{"id":30627,"date":"2021-10-28T09:40:27","date_gmt":"2021-10-28T13:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=30627"},"modified":"2021-10-28T09:40:32","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T13:40:32","slug":"on-stage-livingston-taylor-welcomes-a-return-to-the-stage-and-live-audiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=30627","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Livingston Taylor welcomes a return to the stage \u2014 and live audiences"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Livingston Taylor<\/p><\/div>\n

Livingston Taylor has been around for a long time and plans on being around a lot longer.<\/p>\n

Taylor, who will be headlining a show on October 30 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>), is a singer-songwriter who made his first album in 1970 and has released more than 20 more LPs since then.<\/p>\n

Taylor, who will turn 71 in a few weeks, has a long history of touring internationally over the last five decades. Taylor has also been a professor at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston for more than a quarter-century.<\/p>\n

You might think that when the pandemic shut everything down last year, Taylor would put a hold on live performances \u2013 that he would stay home and work on recording a new album \u2013 and that he would resort to Zoom if he opted to continue teaching.<\/p>\n

You might think that \u2013 but you\u2019d be wrong on all accounts (except that he did stay home a lot). <\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the pandemic, I hunkered down and watched the world go by,\u201d said Taylor, during a phone interview Monday afternoon from his home in Watertown, Massachusetts. \u201cThings slowed mightily.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people were stunningly productive. I\u2019m not one of them. I make music to play for people. I did do some live shows \u2013 some in a theater without an audience. It was very hard. It required a certain kind of visualization.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did a few Zoom shows. That\u2019s truly the definition of \u2018phoning it in.\u2019 I also played some outdoor shows in parking lots. I need to see people. I crave it. When I don\u2019t have it, I don\u2019t feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor is a natural performer, peppering his shows with personal stories, anecdotes and ineffable warmth that connect him to his fans. His relaxed on-stage presence belies the depth of his musical knowledge, and fans might just as often be treated to a classic Gershwin or something from the best of Broadway.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my live shows, I do speak about the songs \u2013 who wrote them\u2026why they wrote them,\u201d said Taylor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always about the idea of making a song \u2013 making an experience. I speak about myself \u2013 but only in reference to the music not me. A life well-lived is boring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor picked up his first guitar at the age of 13, which began a 50-year career that has encompassed performance, songwriting, and teaching. Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, Livingston is the fourth child in a very musical family that includes Alex, James, Kate, and Hugh. Livingston recorded his first record at the age of 18 and has continued to create well crafted, introspective, and original songs that have earned him listeners worldwide.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really like to play and see my music brought to people,\u201d said Taylor. \u201cMy first show when I knew my music worked was when I was opening for Joni Mitchell at Boston University in 1969. I was third on the bill behind Joni and Jaime Brockett.<\/p>\n

\u201cJaime had played, and the audience was anxious to hear Joni. In my 20 minutes, I was able to win the audience over. The only thing in my mind was that this works. This was before I started recording. I was writing a lot of songs and testing them to see if it works.\u201d<\/p>\n

A half-century later, it\u2019s obvious that it has worked.<\/p>\n

From Top 40 hits \u201cI Will Be in Love with You\u201d and \u201cI\u2019ll Come Running,\u201d to \u201cI Can Dream of You\u201d and \u201cBoatman,\u201d the last two recorded by his brother James, Taylor\u2019s creative output has continued unabated. His musical knowledge has inspired a varied repertoire, and he is equally at home with a range of musical genres — folk, pop, gospel, jazz — and from upbeat storytelling and touching ballads to full orchestra performances.<\/p>\n

