Nightflying: The Entertainment Guide

Second Street Live is proud to announce their 2010 Spring Season of Entertainment with the most diverse and ambitious and exciting programming yet. This Season spans genres from Americana , World Music, Blues, Jazz, Newgrass, Children’s and Family, and Spoken Word with a few, as we love to say, that simply defy any traditional descriptions. Second Street Live presents internationally recognized Masters and Legends, nationally touring veterans who have earned their way and paid their dues, up and coming artists destined for greatness and some of the finest national quality talent form our own backyard.

We will present our first three concerts of the season at the Fort Smith Event Center , 12 North 11th Street and our first Spoken word recital at the Media Center , 801 North ‘A’ Street.

Then we celebrate in March with Two GRAND OPENING CONCERTS, March 11 and March 25, with Grammy Award Nominee Ruthie Foster, and Del Castillo respectively.

We are very excited about our new home at 101 North 2nd Street , housing a beautiful lobby, intimate theater equipped with world class sound and light production, and small banquet room for receptions and meetings. It is conveniently is close to many downtown clubs and eateries as well.

Tickets are on sale now at www.secondstreetlive.com

In addition to the programming that Second Street Live presents for the public we reach beyond our stage to provide world class artist to appear at Fort Smith Schools and local civic organizations like the Fort Smith Boys and Girls Club. In February four elementary school will be treated to a concert by two time Grammy Award Winning artist Bill Harley. Also in February Second Street Live Presents a Trio of Poets.



SECOND STREET LIVE 2010 SPRING SEASON

RED MOLLY: Main Stage Series January 28, 2010, Thursday, The Event Center : We start this season with one of the brightest New Folk acts in America , Red Molly. A moment of serendipity brought them together singing around a campfire jam session in 2004 at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and they must have known almost immediately, this is special. The soaring harmonies of Laurie McAlister, Abbie Gardner and Carolann Solebello move you and make you want to move. This exciting trio’s repertoire is laced with traditional and modern music, bluegrass, blues, gospel and Western swing. They grace the cover of the January/February 2010 issue of Dirty Linen, the international magazine of World and Folk Music. Beautiful voices anchored with stellar musicianship on dobro, mandolin, guitar and banjo combined with their natural charm, make them irresistible. We are indeed proud to have these wonderful artists for our first concert of 2010

LYNN MILES: Main Stage Series February 11, 2010, Thursday The Event Center :
Juno Award winning artist Lynn Miles is smart and her music is smart, but that is just part of what she offers. Often mentioned in the same breath as Lucinda Williams and Joni Mitchell, her music like theirs is earthy and rich. In a performance at the Folk Alliance Conference in the early 90s Miles ripped through an instrumental guitar piece that left the audience with jaws agape. She then said “now that we have that out of the way” and proceeded to destroy them with words and music that alternately soothed and slashed. The performance was amazing. The New York Times may have said it best, "Lynn Miles makes being forlorn sound like a state of grace.” In 2009 we again caught Miles at the Folk Alliance and if possible she was even more impressive. We also like what Billboard said about Lynn , “Canadian songbird Lynn Miles sings lusciously on her fifth country-tinged, folk-pop album. Smart lyrics abound as she expounds on love lost and gained, sketched with dark hues and rising tempos.” Come out and welcome Lynn from the frigid North of Ottawa.

CHRIS SMITHER: Main Stage Series February 16, 2010, Tuesday. The Event Center Welcome back Mr. Smither! A renowned singer-songwriter and guitarist, Chris Smither is immediately identifiable. Nobody else sounds like Chris Smither, not even close. The Associated Press says “Smither is an American original, a product of the musical melting pot, and one of the absolute best singer-songwriters in the world.” Chris has appeared in Fort Smith several times. He and Keb Mo were on the bill with Buddy Guy at the Riverfront Blues Festival in 1995 and he has made it back through Fort Smith several times, stopping at the 801 Concert Series twice. To quote Rolling Stone, “Smither’s roots are as blue as they come. There is plenty of misty Louisiana and Lightnin’ Hopkins in Smither’s weathered singing and unhurried picking. So fine!” Wired boasts his “masterful combination of pure folk songwriting and intricate guitar blues are tangible signs of the singer-songwriter’s vigorous genius. A megawatt solo performer.” And the New York Times touts “With a weary, well-traveled voice and a serenely intricate finger-picking style, Mr. Smither turns the blues into songs that accept hard-won lessons and try to make peace with fate.”

