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SUMMARY:Dan Moretti & Brazilia Bring Wayne Shorter Into the World of Latin Jazz at the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Dan Moretti & Brazilia Bring Wayne Shorter Into the World of Latin Jazz at the UNITED on Oct. 4\, when the Rhode Island saxophonist leads an international quintet through a meeting of modern jazz and Latin rhythms in the UNITED Theatre’s Gallery Events Space. \nThis isn’t simply a Latin jazz band playing standards with added percussion. Moretti and Brazilia take compositions apart rhythmically and rebuild them around mambos\, cha-cha-chas\, sambas and other Latin and Brazilian grooves. \nThat approach is particularly important to the group’s latest project. \nTheir 2025 live album\, Celebrating Wayne Shorter: Live at the Pump House Music Works\, takes the music of one of the most influential composers in modern jazz and gives it a different rhythmic foundation. \nThat means compositions including “Black Nile\,” “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum\,” “Night Dreamer\,” “Speak No Evil\,” “Witch Hunt\,” “Yes or No\,” and “Footprints” can sound familiar and entirely different at the same time. \nFive Musicians From Four Countries\nThe current Brazilia lineup is unusually international. \nDan Moretti\, from Rhode Island\, leads on tenor and soprano saxophones and flute. \nOscar Stagnaro\, originally from Peru\, handles bass. The four-time Grammy winner has spent decades at the center of Latin jazz and is closely associated with Paquito D’Rivera. He is also a longtime Berklee educator and has played with artists including Chucho Valdés\, Dave Valentin and the Caribbean Jazz Project. \nMaxim Lubarsky\, originally from Ukraine\, is on piano. His playing brings together jazz improvisation\, classical training and the rhythmic vocabulary of music from different parts of the world. \nErnesto Diaz\, from Colombia\, supplies the percussion that gives Brazilia much of its Latin pulse. \nSteve Langone\, from the United States\, completes the group on drums\, working alongside Diaz rather than simply duplicating the percussion. That drum-and-percussion combination gives the ensemble room to move between straight-ahead jazz and denser Latin rhythmic structures. \nAll five musicians have Berklee connections\, but the geographical spread matters just as much. Brazilia isn’t approaching Latin jazz from a single national tradition. The musicians bring backgrounds from the United States\, Peru\, Ukraine and Colombia into the same ensemble. \nBrazilia Goes Back More Than 30 Years\nThe name Brazilia isn’t a recent addition to Moretti’s career. \nHe recorded Dan Moretti & Brazilia: Live at Chan’s in 1995 with a formidable lineup that included saxophonist Greg Abate\, pianist Alain Mallet\, bassist Oscar Stagnaro\, drummer Ben Wittman and percussionist Pernell Saturnino. \nStagnaro’s presence in both the 1995 and current versions of Brazilia gives the group a connection spanning more than three decades. \nBy 1999\, Moretti & Brazilia were appearing at the Litchfield Jazz Festival with saxophonist Dave Liebman as special guest. Moretti’s own discography continued moving through jazz\, funk\, Latin music and other combinations rather than settling into one permanent format. \nThe current incarnation circles back to Brazilia while using Wayne Shorter’s music as its jumping-off point. \nWhy Wayne Shorter Gives Them So Much to Work With\nWayne Shorter left behind the kind of compositions musicians can keep discovering things inside. \nHis career stretched from Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet to the groundbreaking fusion group Weather Report and decades of work under his own name. But his influence wasn’t limited to being an extraordinary saxophonist. \nHe was a composer whose pieces often resist the predictable resolutions of conventional jazz standards. \nThat makes his music unusually fertile territory for a group such as Brazilia. \nInstead of reproducing famous Shorter recordings\, the quintet can preserve the melodies and harmonic architecture while changing what’s happening underneath them. A composition originally associated with a particular post-bop feel can suddenly be propelled by a mambo or samba rhythm. \nMoretti’s 2025 live recording grew out of exactly that idea. \nThe resulting album reached No. 1 on the Roots Music Report charts\, climbed to No. 6 on JazzWeek and remained on national jazz charts for more than 20 weeks. \nMoretti’s Career Runs From Ray Charles to Berklee\nMoretti has enough history of his own to fill an evening. \nBorn in Providence and raised in Narragansett\, he began playing saxophone in elementary school and was performing with the Rhode Island Youth All-State Jazz Band at the Newport Jazz Festival by age 12. \nHe later became the University of Rhode Island’s first saxophone major at a time when saxophonists generally had to major in clarinet and treat saxophone as a secondary instrument. \nHis professional career eventually crossed boundaries between jazz\, R&B\, funk\, soul and pop. His performance credits include Ray Charles\, Aretha Franklin\, Ben E. King\, The Four Tops\, The Temptations\, Chaka Khan\, Dr. John\, Stevie Nicks\, Steve Winwood\, Robert Plant\, Nile Rodgers\, George Duke and others. \nMoretti has also recorded extensively as a leader\, composer and producer. His catalog reaches back to the 1980s and includes Point of Entry\, Dan Moretti & Brazilia\, That’s Right\, Latin Genesis\, Stories\, Passing Place\, Invoke and numerous other projects. \nRhode Island recognized that body of work by inducting him into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame in 2017. \nParallel to all of it has been a long career in music education. \nMoretti became a professor at Berklee College of Music\, teaching contemporary writing and production and helping develop curriculum in groove writing and arranging. He is now Professor Emeritus. \nSo when Brazilia plays with rhythm\, it isn’t decorative. Moretti has spent decades studying\, performing\, composing and teaching precisely how rhythm changes the character of music. \nSunday Jazz in the Gallery\nThe UNITED is putting the quintet in its Gallery Events Space rather than one of its conventional theater rooms. \nThat’s a good match for this music. \nJazz built around improvisation works differently when the audience is close enough to watch musicians communicate. A glance from Moretti toward the rhythm section\, a piano phrase picked up by the saxophone or a rhythmic shift between Diaz and Langone becomes part of what you’re watching rather than something happening at a distance. \nAnd with musicians of this caliber\, the written composition is only the beginning. \nWayne Shorter supplied the architecture. \nBrazilia gets to decide where to take it. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Dan Moretti & Brazilia – Sunday Jazz at the U\nDate: Sunday\, Oct. 4\, 2026\nTime: 6–8 p.m.\nVenue: UNITED Theatre – Gallery Events Space\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nMusic: Latin jazz\, Brazilian jazz and contemporary jazz\nDan Moretti: Tenor and soprano saxophones\, flute\nOscar Stagnaro: Bass\nMaxim Lubarsky: Piano\nErnesto Diaz: Percussion\nSteve Langone: Drums\nLatest Album: Celebrating Wayne Shorter: Live at the Pump House Music Works\nAccessibility: The UNITED’s cinemas are wheelchair accessible; guests attending live performances who need accessible seating are encouraged to contact the box office before purchasing tickets.\nBox Office: 401-388-8208\nEmail: info@unitedtheatre.org \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/dan-moretti-brazilia-bring-wayne-shorter-into-the-world-of-latin-jazz-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261003T213000
DTSTAMP:20260929T215135Z
CREATED:20260929T215135Z
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SUMMARY:Monophonics Bring Heavy Soul and Psychedelic Rock Back to the Knick
DESCRIPTION:Monophonics Bring Heavy Soul and Psychedelic Rock Back to the Knick Oct. 3\, when the San Francisco band returns to Westerly with the kind of music that can make a modern club feel like somebody just opened a forgotten door into 1971. \nIf you haven’t heard Monophonics before\, start with the ingredients. \nTake the emotional weight of classic soul\, add the deep grooves and horns of funk\, layer in psychedelic guitars and vintage keyboards\, and put Kelly Finnigan out front with a voice that sounds remarkably at home in another musical era. \nThe result isn’t a tribute act and it isn’t a band simply reproducing old records. Monophonics write contemporary songs using a musical vocabulary built from late-’60s and early-’70s soul\, psychedelic rock and R&B. \nThat’s also what makes the Knick Music Lab an especially good room for them. \nOld Soul Without Becoming a Museum Piece\nMonophonics formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-2000s\, but the band’s defining era began when singer\, songwriter\, producer and keyboardist Kelly Finnigan joined the group. \nFinnigan helped push Monophonics toward the sound that has become its calling card: big analog textures\, emotionally charged vocals\, horns\, psychedelic flourishes and arrangements that can move from intimate soul ballads to explosive funk-rock. \nThere are plenty of historical reference points. \nYou can hear echoes of Curtis Mayfield and the cinematic side of soul\, the psychedelic experiments of late-’60s Motown\, vocal groups such as the Delfonics and the expansive pop of bands like the Zombies. \nBut Monophonics don’t treat those influences as artifacts. \nThe songs themselves deal with recognizable subjects — love\, loss\, perseverance\, isolation and the messy business of trying to get through life — while the production deliberately reaches backward to an era when records sounded warm\, imperfect and human. \nThat combination helped songs including “Last One Standing\,” “It’s Only Us\,” “Chances\,” “Lying Eyes\,” “Promises” and their interpretation of “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” find audiences far beyond the retro-soul scene. \nIf You Want to Know What They Sound Like\, Check Into the Sage Motel\nTheir 2022 album Sage Motel may be the best introduction to the Monophonics world. \nIt’s a concept album built around an imaginary motel that supposedly began as a roadside stop in the 1940s\, became a bohemian destination during the 1960s and ’70s and then slowly deteriorated. \nPeople pass through its rooms carrying dreams\, broken relationships and turning points in their lives. \nMusically\, it gives Monophonics room to blend heavy soul with psychedelic rock and cinematic arrangements\, with Finnigan’s voice holding the stories together. \nBy that point the band had already developed a substantial following. Its previous album\, It’s Only Us\, accumulated tens of millions of streams\, while Monophonics built its reputation the old-fashioned way as well: touring. \nThe group has performed across the United States and in cities throughout Europe and beyond\, including London\, Paris\, Amsterdam\, Athens and Istanbul. \nAnd live performance matters with this band. \nThe Horns Are Coming Too\nThe current Monophonics lineup is constructed to deliver considerably more than a stripped-down touring approximation of the records. \nFinnigan handles vocals and keyboards\, backed by drummer Austin Bohlman\, bassist Max Ramey and guitarist Aquilles Magaña. \nThen comes the horn section\, led by trumpeter Ryan Scott with Jason Cressey on trombone. \nThat’s important because the horns aren’t decorative in this music. They’re part of what gives Monophonics its scale\, moving between tight rhythmic punches and sweeping soul arrangements while the rhythm section provides the groove underneath. \nThe UNITED describes the band’s live performances as energetic\, and years of international touring have made the stage as important to Monophonics’ identity as the studio. \nFor people who like soul but don’t necessarily want a nostalgia show\, this is where the distinction becomes clear. \nMonophonics aren’t pretending it’s still 1970. \nThey’ve simply decided that some of the things musicians knew how to do in 1970 were worth keeping. \nA Big Sound in an Intimate Westerly Room\nSaturday’s concert isn’t inside the UNITED’s main theater. \nIt’s at the Knick Music Lab\, the performance space at 35 Railroad Avenue that continues the musical life of Westerly’s historic Knickerbocker Music Center. \nThat should put Monophonics considerably closer to the audience than a traditional theater presentation would. \nThe night also includes support from Taylor Williams\, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and music beginning at 8. \nTickets are $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the show\, with fees included. The concert is open to all ages. \nFor anyone whose record collection wanders through classic soul\, psychedelic rock\, funk and modern artists who still believe a horn section and a deep groove can solve an awful lot of problems\, this is one worth investigating. \nAnd if you’ve never heard Monophonics\, give “Last One Standing” a few minutes before deciding. \nSeven minutes later\, you’ll have a much better idea of what Saturday night in Westerly is going to sound like. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. To purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Monophonics\nDate: Saturday\, Oct. 3\, 2026\nDoors: 7:30 p.m.\nShow: 8 p.m.\nVenue: Knick Music Lab\nAddress: 35 Railroad Ave.\, Westerly\, RI\nAdmission: $30 advance; $35 day of show\, inclusive of fees\nAge: All ages\nSupport: Taylor Williams\nSeating: General admission\nFood & Drink: Prepackaged concession snacks and soft drinks available for purchase; limited bar with prepackaged beer\, wine and canned cocktails\nTicket Policy: Tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/monophonics-bring-heavy-soul-and-psychedelic-rock-back-to-the-knick/
LOCATION:Knickerbocker Music Center\, 35 Railroad Ave\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Monophonics-Bring-Heavy-Soul-and-Psychedelic-Rock-Back-to-the-Knick.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260927T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260927T210000
DTSTAMP:20260923T194738Z
CREATED:20260923T194454Z
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SUMMARY:Roots Music Stomp Brings America’s Musical Traditions Together With Erica Weiss
DESCRIPTION:Roots Music Stomp Brings America’s Musical Traditions Together With Erica Weiss Sunday\, Sept. 27\, for an evening that can move from an Appalachian fiddle tune to Louisiana Cajun music\, Balkan singing\, and an original song without ever leaving the UNITED’s Gallery Events Space. \nThe September edition of the monthly series pairs host Craig Edwards with Erica Weiss\, a multi-instrumentalist\, singer\, teacher and dance caller whose musical world crosses traditions that are often separated into different genres. \nWeiss plays fiddle\, guitar and bass\, sings and performs Appalachian old-time string band music\, Cajun and Zydeco\, Balkan vocal music and her own songs. \nThat range makes her particularly well suited to Roots Music Stomp. \nThe series isn’t designed as a conventional concert where a touring artist arrives\, plays a prepared set and leaves. Instead\, Edwards invites musicians steeped in traditional styles to play together while exploring where the music came from\, how it traveled and why seemingly different American musical traditions frequently turn out to be related. \nPart Concert\, Part Musical Conversation\nRoots Music Stomp has been described as something approaching a live musical podcast. \nThere is performance\, but conversation and musical history are part of the experience. \nEdwards and his guest can play a tune\, talk about the tradition behind it and then follow the music somewhere else. \nThat makes improvisation part of the appeal. \nA fiddle can lead into Appalachian old-time music. An accordion can shift the evening toward Louisiana. A song can open a discussion about the communities that carried it from one generation to another. \nThe point isn’t simply to reproduce old music. \nIt’s to show that roots music has always been alive\, changing as musicians and communities encountered one another. \nErica Weiss Crosses Musical Borders\nWeiss has spent years inside the traditional-music community as both a performer and teacher. \nShe has performed and taught at festivals and music camps and worked alongside musicians in the old-time and Cajun traditions\, while her interests extend well beyond either one. \nAppalachian old-time music itself developed through a complicated meeting of cultures. European fiddle traditions mixed with African American musical traditions\, including the banjo\, an instrument with West African ancestry that became fundamental to American string-band music. \nCajun music developed from another migration story. \nFrench-speaking Acadians expelled from Canada during the 18th century eventually established communities in Louisiana\, where their music interacted with Creole\, African\, Caribbean and other traditions. Fiddles were eventually joined by accordions\, and neighboring Cajun and Creole musical cultures helped produce the sounds now associated with Cajun and Zydeco music. \nBalkan singing brings another musical world into Weiss’ repertoire\, with vocal traditions known for powerful harmonies\, distinctive intervals and rhythms that can sound strikingly different to ears accustomed to American popular music. \nRoots Music Stomp provides a place where those differences can be heard side by side. \nCraig Edwards Has Spent a Lifetime Following the Connections\nIf the concept sounds unusually broad\, that’s because Edwards’ own musical career is unusually broad. \nHe sings and plays fiddle\, guitar\, five-string banjo\, mandolin and button accordion\, with a repertoire encompassing Appalachian old-time\, blues\, bluegrass\, Cajun\, Celtic music\, chanteys\, folk\, roots rock\, swing and Zydeco. \nHis interest goes beyond learning songs. \nEdwards studied ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University\, focusing on American string-band traditions and conducting fieldwork in places including West Virginia\, North Carolina\, Louisiana\, Ireland and Nova Scotia. \nHe has also studied with West African master musicians and dancers\, another route into understanding how African musical traditions became part of the foundation of American music. \nEdwards later spent years as a staff musician at Mystic Seaport Museum and served as director of its Sea Music Festival\, where his work expanded into maritime traditions from around the world. \nToday\, he teaches traditional fiddle styles at Wesleyan and teaches at the UNITED while continuing to perform across multiple roots traditions. \nCalling him a multi-instrumentalist almost undersells what he’s doing with Roots Music Stomp. \nHe’s using the instruments as tools for musical history. \nA Series Built Around a Different Tradition Every Month\nThe September program is one chapter in an ongoing monthly experiment at the UNITED. \nPrevious Roots Music Stomp programs have explored bluegrass with fiddler Austin Scelzo\, maritime and folk traditions with longtime Mystic Seaport chanteyman Geoff Kaufman\, traditional Irish music and the enormous influence of Bob Dylan on American folk and popular songwriting. \nOther editions have ventured into Franco-American fiddling\, seasonal traditional music and additional regional folk traditions. \nThe format changes because the guest changes. \nRather than impose the same concert structure every month\, Edwards uses each musician’s specialty as the starting point. The collaboration then allows different traditions to collide\, overlap or reveal connections that might not be apparent from simply listening to recordings. \nWith Weiss\, there are a lot of directions the conversation can go. \nAppalachia. Louisiana. The Balkans. Traditional dance music. Original songwriting. \nAnd with two musicians capable of changing instruments as the evening develops\, there’s no requirement that they stay in one place for very long. \nAn Intimate Room for Music That Was Meant to Be Shared\nRoots Music Stomp takes place in the Gallery Events Space at the UNITED\, rather than the theater’s large Black Box auditorium. \nThat smaller setting fits the material. \nMuch of the music being explored in the series developed long before amplifiers\, arenas or even modern concert culture. These were social traditions played at dances\, gatherings\, homes\, community celebrations\, work sites and informal sessions. \nThe music was passed from musician to musician largely by listening\, watching and playing together. \nRoots Music Stomp recreates a little of that process in front of an audience. \nInstead of presenting traditional music as something preserved behind glass\, Edwards and Weiss can pull it apart\, talk about it and then put it back together by playing it. \nFor anyone who has wondered how a fiddle tune from Appalachia\, a Louisiana dance tune and music carried across an ocean can all wind up under the enormous umbrella called American roots music\, Sunday night offers a pretty good place to start. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Roots Music Stomp featuring Erica Weiss\nDate: Sunday\, Sept. 27\, 2026\nTime: 7–9 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Gallery Events Space\nAddress: 5 Canal St.\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nFeatured Musician: Erica Weiss\nHost: Craig Edwards\nMusic: Appalachian old-time\, Cajun\, Zydeco\, Balkan singing\, folk\, original music and other traditional styles\nFormat: Live performance\, collaboration and discussion of traditional music and its history\nVenue: Gallery Events Space at the UNITED\nAccessibility: The UNITED is wheelchair accessible; guests needing accommodations for a live performance can contact the box office\nContact: 401-388-8208 \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/roots-music-stomp-brings-americas-musical-traditions-together-with-erica-weiss/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260926T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260926T213000
