Entertainment

Chicago to bring back nostalgia to Crown Theater

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Tuesday, 12 May 2026

Written by Jamie Bishop

Before algorithms curated playlists and before music became something compressed into earbuds and scrolling screens, there were bands like Chicago groups whose songs did more than entertain. They occupied space in people’s lives.
Their music drifted through open car windows in the summer. It played softly from living room stereos after midnight. It became woven into weddings, heartbreaks, family cookouts and long drives down unfamiliar highways. For generations of listeners, Chicago was never simply a band. It was memory set to brass and melody.
Now, nearly six decades after the group first emerged from the turbulent music scene of the late 1960s, Chicago is bringing its catalog of enduring hits to Fayetteville as part of Community Concerts’ 90th anniversary season. The legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band will perform on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Crown Theatre, marking one of the most anticipated stops in this year’s concert lineup.
For Community Concerts President Michael Fleishman, the significance of the event extends beyond nostalgia.
“Chicago is one of those rare bands whose music transcends generations,” Fleishman said. “People may come because they grew up with the songs, but the music continues reaching new audiences because it’s timeless.”
That timelessness is difficult to manufacture and nearly impossible to sustain. Yet Chicago has managed to do both.
Formed in 1967, the band separated itself early by blending rock music with jazz-inspired horn arrangements and ambitious instrumentation. At a time when popular music was rapidly evolving, Chicago carved out a sound that was simultaneously experimental and accessible. Their music carried the energy of rock, the complexity of jazz and the emotional resonance of pop ballads.
The result was a catalog that would eventually include classics such as “Saturday in the Park,” “25 or 6 to 4,” “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard Habit to Break” and “You’re the Inspiration.” Across decades, those songs remained in constant rotation on radio stations, movie soundtracks and playlists passed between generations.
But Chicago’s staying power has always been tied to more than commercial success. The band became part of the emotional architecture of American life.
Their music often arrives attached to memory. Listeners hear the opening horns of “Beginnings” and suddenly remember being young again. A piano chord triggers recollections of high school dances, first loves or moments long buried beneath the routine of adulthood. Chicago’s songs do not simply revisit the past; they reopen it.
That emotional connection is part of what made the band such a fitting choice for Community Concerts’ landmark season.
Founded during the 1930s, Community Concerts has spent decades bringing nationally recognized entertainment to Fayetteville. In many ways, the organization’s own history mirrors the endurance of the artists it presents. Through wars, economic shifts and dramatic changes in entertainment culture, the nonprofit has remained a steady presence in the city’s artistic life.
Its 90th season represents both a celebration of longevity and a statement about Fayetteville’s evolving cultural identity.
“This season is really about honoring legacy while continuing to grow,” Fleishman said. “For years, Community Concerts has worked to make sure people in this area can experience world-class entertainment right here at home.”
That accessibility matters in a city often overshadowed by larger entertainment markets like Raleigh or Charlotte. Bringing a band with Chicago’s reputation to Fayetteville signals something larger than a single concert date. It reflects the city’s continuing investment in arts, entertainment and cultural engagement.
It also reinforces the role live performance still plays in a digital era increasingly defined by isolation and convenience.
Streaming platforms have made music instantly available, but convenience rarely replaces experience. A live concert still carries something irreplaceable: the collective energy of strangers singing the same lyrics, the vibration of instruments moving through a theater and the temporary suspension of daily distractions.
For many attendees, the Chicago concert will likely become more than a night out. It will become reunion and remembrance.
Some audience members will arrive carrying decades of history with the music. Others may be attending because a parent introduced them to the band years earlier. Inside the Crown Theatre, those generations will occupy the same room, connected by songs that have somehow survived changing trends, technologies and eras. And Chicago itself remains remarkably resilient.
Few bands from their era continue performing at such a high level after nearly 60 years. Lineups evolved. Music culture shifted dramatically. Entire genres rose and disappeared. Yet Chicago endured, continuing to tour worldwide while maintaining the polished musicianship and signature sound that made the band famous. Their longevity reflects discipline as much as talent. Chicago’s music has always balanced technical precision with emotional sincerity, a combination that allows songs to age without losing their impact. Fleishman believes audiences are responding not only to nostalgia but to authenticity.
“There’s something powerful about hearing music performed live by artists who have dedicated their lives to their craft,” he said. “That connection between performer and audience is something people still crave.”
As Fayetteville prepares for the performance, the concert arrives at a moment when communities increasingly seek shared experiences again. In a fragmented cultural landscape, live music still possesses the rare ability to gather people together in one place for one common emotional experience. For a few hours, generations will sing the same choruses beneath the theater lights. Some will remember who they once were when they first heard those songs. Others may discover why the music endured long before they were born. That is the quiet power of a band like Chicago.
The songs remain familiar not because they survived history but because they became part of it.
Chicago will perform on May 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Crown Theatre, located at 1960 Coliseum Drive in Fayetteville. Tickets are available through the Crown Complex box office, or by visiting https://www.crowncomplexnc.com/

