Brad and Andrew Barr first played as The Slip until one night in 2004 the room they were performing in burned down. Perhaps that’s why, despite their remarkable talent, they don’t have a problem taking themselves too seriously.
One year later, they were in Montreal. In his first apartment there, Brad Barr shared an adjoining wall with Sarah Page, a classically trained harpist whose melodies would seep through the cracks of the wall and into the music Brad was writing.
Sarah, and then their friend and multi-instrumentalist Andres Vial, joined the band, playing keyboards, bass, vibes, percussion, and singing.
Check out something truly different and enormously creative. Their performance will remind you of a day when you went to a show just to hear something truly new.

Kishi Bashi (also of Montreal) opens – “A weightless, cartwheeling, electro-pop romp!” – Spin Magazine

The style of MiZ has been described as a fusion of folk, rock, bluegrass and blues; in short a melting pot blended into what would best be categorized as pure Americana. The group’s founder, lead guitarist and singer-songwriter Mike Mizwinski, comes from Northeastern Pennsylvania, an area long known for its rich and vibrant talent.

They surprised anyone who hadn’t seen them before, with their opening set before the October 2011 Badlees show, including the Morning Call reviewer, John Moser “Amazingly tight, they were a collection of very good instrumentalists … front man/singer Mike Mizwinski’s guitar blazed, whether it was on a cover of The Band’s Ophelia the R&B gospel of the traditional I Saw the Light of the closing song, which morphed from straight-up country to straight-up rock.”

With respect to their prospects for future stardom, Moser added, “..it’ll be a crime if MiZ doesn’t get there.”

See them here before they do!

Grammy-nominated guitarist, singer and songwriter Bill Kirchen is one of the few who can step onto any stage, play those trademark licks that drove his seminal Commander Cody classic Hot Rod Lincoln into the Top Ten, and elicit instant recognition for a career that has spanned over 40 years and includes guitar work with Nick Lowe, Emmylou Harris, Doug Sahm, Elvis Costello and many more.

His no-nonsense diesel guitar attack, powered by great booming, bottom-heavy licks still covered with axle grease, is undoubtedly the real thing, scattering scorching guitar runs in all directions – it’s all immediate, in your face and more than a little dangerous.

Named “A Titan of the Telecaster” by Guitar Player Magazine, he celebrates an American musical tradition where rock ‘n’ roll and country music draws upon its origins in blues and bluegrass, Western swing from Texas and California honky-tonk.

It’s been more than three decades since The Band performed its farewell concert in 1976. But the group’s music lives on, thanks to a tribute act called The “The Band” Band, which performs authentic renditions from The Band’s legendary catalog.

Fans can relive The Band’s renditions of songs like Up On Cripple Creek, The Weight and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down at their performances.

The “The Band” Band features Gary Solomon on bass, fiddle, drums and vocals; Jack Kraft on keyboards, accordion and vocals; Mike Corbin on guitar and vocals Josh Radin on guitar, mandolin and vocals; and Vinny Nicosia on drums, guitar and vocals. The group aims to re-create The Band’s songs exactly as they were originally written and performed, which occasionally requires the use of the accordion, mandolin, fiddle and tuba during tribute concerts.

In concert, the combination of these qualities invariably yields an experience that is so celebratory and moving that the very word Cabinet takes on a new, vivid meaning for anyone in the audience. An inclusive and engaging energy is the uniting through-line as Cabinet weaves bluegrass, country and folk influences to powerful effect. Tight dynamics punctuate gorgeous, soaring harmonies as down-to-earth rhythm and lyrics give way to dreamy jams that are the musical equivalent of the backroad scenic route. But this impressive result is no accident.

The Fillmores East and West were the standards by which all other live venues measured themselves. They still do.

Every great group of the era ( Allman Brothers, Cream, Derek and the Dominoes, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Zppa, Humble Pie, Miles Davis, and many others) recorded a live album there, capturing their sound and inspiration.

The Craig Thatcher Band recreates that spirit with a show dedicated to music of those remarkable bands. With an outstanding lineup of vocalists and musicians, this versatile group not only rips it up, but tells the great story of rock’s most iconic venues.

