Kate Campbell Concert Benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham (2010 edition)

Strings Attached Productions presents acclaimed Nashville-based singer/songwriter Kate Campbell in a benefit concert for Urban Ministries of Durham, Friday, February 12, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 E Main St. Durham.

The always in-demand artist offers a perfect complement to the mission of UMD and the St. Philip's concert series. Campbell writes smart and sublime; her points are deftly made with reflective reasoning rather than pugnacious preaching.

From admiring everyday heroes, marveling at eccentrics, examining human rights, lamenting changing landscapes, summoning spirituality, and reflecting on youthful views, Campbell's memorable melodies and insightful lyrics stay in the psyche, uplifting and inspiring long after the last song. Plus she's a hoot. Be sure to catch this always entertaining talent!

Tickets are $15 advance, $20 day of show; $8 for 12 and under (advance tickets are available by sending checks payable to Strings Attached c/o St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 Main St Durham NC 27701, via phone at 919.682.5708 or through the PayPal link at www.stphilipsdurham.org). Younger childcare is available. Refreshments (beer/wine/sodas/water/coffee/moonpies/etc.) will be available. Free, monitored parking.

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM

With leadership from the faith community, Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD) was founded in 1983 with a mission "to provide food, clothing, shelter and supportive services to our neighbors in need." In offering a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment, UMD aims to affirm the dignity of guests, volunteers, and staff. UMD plays a critical role in the community's continuum of care network, as we are the primary point of entry to prevention, re-housing and emergency services for a large percentage of the homeless and poverty-stricken population in the community.

Programs include:

The Community Shelter--regularly operates at full occupancy including the nine rooms for homeless families. Each night, an average of 140-150 people receive emergency housing here. The overall shelter population has increased 32% from the previous fiscal year.

The Community Café--serves 3 meals a day every day, about 18,500 meals per month. This number has increased 10% in the past year and 63% from five years ago.

The Food Pantry and Clothing Closet--distribute groceries and clothing to adults, children and families. Demand for these services are up 39% from the previous year and 113% from five years ago.

Visit www.umdurham.org for more information.

ABOUT STRINGS ATTACHED PRODUCTIONS

Launched in April 2003, Strings Attached Productions is a benefit concert production program of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in downtown Durham. The February 12 Kate Campbell concert marks the 23rd concert in the series. All profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham. Visit www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information.

John Wesley Harding ASAP

JOHN WESLEY HARDING
PERFORMS DURHAM SHELTER BENEFIT

Friday, November 6, at 7 PM

(click above button to add to your calendar)

Is it fair when one of today's sharpest songwriters may be best known for his cover of Madonna's Like a Prayer from early on in his career? Fair or not, John Wesley Harding knows a good song, whether he's written it or not. His own best-known song, I'm Wrong About Everything, figured prominently on the High Fidelity soundtrack. The British-born Harding, who took his stage name from another singer/songwriter's song, Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding, combines witty wordplay with memorable melodies. His songs and his sound easily call to mind fellow countryman and expat, Elvis Costello, but Harding's tunes reveal more whimsical, wry and, at times, ribald wordplay than Costello's.

In his first-ever Durham show, and first in the Triangle in seven years, Harding brings his songs to downtown Durham Friday, November 6, at 7 PM, for the next Strings Attached concert. This literate and literary artist performs in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street (enter on Queen Street). Tickets are $15 in advance ($20 on the day of show), $8 for persons under 12 (under 5 childcare is available on-site). Refreshments (including beer from Triangle Brewing, wine, sodas and water along with sweet and savory snacks) will also be available. All profits from the concert benefit the work of Urban Ministries of Durham. Visit www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information and to purchase advance tickets.

After lending credibility to Madge's Prayer, Harding's Sire Records debut, Here Comes the Groom, inspired LA Times' rock critic Robert Hilburn to decree it, "the first great rock record of the '90s." Along with rock's unplugged trend, Harding emerged as one of the first, great anti-folk artists or, as in his words, "folk noir."

In 1995 Bruce Springsteen's handpicked Harding as his first opening act in two decades. In addition to Springsteen (who duets with Harding on 2000's Wreck on the Highway), Harding's performed with Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, John Prine, Joan Baez and many more songwriting stalwarts along the way.

Now living in the Philadelphia area with his wife and two toddlers, Harding's most recent album, Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead, employs the estimable talents of the Minus Five's Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin, along with Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Kurt Bloch, Kelly Hogan, Robert Lloyd, Earl Slick (David Bowie and John Lennon) and Mike Viola (Candy Butchers). His songs take on the music biz, religion and his new life of letters as a celebrated novelist.

Under his given name, Wesley Stace, he's written two well-received novels so far, 2005's Misfortune and 2007's By George. He's completed another that should be released in the not so distant future.

Living, observing, distilling, writing and performing is what John Wesley Harding does. Now, in a rare opportunity, see what he does in an intimate setting in the heart of Durham. Strings Attached Productions presents John Wesley Harding in concert—for one night and one show only—Friday, November 6, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street in Durham (use Queen Street entrance). All profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD).

Visit www.johnwesleyharding.com for more information and materials about John Wesley Harding. Visit www.umdurham.org for more information about Urban Ministries of Durham and visit www.stphilipsdurham.org for more information about St. Philip's Episcopal Church and Strings Attached Productions.

—asap—

JOHN WESLEY HARDING RESOURCES:

• Electronic Press Kit: http://www.johnwesleyharding.com/jwh.epk.pdf
• Bio: http://www.concertedefforts.com/HARDbio2004.pdf
• Strings Attached Poster: http://snipurl.com/slnps

JOHN WESLEY HARDING CRITICAL PRAISE:

• "John Wesley Harding, who named himself after a Bob Dylan song about an outlaw, sounds like Elvis Costello enamored of folk-rock, gruffly revealing his ruefulness and cynicism in stolidly tuneful songs." —Jonathan Pareles, New York Times
  


• "Harding's lyrics are typically wry and acerbic, with plenty of narrative twists...God serenades Satan in 'My Favourite Angel.' It's a rich, engaging set that reveals something new with each listen." —Gary Graff, The Hollywood Reporter
  


• "Hinting at influence from Elvis Costello and Ray Davies, he shares his cynical observations through catchy, amusing melodies." —NPR's World Café
  


• “Of course the lyrics are great....He’s known as a wordsmith. But he writes great pop songs, too, great melodies." Scott McCaughey, The Minus 5
  

JOHN WESLEY HARDING BACKGROUND:

• Pop Matters: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/93998-folk-rocker-and-novelist-john-wesley-harding-brings-his-storytelling-/
  


• The Independent UK: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/the-5minute-interview-john-wesley-harding-singersongwriter-and-novelist-768335.html
  


• Pandora Video: http://blog.pandora.com/archives/show/2009/06/concert_john_we_1.html
  


• Pop Matters: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/72166-john-wesley-harding/
  


• FLYPMedia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFeYRjapo7w
  


• FLYPMedia: http://www.flypmedia.com/issues/plus/05/#1/1
  


• Shrewsbury Folk Festival 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ0FN7g6IyE
  


• NPR's World Café (produced by WXPN): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102042707
  


• NPR's Song of the Day (for Top of the Bottom from Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead):http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101611351
  


• NPR's Scott Simon interviews Stace about his "Dickensian romp," Misfortune:
  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4717516&ps=rs
  

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:

• Urban Ministries of Durham: http://www.umdurham.org
• St. Philip's Episcopal Church & Strings Attached: http://www.stphilipsdurham.org