THURSDAY, JULY 11th, 2013:
Heritage Brass
11:30 a.m.; Allen • brass
Comprised of music teachers – past, present and (one hopes) future – Heritage Brass has played at many festivals and events in Central Pennsylvania, including the Christkindl Market in Mifflinburg, Music in the Park in Lebanon, and the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Jim Ressler (717) 250-4393
A Hair Out of Place
12:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Penn State NU Musical Theatre
Loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s well-known short story, Bernice Bobs Her Hair, A Hair Out of Placeis a “rags-to-bitches” story of a young high school redneck who sets out to make something of her life in the bustling metropolis of Little Rock, Arkansas. As she encounters a social scene treacherous enough to rival Fitzgerald’s original version, she is soon swept up in the glamor and politics of popularity as she learns the hard way that you shouldn’t let it go to your head. This show contains language. Music, lyrics, and book are by Joe Major.
Erin Condo and the Hoofties
1:30 p.m.; Allen • Americana/rock
In the last few years, Erin has lived in different parts of the country- from Texas to Northern California, to North Carolina, along the way composing a new set of songs that draw from soul, swing, bluegrass, country, and good old rock and roll influences. Her new songs tell stories of Texas prostitutes, cheating motel owners, colorful dresses, coal mining towns, and trouble with a capital “T.” Erin currently lives and plays in central Pennsylvania, reuniting with long-time collaborator Bill Wilgus. Bassist John Kennedy and drummer Kevin Lowe round out the band.
Bleeding Love
3:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Penn State NU Musical Theatre
It’s always cold and nothing grows. A cloistered teen cellist must find a real live rose in order to thaw the frozen heart of the rebel punk next door. An eclectic score ranging from Broadway to classical to rock beats within this wickedly demented, post-apocalyptic fairytale for grownups. This show contains language. Book by Jason Schafer, music by Arthur LaFrentz Bacon, lyrics by Harris Doran.
3:30 p.m.; Allen • jazz
Pittsburgh’s Cadillac Jazz Quartet from Pittsburgh is led by bassist Jason Hollar. Jason lays down the straight-ahead bass lines that drive the band and writes many of the tune the band plays. Joining him are drummer Subha Das and pianist Rick Gallagher and sax player Eric DeFade In addition to their work in Cadillac Jazz, Eric and Jason also work together with Pittsburgh’s legendary Billy Price Band. Cadillac Jazz will be performing mostly original songs as well as their own arrangements of classic American standards. Jason Hollar (724) 689-8817
Keystone Society of Swing
4:30 p.m.; Shell • big band
The Keystone Society of Swing is a community based band composed of musicians from the central Pennsylvania area. It plays music of the Swing Era (1930-50’s) throughout central Pennsylvania. Raymond Najjar (814) 933-7521
Yesterday’s Escape
5:00 p.m.; Allen • rock
Annapolis, Maryland’s Yesterday’s Escape has a sound that’s “piano/alternative rock” and is strongly influenced by Jack’s Mannequin, John Mayer, Augustana, and Dave Matthews. Many of the band’s tunes are written by lead singer/pianist Colin Rowe. Rowe is joined by his twin brother and fellow Penn State student Cameron on drums. Lead guitarist Christian Larsen, rhythm, guitar Kevin Schofield and bassist Andrew Walden round out the band. The band is looking forward to playing at its first Arts Festival. Colin Rowe (410) 271-9523
Zeropoint Big Band
5:30 p.m.; Park • jazz
Zeropoint is a conglomeration of sixteen of the leading jazz musicians from Central Pennsylvania. The players in the band are based in Williamsport, Lewisburg, Harrisburg, State College — and points in between. When not playing in Zeropoint, its musicians are collegiate jazz studies professors, independent working musicians, public school music educators, and even couple of computer guys (go figure!). Zeropoint plays the best in “modern” big band jazz: Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton, Thad Jones, Bob Mintzer, not to mention new music written by members of the band.
Rick Hirsch (814) 867-9935
The Feats of Strength
6:30 p.m.; Shell • Americana
The Feats of Strength based in State College, blend the sounds of rock, folk, delta blues, old-time country and jam-band music on bluegrass instruments. They have just released a four song EP available on iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, and more. When the band members aren’t writing new songs, you may find them participating in extreme physical races such as the 12 pack challenge and the Cinder Block 5K.
