{"id":29522,"date":"2024-05-09T08:50:27","date_gmt":"2024-05-09T12:50:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=29522"},"modified":"2024-05-09T08:50:28","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T12:50:28","slug":"on-stage-not-just-a-forecast-rain-comes-to-miller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=29522","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Not just a forecast, RAIN comes to Miller"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"

RAIN<\/p><\/div>\n

This week\u2019s entertainment schedule is loaded with theatrical productions at venues in Philadelphia and all around the suburbs with shows at the Miller Theater, The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Candlelight Dinner Theater, People\u2019s Light and the Annenberg Center<\/p>\n

This weekend, \u201cRAIN \u2013 A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d returns to Philly by popular demand, presented by Ensemble Arts \u2013 the new presenting brand of the Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Philadelphia Orchestra. Running now through May 11 at the Miller Theater (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, www.ensembleartsphilly.org<\/a>), this show features an electrifying journey through the iconic eras of Sgt. Pepper and the Magical Mystery Tour, covering songs from the early years all the way to Abbey Road. <\/p>\n

Every year, there is a parade of new tribute bands on the entertainment scene offering their interpretations of music by bands from the past such as Pink Floyd or the Grateful Dead and, at times, even current acts such as Bruce Springsteen or Genesis.<\/p>\n

Tribute bands and rock singer impersonators are omnipresent \u2013 and they come in all shapes and sizes. Their most favorite targets are Elvis Presley and the Beatles.<\/p>\n

Some are worth listening to. Some are pretty bogus. Some range from downright laughable to pitiful.<\/p>\n

But there are a few that take their mission a lot more seriously than others \u2014 especially one particular Beatles tribute band called RAIN.<\/p>\n

On February 7, 1964, the Beatles stepped off a plane from England and put their feet on American soil for the first time. It was a truly historic moment in the history of rock music.<\/p>\n

On February 7, 2004, exactly 40 years later to the minute, \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d walked off the Concorde in Seattle to a group of over 7,000 screaming fans and performed live all of the songs the Beatles played on their three consecutive Ed Sullivan appearances in 1964.<\/p>\n

Obviously, RAIN is the real deal.<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s award-winning live Beatles show \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles,\u201d formerly known as \u201cThe Beatles Experience,\u201d features performances by the look-a-like, sound-a-like band that has been paying homage to the Beatles for more than 40 years.<\/p>\n

RAIN performs the full range of The Beatles\u2019 discography live onstage, including the most complex and challenging songs that The Beatles themselves recorded in the studio but never performed for an audience.<\/p>\n

Additionally, there are updated sets that include LED, High-Definition screens and multimedia content.<\/p>\n

The group features Steve Landes (John Lennon), Paul\u00a0Curatolo\u00a0(Paul McCartney), Alastar McNeil (George Harrison), and Dylan Verge (Ringo Starr).<\/p>\n

When RAIN played the Academy of Music in 2018, it was the 50th anniversary year of the release of one of the most popular Beatles albums of all time \u2013 \u201cSgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show will celebrate beloved hits from both the \u201cMagical Mystery Tour\u201d and \u201cSgt. Pepper\u201d albums, as well as classic Beatles favorite hits from the past.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor this show, we\u2019re focusing on \u2018Magical Mystery Tour,\u201d said Landes, during a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. \u201cAnd we\u2019re also playing a lot from \u2018Revolver.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re also playing some things we haven\u2019t done before. Whenever we take a the next production on the road, we\u2019re always trying to bring something new.\u201d<\/p>\n

Flash back to January 2006 when RAIN first visited Philadelphia for a three-day run at the Academy of Music as part of the Kimmel Center\u2019s \u201cBroadway at the Academy\u201d series.<\/p>\n

The group featured Steve Landes as John Lennon, Joey Curatollo as Paul McCartney, Joe Bithorn as George Harrison, Ralph Castelli as Ringo Starr and Mark Lewis as the band leader\/manager.<\/p>\n

