DEXTER — Wayside Grange & Theatre is excited to once again host the ever popular Denny Breau, entertaining with a night filled with a variety of audience pleasing music.
A musician’s musician, Denny’s rhythmically flawless and dazzlingly clear style allows him to do amazing and stunning things with a six-string guitar. He first draws in an audience with a finely arranged melody and then slides effortlessly into scorching fingerwork that sets ears aflame. The lightning fast guitar lines that seem almost humanly impossible to accomplish are balanced with those that have a quiet intimacy and wrap tenderly around his carefully crafted songs. He mixes genres with ease — folk, delta blues, country, and jazz — “creating a totally accessible musical melange that captivates as it entertains,” according to Lucky Clark writing for the Kennebec (Maine) Journal.
Guitarists in the audience often suspect that they have been left in the dust and regularly tell Denny that they might as well hang up their guitars! As Denny greets concert-goers and shakes hands following his performances, guitar players invariably ask how he performs certain techniques and Denny, who has a passion for teaching, is happy to show them. This is especially true when demonstrating the guitar style of Chet Atkins, who was a family friend and major influence. Shows usually include a “smartly executed Chet Atkins medley by Breau who truly does the late Atkins proud,” according to a review in Dirty Linen magazine.
From now through October Wayside Grange & Theatre will be entertaining the Penquis area with a wide variety of music. Many of the musical groups stemming from the area and others traveling a great distance. McKusick Petroleum, again is fostering great music in the region with their generous donation to help continue the Wayside Grange & Theatre music mission.
The remaining 2024 lineup consists of Sept. 21 Denny Breau and Oct. 26 Half Moon Jug Band.
The Wayside Grange & Theater presents their programs of theater and music in an historic and acoustically perfect setting. The building has served the Dexter community for decades and continues in 2024 and hopefully many more years.
The Wayside Grange Kitchen is open at 5:30 p.m. for a home cooked “By Donation” light potluck supper. At 6:30 p.m. the doors open for the concert and Denny Breau takes the stage at 7 pm. There is no need for reservations and tickets are only $15 per person. Desserts and pretty good coffee will be available in our downstairs dining area at intermission.
If you would like to join Wayside Grange & Theatre and/or volunteer, call Tim Breen at 207-355-5507 and please check out the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/waysidestage.
The Grange Volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall. They also have access at ground level entrance and can be found at 851 North Dexter Road (Route 23.
