dec. 23.

Gallery@Second
608 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
galleryatsecond.com

Works by Ralph Hocker and Sue Marrazzo, through Aug. 5.

Works by Linda Benton McCloskey and Paul Gallo, Aug. 11-Sept. 24; reception: Aug. 19, 6-9 p.m.

Landis House
Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

“Landis Legacy: Mary M. Landis,” a celebration of the life, legacy and community contributions of Mary Landis, PCCA’s benefactor of Landis House, through Aug. 6.

“Faith, Family and Community: Folk Art Links to the Early Pennsylvania Dutch in Perry County,” Perry Historians exhibition, Aug. 12-Nov. 5; reception: Aug. 12, 6-8:30 p.m.

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Downtown
133 State St., Harrisburg
717-635-9870; littleampscoffee.com

Fiber-based work and woven wall hangings by Jenna Carls, through Aug.; reception: Aug. 19, 5-7 p.m.

Metropolis Collective
17 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg
717-458-8245; Facebook: Metropolis Collective

“Summer of Speedee,” Aug. 5-Sept. 30; reception: Aug. 5, 6-11 p.m.

National Civil War Museum
One Lincoln Circle, Harrisburg
717-260-1861; nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

“Tell Mother I’ve Been Good: Vice & Virtue in the Civil War,” illustrating the moral challenges faced by thousands of men in the ranks, through Dec. 31.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

“Pennsylvania Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition,” through Aug. 27.

“2015 Youth Art Winners,” through Sept. 24.

PCCA Gallery
Perry County Council of the Arts
1 S. 2nd St., Newport
perrycountyarts.org

“Work in Progress,” highlighting the work of Savannah College of Art and Design student and West Perry High School graduate Emily Keniston, through Aug. 6.

“Dyeing for Peru,” featuring eco-dyed and ice-dyed silk scarves and textiles created by Marcia Labant of Luminous Nature, Aug. 12-Oct. 8; reception: Aug. 12, 6-8:30 p.m.

Rose Lehrman Art Gallery
One HACC Dr., Harrisburg
717-780-2435; hacc.edu

“Full Contact Bowling,” graphic design by Scott Laserow, Aug. 17-Sept. 8; reception: Sept. 1, 5:30 p.m.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania
300 North St., Harrisburg
717-787-4980; statemuseumpa.org

“Working Together for Wildlife: Three Decades of Pennsylvania’s Nature in Art,” through Sept. 11.

“We’re Here: Pioneering LGBT Rights in Pennsylvania,” through Oct. 30.

Susquehanna Art Museum
1401 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-233-8668; sqart.org

“The City, Juried Exhibition,” through Aug. 11.

“The Luminous River,” works by John Pfahl, through Sept. 18.

“Recasting Nature: Selected Sculptures by Beth Galston,” through Sept. 18.

Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery
Lebanon Valley College
101 College Ave., Annville
717-867-6161; lvc.edu/gallery

“Con Spirito: Emotion through the Printed Image,” featuring printed images inspired by Irving Amen’s work “Con Spirito,” through Aug. 7.

Whitaker Center/The Curved Wall
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-221-0292; whitakercenter.org

“Studio To Stage: 25 Years of Music Photography by Drew Wiedemann,” through Aug. 21.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

“Art in the Wild,” a nature-inspired outdoor art exhibition, with installations mostly including natural materials, through Oct. 31.

Yellow Bird Café
1320 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-635-8991; yellowbird-cafe.com

Works by Crissy Wagner through Aug. 14

Works by Elizabeth Campbell, Aug. 16-Sept. 11

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

“Between the Lines,” ink on wood by Ted Walke, through mid-August.

“Through the Seasons,” award-winning photos from the 2015 PA Parks & Forests Foundation contest, Aug. 19-Sept. 15.

Read, Make, Learn

The Astronomical Society of Harrisburg
Edward L. Naylor Observatory
670 Observatory Dr., Lewisberry
717-938-6041; astrohbg.org

Aug. 7 & 14: Public Observing, 8:15-11:15 p.m.
Aug. 21 & 28: Public Observing, 8-11 p.m.

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Aug. 10: “Gifts from the Sea,” 6-9 p.m.
Aug. 18: “Cruising the Caribbean,” 6-9 p.m.
Aug. 31: “Crab-tastic Dishes,” 6-9 p.m.