DTSTAMP:20260926T162825Z
CREATED:20260920T194125Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260926T162825Z
UID:10008477-1790451000-1790458200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Billy Gilman Celebrates 25 Years of Music With a Home-State Show at the UNITED (postponed)
DESCRIPTION:NOTE: This event was postponed due to the nor’easter.\nBilly Gilman Celebrates 25 Years of Music With a Home-State Show at the UNITED Saturday\, Sept. 26\, bringing the Rhode Island singer back to Westerly for an anniversary concert that looks back at one of the more unusual careers in modern country music. \n25 Years of Hits & Showstoppers begins at 7:30 p.m. in the UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium. The fully seated\, all-ages performance will mix songs from Gilman’s career with classics\, covers\, and stories from a musical journey that began when he became nationally famous before he was even a teenager. \nFor this particular anniversary show\, the location matters. Gilman was born in Westerly and grew up in nearby Hope Valley. Twenty-five years after his childhood career put a Rhode Island kid on country radio across America\, he’s returning home to celebrate the music that followed. \nWhen “One Voice” Changed Everything\nGilman’s career exploded in 2000 with “One Voice.” \nHe was only 11 when the song became a major country hit\, making him the youngest solo performer at the time to reach Billboard’s country charts. The song also crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100. \nHis debut album\, also titled One Voice\, followed and became a major commercial success. Suddenly\, a child from Rhode Island was sharing the country music conversation with established Nashville stars. \nThen came the Grammys. \n“One Voice” earned Gilman a nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance at the 43rd Grammy Awards\, putting the 12-year-old singer in a category alongside adult country performers. The songwriters also received a nomination for Best Country Song. \nGilman went on to release Classic Christmas\, Dare to Dream and Music Through Heartsongs during a remarkably compressed period of childhood fame. \nWhat Happens When a Child Singer Grows Up?\nGilman’s story became more complicated as he got older. \nThe voice that had made him famous as a child inevitably changed during adolescence. For most singers\, that’s an ordinary part of growing up. For Gilman\, his career had been built around a voice millions of people already knew. \nHis recording career slowed considerably. \nThat could easily have been the end of the story: a former child star remembered primarily for one extraordinary period at the beginning of the 2000s. \nInstead\, Gilman eventually found another national stage. \nA Second Introduction on The Voice\nIn 2016\, Gilman auditioned for Season 11 of NBC’s The Voice. \nThis time\, audiences weren’t meeting an 11-year-old country prodigy. They were hearing an adult singer essentially asking to be judged again. \nHis blind audition of Adele’s “When We Were Young” turned all four coaches’ chairs. Gilman chose Adam Levine’s team and ultimately made it all the way to the season finale\, finishing as runner-up. \nThe appearance reintroduced him to a national audience more than 15 years after “One Voice\,” while also allowing him to move beyond the expectations attached to his childhood sound. \nThat arc gives the title 25 Years of Hits & Showstoppers more weight than a standard anniversary concert. It’s a career that has effectively contained two introductions to the American public. \nComing Home to Westerly\nNow 38\, Gilman returns to the town where he was born for a show built around that entire journey. \nThe UNITED describes the concert as a combination of familiar songs\, heartfelt classics and powerful covers reimagined in Gilman’s current style\, with storytelling connecting different periods of his career. \nThe setting should make this one particularly intimate. \nRather than the UNITED’s larger configurations\, the concert is a fully seated performance in the Black Box Auditorium\, with reserved seating selected when tickets are purchased. \nDoors open at 6:30 p.m.\, with the show beginning at 7:30. Tickets are $35 with fees included. \nFor longtime Rhode Island fans\, there is an obvious full-circle element to the night. The kid from Hope Valley who became a national country star at 11\, disappeared from the center of the industry as his voice changed\, and then sang his way back onto national television as an adult is celebrating the anniversary close to where the whole thing started. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nDetails\nEvent: Billy Gilman: 25 Years of Hits & Showstoppers\nDate: Saturday\, Sept. 26\, 2026\nDoors: 6:30 p.m.\nShow: 7:30 p.m.\nVenue: UNITED Black Box Auditorium\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nAdmission: $35\, fees included\nSeating: Fully seated show; seating location is selected when purchasing tickets\nAge: All ages\nAccessibility: The UNITED is wheelchair accessible and recommends contacting the box office before purchasing tickets to discuss the best location for accessible seating.\nTicket Policy: Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/billy-gilman-celebrates-25-years-of-music-with-a-home-state-show-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T190000
DTSTAMP:20260915T215319Z
CREATED:20260915T215319Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T215319Z
UID:10007871-1789923600-1789930800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Swing Band Benefit Concert Brings Three Big Bands and a Dance Floor to the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Swing Band Benefit Concert fills the UNITED Theatre with brass\, reeds\, rhythm and the music of the big-band era on Sunday\, September 20\, as three regional jazz orchestras share the stage for a concert benefiting music education on both sides of the Connecticut-Rhode Island line. \nThe third annual benefit runs from 5 to 7 p.m. in the UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium in Westerly. This year’s lineup brings together the Time and Changes Jazz Orchestra\, As Time Goes By and the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra. \nThe music reaches back to Frank Sinatra\, Benny Goodman\, Glenn Miller and Count Basie\, but this isn’t being presented as a sit-down history lesson. \nThe UNITED’s invitation is considerably simpler: listen\, dance\, and donate. \nAnd the money raised goes back into music\, supporting the UNITED Music School and music programs in the Westerly and New London public schools. \nThree Bands\, One Concert\nThe structure gives the evening something closer to a miniature big-band festival than a conventional concert. \nTime and Changes Jazz Orchestra opens the show. \nThe group performs in the classic 17-piece big-band configuration\, the kind of lineup capable of producing the enormous ensemble sound associated with the swing era. \nNext comes As Time Goes By\, a local swing and jazz band that also organized the benefit. \nThen the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra closes the evening with another 17-piece ensemble drawing musicians from around New England. \nPut all three together and there will be a lot of musicians moving through the UNITED stage in two hours. \nThat’s appropriate for music that was built around scale. \nWhy 17 Musicians?\nThere’s a reason two of Sunday’s ensembles are specifically described as 17-piece bands. \nThe classic big-band format generally divides its musicians into sections: saxophones\, trumpets\, trombones and a rhythm section. \nRather than simply having everyone play simultaneously\, arrangers can move melodies and harmonies among those sections. \nSaxophones can carry one passage before trumpets answer. \nTrombones can add a darker layer underneath them. \nThe rhythm section keeps everything moving while individual musicians step forward for solos. \nThen the arranger can bring the entire ensemble together. \nThat’s where the sheer power of a big band comes from. \nA 17-piece jazz orchestra can whisper\, but when everybody arrives at the same musical destination at once\, it doesn’t stay quiet for long. \nTime and Changes Opens With the Classic Big-Band Sound\nThe Time and Changes Jazz Orchestra gets first crack at the room. \nIts billing as a classic 17-piece big band immediately establishes the musical vocabulary for the evening. \nThis is music descended from the large jazz orchestras that became one of America’s dominant forms of popular entertainment during the 1930s and ’40s. \nBefore rock bands filled arenas\, big bands filled ballrooms. \nAnd before recorded music became the default soundtrack for a night out\, people danced to actual orchestras. \nThat connection between jazz and dancing is important to Sunday’s concert because the UNITED isn’t asking audiences simply to admire the arrangements. \nDancing is part of the evening. \nAs Time Goes By Is the Band Behind the Benefit\nThe middle set belongs to As Time Goes By\, the local swing and jazz group that organized the Swing Band Benefit Concert. \nThat gives the band’s appearance a different role. \nThey’re not simply one of three acts on the bill. They’re helping bring the bands together around a common purpose. \nThis is now the event’s third year\, giving what began as a benefit concert the beginnings of an annual Westerly tradition. \nAs Time Goes By occupies the center position between two large jazz orchestras\, creating some musical variety while keeping the evening rooted firmly in swing and jazz. \nAnd its name couldn’t be much more appropriate for a concert drawing heavily from the American songbook. \nSean Nelson Jazz Orchestra Closes the Night\nThe final set belongs to the Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra. \nLike Time and Changes\, Nelson’s group is a 17-piece jazz orchestra\, with the UNITED describing its membership as musicians drawn from across New England. \nNelson is a trombonist\, composer\, arranger and bandleader whose work spans jazz performance and large-ensemble writing. \nA jazz orchestra gives an arranger an unusually broad musical palette. \nInstead of thinking only about melody\, chords and rhythm\, the arranger can work with instrumental color: which section carries a line\, which instruments answer it\, where the ensemble pulls back and when the entire band comes roaring in. \nThat’s part of what separates hearing this music from a recording. \nA big band moves air. \nIn a live room\, you feel the brass as much as hear it. \nSinatra\, Goodman\, Miller and Basie Point Toward the Songbook\nThe UNITED is highlighting music associated with Frank Sinatra\, Benny Goodman\, Glenn Miller and Count Basie. \nThose four names cover a surprising amount of musical territory. \nGoodman’s orchestra helped push swing into the center of American popular culture during the 1930s. \nMiller developed one of the era’s most recognizable ensemble sounds\, producing recordings that became inseparable from the World War II generation. \nBasie’s orchestra approached swing differently\, with an extraordinary emphasis on rhythm\, space and blues. \nAnd Sinatra’s career connected the big-band era with the emergence of the modern solo pop vocalist. \nHe first became a national star singing with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey orchestras before establishing the solo career that eventually made him one of the defining American singers of the 20th century. \nSunday’s program isn’t advertised as a recreation of one specific orchestra or period. \nInstead\, those names provide the musical coordinates. \nThis Music Was Made for Dancing\nBig-band jazz eventually became something people often encountered in concert halls\, jazz festivals and record collections. \nThat can obscure its original function. \nPeople danced to it. \nSwing developed alongside an enormous social-dance culture\, and the relationship between dancers and musicians influenced the music itself. \nThe rhythm had to move. \nTempos mattered. \nArrangements needed momentum. \nA packed dance floor wasn’t a distraction from the orchestra. It was evidence that the orchestra was doing its job. \nThat’s why the UNITED’s “come listen\, dance and donate” description is more than a catchy invitation. \nDancing puts this music back into something resembling its original environment. \nNobody has to dance\, of course. \nBut the opportunity is there for anyone who hears a Basie-style rhythm section and finds sitting still increasingly difficult. \nThe Benefit Looks Forward While the Music Looks Back\nThe most important part of the concert may be what happens after the final note. \nProceeds from the 2026 event benefit the UNITED Music School\, along with music programs in the Westerly and New London public schools. \nThat gives the evening a nice symmetry. \nProfessional and experienced regional musicians are performing music with roots stretching back nearly a century to help younger musicians get access to instruments\, instruction and school music programs now. \nThe UNITED Music School operates as part of the theater’s broader educational mission\, offering music instruction and performance opportunities from its downtown Westerly campus. \nSupporting public-school programs extends the impact beyond the theater itself. \nAnd notably\, the beneficiaries cross the state line. \nWesterly is in Rhode Island. \nNew London is in Connecticut. \nMusic doesn’t care much about the border. \nThe UNITED Is an Appropriate Home for It\nThe setting also carries its own musical history. \nThe UNITED originally opened as a vaudeville theater in 1926\, placing its beginnings just before the big-band era exploded nationally. \nAfter decades as a movie theater and a long period of closure\, the building was extensively redeveloped and reopened in 2021 as a multidisciplinary arts center. \nToday it combines cinemas\, live-performance spaces and a music school under one roof. \nSunday’s concert brings all of those strands together particularly well. \nIt’s a live performance of music rooted in the first half of the 20th century\, presented inside a restored 1920s theater\, raising money to teach musicians who will carry music into the future. \nTwo Hours\, Three Bands and a Lot of Horns\nThere are easier ways to raise money. \nYou can hold a raffle. \nYou can sell baked goods. \nOr you can put three swing bands onstage\, assemble dozens of musicians\, clear some room for dancing and let Count Basie\, Glenn Miller\, Benny Goodman and Sinatra provide the inspiration. \nThe Swing Band Benefit Concert has chosen the latter. \nFor anyone who loves the sound of a full horn section\, Sunday evening should provide plenty of it. \nAnd every ticket helps make sure another generation gets the chance to learn how to make some noise of its own. \nDetails\nEvent: Swing Band Benefit Concert\nDate: Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 5–7 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Theatre\, Black Box Auditorium\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nPerformers: Time and Changes Jazz Orchestra\, As Time Goes By and Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra\nMusic: Big band\, swing and jazz\, including selections associated with Frank Sinatra\, Benny Goodman\, Glenn Miller and Count Basie\nAdult Tickets: $22\nUnder 18: $12\nBeneficiaries: UNITED Music School and music programs in the Westerly and New London public schools\nDancing: Encouraged\nPhone: 401-388-8208\nEmail: info@unitedtheatre.org\nAccessibility: The UNITED’s cinemas are wheelchair accessible. The theater recommends contacting the box office before purchasing live-performance tickets to discuss the best accessible seating location. Assistive listening devices are also available.\nTicket Policy: UNITED event tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/swing-band-benefit-concert-brings-three-big-bands-and-a-dance-floor-to-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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SUMMARY:Westerly Performing Arts Tour Takes Young Performers Behind the Scenes at Three Downtown Arts Institutions
