Category Archives: music

First Friday, Make Music…Do Art…Have Fun

Posted on September 3, 2009 by | Leave a comment

BuskersNeededFirst Friday is tomorrow in downtown Xenia. An awning will be set up outside and the PA set up after 5 pm. If you want to play or sing or draw on the sidewalk or even the side of our building on Friday from 5-9 PM, come on down. Paint yourself white and stand still… Who cares? Even if you can’t do a frikkin’ thing artistic, come on down to support The Cavern and Express Yourself. Let’s not let the old stuffy folks downtown decide what’s good to do outside on a warm summer evening!!! Bring your friends.

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Posted in art, events, music, Xenia

Become a Xenia Busker … First Fridays

Posted on July 2, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Xenia will be having something called “First Fridays” on (believe it or not!) the first Friday of each month throughout the summer. We want to have live performances on the streets from 5 to 8+ PM starting on July 3 and YOU are invited to participate.

No pay. Probably not too many people at first. It might be hot.

But if you want to do your thing
     Play your guitar
     Or conga drum
     Or bucket
     mandolin, harmonica, banjo
     If you play a bagpipe
     Juggle
     Swallow a sword
     Breath fire
     If you want to paint yourself silver and play statue
     If you want to twirl your baton
     Show off your dance routine
     If you always wanted to be a mime
     If you want to sing out, sing out
     Whatever

We’re going to give you the chance. Buskers are welcome in Xenia on First Friday. All over town, but especially downtown. At the theater or The Cavern or somewhere else.

And I told the person in charge of arranging the whole thing that I knew some people.

So help me out
Don’t make me a liar
Think of it as a talent show for the whole town.

And we’re having an open stage/open mic starting at 8:30 at The Cavern along with a new exhibit of local art.

So hit me up with a message if you might be interested and I’ll sign you up!

Thanks
Peace
Alan

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Posted in art, events, music, Xenia

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OPERA SCENES

Posted on March 31, 2009 by | Leave a comment

AN EVENING OF THEATRE WITH WILBERFORCE UNIVERSITY

Under the direction of Professor Tifton Graves

April 1st and 2nd at 7:00 PM

To be performed at:
Xenia Area Community Theater
45 E. Second St. in Xenia
372-0516

Admission is FREE

Please join us for an evening of Music, Theatre, Opera and Operetta

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Project Rock & Project Rap 2009

Posted on January 15, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Xenia is the host city once more for this year’s Project Rock band playoffs at The Cavern, the all-ages music venue in the basement of Express Yourself Coffeehouse & Art Gallery downtown. And a new contest has joined Project Rock in it’s third year: Project Rap will offer three rounds of head to head competition for the Hip-Hop and Rap audience Project Rock and Project Rap are vehicles for young musicians in the Dayton/Xenia area to perform in front of live audiences, to develop creative and original new music, and to learn the difficult challenges and great rewards that surround live music. The first Project Rock show is slated for January 16 and will continue weekends through early June. The schedule of bands for both competitions is available online at ExpressYourselfCoffeehouse.com

Friends, relatives, and fans alike enjoy the festive atmosphere on weekend evenings from January through early June as the bands compete for weekly bragging rights. As the first few bands are eliminated, the true musical and organizational skills of these young musicians begins to become apparent. Almost anyone can get the family and friends to come out to hear them play once or twice, but it takes real talent and enthusiasm, as well as some marketing savvy, to keep their audiences enthusiastic and growing.

In order to test the abilities of the bands, different challenges are presented at each level of the competition. For instance, in the second round each band must perform a classic rock (or rap) song in their own style and for the final show, each of the top bands or rappers must write and perform a totally new song which has never been performed in public before. Project Rock and Project Rap strive to be more than mere popularity contests, so a full panel of judges reviews each performance for professionalism, musicianship, audience interaction and originality and awards points accordingly. In the end, Project Rock has turned several green young bands into seasoned professionals by the end of the series.

The 2007 Project Rock winners were local Xenia indie rockers, Psylis, and the 2008 winner was Lebanon’s heavy metal rockers, Last Dead Hour. A top prize of $500 in cash and enough studio time to record three complete songs made the competition fierce and interesting in previous years. Sponsorships are still available for businesses interested in reaching the key 15-30 year old demographic. This year, Black Disco Ball Studio is a major sponsor and will offer studio time to the Project Rock finalists. Local Rap management company Hidden Talent Records is the major sponsor of Project Rap and is seeking contestants and sponsors for the first year’s competition which begins in February. The Cavern is located at 78 E. Main St. in downtown Xenia. For more information about either competition or to make sponsorship offers, contact Alan King at (937) 372-7446, email: xeniacoffee@sbcglobal.net or visit ExpressYourselfCoffeehouse.com or MySpace.com/TheCavernClub

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Needed: Local musicians during Hometown Christmas

Posted on November 24, 2008 by | Leave a comment

We are looking for local musicians, musical groups, and singing groups who would like to donate their time and talents to entertain Xenia families during our Hometown Christmas event December 11-13. We have arranged for Bob Ford to perform during Santa’s visit on Saturday evening and we would like to have music and caroling on Thursday and Friday evenings and during the day on Saturday December 13 as well if it is possible. If you or someone you know would like to share your talents or at least your enthusiasm this holiday season, please contact Alan King at Express Yourself Coffeehouse as soon as possible and we will get you onto the schedule. This is also an open call for Friday night carolers in the downtown area. Individuals and families are cordially invited.

