{"id":43275,"date":"2026-05-14T16:36:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T20:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=43275"},"modified":"2026-05-14T16:37:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T20:37:49","slug":"on-stage-stop-making-sense-brings-talking-heads-to-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=43275","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Stop Making Sense brings Talking Heads to life"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"elementToProof\"><strong>By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, <em>Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\n<div id=\"attachment_21377\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21377\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-21377\" src=\"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sense-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21377\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stop Making Sense<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Bands form in many different ways.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The most frequent are with the members growing up together in school or with musicians in the same circle deciding to pool their talents.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Stop Making Sense, which is headlining a show on May 16 at the Lansdowne Theater (31 North Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, <a href=\"http:\/\/thelansdownetheater.com\/\">thelansdownetheater.com<\/a>), belongs to the latter category.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The band, which is a Talking Heads tribute band, features Jesse Braun (drums), Jon Braun (lead singer, guitar), Jenny Founds (bass, vocals), Kate Desisto (vocals), Alex Ayala (keyboards, vocals), Brian Davis (guitar, vocals) and Colin Miller (percussion, vocals).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe band started back in 2009,\u201d said Jesse Brsaun, during a phone interview Tuesday night from his home in Bethlehem.<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe Fun House is this great dive bar in Bethlehem. My brother and I were in a band and most of the guys did a show of music from Led Zeppelin and the Who\u2019s \u2018Quadrophenia\u2019 album.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe bar\u2019s owner Tina Kowlaski suggested a Talking Heads tribute so we thought we\u2019d do a couple nights. We played the Fun House and a few other gigs.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cIt just kind of grew from there. It just built real organically. Jon and I are the only two original members and Jenny joined in 2014.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">In addition to Bethlehem, Start Making Sense, which took its name from the Talking Heads\u2019 movie \u201cStop Making Sense,\u201d has its roots at the Downingtown School of Rock.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Davis, who lives in Conshohocken, has been a teacher at the Downingtown School of Rock for 25 years and still is on the staff. Jon Braun was also a teacher at the school.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Founds, who was initially involved with the Downingtown School of Rock is now a teacher at the Easton School of Rock.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cJenny was a student of Jon\u2019s at the Downingtown School of Rock,\u201d said Braun. \u201cShe started performing with our band as a vocalist 10 years ago.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThen, our previous bass player left the band because he got a job at Martin Guitar. At that point, Jenny took over as our bass player. She\u2019s great. She\u2019s a multi-instrumentalist.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Start Making Sense has continued to delve into the world of the Talking Heads.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Talking Heads\u00a0formed in\u00a0New York City\u00a0in 1975 with lead vocalist and guitarist\u00a0David Byrne, drummer\u00a0Chris Frantz, bassist\u00a0Tina Weymouth, and guitarist and keyboardist\u00a0Jerry Harrison.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Described as one of the most acclaimed groups of the 1980s, Talking Heads helped to pioneer\u00a0\u201cNew Wave\u201d\u00a0music by combining elements of\u00a0punk,\u00a0funk, art rock and\u00a0world music.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWe all were casual Talking Heads fans,\u201d said Braun. \u201cOnce we started Start Making Sense, we dug into the music.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cEverybody was already pretty well-versed in Talking Heads music. Digging into it just increased our appreciation.\u201d<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The band accurately recreates the music of Talking Heads and Jon Braun\u2019s live performances even incorporate some of David Byrne\u2019s stage presence, outfits and eccentricities.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Bernie Worrell, Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame member and keyboardist for Talking Heads and Parliament\/Funkadelic, said this about Start Making Sense, \u201cTo all you listeners&#8230;<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">This is an appropriate title &#8212; Start Making Sense. This band makes plenty of sense to me and is a great representation of Talking Heads\u2019 music. So, listen up and go check them out!\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Over the years, Start Making Sense has developed a strong fanbase in the Lehigh Valley and Philly area and have expanded through the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">This year\u2019s tour itineraries include trips to Southern California and New England in August and Colorado in October.