The Tripp Edwards Band, featuring singer-songwriter-guitarist Tripp Edwards, Kenny Thomas on bass guitar, Darryl Jones on pedal steel guitar, and drummer Zack Davis will open for Kenny Roby this evening, Jan. 24. The doors open at the Looking Glass black box theater, 704-633-2787 (salisburyartists@gmail.com), at 6:30 p.m. and the music begins at 7 p.m.
Tripp and his band mates have been entertaining audiences in Salisbury and beyond for several years, fine-tuning their craft and individual Americana sound. Edwards has released three albums in recent years: “Free”, “Friday Night Picture Show”, and “Broken EP”. Audiences at An Evening with Kenny Roby will have the opportunity to purchase one or more of these CDs Thursday evening or listeners can purchase the e-albums on iTunes.com or Amazon.com
TrippEd Music, in conjunction with JG Media, produces a web video show for songwriting performers called String Fellows Sessions. The String Fellows Sessions are music videos in the purest form, featuring songwriters, with their instrument and their songs, live. The String Fellows Sessions features videoed focus on individual songwriters and their craft. Each session consists of an artist with three songs recorded live in the studio, stripped down to the bare bones. Artists share life and songwriting between each of song. Listeners can subscribe to the String Fellows Sessions at StringFellowsSessions.com . Artists interested in performing a String Fellows Session should contact string.fellows.sessions@gmail.com
The black box theater at Looking Glass Artists Center is located at 405 N Lee St.
Kanepunch is described as “a perfect mix of music and comedy,” bringing a unique style of music incorporating pop, hip hop, and urban dance styles. Tomorrow evening, Friday, Jan. 25, at the Looking Glass black box theater, is your chance to experience it live for absolutely free. No charge. No worries. Just fun.
As an added bonus Zack Kwan will also be performing some of his alternative southern rock hits.
The show starts at 8 p.m. at 405 N. Lee St. For more information visit www.kanepunch.com or www.salisburyartists.com
This Saturday, Jan. 26, join Acid FM (Psych Hard Rock from the future) at their CD release show. Doors open at 8 p.m., the show starts at 9 p.m. and your $10 admission includes a CD. To learn more, visit facebook.com/AcidFM or reverbnation.com/AcidFM
The black box theater at Looking Glass Artists Center is located at 405 N Lee St.

The Lee Street Theatre production of “The Complete History of America (Abridged)” has received attention from the Piedmont Triad Theatre Guide.
The guide, which comes out annually, named the show a notable comedic production.
The production starred local actors Brian Romans, Jacob Asher and Jason Roland. Justin Dionne, Lee Street Theatre’s managing artistic director, directed.
The guide awarded 30 commendations in 19 categories this year.

The Rowan Museum will open its annual Black history exhibit titled “Perfect Palette: A Black Perspective” on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 1 p.m. It will feature the work of local black artists such as Jimmy Alston, Charles “Peanut” Barber, Brielle Blaire, James Donaldson, John Graeber, Michael Kirksey, Randall Leach, Delores Medlin, Charles Ramsey, Jason Sturdivant, Vashti Usry and Liz Wahid.
An opening reception will be held in the Messinger Room to honor artists, exhibit sponsors, and guests. The Museum is located at 202 N. Main St. It is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. For more informawtion or to schedule group tours, call the Museum at 704-633-5946 or email rowanmuseum@fibrant.com