(Photos courtesy of Chicago's Facebook page)

Artist Village brings habit forming musical to Arts XL

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Tuesday, 05 May 2026

Written by Katie Herring

If you are looking for a knee-slapping, toe-tapping comedy with lots of heart, look no further than The Artist Village production of the musical sensation Nunsense. Running three days for four performances, May 15-17, you will not want to miss out on this long-time fan favorite musical that has been leaving audiences rolling in the aisles for over 40 years.
Artist Village is relatively new to the arts scene in Cumberland County and started as a passion project during the Covid pandemic lockdown. Working primarily in Hope Mills, Teresa Davis and her team are on a mission “to entertain, inform, and educate youth and adult community members; thereby enriching cultural life through the arts” (artistvillagehm.com). Past productions have been performed at a few different locations, including the Hope Mills Recreation Center. Nunsense will be their first production to be performed at Fayetteville’s Arts XL venue at 214 Burgess St.
Nunsense is a musical comedy about the Little Sisters of Hoboken, who have recently experienced a tragic accident leading to the death of many of their sisters. With a collection of dead bodies in the freezer, the surviving nuns put on a variety show to help raise the funds necessary to bury the rest of their dearly departed sisters. While the premise seems dark, the resulting show is a hilarious revue featuring a variety of musical styles, from country to gospel, even some classic Latin choir arrangements.
Fans of the original show will recognize some updates in the Artist Village production. The original 1985 version has been updated to a Mega-Musical version, expanding the cast from 5 nuns to 9, and adding two men: Brother Timothy & Father Patrick Virgil.
The diverse cast features performers of various ages and levels of experience. There are two high school students performing alongside actors with a bit more age and stage experience under their habits.
Jackie Hill takes the stage as Sister Hubert for the second time, having played the character in the Lumberton Civic Center’s previous production of the show. One of the characters added to the extended Mega-Musical version is Sister Julia, Child of God, played by Kelly Whitback, who has been in a few Artist Village productions. Stephanie Bohn plays Sister Leo, the ballet dancing nun. Bohn currently works as a nurse, but is a classically trained ballerina and, as such, is taking care of her own ballet choreography. Angela Westmoreland plays Mother Superior, which follows her performance as Mother Abbess in Fayetteville Technical Community College’s recent production of The Sound of Music.
Led by director Jennifer Sell, the cast is reported to have great chemistry.
As explained by Westmoreland, “There is harmony, even in the comedy.”
Any play benefits from a cast with great chemistry, but for a show like Nunsense, it is essential and the Artist Village company has struck gold in that regard.
As the name of the company suggests, it takes a village to produce a play, and the Artist Village production of Nunsense is no different. The nuns’ costumes are on loan from FTCC’s theatre department, who recently used them in their production of The Sound of Music. Being able to stage the show without having to purchase such a volume of costumes means a lot to a company who is currently fully grant-funded, explains Davis. Additionally, performing the show at Arts XL means that the group is a guest in the home of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Davis says they “have been fantastic with their support” of the company who is currently a transient organization.
The Artist Village production of Nunsense is truly a shining example of what community theatre is all about: people from all backgrounds and walks of life coming together, with support from across the community, to tell a story that is full of humor, hope, and joy.
Performances will be held May 15 & 16 at 7 p.m. and May 16 & 17 at 3 p.m.
Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for students, and can be purchased ahead of time at artistvillagehm.com or bought at the door.

