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"Live at the Rives" Concerts Announced

Responding to feedback from area music lovers, the Arts at the Rives Theatre (ART) group has dropped ticket prices and added plenty of blues and rock to its spring concert schedule, headlined by a guitarist with direct family ties to the Allman Brothers Band.

Devon Allman, the son of Allman Brothers Band founder Gregg Allman, will perform at the Rives on March 24. A guitarist, vocalist and keyboard player, Devon Allman has toured throughout North America and Europe while also sitting in with the Allman Brothers Band as a special guest numerous times. He will perform at the theatre with his band, Honeytribe.

Other artists booked for the "Live at the Rives" spring concert series are the Lizzy Ross Band, Sanctum Sully and William Walter's Damn Fine Trio. "We're really excited about our second year of live music in uptown Martinsville," said ART President Dean Johnston. "We feel like this is a first-class lineup, and we want people to know that you don't have to leave Martinsville to hear great music."

Entering its second full year, ART has made several notable changes for the spring concert series. For starters, tickets to "Live at the Rives" concerts will be $8 in advance and $10 at the door, a decrease of 33 percent from last year. In addition, concerts will no longer take place exclusively on the first Friday of the month, as ART strives to get the best music at the best price, while also avoiding scheduling conflicts with other local civic groups.

"We're just one of several local organizations trying to make Martinsville a better place to live," said Johnston. "By having access to the historic Rives Theatre, our group is able to showcase touring bands, as well as local musical acts, theatre and artisans. But just like any other civic group, we need community support to make it happen."

The concert series will begin with Devon Allman and Honeytribe on March 24, though a special VIP/sponsor kickoff event featuring the Lizzy Ross Band will take place Feb. 17. The Lizzy Ross show will be open only to season ticket holders and ART sponsors. A $50 season ticket will grant admission to the Lizzy Ross concert, which will feature free food and beverages, as well as all six "Live at the Rives" concerts in 2012.

Fan favorites Sanctum Sully of Asheville, N.C., will hold a CD-release party April 13 as part of the Rives' series. This newgrass/rock band, which features Martinsville natives Jay Franck and Win Webster, has played at the theatre on two previous occasions and performed at all three Rooster Walks. Sanctum Sully will also serve as the "festival hosts" for Rooster Walk 4 on May 25-27.

William Walter's Damn Fine Trio will headline the Rooster Walk Preview show on May 4 at the theatre. This popular Charlottesville-based band is a derivative of William Walter & Co., a high-energy rock band that served as the headliner of Rooster Walk 2. WW&C is also a regular performer at Floydfest.

In addition to the "Live at the Rives" concert series, the theatre will continue to host other bands and occasional movie screenings on an event-by-event basis. Poverty Level, formerly of Stuart, is scheduled to perform at the Rives on Saturday, while Miami-blues guitarist Albert Castiglio will play at the theatre March 2. The theatre will also remain home to the "Bluegrass at the Rives Concert Series" presented by the Lions Club of Martinsville & Henry County, which brings local and regional bluegrass acts to the Rives on the third Saturday of each month. The theatre can also be booked for private events, such as birthday parties, movie screenings or social functions, by calling 403-0872.

For more information, e-mail rivestheater@gmail.com or visit www.rivestheatre.wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/rivestheater.

March 2nd- Albert Castiglia
April 13th- Sanctum Sully 
May 4th- William Walter & Co.

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About ART: The Arts at the Rives Theatre is recognized by the IRS as a 501c3 non-profit group. ART formed in 2010 when the Friends of the Rives Theatre merged with the Artisan Café. The group, comprised strictly of volunteers, is governed by a 14-person board, and strives to maintain this 1930s-era theatre as a place for musical, educational and artistic community programming.