{"id":36681,"date":"2025-04-10T08:54:21","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T12:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=36681"},"modified":"2025-04-10T08:55:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T12:55:07","slug":"on-stage-steve-forbert-to-celebrate-new-album-at-the-flash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=36681","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Steve Forbert to celebrate new album at The Flash"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/div>\n
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Steve Forbert<\/p><\/div>\n

Steve Forbert, a singer-songwriter whose career spans decades, is no stranger to Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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He played there before the pandemic and after the pandemic. Forbert even had a Flash date during the pandemic as part of the Flash\u2019s \u201cRooftop Series,\u201d a series of outdoor, safely spaced concerts atop a nearby parking garage.<\/div>\n
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Now, Forbert is returning to the venue in southern Chester County for a show an April 11 \u2013 and he\u2019s bringing a new album with him.<\/div>\n
Forbert released his 21st album, \u201cDaylight Savings Time,\u201d in November on Blue Rose Music. It was his fourth album in the last six years on the label.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe released the album last fall,\u201d said Forbert, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Asbury Park, New Jersey.<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe recorded the album last year here in Asbury Park. It was produced by Steve Greenwell, and we used his studio. I did the last two albums before this there.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe songs are all recent. Before it was recorded, I hadn\u2019t performed any of them live.<\/div>\n
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\u201cMy current set has about half the songs from \u2018Daylight Savings Time\u2019 and the rest is songs from previous albums. The rest is what people want to hear \u2013 songs like \u2018What Kinda Guy,\u2019 \u2018Romeo\u2019s Tune\u2019 and \u2018Going Down to Laurel.\u2019\u201d<\/div>\n
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In 1984, Forbert had a disagreement with his record company Nemperor and contractual issues prevented him from recording for a number of years afterwards.<\/div>\n
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His 1988 album,\u00a0\u201cStreets of This Town,\u201d and the 1992 follow-up,\u00a0\u201cThe American in Me,\u201d were released by\u00a0Geffen Records and both received significant airplay.<\/div>\n
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Over the next two decades, Forbert released 11 albums on seven labels before settling down with Blue Rose Music.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe recorded 10 songs for the new album. The last one, \u2018Dixie Miles,\u2019 I wrote as we were finishing the album.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Written as he approached his 70th\u00a0birthday, \u201cDaylight Savings Time\u201d contemplates and celebrates the proverbial \u201cextra hour of daylight\u201d that comes with the time change.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe links between the songs \u2013 a lot of nature appreciation,\u201d said Forbert.<\/div>\n
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\u201cDaylight Savings Time is that extra hour of daylight. It\u2019s similar to late middle age.\u201d<\/div>\n
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On the album\u2019s first single, \u201cSound Existence,\u201d Forbert sings, \u201cYeah to chirping crickets and to daylight savings time! The best ain\u2019t yet to come, but you could still get by just fine.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Over the years, Forbert has been involved in political activism and that spirit is still alive.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI just finished a brand-new single called \u201cEbeneezer\u2019s back in Town,\u2019,\u201d said Forbert. \u201cIt will be played for the first time live this Friday in Kennett Square.<\/div>\n
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\u201cMy show at the Flash will be just a duo \u2013 Rob Clores on keyboards and accordion and me. Rob is a fabulous musician. He played on all of my last three albums.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWriting is something I do all the time. I always go on inspiration. I don\u2019t want to take a break. \u00a0It\u2019s always there. It\u2019s my job.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhat I do is more about songs. I just do what I\u2019ve always done. Lyrics \u2014 and topics \u2014 move with me through life. I don\u2019t pay attention to fads.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Video link for Steve Forbert \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/wTze13syk7s<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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The show at Kennett Flash on April 11 will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $40.<\/div>\n
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Other upcoming shows at Kennett Flash are Superunknown on April 12 and Open Mic Night with Hobo Houston on April 13.<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313, candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) has a heartfelt musical as its latest production that is not very well known — \u201cBright Star.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\"\"\u201cBright Star\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0musical\u00a0written\u00a0and composed by\u00a0Steve Martin\u00a0and\u00a0Edie Brickell. It is set in the\u00a0Blue Ridge Mountains\u00a0of\u00a0North Carolina\u00a0in 1945\u201346 with flashbacks to 1923. The musical is inspired by their\u00a0Grammy-winning collaboration on the 2013\u00a0bluegrass\u00a0album\u00a0\u201cLove Has Come for You\u201d and, in turn, the folk tale of the\u00a0\u201cIron Mountain Baby.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The show began previews at the\u00a0Cort Theatre\u00a0on\u00a0Broadway\u00a0on February 25, 2016, before officially opening on March 24.<\/div>\n
