Last November, the Catawba College Vernaculars performed Beatles Abbey Road Live! to mark the fortieth anniversary of this monumental rock opus. The standing room only crowd has clamored for an encore, and this weekend it will get not just one but two. The Vernaculars will stage repeat performances of the entire Beatles album on Saturday, October 9th and Sunday, October 10th. Free and open to the public, both shows will be held in the college's Hedrick Little Theatre starting at 7:30 PM.
Abbey Road Live! will cap homecoming activities at Catawba. The performances will also debut the students who will perform as part of the Vernaculars next March at the flagship Hard Rock Cafe in New York City's Times Square. Its famous stage has hosted intimate performances by such luminary artists as Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, Kenny Chesney, and a host of others. According to Dr. David Lee Fish, chair of the Catawba
music department, "It is a real badge of honor for us to be invited to perform at the Hard Rock." The New York performance will serve as a kick off of an endowment campaign for a music scholarship to honor famed singer-songwriter Harry Chapin.
Rare among college and university ensembles, the Vernaculars is dedicated to the performance of contemporary popular (aka vernacular) music. It's become a favorite among both Catawba students and area residents over the past several years. The group's basic instrumentation includes lead and background vocals, electric guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums. Catawba College instructor Jimm Mosher directs the band.
As an added treat, the upcoming performances in Hedrick Auditorium will include a Motown Revue by the college's Urban Sol ensemble. The group is directed by the Catawba's Young Artist in Residence, Dennis Reed. A 2006 graduate of Catawba, Reed has just signed a major label record contract as a gospel artist with Universal Music.
The Abbey Road performance will include such well-known Beatles hits as "Come Together," "Something," "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," "Here Comes the Sun," and "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window."
All Vernaculars performances are open to the general public free of charge. For more information about the Abbey Road concert or about how your organization can host its own Vernaculars performance, contact Dr. David Lee Fish at (704) 637-4280 or dlfish@catawba.edu.
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PHOTOS: Vernaculars Perform Abbey Road
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