{"id":50433,"date":"2022-05-19T07:35:25","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T11:35:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=50433"},"modified":"2022-05-19T07:35:38","modified_gmt":"2022-05-19T11:35:38","slug":"on-stage-hairspray-returns-to-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=50433","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Hairspray returns to Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

\"\"

Hairspray<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s been more than a decade since \u201cHairspray\u201d went on a National Tour and played a run in Philadelphia. The show, which is filled with fun numbers and poignant messages, is a delight that shouldn\u2019t be missed.<\/p>\n

Now through May 22, the Kimmel Cultural Campus (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia,\u00a0www.kimmelculturalcampus.org<\/a>) is presenting the National Tour of \u201cHairspray\u201d at the Miller Theater (formerly the Merriam Theater).<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s 20th\u00a0Anniversary is this year, and this is the first time\u00a0\u201cHairspray\u201d has toured since 2009. The show\u2019s messages of inclusivity are as timely and relevant as ever, whether it be about self-acceptance and body positivity or the resonance with the experiences of people of color today. <\/p>\n

\u201cHairspray\u201d started out many years ago as a John Waters movie \u2013 a typically off-beat Waters piece that eventually became a cult favorite.<\/p>\n

Set in 1962\u00a0in Baltimore,\u00a0Maryland (Waters\u2019 hometown), the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad’s dream to dance on\u00a0The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life\u00a0Buddy Deane Show.<\/p>\n

When Turnblad wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, leading to social change as she campaigns for the show’s integration.<\/p>\n

In 2002, the musical version of \u201cHairspray\u201d made its debut at Seattle\u2019s 5th Avenue Theatre. Two months later, it opened on Broadway to rave reviews and went on to win eight 2003 Tony Awards \u2013 including \u201cBest Musical.\u201d It ran for\u00a02,642 performances and closed on January 4, 2009.<\/p>\n

\u201cHairspray\u201d\u00a0has also had national tours, a West End production, and numerous foreign productions. It was also adapted as a\u00a02007 musical film. The London production was nominated for a record-setting eleven\u00a0Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four, including\u00a0\u201cBest New Musical.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show is a lavish production with great singing, sparkling dance routines, top-notch acting and colorful sets and costumes. It is also a thought-provoking story that is set in the early 1960s and deals with prejudices against blacks and fat people.<\/p>\n

The story has a lot of messages \u2013 especially about discrimination and desegregation. But it\u2019s not a heavy show \u2013 it\u2019s a feel-good show. The main thing is that people have a good time when they come to this show.<\/p>\n

Turnblad, an overweight teenager with all the right moves, is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny run home to watch the show and drool over the hot Link Larkin, much to Tracy\u2019s mother Edna\u2019s dismay.<\/p>\n

After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins holds auditions to see who the next person on the Corny Collins show will be. With all of the help of her friend Seaweed, Tracy makes it on the show, angering the evil dance queen Amber Von Tussle and her mother Velma.<\/p>\n

Tracy then decides that it’s not fair that the black kids can only dance on the Corny Collins Show once a month. With the help of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle, her father and Edna, Turnblad sets out to integrate the show.<\/p>\n

The cast will be led by\u00a0Andrew Levitt a.k.a. Nina West\u00a0(from \u201cRuPaul\u2019s Drag Race\u201d) as Edna Turnblad,\u00a0Niki Metcalf\u00a0as Tracy Turnblad and\u00a0Sandie Lee\u00a0as Motormouth Maybelle.\u00a0 Joining them are\u00a0Billy Dawson\u00a0as Corny Collins,\u00a0Will Savarese\u00a0as Link Larkin,\u00a0Emery Henderson\u00a0as Penny Pingleton,\u00a0Jamont\u00e9\u00a0D. Bruten\u00a0as Seaweed J. Stubbs,\u00a0Kaelee Albritton\u00a0as Amber Von Tussle and\u00a0Addison Garner\u00a0as Velma Von Tussle.<\/p>\n

In a show filled with upbeat high school kids and open-minded parents, the show\u2019s \u201cbad guys\u201d are the Von Tussles \u2013 especially the mom, Velma Von Tussle.<\/p>\n

The villainess of\u00a0Hairspray is Velma Von Tussle — Amber Von Tussle\u2019s scheming mother and producer of\u00a0The Corny Collins Show, who pushes her daughter to seek the stardom that she never had.<\/p>\n

