Valentine’s Day is coming, guys!

It seems we just finished Christmas and New Year’s, but if you have looked at the calendar lately, it will soon be February and you know what that means- Valentine’s Day!  Once again, the Niswonger Performing Arts Center will offer a wonderful alternative to the typical candy and flowers (although that might not be a bad idea too!) for this Valentine’s Day.  Since February 14 falls on a Tuesday this year, we have scheduled our special concert on Saturday, February 11.  Saturdays make better date nights, you know!

Restless Heart, the Pop/Country band that gave us such hits as “I’ll Still be Loving You,” “Why Does it have to Be (Wrong or Right),” and “Bluest Eyes in Texas” will make for a great date night concert for Valentine’s Day.  We may even have space for you to get into the dinner we are serving in the beautiful Grand Lobby before the concert.  Prime rib and chicken will be followed by dessert in the Upper Lobby prior to the concert at 7:30 p.m.  Men- be a hero to your wife or girlfriend and take her out for a delicious and romantic dinner followed by the area’s hottest concert with Restless Heart.

All you have to do is call (419.238.NPAC 6722) or stop by the box office or even place your order on line at www.npacvw.org.  We have done all the planning; all you have to do is make the reservation.  The rest is up to you!

Another date to remember is this Friday, January 27.  This is when single ticket sales begin for what could be one of the biggest “sleeper” concerts of the year: Livingston Taylor with the Voices of Unity Choir from Fort Wayne, Ind. Of course, Liv Taylor is the younger brother of legendary James Taylor. Liv played the NPAC a few years back and everyone enjoyed him so much. This time around, we are adding one of the world’s finest youth gospel choirs with him, and they just happen to be from neighboring Fort Wayne.

Some of the music I have enjoyed the very most of Livingston Taylor’s is his gospel arrangements he recorded on his Step by Step album back in 2007. The only way to really re-create that great sound was to add a gospel choir as background … and that’s exactly what we’ve done.  It just so happens we have one of the finest in our own backyard.

The Voices of Unity Choir will warm up for Livingston for about 30 minutes of their own rollicking Gospel music and then Livingston will take the stage for his concert before they join forces eventually to “rock the house” with their “get up off your feet” gospel collaborations.

For those who did not purchase the Community Concert Series, you can get your seat for this great concert starting this Friday at noon at the NPAC box office.

Good luck to all the area high school musicians who will be competing at Solo & Ensemble Contest this Saturday at St. Marys Memorial High School. Most of you won’t be attending, but you can catch the best of them at the ninth annual Van Wert County Young Artists Recital on Sunday, February 12, at 3 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church sanctuary. Mark your calendars!

FINÉ.