Tag Archives: crossings

Shawn Phillips — August 2

Crossings brings Shawn Phillips to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Friday, August 2, at 8 pm. Tickets are $21 in advance, $24 the day of the show and can be purchased by calling Crossings at 507-732-7616. Doors open at 7 pm.

Critically acclaimed and with a star-studded “played with” list, Shawn Phillips has the goods. Audiences will thrill to his voice and guitar.

Phillips has sung with the Beatles, recorded with Traffic members Steve Winwood, Chris Wood, and Jim Capaldi, taught Joni Mitchell 12-string guitar techniques, and was the first to use an Indian sitar in popular music. He’s recorded four albums that made it on Billboard’s Top 100, and four of his singles have reached Billboard’s Top 40.

In September, he released “Reflections,” a CD recorded, engineered, mastered and duplicated by Phillips in his home studio, featuring just voice and guitar. His current project is “Perspectives,” a 17-song double CD. He is raising money through his website to complete the album.

“A lot of work goes into a project like this,” Phillips said of “Reflections.”

“I am concerned with excellence in what I do. I also want to maintain a strong relationship with my fans and I feel that by doing something like ‘Reflections,’ I am making more of myself available to my fans in some way. They are the people who have put me where I am today and I will always be grateful for their support.”

Phillips is the kind of artist who seeks critical acclaim and appreciates his loyal fans – who quietly push his albums into multigold and platinum status in North America and overseas.

Phillips, the son of best-selling spy novelist Philip Atlee, traveled the world with his family, and as an adult settled in a small Italian village after spending time in the ’60s culture of England and San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury. Reviewers have expressed awe at Phillips’ ability to play electric and acoustic six- and 12-string guitars (single- and double-necked), the sitar, and at his three-octave vocal range. His lyrics and melodies – running the gamut from folk to pop, classical to jazz – astound.

Music fans won’t want to miss this opportunity to spend an intimate evening with this ought-to-be-a-legend!

Shawn Phillips

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For more information call 507-732-5210.

Mason Jennings — July 26

Crossings brings Mason Jennings to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Friday, July 26, at 8 pm. Tickets are $25 in advance, $28 the day of the show and can be purchased by calling Crossings at 507-732-7616. Doors open at 7 pm.

Mason Jennings tackles the exponentially growing responsibilities of adulthood in his latest release, “Minnesota.” As one grows into adulthood, remaining steadfastly single-minded about one’s pursuits gets increasingly difficult. In this album, Jennings crafts a collage of love trying to survive the transition into being a grown-up in a complex world.

“The album is called ‘Minnesota’ because it’s a metaphor for an ever-changing landscape. More than any place I’ve ever been, things change so much here, even month to month. But even as things change, Minnesota is where my home is, where my center is,” Jennings said.

“Minnesota” represents a step toward the light after the darkness of “Blood of Man,” Jennings’ last album. A case in point is the first song on the album, “Bitter Heart,” which manages to be simultaneously plaintive and hopeful. Musically, Mason paints from a more varied palette than ever. For instance, piano is featured more prominently than on any of his previous albums.

Mason Jennings

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For more information call 507-732-5210.

Songs of Hope — July 14

Children from around the world celebrate music with Songs of Hope, Sunday, July 14 at 2 pm at Zumbrota's State Theatre. The concert is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. A freewill offering box will be at the theatre entrance. The Zumbrota Area Arts Council and Crossings are sponsoring the performance.

The children, ages 9 to young adult, are participants in a six-week performing arts summer camp in St. Paul. This is their third appearance in Zumbrota.

The performers entertain with songs and dances from their native countries, plus some special numbers providing fun summer entertainment. The concert program often includes a few modern hits as well as traditional songs from around the world.

More than just a performing arts camp, the nonprofit Songs of Hope™ offers participants a unique opportunity to live in community with kids from other cultures while learning and performing music from many countries. Campers learn to look past prejudices, misconceptions and newspaper headlines as they live, sing and dance together. They practice six hours a day, six days a week for six weeks. Then, they take these songs of peace, love, and respect into neighboring communities in a joyous celebration of cultural unity, delighting their audiences along the way.

