The Peninsula Foundation supports the Arts Community by presenting Voices in the Valley, a showcase of traditional roots music. So kick back, relax and join us for a night of music in the Historic G.A.R. Hall. Beer, Wine and adult beverages available.
Specialty flatbread pizzas, cheese plates, snacks and desserts available from Chef Ron Ramos, so come hungry!
Parking for the G.A.R. Hall is located directly across the street on the South West Corner of Route 303 and Riverview Road. There is handicap parking located directly in front of the G.A.R. Hall. Alternate Parking can be found 1 block away at Yellow Creek Trading Company after 5pm. Or at Riverview Court (Ohio Hardwoods) on the Southeast Corner of the intersection of Route 303 and Riverview Road. Parking in Peninsula is always at a premium so if you are coming with friends, consider sharing a ride. Thanks!
If you are looking for a way to sponsor the arts, please consider helping support the Voices in the Valley music program at the historic G.A.R. Hall. Operated by the Peninsula Foundation, this program features local and national touring musicians in the intimate setting of this beautiful, grand old hall. Your donation is tax deductible and very much appreciated. Thank you in advance for supporting the arts and arts programming in N.E. Ohio!!!
October 19th- Rayna Gellert and Kieran Kane– Kieran Kane has been referred to as “the godfather of Americana music” for good reason. His seminal work in The O’Kanes and Kane Welch Kaplin, as well as co-founding the independent label Dead Reckoning Records, laid the foundation for the contemporary world of Americana music. A successful solo artist, collaborator, and songwriter, Kieran is a musician’s musician: his playing is always understated, always groove-oriented, and always serving the song.
If Rayna Gellert seems a preternaturally gifted songwriter, it’s because she’s seen farther into the old songs than most. Growing up in a musical family, she turned to Appalachian old-time music at a young age, becoming a prodigious fiddler and leading a new revival of American stringband music through her work with the acclaimed roots band Uncle Earl.
Kieran and Rayna first met, fittingly, at San Francisco’s celebrated Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, which led to their cowriting songs for Kieran’s recent album, Unguarded Moments (Dead Reckoning). They joined forces again for Rayna’s 2017 release, Workin’s Too Hard (StorySound Records), which they also co-produced. Their first duo album, The Ledges, was released in February of 2018 on Dead Reckoning Records. Their second album together, When the Sun Goes Down, was released March 20, 2019. Fans of either artist will recognize the musical kindred-spiritedness in their restrained and roots-oriented approach to both songs and arrangements.
General Admission
Doors open at 7:30/ Music at 8pm
Pre-sale Tickets 18.00/ Day of show 22.00
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
Jen and Anthony…warming up your Friday night on October 25th at the G.A.R. Hall
October 25th- Jen and Anthony – Jen & Anthony is a new “Heart Of It All” duo from NE Ohio, specializing in Old-School Blues and Roots music. Pumping out the “old soul” of America on electric and acoustic guitars, upright bass, fiddle, and button-box.
These two stellar musicians share a love and passion for not just one particular kind of roots music, but most of them: Ragtime, Old Blues, Jugband, Early Jazz, Swing, Old-Time, Country, Cajun and Zydeco. (Think Joseph Lamb and Scott Joplin; Memphis Minnie and Bo Carter; Gus Cannon and the Memphis Jug Band; Django and Ella; Buddy Thomas and Arthur Smith; Patsy Cline and Buck Owens; Belton Richard and Boozoo Chavis.) They are blessed with a rare musical partnership that is the coming together of their experiences with each of these genres. Musical soulmates they are indeed.
The two are well traveled having served as musical ambassadors to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Belize, Panama, Mexico, Barbados, Columbia, Tajikistan, and Sri Lanka.
Come help us welcome Jen and Anthony back to the Hall.
General Admission
Doors open at 7:30/Music at 8pm
Pre-Sale Tickets $10/Day of show $15
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
October 26- Tim O’Brien– Born in Wheeling, West Virginia on March 16, 1954, Grammy winning singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist Tim O’Brien grew up singing in church and in school. Gaining attention in the 1980’s with Colorado’s Hot Rize, O’Brien scored a country hit with Kathy Mattea’s cover of his song Walk The Way The Wind Blows in 1986. Soon artists like Nickel Creek and Garth Brooks also covered his songs. Collaborators include his sister Mollie O’Brien, old time musician Dirk Powell, and songwriters Darrell Scott, Steve Earle, and Mark Knopfler. O’Brien formed his own record label, Howdy Skies Records, in 1999, and launched the digital download label Short Order Sessions (SOS) with his partner Jan Fabricius in 2015.
