The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Central Iowa's premier not-for-profit performing arts center announced the 2011-2012 lineup for the LIVE AT THE TEMPLE concert series as part of the Prairie Meadows Temple Theater Series. New orders for the $140 six-concert package may be placed beginning Monday, Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. online at CivicCenter.org or in person at the Civic Center Ticket Office.
Organizers call this series of concerts "Your music. Up close." because of the intimate setting the Temple Theater provides. Most notably, LIVE AT THE TEMPLE will provide a dynamic line-up of world-class performing artists and songwriters in a unique listening experience allowing the audience to see eye-to-eye with the performer.
LIVE AT THE TEMPLE (SIX CONCERT PACKAGE):
• RUTH MOODY BAND (Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011) - Ruth Moody is a Juno Award winning songwriter from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founding member of the internationally renowned, Billboard-charting trio The Wailin' Jennys and former lead singer of the Canadian roots band Scruj MacDuhk (the band that would later become The Duhks), she has performed in sold-out venues around the world, made numerous critically-acclaimed albums, and has appeared more than a dozen times on the national radio show A Prairie Home Companion. Although best known for her work with The Wailin' Jennys, Ruth is an artist of exceptional depth and grace in her own right. Critics have lauded her ethereal vocals, impressive multi-instrumentalism (she plays guitar, banjo, accordion, piano, and bodhrán), and her talent as a songwriter. Writing with a maturity and wisdom that belies her age, her songs are timeless, universal, and exceptionally well-crafted, all sung with an intimacy and honesty that is unmistakably hers.
• IRISH CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA (Monday, Dec. 5, 2011) - This family-friendly performance features evocatively-sung Irish ballads and holiday carols, lively fiddle tunes and thrilling Irish dancing. Narration brings to life ancient customs and stories, while evocative photographic images provide a backdrop of rich historical context. Take a memorable glimpse into the enchanting spirit of Christmas, as some of Ireland's finest traditional artists bring you on a distinctively Irish journey during the holiday season.
•
Peter Yarrow (Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012) -
Peter Yarrow's talents as a creative artist-both with the legendary trio Peter, Paul & Mary and as a solo performer-are frequently directed at using music to convey a message of humanity and caring. His gift for songwriting has produced some of the most moving songs from Peter, Paul & Mary, including "Puff, the Magic Dragon," "Blowin' in the Wind," and "If I Had a Hammer." As a member of the renowned musical trio, Yarrow has earned multiple gold and platinum albums, as well as numerous GRAMMYs.
•
Guy Davis (Monday, Feb. 6, 2012) -
Guy Davis is a bluesman. The blues permeate every corner of Davis' creativity. Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to reviving the traditions of acoustic blues and bringing them to as many ears as possible through the material of the great blues masters, African American stories, and his own original songs, stories and performance pieces. Nine critically acclaimed cds. DownBeat gave Guy's album "Skunkmello" a five star review. Recipient of the "Keeping the Blues Alive" award for his portrayal of
Robert Johnson in the Off-Broadway production of "
Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil," Guy also appeared on Broadway in "Finian's Rainbow", recreating the role made famous by Blues icon,
Sonny Terry.
•
Karla Bonoff (Friday, March 30, 2012) - Born and raised in Southern California,
Karla Bonoff was a songwriter by the age of fifteen. She and her sister Lisa were writing songs and playing as a duo titled "The Daughters of Chester P" named after their father, Dr. Chester Paul Bonoff. She had already fallen in love with the guitar and studied with
Frank Hamilton of the famous folk group, The Weavers. By 16, Karla and her sister Lisa auditioned for Elektra Records. She became friends with other singer-songwriters and musicians in the 60s who were creating their own unique sound. She says, "It was an amazing time.
Jackson Browne,
James Taylor and
Elton John were around the legendary Troubadour in those days."
• LA GUITARA - GENDER BENDING STRINGS featuring Patty Larkin with two guest artists (Saturday, April 14, 2012) - This concert is a mini guitar festival of influential female guitarists. Brain-child of Patty Larkin, La Guitara explores the contribution of women to the evolution of modern guitar featuring 14 guitarists from various genres. Join is in hearing the fresh sounds of the guitar like you have never hear before! Two guest artist from the LA GUITARA album to be announced at a later date. "The goal of La Guitara is to better define the contribution of women to the history of modern guitar," explains Ms. Larkin."I have been asked repeatedly, ‘Why are there no great female guitar players?' The answer is, ‘There are.' Demographics are changing as young girls and women take up the instrument with increasing dedication and commitment to technique and repertoire. It is my belief that women guitarists of the past played a part in the evolution of the instrument and that their story is largely untold. I also believe that there are women guitarists today who are actively changing our preconceptions about gender and guitar heroes. This project is dedicated to these artists, past and present, waiting to be discovered, needing to be heard."
LIVE AT THE TEMPLE OPTIONAL ADD-ON (not included in six-show package)
• TONIC SOL FA (Saturday, April 28, 2012) - Although they are simply four voices and a tambourine, Tonic Sol-fa has spent the past decade on the road carving their niche as the nation's top vocal group. In that time, this quartet has been named one of the top five "must see" groups in America, has been awarded numerous original song and album awards in pop, gospel and holiday genres, appeared on NBC's Today Show and in the pages of Newsweek magazine. Outings with
Jay Leno,
Shawn Colvin, and
Garrison Keillor have propelled album sales to more than 2,000,000 copies and have earned the group thousands of intensely loyal fans.
The LIVE AT THE TEMPLE six-concert package includes one ticket to six concerts in the series at a discounted price. Package prices are only $140 and go on sale to the public on Monday, Oct. 3
at 9 a.m. online at CivicCenter.org or in person at the Civic Center Ticket Office.
All performances of the LIVE AT THE TEMPLE concert series are performed at the Civic Center's Temple Theater in the Temple for Performing Arts located at Tenth and Locust Streets in downtown Des Moines. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
