Village Club Series

Winter 2013 Village Club Series

All shows in the Benjamin Mays Center.  All shows at 9 pm.

	January 10  – Kurt Scobie - Every time Kurt Scobie sits down at the keys, the power of his expressive lyrics and percussive piano style have a magnetic effect on the entire room. The lyrics strike a familiar chord but carry a refreshing tone, and the catchy melodies enable listeners to sing along, even after hearing his songs for the first time. On and off the stage, Kurt is consistently friendly and respectfully honest.  Remember – first show likely = free stuff!
	January 17 - Student Performers - Join us for an evening of performances by Bates students.  Full VCS sound, and special Winter Carnival themed VCS treats – what more could you ask for?
	January 24 - Elizabeth & the Catapult - The title of Elizabeth and the Catapult’s Verve Forecast debut album Taller Children reflects the unique blend of pop playfulness and grown-up introspection that defines Ziman’s distinctive songwriting. Such memorable originals as “Rainiest Day of Summer,” “Apathy,” “The Hang Up” and “Hit the Wall” embody a vibrant mix of open-hearted wonder, whimsical humor and forthright emotional insight, merging classic pop melodicism with an array of acoustic textures, jazz twists and orchestral flourishes.
	January 31 – Tall Heights - In the summer of 2010, Tim Harrington and Paul Wright were playing for spare change in Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace. In two short years since, Tall Heights has headlined packed listening rooms across New England, toured down to Austin, TX to showcase at South By Southwest Music Festival, and performed alongside national acts like David Wilcox, Ryan Montbleau, and Andrew Belle.
	February 7 – Casey Weston - Casey Weston is a singer-songwriter from Naples, Florida now living in Nashville. She began performing about 6 years ago with both original songs and covers that “spoke to her”. Both originals and covers were well received and her audiences grew and grew. In 2009 Casey released her first CD, ten songs on the self-titled “Casey Weston”.  On the national concert circuit Casey has opened for Top 40 and Country acts such as James Otto, John Anderson, Craig Morgan and Justin Moore. Casey was one of the 8 finalists in the inaugural season for TV show sensation, The Voice and stays in touch with her friend and coach Adam Levine, front man for Maroon 5.
	February 14 – Austin Renfroe - It’s sometimes hard to imagine how the spirit of a soulful song crafter and the energy of a compelling concert artist can coexist in the same person, but Austin Renfroe brings both to the page and stage. With a steadily expanding, committed fan base and shows at venues nationwide ranging from college campuses and theaters to Philips Arena the Atlanta native is quickly making his mark as one to watch.
	February 28 - Jer Coons and Caroline Rose- Jer Coons grew up in Vermont, a small rural state that did not have television until 2004 (or internet until 2008 … hoping to get high speed this year). In 2000, at age 11, an impressionable young Jer went to visit his cousins and saw something on their “picture box” that would change his life forever. That of course was the MTV music video for “Bye Bye Bye” from ‘N SYNC’s platinum selling album, “No Strings Attached.”Rose’s songwriting stands on its own in the ground covered by the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Joni Mitchell, and John Prine. America Religious covers an array of topics ranging from current political issues to honest, sometimes heartbreaking self-realizations. The songs of America Religious reflect years of travel, happenstance meetings with strangers, and conversations with old friends and distant relatives. More than simply words set to music, they evoke feelings of familiar stories and long-forgotten memories.
	March 7 – The Spring Standards - The following is a brief summation of the sounds and spirit of The Spring Standards. Born and bred in the Delaware Valley, this trio of songsters now call Brooklyn, New York their home, like much of their musical brethren. Comprised of a lass named Heather and two boys named James, the songs they Smith will Robb your heart, that much is Cleare. Brought up on the music of their elders, they drew much of their inspiration from those times, learning the power of song from artists you all know, The Beatles, James Taylor, Crosby, Stills and the other one. Longtime friends and cohorts, by the time any of us had heard of them, they’d been working on their craft and crafting their works for many years under many names, with their passion for vocal harmony always in their foremost thoughts. It’s fast upon a first listen to feel the power of their pipes, the James boys being blessed with throats of velvet, and Heather with the wind of a foghorn.
	March 14 - Rose Cousins - Rooted in authenticity and conviction of voice, from driving opening track The Darkness to stark piano ballad Go First, you feel as though Rose Cousins sings for you, about your life. It is that sincerity that leads some to compare Cousins to our most beloved songwriters, and yet, her passionate delivery is distinctly, Rose. From writing songs from a tiny cabin without electricity on a New Hampshire island (All The Stars, The Shell) to the stage of one her many international tour stops her lone voice reaches out to listeners, all of us surrounded by our own forms of darkness, and charges us to have the courage to forge ahead.
	March 21 – Annalise Emerick - Through a warm account of the perfect New Year’s Eve, Boston folk songstress Annalise Emerick has demonstrated her aptness to awaken reminiscence in the minds of her listeners, all with just a few simple words, (and one or two bars from “Auld Lang Syne”). One of the fittingly optimistic tracks on Emerick’s 2011 acclaimed debut EP, Starry-Eyed, “This Love Won’t Break Your Heart” is a tale about longtime friends whose encouragement and support never fails. Exclusively premiered as a music video on November 28th via American Songwriter, Emerick’s reflection on the past symbolizes her tight support system and its interconnected role in her music career.
	March 28 - Noah Hoehn - Noah Hoehn is a fierce performer. He has earned national acclaim for his harmonica playing as a two-time winner of the McKnight Fellowship for performing musicians. Now it is his solo looping show that is truly unequaled as a winner of this prestigious award for a third time. His singular vision to unite the sounds of new blues and marimba pop is accomplished with an incomparable live looping system. Saucy harmonica and cool marimba are layered upon a foundation of acoustic grooves freeing him to sing and play at the same time—a musical style unparalleled the world over.
	April 4 - Free Verse - Having blazed the National Poetry Slam in 2011 to be crowned as champions with Denver’s SlamNUBA team, this harmonic pair takes performance poetry beyond the limits with awe-inspiring content and incredible vocal arrangements.  Being prolific in the art of lyric and song, Ayinde Russell and Dominique Ashaheed leave no heart unmoved when they take the stage.

All shows are free to the entire Bates Community. Free refreshments will be provided at all Village Club Series events.  To check out videos of many past performances check out - http://www.youtube.com/batesactivities