Unity Centre Shows in 2003
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Scenes From Dickens' Christmas Carol
Saturday November 29 at 5 pm The Humbug Puppeteers and Musicians invite you to their sixth, and final, annual production of Scenes from Dickens' Christmas Carol on Saturday, November 29, 2003 at 5:00 p.m. at the Unity Centre for the Performing Arts located at 42 Depot Street in Unity. All members of this group are piano students of Maggie Wilcox. They hail from Monroe, Jackson, Waldo, Burnham, Troy, Thorndike and Unity. A light supper will follow. Admission is free. For more information call 948-7469. |
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Trap
Saturday November 8 at 8 pm Trap is the debut film by Belfast actor/filmaker Nicolle Littrell. Trap was shot in the region in the spring of 2002 and features a talented local cast and crew and unforgettable locations. The evening will feature two showings of the short film, a question and answer session with Littrell, live music and refreshments. Tickets $8/$6 |
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The Wooley Brothers
Saturday November 1 at 8 pm The Wooley Brothers consists of Dan and Dave Wooley. Though not born in Maine, they've lived here all their lives. Dan, the oldest of the two, got his first guitar when he was ten years old and he wrote his first song when he was twelve. He has been playing and writing music ever since. Although some of his songs were destroyed by a house fire in 1987, he's never looked back and has continued to write. He's had some of his songs cut by Nashville recording artist, Tim Barrett. Now others are getting a chance to enjoy Dan's songs preformed by he and his brother Dave, with the release of their "What's Inside" album. Tickets $10 |
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David Maxwell
Friday October 31 at 8 pm David Maxwell has amassed an enormous resume throughout the years playing piano with some of the greatest and most well-known musicians in the blues. David's style encompasses elements of blues and jazz, but he is best known for his soulful virtuosity and unmatched ability to reach the heart of post-war Chicago Blues. Through his work, he has gained the respect of artists, critics and fans and has established a reputation as one of the finest pianists alive. Tickets $15 |
Contra Harvest Dinner Dance
| Friday October 24 at 6 pm Social hour starts at 6 pm, pot-luck dinner at 7 pm followed by contra dancing. Music by Yankee Soul Revue.  Yankee Soul Revue, consisting of Harry
Richter (guitar), John Kuehne (violin), Deborah Swart (violin, viola), Neal
McNaughton (mandolin) and Sean Bolduc (bass), is a popular Maine country dance group.
Dance caller John McIntire lives in Unity and leads dancing around the
state with occasional forays further afield.
Contra dancing is New England country dancing, having been brought to this country by the first English settlers. It's been around for about 300 years. The term "contra dance" actually refers to the formation of opposite or contrary lines in which dancers stand facing each other. There is generally live music, and a dance caller teaches the figures prior to each dance. Tickets $5 |
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Kieran Kane
Friday October 17 at 7:30 pm Kieran Kane likes doing things his own way. From his Top 10 appearances as a solo artist in the early 80's, to a successful stint as one half of the O'Kanes in the late 80's, to his re-emergence as a solo artist in the early 90's, Kane has stuck with his artistic intentions. His most recent album, Shadows on the Ground, was released in autumn of 2002 to rave reviews. It features a traditional Appalachian mountain music sound on many of the cuts, while still sounding indefinably current. "Sometimes I think the world could use more simplicity- here is my offering," says Kieran about the new CD. Tickets $10 |
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DANÚ
Wednesday September 3 at 7:30 pm DANÚ is an Irish traditional music group, made up of seven young male traditional musicians hailing from counties Waterford, Dublin, Tipperary and Donegal. The group has a strong ethos of loyalty to the tradition from which their music comes and yet still bring a fresh, inspiring approach to their performaces. A wonderfully lively group on stage, a DANÚ concert is a unique experience. Other Irish bands who have performed at Unity Centre (Gaelic Storm, Solas) say that DANÚ is their favorite Irish band. Tickets $15 |
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Ember Swift
Friday August 29 at 8 pm With her jazz-steeped, acoustic punk stylings, and seven recordings under her belt on her own independent label (Few'll Ignite Sound), Ember Swift contines to solidify her reputation as one of Canada's hottest artists. A compelling and uncompromising performer, Ember and her band have toured extensively in North America and Australia. Her show promises a rockin' good time, with sheer fun as important an ingredient as her extraordinary voice and unflinching lyrics. Tickets $8 |
Into The Woods
| Friday and Saturday August 22 and 23 at 7:30 pm Sunday August 24 at 2:30 pm Into the Woods brings musical life to classic fairytales such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. Directed by Mount View graduate, Matt Hunter, and performed by a diverse cast of local talents, along with the Tony Award Winning score of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, this production of Into the Woods is sure to be a fun and memorable event for all ages. Tickets $8/$5 |