Paul Thorn is an amazingly talented and versatile songwriter. He can make you laugh with songs like “Burn Down the Trailer Park” and “Viagra”, then turn around and make you cry with “I Have a Good Day” and “Things Left Undone”. Besides his skill with lyrics, the music is sometimes bluesy, sometimes country, sometimes rock. He can’t really be categorized.

The CD contains many of his standards. If you have not been introduced to Paul Thorn, this combo set is an excellent place to start. Here’s a great opportunity to see him live.

Peek-A-Boo Revue is excited to return to to the Mauch Chunk Opera House on June 16th. For the last two years they have been celebrating the holidays in our wonderful mountain town, but as much as they shimmy and shake, they just couldn’t stay warm.
So come June, when the flowers are up, and the ground is warm, The Peek-A-Boo Revue will be bringing the first heat wave to Jim Thorpe.
They have been singing, dancing, and celebrating the art of striptease since 1998. They have won both national and international awards and have been seen on America’s Got Talent. After an international competition in Las Vegas, they will return to sing and dance some more for the east coast folks they love.
Join us on Saturday, June 16th for an all-new show, including a number recently debuted at Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas!

While his gravelly baritone and omnipresent fedora, dark glasses, and Groucho Marx mustache made him one of the more distinct and recognizable characters in popular music, little is known about the neo-vaudeville crooner Leon Redbone. Throughout his career, he steadfastly refused to divulge any information about his background or personal life.

After 1978’s Champagne Charlie, Redbone began recording only sporadically; following 1981’s Branch to Branch, he waited four years before reentering the studio to cut Red to Blue. Invariably, his albums featured guest appearances from an eclectic cast of luminaries.

We tend to feel there could be no appropriate place for Mr. Redbone to play than at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, considering his Vaudevillian roots, the inherent sound and mystery of the venue – even the fact that Mae West once played here. We’ll see what happens.

The Felice Brothers have captured the decay and corruption of contemporary America in dazzling, sickening fashion, like a series of character sketches drawn behind the scenes at a decrepit carnival, set to after-hours folk blues as raw and unhinged as the subject matter.

Their latest album, Southern Canon, is a formidable testament to how tightly knit Ben Arnold, Tom Gillam, Joseph Parsons, Scott Bricklin and Matt Muir have become as a band.

The album’s dynamic opener, Scott Bricklin’s Heart Don’t Lie is a standout track , and his power ballad Carry Your Weight has all the potential in the world to become a hit. Tom Gillam’s Same Old You (Same Old Me) reminds us once again of Joe Walsh’s qualities while the closing, piano and guitar-based ballad Old Song On The Radio delivers the most beautiful Eagles-type harmonies.

The semi-acoustic, rocking Do What You Love features Ben Arnold’s deeply soulful vocals, reminiscent of Randy Newman, while You’re My Home is a midtempo number with a soulful gospel flair. It doesn’t surprise that Joseph Parsons delivers the album’s most introspective moment, the slow, somber. Take A Long Time, while giving proof that he can be a more powerful troubadour with the catchy Night Bird.

Formerly members of the Philly group, 4-Way Street, they bring the whole package – vocals, harmonies, musicianship, songwriting – we invite you to experience US Rails!

Opening the night will be Schuykill County’s own Sterling Koch Band, adding their formidable brand of blues rock to a great night of music.

Tickets $15 Doors 7 PM Show 8 PM

The Cast of Beatlemania recreates the sights and sounds of The Beatles so faithfully that you will recall when Beatlemania was the most pleasant fever of all!

Three different costume changes coincide with the evolving music and times. Theirs is the first, original and only complete representation of the musical force called The Beatles.

The band features members who starred in the Broadway production and have performed in all fifty states and over twenty foreign countries, including Canada, England, Mexico, Brazil and Japan.

The Cast of Beatlemania was individually selected from thousands of musicians who auditioned from all over the U.S. for the Broadway show, Beatlemania.

