Bankhead Presents Program | March 2025
iLuminate
FRI MAR 28 @ 8 PM
iLuminate has been a household name since we were called “The BEST NEW ACT in America!” during our run on America’s Got Talent in 2011. Maybe you saw us on TV or heard about us through one of our international appearances or saw our Live show in the heart of New York City. No matter how you found us, we’re just glad you did!
iLuminate is a company based on the fusion of technology and dance. This distinct intermix will reawaken your senses and imagination! We are a diverse team of experts and together we create a visual experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
Audiences will see dancers in electrified glow-in-the-dark suits performing dynamic routines and illusions on a darkened stage. It’s a show that’s completely unique to our brand and incomparable to any other dance performance.
iLuminate is the brainchild of Miral Kotb, a woman whose true passions in life are dance and software engineering, which is why you’ll see her both manning the keyboard and dancing on stage in our archive of video performances (which you absolutely should check out).
In 2009, Miral combined her two passions to create our patented iLuminate technology, the tool that enables performers, choreographers, engineers, technicians, stylists and artistic directors to produce explosive performances with customized wireless lighting programs. The results are extraordinary lighting effects choreographed with phenomenal dance moves that take viewers on an exhilarating ride.
You may have seen iLuminate technology in shows around the world — from Cairo to Malaysia and the United States to Hong Kong, we are racking up our mileage points. Check out our Blog to get our exclusive travel stories! Not a world traveler? Watch us from home!
We’ve been on TV shows like Dancing with the Stars, the X-Factor, Good Morning America, The Wendy Williams Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. As well as The American Music Awards, MTV’s Video Music Awards, BET Awards, The Nickelodeon Awards, Billboard, and Latin Billboard Awards.
Daniel Ho Quintet
SAT MAR 29 @ 8 PM
Daniel Ho is a six-time GRAMMY Award winner, eleven-time GRAMMY Award nominee, six-time Taiwanese Golden Melody Award winner, and recipient of multiple Hawaiian Music awards. He is an ‘ukulele virtuoso, slack key guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, singer-songwriter, producer, audio engineer, and record company owner. Daniel’s collaborations transcend genres – from Hawaiian Regional Roots, to World Music with Mongolian nomads, to duets with Pepe Romero the maestro of classical guitar, to jazz and rock with Tak Matsumoto of the Japanese supergroup, B’z.
Always on the move, Daniel is an American Cultural Ambassador, with tours completed to Japan, Thailand, Brunei, and Australia. In infinite pursuit of new musical adventures, he is also the designer of the Romero Creations Tiny Tenor ‘ukulele, and Ohana Bongolele and Shakerlele. Daniel’s Spalted Mango Tiny Tenor ‘ukulele is on exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles.
LVA Sponsor
LVA Sponsor
LVA Sponsor
Overcoming Adversity: The Elizabeth Smart Story
Abduction Survivor, Founder of Elizabeth Smart Foundation, Inspiring Communicator of Hope
SUN MAR 30 @ 3 PM
The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time. Smart was abducted on June 5, 2002, and her captors controlled her by threatening to kill her and her family if she tried to escape. Fortunately, the police safely returned Smart back to her family on March 12, 2003 after being held prisoner for 9 grueling months.
Through this traumatic experience Smart has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery programs and National legislation. Elizabeth triumphantly testified before her captor and the world about the very private nightmare she suffered during her abduction, which lead to conviction.
Founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, Smart has also helped promote The National AMBER Alert, The Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act and other safety legislation to help prevent abductions.
Smart has chronicled her experiences in the New York Times best-selling book, My Story. In addition, she and other abduction survivors worked with the Department of Justice to create a survivors guide, entitled, You’re Not Alone: The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment. This guide is meant to encourage children who have gone through similar experiences not to give up but to know that there is hope for a rewarding life.
