May 09 Thursday
Celebrating their 40th Anniversary, 10,000 Maniacs has a lot in common with Jamestown, New York, the city that spawned them back in 1981. Both are honest and hardworking, a step outside the mainstream, and both possess a bit of magic. “It’s a city of blue-collar poetry,” says keyboardist Dennis Drew. “And that’s what we’re about, real-life stories. We’re a family, we do real work and we keep moving forward.”
The band has covered plenty of ground in its 40 years, from cult-stardom to international stardom, to their current status as a cornerstone alternative band. But the sound and spirit of 10,000 Maniacs remains consistent. The live shows embrace their entire catalogue, and the lineup is still anchored by four of the six original members. Drew, guitarist John Lombardo, and bassist Steven Gustafson co-founded the band in 1981. Drummer Jerome Augustyniak joined in 1982, solidifying the rhythm section. And the two “new” members have long been part of the family: Mary Ramsey toured and recorded with the Maniacs as a viola player and backup singer beginning in 1991 before stepping into the front woman’s role 27 years ago.
May 10 Friday
Music on the Corner will be presenting its final concert of this season, "A Trio Tribute to John P Smith, IV,” , on Friday May 10th at 6:00 PM. The free performance will feature 3 of Roanoke’s leading soloists, Akemi Takayama, violin, Kelly Mikkelsen, cello, and Julee Hickcox, flute, in the beautiful setting of St. John’s Episcopal Church at the corner of Jefferson Street and Elm Avenue in downtown Roanoke. These three gifted local artists join forces to present a joyful and enchanting program in loving memory of and as a tribute to John P. Smith IV, a long-time fixture in the Roanoke Valley music scene. The concert will include works of Bach, Handel, and others. In addition to celebrated solos, duets, and trios, concertgoers will be treated to a “surprise” duet performed by Ms. Takayama and Ms. Mikkelsen.
John Preston Smith IV, a beloved member of the Roanoke community, suddenly and tragically passed away at the age of 63 on May 15th, 2023. A classical musician by trade, he earned a Bachelor of Music from George Mason University and was a musician in the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years. John contributed his talents to many Music on the Corner concerts as well as to other musical performances in our area. Beyond playing the double bass, he was also a sailor, traveler, artist, and proud cat dad. John truly led an eclectic life and had a personality to match.
A pre-concert reception will be held in the St. John's Grand Hallway beginning at 5:15 PM. Concert Patrons are also invited to a cookies and lemonade "Meet the Artists" following the concert.
Experience the soulful spirit of 90’s country with The Nashville Nights Band at Ember Music Hall on May 10th! Get ready for an evening of classic tunes, heartfelt lyrics, and irresistible rhythms that’ll keep you dancing all night. With decades of music industry experience, our talented musicians bring the authentic Nashville sound to life.
The English Channel - America’s premier British Invasion band - faithfully recreates extraordinary British rock, pop & prog hits from the mid 1960's and 1970’s to sound just like the original recording and just like you remember. From Beatles to Queen and everything in between you'll hear a tight rhythm section, lush harmonies, shreddin’ guitars, rich orchestration and some songs you NEVER thought you’d hear a band play live! The English Channel was recently named "Best Tribute Band'' by Annapolis, Maryland's Rams Head On Stage’s 10th Annual RAMMIE awards. Tune in to The English Channel...they'll take you back to where you once belonged.
May 11 Saturday
Don't throw that broken thing away--Rethink, Reuse, Repair Fair is here to teach you how to give new life to old stuff!
Connect with people and businesses who specialize in repairing and reusing objects. Extending the lifespans of our possessions reduces waste as well as environmental impacts.
Vendors will be able to help visitors repair their things on site or provide the contacts and resources for future repair services. There will also be brief workshops and demonstrations for people to learn something about how to repair things on their own.
The Roanoke Valley abounds in rich, natural settings. Fortunately, the area hosts a robust system of greenways and trails waiting to be explored. Russ Craighead walks a section nearly every day, camera in hand.
On Saturday, May 11 at 11 am, Russ will give a talk about the greenways and trails in or near Salem using his extensive collection of photographs to illustrate highlights along the way: waterways, terrain features, plants, animals, and birds, as well as remnants of historic structures located on or near the trails. The talk will be held at the Salem Museum as part of the museum’s Speaker Series.
Russ will share a map of the greenways and trails in the Roanoke Valley to provide an overview of the pathways that are currently available, including newly opened sections. He will also describe the sections that are under construction or still in the planning stages.
Russ Craighead is a Salem native and an avid hiker. He serves as one of Salem’s citizen representatives to the Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission. The Commission includes representatives from Salem and Roanoke City, the Town of Vinton, and Botetourt and Roanoke Counties. The system provides significant quality of life benefits for recreation, health, the economy, and nature and history education.
In celebration of National Music Week, the Thursday Morning Music Club will present musicians, vocalists and choirs from the Roanoke Valley and surrounding communities.
The Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Mark Taylor, will offer a concert of string orchestra music at 3pm on Saturday, May 11, in Meade Hall, Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Charlottesville. Suggested donation is $10.
The program includes string orchestra music by Vivaldi, Rowen Taylor, Mozart, Gershwin, Dvorak, and Myroslav Skoryk. Harpist Madeline Hamilton will be the soloist for Debussy's Sacred and Profane Dances.
The Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra is a community string orchestra of roughly two dozen musicians. For over 30 years, it has been providing musical opportunities for adult musicians of all ages in the Charlottesville area. For more information about the concert and the orchestra, visit our website at http://brco.avenue.org.
Vintage on the Green presented by Capital Square, Maymont's annual gala dinner and auction, returns with a roar in 2024!This year's theme salutes all the wild things at Maymont, so come prepared to kick off your shoes and let the rollicking rumpus start.Join the revelry of a scenic seated dinner under the big tent on the lawn, followed by a chance to bid on fine wines, bold libations, rare treasures and luxury travel experiences, all of which raises a significant portion of Maymont's annual budget.Since 1998, the gala and auction has celebrated Maymont's service to the community and raised much-needed funds to support its stewardship and growth. Your ticket purchase, auction bids and donations, as well as sponsorship, will provide for Maymont's daily care as well as the Foundation's commitment to providing guests with experiences that delight, educate and inspire.
Music for Mother’s Day Windsor Hills United Methodist Church is pleased to continue the Rev. Branan G. Thompson Jr. Memorial Concert Series.On Saturday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m., pianist Anna Billias, cellist Julia Goudimova and violinist Kevin Matheson will play a sunny program of Beethoven’s Spring Sonata, Haydn’s Piano Trio in G Major and some pieces suited to the date: Dvorak’s Songs My Mother Taught Me, “Mother and Child” by African-American composer William Grant Still and Salut d'Amour by Edward Elgar. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted to support future concerts in Branan Thompson’s memory.