DESCRIPTION:The Westerly Performing Arts Tour gives young singers\, musicians and actors something they don’t normally get from sitting in the audience: a look behind the curtain at three of Westerly’s major performing arts organizations and a chance to find out how they can become part of them. \nThe guided walking tour begins beneath the marquee at The UNITED Theatre at 10 a.m. Saturday\, September 19\, before heading through downtown to the Granite Theatre and George Kent Performance Hall\, home of The Chorus of Westerly. \nOver roughly 90 minutes\, participants will meet artists and educators\, explore performance spaces\, learn about training programs and discover opportunities to sing\, act\, play an instrument or otherwise become involved in Westerly’s performing arts community. \nFor a young person who knows they want to perform but doesn’t know where to begin\, that’s really the point of the morning. \nThree Stops\, Three Different Ways Onto a Stage\nThe tour isn’t simply a walk through three interesting buildings. \nEach stop represents a different part of the performing arts. \nAt The UNITED\, the focus includes music education and the many ways musicians can develop their skills. \nAt the Granite Theatre\, participants actually step onto the stage while learning about acting\, theatrical training and performance. \nAt The Chorus of Westerly\, the tour moves into vocal and ensemble training inside Kent Hall. \nTogether\, the three organizations offer a surprisingly broad introduction to what’s available to a young performer within a relatively small section of downtown Westerly. \nAnd participants will hear directly from the people who teach and create the work rather than simply picking up three brochures. \nIt Starts Under The UNITED Marquee\nThe first meeting point is one of downtown Westerly’s most recognizable landmarks: the marquee at The UNITED Theatre at 5 Canal Street. \nFrom there\, participants head behind the scenes. \nThe UNITED today is considerably more than a movie theater. \nIts modern arts complex contains a 750-capacity flexible performance space\, three cinemas\, an event and gallery space and a dedicated music school. \nThe building hosts concerts\, theater\, dance\, comedy\, films\, lectures and other programming while maintaining an increasingly substantial educational operation. \nYoung visitors on Saturday’s tour will get a closer look at that educational side. \nThe UNITED Music School Is a Working Training Center\nThe UNITED Music School offers instruction and performance opportunities across a range of instruments\, ages and ability levels. \nThe idea isn’t simply to teach someone how to play scales in a practice room. \nStudents can develop through lessons and ensembles while being conneGcted to an active performing arts organization where musicians are regularly rehearsing\, recording and appearing onstage. \nThe UNITED also extends its education programs beyond traditional instrumental instruction. \nIts broader arts programming has included songwriting\, voice\, photography\, video\, visual arts\, film and podcasting\, along with after-school programming for local students. \nThe tour gives prospective students a chance to see where that work happens and ask the people involved what participating actually looks like. \nThe Building Has Been Training Entertainers for a Century\, in a Way\nThere’s another reason the UNITED is an appropriate place to begin. \nIn 1926\, the original United Theatre opened as a vaudeville house. \nThat means the building turns 100 years old in 2026. \nVaudeville theaters were variety houses. A single bill could contain singers\, dancers\, comedians\, musicians\, novelty performers and other acts. \nThe United later became a movie theater before closing in 1986. \nDecades later\, a major redevelopment joined the historic theater with the neighboring Montgomery Ward building. Following an extensive renovation\, the new UNITED reopened in July 2021 as a multipurpose arts center. \nA building that once presented performers now both presents them and helps train the next generation. \nSaturday’s tour makes that connection unusually literal. \nThen the Tour Heads Through Wilcox Park\nFrom The UNITED\, the group walks through Wilcox Park toward the Granite Theatre. \nThat makes the event a genuine downtown arts tour rather than three disconnected building visits. \nThe park itself is one of the features that makes this possible. \nWesterly’s compact downtown puts theaters\, music spaces\, restaurants\, shops and historic buildings within walking distance of one another\, with Wilcox Park sitting near the center of it all. \nFor young participants\, the walk also demonstrates something that’s easy to overlook when visiting one venue at a time: \nThese organizations are neighbors. \nThey’re part of the same arts community. \nAt the Granite\, Young Performers Get to Step Onto the Stage\nThe second major stop is the Granite Theatre at 1 Granite Street. \nHere\, participants will step onto the stage and hear how theatrical training reaches beyond memorizing lines and learning where to stand. \nThe Granite specifically emphasizes the ways theater can develop confidence\, communication skills and personal growth. \nThose benefits matter even for children who never intend to become professional actors. \nGetting onstage requires speaking clearly. \nActors have to listen to one another. \nThey need to collaborate\, remember instructions\, adapt when something unexpected happens and become comfortable communicating in front of other people. \nA theatrical production is also intensely collaborative. \nThe person delivering the line may be the one the audience sees\, but performances depend on directors\, designers\, technicians\, stage managers and many others working together. \nFor a child interested in theater but uncertain about being the center of attention\, there are plenty of ways into that world. \nThe Granite Has Been Expanding Its Youth Programs\nThe Granite’s mission specifically combines entertainment and education\, and the theater has been developing dedicated programming for younger performers. \nIts Youth Theatre Program has included theatrical training\, summer camps and staged productions for young actors. \nRecent youth programming has been designed for participants roughly 8 to 18 years old\, giving children and teenagers the opportunity to work toward an actual performance rather than treating theater solely as a classroom exercise. \nSaturday’s stop gives prospective young actors and their families a chance to see the space before deciding whether that kind of program feels right for them. \nThat can be much more useful than trying to make the decision from a website. \nThe Granite’s Stage Is Inside an 1849 Church\nThe building itself has already spent more than 175 years gathering people together. \nThe Greek Revival structure was purchased for $200 in 1843 and became the Christian Chapel in Westerly. \nThe building was completed in 1849 and later became the Broad Street Christian Church. \nIts basic historic character survived remarkably well\, although the steeple required remodeling after being damaged during the Hurricane of 1938. \nThe building eventually found an entirely different purpose. \nIn 2000\, it reopened as the Granite Theatre. \nThe former church sanctuary became an intimate performance venue where actors now perform only a short distance from the audience. \nFor a young performer stepping onto its stage Saturday morning\, it’s worth looking around. \nThat’s not a purpose-built modern auditorium. \nIt’s another piece of Westerly history that the arts helped preserve. \nThe Final Stop Is Kent Hall\nThe walking tour continues to 119 High Street\, where another former church has become one of Westerly’s major performance spaces. \nGeorge Kent Performance Hall is home to The Chorus of Westerly. \nThe organization uses Kent Hall for rehearsals\, classes\, concerts and educational programs throughout the year. \nFor young singers\, this portion of the tour may be particularly useful because The Chorus of Westerly has made children’s musical education part of its identity from the beginning. \nParticipants will learn how singers develop musicianship\, vocal technique and ensemble skills\, and how children can progress into serious choral performance even without arriving with years of previous training. \nYou Don’t Need to Arrive Already Knowing How to Sing in a Chorus\nThe Chorus of Westerly explicitly says that children don’t need previous voice lessons\, formal music classes or other musical training to begin its children’s program. \nTeaching them is part of the job. \nIts children’s program is designed for young people approximately ages 8 through 18 and uses multiple levels so developing singers can be placed appropriately. \nEach young singer receives at least two hours of rehearsal per week. \nAnd this isn’t a children’s choir that exists entirely apart from the organization’s major performances. \nOne of The Chorus of Westerly’s founding principles was giving children and teenagers the opportunity to sing challenging music alongside adults in serious performance settings. \nYoung singers have long participated in the organization’s main symphonic and Pops programming. \nThat makes the Kent Hall stop less about asking\, “Can my child already do this?” \nIt’s about discovering how they can learn. \nThe Chorus Has Built a Program That Can Last a Lifetime\nThe children’s program is only one piece of The Chorus of Westerly. \nThere is an auditioned Symphonic Chorus for adults. \nThere are also non-auditioned programs designed to make group singing accessible to people with different experience levels and at different stages of life. \nThe organization has developed a Foundations Chorus\, Threshold Singers and an Encore Choir for older adults\, among other educational and outreach programs. \nThat creates an unusual continuum. \nSomeone can begin singing at Kent Hall as a child and remain involved in choral music well into adulthood. \nThe organization isn’t simply producing concerts. \nIt’s trying to create singers. \nKent Hall Has Heard Some Extraordinary Music\nThe room the young performers will visit has hosted considerably more than local rehearsals. \nThe Chorus of Westerly first performed there in 1968. \nOver the decades\, Kent Hall has welcomed internationally known musicians and ensembles including Yo-Yo Ma\, Pete Seeger\, Rudolf Serkin\, The King’s Singers\, Chanticleer\, The Tallis Scholars\, the Choir of King’s College Cambridge and the Vienna Boys’ Choir. \nIts history predates all of them. \nConstruction of the building began in 1886 as Westerly’s first Roman Catholic church\, Immaculate Conception. \nThe Chorus eventually acquired the building and undertook years of restoration and renovation. \nIn 2004–05\, a nearly $2 million project added an office wing and backstage access. Later work addressed the roof\, bell tower\, HVAC systems\, rehearsal spaces and lower level. \nToday it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. \nSo Saturday’s young singers will be standing in a room with some stories to tell. \nThe Tour Is Really About Finding Your Door In\nA child saying “I like music” doesn’t necessarily know what comes next. \nDo I need lessons? \nCan I join a band? \nWhat if I’ve never acted before? \nDo I have to audition? \nWhat happens at an audition? \nCan I sing in a chorus if I can’t read music? \nWhat if I want to work in theater but don’t want to act? \nThose questions can make arts organizations seem more intimidating from the outside than they actually are. \nThe Westerly Performing Arts Tour removes some of that barrier by putting families directly in the spaces and introducing them to the people who can answer those questions. \nThere’s no requirement that a participant emerge from Saturday morning having chosen an artistic career. \nFinding something they’d like to try is enough. \nParents Need to Come Along With Younger Participants\nThe tour is designed for young performers\, but participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. \nThat makes sense for another reason. \nParents are usually the ones who need answers about schedules\, commitments\, auditions\, costs and transportation before a child can join a program. \nInstead of a young person coming home excited about something and trying to explain it\, parent and child can hear the information together. \nThe UNITED asks participants to reserve a spot in advance. \nThe tour begins at the UNITED marquee at 10 a.m. The UNITED describes the guided experience as approximately 90 minutes\, while the Chamber calendar blocks out 10 a.m. to noon\, so families would be wise to keep the full two-hour window available. \nThree Institutions\, One Arts Community\nThe most interesting part of the Westerly Performing Arts Tour may not be any single stop. \nIt’s the fact that all three stops exist so close together. \nWithin one morning\, a young person can explore a century-old theater reborn as a modern music and arts center\, stand on the stage of an 1849 church transformed into a community theater and visit an 1880s church that became home to a nationally recognized choral organization. \nThey’re different institutions with different histories and specialties. \nBut they’re doing versions of the same thing. \nThey’re taking people who want to create something and giving them a place to begin. \nOn September 19\, they’re opening those doors together. \nDetails\nEvent: The Westerly Performing Arts Tour\nDate: Saturday\, September 19\, 2026\nStart Time: 10 a.m.\nCalendar Window: 10 a.m.–noon\nGuided Tour Length: Approximately 90 minutes\nStarting Point: The UNITED Theatre marquee/front entrance\nStarting Address: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nStops: The UNITED Theatre and Music School\, Granite Theatre and George Kent Performance Hall/The Chorus of Westerly\nAudience: Young performers and families interested in local performing arts opportunities\nUnder 18: Must be accompanied by an adult\nActivities: Behind-the-scenes theater visit\, music school introduction\, Granite Theatre stage visit\, choral education introduction and conversations with artists and educators\nWalking: The tour travels between downtown locations\, including a walk through Wilcox Park\nRegistration: Advance reservation is requested\nContact: The UNITED Theatre\, 401-388-8208 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo reserve your spot\, click the Event Registration link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/westerly-performing-arts-tour-takes-young-performers-behind-the-scenes-at-three-downtown-arts-institutions/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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SUMMARY:Simply the Best – Tina Turner Tribute
DESCRIPTION:Simply the Best – Tina Turner Tribute brings the music\, energy\, and sheer force of Tina Turner’s stage presence to downtown Westerly on Friday\, September 11\, with Jenn Cristy and a live band taking over the UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium. \nThe 7:30 p.m. concert isn’t designed as a Tina Turner impersonation. Cristy isn’t trying to convince the audience that Turner has somehow walked onto the stage. The production describes itself as a celebration\, built around the songs and the explosive live-performance style that made Turner one of rock music’s defining performers. \nThat means Proud Mary\, River Deep – Mountain High\, What’s Love Got to Do with It and The Best\, along with music spanning Turner’s career in rock\, soul\, R&B and pop. \nAnd Cristy brings a considerably deeper musical résumé to the job than simply being able to sing the songs. \nJenn Cristy Toured and Recorded With John Mellencamp\nBefore creating a nationally touring Tina Turner tribute\, Jenn Cristy spent part of her career onstage and in the studio with another Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. \nCristy toured and recorded with John Mellencamp as a backing vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. \nHer credits on Mellencamp’s 2001 album Cuttin’ Heads are unusually extensive. She played flute\, percussion\, piano\, organ and violin in addition to singing background vocals. The album also included musicians Steve Jordan and Willie Weeks and guest vocal appearances by Chuck D\, India.Arie and Trisha Yearwood. \nCristy’s work with Mellencamp took her onto national television as well\, with appearances that included Today\, Late Show with David Letterman\, Good Morning America and Larry King Live. \nShe eventually established her own career as a singer-songwriter and touring performer\, working across rock\, pop and soul and developing projects through Bloomington\, Indiana-based One Pulse Entertainment. \nThat versatility turns out to be particularly useful when the artist you’re celebrating is Tina Turner. \nThis Isn’t a Look-Alike Show\nThe distinction Cristy makes about Simply the Best is worth noting. \nIt’s not an impersonation. \nTribute shows can take several forms. Some attempt to reproduce a performer visually as closely as possible\, right down to costumes\, mannerisms and physical resemblance. Others concentrate almost entirely on recreating the original recordings. \nCristy’s show takes a third approach. \nShe’s interested in recreating what it felt like to watch Tina Turner perform. \nThat means the voice matters\, but so do movement\, personality\, interaction with the audience and the sense that the person at the center of the stage is having as much fun as everyone watching. \nCristy has said she has long felt a kinship with Turner’s music and performing style. \nIt’s easy to understand the attraction. \nBoth are singers who don’t stand still behind a microphone. \nTina Turner Was Built for the Stage\nThere are artists whose definitive work lives on records. \nTina Turner was different. \nThe records mattered\, but the stage completed them. \nHer voice could be gritty\, soulful\, vulnerable or ferocious. Then there was the physical performance: the dancing\, the hair\, the miniskirts\, the heels and the seemingly inexhaustible ability to command an arena. \nTurner didn’t simply sing rock music. \nShe performed it with an intensity that helped redefine what a female rock frontperson could look and sound like. \nThe Rock & Roll Hall of Fame describes her as an artist who shattered barriers for Black women in rock while raising the standard for generations of lead singers who followed. \nThat influence reaches from Janis Joplin and the rock performers of Turner’s early career through Prince\, Beyoncé\, Janet Jackson\, Rihanna and generations of artists who came afterward. \nCristy’s challenge Friday night isn’t simply hitting Turner’s notes. \nIt’s finding some of that electricity. \nBefore Tina Turner\, There Was Anna Mae Bullock\nThe story began far from an arena stage. \nTina Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in Brownsville\, Tennessee\, in 1939 and grew up in the rural South. \nHer musical career began after she encountered Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm in St. Louis. Eventually she joined the act\, adopted the name Tina Turner and became the focal point of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. \nBy the 1960s\, the revue had developed a reputation as a formidable live act. \nThen came one of the great recordings of the era. \nRiver Deep – Mountain High Was Too Big to Fail\, Until It Did\nProducer Phil Spector saw something in Tina Turner that went beyond the revue. \nIn 1966\, he put her voice at the center of River Deep – Mountain High\, constructing one of the grandest examples of his famous Wall of Sound production technique around her. \nToday\, the recording is regarded as a landmark. \nAt the time\, America largely ignored it. \nThe single performed much better in Britain than in the United States\, where it failed to become the enormous hit Spector expected. \nTurner’s performance\, however\, was undeniable. \nShe had a voice capable of standing in front of an almost absurdly dense production and not disappearing inside it. \nDecades later\, River Deep – Mountain High remains part of the repertoire Cristy brings to the stage. \nAnd it represents an important part of Turner’s story. \nShe could sing over almost anything. \nThen Came Proud Mary\nIke & Tina Turner released their version of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary in 1971. \nThey didn’t simply cover it. \nThey rebuilt it. \nThe arrangement famously begins slowly before exploding into the fast second half that became inseparable from Tina Turner. \nIt was a major hit and earned the duo a Grammy. \nMore than half a century later\, it’s almost impossible to imagine a Tina Turner tribute that doesn’t include it. \nThe song also captures why a live tribute to Turner works differently from a conventional greatest-hits show. \nEveryone knows what’s coming. \nThe audience knows the tempo is going to change. \nThey know the performance is about to take off. \nAnd they wait for it anyway. \nLeaving Ike Turner Meant Starting Over\nBehind the success was an abusive marriage that Turner later described publicly in painful detail. \nShe left Ike Turner in 1976. \nThe separation brought personal freedom but didn’t immediately bring career security. Turner had to rebuild. \nFor several years she performed wherever she could\, including television appearances and smaller venues\, while the music business increasingly treated her as a performer whose biggest years were behind her. \nShe was a Black woman entering her 40s in an industry particularly unforgiving of women as they aged. \nThen Tina Turner pulled off one of the most extraordinary second acts in popular music. \nPrivate Dancer Changed Everything at 44\nTurner released Private Dancer in 1984. \nShe was 44 years old. \nThe album transformed her from a veteran performer fighting to maintain a career into an international superstar. \nBetter Be Good to Me became a hit. \nThe Mark Knopfler-written Private Dancer became one of her signature recordings. \nBut the song that changed everything was What’s Love Got to Do with It. \nIt reached No. 1 in the United States and became Turner’s biggest hit. \nAt an age when the music industry routinely considered female pop stars past their commercial peak\, Turner was suddenly bigger than she had ever been. \nThe song earned three Grammy Awards\, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. \nThe comeback wasn’t nostalgia. \nIt