Newsroom

The Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg will kick off its 2017-2018 season in September on a high note with performances by a Scottish folk band and a two-day music festival.

North Sea Gas will lead off the Theatre’s CLUB 28 series Thursday, September 14, with shows at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. One of Scotland's most popular folk bands, North Sea Gas features terrific vocals and tremendous three-part harmonies. The singers’ performances consist of traditional, contemporary and original material arranged in a style that’s all their own. Guitars, mandolin, fiddle, bouzouki, harmonica, whistles, bodhráns, banjo—and a keen sense of humor—are all part of the entertainment. With an ever-growing fan base of all ages, “Gas” offers shows with universal appeal.

Tickets cost $15 each and both performances feature general admission seating. The 1 p.m. performance is set in on-stage, theatre-style seating and is approximately one hour in length. The evening show, in a relaxed, on-stage cabaret setting, includes refreshments and is approximately two hours long.

The musical month will continue with a two-day treat, Aiken & Friends Fest, North Branch, Friday-Saturday, September 22-23. The weekend’s first event, Songwriters-in-the Round, will be held on September 22, at 7 p.m.

For 12 years Aiken & Friends Fest has been coastal Virginia’s premier music festival featuring national, regional and local artists and songwriters performing original music. RVCCArts is offering a “North Branch” of Virginia’s beloved festival, with Mike Aiken and two guests performing their original works and talking about their writing and what inspires them. Tickets to the special evening, with reserved seating, cost $20 each.

The weekend will continue Saturday, September 23, at noon, with three, 60-minute workshops in guitar, songwriting and indie music promotion. Workshops tickets cost $10 each. That afternoon, from 2-6 p.m., the public is invited to a free outdoor concert on the RVCC quad. Four artists will perform 45-60 minute sets, and local musicians are invited to share their strumming in a “pickers’ tent.” Food will be available throughout the afternoon, and local arts and craft vendors will be on hand.

The festival will include a number of open microphone opportunities, and the winners will be invited to perform as opening acts for the Saturday night concert. Visit www.rvccArts.org for additional information. The weekend will conclude with a performance of Tall Tales & Troubadours with the Mike Aiken Band, September 23, at 7 p.m., at the Theatre at RVCC. The concert will feature reserved seating and tickets cost $20 each. A $30 weekend pass includes both evening performances and the purchaser’s choice of one workshop.

A singer/songwriter known for his signature blend of Americana and country music, Mike Aiken is a teller of tales whose music makes audiences feel like they instantly know him. With five top-30 singles over the past four years in the U.S. and Europe, Aiken offers songs that are rich with stories of life, love and wanderlust.

To purchase tickets for any of September’s offerings at the Theatre, call the Box Office, 908-725-3420, or order online at www.rvccArts.org. Subscribers’ packages are available for most Theatre series. Senior citizen, student and group discounts are also available for most performances.

Raritan Valley Community College’s main campus is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 14, 2017

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #10