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Muse Machine presents “In The Heights” with bonus Pre-Show Celebration!

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One the Dayton’s most valuable assets is its robust arts community, from visual art, music, and all forms of performing arts. We cultivate that talent in our youth, through innovative programs like Muse Machine, which serves over 75,000 students in southwest Ohio.

Every January, Muse Machine presents a musical that features more than 100 young people from across the Miami Valley. I was re-introduced to these musical performances last year, and I was simply blown away by the talent these teenagers display. There is no doubt, several . are bound for Broadway!

This year Muse Machine presents “In the Heights“, a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda (creator of Hamilton). The story explores three days of the characters’ lives in the NYC Latino neighborhood of Washington Heights. On the brink of change, friends and family bring their hopes and dreams to life. The score features hip-hop, salsa, meringue and soul music.

The Muse Machine musical has been praised by The Dayton Daily News as “a performing arts all-star effort,” while The Oakwood Register has called it “an evening of true theatrical joy… ” You can see it for yourself Thursday January 16th through Sunday January 19th at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton, Ohio, January 16-19, 2020. Tickets available now through Ticket Center Stage.

Of course attending the performance is a fantastic way to support the organization. If you want to go above and beyond, and have some pre-show fun with fabulous people, consider attending Muse Machine’s annual Social & Show from 5:30 – 7:30 on Friday, January 17, 2020.

There you’ll enjoy cocktails & heavy hors d’oeuvres at Table 33. Each ticket will include food and two drink tickets with choice theatre seating.  It’s an evening you won’t want to miss!  Ticket sales for the Social & Show end January 11, 2020, so don’t delay!

HOW TO GO?

Social & Show Pre-Show Party / Fundraiser

Friday, January 17, 2020

5:30 – 7:30pm
Cocktails & heavy hors d’oeuvres
Table 33 (130 W 2nd St, Dayton OH 45402)

Muse Machine presents the hit musical
IN THE HEIGHTS at 8pm
From Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of HAMILTON
Victoria Theatre (138 N Main St, Dayton OH 45402)

Each ticket includes food, two drink tickets and deluxe theatre seating (seats will be assigned on a first come, first served basis). $45 Ticket for Social only / $100 Social & Show

For info and registration: http://musemachine.com/social/

In the Heights performances:

Thursday January 16, 2020 7pm

Friday, January 17, 2020 8pm

Saturday, January 18, 2020 3pm

Saturday, January 18, 2020 8pm

Sunday January 19, 20020 2pm

Tickets start at $27 and can be purchased here:  https://my.ticketcenterstage.com/overview/6144?fbclid=IwAR04TtWvd-b5JrnGUPpTueUuNmU0tlgtFZOS2nboT3JzjTZBIG_wUJYA77w

Thanksgiving Weekend features Rock’n’Roll Reunions at The Brightside

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Dayton’s finest guitarists reunite for an exclusive show at The Brightside on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday November 27, 2019

Thanksgiving weekend is a time to reunite with friends and family, from far and wide. It holds true for musicians too! This weekend, some very special reunions are happening at The Brightside over the holiday weekend.

On Wednesday November 27th, the weekend kicks off with a showcase that serves to reunite dozen of area’s finest psychedelic rock musicians and their fans for the ultimate Thanksgiving Jam! Dayton music lovers have been attending Werksgiving for years, so while The Werks are taking a break, lead guitarist Chris Houser has invited his friends for an epic line up featuring Subterranean, Kommunity Service (a super group featuring members from The Werks, Boogie Matrix, Subterranean & Arrows of Neon), and Oh Kee Pa performing a tribute to Phish. My advice? Wear comfy shoes and prepare to boogie!

This rockin’ weekend continues with a Black Friday Special on November 29th, which highlights an exclusive homecoming performance by Dayton native Charlie Tipton. He’s been working on his EP in Tennessee and is excited to perform this material with his hometown family! The night is topped off with high energy Blues Rock from Wolf Moon Revival! It’s going to be an incredible night of original Dayton music!

Bonus – both performances will have the Hunger Force Food Truck on site! Their specialty is comfort food, which is perfect for the holiday weekend. So come hungry for this special weekend of live music and reunions with old friends!

HOW TO GO?

Thanksgiving Jam! 

  • Wednesday, November 27, 2019
  • The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton)
    $10 advance at SoundValleyDayton.com through Tuesday at midnight
  • $15 day of show price
  • All ages welcome!
  • Doors 7:30pm / Show 8:30pm.
    • 8:30pm – Oh Kee Pa (a Celebration of Phish)
    • 10pm – Kommunity Service
    • 11:30pm – Subterranean (music over approx 1am)

 

Black Friday Special!

