Your Ticket: Arts and entertainment briefs for Aug. 21

Band's Premier Night set for Sunday

The Grand Island Senior High Islander Marching Band will host its Premier Night at 6:30 p.m. Sunday on the west side of Memorial Stadium.

The band is under the direction of Louis Exkhardt.

A cookout before the performance will start at 5:15 p.m. The menu will include grilled burgers, chips and pop for $4.50. Proceeds will help with the band's trip to the Gator Bowl this winter. The band will accept cash and gift card donations from those who can't attend the cookout.



Performance to feature ’golden oldies'

Lyle Hulinsky and his Sodbuster Band will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Plum Street Station, Sixth and Plum streets.

The performance is sponsored by the Hall County Historical Society; there is no admission charge but freewill donations will be accepted.

Hulinksky's 10-piece band includes piano, accordions, violin, tuba and musical saw and plays music from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. It has previously performed for the society's "Voices from the Past" programs and is back by popular demand.



Country MusicFest set for Sept. 4-6 in Hastings

HASTINGS -- A hearty helping of traditional country, bluegrass and gospel music awaits fans at the fifth annual Miles of Memories Country MusicFest, set for Sept. 4, 5 and 6 at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings.

Organized by entertainers Tex and Mary Schutz, the event is held each year in Hastings on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday after Labor Day and attracts country fans from across Nebraska and the country.

Headliners for this year's MusicFest include Stew Clayton, singer of old-time songs and yodeler from Manitoba, and Steve Mitchell, a cowboy and classical performer who works at Silver Dollar City and performs regularly in concerts presented by Time-Life Productions.

Liz Talley of Houston performs traditional country songs, Western swing tunes and rockabilly. Digger Davis & Tombstone, a traditional bluegrass family band based in Texas, is comprised of award-winning instrumentalists who will share their fun and talents with the Miles of Memories audiences on Friday and Saturday.

A gentle giant who sings and plays a beautiful song, whether it be country, cowboy or gospel, Buck Helton is a favorite among festival-goers, Internet radio listeners and opry shows. He hails from Dallas and has performed since he was 5 years old. His performance is accented with original material, humor, historical anecdotes and yodeling.

Young Oklahoma fiddler Jake Simpson is a familiar fixture at the Miles of Memories MusicFest, having performed at each one of the previous events. Now 16 years old, he will once again share his music, guitar expertise and vocals.

Larry Dean of Kansas City returns with his newly-established band "Stranger Creek." He's equally at home with country, both traditional and today's, and rockabilly tunes. Steel guitar player Curt Shoemaker from Iona, Kan., returns as well, and is featured in concerts and as bandleader for the Miles of Memories dance band, performing on Thursday and Saturday nights after the evening's concerts.

North Platte resident Maynard Zipf, will be playing country dance tunes, as will Jim Barnes of Orleans and Ron Larson of Hastings.

In addition to concerts featuring these entertainers, attendees will be treated to several theme shows, featuring such genres as gospel music, patriotic tunes and yodeling, among others. Workshops will cover a variety of topics as well, from beginning instrumentals to backing up singers.

Admission is $15 per day or $35 for a three-day ticket. There's a $10 admission for evenings only, available each day after 5 p.m. Children 12 years of age and younger will be admitted without charge when accompanied by a parent or grandparent.

For more information, contact the Schutzes at (903) 467-9545 or e-mail them at texschutz@aol.com. MusicFest information can also be found online at www.texandmary.com.



Omaha Performing Arts series to include varied lineup

OMAHA -- The 2008-09 season at the Holland Performing Arts Center and the Orpheum Theatre in Omaha will include stand-up comedy from Jerry Seinfeld and Ron White, music from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Roberta Flack and K.D. Lang; performances by the Omaha Symphony and touring Broadway shows including "The Rat Pack," Avenue Q," "Grease" and "Wicked."

Tickets to many of these productions are now on sale through Ticket Omaha. For a compete season schedule, check the Web site at www.omahaperformingarts.com or call (866) 434-8587.



Concert set at Hastings College

HASTINGS -- David Rovics of Portland, Ore., will present a concert of his original music at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, in the French Memorial Chapel at Hastings College.

Rovics has performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad. Since the mid 1990s, he has spent most of his time on the road, playing hundreds of shows every year throughout the world. He and his songs have been featured on national radio programs in the United States Canada, Britain, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Denmark and elsewhere.

For more information about Rovics, check his Web site at www.davidrovics.com.

Opening the show will be Peggy Lang of Dannebrog, who is also a songwriter and performer.

There is no charge for the concert; for more information, call (308) 754-4901.



