Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1480176
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 UCW 7 Best of Fayetteville Best Theatre: Live/Virtual Cape Fear Regional Theatre 1209 Hay Street 910-323-4233 or www.cfrt.org Cape Fear Regional Theatre is back with style and a brand new remod- eled facility. Renovation highlights include 285 brand new seats that are wider, deeper rows, a brand-new sound system designed by TONY- Award winning Sound Designer Rob Kaplowitz, a new fresh-air intake HVAC, upgraded energy-efficient lighting, new flooring, new paint and upgraded ADA accessibility. Their productions of "The Wizard of Oz," "Clue," and "The Color Purple" had several sold-out shows. Their new 2022/2023 season is currently kicking off on stage with a new production of "Buddy Holly." Best Art Gallery The Arts Council 301 Hay Street 910-323-1776 or www.theartscouncil.com If art is the heart of a com- munity, then The Arts Council of Fayetteville is the blood that keeps it pumping. The Arts Council supports individual creativity, cultural preservation, economic development and lifelong learn- ing through the arts. A perennial favorite, The Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County has been an essential force in our com- munity since its founding in 1973. It administers programs in part- nership with a variety of regional agencies to stimulate commu- nity and economic development through the arts. The Arts Council is built on the premise that art connects people faster than anything else and is worth promoting. Nonprofit arts and culture comprise a $59.2 million-dollar industry in Cumberland County, which is consistently higher than the national average. The Arts Council has won national recognition and a $10,000 award from Ovation network and Spectrum as one of 12 organizations across the United States lauded for innovative programming and enriching communities. Community organizations and individual artists annually receive more than $600,000 in grants and support from The Arts Council. The Arts Council benefits from events like 4th Fridays that continue to draw visitors downtown to enjoy street music and art as well as local restaurants and brew pubs. Best Local Musician/Band Rivermist 910-797-7140 or www.rivermistband.com Rivermist was born in the summer of 2014, but its members have been per- forming in Fayetteville for more than 20 years. The band is made up of five musicians: drummer and backup vocalist Greg Adair, keys player and lead/ backup vocalist Doug Bass, lead guitarist Cliff Bender, bass guitarist Tony Harrison and keys player and lead/backup vocalist Allen Pier. Rivermist is known for playing a variety of styles, including covers of every artist from Journey to Bruno Mars to Earth, Wind & Fire. Fans love Rivermist for its engag- ing, energetic performances, which have taken the band to festivals and events all over the Fayetteville area, not to mention the entire East Coast. Over the years, the band has adapted in many ways to stay relevant and to keep its fan base. Adair explained that every member of the band pays atten- tion to little details vocally and musically to ensure that every performance is its best. He also noted that the members of the band don't just work together, they are friends. He said they are really like family and their family members all get along. "It's the most special relationship that I've ever seen," he said. Perhaps the most important ingredient of their success is their relationship with their followers. "We genuinely love the people who come to our concerts and who follow us to different venues," he continued. "We take pride in putting on every show. We are honored to be selected Up & Coming Weekly's Best Band for so many years!"