Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994 TAG: 9406290022
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Donna Alvis Banks
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Didi Snavely, owner and operator of Didi's Used Weapons, has a morbid motto: "If Didi's can't kill it, it's immortal."
Didi's husband, R.R. Snavely, reports the latest UFO sighting, a phenomenon he describes as a "gigantic hovering chalupa without the guacamole."
Vera Carp and her colleague, the Rev. Spikes, are on a rampage with the Smut Snatchers of the New Order, a group dedicated to cleaning up the dictionaries at the local high school.
And last but certainly least, Connie Carp wins the junior high school's American essay contest with her original discourse, "Human Rights, Why Bother?"
The town is Tuna, Texas. It's the setting for the wacky and irreverent play, "Greater Tuna," written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard.
Playmakers & Company, the New River Valley's community theater troupe, has extended its production of the comedy. You can catch the last run today and Saturday at Playmakers' Playhouse in Blacksburg's University Mall.
Virginia Salmon (whose last name is surely a fishy coincidence) is the director. She says the play's quirky characters, quick costume changes and interesting music have succeeded in winning audience approval:
"We're having a very good audience response on this show because it's so funny."
Actors Jeff McCoy and Brian Compton portray all 20 characters in the play. They represent typical Tuna residents going through a typical Tuna day.
"Brian and Jeff are absolutely hilarious as they change from one hysterical character to another," Salmon noted.
Curtain time tonight and Saturday is 7:30. Tickets, available at the door, are $5 for adults or $3 for students and senior citizens.
CHILDREN OF THE GOSPEL: Kerygma Child plays hard rock - or perhaps "solid rock" is a better description.
Their music comes from their faith.
The Lynchburg-based group features lead vocalist Lance Christian, guitarist Josh Sampson, drummer Kevin Molway and Jeremy West on bass. The four guys met in college in the fall of 1990 and decided to combine their talents, as well as their commitment to Christ.
Earlier this year, Kerygma Child was rated as one of the top 10 unsigned bands in Heaven's Metal Magazine. The group's style has been compared to bands such as Petra, Whiteheart, Guardian and Bride. In fact, Kerygma Child opened for Bride in a recent concert.
Kerygma Child will perform Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. at Straight Street Youth Center in Christiansburg. The "Coffee House" concert is open to all ages.
The center is at 300 N. Franklin St. If the weather is good, the concert will be outdoors.
GOOD THING:It's a good thing for us that Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg and Edgar Meyer came out of the studio and into the spotlight. Individually, they were three of Nashville's most sought-after studio musicians. Together, they are one of the most innovative acts in bluegrass music today.
The trio's debut Sugar Hill album, "Skip, Hop and Wobble," has received rave reviews from the likes of The Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Boston Globe and The Chicago Tribune.
Douglas, who plays dobro, said he decided to take up the instrument when he was 8 years old after attending a Flatt & Scruggs concert. Over the years, he has played with Randy Travis, James Taylor, T-Bone Burnett, Ricky Skaggs, Paul Simon, The Indigo Girls - the list goes on.
Barenberg, the trio's guitarist, is known for his writing as well as his skill on acoustic guitar. He has several albums on Rounder Records and recently worked on the soundtrack for Ken Burn's documentary, "The Civil War."
Of the three, Meyer is the musician with the most formal musical training. The bass player began studying when he was only 5 years old. He has performed with Bocephus, The Chieftains, The Emerson Quartet and the Minnesota Orchestra.
You can hear Douglas, Barenberg & Meyer live in concert tonight at the Old Narrows High School. The concert, which also features local talent from Dylan Locke, Craig Willoughby, Bob Thomas and Jack Chang, starts at 8.
Advance tickets, $10, are available at the Record Exchange in Blacksburg, Anna's Restaurant in Narrows and Disc Jockey in Bluefield's Mercer Mall. Admission at the door is $15.
HOT SUMMER NIGHTS:Cool music should help you chill out.
The talented Nashville singer and songwriter Walter Hyatt performs at Maxwell's Restaurant & Bar in Blacksburg Saturday. His fame came in the early '70s with the popular cult group, Uncle Walt's Band.
A Washington Post reporter said Hyatt "talks like Slim Pickens, plays like Ry Cooder and sings like Tony Bennett." His 1990 album, "King Tears," was produced by Lyle Lovett and kudos-ized by all the critics. His latest album, "Music Town," is a collection of 12 original tunes that once again has folks in the music bid taking notice.
Harriet Cariocas, a critic for Chicago Country magazine, calls "Music Town" an irresistible album: "Each song is a pearl."
The pearls range from songs like "Last Call," a tear-in-my-beer number, to "Get the Hell Out of Dodge," a lightsome look at a guy who's tired of lovers' quarrels. There's also the serious "Are We There Yet, Momma?" about a mother and her children running from an abusive father.
Hyatt will perform at 9 and 10:45 Saturday evening. The cover charge is $2.
Maxwell's is at 1204 N. Main St.
GET THE BLUES:Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin is bringing his Chicago-style blues to Blacksburg's South Main Cafe Saturday night. He's an amazing talent with his slide guitar playing.
Margolin played with the Muddy Waters Blues Band from 1973 to 1980 before going solo. He has also jammed and recorded with many of the biggies in rock and blues music, including Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Nappy Brown, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker and The Rolling Stones.
Currently, Margolin is recording on the Alligator label, the biggest record company in blues music. His latest album is "Down in the Alley."
Saturday's show at South Main Cafe, 117 S. Main St., starts at 10 p.m. The cover charge is $5 if you're over 21 or $6 if you're under 21.
by CNB