On Tap: ‘Everly Brothers Experience’ at Campanil Theatre on Sept. 7
ANTIOCH
El Campanil Theatre will host a special midweek matinee at 2 p.m. Sept. 7 to celebrate the ones who started it all — the Everly Brothers — featuring the dynamic Zmed Brothers in a heartfelt tribute to the songs that inspired two decades of rock ‘n’ roll, “The Everly Brothers Experience.”
The Zmed Brothers will perform such favorites as “Dream,” “Wake Up, Little Susie” and many more. The Zmed brothers, Zachary and Dylan, bring a genuine and youthful Everly Brothers experience to the stage, celebrating the fraternal intimacy so ever-present in the harmonies created by the duo.
When the guitar became electric, the Everly Brothers bridged the gap between country and rock ‘n’ roll with countless hits and classics. Over three decades, the Everly Brothers inspired bands like The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, The Kinks, Buddy Holly and many other groups using the two-part harmony blend.
Tickets are $32 for general admission, $29 for seniors and $15 for children. Get your tickets now at us.patronbase.com/_ElCampanilTheatre/Productions.
— El Campanil Theatre
Rivertown Peddlers Faire happening Sept. 9 downtown
The Celebrate Antioch Foundation will host its seventh annual Rivertown Peddlers Faire from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept 9 on G and Second streets. The event will feature more than 75 vendors selling an array of unique and eclectic items.
Furniture, home decor, vintage and collectable items, handmade and repurposed items, art and handmade crafts, plants and succulents, clothing and jewelry, bath and body products, hair products and makeup, candles, gifts and so much more will be for sale. This year will include 22 new vendors and live music performed by Horatio Monroe.
A food court also will feature local wine and beer and fare from a handful of Antioch’s Rivertown restaurants. Local shops also will be open with extra inventory for the day. For more information, go to celebrateantioch.org/event/rivertown-peddlers-faire
— Celebrate Antioch Foundation
WALNUT CREEK
Valley Art Gallery exhibiting juried selection of paintings
A juried selection of paintings is on display now at the Valley Art Gallery, covering a wide spectrum of media, motifs, formats, sizes and price points. The display also continues the gallery’s history of presenting the best of the best East Bay artists for 74 years, making it one of the country’s oldest continuously operating art galleries.
All two-dimensional work, as always, is available for sale or rent through the gallery’s exclusive “No Regrets” rental program. The Walnut Creek gallery, which also has its usual display of unusual fine crafts and artist-designed gifts and cards, is at 1661 Botelho Drive, Suite 110. For more information, visit valleyartgallery.org online or call 925-935-4311.
— Valley Art Gallery
Piano concerto to kick off Diablo orchestra’s 61st season
The Diablo Symphony Orchestra will begin its 2023–2024 season on Sept.17 with Beethoven’s lyrical “Piano Concerto No. 4,” featuring returning pianist Randall Benway.
The program also includes the orchestral tone poem “Finlandia” by Jean Sibelius, written in 1899 as a covert protest against the Russian empire’s increasing censorship, and his “Symphony No. 1,” which premiered in Helsinki in 1899 but was revised in 1900 for its European debut.
The piano solo that opens the concerto, the solidary clarinet and timpani passage that opens the symphony and the hymn-like melody of “Finlandia” (later adopted for the hymn “Be Still My Soul”) characterize a program that brings innovation, compelling rhythms and strikingly beautiful melodies to the stage.
The orchestra’s 61st season will feature local favorites Mads Tolling (violin), Greg Brown (saxophone) and Lafayette-based WomenSing in concerts offering joy-filled music — including three imaginative new works by women — ranging from Beethoven to jazz.
The orchestra will also tackle new heights itself, bringing Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” to Walnut Creek. Visit their website at diablosymphony.org for details of the season’s five regular concerts. Season and individual tickets (along with pricing information) are also available at the website, at the Lesher Center for the Arts box office over the phone at 925-943-7469 or in person at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek.