Express Yourself
Coffeehouse & Art Gallery
(937) 372-7446

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Posted in Christmas, events, music, Xenia

Hometown Christmas in Xenia Returns

Posted on October 18, 2008 by | Leave a comment

On Wednesday, representatives of XAMA, the Xenia Area Merchants’ Association, met with representatives of the City of Xenia and the news media to begin detailed planning for this year’s “Hometown Christmas in Xenia” event. The overwhelming success of last December’s celebration assured that this year’s will be even better. Last year families walked all over town and had a chance to take a horse and buggy ride. Carolers strolled around town, stopping on corners and popping into local cafes. Children listened to Christmas stories, made decorations and gingerbread men at local stores, and everyone had a chance to experience the familiar feelings of the Christmas season in Xenia the way it used to be.

We had music on the Towne Square and Santa arrived to turn on the lights of the Christmas Tree and listen to the Christmas wishes of all of the little ones who came. The day was chilly but fine. Snow was neatly piled along the streets, spirits were high, and many of Xenia’s “townies” got to see one another for the first time in years.

So December 11-13 will be the dates this year. On Thursday the City of Xenia will welcome Santa’s arrival at Shawnee Park. On Friday the Xenia Merchants are still working on plans for a historic walking tour of the downtown area. Also on the agenda is a possible Christmas Choir event at The Cavern. Merchants will be open late hours and featuring seasonal specials. There will be an auction of holiday wreaths to support Xenia’s Community Theater, X*ACT.

On Saturday all of Xenia’s Hometown merchants will be having a Holiday Open House with tours, snacks, crafts, music and specials. Again this year we will have horses and carriages making short tours of the city for a nominal fee. A large horse drawn wagon will also take families between destinations in town and in the Kennedy Korners area for free. Carolers and choirs are being encouraged to come to town and perform for your friends. There will be free music in the afternoon and evening at Xenia Towne Square and Santa will arrive at 5 PM to light the tree listen to some Christmas wishes and pass out some candy canes.

XAMA is searching for church choirs, barbershop quartets, acoustic musicians, carolers, and any other creative individuals to contribute their talents and enthusiasm to this project. Opportunities will be available to perform throughout the weekend. Business Sponsors are also being solicited. Last year over 30 local businesses, non-profits, banks, and individuals contributed their time and money towards the success of Hometown Christmas. The Hometown Christmas Committee has determined that a suggested a donation of $100 to Hometown Christmas per sponsor will be needed to conduct this year’s event. Sponsorship of individual events such as the carriage rides or music are also being solicited. In addition, sponsors and XAMA members will be eligible to share in steeply reduced advertising preceding the event. For information about participation or sponsorship, please contact the Xenia Merchants at xeniamerchants@sbcglobal.net or Carolyn Archer (937-620-5017) at C J’s Boutique, 72 S. Detroit Street, Xenia, Ohio 45385.

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Posted in business, events, history, music, news, Xenia

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Xenia Area Community Threatre Presents “The Magic Show: The Story of the Barefoot Angels” on Thursday 7PM at The Cavern

Posted on October 7, 2008 by | Leave a comment


About The Artists: Shaun Bengson is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer, and actor who has performed in venues across the Midwest and East Coast. Bengson grew up inBellbrook, Ohio, where he performed as an actor and musician with community productions around Dayton.
Abigail Nessen Bengson is an internationally recognized performer, writer and teacher. She began her career with Theater Group Limited at age six. Growing up she performed with Fontella Bass and Lester Bowie, the Roy Hart Theatre in France, with the Ghanean National Theater and with the popular Norwegian band, Brelsk. In 2004, she premiered her first one-woman show, “Anthem,” at the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, and her latest work, another one-woman show, “The Magic Show,” opened in April 2008.

Shaun and Abigail are currently working on multiple theater and music projects in New York City, the Northeast, and the Midwest. Their theater projects include their original off-Broadway production, “The Magic Show: The Story of the Barefoot Angels,” which opened to acclaim at The Culture Project in Manhattan. Their Brooklyn-based rock group, the Zombie Nationalists has two albums in production.
Shaun and Abigail are currently living in Vermont and Massachusetts, completing an artists’ residency with David Eppel and the Vermont-based Town Hall Theater while they write a new theater piece to be performed internationally in 2009.