The whole company performs on every song, which means the performers from more than a dozen countries will be singing in several languages that may be entirely new to them. An additional pleasure is the chance to see rich and beautiful traditional costumes of many cultures.

“We are really excited to be returning to the State Theatre. It is such a small, cozy venue. The audience is near, and filling the stage with 55 performers will guarantee a high energy show with great acoustics. Many thanks to Crossings and the Zumbrota Area Arts Council for working with us,” said camp founder Tom Suprenant.

All ages will enjoy this inspirational concert, making it the perfect family event for a summer afternoon!

Zumbrota's State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For additional information, call Crossings at 507-732-7616.

Into The Woods — July 13

Where would you find all your favorite fairy tale characters together? Only in the Woods! Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella are among the colorful inhabitants of this Stephen Sondheim, Tony-Award-winning musical! If you have ever heard people talk of the musical Into the Woods you understand the passionate words used to describe what they think about it. Amazing. A wonderful musical. One of Sondheim’s strongest scores.

Come and watch this culminating event presented by the participants of Crossings Theatre Camp, Saturday, July 13, at 2:30 pm at the State Theatre, 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Admission is FREE!

This camp experience was led by Daved Driscoll, founder of Words Players Theater in Rochester.

For more information, call Crossings at 507-732-7616.

Peter Mayer in Concert — May 18

Crossings brings Minnesota musician Peter Mayer to Zumbrota's State Theatre at 8 pm on Saturday, May 18. Tickets are $20 in advance and $22 the day of the show. To purchase tickets, call Crossings at 507-732-7616. Doors open at 7 pm.

“He is unafraid of complicated topics and always strives to look beyond the easy sentiment…Peter does nothing less than address the very nature of our existence…Trust me, most songwriters can’t pull this off. Peter Mayer does.”
–Dale Connelly, Morning Show Host, Minnesota Public Radio

Peter Mayer’s songs have been compared to Shaker furniture – clean and light, yet hardly simple. His superb guitar skills make playing his music seem deceptively easy. Mayer’s songs are about interconnectedness and the human journey–about the beauty and the mystery of the world. But there’s plenty of humor, too, in songs like “Snuffleupagus” and “Fake Plant.”

Mayer, who once studied at seminary before pursuing a career in music, has toured full-time since 1995. Since then, he has gathered a dedicated following, selling out shows from Minnesota to Texas, New England to Colorado. He has nine CDs to his credit, and has sold over 50,000 of them independently.

Mayer is an artist of relevance and insight whose music is not to be missed. Peter Mayer

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Monroe Crossing — May 11

Crossings brings Monroe Crossing to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Saturday, May 11 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 the day of the show. To purchase tickets, call Crossings at 507-732-7830. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Monroe Crossing dazzles audiences with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals. Audiences will delight in their airtight harmonies, razor sharp arrangements, and on-stage rapport.

The five-member band is back by popular demand after near sell-out crowds in 2011 and 2012. Based in Minnesota, the group plays an average of 125 shows a year at major venues and festivals, frequently for non-bluegrass audiences — and people often comment that they’d never really liked bluegrass music until they attended a Monroe Crossing concert!

Monroe Crossing is made up of five very distinct personalities with differing musical backgrounds and tastes, combining for a very unique ensemble sound. They are Derek Johnson: guitar, lead & harmony vocals; Lisa Fuglie: fiddle, mandolin, lead and harmony vocals; Matt Thompson: mandolin, fiddle, baritone vocals; Mark Anderson: bass and bass vocals; and David Robinson: banjo. Their paths crossed through the music of Bill Monroe so they like to say they had a “Monroe Crossing.”

