Anthrophobia, Mascot Band among Berks hall of fame inductees [Spotlight]
Aug. 21—The Berks County Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will honor its 2022 inductees during a ceremony Sept. 10 at FirstEnergy Stadium as part of a Reading Fightins game.
This year's inductees are Anthrophobia, a hard-rock band fronted by Frank Phobia; the Reading Fightins Mascot Band; Dave Kapaona; Dean Strause; and Kim Longlott.
Other members of Anthrophobia, from its 1996 record label signing period to the present, are Brent Black (guitar), Rob DiJoseph (bass), Dickie Delp (drums), Eric Bess (bass), Dayv Lord (guitar), Tim Risser (bass), Mike Arevalo (guitar), Joe Donato (drums), Hans Schloesser (guitar) and Todd Owens (bass).
Members of the Mascot Band, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021, are Screwball (Dean Stump), drums; Quack the Duck (Todd Hunsicker), lead singer and guitar; Change-Up the Turtle (Tom Hunsicker), percussion; Bucky the Beaver (Mike Fink), bass; and Blooper the Hound Dog (Gene Sweeney), lead guitar.
The induction event will begin with music in the plaza at FirstEnergy Stadium from 4:45 to 6 p.m. featuring this year's music director, John King, and his band, including Kapaona on drums. The induction ceremony will follow, leading up the game time. Following the Fightins game and a fireworks display, Anthrophobia and the Mascot Band will perform.
The awards themselves have been upgraded thanks to a collaboration between Roger Stafford Awards, The Reading Musical Foundation and Dave Kline Productions. The new awards are 15 inches high and contain a symbolic swirl of tie-dyed glass on a solid black bass.
Presenters will be Dave Kline, BCRRHOF executive director; Robert "Bob" Yost, BCRRHOF art director; Charles J. "Charlie" Adams III; Mike "Andy" Anderson; Dave Lewis; John King; and the Reading Musical Foundation.
Tickets are available at fightins.com or at FirstEnergy Stadium. Rain date is Sept. 11.
Art
Studio B Fine Art Gallery, Boyertown, will host an opening reception Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. for a one-woman show featuring the art of Yenna Hill, a self-taught artist known for work that she calls "pop-infused ancestral hieroglyphs."
A virtual tour will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Facebook LIVE, and will be archived as a Facebook event and on YouTube following the opening. Amy Muzopappa of Muzo Media Productions hosts the art tour. The exhibit will run through Oct. 23.
Hill uses brushes, acrylic pen and marker, employing layers of color, imagery, pattern, design and shape. Hours spent as a child drawing with her grandfather Al Haring, a cartoonist and illustrator, in rooms showcasing the work of her uncle, pop artist Keith Haring, inspired her journey. She has exhibited since 2009, and is well-known as a contributor to public art installations in and around Reading.
"Yenna is making it happen," noted Studio B's gallery director, Susan Biebuyck. "Not only is she prolific on canvas, but she paints commissions with an acute sensitivity.
She recently has begun collaborating with jewelry artist and metalsmith Chrissy Cook, owner of MADE Jewelry, on a one-of-a kind art jewelry line, YEN x MADE.
"Studio B is looking forward to showcasing Yenna's work and introducing her to the community and our artist membership," Biebuyck said. "She has had a masterful evolution in her work recently. I see her as this generation's next talent from the Haring family. Watching her break into the art world with such a strong portfolio is exciting to watch."
Music
The Trey Anastasio Band and Goose are teaming up for a fall tour that will stop at the Santander Arena, Reading, on Nov. 19. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com.
According to Anastasio's website, trey.com, the two bands will each play a full set along with "unique collaborations."
Anastasio, a founding member of the jam band Phish, has received Grammy nominations for his work with them as well as for his solo work. He has collaborated with the likes of Dave Matthews, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Toots and the Maytals. B.B. King and The Roots. He cowrote a Tony-nominated score for the Broadway musical "Hands on a Hardbody," and has performed his original compositions with numerous symphonies.
Goose is an indie groove band from Norwalk, Conn., that formed in 2014 and has been making inroads in the jam band scene ever since. Their latest studio album, "Dripfield," was released in June.
Theater
Seven shows have been announced for the 2022-23 Broadway on 6th series, which returns to the Santander Performing Arts, Reading. The lineup includes "Cirque Dreams: Holidaze" on Dec. 8, "Legally Blonde: The Musical" on Dec. 9, "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" on Dec. 15, "Hairspray" on Feb. 19, "Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show" March 7-9, "Fiddler on the Roof" on April 13 and "My Fair Lady" on May 3. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com.
