TM/© 2011 Sesame Workshop. All Rights Reserved.
Photograph courtesy of VEE Corporation.

The perennial favorite Sesame Street Live once again returns to Johnstown—this time with “Elmo Makes Music”. As a special thank you to our readers, we’re providing you with a code to receive a $3 discount on your tickets. We’re also giving away four free tickets to one lucky winner (details on both appear later in this post).

Three shows are scheduled for Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, PA. Showtimes are at 10:30am, 3:30pm, and 7pm.

Sesame Street Live is great fun for the whole family. Here’s what the producers have to say about the upcoming shows:

Sesame Street Live is a larger-than-life, musical touring stage production featuring Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie and more. Each performance is 90 minutes of singing, dancing and audience participation, including a 15-minute intermission. The perfect length for very young children! Don’t miss this opportunity to count along with The Count, visit Elmo’s World and do the Crumb-A-Rumba with Rosita and Cookie Monster at Sesame Street Live “Elmo Makes Music”.

Tickets may be purchased at the Cambria County War Memorial box office and at all Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone, call 800-745-3000. There are numerous levels of tickets to fit every budget: $12, $16, $20, $25 (Gold Circle) & $50 (Sunny Seats). Group discounts are available by calling the War Memorial at 814-536-5156. The Sunny Seats Package includes a VIP Seat and a pre-show Meet & Greet photo opportunity with two Sesame Street Live friends. Additional fees/surcharges may apply for all ticket purchases.

As a courtesy to our readers, you can get $3 off each ticket by using the passcode ERNIE at ticketmaster.com. Discount excludes Gold Circle & Sunny Seats. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. Discount cannot be combined with any other offer.

Comment on this post to win four complimentary ticket vouchers. Vouchers are exchangeable for tickets while supplies last. One entry per person, please! Entries must be made by 11:59pm EST, Thursday, August 11. One winner will be drawn at random on Friday, August 12 at 9am EST and will be announced in the comments section. Please return to this post to claim your prize.

Photography courtesy of Caterpillar

What began as a bonding exercise for four band mates, quickly turned into an inspirational stay in Johnstown, PA. This visit unpredictably led to the birth of the latest Caterpillar album, “Johnstown”. Now, residents of the city that kindled the concept record will be able to see the composition performed live during the kick-off of the 2011 Concert Series at the Roxbury Bandshell. The band initiates an afternoon of festivities, beginning at 1:00PM, Sunday, May 29^th, 2011.

“The five-song story takes us from when the city was originally founded, through the great flood of 1889 and then moving forward to now,” said Dennis Davis, one of the Indie Rock band’s two guitarists. “We wanted to convey the feeling of history within the city, and the determination of its people to first build—then re-build the town.” He said they would spend the day exploring and enjoying the city, and then let those feelings guide the songs they wrote at night. “It’s a pretty optimistic collection of songs.”

2011 is turning out to be a prolific year for Philadelphia-based band, with “Johnstown” being their second release since January. While they are working on a very tight production deadline, Mr. Davis is hopeful that they will have copies of the CD on hand for the local performance.

The Roxbury Bandshell will have a full slate of activities to launch the popular concert series, including performances by the Johnstown Community Chorus and Ole 97, as well as a Civil War reenactment.

Free concerts will be held every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend through September 11^th, 2011. For complete details, visit the official website of the Roxbury Bandshell.

For more information on Caterpillar, you can find them online at www.caterpillarlovesyou.com.

The yearly festival is held at the Ligonier Township Fire Department Fairgrounds just a few miles outside of Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Enthusiasts are invited to camp out for the weekend at the convenient camping area not far from the stage and concert grounds.

Music workshops, a craft show and a “cow plop” contest are among the activities scheduled, which should provide fun times for adults and children alike.

The line-up for this year’s festival is undoubtedly an impressive one to any fan of the genre. Artists performing include Blue Moon Rising (International Bluegrass Music Association Showcase Artist), Lonesome Highway, and many other national and local acts. If you are looking for a weekend of great music and fellowship, look no further than the Laurel Highlands Bluegrass Music Festival.

The festival will take place June 17 through 18 at the Ligonier Township Fire Department Fairgrounds along Route 271 in Waterford, Pennsylvania.

For more information about the Laurel Highlands Bluegrass Music Festival, or to purchase tickets, visit: www.laurelhighlandsbluegrass.com. You can also call (724) 238-8646 or write to:

Laurel Highlands Bluegrass Festival
1012 Harvey Road
Ligonier, Pennsylvania 15658

This year’s line-up features the Jimmy Adler Band, an outstanding guitar-centric blues band that hails from Pittsburgh, PA. The band is led by Jimmy Adler, whose career has included playing in The Billy Price Band and Jill West and the Blues Attack.