Among many honors, Monroe Crossing showcased at the International Bluegrass Music Association Convention and was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. The only bluegrass band ever nominated as “Artist of the Year” by the Minnesota Music Academy (MMA), Monroe Crossing has won an MMA “Bluegrass Album of the Year” award.

Monroe Crossing has recorded 13 CDs and one DVD to date. Their lucky 13th CD, “The Road Has No End,” showcases both the band’s unique originality and its high regard for the classic bluegrass tradition.

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Monroe Crossing

Mary Jane Alm and the Tex Pistols– April 27

Crossings brings Mary Jane Alm and the Tex Pistols to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Saturday, April 27 for a 7:30 pm performance of "Now & Then." Tickets are $28 in advance and $30 the day of the show. To purchase tickets, call 507-732-7616. Doors open at 6:30. A new CD of 19 songs will be available at the show.

"The Mary Jane Alm Band's music was superb, with polished instrumentals and solid vocal harmony added to a voice so solid it could make a lot of well known pop singers envious." "Alm was recently voted best female vocalist in the Twin Cities by two different entertainment magazines. After listening to her sing, one could wonder why they bothered to count the votes."
Rochester Post-Bulletin

Throughout the last 20 years, Mary Jane Alm has mesmerized audiences with her expressive voice, authentic songwriting and charming stage presence. Alm is one of the Twin Cities' best loved singer/songwriters and a recent inductee into the Mid-America Music Hall Of Fame. With her band, she takes audiences on a journey through time, performing songs that made her a household name in the Midwest, as well as previously unreleased songs spanning three decades. For the first time her critically acclaimed 1986 album “Prisoner Of The Heart” will be released digitally re-mastered on CD, along with 10 unreleased recordings from the last two decades. The new CD of 19 original recordings called “Now & Then” will be available at the show.

The “Now & Then” show will feature songs from Linda Ronstadt, Pat Benatar, The Pretenders, Bonnie Raitt and many more favorites, along with signature Alm originals. A multimedia video featuring clips from the 80's to the present will fill the screen behind the band.

Riding shotgun on the journey is The Tex Pistols Band, aka the Mary Jane Alm Band! Recently featured on the PBS TV show MN Originals, The Pistols combine rock, Americana, and country with awesome musicianship, killer vocals, and clever writing. It’s a fresh sound, with a healthy dose of good humor. Band members have shared the stage with the likes of: Lynard Skynard, The Beach Boys, Prince, Reba McEntire, The Judds, and many more.

The Mary Jane Alm Band includes Boyd Lee on acoustic guitar and vocals, Gordy Johnson on bass, Dik Shopteau on bass, Scooter Nelson on percussion and vocals and Brian Peters on guitar and pedal steel.

Alm is currently teaching music theory and vocal techniques at The Institute of Production and Recording in downtown Minneapolis.

“I think the reason I have been able to have such a long career in this crazy business is that I have always been open to doing anything as long as it involves music and is done with class and involves great players and singers,” Alm said.

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Mary Jane Alm

The Tex Pistols Band

Michael Perry & The Long Beds — April 12

Crossings brings Michael Perry and the Long Beds to Zumbrota's State Theatre at 7:30 on Friday, April 12. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 the day of the show. To purchase tickets call 732-7616. Doors open at 6:30.

Appearing onstage with his band the Long Beds, Michael Perry will weave stories and humor (including material from The Clodhopper Monologues) throughout a lively concert of original songs, including those on his albums and a couple of tunes fresh out of the pen.

The music of the Long Beds has been called everything from country folk to roughneck folk and folk-twang to good old Americana. The band prefers the description given by an audience member after a benefit concert in Perry’s old high school gym: “You sound just like Gordon Lightfoot… only zippier!”