Lumbee Tribe to hold historic celebration

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Tuesday, 12 May 2026

Written by Katie Herring

On Saturday, May 16, UNC Pembroke will host a huge, day-long celebration. There will be food, music, dancing, arts and crafts vendors, fun and fellowship all day. What is the cause of all this celebration? The Lumbee Tribe is inviting its members and neighbors to celebrate the historic passage of the Lumbee Fairness Act, which grants full federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, a goal that tribal leaders have been working toward for decades.
The event promises to be a momentous day and will be held on the University’s campus, off of Founder’s Drive in Pembroke, NC. It serves as a formal victory lap for a community that has spent generations seeking the same status afforded to hundreds of other indigenous nations across the United States. Following the landmark signing of the Lumbee Fairness Act late last year, the atmosphere in Pembroke is one of profound anticipation and unbridled joy.
The road to this moment was paved with decades of legislative hurdles. While North Carolina has recognized the Lumbee Tribe for generations, full federal recognition remained elusive due to the 1956 Lumbee Act. That "termination era" legislation recognized the Lumbee as American Indians but intentionally denied them the federal benefits and sovereign status usually associated with such recognition.
That "legal limbo," as Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery described it, officially ended on December 18, 2025. President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act, which included the Lumbee Fairness Act, officially designating the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina as the 575th federally recognized tribe in the nation.
"In that moment, our legal limbo finally ended," Chairman Lowery said, reflecting on his presence at the signing. "The injustice of the 1956 Act has been corrected, a relic of the Indian Termination Era has been erased, and the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is now fully and rightfully recognized."
The shift from state-recognized to federally recognized is far more than symbolic. It opens the door to a wide array of federal resources in health care, education, housing and disaster relief.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein noted that the history of the Lumbee long predates the state itself and emphasized that this victory is a win for all North Carolinians.
"Full federal recognition will allow members access to the federal health care, education, housing, child care, and disaster relief benefits afforded other federally recognized tribes," Stein said in an official press release on governor.nc.gov. "These benefits will, in turn, create economic opportunities for the Tribe and the surrounding community."
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum echoed these sentiments, noting that the move acknowledges a "long and well-documented history of tribal governance" and ensures the Lumbee hold a direct, sovereign relationship with the federal government—a status centered on respect and self-determination (doi.gov).
The celebration on May 16 promises to be a twelve-hour marathon of culture, running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Quad at UNCP, a university founded by the Lumbee people in 1887, will provide a poetic backdrop for the festivities. Partnering with Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings and the university, the tribe will transform the campus into a vibrant hub of food, fellowship and gospel singing.
The day’s schedule is packed with activity, including cultural demonstrations during which elders and youth will share stories of the tribe’s resilience, ensuring the oral traditions of the Lumbee remain central to this new chapter. There will be a mini-powwow, featuring traditional music and dancing. Local vendors will line the walkways selling handmade pottery, pinecone patchwork, and jewelry. There will be guest speakers, including Chairman Lowery, along with other tribal members and key individuals who played an important role in achieving federal recognition.
Tribal leaders emphasize that while there has certainly been struggle in the past, the focus of the celebration is to help turn the focus to the future. With sovereign status, the Lumbee Tribe now has the autonomy to manage its own programs and resources, providing a higher quality of life for its citizens in Robeson, Scotland, Hoke, and Cumberland counties.
Saturday's event is more than just a festival; it is a reclamation of identity. For the elders who have spent their entire lives under the shadow of the 1956 Act, this celebration is the fulfillment of a promise made to their parents and grandparents and recognizes the gift that is being presented to the next generation.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/4ng2f1B.

The Golden Hour: Move to your own rhythm

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Tuesday, 05 May 2026

Written by Lena Simmons

The Golden Hour is a silent Dancing Without Sin dance experience. The sponsors for this event are Book Black Women Inc and 1910 Wine Nest. Feel the joy on May 16, at the Executive Room,230 Donaldson St., from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The cost is $25 per person. The silent dance is the experience of line dancing, freestyle movement, and high energy with immersive headphones. The immersive wireless headphones are limited to fifty guests. Each guest will have a personalized music playlist and share the energy of the room. The dress code is yellow tops and denim bottoms. For more information, visit www.dancingwithoutsin.com
Book Black Women Inc is a cultural production company creating curated live experiences, signature programming, and artist-centered events.
“The heart of Book Black Women has not changed, but the vision has expanded,” shared Ayana Washington, Founder and Executive Director to the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal.
Dancing Without Sin Fitness was founded by Stephanie Brown Kegler in July 2015 and has hosted events throughout Fayetteville for the past few years. Kegler has been a trainer since 2009, and noticed during her classes that a group of people was missing. She calls them “The Forgotten Christians.” Dancing Without Sin was created to help give those Christians the space to dance and connect with their spirituality. The dance program focuses on gospel music, Christian hip hop, inspirational pieces and Afro beats. She also holds a session focusing on participants with standing disabilities or in wheelchairs. Kegler calls herself a “movement minister” and uses her dance and exercise classes to help others connect to God.
Experience your free-style dance at The Golden Hour with hosts of Dancing Without Sin, Book Black Women Inc and 1910 Wine Nest on May 16, at The Executive Room. Advanced registration is required, and tickets can be purchased at https://www.dancingwithoutsin.com/event-details-registration/the-golden-hour
Feel the joy, and find your frequency.