Tady: Beaver Falls series switches headliner; Lincoln Park student sings at The Apollo
A Beaver Falls concert series replaced one acclaimed crooner with another accomplished singer.
Michael Evans now will headline the March 31 Beaver Falls Middle School concert that's part of the Beaver Valley Community Concert Association (BVCCA) series.
Evans has toured the world with The Atlantic City Boys, and is a lead vocalist for The Headliners Band. His career highlights include performing with John Williams, David Foster, Jackie Evancho, Frankie Valli, The Temptations, The Village People and Lee Greenwood.
"We expect an exciting, upbeat, amazing show," Rhonda Ficca, the BVCC co-president, said. "Plenty of tickets will be available at the door. Doors open at 6:45 for the 7:30 show. $20 adults and $5 students if you don’t have a season pass."
Evans replaces Mark Kingswood as the headliner of this fourth show in the five-concert BVCCA '21-'22 season. Kingswood, from the United Kingdom, has been facing travel restrictions and extreme cost issues due to COVID, Ficca said.
Lincoln Park student sings at The Apollo
Local high school student Ashley Marina sang on one of America's most legendary stages two Wednesdays ago.
Marina, a ninth-grader at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland, performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City, for the return of that venue's famous "Amateur Night."
It was a triumphant opening night, since Amateur Night, launched in 1934, had ceased the past two years due to the pandemic. Marina gained experience on a stage that's hosted greats like Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Jackson 5, Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston.
Hosted by Hollywood celebrity Nick Cannon, members of the sold-out audience rose to their feet for Marina's rendition of "All I Ask" by Adele. In an interview with New York's ABC-TV affiliate, Marina said, "It is a great honor to perform at such an historical venue."
Marina burst onto the scene in 2020, as a 12-year old on NBC’s "America’s Got Talent," where her audition is amongst the top 1 percent of most-viewed AGT videos ever. The Kennedy Township resident has written 16 original songs including her new single "I Miss You." She amassed viral viewership with her cover of “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars.
Her concert calendar includes gigs at the Valley's Got Talent event in Steubenville, Ohio, on April 30; The Meadows Casino in Washington County on May 29; a solo concert as part of Robinson Township's Summer Concert Series on June 18, and the Stars of Tomorrow show in New Castle on July 30. Outside of the area, she's booked for Kid's Music Fest in Augusta, Ga., on April 23 and "The Courage of Carly" benefit in Dunkirk, N.Y. on Aug. 20.
More Lincoln Park success
Sophia Traczek, a senior at the Lincoln Park charter school, won the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest hosted by the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media.
The virtual competition, presented in partnership with the PA Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation, encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.
Traczek, of Pittsburgh's North Hills, recited “I Find no Peace” by Sir Thomas Wyatt, “Beautiful Wreckage” by W.H. Ehrhart, and “the world is about to end and my grandparents are in love” by Kara Jackson.
Judges evaluated student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, dramatic appropriateness and accuracy.
Traczek advances to compete with 13 other students during Pennsylvania’s 2022 Poetry Out Loud state competition in March.
Women who Rock
The Pittsburgh-based Women Who Rock organization will team with Hard Rock Cafes across the East Coast this March in honor of Women's History Month.
The Pittsburgh Hard Rock will host a March 8 concert starring Youngstown rockers The Vindys, led by the dynamic Jackie Popovec, with support from teenage indie-pop recording artist Graciela, from Pittsburgh. Tickets are $20, with proceeds benefitting life-saving women's health research at Magee-Women's Research Institute in Pittsburgh.
Other female musicians will be spotlighted at Hard Rock locations, as Women Who Rock hosts pop-ups releasing a limited edition Women's History T-shirt.
PGH concerts
As I write this Thursday, more than 2,000 tickets remain for the Tool concert March 1 at PPG Paints Arena, according to Ticketmaster.
Also March 1. Americana-rock band Son Volt plays Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale. Son Volt's last show at Smalls made my year-end Top-10 Concerts list.
On March 2 comes the "It Was 50 Years Ago Today" Beatles tribute at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall, featuring Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, Badfinger with original guitarist Joey Molland, Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, ex-Chicago lead vocalist Jason Scheff and Wings'-Moody Blues' guitarist Denny Laine. They'll perform the Beatles' "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" albums, for the most part sharing the stage together, but taking songs individually with the rest backing.
Scott Tady is the local Entertainment Reporter for The Beaver County Times and Ellwood City Ledger. He's easy to reach at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @scotttady.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Tady: Beaver Falls series switches headliner; local girl sings at The Apollo