Landes is an area native who grew up in Lansdale.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe band started in 1975 in Los Angeles,\u201d said Landes, during a phone interview 15 years ago from a tour stop in Edmonton, Alberta. \u201cThe group played its own music but the guys in the band at the time were also Beatles fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, they threw a few Beatles songs into their set and replicated them note-for-note. There was no tribute band genre at the time. Fans knew they wouldn\u2019t hear the Beatles play again so they persuaded the group to become a tribute band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not long after that, \u201cBeatlemania\u201d opened on Broadway and was an instant success. The Broadway production served as a source of talent for RAIN. Landes was originally in \u201cBeatlemania\u201d prior to joining RAIN.<\/p>\n

\u201cMark Lewis was the founder of RAIN,\u201d said Landes, who attended North Penn High in Lansdale. \u201cWhenever band members left RAIN, Mark would call \u2018Beatlemania\u2019 to get replacements.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of the group\u2019s current members came into the band in the early 80s \u2013 except me. I\u2019ve been in the band for the last seven years. Prior to that, I was in \u2018Beatlemania\u2019 for four years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ironically, Landes didn\u2019t play in rock bands when he was a teenager.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to be a musician,\u201d said Landes. \u201cMy parents bought me my first guitar when I was 10. I was pretty much self-taught.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was still a kid when \u2018Beatlemania\u2019 came to the Shubert Theater in Philadelphia. I saw that show and thought \u2013 how cool would it be to do that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was 17, I went to New York to audition for \u2018Beatlemania\u2019 and I got hired. That was my first real pro gig. I did New York and L.A. and a couple national tours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Landes has always portrayed John Lennon \u2013 in \u2018Beatlemania\u201d and with RAIN.<\/p>\n

Now, he is the group\u2019s elder statesman. He has been with RAIN 25 years \u2013 right around the ages of the Beatles when they were conquering the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cTalking about age \u2013 the funny thing is that when you look at the Beatles \u2013 they were 23 or 24 when they were on Ed Sullivan,\u201d said Landes. \u201cThey were young and fresh-faced, but they had this world-wise look about them. There was something about them way beyond their years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wrote intelligent, introspective lyrics. They were like 40-year-olds when they were 28. They matured early. By \u201966 and \u201967 \u2013 the Sgt. Peppers era \u2013 they were men. I don\u2019t know how to explain the difference. They had seen the world and experienced a few things.\u201d<\/p>\n

And now, so has Landes and his RAIN mates.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlaying for more than 20 years with RAIN has been amazing,\u201d said Landes. \u201cAfter time, you realize that it\u2019s something special to play the music you\u2019ve loved all your life \u2013 and to play it well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d \u2013 RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows at the Miller will be at 7:30 p.m. on May 9 and 10, 2 and 7:30 p.m. on May 11.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $41.<\/p>\n

\u201cRAIN \u2013 A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d will also visit the American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, www.AMTshows.com<\/a>) on May 12 at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Other shows this weekend at the American Music Theater are \u201cAn Evening with David Foster & Katharine McPhee<\/a>\u201d on May 10 and Herman\u2019s Hermits Starring Peter Noone on May 11.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Little Women<\/p><\/div>\n

The acclaimed Broadway show \u201cLittle Women\u201d will visit Delaware for a four-day, five-show run now through May 12 at The Playhouse on Rodney Square (1007 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, www.BroadwayInWilmington.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Based on the beloved classic novel, this charming all-new production from Big League Productions, Inc. is filled with stunning music and a powerful story cherished throughout time, offering a wholesome theatrical experience perfect for all generations.<\/p>\n

Embraced internationally, \u201cLittle Women\u201d has been praised by critics and audiences alike for its ambitious portrayal of Louisa May Alcott\u2019s timeless, captivating story. The musical presents an engaging and uplifting theatrical journey filled with heartache and joy, adventure and personal discovery amidst the never-ending quest for everlasting love.<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle Women\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0coming-of-age\u00a0novel written by American novelist\u00a0Louisa May Alcott, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869.\u00a0The story follows the lives of the four March sisters\u2014Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy\u2014and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. Loosely based on the lives of the author and her three sisters, it is classified as an autobiographical or semi-autobiographical novel.<\/p>\n