A TRIO OF POETS - REGIE O'HARE GIBSON, TIMOTHY MASON & JENA GESSAMAN: Spoken Word Series February 18, 2010, Thursday The Media Center :

We could not be more excited about our first spoken word residency. This Trio of Poets will appear as special guests in concert with Chris Smither, host poetry workshops in our public schools and for the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Smith, and present a Spoken Word concert of poetry and free verse
Regie O’Hare Gibson: “A talent rare charismatic and humane... when you perform you are supersonic and in the stratosphere...you sing and chant for all of us. Nobody gets left out.” (Kurt Vonnegut). Author, songwriter, educator and workshop facilitator Regie Gibson has read, taught, lectured and performed at universities, theaters and various other venues in seven countries, most recently Havana, Cuba. He has worked or performed with artists as diverse as David Amram and Mos Def, Richie Havens and Kurt Vonnegut. Regie has performed his work with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra “X”, a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural ensemble of classically trained musicians from several countries. He and his work appear in the New Line Cinema film "love jones" a film based on events in his life. His work has also appeared in a number of anthologies and journals including The Harvard Divinity Bulletin, The Iowa Review, Poetry Magazine and The Good Men Project. He is a National Poetry Slam Individual Champion, and has been featured numerous times on NPR.
Timothy Mason: "His lines come like heat-seeking missiles, laced with street smart humor and insight." ( Boston Globe). Tim has published two volumes of poetry, Feral Voices and Gently, Like Water Cracking Stone. Tim is not only a published and performing poet but has for nearly three decades been a driving force in the Folk Music world as a presenter in Eastern Massachusetts . Tim is an artist who digs deep and gives completely. An extensive background in human services, three years counseling for a telephone crisis intervention hotline, four years working with developmentally disabled adults, a stint with court-involved youth, and eight years volunteering in a battered women's shelter, has given him a unique empathy with the quiet battles of daily survival. Tim is remarkable in so many ways that spending any amount of time with him truly leaves a person richer. We are genuinely pleased to have him in Fort Smith and honored to present him in concert with Regie and Jena .
Jena Gessaman: “She opens her mouth and out comes a stream of the unexpected.”( Dallas Morning News). Jena has published four books of poems, co-written, produced and directed four multi-media performance art shows and been a member of two National Poetry Slam teams. She is an elementary poetry instructor for Badgerdog Literary Publishing during the week and writes Poems On The Spot at The Sunset Valley Farmer’s Market on Saturdays on her antique Olivetti. When not scribbling away on a random scrap of paper, she is an avid scuba diver, rollerblader and loves to cook. Jon Charles, Director of The Boys & Girls Club of Fort Hood Texas, calls Jena “a true gift, an artist that connects immediately."

GRAND OPENING

RUTHIE FOSTER :Main Stage Series, March 11, 2010, Thursday The Truth According to Ruthie Foster is her new CD and it just received a 2009 Grammy Award Nomination. We are impressed, but not surprised. "...a full-on blast of soul and blues..." says Blues Revue. Ruthie Foster stuns listeners with a voice that simply sounds too good to be true; but it is more than just her voice, she is a great singer-songwriter and performer as well. Ruthie prowls the stage and flashes a smile as she launches into a power blues and you are transported. Her career has taken her from a child soloist in her uncle’s choir to a major record deal, followed by a long and productive foray into the Independent, Americana and Folk music world with five releases. Each of those CDs gained momentum and displayed artistic growth as well as growing critical acclaim. Again we are not surprised. No stranger to Fort Smith with two previous appearances at both the Riverfront Blues Festival and the 801 Concert series, Ruthie has earned a loyal following in the Fort.

GRAND OPENING

DEL CASTILLO: Hot Ticket Series, March 25, 2010, Thursday   Del Castillo has become a symbol of the cross-cultural power of music with their eclectic blend of Flamenco, Rock, Latin, Blues, and World Music. Rolling Stone calls it “tumbling brilliance on nylon-string classical guitars” with “eruptions of technique and taste (that) conjure images of Eddie Van Halen fronting early Santana with an assist from the Gipsy Kings." Del Castillo has received numerous awards: SXSW/Austin Music “Album of the Year” “Band of the Year”, ASCAP’S “Best Independent Group of the Year”, and Austin Music Pundits “Best Live Act”. Film Directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino both have used Del Castillo music for soundtracks and they have toured nationally with Styx , Los Lonely Boys, Ozomatli, Don Henley, Los Lobos and Willie Nelson. When we say Hot Ticket this is what we had in mind. Don’t miss this Grand Opening Event.

TOUCAN JAM: Children's & Family Series April 3, 1010, Saturday   Toucan Jam (Kelly Mulhollan and Donna Stjerna) has been performing their visually exciting Things with Wings concert program for over a decade to hundreds of thousands of children in schools, libraries and festivals all across the U.S. and Canada. Through exciting stories and songs coupled with colorful ethnic costumes, exotic instruments and amazing handmade puppets, they take the audience on a “whirlwind tour around the globe” visiting each and every continent. Thought-provoking legends and geographic references combined with a healthy dose of silly humor makes this show thoroughly entertaining and educational. Add superb musicianship, storytelling skills and lots of interaction and you’ve got a riveting show than mesmerizes kids of all ages.

