Life

City braces for big crowd at Rhythm & Brews tonight

By , Published: July 18, 2013

Hendersonville Main Street director Lew Holloway said the "anecdotal evidence" he's gotten so far signals a big crowd will turn out for the third concert of the new Rhythm & Brews series, which has proved to be a popular Thursday night event.

Balsam Range, the Bluegrass Music Association-award winning band, headlines the free event. The band has a big following in the N.C. mountains and beyond.

"I've been getting calls from people wanting to know how they purchase tickets, which is the first time that's happened and probably an indication of how much interest there is," he said. "We've a couple of vendors out on Fourth Avenue to create as much space as we can."

The show is on "rain or shine," he said, adding that he had been watching radar. The forecast calls for a chance of thunderstorms. "Our permits are such that we either serve it or we don't. We'll go unless it's a torrential electrified downpour. If we get a little thundercloud around 5:15 we may wait 30 minutes before the opening band starts."

The Lonesome Road Band opens the show, which takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Azalea parking lot between Third and Fourth avenues along King Street.

Founded in 2007, Balsam Range consists of five friends with unique experiences and backgrounds that blend together effortlessly to form their distinctive sound. Since bursting onto the scene, Balsam Range has made a definite mark in the bluegrass and acoustic music world.

The band, named after the Haywood County mountains the members call home, was nominated in 2010 and 2011 as International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Emerging Artist of the Year and in 2011 for Album of the Year. Their song "Trains I Missed" was named IBMA Song of the Year in 2011. In 2012 they collaborated with John Driskell Hopkins of the Zac Brown Band and appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in 2013.

In addition to the music there will be a series of events happening on-site, including the "Main Street Mile Run," a footrace which will kick-off the evening at 5:15. You can register on-site or at http://wncracing.com/msmmain.html. There will also be a variety of on-site vendors and activities for the whole family.

Rhythm and Blues is just the beginning of entertainment options this weekend. Here is a rundown of other options.

Deano and the Dreamers
The Music On Main concert on July 19 features the band, Deano and the Dreamers. The band plays favorites from the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s.

The Hendersonville Antique Car Club will be showcasing vintage and antique cars in front of the Visitors Information Center, on Main Street between Allen and Caswell streets.

Seating area opens after 5:30 p.m. Early admission is prohibited. The music starts at 7 p.m. Hendersonville city ordinance prohibits animals in the event area. No alcoholic beverages, backpacks or coolers allowed. Admission is free.

In case of inclement weather the concert will be postponed until 8 p.m. If the weather does not improve, the performance will be cancelled.

For additional information, call Henderson County Tourism Development Authority at 828-693 9708, 800-828-4244 or visit www.historichendersonville.org.

Bamert conducts Beethoven
BREVARD — The Brevard Music Center welcomes conductor Matthias Bamert to conduct two performances featuring all-time orchestral favorites. Bamert leads the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in a performance of Richard Strauss's most recognizable tone poem, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19. The concert also includes pianist Jean Louis Steuerman performing Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 21 in C major.
Bamert returns to the stage at 7:30 p.m. July 20 to lead a performance of Schubert's "Unfinished Symphony" and Strauss's tone poem "Don Juan." After intermission, Bamert will conduct a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5.
Ken Lam leads the Brevard Concert Orchestra in a performance of Stravinsky's "Firebird" at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 21. The concert will also feature works by Liadov, Copland, and Corigliano.
The weekend is rounded out with the Janiec Opera Company presenting three performances of Peter Brook's "La Tragédie de Carmen" at 7:30 p.m., July 18; 2 p.m. July 19, 20. This reimagining of Bizet's timeless classic features the most celebrated music from the original opera performed by an ensemble of four singers and three actors.
All orchestral performances are in Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium on the Brevard Music Center campus. "La Tragédie de Carmen" will be performed in Scott Concert Hall in the Porter Center on the campus of Brevard College.
Tickets are available at 828-862-2105 or toll-free 888-384-8682, at the box office, or online at brevardmusic.org. Parking is free to all events at the Brevard Music Center.

Southern Lights sets dance
Southern Lights Square and Round Dance Club will hold a "Summer Fun Dance" on Saturday, July 20, at the National Guard Armory, Spartanburg Highway (U.S.176), on the right just past the intersection of Upward Road and Highway 176, next to Ingles.
Advance dance is at 6 p.m. Early rounds are at 7 p.m. Squares and rounds are at 7:30 p.m. Caller: Stan Russell. Cuers: Lou and Al Krech. For information or more directions call 828-625-9969 or 828-693-3825.

Harambee Festival
The 2013 Harambee Festival will take place July 19-23 in the Historic 7th Avenue District.
Friday's activities will include music and food from to 10 p.m. The Saturday session will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Activities will include family fun, food, entertainment, arts, crafts, jewelry, clothing, bounce houses, face painting/body art, and much more
Sunday's festivall will be 2 to 6 p.m. in Sullivan's Park in Green Meadows. There will be a Gospelfest, food and a few vendors. For information, call 828-290-5838 or 828-290-5149.

Street Dances continue
The Street Dance from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, July 22, at the Visitor Information Center, 201 S. Main St. The dance features Walt Puckett as caller, Appalachian Fire and the Southern Connection Cloggers.
Appalachian Fire is known for its traditional bluegrass and first rate picking. The six-piece Hendersonville based band is made up of Dwayne Durham, Cliff Searcy, Jim Fox, Mike Williams, and Tim Francis. They play such favorites as "Foggy Mountain Breakdown," "Salt Creek," "I'll Fly Away," and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."
Southern Connection Cloggers is a Hendersonville group under the direction of certified judge and certified clogging instructor, Chip Summey.
Bring a chair, admission is free. Audience seating area opens after 5:30 p.m. Early admission is prohibited. Please leave pets comfortably at home. Hendersonville City ordinance prohibits animals in the event area. No alcoholic beverages, backpacks or coolers allowed.
In case of inclement weather the dance will be postponed until 8 p.m. If the weather does not improve, the performance will be cancelled.
For more information, call Henderson County Tourism Development Authority at 828-693-9708, 800-828-4244 or visit historichendersonville.org.

A Prarie Home Companion
BREVARD — The Brevard Music Center (BMC), a summer festival and institute, welcomes comedian and radio host Garrison Keillor as he brings "A Prairie Home Companion's 2013 Radio Romance Tour" to Western North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23.
The performance will star host and writer Garrison Keillor, comedian Fred Newman, Richard Dworsky and the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band with guitarist Pat Donohue and violinist/mandolinist Richard Kriehn. This non-broadcast show offers more than two hours of duet singing with Aoife O'Donovan, absurd improv with sound effects, Guy Noir Private Eye, poetry, outright foolishness and the latest "News from Lake Wobegon."
The performance is in Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium, the open-air amphitheater on the Brevard Music Center's 180-acre campus. Parking is free to all events at the Brevard Music Center.
Tickets are available at 828-862-2105 or toll-free 888-384-8682, at the box office, or online at brevardmusic.org.

Shakespeare reading at Highland Lake Cove
Shakespeare and Friends at The Cove will be performing a reading of "The Sonnets of Shakespeare" by William H. (Bill) Logan at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at Highland Lake Cove Retreat and Learning Center, 215 Rhett Drive, Flat Rock. The event is free to the public.
For additional information visit www.facebook.com/thaCove or email thecovetheatre@gmail.com.