{"id":48864,"date":"2021-09-02T06:00:46","date_gmt":"2021-09-02T10:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=48864"},"modified":"2021-08-27T15:08:18","modified_gmt":"2021-08-27T19:08:18","slug":"on-stage-the-living-room-is-back-bigger-but-just-as-comfy-as-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=48864","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: The Living Room is back, bigger but just as comfy as ever"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"<\/a>

Laura Mann<\/p><\/div>\n

When The Living Room at 35 East (35 East Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore, thelivingroomat35east.com<\/a>) reopens on September 4, it will be a special event \u2013 for several reasons.<\/p>\n

When singer\/songwriter Laura Mann opened The Living Room at 35 East a few years ago in Ardmore, the venue quickly established itself as one of the premier BYOB listening rooms in the Delaware Valley.<\/p>\n

Laura\u00a0Mann, a veteran Philadelphia musician, keeps a lot of irons in the fire.<\/p>\n

In addition to being a talented singer\/songwriter,\u00a0Mann\u00a0has been a licensed therapeutic and medical massage therapist since 2002. In 2005 she opened her own practice in Ardmore — Relax. Therapeutic and Corrective Massage Studio — and she continues to practice massage.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

In March 2018,\u00a0Mann\u00a0opened The Living Room at\u00a035\u00a0East, a boutique 40-seat listening room in Ardmore. The venue has featured notable regional and national touring artists including Craig Bickhardt, Jeffrey Gaines, Dan Nvarro, Phoebe Legere, Freedy Johnston and Michael McDermott.<\/p>\n

With the pandemic hitting the music industry hard for the last year-and-a-half, Mann closed The Living Room at 35 East.<\/p>\n

On September 4, Mann is staging a Grand Reopening Party for the Living Room at 35 East and there will be a major difference.<\/p>\n

The club, which was formerly located in Ardmore at 35 East Lancaster Avenue, is now located in Ardmore at 35 East Ardmore Avenue.<\/p>\n

The original venue was an intimate space located on the same block as the Ardmore Music Hall. The new venue is a Masonic Hall which has an infinitely larger seating capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe full capacity is 300 but I\u2019ll go with150 max,\u201d said Mann, during a phone interview last week. \u201cIt has big chairs. It\u2019s very relaxed. It\u2019s BYOB and we\u2019ll sell desserts. It all came out nicely. It\u2019s really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Serendipity played a role in Mann, who lives in the neighborhood of both venues, finding the new space.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was taking my dog for a walk, and we saw the Masonic Temple,\u201d said Mann. \u201cIt was a cool building. I looked at it and really liked the vibe of the building. I fell in love with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I asked the Masons what the address was, they told me it is 35 East Ardmore Avenue. Our old address was 35 East Lancaster Avenue. So, I didn\u2019t even need to change the name of the club.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because of the hall\u2019s larger size and a seating capacity of just 150, it makes it much easier for Mann to adhere to CDC guidelines for indoor venues.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as I\u2019m concerned, I have to do things safely,\u201d said Mann. \u201cWe need to protect the musicians, the workers and the audience. Audience members need to be vaccinated, have proof of a negative COVID test, and wear masks.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the Grand Reopening, other shows planned for September are: Sept. 10 \u2014 An Intimate Solo Performance by Andy King; Sept. 11 \u2014 Live At The Fillmore; Sept. 17 \u2014 The Fractals, Stargazer Lily, and Cookie Rabinowitz; Sept. 18 \u2014 An Evening with Lauren Hart and Matt Santry; Sept. 24 \u2014 The Mark Evans Band and Better Ducks; Sept. 25 \u2014 Jim Boggia.<\/p>\n

Before all that is the much-anticipated show on September 4.<\/p>\n

There is another factor making the Grand Reopening a really special event.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

US Rails<\/p><\/div>\n

The show will feature US Rails \u2013 and it is the band\u2019s only stateside date until 2022.<\/p>\n

US Rails is a band featuring four top-flight musicians with Philadelphia roots \u2013 Ben Arnold, Scott Bricklin, Tom Gillam and Matt Muir.<\/p>\n

The roster feature\u2019s veteran players who are among the Who\u2019s Who of Philly musicians.<\/p>\n

A songwriter, musician, performer and producer, Ben Arnold remains longtime fixture on the Philadelphia musical landscape. He has toured regularly throughout the country as well as Europe for the better part of the last 25 years. Originally signed to\u00a0Columbia Records\u00a0in the 90’s, Arnold has since released countless label supported and independent records over the decades.<\/p>\n

