{"id":29742,"date":"2021-06-03T09:38:04","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T13:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=29742"},"modified":"2021-06-03T09:38:09","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T13:38:09","slug":"on-stage-popa-chubby-ready-to-shake-off-cabin-fever-and-rock-it-at-sellersville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=29742","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Popa Chubby ready to shake off cabin fever and rock it at Sellersville"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"<\/a>

Popa Chubby<\/p><\/div>\n

Things are looking good for Popa Chubby. After more than a year of being sidetracked by the COVID-19 pandemic, Popa Chubby is back in action with a new album and a series of live shows.<\/p>\n

On June 4, Popa Chubby will visit the area for a pair of shows at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Street, Sellersville, 215-527-5808, www.st94.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Popa Chubby, born Ted Horowitz, has been hard rocking the blues in his fierce and soulful way for more than 30 years. Over the course of a career that began in the early 1990s, he has been a force on the guitar \u2013 an axeman known for his tempestuous, soulful playing. <\/p>\n

He is an imposing figure with a shaven head, tattooed arms, a goatee, and a performance style he describes as \u201cthe Stooges meets Buddy Guy, Mot\u00f6rhead meets Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two of Popa Chubby\u2019s favorite things are enjoying ganja — in a variety of forms — and playing kickass music on his guitar \u2013 in a variety of forms. He was enjoying one of them during a phone interview Monday afternoon \u2013 on the edge of a lake on a warm late spring afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m here sitting on a lake near my home fishing and smoking a joint,\u201d said Popa Chubby. \u201cI have my medical card here in New York. I live in upstate New York and this lake is 10 minutes from my home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Popa Chubby remembers well the time when the pandemic slammed the door on the world of live entertainment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played the Iridium in New York City on March 15 (2020) and there was just one case of COVID in New York,\u201d said Popa Chubby.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went on the road for shows on the East Coast. Our last show was in Key West, Florida. On March 15, I did a \u2018dead head\u2019 home from the Keys. All my shows were cancelled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Popa Chubby realized that a pandemic was nothing to take lightly.<\/p>\n

According to Popa Chubby, \u201cWe barreled home in my Chevy Van 1000 miles — no stopping. It seemed the world was on the verge of shutting down. So, I was home in isolation with a bunch of guitars, drums, amps, microphones losing my mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started writing songs. I wanted to make people feel better so the first was \u2018Can I Call You My Friends?\u2019 The answer was a resounding yes. We had 30K hits on social media almost overnight and the outpouring of love was both healing and mind boggling. So, I continued writing and recording.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was the start of his brand-new album, \u201cTinfoil Hat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI made the entire record myself,\u201d said Popa Chubby. \u201cI have a studio in my home. For D.I.Y. stuff, I use ProTools. My studio is filled with vintage stuff \u2013 RCA mics, old compressors and vintage guitars and drums.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a background in recording. I worked as an engineer, and I started out working with tape. It\u2019s all digital now \u2014 but I have an analog way of getting in and an analog way of getting out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prior to the pandemic, Popa Chubby was a road warrior, so finding time to get in the studio was a luxury for him. It was very different in 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe songs, which are about COVID, Trump and isolation, seem to be in the rear-view mirror now,\u201d said Popa Chubby. \u201cNew York State is below 1 per cent and the vaccine data is so good. I feel confident \u2013 but not 100 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n

His career has always been about moving forward and carving a place for himself in the imposing terrain of the music business –overcoming odds to continue growing and maturing as a creative force. He has built a constantly increasing base of fans across the world, where in many territories he is a star.<\/p>\n

A native New Yorker, his first gigs were in the NYC punk scene as a guitarist for what he reflects was a \u201ccrazy Japanese special effects performance artist in a kimono called Screaming Mad George who had a horror-movie inspired show.\u201d Right from the start he was immersed in rock and roll as theater and learned from George and others playing CBGB\u2019s (including the Ramones, the Cramps, and Richard Hell).<\/p>\n