Brad (814) 360-0505
A Hair Out of Place
7:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Penn State NU Musical Theatre
Loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s well-known short story, Bernice Bobs Her Hair, A Hair Out of Placeis a “rags-to-bitches” story of a young high school redneck who sets out to make something of her life in the bustling metropolis of Little Rock, Arkansas. As she encounters a social scene treacherous enough to rival Fitzgerald’s original version, she is soon swept up in the glamor and politics of popularity as she learns the hard way that you shouldn’t let it go to your head. This show contains language. Music, lyrics, and book are by Joe Major.
Matthew Fries & 718
7:30 p.m.; Park• jazz
This New York City based electric trio plays original alternative groove music that blends modern, creative, jazz-inspired improvised music with the feel good rhythm of a funk-rock trio. Matthew Fries, Phil Palombi and Eric Halvorson mix the sounds of vintage electric piano, electric bass and drumset with modern effects to create a unique experience that is both soulful and progressive. Mark Corado of All About Jazz calls it “sticky chicken-shack meets P-funk music as your satellite orbits New Orleans.”
Pennsylvania Dance Theatre
8:00 p.m.; State Theatre • dance
Founded in 1979, Pennsylvania Dance Theatre has earned a reputation for staging intense dance theater works that are challenging and thought-provoking. Under the direction of Andre Koslowski, the company has performed on national and international stages, and has brought to central Pennsylvania the type of powerful, progressive dance experience enjoyed by audiences in cultural centers like New York and Berlin. The company’s artistic vision surveys the world with an unflinching eye and seeks to reflect the full range of human experience.With a dedication to exploring the borders between contemporary dance and other artistic disciplines, PDT actively seeks out and collaborates with internationally renowned choreographers, set designers, composers and performers. The company believes that working across boundaries creates limitless opportunities to extend the artistic possibilities of dance, and to push the discipline into exciting frontiers.
No BS! Brass Band
9:00 p.m.; Shell •
No BS! Brass Band is a powerful brass band that embraces the spirit of New Orleans into its original East Coast modern funk. Their danceable arrangements are outstandingly well thought-out and organized, drawing inspiration from funk, jazz, klezmer, calypso, and Led Zeppelin. Nearly every member has had conservatory training, holding various Bachelors and Masters degrees in music. Based in Richmond, Virginia, this band has quickly earned a reputation as a premiere band to see for an evening of heart-pounding energy and uncontrollable dancing.
Miss Melanie & the Valley Rats
9:00 p.m.; Allen • blues
This band came together in State College in the summer of 2010 and is comprised of seasoned veterans of the State College music scene and a new kid in town. The combination gives way to classic blues with a subtle twist. Playing blues from all eras but also original compositions, there’s something for all tastes. The band features two members of the fabled Queen Bee & the Blue Hornet Band (Mark Ross & Jack Wilkinson), along with Melanie Morrison on vocals.
Archie Blue
9:30 p.m.; Park • jazz-rock
Archie Blue was formed by State College pianist Arthur Goldstein in 1979 and was a fixture in the local music scene for most of the 1980s and provided the soundtrack for the award winning film, Magic in the Afternoonbefore the band members went their separate ways. Fast forward to 2012 and the band performed again publically for the first time in years to a warm reception. Archie Blue’s music has been called “fusion”, “jazz-rock” and even “prog rock”. Band leader Goldstein says it best: intelligent rhythm music.
FRIDAY, JULY 12TH, 2013:
Zumba with Teresa Soler
10:00 a.m.; Park • Zumba
Join Zumba instructor Teresa Soler for a free Zumba class. Zumba features dance steps that are fun and easy to follow…set to high energy music like salsa, merengue, hip-hop and bellydance! Zumba class is appropriate for all fitness levels and for any level dancer. You do not need any experience to join this class; just come ready to move! Teresa Soler is originally from the Dominican Republic, where she grew up surrounded with the Latin music and dance. She brings her authentic spicy Latin style into the Zumba class, and her energy and smile is contagious. The class is free and open to all: men, women and kids! Teresa Soler (814) 867-3888
Callán
12:00 p.m.; Allen • Celtic
Formed in 2007, Callán is a Pittsburgh-based Celtic quintet that boasts fresh arrangements and a unique sound. With Scottish pipes and Irish dance tunes, their music highlights Celtic musical traditions, but breathes new life into those traditions with modern, original compositions and even jazz influences. Kip Ruefle (412) 680-3379
JT & the Denicats
1:30 p.m.; Shell • blues
The Denicats are some of central Pennsylvania’s most accomplished musicians, coming together to play great blues music under the leadership of JT Thompson, a finalist in the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. For this year’s Arts Festival, the Denicats will feature the Zeropoint band horns and voices of Pure Cane Sugar. “The song is what’s important, and all these guys know that,” says JT. “They’re all great players and they all support each other, knowing when to shine and when to lay back. That always makes for an exceptional performance.”