Disounts on Lodging and Dining at participating businesses. After your 5th show we’ll refill your card with $25. Your Performance Card will be activated and mailed to you within 8-10 business days

discounts on dining & lodging. After your 5th show we’ll refill your card with $25. Card 125 has a value of $125 for only $100.

discounts on dining & lodging. After your 5th show we’ll refill your card with $25. Card 60 is an extra $10 in value for only $50.

Sierra Hull and Highway 111

Never mind that Boston’s renowned Berklee School of Music bestowed on Sierra Hull the school’s Presidential Award and its first-ever to a bluegrass musician. You hear virtuosity here quickly, but there’s a maturity to her music that clearly transcends age.

What you hear on her new release Daybreak is one of bluegrass’s few full-fledged virtuosic instrumentalist/singer/songwriters, and one who’s gracefully grown into her gifts. While her mandolin playing has always possessed clarity and fleet-fingered precision, here she attacks her solos with newfound spontaneity and depth of feeling. Her singing—always straight and true—has more heartfelt power behind it, and it does her songs justice.

Matt Glaser—head of Berklee’s American Roots Music Program—put it this way: “She has no limitations as a musician.” Daybreak is certainly a noteworthy arrival; though you can’t help but feel it’s also just the beginning.

Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky come together as a collaborative project from three of the most revered songwriters in folk music. Inspiring and paving the road for countless musicians and songwriters on the road today, having these three talents converge is a folk fan’s dream.

Sparse instrumentation allows these three distinctive voices to carry the magic of music that is awash in great harmonies and songwriting. Each of these legendary singer/songwriters solos on classics first made famous by the other two members. Lucy gives a haunting performance of Eliza’s “Sanctuary,” John takes the lead on Lucy’s “Don’t Mind Me” while Eliza performs John’s “Forget to Breathe” which has never been released on Red House before.

Their 2010 album, Red Horse, showcases new material from all three, and features covers they have never before recorded as well as revisiting and rearranging a couple of early classics.
Experience three veteran songwriters and good friends coming together to make music. Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky give us a collection of songs that solidifies their place as three of folk music’s great songwriters.

Get out your bell bottom jeans and polyester shirt! Recapture the days of Boogie Fever and do The Hustle to all of the top Disco hits of the 70’s. It’s time to party with the East Coast’s hottest Disco tribute! Dancin’ Machine makes every event a party! It Only Takes a Minute to Fall in Love with their Disco Inferno. There Ain’t No Stoppin’them now. So if you were Born to be Alive, get out your Boogie Shoes and Let’s Groove tonight with Dancin’ Machine! A supberb group of seasoned New York musicians with diverse backgrounds ranging from Pop to Rock, Jazz, Blues and Classical! These guys will have you Shakin’ Your Booty all night. Dancin’ Machine will Play That Funky Music that’ll Make You Feel Like Dancing!

Experience the Kings of A Capella!

With a career spanning half a century and showing no signs of retiring any time soon, the Persuasions continue to take on new and exciting musical projects.

Discovered first by Frank Zappa, who played their music over the phone to record company execs, The Persuasions have never ceased in their dedication to live performance.

Over the summer of ‘09, it was the music of J.J. Cale, featuring the powerhouse baritone/tenor of “Sweet” Joe Russell on "I’ll Make Love To You," and basso profundo, Jimmy Hayes on “Travelin’ Light.”

Continuing the tradition of in-house self-arranging and producing, the group is now joined by Dave Revels, former member of the Drifters and long time Persuasions friend (who sang with them on their Beatles tribute CD and later arranged and produced their U2 tribute CD) as producer/arranger of the group’s recording projects, along with Jimmy Hayes.

Since the departure of lead singer Jerry Lawson, the “Pers” have regrouped and continue to perform nationwide to rave reviews.

Since its birth in 1996, Solas has been loudly proclaimed as the most popular, influential, and exciting Celtic band to ever emerge from the United States.

The Philadelphia Inquirer said they make “mind-blowing Irish folk music, maybe the world’s best.” The New York Times praised their “unbridled vitality“, while the Washington Post dubbed them one of the “world’s finest Celtic-folk ensembles.”