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWe usually go out for three or four days at a time,\u201d said Braun. \u201cWe\u2019re \u2018Weekend Warriors.\u2019 We play pretty consistently throughout the year \u2013 from March through December.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cAll of us are full-time musicians or teachers on the side but everybody is pretty committed to this band.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWe\u2019ve had a rotating cast over the years, but this line-up has stayed the same since 2019 \u2013 except for Kate who joined in 2021 right before COVID.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">There are also side projects.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cJenny, Jon and I have an indie band called Ruby Dear,\u201d said Braun. \u201cWe play a lot around the Lehigh Valley.\u201d<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ruby Dear has released two albums \u2013 \u201cRuby Dear\u201d (which was mastered by Brian Davis) in 2018 and \u201cThis Will\u201d in 2021.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The Start Making Sense show this Saturday in Lansdowne will also feature the inclusion of The Ocean Avenue Stompers &#8212; Lee Salazar, Trumpet; Will Schade, Tenor Saxophone; Ian Gray, Trombone; and Rob Rutigliano, Baritone Saxophone.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe Ocean Avenue Stompers are a horn section from Asbury Park,\u201d said Braun. \u201cThey have their own gigs, and they perform with us sometime as part of our band.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWith Start Making Sense shows, we play songs from all eight Talking Heads albums and, when we have the horns, we mix solo David Byrne songs. Now, we\u2019re doing the song \u2018What Is The Reason For this\u2019 from his most recent album.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Some of the Talking Heads\u2019 classics featuring in the Start Making Sense set list are \u201cPsycho Killer,\u201d \u201cTake Me to the River,\u201d \u201cOnce in a Lifetime,\u201d \u201cBurning Down the House\u201d and \u201cWild Wild Life.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">So, if you\u2019re a Talking Heads fan \u2013 even a casual one \u2013 or just someone who enjoys live performances of music from the MTV heydays, this is a show for you.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Video link for Start Making Sense \u2013 <a id=\"OWA6de5e88e-7b8c-6aff-564f-fb2b1aa7e642\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/OaKIVNlVRmk?si=pEU1El1G3-4R6dbg\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/OaKIVNlVRmk?si=pEU1El1G3-4R6dbg<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show in Lansdowne on May 16 will start at<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ticket prices start at $37.90.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Snacktime, which will play on May 14 at the opening presentation of the 2026 Concerts at The Commons (10 Doyle Street, Doylestown, <a id=\"OWA2364b747-a83b-0a0f-2077-3a28becc9888\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.stageunited.org\/\">www.stageunited.org<\/a>), also started with musicians in the same circle deciding to pool their talents.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\n<div id=\"attachment_21378\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21378\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-21378\" src=\"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Snacktime-concert-banner-1440x720-1-350x175.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"175\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21378\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Snacktime<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Snacktime is an American soul, funk, alternative band from Philadelphia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Band members are Nico Bryant \u2013\u00a0vocals; Sam Gellerstein \u2013\u00a0bass, guitar,\u00a0sousaphone; Austin Marlow \u2013\u00a0drums; Larry Monroe Jr. \u2013\u00a0guitar; Eric Sherman \u2013\u00a0trumpet,\u00a0guitar; Michael Spearman \u2013\u00a0trombone,\u00a0keyboard; and Ben Stocker \u2013\u00a0tenor saxophone.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The band was founded during the height of the\u00a0COVID-19 pandemic. Snacktime began by performing free shows in Philadelphia&#8217;s Rittenhouse Square in the summer of 2020.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe lockdown is how the band started,\u201d said Gellerstein, during a phone interview Wednesday from his home in Philadelphia. \u201cIt was our response to a need.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">After attracting huge crowds in the park, the band played their first headlining club show and sold over 900 tickets.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Things quickly progressed \u2013 the group started selling out headlining shows, supporting national touring artists, including\u00a0Portugal. The Man, performing at major music festivals, and even serving as the house band on\u00a0ESPN\u2019s\u00a0\u201cThey Call It Late Night\u201d\u00a0with Jason Kelce.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWhen we started as a band on the streets, we were playing a lot of different stuff like hip-hop and old school funk,\u201d said Gellerstein.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cIn the past couple years, we\u2019ve sharpened a lot\u2026trying to tie it together more lyrically \u2013 more vocally oriented. As such, we\u2019re leaning more n Nico, who is a tremendous singer.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">After the pandemic, the group started moving into more traditional venues, such as Philadelphia&#8217;s\u00a0Brooklyn Bowl\u00a0and\u00a0Theatre of Living Arts. Snacktime has also performed during\u00a0Philadelphia 76ers\u00a0halftime shows and also for\u00a0Phillies\u00a0and\u00a0Philadelphia Union\u00a0events.