{"id":24360,"date":"2021-08-26T08:35:15","date_gmt":"2021-08-26T12:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=24360"},"modified":"2021-08-26T08:35:18","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T12:35:18","slug":"on-stage-dan-may-covers-long-road-to-return-to-sellersville-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=24360","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Dan May covers long road to return to Sellersville stage"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dan May<\/p><\/div>\n

Back in the beginning of May, Dan May experienced a situation of \u201cbeing close yet so far away.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, some people virtually became hermits. Singer\/songwriter Dan May literally became a hermit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI stopped going out for any reason,\u201d said May, during a phone interview from his home in Drexel Hill in May. \u201cI was really sequestered. I had everything delivered.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only times I went out were for a Soundbooth Session at the Sellersville Theater and two Livestream performances from Morningstar Studio. Now, I\u2019ve gotten both vaccine shots. In another week, I\u2019ll be able to go out and about.\u201d<\/p>\n

May was scheduled to headline a show on May 7 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>). <\/p>\n

It never happened. The show got postponed to August 26 — and its cancellation had nothing to do with COVID-19.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a virus that went straight to my voice,\u201d said May, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know how I got it. I have no idea what its name is. I just know that it paralyzed my vocal cords.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to cancel the May 7 show. The band was geared up. We had rehearsals and we were ready to go. Then, the virus made it impossible for me to sing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hopes for a return to stage were quickly deflated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat show would have been the first show with a live audience in the same room for more than a year,\u201d said May.<\/p>\n

May took a circuitous route to his current place as a singer\/songwriter.<\/p>\n

He has worked as a gravedigger, television cameraman, short order cook, nuclear missile security guard, gas station attendant, ice cream truck driver, delivery man, amusement park worker and greenhouse laborer.
\nWhile studying music composition in college, he inadvertently stumbled upon an international opera career that forced him to leave a promising future as a songwriter behind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Sandusky, Ohio,\u201d said May. \u201cI went to Bowling Green University and studied journalism. Then, I was writing for a daily newspaper.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife wanted to go to Ohio State University, so we moved to Columbus. I went to Ohio State as a composition major. Somebody said I should sing opera, so I decided to try it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI studied opera at the Academy of Vocals Arts for four years. That\u2019s what brought us to this area, and we\u2019ve been here ever since. I was a bass\/baritone and sang professionally for 12 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, his path took another unexpected turn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had surgery on my vocal cords,\u201d said May. \u201cThey had become paralyzed. In the surgery, they injected fat into my vocal cords. I can sing with a full range, but my voice can\u2019t meet the demands of singing opera \u2013 especially the volume needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI switched to being a singer\/songwriter in 2005 and I\u2019ve released six records since then. I also did two CDs with Elise Dadourian.\u201d<\/p>\n

May\u2019s sextet of LPs includes \u201cOnce Was Red,\u201d \u201cFate Said Nevermind,\u201d \u201cThe Long Road Home,\u201d \u201cHeartland,\u201d \u201cDying Breed\u201d and \u201cBeacon.\u201d The albums with Dadourian are \u201cGold Brick Road\u201d and \u201cSimple Truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the pandemic hit, I was into song six on my new record,\u201d said May. \u201cWe put it on hold for six months. The songs are written but not recorded. I\u2019ve been recording at Morningstar and hope to have the new record out by the end of the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve used the time to do more writing. I write on a daily basis. Then, I go over 100 ideas and come up with 15 songs for an album. After that, I try to come up with a cohesive theme.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though these days, people just buy songs not albums on the internet, I still think in album mode \u2013 keep things in order.\u201d<\/p>\n

On July 29, May posted this message on his Facebook page:<\/p>\n

\u201cBREAKING THE STREAK AND BABY WHALES – Four weeks from today is my first show in front of a live audience in five hundred eighty-seven days. It was originally scheduled for May 7, but we had to reschedule that show because of illness. I’m feeling much better now and excited to get back to business!<\/p>\n

