Advertisement
On Saturday, December 7, the Community Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its 49th Anniversary as well as the 92st Anniversary of the WOW Hall at the WOW Hall Membership Party, featuring entertainment by Maya Vagner, John Shipe and the band Moonbear.A buffet dinner will feature food and beverages prepared by some of Lane County’s best restaurants and suppliers!
Admission to the Membership Party is free for members (members note: If your expiration date on this newsletter is current, you can bring it to speed up admission). Memberships are available at the door for $20 to $50 or more. Members are encouraged to bring guests at a cost of $20 for adults, $10 for ages 6-11; five and under free.
Timeline:
7 p.m. Doors open
7:30-8:15 p.m. Maya Vagner
8:30-9:15 p.m. John Shipe
9:30 p.m. Moonbear
MAYA VAGNER
Performing on guitar and ukulele, Maya Vagner is a Eugene singer-songwriter whose style includes acoustic pop, indie, jazz and alternative rock. Longtime CCPA members may remember Maya as a contributing writer in the WOW Hall Notes.
Born in Israel, Maya’s love for music began at a very young age. Between the ages of 10-18 she sang in choirs, and played in a band at the Saturday Market when she was just thirteen. She later attended the Music’s Edge Summer Rock Camp and got more acquainted with great people in the local music scene.
By age 22 Maya was ready to take her music to the next level –from her Notes app to the recording studio. With the help of Geoffrey Mays, she released her first recording, Orchid, in 2021. All in all, she is very grateful that the universe put her on the path of creativity and gave her the passion and strength to continue.
You can find out more at: https://mayavagner.bandzoogle.com
JOHN SHIPE
Spring of 2024 marked John Shipe’s 33rd year in the music biz with the release of his 13th project – Water This Dark. It has been a surprisingly fruitful stretch since the previous release, The Beast Is Back, which he considers, “the best work of my life… until now! Yeah, Water is even better.”
States Melissa Clarke’s review from Americana Highways, “Shipe’s music… with both its lyrics and the production, is wonderful and can be deeply felt by anyone of any age who’s prone to philosophical reflection…”
John is on a hot streak — composing, storytelling, wordsmithing, and singing better than ever. Water this Dark is modest with only nine songs, but even more grown-up, wiser with even more compassion and empathy, and melodies even more emotionally compelling.
Shipe has opened for numerous artists including Derek Trucks, Taj Mahal & Keb Mo’, Tower of Power and Jerry Joseph. Work with Tim McLaughlin led him to the Music’s Edge Rock Camp, where he’s been an instructor fourteen years running. A novelty tune called “Pit Bull Blues” got millions of YouTube views an made John an unlikely advocate for the Pit Bull Rescue community, traveling the country, performing and emceeing at events. His songs are in a lot of independent films and shorts.
Going back even further, to the 90’s, John was a member of the popular Eugene band The Renegade Saints. They released an album, Fear of the Sky, opened for Bob Dylan, Blind Melon, Los Lobos, Cake and Jimmy Cliff, and got back together to record a live album in 2006 called Mercy Saints Alive!
“If I quit now, I could call it a worthy run,” states John, “but I’ve got another 100 unreleased songs. So I’m fixin’ to record another album by 2025.”
Find out more at: https://www.johnshipemusic.com
MOONBEAR
Eugene’s Moonbear is an alternative rock band made up of Shun Tsuji (drums), Lauden Jones (vocals, guitar), Sebastian Brown (bass) and George Lerczak (guitar). Moonbear’s dreamy spell takes over anyone who hears it. Blending ethereal melodies, shimmery guitars and a driving rhythm section to create a uniquely enchanting experience.
Moonbear has recorded One EP and two singles, which are available on all streaming services. They have performed at McMenamins Mission Theater and on the Community Village Stage at the Oregon Country Fair.
Find out more at https://www.instagram.com/moonbear.band/
BUFFET DINNER
Come celebrate the CCPA’s Anniversary, enjoy local music, and bring an appetite. Last year’s party was supported by donations of food, beverages and gift certificates from over sixty local businesses. This year we are once again planning a buffet-style dinner and we hope to see a similar number of businesses participating. We present new dishes throughout the event, so you don’t need to come early to get a great meal.
The basement will also be offering an assortment of nibbles as well as some special deals on adult beverages that have been donated for the occasion.
The Community Center for the Performing Arts was incorporated to save the Woodmen of the World Hall from demolition and keep it available to the community. On December 10, 1975, the WOWATHON began with live entertainment 24 hours a day for five days and raised the down payment. Today, the Hall remains community-owned and democratically operated. The organization enjoys a broad base of community support, as demonstrated by the accompanying list of members and donors. While the organization has been receiving more grant support in addition to show income, membership continues to be a major source of funding.
To become a supporting member of the WOW Hall or renew your membership, please go to https://wowhall.org/membership/. To check your membership status, email [email protected] or call 541-687-2746 during box office hours (1-5 p.m., Mon-Fri).
Advertisement
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
291 W 8th Ave, Eugene, OR, United States, Oregon 97401
