The word September conjures thoughts about the end of summer, back to school sales, pumpkins, and colorful leaves. For music lovers, it also marks the start of a new season of concerts and performances at the historic Avalon Theatre in downtown Easton. Every September the Avalon announces this highly anticipated schedule of events, bringing first-class talent and productions to Maryland’s Eastern Shore – doing away with the often arduous task of driving to metropolises like Baltimore and Washington, D.C. to partake in the cultural goodies many of us treasure.
The Avalon’s fall 2010 calendar does not disappoint. In fact, it may be the strongest line-up of musicians and events the nonprofit theatre has ever amassed into one four month span. Included are the theatre’s usual inclusions of Grammy winners and folk/rock gems (somewhat spoiling us Delmarvans), along with a larger number of well-known names that displays the staff’s commitment to bringing the arts to our region.
The calendar kicks off with one of rock’s most distinguishable voices – Jon Anderson, of progressive rock giants YES. Mr. Anderson performs a solo acoustic set on Sunday, September 5th for a rabid base of YES followers and fans of his solo/collaborative material. Then, folk/pop songstress Dar Williams returns to the theatre on Friday September 10th, performing her radio-friendly hooks and eco-conscious lyrics to the venue where she drew nearly 300 listeners for her inaugural Easton visit.
Be sure to mark your calendar for Friday, September 17th as the Avalon puts on an end-of-summer party with reggae legends The Wailers. Fans of Jamaica’s finest import should rejoice as reggae is noticeably scarce in these parts, and The Wailers represent some of the genre’s finest, most recognizable catalog of music (much of which originally recorded with Bob Marley).
Word is already spreading about the inclusion of Little Feat on the Avalon’s calendar. The ever-evolving band continues to churn out a signature mix of Dixie and funk-infused rock that keeps concertgoers coming back for more wherever they perform. Things should be no different on the evening of October 5th.
Bluegrass has always been very much a part of the Avalon, and local sons Chester River Runoff are sure to deliver with their fresh, 20-something-ish style of pickin’ music on October 8th. And if blues is your thing, then you will not want to miss out on the electric guitar blues of The Robert Cray Band on November 1st. Cray is a five-time Grammy winner with a band that has rarely altered personnel in some 36 years of touring. Eric Clapton has even gone on to crown Cray as the best blues guitar player on the planet.
Still love those 70’s radio standards that defined many listeners’ vinyl collections back in the day? Mr. “American Pie” himself Don McLean performs December 4th. And with country, funk, jazz, Celtic , and jam-rock genres rounding out an already impressive schedule, the Avalon has surely got something for nearly everyone on its list.
Add the slate of entertainment offered in the Avalon’s Stoltz Listening Room (SLR) – a 60-seat, lounge-like space located on the theatre’s second floor – which includes monthly comedy nights and smaller, (even more) intimate shows, and even the hungriest of live music lovers have got some decisions to make.
The best way to reserve seats to these and all other performances is by calling the Avalon’s Box Office at 410.822.7299. Tickets and more information about artists and upcoming events can also be found online at avalontheatre.com.
The Met: Live in HD
A new addition to the Avalon is its partnership with The Metropolitan Opera in simulcasting its 2010-11 season – in high definition on the theatre’s big screen. The feedback from opera fans, as well as those who have always been intrigued about the opera experience, has been “nothing less than overwhelming,” says Avalon booking/house manager Suzy Moore. “As the only performing arts center in the state of Maryland offering The Met: Live in HD series, opera fans from all over the peninsula, Baltimore, and elsewhere are calling us to ask about reserving season subscriptions. They realize that witnessing the same exact performance that is happening in the world-renowned Met – at the same time – while sitting comfortably in our intimate theatre in Easton with a state-of-the-art sound system and a $23 ticket, is quite special.”
A full listing of performances for the series can be viewed at avalontheatre.com. Tickets for the series go on sale to the public on Tuesday, September 7th at 9am via the Avalon Box Office (410.822.7299).
Avalon 2010 Fall Calendar
(all shows at 8pm unless otherwise noted)
9/5 An Acoustic Evening with Jon Anderson (of YES) $45
9/10 Dar Williams $30
9/17 The Wailers $45
10/2 GrooveLily $20
10/5 Little Feat $55
10/8 Chester River Runoff $15
10/23 Tim Finch & The Eastman String Band $25
11/1 The Robert Cray Band $55
11/6 John Eaton – Jazz, Blues, & Broadway $25
11/10 Terri Clark $30
11/27 Clones of Funk $20
12/2 Keller Williams $30
12/4 Don McLean $60
12/7 Eileen Ivers (Holiday Show) $30
12/10 Chris Smither & Susan Werner $30
12/17 Suzy Bogguss (Christmas Show) $40
12/18 – 2pm. Eric Byrd Trio: A Charlie Brown Christmas $15/10 (student)