Southport Magazine

New sounds for the Spring, local venues continue to deliver great entertainment.
STORY by Ami Brown
The Odell Williamson Auditorium and Little Brunswick Theatre offer two very different opportunities for artistry and entertainment. From rock and roll to poetic beauty… have a look.

The End Of America
April 8, 2018, Listen Up Brunswick – Odell Williamson Auditorium
The End of America is a band of friends, singers and travelers who blend three-part harmony with rock and Americana. The Philadelphia-based outfit masters a style that resonates with fans of Ryan Adams, CSNY and Dawes. All frontmen of previous bands, Brendon Thomas, James Downes and Trevor Leonard met on tour in 2005. They went on to form a trio that highlights their vocal chemistry and captures the raw honesty of their performances. TEOA recently released their debut LP (self-titled), a follow-up to their previous EPs, Shakey and Steep Bay. The band name was inspired from Jack Kerouac’s novel, On The Road, as he describes traveling to the end of the groaning continent. Travel inspires us and we live for the trips to familiar and foreign destinations, to discover, write and sing the songs that we create on our journeys.
The End of America is a band of friends, singers and travelers who blend three-part harmony with rock and Americana. The Philadelphia-based outfit harnesses a style that resonates with fans of Ryan Adams, CSNY and Dawes.

All front men of previous bands, Brendon Thomas, James Downes and Trevor Leonard met on tour in 2005. They went on to form a trio that highlights their vocal chemistry and captures the raw honesty of their performances. TEOA recently released their debut LP (self-titled), a follow-up to their previous EPs, Shakey and Steep Bay.

The new album was written in the wake of a series of close calls: one involving a van accident on tour, and the other when drummer Jarrod Pedone was involved in a hit-and-run that left him in a coma for months. Fortunately the band walked away unscathed, and Jarrod made a stunning recovery. The following winter all members relocated to Philadelphia to write and hone their new sound. Joining forces with longtime friend and engineer Dave Downham in the producer’s chair, the band tracked 11 new songs at nearby Gradwell House Recordings in Haddon Heights, NJ.

With the album released, the band has spent the last hear in a heavy rotation of touring. Anyone who has seen TEOA can attest to their powerful harmonies and stage presence.

The End of America has performed at SXSW, Savannah Stopover and the Philadelphia Folk Fest. They have shared the stage with Graham Nash, Old Crow Medicine Show, Larry Campbell, David Bromberg, Gary Louris (The Jayhawks), Simone Felice (The Felice Brothers) and joined Beck in Los Angeles to perform for his Song Reader sheet music release show. The trio’s appearance at the show aired live on KCRW and received praise from Spin, Filter and The Hollywood Reporter.

POETRY
Brunswick Little Theatre to Hosts Open Mic Poetry Readings Brunswick Little Theatre’s first and second Open Mic Poetry Readings were so successful that they have decided to host poetry readings every month this year. The next reading will be at 7:00 pm Friday, April 6. Subsequent sessions will be May 4, June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7, and October 5.
The dates are not yet set for November and December. Everyone is invited to bring their original poetry to read to other poets and poetry lovers. Sign-up begins at 7PM. The readings begin at 7:30 PM in room 1B, the first building behind the main auditorium. For those who would rather just listen, great!  The session will end when all the poets have had a turn. There will be cookies and a donation box to defray the cost of the cookies. Brunswick Little Theatre is located at 8068 River Rd (H’way NC 87), SE, Southport, NC 28165. For more information, contact Ken Greenman at 914-456- 0132 or ngreenman46@aol.com .