  • Friday, November 29, 2019
  • The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton)
    $10 advance at SoundValleyDayton.com
  • All ages welcome!
  • Doors 8pm / Show 9pm.
    • 9pm Charlie Tipton Solo Set
    • 10pm Charlie Tipton Band
    • 11:45pm Wolf Moon Revival (music over approx 1:45am)

Both shows are also produced by Venus Child Productions.

The Asylum’s Industrial Dance Club Reunites Friday November 29th!

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If you came of age in the Dayton area in the late 90s / early 2000s, there is a good chance you hung out at the Asylum! It was the quintessential alternative club that pumped out the latest industrial dance music. Definitely one of the coolest places to be seen in those days!

The club is no longer there but the spirit lives on! The Asylum Reunion grows in numbers every single year, with last year’s reunion being the biggest turnout with over 300 people through the door! Organizers and DJ’s Matt Freeman and Eric Heilman are thrilled to have been a part of such an incredible club, and then 20 years later still have the opportunity to again gather with such an incredible and fun group of Daytonians!

The latest reunion is happening Friday November 29, 2019 with a pre-party at Barrel House from 7-9pm. After 9pm, the party kicks into high gear at Therapy Cafe. Just a $5 cover to re-live all those awesome memories!  If you’re new to the scene, no worries, you are more than welcome too!

Bonus! To get into the mood of this dance party – there is a Spotify playlist just for you!

HOW TO GO?

Official Preparty
The Barrel House, 417 E 3rd St, Dayton, OH 45402
7-9PM | 21+ Welcome

Asylum Reunion
Therapy Cafe, 452 E 3rd St, Dayton, OH 45402
9 PM DOORS | 18+ WELCOME
$5 COVER

Bluegrass At The Dayton Art Institute Friday

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Dayton area bluegrass fans are in for a truly special treat this Friday November 22nd, 2019 when The Del McCoury Band makes a stop at The Dayton Art Institute during his 80th Birthday tour!  Vince Gill says it simply, and maybe best: “I’d rather hear Del McCoury sing Are You Teasing Me’ then just about anything.”

Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. His six decades of bluegrass bliss brings new triumphs, new collaborations, and new music. With but a single change in membership in twenty seven years, The Del McCoury Band shows unprecedented stability, as well as garnering the respect and admiration of the industry for its unmistakable work.

The Del McCoury Band, the most awarded band in the history of bluegrass, will be joined on state with special guests The Tillers. Thumping their own distinctive sound of string band style folk music for a decade, riding it all over the country and across the sea. Four studio albums and one live record have won them praise as modern folk storytellers of the national soundscape.

Join in this exclusive event at the recently renovated Mimi and Stuart Rose Auditorium inside the Dayton Art Institute. Seating is limited in this beautiful, and intimate theatre. Museum doors, and bar open at 6pm. Guests are welcome to walk through the American Gallery into the Great Hall where the bar is located. This performance is presented by Early Drive Productions, Media partner WYSO Radio and The Dayton Art Institute – Celebrating 100 years in 2019.

How to Go?

Where: The Dayton Art Institute’s Mimi and Stuart Rose Auditorium

When: Friday November 22, 2019. Museum Doors 6pm. Theatre Doors 7pm. Performance 8-10pm.

Tickets: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/2891663/the-del-mccoury-band-dayton-the-dayton-art-institute-special-events

Queen City Silver Stars at The Trolley Stop

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Get on down to The Trolley Stop on Saturday, November 23rd as Cincinnati’s own, Queen City Silver Stars are bringing their original music that crosses over genres, rooting their sound in world rhythms while using homegrown songwriting techniques creating what they call “a midwest mind with a Caribbean soul.”  No matter what part of the world the musical inspiration comes from…it gives you the island vibes that everyone needs!

 

QCSS has two full albums currently available but wanted a new approach with their new batch of songs.  The idea is to record two songs at a time with various producers/engineers in the area, and release them online as virtual A-side, B-sides! After a few batches of songs…they will provide them as a collection that can be purchased at shows.

 

“Boomerang” and “Litte Bird” are available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and many other streaming services.   You can support the band by purchasing their tracks and albums through Bandcamp.    https://queencitysilverstars.bandcamp.com


How to go:
  • Where: The Trolley Stop – 530 E. 5th St.
  • When: Saturday, November 23
  • Time: 9:30pm – 1:30am
  • Cover: $5

D Funk All-Stars present an Old School Groove Night

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If you’re feeling the biting winds of winter already, there is going to be a reprieve this weekend at the hottest dance party of the season: the legendary D Funk All-Stars present an Old School Groove Night in The Brightside’s Vodvil Ballroom!