For years, Arnold, who is an alumnus of Philadelphia\u2019s C.A.P.A. high school, has been involved in collaborative projects such as\u00a04 Way Street\u00a0(Sanctuary\/BMG),\u00a0US Rails\u00a0(Blue Rose\/Europe), the Los Angeles based indie rock band\u00a0Pistol For Ringo\u00a0(with US Rails drummer Matt Muir) as well as\u00a0David Uosikinnen’s In The Pocket: Essential Songs Of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

Singer, bassist, guitarist, producer, Scott Bricklin\u00a0is a musician\u2019s musician. Soulful riot, screamer, dreamer and believer, Bricklin, an Upper Merion native, lives as an expat in Paris, France. A student of all British Invasion, Beatles and Stones, he was the driving creative force behind two other U.S. major label bands in the 80’s and 90’s \u2013 Bricklin and Martin\u2019s Dam.<\/p>\n

Practically a discographic encyclopedia of all things rock, pop and soul music pre-1975, Gillam is a master electric slide player and a wailing singer fronting his own Texas based band Tom Gillam\u2019s Kosmic Messengers. Gillam, a native of Deptford, New Jersey who has lived in Austin, Texas for a long time, still rocks out on guitar — just with a little more twang.<\/p>\n

Matt Muir\u00a0is a Philly-based musician\/engineer\/producer \u2013 and top-caliber drummer. He has worked with a wide range of artists including Jefferson Berry & The UAC, Graham Parker, Adrien Reju, Joseph Parsons and Chris Kasper. Muir, who grew up in Pottstown, also has been involved an many projects with Gillam and Arnold.<\/p>\n

\u201cUS Rails was formed from the ashes of 4 Way Street,\u201d said Arnold, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cIt was me and Scott Bricklin, Joseph Parsons, Jim Boggia and Matt Muir.<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple years later, Joseph was living in Germany and asked Tom if he was interested in coming there to work with him. Tom was also working with us. So, we all went to Germany and then recorded our first record at a studio just outside of Paris.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got a recording deal in Europe, and we\u2019ve been touring there on-and-off for 16-17 years. About five years ago, Joseph left to pursue other projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe band has continued to grow. In Europe, our audiences are in the 100-500 range. It\u2019s sustained itself enough that we can go there and make great music. Physically, the focus has been on Europe. We primarily exist in Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band was in Europe when the pandemic hit.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were 10 shows into a 40-plus show tour,\u201d said Arnold. \u201cWe were in Spain, and we had to get back to Berlin. We recorded a live album at a club in Berlin and then they pulled the plug. The club closed and will never come back.<\/p>\n

\u201cEdgar Heckman, the founder of our label Blue Rose Records, wanted to multi-track the show. That became our most recent album \u2013 \u2018Last Call at the Red River Saloon.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

US Rails has survived for more than a decade and has evolved over time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sound has changed,\u201d said Arnold. \u201cWe started as a collective of singer\/songwriters like CSN or the Eagles. We started a lot more folk-rock. Now, we\u2019re leaning more toward an Americana rock sound. We\u2019re more electric than acoustic now.<\/p>\n

\u201cTom will not be able to make it here for the 35 East show so we have Cliff Hillis in his place. And we\u2019ll also be having a bunch of special guests at the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for US Rails — https:\/\/youtu.be\/hLu3YwILIuY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Living Room at 35 East on September 4 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Splintered Sunlight<\/p><\/div>\n

On September 4, Splintered Sunlight will perform at the Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) \u2013 a venue that is like a second home for the band.<\/p>\n

Splintered Sunlight\u2019s line-up includes Zeren \u201cButchy\u201d\u00a0Sochorow\u00a0on guitar, Stephen Spatz on bass, Mike Borowski on keyboards and two drummers –Jerry Horan and Scott Toop.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe band started in 1992 bur I didn\u2019t join until 1995. \u201cBefore I joined, the band was playing many shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played in anther band \u2013 the Rum Runners, who took their name from a Robert Hunter lyric. We played Dead music and did shows at the Jersey Shore a lot.<\/p>\n

\u201cA friend of mine told me that he knew a Dead tribute band that was looking for a guitar player. I was living down the shore in Long Branch, and they were in Philly. But we came together.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to gratefuldeadtributebands.com<\/a>, there are more than 300 registered Grateful Dead tribute bands worldwide, including acts in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Japan and 48 of the 50 United States. Only North Dakota and Idaho are lacking. Thirty-one of those bands, including Splintered Sunlight, are in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

Splintered Sunlight sits on an elevated plateau all its own in the Keystone State.<\/p>\n

