Looking Over the President’s Shoulder, is a one-man show starring Michael Anthony Williams, Dec. 4 at 2 and 7 p.m. and Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. at The Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg. Tickets are $35.

Looking Over the President’s Shoulder is based on the diaries of the real-life Alonzo Fields, the White House’s first African-American Chief Butler who worked there for more than 23 years and through four presidential administrations: Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower. The show looks not only at the personalities, families, and administrations of those four presidents, but it is also simultaneously and seamlessly an in-depth look at Fields’ journey of coming to terms with what he has done with his life and how he used his creative talents.

For more information, visit www.actorstheaterofblacksburg.org.

FloydFest celebrates its 10-year anniversary July 28-31, 2011. Spanning four full days, and offering nine unique stages of entertainment, FloydFest spans genres and generations to create a “something for everybody” experience.

The production company behind the event, Across-the-Way Productions of Floyd, has dubbed this birthday bash event FloydFest X – the eXperience, and has utilized patron survey feedback to create a blowout line-up that includes favorite and most-requested acts from years past, with an initial artist roster that boasts the best in new and returning artists, including Taj Mahal, Del McCoury Band, David Grisman Quintet, Yard Dogs Road Show, Sam Bush Band, Hot Tuna Electric and Acoustic, Cyro Baptista & Beat the Donkey, Toubab Krewe, Donna the Buffalo, Tony Rice Unit, Pimps of Joytime, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Peter Rowan’s Bluegrass Band, John Brown’s Body, Boombox, New Monsoon, Baka Beyond, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, My Dear Disco, Shane Pruitt Band, DJ Williams Projekt, American Aquarium, and 2010 Under the Radar winners Big Daddy Love. As part of the special overall eXperience, each and every artist will give an intimate workshop performance on the Appalachian-style workshop porch. (more…)

On Friday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m., the Grammy-winning Emerson String Quartet will perform at The Lyric Theatre, 135 College Avenue. The concert is presented by the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech and Virginia Tech’s Department of Music.Tickets are $35 for the general public, $30 for seniors, and $15 for students. To purchase tickets, call 540.951.4771, go to The Lyric website (only general admission tickets available for purchase online), or stop by The Lyric Theatre during regular box office hours, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Monday – Friday. (more…)

The Coal Men will be back in our area Nov. 19, playing a gig at Roanoke’s Kirk Avenue Music Hall beginning at 8 p.m.

A well worn telecaster, “p” bass, drum kit, and three voices are the tools of The Coal Men, a Nashville band who’s sound digs into the rock & roll and Americana of Tennessee’s Cumberland plateau. After 11 years they are a true band that has outlasted record labels, managers, and grueling tours.

“It’s a family band at this point, said Dave Coleman, singer and guitarist. “We are brothers who are proud of what we’ve built.” (more…)

The New River Valley Symphony, under the direction of James Glazebrook, will perform its fall concert on Friday, Nov. 12, at 8 p.m. in Burruss Auditorium on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg. The program will feature Hary Janos Suite by Zoltan Kodaly and the “New World Symphony” by Antonin Dvorak. The concert is presented by the Virginia Tech Department of Music. (more…)

John Viers and the Crossroads Station Band and The Slate Mountain Ramblers will be featured performers during New River Community College’s Fiddle, Banjo, and Dance Club Jamboree on Saturday, Nov. 13. The bands will perform for the annual Veteran’s Day show beginning at 6 p.m. in Edwards Hall at NRCC in Dublin. (more…)