Taylor is a full professor at Berklee College of Music, where he has taught a Stage Performance course since 1989. He teaches young artists invaluable lessons learned over the course of an extensive career on the road. His high-selling book, \u201cStage Performance,\u201d which was released in 2011, offers those lessons to anyone who is interested in elevating their presentation standards to professional standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still teach at Berklee but won\u2019t do it on Zoom,\u201d said Taylor. \u201cI\u2019m not going to take kids\u2019 money and not give them a successful experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, I\u2019m not going to teach a course masked. I\u2019m teaching stage performance. I\u2019m teaching communication skills. I want to read people\u2019s faces.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor also has avoided the recording studio.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a couple albums in the pipeline, but no tracks recorded,\u201d said Taylor. \u201cI\u2019m not making records in my garage. Recording the way I want to is an expensive undertaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor sees a light at the end of the COVID tunnel.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stopping of society is done,\u201d said Taylor. \u201cBut it\u2019s really going to take five years to gear this up again. It\u2019s hard to stop the world completely and then get it going again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am very optimistic for its resolution. Use masks and get vaccinated. I\u2019m triple vaccinated, masked up and ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Livingston Taylor \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/HKlam3eXSSY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Sellersville Theater will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $33.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Sellersville Theater are Bruce in the USA on October 28, Unforgettable Fire U2 Tribute Show on October 29, the \u201cWorld Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra\u201d on October 31, Dennis Quaid on October 31, and The Airplane Family on November 1.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s always exciting to be part of the first staging on an event \u2013 like attending the first Delaware Valley concert by Elton John (November 1970 opening for Poco at Glassboro State College), catching the first MLS soccer game by the Philadelphia Union (April against D.C. United\u00a0at\u00a0Lincoln Financial Field) or seeing the first Philadelphia performance of \u201cHamilton\u201d (August 2019 at the Forrest Theater).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

WALLIS<\/p><\/div>\n

On October 29 at 118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>), area music fans will have the opportunity to experience an inaugural event — the first-ever live performance by WALLIS, who spent her junior high years at the Center for Performing and Fine Arts, a PA Leadership Charter School based in West Chester.<\/p>\n

While it is unlikely that the young singer\/songwriter\/rocker will reach the heights attained by Sir Elton or a Lin-Manuel Miranda blockbuster, there is a good chance that WALLIS will be a fixture on the music scene for years to come.<\/p>\n

Her first single, \u201cLonely Christmas,\u201d premiered in December 2020 on YouTube and has already amassed more than 1.2 million views.<\/p>\n

WALLIS, which is the stage name for Wallis Schriver, released \u201cLonely Christmas\u201d last December. It was a Christmas song that was informed by the pandemic but not a COVID-specific song. It dealt with isolation, holiday angst, loneliness and general anxiety.<\/p>\n

Immediately upon its release, the video went viral and moved into seven figures on YouTube in just over two weeks. It got more than 15,000 upvotes on Reddit, was shared by Ellen DeGeneres across all her social channels, and became a worldwide hit the eastern Montgomery County resident.<\/p>\n

The whole family was involved in the making of the video. WALLIS co-wrote the song with her father, Gene Schriver. He filmed the video on his iPhone, and it also included appearances by her younger sisters Soleil and Maren.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen \u2018Lonely Christmas,\u2019 came out, it got a lot of traction,\u201d said WALLIS, during an after-school phone interview Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople were complimenting me and asking for more. It fueled my excitement and desire to follow the path. We recorded it at our home studio and then did the sax and vocals at Milkboy Studios in Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n

WALLIS\u2019 follow-up single was \u201cAnother Day,\u201d which was released on June 25.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded most of \u2018Another Day\u2019 at home,\u201d said WALLIS, who shares her name with a Polynesian atoll\/island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna. \u201cThen, we were on a trip to Miami around Christmas week, and we finished it at Criteria Studio.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Schrivers arrived in Miami and found that they needed more than just another home studio. So, Gene Schriver called Miami\u2019s legendary Criteria Studios to tell them about their situation.<\/p>\n

According to Schriver, \u201cCriteria was super accommodating. I told them, \u2018I need to cut vocals. I need a bass player. I need a trumpet and a trombone.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir response was, \u201cHow about the room where the Bee Gees and Pharell Williams worked? How about a Grammy-winning engineer? How about Barry Gibb\u2019s bass player? How about Ray Charles\u2019 music director on trombone? How about a trumpet player from K.C. and the Sunshine Band?\u201d<\/p>\n

