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The Tri-Valley arts scene is still abuzz from the announcement days ago that two-time Grammy Award winner LeAnn Rimes has been booked to headline the 2025 Brilliance at The Bankhead gala on Aug. 23.
Perhaps best known for her record-setting hit “How Do I Live” in 1997, Rimes burst onto the country music scene as a teenager and built a three-decades-and-counting career as a singer, songwriter and actress – and she’s no stranger to this area, having performed multiple times at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, most recently two summers ago.
“Brilliance at The Bankhead is more than just a night of incredible music — it’s a celebration of the arts and their impact on our community. Having LeAnn Rimes headline our biggest fundraiser of the year is an honor, and her performance will help us continue bringing world-class entertainment, arts education, and cultural enrichment to the Tri-Valley,” Livermore Valley Arts CEO Chris Carter told me on Tuesday.
“The arts are essential to our quality of life, and this event ensures we can keep inspiring our community for years to come,” Carter added.
The big Brilliance announcement bolstered a busy time for the Bankhead.
We’re barely into February and already the bill has seen Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock, Lunar New Year Celebration, “Selected Shorts” and “James and the Giant Peach JR” (by CYT Tri-Valley) come and go.
Cover act concerts arrive on back-to-back nights next, with Take It To The Limit – Eagles Tribute on Thursday (Feb. 6) and Zep Live! Led Zeppelin Concert Experience on Friday (Feb. 7).
On Saturday, Nottingham Cellars is holding a wine club event at the theater at 1 p.m. — the first of two events in less than a week for the winery, with its Valentine’s Day celebration at the Bankhead from 4-6 p.m. on the holiday.
Del Valle Fine Arts is presenting a string concert with Euclid Quartet on Saturday evening (Feb. 8). Joining CYT and DVFA as Bankhead resident companies with performances coming up, Livermore-Amador Symphony has its “Expressions of Youth” concert on Feb. 15 and Livermore Valley Opera opens its “Don Giovanni” production on March 1.
Tri-Valley Nonprofit Alliance has an intriguing community program set for next Thursday (Feb. 13) from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Bankhead: “The Power of Nonprofit Advocacy: Yes We Can and Why We Must”.
CalNonprofits CEO Geoff Green will lead the presentation, touching on key topics like why advocacy matters, practical strategies and how to use your expertise, according to TVNPA reps — who also announced, as I was writing this column, that their “In Conversation with Tri-Valley Mayors” event has been scheduled for March 12 at the Bankhead.
For those still searching for a Valentine’s Day plan, tickets remain available for Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies female tap show at 8 p.m. next Friday.
The Rhythm India: Bollywood and Beyond performance, which had been scheduled for Feb. 16, was recently postponed to April 2 (fallout from the Southern California fires).
International Guitar Night returns to the Bankhead on Feb. 21 as part of its 25th anniversary tour featuring Lulo Reinhardt (Germany), Alexandra Whittingham (England), Niwel Tsumbu (Republic of Congo) and Sönke Meinen (Germany).
Comedian Rita Rudner will also be back in Livermore to close out the month. We have an interview story with her on tap for next week’s paper to preview her Feb. 28 show.
Be sure to check out the UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery at the Bankhead in the weeks ahead, as the current exhibit “Adorned: A Celebration of Wearable Art” runs until March 1.
“‘Adorned’ celebrates the extraordinary stories that wearable art can tell,” LVA visual arts and education manager Anne Giancola said in a press release as the exhibit opened. “From ancient traditions to contemporary innovation, this exhibit invites visitors to see clothing as a canvas for creativity, identity and cultural expression.”
Highlights include three costumes by famed designer Becky Bodurtha, hand-painted silk scarves, intricate hand-embroidered garments and cultural textiles from around the world, LVA reps said. A special reception on closing day will see a “Runway Walk” with artists modeling their wearable works.
There’s plenty to be excited about at the Bankhead as winter turns to spring too. Hall of Fame drummer Stewart Copeland (March 5), “Hadestown: Teen Edition” (March 14-16), iLuminate (March 28), “Overcoming Adversity: The Elizabeth Smart Story” (March 30), The Second City 65th Anniversary Show (April 11), Las Cafeteras (May 2), “The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes” (May 10) and The Wonder of Elvis (May 17) are just a few of the many shows on the calendar.
I’ve also been told LVA is going to be releasing its summer 2025 schedule in the coming days – but I couldn’t score a sneak peek. Look for that news soon.
And the nonprofit hopes to accelerate the momentum of the Rimes headliner drop on April 9 with its 2025-26 season announcement party. I can’t wait to find out who they booked.
Editor’s note: Jeremy Walsh is the editorial director for the Embarcadero Media Foundation’s East Bay Division. His “What a Week” column is a recurring feature in the Pleasanton Weekly, Livermore Vine and DanvilleSanRamon.com.
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