Smart’s abduction and recovery continues to motivate parents, law enforcement and leaders worldwide to focus on children’s safety. She emphasizes vigilance by everyday people and the belief that hope always exist to find every missing child. Smart’s example is a daily demonstration that there really is life after a tragic event.
Smart attended Brigham Young University, studying music as a harp performance major. She married her husband Matthew in 2012.
Sponsored in part by Jean King
UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery at the Bankhead Theater
Livermore Valley Arts is pleased to welcome Pablo Villicaña Lara as a guest curator for this exhibit. According to his statement, Mr. Villicaña Lara, strives for a palpable quality of light, clarity of color, and strong composition. He infuses each painting with a sense of spirituality that reflects a deep connection to Native and Mexican heritage.
Identity: Defining Identity Through Visual Expression
Now thru May 4, 2025
Thursdays — Sundays, 1 pm — 5 pm
FREE & OPEN to the Public
Livermore Valley Arts presents IDENTITY, with Guest Curator Pablo Villicaña Lara, at the UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery at the Bankhead Theater. Running March 6 – May 4, 2025, this exhibit shares how artists have long used their work as a means to express and define who they are, offering the world a glimpse into their unique perspectives, experiences, and passions. This exhibition features artists sharing their vision, exploring identity and connection through visual storytelling. IDENTITY invites visitors to experience works that capture the ways artists define themselves, their relationships, and their world.
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Earlier This Month
Stewart Copeland
Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood, and Other Adventures
WED MAR 5 @ 7:30 PM
A-List rock star Stewart Copeland enjoyed remarkable success with The Police, and is one of the greatest drummers of all-time, a multi-Grammy winner, and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. Having
played drums for Curved Air from 1975 to 1976, he went on to drive The Police to world domination between 1977 and 1986 before composing Hollywood soundtracks, writing books, forming a supergroup, making films, and composing for ballet, opera, and classical music. In this fascinating “Evening With,” Stewart will talk about his incredible life as a performer, musician, entertainer, and writer.
Sponsored in part by Jean King
Michael Feinstein in
Because of You: My Tribute to Tony Bennett
FRI MAR 7 @ 8 PM
Michael Feinstein brings to life Big Band Celebrations and the Tony Bennett legacy. Supported by the Carnegie Hall Ensemble, Feinstein pays a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Tony Bennett, bringing his iconic songs to life in a symphony of sound.
The performance will feature hits such as “Because of You,” “Rags to Riches,” “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “The Best is Yet To Come,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Stranger in Paradise,” and many more. Feinstein’s dynamic interpretations, coupled with the grandeur of the big band, will create an unforgettable night that honors the legacy of Tony Bennett in all its glory.
Michael Feinstein’s close friendship with Tony Bennett adds a profound layer to this tribute, as their camaraderie brings authenticity and depth to each note performed. Not only does Feinstein’s masterful interpretation of Bennett’s timeless repertoire pay homage to an era of classic songwriting, but it also preserves the rich cultural heritage that these songs represent.
The show also brings to bear the history of Carnegie Hall, which has been connected to the American big band for decades. Icons from across the 20th and 21st Century have graced the stage of Carnegie Hall, from Benny Goodman to Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong to Ella Fitzgerald and from Frank Sinatra to of course, Tony Bennett. A multi-media element of the show will help to bring this history to life onstage.
“Tony Bennett is one of the most enduring icons of the 20th century. He has created a body of work surpassed by none.” – Michael Feinstein
(This show is not affiliated with the Tony Bennett Estate.)
Téada
MON MAR 17 @ 7:30 PM
A traditional band with a truly worldwide reach, Téada has appeared as a frequent headliner at major music festivals throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, Russia, the Middle East and Australia. Highlights include a 30,000-capacity stadium concert in Brittany, along with performances at Penang World Music Festival in Malaysia, Edmonton Folk Festival in Canada, Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe, and Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo. In 2014, the band performed to 40,000 people during an extensive 7-week tour of Japan / Taiwan, and continues to have a strong touring presence in the United States, where Téada has toured actively since 2001.
May 2022 brought the release of the band’s new album on the Gael Linn label, featuring an exciting vocal collaboration with Hollywood actor & singer John C. Reilly in addition to the band’s customary reenergising of rare tunes from the tradition. Legendary Kerry singer and accordionist – Séamus Begley – Téada’s vocalist since 2012, sadly passed away in January 2023, a great loss to Téada and the entire musical community. Notable festival appearances in 2023 included Savannah Music Festival, Montana Folk Festival, Festival Interceltique de Lorient (Brittany) and Irish Festival of Oulu (Finland), with the band set to return to Dublin Irish Festival, Ohio in Summer 2024.
Yamato – The Drummers of Japan
WED MAR 19 @ 7:30 PM
YAMATO is a Japanese Taiko drumming group based in Asuka-mura Nara Prefecture which is well known by Japanese people as the hometown of Japan. They call themselves “YAMATO, the Taiko drumming group that travels all over the world”. They have given more than 4,500 shows across 54 countries around the world since their formation in 1993.
YAMATO’s Taiko work cannot be fully described by the word “performance”.
They have performed in theaters, schools, all types of events, and even held workshops and Taiko lessons. They are spending a half year on a Japan tour and a half year for the world tour. Their motto is “We go everywhere when somebody needs YAMATO! And bringing energy to the people living in the world!”. They bring joy to the world.
On stage, they are standing with more than 40 Taiko drums and all of them are having different characters. For example, their largest drum called “Odaiko”, produced from a huge tree over 400 years old, is approximately two meters in diameter and weighs 500 kg. All other Taiko drums are different sizes and have different sounds.
The members of the group have trained their bodies to the limit to beat these massive Taiko drums.
The acoustic pressure far surpasses what one could imagine.
They do not simply make their Taiko drums explode with sound; they produce delicate music that provides the listener with a palette of meticulously crafted sound. This is why YAMATO’s original performances are known as “Physical music”, and continue to receive high acclaim all over the world. YAMATO is sometimes intense, sometimes sad, sometimes comforting, and in the next moment comical on stage.
The audience is more than a group of bystanders at their performances.
The audience is engulfed in the sound of the Taiko, and sweat, cry, and laugh; they become one with the performers. All types of people gather around the sound of the Taiko, interweaving their lives, and feeling the power of each other’s inner passion and heart.
They come together to create an instant in which they truly feel alive.
“Discover the new experience by Taiko sounds which has never feeling before”
YAMATO is still traveling around the world.
Ronstadt Revue ft. Gesenia: The Ultimate Celebration of Linda Ronstadt, w/ Special Guest, John Beland
SUN MAR 23 @ 3 PM
If you close your eyes, Gesenia and her band will have you believing that the great Linda Ronstadt is onstage in this second, much anticipated return of Ronstadt Revue to the Bankhead Theater. Performing in both English and Spanish, this show is so authentic that it has been highly praised by three of Ronstadt’s own bandmates, two of whom are also co-producing their latest album (which also features Ms. Ronstadt’s nephew, the noted cellist, Michael G. Ronstadt).
In this breathtaking multimedia show, Gesenia will escort you on a deeply personal and nostalgic journey through such blockbuster hits as “When Will I Be Loved?”, “You’re No Good”, “Blue Bayou”, “Long, Long Time”, “Perfidia” and the Eagles’ heart-rending “Desperado”, and have you singing these beloved songs all the way home. It just never fails.
Special Guest John Beland was Ronstadt’s band director during her prime years, and he subsequently worked with Dolly Parton, Rick Nelson, Mac Davis, Kim Carnes, Arlo Guthrie, Alison Krauss and Kris Kristofferson, among many others. He then went on to become a member of the legendary California country rock band, the Flying Burrito Brothers. His Ronstadt road stories and musical collaborations in this show are not to be missed!