|  Baka Beyond Wednesday August 20 at 7:30 pm Musicians from six countries in the Celtic fringes of Europe and the West coast of Africa join together to play the most original live world fusion sound around. This blend of Celtic and African music, performed by some of the best musicians from both worlds, is simply not to be missed. Strong African beats underpin Celtic and Gaelic melodies producing fast yet gentle rhythms that are totally infectious. This blend makes for a stunning fusion of influences. The musicianship and improvisational skills of the band combines with a sensitivity learned from the Baka in the African rainforest. |
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The Cottars
Friday August 1 at 7:30 pm In a remarkably short period of time, The Cottars have become Cape Breton's latest musical success story. This dynamic Celtic band is comprised of four youngsters who have been playing traditional music since childhood. The four children range in age from 12 to 15, and each is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and stepdancer. They have shared the stage with Natalie MacMaster, Raylene Rankin (of The Rankin Family), The Barra MacNeils, The Irish Descendants, The Men Of The Deeps, and many others. |
|  Moira Smiley and the Special Edition Vocal Ensemble Saturday July 19 at 7:30 pm The 10 singers of the vocal ensemble come together from England, Vermont, Arizona, North Carolina, New Jersey and Maine, including Claire Guyer from Thomaston, and Seth Grondin of Bangor. These young musicians, ages 13 to 21, share extraordinary vocal skills and a love of folk, world music and jazz vocal styles. The Special Edition Vocal Ensemble is a unique experience that promotes independent, unusual soloists as they create an ensemble and musical community together. The lineup of members is constantly changing and their performances are mostly a cappella, with body and hand percussion. Moira Smiley, a Vermont native now living in Los Angeles, is a vocalist and composer who specializes in new music, jazz, blues, gospel as well as traditional music of the Appalachians, Ireland and the Balkans. Her touring has included New York’s Lincoln Center, the Knitting Factory, Indy Jazz Festival and BBC Radio and Television as a soloist and with her vocal group, VIDA. Her voice and compositions are featured on more than 30 CDs. |
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Cody Michaels
Friday July 11 at 7:30 pm Cody's diverse music career spans two decades in the United States and Europe. Contemporary classical is his genre, although he strays into jazz, blues and rags. A Creation Prayer is his debut album of original piano solos. His highly emotive compositions, unique interpretations, and intimate stage presence create strong audience connection. Tickets $8 |
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Little Johnny England
Thursday July 3 at 6 pm This special concert is a fundraiser for Unity Centre and happens aboard the Harbor Princess in beautiful Boothbay Harbor. Little Johnny England's sound is muscular folk-rock with a distinctive blend of fiddle, melodeon and electric guitar in the tradition of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span. The Harbor Princess will sail at 6 pm sharp. Tickets $20 |
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The Eaken Piano Trio
Sunday June 15 at 3:00 pm Grammy nominated recording artists, The Eaken Trio (John Eaken, Violin; Andrew Rammon, Cello; Gloria Whitney, Piano) marks its 16th successful season of critically acclaimed concert appearances across the United States, Europe and Canada. The ensemble has numerous commercial recordings under both the Naxos and Catalpa Classics labels, and is heard regularly on classical music radio including National Public Radio's All Things Considered and Performance Today. The ensemble has two new releases in 2001, including a critically acclaimed recording of three American piano trios on the Naxos "American Music Series." Included are the Trios by Gunther Shuller, Gerald Shipiro and Grammy Award Winner, Lalo Shifrin of "Mission Impossible" fame. Also released on the Catalpa Classics label are the two most requested works in the Eaken Trio's repertoire: The wonderful D minor, OP 49 Trio by Mendelssohn, and Anton Arensky’s A minor Trio. The CD is titled The Romantic Trios. |
The Maine Women's Balkan Choir
| Saturday June 14 at 7:30 pm 
The Maine Women’s Balkan Choir is a group of diverse women - teachers, administrators, fishermen, journalists, health care workers, homemakers, students and grandmothers - who share a common love for the music of the Balkans and Eastern Europe and an admiration for the women who have been passing on their powerful songs from mothers to daughters through the generations. The songs express the seasons of a woman’s life in the village - the joy, the sorrow, the work in the fields and the caprices of love. The unusual close harmonies, complex meter rhythms and minor keys can confound “Western ears” at first, but few can escape being captivated by the mysterious emotional impact of the music. When these women take a deep breath together, and raise their voices to sing the very air vibrates with their haunting and soul-stirring sound.