\u201cVelma is always true to her beliefs and her upbringing \u2013 pageants and the South,\u201d said Garner, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cShe always sticks to her character.\u201d<\/p>\n

Garner has a real insight into the role.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very relatable for me,\u201d said Garner. \u201cI was a Southern Belle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Opelika, Alabama. I was always involved in arts, piano and ballet. When I was in sixth grade, I played Annie in a community theater production. When I did \u2018Annie,\u2019 I caught the acting bug.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gardner pursued theater throughout grade school and high school and then was Bachelor of Fine Arts major at the University of Mobile.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I said I was a Southern Belle, I meant it,\u201d said Gardner. \u201cI was a Southern Belle in every shape and form.<\/p>\n

\u201cI competed in a lot of pageants including the Miss Alabama pageant which is part of Miss America. I was in the Top 10 at the Miss Alabama pageant in 2012.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Gardner auditioned for the National Tour of \u201cHairspray,\u201d she already had a leg up on the competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI played Velma Von Tussle on a cruise ship,\u201d said Gardner. \u201cIt was on the Royal Caribbean\u2019s Symphony of the Seas. It was the inaugural take-out cast and we did it for 10 months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they were auditioning for the National Tour of \u2018Hairspray,\u2019 the casting was done by Stewart\/Whitely Casting. It was the same people who cast me for the role on the cruise ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gardner definitely has an affinity for \u201cHairspray.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI like \u2018Hairspray\u2019 because it\u2019s a story about the underdog,\u201d said Gardner, who in real life is just a few years older than the actress playing her daughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cTracy is not afraid to be herself in spite of so much rejection. Tracy is someone who defies all the odds.<\/p>\n

\u201cAudiences really love the show. I\u2019ve been in theater for a long time, and this is the first show I\u2019ve been in where the audience is on their feet at the end of the night very night.\u201d<\/p>\n

The National Tour has a very strong cast. Christopher Swan\u00a0plays Wilbur Turnblad and\u00a0Kal\u00e9a Leverette\u00a0plays Little Inez with Caroline Daye Attayek, Kelly Barberito, Helene Britany, Jamont\u00e9 Bruten, Tanner Callicutt, Shante Clarke, Ryahn Evers, Carly Haig, Michael Harmon, Michael Corey Hassel, Kaleb Jenkins, Greg Kalafatas, Gabriel Kearns, Stevie LeWarne, Jr., Nichelle Lewis, Brendan Morris, Faith Northcutt, Adam Blake Raque, Nadia Ra\u2019Shaun, Ren\u00e9e Reid, Micah Sauvageau, Gabriyel Thomas and Emmanuelle Zeesman as members of the ensemble.<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cHairspray\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/1wO6h8AuOks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This new touring production reunites Broadway\u2019s award-winning creative team, led by Director\u00a0Jack O\u2019Brien\u00a0and Choreographer\u00a0Jerry Mitchell.<\/p>\n

\u201cHairspray\u201d will run through May 22 at the Miller Theater. Ticket prices start at $39.<\/p>\n

On May 19, the\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) is presenting the May edition of its monthly\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Comedy\u00a0Club and it will have a Delaware County connection.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Pat House<\/p><\/div>\n

The headliner is Pat House who graduated from Cardinal O\u2019Hara High School in Springfield while the feature is Hannah Trav, who grew up in Delaware County and graduated from Temple Law School (as Hannah Travaglini). The emcee is Philadelphia-based Nicole Phoenix.<\/p>\n

House is a nationally touring comedian based out of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always loved comedy,\u201d said House, during a phone interview Tuesday night during a break from his job as a bartender at Paxon Hollow Country Club in Media.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always watching Comedy Central when I was in grade school and high school.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was in college at Temple University, they had a once-a-month comedy show on campus. Once I saw comedians perform live on stage, I knew I had to try it.\u201d<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for him to dip his toe in the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first open mic was October 13, 2004 at Laff House on South Street,\u201d said House, who graduated from Cardinal O\u2019Hara on 2003.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was about three or four minutes, and it went well. The second time I did an open mic went well too. Then from the third time to the 20th time, I bombed. After two successful ones, I went month to month without a good one.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just had simple jokes at that time \u2013 puns or little jokes \u2013 quick easy set up\/punch line jokes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to open mics every week for years. I did networking. I learned what other open mic comedians were doing that worked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was all about getting onstage as much as I could. For about three or four years, I was doing open mics at Laff House and Helium. After a couple years, I got bumped up to feature.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was getting more personal in my routines \u2013 talking about things instead of making up jokes. And I was getting better at reading crowds.\u201d<\/p>\n

