{"id":55806,"date":"2025-08-07T09:14:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=55806"},"modified":"2025-08-07T09:14:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:14:09","slug":"on-stage-boney-james-returns-to-philly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=55806","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Boney James returns to Philly"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/div>\n
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Boney James<\/p><\/div>\n

This weekend, Boney James returns to the Philly area with a new album and a show at comfortable outdoor venue.<\/p><\/div>\n

James will treat fans to music from his recently released album, \u201cSlow Burn,\u201d in a concert on August 7 at Dell Music Center (2400 Strawberry Mansion Drive, Philadelphia, boneyjames.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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\u201cI released the new album back in October,\u201d said James, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from his home in Los Angeles.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve been on the road pretty much ever since \u2013 and I will be for the rest of the year.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe album has been doing really well. The single, \u2018All I Want Is You,\u2019 went Top 10 immediately in the R&B charts.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Another single from \u201cSlow Burn\u201d \u2013 \u201cSlide\u201d — hit number one on the\u00a0Billboard\u00a0Smooth Jazz Airplay chart.<\/div>\n

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The phrase \u201cSlow Burn\u201d is described as a feeling that grows with a slow but deliberate intensity.<\/div>\n
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It is a good description of James\u2019 music, career and the vibe of his newest album.\u202fThe iconic four-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist\u2019s 19th album is another deliberate step on his creative journey.<\/div>\n
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Featuring legendary Jazz\/R&B artists Marcus Miller and Cory Henry, the record also spotlights R&B\u2019s next superstar — October London, who handles the vocals on \u201cAll I Want Is You.\u201d<\/div>\n
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With 10 songs — eight originals plus homages to Herbie Hancock and Stanley Turrentine \u2013 \u201cSlow Burn\u201d is James at his best.<\/div>\n
The track, \u201cArcadia,\u201d features Marcus Miller while \u201cButterfly\u201d features Cory Henry and Marcus Miller. Rick Braun is the guest artist on \u201cSugar.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cSlow Burn\u2019 was released on October 18, 2024, by Concord Jazz.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAt the beginning of last year, my label signaled that it was time for another album,\u201d said James, a saxophonist, songwriter, record producer \u2013 and one of America\u2019s most popular soul, jazz and R&B saxophonists.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI worked on it from April through August and then it came out in October. Most of the album was recorded at my home studio \u2013 \u2018The Backyard.\u2019<\/div>\n
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\u201cI also did some recording at East-West Studio here in L.A. I cut 10 songs. Then, I do the editing while I\u2019m working. It\u2019s a lot of work producing an album.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019ve released a couple singles. One single has an R&B vocal. Two are instrumentals and another will be released later this month.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI don\u2019t choose which songs are to be singles. I leave that up to the radio team. I love every song on there.\u201d<\/div>\n
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James has a tight band with a drummer and a guitarist in the line-up for more than two decades.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe current live set has six songs off the \u2018Slow Burn\u2019 album,\u201d said James. \u201cI don\u2019t change the set list once we\u2019ve started the tour.<\/div>\n
\u201cI stick with it all the way.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve released 19 albums so I can\u2019t get all the music into one show. I try to play everyone\u2019s favorites.<\/div>\n
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\u201cSome of the must-play songs are \u2018Sweet Thing,\u2019 \u2018Grazing in the Grass\u2019 and \u2018After the Rain.\u2019 I\u2019m always trying to pay my homage to R&B. At the same time, I just try to make my music individual to me.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Video link for Boney James — https:\/\/youtu.be\/x1FTCf5sTC0<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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The show at the Dell Music Center will start at 7 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Ticket prices start at $68.<\/div>\n
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\"\"Gaffney\u00a0Beach made its debut back in March at Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n
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Now, the duo featuring Kate\u00a0Gaffney\u00a0and Bob Beach is returning to Jamey\u2019s for a show on August 9.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe had a successful show at Jamey\u2019s when we played there back in March,\u201d said Beach, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon from his home in Lansdowne.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe had a good audience. We\u2019re looking forward to going back.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The duo is so new that its show in March at Jamey\u2019s House of Music was its first ever.<\/div>\n
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The show on August 9 at the venue in Delaware County will just be the pair\u2019s second show ever.<\/div>\n
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Gaffney\u00a0is a singer\/songwriter\/guitarist who was born in Lansdale and then moved west. Beach is a harmonica player from Philadelphia who moved west when he was a young man.<\/div>\n