was a new peak. \nMTV Met Its Match\nTurner’s timing was perfect in another way. \nMTV had arrived in 1981 and was transforming popular music into an increasingly visual medium. \nTurner was made for it. \nShe didn’t have to invent a camera-friendly stage personality. She’d been developing one for decades. \nVideos for songs from the Private Dancer era introduced her to an audience that may have had little memory of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. \nHer look became instantly identifiable. \nHer movement became part of the songs. \nAnd her voice worked just as well against the polished synthesizers and arena-rock production of the 1980s as it had against soul and R&B arrangements two decades earlier. \nShe had reinvented herself without ceasing to sound like Tina Turner. \nWe Don’t Need Another Hero and The Best Kept It Going\nThe comeback didn’t stop with one album. \nTurner starred as Aunty Entity opposite Mel Gibson in 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and recorded We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) for the soundtrack. \nThen\, in 1989\, she released Foreign Affair. \nThat album included The Best. \nThe song wasn’t originally hers. Bonnie Tyler had recorded it first. \nBut Tina Turner took possession of it so thoroughly that most people now associate the song with her. \nIts enormous chorus\, Turner’s vocal delivery and its natural fit with an arena crowd transformed it into another signature song. \nIt also gave Cristy’s tribute its obvious name. \nAn Eight-Piece Band Recreates the Music Live\nSimply the Best isn’t built around backing tracks and a singer. \nThe touring production uses a full eight-piece live band\, allowing the arrangements to retain the punch that Turner’s music needs. \nThat’s particularly important because the catalog covers several musical eras. \nRiver Deep – Mountain High comes from the densely orchestrated soul production of the 1960s. \nProud Mary moves from slow-burning soul into full-speed rock and R&B. \nWhat’s Love Got to Do with It belongs unmistakably to the polished pop production of 1984. \nPrivate Dancer is moodier. \nWe Don’t Need Another Hero is cinematic. \nThe Best is built for an arena. \nCristy’s touring materials also reveal a broader repertoire including Nutbush City Limits\, Let’s Stay Together\, I Can’t Stand the Rain\, Better Be Good to Me and Private Dancer. \nThe show even reaches beyond Turner’s own recordings for an eclectic selection of additional favorites. \nThe common denominator isn’t one musical genre. \nIt’s energy. \nTurner’s Career Ultimately Lasted More Than 50 Years\nTina Turner eventually became one of those rare artists whose life story became almost as culturally familiar as the songs. \nShe sold out stadiums around the world. \nShe wrote autobiographies. \nAngela Bassett portrayed her in the 1993 film What’s Love Got to Do with It. \nHer story became the stage production Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. \nThe documentary Tina revisited both her career and the complicated reality of repeatedly being asked to relive the most painful period of her life. \nAnd the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted her twice. \nIke & Tina Turner entered together in 1991. \nThirty years later\, Tina Turner was inducted again as a solo performer in 2021. \nShe died in Switzerland in 2023 at age 83. \nBy then\, the comeback that once seemed so improbable had become only one chapter in a career spanning more than half a century. \nThe UNITED Makes This One Intimate\nFriday’s Westerly performance isn’t happening in a giant arena. \nIt’s in the UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium. \nThe show is fully seated\, which makes this a more intimate version of a production that tours nationally. \nThat could work particularly well for Cristy’s approach. \nTurner’s concerts were famous for scale\, but her stage presence depended on connecting with an audience. In a smaller room\, there’s nowhere for the performer to hide and considerably less distance between the front row and the band. \nCristy has spent years touring as a performer in her own right. \nShe isn’t trying to become Tina Turner for two hours. \nShe’s taking what Turner left behind and putting it back where much of it made the most sense in the first place. \nOn a stage. \nWith a band. \nAnd with Proud Mary waiting to speed up. \nDetails\nEvent: Simply the Best – Tina Turner Tribute\nDate: Friday\, September 11\, 2026\nTime: 7:30 p.m.\nRunning Time: Approximately 120 minutes\nPerformer: Jenn Cristy\nProduction: Simply the Best: A Tribute to the Music of Tina Turner\nMusic: Rock / soul / R&B / pop\nBand: Full live band\nVenue: UNITED Black Box Auditorium\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nSeating: Fully seated performance\nTicket Policy: Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable\nAccessibility: The UNITED is wheelchair accessible; the theater recommends contacting the box office before purchasing tickets if accessible seating is needed\nBox Office: 401-388-8208\nParking: Street and public-lot parking is available in downtown Westerly \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/simply-the-best-tina-turner-tribute/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Simply-the-Best-–-Tina-Turner-Tribute-Brings-the-Queen-of-Rock-n-Roll-to-the-UNITED.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T200000
DTSTAMP:20260908T225340Z
CREATED:20260908T225340Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T225340Z
UID:10007526-1789063200-1789070400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution
DESCRIPTION:The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution brings the remarkable story of a Boston FM station that became part radio experiment\, part rock & roll clubhouse\, and part countercultural information network to United Theatre in Westerly for a one-night screening Thursday\, September 10\, at 6 p.m. \nLong before podcasts\, social media or the internet gave practically anyone a platform\, WBCN challenged the idea of what a radio station was supposed to be. Its DJs chose their own records. Its news department covered movements and stories mainstream broadcasters often ignored. Its microphones captured everyone from activists and political figures to young musicians on the verge of becoming famous. \nDirector Bill Lichtenstein knows that world from the inside. He joined WBCN as a 14-year-old volunteer in 1970 and eventually worked at the station for years. His two-hour documentary uses a vast archive of recordings\, photographs\, and film to reconstruct the period when WBCN found itself at the intersection of music\, Vietnam\, Watergate\, civil rights\, women’s liberation\, LGBTQ rights\, and a generation questioning nearly every institution around it. \nBefore WBCN\, There Was the Boston Tea Party\nThe story really begins with a music venue. \nIn 1967\, Ray Riepen opened the Boston Tea Party\, which quickly became one of the centers of Boston’s emerging underground music scene. For only a few dollars\, audiences could encounter bands that would soon become enormously important\, including The Who\, the Velvet Underground and Led Zeppelin during its first American tour. \nRiepen saw something happening around him that wasn’t being reflected on Boston radio. \nOn March 15\, 1968\, WBCN changed formats from classical music to free-form progressive rock. Instead of programmers in an office determining precisely which records would be played and when\, the people behind the microphones were given extraordinary freedom. \nAlbum tracks could replace three-minute singles. A DJ could follow Aretha Franklin with Cream or Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Announcers didn’t have to pretend they had no opinions about Vietnam\, drugs\, politics or the cultural upheaval happening outside the studio. \nMusic\, news and politics began bleeding into one another. \nThe station became a place where listeners weren’t simply consuming programming. They were joining a community. \nThe Radio Station Became Part of the Revolution\nWBCN didn’t merely report on Boston’s counterculture from a comfortable distance. \nIt was inside it. \nThe documentary places the station against the larger upheaval of the late 1960s and early ’70s: the Vietnam War and draft\, anti-war demonstrations\, clashes between police and protesters\, civil rights activism\, the emerging women’s and LGBTQ liberation movements and eventually the political crisis surrounding Richard Nixon and Watergate. \nWBCN gave airtime to people and movements that received little or hostile treatment elsewhere in mainstream media. \nIt also developed an unconventional news operation. \nDanny Schechter became the station’s “News Dissector\,” while other members of WBCN’s staff blurred the traditional boundaries separating broadcasters from their audience. A Listener Line allowed people to call the station with questions and information around the clock. \nFor young listeners accustomed to the polished authority of network television and AM radio\, WBCN sounded radically different. \nBruce Springsteen Called His Mother\nThe politics are only half the story. \nWBCN existed during an extraordinary period in rock history\, and Lichtenstein’s archive captures artists before some of them became icons. \nThe film includes Bruce Springsteen’s first radio interview and live in-studio performance in 1973. During that early appearance\, the future superstar was still unknown enough to use his moment on Boston radio to say hello to his mother. \nThere’s also Patti Smith’s first radio concert in 1975\, along with rare archival appearances involving David Bowie\, Lou Reed\, Jerry Garcia and others. Jane Fonda and activist Abbie Hoffman appear in the archive as well. \nThat’s one of the documentary’s strengths as a time capsule. \nThe audience knows what happened afterward. \nSpringsteen became Springsteen. Bowie became Bowie. Patti Smith became one of punk’s defining figures. But the recordings preserve moments when careers and movements were still unfolding and nobody in the room knew exactly where they were headed. \nThe DJs Didn’t Have a Playlist\nPerhaps the hardest thing to explain to someone who grew up with tightly programmed commercial radio is just how unusual WBCN’s approach was. \nThere was no predetermined playlist dictating every record. \nThe announcers were personalities because they were actually allowed to have personalities. They could select music\, talk about it\, discuss politics and respond to what was happening around Boston. \nCharles Laquidara became one of WBCN’s defining voices. Other station figures included J.J. Jackson\, Tommy Hadges\, Sam Kopper\, Marsha Steinberg and Schechter. \nThe freedom produced radio that could be unpredictable\, messy\, deeply personal and occasionally confrontational. \nIt also created the possibility of discovery. \nA listener didn’t already have to know which song they wanted to hear. The person on the other side of the radio could surprise them. \nLichtenstein’s companion history of WBCN describes the period from 1968 through Watergate as one in which the station became a hub connecting rock music\, psychedelia and anti-war politics in Boston. \nBill Lichtenstein Was 14 When He Joined the Station\nThis isn’t a filmmaker reconstructing a culture he encountered decades later. \nBill Lichtenstein was part of it. \nHe began at WBCN in 1970 as a 14-year-old volunteer working the Listener Line. He eventually became an announcer and remained at the station into the 1970s before building a career as a journalist and documentary producer. \nHis work has earned a Peabody Award and dozens of journalism honors\, and his writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times\, The Nation\, The Village Voice and The Boston Globe. \nLichtenstein eventually spent years assembling WBCN’s history from the people and material that survived it. \nThe documentary draws on rare archival audio and visual material alongside interviews with the people who were there. The story was also expanded into Lichtenstein’s 304-page book WBCN and the American Revolution: How a Radio Station Defined Politics\, Counterculture\, and Rock and Roll\, published by MIT Press in 2021. \nThe Movie Has Returned With a New Title\nSome viewers may recognize this film under a shorter name. \nLichtenstein’s documentary originally circulated as WBCN and the American Revolution\, winning the DC Independent Film Festival and later airing nationally on PBS. \nIn 2026\, it returned to theaters under the expanded title The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution. \nThe new theatrical release runs approximately 119 minutes and reframes the film for another moment when questions about who controls information\, which voices get heard and what responsibilities media organizations have to the public have returned to the center of American life. \nThat makes this more than a documentary about old radio. \nIt’s an examination of an idea about media that now seems almost radical again: that the public airwaves were a public resource\, and that a broadcaster could treat its listeners as participants rather than an audience to be packaged and sold. \nWhen Radio Could Create a Community\nWBCN itself didn’t remain the station depicted in the documentary forever. \nFree-form FM grew into big business. Progressive rock radio became commercial rock radio. Corporate ownership expanded\, playlists tightened and the industry that had once allowed a collection of young broadcasters to experiment eventually became much more structured. \nBut for a period beginning in 1968\, WBCN demonstrated something unusual. \nA radio station could introduce someone to a band\, tell them what was happening at an anti-war demonstration\, put an activist on the air\, take a phone call from a listener and create the feeling that everyone tuned to the same frequency belonged to something happening in real time. \nThat’s what makes a two-hour documentary about a defunct Boston radio station potentially interesting even to someone who never heard WBCN. \nThe technology is obsolete. \nThe argument about what media is for isn’t. \nDetails\nEvent: The Airwaves Belonged to the People: WBCN and the American Revolution\nDate: Thursday\, September 10\, 2026\nTime: 6 p.m.\nRuntime: Approximately 120 minutes\nDirector: Bill Lichtenstein\nGenre: Documentary / Music / Media History\nVenue: UNITED Main Cinema\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nFormat: Special one-night-only screening\nAccessibility: The UNITED’s cinemas are wheelchair accessible; audio amplification\, descriptive audio and closed-captioning devices are available for supported screenings\nTicket Policy: Movie and event tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable\nBox Office: 401-388-8208 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-airwaves-belonged-to-the-people-wbcn-and-the-american-revolution/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/The-Airwaves-Belonged-to-the-People-WBCN-and-the-American-Revolution.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T220000
DTSTAMP:20260831T002602Z
CREATED:20260831T002602Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T002602Z
UID:10007284-1788717600-1788732000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher
DESCRIPTION:The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher at the United bring three distinct chapters of British rock history to Westerly on Sunday\, September 6\, for a triple bill stretching from the first British Invasion through new wave and the MTV era. \nThe show begins at 7:30 p.m.\, with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are $73 to $83\, including fees. The orchestra section is sold out as of publication\, but tickets remain available in the center and balcony sections. \nCalling this simply a night of ’80s music wouldn’t come close. \nBetween the three acts are connections to The Beatles\, The Zombies\, James Taylor\, Linda Ronstadt\, the birth of MTV-era new wave and some of the most recognizable records of the past 60 years. \nThe FIXX and the Sound of the MTV Era\nFor anyone who had MTV playing in the early 1980s\, it doesn’t take long to recognize The FIXX. \n“One Thing Leads to Another.” \n“Saved by Zero.” \n“Red Skies.” \n“Stand or Fall.” \nThe British band emerged at precisely the moment when music videos were becoming inseparable from pop music\, but there was something darker and more complicated underneath their sleek new-wave sound. \nFormed in London in 1979\, The FIXX developed a combination of guitar\, synthesizers\, sharp rhythms and often politically or socially observant lyrics. The sound fit the new decade without sounding quite like anyone else occupying it. \nTheir breakthrough in the United States came with 1983’s Reach the Beach. “One Thing Leads to Another” became the band’s biggest American hit\, while “Saved by Zero” became another defining song of the era. \nMore than four decades later\, much of the lineup responsible for that sound remains together: vocalist Cy Curnin\, keyboardist Rupert Greenall\, guitarist Jamie West-Oram and drummer Adam Woods\, joined by bassist Dan K. Brown. \nThis isn’t a version of The FIXX built around a lone surviving member and a new backing band. \nThe musical core remains remarkably intact. \nThe Voice Behind The Zombies\nThen the clock moves backward another 20 years. \nColin Blunstone was still a teenager when he became the lead singer of The Zombies\, one of the most distinctive groups to emerge from Britain’s first great wave of rock bands. \nHis voice is immediately recognizable on “She’s Not There\,” the band’s 1964 breakthrough. \nThen came “Tell Her No.” \nAnd finally\, “Time of the Season.” \nThat last song appeared on Odessey and Oracle\, the 1968 album that would eventually be regarded as one of the landmark records of the psychedelic era. \nThere’s an irony to its success. The Zombies had already broken up by the time “Time of the Season” became a major hit in America. \nBlunstone went on to build a solo career that included albums such as One Year\, Ennismore and Journey. He also became the voice behind “Old and Wise” by The Alan Parsons Project. \nHis Westerly performance is designed to travel through that entire history\, combining Zombies classics with material from his solo career and collaborations. \nBlunstone is now 81. \nWhat began as a teenage adventure has become a career spanning seven decades. \nThe Zombies were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. \nPeter Asher’s Extraordinary Trip Through Pop History\nAnd then there’s Peter Asher. \nHis career almost sounds invented. \nAsher first became famous as one half of Peter & Gordon during the British Invasion. Their 1964 recording of “A World Without Love\,” written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon-McCartney\, reached No. 1 in both the United States and Britain. \nPeter & Gordon followed it with a string of hits including “I Go to Pieces\,” “Lady Godiva” and other Lennon-McCartney compositions. \nBut performing turned out to be only the beginning. \nAsher became an A&R executive at The Beatles’ Apple Records\, where he signed and began working with a young American singer-songwriter named James Taylor. \nWhen Asher moved to the United States\, his second career exploded. \nHe became Taylor’s manager and producer and went on to produce some of Linda Ronstadt’s defining recordings. Across the decades\, his work has connected him with artists including Carole King\, Joni Mitchell\, Neil Diamond\, Cher and Diana Ross. \nHis producing career earned multiple Grammys. \nAnd he’s still doing it. \nAsher co-produced Barbra Streisand’s 2025 album The Secret of Life: Partners\, Volume Two\, putting him in recording sessions involving another extraordinary collection of artists more than 60 years after Peter & Gordon first reached No. 1. \nHe was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015. \nSongs With the Stories Behind Them\nAsher’s portion of Sunday’s concert takes a different form from a conventional rock set. \nIt’s built around songs and storytelling. \nHe performs on vocals and guitar\, joined by Robert Berry on piano\, bass and vocals and Aubrey Richmond on violin\, mandolin and vocals. \nThat format gives him room to do something few musicians can. \nHe can tell stories about the British Invasion because he was there. \nHe can talk about The Beatles’ Apple Records because he worked there. \nHe can talk about discovering and producing records with James Taylor because he did it. \nAnd he can play the songs that started the entire journey. \nThree Generations on One Stage\nThat’s what makes the combination of these three acts more interesting than a conventional nostalgia package. \nPeter Asher takes the story back to the British Invasion and the orbit surrounding The Beatles. \nColin Blunstone brings the unmistakable voice of The Zombies and the increasingly adventurous British pop music that followed. \nThe FIXX picks up the story more than a decade later\, when another generation of British musicians crossed the Atlantic through FM radio and a new television network called MTV. \nTheir careers don’t belong to the same moment. \nThat’s the point. \nPut them together and Sunday’s concert becomes something close to a musical timeline: from “A World Without Love” and “She’s Not There” to “Time of the Season\,” “One Thing Leads to Another” and “Saved by Zero.” \nRoughly 20 years separate some of those records. \nMore than 60 years separate the earliest from the concert happening in Westerly. \nA Rare Tour Comes Through Westerly\nThe Westerly performance is part of a month-long U.S. tour bringing the three acts together. \nThe tour begins September 2 in Massachusetts and continues through September\, making the UNITED one of the early stops. \nIt’s also a particularly fitting show for the restored downtown theater. \nThe UNITED Theatre originally opened in 1926 and has been reborn as a regional film\, music and arts venue. Its Black Box Auditorium offers a much more intimate setting for these artists than the arenas and large theaters their music has filled over the decades. \nFor this performance\, the room will be fully seated. \nAnd some of those seats are already gone. \nThe orchestra section is sold out as of publication\, with tickets still available in the center and balcony. \nFor three artists whose careers collectively stretch back to the early 1960s\, there’s still an audience that wants to hear what comes next. \nEvent Details\nEvent: The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nShow: 7:30 p.m.