House was successfully climbing the comedy ladder.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first headline gig was in 2013,\u201d said House, who now has performed in more than 20 states.<\/p>\n

\u201cI headlined Helium and recorded my first album, \u2018Biggest Thing,\u2019 the same night. Now, I headline Helium every November.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore the pandemic, I was doing 250-300 shows a year \u2013 both headline and feature. This will be the fourth or fifth time I\u2019ve played Candlelight.\u201d<\/p>\n

For House, everyday life seems to be a great source of material.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy whole entire act is autobiographical,\u201d said House, who majored in public relations at Temple.<\/p>\n

House has worked the last 18 years as a bartender \u2013 which is sort of the ultimate public relations gig. It is also a great source of material.<\/p>\n

Spending years bartending and interacting with strangers, he was constantly intrigued, amazed and extremely annoyed at the ridiculous things people say and do in public. With matter-of-fact delivery and sharp observations, His material is relatable to anyone tortured by the absurdity of others.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took me about 10 years to get good at reading a crowd,\u201d said House, who released his latest album, \u201cHeard Enough Yesterday<\/a>,\u201d in 2018. \u201cNow I feel really confident and comfortable onstage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Pat House — https:\/\/youtu.be\/-XeQR_IbYnE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Show at the\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Theater on May 19 will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, which include complimentary snacks, iced tea, lemonade and coffee, are $30. There will be a full-service bar open throughout the show.<\/p>\n

Pr<\/a>oof of Vaccination or negative test required.\u00a0Masks are required entering and exiting the theatre.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Candlelight\u00a0Theater is in the early stages of its third production run of 2022. \u201cClue On Stage\u201d\u00a0is running now through June 26.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cClue: On Stage\u201d is adapted from the Paramount Pictures film written by Jonathan Lynn and the board game from Hasbro, Inc. written by\u00a0Sandy Rustin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It’s a dark and stormy night, and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party.<\/p>\n

Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well . . . dead. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth the butler, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up.<\/p>\n

The play is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery that will leave both cult-fans\u00a0and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out\u2026WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClue On Stage\u201d is a madcap comedy that will keep audiences guessing until the final twist.<\/p>\n

\u201cClue On Stage\u201d is running now through June 26 at the Candlelight Theatre. Tickets, which include dinner, beverages and dessert, are $65.50 for adults and $33 for children (ages 4-12).<\/p>\n

The arrival of COVID-19 and the accompanying pandemic lockdowns were a kick in the groin to bands and music clubs around the world.<\/p>\n

Different music acts reacted in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n

Some went into a hiatus of indeterminate length. Some \u2013 in climates warm enough \u2013 resorted to outdoor shows with social distancing. Some performed Livestream concerts to empty rooms to give their fans something to listen to and watch.<\/p>\n

Many went into retreat status where they focused on writing, recording solo tracks or making collaborative recordings with others via Zoom. Others temporarily abandoned music and opted for other more conventional careers like plumbing, teaching via the internet or other arts such as painting or sculpting.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The North Country<\/p><\/div>\n

The North Country, which will be headlining a show on May 19 at The Pharmacy (1300 South 18th Street, Philadelphia, www.thepharmacyphilly.org<\/a>), opted to work on a new musical project \u2013 a project that would eventually become their brand-new EP, \u201cBorn at the Right Time (Exquisite Corpse).\u201d<\/p>\n

The EP is scheduled to be released on July 15 on Misra Records. All songs written, performed, and recorded by Austin Blanton, Andrew Grossman, Laurel Halsey, Jon Harmon, Kirk Kubicek, and Margot MacDonald.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made the record during the height of the lockdown,\u201d said Grossman, during a phone interview Monday from his home in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded it remotely entirely using home gear. It was a way to stay busy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started working on it at the end of 2020 and early in 2021. We got halfway through and thought we had something.\u201d<\/p>\n

