WDAV-FM, the classical public radio station based at Davidson College, opened public voting Tuesday for its Young Chamber Musicians Competition. A total of four ensembles – two in two different age groups – are finalists for a total of $4,500 in prizes and regional recognition.

The groups will perform in a live, judged concert on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at Tyler-Tallman Hall on the Davidson College campus. Read the full story

I hope everyone stayed dry this weekend. However, keep your raincoats handy as the rain continues for a few days, and lucky for you we have a calendar full of things to do – out of the rain. Later this week when the weather clears, you can head outdoors again and enjoy River Jam at the US National Whitewater Center, Global Rallycross at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Thursday Night Flights at the Carolina Raptor Center and outdoor movies and music. Until then, we have library events, local meetings, a baseball reunion at Davidson’s McEver Field , live music, indoor flicks, and of course, shag lessons! Read on for details. Read the full story

The New Familiars played on the Main Stage after the rain stopped. See a photo gallery below. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net/CorneliusNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
DavidsonNews.net/CorneliusNews.net

Miles Brown

HUNTERSVILLE – The rains at the 1969 rock fest Woodstock in New York State were legendary, but the show went on. As rain fell Saturday night, that was the mantra for Miles Brown, organizer of the sixth annual Barnstock festival.

“That’s all right,” he said. “It’s rain. It’s just rain. It’s weather, you can’t do anything about the weather. Woodstock wouldn’t have been Woodstock without rain.”

• See a video report from Barnstock here.

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Saturday night at the Brown family farm.

Is it Christmas in July? No. It is better than that – it’s Barnstock in Huntersville, River Jam at the US Whitewater Center, and “Unnecessary Farce” on stage at Hough High. And, we’re not done. This weekend’s calendar will keep you busy from sun-up on Saturday to sundown on Sunday. We live in a great area, and as you read on, you will see why. Read the full story

Thursday will be another Open Mic Night at Kadi Fit in Cornelius. Here’s a shot from last year. (Serge Skiba photo)

Who would think that a mid-summer week could be packed so full? We would! Take your pick, because this week has endless options for you. You may find yourself at the NASCAR Hall of Fame as their Summer Driver Tuesdays kick off. Maybe you’ll be headed to W.A. Hough High School to for the Davidson Community Players’ hilarious production of “Unnecessary Farce.”

The Davidson public library offers several events for adults and kids. Flatiron Kitchen + Taphouse will host a wine pairing dinner. There’s an open mic night at Kadi Fit in downtown Cornelius and Historic Rural Hill invites you to their 2014 Food Truck Rally. Saturday  brings the 2014 edition of outdoor music fest BarnStock in Huntersville. How about a Shag Lesson? Yes, I said “Shag Lesson.” Read on for details and more events  – from music to movies to meetings. Read the full story

A newly restored HD version of the film screens this weekend at Studio C Cinema at the Cornelius Arts Center. See below.

On the hot night of Aug. 19, 1964, when I was just 13 years old, the world changed. The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” was opening at Baltimore’s 1,275 car Timonium Drive-in Theater.

It’s hard to understand now, before 300-channel cable TV, Facebook, and Instagram, the speed that Beatlemania conquered the USA. Since 1962, the Beatles had had several #1 hits in the UK, and the music biz knew that something huge was happening over there. But in one of the dumbest executive decisions ever, the large US record companies had declined to issue the Beatles’ hit songs. They did not believe that “foreign music” would interest America’s teens.
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