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Now, both have returned to this area \u2013 Beach from the Pittsburgh area to Philadelphia and\u00a0Gaffney\u00a0from Pacifica, California to Schwenksville.<\/div>\n
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The friends from decades ago were reunited last summer.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI ran into Bob at the Philadelphia Folk Festival last summer,\u201d said\u00a0Gaffney\u00a0in a phone interview.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe stayed in touch. I saw Bob play at the Lansdowne Folk Club earlier this year.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Beach said, \u201cIt was probably 20 years ago when we first met here. Then, I ran into her in California \u2013 in San Francisco. I\u2019m usually there about twice a year.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI work with a guy from Oregon \u2013 David Jacobs-Strain. We do shows together on both coasts. We\u2019re playing the Philadelphia Folk Festival together this year.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re playing the Main Stage on Friday and then doing a workshop on Saturday. Then, we fly immediately to the West Coast for a show in Oregon on Sunday.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re playing the Toledo Wooden Boat Show in Toledo, Oregon on Sunday at 3 p.m. We have off Monday to Thursday and then do shows Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Oregon.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Beach may be in his mid-\u201970s but he\u2019s showing no signs of slowing down.<\/div>\n
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He has September shows at The Orchards in Princeton (September 6), the Sellersville Theater (September 10), Midnight Mountain Music Show 2025 in Blakeslee (September 12 and 13), Lansdowne Folk Club with Gaffney Beach (September 25) and Jamey\u2019s House of Music (September 26).<\/div>\n
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\u201cA few months ago, Bob called and asked me if I wanted to start a new project,\u201d said Gaffney. \u201cThat was such an honor. I just want to play.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI moved back here to put music first in my life \u2013 to reunite with my connections and get back into the local music community. Now, I\u2019m a members elected member of the Philadelphia Folk Festival\u2019s Board of Directors.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Beach said, \u201cKate moved back into town about a year ago. I do a lot of shows with different people. When I got the Jamey\u2019s show back in March, I called her, and it worked out really well. We also have another show at the Lansdowne Folk Club on September 25.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Like Gaffney, Beach is a Philadelphia native.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI grew up in the Philly area \u2013 in the Northeast and then Delco when I was in fourth grade. Then, we moved to Bucks County, and I graduated from William Tennent in 1966.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI moved to the western part of the state to study at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I got into music when I was at I.U.P. I play harmonica. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve done all these years. One Christmas, my brother bought me a harmonica.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI joined a band at I.U.P. \u2013 the D.C. Band. Over the next five-to-six years, I realized I could make money from playing music. By 1970, I had my own band. We played a lot of shows regionally.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI moved to Pittsburgh in the mid-\u201970s and stayed there until I moved back to Philly in 1997. I came back to this area because my wife got a job here working for Red Cross blood collection.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Over the years, Beach established himself as one of the premier harp players in the area. It was impressive because he never had any formal training on the instrument.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI was self-taught,\u201d said Beach. \u201cI learned harmonica by listening to blues greats like Sonny Terry and Little Walter. Then, I listened to guitar, sax and trumpet for structural themes.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI also listened to John Sebastian and others, but I stopped listening to harmonica so that I wasn\u2019t influenced too much.<\/div>\n
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\u201cIn my live shows, I\u2019ll use 15-to-20 harmonicas. I\u2019ll use Seydel lower-pitched harmonicas and Hohner harmonicas for higher-pitched parts.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Gaffney\u2019s \u201curge for going\u201d has taken her back and forth across America and provided ample fodder for interesting songs.<\/div>\n
\u201cI was majoring in human development\/family studies at Penn State and went to San Francisco for an internship during my final semester,\u201d said Gaffney. \u201cI was working with a music teacher at a group home for kids.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI came back for graduation but went out to California again because my boyfriend at the time was living in Sacramento. I got a job as a social worker there.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI was playing music a little but not much because of my workload. It was horrible. I was really overworked \u2013 we all were. I got so stressed I couldn\u2019t think. Finally, I said \u2018enough.\u2019<\/div>\n
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\u201cI took temporary jobs and focused mostly on my music. I played a lot of open mic shows. I started writing songs and performing my own material. I was going back and forth between San Francisco and Sacramento and then decided to move back to Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Gaffney honed her skills in her native Philadelphia, jumped from coast to coast and toured everywhere in between. She laid musical roots in Northern California, building a loyal following in Sacramento and within the San Francisco Bay Area music community.<\/div>\n