Perry's songs are a direct reflection of his life growing up in small town Wisconsin. Ranging from straight-up twang to churchly harmonies and populated by characters drawn straight from rural and small town America, they launch from places like the overpass outside Perry’s beloved hometown of New Auburn, Wisconsin (population currently 562), a gospel service in a granary, and the kitchen floor of a woman about to drop a world of hurt on her drunken husband. “I was raised by farmers and preachers and tough country women, and I suppose my songs reflect that,” says Perry. “Then again, certain wisdoms are available only from whistlers, frauds, and sinners, so I try to slide them a line or two as well.”

Band members include backup vocalists and musicians Billy Krause on guitar and banjo, Chuck Roll on bass guitar and autoharp, and Christopher Ramey on guitar and keyboard, and special guests.

Perry is the author of bestselling memoirs "Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time," "Truck: A Love Story," "Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting," and "Visiting Tom: A Man, A Highway, and the Road To Roughneck Grace," as well as the essay collection "Off Main Street." He will give a lecture the day after the concert entitled Writing from the Middle of Nowhere. Perry will discuss his book and magazine writing techniques, how to survive the freelance life and the publishing world, and most importantly, how "the middle of nowhere" can be the most powerful writing element of all. The lecture is $35 and takes place at Crossings on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Read more about it here!

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Collective Unconscious Presents “The Last Waltz” — April 6

Collective Unconscious returns to Zumbrota's State Theatre at 7:30 pm on Saturday, April 6, for their latest concert, The Last Waltz. This tribute to The Band is brought to you by Crossings. Tickets are $32 in advance, $35 the day of the show and can be purchased by calling 732-7616. Doors open at 6:30.

The band that set the bar in magnificent album shows brings to life one of the greatest rock concerts of all time, The Last Waltz. Collective Unconscious is renowned for staging such mega-hits as The Beatles' Abbey Road, The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, CSNY’s Déjà vu, and most recently as half of the super group that performed Takin’ It To The Limit, a Tribute to The Eagles. For The Last Waltz, the stage will once again be filled with special guests as they bring to life one of the greatest evenings of music ever performed.

Collective Unconscious will be joined by special guests Stacy Bauer, Leon Laudenbach, Mark Hazzy Hasbrouck, Grant Haake, Jeff Lee, and Dan Barth. Collective Unconscious is Nathan Nature Nesje, Jeff Engholm, Muggsy Lauer, George Maurer, and Andy Deckard.

The program includes the hits "Up on Cripple Creek," "The Shape I'm In," "Who Do You Love," and "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down." Before it was a three-disc album, The Last Waltz was a 1976 farewell concert by The Band, filmed by director Martin Scorsese and made into a documentary of the same name. The concert itself was on Thanksgiving in San Francisco, and The Band was joined on stage by more than a dozen special guests, including Paul Butterfield, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, and Neil Young.

The Band, which continued to tour in the '80s without guitarist Robbie Robertson, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked them No. 50 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and in 2008 The Band received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota.

Whitesidewalls Rock ‘n’ Roll Revue – January 25

Crossings brings the Whitesidewalls, a fixture in the Twin Cities music scene for 40 years, to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Friday, January 25 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $20 in advance, $23 the day of the show. Tickets can be purchased by calling (507) 732-7616. Doors open at 6:30.

The Whitesidewalls Rock n Roll Revue is a celebration of doo-wop, rockabilly rock and roll music that will have audiences dancing in their seats. The band first formed in 1971 and played for many years — they played a series of full summer shows at Valleyfair amusement park in Shakopee for 10 years, and in 1985 were named the Minnesota Ballroom Operator's Association's Act of the Year. Then they disbanded for 20 years. One of the early members, Dave "Swannee" Swanson, brought the group back together in 2007. Founder of the group, Pat Brown ("Hound Dog"), continues to play guitar, drums, and bass as well as sing, and is the band's musical director.

Swanson sings and plays guitar, sax, and keyboards. Other members of the band are Rocky Beaumont on drums, bass, guitar and vocals, Gino Gambucci on bass, keyboards, guitar and vocals, and Bobby Maestro on keyboards, bass, and vocals.

The band was inducted into the Mid-American Music Hall of Fame in 2012.