CONCORD — Award-willing illusionist Jason Bishop will bring his stunning and original magic show to the Davis Theatre on Friday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m.
Each show features award-winning sleight of hand, exclusive grand illusions and close-up magic projected onto a movie screen so the audience has a clear view of every detail. He might have a person passing through his body one moment and make goldfish appear from nowhere the next.
Bishop is an international award-winning illusionist who was the youngest person to win the Magician’s Alliance of Eastern States Stage Award. After studying theatre in college, he went on the road performing anywhere he could find an audience – resorts, amusement parks, even the street. As audiences enjoyed the show more and more he altered his magic to become bigger and more impressive.
He is a regular featured performer on Disney cruise ships and also has performed on Norwegian and Celebrity ships; at Carolines on Broadway, at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City; and in theatres all over the country
Sara Heiser, the arts council’s Performing Arts Manager, says, “He not only performs truly amazing illusions, but he also is extremely funny. This was one of the most fun shows I’ve ever seen.”
Tickets are $45 and available at www.CabarrusArtsCouncil.org or by phone at 704-920-2753. All seats are reserved. The Davis Theatre is located at 65 Union St. S, Concord, in Cabarrus County’s historic courthouse.
Read more about Bishop at www.thejasonbishopshow.com
CONCORD — Old Courthouse Theatre’s Living Room Reading Series presents “The Trip to Bountiful” on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 4 p.m. Admission is free to these productions, held in the OCT main theater at 49 Spring St. NW.
This is the poignant story of Mrs. Watts, an aging widow living with her son and daughter-in-law in a three-room flat in Houston, Texas. Fearing that her presence may be an imposition on others, and chafing under the watchful eye of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Watts imagines that if she can get away and return to her old home in the town of Bountiful, she is sure to regain her strength, dignity and peace of mind. Written by Horton Foote, produced and drected by Jonathan Ewart, this reading is rated PG.
Visit www.oldcourthousetheatre.org or call 704 788-2405.

THOMASVILLE — Artist Don Moore has been busy painting. On Jan. 29, Davidson County Community College will introduce the exhibition “Nostalgia” to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Seven of Moore’s paintings will be featured. The works convey a dreamlike quality and feeling of antiquity. The reception in the Mendenhall Building will be 4-6 p.m. on Jan. 29 and the exhibit will remain up until May 13.
Meanwhile Moore has two works being exhibited in the Spine Gallery of Wake Forest University as part of that galleries Spring offering. One work is being shown in the Associated Artists of Winston Salem Show at the Sawtooth Center for the months of January and February. Additionally, two paintings by Moore are being shown at Hampton House Galleries in Winston-Salem as part of a show called “Small Art Big Heart” which is a fundraiser for an Aids organization.
Moore is represented locally by the Green Goat Gallery in Spencer.
CONCORD — Modern Film Fest at the Davis is the series that brings free screenings of independent films to the Davis Theatre, 65 Union St. S in Concord’s historic courthouse, 65 Union St. S, 704-920-2787. The next film in the Modern Film Fest at the Davis series is tonight, Thursday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m., “The Trial” is the story of a capital case that turns a small-town lawyer’s life around in this movie filmed in the Charlotte-metro area, featuring Matthew Modine and Rance Howard.
Many of these films have not been rated by the MPAA. The arts council recommends that you research a film to determine whether it is appropriate for you. For more information, call 704-920-ARTS (2787) or visit www.CabarrusArtsCouncil.org or www.modernfilmfest.com
For more information, call 704-920-2753 or visit www.CabarrusArtsCouncil.org

WINSTON-SALEM — Tickets are available now for the Winston-Salem Symphony’s presentation of “The Magic of Music,” with guest magician Jim Light as part of its Discovery Concerts for Kids 2012-2013 season. The concert will take place Sunday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. Winston-Salem Symphony Associate Conductor Matthew Troy will conduct the Symphony in an afternoon full of magical delights. Children will be enchanted by the music and enthralled by the onstage magic by sleight-of-hand master magician Jim Light and his crew. The Symphony will perform music recognizable to many children if not by name, definitely by sound through popular movies such as Fantasia. The Symphony will play the Overture to Mozart’s The Magic Flute, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, by Dukas and La boutique fantasque, by Rossini/Respighi. The Winston-Salem Symphony’s Discovery Concerts for Kids have changed their performance day, time and location this season. They are now held on Sundays at 3 p.m. at Reynolds Auditorium at 301 N. Hawthorne Road in Winston-Salem.
As always, the doors will open an hour earlier at 2 p.m. for a variety of child-friendly preconcert events including musical activities and games and an instrument petting zoo. Preconcert activities are included in the price of the concert ticket. Single tickets for Discovery concerts are $5 for children, ages three to 12 (age two and under, free) and $14 for adults. Pro-rated season tickets for the 2012-2013 Discovery concerts are $28 for each adult, which includes one free child subscription. Each additional child subscription is $10. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Symphony Box Office at 336-464-0145 or online at WSsymphony.org