Wolf Trap Presents Brian Wilson, Frankie Valli, & More in June

BrIan Wilson

Monday, June 6, 2011 at 8 p.m.

$42 in-house, $25 lawn

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer BrIan Wilson, the co-founder of and creative force behind The Beach Boys and one of the greatest composers of all time, returns to Wolf Trap to perform his timeless hit songs and showcase his new album, BrIan Wilson Reimagines Gershwin (2010). The musician formed The Beach Boys in 1961 and catapulted the band to fame, writing numerous singles that have become classics such as "God Only Knows," "Don't Worry Baby," and "Good Vibrations." Wilson released his first solo album in 1988 and today is revered as what Paul McCartney calls "one of the great American geniuses." In 2004 he completed the legendary album SMiLE, which he began recording with The Beach Boys in 1967 but left unfinished for nearly 40 years. His newest album pays tribute to Gershwin classics such as "Rhapsody in Blue" and includes two unfinished songs by the late composer that Wilson completed himself. This talented singer, writer, composer, and producer brings his timeless music to Wolf Trap for the first time in six years.

 

Video - BrIan Wilson performs "Heroes and Villains" from his 2004 album "SMiLE"

 

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 8 p.m.

$45 in-house, $25 lawn

 

Musical icons Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons return to Wolf Trap for a night of '60s pop and doo-wop from America's favorite New Jersey band. The Four Seasons, who have enjoyed massive amounts of success since coming to fame in 1962, are known for their unique sound that stems from Valli's signature falsetto voice. In addition to being lead singer of The Four Seasons, Valli's solo career has flourished; his 1978 solo performance of "Grease" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2007 he released his first album in 15 years, Romanticizing the '60s. With 46 hits on Billboard between 1962 and 1995 and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their music is still being introduced to younger generations. Five decades later, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons are hotter than ever.

 

Video - Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons perform "Walk Like A Man"

 

The Levon Helm Band

with Special Guest moe.

Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.

$45 in-house, $25 lawn

 

The Levon Helm Band

Folk phenomenon and two-time GRAMMY winner Levon Helm brings his passion for Americana and classic hits from The Band to Wolf Trap. Soon after joining Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks in the late '50s, Helm became the front man, sharing the stage with Bob Dylan as the group's music evolved into rock 'n' roll centered on folklore. Rechristened simply "The Band," in 1968, the group went on to record seven albums and was embraced by critics before disbanding in 1976. Helm has since embarked on various solo projects, including the release of Dirt Farmer (2007) and Electric Dirt (2009), each of which garnered him a GRAMMY Award. The Levon Helm Band was formed in the late '90s, and Helm's legendary gift for Americana folklore continues to shine in the band's music.

 

Video - Music video for The Levon Helm Band's "Poor Old Dirt Farmer"

 

moe.

Founded in 1990 by three friends at the University of Buffalo, moe. is a staple among rock jam bands. The group has won three Jammy Awards and recently celebrated their 20th anniversary with the release of a greatest hits album, Smash Hits, Vol.1 (2010). Known for their playful improvisations and gentle guitar rhythms, Rolling Stone has described their music as "a punchy good time." But for this group, the audience is what matters the most. Bassist and vocalist Rob Derhak says, "It was always about-to a fault almost-having a personal connection with fans on stage."

 

Video - moe. performs "Wind It Up"

 

The Go-Go's

Ladies Gone Wild Tour

with Special Guest The Dollyrots

Friday, June 10, 2011 at 8 p.m.

$42 in-house, $25 lawn

 

The Go-Go's

Few bands personify girl power as well as The Go-Go's. The pop group, formed in Los Angeles in 1978, was the first successful all-female groups to write their own songs and play their own music without the help of a male producer or manager. The band rose to fame in 1981 with their No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, Beauty and the Beat. With hit singles such as "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed," The Go-Go's energetic, upbeat music turned the band into a pop phenomenon that is still loved today. In 2001 they released their first original album in 11 years, God Bless the Go-Go's, which was followed by the DVD Live in Central Park. From their punk-rock beginnings to their newest release, a 30th anniversary remastered edition of their debut album, the group's bright, peppy sound and enthusiasm continue to draw legions of fans to their concerts and have made them one of the most successful all-female bands of all time.