A short while after\u00a0Sochorow\u00a0joined Splintered Sunlight, the band was signed by a management agency and began getting booked in some of the larger clubs in the region, including the Electric Factory. It has become a regular at SteelStacks, Musikfest and has an annual early July run of shows at Ardmore Music Hall it calls \u201cDead, White & Blue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ardmore Music Hall is our first home,\u201d said\u00a0Sochorow. \u201cWe used to play there when it was Brownie\u2019s. Splintered Sunlight has played more than 1,000 shows at that venue.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve always been a Dead band. We love the music and want to honor the band. Now, we also play Jerry Garcia Band and Ratdog songs. We try to mix it up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done shows in part devoted to a particular Dead album \u2013but not recently. We have three shows in Ardmore this weekend. We\u2019ve made the set lists and they\u2019re a mix of all kinds of stuff.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis weekend, we have a female singer as well \u2013 Rosalind Rose. So, we\u2019re comfortable with 70s Dead music with Donna Godchaux. We\u2019ll have six players in the band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video for Splintered Sunlight \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/5–iWyh9dUk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Splintered Sunlight will perform at the Ardmore Music Hall\u00a0on September 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Jared Feinman<\/p><\/div>\n

Another show at Ardmore Music Hall will feature Jared Feinman on September 3.<\/p>\n

Feinman\u00a0writes poignant lyrics and arranges mournful instrumentals that enhance his vocals and create a sultry mix of jazz and blues. With their mournful and moody style, his signature songs have been coined \u201cmurder ballads.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been into music,\u201d said\u00a0Feinman, who went to Radnor High and then spent his final two years of high school at The Hill School in Pottstown.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started studying classical piano at age 6 and studied it for 10 years. I was also studying jazz piano through high school. Music was more of a hobby back then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Feinman\u00a0was drawn to classical composers such as Frederic Chopin and Claude Debussy. He also studied jazz piano under the renowned jazz educator, the late Jimmy Amadie, who had worked with Mel Torme.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Feinman, \u201cI attribute my feel and approach to harmony largely to Jimmy. He was a powerful influence on me as his youngest student when I was only 15.\u201d<\/p>\n

After graduating from The Hill School,\u00a0Feinman\u00a0attended the University of Richmond as a business major.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hit a crossroad at the University of Richmond,\u201d said\u00a0Feinman. \u201cI wasn\u2019t cut out for school. I jumped ship at Richmond five credits short of graduating with a business degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cEventually, I made my way to Berklee College of Music and graduated as a voice major in 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought about moving to Nashville after graduation. But I chose Philadelphia. Philly has a good scene with a lot of good clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since returning to his hometown in 2017,\u00a0Feinman\u00a0has been releasing singles — starting with his debut release in 2018, \u201cLove Is An Obstacle.\u201d His second single, \u201cAll My Life,\u201d was released in October 2019, and third single, \u201c88,\u201d was released in November 2019.<\/p>\n

Video link for Jared\u00a0Feinman\u00a0\u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/jwPD97u-C4Q<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Ardmore, which also features Atlas Gray, starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $14.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) has two shows scheduled this weekend as part of its Rooftop Series \u2013 both featuring Kategory 5. The shows will be held on September 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. each night.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) will host THE FUTURE OF THE BLUES with Gabe Stillman, Derek Matteson, Zach Lees, Jeffrey Attakorah, Sean McIntyre and Rando Branning on September 3 and Trae Sheehan on September 4.<\/p>\n

People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern,\u00a0peopleslight.org<\/a>) is hosting its \u201cPeople\u2019s Light Drive-In Concert Series\u201d with Sunny War and David Sickmen on September 10.<\/p>\n

The concert will get underway at 6:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

A $75 ticket applies per car, not per person. Up to 5 passengers can attend under a single reservation as long as they arrive in the same vehicle.<\/p>\n

On September 11, People\u2019s Light will present \u201cConcert for the Family! Reggie Harris & Alastair Moock.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show will start at 10 a.m. in The Glen.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $35. Each ticket includes a socially distanced Family Circle on the lawn, with space for up to four adults\/children and one infant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times When The Living Room at 35 East (35 East Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore, thelivingroomat35east.com) reopens on September 4, it will be a special event \u2013 for several reasons. When singer\/songwriter Laura Mann opened The Living Room at 35 East a few years ago in Ardmore, the venue quickly established […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":48860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[7426,12825,5614,14024,14025],"class_list":["post-48864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-jared-feinman","tag-splintered-sunlight","tag-the-living-room","tag-us-rails"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48864","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=48864"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48864\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48865,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48864\/revisions\/48865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/48860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=48864"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=48864"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=48864"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}