\nDoors: 6 p.m.\nLocation: The UNITED Theatre\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nVenue: Black Box Auditorium\nTickets: $73–$83\, inclusive of fees\nAges: All ages\nSeating: Fully seated performance\nTicket Availability at Publication: Orchestra sold out; center and balcony seats remain available\nPerformers: The FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher \nThe FIXX\, Colin Blunstone and Peter Asher bring more than six decades of British rock and pop history together for one night at the UNITED Theatre in Westerly. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \nURL’s \nThe FIXX \nColin Blunstone \nPeter Asher \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-fixx-colin-blunstone-and-peter-asher/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/The-FIXX-Colin-Blunstone-and-Peter-Asher.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T220000
DTSTAMP:20260902T191611Z
CREATED:20260902T191611Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T191611Z
UID:10007427-1788638400-1788645600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe at the UNITED in Westerly on Saturday\, September 5\, bringing a seven-piece collision of funk\, soul\, jazz and rock to one of the theater’s most intimate performance spaces. \nThe show begins at 8 p.m. in the UNITED Black Box Auditorium\, with DELA & Steady Rock Easy opening the night. Floor tickets are $30 and general-admission standing room\, while the $50 balcony offers reserved seating. Both prices include fees. \nThe size of the room is worth noting because Karl Denson is accustomed to considerably larger stages. \nSince 2014\, he’s been the touring saxophonist for the Rolling Stones. \nBut the Stones are only one part of a career that has connected Denson with Lenny Kravitz\, Steve Winwood\, The Greyboy Allstars\, Slightly Stoopid and a remarkably long list of musicians stretching across jazz\, funk\, rock\, soul and the jam-band world. \nAt the UNITED\, he brings his own band. \nAnd Tiny Universe has been doing this for more than 25 years. \nThe Call From the Rolling Stones\nKarl Denson was already decades into his career when an unexpected opportunity arrived in 2014. \nThe Rolling Stones needed a saxophonist. \nBobby Keys\, whose saxophone had become an important part of the Stones’ sound through performances including the famous solo on “Brown Sugar\,” was ill and unable to tour. \nDenson’s connection came through Lenny Kravitz. \nKravitz was having dinner with Mick Jagger when he learned that the Stones were looking for a saxophone player. He recommended Denson\, who soon found himself talking with Jagger. \nDenson got the job. \nWithin weeks\, he was flying to Australia and New Zealand to play with the Rolling Stones. \nKeys died in December 2014. Denson remained with the touring band\, taking on a role that put him alongside Jagger\, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood on stadium stages around the world. \nMore than a decade later\, the Stones connection remains part of his musical life. \nTiny Universe remains something different. \nBefore the Stones\, There Was Lenny Kravitz\nDenson’s relationship with Kravitz went back much further. \nHe played saxophone on Kravitz’s early recordings and toured with him as the singer’s career took off around the turn of the 1990s. \nThat put Denson inside music that freely mixed rock\, soul\, funk and psychedelia rather than respecting clean genre boundaries. \nIt’s a philosophy that would follow him. \nDenson could play jazz. \nHe could play funk. \nHe could step into rock. \nHe could play flute as comfortably as saxophone. \nAnd rather than choosing one of those worlds\, he built a career moving among them. \nThen Came The Greyboy Allstars\nIn the early 1990s\, Denson became a founding member of The Greyboy Allstars in San Diego. \nThe group emerged from the rare-groove and acid-jazz movement\, drawing heavily from the funky soul-jazz of the 1960s and ’70s while developing its own improvisational identity. \nThe Greyboy Allstars became one of the defining bands of the West Coast groove scene and helped introduce a new audience to music that lived somewhere between a jazz club and a dance floor. \nDenson never really abandoned that intersection. \nHe’s a jazz musician who doesn’t think jazz requires people to sit still. \nJazz You Can Dance To\nThat idea is essential to understanding Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. \nThis isn’t smooth jazz. \nIt isn’t traditional bebop. \nAnd it isn’t a conventional funk band with a saxophonist standing off to one side. \nImprovisation is built into the music\, but so is groove. \nTiny Universe can move through jazz\, soul\, funk\, rock\, R&B and psychedelic music within the same performance. Horn arrangements and solos coexist with heavy bass lines\, keyboards\, guitar and drums. \nThe musicians can stretch a song. \nThey can change direction. \nThey can follow an idea that wasn’t necessarily part of the plan when the song began. \nBut there’s another requirement. \nIt still has to move. \nDenson even titled his 2001 album Dance Lesson #2. \nThe name wasn’t especially subtle. \nTiny Universe Has Been Doing This for More Than 25 Years\nKarl Denson’s Tiny Universe has developed its reputation primarily onstage. \nThe band has performed around the world\, including Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival. \nIt has played Madison Square Garden alongside Dave Matthews Band and James Brown. \nTiny Universe was the first late-night act at the inaugural Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2002\, putting the band near the beginning of a festival culture that would become a natural home for its combination of improvisation and dance music. \nNew Orleans has become another important stop. \nKDTU’s late-night shows around Jazz Fest have regularly turned into collaborative affairs\, with musicians dropping in and the performances stretching deep into the night. \nThe list of people who have joined Denson over the years is formidable. \nSteve Winwood. \nLenny Kravitz. \nMaceo Parker. \nFred Wesley. \nWarren Haynes. \nJohn Oates. \nIvan Neville. \nLukas Nelson. \nMarcus King. \nJoshua Redman. \nBernie Worrell. \nRolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell and vocalist Bernard Fowler have joined him as well. \nThat willingness to let musicians enter the Tiny Universe and alter its chemistry is part of the point. \nThe Band Has Shared the Road With Almost Everybody\nThe touring history tells the same story. \nKDTU has toured with or appeared alongside acts including the Allman Brothers\, My Morning Jacket\, D’Angelo\, The Roots\, Public Enemy\, Parliament-Funkadelic\, Bob Weir\, Slightly Stoopid and Widespread Panic. \nIn summer 2026 alone\, Tiny Universe has appeared on bills involving Nile Rodgers & CHIC and major festival artists across funk\, jazz\, reggae and jam music. \nThe Westerly show falls during the band’s “Summer in September” run. \nDenson and company play Maynard\, Massachusetts\, on September 2\, followed by Portsmouth\, New Hampshire\, on September 3 and Brattleboro\, Vermont\, with Rebirth Brass Band on September 4. \nThen comes Westerly on September 5. \nThe following day\, Tiny Universe heads to New York for the Adirondack Independence Music Festival. \nYes\, Karl Denson Was in Coming to America\nThere’s also a wonderfully strange detour in Denson’s résumé. \nSexual Chocolate. \nIn the 1988 Eddie Murphy comedy Coming to America\, Murphy plays several characters\, including spectacularly self-confident soul singer Randy Watson. \nWatson’s band is Sexual Chocolate. \nDenson was in it. \nIt could have remained a tiny piece of movie trivia from early in his career. \nInstead\, decades later\, Denson resurrected the joke. Tiny Universe has performed as Sexual Chocolate\, including a performance at San Francisco’s Outside Lands festival. \nDenson also returned for the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America. \nSo the man playing saxophone in Westerly September 5 has been a member of both the Rolling Stones’ touring band and Sexual Chocolate. \nThere probably aren’t many résumés containing both. \nTiny Universe Has Its Own Catalog\nThe famous associations can obscure the fact that Tiny Universe has built a substantial body of its own music. \nThe band’s albums include Dance Lesson #2\, The Bridge\, Brother’s Keeper\, New Ammo and Gnomes & Badgers. \nThe records reflect the same refusal to remain inside one musical lane. \nBrother’s Keeper brought together musicians connected to The Dap-Kings\, The Greyboy Allstars and Lenny Kravitz’s band\, along with guests including Meshell Ndegeocello. \nNew Ammo combined Denson’s originals with dramatically reworked material from other artists. The album includes the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” and Beastie Boys’ “Sure Shot.” \nThat’s another recurring Tiny Universe idea. \nA cover doesn’t have to be a reproduction. \nPrince\, Beastie Boys and the Stones All Enter the Universe\nOver the years\, Denson has built entire performances around interpreting other artists. \nTiny Universe has tackled music associated with Prince\, Ray Charles\, Beastie Boys\, Run-DMC and the Rolling Stones. \nThe concept isn’t impersonation. \nDenson takes familiar material and rearranges it for the musicians standing onstage with him. \nA hip-hop track can become live funk. \nA rock song can acquire horns and extended improvisation. \nA familiar composition can be pulled apart and rebuilt until it sounds like Tiny Universe. \nThat same approach appears on the band’s studio albums. \nIt’s one reason a KDTU set can accommodate an original composition\, a funk workout and an unexpected cover without sounding like three different bands have taken the stage. \nGnomes & Badgers Brought Some Famous Friends Along\nTiny Universe’s Gnomes & Badgers pushed the collaboration even further. \nDenson brought in a group of guests that reflected the musical territory he’s occupied throughout his career. \nLukas Nelson participated. \nSo did New Orleans musician Ivan Neville. \nGuitarist Anders Osborne joined the project. \nAdrian Quesada\, known for his work with Grupo Fantasma and Black Pumas\, contributed. \nAnd Chuck Leavell brought another Rolling Stones connection. In addition to his decades with the Stones\, Leavell played with the Allman Brothers Band during one of its defining periods. \nThe album wasn’t an attempt to choose between rock\, jazz\, soul and funk. \nIt was an argument that the choice isn’t necessary. \nThe Current Tiny Universe\nThe current touring lineup surrounds Denson with horns\, guitar\, keyboards and a rhythm section capable of moving between tightly arranged funk and open improvisation. \nKarl Denson handles saxophone\, flute and vocals. \nRicio Fruge plays trumpet and sings. \nRicky Giordano plays guitar and contributes vocals. \nRashon Murph is on keyboards. \nParker McAllister plays bass. \nAlfred Jordan handles drums. \nDanielle Barker adds vocals. \nIt’s a seven-piece configuration with enough firepower to operate as a horn-driven funk band while retaining the flexibility that has always defined KDTU. \nDELA & Steady Rock Easy Opens the Night\nThe opening band isn’t an arbitrary addition to the bill. \nDaniel “DELA” Delacruz has his own history with Denson. \nDelacruz is the saxophonist for Slightly Stoopid and spent years on the road with Denson\, whom he describes as a longtime friend and mentor. \nEventually those connections produced a record. \nDelacruz\, Denson and members of Los Angeles reggae band The Aggrolites collaborated on Opening Night\, a jazz-influenced reggae album released through Stoopid Records in 2017. \nAfter returning from California to the Northeast\, Delacruz assembled DELA & Steady Rock Easy. \nAnd the musicians he recruited come with impressive résumés of their own. \nTrombonist Brian Thomas has played with John Brown’s Body. \nTrumpeter Mark Berney has connections to The Skatalites. \nGuitarist Steve Fell has worked with Marco Benevento. \nBassist Aaron Bellamy comes from The A-Beez and the Sam Kininger Band. \nDrummer Jesse Hayes has played with The Toasters. \nKeyboardist Cameron Greenlee also has ties to The Skatalites and Naya Rockers. \nThe result is jazz musicianship applied to reggae\, ska and groove. \nWhich makes considerably more sense once Karl Denson takes the stage. \nFrom Stadiums to the Black Box\nThe UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium changes the scale considerably. \nDenson can spend part of his year performing on enormous stages with the Rolling Stones. \nOn September 5\, he’ll be inside the restored UNITED Theatre at 5 Canal Street in downtown Westerly. \nThe Black Box is designed to put the audience much closer to the performers than a traditional arena or large theater. \nFor this show\, the floor is entirely general-admission standing room. \nAnyone who wants a seat needs a balcony ticket. \nThat standing-room configuration may also be the more natural way to experience a band whose leader has spent decades insisting that jazz and dancing belong in the same room. \nBecause Tiny Universe isn’t really designed to be observed politely from a distance. \nIt’s designed to move. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nDoors: 7 p.m.\nShow: 8 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Black Box Auditorium\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nHeadliner: Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe\nSupport: DELA & Steady Rock Easy\nMusic: Funk\, soul\, jazz\, rock and improvisational groove\nAge Restriction: All ages\nFloor Tickets: $30\, fees included\nFloor Seating: General-admission standing room only; no seats\nBalcony Tickets: $50\, fees included\nBalcony Seating: Reserved seating\nTicket Policy: Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable \nKarl Denson’s Tiny Universe Touring Band\nKarl Denson — saxophone\, flute and vocals\nRicio Fruge — trumpet and vocals\nRicky Giordano — guitar and vocals\nRashon Murph — keyboards\nParker McAllister — bass\nAlfred Jordan — drums\nDanielle Barker — vocals \nFurther reading: \n\nKarl Denson’s Tiny Universe\nKarl Denson Bio\nKarl Denson Music\n\n  \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/karl-densons-tiny-universe-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T210000
DTSTAMP:20260903T174541Z
CREATED:20260903T174541Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T174541Z
UID:10007462-1788548400-1788555600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Speakeasy Choir: Come On Eileen at the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Speakeasy Choir: Come On Eileen at the UNITED is a one-night pop-up choir on Friday\, September 4\, where the audience doesn’t come to hear the singers. They become the singers. \nThe 18-and-over event begins at 7 p.m. in the UNITED’s Gallery Events Space in downtown Westerly. Over the course of approximately 90 minutes\, participants will learn the harmonies to Dexys Midnight Runners’ 1982 hit “Come On Eileen.” Then the newly assembled choir performs the song with the five-piece UNITED House Band. \nNo long-term commitment to a chorus is required. It’s one song\, one night and one temporary choir. \nKaraoke With Harmonies\nThe UNITED describes Speakeasy Choir as something like karaoke taken to another level. \nInstead of individuals taking turns singing along with a backing track\, everyone attending becomes part of the same singing ensemble. \nParticipants learn the song together\, including its harmonies\, before putting everything together for a final performance. \nThat makes the evening part social gathering\, part music workshop and part concert. \nIt also removes one of the bigger barriers to joining a traditional choir. Nobody is signing up for months of rehearsals or preparing for a formal concert season. \nThe entire process happens in a single evening. \nThis Month’s Song Is “Come On Eileen”\nSeptember’s selection should give the room plenty to work with. \nDexys Midnight Runners released “Come On Eileen” in 1982 on the album Too-Rye-Ay. The song became an international hit and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. \nIts sound was unusual even by early-’80s pop standards\, mixing pop and soul with prominent fiddle and Celtic influences while repeatedly shifting its tempo and intensity. \nMore than four decades later\, its chorus remains instantly recognizable. \nAt Speakeasy Choir\, however\, knowing the song from the radio isn’t the same thing as knowing your part. \nThat’s where the first portion of the evening comes in. \nLearn It\, Then Perform It\nThe Speakeasy Choir format gives the group about 90 minutes to turn a room full of individual voices into an ensemble. \nParticipants work through the song and its harmonies together before the evening culminates in a live performance. \nFor that final run-through\, they aren’t singing to a karaoke track. \nThe five-piece UNITED House Band provides live accompaniment. \nThe band is made up of instructors from the UNITED Music School along with other musicians from southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. \nThat final performance is the payoff: the temporary choir formed earlier that evening gets to perform the song with a full live band. \nA Collaboration With the Chorus of Westerly\nSpeakeasy Choir is presented jointly by the UNITED Theatre and the Chorus of Westerly. \nThe Chorus has been part of Westerly’s cultural landscape since 1959\, when George Kent founded the organization. \nIts traditional work is considerably different from spending a Friday evening singing Dexys Midnight Runners. The Chorus of Westerly is known for large-scale choral performances and has brought together both child and adult singers throughout its history. \nSpeakeasy Choir takes that choral idea and removes much of the formality surrounding it. \nThere’s still an ensemble. \nThere are still harmonies to learn. \nThere’s still a performance at the end. \nIt just happens in a much more casual setting\, with a pop song and a house band. \nA Choir That Exists for One Night\nThat’s really the appeal of the concept. \nMost choirs are built around continuity. Singers rehearse together\, learn a repertoire and prepare for performances weeks or months away. \nSpeakeasy Choir is deliberately temporary. \nThe group that walks into the UNITED on September 4 doesn’t exist yet. \nDuring the evening\, the participants become a choir\, learn their parts\, rehearse together and perform. \nThen it’s over. \nThe Chorus of Westerly and UNITED have used the format with other popular songs in previous editions\, making the song itself the changing centerpiece while keeping the one-night collaborative format intact. \nThis time\, everyone gets to be part of Dexys Midnight Runners. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Speakeasy Choir: Come On Eileen\nDate: Friday\, September 4\, 2026\nTime: 7 p.m.\nVenue: UNITED Theatre\nLocation: Gallery Events Space\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nPresented By: The UNITED Theatre and Chorus of Westerly\nSong: “Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners\nFormat: One-night collaborative choir\nSession Length: Approximately 90 minutes\nFinal Performance: Participants perform with the five-piece UNITED House Band\nAge: 18+\nTickets: $15 \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/speakeasy-choir-come-on-eileen-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260823T193000