Photographs of Antarctica focus of gallery exhibit

COLUMBUS -- "Antarctica: Journey & Destination," featuring photographs by Larry Ferguson, will be on display through Sept. 8 at the Columbus Art Gallery, located in the lower level of the Columbus Public Library, 2504 14th St.

Ferguson, who lives in Omaha, captured the scenery of Antarctica during a 17-day excursion complete with icebergs, freezing temperatures and bitter winds.

"It was an experience beyond belief," he said. "The landscape is so heroic in scale." Ferguson said he was particularly struck by the immensity of the ice, which the harsh climate chisels into sheets, glacial flows and bergs that all vary in form, size, shape and color.

Since the bitter temperatures freeze batteries, Ferguson had to rely on three manual camera systems to make some 2,000 photographs, both in black-and-white and color. Fifty of these photographs are included in the exhibit.

Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to 4:30 p.m. Friday, and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday; open evenings and Sundays by appointment. For more information, call (402) 563-1016 or e-mail gallery@megavision.com.



’Ultimate Doo-wop Show' coming to Omaha

OMAHA -- With the recent record-breaking success of the PBS-TV music special, "50 Years of Doo-Wop," a new showcase and new audience has been created for veteran Doo-Wop artists.

Now seven original artists, whose combined sales number more than 70 million records, are back on the road performing live, treating 50-something concertgoers to the songs they danced to at sock hops, while allowing younger audiences to discover that Doo-Wop is feel-good music no matter what your age.

The tour will make a stop at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, a the Holland Performing Arts Center in Omaha. Scheduled to perform at Jimmy Clanton, The Contours, The Vogues, Kathy Young, The Original Spaniels, The Edsels and Daddy G. and the Church Street Five.

Tickets range from $46 to $74 and are on sale through Ticket Omaha; call (402) 345-0606 or www.Ticketomaha.org. For more information, check the Web site at www.omahaperformingarts.com.



Rock the Light IX set for Labor Day Weekend in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Rock the Light IX, the Midwest's largest Contemporary Christian music festival, is set for Friday, Aug. 29, and Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Starlight Theatre, 4600 Starlight Road in Kansas City

The festival will feature performances by Dove Award-winner Jeremy Camp and Grammy Award winner Casting Crowns on the festival's main stage. Joining these two headline acts on Starlight's three stages during the two-day event will be 11 other national acts and 24 local and regional performers.

Friday night headliner Casting Crowns will perform at 9:30 p.m. Casting Crowns has twice been named "Group of the Year" by the Gospel Music Association.

Jeremy Camp, Saturday night's headliner, has released six solo albums to date and contributed his song "Open up Your Eyes" to the soundtrack album "Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." During his career, Camp has garnered three certified Gold albums, 14 No. 1 singles and four Dove Awards.

 Other performers scheduled to perform Friday on the main stage include Special D, 33 Miles, JaeL, DecembeRadio and Sanctus Real. On Saturday, Aug. 30, featured acts will include TransMission, House of Thomas, Group 1 Crew, This Beautiful Republic, Remedy Drive and Pillar.

Among the featured up-and-coming talent set to perform on the festival's satellite stages are Eyelit, Life in Jersey, TopSpin, Ohio Avenue, Candlefuse and The Radiance Effect. In total, Rock the Light IX will play host to 24 local and regional bands on the two satellite stages. Performances are scheduled from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets at the gate range from $19 to $85. Reserved and general admission seats are available. For more information, check the Web site at www.rockthelight.com.



This week at the Grand ...

"Kung Fu Panda" held over this weekend at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. Third. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

 Po the Panda is the laziest animals in all of the Valley of Peace, but unwittingly becomes the chosen one when enemies threaten their way of life. Jack Black stars in this CG-animated film which is rated PG.

Tickets are $3.50 for adults and $2.50 for children under 12. For more information call 381-2667 or visit grandmovietheatre.com.



’WALL-E' at the Lied Super Screen Theatre

HASTINGS -- The Lied Super Screen Theatre in the Hastings Museum will feature the 35mm film "WALL-E" on the giant screen on Friday at 7:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22-24, Aug. 29-31 and Sept. 5-7.

What if mankind had to leave Earth, and somebody forgot to turn the last robot off? WALL-E spends everyday doing what he was made for. But soon, he will discover what he was meant for, as he adventures across the galaxy chasing his dream. "WALL-E "is rated G and stars the voices of Benjamin Burtt, Jeff Garlin, Elissa Knight, Fred Willard and John Ratzenberger.

All 35mm film admissions are $4.50; there is also a discount available for seeing both a large-format film and 35mm feature the same day. Seating is limited to 211 for each showing, so reservations are recommended. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Visitor Services at (402) 461-4629 or (800) 508-4629, option zero.