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Gaffney\u2019s festival resume includes Philadelphia Folk Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and Hangtown Music Festival.<\/div>\n
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She has opened for a variety of touring acts including Richie Havens, Todd Snider, Xavier Rudd, Chris Smither, Carolyn Wonderland, Jackie Greene, Karl Denson, Kaki King, Elephant Revival, and Dead Winter Carpenters.<\/div>\n
Gaffney has released four albums: \u201cHighways,\u201d \u201cThe New Then,\u201d \u201cThe Coachman\u201d and \u201cHere by the Ocean.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cI have a lot of experience,\u201d said Gaffney. \u201cNow, I\u2019m devoting my life to focusing on my own music. And I want to help others.\u201d<\/div>\n
Gaffney is putting her desire to help others in action with \u201cKate Gaffney\u2019s Corner,\u201d which is held at Jamey\u2019s on the second Thursday of each month.<\/div>\n
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According to Jamey\u2019s website, \u201cThis immensely talent and rave reviewed singer-songwriter invites you into her \u201cliving room\u201d for some musical conversation over dinner and drinks.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAs a regular monthly \u201cSecond Thursday\u201d event, some nights will feature a full performance by Kate, some will start off with Kate followed by an open-mic, and others will feature guest artists.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe musical theme will focus on what is currently called Americana, which is a melange term embodying folk, blues, country, singer-songwriter, roots and some low-key electric fare.<\/div>\n
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\u201cKate is an incisive and engaging artist and has a large and loyal national following. Her music is heard worldwide, and we are so happy to offer her a regular platform to connect with her fans. Please join us!\u201d<\/div>\n
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From now on, the second Thursday of the month belongs to Gaffney.<\/div>\n
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\u201cJamey called me and asked me if I wanted to host and curate an Americana\/Folk\/Roots night,\u201d said Gaffney.<\/div>\n
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Gaffney agreed but had something in mind more than just an evening of her playing acoustic American music.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe show will be loose in format,\u201d said Gaffney. \u201cHe (venue owner\/manager Jamey Reilly) has given me carte blanche to plan the evening.\u201d<\/div>\n
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According to Gaffney, \u201cI thought it would be nice to feature some artists who are either just\u00a0getting started or don\u2019t play out solo very much.\u201d<\/div>\n
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On August 14, \u201cKate Gaffney\u2019s Corner\u201d will feature highly respected singer-songwriter Tom Freund.<\/div>\n
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Over the course of his career, Freund has released more than a dozen records and collaborated with legends such as Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, and his longtime collaborator Ben Harper, with whom he’s made numerous albums and toured the world.<\/div>\n
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Freund joined rock legend Graham Parker on a world tour and appeared with him in Judd Apatow’s \u201cThis Is 40.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Freund has spent much of his career traversing genres, melding whatever sounds happen to catch his whimsy. He is also well known as a multi-instrumentalist, performing on guitar, upright bass, mandolin, ukulele and piano.<\/div>\n
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Gaffney will be back at Jamey\u2019s later in the month when she performs on August 31 with the Philly Blues Kings at Jamey\u2019s \u201cSunday Blues Brunch and Jam.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Video link for Kate\u00a0Gaffney\u00a0\u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/fHoaryMngKw<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Video link for Bob Beach \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/mTDps9nUq1E<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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The show at Jamey\u2019s on March 14 will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. PPV streaming of this show is also available for $15.45.<\/div>\n
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Other upcoming shows at Jamey\u2019s House of Music are the Empty Belly Blues Band featuring Alabama Slim on August 7 and Lowland Ramblers and 65 North Pickers on August 8.<\/div>\n
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Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSunday Blues Brunch and Jam.\u201d This week\u2019s show features the Girke-Davis Project.<\/div>\n
This event features many of the top regional and national players every week and welcomes amateurs and weekend warriors to join on stage to celebrate the beautiful heritage of the blues.<\/div>\n
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The open mic jam runs from 1-3 p.m. with the featured band playing a set from noon-1 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Anson B. Nixon Park (405 N Walnut Rd, Kennett Square, www.ansonbnixonpark.org<\/a>) will celebrate the heart and soul of<\/div>\n
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American music during the Second Annual Roots and Blues Festival on August 9.<\/div>\n
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The event will be a one-day celebration of down-home blues, funky grooves — and local culture.<\/div>\n
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The family-friendly event should be a Saturday destination for music lovers of all ages to enjoy live performances by several top tier blues acts.<\/div>\n
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The 2025 festival features a powerhouse lineup of regional blues favorites, including Mikey Junior, Street Beans, Stevie and the Bluescasters and James Day & the Fish Fry<\/div>\n