DTSTAMP:20260820T161050Z
CREATED:20260820T161050Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T161050Z
UID:10007238-1787506200-1787513400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Women of ’76: A Theatrical Tribute to Lesser-Known Women of the American Revolution
DESCRIPTION:Women of ’76: A Theatrical Tribute to Lesser-Known Women of the American Revolution brings five remarkable Revolutionary-era women to life at the UNITED Theatre in Westerly on Sunday\, August 23. \nPresented at 5:30 p.m. in the UNITED Main Cinema\, the one-woman theatrical performance stars actor and playwright Rita Parisi\, who uses period clothing\, changing characters and historical storytelling to introduce audiences to women whose experiences rarely receive the attention given to the Revolution’s generals and Founding Fathers. \nThe performance is presented by the League of Women Voters of South County in recognition of Women’s Equality Day and the 250th anniversary of the United States. \nFive Women\, Five Very Different Revolutions\nThe American Revolution wasn’t experienced from a single point of view. \nWomen of ’76 follows five women from different backgrounds and allegiances\, including Patriots and Loyalists and women born both in America and abroad. Some witnessed history unfolding around them. Others actively changed its course. \nAmong the stories is that of a Massachusetts housewife who organized an all-female militia and helped capture suspected British spies. \nAnother follows a German baroness who accompanied her Hessian general husband into British military camps\, providing a very different perspective on a conflict usually told from the American side. \nAudiences will also meet a Georgia farmer’s wife who confronted a Redcoat search party by herself. \nTwo additional women complete the performance\, allowing Parisi to move among different regions\, social positions and loyalties while examining what revolution looked like to people who weren’t sitting in the Continental Congress. \nOne of the Women Has a New London Connection\nOne story has an especially strong connection to southeastern Connecticut. \nMary Katherine Goddard\, one of the women featured in the program\, was born in New London in 1738. \nGoddard became a printer\, newspaper publisher and postmaster in Baltimore. Her place in Revolutionary history became particularly significant after the Declaration of Independence had been adopted. \nIn January 1777\, Goddard printed the first broadside of the Declaration to publicly include the names of most of its signers. \nHer own name appeared at the bottom as printer. \nThat detail makes Goddard an especially fitting subject for Women of ’76. She wasn’t standing on a battlefield\, but she played a role in physically distributing the words and names that publicly committed the signers to the Revolution. \nHer inclusion also gives Sunday’s Westerly audience a direct regional connection to the larger national story. \nRita Parisi Brings History to the Stage\nRather than presenting these stories as a conventional history lecture\, Rita Parisi performs them. \nParisi is an actor and playwright who founded Waterfall Productions in 2005. For more than two decades\, she has toured original solo theatrical works throughout New England\, the Mid-Atlantic and Florida. \nHer specialty is historical and literary performance. \nPeriod costumes\, changes in dialect\, physical mannerisms and character monologues allow Parisi to move between historical figures while providing the context audiences need to understand the world surrounding them. \nHer work has been supported by more than 100 arts and cultural grants\, and her performances have appeared at libraries\, museums\, historical societies and cultural organizations around the region. \nWomen of ’76 is particularly suited to that approach. Instead of reducing these women to names and dates\, the theatrical format attempts to restore something history books can’t easily provide: a voice. \nLooking Beyond the Founding Fathers\nThe performance arrives during the national celebration of America’s 250th anniversary\, providing an opportunity to reconsider whose stories are included when Americans talk about the country’s founding. \nWomen couldn’t vote. They couldn’t hold elected office. Their legal and economic rights were severely restricted compared with those of men. \nYet they operated farms and businesses\, published newspapers\, traveled with armies\, gathered information\, supported military efforts and lived with the consequences of a war unfolding around their homes. \nLoyalist women complicate the story further. Independence wasn’t universally supported\, and families and communities could find themselves divided by the Revolution. \nBy placing women with different loyalties and backgrounds together in a single performance\, Women of ’76 presents the Revolution as something messier and more human than a simple procession toward July 4\, 1776. \nCelebrating Women’s Equality Day\nThe timing of the performance also connects Revolutionary history with another chapter in the long struggle over American citizenship. \nWomen’s Equality Day is observed August 26\, commemorating the certification of the 19th Amendment in 1920\, which prohibited denying the right to vote on the basis of sex. \nThe League of Women Voters itself emerged directly from the women’s suffrage movement\, making its presentation of Women of ’76 particularly appropriate. \nThe performance reaches farther back\, asking audiences to consider women who helped shape the country generations before women gained constitutional protection for their voting rights. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Women of ’76: A Theatrical Tribute to Lesser-Known Women of the American Revolution\nDate: Sunday\, August 23\, 2026\nTime: 5:30 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Main Cinema\nVenue: The UNITED Theatre\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nPresented by: League of Women Voters of South County \nThe approximately one-hour solo theatrical performance features actor and playwright Rita Parisi portraying women from different sides and backgrounds during the American Revolution. \nMore information is available at the Event Website listed below. \nTo purchase or reserve admission\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/women-of-76-a-theatrical-tribute-to-lesser-known-women-of-the-american-revolution/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260822T213000
DTSTAMP:20260820T135326Z
CREATED:20260820T135326Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T135326Z
UID:10007231-1787427000-1787434200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Parlando Presents: American Aristocracy
DESCRIPTION:sParlando Presents: American Aristocracy brings a piece of Westerly’s own movie history back to the screen Saturday\, August 22\, as the 1916 silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks is accompanied by a live chamber orchestra at the UNITED Theatre. \nThe 7:30 p.m. performance pairs a rare screening of American Aristocracy with a newly created orchestral score performed by Parlando\, a New York-based chamber orchestra founded and conducted by Ian Niederhoffer. \nWhat makes the evening especially unusual is its local connection. More than a century before Westerly became home to a restored movie theater and arts center\, Fairbanks and a film crew were using Westerly and Watch Hill themselves as movie locations. \nA Silent Movie Made in Westerly and Watch Hill\nReleased in 1916\, American Aristocracy stars Fairbanks as Cassius Lee\, an amateur entomologist who becomes entangled in romance\, mistaken identities and an international gunrunning scheme. \nFairbanks was already emerging as one of the biggest personalities of the silent-film era. He would later become famous for swashbuckling pictures including The Mark of Zorro\, Robin Hood and The Thief of Bagdad\, and would become one of the founders of United Artists alongside Mary Pickford\, Charlie Chaplin and D.W. Griffith. \nBut American Aristocracy has another distinction for local audiences: portions were filmed in Westerly and Watch Hill. \nThe connection wasn’t accidental. Contemporary reporting cited by Parlando notes that Fairbanks was staying in Watch Hill with his in-laws when the film was made. When the finished movie reached Westerly later in 1916\, it was advertised for a local showing at the Bliven Opera House. \nMore than a century later\, audiences can watch those images of the area on a movie screen only a short distance from where some of them were captured. \nA New Score Performed Live\nSilent films were never intended to be truly silent. \nDuring the era\, movies were commonly accompanied by live music ranging from a single pianist or organist to larger ensembles. The music supplied emotion\, tension and momentum that modern audiences now expect to hear as part of a film soundtrack. \nParlando is recreating that experience with a score specifically assembled for American Aristocracy. \nRather than placing contemporary music underneath the 1916 images\, the orchestra’s score is constructed entirely from works by New England composers who were active around the time the movie was made. \nThe result connects the film not only to the place where it was shot\, but to the musical world surrounding New England during the same period. \nAbout Parlando\nFounded in 2019 by conductor Ian Niederhoffer\, Parlando approaches classical concerts through storytelling. \nInstead of simply presenting a sequence of compositions\, the New York chamber orchestra builds programs around a central idea and provides audiences with historical and musical context for what they’re about to hear. \nIts programs frequently combine familiar works with music by lesser-known or underrepresented composers\, connecting them through a larger narrative rather than presenting unusual pieces simply as curiosities. \nThat philosophy makes American Aristocracy a particularly natural project for the ensemble. Here\, the story surrounding the music is literally playing on the screen while the orchestra performs. \nParlando has established a growing presence on New York’s classical music scene and performs regularly at venues including Merkin Hall. The ensemble has also released its debut album\, Censored Anthems\, examining music and cultural resilience under Soviet censorship. \nAn Encore for Westerly\nThere’s another wrinkle to the August 22 performance: this isn’t the first time Parlando has brought the project to Westerly. \nThe orchestra presented American Aristocracy at the UNITED in August 2025. The local connection proved strong enough for the production to return almost exactly one year later. \nThat makes the 2026 performance something of an encore\, giving audiences another opportunity to experience a movie made locally 110 years ago with live orchestral accompaniment. \nInside the UNITED Theatre\nThe setting adds another layer of local history. \nThe UNITED originally opened in downtown Westerly in 1926\, a decade after American Aristocracy was released. After decades as a movie theater\, it eventually closed before undergoing an extensive restoration and reopening in 2021 as a nonprofit regional arts center. \nToday\, the complex combines cinemas with live-performance spaces\, a gallery and arts education programming. \nAmerican Aristocracy will be presented in the UNITED Black Box Auditorium as a fully seated performance with tiered seating. \nSo the evening brings together several generations of Westerly entertainment history: a movie filmed locally in 1916\, presented inside a theater whose own history dates to 1926\, accompanied by a 21st-century orchestra using music rooted in the film’s own era. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Parlando Presents: American Aristocracy\nDate: Saturday\, August 22\, 2026\nTime: 7:30 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Black Box Auditorium\nVenue: The UNITED Theatre\nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891\nTickets: $40–$50 \nTickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.h
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/parlando-presents-american-aristocracy/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260815T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260815T210000
DTSTAMP:20260813T154414Z
CREATED:20260813T154414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260813T154414Z
UID:10007183-1786822200-1786827600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Always: The Love Story of Irving Berlin at the UNITED Theatre
DESCRIPTION:Always: The Love Story of Irving Berlin brings the music and surprisingly dramatic personal story of one of America’s greatest songwriters to Westerly on Saturday\, August 15. Cabaret stars KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler perform the show as part of the George Moore Cabaret Series at the UNITED Theatre\, using Berlin’s own songs to tell the story of his life and his marriage to heiress Ellin Mackay. (United Theatre) \nThis isn’t a conventional Irving Berlin tribute concert. Sullivan and Nadler sing\, narrate and reenact moments from Berlin’s life\, weaving familiar standards and lesser-known songs into the story according to what was happening to him at the time. The result sits somewhere between cabaret\, musical theater and biography. \nAt its center is a love story that once made national headlines. \nIrving Berlin and Ellin Mackay\nBy the 1920s\, Irving Berlin had already risen from an impoverished immigrant childhood on New York’s Lower East Side to become one of America’s most successful songwriters. \nThen he fell in love with Ellin Mackay\, the daughter of wealthy financier Clarence Mackay. \nThere was a problem. Berlin was a Jewish immigrant who had grown up poor. Mackay was a Catholic heiress from one of America’s wealthiest families\, and her father strongly opposed the relationship. \nThe couple married in 1926 despite his objections. Berlin reportedly gave Ellin the royalties to his song “Always” as a wedding gift\, providing the title and emotional centerpiece for the show. \nTheir marriage lasted more than six decades\, until Ellin’s death in 1988. (The Love Story of Irving Berlin) \nBerlin’s Songs Tell the Story\nRather than stopping the story for a string of hits\, Always uses Berlin’s music as part of the narrative. \nSongs are performed in full or combined into medleys that follow different periods of Berlin’s life. The repertoire includes music associated with his romance with Ellin as well as his career\, his immigrant experience and his contributions during two World Wars. \nAmong the songs associated with the production are “Cheek to Cheek\,” “Let’s Face the Music and Dance\,” “I Got Lost in His Arms\,” “Oh\, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning\,” “God Bless America” and\, naturally\, “Always.” \nIt’s quite a catalog to draw from. Berlin’s career stretched from Tin Pan Alley through Broadway and Hollywood\, producing songs that remained part of American popular culture long after the era in which they were written. \nThe production has received the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs Award for Outstanding Revue and was nominated for both Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel awards. \nKT Sullivan and Mark Nadler\nThe story is performed by two artists with deep roots in New York cabaret and the Great American Songbook. \nKT Sullivan starred on Broadway in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and spent more than two decades performing at the Oak Room at New York’s Algonquin Hotel. She has also performed at venues including Birdland in New York and Crazy Coqs in London and became artistic director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation in 2012. \nMark Nadler brings an unusually broad skill set to the other side of the stage. He’s a singer\, pianist\, comedian and tap dancer whose career has included Broadway\, Off-Broadway\, cabaret and concert performances. \nHis Off-Broadway production I’m a Stranger Here Myself earned a Drama Desk nomination\, and Nadler has appeared at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops as well as with orchestras around the country. His Broadway credits include Dame Edna: The Royal Tour. \nSullivan and Nadler have collaborated extensively\, particularly on shows built around the Great American Songbook\, which makes Always less a pairing of two performers than a production developed by artists who know how to play off one another. \nPart of the George Moore Cabaret Series\nThe Westerly performance is presented as part of the UNITED’s George Moore Cabaret Series\, bringing the production into the theater’s more intimate Black Box Auditorium. \nThat setting should fit this particular show especially well. Always isn’t built around elaborate scenery or a large ensemble. The focus remains on Sullivan\, Nadler\, the storytelling and Berlin’s music. \nThe UNITED itself has come full circle in a way that feels appropriate for an Irving Berlin show. The theater originally opened in 1926 as a vaudeville venue\, the same year Berlin and Ellin Mackay were married. It later became a movie theater before closing in 1986. After an extensive restoration\, the UNITED reopened in 2021 as a regional arts center for film\, concerts\, theater and educational programs. \nSo a century after the building first welcomed audiences\, two cabaret performers will take its stage to tell a love story that also began in 1926. \nEvent Details\nDate: Saturday\, August 15\, 2026 \nTime: 7:30 p.m. \nEvent: Always: The Love Story of Irving Berlin \nSeries: George Moore Cabaret Series \nPerformers: KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler \nLocation: United Theatre \nPerformance Space: UNITED Black Box Auditorium \nAddress: 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI 02891 \nBox Office: (401) 388-8208 \nAccessibility: The UNITED is wheelchair accessible. Guests requiring accessible seating for live performances are encouraged to contact the box office before purchasing tickets. \nTicket Policy: Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. The UNITED advises purchasing through its official ticketing system rather than third-party sellers. \nMore Information\nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/always-the-love-story-of-irving-berlin-at-the-united-theatre/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Always-The-Love-Story-of-Irving-Berlin-at-the-UNITED-Theatre-Saturday-August-15-730-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260814T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260814T220000
DTSTAMP:20260810T024005Z
CREATED:20260810T024005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260810T024005Z
