Triad Arts Weekend

Today on the show we'll be genre jumping like never before from “new Americana” to Mozart's Magic Flute, and from new Dimensions in art, to low brow/high concept cinema. Outspoken Troma Entertainment co-founder Lloyd Kaufman says “Give art back to the people”, and Triad Arts Weekend's Eddie Garcia says “You're pushin' on an open door”. Then Bethany Chafin sits in with Nora Jane Struthers. This weekend, she and The Party Line are headed Carolina. And David gets his first taste of what's been called “rowdy Bluegrass” with Seven Handle Circus's Colin Vinson. They'll be at Twin City Ribfest this weekend. At American Singer's Opera Project The Queen of the Night may scream “Abandoned may you be forever”, but hey, you're never alone on TAW.

“She absolutely knocks me out”, and “I Love her songwriting”. That's exactly how the Triad Arts team feels about Winston-Salem native, singer/songwriter Sarah Siskind, but, turns out we stole those two quotes of high praise from legendary singer Bonnie Raitt and Amy Grant. After leaving her mark in Nashville, Sarah calls the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia home these days and she'll be coming down the mountain when she comes to Reynolda House next week. Then the Charlotte-based band Amigo has been carving out a little slice of heaven there for the past few years with their eclectic country/punk/East Texas, genre-busting sound. It's just like American Songwriter Magazine says: There is no gimmick here: Amigo is the real thing. Eddie Garcia peaks behind the curtain—just in case—with Amigo singer, songwriter, and guitarist Slade Baird. Second Spring Arts is proving that life after 60 gets better and better when you get up the gumption to try something new, and Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park is bringing new outdoor concerts to a different Greensboro park every Sunday all summer long.

Today on the show we take to the road, but not just any road. This is one of the most scenic driving destinations in the entire world, plus it's right in our own backyard. Yep, we're talking about the Blue Ridge Parkway, mile post 213 to be exact. But once there you'll find even more than fresh air and stunning mountain vistas. You see the hills are alive with sounds of Appalachian music too, and they'll be ringing in the air all summer long at the Blue Ridge Music Center. Program Director Richard Emmett is here to tell us all about it, and he'll be joined by NPR's own Paul Brown. That's right. Paul's Across the Blue Ridge is back, and he'll be bringing it LIVE to the Blue Ridge Music Center stage. Then film scholar Mary Dalton takes us behind the scenes with her take on three films with religious themes. They've been generating some praise and some scorn, but they're pulling in the big bucks either way. And Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance shares the story of one mother's struggles with bipolar disorder, their impact on her family, and the sometimes unseemly underbelly of suburban life. It's the Pulitzer Prize winning rock musical Next to Normal.

Today on the show we visit the dark hills and hollows of the Blue Ridge Mountains where good and evil engage in their never ending struggle for supremacy! It's Brother Wolf by Triad Stage's Preston Lane. His gripping tall tale is told with the helping musical hands of Laurelyn Dossett and Riley Baugus, and they're here to sing about it. German piano soloist sensation Alexander Schimpf is here to tell another gripping musical tale. It's the powerful Piano Concerto No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven, and it's no coincidence that this epic concerto comes with a nickname The Emperor. Then we'll find comic relief at the Outer Banks and a little vacation with The Dixie Swim Club. The poolside drinks are cold, the gossip's hot, and The Stained Glass Playhouse actors are here to bring it alive. We'll chill things back down with some smooth jazz courtesy of FREEPORT.

This week it's a full arts spread with opera, literature, sculpture, and a film about a family that helped lay the foundation for punk rock. The documentary “A Band Called Death” has been called “one of the best music documentaries in years,” and today Eddie talks with its co-director Jeff Howlett. Then Bethany Chafin opens the book on the Press 53 short story collection “In The Season of Blood and Gold” with its author Taylor Brown.  Next David Ford takes in the Weatherspoon Art Museum's exhibition Nancy Rubins: Drawing, Sculpture, Studies with Curator of Exhibitions Xandra Eden, and Weatherspoon Director Nancy Doll. Then we revisit David Ford's conversation with the late opera composer and former UNCSA chancellor, Dr. Robert Ward. 

