FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – DATE CORRECTION
Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center
Contact: Scott Kenison 925-583-2301
skenison@lvpac.org
or Roberta Emerson 925-373-6100 x1136
rwemerson@lvpac.org

LIVERMORE, CA – (September 21, 2017) – Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center announced that two new shows have been added to the schedule at the Bankhead Theater for 2018. Singer/songwriter Five For Fighting, whose uplifting hit “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” became something of an unofficial anthem in the aftermath of 9/11, will perform on January 25, backed by a string quartet. The following month on February 25, the ever-popular ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro returns to Livermore for his fourth visit. In addition to a Sunday afternoon concert, Shimabukuro will offer a ukulele master class earlier in the day for intermediate and advanced players. Tickets for both shows and the master class are available for LVPAC member presale now. Public onsale date is October 9, 2017.

Singer/songwriter John Ondrasik, who goes by the hockey-inspired name Five for Fighting, burst on the scene more than 15 years ago with the Grammy Award-nominated “Superman (It’s Not Easy).” Known for his melodic piano ballads and richly felt songs, he has been a mainstay on mainstream radio ever since with such chart-topping hits as “100 Years,” “The Riddle,” “World,” “Chances,” and “What If.” Five for Fighting’s music has been heard in films, shows and advertisements, he has written songs for other hitmakers including Josh Groban and the Backstreet Boys and, through his “CDs for the Troops Project,” he has given away over one million compilation CDs to United States service members. In recent years, Ondrasik has expanded his horizons by appearing with symphonies and string quartets, which allows him to play songs he does not usually perform with a rock band. He is currently touring with a string quartet in a show that is especially well-suited for the intimate size of the Bankhead Theater.

One of the most exceptional and innovative ukulele players in the history of the instrument, Jake Shimabukuro was part of the Bankhead’s inaugural season in October 2007 when he was still a relative unknown. The now famous video of him playing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in Central Park had only gone viral on YouTube the year before. By the time Shimabukuro returned to Livermore in 2012, he was widely acknowledged as having helped revolutionize the world’s view of the humble four-stringed instrument. His subsequent performance at the Bankhead in 2014 sold out just seven weeks after it was announced.

Shimabukuro’s virtuosity and unique playing style has drawn comparisons to such musical titans as Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis. Calling on a remarkable breadth of musical influences, he breathes fresh life into everything from covers of hard-driving rock classics and jazz songbook standards, to traditional Hawaiian music and his own original melodies. His recently released album, “Nashville Sessions,” has been called adventurous, multifaceted and engaging. Recorded in the studio in just six days, its blend of jazz elements and melodic style extends his appeal, satisfying his existing fans while enticing new listeners from across the musical spectrum.

Tickets for the Five for Fighting and Jake Shimabukuro concerts, as well as the ukulele master class, are available for member presale only until October 9, 2017. In addition to advance ticket purchase, LVPAC member benefits include a 10 percent discount on tickets all season, and invitation to the Season Announcement Party in May. Other benefits such as private receptions and exclusive artist meet and greets are available at upper membership levels. For information on how to become a member, contact the development office at (925) 583-2305.

The Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center offers wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond. The Bankhead Theater, which houses the Livermore Visitor’s Center and Gallery, together with the Bothwell Arts Center, are home to nine resident performing arts companies and over 40 studio artists and cultural arts instructors. The Bankhead Theater ticket office at 2400 First Street in Livermore is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. On performance days the ticket office is open from two hours before to 30 minutes after the scheduled start of each show. Tickets are also available by calling (925) 373-6800, or online at www.lvpac.org

Event: An Evening with Five for Fighting
Date/Time: Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Bankhead Theater, 2400 First Street, Livermore
Price: $20-$50, $17 students and active military personnel
Tickets: visit lvpac.org or call 925-383-6800

Event: Jake Shimabukuro
Date/Time: Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Bankhead Theater, 2400 First Street, Livermore
Price: $60-$110, $17 students and active military personnel
Tickets: visit lvpac.org or call 925-383-6800

Event: Jake Shimabukuro Master Class
Date/Time: Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 12:00 noon
Venue: Bankhead Theater, 2400 First Street, Livermore
Price: $100, intermediate/advanced skill level, limited to 40 participants
Tickets: visit lvpac.org or call 925-383-6800