 

Video - The Go-Go's Perform "We Got The Beat"

 

The Dollyrots

Joining The Go-Go's for a night of pop and punk rock is The Dollyrots. Formed in Los Angeles in 2002, the band "oozes tough, teasing girlie rock attitude." (Philadelphia Inquirer) While performing on the Vans Warped Tour in 2006, the group met fellow rocker Joan Jett, who loved their music so much that she signed them to her record label. Inspired by the Ramones, the Pixies, the Sex Pistols, and Green Day, the band released their third album, A Little Messed Up, in 2010.

 

Bright Eyes

with Special Guests M. Ward and Dawes

Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 7 p.m.

$32 in-house, $28 lawn

 

Bright Eyes

The nine albums released under the Bright Eyes moniker since 1998 are primarily the work of Conor Oberst, an indie singer/songwriter who critics have called the new Bob Dylan. At age 14, Oberst joined the band Commander Venus as a singer and guitarist, and at age 18 released his first Bright Eyes album, A Collection of Songs Written and Recorded 1995-1997 (1998). Before 2006, Oberst was the only permanent band member; there are now three, with additional musicians joining them in the studio and on tour. Bright Eyes has experimented with various types of music, from folk to indie rock to electronica, all styles consistently supplemented by Oberst's soft, haunting voice. The group's most recent release, The People's Key (2011), was called "the best album of [Oberst's] career" by Robin Hilton of NPR's All Songs Considered.

 

Video - Music video for Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life"

 

M. Ward

Singer/songwriter M. Ward makes his Wolf Trap debut, having performed alongside Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst in the supergroup Monsters of Folk, formed in 2004. Growing up listening to gospel and country, M. Ward released his first solo album in 1999 (Duet for Guitars #2) to favorable reviews and admiration in underground rock circles. According to AllMusic.com, successive albums "firmly established Ward as a major player in the burgeoning indie folk/alternative rock scene." In 2008 Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel collaborated, forming the duo She & Him and releasing two albums together. Ward's most recent album, Hold Time (2009), features guest vocals from Deschanel and Lucinda Williams.

 

Video - Music video for M. Ward's "Hold Time"

 

Dawes

Hailing from North Hills, California, folk-rock band Dawes makes their Wolf Trap debut. Influenced by the acoustic and vocal harmonies that made the Laurel Canyon area famous, the group's first album-aptly titled North Hills-was released in 2009. Rolling Stone compared the album's sound to Gram Parsons and Neil Young, and says that "performing runs in the band's blood." The group's producer connected Dawes to Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, and the musicians simultaneously participated in informal jam sessions at the producer's abode before deciding to tour together this summer. Dawes' second album, Nothing Is Wrong, will be released on June 7th.

 

Video - Music video for Dawes' "When My Time Comes"

 

 

 

Indigo Girls

with Special Guest The Shadowboxers

Sunday, June 12, 2011 at 8 p.m.

$42 in-house, $25 lawn

 

Indigo Girls

More than two decades into their career, Indigo Girls returns to Wolf Trap for an evening of unforgettable folk-rock. The duo started performing together as Indigo Girls in college before achieving mainstream success with their 1989 album Indigo Girls. The album won a GRAMMY for Best Folk Recording and later went platinum. Their success continued, as Nomads Indians Saints (1990) and Back on the Bus, Y'all (1991) both garnered GRAMMY nominations and reached certified gold status and the diverse album Rites of Passage (1992) went platinum. In 2009 the ladies released their first album on their own independent label IG, Poseidon and the Bitter Bug, and last year they released the Christmas album Holly Happy Days. Performing hit singles such as "Closer to Fine" and music from their latest albums, Indigo Girls plays "as if connected by an invisible bond." (New York Times)

 

Video - Music video for Indigo Girls' "Closer to Fine"

 

The Shadowboxers

Like the Indigo Girls, The Shadowboxers got their start at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia-however, this band consists of five men. Devoted to writing and playing original contemporary music that reflects their respect for pop, rhythm and blues, and soul, this group's infectious melodies include songs such as "When Can I Be (Your Man)" and "She Forgives."

 

Video - The Shadowboxers perform "She Forgives"

 

###

 

Tickets can be purchased by calling 1 (877) WOLFTRAP; or online at www.wolftrap.org.

For more information, call Wolf Trap at (703) 255-1868.