The novel has been said to address three major themes: “domesticity, work, and true love, all of them interdependent and each necessary to the achievement of its heroine’s individual identity. Alcott created a new form of literature, one that took elements from romantic children’s fiction and combined it with others from sentimental novels, resulting in a totally new genre.<\/p>\n

One of the key roles in the touring musical \u2013 Marmee March \u2013 is played by veteran actress Aaron Bower.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe music has a very modern twist but it\u2019s not a pop musical,\u201d said Bower, during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Colorado Springs. \u201cIt has attractive music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe musical follows the book. It\u2019s very close to the book. It\u2019s about a female writer — and women in the 1860s not having opportunities. It\u2019s also about loss and losing loved ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe major themes are love, family, feminism and loss. Loss is a very big point \u2013 how to deal with the loss of a loved one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bower talked about her character.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarmee is the mother of four girls,\u201d said Bower. \u201cHer husband is off fighting in the Civil War, so she is in charge.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s very selfless. She really lets these girls explore their imaginations and that enables their self-confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like that she loves to play. She is a mother and a father figure. She also is in plays with them in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bower was born in the Midwest and now lives in Florida when she\u2019s not out on tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Kansas City and graduated from the American Music and Dance Academy,\u201d said Bower. \u201cIt\u2019s a good school and I really wanted to live in New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started doing professional theater in Kansas City and did it from when I was 11 until I was 18. I was off to New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bower also has a local connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to live in Reading a few yeas ago,\u201d said Bower. \u201cMy husband was working in the Northeast and he was living in Pennsylvania. Now, we live in Jupiter, Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Little Women\u2019 started rehearsal in New York in January. The tour started in February. We\u2019ve done a lot of split weeks and one-nighters. This leg, we have a lot more split weeks \u2013 three- and four-day runs.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople tend to really love this show.<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cLittle Women\u201d — LITTLE WOMEN MONTAGE.mov – Google Drive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Playhouse will run from May 9-12.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $50.<\/p>\n

The Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org) <\/a>will host Opening Night for \u201cMoon Over Buffalo\u201d on May 12. The play\u2019s run will continue through June 16.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoon Over Buffalo\u201d\u00a0is a 1995\u00a0comic\u00a0play\u00a0by\u00a0Ken Ludwig\u00a0set in\u00a0Buffalo, New York\u00a0in 1953. This play marked the return of\u00a0Carol Burnett\u00a0to the\u00a0Broadway\u00a0stage after a 30-year absence.<\/p>\n

This madcap comedy by Ken Ludwig centers on George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950s playing Private Lives and Cyrano de Bergerac in rep in Buffalo, New York. On the brink of a disastrous split-up caused by George\u2019s dalliance with a young ing\u00e9nue, they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom: Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee, and if he likes what he sees, he might cast them in his movie remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel.<\/p>\n

\u201cMoon Over Buffalo\u201d\u00a0relies heavily on\u00a0situation comedy\u00a0for its humor, as well as some sexual innuendo and a little\u00a0slapstick. The actor who plays George, in particular, must be able to deliver a highly physical performance; George engages in a mock\u00a0fencing\u00a0match with Charlotte, a\u00a0wrestling\u00a0match with Howard, and a stunt fall into the\u00a0orchestra pit.<\/p>\n

The action and dialogue are fast paced, as the characters are constantly bickering or frantically trying to resolve some confusion. It bears numerous similarities to Ludwig’s previous farce,\u00a0\u201cLend Me A Tenor\u201d — period timeframe, Northeastern city, drinking-and-womanizing male star, justifiably jealous wife, young stage manager desperately trying to keep things together, important person(s) in the audience, at least one character who’s passed out and is believed missing, non-actors forced to go onstage, etc.<\/p>\n

Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings (doors 6 p.m.\/show, 8 p.m.) and Sunday afternoons (doors, 1 p.m.\/show, 3 p.m.).<\/p>\n

Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $70.50 for adults and $35 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

Now through May 19, People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, www.peopleslight.org<\/a>) is presenting the regional premiere of the Obie Award winning play \u201cHurricane Diane\u201d by Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George.<\/p>\n

The comedic romp with a mythological twist is a hilarious parable of climate reckoning and liberation set in an unassuming Monmouth County, New Jersey cul-de-sac.<\/p>\n

Directed by People\u2019s Light Associate Producing Director Molly Rosa Houlahan, \u201cHurricane Diane\u201d features actor Rami Margron in the lead role, performing alongside Suli Holum, Teri Lamm, Shauna Miles, and Julianna Zinkel. The play runs through May 19 with 21 performances presented on the Leonard C. Haas Stage, a 340-seat performance venue housed in an 18th-century stone barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHurricane Diane\u201d made its world premiere at Two River Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey, in 2017, then went on to run off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop in 2019.<\/p>\n

The play centers on Diane, a permaculture gardener with swaggering charm. She also has supernatural powers thanks to her secret identity: the Greek god Dionysus. After settling in a modern-day New Jersey suburb, Diane sets out to recruit the mortals for an environmental revolution that would restore Earth to its natural state.<\/p>\n

George\u2019s Obie Award-winning comedy is a hilarious story that blends ancient myth, climate revolution, and Real Housewives of New Jersey drama.<\/p>\n

Tickets start at $42, including fees.<\/p>\n

The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble, a Philadelphia-based ensemble that centers the work of women in tap through performance, education, and community outreach, will present their Spring Concert Series at Harold Prince Theatre at the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts (3680 Walnut Street, \u200bPhiladelphia, www.ladyhoofers.org<\/a>) on May 11 at 2 and 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

The ensemble will perform innovative and original tap choreography by several accomplished choreographers, including a world premiere by Sarah Cook Flynn.<\/p>\n

The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble is composed of 30 professional and pre-professional tap dancers, including the group\u2019s First Company and Apprentice dancers. Additionally, local college tap groups will be invited to perform through an adjudicated process.<\/p>\n

The Artistic Director is Kat Echevarr\u00eda Richter, a tap dancer, choreographer, educator, and dance historian. Another dancer with dual duties is Katie Budris, who is the company\u2019s Managing Director.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been with the Lady Hoofers since the beginning in 2011,\u201d said Budris, during a recent phone interview from her home in Sicklerville, New Jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cKat formed it as part of Philly Fringe. The group got invited to perform in Philadelphia\u2019s City Hall in April 2012. It got a grant for a performance at City Hall.<\/p>\n

\u201cI performed in the second ever Lady Hoofers show. Since then, we have built quite an extensive repertoire.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2024\u00a0Spring\u00a0Concert\u00a0Series features innovative\u00a0choreography by Caleb Teicher and Lisa La Touche, audience favorites by Katie Budris and Kat Echevarr\u00eda Richter, and a world premiere by\u00a0Sarah Cook Flynn.<\/p>\n

Of note, the concert will feature Flynn\u2019s world premiere set to the jazz standard \u201cStompin\u2019 at the Savoy.\u201d\u00a0A renowned choreographer, Flynn has performed in an international concert tour for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, \u201cThe Nutcracker on Broadway,\u201d \u201cHome for the Holidays: Gregory Hines Live,\u201d and \u201cTap Explosion with Savion Glover and Ted Levy.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Flynn, \u201cI\u2019ve had this piece in mind for The Lady Hoofers for years. Working with layers of sound, space, and physicality is really exciting for me as a choreographer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI designed the short but playful piece to be a nod to pioneering women in tap and also a teaching tool for future generations of the company. It requires incredible teamwork and listening, patience and finesse, style and panache to \u2018play\u2019 this brilliant interpretation of Harry Connick, Jr.\u2019s song and to capture the spirit of the Savoy Ballroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Budris said, \u201c\u2018Stompin\u2019 at the Savoy\u2019 is a very challenging piece. Harry Connick, Jr. takes a lot of liberties with tempo.<\/p>\n