WALLIS said, \u201cThe session musicians were so awesome. Hearing them play live was so exciting.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad did the arrangements. He grew up writing music as a hobby. He also played in a couple bands including Strap.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we got back from Florida, we mixed \u2018Another Day\u2019 at MilkBoy with Cody Cichowski. He\u2019s a great engineer. We put it out at the end of June on our own label Revelation Road.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe video for \u2018Another Day\u2019 will be released this Friday at 12:01 a.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done a lot of recordings at home. We have four new songs that are coming up \u2013 one a month for the next four months. Then, the four singles will be compiled on an EP.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, WALLIS will sail into uncharted territory Friday night at 118 North.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will be my first live show,\u201d said WALLIS. \u201cRight now, I have two people in my band \u2013 Adam Shumski on drums and Alissa Almeida on bass and cello. I\u2019ll be playing guitar and piano.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy sister Soleil will be backing me on vocals, and I\u2019ll be backing her on one song \u2013 Billie Eilish\u2019s \u2018My Future.\u2019 We\u2019ll play an hour set with 12 or 13 songs. There will be seven or eight originals and a few covers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for WALLIS — https:\/\/youtu.be\/hp2c_G4ayYI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at 118 North will also feature Chestnut Grove.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Chestnut Grove<\/p><\/div>\n

Chestnut Grove was formed by\u00a0James Daniels, John Tyler, Sean Murray\u00a0and\u00a0Dee\u00a0Gerhart\u00a0in 2011 during their senior year of high school. The band\u2019s name was chosen in memory of would-be member and guitar player Matt Barber, who passed away tragically in a car accident on\u00a0Chestnut\u00a0Grove\u00a0Road.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been together for a decade,\u201d said\u00a0Gerhart, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. \u201cWe\u2019ve been touring heavily since 2015.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all graduated from high school together in 2011 \u2013 Boyertown High School. Our drummer James played with our guitar player John. I was doing acoustic singer\/songwriter doing open mics. We weren\u2019t drawn together musically.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my senior year, I was in a talent show at Boyertown High. I did some numbers like \u2018You Really Got a Hold On Me\u2019 with Zach Winkler. They approached me and it rolled on from there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe covered a lot of Led Zeppelin, Cream, Jimi Hendrix. I was the only one singing. We immediately started working on some originals. We were trying to be a jam group but drifted more to singer\/songwriter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s collective songwriting. It\u2019s mainly driven by me and James, but everyone has an input. Each has their own part of the puzzle.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2015,\u00a0Gerhart, Winkler, Daniels, Tyler and Gary Geers, with the help of friend\/engineer Owen McGreehan, released their self-produced album,\u00a0\u201cPerkiomenville,\u201d\u00a0to a sold-out hometown crowd at\u00a0World Cafe Live\u00a0in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded that album at our barn studio in Perkiomenville,\u201d said\u00a0Gerhart. \u201cIt had 10 tracks with a vert rootsy, Americana feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2016, the band released its \u201cLet it Down\u201d\u00a0EP which was produced by Bill Moriarty (Modest Mouse, Dr. Dog) and in 2018, the band released the\u00a0\u201cBlack Champagne\u201d\u00a0EP on Mad Dragon Records, with the single \u201cScratch an Itch\u201d\u00a0getting airplay on Radio 104.5 in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started working on our new album two years ago,\u201d said\u00a0Gerhart. \u201cWe started recording around the end of 2019. We were going to release it in 2020 and then COVID changed everybody\u2019s plans. The 2020 tour evaporated.<\/p>\n

\u201cFinally, we released the album in May 2021 and hopefully will tour a lot into 2022. Right now, we\u2019re trying to plan out next year. The residency at 118 North is a glimmer of hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Chestnut Grove —\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/tNbl1ViCMlk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tickets for the \u201cTailgate Under the Tent\u201d WALLIS\/Chestnut Grove show are free.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at 118 North are Billy Walton Band on October 28, Chris Day Banned on October 30, and Fred Thomas on October 31.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The\u00a0Claudettes<\/p><\/div>\n

When The\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0headlined a show at Bourbon and Branch a little over two years ago, they were touring in support their latest album\u00a0\u201cDance Scandal at The Gymnasium!\u201d which came out March 23, 2018 via Yellow Dog Records.<\/p>\n

Things have changed a lot in the last two years.<\/p>\n

Because of the pandemic, the Claudettes always ambitious touring schedule screeched to a halt. Meanwhile, Bourbon and Branch ceased to operate as a music venue.<\/p>\n

The Claudettes are back to making music and being on the road. Bourbon and Branch is still open \u2013 but only as a bar\/restaurant.<\/p>\n