GUITAR WEEK

GARY HUTCHISON: Home Grown Series: April 15, 2010, Thursday We are lucky in Fort Smith . We have an inordinate number of great musicians and at the top of the list for guitarists is Gary Hutchison. Known locally as the Guitar Monster, Gary has built a reputation that stretches far beyond Fort Smith. A question he is often asked is “what are you doing here"? The answer is simple: leading an artistic and full life as a musician, teacher and father. He could go on the road with just about any major artist, but he chooses to live, teach and perform here. More than just a flashy hot shot that can be found in any town, Gary is an extremely well-rounded musician with so many hours on stage it would be impossible to add them up. Please join us as Gary showcases his talent with other great Fort Smith musicians for this Home Grown Concert to benefit the Sebastian County Humane Society.

JOHNNY A.: Mainstage April 16, 2010 Friday Johnny A. burns with a fire that is white hot. He is master of tone, taste and texture. He has created a style and carved a niche as a unique guitarist which is no small accomplishment. Though not a household name he is truly one of the great guitarists in the world. Coming from the North Shore of Boston, Mass., Johnny A. came up through the ranks, playing any and every high school and church dance he could. Then graduating on to the "Boston Rock" and club scene, Johnny led bands that played every major venue in the area including the Wang Center, Orpheum Theater, Great Woods, Cape Cod Coliseum, Avalon and House Of Blues, to name a few. Johnny has shared these stages with major talents such as Aerosmith, the Cars, Cheap Trick, Bad Company, the Smithereens, Dave Edmunds, Bob Seeger, David Johansen, Joe Perry, Brian Setzer Orchestra, and Hootie and the Blowfish. Anyway, you get the idea: he's paid his dues. Johnny A. has appeared previously in the Fort at the legendary 801 concert series and now we welcome him back to participate in Second Street Live's Guitar Week. Do not miss this show!

STANLEY JORDAN : Masters & Legends Series April 17, 2010 Saturday The story of virtuoso guitarist Stanley Jordan 's discovery and rise to international acclaim is legendary as is his revolutionary playing technique. At 23 the Princeton Graduate was performing on the streets of New York City dazzling passers-by with an absolutely incredible two-handed touch and tapping technique. No one had ever before seen a guitarist with the ability to execute a walking bass line, a rhythmic accompaniment and a soaring lead line all at the same time! Word began to spread, and before long Jordan was opening for Wynton Marsalis at Avery Fisher Hall, then appearing at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and finally headlining a week at the Village Vanguard and appearing on National Television. By the time his major label debut Magic Touch was released in 1985, Stanley Jordan had been firmly established as one of music's most creative innovators and brightest new stars. He is a true Master and Legend. Limited number of Meet the Artist Reception tickets available through the Box Office.

SAM BUSH: Masters & Legends Series April 23, 2010, Friday When Second Street Live started its wish list for their Masters and Legends Series one of the first names mentioned was Sam Bush. Though he admits a certain discomfort with the moniker "King of Newgrass," Sam Bush has more than earned it. As co-founder and leader of the seminal progressive bluegrass band New Grass Revival for 18 years he and his cohorts created this new form of music that features rock 'n' roll grooves and extended virtuosic jams. Since New Grass Revival's dissolution in 1989, Bush has remained one of the most brilliant purveyors of this dynamic music. Bands like Nickel Creek, Yonder Mountain String Band and String Cheese Incident, to name just a few, are indebted to Bush's example, not only in his wide-ranging choice of material and rock-based acoustic grooves, but by his captivating, high-energy live shows, which have made him an in-demand headliner and fan favorite at important festivals like Telluride and MerleFest. In the studio Sam Bush is the "go to guy" when major recording artists want a great mandolin solo on their CD. We welcome this Master and Legend to the Second Street Live stage. Limited number of Meet the Artist Reception tickets available through the Box Office.

BLUE FIDDLE: Home Grown Series May 1, 2010 Joe Hamilton, Tom Ware and John Lindquist formed Blue Fiddle in 2004 to do something new. And they have done just that, creating a distinctive sound by playing Irish folk music like a rock band. Blue Fiddle brings a unique vision to the songs of Ireland with this direction. This high energy performance showcases some of the best talent in our region. Recent appearances including the Wildwood Park for the Arts Blooms Festival in Little Rock and the University of Arkansas Fort Smith ’s International Festival have broadened their fan base. Hamilton , Ware and Lindquist have all toured nationally and internationally as solo artists or with bands. They bring a wide spectrum of musical skills to Blue Fiddle as all three are multi-instrumentalists and talented songwriters.

Concert Schedule and Individual Ticket Prices:
Lynn Miles    February 11    Fort Smith Event Center                                $35
Chris Smither                     February 16                        Fort Smith Event Center                                $35
Trio of Poets                      February 18                        The Media Center                                           $15
Ruthie Foster                     March 11                             Second Street Live                                          $35
Del Castillo                          March 25                             Second Street Live                                          $40
Toucan Jam                        April 3                                   Second Street Live                                          $ 8
Gary Hutchison                April 15                                 Second Street Live                                         $10
Johnny A.                            April 16                                 Second Street Live                                         $35
(w/special guest Chris Cameron)
Stanley Jordan                  April 17                                 Second Street Live                                         $50
Sam Bush                          April 23                                 Second Street Live                                         $50
Blue Fiddle                        May 1                                    Second Street Live

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