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

Aug. 1, 15: Fredricksen Writes, 6:45 p.m.
Aug. 2: Coloring for Grown-Ups, 7 p.m.
Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: Master Gardener Plant Clinics, 6 p.m.
Aug. 5: Youth Chess Night, 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 6: Storytime and Music Therapy, 3:30 p.m.
Aug. 8: Twisted Stitchers, 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 9: Bad A** Grandmother, 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 9: Curl Up With the Classics—“Their Eyes Were Watching God,” 3 p.m.
Aug. 11, 25: Drop-in Story Time, 7 p.m.
Aug. 12: Family Movie Night, 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 12, 13: Safe Sitter Workshop, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Aug. 16: Fredricksen Reads—“The Aviator’s Wife,” 7 p.m.
Aug. 16: Gardening with Nature, 7 p.m.
Aug. 19, 26: Foreign Film Friday, 2 p.m., 7 p.m.

Healthy Living Kitchen
16 S. Rosanna St., Hummelstown
717-512-0077; healthylivingkitchenpa.com

Aug. 2: Root Vegetables to Curb Sugar Cravings, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Aug. 18: Balanced Plate Class, 6-8 p.m.

Landis House
Perry County Council of the Arts
67 N. 4th St., Newport
717-567-7023; perrycountyarts.org

Aug. 6: First Saturday/Free Drop-in Art Class, 1-4 p.m.
Aug. 13: “A Novel Idea” writing workshop, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Aug. 18: Heat Patina on Copper jewelry class, 6-8 p.m.

The LBGT Center of Central PA
1306 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-920-9534; centralpalgbtcenter.org

Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Common Roads Youth, 6 p.m.
Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27: Weekly Meditation Practice, 11 a.m.
Aug. 9: Seniors Group, 6 p.m.
Aug. 11: Aging with Pride Lunchtime Discussion, 12 p.m.
Aug. 14, 28: Common Roads Young Adults, 4 p.m.
Aug. 16: Women’s Group, 6 p.m.

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

Aug. 2: Internet for Seniors, 10 a.m.
Aug. 2: Sci-Fi Writer’s Group, 7 p.m.
Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Midtown Chess Club, 11 a.m.
Aug. 4, 11, 18, 25: Almost Uptown Poetry Cartel, 7 p.m.
Aug. 5, 12, 26: Nathaniel Gadsden’s Spoken Word Café, 7 p.m.
Aug. 6: Health and Wellness Meet-up, 10 a.m.
Aug. 6: Good News Café, 6 p.m.
Aug. 7: Intro to Internet, 1 p.m.
Aug. 9: Dauphin County Young Democrats Meeting, 7 p.m.
Aug. 9: Men’s Conversation, 7 p.m.
Aug. 11, 18: Camp Curtin Toastmasters
Aug. 13: Story time with Lisa, 11 a.m.
Aug. 13: Author Talk and Signing: Cooper Wingert, 2 p.m.
Aug. 17: Sci Fi & Fantasy Book Club, 7 p.m.
Aug. 20: Local Author Saturday: Amy Brooks & Tawanda Brown, 2 p.m.
Aug. 21: Midtown Writers Group, 1 p.m.
Aug. 21: LGBT Book Club, 5 p.m.
Aug. 22: Harrisburg Young Professionals, 6 p.m.
Aug. 22: Feminism Book Club, 7 p.m.
Aug. 23: Friends of Midtown Safety Committee, 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 28: Harrisburg Young Professionals Book Club, 2 p.m.

The Millworks
340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg
717-695-4888; millworksharrisburg.com

Aug. 12, 27: Letting Go! Paint Night Party, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Aug. 17: Sea Turtle Watercolor Paint Party, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

The Movement Center
2134 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-238-0357; themovementcenter.net

Aug. 14: Community Yoga—Free Beginner Class, 10 a.m.

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

Aug. 4: Repurposed Junk and Upcycled Funk, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Aug. 9, 10: Fun with Watercolor, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Aug. 11, 12: Garden Sprouts Camp, 1:30-4 p.m.
Aug. 16, 17: Stage Combat Camp, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Aug. 18, 19: Nature Crafts Camp, 1:30-4 p.m.

