+VIBES joins Berks Jazz Fest ‘10 – hosts Grammy winnner

After many years of showing tribute to Berks Jazz Fest by hosting live jazz during the festival’s traditional days at the Brass Lantern, +VIBES has become a member of the Berks Jazz Fest in 2010 and together they will be bringing you two premiere (non-ticketed) events, each to be listed and promoted by all Berks Jazz Fest media outlets.

On Friday, March 19th, the very first day of events of Berks Jazz Fest, the Brass Lantern will feature its very first Grammy award winner on its stage in David Cullen, appearing with the Good Lovin’ Jamband, a Berks County bred Grateful Dead tribute band.

David Cullen is a world-reknown Classical guitarist and has won a Grammy Award for BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING.  He has performed with Will Ackerman, Samite, Michael Manring, Victor Wooten, The JacoBig Band and with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Classical Guitar Performance from the Hartt School of Music.

David has performed throughout North America for Classical Guitar Societies, Jazz Festivals, and Performing Arts Series.   He has released 9 CDs for the acoustic guitar label Solid Air Records and his recordings have been featured on NPR stations across America.

In honor of all that is jazz, David and the Good Lovin’ Jamband, whose drummer is David’s brother (Matty), will be performing a very special set in tribute to “Jazz Is Dead” in which the classic tunes of the Grateful Dead are performed all instrumental with a heavy jazz edge.

David has been known to play Grateful Dead tunes at local solo acoustic shows for many years in the Berks County area, and the combination of the full band with David leading on Classical guitar is mind-blowing.  It will be a historic event for the Brass Lantern and PlusVibes Productions is extremely excited for this event!

On Saturday, March 20th, the Brass Lantern will be hosting Reading-native and another jazz-guitarist,  Josh Taylor with his trio.  Josh is a seasoned guitar veteran and is versed in many styles including jazz, blues, rock , bossa nova, Latin, and flamenco.  He has played at various Berks County venues over the years, including gigs at Bixler’s Lodge, The Brass Lantern, The Inn at Reading Cabana Bar, and Gerald Veasley’s Jazz Base at the Crowne Plaza, and he has been involved with Berks Jazz Fest for many years – a time when his expertise can shine, and he can capture an audience on his very first note.

Josh is joined onstage by local stand-up bassist, Trey LaRue who is the full time bassist in The Kingpins, a self proclaimed “tortured, mean rockabilly” band also based in Berks County, and drummer John Fundyga, who plays in various projects including local veterans, John King’s Dance Band and the Ukrainian Club House Jazz Band.

We expect both nights to be fantastic nights with great crowds, so we recommend you get there early.  We’ll have the fireplace stoked and the mood set to “jazz lounge” at the Brass Lantern for these and all shows during the Berks Jazz Fest celebration.

WE’VE JUST ADDED ANOTHER JAZZ FEST EVENT.  The Dirk Quinn Band will be coming back, fresh off their latest tour, on THURSDAY, March 25th at 9pm.

Here’s all the information:

Berks Jazz Fest 2010

March 19th – 28th

Good Lovin’ Jamband @ The Brass Lantern

with very special guest, and Grammy-award winner,

David Cullen

Friday, March 19th, 2010

9pm – 2am
21+ only

$7 at the door

——– – ——– – ——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

the Josh Taylor Trio @ The Brass Lantern

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

9pm – 1am
21+ only

$6 at the door

——– – ——– – ——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

the Dirk Quinn Band @ The Brass Lantern

THURSDAY, March 25th, 2010

9pm – 1am
21+ only

$5 at the door

——– – ——– – ——– – ——– – ——– – ——–

The Brass Lantern offers:
- $2.50 domestic drafts, $6.50 pitchers
- $3 Jager, Rumplemintz, Blackhaus, Kettle, Stoli & other shots
- Wings, Burgers, Nachos, Patty Melts, Salads, & more
- Kitchen open until 11pm on weekends!
- Friendly service & great overall vibe

GRATEFUL DEAD night monthly with GLJB @ the Brass

After a successful celebration of the birthday of Grateful Dead leader, Jerry Garcia, last month at the Brass Lantern, the members of the Good Lovin’ Jam Band (GLJB) were asked to return for a monthly residency.

Every third Friday until 2010 (or beyond), starting this Friday at 9pm, PlusVibes Productions is especially proud to establish a consistent monthly spotlight on Grateful Dead music once again in Reading, at the Brass Lantern.

It’s been some years since the likes of Grateful Dead cover bands such as Living Earth, Double Dose, and Solar Circus (just to name a few) frequented the Reading area in small clubs like the Brass Lantern, Mr. Charlie’s, The Strand, and Top of the ROC (all but the Brass have long since closed).  With all of those bands dissipating over the years it has been extremely difficult to find a solid replacement until now. 

The Good Lovin’ Jam Band has filled the shoes of its predecessors in providing a complete show for Grateful Dead fans,  starting off with a set by Pangea Acoustic, a set by Neo Trio, and ending with combination of both openers to form the Good Lovin’ Jam Band for two full sets.