Notable O’Brien recordings like the bluegrass Dylan covers of Red On Blonde and the Celtic-Appalachian fusion of The Crossing led to Grammy winning CD’s Fiddler’s Green (2005) and The Earls of Leicester (2014). 2017’s Where the River Meets the Road paid tribute to the music of his native West Virginia.
Tim O’Brien performs in a duet setting with his partner Jan Fabricius on harmony vocals. Featuring his solid guitar, fiddle, and mandolin, the shows cover a range of original compositions and traditional arrangements mixed with stories and Tim’s self-deprecating humor.
General Admission
Doors open at 7:30/ Music at 8pm
Pre-Sale tickets- $34/Day of show- $37
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
November 8th-Anna Tivel and Maya de Vitry are teaming up for two months of touring with dates spanning the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast. Tivel is touring behind her release The Question, which NPR called “one of the most ambitious folk albums of 2019.” Earlier this year, Maya de Vitry released her debut solo album Adaptations. Rolling Stone Country lauded the effort by saying, “de Vitry’s songwriting balances her intensely personal, microscopic style of storytelling with a straightforward, accessible delivery.
Excited to have these two talented ladies share the G.A.R. Hall for a night where we celebrate the song. This is the first time Anna will be at the Hall. Fans of the Stray Birds will be happy to see Maya out making music again!
General Admission
Doors open at 7:30/ Music at 8pm
Pre-sale tickets – $16/ Day of show- $20
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
November 9th- The Lovestruck Balladeers- The Lovestruck Balladeers bring traditional music into the 21st century with all the energy of a train disaster-Don’t miss it! November 9th- The Lovestruck Balladeers -The Lovestruck Balladeers bring traditional music into the 21st century with all the energy of a train disaster. They might whip out a lost melody from a forgotten mandolin folio or they might play a Mexican waltz. They might push into a renegade re-arrangement of a swing standard or get down with a country rag. They are the five scorpion sons of a West Virginia dance hall, a Little Italy tourist attraction and a Oaxacan birthday party. You might find them in Japan or busking in the New York City subway. You might find them on a grand stage or in an underwear drawer next to a box of Cuban cigars. You might find them on the Brooklyn Bridge in rain-soaked November, ambling cool and wet to their next gig. The past never sounded so palpable.
The Lovestruck Balladeers are: Jake Sanders, Aaron Jonah Lewis, Dennis Lichtman, Sean Cronin, and Dalton Ridenhour .
General Admission
Doors open at 7:30 pm/ Music at 8 pm
Pre-Sale tickets 16.00. Day of show 20.00
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
November 12th- G.A.R. Grass Jam– Join us from 7-9 every 2nd Tuesday as we host a Bluegrass Jam Night! Paul Kovac and David Mayfield will be your hosts. All ages and skill levels are welcome and encouraged. We have 3-5 separate break out rooms so you can pick your jam. You are welcome to bring your own food to munch on, the bar will be open.Listeners welcome! A $5 donation is appreciated.
Donna the Buffalo comes back to the Hall in support of their new record, “Dance in the Street”. Come join the Herd!
November 14th-Donna the Buffalo –Donna the Buffalo offers everything you want in a roots band — songs that matter, a groove that makes you dance, an audience that spans generations, and a musical voice that evokes a sense of community. Donna The Buffalo is not just a band, rather one might say that Donna The Buffalo has become a lifestyle for its members and audiences.
Dance in the Street, their first new album in five years, captures the dynamic energy that has earned the band the love and respect of their fans, “the Herd”, for thirty years.
“Successes? We have certainly tried to make a difference in the world, trying to inspire ourselves and others to treat their lives as a work of art, and our collective destiny as something that we are creating, not just something we are subject to. And at the same time we’re having a blast, who wouldn’t want to ride around on a bus playing music with their friends?” Puryear added.
Donna the Buffalo draws on a lot of musical influences, from country and rock ‘n’ roll, to bluegrass and old-time fiddle, as well as Cajun and Zydeco. In many ways, they were Americana before the term was ever coined. The common thread? Songs of the human spirit, and an incredibly tight relationship with their fans.
