The Ploughshare Poets: A Celtic Music Fest

Ploughshare Poets will appear in Concert from 7pm-9pm in the Gallery on Saturday, October 6.

The Ploughshare Poets are returning for a show at the Bottlebrush in Harmony!  Ryan Stauffer and Vade King’s overflow audience for our St. Patrick’s celebration was fantastic and quite memorable (people are STILL talking about  the show’s closing of a bagpipes parade to the Harmony Inn!) so we are bringing them back for our slightly modified version of an Irish “Moveable Monday” event except it’s on Saturday.

We’ve added activities for this show. Check them out:

Friday Night Oct 5

• a Ploughshare Poets/Celtic t-shirt workshop Friday night from 6:00-7:30pm at the Gallery. You can make your own Ploughshare Poets t-shirt to wear for Saturday’s festivities. The workshop is only $20, not included in the cost of the show. Register in advance 724.452.0539.

Saturday, Oct 6

• 3:00-4:30pm – a free Irish instrument demo by the Poets at the Gallery
• 4:30-6:30pm – a Harmony Shop Crawl/Meet the Artist  featuring local artists’ showing their work  located in various shops. You will get  a map for your Treasure Hunt… if you go to all of the Shops, you will be eligible for a free Ploughshare Poets t-shirt
• 4:30-6:30pm Traditional Irish food will be available for purchase from Stohr Haus Bakeryand wine samples by Rustic Acres including a special wine called “Celtic Fire”
• 7:00-10:00pm  Ploughshare Poets Concert with beer samples by Full Pint Brewery

Tickets are STILL only $10, but Reservations for the show are REQUIRED. Our venue is small, as many of you know, and we need to be sure everyone can see and hear. Call us at 724.452.0539 or email bottlebrushgallery @ yahoo dot com for reservations and more information.

We have been holding House Concerts at the Gallery for a year and a half now, hard to believe it’s been that long. They’re very popular along w/our monthly songwriters’ group, and we’re happy to keep offering them as part of Bottlebrush’s embracing of all arts. Thank you for your interest and on-going support of our music events.

Our next house concert is on Friday, September 28. North Carolina’s David Childers will bring his rockin’ Americana music AND HIS ART to the Bottlebrush, with an opening by Pittsburgh’s Bruce Hoffman.  More information below!

Lonesome No More Productions proudly presents: David Childers  

David Childers is an acclaimed Americana ARTIST AND MUSICIAN who writes tough, literary tunes informed by heartland rock, country music, folk music, small towns, and lonesome highways. He also draws passionate inspiration and imagery from the Bible. 1999’s Hard Time Countyand 2001’s A Good Way to Die feature musician contributions (and some co-production) from noted Nashville artist Duane Jarvis. The latter album also featured non-traditional accents such as the sitar on“Possibility” (played by multi-instrumentalist Eric Lovell). ~Erik Hage, All Music Guide  http://www.davidchilders.com         We are proud to show David’s artwork as part of his concert/show Friday night. Come on by and check it out! 

With Special Guest Bruce Hoffman

Bruce Hoffman is a local singer songwriter that demands your attention because he is a very bright, and capable songwriter with a wry sense of himself in the world he observes. Reminds us of John Prine -rich with detail and color, some sadness, and beauty, but always a little tongue-in-cheek.
Come out and support local, live music!

For those of you unfamiliar with the term “house concerts”, they are small-venue, original material performances held right in our Gallery– with smaller audiences, you can see and hear the shows very well, and talk to the musicians.  Instead of the usual noisy bar atmosphere, you’re treated to a listening room experience– very different and so good for enjoying music!

Enjoy a day of great music at the 1st Annual Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival in Harmony!  Saturday September 8, 2012 with music from 11am to 10pm on two stages featuring 5 bands including headliner Dry Branch Fire Squad.  The stages will be in the Square and at the Historic Harmony Barn.  

The Festival and other activities will be held throughout the town of Harmony.   Designated parking areas, nearby camping, shuttlebus service, and food are available.   Food and drink vendors will include Fisher’s, Phil’s Woodshed, Grace Church and Zippco.  Full Pint Brewing will be doing a beer tasting (21 and over only, ID required).

Please order your tickets online now!   Tickets and information available at www.concertsinharmony.com

Returning to the Bottlebrush Gallery in Harmony, last year’s sold out show: Tony Denikos!

Friday, August 10, 2012  7pm-9:30pm  BYOB  $10 – advance reservations requested due to small venue, 724.452.0539. Come on out and support live music!

Tony Denikos writes, records and performs some of the most refreshingly down-home Americana music in the country. His wide range of influences includes John Fogerty, John Prine, Lowell George, Graham Parker & Bruce Springsteen. Tony is a storyteller and songsmith in the tradition of John Prine and Lyle Lovett.  http://tonydenikos.com

“There’s a warmth and natural soulfulness to his sound that is as much approachable as it is admirable. Next time I sit beside Prine at Arnold’s Meat & Three, I am going to hip him to the fact that I know who is going to fill his shoes when he retires.” –Gary Allen (JJ Cale/The Charlie Daniels Band/Stonewall Jackson)

With Special Guest Jeff DeSantis
Jeff DeSantis is a Pittsburgh-based songwriter whose style can be described as Americana/Alt Country, as written by someone who grew up listening to The Who an awful lot. His album “323 13th Street” is available on iTunes and CD Baby, and he is currently working on a follow-up.