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Snacktime has been featured at major music festivals such as the\u00a0Roots Picnic,\u00a0Life Is Beautiful,\u00a0Sea.Hear.Now, Sound on Sound Fest,\u00a0Firefly,\u00a0and Peach Fest.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Over the years, the band has evolved musically.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cWe\u2019re really writing fresh music and introducing alt-soul and rock with pop elements,\u201d said Bryant, during a phone interview Wednesday from his home in Philadelphia.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cIt\u2019s more song-based with not as much emphasis on horns. The music we were playing before was just a different thing.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cPeople should change. Growth and evolution are needed in life. The band\u2019s goals have changed.\u201d<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The free show in Doylestown, which has Colacore as the opening act, will start at 6 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The pet-friendly event will also feature local food trucks, beer\/beverages and kids\u2019 activities.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern,<a id=\"OWAfe5659e3-0636-f382-4a6e-faf2f6fa296f\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"Protected by Outlook: https:\/\/peopleslight.org\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Click or tap to follow the link.\" href=\"https:\/\/peopleslight.org\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u00a0peopleslight.org<\/a>) is presenting \u201cThe Woman Question\u201d now through May 24.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">A new play with local roots,\u00a0\u201cThe Woman Question\u201d\u00a0unearths the stories of medical pioneers who led the charge for women\u2019s health and reproductive freedom 150 years ago.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">This world premiere docu-fantasy follows the 1894 class of the Woman\u2019s Medical College of Pennsylvania, an intrepid cohort of students whose struggles and joys reverberate across centuries.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The play is written and performed by acclaimed theatre-maker Suli Holum (\u201cHurricane Diane\u201d) in collaboration with Company Artist Melanye Finister (\u201cA Raisin in the Sun\u201d) and a remarkable cast and creative team.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Holum is an award-winning director, performer, choreographer and playwright based in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Holum\u2019s \u201cThe Woman Question\u201d is a multi-year research and performance project which has been created in partnership with the Drexel University Legacy Archive and People\u2019s Light Theater Company, with support from the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Finister is a 30-year member of the Philadelphia theater community. In 1991, she joined the resident acting company at People\u2019s Light where she appeared in more than 30 productions.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The creative team also features director\u00a0Melissa Crespo, choreographer Fatima Sowe, scenic designer\u00a0Ann Beyersdorfer,\u00a0Costume Designer\u00a0Lux Haac, lighting designer\u00a0Lily Fossner, sound designers\u00a0Daniela Hart,\u00a0Bailey Trierweiler, and\u00a0Noel Nichols, projection designer\u00a0Lisa Renkel, and composer and music director\u00a0Daniela Hart.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe Woman Question\u201d\u00a0blends archival research, flights of collective imagination, and a delightful, Victorian-infused theatricality.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The play centers on the\u00a01894 graduating class of the Woman\u2019s Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMCP)\u00a0\u2014 the first degree-granting medical school in the world exclusively for women, founded in 1850.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cThe Woman Question\u201d is running now through May 24 at People\u2019s Light.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ticket prices start at $30.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware, <a id=\"OWA8c06356b-2d91-6962-4b90-eead4b962172\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"http:\/\/www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org\/\" href=\"http:\/\/www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) is presenting \u201cArsenic &amp; Old Lace\u201d now through June 20.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cArsenic and Old Lace\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0play\u00a0by American\u00a0playwright\u00a0Joseph Kesselring, written in 1939. It has become best known through the 1944\u00a0film adaptation\u00a0starring\u00a0Cary Grant\u00a0and directed by\u00a0Frank Capra.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The play opened on\u00a0Broadway\u00a0at the\u00a0Fulton Theatre\u00a0on January 10, 1941.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The play, a clever combination of the farcical and the macabre, centers on two elderly sisters who are famous in their Brooklyn neighborhood for their numerous acts of charity.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Unfortunately, however, their charity includes poisoning lonely old men who come to their home looking for lodging. The two women are assisted in their crimes by their mentally challenged nephew who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt and who frequently blasts a bugle and yells \u201ccharge\u201d as he bounds up the stairs.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Matters get complicated when a second nephew, a theater critic, discovers the murders and a third nephew appears after having just escaped from a mental institution.