Los Lobos coming to Miller Center, Ja Rule and Ashanti to Santander Arena [Spotlight]

Oct. 9—The Miller Center for the Arts at Reading Area Community College has announced another signature concert event in its 15th anniversry season: the multi-Grammy winning band Los Lobos will perform Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

"It is an honor for the Miller Center to host this ground-breaking legendary band that has won numerous Grammy awards, including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award," said Tony DeMarco, executive director of the Miller Center.

The journey of Los Lobos began in 1973, when David Hidalgo (vocals, guitar, and pretty much anything with strings), Louie Perez (drums, vocals, guitar), Cesar Rosas (vocals, guitar) and Conrad Lozano (bass, vocals, guitarrón) earned their stripes playing revved-up versions of Mexican folk music in restaurants and at parties.

Over the last five decades, the East L.A.-bred band has made an indelible mark on music history by exploring an enormous diversity of genres — rock-and-roll and R&B, surf music and soul, mariachi and música norteña, punk rock and country — and building a boldly unpredictable sound all their own.

Their latest album, "Native Sons," a love letter to the city of Los Angeles, returned the band to the Grammy winner's circle with Best Americana Album after having won previous Grammys for best pop instrumental performance for "Mariachi Suite," best Mexican-American performances for "La Pistola y el Corazon" and "Anselma."

They are also known for their 1987 cover of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba," which topped the charts in the U.S. and the U.K.

Tickets for their Miller Center concert are $55 and $75 and are on sale at millercenter.racc.edu/los-lobos.

----The Jingle Jam, headlined by Grammy-winners Ja Rule and Ashanti, is coming to Santander Arena, Reading, on Dec. 16, with supporting acts Fat Joe, Bone Thugs N Harmony and Juvenile. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com and the Santander Arena Box Office.

Ja Rule and Ashanti have six No. 1 hits and 11 more Top-10 songs, including "Always on Time," "Put It on Me," "I'm Real," "Ain't It Funny," "Livin It Up," "Between Me and You" and "Mesmerize."

The diamond-selling artists have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and were nominated for Grammys for "Always on Time," "Put It on Me" and "Livin It Up."

They will be joined by platinum-selling collaborator Fat Joe, known for his hit singles "What's Luv," "Lean Back," "Make It Rain" and "All The Way Up." Grammy-winners Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are known for their hit songs "Tha Crossroads," "Thuggish Ruggish Bone," "1st of tha Month" and "For the Love of Money," and Juvenile is known for his hits "Back That Thing Up," "Slow Motion" and "Rodeo."

Music

Clay on Main, 313 Main St., Oley, is celebrating the grand reopening of its Half Moon Cafe music venue with a concert Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. featuring AKA, a band comprising Mike Petrauskus, Alan Landes, Dominique Tomme and Cindy Roos.

Established in the early 1980s, AKA interprets a variety of music styles including traditional folk, country standards, alternative country, as well as songs from new singer-songwriters. Low keyed and relaxed, AKA's sound is timeless Americana.

During intermission, guests can browse the gallery space in Clay on Main and the newly reopened gift shop featuring local artists, and enjoy complimentary refreshments.

Doors open at 7:30 and admission is by a $15 donation.

Book

The Oley Valley Community Library will host a book signing and book sale Saturday at 3 p.m. featuring award-winning author Tammie Rothermel discussing writing and signing her latest novel, "More!"

Rothermel's first book, "Nevermore?" was nominated in 2006 for an Independent Publisher Award for Best Fiction of the year and received first runner-up in the Romance category in the United States.

Rothermel combined her passion for her adopted hometown of Oley with her other passion — the British Invasion — to create "More!," which reaches beyond the romance genre by weaving an undertone of intrigue, action and adventure throughout.

"More!" is available for purchase at the Oley Valley Community Library, with $2 from each book sold benefitting the library.