Town Square Concert Series Schedule Finalized

The Clayton Downtown Development Association has finalized its full schedule of concerts through September. The Town Square Concert Series is held on the third Thursday of each month from April through September.

May 24 Roy Stewart & Thick As Thieves Band
June 21 Triangle Brass Band
July 19 Nantucket
August 23 True Spirit
September 20 Boys From Carolina Bluegrass rBand

The free concert series is sponsored by the Town of Clayton and Downtown Development Association, with major support from Caterpillar, NovoNordisk, Time Warner Cable and Clayton News Star. Additional support comes from Avent-Permenter Group, Clayton Glass & Mirror, Hometowne Realty, Hudson’s Hardware, Matthews Motors, McLaurin Funeral Home, Morning Glory Inn, and Trueline Surveying.

The Town Square is in downtown Clayton and sits between West Main Street and S. O’Neil and Fayetteville streets. For more information call (919) 553-1545.

THE TRIANGLE BRASS BAND
www.trianglebrass.org

The Triangle Brass Band is a group of 38 brass and percussion performers drawn from the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. Members of the band are selected by audition, and come from a variety of backgrounds, including school band directors, college faculty, physicians, lawyers, computer programmers and carpenters, to name a few.
The repertoire of the band is drawn primarily from the finest original works for brass band from the 19th century to the present. It also includes arrangements of well-known orchestral and wind band works, British folk-songs, American patriotic tunes and marches.

NANTUCKET
www.myspace.com/nantucketband

Nantucket is a hard rock band which formed in Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1969. Originally known as beach music band Stax of Gold and later Nantucket Sleighride (after the song by Mountain), the six member group of Tommy Redd, Larry Uzzell, Mike Uzzell, Eddie Blair, Kenny Soule and Mark Downing became a huge draw in their home state of North Carolina as a cover band. Nantucket eventually became a powerful and tenacious sensation, amassing numerous fans across the southeastern United States well before their first release. The band signed with Epic Records in 1977 and released their self titled album the following year, featuring the hit single "Heartbreaker." An aggressive tour across the country followed, opening for top acts such as KISS, Styx, Boston, Mother's Finest and Journey. The band toured with AC/DC for an entire summer. To satisfy the demand by many avid fans, the first three studio albums were released on compact disc by re-issue label Wounded Bird Records in 2003 and 2004. Nantucket V was made available on CD through re-issue label Retrospect Records in 2007.

TRUE SPIRIT
True Spirit is an anointed group with a unique style of music which appeals to people from all walks of life. True Spirit was once known as “Kingdoms Heir”. The group was formed in 1989 and the group has recorded three projects, “My Father Rich”, “True Spirit” and their current CD “Revelation Times” which is climbing the Southern Gospel market charts. The group is made up of David Montague, Robert Siler, Glenn Frazier, John Cooper and Terrence Todd Dewberry. Together, they create the kind of music that touches your heart and lifts your spirits. This group can be reached thru Imani Booking & Promotions at 919/553-4370 or at www.imanibooking.com or www.truespiritministries.com.

BOYS FROM CAROLINA BLUEGRASS BAND
The Boys From Carolina Bluegrass Band was organized in September of 2004. The band members have over 160 years of combined musical experience. The band plays traditional to contemporary bluegrass music and it prides itself in style and presentation. Every band member sings, which leads to unique harmonics not heard in other bands.

Roy Stewart & Thick As Thieves Concert A Success!

Last Thursday Roy Stewart & the Thick As Thieves Band took the stage at the Town Square in downtown Clayton and everyone had a blast! The sun was shining (for a change!) and the audience of about 250 people enjoyed the two hour concert.

The next concert is set for June 21 with the Triangle Brass Band.



The free concert series is sponsored by the Town of Clayton and Downtown Development Association, with major support from Caterpillar, NovoNordisk, Time Warner Cable and Clayton News Star. Additional support comes from Avent-Permenter Group, Clayton Glass & Mirror, Hometowne Realty, Hudson’s Hardware, Matthews Motors, McLaurin Funeral Home, Morning Glory Inn, and Trueline Surveying.

Clayton Historical Association Membership Kickoff This Weekend

The Clayton Historical Association is inviting you to our kick-off Membership Event. This event will be May 19, 2007 from 9am to Noon, at the Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library, 100 S. Church St., in historic downtown Clayton.

Please join us and be a part of this exciting and historic event. We will have a 1937 film of Historic Clayton. We will also display and discuss Historic Exhibits, as well as plans for a registry of the town’s historical landmarks and homes. Additionally, we have planned to have several longtime citizens, born and raised in Clayton, to be present to tell stories and share their memories.

Become one of the founding members and help us to achieve the preservation of Clayton’s history and culture, as well as our goal to have a Clayton historical museum.

You are also welcome to bring and share any pictures or stories you have of Clayton.