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téada
Saturday June 7 at 8 pm Emerging as one of the most exciting and traditional young bands of recent years, téada (meaning strings in the Irish language) features the uniquely sweet fiddle playing of 23 year-old Sligo musician, Oisín Mac Diarmada, in tandem with the rhythmic subtlety of Monaghan banjo/bouzouki player, Sean McElwain. The uniquely crafted tune settings are beautifully enhanced by two of Ireland's finest accompanists. Tristan Rosenstock from Dublin, on bodhrán, brings to the performance an unmistakable rhythmic vitality, superbly aided by the harmonic understanding and melodic expression of London-born John Blake on guitar/flute. |
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Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
Thursday June 5 at 7:30 pm The band's name, Zydeco Cha Chas, was borrowed from the title of a tune played by Clifton Chenier, whom Nathan Williams had watched perform in St. Martinville when he was a young boy. Nathan Williams and The Zydeco Cha Chas are probably one of Lousiana's most underated Zydeco performers. For more than a dozen years this act has been churning out high energy zydeco music laced with the blues, reggae, classic creole and just plain and simple rock 'n' roll. Tickets $15 |
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Fairport Convention
Wednesday June 4 at 7:30 pm Winners of this year’s BBC2 lifetime achievement award for folk music, Fairport Convention is Britain's most famous folk/rock band. They still hold their own festival every August, packing some 20,000 fans into a field. The title of their latest album, XXXV, lets you know how long they've been around. Tickets $15 |
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The von Trapp Children Friday May 16 and Saturday May 17 at 7:30 pm Melanie (12), Sofia (14), Amanda (11), and Justin (7) are the descendants of the famous singing family whose story captivated the world in "The Sound of Music." As the great-grandchildren of Captain von Trapp, they have inherited the family's unique musical gift. They share songs (wonderful four part harmonies) and heart warming family stories of life before and after coming to America. Listen to them sing Scarborough Fair Tickets $15/$8 |
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The Strawbs
Wednesday April 30 at 7:30 pm "Distinctly British strains of prog- and folk-rock met in the Strawbs, hit makers in their day and too little-known now. Led by singer-guitarist Dave Cousins (the only continuous member of the group), they started out as kin to Fairport Convention, serving up quasi-mythic lyrics and lavish harmonies. During the 1969-1975 period covered in this two-disc anthology, though, they branched out into sprawling prog-rock fanciness (for a few pre-Yes years, Rick Wakeman was the group's keyboardist) and a sort of proletarian glam. The essence of the group's sound, though, was Cousins's proudly enunciated vocals and bold acoustic strum. His utopian hippie dreams sustained the Strawbs even as members came and went." --Douglas Wolk Tickets $15 |
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The Waifs
Friday April 11 at 8 pm "Sometimes a group comes out of the blue and makes an immediate positive impression. It has that hard-to-define spark, a way with words and notes, and a musical personality that hits you at first listening. So it is with The Waifs, a trio from West Australia, who has been makings its first rounds of North American clubs and festivals this year and winning a lot of new fans. This is a group bubbling over with talent, verve and vitality. - Tom Melligan, DIRTY LINEN, Baltimore USA Oct 2001 Tickets $15 |
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Big Bill Morgenfield
Sunday April 6 at 7:30 pm From its earliest days the Chicago blues scene was dominated by the looming figure of Muddy Waters. His passionate vocals and prowling electric guitar introduced the intensity of the Delta blues to an urban environment. Fast forward 50 years, and the tradition continues with Muddy's son, Big Bill Morganfield, backed by a few veterans of his father's band. Tickets $14 |
The Pendulum Swings
| Friday April 4 at 7 pm Five short pieces by Camden playwright Robert Manns will be presented under the title The Pendulum Swings by the Performance Project.  The current production will be a chance for local audiences to sample the output of a writer referred to by Alan Schneider as “…one of the most talented…playwrights in the generation not yet recognized by the commercial theater.
