Bluegrass-Flavored Folk-Rock Band Playing At The Aldrich Tonight

RIDGEFIELD — The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art in Ridgefield invites arts lovers to visit the museum on Friday, May 2, to hear music performed by Stealin’ Back, a local folk-rock band.

The night will open with music by two more local groups, Jovian, playing from 8 to 8:30 pm, and Slow Noise, from 8:45 to 9:15 pm.  Stealin’ Back will play from 9:30 to 11. Admission is $3 for the evening of music, payable at the door.

The bands are performing Friday night in support of the museum’s current exhibition, “Play,” which was conceived and curated by the students involved in the Aldrich Museum’s education program Art Lab.

The program allows junior and senior high school students to work closely with studio artists as well as museum curators while learning about the modern art world and nurturing creative ideas of their own.

“Play” showcases the work of these young artists as well as others from local schools. Newtown High School seniors Ted Yemc, Lauren Parrish and MorganEve Swain, part of the Art Lab program, are among the featured artists. The exhibition can be viewed in the museum’s Leir Gallery and remains on view until May 14.

MorganEve Swain is also the fiddler in Friday night’s feature band, Stealin’ Back. The band is made up of local musicians from Newtown, Monroe, Naugatuck and Seymour and is currently performing in area pubs, clubs and restaurants, as well as various performing venues.

The core of the band – John Hurley (guitar/vocals), Chuck O’Donnell (guitar/vocals) and Fred MacKay (bass) – has been performing together for the past ten years. MorganEve joined Stealin’ Back in the summer of 2002.

 The band also performs with Irish singer/songwriter Liz McNicholl of Norwalk, as Liz McNicholl and Friends, and under the name Once Removed, with singer Pat Spear of Bridgeport.

Stealin’ Back has performed at the Gaelic American Club and the Black Rock Castle in Fairfield; Ceili’s Irish Pub in Guilford; Cafe 127 in Shelton; Redding Roadhouse, Redding; and at the Milford Performance Coffee House in Milford. For more information about the bands visit www.StealinBack.com or www.lizmc.com.

For additional information concerning the May 2 concert call 203-438-4519 or visit www.AldrichArt.org.