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Packard band celebrates 70 years with Sunday’s concert

The W.D. Packard Concert Band will celebrate its 70th anniversary with the debut of a newly commissioned work. Jerry Ascione, a 1975 Dana School of Music graduate who spent 31 years as a musician, composer and arranger with the U.S. Navy bands, composed “We, Are Packard” and will conduct the work at Sunday’s concert at Packard Music Hall. Ascione has written several pieces for the band and knows the ensemble well. “I went to college with a lot of those folks,” Ascione said. “I know pretty much everybody.” He drew upon those connections as he was writing. The first ...

Gray Areas: Local band signs deal; double release planned for 2026

Youngstown band Kitchen Knife Conspiracy now shares a record label with some Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. The metal band — Ian Pethtel, vocals; Jeremy Cibella and Rickie Palmer, guitars; Fred Whitacre, Jr., drums; and Johnny Kihm, bass – that describes its music as “stompcore” signed a deal with the independent distribution label Deko Entertainment, whose roster includes Slash of Guns N’ Roses, the late John Entwistle of The Who, John Lodge of the Moody Blues, Rik Emmett of Triumph and such acts as The Dictators, Dokken, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Slaughter, Warrant and ...

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TCHS presents program on preservation A program on “Preserving Family Memories” is scheduled at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, 444 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren. Savannah Moss, collections and research manager with the Trumbull County Historical Society, and Kate Pfouts, TCHS archivist, will discuss preserving family items such as photographs and documents. Guests may bring one item each about which they may have questions. Admission is free, but registration is required online at wtcpl.org/events or calling 330-399-8807 ext. 202. Halloween display ...

Mahoning Valley arts and entertainment

Art ARTS & EDUCATION AT THE HOYT, 124 E. Leasure Ave., New Castle, Pa.: “Jim Soppelsa: Abstract Variations” and “Dan Droz: Hidden in Plain Sight,” both through Nov. 6. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. hoytartcenter.org and 724-652-2882. BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown: “Fred Staloff: Origins of a Modernist,” through Nov. 16; “Kim Novak: Tribute on the Occasion of Her Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award,” through Nov. 23; “Julio Larraz: A Prayer for Peace,” through Nov. 23; ...

ACTS explores ‘Mystery of Edwin Drood’

The musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” opens Friday for a two-weekend run at ACTS Performing Arts Center. Based on Charles Dickens’ final and unfinished novel, the musical invites audiences to solve the mystery for themselves — making every performance unique. The musical was written by Rupert Holmes, best known to pop music listeners as the man who wrote and sang the 1979 No. 1 single “Escape (The Pina Colada Song).” The musical won five Tony Awards, including best new musical, in 1986. Toni Schlemmer directs the ACTS production with Joseph Spurio as music director ...

‘Guys and Dolls’ coming to Ashtabula Arts Center

13th Street Theatre will stage the musical “Guys and Dolls” at Ashtabula Arts Center. Gambler Nathan Detroit is trying to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck. Meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer Adelaide laments that they’ve been engaged for 14 years. Nathan’s friend and fellow gambler Sky Masterson chases after straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown in his own romantic entanglement. The Frank Loesser / Abe Burrows / Jo Swerling musical ran for three years on Broadway in its initial run and won the ...