DNA
2:00 p.m.; Allen • rock
DNA, a group of three brothers from Imperial, Missouri, is on the road to success in the music industry. Chuck, Champ, and Chase Callahan, while influenced by music legends like Queen and The Eagles have a sound that’s new, fresh and different. The brothers want their music to have positive and creative lyrics, great harmonies, and, above all, musical excellence.
DNA has released both a six-track EP, Personality, and a full length album, Plenty of Thoughts. Clint Hutchison (615) 944-2311
Jim Colbert
2:30 p.m.; plaza• guitar
Jim Colbert is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Bellefonte, PA. He also hosts a show on WPSU-FM radio.
Bleeding Love
3:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Penn State NU Musical Theatre
Pepper Lotus Tribal
3:30 p.m.; Park • Middle Eastern dance
Pepper Lotus Tribal is a professional belly dance troupe based in State College, PA. Directed by Shannon Bishop, Pepper Lotus performs Improvisational Tribal Style Belly Dance, every performance is unique! Through non-verbal cues, the dancers “talk” to each other to create a one of a kind performance that features traditional Middle Eastern belly dance. The troupe has performed at Rakkasah East, the largest belly dance festival on the East Coast. Shannon Bishop (814) 883-1131
The Slackwater News
3:30 p.m.; Shell •
The Slackwater News proudly hails from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where a healthy and vibrant modern arts and music community thrive alongside badly lit retail outlets and tourist buffets along with horse-drawn agriculture and a side order of suburban sprawl.
With its second EP Graveyard Matesthe band lets fly another batch of memorable songs that walk that thin line between indie-rock and freak-folk; catchy in their melodies, sweet in their harmonies, and cleverly arresting in their lyrics. They sing about international phone calls, sharing a house with polite ghosts, the oddly comforting certainty of entropy, and the perhaps comforting notion of spending that eternity in the ground with someone you love, your graveyard mate.
JD Eicher & the Goodnights
4:00 p.m.; Allen • pop/rock
JD Eicher and the Goodnights have tours colleges, festivals, and other venues across the northeast and Midwest. Their recently released second album, Shifting, stakes their claim as a band going places. With JD Eicher (vocals/guitar), Ben Portz on keyboard, bassist Jim Merhaut, and Ryan Kirk drums/percussion, the band combines thoughtful songwriting, rich vocals, melodic arrangements, and emphatic delivery to establish their own brand of “subtle pop.”
Scott Mangene
4:30 p.m.; Plaza • guitar
This State College music scene veteran is all about versatility—he’ll play at a bar on Saturday and church on Sunday. Don’t hesitate to make a request! Scott Mangene (814) 280-8261
Vinegar Creek Constituency
5:30 p.m.; Shell • Americana
Vinegar Creek Constituency channels the venerable old ghosts of the American folk tradition through inventive, imaginative original songs delivered with rock’n’roll intensity. Like their forerunners in the roots music of Appalachia, the Mississippi Delta, the whaling towns of New England, and the Oklahoma dustbowl, the songs call out from the crossroads of light and darkness. The musicians of Vinegar Creek Constituency come from diverse musical backgrounds that range from formal classical performance to experimental garage rock to traditional old time string band music.
Ted McCloskey & The Hi-Fi’s
6:00 p.m.; Allen • indie rock
Ted McCloskey’s award winning music has been featured on AMC’s The Walking Dead, NBC’s, The Voice, PBS, MTV, Discovery, and the History Channel, among others. In March 2013 Honda Motors picked up a track from his 2012 album, The Last of the Pin-Up Girls for use in a national television ad campaign. If you have been fortunate enough to see Ted and his band, The Hi-Fi’s, you know the feeling that you’ve seen something special. It’s pure energy—a snarling kind of rock ‘n’ roll that just isn’t made any more.
Sunny Weather
6:00 p.m.; Park •
Sunny Weather first appeared in the late months of 1996, breaking into the Ithaca, New York scene with their blend of roots rock and indigenous music. Often described as a zydeco band mixed with a little reggae, the group began a furious record release schedule starting in 1999, putting out an album every year. Led by vocalist Trevor MacDonald, the band originally started as a trio before turning into a five piece the next year. Some say, Sunny Weather’s continuing success may just hinge on the fact that few things in life make people happier than a little bit of sunny weather.