According to Popa Chubby, \u201cSince I\u2019d grown up on Hendrix, Cream and Led Zeppelin, when I started playing blues in New York clubs I understood that the blues should be dangerous, too. It wasn\u2019t just from playing in punk bands. Howlin\u2019 Wolf and Muddy Waters were dangerous men. They\u2019d cut or shoot you if they thought it was necessary, and Little Walter packed a gun and wouldn\u2019t hesitate to use it. That danger is a real part of the Blues and I keep it alive in my music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Popa Chubby is ready shake off his cabin fever.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s weird going back to gigs and figuring out what it\u2019s going to be like,\u201d said Popa Chubby.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to coming back to the Sellersville Theater. I\u2019ve been doing shows there for many years. It\u2019s a great place to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTinfoil Hat\u201d was released in March and fans will get to hear several songs from the new disc.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m definitely playing the title track,\u201d said Popa Chubby. \u201cAnd, I\u2019ll play \u2018Someday Soon, A Change Is Going to Come\u2019 and \u2018MB\u2019s Song,\u2019 which is a love song I wrote for my wife.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Popa Chubby — https:\/\/youtu.be\/1vr0HGB1BEA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows at the Sellersville Theater on June 4, which will also be available via Livestream, will start at 6 and 9 p.m. Tickets start at $25 in person and $10 for Livestream.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Chapel Hart<\/p><\/div>\n

On June 6, the Sellersville Theater will host another hot show — the area debut by the New Orleans-based trio Chapel Hart.<\/p>\n

Family is at the heart of New Orleans-based band Chapel Hart. Consisting of Grammy-nominated Danica Hart, her cousin Trea Swindle and her sister Devynn Hart, the ladies of Chapel Hart have been singing together since they were toddlers in their hometown of Poplarville, Mississippi, and their musical chemistry clearly shows.<\/p>\n

The three African American singers display inspiring confidence and fierceness on stage and draw upon their family ties to create an unforgettable experience for every audience they encounter. The band was showcased by CMT as one of several artists for their 2021 \u201cNext Women of Country\u201d program, which promotes new and upcoming female country music artists.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re getting ready to gear up for our last local shows and then getting ready to head north,\u201d said Danica Hart, during a phone interview last week from New Orleans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t been able to tour for such a long time. We did have an opportunity to play at the House of Blues during the pandemic as a Livestream. We\u2019ve also done other Livestream shows with no audiences. They were always so weird to do \u2013 so weird. It\u2019s just not the same. New Orleans is just now starting to open up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chapel Hart features three vocalists who focus on southern sound of country and subtly show their southern gospel roots. The ladies of Chapel Hart write music inspired by their life experiences, which include growing up together in Poplarville.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were born and raised in Poplarville \u2013 one school and one radio station \u2013 Kicker 108,\u201d said Danica Hart. \u201cWe grew up on country music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kicker 108 is WZKX, a hot country music formatted FM radio station based in Gulfport\u2013Biloxi-Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi.<\/p>\n

Things came together relatively easy for the three talented vocalists.<\/p>\n

\u201cChapel Hart began as a duo with Trea and I busking on Royal Street in New Orleans,\u201d said Danica Hart. \u201cThree years ago, Devynn came on. Now, we\u2019ve been a group for three years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Devynn Hart said, \u201cI was working at a hospital in Poplarville. I thought \u2013 if I was ever going to be a musician, I had to move to New Orleans with Trea and my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group started out as just two singers playing in New Orleans and drawing from their entire musical background. They took a couple of years to try and acclimate to the New Orleans music scene, but they knew that wasn\u2019t what was in their heart to do. When Devynn joined Trea and Danica, the three decided to go back to what they really loved, which was country music.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce I moved in, we knew we had to start doing our music,\u201d said Devynn Hart. \u201cWe were doing exceptionally well on Royal Street. We were the favorite group of the busker community.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were a cover band and then made the transition to doing originals. When we first came to New Orleans, it was hard to find country musicians. Finally, we found guys who were willing to learn the music.\u201d<\/p>\n

They chose to ignore that they were told more than once that there was no country music coming out of New Orleans. Helping solidify their decision, the girls were given advice from one of the bands they used to cover on Royal Street — Louisiana\u2019s LeRoux.<\/p>\n