Five hundred-eighty-seven days.<\/p>\n

That’s a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

May\u2019s show this weekend will also be available via Livestream.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve greatly enjoyed my virtual concerts over the past year,\u201d said May. \u201cThe audience came out in record numbers and the response overwhelmed me. And the good news is, you folks outside the range of Sellersville and from across the country can join us too. Streaming tickets will also be available. And that\u2019s pretty cool. The best of both worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n

May said, \u201cAt first, I was skeptical about Livestream. But it\u2019s been a good thing for me. I\u2019ve established a 16-year fan base across the country, and this gives them a chance to see a live show. It\u2019s expanded the opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople can buy a Livestream ticket and see it live wherever they are. When I\u2019m doing a Livestream show, I can feel a connection to the audience. I feel an energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

More importantly, this weekend May will feel the energy of a live audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay 7 was a disappointment but I was unable to sing,\u201d said May. \u201cMy feeling is, if it\u2019s compromising your performance, you shouldn\u2019t do it. My voice is back and now the band and I are ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Dan May \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/nkeTZzjzEGM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater on August 26 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver<\/p><\/div>\n

On August 28, Sellersville Theater will host bluegrass legends Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.<\/p>\n

The band currently has two recent albums that are selling well — \u201cRoundtable,\u201d which was released earlier this year, and \u201cLive in Prague, Czech Republic,\u201d which was released last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new album \u2013 \u201cRoundtable\u201d \u2013 was officially released in July and it seems to be doing pretty good out of the chute,\u201d said Lawson, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from his home in Bristol, Tennessee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe live album did quite well. It was nominated for a Grammy for Bluegrass Album of the Year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawson has been recording albums for more than four decades. He has released more than 40 LPs since 1979. \u201cRoundtable\u201d continues his reputation for making great bluegrass music.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started recording \u2018Roundtable\u2019 in January this year at Sound Biscuit, a studio in Sevierville, Tennessee,\u201d said Lawson. \u201cWe had it ready for quite some time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe record has some originals \u2013 songs written by members of the band. It also has some by favorite writers that I call on.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s important to introduce new songs to the genre. Some bluegrass acts keep playing the same songs over and over again. It\u2019s the same with other genres like Dixieland. There are very few new songs. It\u2019s our desire to keep introducing new bluegrass songs into our repertoire.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s \u201cLive in Prague, Czech Republic\u201d actually came as a surprise to Lawson.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe play American bluegrass and there are a lot of bluegrass fans in Europe,\u201d said Lawson. \u201cWe\u2019ve gone to Prague three or four times in the last five years and filled up the auditorium every time. We do enjoy quite a following over there. They love the music. Our last big tour there was 2017.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLive in Prague, Czech Republic\u201d was recorded live at the beautiful Dlabacov Hall Pyramida Theater in downtown Prague on January 26, 2019. This sold-out crowd can be heard approving the high energy show captured on the new album.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went there specifically for one show,\u201d said Lawson. \u201cIt was a quick visit \u2013 fly over, do the concert and come right back. The album was an afterthought.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we got there, the promoter asked if we wanted to do a live album. I was very apprehensive about what sound we\u2019d get. They had a professional recording company, and I said the recordings had to meet with my approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a long show \u2013 an hour-and-a-half \u2013 so we had a lot of material to pick from.<\/p>\n

\u201cI brought the files back with me. Live recordings are hard. You\u2019ve got to get the right overtones. We needed to get it so that it would sound good on radio.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe used our engineer, Josh Swift. He\u2019s an excellent engineer and he did a really good job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have had approximately 50 different band members over the years including the current line-up — Doyle Lawson-mandolin, vocal; Eli Johnston-banjo, vocal; Stephen Burwell-fiddle; Jerry Cole-bass, guitar, vocal; Matt Flake-fiddle, bass, vocal ; and Ben James-guitar, vocal.<\/p>\n

The original line-up in 1979 featured Doyle Lawson-mandolin, vocal; Jimmy Haley-guitar, vocal; Lou Reid-bass, vocal; and Terry Baucom-banjo, vocal.<\/p>\n