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\u201cBright Star\u201d\u00a0is the story of one woman at two different points in her life: the first, when she is a wild young thing growing up barefoot and carefree in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina; the second, when she is a well-to-do magazine editor in Asheville, 22 years later.<\/div>\n
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Her story is inevitably woven with that of an idealistic young man named Billy, with whom she shares a mysterious connection.<\/div>\n
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As a young teen in Zebulon, North Carolina, Alice Murphy is hopelessly in love with small town heartthrob Jimmy Ray, the mayor\u2019s son. Although their love was pure, it falls victim to the interference of ambitious parents, and their infant son is whisked away before their happy ending could ever begin.<\/div>\n
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More than two decades later, Alice is the successful editor of The Asheville Southern Journal, and meets a promising young writer named Billy.<\/div>\n
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Eventually they realize that they share a hometown, and when Alice sees the handmade sweater she knitted for her baby 20 years before in his personal belongings, she realizes that he is the son she lost so long ago.<\/div>\n
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Their happiness is compounded at the end of the story with a Shakespeare-esque double wedding.<\/div>\n
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\u201cBright Star\u201d is billed as \u201can uplifting theatrical journey that holds you tightly in its grasp \u2013 as refreshingly genuine as it is daringly hopeful.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The cast at the Candlelight features Victoria Healy (Alice Murphy), Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Max Redman), Billy Cail (Galen Graham), Paul Weagraff (Mayor Dobbs) Madison Luckey (Margo Crawford) and Anthony Connell (Daryl Ames).<\/div>\n
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\u201cI actually did this show in 2019 at the University of New Hampshire,\u201d said Graham, during a phone interview Tuesday night from his apartment in Center City Philadelphia.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI hadn\u2019t heard of it before that. The end \u2013 the ending caught me by surprise. I also didn\u2019t know how much of a banjo guy Steve Martin was.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Graham is a Boston native who found his way to Philly a few years ago.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAfter I graduated, I came to Philadelphia to be an apprentice at the Walnut Street Theatre,\u201d said Graham.<\/div>\n
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Graham did a few shows there including \u2018Beautiful,\u2019 \u2018A Christmas Carol\u2019 and \u201cEscape to Margaritaville.\u201d<\/div>\n
Ironically, \u201cEscape to Margaritaville\u201d will be the Candlelight\u2019s next production after the theater closes for six weeks of renovation. It will run from July 12-August 24.<\/div>\n
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\u201c\u2018Bright Star\u2019 is a show that hits you with how deep it is \u2013 how really personal it is,\u201d said Graham.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m a young guy all the way. My character Billy gets back from the war. He just keeps writing \u2013 trying to get his work published.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThen, things are different 20 years later. Alice finds out that Billy is her son. When he finds out, he takes off. It\u2019s a full month until he comes back.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThen, there is a happy ending. It\u2019s so cool the way things work out. It\u2019s a story about a woman who loves something dearly and rediscovers it later in life.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings (8 p.m.), Sunday afternoons (3 p.m.) and Wednesdays (11 a.m.)<\/div>\n
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Tickets, which include dinner and show, are $73.50 for adults and $35 for children (ages 4-12).<\/div>\n
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This week, get two<\/i>\u00a0tickets for $99 to see this heartwarming story when you use <\/i>CODE:BRIGHT99.<\/i><\/div>\n
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Video link for \u201cBright Star\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/z619PUgnc8w<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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\u201cBright Star\u201d will run through April 19.<\/div>\n
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The Candlelight Theatre will host the latest installment of its Comedy Club on April 17 <\/i>with Jay Black and Leigh Ann Lord as co-headliners and Justin Gonzalez <\/i>as the MC.<\/div>\n
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The theater will also host \u201cCandlelight Quizzo\u201d on April 14. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and there is a $5 cover.<\/div>\n
Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) will start this week\u2019s events with The Fabulous Dueling Pianos on April 10.<\/div>\n