LeRoux told them several things that deeply resonated with the Mississippi ladies. The girls remember vividly what they said \u2013 \u201cLet the music be the guide and never forget what you do is for the love of the music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shortly after this encounter with the band, they were then asked to sing harmonies on LeRoux\u2019s famous song \u201cNew Orleans Ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur music is old school country,\u201d said Devynn Hart. \u201cPeople are happy to hear it coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2019, the group independently released an album —\u00a0\u201cOut the Mud.\u201d They also performed at the New Orleans Music Festival in\u00a0Innsbruck,\u00a0Austria.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made the album \u2018Out the Mud\u2019 here in New Orleans,\u201d said Danica Hart. \u201cWe started it in 2018 and finished it in 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded it at the Music Shed and it was produced by Jack Miele and Brentt Arcement. It was our very first experience with recording and putting together an album.\u201d<\/p>\n

The album was followed in 2020 by a standalone single titled \u201cJesus & Alcohol,\u201d which features\u00a0ZZ Top\u00a0member\u00a0Billy Gibbons\u00a0on guitar. They also shot a\u00a0music video\u00a0for the song, in which Gibbons plays the role of a pastor. Deborah Allen and T. Graham Brown\u00a0also make cameos in the video, which aired on\u00a0CMT\u00a0after its release.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the songs on \u2018Out the Mud\u2019 are originals,\u201d said Devynn Hart. \u201cA lot of times we write together. Other times, we write independently and bring it to the others. It\u2019s pretty cool because we grew up together. Our music comes from our lives of growing up together.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the success of the single, \u201cJesus & Alcohol,\u201d Chapel Hart released \u201cI Will Follow\u201d and \u201cYou Can Have Him Jolene.\u201d They have been named one of CMT\u2019s \u201cNext Women of Country\u201d and are currently working on their second album to be released in early 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great to hear from people telling us how much this music means to them,\u201d said Devynn Hart. \u201cThank you to all our fans who bought our records and tickets to our shows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for\u00a0Chapel Hart — https:\/\/youtu.be\/1_bMgoPAlTY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater on June 6 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 for in person and $10 for Livestream.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Sellersville Theater are the Malpass Brothers on June 3, JC Cole & Folsom \u201968 on June 5, Todd Henkin & The Great Unknown on June 8, Kat Riggins on June 9 and The Levin Brothers on June 10.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

John Kadlecik<\/p><\/div>\n

Two months ago, John Kadlecik headlined at the Sellersville Theater with a show billed as \u201cJohn\u00a0Kadlecik\u00a0Solo Acousti’Lectric.\u201d<\/p>\n

This weekend, Kadlecik is heading to the Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) for a pair of shows on John Kadlecik on June 4 and 5.<\/p>\n

These two shows are billed as, \u201cJohn Kadlecik & Pals: Reed Mathis+Todd Stoops+Chris English.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kadlecik\u00a0has an extensive musical resume \u2013 much of which relies heavily on association with the Grateful Dead.<\/p>\n

He was a founding member of Dark Star Orchestra, one of the country\u2019s premier Grateful Dead tribute bands. DSO formed in 1997 and\u00a0Kadlecik\u00a0was a member until 2009.<\/p>\n

According to his website bio, \u201cJohn\u00a0Kadlecik\u00a0is a singer, songwriter, and musician based in the DC-area who can play most string instruments but is primarily known for being a guitar-slinging sideman to Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir in the band Furthur.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn original co-founder of the group Dark Star Orchestra, John has been performing improvisational-oriented shows regularly since the late 1980\u2019s and touring nationally for the last 20 years. His work also includes several studio releases of original music.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is currently active with Melvin Seals and JGB in addition his own group, The John\u00a0Kadlecik\u00a0Band. He also plays with the supergroup, the Golden Gate Wingmen, and occasionally with Phil Lesh & Friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

