Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 28, 1994 TAG: 9410280049
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS BANKS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
You know you're losing it if you're out of touch with Nine Inch Nails, 10,000 Maniacs and Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Don't despair. What you need is a blast from your past.
Radford University is where it's at this weekend.
The Coasters, The Drifters and The Marvelettes - or close facsimiles of those late-great bands - will bring back the rhythm and blues sounds of the '50s, '60s and '70s in a concert Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Dedmon Center. The performance is part of the "Family Weekend '94" celebration at the university.
The Coasters were the comedians of early rock 'n' roll. Their first two-sided smash record, "Young Blood" and "Searchin'," was on radios and jukeboxes all over the country in 1957.
In 1958, "Yakety Yak" hit the top of the pop charts and was followed a year later by "Charlie Brown" (Why's everybody always picking on me?) and "Along Came Jones" (as in slow-walkin', slow-talkin' Jones). The Coasters' last big hit came in 1971 with "Love Potion No. 9."
Since 1953, more than 30 faces have appeared and disappeared among The Drifters. The group began with Clyde McPhatter whose singing brought the early Drifters hits such as "Money Honey," "Honey Love" and "Whatcha Gonna Do." McPhatter went solo in 1958.
The new Drifters came along in 1959 when Ben E. King joined as lead vocalist. In the next six years, the group produced a ton of hits: "There Goes My Baby," "This Magic Moment," "Save the Last Dance for Me," "I Count the Tears," "Up on the Roof," "Under the Boardwalk." The list goes on.
After King left the group, The Drifters continued with several other lead singers, including Rudy Lewis and Johnny Moore.
The Marvelettes hit the pop charts fresh out of high school in 1961 with "Please Mr. Postman." The original group was formed by Gladys Horton when she was only 15 years old. Horton remained with the group until 1968 and led The Marvelettes in producing songs such as "Playboy," "Beechwood 4-5789" and "Here I Am Baby."
The groups performing at the Dedmon Center Saturday will bring back the songs made famous by the original bands. They'll also entertain you with the styles and dances of the era.
Tickets are $7 for the public and $5 for Radford University students.
SEASON OPENER: The Blacksburg Master Chorale will present the first concert of its eighth season Saturday, starting at 8 p.m., at Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. Singers from all over the New River Valley will perform works by Handel, Telemann and Haydn. James Bryant is filling in as conductor while Craig Fields, founder of the chorale, is on a sabbatical leave for Virginia Tech.
A highlight of Saturday's concert is the performance of Haydn's Mass in D, also known as the Nelson Mass. Bryant said he has had the experience of exploring the work from three different perspectives.
"As a young organist in high school, I played the accompaniment for my church choirs in Huntington, West Virginia. As a sophomore at Westminster Choir College, I sang in the chorus with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. Now...I have the opportunity to conduct the work."
Bryant says he hopes audiences will find the mass as powerful and exuberant as he does.
Soloists for Saturday's concert are soprano Elizabeth Curtis, mezzo soprano Rita Litchfield-Good, tenor Gary Fulsebakke and bass-baritone Wayne Kompelien.
Tickets for the concert are $8 for adults or $4 for students and senior citizens. They will be available at the door.
Blacksburg Presbyterian Church is at Church and Eakin streets.
JUST PLAIN FOLKS: The Appalachian Folk Arts Festival, an annual event at Radford University, runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Heth Hall lawn. The festival features the familiar and fascinating demonstrations we've grown to expect of Appalachian culture.
You'll see instrument maker Tom Barr, beekeeper Charles Davis, blacksmith Bruce Kemp and pencil artist Willard Gayheart, to name a few.
In addition, there will be story tellers and musicians performing throughout the day, starting with Franco and the Celtic Badgers at 9 a.m. followed by Chris White's "Cat Tales" at 10 a.m. Marilou Awiakta will pass on legends of the American Indians at 11 a.m. and auctioneer Kem Darden steals the spotlight at noon.
Afternoon activities include music by Tom Barr, The McKenzies and Special Delivery and a presentation by the Native American Heritage Association at 4.
Admission to the festival is free. It's sponsored by the Appalachian Events Committee.
TEAM UP WITH BLACKSBURG! That's the theme of the 12th annual Greater Blacksburg Chamber of Commerce Auction. It's happening tonight, starting at 6, at Custom Catering on Patrick Henry Drive.
Sports treasures - a Charlotte Hornets game package including a suite at the Charlotte Marriott, a football signed by Hokies' coach Frank Beamer, a Carolina Panthers football helmet and lots more - are up for grabs at this auction.
Silent bidding begins at 6. The live auction commences at 8 and continues until the last item is sold.
Admission is free. Reservations aren't necessary. The auction is the chamber's major fund-raiser of the year.
A cash bar and light buffet will be available. For more information, call the chamber office at 552-4061.
NIGHT FRIGHT: There's no shortage of creepy Halloween fun in the valley this weekend.
Haunted houses, Halloween carnivals, parties and other treats are just around the corner, no matter where you live. Check the special "Halloween" listing in today's Arts & Entertainment calendar for details.
Check out the "Nightlife" listings, too. Several local clubs are offering big prize money for creative costumes. If you have an Elvis outfit, head for the Three Legged Cow Cafe in Floyd. The managers are encouraging everyone there to dress up for "Elvis Night" tonight.
You can dance until you're boo in the face at the Halloween parties. Frankie and the Blue Lights plays tonight at Classics Lounge in Radford. Blues & Diamonds plays Saturday in the Farmhouse Lounge. Both play rockin' blues.
Don & The Deltones, everyone's favorite local oldies band, plays tonight and Saturday at Frizbees in the Blacksburg Holiday Inn.
The annual Halloween show at Blacksburg's South Main Cafe Saturday features The Kind.
The Halloween party at the Huckleberry Restaurant and Lounge is Saturday, too. Savannah Jack plays in Sundance and Bananas at Large plays in Whispers.
by CNB