Published: March 12, 2008 05:12 pm      

Rock, country coming to the Met

FAIRMONT — Classic rock and current country acts will be performing in Morgantown within the next few weeks.

You may not recognize Dave Mason’s name or face. But if you’re ever heard “We Just Disagree” or “Only You Know and I Know” or his version of “All Along the Watchtower,” then you know exactly who he is.

And, at 8 p.m. April 2, you’ll know exactly where he is ... the Metropolitan Theatre, 369 High St., Morgantown.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 for the main floors and $25 for the balcony.

“This is a music legend,” said promoter Josh Knotts of Josh Knotts Productions. “Guitarwise, he’s a god on guitar. He’s got that blues and rock feel.”

Mason gained fame with the band Traffic with Steve Winwood. From there, he went solo. “We Just Disagree” was his first solo hit.

“Even today, it would be considered a classic,” Knotts said.

“When I started looking into acts to bring to the Met, I separated them into music and comedy acts. Gallagher was my first comedian of choice.”

Comedians Ralphie May and Tracy Morgan also recently performed at the Met.

“Dave Mason was my first musician of choice.

“This area is a very educated crowd when it comes to good music. I said we had to get a king on guitar. WVU had B.B. King. I wanted something more rocking, so we got Dave Mason.”

For tickets, visit ticketweb.com or call 1-866-468-7619.

“An Evening of Country Music” with Smokin’ Joe Meholick and the Wild Horse Band will be held at 7:30 p.m. March 19.

They have opened for such acts as Diamond Rio, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Brooks and Dunn.

“Smokin’ Joe is well-known for their great covers of classic country songs. They’re not the older twangy country. They’re more modern-day rock and roll country.”

Country singer George Lucas (“not the ‘Star Wars’ guy,” Knotts joked) will also appear.

“He is an excellent country artist,” Knotts said. “‘911 Emergency’ is a fantastic rock and roll country song.”

Smokin’ Joe and Lucas will play together at the end of the two-hour show “for a big old country feel,” Knotts said.

“I wanted to get these up-and-comers to the Met before they get so huge we can’t get them here.

“A lot of people said they’d like to see a country show in Morgantown on stage at the Met, like the Capitol Music Hall in Wheeling,” Knotts said.

State-of-the-art lighting will make this “a full concert experience ... well worth the $10 ticket,” he said.

Tickets are available at the door the day of the show starting at noon.

As it’s emerged from almost-certain destruction just years ago, the Met has welcomed entertainment of all sorts.

“The Met has met with a lot of community support,” Knotts said. “The whole idea was to start bringing entertainment to Morgantown. The Creative Arts Center does a great job, but it’s hard for one organization to bring in entertainment.

“This makes for good choices in what to do in the evening and with families and making memories.”

“Our shows run the gamut,” said Joe Kaehler, theatre manager/technical director at the Met, which is managed under the Board of Parks And Recreation Commissioners and The Metropolitan Theatre Commission.

From high school concerts to dance troupes to nationally known artists, “We do everything,” he said.

The Met fell on hard times in the late 1980s and, just days from the wrecking ball, was purchased by a group of dedicated citizens who wanted to rescue it.

“That’s what they did. It’s been a restoration project and historical landmark since then.”

The infrastructure has been completely redone, he said.

“It’s all state of the art. We have the best lighting and one of the best sound systems around.”

That extreme makeover is “in the homestretch,” he said.

“We have about $2 million left in restoration, mostly cosmetic. The marquee will go back up, hopefully by the end of the summer. It will join the old frame design with digital inserts.”

Reopened for about five years now, the Met averaged 63 show nights in 2007 to about 30,000 patrons. In 2008, it will present 94 show nights to more than 40,000 persons.

“We’re reaching out to the entire community,” Kaehler said. “The Met is unique. We’re purely a rental house. We don’t put on our own productions. We hire the acts and they use our systems.

“And hopefully the audience goes away with having a great time.”

E-mail Debra Minor Wilson at dwilson@timeswv.com.