2020 was going to be The North Country’s year. After the successful release of two singles, “Future Humans” and “Freaks,” sold out release shows in D.C. and New York and a tour to SXSW coming up, the band was gearing up to share their music and brimming with optimism. Then Covid struck.<\/p>\n

The North Country has always been somewhat unconventional with its musical offerings.<\/p>\n

Blending polyphonic psychedelia, classic American songwriting and soulful indie-rock compositions, The North Country is a band with a distinct message and broad appeal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI say that we\u2019re an experimental pop collective rooted in indie rock,\u201d said Grossman.<\/p>\n

Unconventional and experimental are two good adjectives to describe \u201cBorn at the Right Time (Exquisite Corpse).\u201d<\/p>\n

The process was multi-layered.<\/p>\n

Each member of the band would write and record a short piece of music then send it to one other person in the band. Then that person would work on it, adding to it for one week and then pass it along to one other person in the band.<\/p>\n

The band set up a schedule using a 6×6 matrix of non-repeating numbers in rows and columns so that each piece of music was passed to a new person in the band, in a unique order, and each person sent to and received from someone new each week. Nobody heard the whole thing until the very end.<\/p>\n

The rules were simple \u2013 \u201cOne or two ideas added per round. Ideas can be instrumental, structural, lyrical. Don\u2019t be afraid to get weird.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sent the files back-and-forth, and everyone wrote a small piece,\u201d said Grossman. \u201cEveryone contributed to every song. It was done in a unique way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExquisite corpse\u201d\u00a0(from the original French term\u00a0\u201ccadavre exquis\u201d), is a method by which a collection of words or images is collectively assembled. Each collaborator adds to a composition in sequence, either by following a rule or by being allowed to see only the end of what the previous person contributed.<\/p>\n

This technique was invented by\u00a0Surrealists\u00a0and is similar to an old\u00a0parlor game\u00a0called\u00a0consequences\u00a0in which players write in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal part of the writing, and then pass it to the next player for a further contribution.<\/p>\n

The name is derived from a phrase that resulted when Surrealists first played the game, “Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau.” (“The exquisite corpse shall drink the new wine.\u201d).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole thing was mastered in summer 2021,\u201d said Grossman. \u201cWe were looking for a label to release it. We got a manager and he shopped it around. Misra Records was interested, and it was a label we knew and liked.\u201d<\/p>\n

The North Country has always been Grossman\u2019s project.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re based in D.C and have been around for more than 10 years,\u201d said Grossman. \u201cOur first album was \u2018You Can Never Go Home Again,\u2019 in 2012. The current iteration of the band is about 4-5 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked about the evolution of the band\u2019s music, Grossman replied, \u201cIt\u2019s changed dramatically for the better. I think we\u2019ve found what the band is supposed to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The North Country — https:\/\/youtu.be\/G4a29xX-K5U<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Pharmacy on May 19 will start at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Another show at The Pharmacy this weekend will feature The Rogetones on May 20.<\/p>\n

John van der Put is one of the most popular comedian\/magicians in Las Vegas \u2013 but most people\u2026even die-hard Vegas visitors\u2026draw a blank when they hear his name.<\/p>\n

Mention his stage name — Piff the Magic Dragon \u2013 and it\u2019s a whole different story.<\/p>\n

In 2008, van der Put created his stage persona of Piff the Magic Dragon, dressing in a green, red and yellow dragon costume, with self-deprecating humor and deadpan delivery. He is assisted by \u201cMr. Piffles,\u201d a\u00a0chihuahua\u00a0in a dragon costume.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Piff the Magic Dragon<\/p><\/div>\n

Now on tour, Piff the Magic Dragon has teamed up with world-renowned golden voice clown, Puddles Pity Party, for their\u00a0\u201cMisery Loves Company\u00a0Tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0\u201cMisery Loves Company\u00a0Tour\u201d will visit 19 cities across the U.S. starting on May 17th\u00a0in New Hampshire and concluding on November 6th\u00a0in San Antonio. Two of the stops will be on May 20 at the Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) and May 21 at the American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, www.AMTshows.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Piff the Magic Dragon will perform with his sidekick, Mr. Piffles (the world\u2019s only magic performing chihuahua). Together, they have won several Best of Las Vegas awards for their long-standing show at the iconic Flamingo Hotel & Casino.<\/p>\n