A Hair Out of Place
7:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Penn State NU Musical Theatre
Loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s well-known short story, Bernice Bobs Her Hair, A Hair Out of Placeis a “rags-to-bitches” story of a young high school redneck who sets out to make something of her life in the bustling metropolis of Little Rock, Arkansas. As she encounters a social scene treacherous enough to rival Fitzgerald’s original version, she is soon swept up in the glamor and politics of popularity as she learns the hard way that you shouldn’t let it go to your head. This show contains language. Music, lyrics, and book are by Joe Major.
Essence of Joy Alumni Choir
7:00 p.m.; Presby • gospel
Since its first performance at the Festival in 2006, appearances of both Essence of Joy and the Essence of Joy Alumni Choir have come to be a highlight of the Festival. Under the direction former Penn State Laureate Dr. Anthony T. Leach, the groups perform sacred and secular music from the African and African-American tradition. The Essence choirs have performed throughout the United States and have undertaken international tours in South Africa and Europe.
Cassie & Maggie MacDonald
7:30 p.m.; State • Celtic
Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, fun, exciting, charming and talented Cassie and Maggie MacDonald have been wowing audiences across Canada with their unique blend of original and traditional Celtic music. Cassie’s fiddle playing has been described as “sweet and elegant with just the right amount of raw power” while Maggie’s piano playing has an irresistible drive that will leave your foot incapable of staying still and complements Cassie’s playing perfectly.They bring more than your garden variety fiddle and piano duo; Cassie is an award winning highland and step dancer and also sings harmony for Maggie. In addition to her piano playing, Maggie sings lead, plays guitar, banjo, and accordion, and is also an accomplished step dancer. Cassie and Maggie’s music fits together seamlessly encompassing various styles from Cape Breton reels to Antigonish polkas, Quebecois fiddling and footwork to down east standards. Their vocal harmonies are sweet yet powerful and their step dancing exact and exciting—both singing and dancing showcase their youthful charm and energy.They have performed internationally at venues from ranging from folk festivals to highland games to the Canadian Embassy in Paris. Their debut album, Fresh Heirs, was nominated for Traditional Recording of the year, and New Artist Recording of the year at the 2011 Nova Scotia Music Awards.
Bovine Social Club
8:00 p.m.; Shell •
Bred on the northern banks of the Delaware River, Bovine Social Club, has a grassy, twangy, swinging breed of Americana Alt-Country sound sure to get your dancing cow on. One wicked lineup of seasoned jam musicians backing the lyrics of vocalist Samuel Saint Thomas, Bovine Social Club is one of the fastest growing new Americana bands in Metro New York.
BSC grows uncommon songs of loving, lying, waiting, picnicking, gardening, contemplating, and making the days go really slow. Their sound is happily fertilized by country, bluegrass, folk, rock, old time, Celtic, Juju, and gospel vocabularies. Bovine Social Club gives thinking people happy feet!
Mark DeRose and The Dreadnought Brigade
8:00 p.m.; Park • acoustic rock
Imagine if you will James Taylor and Dave Matthews spending quality time together enjoying pop rock. Their musical progeny would be Mark DeRose and The Dreadnought Parade. The band’s music is filled with wry metaphors of hope and celebration—the things that makes feel good music feel good. The entire band—Mark DeRose, Aaron Gagne, Jason Mundok, and Steven Courtney—brings high-energy, blue-eyed soul to their folky, funky shows. Mark DeRose (717) 676-9519
The Ultra Kings
8:00 p.m.; Allen • rock & roll/rockabilly
The Ultra Kings have been together for ten years and have been tearin’ it up on stages in the North East and Mid-Atlantic states on a regular basis, and have even toured in Europe. Rick K. Kuebler takes his Bigsby equipped Telecasters on a string twisting and bending workout in every show, resulting in plaudits from fans and peers alike. Carl Ehst slams down that rock & roll beat with authority and conviction, and Zoots Szmigiel manhandles his double bass with the finesse only a former professional alligator wrestler can bring to the instrument. Combining classic rockabilly and straight up rock and roll for the correct balance of happy, fun music, primal rock & roll, rockabilly, surf, and the blues, the Ultra Kings create a sound all their own. Rick Kuebler (610) 966-9911
NU Musicals Cabaret
10:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Mac Arnold & Plate Full o’ Blues
10:00 p.m.; Shell • blues
Mac Arnold’s first band included James Brown on piano. Yes, that James Brown. Mac moved to Chicago and Muddy Waters hired him on the spot. He toured and recorded with the Muddy Waters Band and recorded LPs with Otis Spann and John Lee Hooker. Mac moved to Los Angeles and produced Soul Train with his friend Don Cornelius. He even played bass on the Sanford & Son television show when he wasn’t playing bass for Otis Redding and B.B. King. He retired from show business to be an organic farmer. Mac is back with his own band and a “plate full” of CDs, building a new foundation in blues, soul and funk.