UID:10007139-1786734000-1786744800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:UNITED We Laugh (August 2026)
DESCRIPTION:UNITED We Laugh (August 2026) brings another night of stand-up comedy to the UNITED Theatre in downtown Westerly on Friday\, August 14\, with Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Famer Ace Aceto headlining a five-comic lineup. The monthly series draws performers from across New England and the Northeast\, giving audiences a rotating comedy club-style show without leaving Westerly. \nAugust’s lineup features headliner Ace Aceto\, along with Dan Altano\, Emily Siero\, RA Bartlett\, and host Tad Flynn. With several comedians sharing the bill\, the format gives each performer a chance to bring a different voice and style to the stage rather than stretching one act across an entire evening. \nThis month’s headliner also has deep Rhode Island roots. Aceto began performing stand-up in Providence in 1989 and has spent more than three decades working comedy clubs\, colleges\, casinos\, corporate events and theaters throughout the Northeast. In 2016\, he was inducted into the Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Fame. (Ace Aceto Comedy) \nAugust Comedy Lineup\nThe August edition of UNITED We Laugh features: \nAce Aceto – Headliner\nDan Altano\nEmily Siero\nRA Bartlett\nTad Flynn – Host \nThe rotating lineup is part of the appeal of UNITED We Laugh. Each month’s show brings together comedians from a regional talent pool stretching from New Jersey through Boston. \nAbout Ace Aceto\nRhode Island native Ace Aceto got his start at Providence’s Periwinkles Comedy Club in 1989\, entering the business during the stand-up boom that produced a generation of New England comics. A year later\, he was among 10 finalists selected to be filmed for programming associated with what was then The Comedy Channel\, which became Comedy Central. (Pyramidentertainment.com) \nMore than 30 years later\, Aceto remains a fixture of the New England comedy circuit. His act combines observational humor\, quick wit and impressions\, a skill he’s been developing since childhood. His Italian-Catholic upbringing and everyday experiences provide plenty of additional material. (Ace Aceto Comedy) \nAceto has appeared frequently on WPRI’s The Rhode Show and WPRO radio and has performed at clubs\, colleges\, fundraisers and corporate events throughout the Northeast. His longevity in the state’s comedy scene was recognized in 2016 when he was inducted into the Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Fame. (Funny4Funds) \nHe’s also a comedy producer. Aceto created the Royal Flush Comedy Show\, a multi-comic showcase that ran regularly for four years at Newport Grand Casino before expanding to other venues around the Northeast. (Ace Aceto Comedy) \nAce Aceto official website \nA Monthly Night of Stand-Up\nUNITED We Laugh isn’t tied to a single touring comedian. Instead\, the series operates as a recurring showcase\, bringing several performers together for each edition. \nThat makes it a good entry point for people who enjoy stand-up but may not already know every name on the bill. One ticket provides several different comedic styles and a chance to discover performers working throughout the Northeast. \nEvent Details\nDate\nFriday\, August 14\, 2026 \nTime\n7:00 p.m. \nLocation\nUNITED Theatre \nAddress\n5 Canal Street\nWesterly\, RI \nAdmission\n$20 \nAge Restrictions\n18+ \nImportant Notes\nUNITED We Laugh features a rotating lineup of stand-up comedians. The August show is headlined by Ace Aceto with Dan Altano\, Emily Siero\, RA Bartlett and host Tad Flynn. \nMore Information\nFor more information\, visit the event website using the Event Website link below. \nFor ticket purchases\, click on the Ticketing link below. \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/united-we-laugh-august-2026/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/UNITED-We-Laugh-Friday-August-14-with-Rhode-Island-Comedy-Hall-of-Fame-Winner-Ace-Aceto.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260808T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260808T220000
DTSTAMP:20260806T023844Z
CREATED:20260806T023844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T023844Z
UID:10007125-1786215600-1786226400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The 502s – The Up\, Up\, Up The Coast and Across The Pond Tour
DESCRIPTION:The 502s – The Up\, Up\, Up The Coast and Across The Pond Tour arrives at the UNITED Theatre in Westerly on Saturday\, August 8\, bringing the Orlando-based indie folk band’s upbeat sound to Rhode Island for an all-ages concert. Special guests Late Night Thoughts open the evening\, kicking off a night filled with energetic performances and sing-along anthems. \nKnown as “the happiest band on Earth\,” The 502s have built a devoted following with their blend of indie folk\, Americana\, pop\, and beach-inspired storytelling. Their concerts are less about standing still and more about celebrating together\, with audiences singing\, clapping\, and dancing from the opening song through the encore. \nSet inside the beautifully restored UNITED Theatre\, the concert offers fans the chance to experience one of today’s fastest-rising folk-pop bands in an intimate venue known for its exceptional sound and welcoming atmosphere. \nAbout The 502s\nFormed in Orlando\, Florida\, The 502s have become known for crafting joyful\, feel-good songs filled with infectious melodies\, acoustic instruments\, and uplifting lyrics. Their music blends folk\, indie rock\, pop\, and Americana into a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. \nTheir 2025 album Easy Street takes listeners to an imaginary beach town where sunshine\, friendship\, and carefree living set the tone. The concept album showcases the band’s playful songwriting while expanding their signature sound. \nAmong the album’s standout tracks is “Your Nonsense Makes Sense\,” an upbeat anthem celebrating friendship\, individuality\, and finding joy in life’s everyday moments. \nA High-Energy Live Show\nThe 502s have earned a reputation as one of the most entertaining live bands on the touring circuit. Their concerts feature spirited vocals\, acoustic guitars\, banjo\, mandolin\, horns\, and audience participation that transforms every show into a communal celebration. \nFans can expect a mix of newer songs from Easy Street alongside many of the band’s most popular favorites. \nOpening Act\nThe evening begins with a performance by Late Night Thoughts\, setting the stage before The 502s take over for the headlining performance. \nEvent Details\nDate\nSaturday\, August 8\, 2026 \nDoors Open\n7:00 p.m. \nShow Time\n8:00 p.m. \nLocation\nUNITED Theatre \nAddress\n5 Canal Street\nWesterly\, RI 02891 \nAdmission\nFloor Standing: $35 (fees included)\nBalcony Seating: $55 (fees included) \nParking\nPublic parking is available throughout downtown Westerly. \nAge Restrictions\nAll ages. \nImportant Notes\nFloor tickets are standing room only. Balcony tickets include reserved seating. Doors open one hour before the performance. \nMore Information\nFor more information\, visit the event website using the Event Website link below. \nFor ticket purchases\, click on the Ticketing link below. \n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-502s-the-up-up-up-the-coast-and-across-the-pond-tour/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/The-502s-The-Up-Up-Up-The-Coast-and-Across-the-Pond-Tour-with-Special-Guests-Late-Night-Thoughts-Saturday-August-8.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260806T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260806T170000
DTSTAMP:20260806T223615Z
CREATED:20260806T223615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T223615Z
UID:10007131-1786003200-1786035600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:An Evening with Paul Cauthen at the UNITED Theatre
DESCRIPTION:An Evening with Paul Cauthen at the UNITED Theatre brings the East Texas singer-songwriter to downtown Westerly on Friday\, August 7\, for a night of country music with an outlaw streak. Cauthen takes over the UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium with a sound that moves between traditional country\, Southern soul and hard-driving rock\, backed by one of the most unmistakable voices in modern country music. \nCauthen isn’t an artist who fits comfortably into one corner of country. Raised in a family of preachers\, he grew up surrounded by music and eventually developed a booming baritone that can carry a gospel-influenced ballad just as convincingly as a swaggering country-rock song. His records have increasingly pushed against genre lines while keeping Texas storytelling at their center. \nThe Westerly performance is part of the UNITED’s “Nashville North” initiative\, which brings country and Americana artists from around the country to Rhode Island through concerts and other cultural programs. Doors open at 7 p.m.\, with Cauthen taking the stage at 8 p.m. for an all-ages show. \nAbout Paul Cauthen\nCauthen grew up in East Texas and first gained national attention as one half of the Americana duo Sons of Fathers before beginning his solo career. His solo work has allowed him to stretch far beyond conventional country\, mixing old-school influences with rock\, soul\, gospel and flashes of funk. \nThat willingness to take chances is particularly evident on Black on Black\, his 2024 studio album. The 12-song record leans into gritty country rock while continuing the musical experimentation that has become a hallmark of his career. \nOnstage\, it’s Cauthen’s voice that ties those different sounds together. His deep baritone and larger-than-life delivery have become central to his reputation as a live performer\, whether he’s leaning into a quiet lyric or letting the full band loose behind him. \nWhat to Expect\nThis is billed as An Evening with Paul Cauthen\, with no opening act listed by the UNITED. That puts the focus entirely on Cauthen and his catalog. \nFans can expect the collision of sounds that has defined his solo career: classic country storytelling\, Texas grit and a rock-and-roll edge. It’s a combination that should translate particularly well to the UNITED’s Black Box Auditorium\, a flexible performance space that puts audiences much closer to the stage than a traditional arena concert. \nNashville North at the UNITED\nThe concert is part of the UNITED’s Nashville North initiative\, an ongoing cultural exchange celebrating country and Americana music. The program brings performers and other creative partners from Nashville and around the country to Westerly for performances\, education and arts programming. \nThe UNITED itself occupies a restored 1926 theater in downtown Westerly and now operates as a nonprofit regional arts center with live performance spaces\, cinemas\, a gallery and music education facilities. \nTickets\nTickets range from $42 to $50\, with fees included in the listed price. Tickets purchased for UNITED events are non-refundable and non-transferable. The theater also warns guests against purchasing from third-party sellers. \nEvent Details\nDate\nFriday\, August 7\, 2026 \nDoors\n7:00 p.m. \nShow\n8:00 p.m. \nLocation\nUnited Theatre – Black Box Auditorium \nAddress\n5 Canal Street\nWesterly\, RI 02891 \nAdmission\n$42–$50\, fees included \nAge Restrictions\nAll ages \nAccessibility\nThe UNITED is wheelchair accessible and offers assistive devices. Guests attending live performances who need accessible seating are encouraged to contact the box office before purchasing tickets. \nImportant Notes\nTickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. The UNITED is not responsible for tickets purchased through third-party sellers. \nMore Information\nFor more information\, visit the event website using the Event Website link below. \nFor ticket purchases\, click on the Ticketing link below. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/an-evening-with-paul-cauthen-at-the-united-theatre/
LOCATION:RI
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/An-Evening-with-Paul-Cauthen-at-the-UNITED-Theatre-Friday-August-7-8pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260724T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260724T220000
DTSTAMP:20260721T214019Z
CREATED:20260721T214019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260721T214019Z
UID:10006904-1784919600-1784930400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Middle Aged Dad Jam Band at The United
DESCRIPTION:Middle Aged Dad Jam Band at The United brings a one-of-a-kind blend of classic rock\, comedy\, and movie nostalgia to the stage on Friday\, July 24. Created by comedy legends Ken Marino and David Wain\, the band delivers a high-energy concert packed with beloved songs from the 1960s\, ’70s\, and ’80s while celebrating the 25th anniversary of the cult comedy Wet Hot American Summer with music\, film clips\, and behind-the-scenes memories. \nWhat began as a fun side project has grown into a national touring act with a devoted following. Featuring a rotating cast of musicians and special guests\, Middle Aged Dad Jam Band combines polished musicianship with the improvisational humor that has made Marino and Wain favorites among comedy fans. The result is part concert\, part comedy show\, and part nostalgic celebration of the music and pop culture that defined a generation. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Middle Aged Dad Jam Band \nDate: Friday\, July 24\, 2026 \nDoors Open: 7:00 p.m. \nShow Begins: 8:00 p.m. \nVenue: The United \nLocation: Westerly\, RI \nAdmission: $40-$55 (fees included) \nAge: All ages \nAbout the Show\nThis year’s tour includes a special tribute to the 25th Anniversary of Wet Hot American Summer\, the cult comedy film co-created by David Wain and starring Ken Marino alongside an ensemble cast. Throughout the evening\, fans can enjoy songs\, memorable movie clips\, and stories celebrating the film that has become a comedy classic. \nMusic You’ll Hear\nThe band’s setlist features an eclectic mix of classic rock\, pop\, and sing-along favorites\, including selections such as: \n\nAmerican Girl\nEscape (The Piña Colada Song)\nFat Bottomed Girls\nI Want You to Want Me\nIt’s Still Rock and Roll to Me\nLittle Red Corvette\nRock the Casbah\nSir Duke\nStray Cat Strut\nWhat’s Up\nYou Oughta Know\nDon’t Stop Believin’\nAdd It Up\nCenterfold\n\nThe show also includes appearances by special guest performers on select songs throughout the evening. \nVIP Experience\nA limited VIP Experience is available for an additional $100 with the purchase of an admission ticket. \nVIP guests receive: \n\nEarly entry to the soundcheck\nPhoto opportunity with Ken Marino\, David Wain\, and the band\nSigned tour poster\n\nWhy Attend\nMiddle Aged Dad Jam Band isn’t your typical tribute concert. It’s an evening that combines outstanding live music\, improv-style comedy\, and shared nostalgia into an entertaining experience that’s equal parts rock concert and comedy show. Whether you’re a fan of classic hits\, Wet Hot American Summer\, or the comedy careers of Ken Marino and David Wain\, this promises to be one of the most unique performances of the summer. \nTickets\nTickets can be purchased by clicking the Event Ticketing link at the bottom of this page. \nMore Information\nAdditional event information is available by clicking the Event Website link at the bottom of this page. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/middle-aged-dad-jam-band-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Middle-Aged-Dad-Jam-Band-at-the-UNITED.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T220000
DTSTAMP:20260714T205606Z
CREATED:20260714T205606Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260714T205606Z
UID:10006793-1784318400-1784325600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bruce Harris' Birth of the Cool – Celebrating Miles Davis
DESCRIPTION:Bruce Harris’ Birth of the Cool – Celebrating Miles Davis comes to the UNITED Theatre on Friday\, July 17\, with a special concert honoring the music and enduring legacy of jazz legend Miles Davis. Led by acclaimed trumpeter Bruce Harris and an all-star ensemble\, the performance celebrates what would have been Davis’s 100th birthday by presenting the complete Birth of the Cool album live on stage. \nOriginally recorded between 1949 and 1950\, Birth of the Cool transformed the direction of modern jazz by combining the sophistication of chamber music with the spontaneity of improvisation. Widely regarded as one of the most influential jazz recordings ever made\, the album introduced a fresh\, understated sound through innovative arrangements by Gil Evans\, Gerry Mulligan\, John Lewis\, and others. Harris and his ensemble recreate the original nine-piece instrumentation\, giving audiences a rare opportunity to experience the groundbreaking work as it was intended to be heard. \nThe evening features every composition from the landmark recording\, including classics such as Move\, Jeru\, Moon Dreams\, Boplicity\, and Israel. Presented by the Sartori Morales Group at Morgan Stanley and BILT\, the concert celebrates one of jazz’s defining artistic achievements while showcasing the timeless influence of Miles Davis. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Bruce Harris’ Birth of the Cool – Celebrating Miles Davis\nDate: Friday\, July 17\, 2026\nTime: 8:00-10:00 p.m.\nVenue: The UNITED Theatre\nLocation: Westerly\, RI\n\nProgram\nBruce Harris and an all-star ensemble will perform the complete Birth of the Cool album\, including: \n\nMove\nJeru\nMoon Dreams\nBoplicity\nIsrael\nAnd the remaining selections from the landmark recording\n\nAbout Birth of the Cool\nRecorded between 1949 and 1950\, Birth of the Cool is considered one of the most influential albums in jazz history. Its innovative arrangements and distinctive instrumentation helped define the cool jazz movement and reshaped the sound of modern jazz for generations to come. \nAbout Bruce Harris\nBruce Harris is an acclaimed trumpeter known for his dynamic performances\, deep respect for the jazz tradition\, and collaborations with leading musicians across the country. His continuing partnership with the UNITED Theatre has brought several acclaimed jazz performances to local audiences. \nTickets\nTickets can be purchased by clicking the Event Ticketing link at the bottom of this page. \nMore Information\nAdditional event information is available by clicking the Event Website link at the bottom of this page.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/bruce-harris-birth-of-the-cool-celebrating-miles-davis/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bruce-Harris-Birth-of-Cool-Celebrating-Miles-Davis-at-the-UNITED-Theater-Friday-July-17-8pm-10pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260710T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260710T203000
DTSTAMP:20260707T004012Z
CREATED:20260707T004012Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260707T004012Z
UID:10006529-1783710000-1783715400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:An Evening with Glenn Thomas at The UNITED Theatre