\u201cFortunately, all four of the original members are still alive,\u201d said Lawson.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, so is the bluegrass music played by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.<\/p>\n

Video link for Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/Z7Us6B_8kVI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on August 28, which features The Cheddar Boys as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29.50.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>AM Radio Tribute Band, which is the brainchild of\u00a0Su\u00a0Teears\u00a0and Kevin Burk is exactly what its name implies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe play songs mostly from the \u201960\u2019s, some from the \u201970\u2019s, some older stuff like the Ronettes,\u201d said\u00a0Teears, during a phone interview from her home in King of Prussia. \u201cWe also do some stuff from the \u201950\u2019s like Bill Haley & the Comets and Elvis.\u201d<\/p>\n

AM Radio also has another format \u2013 the AM Radio Acoustic Trio.<\/p>\n

On August 29, AM Radio Acoustic Trio share the bill with Peter Noone (Herman\u2019s Hermits) at a pair of shows at the Sellersville Theater.<\/p>\n

AM Radio Acoustic Trio will open the show with 1960\u2019s acoustic music, complimented by intricate 3-part vocal harmonies. This is a bit different from the band\u2019s norm.<\/p>\n

Burk, who is a native of King of Prussia and an Upper Merion High grad, said, \u201cWe\u2019re normally a six-piece band and sometimes for bigger shows we\u2019re a seven-piece with an added guitar. There are also times when we add a horn section and play as a 10-piece.\u201d
\nAM Radio Tribute Band got its start exactly six years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cKevin and I were on a road trip to upstate New York,\u201d said\u00a0Teears. \u201cAs we travelled north, we listened to the radio until we lost our favorite station.\u201d<\/p>\n

Losing reception of AM radio stations is a common thing.<\/p>\n

AM broadcasting\u00a0is a\u00a0radio broadcasting\u00a0technology which employs amplitude modulation\u00a0(AM) transmissions \u2013 unlike FM which uses frequency modulation.<\/p>\n

AM radio, which is also known as medium wave, covers frequencies from 525-1704 kHz (kilohertz). In the United States, there are clear channel stations which can operate at 50,000 watts 24 hours a day, regional stations which have restrictions on their broadcasting power and local daytime stations with low wattage allowance and limited range.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re driving in Pennsylvania or New York, you can hear powerful clear channel stations from all over the eastern part of the country \u2013 stations\u00a0such as WSM in Nashville, WABC in New York, WCKY in Cincinnati, WGN in Chicago, WSB in Atlanta, WBZ in Boston and WOWO in Fort Wayne.<\/p>\n

Listening to regional stations is more difficult. These stations are limited in power and often have directional broadcasting. So, if you exceed your favorite station\u2019s range as you travel, the station fades out and is often replaced by a different regional station.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we lost the station we were listening to, we found a station playing all the hits we grew up with,\u201d said\u00a0Teears. \u201cWe toyed with the idea of playing these songs. We started playing them while trying to do things a little left of center.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon,\u00a0Teears\u00a0and Burk were assembling a band \u2013 a band that became AM Tribute Radio.<\/p>\n

The lineup of AM Tribute Radio\u2019s full band features drummer Jimmy Cavanaugh from Norristown, guitarist Danny Eyer (Absecon, N.J.), Bill Sharrow (Collingdale\/Spring Mount) vocalist\/guitarist Joe Triglia (Lansdale), keyboardist Steve Sauer (Lancaster),\u00a0Teears\u00a0(Northeast Philadelphia) and Burk.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first gig was December 2014 at the Bridgeport Ribhouse and we\u2019ve had a stable lineup since then,\u201d said Burk. \u201cOur repertoire now is well over 500 tunes. There is so much to pick from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teears\u00a0said, \u201cThis is the music we grew up with. We\u2019re purists. We try to keep it as close as possible to the original.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for AM Radio Tribute Band — https:\/\/youtu.be\/an3eLlSQmIw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows at Sellersville Theater on August 28 will start at 3 and 9 p.m. Tickets are $59.50.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Sellersville Theater are Resurrection on August 27, Omar\u2019s Hat on August 31, John Mayall on September 1, Get the Led Out from September 2-5.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Bella White<\/p><\/div>\n

