Blues singer and saxophonist Vanessa Collier will headline next year’s Winter Blues Guitarmageddon, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple announced today.
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“King” Solomon Hicks
The event — set for Friday, Feb. 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the cultural center, 420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, and dubbed “Next Generation” — will include performances by three up-and-coming performers under 30. Aside from Collier, who graded from the esteemed Berklee College of Music in 2013, will be joined by “King” Solomon Hicks, a Harlem native who started playing at the Cotton Club as a 13-year-old, and the Gabe Stillman Band, led by Willkiamsport-based Berklee alumnus Gabe Stillman.
“We’re thrilled to have Vanessa on this bill and are very excited to have her here in Scranton for the first time,” organizer, Maria Santomauro said in a statement. “In fact, the entire lineup is super-impressive and all will be debuting here. Plus, they are all great friends sharing a kinship that’s going to resonate on and off the stage. You can’t get more special than that.”
Scranton native Chris “Bad News” Barnes — a Scranton native who also is a charter member of the Blues Foundation and on the Board of Judges for the International Blues Challenge Teen Program — will emcee the event.
Doors open at 7 p.m., and a cash bar and light fare will be available for purchase. Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 the day of the show. For tickets, visit the box office or ticketmaster.com or call 570-344-1111.
Caitlin Heaney West is the content editor for Access NEPA and oversees the Early Access blog in addition to working as a copy editor and staff writer for The Times-Tribune. An award-winning journalist, she is a summa cum laude graduate of Shippensburg University and also earned a master’s degree from Marywood University. Caitlin joined the Times-Shamrock family in 2009 and lives in Scranton. Contact: cwest@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5107; or @cheaneywest