DESCRIPTION:An Evening with Glenn Thomas at The UNITED Theatre brings the acclaimed singer-songwriter back to his hometown of Westerly for an intimate performance on Friday\, July 10. Now based in Nashville\, Thomas returns to southeastern New England to share songs from both his solo career and his work as front man of the alternative rock band Wild Sun\, offering audiences an up-close evening of thoughtful songwriting and storytelling. \nKnown for his introspective lyrics and emotionally honest performances\, Thomas has earned national recognition for music that explores life’s defining moments through personal experiences and vivid detail. His career has taken him across the country\, sharing stages with artists including Edie Brickell\, Langhorne Slim\, The Barr Brothers\, Gayle\, Joe Pug\, The Ballroom Thieves\, Eve6\, and many others. His work with Wild Sun has also been featured by Rolling Stone\, Billboard\, Spin\, and Entertainment Weekly\, while his solo recordings have received praise from Billboard\, Bluegrass Situation\, and PopMatters. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: An Evening with Glenn Thomas\nDate: Friday\, July 10\, 2026\nTime: 7:00 p.m.\nVenue: The UNITED Theatre\nAddress: 5 Canal St.\, Westerly\, RI\nAdmission: $24\n\nAbout Glenn Thomas\nRaised in Westerly and now based in Nashville\, Glenn Thomas is a singer-songwriter whose music blends folk\, Americana\, indie rock\, and thoughtful lyricism. His songs reflect on personal experiences\, relationships\, and the changing seasons of life through honest storytelling and memorable melodies. \nCareer Highlights\n\nFrontman of the alternative rock band Wild Sun\nReleased Inevitables in 2025\nReleased debut album Reassure Me There’s a Window in 2020\nMusic featured by Rolling Stone\, Billboard\, Spin\, and Entertainment Weekly\nSongs featured on Spotify editorial playlists and SiriusXM\n\nArtists He’s Performed With\n\nEdie Brickell\nLanghorne Slim\nThe Barr Brothers\nGayle\nBlitzen Trapper\nJoe Pug\nThe Ballroom Thieves\nEve6\nWatsky\nRubblebucket\n\nVenue\nThe UNITED Theatre’s gallery events space provides an intimate setting where audiences can experience live music in a close\, listening-room atmosphere. \nTickets\nTickets are $24. \nAdvance tickets can be purchased by clicking the Event Website link at the bottom of this event page. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/an-evening-with-glenn-thomas-at-the-united-theatre/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/An-Evening-with-Glenn-Thomas-at-the-UNITED-Theatre-Friday-July-10-at-7pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260619T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260619T220000
DTSTAMP:20260607T235152Z
CREATED:20260607T235152Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260607T235152Z
UID:10005343-1781897400-1781906400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Pride Comedy Night at the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:UNITED Presents Pride Comedy Night Brings Stand-Up Stars to Westerly \nUNITED kicks off Pride Month featuring comedians performing jokes that tackle identity\, culture\, relationships and modern life through different and sometimes unconventional lenses. Tickets for the 18+ show are on sale now for June 19 at 7:30 p.m. local time. \nPerforming is New York City comic Drew Tessier\, who produces the New York Queer Comedy Festival and hosts NYC’s only weekly LGBTQ showcase at one of New York’s largest comedy clubs. Joining Tessier on stage is Jack Sullivan\, who you may recognize from MTV and Hulu. Sullivan has performed for big-name comics like Dave Chapelle and Kevin Hart. Hozho Harris will be hosting the night. Harris is an Indigenous comedian and writer whose comedy uses absurd storytelling\, physicality\, and jokes about identity\, power structures\, and Indigenous culture to challenge the way people think about the world. \nPerfect for comedy enthusiasts\, Pride Month celebrators\, and more\, you can catch these nationally known comedians performing thought-provoking and topical stand-up at the intimate UNITED Theatre. \nAdditional Details\n\nDate: June 19\nTime: 7:30 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Theatre\nAge Requirement: 18+\nHeadliner: Drew Tessier\nFeaturing: Jack Sullivan\nHost: Hozho Harris\nCelebrate Pride Month with an evening of stand-up comedy\nTickets available through the event link provided by the organizer\nDrew Tessier is the creator of the New York Queer Comedy Festival and host of a weekly LGBTQ comedy showcase in New York City\nJack Sullivan was a finalist in the 2023 NY Queer Comedy Festival and earned “Best of Fest” honors at the 2024 Burbank Comedy Festival\nHozho Harris is a writer and performer whose credits include FX’s Reservation Dogs and publications including The Onion\, Reductress\, and ClickHole
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/pride-comedy-night-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Pride-Comedy-Night-at-the-UNITED-Theatre-Friday-June-19-730-pm-Ages-18-plus.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260617T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260617T200000
DTSTAMP:20260607T023519Z
CREATED:20260607T023519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260607T023519Z
UID:10005333-1781719200-1781726400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Author Talk with Jennifer Weiner at the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Bestselling author Jennifer Weiner will appear at the UNITED Theatre on Wednesday\, June 17\, for an evening of conversation\, storytelling\, and book talk. Author of Good in Bed\, In Her Shoes\, and The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits\, among others\, Weiner will talk about her new book as well as its upcoming screen debut as a Universal Pictures feature film. \nWeiner will be joined onstage by author Deborah Goodrich Royce. Together they’ll talk about their writing and the process of bringing stories to life\, from page to screen. Each ticket includes a copy of The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits\, and selections from both authors will be available for purchase and signing after the event. \nEvent Details \n\nEvent: Author Talk with Jennifer Weiner\nDate: Wednesday\, June 17\, 2026\nTime: 6:00 p.m.\nLocation: UNITED Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\nFeatured Author: Jennifer Weiner\nIn Conversation With: Deborah Goodrich Royce\nTicket Price: $27\nIncludes: A copy of The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits\nBook Signing: Yes\nAdditional Books Available: Yes\n\n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/author-talk-with-jennifer-weiner-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Author-Talk-with-Jennifer-Weiner-at-the-UNITED-June-17-6pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260612T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260612T220000
DTSTAMP:20260603T004930Z
CREATED:20260603T004930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T004930Z
UID:10005225-1781290800-1781301600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Shakey Graves
DESCRIPTION:Shakey Graves brings his Fondness\, Etc. Tour to The UNITED Theatre in Westerly on Friday\, June 12\, delivering the genre-blending sound and inventive artistry that have earned him a devoted following across the country. Known offstage as Alejandro Rose-Garcia\, the Austin\, Texas musician has built a reputation for combining folk\, Americana\, blues\, indie rock\, and storytelling into performances that feel both intimate and unpredictable. \nOver the years\, Shakey Graves has become known not only for his music but for creating unique experiences for fans. From elaborate scavenger hunts and hidden releases to exclusive recordings and interactive projects\, he has embraced a “choose your own adventure” approach that encourages listeners to engage with his music in unexpected ways. In 2024\, he celebrated the tenth anniversary of his acclaimed album And The War Came with a special release featuring previously unheard demos and b-sides\, giving fans a deeper look into one of the most important records of his career. \nFans of independent music\, singer-songwriters\, and artists who consistently push creative boundaries won’t want to miss this performance. With support from The Man\, the Myth\, the Meatslab\, the evening promises a memorable blend of musicianship\, storytelling\, and the distinctive sound that has made Shakey Graves one of the most compelling artists to emerge from Texas in recent years. \nEvent Details\nDate: Friday\, June 12\, 2026\nLocation: The UNITED Theatre\, Westerly\, RI \nDoors Open: 7:00 p.m.\nShow Starts: 8:00 p.m. \nAge Requirement: All Ages \nTicket Prices\n\nFloor Standing: $52 (fees included)\nBalcony Seated: $72 (fees included)\n\nOpening Act\nThe Man\, the Myth\, the Meatslab \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/shakey-graves/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Shakey-Graves-at-the-UNITED-Theater-June-12-Doors-Open-7pm-Show-starts-at-8pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260606T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260606T213000
DTSTAMP:20260512T035329Z
CREATED:20260512T035329Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260512T035329Z
UID:10001478-1780776000-1780781400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Bluebird at the UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Bluebird at the UNITED brings the spirit of Nashville’s legendary songwriter circles to United Theatre on Saturday\, June 6 at 8 p.m. Created in partnership with the famed Bluebird Cafe\, the concert series focuses less on flashy production and more on the heart of songwriting itself\, placing artists onstage to perform stripped-down music while sharing the personal stories that inspired the songs. Even before the featured performers are announced\, the format alone carries serious appeal for fans of country\, Americana\, and intimate live music experiences. \nBluebird at the UNITED is part of the theater’s larger “Nashville North” initiative\, an ongoing cultural exchange designed to bring elements of Nashville’s music scene to Rhode Island through performances\, collaborations\, and educational programming. The series reflects the kind of songwriter-round tradition that made the Bluebird Cafe famous\, where lyrics\, storytelling\, and emotional honesty take center stage. Rather than a traditional concert built around spectacle\, these performances tend to feel conversational and personal\, giving audiences a closer connection to the artists and the creative process behind the music. \nThe UNITED Theatre’s intimate atmosphere should make the evening especially memorable. The historic downtown Westerly venue has become known for carefully curated performances that feel immersive and community-driven\, and Bluebird fits naturally into that approach. Expect a crowd filled with serious music lovers\, attentive listening\, and the kind of quiet moments where a single lyric can completely hold a room. For anyone drawn to authentic songwriting and acoustic performance\, this promises to be one of the more unique live music experiences of the early summer season. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/bluebird-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Bluebird-at-the-UNITED-with-Kelly-Archer-Lee-Thomas-Miller-and-Wendell-Mobley.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260605T220000
DTSTAMP:20260601T001613Z
CREATED:20260601T001613Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260601T001613Z
UID:10003439-1780689600-1780696800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:UNITED for PRIDE Drag Show - Dollhaus Takeover 
DESCRIPTION:Do yourself a favor and dance the night away at UNITED for PRIDE Drag Show – Dollhaus Takeover at The UNITED Theatre in Westerly on Friday\, June 5. Presented by Nervous\, the 18+ drag event will feature impressive performers Changi The Angel and Nervous. and Candace Persuasion wrap up Pride Month. \nAttendees of this Pride event can look forward to high-energy performances\, eye-catching costumes\, music\, laughs\, and the extravagant personalities audiences have come to love about the world of drag. The UNITED Theatre provides the intimate venue to get up close with talented drag performers while celebrating Pride. Don’t know much about drag? No problem! UNITED for PRIDE: Drag Show welcomes all to experience an exciting night of entertainment. \nMark your calendars if you’re a fan of drag shows or looking for a way to celebrate Pride Month in downtown Westerly. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/united-for-pride-drag-show-dollhaus-takeover/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/United-for-PRIDE-Drag-Show-Dollhaus-Takeover-June-5-at-8-pm.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260517T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260517T220000
DTSTAMP:20260506T234949Z
CREATED:20260506T234949Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260506T234949Z
UID:10000303-1779048000-1779055200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:The Wailers 50 Years of Positive Vibrations Tour
DESCRIPTION:The Wailers 50 Years of Positive Vibrations Tour brings a landmark reggae performance to United Theatre on May 17 at 8:00 PM. The show celebrates the 50th anniversary of Rastaman Vibration\, one of Bob Marley & The Wailers most influential albums\, placing its message and music at the center of a live concert experience. The tour continues the legacy of the original band while introducing the music to new audiences. \nThe Wailers perform selections from Rastaman Vibration alongside classic songs that have defined reggae music for decades. The setlist blends deeper album cuts with well-known hits\, maintaining the spirit and sound that made the original recordings resonate worldwide. The live format emphasizes rhythm\, groove\, and audience connection\, staying true to the roots of the genre. \nSet in a modern theater environment\, the performance offers a focused listening experience that highlights both the music and its cultural impact. The combination of anniversary celebration and timeless material makes the event appealing to longtime fans and those discovering the catalog for the first time. As part of an ongoing tour\, the Westerly stop brings a globally recognized sound to a local stage. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/the-wailers-50-years-of-positive-vibrations-tour/
LOCATION:RI
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-Wailers-50-Years-of-Positive-Vibrations-Tour.jpeg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260516T220000
DTSTAMP:20260510T155750Z
CREATED:20260510T155750Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260510T155750Z
UID:10000336-1778961600-1778968800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Prince/Bowie at The UNITED
DESCRIPTION:Prince/Bowie at The UNITED brings together the music of Prince and David Bowie in a genre-blending live concert experience at The UNITED Theatre. Rather than functioning as a traditional tribute act focused on one artist\, Prince/Bowie merges the catalogs\, styles\, and stage energy of two of music’s most influential performers into a single high-powered show filled with funk\, glam rock\, pop experimentation\, and theatrical live performance. \nCreated by Eric Gould\, founder of Pink Talking Fish\, the project pulls together musicians from nationally touring acts including Pigeons Playing Ping Pong\, Cool Cool Cool\, and The Giant Country Horns. The result is a band built around technical musicianship\, improvisation\, and creative reinterpretation rather than simple imitation. Horn arrangements by composer Matt Wayne add another layer to the performances\, giving familiar songs a fresh live energy while preserving the spirit of the originals. \nThe setlist itself becomes part of the appeal\, blending iconic songs from both artists into seamless mashups and transitions that feel designed for a concert crowd rather than a nostalgia act. Audiences can expect combinations like “Let’s Dance” flowing into “1999” or “Moonage Daydream” colliding with “Purple Rain\,” creating a show that constantly shifts between Bowie’s art-rock atmosphere and Prince’s explosive funk and pop energy. For fans of live musicianship\, classic music catalogs\, and tribute shows willing to experiment creatively\, Prince/Bowie offers one of the more unique concert experiences on the regional calendar. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/prince-bowie-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Prince-Bowie-at-the-United.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260509T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260509T210000
DTSTAMP:20260507T011550Z
CREATED:20260507T011550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T011550Z
UID:10000310-1778353200-1778360400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Speakeasy Choir at the United
DESCRIPTION:Speakeasy Choir at the United brings a one-night\, interactive music experience to United Theatre on May 9 at 7:00 PM. The event invites attendees to step out of the audience and into the performance\, creating a group singing experience that blends learning\, collaboration\, and live music into a single evening. It’s structured to be fast-paced and accessible\, making it easy to jump in regardless of experience level. \nParticipants will join a pop-up chorus for the night\, learning harmonies and vocals together before taking the stage after roughly 90 minutes. This session features “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease\, giving the experience a familiar\, high-energy foundation. The format focuses on participation and shared energy\, turning a room of individuals into a cohesive group performance by the end of the night. \nThe event is presented by the Chorus of Westerly and United Theatre\, with live support from the UNITED House Band\, a 5-piece group made up of instructors and local musicians. The combination of guided rehearsal and full-band backing creates a complete performance experience in a single night. Speakeasy Choir offers a straightforward way to go from spectator to performer in a supportive\, community-driven setting. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/speakeasy-choir-at-the-united/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Speakeasy-Choir-at-the-United.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260502T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260502T210000
DTSTAMP:20260430T155612Z
CREATED:20260430T155612Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T155612Z
UID:10000151-1777750200-1777755600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Nick Bosse and the Northern Roots
DESCRIPTION:Nick Bosse and the Northern Roots is a New England-based\, Nashville recording artist and songwriter whose distinctly authentic take on country music defiantly rejects the generic status quo of the genre pushed by the corporate music industry. With a unique sonic identity that builds on the groundwork laid by country icons with a modern approach\, Nick is known for his ability to immerse his diverse and growing fanbase in a bygone world.  \nUNITED Black Box Auditorium \nTickets: $25 (fees included) \nSupport: Tyler-James Kelly \n“Real country\, no polish – Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots bring timeless songs\, modern fire\, and a full-room sound that proves country is a state of mind\, not a zip code.” \nNow\, with a host of achievements under his belt\, including hitting 2m streams on his single What Happened To Country\, putting out his first Nashville album\, and winning a New England Music Award for Best Vocalist\, Nick is traveling the Northeast to show that country music is not a “southern-only” genre of music; it is a state of mind that many share worldwide. \nSpecial guest support Tyler-James Kelly makes 1970s-inspired country music for the modern world. It’s a warm\, lived-in sound\, created by a longtime songwriter who’s happy to be a torchbearer for the music that’s always inspired him. \nThis event is part of the UNITED’s “Nashville North” initiative\, a dynamic cultural exchange bringing Country and Americana music to Rhode Island from around the U.S. and celebrating Nashville’s iconic music scene through a series of educational\, artistic\, and performance programs from partners in Nashville and beyond.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/nick-bosse-and-the-northern-roots/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Nick-Bosse-and-the-Northern-Roots.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T210000
DTSTAMP:20260422T232124Z
CREATED:20260421T031844Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260422T232124Z
UID:10000017-1777143600-1777150800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:United We Laugh
DESCRIPTION:UNITED We Laugh is a monthly stand-up comedy night presented by Tad Flynn\, featuring a rotating lineup of comedians from across the Northeast. This show includes headliner Paul Ollinger\, along with Ron Nobles\, Greg Radin\, and Brian Wayne. Expect a mix of styles and a full night of live comedy. This is an 18+ event.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/united-we-laugh/
LOCATION:United Theatre\, 5 Canal Street\, Westerly\, RI\, 02891\, United States
CATEGORIES:United Theater
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