With some states loosening restrictions on gatherings, opportunities to play have begun to appear.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m one of the few D.I.Y. guys from the 80s and 90s that got national,\u201d said Kadlecik, during a phone interview from his home in Takoma Park, Maryland.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m booked pretty much every weekend through June including Denver to play at the Rocky Mountain Grateful Dead Revue with two shows a day for four days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though his DSO days are more than a decade in the past,\u00a0Kadlecik\u00a0still has a lot of band activity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the John\u00a0Kadlecik\u00a0Band \u2013 although the players are scattered around the country,\u201d said\u00a0Kadlecik, who grew up in the Midwest \u2013 mostly Chicago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the Golden Gate Wingmen which started in 2014 and has all members who have played with the Dead. There is also a spinoff band — the Fellowship of the Wing — if I have to substitute.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy main gig is waiting to again play with Melvin Seals, who is the keyboard player with JGB. That\u2019s my main priority. Things might be happening in the fall.\u201d<\/p>\n

For now, there are mostly only solo gigs for\u00a0Kadlecik.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I like about solo gigs is that I can play nice venues that now have reduced capacity,\u201d said\u00a0Kadlecik. \u201cWith solo, I know 500 songs that I can just play. I don\u2019t have to call anyone to rehearse.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I do a solo show, I use guitar, synth and looping. I can create drums and piano. And with looping, I can build a big wall of sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

This weekend, Kadlecik will be performing in expanded mode with three additional musicians onstage \u2013 a talented trio of keyboardist, bassist and multi-instrumentalist.<\/p>\n

Reed Mathis\u00a0is a bass player who is best known as a former member of\u00a0Tea Leaf Green. The Bay Area rooted player has also notably worked with Grateful Dead members\u00a0Phil Lesh,\u00a0Mickey Hart and\u00a0Bill Kreutzmann. He played with\u00a0Steve Kimock\u00a0Band, and was a founding member of Tulsa progressive jazz band\u00a0Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey.<\/p>\n

Todd Stoops first gained fame with prog-rock band\u00a0RAQ\u00a0in the early 2000s. He also was a founding keyboardist and now is a former member of Connecticut-based funk band Kung Fu.<\/p>\n

Chris English plays the piano, guitar, bass, drums, banjo, mandolin and electric sitar.\u00a0He has worked with acts such as INXS, Don Was, Joe Strummer, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails and Ziggy Marley.<\/p>\n

Video link for John\u00a0Kadlecik\u00a0\u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/LG5ebgd9KAc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows at the Ardmore Music Hall will start at 8 p.m. each night with limited capacity. Each Pass\/Table Ticket includes admission for two.\u00a0Groups larger than two people are encouraged to purchase tables adjacent to each other. Tickets are $60-$85 with table seating sold in pairs.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) are Muscle Tough + lespecial on June 3, \u201cBetween The Dark And Light — The Grateful Dead Photography of Jay Blakesberg\u201d (storytelling event) on June 6 and Midnight North on June 9.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Chris Smither<\/p><\/div>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will have Chris Smither on June 3 and Beatlemania on June 5.<\/p>\n

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>) will host Matt Sentry on June 4.<\/p>\n

118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) will present Huffamoose on June 6.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) hosts Big Boy Brass on June 4 and JR Harrison on June 5.<\/p>\n

The Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, 202-730-3331, www.thequeenwilmington.com<\/a>) will have Julia Scotti on June\u00a0 3, Supermonkey on June 4, and Caligula Blushed on June 5.<\/p>\n

Helium Comedy Club (2031 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com<\/a>) will host John Crist on June 3-5 and JF Harris on June 6.<\/p>\n

Punch Line Philly (33 East Laurel Street, Philadelphia, 215-606-6555<\/a>, http:\/\/www.punchlinephilly.com<\/a>) presents Melissa Villase\u00f1or on June 3-5 and Tom Cassidy on June 6.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Things are looking good for Popa Chubby. After more than a year of being sidetracked by the COVID-19 pandemic, Popa Chubby is back in action with a new album and a series of live shows. On June 4, Popa Chubby will visit the area for a pair of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5166],"tags":[10644,5600,3912,10514,5283],"class_list":["post-29742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-chapel-heart","tag-chris-smither","tag-featured","tag-john-kadlecik","tag-popa-chubby"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29742"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29743,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29742\/revisions\/29743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29738"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}