The individual plays in the Performance Project production are entitled Camden Can Can, The Drill, The Point, The Neophytes and When the Pendulum Swings. They cover a broad range in subject matter, emotional tone, setting and period, yet are held together by a uniquely original voice that conjures suggestions of Sartre, Becket, Christopher Fry and Tom Stoppard. As the pendulum swings through these characters’ lives, a seismic shift occurs that alters their fates and perceptions. Like the witness to a crime, the audience sees these intimate, transformative moments take place. The Pendulum Swings will be directed by Larraine Brown, founder and dramaturge of the Performance Project and will be performed by an experienced and talented cast including Kristen Costanza, Tim Collins, Jennifer DeJoy, Justin Morse and David Patrick Stucky. Tickets $10 |
Old Blind Dogs
| Saturday March 29 at 8 pm Old Blind Dogs founders Jonny Hardie (fiddle) and Buzzby McMillan (bass, cittern) hail from Aberdeenshire on Scotland's northeast coast, an area steeped in traditional songs and fiddle tunes.  They have built upon the region's melodies, incorporating African-flavored rhythms of djembe and congas, with pipes and fiddle tying the music back to its Scottish roots. Vocalist Jim Malcolm is regarded as one of Scotland's finest traditional singers. He is also a gifted lyricist, spinning fascinating yarns with his rich, perfectly controlled voice. Rory Campbell's piping skills have become a main attraction in the band, and his exciting original tunes have made substantial contributions to the Old Blind Dogs' repertoire. Newest member Fraser Stone, who specializes in African percussion, has been playing drums and percussion since the age of six.For over ten years now, the Old Blind Dogs have stood at the leading edge of the roots revival that has both reawakened and revolutionised Scottish folk music. Combining a deep appreciation of ancient traditions with a highly contemporary, dynamically cosmopolitan musical approach, their uniquely distinctive arrangements of ballads, airs, and dance-tunes put the sounds of their homeland firmly on the world music map. Tickets $15 |
Tab Benoit and Jimmy Thackery
| Monday March 24 at 7:30 pm Combine the swampy, cajun grit of Tab Benoit with the fiery fretwork of Jimmy Thackery, and you have Whiskey Store, their acclaimed collaboration. This concert will feature songs from Whisky Store. Here's what Hal Horowitz of Creative Loafing has to say about the album: Former front man for the Nighthawks Jim Thackery and Louisiana sensation Tab Benoit get together What happens when two hotshot electric blues guitar slingers butt heads and strings for an album backed by Stevie Ray Vaughan's group? If you think the answer is endless solos with each louder and more frantic than the last, you'd be right -- most of the time.Tickets $10 in advance, $15 on day of show |
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Jess Tardy
Saturday March 22 at 8 pm Singer-songwriter Jess Tardy grew up in Maine and describes herself as a “jazz nerd in a country music town.” By the time she entered college at Harvard, she was already performing on saxophone and vocals. After trading the sax for a gig as lead vocalist with the Harvard Jazz Band, Tardy collaborated with the likes of bop diva Sheila Jordan and bass virtuoso Steve Swallow. She appeared in the Chicago Art Institute's 1998 tribute to Ella Fitzgerald as well as the Chicago Endowment for the Arts' tribute to George Gershwin the following year. She also toured Ireland with The Late Money Band, as the soul band's sax-wielding lead vocalist. Tardy, a long time student of her mother's Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, and Nina Simone records, began writing her own songs and formed her own trio with whom she tackled the Cambridge singer-songwriter circuit. Her songs blend smart lyrics with blues and jazz sensibilities. Recent performances in Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco have announced Tardy as an insightful new voice. Listen to Afraid to Fall from her new album. Tickets $12 |
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Luther Wright and the Wrongs
Thursday March 20 at 7:30 pm Rip-roaring, old school country and western music, a penchant for making it pretty when the need arises, and a frantic, inspired, over-the-top live performance sums up Luther Wright & the Wrongs nicely. From a review of this alt.country band's complete country/bluegrass version of Pink Floyd's The Wall: "Arranged as pure Americana replete with pedal steel, fiddles, mandolins, barnyard noises and cover art that replaces The Walls white bricks with bales of hay-the record is especially odd because it works" -Memphis Commercial Appeal, Tennesee Tickets $10 |
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Kelly Jo Phelps with Zubot and Dawson
Sunday March 16 at 7:30 pm "If you have ever seen blues-folk troubadour Kelly Joe Phelps play live, you will know how mesmerising his lap-based guitar playing can be. Those mercurial fingers conjure the mystifying illusion of two or three sidemen. A jazz player in days gone by - his passion for Coltrane knew no bounds - he is no broken-down, back-porch strummer. After all the solo tours, Sky Like A Broken Clock represents a surprise change of direction, Phelps surrounding himself with like-minded musicians including Tom Waits's cohort Larry Taylor. Don't worry: the poetic vision has not been swamped by the combined force of feedback and backbeat. Recorded in just a few days, the collection of originals prove as airy and evocative as anything he has done before. Phelps's smoky growl is a remarkable instrument in its own right, even if it does not always do full justice to the intricate flow of the lyrics: these are no 12-bar chants. The melodies, sinuous and teasing, take us on a dusty journey across the heartlands." Clive Davis in Sunday Times (UK) Tickets $15 |
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The Angel Band
Saturday March 8 at 8 pm The Angel Band, New Hampshire's premier Celtic string ensemble, is a group of seven accomplished musicians in the ninth year of collaboration. The group offers both traditional and contemporary Celtic music featuring the works of Ireland's national composer, Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). The Angel Band is recognized as the leading proponent of O'Carolan along with contemporary compositions in the Celtic genre. Tickets $10 |
Eleventh & Love, A One-Man Show About Longing, Loss and London.