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cArsenic &amp; Old Lace\u201d revolves around drama critic Mortimer Brewster, whose engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts\u2019 window seat.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren\u2019t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The \u201cmurderous old lady\u201d plot line may also have been inspired by actual events that occurred in a house on Prospect St in\u00a0Windsor, Connecticut, where a woman,\u00a0Amy Archer-Gilligan, took in boarders, promising \u201clifetime care,\u201d and poisoned them for their pensions.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cArsenic &amp; Old Lace\u201d runs through June 20 and features a themed meal and free parking.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Tickets are $83 for adults and $38.50 for children (ages 4-12). Tickets for show only are $43.50 (adults and children).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Cirque du Soleil\u2019s new production \u201cLUZIA\u201d just opened this week and will run through June 7 under a big top at the Greater Philadelphia Expo\u00a0Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, <a id=\"OWA3c12cbe8-020a-6da8-f453-46e24c15c37e\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.phillyexpocenter.com\/\">www.phillyexpocenter.com<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Billed as \u201cA Waking Dream of Mexico,\u201d the show looks at our neighbors from the south.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Poetically guided by light (\u2018luz\u2019 in Spanish) and rain (\u2018lluvia\u2019), \u201cLUZIA\u201d chronicles the encounters of a parachuted traveler with the culture, nature and mythology of a dreamlike land inhabited by a mystifying menagerie of characters.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Refreshing and unexpected, \u201cLUZIA\u201d enchants by artistically incorporating water into the acrobatic presentation &#8212; a first for a Cirque du Soleil touring production.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">As the sun rises, the running woman awakes an imaginary Mexico, honoring the monarch butterfly\u2019s migration.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">In a series of grand visual surprises and breathtaking acrobatic performances, \u201cLUZIA\u201d takes audiences on a surreal escape to an imaginary Mexico \u2013 a sumptuously vibrant world suspended between dreams and reality.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Smoothly passing from an old movie set to the ocean to a smoky dance hall or an arid desert, \u201cLUZIA\u201d journeys through a colorful tapestry of multiple places, faces and sounds of Mexico taken from both tradition and modernity.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Video link for \u201cLUZIA\u201d &#8212; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cirquedusoleil.com\/luzia\">www.cirquedusoleil.com\/luzia<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">\u201c<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">LUZIA\u201d will run through June 7 in Oaks.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ticket prices start at $25.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">On May 16,\u00a0SRUTI\u00a0(<a id=\"OWAcc1be25b-f6f2-176a-a84d-e604c68d1462\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" title=\"Protected by Outlook: http:\/\/www.sruti.org\/. Click or tap to follow the link.\" href=\"http:\/\/www.sruti.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.sruti.org<\/a>) will present a Carnatic Concert by Charumathi Raghuraman and Anantha R Krishnan at The Rotunda, which is located at 4014 Walnut Street in Philadelphia.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">SRUTI, The India Music and Dance Society is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization. Every year, around 10 or more world class music and dance recitals are presented during the Spring and Fall seasons by\u00a0SRUTI\u00a0in the Greater Philadelphia area.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Charumathi Raghuraman is a young and vibrant violin virtuoso gifted with a refreshing candor of combining the elements of traditional music from India\u2019s exalted Carnatic tradition, with modern performance.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">A precocious talent, she started learning from her mother Smt. Rama Raghuraman, then continued formal training with the respected Guru Smt. T.R. Balamani in Mumbai<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Soon thereafter, at the suggestion of the iconic violinist of South India, Padma Bhushan Prof. T. N. Krishnan, Charumathi became his ardent disciple in 1995. She has also studied Carnatic vocal music with the<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The salient features of her musicianship include the rare combination of pure sound and erudite content. She not only excels in the instrumental technique of the violin but is equally adept in reproducing vocal nuances mellifluously.\u200b<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Anantha R Krishnan plays<b> <\/b>the mridangam, the principle drum of the Carnatic tradition. The grandson and disciple of the great mridangam maestro, Shri. Palghat R. Raghu, he first learned the fundamentals of the mridangam under his uncle, Shri. R. Ramkumar and then began an official tutelage under his grandfather at the age of five.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">He performed his first concert at the age of seven and before the age of 20 performed alongside a rare generation of Indian classical musicians such as Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Prof. T.N. Krishnan.