Also performing will be Johnstown’s own Flood City Brass, promising to serve up a performance of rock and rock and rhythm and blues that will set the tone for an entertaining night out.

“Everyone’s in town for Thanksgiving,” said Gary Matolyak, owner of Ace’s Lounge. “We host a party and everyone just has a good time.”

And it’s not just a good time, it’s for a good cause, too. “We use this to raise money for the Johnstown Free Medical Clinic,” said Mr. Matolyak, explaining that money raised through corporate sponsorship and from admission is donated to this all-volunteer organization that provides free medical services to the uninsured across the greater Johnstown region.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door and can be purchased at Ace’s Lounge. The cost of admission includes dinner from a menu that includes kielbasa, rigatoni and other fare.

Click here to learn more about the Johnstown Free Medical Clinic.

• June 12—Lou Stein
• June 19—Whiskey River Panhandlers
• July 10—Jazz In Your Face
• July 31—Lou Stein
• August 14—Rachel & John
• August 21—Jazz in Your Face

Anyone that has experienced these outdoor concerts will tell you that these performances are a great way to spend a summer evening. Concertgoers are welcome to sit on the park benches or to bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Admission is free.

Click here for a map to Central Park, downtown Johnstown, PA.

The 5th Annual Roxbury Bandshell Summer Concert Series kicks off this Sunday, May 30th with an afternoon full of events. The 54th PA Volunteer Infantry and Civilian re-enactors will be on-site to perform Civil War re-enactments, which will start at noon and occur throughout the day between music sets. Music schedule for Sunday is as follows:

•    1:00 pm Lou Stein
•    3:00 pm Hard Rok, Koko, and Joe
•    5:00 pm Ole ‘97

Concerts for this season will be held on Sundays, May 30, 2010 through September 12, 2010. Music for every taste has been scheduled—rock, polka, jazz, country and more! For a complete list of this year’s line-up, visit the “Calendar of Events” page of the Roxbury Bandshell Web site.

Admission is free, but donations are accepted. All proceeds benefit the Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance and are used for renovations and upkeep of the bandshell. Concertgoers are asked to bring their own seating and are permitted to bring a picnic lunch. Food is also available for purchase from Holy Cross National Catholic Church.

The Roxbury Bandshell is located in Roxbury Park at 1430 Franklin Street in Johnstown (click here for a map).

You may associate vampires with Halloween alone (or perhaps a certain box office franchise), but this May, the fanged creatures of the night will be headed to Windber for the second annual Draculacon. The event’s lineup consists of authors, actors, music, films, and more, all brought into town with the goal of creating a day (and night) of dark delights.

“Draculacon is an investment in enchantment and romance… it’s a very undefined celebration,” explains host Blair Murphy.

Special guests of the event include actor Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster on the television show The Munsters), musician David J., and author Rosemary Ellen Guiley (author of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters). The stage will also feature the premier screening of SCARED! The Grand Midway Hotel, which follows a team of ghost hunters in their investigation of Windber’s own mysterious landmark. Additional events include a burlesque show and a costume contest.

Draculacon will take on May 8, 2010, from 1:00 PM to 10:30 PM at the Arcadia Theater in Windber. Tickets are available for purchase online through Draculacon.com. More information and a full list of guests can be found at the site as well.

The Johnstown Symphony Orchestra’s annual concert series consists of seven concerts between the months of October and May, with additional performances each year including an annual fundraising Opera Festival, a Mother’s Day concert, a Young Peoples Concert aimed towards the area’s 5th Grade students, and several choral concerts. For this year’s complete schedule, visit the concert schedule page on the JSO Web site.

“If you were to go across the country to communities the size of Johnstown, finding a symphony orchestra this caliber would be rare,” says Patricia Hofscher, Executive Director of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. “There is a magic that takes ahold in this orchestra on concert night. They are just outstanding.”

Founded in 1929, the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra has been delighting music lovers for generations with performances of the works of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and so many more masters from the classical genre. “Unique to our orchestra is the fact that it grew out of a lot of smaller theatre orchestras from the Johnstown area,” Pat says. “In fact, the Johnstown Ironworks brought workers to the area specifically because they were musicians. These families have since played in the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra generation after generation.”

This year’s performances will be under the direction of Maestro Istvan Jaray, who has been the symphony’s conductor since coming to Johnstown as a guest conductor in 1984.

Regular season concerts begin at 7:30PM are held at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (click here for a map). Tickets are available from the JSO Web site and by calling 814.535.6738.

Pat would like everyone in the Johnstown region to understand that the symphony is nothing to be afraid of. “These concerts are not stuffy. Just sit back and listen to the music and it will send a message without words.”