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Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $20 at the door.<\/div>\n
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On April 11, Jamey\u2019s will host The Nick Moss Band with Dennis Gruenling.<\/div>\n
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With their third Alligator Records album,\u00a0\u201cGet Your Back Into It!,\u201d Chicago native, guitarist and vocalist Nick Moss and New Jersey native, harmonica player and vocalist Dennis Gruenling \u2013 together with Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, Taylor Streiff on keyboards and Pierce Downer on drums \u2013 deliver a deeply rooted, timeless blue-collar blues album.<\/div>\n
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According to Moss, \u201cWe are a rare breed as far as how authentic we like to keep the music.\u201d<\/div>\n
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That\u2019s not a surprise to longtime fans, as Moss proudly represents the city of Chicago as one of the few bluesmen working today to have learned his craft firsthand directly from many of the genre\u2019s original creators.<\/div>\n
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Moss first made a name for himself playing bass for bluesman Jimmy \u201cFast Fingers\u201d Dawkins. Dawkins encouraged Nick to unleash his fire and passion. From there, Moss was chosen by Willie \u201cBig Eyes\u201d Smith to join his Legendary Blues Band, but Smith insisted Moss switch to guitar.<\/div>\n
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Blues icon Jimmy Rogers (whose best-known songs included\u00a0Walking By Myself\u00a0and\u00a0Ludella) hired Moss as his touring guitarist, mentoring him on the blues lifestyle along the way.<\/div>\n
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Today, Moss\u2019 blistering fretwork, impassioned, soul-charged vocals and memorable original songs place him in a league of his own.
\nGruenling, Moss\u2019 friend of over 20 years, is considered among today\u2019s most innovative and creative blues harmonica players. His high-energy, full-throttle reed work has earned him comparisons to many of the greats, including the late James Cotton.<\/div>\n
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A self-taught player and a natural entertainer with seven solo albums and numerous guest appearances to his credit, Gruenling\u2019s giant, fat-toned harp work, raw-boned singing and untamed energy are a perfect foil for Moss\u2019 inspired guitar playing and straight-from-the-shoulder blues vocals.<\/div>\n
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Moss, Gruenling and the band\u00a0received a total of five Blues Music Awards, with wins in 2020 for Band Of The Year, Song Of The Year (Lucky Guy) and Traditional Blues Album Of The Year (Lucky Guy!), and in 2019 for Traditional Blues Male Artist (Moss) and Instrumentalist\u2014Harmonica (Gruenling).<\/div>\n
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Video link for the Nick Moss Band \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/dAm_5nhk9Fw<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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The show on April 11 will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Pay-per-view tickets are $15.<\/div>\n
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The show on April 12 will feature slim and the Boogaloo Bandits with Kyle Rowland.<\/div>\n
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The show on Saturday will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Pay-per-view tickets are $15.<\/div>\n
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The Sunday Blues Brunch & Jam with the Girke-Davis Project will start at 1 p.m. on April 13.<\/div>\n
The open mic jam runs from 1-3 p.m. with the host band laying down a set from noon-1 p.m. to get things rolling and then supporting guest jammers as needed.<\/div>\n
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The show features free admission.<\/div>\n
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Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) will present High Noon on April 12.<\/div>\n
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Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com<\/a>) will host Yarn on April 11 and Richard Thompson on April 12.<\/div>\n
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Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will have Modern Bliss on April 12, Etana on April 13, Buckethead on April 15 and Flock of Seagulls on April 16.<\/div>\n
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The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>) will have Yacht Lobsters on April 10, Nektar on April 11, David Cook on April 12, California Guitar Trio and Kaki King on April 15 and Duane Betts on April 15.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Steve Forbert, a singer-songwriter whose career spans decades, is no stranger to Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org). He played there before the pandemic and after the pandemic. Forbert even had a Flash date during the pandemic as part of the Flash\u2019s \u201cRooftop Series,\u201d a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36679,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5166],"tags":[12934,3912,4479],"class_list":["post-36681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-bright-star","tag-featured","tag-steve-forbert"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36681","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=36681"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36683,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36681\/revisions\/36683"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}