The Studio by Absolute Pilates
1322 Saxton Way, Mechanicsburg
717-516-2062; thestudiobyap.com

Aug. 27: Free classes, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Wildwood Park
100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg
717-221-0292; wildwoodlake.org

Aug. 6: Late Summer Morning Bird Walk, 8-10 a.m.
Aug. 7: Summer Morning Walk, 10-11:30 a.m.
Aug. 10: Stress Relief Walk, 6-7:30 p.m.
Aug. 13: Volunteer Work Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Aug. 14: Flower Walk—Heat Tolerant Plant, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Aug. 17: Preschool Storytime—Summer at Wildwood, 10-10:45 a.m.

Live Music Around Harrisburg

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

Aug. 7: The Shoji Tabuchi Show
Aug. 15: Styx
Aug. 21: Aaron Lewis
Aug. 26: Kellie Pickler
Aug. 28: Loretta Lynn
Aug. 29: Toto

Appalachian Brewing Co./Abbey Bar
50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg
717-221-1083; abcbrew.com

Aug. 13: Hank and Cupcakes
Aug. 18: The Mantras & Aqueous
Aug. 24: Buckwheat Zydeco
Aug. 27: Solar Federation, Rush Tribute Band

Bucks Valley Winery
333 Meadow Grove Rd., Newport
717-204-7508; bucksvalleywinery.com

Aug. 6: Stan & Wes Hoke
Aug. 20: Irvine & Lewis

Buddy Boy Winery
111 Barnett Dr., Duncannon
717-834-5606; buddyboywinery.com

Aug. 24: Coffeehouse Open Mic (Perry County Council of the Arts)

Carley’s Ristorante and Piano Bar
204 Locust St., Harrisburg
717-909-9191; carleysristorante.com

Aug. 2: Daniel Sheehan
Aug. 3: Deborah Anderson
Aug. 4, 14, 18, 28: Anthony Haubert
Aug. 5, 10: Jessica Perla
Aug. 6, 11, 20: Corinna Joy
Aug. 9: Christine Purcell
Aug. 12, 23, 26, 27: Noel Gevers
Aug. 13: Ted Ansel
Aug. 16, 19, 25, 31: Chris Emkey
Aug. 17: TBA
Aug. 24: Maria Battista
Aug. 27: Roy Lefever
Aug. 30: TBA

Chameleon Club
223 N. Water St., Lancaster
717-299-9684; chameleonclub.net

Aug. 4: We Came As Romans
Aug. 10: Otep
Aug. 19: Frankie Ballard
Aug. 26: Local H
Aug. 27: Kurt Vile and the Violators

The Cornerstone Coffeehouse
2133 Market St., Camp Hill
717-737-5026; thecornerstonecoffeehouse.com

Aug. 5: Jim Steele
Aug. 6: Alex McQuade
Aug. 7: Chroma
Aug. 12: Dale Stipe
Aug. 13: TBA
Aug. 14: Charlie Fry
Aug. 18: Jamie O’Brien
Aug. 19: Jim Haas
Aug. 20: Doug Morris
Aug. 21: Kirk Wise
Aug. 26: Seasons
Aug. 27: Dominick Cicco
Aug. 28: Crimson

Flinchy’s
1833 Hummel Ave., Camp Hill
717-761-9000; flinchys.com

Aug. 3: Freddy Long
Aug. 17: Shea Quinn
Aug. 20: Chuck & Friends
Aug. 24: Phil Cannizzaro
Aug. 26: Freddy Long
Aug. 27: Jeffrey J. Walker

Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill
717-761-3900; fredricksenlibrary.org

Aug. 8: Shea Quinn & Friends

Grain + Verse Bottlehouse
148 Sheraton Dr., New Cumberland
717-317-3044; grainandverse.com

Aug. 11: Indian Summer Jars
Aug. 18: Mark DeRose
Aug. 25: The Great Northeast

Gretna Music
Leffler Chapel and Performance Center, Elizabethtown College
717-361-1508; gretnamusic.org

Aug. 7: Jennifer Johnson Cano & Christopher Cano
Aug. 14: Lise de la Salle

Harrisburg Christian Performing Arts Center
1000 S Eisenhower Blvd, Middletown
717-939-9333; hbg-cpac.org

Aug. 5: HCPAC Choir Concert

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

Aug. 14: Starling

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (H*MAC)
1110 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-441-7506; harrisburgarts.com