The footwork goes right along with the instruments. We\u2019re pulling in some of the historical energy of the Savoy Ballroom. It\u2019s a fun, high energy piece.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Lady Hoofers will also perform original choreography from past guest artists, including Caleb Teicher, and the mainstage premiere of Lisa LaTouche\u2019s \u201cHoney Somethin\u2019 Blues,\u201d which she set for The Lady Hoofers in a series of rehearsals over COVID.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are about 18 numbers in this weekend\u2019s show,\u201d said Budris, who is a Senior Lecturer of Writing Arts at Rowan University. \u201cIt runs about 90 0minutes with an intermission.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing about 12 numbers that are pretty typical of our Spring Concert. We also try to include two new premieres each Spring Concert.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a resurgence in tap \u2013 live, TV, films \u2013 and we\u2019re part of that resurgence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/5bfdgIwBpEU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows on May 11 will be held at 2 and 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $20 and $30.<\/p>\n

Highly acclaimed blues and jazz vocalist Madeleine Peyroux will be performing at the Annenberg Center\u2019s Zellerbach Theatre (pennlivearts.org<\/a>) on May 12.<\/p>\n

Peyroux is on tour in support of her highly anticipated ninth album,\u00a0\u201cLet’s Walk,\u201d which will be released on June 28th via Thirty Tigers.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s Walk\u201d is her most diverse, intimate and bold work as she shares thoughtful and revealing views on personal and societal concerns. Peyroux offers hope through understanding and community by using one of our most unifying means \u2013 music.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s Walk\u201d is Peyroux\u2019s first record in which she co-wrote every song with longtime collaborator Jon Herington. As evidenced from her new single \u201cPlease Come On Inside,\u201d Peyroux has empathy and wisdom to impart.<\/p>\n

Stylistically,\u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s Walk\u201d may be Peyroux\u2019s most varied yet cohesive collection thus far. She incorporates elements of jazz, folk, gospel blues, Americana, chamber pop, Latin rhythms, and a little playful humor into the mix. The songs are interwoven around contemplative, observational and confessional narratives, making it the deepest and most substantive album of her illustrious catalog.<\/p>\n

As a teen performing on the streets of Paris, Peyroux exemplified attributes akin to legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. This garnered the attention of Atlantic Records, which lead to her breakthrough debut album in 1996 — \u201cDreamland\u201d — which sold around 200,000 copies. This record featured a bevy of noted jazz artists (Marc Ribot, Vernon Reid, Cyrus Chesnut, Charlie Giordano, Greg Cohen, Kenny Wollesen, Regina Carter, Leon Parker, Leon Parker, and James Carter) and drew praise for her unique interpretation of blues and jazz standards.<\/p>\n

Peyroux’s follow-up albums in 2004\u00a0\u201cCareless Love\u201d\u00a0and 2006’s\u00a0\u201cHalf The Perfect World\u201d\u00a0(via Rounder Records, produced by Larry Klein) received critical acclaim and went on to achieve gold certification. Peyroux has continued to cut a low-key, if no less lauded, career path.<\/p>\n

Video link for Madeline Peyroux \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/SajU_pSOhSY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on May 12 will start at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $59 and $69.<\/p>\n

Debra\u00a0Devi\u00a0is a multi-talented modern woman. She fronts a blues\/rock band, is an author and has composed music for film and television.<\/p>\n

On May 11,\u00a0Devi\u00a0will make a return appearance at Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The concert is sure to be a pleasurable experience for both the band and the audience.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s is one of the premier music clubs in the Philadelphia suburbs and\u00a0Devi\u00a0is one of the most talented young blues\/rock guitarists on the East Coast.<\/p>\n

Devi\u00a0plays powerful blues-rockers and blistering psychedelic jams flavored with her soulful voice and expressive guitar playing.<\/p>\n