Bethesda
10:00 p.m.; Park •
Bethesda an indie rock group based, interestingly enough, in Kent, OH, is named for a sacred pool mentioned in the Gospel of John, and not the upscale suburb of Washington, DC. The band brings together folk roots, indie beats, crafty guitars, and soaring vocals with meaningful lyrics to build songs that move your heart and feet in equal measures. Blending influences from seemingly unblendable musical genres, the band paints pictures of human drama and nature’s beauty in a melodic fashion that will excite and engage you.
JP Harris & the Tough Choices
10:00 p.m.; Allen • traditional country
J.P. Harris and the Tough Choices play country music, period. You won’t hear any new-fangled, nouveau, mod, watered-down, lite, pop/country Idol-ized stuff from them. If you thought country music ain’t what it used to be, and we do mean, “ain’t”, think again. J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices have been resurrecting the ghosts of a time when real, hardcore honky tonk ruled the airwaves; before the words “pop” or “new” ever met the word “country.” The Tough Choices have two rules: keep it country, and keep it simple. Compared by many to George Jones, J.P. writes with the humor, grit, and grace of a bona-fide road-worn author. In just over a year, If you like to dance, or even just to tap your foot a bit, and if you like scruffy guys in tight jeans, then don’t miss J.P. Harris and The Tough Choices.
SATURDAY, JULY 13TH, 2013:
Outdoor Yoga with Mandy Sargent
10:00 a.m.; Park
Mandy Sergent is a Penn State graduate, an experienced yoga teacher, and certified yoga therapist. She has been teaching yoga in Central Pennsylvania for the past 10 years. She is known for her relaxed teaching style, calming voice, and for making yoga accessible to all ability levels.
State College Area Municipal Band
11:30 a.m.; Shell • concert band
The band was formed in 1967 for the first Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. It has grown and improved and now lives on as a full-season hometown concert band, conducted by Dr. Ned C. Deihl, familiar to thousands of Nittany Lion football fans as the former director of Penn State’s Blue Band. In the 18th season under Dr. Deihl’s baton, the band plays a great variety of concert band music, and especially delights in pops numbers or light classics. The State College Municipal Band is among the best community bands in the country • Ned C. Deihl, (814) 238-8187
Launies
12:00 p.m.; Allen
Launies, otherwise known as Jamie O’Brien, Henry Koretzky, and Bruce Young formed in 1997 and have performed from Hawaii and California to the East Coast and Europe. Band leader Jamie O’Brien’s enthusiasm for the music is contagious and in spite of moving from Pennsylvania to Arizona, the band is still going strong, still loved and still greatly in demand.
Naomi Seidman & Jonathan Dexter
1:00 p.m.; St. Andrews • classical
Naomi Seidman is an assistant professor of flute at Penn State and flutist with The Pennsylvania Quintet and the Rhapsoidos Trio. An accomplished solo performer, she has won several noteworthy competitions and was a semi-finalist in the Beijing Nicolet International Flute Competition. She has earned degrees from University of California at Santa Barbara, Yale University, and the University of Texas.Cellist Jonathan Dexter studied at the Oberlin Conservatory, the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, and the University of Texas. As a recording artist, Jonathan has been featured on a number of motion picture and television soundtracks. Noteworthy performances include shows with Eddie Vedder playing material from his album Ukulele Songs, and playing in Will Taylor’s Texas Swing band, Strings Attached, at the Equiblues rodeo in St. Agreve, France. Naomi Seidman (512)299-3030
Bollywood
1:30 p.m.; Park
Indian ladies and kids in State College have been dancing to the thrilling sounds of bollywood songs for over a dozen years. “Bollywood” –a combination of Bombay and Hollywood, is a term referring to Hindi language films made in India. Bollywood films are mostly musicals, and often contain catchy music in the form of song-and-dance numbers. This program will include both performances and audience participation. Please come and join in the fun!