Piff the Magic Dragon blends comedy with magic to deliver \u201cthe right amount of wrong\u201d while Puddles Pity Party\u2019s voice has been compared to rock legends like Tom Jones and Freddie Mercury. The 7-foot sad clown has amassed nearly 900,000 YouTube subscribers and performed sold-out shows all over the world, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., San Francisco\u2019s Palace of Fine Arts, London\u2019s Sojo Theatre, and a residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

Piff found his calling almost by accident.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to play cards with my friends, and I tried to figure out ways to cheat,\u201d said Piff, during as phone interview last week. \u201cSo, I used sleight of hand \u2013 which is similar to magic.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I got good at it, I would work restaurants \u2013 doing magic tricks around the table for tips. That led to me being an onstage performer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always done sleight of hand \u2013 and I always throw a couple jokes in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for Piff to move up to the professional level.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started off in comedy clubs \u2013 three-minute spots, five-minute spots and on up,\u201d said Piff. \u201cI went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for eight years doing hour-long shows. That\u2019s where I built up my act.<\/p>\n

When Piff brought his comedy act to America, he quickly won over comedy legends Penn & Teller and the hard-to-impress crew of judges on America\u2019s Got Talent.<\/p>\n

Since breaking out on America\u2019s Got Talent in 2015, Piff the Magic Dragon has established himself as a top-flight performer through his Vegas residency, network television appearances and non-stop touring. For the past seven years, Piff has headlined the iconic Flamingo Hotel and Casino in the heart of the Las Vegas strip, with over 250 shows a year in the Piff the Magic Dragon Theatre.<\/p>\n

In 2020, Piff was crowned the winner of TBS\u2019 Tournament of Laughs, triumphing over his heroes Jeff Ross, Natasha Leggero and Judah Friedlander. In 2019, he was voted one of Variety\u2019s Top Ten Comics to Watch and scooped Best Comedian, Best Magician and Best Headliner at the Best of Las Vegas Awards.<\/p>\n

Piff brought Mr. Piffles into his act with tricks such as shooting him out of a canon or guessing what box he\u2019s in.<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Piffles is the original Mr. Piffles,\u201d said Piff. \u201cHe was a rescue dog and he\u2019s now been with me for 14 years. He\u2019s still a very healthy dog.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Piff the Magic Dragon \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/HybdQUCepFw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on May 20 at the Keswick Theatre will start at 8 p.m. Ticket prices start at $35.<\/p>\n

The show on May 21 at the American Music Theatre will start at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $29 and $39.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Keswick are 21 Duprees on May 21 and Marc Maron on May 22.<\/p>\n

Another show this week at the AMT will be Jimmy Fortune on May 22.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The Reverend Peyton\u2019s Big Damn Band<\/p><\/div>\n

The Reverend Peyton\u2019s Big Damn Band will be the headliner at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>) on May 20 as part of a tour support for his new album, \u201cDance Songs for Hard Times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDance Songs for Hard Times,\u201d which was produced by Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton) debuted at\u00a0#1 on the Billboard and iTunes Blues charts.<\/p>\n

The two-time Blues Music Awards nominees are the greatest front-porch blues band in the world led by Reverend\u00a0Peyton, who is considered to be the premier finger picker playing today.<\/p>\n

Peyton\u00a0has earned a reputation as both a singularly compelling performer and a persuasive evangelist for the rootsy country blues styles that captured his imagination early in life and inspired him and his band to make pilgrimages to Clarksdale, Mississippi to study under such blues masters as T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour and David \u201cHoneyboy\u201d Edwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cDance Songs for Hard Times\u201d conveys the hopes and fears of pandemic living. Current BMA nominee, Rev. Peyton, the Big Damn Band\u2019s vocalist and world-class fingerstyle guitarist, details bleak financial challenges on the songs \u201cWays and Means\u201d and \u201cDirty Hustlin\u2019.\u201d He pines for in-person reunions with loved ones on \u201cNo Tellin\u2019 When,\u201d and he pleads for celestial relief on the album-closing \u201cCome Down Angels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Far from a depressing listen, \u201cDance Songs\u201d lives up to its name by delivering action-packed riffs and rhythms across 11 songs. The country blues trio that won over crowds on more than one Warped Tour knows how to make an audience move.<\/p>\n