Aug. 5: tgDivergence, Vetour First Friday
Aug. 6: Jon Hatchett Band & A.D. Chandler
Aug. 12: Kenny George Band
Aug. 13: Finks Constant & the Keystone Ska Exchange
Aug. 19: Ryan Kauffman Duo, The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow & The Wild Hymns
Aug. 20: Redd Panda, Mother, McClinton, Dylan Andre, Ill Fated Natives & Another Day Dawns
Aug. 26: JR Wolf
Aug. 27: Humandala & The Hair Cut

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra
717-545-5527; harrisburgsymphony.org

Aug. 27: Symphony Stroll

Hershey Theatre
15 E. Caracas Ave., Hershey
717-534-3405; hersheyentertainment.com

Aug. 21: Celtic Thunder

Hollywood Casino
777 Hollywood Blvd., Grantville
717-469-2211; hollywoodpnrc.com

Aug. 5: Vinyl Groov
Aug. 6: DJ Ray Rossi, Stand Tall Baby Doll
Aug. 12: The Luv Gods
Aug. 13: DJ Coach K, Stayin Alive, M80 Band
Aug. 19: Honeypump
Aug. 20: DJ Styles, Sapphire
Aug. 26: Funktion
Aug. 27: DJ Forest, Smooth Like Clyde

Keystone Concert Band
145 E. Main St., First Floor, Mechanicsburg
717-421-1512; keystoneconcertband.com

Aug. 13: Baughman UM Ice Cream Festival

Little Amps Coffee Roasters, Downtown
133 State St., Harrisburg
717-635-9870; littleampscoffee.com

Aug. 5: Les’ Bien
Aug. 12: Ellyot H. Ray
Aug.19: CHROMA
Aug. 26: TBA

The MakeSpace
1916 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
hbgmakespace.com

Aug. 7: Chamber Music
Aug. 13: Jazz Night w/Real Talk Collective & Justin Clauser

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

Aug. 12: Nico Padden

The Mill in Hershey
810 Old West Chocolate Ave., Hershey
717-256-9965; themillinhershey.com

Aug. 2: Corinna Joy
Aug. 6: Funktion Quartet
Aug. 9: Darcie Miner
Aug. 13: HIP 450
Aug. 16: Josh Krevsky
Aug. 20: Troubadour Lights
Aug. 23: Jason Carst
Aug. 27: Ryan Moran
Aug. 30: Sherri Mullen

MoMo’s BBQ & Grille
307 Market St., Harrisburg
717-230-1030; momosbbqandgrill.com

Aug. 5: Back Rhodes
Aug. 12: Genesis Lorraine w/ The Start
Aug. 19: Skyla Burrell
Aug. 26: Christopher Dean

Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art
176 Water Company Rd., Millersburg
717-692-3699; nedsmithcenter.org

Aug. 6: Nate Myers & the Aces
Aug. 20: Kilmaine Saints

River City Blues Club & Dart Room
819 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg
rivercityhbg.com

Aug. 4: Mark Santanna and the Snake Oil Salesman
Aug. 6: Kat Hart, Norm Eberly Quartet
Aug. 7, 20: La Playa
Aug. 11: Blue Elephant & Friends
Aug. 12: 36th Annual Friends of Jazz Festival Party
Aug. 13: Don Johnson Project
Aug. 18: Shawan & The Wonton
Aug. 19: Switch Fu
Aug. 21: Singer’s Lounge
Aug. 25: Chris Auxt Band
Aug. 26: People’s Open Jam
Aug. 27: Steve Rudolph, Jonathan Ragonese, Peter Paulsen
Aug. 28: La Playa 4th Sunday Miami Fusion Dance Party

St. Thomas Roasters
5951 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg
717-526-4171; stthomasroasters.com

Aug. 4: Brian Horton
Aug. 5: Mark Lubbers
Aug. 6: Gianna Palanzo
Aug. 11: Todd McCall, One Fat Cowboy
Aug. 12: Cotolo
Aug. 13: Matt Tenny
Aug. 18: Paul Zanngh
Aug. 19: Roger Hammer
Aug. 20: Craig Bonner
Aug. 25: Channalia
Aug. 26: Tim Zimmerman
Aug. 27: Orit

Stock’s on 2nd
211 N. 2nd St., Harrisburg
717-233-6699; stocksonsecond.com

Aug. 5, 26: Shea Quinn and Friends
Aug. 6: Visitors Duo
Aug. 12: Song Smith
Aug. 13: Houston Baker
Aug. 19: A Perfect Storm Duo
Aug. 20: Josh Krevsky
Aug. 24: A Perfect Storm
Aug. 25: TBA
Aug. 27: Music Thru Science Lite

Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center
50 N. George St., York
717-846-1111; mystrandcapitol.org

Aug. 1: Sarah McLachlan

Suba Tapas Bar
272 North St., Harrisburg
717-233-7358; mangiaqui.com

Aug. 13: Nate Myers & the Aces
Aug. 20: Gary Brown

The Susquehanna Folk Music Society
717-745-6577; sfmsfolk.org

Aug. 19: Alash Ensemble
Aug. 24: Soundwaves: Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat Concert

The Ware Center
42 N. Prince St., Lancaster
717-871-2308; artsmu.com

Aug. 13, 14: Allegro—American Fare

Whitaker Center
222 Market St., Harrisburg
717-214-ARTS; whitakercenter.org

Aug. 16: Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
Aug. 18: Juanito Pascual
Aug. 20: 3West, Summer Scouts, Citizen Cope
Aug. 30: The Robert Cray Band

Zeroday Brewing Co.
250 Reily St., Harrisburg
717-745-6218; zerodaybrewing.com

Aug. 5: Shawan and the Wonton
Aug. 7: Rivers (Burgers & Beer w/The Harrisburger)
Aug. 26: Flower Garden
Aug. 27: DJ Bazooka 8-11

The Stage Door

American Music Theatre
2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster
717-397-7700; amtshows.com

Aug. 12: Terry Fator

Carlisle Theatre
44 West High St., Carlisle
717-258-0666; carlisletheatre.org

Aug. 13: “The Frog Prince”

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
510 Centerville Rd., Lancaster
717-898-1900; DutchApple.com

Through Aug. 6: “Mary Poppins”
Aug. 11-Sept. 24: Yeston and Kopit’s “Phantom”

Gamut Theatre
15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg
717-238-4111; gamuttheatre.org

Through Aug. 20: “Cinderella” (Popcorn Hat Players)
Aug. 12-21: “As You Like It” (Stage Door Series)

Harrisburg Improv Theatre
1633 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-798-6973; hbgimprov.com

Aug. 5: Class Show—Intro to Musical Improv
Aug. 5: Harold Hour
Aug. 20: Crank
Aug. 28: Magic Fairy Pirate Monkeys

Midtown Scholar Bookstore-Café
1302 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-236-1680; midtownscholar.com

Aug. 19: Comedy Night

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Rd., Camp Hill
717-737-6768; oystermill.com

Aug. 12-28: “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”

York Little Theatre
27 S. Belmont St., York
717-854-3894; ylt.org

Aug. 12-21: “Side Show”

Garden Party: First friendship, then music, for members of Flower Garden.

March 31, 2016 | by Ashleigh Pollart

Artwork by Stephen Michael Haas.

“Colors on a palette” is how Stephen Michael Haas described the layers of instruments that intersect and melt together on his group’s self-titled album, “Flower Garden.”

“Every member of the band has our own beautiful things going on,” he said. “Everybody is really talented. We all just bring our love to the table, and that’s the most beautiful thing. We just all really, really love it.”

In addition to Haas (lead guitar and vocals), the group consists of longtime friends Dan Delaney (drums), Tyler Fuller (percussion) and Xander Moppin (bass guitar).

Beauty seems to be a strong link throughout the life of project leader Haas, who grew up playing in his grandmother’s flower garden—a place that he recalls as nurturing to the spirit and the eye and an inspiration for his art and music. Here, Haas started drawing flowers and people, including his grandmother, as the two played video games together. His cousin and Flower Garden’s bass guitarist, Moppin, also grew up in this beautiful landscape.

“We were playing tag together in the backyard, and now we’re just playing songs together,” Haas said.

Those songs have become popular around town. Flower Garden has a strong local following, and their live shows reflect a unique intimacy born of a strong bond among friends. Fuller and Haas both stressed one distinctive aspect of their shows. Instead of playing facing the audience, Flower Garden plays facing one another.

“The live performance is more intimate and is more like a conversation,” Haas said. “We’re not focusing on the crowd. There’s no showboating, and it’s not about our egos. It’s more about how we can connect and can perform.”

“It’s one of the coolest experiences I’ve had,” said Fuller. “The energy between the four of us is pretty incredible.”