Devi\u2019s new live EP,\u00a0\u201cJamification Station Vol. 1<\/a>,\u201d captures her Jersey City band at full throttle. The EP reached #5 on the\u00a0Relix\/Jambands.com<\/a>\u00a0Top 30 Radio Chart and then stayed on the chart for three months.<\/p>\n

Devi, who has lived all over the country, has called Jersey City home for the last six years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born in Florida — in Jacksonville– and then grew up in Milwaukee,\u201d said\u00a0Devi, during a phone interview from her home in North Jersey. \u201cGrowing up in Milwaukee, I was exposed to a lot of Chicago blues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to high school in Milwaukee and then got a degree in economics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to be a writer, but my parents wanted me to choose a more practical career. I had a journalism minor at the University of Wisconsin and then got into Columbia University for grad school where I majored in journalism.<\/p>\n

\u201cI put it to good use. When I first was living in New York, I was a little punk rocker in the East Village. I also played in different kinds of bands. I had been playing electric guitar for about six months.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always loved the blues, so I started writing and singing my own songs. It was more 70s blues\/rock than punk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Devi\u2019s self-produced debut,\u00a0\u201cGet Free\u201d\u00a0(True Nature Records\/Redeye), received raves from\u00a0Vintage Guitar,\u00a0Jambase,\u00a0Marie Claire\u00a0(Italy) and Guitar International.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy guitar playing is very influenced by Chicago blues,\u201d said\u00a0Devi. \u201cThe first show I saw was Son Seals and Koko Taylor at the Metropole. I try to do what Son does \u2013 not play a lot of notes but just play the right note.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlues has been a guidepost ever since. Blues taught me what I know about music.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy band and I play blues\/rock with improvisation \u2013 with jamming. We love to improvise. People love that spontaneity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is exciting today is the jam band scene. They\u2019re taking flight from improvisation. I\u2019m one of the few females in the jam band scene.\u201d
\nDevi\u00a0has opened for Joan Osborne, Jesse Malin, Ana Popovic, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Uprooted (Michael Glialiki) and Marshall Crenshaw. In 2023, she co-headlined the Haverford Music Festival with Joe Louis Walker and The Bongos, and the East Pete Blues Festival with Greg Sover.<\/p>\n

Gov’t Mule bassist Jorgen Carlsson joined\u00a0Devi\u00a0on her previous EP, \u201cA Zillion Stars Overhead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI released that album in April 2020 \u2013 not a good time to do that with the pandemic just starting,\u201d said\u00a0Devi. \u201cMy most recent album is \u2018Jamification Station Vol. 1<\/a>.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJamification Station Vol. 1\u201d is a live EP culled from\u00a0Devi\u2019s livestream show, \u201cJamification Station,\u201d hosted by American Blues Scene. Four tracks capture\u00a0Devi\u00a0and her band at full throttle, from catchy \u201cHome Again\u201d to a blistering rendition of Jimi Hendrix\u2019s \u201cCrosstown Traffic.\u201d Also featured is a soulful blues-rocker, \u201cGet Free\u201d and uplifting Southern-rock tune \u201cThe River.\u201d<\/p>\n

The EP was released on June 20, 2022. Musicians on the recording were:\u00a0Debra\u00a0Devi\u00a0– vocal, guitar; Kevin Jones – bass, background vocal; John Roccesano – drums, background vocal; and Martin Schmid – keys, background vocal.<\/p>\n

All songs recorded live by Roccesano at Silver Horse Sound in Hoboken, New Jersey except \u201cThe River,\u201d which was recorded live by Corey Zack at The Cocoon in Jersey City. It was produced by\u00a0Devi\u00a0and Roccesano, mixed by Roccesano and mastered by Fred Kevorkian.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did 27 Livestream concerts during the pandemic,\u201d said\u00a0Devi. \u201cRight now, we\u2019re mixing \u2018Jamification Station Vol. 2\u2019.<\/p>\n