Making this show extra special is the fact that it’s also longtime Dayton sound engineer Monika Shroyer‘s birthday party too! What a way to celebrate! The party kicks off with D Funk’s set and then moves into after party mode with DJ Dingo. 

So grab your dancin shoes on and head on over for a truly Funkalious event!

How To Go?

Saturday November 9, 2019
at The Brightside Music & Event Venue (905 E 3rd St)

All ages are welcome!

Doors 8pm. Show 9pm.
$10 advance. $15 day of show.

Tickets available here: https://www.soundvalleydayton.com/events/d-funk-all-stars-with-dj-dingo

 

The Brightside hosts $10 Classical Concert!

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The Rodin Trio performs at The Brightside on October 30, 2019

The Brightside is committed to hosting a variety of events to the Dayton area, including classical music too! Dayton’s own Joshua Halpern (cello) is back home from globe trotting with his group, the Rodin Trio, to perform on Wednesday October 30th in the new venue’s beautiful Vodvil Ballroom. The trio is rounded out with Scott Cuellar (piano – faculty at Oberlin) and Philip Marten (violin – Assistant Concert Master at Cincinnati Symphony).

This particular performance is everything typical classical concerts are not: casual and affordable! Organizers are particularly encouraging students to attend for just $7, and $10 for adults – in advance. Quite the value to see performers of this caliber! Pre-sale tickets are available at SoundValleyDayton.com. Note: Ticket prices raise to $10 / $15 day of show.

When I asked Joshua why this hometown show is so special, he explained: “I got my start in Dayton in every way –– Nan Watson, my orchestra teacher at Oakwood, was the first person to put a cello in my hands. Early on I studied privately with her and a couple of other cellists in the Dayton Philharmonic. Betsey Hofeldt, a violinist in the DPO, was the first to introduce me to chamber music, which totally changed my life. I played for years in the Junior Strings Orchestra and the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. I wouldn’t have pursued music without all of these hometown influences and to be able to finally come back and not only see so many familiar faces but thank them with music, and show them (I hope) how I’ve continued to grow, is a really special kind of full-circle moment that brings me a lot of joy.”

If you’ve ever been curious about experiencing the power and beauty of classical music, this is the perfect opportunity!

  • The Program:
    • Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 2 in G major, Op 1 No. 2
    • Martinu: Piano Trio No. 2 in D minor, H. 327
      — Intermission–
    • Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66

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ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Since graduating from Oakwood High School in 2012, Josh has earned degrees from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston and from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Most recently, he completed a chamber music tour of Germany that took him to Berlin, Mecklenburg, and to Beethoven’s former home in Bonn. In June, Josh was guest principal cello with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra for performances in the Netherlands and WHERE, and on tour to Taiwan and China.

Josh first played cello as a fourth grader at Harman Elementary. During high school, he was principal cello for the Oakwood High School Orchestra and the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and was a founding member of the Blackbird String Quartet at OHS. As part of the prep program at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Josh was a founding member of the Polaris Quartet which won the gold medal in the junior division of the Fischoff International Chamber Music competition in 2011.

The Rodin Trio, established in 2017, also includes Philip Marten, violin, who is assistant concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Scott Cuellar, piano, who is on faculty at Oberlin Conservatory. The three musicians each maintain separate busy schedules, but are excited to be playing together again and bringing their music to Dayton.

CO-OP Fest brings Friday night fun, food and music to support Gem City Market!

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On Friday, October 25th, The Yellow Cab Tavern is excited to host CO-OP Dayton for their second annual CO-OP Fest, presented by IUE-CWA. With support from local labor unions and independent, cooperative, and employee-owned businesses, CO-OP Fest is a celebration of Dayton workers and cooperators. It is also a fundraiser for the Gem City Market incubator, Co-op Dayton. The event features some of Dayton’s finest food trucks, bands, poets, worker and cooperative initiatives, raffles, and games!

The musical acts include some seriously funky bands!

6:30pm – Deron Bell Band
8:00pm – Premium Blend Music
9:30pm – Freakquency

There will also be a tap takeover at the Yellow Cab’s bar with Fifth Street Brewpub, Dayton’s own Co-Op Brewery!

Founded in 2015, Co-op Dayton is committed to incubate cooperative businesses to bring sustainable jobs to Dayton and address Dayton’s food crisis through the Gem City Market co-op.