Deacons of Dixieland
1:30 p.m.; Shell • Dixieland
The Deacons of Dixieland have performed together for over twenty five years. They perform annually at the W.C. Handy Music Festival in Florence, Alabama. Founded as a Christian performing goup, The Deacons continue to play frequent hymn tunes in a Dixieland style, as well as classic Dixieland selections, blues, and country music in a Dixieland style. Their lively brand of entertainment is perfect for a Sunday afternoon. • Jim Ressler, (717) 250-4393
Rustical Quality String Band
2:00 p.m.; Allen • Appalachian string band
The Rustical Quality String Band has been performing together for 34 years! This Festival favorite has played for festivals, happenings, and celebrations of all kinds. The band’s most recent recording was Rescued from Oblivion. Celia Millington-Wyckoff, (814) 238-4295
Andrew Jackson Urban Fusion Jazz Band
3:30 p.m.; Shell • jazz
Andrew Jackson Jazz Ensemble, co-led by saxophonist Dr. Eli Byrne and percussionist Dr. Andrew Jackson, blends elements of jazz, rock, Latin, funk, and soul into musical jambalaya that inspires both dancing and dreaming. Repertoire includes many originals plus songs from a wide variety of artists such as Grover Washington, Jr., Carlos Santana, John Lee Hooker, and Herbie Hancock. The band showcases a diversity of talent as well, featuring established recording artists along with young talented players from the State College area.• Andrew Jackson (814) 574-9777
The Pennharmonics
3:30 p.m.; Park • a capella
The Pennharmonics came to life in 1993 as a summer pick up group for Penn State students. The group’s original members held their first rehearsal on the covered bridge in Spring Creek Park. They didn’t intend to continue once summer ended, but events have a way of changing intentions. Now one of Penn State’s premier a capella groups, the “Penns”, have recorded 10 albums, covering an assortment of genres, including pop, alternative, and classic rock. The group has a tradition of placing in the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella. Radler Kelly (610) 348-3183
Pure Cane Sugar
4:00 p.m.; Allen • Americana
Pure Cane Sugar’s sultry voices, soulful harmonies, and powerful lyrics, evoke exquisite vocals. When all three songstresses, Kate Twoey, Molly Countermine and Natalie Race, combine as Pure Cane Sugar the result is “an assemblage of masterful melodies and haunting harmonies that inspire sweet dreams”. With accompanying artists Jason “Junior” Tutwiler on slide guitar and Daryl Branford on drums, their original, artful arrangements are captured on a backdrop of perfectly textured synergy and rhythm. Their much anticipated second album, recorded live this spring at the State Theatre, is due for release at this year’s Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts! Kate Twoey (814) 280-7433
Jim Colbert
4:30 p.m.; Plaza • guitar
Jim Colbert is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Bellefonte, PA. He also hosts a show on WPSU-FM radio.
Scott Mangene
4:30 p.m.; Muni • guitar
This State College music scene veteran is all about versatility—he’ll play at a bar on Saturday and church on Sunday. Don’t hesitate to make a request! Scott Mangene (814) 280-8261
Academy of Sacred Music Choral Institute Choir
4:30 p.m.; Presby • classical choral
The Academy of Sacred Music promotes scholarship and skill development in the field of scared music with vocalists and instrumentalists from all religious traditions. Its Choral Institute is a workshop for singers and conductors to strengthen and refine their musical skills, Through the Choral Institute, the Academy has produced concerts of repertoire as varied as Beethoven and John Rutter.The 2013 Choral Institute performance focuses on the energetic, rhythmic and beautifully lyric Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi. The concert will also feature shorter sacred works suitable for church and community choirs.The Choral Institute Choir, under the direction of Robert Long, will be joined by soprano Julie Hanlon and a chamber ensemble of the finest musicians from Central Pennsylvania.
Robert Long: academyofsacredmusic@gmail.com
Summit Hill Bluegrass
5:30 p.m.; Park • bluegrass
Strasburg, Pennsylvania’s Summit Hill Bluegrass is comprised of four members, Roger Eberlin on bass fiddle, mandolin and lead vocals, Ron McVey on fiddle, Keith Kupp on the banjo and Tim Kilby on guitar. The group has been playing together for over fifteen years and has performed at many regional festivals and special events. Ron McVey (717) 687-0265
Biscuit Jam
5:30 p.m.; Shell • Americana
Biscuit Jam performs unique acoustic interpretations of classic rock favorites as well as traditional folk songs and Americana-flavored original compositions. Mark Hill (814) 883-3057
Deirdre Flint
6:00 p.m.; Allen • folk/satirical
No two ways about it, Deirdre Flint is a perennial favorite with Festival-goers.