Things definitely have changed a lot in the last two years.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, the Claudettes are rocking across America and are headed our way for a show on October 30 at the Arden Gild Hall (The Highway, Arden, Delaware, ardenconcerts.com<\/a>). As an added attraction, Iguana will play a solo set as the opener \u2013 serving up a big helping of blues piano.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0— Johnny Iguana (piano), Berit Ulseth (vocals), Zach Verdoorn (bass), Michael Caskey (drums) \u2013 released an album in 2020 and Iguana released a solo album earlier this year.<\/p>\n

An explanation of what to expect from the Claudettes can be found on their website \u2013 \u201cThe Claudettes fuse Chicago piano blues with the full-throttle energy of rockabilly and punk and the sultriness of ’60s soul to write a thrilling new chapter in American roots music. Johnny Iguana pounds the piano alongside seductive singer Berit Ulseth, bassist\/guitarist\/singer Zach Verdoorn and drummer Michael Caskey.<\/p>\n

\u201cJohnny, who toured for years with his cult-favorite rock band oh my god, is also in the Grammy-nominated groups Chicago Blues: A Living History and the Muddy Waters 100 Band. He has toured\/recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and more and played piano on the new \u201cChicago Plays the Stones\u201d album featuring Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Buddy Guy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Claudettes recorded their 2018 album, \u201cDance Scandal At The Gymnasium!,\u201d with Grammy-winning producer Mark Neill (Black Keys, Old 97’s, J. Roddy Walston, J.D. McPherson). The Claudettes have recorded a new album with Grammy-winning producer Ted Hutt (Violent Femmes, Lucero, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gaslight Anthem, The Devil Makes Three). Titled \u201cHigh Times in the Dark,\u201d it was released April 3, 2020 on Forty Below Records.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the pandemic, it\u2019s not been a great 18 months,\u201d said Iguana, during a phone interview Monday morning from his home in Chicago. \u201cWe didn\u2019t tour. A lot of bands were doing livestream.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was not for us. We can\u2019t tear down our mystique and do shows with no production values. We\u2019re not trained monkeys playing for cash.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put out an album in 2020. We did it separately. The album is called \u2018High Times in the Dark.\u2019 We recorded it late 2019 and released it in April 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, Iguana released an album on his own \u2013 \u201cJohnny Iguana\u2019s Chicago Spectacular\u201d on Delmark Records.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a Chicago blues piano album,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cI figured who would be good to sing on it. I got Billy Boy Arnold, who is 84 and played harmonica for Bo Diddley, and John Primer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Iguana also got musical contributions from Bob Margolin, Matthew Skoller, Billy Flynn, Kenny Smith, Bill Dickens, Michael Caskey and Lil\u2019 Ed.<\/p>\n

This is Iguana\u2019s first blues album as a leader, and it\u2019s not your typical blues album. That\u2019s because, Iguana is not your typical blues piano player. At a time when bold originality is less welcomed in blues than it is in other music, Iguana stands out as an artist who has reached the apex of his craft but who has not allowed a strict definition of blues to limit his expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was produced by Matthew Skoller,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cI got the chance to play a 100-year-old Chicago-made upright piano.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded the album in January 2020. We didn\u2019t realize then what was coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans in Arden will have the opportunity to hear Iguana and his blues keyboard wizardry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis show in Arden was one of two shows where I was asked to play a blues set \u2013 just the drummer and me,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cThe Claudettes are a roots band and some of the presenters are familiar with my Delmark album. It\u2019s going to be a piano-pounding blues\/rock set.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Claudettes have more new music on the horizon.<\/p>\n

\u201cLater in 2020, we got together to make a new album,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cI recorded piano to a click track. Berit did the vocals on her own. Michael and Zach practiced and came up with the right parts to overdub. We play together enough so we knew how to do it tightly.<\/p>\n

\u201cKevin Killen mixed the tracks on the new album which will be out next year. It will be a year-and-a-half old by the time it comes out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Iguana is a prolific writer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m writing all the time,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cFor us, new songs are the most exciting thing.\u00a0\u00a0I start with chords and melodies. I start with building blocks. And we record a lot of our shows. We listen to them over and over and learn a lot from listening.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0combine the Chicago blues-piano tradition with the energy of rockabilly and punk and the sultry sound of \u201960s soul-jazz to create a thrilling new spin on American roots music.<\/p>\n

