The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County proudly presents OPEN WINGS, BROKEN STRINGS, featuring Eddie Kowalczyk of LIVE, Art Alexakis of Everclear, and Leigh Nash of Sixpence None The Richer, performing acoustic versions of their major hit songs and sharing the stories behind these classic tunes, on March 12, 2010 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. Tickets range from $24.50 to $44.50, and can be purchased now through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office at (305) 949-6722 or online at www.arshtcenter.org.
The stellar rock show, OPEN WINGS, BROKEN STRINGS, has been playing to sold-out audiences around the nation. Now, the musicians will grace the stage of the Adrienne Arsht Center as they greet you with the essence, the story, and the song. Making this engagement even more compelling for fans, the main floor of the Knight Concert Hall will feature club table seating and bars for this one-night-only performance.
“OPEN WINGS, BROKEN STRINGS will offer our audience a rare opportunity to experience the raw, acoustic versions of their favorite songs from Live, Everclear, and Sixpence None the Richer. To top it off, we’ll hear what inspired the creation of these songs directly from the musicians,” said M. John Richard, President and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center. “I hope the South Florida community will join us for an intimate night with these major guitarists, and a thrilling glimpse into the soul of their rock and roll.”
Eddie Kowalczyk is widely-known as the lead singer and guitarist of the band LIVE, one of the most successful and enduring alternative rock bands of the past two decades. The band, which has released eight full-length albums, including Throwing Copper featuring the major hit single “I Alone,” has sold more than 20 million albums, and played for sold-out crowds around the world. One of the main elements that propelled LIVE to national fame is the deeply personal and compelling nature of their lyrics, which have often reflected Kowalczyk‘s personal and spiritual concerns. “My approach as a songwriter is to write songs that are not finite and will resonate with listeners for a really long time,” Kowalczyk asserts. “Sixteen years after our first album, Mental Jewelry, I am still able to get something out of songs LIVE recorded in the early 1990s — and I think that one of the reasons why we have had so many fans for so long is that our fans are also continuing to find nuances in our songs.” Kowalczyk is now accentuating these nuances in a more intimate setting through his solo-acoustic performances, such as OPEN WINGS, BROKEN STRINGS.
Art Alexakis, the lead singer and guitarist of Everclear, has built a solid career and devoted fanbase on heartfelt songs based on life experiences. Abandoned by his father as a child, Alexakis was raised by his mother, along with his four siblings, in a tough Los Angeles neighborhood. Early in life, he struggled with drug addiction, and his older brother tragically died from a drug overdose. Alexakis eventually rehabilitated, giving up drugs and chronicling his experiences in his songs, including “Heroin Girl” on Everclear’s 1995 breakthrough album Sparkle & Fade, which went platinum in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia; and “Father of Mine,” on 1997’s double-platinum So Much For The Afterglow. In 1999, Everclear was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for El Distorto de Melodica. Alexakis has also been politically active: testifying before Congress in 2000 to speak on behalf of the “Deadbeat Dad” bill; and serving as a delegate from the city of Portland in his adopted home state of Oregon at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. His political views were also expressed on his own “Blackjack Radio” show in Portland and via his many appearances on Bill Maher’s show, Politically Incorrect.
Leigh Nash, the vibrant, angelic-voiced lead singer of the pop group Sixpence None the Richer, has been performing since her high school days growing up in New Braunfels, Texas. It was there that she met guitarist Matt Slocum and the band came to fruition. Following three album releases, including platinum album Sixpence None the Richer released in 1997, and the great success of their hit singles, including the Grammy-nominated “Kiss Me,” “There She Goes,” and “Breathe Your Name,” the band took a hiatus in 2004. Nash took this time to release a solo record entitled Blue on Blue in 2006, and also lent her voice to musical projects such as Fauxliage, an album with Canadian band Delerium. In 2008, Nash and Slocum reunited as Sixpence None the Richer to record a Christmas album entitled Dawn of Grace, a holiday piece long- awaited by fans. Following some European festival dates, including a headlining slot at Greenbelt in 2009, Sixpence recently jumped into the studio to record a new album to be released later this year.
March 12, 2010 at 8 p.m.
Knight Concert Hall
Adrienne Arsht Center
1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL, 33132
Tickets: $24.50 to $44.50
For tickets visit www.arshtcenter.org, or call the Box Office at (305) 949-6722.