{"id":44379,"date":"2019-11-28T06:00:03","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T11:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=44379"},"modified":"2019-11-25T10:40:53","modified_gmt":"2019-11-25T15:40:53","slug":"on-stage-holly-miranda-at-city-winery-nov-30","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=44379","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Holly Miranda at City Winery, Nov. 30"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, <\/span>Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Holly Miranda<\/p><\/div>\n

The schedule for music concerts gets a little light over the Thanksgiving holiday. It\u2019s hard for music acts to compete with Thanksgiving dinners, family gatherings and homecoming parties.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, there is a great show on tap for November 30 when Holly Miranda headlines a show at City Winery (990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, citywinery.com\/philadelphia\/<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Miranda is touring in support of her most recent album, \u201cMutual Horse,\u201d which was released on Dangerbird Records. Her previous albums are \u201cHigh Above the City: Evolution,\u201d (2004), \u201cThe Magician’s Private Library\u201d (2010), \u201cHolly Miranda\u201d (2015) and \u201cParty Trick\u201d (2016).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the show in Philly, I\u2019ll be playing a lot of stuff from my last few records,\u201d said Miranda, during a phone interview Thursday from a tour stop in New York City.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll also be playing a few covers. I\u2019ll be playing piano and acoustic guitar. I will also be doing some looping.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Miranda grew up in the Midwest and the South. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI moved to New York in 1998,\u201d said Miranda. \u201cI grew up between Detroit and Nashville. And can\u2019t remember a time when I wasn\u2019t singing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m from a religious family so there was a lot of singing in church. I started studying classical piano when I was five or six. When I was 14, I taught myself to play guitar and started writing songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Miranda has been writing good songs ever since \u2013 including a bunch of new ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working on a new record,\u201d said Miranda. \u201cI wanted to take a break now and play some solo shows. I haven\u2019t played much in the states in recent years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Miranda has been spending more time in Spain and has been living in Ibiza.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLately, I\u2019ve been writing and starting to record,\u201d said Miranda. \u201cI\u2019ve been spending a lot of time in Spain and I\u2019ll be recording there. I do a lot of stuff on Logic and take that into a studio. I prefer to do my own production.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen making an album, your surroundings always influence what you\u2019re doing. But I think the direction of the new record is not set yet. I\u2019ve been spending most of my time in Ibiza. The people here know how to take pause and live in a way that makes sense. The siestas always make it for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There will be no napping for anyone when Miranda is on stage at City Winery.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the Philly show, I\u2019ll play a lot of new songs,\u201d said Miranda. \u201cSome of them are more political. And I\u2019ll be playing some Spanish Leonard Cohen songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Holly Miranda \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/9XmBEYwhTzE<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at City Winery will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at City Winery are Dwele on November 30, Dave Hollister on December 1 and David Benoit on December 3.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMerry Christmas Darling: Carpenters\u2019 Christmas,\u201d which will be presented on December 1 at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center (Upper Darby High School, 601 North Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, www.udpac.org<\/a>), is a concert show celebrating one of the most successful recording acts of all time with their classic Christmas repertoire and a full complement of their biggest hits.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Michelle Berting Brett<\/p><\/div>\n

This production features Michelle Berting Brett singing the songs of the Carpenters. Berting Brett takes center stage accompanied by her\u00a0Nashville band\u00a0directed by Harry Sharpe.<\/span><\/p>\n