Solas has performed at all the major Celtic and folk festivals, including Philadelphia, Edmonton, the legendary National Folk Festival, and Milwaukee’s Irish fest; but also at Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and the chamber music summer series at Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

The Solas sound today is anchored by founders Seamus Egan, who plays flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, whistle, guitar and bodhran, and fiddler Winifred Horan. They are two of the most respected—and imitated—musicians anywhere in acoustic music. Mick McAuley from Kilkenny plays accordion and concertina; Eamon McElholm from Tyrone plays guitar and keyboards. As a result, they transcend musical genres into the realm of pure musical expression that only a relative handful of musicians attain.

Initially formed as an acoustic string band, seven years of constant touring has transformed Hot Buttered Rum into a plugged-in, percussive powerhouse that wows critics and fans alike. Their left-coast rock reveals an access to jazz, country, and world music that few groups can match.

Hot Buttered Rum’s story is one of evolution. The “high altitude bluegrass” era captured on their first studio album, In These Parts, found the band enjoying success at such diverse stages as the Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo, Grey Fox, High Sierra, Wakarusa, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

More electric pickups made their way to the stage, along with an increased focus on songwriting. As the band developed a heavier sound, fans and press began to describe them as a rock band with acoustic instruments.

“Stunning instrumental and vocal virtuosity." -Relix Magazine

U2Nation delivers a breath-taking recreation of the sights, sounds, and passion of the U2 concert experience. Noted for their collection of authentic vintage equipment – including actual gear previously used on stage by members of U2 themselves – this New Jersey-based foursome’s stunning live performances are an amazing tribute to one of rock and roll’s all-time great bands.

They are masters of their craft, and their attention to detail in sound, showmanship, and overall production quality has earned the praises of the most critical U2 fans and made devotees of casual listeners too. U2Nation’s members hail from New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Come see them capture the arena-sized magic of a U2 concert!

With her sultry voice, Suzanne Vega seamlessly joins her poetry and contemporary folk song with a sound that is utterly unique and identifiable to her alone. Ms. Vega appears with longtime guitarist Gerry Leonard.

Widely regarded as one of the most brilliant songwriters of her generation, Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been labeled contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs.

Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known halls. In performances devoid of outward drama that nevertheless convey deep emotion, Vega sings in a distinctive, clear vibrato-less voice that has been described as “a cool, dry sandpaper- brushed near-whisper” and as “plaintive but disarmingly powerful.”

They make catchy folk-pop with lyrics made for singing along. But what really sets them apart is instrumental artistry that adds deeper jazz and funk layers to the sound.

With a finger-picking style that has been compared to Leo Kottke and Ani DiFranco, soul-folk songwriting skills in the tradition of Martin Sexton, and a singing voice constantly compared to Stevie Wonder, there is clearly an abundance of talent here.

And this may be a Northeastern band, but there’s a zydeco layer in their music too. Ryan has been writing up a storm, and you can be among the first to hear the band’s new material.

Using a circular video screen, high tech intelligent lights, cutting edge sound and note perfect renditions of the classic songs, Childhood’s End reflects the true essence of Pink Floyd. With over 100 years of combined musical and music business experience, locally, nationally and internationally, Childhood’s End provides a truly professional and complete visual and dynamic musical performance. Childhood’s End is able to size down to large clubs, but does it’s best in theatres.

The complex production and dynamic musical values of CE provide the fans of the legendary band a glimpse at what it was like to see Pink Floyd live. CE’s multi-media presentations feature not only the stunning visuals, but the combination of them with the intricate and sometimes edgy compositions of Waters and Gilmour performed with all of the energy of the originals. Gregory John’s feel for Gilmour’s guitar sound blended with Schad’s soundscapes create the palette for Robinson and Puma’s rich vocalizations and musicianship, all kept in metronome like time by Garboushian’s thunderous percussion. Together they create a tribute to Pink Floyd unlike any other.

We celebrate The Allentown Band, the oldest civilian concert band in the United States, since 1828. Their goal is the finest sound that exceptional musicians can produce—whether it be an overture transcribed from opera, or a John Philip Sousa march.

Their recent performance at the Opera House drew such a thrilled response, that we quickly worked out a new date with them. Whether you know their music or not, it’s truly thrilling to see them in a concert venue like the Opera House.