Devi\u00a0is the author of the popular book,\u00a0\u201cThe Language of the Blues\u201d\u00a0(foreword by Dr. John) which won the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award.\u00a0The book is blurbed by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Bonamassa, Hal Willner, Ministry singer Al Jourgensen, Ed Sanders, Bob Margolin and Jimmy Vivino.<\/p>\n

Devi\u00a0composes and performs songs for film and television, including \u201cTenderness\u201d (Laura Dern, Russell Crowe), \u201cGetting Off\u201d (Christine Harnos, Brooke Smith), \u201cDriven-Tim McGraw\u201d (VH-1), \u201cFight LIke a Girl\u201d (Maureen Shea, Kimberly Tomes).<\/p>\n

Her screenplay \u201cThe South Bronx Entrepreneurship Club\u201d is a Big Apple Film Festival semi-finalist, adapted from the book \u201cGoodbye Homeboy: How My Students Drove Me Crazy\u201d and \u201cInspired a Movement,\u201d which she co-authored with former special education teacher and Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship founder Steve Mariotti.<\/p>\n

Devi\u00a0is truly a modern-day Renaissance woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for\u00a0Debra\u00a0Devi\u00a0\u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/WSWFDitPX2Q<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on May 11 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 online advance and $30 at the door. The show will also be available on pay-per-view at a cost of $15.<\/p>\n

On May 10, Jamey\u2019s will host the Mark Newman Band.<\/p>\n

Newman\u00a0is a well-traveled and in-demand professional whose musical prowess has taken him around the world several times over. He has worked alongside many soul, blues, and rock greats including John Oates (Hall and Oates), Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds), Willy DeVille<\/a><\/u>\u00a0(Mink DeVille), Sam The Sham, Bobby Whitlock (Derek and the Dominos) and Sam Moore (Sam and Dave).<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on May 10 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 online advance and $30 at the door. The show will also be available on pay-per-view at a cost of $15.<\/p>\n

\u201cJazz at Jamey\u2019s\u201d will be presented every second and fourth Thursday, and \u201cAnything Goes\u201d every first, third and fifth Thursday.<\/p>\n

Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings. On the second Sunday each month, the featured act is the Girke-Davis Project which features club owner Jamey Reilly, Roger Girke, Glenn Bickel, Fred Berman and John Colgan-Davis.<\/p>\n

Colgan-Davis will have a busy weekend.<\/p>\n

On May 11, Colgan-Davis and his band the Dukes of Destiny will headline a show at Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The Dukes of Destiny, who have been treating fans to live performances of top-flight blues and soul music for almost three decades, are back in action with a lineup built around John\u00a0Colgan-Davis\u00a0(harmonica, vocals) and AC Steel (guitar, vocals). Colgan-Davis and Johnny Never also perform frequently as the Two Johns.<\/p>\n

The Dukes of Destiny, a long-time Philly band, have established a tradition of playing shows at the Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>). It started in February 2017 and will continue this year with a show this weekend.<\/p>\n

In 1985, five young, local musicians got together and began playing old blues songs in a rambling three-story house in Philadelphia. They decided to take the act on the road as The Dukes of Destiny, a name they got from a matchbook cover urging the reader to \u201cBe the Captain of Your Own Destiny.\u201d<\/p>\n

At first, The Dukes of Destiny played house parties in Germantown, generating interest by word of mouth. A gig at the now-defunct Taker\u2019s Caf\u00e9 in Germantown launched their public career, and 30 years later, they are still playing some of the hottest, most danceable blues and old school soul in the Philadelphia area. Today The Dukes of Destiny reign as Philadelphia\u2019s longest-lived and best loved blues act.
\nThere have been changes in the act: guitarists left and came back, bass and sax players moved and or left the band, and sadly, singer and founder Steve Brown died in March of 2000. But the approach and commitment of the band has remained constant for 30 years, resulting in a band with a unique tightness and an original approach to the music.<\/p>\n

With a mix of powerful original songs and unique arrangements of blues standards, The Dukes of Destiny continue to grow and develop as they share their music through countless live performances and recordings.<\/p>\n