— Diablo Symphony Orchestra
BRENTWOOD
Chorus welcomes new members, prepares for fall season
Want to get your holiday spirit started early? The Brentwood Community Chorus, under the direction of Susan Stuart, is preparing for an exciting fall season and welcomes new members.
The Brentwood Community Chorus is open to all ages and abilities and meeting now from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays in the Brentwood Community United Methodist Church at 809 Second St.
Rehearsal tracks are provided when you register so you can practice on your own if you can’t make it on a Tuesday. Registration information is available online at brentwoodcommunitychorus.com/join_us.
— Brentwood Community Chorus
LAFAYETTE AND LIVERMORE
Bach’s ‘Brandenburg Concertos’ to be performed Sept. 16-17
The Pacific Chamber Orchestra will perform all six of Bach’s “Brandenburg Concertos” with Lawrence Kohl conducting. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept 16 in the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church at 49 Knox Drive in Lafayette, and at 3 p.m. Sept 17 in the Bankhead Theater at 2400 First St. in Livermore.
The program will display Bach’s “imperishable genius” with an incredible variety of virtuoso concerto formats. The orchestra’s soloists include violinists Igor Veligan (who is also the orchestra’s concert master) and Iris Stone, along with harpsichordist Yuko Tanaka.
Visit pacificchamberorchestra.org online to buy tickets. Livermore performance tickets are also available through the Bankhead box office in person or at 925-373-6800.
— Pacific Chamber Orchestra
LAFAYETTE
Perez, Town Hall Theatre’s new artistic director, taking helm
Town Hall Theatre Company has announced that Richard Perez will be their new artistic director, ushering in a new era for Contra Costa County’s longest-running theater company. With a well-established reputation for his extensive knowledge of theater arts and years of distinguished artistic leadership, Perez brings a poised and approachable demeanor to the organization.
His commitment to fostering inclusion, promoting diversity and upholding equity will be integral to all aspects of his work. The introduction of his philosophy of “radical hospitality” has been warmly embraced by the staff and board, setting a promising tone for the launch of the 2023-2024 season.
“I’m thrilled to embark on this new journey with the extraordinary artists, staff and audiences associated with Town Hall Theatre, said Perez. “I look forward to honoring its rich legacy while innovating and inspiring through our collective vision, continuing to bring exceptional storytelling to our community.”
Looking ahead, Town Hall Theatre management anticipates exciting growth under the guidance of Perez. Drawing on his seasoned expertise, he is expected to infuse the company with a balanced blend of tradition and innovative exploration that audiences are sure to enjoy.
Classic narratives will find renewed vitality, and contemporary perspectives will be given a platform to shine. With anticipation building, the theater company is prepared to deliver a season marked by exceptional performances and impactful storytelling.
— Town Hall Theatre
ORINDA
Gallery exhibits black-and-white San Pablo Valley photos
In an exhibit hosted by the Lamorinda Arts Council at the Orinda Library, East Bay photographer Jeff Heyman is showcasing a unique series of 28 black-and-white photographs of the San Pablo Valley.
The exhibit is running now through Sept. 2 in The Art Gallery at Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way in Orinda. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The small, intimate photographs draw the viewer into a range of light and shadow that capture the moodiness of the San Pablo Valley’s classic California landscape. The alternately sun-lit or fog-covered images invoke the light and dark moods characteristic of the valley’s changing scenery, the San Pablo Reservoir and San Pablo Bay.
Heyman, a Bay Area native, first took photography classes at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville. He went on to earn a fine art photography degree from San Francisco State University, studying under such photographers as Catherine Wagner, Don Worth, Jack Welpott and Melanie Walker and painters Paul Pratchenko and Robert Bechtle.
Heyman, who lives in Orinda, has had his work exhibited in solo and group shows. His photographs are regularly featured in the Lamorinda Weekly and Orinda News. His work, including the San Pablo Valley photographs, can be viewed onilne at heymanfoto.smugmug.com.
— Lamorinda Arts Council
Submit area arts-and-entertainment On Tap items to Judith Prieve at jprieve@bayareanewsgroup.com.