According to Downbeat Magazine, \u201cThe\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0hit listeners upside the head with a mash-up of Otis Spann blues, Albert Ammons boogie-woogie, Ray Charles soul and \u201cFess\u201d Longhair New Orleans R&B.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rather than attack the blues with one or two guitars, the\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0brandish a piano instead. But the\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0have created their own fanatical fusion of blues and soul-jazz \u2013 sort of like Ray Charles on a punk kick.<\/p>\n

The Claudette\u2019s have a strange history \u2013 and an interesting story behind their name.<\/p>\n

\u201cMichael Caskey, a drummer from Chicago, and I had a piano-and-drum duo,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cWe called a place called Claudette\u2019s Bar in 2010 looking for a gig in between Chicago and St. Louis. Claudette booked us into her bar in Oglesby (Illinois) and fell in love with the band.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, she hired us as her house band and put them. That drummer\u2019s wife had a baby, so we hired a new drummer and then expanded to a four-piece. Since then, we\u2019ve done a ton of shows.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show at the Arden Gild Hall will be a homecoming for Iguana.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born in New Jersey and grew up in the Philly area,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cI graduated from Upper Dublin High School and the University of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I moved to New York City where I worked in publishing and played piano. I began meeting blues musicians and playing in blues bands. I met Junior Wells in Chicago and played piano in his band.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to touring internationally and recording six albums with his cult-favorite rock band oh my god, Iguana has played live or recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, James Cotton, Lil\u2019 Ed, Carey Bell, Billy Boy Arnold, Lurrie Bell, John Primer, Billy Branch, Carlos Johnson, Sugar Blue, Dave Myers and Eddie Shaw.<\/p>\n

As fans of the\u00a0Claudettes know, the band has created its own genre.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0blazed a new trail masquerading as a blues\/roots bands but it\u2019s a punk band at its core,\u201d said Iguana. \u201cWe can play a punk bill as a rock band or a different bill as a blues band. The\u00a0Claudettes\u00a0really put a lot of heart in our live show. We combine musicianship and humor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Claudettes \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/s7qZfX4NZ20<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Arden Gild Hall on October 30 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

New York theater fans are celebrating because Broadway is back.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia theater fans are celebrating because Broadway Philadelphia at the Kimmel Center is back. \u201cHamilton\u201d is now running at the Academy of Music.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

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

This weekend, \u201cRAIN \u2013 A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d returns to Philly to become the first Broadway Philadelphia show to re-open the Merriam Theater (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia,www.kimmelculturalcampus.org<\/a>). There will be a three-day, four show run from October 29-31.<\/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 Aaron Chiazza (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

\u201cThe last time we were in Philly \u2013 which was three years ago — we played the whole \u2018Sgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band\u2019 album and then the \u2018Let It Be\u2019 era,\u201d said Landes, during a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. \u201cAnd we always do Ed Sullivan, Shea Stadium and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis time, we\u2019re doing the best of \u2018Sgt. Pepper\u2019 and decided to do the best of \u2018Abbey Road.\u2019 That makes up most of the second set. John is dressed in white. Paul is in a suit barefoot. George is in denim and Ringo is in a black long coat. That album cover is one of the things people think of with that era of the Beatles.\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 23 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

Video link for \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/EfoV5c0O_wc<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shows at the Merriam will be at 7:30 p.m. on October 29, 2 and 7:30 p.m. on October 30 and 1 p.m. on October 31. Ticket prices range from $39-$104.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Emily Wolfe<\/p><\/div>\n

After releasing three singles and one EP from 2014-2018, Emily Wolfe released her eponymous debut album in 2019.<\/p>\n

In June 2021, Wolfe, who is headlining a show at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/a>) on October 31, released her second album, \u201cOutlier,\u201d on Crows Feet Records.<\/p>\n