With songs about cheerleaders, the metric system and past life regression, Deirdre’s music and humor land her at the intersection where folk music and stand-up comedy collide. Since her first CD, The Shuffleboard Queens, was released, she has toured the country, performed at Kerrville Folk Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, the Kennedy Center, and World Café. Deirdre’s songs have been heard on TLC’s A Dating Story; and FX’s Nip/Tuck. The New York Times, USA Today agree with BillboardMagazine when they speak of Deirdre….”This is grown up satire with a non-cynical wink and easily more compelling than so much that reaches the million-selling mark.”
Deirdre will also be performing Saturday evening with The Four Bitchin’ Babes. Deirdre Flint (215) 668-6472
A Hair Out of Place
7:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Penn State NU Musical Theatre
(Loosely based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Bernice Bobs Her Hair,” ) A “rags-to-bitches” story of a young high school redneck who sets out to make something of her life in the bustling metropolis of Little Rock, Arkansas. As she encounters a social scene treacherous enough to rival Fitzgerald’s original version, she is soon swept up in the glamor and politics of popularity as she learns the hard way that you shouldn’t let it go to your head.Brad Fey
7:00 p.m.; plaza • acoustic guitar
Brad Fey, of Brad Fey and The Feats of Strength, has been performing in bands in State College for almost 20 years.
The Crawdaddies
Sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association
7:30 p.m.; Shell • roots rock/zydeco/blues
A band founded in 1995 on the premise of “why not, it might just work,” The Crawdaddies infuse Cajun, zydeco, blues, ska, roots, rock and reggae into an incomparable, groove laden sound that is unquestionably its own. The band has been featured in Dirty Linen magazine three times, has toured extensively earning a strong grass roots following and is a regular fixture on the national college, festival and theater circuits. The band has performed many major festivals including Bethlehem’s Musikfest, and the Virginia Wine Festival. The Crawdaddiesʼ performance from the W.C. Handy Blues Festival in Henderson, Kentucky is now being featured nationwide on the popular PBS music program Jubilee. The band’s most recent CD is 2010’s Live from the Road. Chris Huntington (410) 903-8634
Brethren
7:30 p.m.; Park • indie folk
Brethren is an indie folk band consisting of a pair of bothers and three friends who have been writing, recording, and performing for the past ten years, The band’s guitars, bass, keyboard, and drums are complemented by vocals in three party harmony. Brethren’s is known for performances that are high energy and filled with catchy tunes. The band recently performed the Mount Hope BrewFest.
The Four Bitchin’ Babes
8:00 p.m.; State
These four accomplished musician-actress comediennes come together taking turns in the spotlight filling it with whimsical songs and shtick, presenting the hippest and most luxurious girl group harmonies “evah!” Playing their own guitars, bass, piano, Irish Bodhran, mandolin, and ukulele, this hilarious renegade sorority of gal pals use wit, sophisticated (never blue) stand-up humor, and enough bling to hypnotize the first five rows of any theatre, creating an evening of wildly fun and raucous delight! This summer marks the 24th season of the Babes of touring and recording. Longtime Babes Sally Fingerett, Debi Smith and Deirdre Flint welcome new Babe Marcy Marxer to their signature brand of estrogen-infused mayhem. The group’s latest CD, its 9th, is Mid Life Vices!
Bookends
8:00 p.m.; Allen • acoustic folk
Bookends is back for an encore! The trio Bookends was a large part of the 1980s music scene in State College. The trio of Chris Mincer, Bet Williams, and Susie Kocher crafted a sweet acoustic folk sound that was just the right counterpoint to the big hair, glitz and glamour of the Dallas and Dynasty years. Their warm stage presence and mixed repertoire of original tunes and covers made them one of the most memorable bands of that era. Fans will remember their covers of songs by Manhattan Transfer, The Grateful Dead, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkle, among others. Since that time, the trio has gone its separate ways; Bet to a music career in Germany, Chris to life as a guitar teacher in State College, and Susie life as a pharmaceutical sales rep who sings and does community theatre in Asheville, North Carolina. The Festival is delighted to bring them back together again after an outstanding performance at the 2012 Festival. Chris Mincer (814) 360-5013
The Sweetback Sisters
9:30 p.m.; Park • cowgirl
Sweetback Sisters Emily Miller and Zara Bode may not be blood relations, but their precise, family-style harmonies recall the best of country music from the Everlys to The Judds, as well as the spirited rockabilly energy of Wanda Jackson, one of the band’s role models. Like the artists they admire, the Sweetbacks are concerned with the traditional subjects of heartbreak, revenge, remorse and staying strong in the face of relationships gone wrong, albeit with a contemporary sensibility. “We’re a renegade retro band that mixes up country, swing and honky tonk,” explains Bode. “Sometimes what we deliver is straight out of the 50s; other times it’s BR549 meets The B52s.”
