By CYNTHIA MCMULLEN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Summer Concert Guide: Find more great music around town
Oh, yeah. It's that time again.
Time to pull out the lawn chairs, load up the picnic basket and head for the Dell.
If you're new to the area, listen up: With free admission and parking, Dogwood Dell's Festival of Arts is the cheapest date you'll have all summer. And certainly among the most entertaining.
Richmond's Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities has been sponsoring the festival since the department had a much shorter name.
The 52nd annual season of music, dance, theater, puppetry, juggling, martial arts and storytelling officially kicks off June 6 with Richmond's funktastic Plunky and Oneness.
Barbara Brock, festival manager and program specialist for Richmond Parks and Rec, says to expect old favorites as well as new faces. Among the old favorites are Larry Bland and the Volunteer Choir, whose appearance will be part of the choir's 40th anniversary celebration.
Among the groups making their Dell debuts this summer are the Latino band Son Caribe, Christian rock band Jericho Project, ventriloquist John Byrd, jazz band Kip Williams Quartet and young instrumental group String Improv N Me.
The Dell also will introduce a two-day Storytelling Festival. "I personally am thrilled about it," Brock said. "I think this is a good niche."
If this year goes well, she hopes to make the Storytelling Festival a permanent part of the summer season.
If you can't wait till June 6 to check out the Dell, drop by tomorrow for a free Memorial Day observance. Patriotic music and a program will begin at 4 p.m. at the Carillon, and the Virginians will perform barbershop music on the Dell's main stage at 7:30.
Carillon trivia: The 240-foot building is a memorial to Virginians who fought in World War I.
Dogwood Dell's Festival of Arts schedule is subject to change.
June 6, 8 p.m. Plunky and Oneness (funk and jazz)
June 7, 8 p.m. KOS (rock, swing and Motown)
June 8, 4 p.m. String Improv N Me* (instrumental)
June 8, 7 p.m. West End Assembly of God Youth Choir (choral)
June 12, 8:30 p.m. City Dance Theatre (modern, hip-hop and ballet)
June 13, 8 p.m. Son Caribe (salsa and Latino, with salsa lesson before concert)
June 14, 8 p.m. Xin Yue: Dance for Joy! (Asian cultural dance and martial arts)
June 15, 4 p.m. Ty-Rone's World* (ventriloquist)
June 15, 7 p.m. Celebration Men's Chorus with Petersburg Symphony (choral)
June 19-21, 8:30 p.m. "Charcoal Street" by African American Repertory Theatre (theater)
June 22, 4 p.m. Jonathan Austin* (comedic juggler and magician)
June 22, 2:30 p.m. Ban Caribe (Latin soul)
June 25, 8 p.m. English Channel (British pop)
June 27, 8:30 p.m. Amaranth (contemporary dance)
June 28, 8 p.m. VOCAL with "We Write the Songs" (original music)
June 29, 4 p.m. Applause Unlimited* (puppetry)
June 29, 7 p.m. David Esleck Trio (jazz)
July 2, 8 p.m. Kip Williams Quartet (jazz)
July 4, 5 p.m. Bak'N Da Day (doo-wop harmonies)
July 4, 7 p.m. Larry Robinson on the Carillon and Richmond Concert Band (patriotic and popular music, followed by fireworks)
July 6, 4 p.m. John Byrd (ventriloquist)
July 6, 7 p.m. Jericho Project (Christian rock)
July 10, 8:30 p.m. Elegba Folklore Society (African dance)
July 11, 11 a.m. Young Audiences of Virginia's Steven Kohrherr* (theater)
July 11-12, Storytelling Festival (storytellers including Todd Schall-Vess and Red Hawk)
July 13, 4 p.m. Woodlake United Methodist Youth Choir* (choral)
July 13, 7 p.m. Larry Bland and the Volunteer Choir (gospel)
July 16, 11 a.m., Young Audiences of Virginia's Priti Patil* (East Indian dance)
July 16, 8 p.m. Michael Hawkins (jazz)
July 18, 11 a.m. Safety House, Richmond Fire Department* (fire safety)
July 18, 8:30 p.m. Concert Ballet of Virginia (ballet)
July 19, 8 p.m. Inner Rhythm (jazz)
July 20, 4 p.m. Young Audiences of Virginia's Atumpan: Tales of the Griot* (storytelling)
July 20, 7 p.m. Delvers (easy listening, Americana)
July 24, 8:30 p.m. Ezibu Muntu African Dance Company (African dance)
July 25, 11 a.m. School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community* (theater)
July 25, 8 p.m. Simply Kevin B (jazz funk)
July 26, 8 p.m. Robbin Thompson (Americana, blues)
July 27, 4 p.m. Latin Ballet (Latin dance)
Aug. 1-3 and 7-9, 8:30 p.m. "Little Shop of Horrors" (musical; rights pending)
Aug. 3, 4 p.m. The Whitlocks* (vocal music)
* Performance at the Dell's Ha'Penny Stage
Contact Cynthia McMullen at (804) 6496361 or cmcmullen@timesdispatch.com.
Email a Friend
RSS
digg it
Printer Friendly
Mobile Alerts
Sphere IT
Save This Page