\u201cOutlier\u201d was produced by\u00a0Michael Shuman<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0Queens of the Stone Age<\/a>,\u00a0who also received performance and co-writing credits on the record. That should give some indication that the LP is made for fans who are serious about rocking out hard.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m touring with bassist Evan Nicholson and drummer Clellan Hyatt,\u201d said Wolfe, during a phone interview Wednesday from a tour stop in Baltimore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is just the three of us in the band. It\u2019s definitely a power trio. It\u2019s pretty much what we\u2019ve done for the last three or four years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it makes sense for me \u2013 a power trio. The format works best for me. One of the reasons I love it is because there is so much space for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the freedom. Pretty much every one of my songs has one or two guitar solos. And it\u2019s so much fun touring with Evan and Clellan. We\u2019re all really good friends — and we\u2019re laughing and having fun all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 10-track \u201cOutlier\u201d album was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Michael Shuman of Queens of the Stone Age and Mini Mansions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018Outlier\u2019 at Michael\u2019s home studio in L.A.,\u201d said Wolfe. \u201cWe were in the studio for a few weeks last November. Evan, Clellan, Michael and I were all vaccinated \u2013 and we had COVID tests. We finished with 10 songs for the new record and put it out his year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were some other songs under consideration, but these were the 10 that we chose. Some were written before the pandemic \u2013 about half. The other half were written during peak COVID.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wolfe has been into rock music since she was a kid.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting into music was just a natural thing,\u201d said Wolfe, who was born in North Carolina. \u201cMy mom bought me a guitar at a thrift shop when I was little — but I didn\u2019t really come from a musical family.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter starting off with an acoustic guitar, I switched to electric. I just got tired of playing to crowds who were talking over my stuff. I figured I needed to play louder than them. I ended up loving electric guitar.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe moved to Austin when I was eight. I love it here. It\u2019s a great city. I went to high school and college in Austin.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I hadn\u2019t been living in Austin, it would have taken me longer to get where I am musically. Being in Austin, it was just go play shows and get a foot in the door of doing music for a living.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Emily Wolfe — https:\/\/youtu.be\/llJjhn8ky9I<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie on October 31 will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Kung Fu Necktie are Sasquatch on October 28, Imperial Triumphant on October 29, Local H on October 30, Howling Giant on November 1, and Gym Shorts on November 2.<\/p>\n

This is the final weekend to catch a performance of the current production at the Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) \u2013 \u201cThe Best of the Candlelight Theatre\u201d \u2013 now through October 31.<\/p>\n

The original production is just what its name implies \u2013 a series of arranged and choregraphed numbers that were featured in Candlelight productions over the last decade or so.<\/p>\n

There are songs in the show that everyone knows such as \u201cMaria\u201d from \u201cWest Side Story,\u201d \u201cThere Is Nothing Like a Dame\u201d from \u201cSouth Pacific,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t Rain on My Parade\u201d from \u201cFunny Girl,\u201d \u201cEasy Street\u201d from \u201cAnnie,\u201d \u201cHolding Out for a Hero\u201d from \u201cFootloose\u201d and \u201cI Could Have Danced All Night\u201d from \u201cMy Fair Lady.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cBest of Candlelight\u201d — Best of Promo on Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Candlelight Theatre\u2019s production of \u201cBest of Candlelight\u201d is running now through October 31. 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.). Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $67.50 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, uptownwestchester.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Dueling Pianos on October 28, Cash Unchained on October 29, Light My Fire on October 30, and a screening of The Rocky Horror
\nPicture Show on October 31.<\/p>\n

This will be a big weekend for fans of the Doors. In addition to the Doors\u2019 tribute band Light My Fire playing the Uptown! on October 30, there will be a show by Robby Krieger, The Doors\u2019 guitarist, on October 31 at the Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>). The show at the Keswick will also feature Vanilla Fudge.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Keswick are the Temptations on October 28, The Fixx on October 29, Blue OysterCult on October 30 and Louis C.K. on November 3.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will have The Collingwood with Special Guest New Shields on October 30 and a screening and live stage show of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on October 31.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) will have The Miners and Paul St. John and the Nighthawks on October 29 and Judy Sings the Blues on October 30.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will present the Expendables on October 28, Hayes Carll on November 2 and Old 97\u2019s on November 3.<\/p>\n

The Grand Opera House (818 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-652-5577, www.thegrandwilmington.org<\/a>) will host Louis C.K. on November 2.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0 Livingston Taylor has been around for a long time and plans on being around a lot longer. Taylor, who will be headlining a show on October 30 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com), is a singer-songwriter who made his first album in 1970 and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5166],"tags":[10968,7863,10969,3912,6360,3589,10967],"class_list":["post-30627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-chestnut-grove","tag-claudettes","tag-emily-wolfe","tag-featured","tag-livingston-taylor","tag-rain","tag-wallis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30627","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=30627"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30628,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30627\/revisions\/30628"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/30621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}