A natural off shoot of the show, \u201cWe’ve Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered,\u201d this concert is geared for the fans of holiday music.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Carpenters sold over a hundred million records in just over a decade and still hold the record for the most consecutive top-ten singles. The dynamic combination of Karen\u2019s voice and Richard\u2019s compositions and arrangements created Grammy winning magic and won them a worldwide legion of loyal fans.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Carpenters released two classic Christmas albums as well as two Christmas-themed television specials. Their holiday music is played every season and their Christmas records still top “Favorite Holiday Album” lists every year, even charting on the Billboard Top 100 as recently as 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur first Christmas show was in 2013,\u201d said Berting Brett, during a phone interview last week from her home in Connecticut. \u201cWe have a regular Carpenters show and this is a natural extension.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Originally from Saskatchewan, <\/span>Berting<\/span> Brett trained in opera and theater on scholarship at<\/span>\u00a0Dickinson State University\u00a0in the U.S. and is an award-winning graduate of the Music Theatre program at\u00a0Sheridan College\u00a0in Ontario, Canada. Berting Brett began her career performing in musical theater.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She also performed in murder mysteries, corporate industrial shows, with an improv troupe, as a background vocalist in studio and on tour, and as a voice-over artist. <\/span>Berting<\/span>Brett has toured the world performing the American\u00a0Songbook and jazz repertoire in her own cabaret shows.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, she found her true calling as a vocalist who could accomplish the difficult task of singing Carpenters\u2019 songs just like Karen Carpenter sang them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ironically, Berting Brett\u2019s journey into recreating Carpenters music started with a holiday song.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was doing pop shows and people told me that I sounded like Karen Carpenter,\u201d said <\/span>Berting<\/span> Brett. \u201cThen, my husband Mark (producer Mark Brett) heard me singing \u2018Merry Christmas Darling.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI told him I always had a dream of doing a Karen Carpenter show and he said — let\u2019s do it. I tried it out at a small show in Toronto and it was a great success. We definitely thought we were on to something.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe song \u2018Merry Christmas Darling,\u2019 was the catalyst. It is a favorite Christmas song for so many people. And, it was a big hit for the Carpenters.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for the musical couple to turn the dream into a reality.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started searching around for a music director,\u201d said <\/span>Berting<\/span> Brett. \u201cThe Carpenters\u2019 sound was very special, so we knew we had to find the right person to be the music director. We found Harry Sharpe, who is based in Nashville.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sharpe\u2019s career in Nashville began years ago when he toured with Eddy Raven playing piano and singing background vocals.\u00a0 He did the same with Tanya Tucker and Donna Summer. Sharpe was Wynonna Judd\u2019s music director for six of the 11 years he worked with her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMark, Harry and I hand-picked this wonderful group of musicians,\u201d said Bering Brett. \u201cFor the last three years, we\u2019ve travelled all across the country doing shows. One of the most exciting shows was the one we just did in Downey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Singing Carpenters\u2019 songs and nailing them every time is no easy task for any vocalist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Karen Carpenter does vocally is tremendous,\u201d said <\/span>Berting<\/span> Brett. \u201cShe makes it seem so easy, but it is very difficult. She sang without any affectations. There were no tricks. It was always about that rich, warm tone. She had such a great gift.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Merry Christmas Darling: Carpenters\u2019 Christmas — https:\/\/youtu.be\/4h18WcwaH0Y<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center will start at 3 p.m. Tickets are $40 and $45.<\/span><\/p>\n

When \u201cMean Girls\u201d played Philadelphia in the last two weeks of November as part of the Kimmel Center\u2019s Broadway Philadelphia series, it was a show that a lot of its audience \u2013 fans ages 18-35 \u2013 grew up with.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, the Kimmel Series\u2019 next production is a show that a much larger demographic \u201cgrew up with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Spongebob Musical<\/p><\/div>\n

The show is \u201cThe Spongebob Musical,\u201d which is running from December 3-15 at the Forrest Theatre (1114 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999,www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Spongebob Musical\u201d — the 2018 Tony-winning musical and 2019 Best Musical winner of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards — is making its Philadelphia premiere this month. The show is inspired by the long-running Nickelodeon TV program, \u201cSpongeBob SquarePants.\u201d But the actors are not dressed as costumed cartoon characters, but rather actual \u201chuman\u201d actors on stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

The production features an original pop and rock-infused musical score by a legendary roster of Grammy Award-winning songwriters including Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, David Bowie and Brian Eno, Sara Bareilles, Lady Antebellum, The Flaming Lips, Cyndi Lauper and John Legend among many others.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started this tour on September 22 and we\u2019ve been going strong ever since,\u201d said Beau Bradshaw, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Dayton, Ohio.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bradshaw, a native of Buffalo, New York, plays the role of Patrick Star, a starfish that is SpongeBob\u2019s good buddy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI went to see the show on Broadway a year ago with my mother,\u201d said Bradshaw. \u201c I liked the role of Patrick and my mom said \u2013 you have to play this role\u2026it\u2019s perfect for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As it so often happens in life, what mama says turns out to be true.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI auditioned back at the beginning of March,\u201d said Bradshaw. \u201cIt was a long audition process. I had six callbacks and then found out in June that I had the part. I was very confident about getting the role. It was just a gut feeling.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bradshaw was very familiar with Patrick long before it became a Broadway hit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was a big fan of \u2018SpongeBob SquarePants\u2019 when I was growing up,\u201d said Bradshaw. \u201cI used to watch it all the time. Everybody I knew loved the show.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Enough people have loved \u201cSpongeBob SquarePants\u201d over the last decade-plus that the show has remained popular enough to now be its 13th season on television.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>SpongeBob SquarePants\u201d is an American animated<\/a>comedy<\/a> television series<\/a> created by marine science<\/a> educator and animator<\/a>Stephen Hillenburg<\/a> for Nickelodeon<\/a>. The series chronicles the adventures and endeavors of the title character<\/a> and his aquatic friends. It is the highest rated series to air on Nickelodeon and Viacom Media Networks<\/a>‘ most distributed property. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSpongeBob SquarePants\u201d has won a variety of awards including six Annie Awards<\/a>, eight Golden Reel Awards<\/a>, four Emmy Awards<\/a>, 16 Kids’ Choice Awards<\/a>, and two BAFTA Children’s Awards<\/a>. In 2011, a newly described species of fungus, Spongiforma squarepantsii<\/a>, was named after the cartoon’s title character.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the show, a square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants lives in a pineapple with his pet snail, Gary, in the city of Bikini Bottom on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. He works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. During his time off, SpongeBob has a knack for attracting trouble with his starfish friend, Patrick. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPatrick is SpongeBob\u2019s best friend,\u201d said Bradshaw. \u201cHe is a simple sea star. At the end of the day, his biggest goal for the day is to have a good day with SpongeBob.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people think Patrick is dumb. He\u2019s not. It\u2019s just that with Patrick, there is no hiding his emotion.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the musical, we\u2019re not playing as cartoon characters but rather as real people. We look like people. This show is an homage to classic music theater.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cThe SpongeBob Musical\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/H61m5CNGpKs<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The musical will run December 3-15 at the Forrest Theatre. Ticket prices start at $39.<\/span><\/p>\n