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Posted in events, music, theater, Xenia

Barco is the Leading Supplier of Visualization Equipment to the Beijing Olympics

Posted on August 25, 2008 by | Leave a comment

The 8 August Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, at Beijing’s celebrated ‘Bird’s Nest’ stadium, was by and far the most coveted ticket of this year’s Olympic program. The stellar event was attended by some 90,000 spectators, including a large contingent of world leaders and dignitaries, and enjoyed a worldwide television audience estimated at four billion viewers.

The much-anticipated event was directed by renowned Chinese filmmaker, Zhang Yimou (Curse of the Golden Flower, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Raise the Red Lantern). The highly imaginative show was powered by a number of Barco cutting edge visual display solutions, including a total of 78 Barco High End Systems Orbital Heads, which allowed the production team to reposition the images anywhere in space – in this instance, onto different scenic elements on the field.

Working in conjunction with the Orbital Heads was a record 110 Barco High End Systems Axon Media Servers and 5 Wholehog 3 consoles. No visual event to date has incorporated so many servers of this type.

In addition to its role in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Barco is also providing LED solutions to many of the other Olympic venues. At the 12 Olympic Live Sites, Barco LED screens make it possible for millions of Beijing people to watch the games in large groups, live and in the outdoors, causing a great atmosphere of unity and excitement. At the landmark Jingxin Building, home to China’s largest outdoor LED screen, the 758 square meters LED screen beams Olympic images to millions of visitors on Beijing’s 3rd Ring Road. The Olympics soccer field in Shanghai is also lit up by a 391 square meters Barco LED screen.

In a 3rd major role, Barco is involved in ensuring the security and safety for the Olympics and its millions of visitors. Barco Security and Monitoring products are responsible for the surveillance in the Bird’s Nest and other venues, for guiding the flight traffic at Beijing’s new Terminal 3, and for directing all the road traffic at the city’s Urban Traffic Control Centre.

Xenia Barco, which specializes in simulation and virtual reality technologies is a regional branch of Barco International.

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Posted in health, music, politics, research

Saturday, Aug. 23 Xenia Rail Fest and much more …

Posted on August 22, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Beginning at 10AM on Saturday, August 23, railroad history buffs, train enthusiasts, model railroad and train builders along with art lovers have an opportunity to enjoy local rail and train displays, working models, and related. Live on-stage musical performances are planned as well.

The Cavern’s Music Fest ’08 will be going on concurrently in the basement of Express Yourself Coffeehouse at 78 E, Main St. Music Fest ’08 will feature live music from 2 -11 PM with area acoustic musicians from 2 to 7 and Rock Bands from 7-11. all performances before 8 PM are free to the public.

Be sure to check out the coordinated Sidewalk Sale Day on Saturday all over Xenia. Businesses will be carting out their new seasonal merchandise and offering great discounts on Clearance items. Take a walk around and see what your home town has to offer.

Finally, there are a couple of other great reasons to save some gas and stay in town on Saturday. The Doggie Dash ‘n Splash will be going on at Mullins Pool on Fairground Road. Take the pooch for a swim at one of the areas biggest Dog related events and then head downtown to see the model trains and the art. Then head out to the VFW on W. Second St for their Classic Car Show. Something for everyone in Xenia, Ohio!

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Jazz and Classical Pop Concert @ The Cavern on Aug 9

Posted on August 7, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Something for the more musically sophisticated taste: Emotion evoking string and vocal melodies that are reminiscent of the best of the Moody Blues. Primal rhythms that carry the music lover away. Fresh from opening for the Goo Goo Dolls, Indianapolis orchestral rock trio Wolfy has scheduled a performance at The Cavern in Xenia on Saturday, August 9. Fronted by the haunting vocals of Greg “Wolfy” Johnson and his keyboard and laptop and backed up by the remarkable vocals and bass of Josh Hedges and the drums of Matt Wilson, the band brings more music to the stage than appears possible. Wolfy’s performance at the intimate All-Ages Xenia venue should prove to be a memorable event.

Local jazz pianist, James McPeek and his combo will be the local headliners for the evening’s entertainment along with the remarkable young singer-songwriter Alli King. Another Xenia favorite, David Payne, will be opening at 8 with an acoustic set and there may be some interesting musical collaborations during the evening as well.

The Cavern is located in the lower level of Express Yourself Coffeehouse and Art Gallery at 78 E. Main St. in downtown Xenia, OH. Doors open at 7:30 and the show begins at 8. Admission is $6 at the door. For more information or to reserve tickets, phone (937) 372-7446 or visit www.ExpressYourselfCoffeehouse.com or MySpace.com/TheCavernClub

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Posted in events, music, news, Xenia