With the change of the seasons often comes the inevitable change of line-ups in local rock bands. Drummers and guitarists get fired. Lead singers go on to pursue solo projects. Friday, May 9, the Rick Perdue Band plays the Capitol Center Theater on Summer Street at 7 p.m. Made up of Charleston area regulars like Perdue, guitarist Alex Faulkner and bass player Jonathan “Jon Jon” Wesley, as well as musicians from the WVSU Jazz ensemble, the music blend is jam band flavored with a dose of ’70s era prog rock thrown in. Admission is $10. Visit www.myspace.com/therickperdueband.
They haven’t done so since the last presidential election, but Crystal Good and Amy Weintraub again invite emerging poets, singers, musicians and spoken-word artists to an open mic from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the Covenant House Drop In Center (located on Shrewsbury Street).
Good, Covenant House assistant director, and Weintraub, the director, also challenged local personalities to write political haiku slams, which they’ll read in the hope of grabbing top honors in the contest.
Local artists Tuesday Taylor, Holly Cross, Elliott Roseberry, Patience Deweese and MiC Group members John James and Dave Roberts are already lined up. Several politicians have indicated that they would brave the politically incorrect scene.
After the scheduled performances, Good will turn the mic over to anyone who signs in by 6 p.m. or by e-mail to cgood@wvcovenanthouse.org.
“We challenge people to come up with a political haiku, or just read a poem, or sing a song,” Good said. “We encourage them to come and support whatever cause they choose.”
Admission is free, but a donation of a box or bottle of laundry detergent for the Covenant House Drop In Center is requested. For more information, call 344-8053.
— By Julie Robinson
Charleston has a killer evening of music Friday with a trio of Huntington acts in town.
Jeff Ellis kicks it off, appearing at Taylor Books at 7:30 p.m. for a solo acoustic show.
Ellis is set to release “Covering the Distance” — the follow-up to last year’s “A Front Seat for the End of the World” — soon. Bandmate Phil James may appear with Ellis, and Taylor’s is a cool place to catch acoustic shows. Best of all, there’s no cover!
After that, catch Bud Carroll and the Southern Souls at The Empty Glass or power-pop trio Threefold Theory at the Sound Factory. Both shows start around 10 p.m. and have a cover in the $5 range.
Carroll and his Southern-fried blues/rock band are revving up for an EP release gig next weekend at Marley’s Doghouse in Huntington.
The Threefold trio is still at work on the follow-up to its debut album, “LoveHATELive,” with a title (“Into the Fray”) and tracks posted on its MySpace page, so go to the show and eavesdrop on the guys and see if you can find out when they’ll put it out.
Let us know if you hear anything.
— By Nick Harrah
For more local music news, visit the GateCrasher blog at thegazz.com.
This weekend provides chamber music fans with a rare opportunity to hear a piano recital Friday night, a visiting string quartet Saturday and the West Virginia Symphony’s resident string quartet Sunday afternoon.
“You don’t have to go to New York City. Just come to Charleston,” said Terry Pickett, a fan of chamber music and volunteer publicist for Charleston Chamber Music Society, which brings the Jupiter String Quartet to Christ Church United Methodist at 7 p.m. Saturday.
The young quartet has won the grand prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, first prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition, and recently, the Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award, which honors a young quartet in the process of establishing a major career.
Jupiter has recently begun a three-year residency with Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society Two. “These are very good young groups we bring in,” Pickett said. “We’re probably the best deal in town.”
Jupiter’s program consists of Mendelssohn’s Quartet in F Minor, Op. 80; Benjamin Britten’s Quartet No. 3, Op. 94; and Beethoven’s Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135. Tickets are $15 at the door. Children enter free with a paying adult. Parents can enjoy the concert while their young children take part in the free ChamberKids Night Out. Call 344-5389 or visit www.charlestonchambermusic.org. Also visit www.jupiterquartet.com.
Montclaire String Quartet offers a Mother’s Day concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, also at Christ Church United Methodist. The music will consist of Juan Arriaga’s String Quartet No. 2 in A major, Joaquin Turina’s “Circulo,” Op. 91 for Violin, Cello and Piano, and Schubert’s, Piano Quintet Op. 114 (“Trout”). Tickets are adults $10, students $5. Call 561-3570 or visit www.wvsymphony.org.
The musical weekend begins at 8 p.m. Friday when Eric Ruple, Steinway artist and James Madison University piano professor, will perform works by Beethoven and Duckworth at Cavendish Hall, 207 52nd St. in Kanawha City.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted. To reserve a spot in this limited-space hall, call (304) 925-1990.
To contact staff writer Bob Schwarz, use e-mail or call 348-1249.
Growing up a poor kid in the black community of Chattanooga, Bessie Smith and her brother began singing and dancing in front of the White Elephant Saloon to make some money. In the decades to come, her singing skills would take her to legendary heights as she became one of the greatest singers of the ’20s and ’30s. Lady D breathes life into Smith’s tale in her one-act musical “The Lady and the Empress” on Friday at the Chilton House in St. Albans. Dinner is served from 6:30 to 8 p.m., with show time at 7 p.m. Tickets (which include dinner) are $20. For reservations, call 546-9113.
ONLINE: www.myspace.com/ladydandmission
Head to the womanSong chorale spring concert starting 7:30 p.m. Saturday for a wide-ranging serving of song. Just in time for a pre-Mother’s Day outing, the theme is “Music in My Mother’s House” with songs in Italian, French and English, including love songs, Renaissance era tunes, some jazz and even a Shaker tune. A reception follows. It’s free, but donations of non-perishable food are requested for a local food pantry. At First Presbyterian Church, 16 Leon Sullivan Way. Call 744-4642.