On December 4, The Jacks are coming to the area for a show at Kung Fu Necktie (1248 North Front Street, Philadelphia, 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be confused.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is not The Jacks Band from Vero Beach, Florida. It is not the 1960s Japanese psychedelic band Jacks. And it is not The Jacks, a cover band from the Bristol area in Wales.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Jacks<\/p><\/div>\n

This band is The Jacks from Southern California\u2014a rocking band from Los Angeles. It is a band that recently released its self-titled debut EP on Edgeout Records, a new label exclusively distributed by Universal Music Group.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Jacks\u2019 line-up includes Jonny Stanback (lead vocals\/rhythm guitar), Tom Hunter (lead guitar, vocals), Scott Stone (bass guitar, vocals), and Josh Roossin (drums\/percussion).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cScott and I went to high school together at CDM (Corona del Mar) High in Orange County,\u201d said Hunter, during a phone interview Friday morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe played together in a cover band in middle school and kept playing together in high school and college. We met our lead singer at an open mic night.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMe and Scott and Johnny all went to USC (University of Southern California. We played a year with our original drummer. He left and we found Josh who was playing in another band in the area. Our first show together as The Jacks was in May 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEdgeout saw us play early in Costa Mesa and they were keeping tabs on us. We submitted music to Edgeout\u2019s Tony Guanci and then we signed with the label early this year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a definite bonding agent for the band\u2019s members.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe all had reverence for the classic rock bands \u2013 The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Who and the Rolling Stones,\u201d said Hunter. \u201cWe also have the drive to do something new.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to keep the same vibe as those bands but play music like what those bands would have sounded like in 2020. It\u2019s more like the Stones, Beatles, Zep and Oasis along with Portrait of a Man, Black Keys and Cage the Elephant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the band, \u201cWe are not a rock band, we are a rock n\u2019 roll band.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re pretty collaborative with the songwriting,\u201d said Hunter. \u201cMost of the time, it\u2019s Johnny coming up with the initial chorus or melody. It\u2019s usually always Johnny or I and then the band collaborates.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe track live as a band. We recorded our first EP with producer\u00a0Matt Wallace\u00a0at Sunset Sound\u2019s Studio 2. We did our second EP at Sunset Sound\u2019s Studio 1 with Joe Cicarelli. The second EP is finished, and it\u2019s scheduled to come out in March.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for The Jacks \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/mSN0JRtnW3U<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at Kung Fu Necktie, which also features Wade Cota, will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Kung Fu Necktie are Spellbound on November 29, Out of Service on November 30, Mega Ran on December 1, Vanum on December 2, Elijah the Boy on December 3.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Livingston Taylor<\/p><\/div>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will present \u201c<\/span>The Rock Orchestra performing Genesis\u2019 \u201cThe Lamb Lies Down on Broadway\u2019\u201d on November 29, Livingston Taylor on November 30, Open Mic with guest host Felicia Berrier on December 1 and The Levin Brothers featuring Pete and Tony Levin on December 3.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will host Break Science on November 29, Cabinet on November 30, Sun Ra Arkestra on December 1 and Golden Gate Wingmen on December 4 and 5.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Living Room (35 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, https:\/\/thelivingroomat35east.com<\/a>) will have Mark Evans Band on November 29 and Tree Rats on November 30.<\/span><\/p>\n

118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) will have Melt With You on November 29.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) presents \u201cThe Machine Plays Pink Floyd\u201d on November 29 and Chris Isaak on December 3.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe Louis Walker on November 29, Gary Hoey on November 30, Enter The Haggis on December 1, Christmas with the Celts on December 2, and The Levin Brothers featuring Pete and Tony Levin on December 4.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Locks at Sona (4417 Main Street, Manayunk, 484- 273-0481, sonapub.com<\/a>) hosts Francis Dunnery on November 30.<\/span><\/p>\n

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, www.milkboyphilly.com<\/a>) presents<\/span> Andorra album release, Vital Stats and Jamie & the Guarded Heart on November <\/span>30.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The schedule for music concerts gets a little light over the Thanksgiving holiday. It\u2019s hard for music acts to compete with Thanksgiving dinners, family gatherings and homecoming parties. Fortunately, there is a great show on tap for November 30 when Holly Miranda headlines a show at City Winery […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[7426,12629,9629,8767,12630,12631],"class_list":["post-44379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-holly-miranda","tag-livingston-taylor","tag-michelle-berting-brett","tag-spongebob-squarepants","tag-the-jacks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=44379"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44379\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44380,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44379\/revisions\/44380"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/44381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=44379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=44379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=44379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}