NU Musicals Cabaret
10:00 p.m.; Theatre • musical theatre workshop
Velveeta
Sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association
10:00 p.m.; Shell • 80s cheese
Velveeta the cheese food is a staple in the dairy case at fine supermarkets across the country. Developed in 1918 by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York, Velveeta is a quintessentially American consumer product. Velveeta, the musical phenomenon, has been a staple of the central Pennsylvania nightclub scene since a legendary performance in State College in the summer of 1995. With a repertoire made of “80’s cheese”, otherwise known as cover tunes that you just can’t get out of your head, Velveeta the musical phenomenon is a quintessentially Penn State musical experience. It will make you nostalgic for the early days of MTV. Brent Martin (814) 883-1783
My Hero Zero
10:00 p.m.; Allen
My Hero Zero has honed its captivating blend of showmanship, talent, and pop-savvy to become State College PA’s most popular band, seen by well over a thousand Penn Staters on a weekly basis. . My Hero Zero reinvents songs with unique arrangements and mash-ups brings new life to current dance hits and old favorites alike. Four-part harmonies, grin-inducing choreography, surprising instrument-switches, and abundance of danceable tunes gives this band all the ingredients to make an unforgettable show.
SUNDAY, JULY 14TH, 2013:
The Long Afternoon
12:00 p.m.; Shell• indie rock
Indie rock pioneers The Long Afternoon formed in Pittsburgh in 1985. After recording an EP and planning a national tour, the band broke up and remained dormant for some time. With some personnel changes the band regrouped and released its first album, The Luxury Problem, in 2006. The Long Afternoon’s latest album, An Index of Maladjustments was released in 2011.
Andy Tolins Bluegrass Revue
12:30 p.m.; Allen • bluegrass
Andy Tolins is an award-winning guitarist, songwriter, and singer and a fixture in the State College music scene. Tolins’ Bluegrass Revue is a bluegrass- and folk- driven quartet whose music features classic and contemporary bluegrass, country, and fiddle tunes, and Tolins’ original tunes.
Bellefonte Community Band
1:30 p.m.; Park • symphonic band
The Bellefonte Community Band is very excited to return to the Arts Festival this year. The 50-member ensemble has entertained the Centre Region with classical pieces, marches, and arrangements of modern songs since 1983. Musicians range from high school students to retirees and hail from Philipsburg, Pine Grove Mills, and everywhere in between.
The Project
1:30 p.m.; Shell• rock
“The Project” is a piano-based classic rock/pop group from Central Pennsylvania. This is its first appearance at the Festival. John Wise (814) 441-1796
Tussey Mountain Moonshiners
2:30 p.m.; Allen • bluegrass
Fronted by talented multi-instrumentalist Stephen Buckalew, the Tussey Mountain Moonshiners is a quartet that plays traditional bluegrass, old-time, and folk music as well as original tunes. Winners of The Acoustic Brew’s local showcase competition, the Tussey Mountain Moonshiners have become a favorite at Central Pennsylvania events. In 2010, the band won the DelFest Bluegrass Band Competition. The band’s album, I’m Coming Home, was released in 2011. Gwen Stimely (814) 321-3408
The Earthtones
3:30 p.m.; Shell • reggae
The Earthtones have shared the stage with Burning Spear, Ziggy Marley, The Wailers, Yellow Man, and Culture. They have performed at Mayfair in Allentown and Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA. Their CDs include Spirits, Earthtones Live, The Coast is Clear and Full Circle.
Below Centre
4:30 p.m.; Allen • brass
Low brass instruments are the foundation of every concert band but don’t get to be in the spotlight very often. Below Centre is a tuba quartet from State College. Leigh Hurtz, Mike Loewen, Phil Jensen and Leif Jensen play music arranged for two euphoniums and two tubas. Their deep and rich harmonies stand out as they play marches, ragtime, jazz, Latin, popular tunes, and a classical number or two. Leif Jensen (814) 574-6824 Event Information from: www.arts-festival.com