Bluegrass music fans are in for a double treat this weekend. In addition to Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver\u2019s show at Sellersville, there will be a show by Bella White on August 26 at MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, www.milkboyphilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The two artists are at opposite ends of the time spectrum.<\/p>\n

Lawson released his first album more than 40 years before White\u2019s debut album. Lawson\u2019s next birthday will behis 75th while White just celebrated her 21st birthday last month.<\/p>\n

Despite the vast difference in experience, both acts make top-flight bluegrass music \u2013 and both honor the genre\u2019s traditional roots.<\/p>\n

White is a Nashville-based singer\/songwriter and instrumentalist who avoids modern and fussy arrangements, and instead brings a traditional style of music into the contemporary moment by personalizing it to her own experiences.<\/p>\n

With an original new voice in songwriting, White creates fresh magic by mining the rare duality at the heart of her artistry. Although she hails from the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta, the young singer\/multi-instrumentalist grew up on the classic country and old-time music she first discovered thanks to her father.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born and raised in Calgary,\u201d said White, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon on her way to a show at Tellus 360 in Lancaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was first exposed to bluegrass music by my dad, who was born in Lynchburg, Virginia.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was in bluegrass bands all his life and he was always playing bluegrass.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to get in on the fun, so I decided I\u2019d play bluegrass music too. My first instrument was guitar. My main instrument is still guitar and I also play some banjo.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was young, I was listening to a lot of bluegrass. Some of my main influences are the Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Monroe. I also listen to some good younger bands.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started playing my first gigs when I was 11. I was always jamming with other people at open mics. When I was 13 or 14, I started doing my own shows \u2013 mostly solo shows on my own,<\/p>\n

\u201cNowadays, I\u2019ve got a band \u2013 a trio with me, bass and fiddle or a quartet with me, bass, fiddle and mandolin. Right now, it\u2019s a trio with Patrick M\u2019Gonigle on fiddle and Alan Mackie on bass.\u201d<\/p>\n

On her debut album, \u201cJust Like Leaving,\u201d White balances her old-soul musicality with a lyrical perspective that\u2019s entirely of-the-moment, embracing an intense self-awareness as she documents her coming-of-age in real-time.<\/p>\n

According to White, \u201cI\u2019m still quite young, but I was very young when I wrote this album. All of these songs came from processing my feelings right as I was experiencing certain things for the first time in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Produced by Patrick M\u2019Gonigle of The Lonely Heartstring Band and mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Dave Sinko at Gilford Sound Studios in Vermont, \u201cJust Like Leaving\u201d bears a powerful authenticity that prompted Rolling Stone to praise White\u2019s songwriting as \u201csublime Appalachian heartbreak.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPatrick is from Boston,\u201d said White. \u201cI met him at the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Awards) in Raleigh. We\u2019ve played together a lot since then. He and Alan played on my album. I met Alan, who is from Toronto, at a bluegrass festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album in March 2020 at Gilford Sound in Burlington, Vermont. Patrick produced the record and this is the studio he uses with his own band.<\/p>\n

\u201cI initially released the record independently in September 2020. Then, Rounder picked it up and released it in February 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wrote all the songs in 2017. I was going through some stuff and watching other people going through some stuff.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m continually writing. I\u2019m at a point right now where I\u2019m writing differently. I\u2019m excited to move on. My live set is mostly the album with four or five new songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Bella White — https:\/\/youtu.be\/ulM_EPzPZB4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Milkboy Philly on August 26 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming acts at Milkboy are Funklogic on August 27, Rebirth Brass band on August 29 and Cimafunk on September 1.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>On August 27, 118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) will present Jefferson Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition and Nethermind as part of its \u201cTailgate Under The Tent Series\u201d — free live pop-up concerts from under the Wayne Picnic Grove.<\/p>\n