It’s a 4-set night of magical music in tribute to a band that’s influenced the ears of happy-hippie listeners since the 1960’s – the Grateful Dead.  We’re sure that all Deadheads will be satisfied in the right on performance that the Good Lovin’ Jam Band provides each and every show.

Take a listen or download the GLJB show from August here.

Here’s all the information:

The Good Lovin’ Jam Band

    every third Friday at the Brass Lantern

featuring Pangea Acoustic & Neo Trio

9pm – 2am
21+ only

$5 at the door

The Brass Lantern offers:
 - $2.50 domestic drafts, $6 pitchers
 - $3 Jager, Rumplemintz, Blackhaus, & other shots
 - Wings, Burgers, Nachos, Patty Melts, Salads, & more
 - Kitchen open until 9:45pm!
 - Friendly service & great overall vibe

Three’s Company @ the Brass Lantern

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO EVERY SECOND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH!

In an audio and visual extravaganza, PlusVibes Productions and the Brass Lantern are proud to host local DJs Gregg Nyce and DJ Evolution with progressive visuals by VjcA every second Friday of every month.

Being billed as “Three’s Company“, including a hilarious poster design created by Tony and Allen Jackson of T-Bone and Aljaxx Illustration and Design, mimicking the classic TV series theme.  The Jacksons were also recently approved by national music act, Ween, to produce a poster for their Baltimore, Maryland show. 

The Brass Lantern shows will feature individual sets by each DJ, with a showcase battle at the end of the evening.  The entire evening will also feature two projectors with spectacular visuals controlled by engineer, and York, Pennsylvania native, Justin, also known as VjcA.

DJ Gregg Nyce has been spinning records since the age of 15, starting off spinning hip hop & reggae at local parties in the Reading area gaining a loyal fanbase and eventually gaining enough reputation to be officially “booked” by venues.  

In 1999 he moved to Philadelphia and quickly established himself, including a Saturday spot spinning hip hop and reggae on Drexel University radio 91.7 WKDU, then transitioning in the club music on Fridays in popular clubs such as Club Eden Roc, Club Glam, Transit, and Shampoo.  He also branched out as far as the New York City scene, with stints in clubs such as Manhattan’s Club M1-5, Delancey, and The Knitting Factory.  Most recently Nyce went global, when he headlined two nights in Amsterdam, Holland at the famed Club De Duivel in April of 2009.

The Gregg Nyce sound has evolved into an eclectic mix that encompasses all genres from Hip Hop to R&B to Reggae to House to Electro to Classics.  His eclectic show is a perfect pairing with sounds of DJ Evolution.

Starting his musical identity with a large collection of L.P.’s and 12-inch singles passed on from his father in his teen years, DJ Evolution first began “mixing” using the simple start-stop technique when experimenting as a teenager.  He recognized the potential of adding non-musical snippets, such a movie voices, nature sounds, recorded conversations, and speeches to the music tracks and he began to produce the makings of an overall show.

It was not until the age of 17, when he bought his first set of Technics, that he was truly able to accurately (and mechanically) express the musical art that was flowing through his creative veins.  DJ Evolution spent many years after that with his headphones on in his bedroom studio, practicing the basic skills of beat matching, seamless mixing, and track selection, but more importantly, he was incessantly collecting more and more records.

It was this collection that formed his extremely eclectic identity.  DJ Evolution spins ANY and EVERY genre of music – no exaggeration.  Hip hop, reggae, Motown, soul, techno, hard rock, funk rock, alternative rock, pop, even country (Johnny Cash is most definitely in his repertoire) – these are some of the major genres he covers and he’s bound to mix and match, and maybe even create his own genre on any given night.

He’s been the hardest working DJ in the area with spotlights in Allentown, Bethlehem, Philadelphia, and more locally in Reading spots such as the Northeast Taproom, Blind Hartman’s Tavern, and Trooper Thorn’s.

One thing you can guarantee at any DJ Evolution show is that you will be embarking on a musical journey from beginning to end and he keeps your attention on the dance floor, and, more often than not, you will sporadically hear familiar banter from people in the crowd saying, “I LOVE this song”.

The trifecta of two DJs and a visual engineer makes each show one that stimulates all the senses.  We hope that you can come and experience the stimulation for yourself.

Here’s all the information:

Three’s Company

   every second Friday of every month

 at The Brass Lantern

featuring

DJ Gregg Nyce and DJ Evolution

and visuals by VjcA

  – February 12, 2010
  - March 12, 2010

$5 at the door

 The Brass Lantern offers:
 - $2.50 domestic drafts, $6.50 pitchers
 - $3 Jager, Rumplemintz, Blackhaus, Kettle, Stoli & other shots
 - Wings, Burgers, Nachos, Patty Melts, Salads, & more
 - Kitchen open until 9:45pm!
 - Friendly service & great overall vibe