House Concert at the Bottlebrush this Friday, July 27!

Jeff Wiley is well known in our area as one of the finest ballad writers to not-yet be famous. His poetic lyrics and gentle delivery bring you in close and make you want to pay attention to every word. For this show he brings a band comprised of Harold Laderer on Drums, Tom Milnes on Guitar, & Frank Jay Wiley on Bass.

Opening act is Jordan Robb…renowned in the area for his hard-edge country style. Jordan is also a fine song writer and stylistically quite different from Jeff. It will be a fun show as the similarity in talent comes through with the contrasts in style keeping you entertained.

Come out and support local, live music!

At the Bottlebrush Friday, July 13– The Carpenter Ants from WV. Come on out for some “chicken-fried Gospel soul– lots of feel-good harmonies and a solid groove.” Twenty five years of playing together– touring the US, Moscow and even joined the Rev. Jesse Jackson for a 10-city tour. You are in for a show!

The Carpenter Ants  http://www.carpenterants.net/

Even the best bands come and go but The Carpenter Ants have been around – with virtually the same lineup – for 25 years. The Ants have defied the odds and outlasted most of their peers for a number of reasons. First and foremost, after more than 2,000 performances, regardless of the occasion, the band never fails to have a good time – and that feeling is contagious.

The group’s new CD, Ants & Uncles, was again produced by Don Dixon and features guitarist Bill Kirchen on all tracks. Other guests include keyboardist John Deaderick (Dixie Chicks, Alison Krauss and Michael McDonald), famed peddle steel guitarist Russ Hicks and dobro/lap steel master Jerry Douglas.

With Special Guest Ben Shannon: “Judging by the likable and infectious arrangement of (lead-off track) ‘Break On Through’ which follows in the footsteps of the laid-back style of Jack Johnson, Shannon has a promising musical future ahead of him. The Nashville-born and Pittsburgh-raised singer-songwriter breaks on through in a big way with his full-length debut release “Move On.” -Clint Rhodes, Music Editor – Herald Standard

Bottlebrush: A Gallery for the Arts 539 Main Street Harmony, PA 16037

Tickets $10   BYOB    724.452.0539 or HITH@zoominternet.net Call or email for more information and reservations.

CD Release party at the Gallery Friday, June 29, 7pm — everyone welcome! Free admission.

Christopher Mark Jones’s long musical itinerary includes busking in Paris, the English folk club circuit, tours of Denmark and Holland, the Bristol and Rotterdam festivals, BBC and Capitol radio appearances in London, electric clubs in Boston and showcase clubs, house concerts and coffeehouses in Pittsburgh. His 1978 album for Transatlantic No More Range to Roam was released in five countries and distributed in the U.S. by Rounder. After forays into rock, jazz and swing, and time off to raise two sons, 2010’s Heartland Variations marked a return to the soulful country and blues-inflected Americana narratives of the first recording. The dozen new songs of Suburban 2-Step were released in April, 2012.

Bottlebrush: A Gallery for the Arts
539 Main Street
Harmony, PA 16037

Tickets: $10

BYOB
724.452.0539 or
HITH@zoominternet.net
Call or email for more information and reservations.

It’s a big week in Harmony – the Farmers Market opening day is Thursday June 7, Sally Jones Rodgers’ opening is Friday, June 8, and Saturday June 9 is the Annual Herb and Garden Fair!

Friday evening June 8, 2012, 7pm-9pm Please join us for the opening night reception for award-winning artist Sally Jones Rodgers, from Cranberry Township. No admission charge. Refreshments served, live music by Bruce Hoffman, fearless leader of Bottlebrush’s monthly songwriters’ group, “Songwriters in Harmony.”

Special Event – Dinner and Bluegrass Music Show 

     Join us for dinner with The Allegheny Drifters from 5-6:30pm at the Historic Harmony Inn before their evening show at the Bottlebrush on Friday, June 1st! Your $25 admission includes a pulled  pork  and chicken buffet dinner with the band at the Inn and the show at 7pm.  Don’t miss your chance to have “dinner with the Drifters” at this one time event!

            June 1, 2012  Dinner: 5pm-6:30pm  ~ Show: 7pm

$25 per person for Dinner and Show ~ $10 per person for Show only

Prepaid RSVP Required – Call 724.452.0539.  No online ticket sales.

About The Allegheny Drifters: The Allegheny Drifters are one of the strongest vocal bands on the Bluegrass scene today. Their harmonies combined with soulful retro-Monroe mandolin and punchy banjo blend to produce an unbeatable Bluegrass sound straight from the heart of the old Keystone State! http://alleghenydrifters.com