ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, February 7, 1997 TAG: 9702070029
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: out & about
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS-BANKS
What do jet skis, diamond earrings and Washington Bullets basketball have in common?
They're all up for grabs at the Radford Chamber of Commerce's annual auction Saturday. The big event runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in downtown Radford's Norwood Room.
Several local businesses have donated goods and services for the auction. Vacation packages, airline tickets and reserved seats at professional sporting events are among the items you'll be bidding on when auctioneer Ken Farmer gets down to business.
How would you like one week's use of a Cadillac? Free radio or newspaper advertising? A weekend at English Mountain?
Or maybe you'd prefer the service Sigma Chi fraternity is putting up - volunteer work by 10 men for two hours!
In addition to the auction, the evening includes a buffet dinner and music provided by Steve Kozar. Tickets are $25 per person.
To make reservations, call the chamber office at 639-2202.
ONE-MAN SHOW: Actor Darryl Van Leer will bring his performance of "From the Gallows to the Gavel" to Virginia Tech on Monday. Curtain time is 8 p.m. in Squires Student Center's Haymarket Theatre.
The one-man show features Van Leer's portrayal of six characters: Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Thurgood Marshall. Tech's Black Student Alliance is sponsoring the event as part of the university's Black History Month celebration.
Born and raised in Kentucky, Van Leer graduated from Western Kentucky University. He broke into show biz as a background vocalist, writer and staff photographer for Black Entertainment Network's "Bobby Jones Gospel Show."
Since then, Van Leer has done stand-up comedy at hot spots such as New York's The Comic Strip and Catch a Rising Star. He's also appeared in one major movie, "A League of Their Own."
These days, Van Leer spends many nights on the road. He has performed at more than 150 colleges and universities all over the country.
Admission to Monday's show is free and open to everyone.
DOWN TO EARTH: "Boy, you can never get too big for your britches," Sheryl Crow says.
The recording artist with so many top-of-the-chart hits (like "If It Makes You Happy") learned this lesson when she found herself at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., the day after playing for an audience of 300,000 at Woodstock II.
The club was "a tiny hole with a capacity of about 100," Crow recalled. "There were rats everywhere. We loaded in our own gear and watched rats run through the rafters."
Crow will touch down in Radford University's Dedmon Center on Thursday. She'll share the stage with the Wallflowers, a popular new band that includes Jakob Dylan (youngest son of the legendary Bob Dylan).
The Wallflowers open the show at 8 p.m.
There are still some tickets left for Thursday's concert, but you'd better hurry and reserve them. It's bound to be a sellout.
Ticket prices are $16 for the public or $13 with Radford University ID. Call 831-5420.
GREAT GOSPEL! Check the "Music" listings in today's Arts & Entertainment Calendar. This must be the week for great gospel music.
The Virginians, the popular Southern gospel music quartet from Roanoke, will be at Bethel United Methodist Church on Sunday. The four harmonizers will join voices at 7 p.m.
If you like gospel music with a country twang, make plans to see Bob Kirk Saturday at Fairlawn's Rockford United Methodist Church. Kirk is visiting from Toledo, Ohio, for this 7 p.m. concert.
Local favorites performing this week include the Gospel Strings, the Redeemers Quartet, the Highland Gospel Singers, Echoes from Calvary, the Young at Heart, the Scotts and the Farley Brothers. You'll find them at a church near you.
SPEAKING SPIRITUALLY: Fran McKendree, a Christian recording artist from Toronto, is the invited guest of St. Thomas Episcopal Church's youth. McKendree will be in Christiansburg Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. concert at Life Bible College.
McKendree began making music as a teen-ager after his parents surprised him with a guitar for Christmas. His professional career took off in 1968 with his rock group McKendree Spring. The band recorded seven albums and toured in Europe, as well as the United States.
McKendree now works as a soloist, traveling all over the place with his ministry.
"My hope is to remain thankful for and receptive to the movement of God in my life," he says.
McKendree's recordings include "Come Away," "Soul, Dream, Prayer," "It's About Life," "Circle of Love" and most recently a compilation titled "Touch Stones."
Tuesday's concert is free and open to everyone. An offering will be accepted.
For more information, call Rob Goldsmith at 382-4365.
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