The current line-up also features Hammond organ ace Glenn Bickel, drummer Michael Rourke, and organist Ray Adler.<\/p>\n

A few years ago, the Dukes\u2019 lineup went through a major change when vocalist Aryl Wolters retired from the band. As a result,\u00a0Colgan-Davis\u00a0had a dual role with the Dukes.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that Arlyn is gone, I\u2019m doing the majority of the singing,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cI was singing before Arlyn so now it\u2019s back to the roots.<\/p>\n

In addition to performing at most of the clubs in the Tri-State area, the Dukes of Destiny have\u00a0performed at the Pocono Blues Festival, the Waterfront Jam at Philadelphia\u2019s Penn\u2019s Landing, the State Street Blues Stroll in Media, the Bucks County R\u2019n\u2019B Picnic, the New Jersey Folk Festival and the Longwood Gardens Summer Concert Series.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the past few years, we\u2019ve had great years,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis\u00a0back in 2019. \u201cWe played places we had never played before \u2013 like the Philadelphia Folk Festival. We also played places we really love like The Kennett Flash and the West Grove Friends Meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played the Phoenixville Blues Festival and the Paoli Blues Festival. We really love playing The Kennett Flash. And we love our Chester County crowd.\u201d<\/p>\n

Audiences that like to get out of their seats and dance are a big part of the Dukes of Destiny live experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get all kinds of dancers at our shows,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cWe\u2019ve been playing a lot more festivals. We\u2019re back on the festival circuit. I love playing festivals for a couple reasons. You get a whole bunch of people playing together. That takes me back to the 60s and the be-ins back then.<\/p>\n

\u201cSun Ra had said the message that music is the healing force of the universe, and you feel that at festivals. And kids get to hear real music played by real people. With a band like us that plays off the crowd, a festival show is a real exciting thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgan-Davis\u2019s introduction to the blues came when he was in high school at Central High in Philadelphia and saw the Stones performing with Howling Wolf on the \u201cShindig\u201d TV show. Howlin\u2019 Wolf, whose real name was Chester Burnett, was an American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player who was one of the premier Chicago bluesmen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I saw Howlin\u2019 Wolf on that TV show, I jumped up and said \u2014 this is what I want to do,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cI started playing blues when I was 16. My dad gave me a grab bag for my birthday and a harmonica was in it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started listening to blues records a lot \u2014 players like Muddy Waters and James Cotton. I was really into Chicago blues of the 1950s and 1960s when I started. Then, I got into guys like Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. One of the first bands I played in was a Philly blues band called Sweet Stavin\u2019 Chain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sweet Stavin\u2019 Chain were a white blues group with horns\u00a0led by the late, great Danny Starobin on guitar.<\/p>\n

A while later, the Dukes of Destiny became the main musical vehicle for\u00a0Colgan-Davis.\u00a0At first, they played house parties in Germantown, generating word of mouth interest. A gig at the now-defunct Taker\u2019s Cafe in Germantown launched their public career.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Dukes got together in the mid-1980s,\u201d said\u00a0Colgan-Davis. \u201cSteve Brown started the band, and it began with that gig at Taker\u2019s Caf\u00e9. Steve died of pancreatic cancer in 2000 and I\u2019ve been the leader ever since. Steve has always been in my mind. We did a tribute concert to him a few years ago and we still do some of his favorites in our set.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a whole range of music in what we can play \u2014 everything from Chicago blues to old-school soul. What\u2019s great about the Dukes is that we\u2019re a band. We use each other\u2019s strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for the Dukes of Destiny \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/j5fM0sugB5w<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Kennett Flash on May 11 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times This week\u2019s entertainment schedule is loaded with theatrical productions at venues in Philadelphia and all around the suburbs with shows at the Miller Theater, The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Candlelight Dinner Theater, People\u2019s Light and the Annenberg Center This weekend, \u201cRAIN \u2013 A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d returns […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29520,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[3162,11592,522],"class_list":["post-29522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-little-women","tag-rain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29522","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=29522"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29522\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29523,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29522\/revisions\/29523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}