How to Go?

Friday, October 25th, 2019 at The Yellow Cab Tavern 

Cover starts at 5pm with food trucks and meet & greet

6pm the spoken word performances and live music begin.

$15 at the doors / $10 for Gem City Market co-op members.

International Tap Dance Sensations Perform Exclusively at The Brightside on Sunday Sept 22nd!

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The Brightside is proud to present, The Tap Factor in “Soul’d Out!” a live music event featuring Tap dance sensations Christopher Erk, Derick K. Grant, Anthony J. Russo, and Jabu Graybeal. They invite you to share an evening with these four globetrotting Tap dancers as they give their only public performance locally after spending a month touring their show ‘Feet Speak” throughout Dayton area public schools on behalf of the Muse Machine. Accompanied by Dayton’s own Premium-Blend Music, this highly energetic and collaborative dose of music and Tap dance is a “don’t miss” event for all ages!

3 ticket options available for this show:
$20 General Admission advance ticket ($25 day of show)
$40 ticket plus Meet & Greet
$50 ticket plus Tap class and Meet & Greet

Schedule:
4:30-5:15 – All-inclusive Tap dance class – no experience necessary ($50 ticket option – includes all below too)
5:15-6:00 – Sound Check + Meet & Greet / Photo Op ($40 ticket option – includes performance too)
6:00-6:30 – General Admission Doors
6:30-8:00 – Performance ($20 ticket adv / $25 day of show)

More about performers and The Tap Factor:
– Christopher Erk (New York City/Los Angeles) – Performed in the Off-Broadway touring production of Tap Dogs; Founding Artistic Director of the Tap Factor; Absinthe, Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas; Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox

– Derick K. Grant (Boston/New York City) – Performed in Broadway’s original cast, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; Creator of Imagine Tap

– Anthony J. Russo (St. Louis/New York City) – performed in Off-Broadway touring production of Tap Dogs; Cirque du Soliel; Founder of Tapademics; Absinthe, Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas

– Jabu Graybeal – Recipient of the Young Arts Award; Member of the North Carolina Youth Ensemble; Highlight in Dance Spirit Magazine as one of “Tap’s Next Generation of Stars”

The Tap Factor is performing on Sunday September 22, 2019 at The Brightside in downtown Dayton. PHOTO BY SARAH BABCOCK

– The Tap Factor was founded in Dayton by former resident Christopher Erk over ten years ago. While teaching at Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, Dayton Dance Conservatory and beyond, participants would meet weekly at the Tap Factor’s Front Street studio where donation-based Tap classes evolved into a local community of dancers that could be found sharing their joy for Tap at city events throughout the year. Since then, they have taken to the stage collaborating with organizations such as Best Buddies, the Boys and Girls Club of America, with performances at Carnegie Hall and more. Check out the Tap Factor’s journey online by visiting www.thetapfactor.com

World Class Jazz-Funk Duo performs at The Brightside on Wed Sept 18th!

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The Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo makes their Dayton debut on Wednesday September 18, 2019 at The Brightside.

The world-class jazz-funk fusion duo Jennifer Hartswick and Nick Cassarino, set out on a limited engagement tour this fall, and have picked The Brightside Music & Event Venue in downtown Dayton, to be one of the featured and exclusive performances on this debut tour! You can sit in on this intimate set this upcoming Wednesday September 18, 2019.

Trumpeter and vocalist, Jennifer Hartswick is one of the most exciting performers in music today. She exudes confidence and joy and brings her own refreshing spirit to the stage every time she performs. Jennifer’s music is honest, soulful and comes with a maturity far beyond her years. She is joined by Nick Cassarino, an incredible guitarist from Brooklyn, who blew Dayton audiences away earlier this spring with his powerhouse band The Nth Power. This duo is doing a limited engagement fall tour, and have made a special stop to downtown’s newest listening room!

Bonus! Dayton’s own guitar virtuoso, Chris Houser (from The Werks) kicks off this dynamic evening that jazz , funk, and jam fans alike won’t want to miss! Music runs from 8-11pm, which is ideal for a week night out. Pre-sale tickets are available here.

Making it extra special? This show is presented by Venus Child Productions – and is doubling as a birthday party for the Venus Child herself – Libby Ballengee!

How to go?

Wednesday September 18, 2019
The Brightside Music & Event Venue – 905 E 3rd St Dayton OH 45402

Doors 7pm. Music 8pm – 11pm.
Chris Houser at 8pm / Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo 9-11pm
All ages welcome!

Pre-sales just $15! Day of show $18.
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4299698