“The fans, they show up to be a part of it. We show up to be a part of it,” Puryear says. “And we don’t have an intimidating vibe where we’re different than them. If a scene is really on, it doesn’t matter whether you’re watching, listening, dancing, or playing – it’s on, everybody knows it’s on and it feels great! I think that’s the nature of the connection.”
This show will have a limited number of table seating available to make room for all of you who can’t wait to be dancing to Donna the Buffalo! The tables will be reserved and must be purchased in a group of 4 and can only be purchased as pre-sale tickets, all other tickets are STANDING ROOM ONLY. There will be a number of chairs around the perimeter which will not be reserved.
General Admission Doors open at 7:00pm, Music at 8pm
Pre-sale standing room only tickets- $28.00
Pre-sale table-tickets purchased in groups of 4- $35.00 per ticket
Day of show standing room only tickets- $35.00
***THIS SHOW IS SOLD OUT***
The Foghorn Stringband is coming to the G.A.R. Hall and we couldn’t be more exited..but wait! Miss Tess and Talkbacks are opening..get out!! November 17th- The Foghorn Stringband with support from Miss Tess and the Talkbacks- The Foghorn Stringband is the present day gold standard for real-deal hard-hitting genuine old-time American string band music, with eight albums, thousands of shows, over 15 years of touring under their belts, and an entirely new generation of roots musicians following their lead.
American roots music is a diverse and never-ending well of inspiration, and Foghorn Stringband continually and obsessively draws from old-time, bluegrass, classic country, and Cajun music traditions in an ongoing quest to present a broad span of American historical music with an unparalleled youthful energy, joy, and virtuosity.
The Foghorn Stringband is comprised four master performers and historians:
-Caleb Klauder (vocals, mandolin, fiddle) – From Orcas Island, Washington
-Reeb Willms (vocals, guitar) – From rural Farmer, Washington
-Nadine Landry (vocals, upright bass) – From the Gaspé Coast, Eastern Quebec
-Stephen ‘Sammy’ Lind (vocals, fiddle, banjo) – From Minneapolis, Minnesota
Each member of Foghorn Stringband exemplifies the best of the roots music traditions from their respective native cultures. Caleb Klauder’s wistful, keening vocals and rapidfire mandolin picking are as influenced by Southern roots music as much as they are by his upbringing in the sea islands of coastal Washington State. Reeb Willms hails from the wind swept Eastern farmlands of Washington. Her musical family and rural upbringing are are on display with every note she sings and every heart she breaks. Nadine Landry’s roots lie in the rural backroads of Acadian Québec, and her high lonesome vocals have delighted audiences the world over. Her earth-shaking bass playing is the rumbling backbone of the Foghorn sound. Minnesotan Stephen ‘Sammy’ Lind, simply put, is the old-time fiddler of his generation whose tone and voice are as old as the same hills that gave birth to this music. Together, these four have forged a sound like no other.
Supporting Act Miss Tess and the Talkbacks– Miss Tess has always been known for creating an eclectic array of vintage blues, country, and jazz sounds. Currently residing in Nashville, she finds no shortage of inspiration in the roots scene there. However varied Tess’ music can be, front and center sits her voice that has been described as “alternately seductive and sexy, and a pure joy to listen to” (Pop Matters).
General Admission
Doors 6:30/Music at 7pm
Pre-sale-24.00/ Day of show-28.00
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
Get Ready! Dustbowl Revival is rolling into the G.A.R. Hall on November 22nd!
November 22nd-Dustbowl Revival – Dustbowl Revival is an Americana Soul band with eight full-time members who mash the sounds of New Orleans funk, soul, pre-war blues, and roots music, into a genre-hopping, time-bending dance party that coaxes new fire out of familiar coal.
The band was founded in 2008 in the bohemian enclave of Venice Beach, California. In the following years, Dustbowl has become known for their free-flowing and joyous live shows, combining their funk rhythm and brass section with a fast-picking string band section – opening for bands as diverse as Lake Street Dive, Trombone Shorty and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, touring China as a guest of the state department and headlining festivals like Delfest, Floydfest, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and recently Bergenfest (Norway) and Tonder Festival (Denmark).
