Walla Fest to Return to Centre Theater, 7/8

Walla Fest returns to the Centre Theater on July 8 with music beginning at 7pm for another in its year long extravaganza of contemporary music. This show includes new bands from the tri-state region as well as Walla favorites from the past year's festivals.

This show includes performances by The Vitals, The Chelsea Kills, Heavy C, Good Nature, and The Districts.

The first floor art show will feature work by Chris Hiedel; Jess Kuronen, Yesenia Bello, Ant Bui,
Keba Robinson, Precious Evans, Marcus Branch, Vi Tran.

Tickets are $5 at the door or $10 for admission and a Walla CD including tracks from the past year of performances. The doors open for the art show at 6pm. At 7pm the show will begin in the Centre Theater's 4th floor space!

The dynamic trio of Yesenia Bello, Makeba Robinson and Anthony Bui, under the mentor help of John Doyle, are continuing the explosion of music and youthful enthusiasm. The Walla Fest team was asked to open the Norristown Arts Festival this year and has become a part of the revitalization of downtown.

The evening brings a mix of local and regional talent.

Heavy C hails from the small town of Norristown, Pennsylvania fighting to show the world he is not another one of these Trapper Rappers his messages are clear...he is diverse, different, he fights for a better community, and the betterment of his people. His music is powerful and traditional, with clever twists to keep it fresh.

The Chelsea Kills have played events such as the Gathering of the Vibes festival in CT, the annual CMJ music festival in Brooklyn and many large and small venues in the tri-state area and New York. Respective members have played festivals such as Lollapalooza, Summerfest and Zappanale in Germany. The Chelsea Kills is a Philly three piece band ready to infect the nearest person with their deliciously punky brand of pop songs.

The Vitals are a four piece band with a sheer force designed to make your grandma want to leave the room. The group features Nick Myers and Nathan Hurdle on vocals and guitars, Ben Schwartz on bass, and Spenser Forwood on drums. Having played together for years before the band was started, The Vitals create music tighter than many new bands in today's music scene.

Good Nature, who headlines the first Walla Fest last year, is made up of Dennis Parker on vocals and guitar, James Ashforth on guitar and vocals, Raz Robinson on bass, and Markie Montgomery playing drums. Creating an original mix of alternative, jazz and soul, Good Nature has performed around the region and even hosted the first Norristown Luchtime Concert in 2012 on the Courthouse plazA. Parker has performed as Dennis Lorenzo at past Walla Fests and in Phoenixville.

The Districts are from Lititz, PA, and its members are still navigating their way through their teenage years. Inspired by Fugazi, The Clash, Wes Montgomery, The Beatles, Sonic Youth, Johnny Cash, Robert Johnson, and others, the band has an eclectic mix of music. Accenting a rock sound with violin makes their musical take unique. The Districts are Rob Grote, Mark Larson, Connor Jacobus, and Braden Lawrence.

This amazing night of music is a milestone for Norristown. A full year of diverse regional and local bands has helped put the Norristown Arts Hill on the regional music map.

The Centre Theater is one of the most critically acclaimed companies in the area for over fifteen years. The Philadelphia City Paper called the companies, The area’s most under-appreciated theater company. Receiving Barrymore nominations for a number of their productions, the company has also premiered seven plays in the past two years including “The Life of John Henry,” Jeffrey Hatcher’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” and “Molumby’s Million.” The Centre’s musical theatre repertoire includes "Lucky Stiff", “High School Musical”, “The Sound of Music”, “Man of LaMancha” and more. The Centre’s Independent Voices Festival presented 50 nights of theatre by 28 regional companies over the past 3 years.

Working in collaboration with Iron Age Theatre, the Centre is planning a massive renovation of its theater and building. Phase Two of the capital development will include a new larger first floor venue for theatre and other performance.

The Centre Theater is in the Montgomery County Cultural Center at 208 DeKalb Street in Norristown. The new marquee marks its location as the anchor of the Norristown Arts Hill. It is easily reached via routes 202, I-76, I-476 and Ridge Pike. There is plenty of free parking and the theater is one block from Septa’s Norristown Transit Center on the Manayunk/Norristown line.

For more information call 610-279-1013.

 

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