The Fayetteville After Five Performing Arts Concert Series comes to a positively ghoulish ending on Thursday, Oct. 16 beginning at 5:30 p.m., when Festival Park becomes home to chilling tunes and a host of supernatural spectators, including ghosts and goblins and perhaps a gremlin or two.
    The hugely succesful event, which raises funds for the Fayetteville Museum of Art, ends the season with a costume concert and the percolating sounds of Mr. Coffee and the Creamers. There will be prizes awarded for the best costumes. There will also be free goodies provided the truly scary cast of characters from the staff of Up and Coming Weekly.
    Mr. Coffee and the Creamers specializes in Motown soul and R&B. It features a diverse array of musicians whose backgrounds include everything from punk to funk, hip-hop to jazz. While performing various classic cover cover songs, the Creamers still manage to bring a unique energy to these old hits while remaining true to the spirit and soul of the music. {mosimage}
    Among the band’s many cover songs are: “My Girl,” The Temptations; “Reach Out (I’ll Be There),” The Four Tops; “Think,” Aretha Franklin; “Soul Man,” Sam & Dave; “Superstition,” Stevie Wonder; “I Want You Back,” Jackson Five;  “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” The Temptations; “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay,” Otis Redding; “Tears Of A Clown,” Smokey Robinson and the Miracles; “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” Marvin Gaye; and “Son of a Preacher Man,” Dusty Springfield;
    Band members include: Erik Aagaard and Jon Christie on guitars;  John Crouch on drums; Carl Dorr on keyboards; Noah Fiorentino on bass; Jason Gabriel on sax and vocals; Dan Kinney on vocals and auxiliary percussion; Andy Kleindienst on trombone and vocals; Tim Smith on sax, flute and vocals; and Robeson County’s own Charly Lowry on vocals.
    Lowry gained a measure of fame when she was a contestant on American Idol several years ago, competing in the show’s third season. Lowryís performance of Creedence Cleawater Revival’s “Proud Mary” earned her a spot among Idol’s final 32 and a trip to Los Angeles.
    A member of the Lumbee tribe, Lowry has released a solo CD entitled Movin’ On, which reflects her heritage, boasting such songs as the single “Brown Skin.” She released the CD on the Greensky Records label.
    For more information on Mr. Coffee and the Creamers, check out the Web site, www.mrcoffeeandthecreaners.com.
    Fayetteville After Five is a free event that raises money for the Fayetteville Museum of Art. In addition to the music, there are vendors and tents featuring such activities as the Young at Art Tent, which allows children to participate in making art, as well as the Visual Artist Tent, which features artists creating arts and crafts on-site, as well as a selection of unuque, hand-crafted art.
    No coolers or food are allowed — bring a blanket or lawn chair and arrice early to get a good view of Mr. Coffee and the Creamers.