Over the past few years, Dustbowl Revival has been making a name for itself with a vibrant mix of vintage Americana sounds. Critics have proclaimed that this eclectic eight-piece “would have sounded utterly at home within the hallowed confines of Preservation Hall in New Orleans’ French Quarter” (Los Angeles Times) and their “upbeat, old-school, All-American sonic safaris exemplify everything shows should be: hot, spontaneous, engaging and, best of all, a pleasure to hear” (L.A. Weekly). Rob Sheffield, in Rolling Stone, hailed them as a great band “whose Americana swing was so fun I went back to see them again the next day.
Excited to welcome Dustbowl Revival to the G.A.R. Hall…they are sure to make you smile!
General Admission
Doors open at 7:30/ Music at 8pm
Pre-Sale- $24.00/ Day of show – $29.00
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
November 25th- Hawktail-Hawktail is the instrumental acoustic quartet of fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Paul Kowert, guitarist Jordan Tice, and mandolinist Dominick Leslie. Though at first glance it looks like an acoustic superpicker side-project, their all-original music is cohesive and unique, distinguishing them as an ensemble with a sound built from the ground up. Flush with orchestral sweeps and sparse vigils, with strains of the American South and the North Atlantic, this cosmopolitan sound is not what you’d expect from a string band.
Each member of Hawktail brings a strong individuality to the project. Haas, whose 2004 self-titled release instantly became the touchstone for a generation of old-time fiddlers, has since lent her sound to Crooked Still, Live From Here, Steve Martin, and David Rawlings, where she played alongside Kowert, well known as the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers’ virtuosic bass player. Tice is a rare guitar player whose music showcases his unique identity and a particular knack for song and tune-writing, and Leslie is a versatile mandolinist whose rhythmic sensibility has made him ubiquitous on the acoustic music scene for over a decade. However, despite each of their ability to contribute to many musical situations, something special happens when they unite as Hawktail. Together, they have fostered a reputation as a rare ensemble of composers and instrumentalists able to take the listener on a journey, without the use of words.
Please don’t miss this show. This band is an original mix of talent that together form an amazing ensemble that is not afraid to cross genres, mix international styles, and leave you wanting for one more tune. PLEASE don’t miss this show!
General Admission
Doors open at 7pm/Music at 7:30pm
pre-sale tickets $22/day of show $25
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
December 5th- Barnes, Gordy and Walsh– In the world of bluegrass and folk, where the collaborative possibilities are endless, what draws some musicians together in formal collaborations is hard to pinpoint. For Joe K. Walsh, Grant Gordy, and Danny Barnes, a newly formed bi-coastal trio, curiosity is the rule, and tunes are just a starting point.
The trio is anchored by banjo player and singer/songwriter Danny Barnes. Barnes is best known as the frontman of the Bad Livers, for his collaborations with Dave Matthews and Bill Frisell, and as the 2015 winner of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. He is an innovative banjo player and songwriter originally from Texas whose solo album “Pizza Boz”, garnered him a sort of cult following, and led Sam Bush to describe him as “The Great American Un-Sung Hero”. The elder of the group, Barnes brings an element of fierce individuality to the trio, with wisdom-infused vocals and straightforward, no nonsense banjo picking.
Gordy and Walsh come from a more jazz and swing influenced background, having first bonded over their mutual obsession with learning David Grisman solos. For Walsh, hearing some of the earl Dawg records was his first impetus to learn the mandolin. However, he is now equally renowned for his bluegrass and old-time sensibilities. Growing up in Illinois and later Minnesota, Walsh first established himself on the East Coast as the co-founder of progressive bluegrass band Joy Kills Sorrow, and as a long time member of The Gibson Brothers. He went on to become a faculty member at The Berklee College of Music.
Gordy, who is originally from Colorado and now lives in Brooklyn, went from being a fan of David Grisman, to playing in his band. Having spent six years in the David Grisman Quintet, Gordy released a self titled solo album to in 2010 to critical acclaim, and has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, Tiny Desk Concerts, and All Things Considered as well as The Fretboard Journal, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. Darol Anger, with whom Gordy has collaborated frequently, describes his playing as containing “Kaleidoscopic excellence, startling emotion, and personal revelation”.
Treat yourself to something new and exciting. These three exceptional musicians will not disappoint!
General Admission
Doors open at 6:30/ Music at 7pm
Pre-Sale tickets $17/ Day of show $20
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
The Speedbumps weekend at the G.A.R. Hall
December 6th, 7th and 8th- The Speedbumps are an award-winning American band with a warm, authentic sound, built on a passion for hollow-bodied instruments, indie-folk and indie-rock influences, and singer-songwriter Erik Urycki’s breathy, commanding vocals and canny phrasing.