Jefferson\u00a0Berry\u00a0& the\u00a0UAC\u00a0released its fourth studio album,\u00a0\u201cSoon!\u201d on April 16, 2021. The LP\u2019s first single,\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ll Soon Be Together\u201d\u00a0recently premiered via\u00a0Americana Highways.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s previous albums were \u201cGuitar on the River\u201d (2016), \u201cThe Habit\u201d (2018) and \u201cDouble Deadbolt Logic\u201d (2020).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been tough even keeping a band together,\u201d said Berry, during a recent phone interview. \u201cWe used remote software to rehearse. But a certain magic is missing when it\u2019s not face-to-face.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve done Livestream shows every week. It\u2019s been fun but it\u2019s not like playing live for an audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berry\u2019s other career is as a high school economics and government teacher at the Philadelphia School District\u2019s Excel South Academy in Northeast Philly.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the song \u2018Shattered Glass\u2019 on my last album \u2018Double Deadbolt Logic,\u2019 I got a lot of info from my class \u2013 like how to boost and strip a car,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new album was all pretty much written during the pandemic. There are nine songs on the album. We went into production with 14 songs \u2013 some pre-pandemic but most during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI put it into internet software called Soundtrap and then I\u2019d put it out to the band. Then, we\u2019d go into the studio with bass, drums and me.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the stuff really came together when I had them in individually. We recorded the album at Kawari Studio in Wyncote with Matt Muir, who is a great engineer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started last summer and wrapped up in November. Then, we got it mastered and set a release date.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn January, when we were planning the release, I picked May \u2013 Memorial Day. I figured the pandemic should be under control by then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berry grew up in Southern California and is a graduate of University of California Santa Cruz, a school whose sports teams are nicknamed, \u201cBanana Slugs.\u201d He eventually landed in the Philadelphia area where he became part of Philly\u2019s folk\/rock\/Americana scene.<\/p>\n

Berry\u2019s website presented the history behind\u00a0UAC:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2006, at around 3 a.m. at the Falcon Ridge Festival, Jefferson and his banjo playing brother Hank were playing a Hillbilly version of \u201cWhite Room\u201d by Cream. In fest-jam fashion, each vocal verse was separated by an instrumental-lead verse. Out and of the shadows and into the light of the campfire came this guy with a mandolin and long red hair, playing the song\u2019s iconic Clapton lead pretty much verbatim.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the sun was coming up, Jefferson asked Bud Burroughs if he wanted to start a band and Hippies and Hillbillies was born. The album Drumless America was recorded in Bud\u2019s living room: a quirky mix of covers ranging from Robert Earl Keen and Townes Van Zandt to Neil Young and U2, the show and CD was fun for some, but considered blasphemous at the bluegrass festivals the band played.<\/p>\n

\u201cBud and Jefferson\u2019s next venture involved Jefferson\u2019s daughter.\u00a0 Briana Berry and her sister were raised at the summer festivals\u2014Kerrville, Falcon Ridge, XFS and Philly. The Berry\u2019s 2009 album, Fairmount Station featured songs written by Briana and her Dad. It was promoted nationally to radio by Powderfinger Promotions and charted fairly high for an independent release on the folk charts. The band played X-Fest and the Philadelphia Folk Festival that year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Urban Acoustic Coalition came to be in 2014 with the release of Guitar on the River. Again, Bud Burroughs served as the music director for a collection of Jefferson\u2019s city-themed songs. Recorded at MelodyVision by Rodney Whittenberg, the album\u2019s sessions grew the band. Jefferson Berry and the Urban Acoustic Coalition (a mouthful) played the Camp Stage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival that year with a Coalition of players from Boris Garcia, Bad Sister and Beaufort.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was an example of the \u201ccoalition\u201d aspect of the band, an ethic that allowed players to keep their other projects alive while clearing dates with the\u00a0UAC\u00a0periodically. While bass players (Billy Hyatt, Dean McNulty) and female vocalists (Irene Lambrou, Emily Drinker) have cycled in and out of the band to pursue their own projects, the core of the coalition for the past six years has been Jefferson, Bud, Marky B! Berkowitz (on harmonica), Dave Brown (on banjo, guitar, keys and anything else needed), David Rapoport (on drums).<\/p>\n