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The spotlight will be shining a lot on John Colgan-Davis. He will be performing with Brother John, a duo featuring West Chester native Johnny Never and Colgan-Davis.<\/div>\n
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He will also be onstage as a key member of the Philadelphia-based blues band, the Dukes of Destiny.<\/div>\n
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On Sunday, Colgan-Davis will be performing at Jamey\u2019s House of Music in Lansdowne when the venue presents \u201cSunday Blues Brunch and Jam\u201d featuring the Girke-Davis Project.<\/div>\n
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In addition to the music, the Roots and Blues Festival will showcase local food and beverage trucks, artisan vendors, and plenty of space to bring a chair or blanket.<\/div>\n
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The Festival is presented by the Kennett Area Park Authority (KAPA), which is the steward of the Anson B. Nixon Park. All ticket proceeds allow KAPA to continue the important work of restoring open green space, adding new community programs and creating a vibrant, community driven outdoor space in addition to ongoing maintenance and upgrades.<\/div>\n
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Tickets for the Festival, which runs from 11:45 a.m. until dusk, are $40 and $45.<\/div>\n
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Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will present Blank Pages with special guests\u00a0Monopod and Sam & the Vampire on August 8.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $15 general admission.<\/div>\n
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The all-ages show at Kennett Flash will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $23.<\/div>\n
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On August 9, Kennett Flash\u2019s Rooftop Series will feature \u201cWinslow: An Evening of the Eagles.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The All-Ages show will start at 7 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $30.<\/div>\n
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Renovations at the Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313, www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) have been completed.<\/div>\n
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Like a phoenix, the popular dinner theater sprang back to life on July 12.<\/div>\n
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The new show is the musical hit \u201cJimmy Buffett\u2019s Escape to Margaritaville.\u201d The show will run now through August 24.<\/div>\n
Featuring Jimmy Buffett classics with book by Greg Garcia and Mike O\u2019Malley, \u201cEscape to Margaritaville\u201d tells the story of\u00a0Tully, a smooth-talking singer\/bartender.<\/div>\n
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Tully\u2019s laidback, no-strings-attached lifestyle is turned upside down when he falls for Rachel, a career-minded environmental scientist visiting the island as a tourist on a bachelorette vacation.<\/div>\n
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The show\u2019s music consists of songs previously recorded by Buffett, and written by him and various other songwriters, with one exception, the original song \u201cThree Chords.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cEscape to Margaritaville\u201d has been performed at several area theaters but this is the show\u2019s Candlelight Theater premiere.<\/div>\n
The show\u2019s Director\/Choreographer is Jessical Bostock and Julia Kershetsky is the Music Director.<\/div>\n
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\u201cJimmy Buffett\u2019s Escape to Margaritaville\u201d show will run now through August 24 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street,\u00a0Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com<\/a><\/u>) will host Adam Ezra Group on August 8 and Eric Johanson Group on August 12.<\/div>\n
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Presented and produced by Rising Sun Presents!, the 2025 Concerts Under the Stars series will again take place at the scenic Upper\u00a0Merion\u00a0Township Building Park (175 West Valley Forge Road, King of\u00a0 Prussia, www.concertsunderthestarskop.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n
The 2025 Concerts Under the Stars series offers Paul Simon’s Graceland Experience ft. Bakithi Kumalo. The free show also has Into the Mystic: Van Morrison Tribute Band.<\/div>\n
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On August 13, the series will host \u201cAndy Frasco & The U.N. –Growing Pains Tour\u201d with sasquatch as the opener.<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0Rose Tree Summer Festival (Rose Tree Park, Route 252, Media, www.delcopa.gov\/departments\/parks<\/a>)\u00a0is a summer-long series of free outdoor shows now through August 10 at the scenic park just north of Media.<\/div>\n
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The following is the schedule for August \u2013 7, Cool Confusion; 8, Del\u2019s Groove; 9, Barbershop\u2019s Best; and 10, Six-String Soldiers.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times This weekend, Boney James returns to the Philly area with a new album and a show at comfortable outdoor venue. James will treat fans to music from his recently released album, \u201cSlow Burn,\u201d in a concert on August 7 at Dell Music Center (2400 Strawberry Mansion Drive, Philadelphia, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[9012,7426,16133],"class_list":["post-55806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-boney-james","tag-featured","tag-gaffney-beach"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55806","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=55806"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55806\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55807,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55806\/revisions\/55807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/55804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=55806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=55806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=55806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}