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">During this period, he received numerous awards from traditional organizations of classical music in India. Most notably, five times he has won the categorical Best Mridangist Prize from the flagship institution for promoting classical Indian music, the Music Academy, Madras.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The show at The Rotunda will start at 3 p.m.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Now through May 17, Opera Philadelphia (<a id=\"OWA72bba665-b93c-645b-2851-3c64aa159504\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.operaphila.org\/\">www.operaphila.org<\/a>) will present the Philadelphia premiere of \u201cThe Black Clown\u201d at the<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Miller Theater, which is located at 250 South Broad Street in Philadelphia.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Creator and opera revolutionary\u00a0Dav\u00f3ne Tines\u00a0has brought Langston Hughes\u2019 poem \u201cThe Black Clown\u201d to musical life in a vaudevillian rendering of this masterpiece.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Fusing gospel, opera, jazz, and spirituals into a searing night of theatrical brilliance,\u00a0\u201cThe Black Clown\u201d\u00a0embodies the evolving, divided soul of Black America and animates a Black man\u2019s resilience against a legacy of oppression.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Show times are 8 p.m. on May 15 and 16 and 2 p.m. on May 17. Ticket prices start at $11.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, <a id=\"OWA75274c99-e781-49f6-1c66-fffe6ade1ad9\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org\/\">http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is hosting the 2026 Kennett Flash JAZZ JAM on May 14, Corey Glover on May 15, The Third Arrangement with special guests The Gavani Trio on May 22 and Just Jammin\u2019 on May 23.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Steel City Coffeehouse (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, <a id=\"OWA4c1e1f41-5d6b-fdc4-85cc-076926bb8cde\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.steelcityphx.com\/\">www.steelcityphx.com<\/a>) will present River Drivers onMay 15 and the Treebirds on May 16.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, <a href=\"http:\/\/thecolonialtheatre.com\/events\">thecolonialtheatre.com\/events<\/a>) will host Dann Pell on May 16, <a id=\"OWA6d42f5b8-7776-6f61-5677-c4940153825a\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"https:\/\/thecolonialtheatre.com\/events\/live-music\/the-ledbetters-superunknown-tributes-to-pearl-jam-chris-cornell-2\/\">The Ledbetters &amp; Superunknown<\/a>\u00a0on May 16, Our Footage Spring Showcase on May 17 and Buckethead on May 20.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, <a id=\"OWAc619de12-70bf-bc8b-2851-c58da1a984cb\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.jameyshouseofmusic.com\/\">www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) is presenting Regina Bonelli on May 15, the Quentin Jones Rock &amp; Roll Review on May 16 and the Blues Muthas with Steve Shanahan on May 17.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, <a id=\"OWAa182c625-24a4-fd09-18e3-864b811acaba\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.elktonmusichall.com\/\">www.elktonmusichall.com<\/a>) presents Eddie 9V on May 14, Brown Sugar on May 15, Indigenous on May 19 and Selwyn Birchwood on May 20.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, <a id=\"OWA4623c216-472a-a88c-5414-6dbe3232580c\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ardmoremusic.com\/\">www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will have Marc Broussard on May 14, Southern Culture on the Skids on May 15 and \u00a0Kenn Kweder &amp; John Train Present 26th Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Bash<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">40 Different Performers; 40 Different Dylan Songs on May 20.<\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">On May 17 at 3 p.m., the American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, <a id=\"OWAa6edae4d-6514-9d15-577d-ff8d6de5ed31\" class=\"OWAAutoLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amtshows.com\/\">www.AMTshows.com<\/a>) will present a show dear to the hearts on many of Philly\u2019s older music fans &#8212; Dick Fox\u2019s Golden Boys starring Frankie Avalon and Fabian with special guest Tommy Cono Tributing Bobby Rydell. Ticket prices start at $69.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementToProof\">The Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.st94.com\/\">www.st94.com<\/a>) will host The Reverend Peyton&#8217;s Big Damn Band on May 14, Michael Martin Murphey on May 15, Mullett on May 16, Davina and The Vagabonds on May 17 and Indigenous on May 20.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Bands form in many different ways. The most frequent are with the members growing up together in school or with musicians in the same circle deciding to pool their talents. Stop Making Sense, which is headlining a show on May 16 at the Lansdowne Theater (31 North Lansdowne [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7441],"tags":[6269,15670,15669],"class_list":["post-43275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-snacktime","tag-stop-making-sense"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43275","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43275"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43275\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43277,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43275\/revisions\/43277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43275"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43275"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43275"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}