The band’s roots lie deep in the Rustbelt, where quiet strength and limited embellishment define the culture. The working class towns around Akron, the former rubber capital, from which artists like The Black Keys, The Pretenders, and Devo have emerged, have provided the band with an aesthetic that seeks to tease out beauty from the gritty details of everyday life.
Daryl Rowland, writing for the Huffington Post, said that singer Erik Urycki’s lyrics “often tackle complex human emotions with elegant economy.”
While the band cites influences from Paul Simon to Nick Drake to Radiohead, their material and vibe have more in common with festival favorites like The Decemberists, Wilco, or My Morning Jacket with their consistently smart, spare and rootsy approach.
Erik Urycki: vocals, guitar
Sam Kristoff: cello
Danny Jenkins: drums/percussion
Kevin Martinez: bass
Bethany Svoboda: keys, vocals
General Admission
Doors open at 7pm/Music at 8pm
Pre-Sale ticket $20/Day of show $25
Friday December 6th – The Speedbumps with opening support from Bethany Svoboda and Dan Socha- Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
Saturday December 7th- The Speedbumps with opening support from Gretchen Pleuss- Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
Sunday December 8th- The Speedbumps with opening support from Roger Hoover- Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
December 6th-Opening support for the night- Bethany Svoboda and Dan Socha- Dan Socha & Bethany Joy are singer/songwriters based out of Cleveland, Ohio. The pair started playing together in 2016 and have since released two solo records and are currently recording an EP with their band, Thieves of Joy. The duo is best characterized by their strong vocal harmonies, vibrant energy, and interesting song arrangements. Dan and Bethany both play guitar and write songs individually and collaboratively. They take inspiration from artists such as Nick Drake, Adrienne Lenker, Sam Cooke, and Jose Gonzalez. Since 2016, Bethany has also been a member of the Speedbumps, while Dan has been a long-time Speedbumps’ roadie and super fan.
December 7th- Opening support Gretchen Pleuss-Gretchen Pleuss is an Ohio-bred singer-songwriter whose “vocal delivery and skillful finger picking call to mind the folk singers who graced the stage of the Gaslight Café during the 60’s Greenwich Village folk renaissance. Fans of Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, and other folk luminaries will appreciate Gretchen’s gorgeous arrangements and thought-provoking songwriting.” – Dan Jarvis, Midwest Action. To date, Gretchen has played at an array of prominent venues throughout the United States, Canada, the UK, and Ireland. Her discography consists of three L.P.’s, including the much anticipated Daughter of the Broader Skies, which was produced by Jim Wirt and released on Sun Pedal Recordings in 2019.
Roger Hoover–A fearless songwriter, Hoover who distills the experiences of an American wanderer into songs that illuminate the ethereal worlds and promise within each of us. The darkness underlying Hoover’s compositions manifest itself as songs exploring mysterious religiosity of a swirling Depression-era dust storm, as the harsh North Dakota wilderness and of finding work there, the yearning for quiet places far from humanity, Saint John’s contemplative life and brotherhood, and one man’s gratitude for love and the potential inside all of us to change our landscape, songs that playwright Tyler Whidden says, “howl with the voices of the disenfranchised and heartbroken whose ghosts hang like shadows.” Even in the most desperate times, there is a blush of hope, a glimmer of promise.
More information about these shows coming soon!
November 23rd- Paul Kovac’s Big Grass Band
November 27th- Mo Mojo
November 30th- Rusty Goat
December 13th and 14th- Hillbilly Idol’s Christmas Party
December 15th- Four Songwriters in the Valley
December 20th- David Mayfield’s Parade Christmas show
December 21st- Anne DeChant
December 27th- Cats on Holiday’s Holiday party
December 28th- Sisters in Song
December 31st- New Years Eve TBA
Please send all booking inquiries to karen@crookedrivercreative.com
Thanks so much to the Ohio Arts Council for their continued support of the Arts Programming at the Peninsula Foundation, including
Voices in the Valley
Thanks so much to the Akron Community Foundation for their support of Arts Programing at the G.A.R. Hall
Words are not enough for all the gratitude we have for the countless people who have given to this program. You know who you are and Thank YOU so much!
Jay Minkin for all his great press and support. Check out his blog at minkinsmusic.wordpress.com
