The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/17438
Little Feat draws big crowd Photo by Dominique Thomas down, about 550 people came out to see ’70s blues rock band Little Feat at the Oneonta The- atre on Thursday, Sept. 30. Even with rain pouring It was the first large- scale concert by a full band at the theater, which has hosted big-name, mostly acoustic acts Steve Earle and Jerry Jeff Walker since its opening in early August. As Little Feat was open- ing with “Hate to Lose Your Lovin’” at 8 p.m., people were still crowded around the bar outside the theater, waiting to get $4.50 domestic drafts and $5 export drafts. Pabst Blue Ribbon cans were going for $3 each. Little Feat swelled in popularity in the ’70s with its eclectic blues/rock/ country/jazz sound and frontman Lowell George, a former member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. After the break- up of the band and the death of George in 1979, Little Feat wasn’t on the scene again until the late ’80s. Most of the band members who had been with the group since 1972 or earlier and a couple of new members released the album Let It Roll in 1988. They’ve been on the concert circuit ever since. Thursday, nearly all the members of the newly formed Little Feat gave a two-hour performance to a house of mostly middle- aged audience members, some of whom were hippie-dancing along the edges of the theater – arms swaying like wings, heads rolling back and forth. It felt like a Phish concert for parents, and grandparents – the kind that still know how to party. Photo by Dominique Thomas One woman’s whoo-ing inspired frontman Paul Barrere, a guitarist with the band since 1972, to respond with “I want some of what she’s drink- ing … or smoking.” The crowd erupted in cheers. The Oneonta Theatre is a charming venue for casual shows like the one Thursday, where people come in jeans and T-shirts and feel free to go back and forth from the bar to their seat and dance in the aisles. Co-owner Tom Cormier said the concerts have been successful, but he hopes to offer the com- munity diverse enter- tainment such as classic movie showings, concerts by local bands and open mic nights. “If the public tells us what they want, we’ll bring it here.” The Oneonta Theatre is starting a produc- tion company, The Oneonta Theatre Stage Players. Patrick Lippincott, the theater’s head of production and facility direc- tor is partnering with veteran actor Steve Dillon. Lippincott will take on responsibili- ties of technical and scenic designer while Dillon, an account executive for Central New York Radio Group and host of WZOZ FM’s Art Ala Carte radio program, will be the company’s artistic director. The two have already planned a first season of six productions that include ”Don’t Hug Me (A Christmas Carol),” ”Always Patsy Cline,” “The Odd Couple” (the female version), “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” “Peter Pan” (the musical) and the 1931 version of “Frankenstein.” Auditions for “Don’t Hug Me” are Oct 12- 14 and will kicks off the inaugural season Dec 2-5. Want more details? Check out www. oneontatheatre.com. OPEN MIC NIGHT 10/7, 8 p.m., Oneonta Theatre Aspiring performers, songwriters and poets of all levels of ability can present their talent at an open mic night at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Oneonta The- atre at 102 Chesnut St. Hosted by SUNY Oneonta student Julia Yarinsky, Seen Unseen and the Oneonta Theatre. Sign-ups 7:30 p.m. 15 available slots Each act can perform 2 pieces Free entry for performers $3 cover for audience members Exciting, fun events happening? Let us know! E-mail event information, press releases and promotional photos to editor@otownscene.com Oct. 7, 2010 O-Town Scene 13 M g O i p e c n i N h t ! ! !