\u201cBud and Jefferson\u2019s next venture involved Jefferson\u2019s daughter.\u00a0 Briana Berry and her sister were raised at the summer festivals\u2014Kerrville, Falcon Ridge, XFS and Philly. The Berry\u2019s 2009 album, Fairmount Station featured songs written by Briana and her Dad. It was promoted nationally to radio by Powderfinger Promotions and charted fairly high for an independent release on the folk charts. The band played X-Fest and the Philadelphia Folk Festival that year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe band\u2019s current line-up has Budd Burroughs on mandolin and keyboards, Mark Berkowitz on blues and chromatic harmonicas, Mike Damora on bass, Caleb Estey on drums and Dave Brown on everything — banjo, lap steel, guitars and fretless bass,\u201d said Berry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also had Meaghan Kyle sing with us. She\u2019s worked so well that she\u2019s now joined the band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kyle is one of a trio of singers along with Jess McDowell and Maren Sharrow in the Philly band No Good Sister.<\/p>\n

Berry offered this description of\u00a0Jefferson\u00a0Berry\u00a0& The\u00a0UAC\u2019s music style.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Americana,\u201d said Berry. \u201cIt\u2019s acoustic rock. Basically, I\u2019m an urban storyteller. It\u2019s folk music for the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for\u00a0Jefferson\u00a0Berry\u00a0& The\u00a0UAC\u00a0—\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/bgdqMYg9WGw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill Street, Philadelphia, http:\/\/undergroundarts.org<\/a>) is a club known mostly for presenting concerts by goth and hard rock bands. Occasionally, the venue hosts a comedy act.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Todd Barry<\/p><\/div>\n

One of those occasions will be August 28 when Underground Arts hosts comedian Todd Barry.<\/p>\n

Barry, a stand-up comedian, actor and voice actor who is known for his deadpan delivery, has been working in the comedy field for more than three decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been doing stand-up for a long time,\u201d said\u00a0Barry, during a phone interview Monday afternoon for his home in New York. \u201cIt will be 34 years in November.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barry\u00a0was born in\u00a0The Bronx, New York, and grew up in Broward County in South Florida. He graduated from the\u00a0University of Florida\u00a0with a degree in English in 1986. Prior to becoming a comedian, he was a drummer for the indie rock band\u00a0The Chant\u00a0from 1984-1985.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started doing stand-up in Florida after college,\u201d said\u00a0Barry. \u201cPeople always told me I was funny, but I never got into doing comedy until after I graduated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a comedy boom in the 1980s. It was really popular and there were a lot of comedy clubs all over. There was a lot of opportunity to do open mics which are usually five minutes or less.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first open mic was a Coconuts Comedy Club in North Miami Beach. There were three different places around the area \u2013 in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and North Miami Beach. I did all three in my first week.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy jokes are pretty generic. At my first open mic, I did McDonald\u2019s jokes and circumcision jokes.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are several performance levels in stand-up. After the open mic phase, successful comics move up to the \u201cM.C.\u201d stage followed by the \u201cfeature\u201d level and finally the \u201cheadliner\u201d pinnacle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t go on the road as an M.C.,\u201d said\u00a0Barry. \u201cI initially went out as a feature. There was a lot of work available. After a year, I moved back to New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a headliner, I do about a 30-minute set. My jokes are not real long. Any development of my persona has been pretty organic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve done a lot of food jokes. A lot of it is little incidents that happen to me and then become a joke. Ideally, I\u2019m always adding new stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 1999, his\u00a0\u201cComedy Central Presents\u201d\u00a0aired. He wrote, directed and starred in the short film\u00a0\u201cBorrowing Saffron\u201d in 2002. He also voices a recurring character on\u00a0\u201cSquidbillies.\u201d In 2004,\u00a0Barry\u00a0was featured in an animated series called\u00a0\u201cShorties Watchin\u2019 Shorties.\u201d<\/p>\n