The Reverend Peyton\u2019s Big Damn Band, a 2019 Blues Music Award nominee, is billed as \u201csimply the greatest country-blues band in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe challenge of making the blues is that it takes work,\u201d said Peyton. \u201cIn terms of writing, the first thing you have to do is study \u2013 put in the time to see where this stuff comes from. Then, you have to write for yourself. It has to be personal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peyton\u00a0has been travelling his musical path for a long time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been playing music since I was 12,\u201d said\u00a0Peyton. \u201cI played a lot of music and gave lessons. When I was 18, I was told by a doctor that I\u2019d never be able to play again because I had issues with tendons in my hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Doctors told Peyton that he would never be able to hold his left hand in fretting position again. At that point, he gave up on music.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo years later, I found a doctor who would operate,\u201d said Peyton. \u201cThey had to cut away a bunch of scar tissue \u2014 in both hands. It was a miracle. Then, I met Breezy, and the rest is history.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not long after the surgery, he met Breezy, who is now his wife, and the couple\u2019s whirlwind romance and shared love of music inspired him to pursue his potential. Breezy took up the washboard, and by 2006 the members of the Rev. Peyton\u2019s Big Damn Band had sold their possessions and taken to the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe timing was perfect,\u201d said Peyton. \u201cI was in a pretty dark place because I had played guitar since I was a kid. It\u2019s who I was. When I met Breezy, my hands were still in bandages. Two weeks later, I was playing guitar again. Breezy believed in the music.<\/p>\n

\u201cI first started listening to anything \u2014 classic rock then blues guys like Johnny Winter. I wanted to know who they listened to and through that I discovered guys like Muddy Waters.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first heard finger-style country blues, it blew my mind. I became obsessed. I went all the way back to Charlie Patton. I realized that this was the roots of it. Charlie\u2019s stuff is so fun \u2014 so great to listen to. Country blues is the root of it. Muddy Water and Howlin\u2019 Wolf wanted to be Charlie Patton. Rural blues lends itself to storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peyton\u00a0not only listened to rural blues; he lived the life of an old rural bluesman.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing this for a lot of years,\u201d said Peyton. \u201cThe first few years, we were homeless and lived in a van. We never had a rich benefactor \u2014 never had a record label. Everything we ever did was because people saw it and realized it matters. I\u2019m really proud of what we\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still possible to make blues music that is fresh. I want to make new music and keep this stuff going. With blues, you have to be yourself. I wanted to take country blues to a new level, and I think that\u2019s what we\u2019ve been able to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Reverend Peyton\u2019s Big Damn Band — https:\/\/youtu.be\/lG6XjaY7GSk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Fillmore on May 20 will start at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $28 in advance and $30 day of show.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is hosting Kim Richey on May 20 and Corky Laing on May 22.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) will host Dave Coppa and Scrapple on May 20 and Kricket Comedy on May 21.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will present Magical Mystery Doors on May 19, Exile on Main Street 50th Anniversary on May 20, Keith Murray on May 22, Dylan Birthday Bash on May 24, Anders Osborne on May 26 and Battles on May 26.<\/p>\n

118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) will host Sun Rompe Pera on May 19, Wheatus on May 20, Almost There on May 21, Wally Smith\u2019s Hammond Organ Trio on May 22, Danielia Cotton on May 22, AM Radio Tribute Band on May 25 and Cousin Curtis on May 26.<\/p>\n

The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>) will present Popa Chubby on May 20, G.E. Smith & Simon Kirke on May 21 and The Gilmour Project on May 26.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times It\u2019s been more than a decade since \u201cHairspray\u201d went on a National Tour and played a run in Philadelphia. The show, which is filled with fun numbers and poignant messages, is a delight that shouldn\u2019t be missed. Now through May 22, the Kimmel Cultural Campus (250 South Broad […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":50427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[14523,7426,8983,14524,14521,14522,7024],"class_list":["post-50433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-clue","tag-featured","tag-hairspray","tag-pat-house","tag-piff-the-magic-dragon","tag-the-north-country","tag-the-reverend-peytons-big-damn-band"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50433","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=50433"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50434,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50433\/revisions\/50434"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/50427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=50433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=50433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=50433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}