That thoughtfulness and attention to detail are also carried over to Flower Garden’s eponymous debut album, which was released late last year.

“The cornerstone of the album used to be a really big thing before digital media came into existence, because you’d put the vinyl onto a record player and play from one side to the other side,” said Haas, explaining his creative thinking behind the album. “Three years before the album even existed, I had mock ups of it sort of in my head.”

Three of the bandmates share a house, which is where the album release show was held.

“Quite a few people came together (that night),” said Fuller. “It was cool to see people who weren’t our friends want to come out.”

The group has also noticed a significant change in Harrisburg’s music scene during the years it took to create several iterations of the album.

“In the past four years that I’ve been here, I’d say a lot of eclectic music has started to pop out,” said Haas. “It’s rivaling the big cities, maybe not as much [music], but the music here is really genuine and original. It’s really special.”

The evolution of the music scene is an offshoot of the growing art scene, which Haas also has a hand in. With murals around the city and his artwork featured on various publications and projects, Haas feels passionate about threading his visual artistry into his music.

“[On the album] I’ve made the packaging. I’ve made as much of the possible production as I can,” he said. “As a visual artist and a performer, I always wanted to be the guy who wanted to do it all.”

Flower Garden will perform April 3 at the Millworks, 340 Verbeke St., Harrisburg. Flower Garden’s unique sound also is available on Spotify. To learn more and to purchase the digital album, visit www.flowergardenband.bandcamp.com.

Hi-Energy August: A hot time in the old city.

July 31, 2015 | by Andrew Dyrli Hermeling

The Defibulators. Photo courtesy of Jessica Gildersleeve.

Summer is winding down, so let’s turn up the heat a little to celebrate.

This month’s slate is definitely high energy. So, if your idea of a perfect concert is a soft voice and quietly strummed acoustic guitars, you might want to take a month off. Moving between funk, punk, indie and grunge, this handful of bands is committed to bringing the rebellion and anger back into rock. So, get ready to move, sweat and shout along.

H.R. w/McRAD, 8/15, 8PM, H*MAC Herr Street Stage, $10/$12
For those who don’t know, Paul “H.R.” (Human Rights) Hudson was the frontman for the pioneering hardcore band Bad Brains. Formed in Washington, D.C., in the late ‘70s, Bad Brains’ blend of punk, funk and reggae revolutionized hardcore music, establishing H.R. as one of the most influential men in all of rock and roll. He will be joined by McRad, headed by Chuck Treece, a famed skateboarder and musician. Often cited as the definitive skate rock band, McRad will be debuting its newest LP, “Lion Pure.”Fittingly, Treece will also use the occasion to debut a new skatedeck and wheels. So, whether you grew up with punk rock or spent your afternoons grinding rails, this is the perfect chance to reconnect with some of rock’s important visionaries.

BIG UPS, WASHER & CONCRETE BEACH, 8/19, 8PM, THE MAKESPACE, $8
Formed in New York, Big Ups started playing its blend of post-punk, metal and indie rock in 2010. Tackling the anxieties of the 21^st century, lead singer Joe Galarraga screams his way though blistering tracks that exist on the verge of cataclysm. Big Ups is not for the faint of heart, and the band mates don’t really care. But, in some ways, their high energy and controlled chaos are the perfect accompaniment for millennial disillusionment. They are promoting their new 7-inch split with Washer, which will be joining them on stage. Considering the small confines of the MakeSpace, be prepared to sweat.

SOUL ASYLUM, 8/21, 8:30PM, FEDLIVE, $22/$25
Although the 1994 hit “Runaway Train” propelled the band into stardom (and earned a Grammy), Soul Asylum has been around since 1981. Part of the wave of alternative rock acts that helped radio move on from hair metal in the early ‘90s, Soul Asylum has continued to tour and record. Although there have been a number of lineup changes, most notably following the death of bassist Karl Mueller, the band’s latest album, “Delayed Reaction,” was released in 2012. Harkening back to the energy of almost 20 years earlier, Soul Asylum is proving that they aren’t done yet. So, don’t expect to see a bunch of aging rock vets going through the motions.

Mentionables: SAVAK, 8/6, H*MAC Herr Street Stage; Miss Tess and the Talkbacks, 8/7, The Abbey Bar; Shine Delphi, Little Amps Downtown, 8/21; The Defibulators, 8/25, The Millworks; Justin Hayward, 8/25, Whitaker Center

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