If you have any questions, please contact me at 919-553-5334, or email at claytonNChistory@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you on May 19th between 9am and Noon. This event is “drop in” so you may come and go at your convenience.

For more information contact:
Porter Casey
President
553-5334
P.O. Box 1722
Clayton, NC 27528
claytonNChistory@gmail.com

MillStock Music & Arts Faire on Saturday June 2

Music and fine arts and crafts blend for an exciting day in downtown Clayton with the 7th Annual Millstock: Celebration of Music and Arts Faire on Saturday, June 2 from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.

Millstock is held at the corner of Lombard and Second streets in the parking lot of the Coffee Mill and The Flipside. Millstock is a showcase for local artists and musicians. This year more than 20 local artists will be displaying their work.

Included in the mix will be vendors, yoga demonstrations and other activities. Among the art displays will be photography, jewelry, pottery, paintings, and stained glass. The newly formed Clayton Historical Association will have a booth and feature tours of the historic B.M. Robertson Mule Barn.

Artist’s wishing to exhibit and sell their work must meet certain standards. Clayton Visual Arts, which sponsors the Art Faire, requires that all works must be of original design, and executed by the exhibiting artist or artisan. Application deadline is May 28. For more information on becoming an exhibitor call Bruce Naegelen at (919) 553-1545.

Millstock is a merger of two events. The Clayton Arts Faire began in 1999 as part of the Clayton Harvest Festival and the Millstock Music Festival, which began in 2000. Both were grassroots efforts designed to bring music and art to downtown Clayton. The events merged three years ago to become an exciting downtown experience.

This event has received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts. Johnston County Arts Council is the North Carolina Arts Council’s Designated County Partner for Johnston County.

11:00 AM
MARSHALL STEVENSON & THE BLUEGRASS TRAIN

Marshall Stephenson was born near McGee’s Crossroads in Johnston County. Marshall’s professional career started with Hack Johnson and the Tennessans who performed on WPTF Radio in Raleigh, NC. Then he went on WDVA Barn Dance in Danville, VA, later joining the Bailey Brothers, former members of the Grand Ole Opry, on WNOX Tennessee Barn Dance in Knoxville, Tennessee. Marshall played with Homer Brierhopper and Clyde Moody on television stations WTVD-Durham, WRAL-Raleigh and WETC-Wilmington, North Carolina, for 10 years making over 2,200 television performances.


12:30 PM
ZYDECOPEOUS
www.zydecopious.com

Their name means "ample amounts of zydeco," and that's what this band promises dancers and listeners alike. Zydecopious offers up not only tunes that zydeco aficionados and dancers have come to know and love (such as "Have Mercy," "I'm Comin' Home," "My YaYa," "Born in the Country," "Midland Two-Step," "Give 'em Cornbread"), but it also plays songs that reflect the heavy R&B-tinged music of Louisiana and the other Gulf Coast states, such as "Baby Please Don't Go," "Diddie-Wah-Diddie," and "Iko-Iko." And always expect some surprises, as some popular hits of the past get the zydeco treatment (remember Peggy Lee's "Fever" from 1958 and Mongo Jerry's "In the Summertime" from 1970?). Zydecopious is the Triangle's only local zydeco band. It includes Clark Aflague on frottoir; Tracy Wiebeck on bass; Mike Davis on guitar; Leo Briere on accordion; Ken Joseph on drums; and Mick Voiland on organ. They all invite you to listen, enjoy, tap your feet, and, most definitely, DANCE!


2:00 PM
VALENTINO & THE PIEDMONT SHEIKS
www.myspace.com/thesheiks


Valentino and the Piedmont Sheiks, based in Raleigh, NC, is the most dynamic vibrant blues band Raleigh has seen in a long time. Their repertoire is steeped in vintage blues and jump numbers that captivates their audience with high energy emotional performances. With over 133 years of combined experience playing the blues between its members, Valentino and the Piedmont Sheiks is a tight unit. They know how to hit you with a down and dirty groove on the slow numbers and really cook on the steaming swing tunes

4:00 PM
KENNEBEC
www.kennebeclive.com


"Its ten past twelve on a weeknight. The Pour House, one of Raleigh's most popular downtown bars, has come to electric life on what is usually a slow evening. On stage, a young man with a black jacket, a kangol cap and a guitar is two-stepping about, howling ruefully one moment, gently intonating the next. These are his songs. The five men behind him are his band. And the music is hot enough to light cigarettes on the other side of the room. Troy Smith is the front man for Kennebec, one of the hottest up-and-coming groups in Raleigh. The band is diverse and expansive: Mike Rosado (drums), Chris Miller (lead guitar), and Jeramy Blackford (vocals). Kennebec plays with the fervor of a charismatic minister conjuring up a hellfire and brimstone sermon. The result: to see Kennebec is to become a true believer." --Nick Bowden (FV Independent )