He made 16 appearances on\u00a0\u201cDr. Katz\u201d, appearing as himself in the first two appearances. He then played the recurring character \u201cTodd\u00a0the video store clerk\u201d and appeared in most episodes in the show\u2019s final year.<\/p>\n

Barry\u2019s film resume includes \u201cThe Wrestler,\u201d \u201cRoad Trip,\u201d \u201cPootie Tang,\u201d \u201cTomorrow Night,\u201d \u201cLos Enchiladas\u201d and \u201cBorrowing Saffron.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most recent film I did was \u2018The Climb,\u2019 which was released in late 2020,\u201d said\u00a0Barry, who had a recurring role as a fictionalized version of himself in the second season of the live-action\u00a0Adult Swim\u00a0series\u00a0\u201cDelocated.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m currently working on creating enough material for a TV special.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do many live shows during the pandemic. I did do some outdoor shows and some rooftop shows. It\u2019s starting to come back. I\u2019m doing some one-offs in June and then I\u2019ll be touring a lot from July until next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve mainly done shows in NYC. I had a run booked for Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, but I postponed them until next year. But the touring will ramp up in September.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barry spoke about doing pandemic material in this post-pandemic\/pre-pandemic time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a few minutes on the pandemic,\u201d said Barry. \u201cI haven\u2019t noticed a major difference in post-pandemic audiences, but they\u2019re definitely excited.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve stayed busy. I\u2019m always working on new material. Hopefully I can do another special at some point.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve played Underground Arts several times \u2013 at least two. It\u2019s a great venue.\u201d
\nVideo link for\u00a0Todd\u00a0Barry\u00a0\u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/abgVk7zYl5g<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Underground Arts will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

Another show this weekend at Underground Arts will feature Cloud Nothings and Manas on August 27.<\/p>\n

Citadel Country Spirit USA (Ludwig\u2019s Corner Horse Show Grounds. 5 Nantmeal Road, Glenmoore,\u00a0countryspiritusa.com<\/a>) will run from August 27-29 with 20 country music acts performing live music on two stages.<\/p>\n

The GMC Sierra Stage will feature 14 nationally recognized acts while the Citadel Rising Star Stage will focus on new up-and-coming artists.<\/p>\n

On August 27, Brantley Gilbert\u00a0will be the headliner. The line-up also features Justin Moore, Rodney Atkins, RaeLynn, and Muscadine Bloodline.<\/p>\n

Miranda Lambert\u00a0will headline on August 28 with Brett Young, Carly Pearce, Jon Langston, and Niko Moon as the support acts.<\/p>\n

On August 29, Chris Young will fill the role of headliner. The bill also features Josh Turner, Scotty McCreery, and Lindsay Ell.<\/p>\n

Video link for Miranda Lambert — https:\/\/youtu.be\/nUB8ogvze_8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $99.<\/p>\n

People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern,\u00a0peopleslight.org<\/a>) is hosting its \u201cPeople\u2019s Light Drive-In Concert Series\u201d with Sunny War and David Sickmen on September 10.<\/p>\n

The concert will get underway at 6:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

A $75 ticket applies per car, not per person. Up to five passengers can attend under a single reservation as long as they arrive in the same vehicle.<\/p>\n

On September 11, People\u2019s Light will present \u201cConcert for the Family! Reggie Harris & Alastair Moock.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show will start at 10 a.m. in The Glen.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $35. Each ticket includes a socially distanced Family Circle on the lawn, with space for up to four adults\/children and one infant.<\/p>\n

Chester County Parks and Recreation will present a free concert on August 26 at Warwick County Park (191 County Park Rd, Pottstown, Warwick Park | Chester County, PA – Official Website (chesco.org)<\/a> featuring Chestnut Grove.<\/p>\n

The concert is scheduled to run from 6-8 p.m. Live modern rock will be performed by Chestnut Grove, a quintet from Perkiomenville.<\/p>\n

