Multi-musician concert to benefit Gaia House

The Varsity presents a diverse evening of music to benefit Gaia House in Carbondale and their vital mission of creating safe spiritual space for everyone. The concert features the music of Foster’s Satchel, SIWADE (Southern Illinois West African Drumming Ensemble) and a new Irish-American trio called Shenanigans & Malarkey.

Foster’s Satchel will be celebrating the release of their new album “Over the River: Stephen Foster Reimagined.“ Fosterʼs Satchel is a Midwest band rethinking American songwriter Stephen Foster and some of his more obscure songs. As the first American to make a living by writing popular music, Foster is considered the grandfather of modern American songwriting and artists such as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Mavis Staples have recorded his songs. Members of the band are Stace England and Charlie Tabing from Stace England and the Salt Kings, Jake and Mary Deleonardis from the St. Louis-based May Day Orchestra, Roger Fliege from One For the Roses, and singers Beth Koehler and Chris McKinley.

West African drum stalwarts SIWADE is dedicated to promoting the traditional rhythms and songs of West Africa, including Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Ghana. The group has been performing for more than 25 years and uses traditional instruments to play arrangements of rhythms and songs learned directly from West African master musicians.

Irish-American group Shenanigans & Malarkey consists of three talented musicians, Dorothy McDaniel, Ruth Ann Levinson and Tom Connelley. Each has performed around Southern Illinois for decades. Their repertoire isn’t exclusively Irish/Celtic traditional tunes but also has elements of classic and modern Americana. They are highly entertaining and comical at times all the while respecting their cherished Celtic traditions.

The concert will be Saturday, June 15. The Varsity Bar opens at 6, and the show begins at 7.

Tickets are $15 and are available in advance. Tickets are not available in advance at the venue but will be available on the night of the show when the Varsity Bar opens at 6.

Host or Publisher The Varsity Center