Learn more by visiting the official Web site of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra.

Photograph courtesy of Shawn Schmalz

709 Railroad Street is both the name and location of one of Johnstown, PA’s most unique entertainment venues. Located on the edge of downtown Johnstown, the establishment is part music club, part art gallery, part community gathering area.

The mainstay of the facility is live music performances, featuring original music from artists in the Punk, Indie, Hardcore and, occasionally, Metal genres. Averaging a show each week, the location draws acts from near and far.

Typically, shows feature as many as five or six bands performing in a single evening. All shows are all-ages and generally end around 10:00PM, providing teens and young adults with a terrific entertainment opportunity.

709 Railroad Street is part of an East Coast touring route that caters to bands of similar style (punk, hardcore, etc.). Being a part of this network of approximately 50 stops between New England and Florida brings a wide-selection of bands for area residents to enjoy.

Founded and managed by a collective of area artists and musicians, 709 Railroad Street provides an ideal opportunity for young creatives to showcase their art. A key part of the facility is, in fact, its art gallery, which features a new art opening quarterly. “Johnstown is a great place to live inexpensively and have time to focus on your art,” says Promoter/Musician Mikey D’Angelo. “Plus, there is a great creative network here to support you.”

According to Mr. D’Angelo, since opening in August 2007 the venue has hosted the premier of 125 artistic offerings, including art collections, books, CD releases, art performances and film screenings.

The common area of 709 Railroad Street speaks to the community ideal of the collective. Furnished for comfortable socializing, the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and includes a community library that features classic literature, do-it-yourself books, and volumes on art and design.

709 Railroad Street events are always listed in the Do Johnstown! calendar and select photos are available at the Do Johnstown! Flickr photostream.

Bands wishing to perform at the venue can contact promoters by emailing bands_709 (-at-) yahoo.com.

Artists interested in scheduling a showing of their wares should contact Jacob Koestler, Art Curator, by emailing art_709 (-at-) yahoo.com.

Official online presences for 709 Railroad Street include:

• MySpace
• Facebook
• My Idea of Fun
• Vocal Youth

709 Railroad Street is located at (surprise, surprise!) 709 Rail Street, Johnstown, PA (click here for a map).

The popular festival has long since made a name for itself as a means to see performances by a wide variety of musicians, with a range of styles including Folk, Blues, Jazz, Zydeco, Latin, Gospel, Post-Punk and so much more. “We’re really excited about the level of talent the festival draws,” says Shelley Johansson, Directory of Marketing and Communication for the Johnstown Area Heritage Association. “We have such a strong list of performances, from national acts to regional favorites. It’s a really diverse lineup.”

One of the featured sets of this year’s festival is the Sunday night performance by The Derek Trucks Band. Fronted by Derek Trucks, a long-time member of the Allman Brothers Band, the band blends traditional Rock and Blues with a touch of World, creating a sound that is sure to please the ethnic sensibilities of the Johnstown listening audience.

For a complete list of this year’s line-up, visit the “2009 Performers” page of the JAHA Web site.

Like any other Johnstown street festival, the AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival also features great food, beverages and people, including a small army of volunteers recruited by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association.

The music festival has undergone its share of changes over the years, but nothing quite as radical as this year. Formerly known as the Johnstown FolkFest, the festival was renamed to better describe the wide-range of musical styling on display throughout the weekend. “The name change helps paint a more accurate picture of the type of music at the festival and will hopefully help attract more music fans,” says Mrs. Johansson.

Another significant change is the date of the music festival. Traditionally held on Labor Day weekend and running concurrent to several other notable Johnstown-area events, the Flood City Music Festival has moved up two weeks and has the weekend to itself. According to Mrs. Johansson, the move away from Labor Day weekend was made due to the number of conflicting engagements many in the area face. “Labor Day is an overscheduled weekend, particularly in the Johnstown area. Moving to another weekend really helps the broader community have the opportunity to spend time at all of the area’s offerings.”

To help cover the expense of the festival, organizers are requesting donations from those attending. The admission donation is $5 on Friday, $10 on Saturday and $10 on Sunday. Children under 16 accompanied by an adult are free and festival volunteers get in free the days they volunteer. Donations will be collected at the festival gates at the Johns Street and Walnut Street Bridges and all who donate will receive a free festival schedule-on-a-string (the festival performance schedule on a lanyard) . Those planning to attend all three days can save $5 by purchasing a “Bronze Sponsorship” for $20, which includes admission for all three days. Additional information on pricing is available at www.floodcitymusic.com.

All performances will be staged at Johnstown, PA’s Festival Park, located directly across the river from Point Stadium, encompassing several blocks in the vicinity of the Johnstown Amtrak train station.