An Evening of Music by Women presented by The Ladybug Music Festival (theladybugfestival.com\/eveningofmusicbywomen<\/a>) is scheduled for August 31 from 5-10 p.m.<\/p>\n

It will feature 25 acts performing at 11 locations along Market Street in downtown Wilmington.<\/p>\n

One of the featured acts will be West Chester native Nicole Zell.<\/p>\n

Zell\u2019s\u00a0songwriting achievements are equally as\u00a0impressive as her extensive\u00a0track record as a live performer.\u00a0She has honed her craft by writing hundreds of songs, co-writing and collaborating globally, and working in numerous genres spanning from pop, indie, alt\u00a0rock, country, folk, soul, funk, spoken word, to rap. She continues to make music in a band format, as a duo and as a solo artist.<\/p>\n

In 2014,\u00a0Zell\u00a0released\u00a0the EP,\u00a0\u201cTake Heart,\u201d followed by 2016 single, \u201cHeart Open Wide,\u201d which premiered on Fuse TV.\u00a0\u00a0Zell\u00a0also has experience as a radio host personality. She has been the\u00a0host of local music radio show,\u00a0SoundStage, on WCHE 1520 since 2013.<\/p>\n

The roster of female talent at An Evening of Music by Women also includes acts such as Soraia, Sirsy, Sug Daniels, Minerva, Wicked Sycamore, Pristine Reaign, and Zookie.<\/p>\n

The Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) will be hosting the final weekend of \u00a0performances of the hit musical \u201cAin\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019 \u2013 The Fats Waller Musical Show.\u201d The production us running through August 22.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019\u201d is a musical\u00a0revue\u00a0with a book by\u00a0Murray Horwitz\u00a0and\u00a0Richard Maltby Jr.<\/a>, and music by various composers and lyricists as arranged and orchestrated by\u00a0Luther Henderson. It is named after the song by\u00a0Fats Waller\u00a0(with\u00a0Harry Brooks\u00a0and\u00a0Andy Razaf),<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019\u201d is a tribute to the music of\u00a0Thomas \u201cFats\u201d Waller. It is set in the Golden Age of swing — a time when\u00a0Manhattan\u00a0nightclubs<\/a>\u00a0like the\u00a0Cotton Club\u00a0and the\u00a0Savoy Ballroom\u00a0were the playgrounds of\u00a0high society\u00a0and\u00a0Lenox Avenue\u00a0dives were filled with piano players banging out the new beat.<\/p>\n

Thomas Wright\u00a0\u201cFats\u201d\u00a0Waller\u00a0(May 21, 1904 \u2013 December 15, 1943) was an American\u00a0jazz\u00a0pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer.\u00a0His innovations in the Harlem\u00a0stride style\u00a0laid the groundwork for modern jazz piano.<\/p>\n

His best-known compositions — \u201cAin\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019\u201d and \u201cHoneysuckle Rose\u201d — were inducted into the\u00a0Grammy Hall of Fame\u00a0in 1984 and 1999.\u00a0Waller copyrighted more than 400 songs, many of them co-written with his closest collaborator,\u00a0Andy Razaf.<\/p>\n

\u201cAin\u2019t Misbehavin\u2019 \u2013 The Fats Waller Musical Show\u201d is running now through August 29 with shows on August 26, 27, 28 and 29. Tickets are $65.50 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12). All seats are reserved.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) is presenting Big Something on August 26, Nikki Lane and Brent Cobb on August 27 and Splintered Sunlight on August\u00a0 28.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) will host Kipani on August 27 and the Jill Salkin Quartet on August 28.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Back in the beginning of May, Dan May experienced a situation of \u201cbeing close yet so far away.\u201d When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, some people virtually became hermits. Singer\/songwriter Dan May literally became a hermit. \u201cI stopped going out for any reason,\u201d said May, during a phone interview […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[9428,9925,9705,9924,3162],"class_list":["post-24360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-am-radio-tribute-band","tag-bella-white","tag-dan-may","tag-doyle-lawson","tag-featured"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24360"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24360\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24361,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24360\/revisions\/24361"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}