The Allentown Band is recognized worldwide, having twice appeared on national TV on Charles Kuralt’s Good Morning America, and the PBS series The American Experience in a feature called If You Knew Sousa.

Bassist Victor Bailey, guitarist Larry Coryell, and drummer Lenny White harness their considerable experience in an vening of eclectic jazz, R&B and rock.

Larry Coryell debuted on Chico Hamilton’s “Dealer” album in 1966 and has appeared on more than 200 albums, 70 as a leader. Coryell was involved in the early fusion movement, later moved into acoustic, and for the last few years has refined his sound as a traditional jazz guitarist.

Victor Bailey began his recording career with Weather Report, and has played with such diverse groups as Steps Ahead and Madonna. Bailey’s ability to play both rhythm and lead provides for a deep rhythm section.

Lenny White is best known for participating as one of the drummers on Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew sessions, and as a member of the most famous lineup of Chick Corea’s Return to Forever. Since embarking on a solo career White has collaborated with the cream of fusion players, including Brian Auger, Jan Hammer, Miroslav Vitous and Al DiMeola. With a heavy groove and chops to burn, White is a drummer comfortable in any style.

There aren’t many groups in North America who could lay claim to possibly 18 different genres of music, but Toronto’s Enter The Haggis is one of them.

To engage this quintet is to indulge rock, fusion, bluegrass, traditional Celtic fare, agitpop, folk, even Latin flavors. Sounds awfully confused, right? Wrong. ETH is one of those rare jewels that actually pulls it all off as if to own everything.

The Celtic influence remains palpably intact, which is likely the reason why core fans have stayed so loyal over the past decade. Still, Enter The Haggis continues to break new ground with every offering, and the power of the music is only made more significant by their socio-political convictions. They mesh the aforementioned musical synthesis while channeling their social consciousness through a sense of musical experimentation.

ETH’s live show is a musical feast- viscerally dynamic, emotionally uplifting and intellectually stimulating. The band’s oeuvre darts effortlessly from the trad strains of, say, The Chieftains and the Pogues to the frenetic pop of early Elvis Costello and even to the Latin-tinged spirit of the Buena Vista Social Club and beyond.

The LA Weekly calls them “cross pollinated gypsy music….one of the most thrilling young acts on the planet.” Formed in 2005 and playing everywhere from the hippest LA clubs to festivals, cultural centers, museums, parades, and even on the street, the gypsy jazz band includes two explosive violins, the world’s best slap bass player, musical saw, flamenco and gypsy jazz guitar, trombone, opera, jazz and gypsy vocals, accordion and one little banjolele. Tackling everything from French hot jazz to wild Serbian and Transylvanian gypsy anthems, Flamenco, and oddball originals, the band is a not to be missed event for world music lovers…and everyone will love this intoxicating mix of music!

Four decades into a stellar career of uncompromising musical integrity, Jonathan Edwards simply delivers, night after night, songs of passion, insight, and humor. The writer and singer of classics like Sunshine, Shanty and Athens County, Edwards’ pure and powerful tenor has only grown sweeter with age.

Singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey contributed massive pop and progressive country hits like Wildfire, Carolina In The Pines, and What’s Forever For and more. In the 90’s, he added the title of top-selling singer of American Cowboy music in the world; and then earned a Grammy nomination in 2009 for Buckaroo Blue Grass.

In this special 2-week tour, two remarkable artists and close friends share the stage for the first time, performing their own material, as well as many classics together!

Individually, The Badlees are very different on many levels, each coming to the table with unique personalities and musical influences. A true band is when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts – The Badlees are no exception.

And few bands from Pennsylvania ever had as much impact and influence on the music scene.

In 1990, the band embarked on a journey that is currently entering its 3rd decade of creating The Badlees sound. Since then, the music business has seen its fair share of trends but The Badlees have only focused on one goal: making great music without regard to what is in vogue.

Over the past 22 years, The Badlees have continued to produce relevant music without regard to the trends. In 2012, The Badlees released See Me As A Picture: The Best, So Far, an 18-song compilation of musical highlights from the band’s career.

Get $90 in value when you spend $75