This week we revisit some of Team Triad Arts' choice recent interviews, and get a musical look at this Earth Day Weekend. Guitarist David English is one of the performers at the Piedmont Earth Day Fair, and we'll join him in conversation with David Ford, and learn about the art of building the cigar box guitar. Our celebration of Mother Earth continues with Mark Freundt. He's conducting the 4^th annual presentation of the Missa Gaia (Earth Mass). Then we'll get a little silly & confusing with author Lemony Snicket – that is, if he even shows up. Mr. Snicket crafted the wildly popular “A Series of Unfortunate Events” novels, and now he's inking out his peculiar craft in the world of detective fiction. We keep the pen close to paper with acclaimed graphic novelist Hope Larson, and a look at her adaptation of “A Wrinkle in Time.” Then we wrap things up with acclaimed cellist Matt Haimovitz. Matt explores the sonic limits of the cello from Bach to Hendrix with indie rock detours along the way. 

Today on the show we'll take our hats off to Dr. Seuss. Bethany Chafin leads the way with her conversation with Bill Dreyer. Bill's the curator and director for the Dr. Seuss art collection now on display at the Art Shop in Greensboro. Then from the cat in the hat we jump back in time to when Swing was King. It's open rehearsal with tenor sax player Matt Kosma and the Camel City Jazz Orchestra every Monday night at Krankies and you're invited. We'll move on from Big Band to Bunnies, and the Winston-Salem Children's Puppet Theatre production of “A Tall Tale of Peter Rabbit”. Granny Blue Ridge is here with her posse of young puppeteers from Heritage Theatre. Their motto is Live it To Learn It, and this weekend they're giving back to The Second Harvest Food bank. We wrap things up with poet and author Tony Abbott. Ever wonder what it'd be like to chat it up with an angel? Tony sure has, and you'll be a fly on the wall during the Angel Dialogues, his new book out on Lorimer Press. Angels, bunnies, jazz and all the green eggs and ham you can eat next on Triad Arts Weekend.

Festival season has arrived, and in a big way. Two major arts festivals that call Winston-Salem home launch tonight, and the Triad Arts team has worked their microphones to the capsule to bring you an inside look. First up, it's the Phuzz Phest Music Festival. This weekend festival features more than 50 bands, and while we couldn't get to all of them we do have music & interviews with No Age, Jessica Lea Mayfield, The Love Language, Must Be The Holy Ghost and many more. Then we turn our attention to the silver screen and the 16^th annual RiverRun International Film Festival. The 12 day festival has a film for every taste, and in honor of those that refuse to be defined or confined by genre, we're bringing you an interview with filmmaker David Gordon Green. He's been behind the lens making us laugh uncomfortably with Eastbound and Down and Pineapple Express, and now he's inching back to his roots with the dark drama Joe. Then Associate Producer Bethany Chafin talks with Filmmakers Safyah Usmani and Tania Kharchenko, about their Documentary short “Songs of Hope.” You can listen to the complete Triad Arts Weekend show (above), or check out the Phuzz Phest and RiverRun segments below.

Everybody loves a good song, but did you ever wonder exactly goes into creating one? Singer/songwriters Tyler Nail and Johnathan Loos have been asking that very question of themselves off and on for most of their adult lives. They've got a few ideas and their here to share during the 2^nd Annual Songwriter Sessions in Winston-Salem. Then it's time to break out your vegemite sandwiches and “have a g'day” with the WFU Theatre Department production of “Our Country's Good”: a 19^th century Australian penal colony prison, and a chance at redemption for its inhabitants through one life-changing theatrical experience. It's certainly changing perceptions among the talented Wake student actors and they're here to explain how. And Dale Pollock takes us Behind the Scenes to help us make sense of current film and theatre trends and just who is borrowing from whom these days. Meanwhile they'll be keeping it authentic BIG TIME this weekend at the Surry Old Time Fiddler's Convention and David's guests, fiddler Nick McMillian and bassist Buck Buckner will take a step back in time with us, and hold our hand all the way to the dance floor.