| Friday February 28 7:30 pm 
"Eleventh & Love is witty, funny, touching, and insightful," says
Judy Harrison of the Bangor Daily News. "Tim Collins exudes a hypnotic quality, mezmerizing theater-goers," says Corrine Vacarro of the Belfast Republican Journal. "Eleventh & Love," a fast-paced, multi-character, comedic one-man show is an insightful, deeply funny, politically-savvy roller coaster ride through the streets of London in the aftershock of 9/11. Angry Bulgarians, pompus British Acting teachers, suversive mimes, and panicked American students striving against tragedy fill the stage in rapid-fire succession. Not to be missed!
Tickets $8/$6 |
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Jeff LangTuesday February 25 - 7:30 pm Singer-songwriter Jeff Lang lists among his influences the elemental blues of Skip James, the raw gospel of Blind Willie Johnson, the devastating guitar work of Jimi Hendrix , the masterful slide guitar of Ry Cooder, and the sublime songwriting of Bob Dylan and Richard Thompson. This great Austrailian guitarist has delivered showstopping performances at festivals, and has toured with Ani Di Franco, Chris Whitley, Albert Collins, Bob Dylan, Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson, Greg Brown, Dr. John and Dar Williams. Tickets $10 |
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Stephen FearingThursday February 20 - 7:30 pm For almost 17 years now, Stephen Fearing has been penning some of the most literate, stirring and emotionally charged "folk" music on this planet. Couple this with stunning guitar work, and a smooth intimate voice, and you have the elements of the unique performer that is Stephen Fearing. After a year of touring throughout Canada and the United States singer/songwriter and guitarist Stephen Fearing is back with a new studio album. That's How I Walk is the sixth solo album for this four time JUNO nominee, and follow up to the critically lauded So Many Miles. In February 2001, Stephen Fearing was the first folkie to perform at Unity Centre. He opened with "The Longest Road," and in that moment many of us realized we had found the folk venue of our dreams. Tickets $10 |
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Tom Landa and the Paperboys Friday February 14 Formed in Vancouver in 1992 by Tom Landa, The Paperboys have been tearing up stages across North America with their fusion of Celtic, Bluegrass, Latin & Roots Pop. The band has been praised for their remarkable talent and show stopping performances, which have taken them from Coast to Coast over 16 times. This six piece group has built an impressive following, playing over 180 shows annually for the past 5 years. A major hit at folk festivals, clubs and theatres The Paperboys are a band whose live show has earned them a reputation not only as an accessible high energy act but also as a musical force to be reckoned with. Listen to Crooked Grin from their upcoming album. This season opener is a dinner-dance benefit for the theater. Your $25 ticket gets you the concert and dinner at the Playhouse Grill. Wine and beer will be available. Drinks and appetizers start at 6:30, dinner is served at 7:30 with music and dance to follow. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children's Theater of Maine:
But fortunately, that's not the case on the majority of this summit between road toughened ex-Nighthawk Jimmy Thackery and the slightly more laid-back approach of Louisiana's Tab Benoit. Even though the session features a predictably substantial share of sizzling hot licks, there's an unexpected attention to song craft and arrangements that makes this more enjoyable than just a fret-burning duel.
It's a rare release that joins the Stones' "The Last Time" with obscure Neil Young and Bob Dylan tunes, as well as tracks from lesser-known blues masters like Guitar Slim and Percy Mayfield. The guitarists' distinctive styles are easy to tell apart -- Thackery's beefier licks spar perfectly with Benoit's jazzier swampy picking -- and it's also clear the two are having a blast charging through this material. Of course, it helps having a great band, occasionally aided by harmonica ace Charlie Musselwhite, urging them on.