(Information courtesy USC Aiken Etherredge Center)
Forty years ago, the cultural series at the Etherredge Center opened with its first event — a jazz concert featuring the legendary Dizzy Gillespie.
Over the years, an array of performers has taken the stage on the campus of the University of South Carolina Aiken. Among the celebrated artists who’ve performed as part of the cultural series are the Four Tops, Shoshana Bean and the American Ballet Theater.
Tickets went on sale July 13. Go here for more information.
The season opens with the Fabulous Equinox Orchestra, who performed at the Etherredge Center in 2021.
Audiences worldwide have been captivated by these sophisticated Southern gentlemen and their high-energy performances. With the greatest songs, innovative arrangements, and exceptional musicianship, Davis and Johnson bring their deep friendship and irresistible charm to every stage. Inspired by legendary entertainers like Frank Sinatra, Davis and Johnson infuse the Great American Songbook with their unique Louisiana inspired flair.
Their performances are enriched with touches from Motown, Ray Charles, and 80s pop songs to Texas Swing, offering a fresh, relevant experience that resonates with every audience. The band has shared stages with legends like David Sanborn, David Foster, Ellis Marsalis, George Clinton, Greg Allman, Gov’t Mule, Derek Trucks and several American Idol alums.
This event will have a VIP reception ticket option.
Next up are Jerron Paxton and Dennis Lichtman on Nov. 17, 2026.
They are world-renowned multi-instrumentalists and vocalists whose mutual love of the history, stories, and significance behind the music they play is apparent as they romp through an energetic and engaging set of acoustic blues, ragtime, Tin Pan Alley pop songs, 1920s jazz, twin fiddle hoe-downs, and original compositions. The duo served as artists-in-residence at Symphony Space in New York City for the 2024-25 season and recently released their first full-length duo recording.
Paxton (piano, guitar, harmonica, fiddle, banjo) is a mainstay of the international blues festival circuit and is former artistic director of the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival.
Lichtman (clarinet, mandolin, violin, and more) is best known for running the famed trad-jazz jam sessions at Mona’s Bar in New York City since 2007.
Paxton and Lichtman’s show will be in the Etherredge Center lobby, including light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.
Mike Wiley’s drama “Breach of Peace” will take the stage during on Feb. 2, 2027.
On May 24, 1961, 19-year-old Jean Thompson boarded a Trailways bus in Montgomery, Alabama with eleven other young Freedom Riders bound for New Orleans – and history. Within three months, approximately 300 other riders took up the mantle to desegregate buses, following the path of the first brave few. \Mobs assaulted many of them. Others were arrested.
“Breach of Peace” is based on true accounts of surviving participants of the Freedom Rides and others involved in the early struggle for African American equality. This solo-play is a living monument to those remarkable young men and women of various races, religions, and backgrounds who rose to face the dangers of fighting for just and equal treatment for all.
Based in North Carolina, Wiley is an acclaimed actor, playwright, and director, recognized for his innovative and impactful contributions to documentary solo theatre. Wiley is the Steve and Janet Bear Assistant Research Professor of Arts, Ethics, and Education at Duke University and the co-director of the America’s Hallowed Ground Project. With an M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he has held the prestigious Lehman-Brady Visiting Joint Chair Professorship at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies. He has earned the UNC-Chapel Hill Distinguished Alumni Award and regularly leads teaching residencies and workshops at colleges and universities nationwide.
Artrageous will be at the center on March 21, 2027.
Imagine witnessing the creativity of an artist creating a giant masterpiece before your eyes in mere moments. Combined with captivating vocals, intricate choreography, and exciting music, Artrageous takes you on a visual journey and a high energy ride of inspiration, creativity, and engagement. The Artrageous Troupe pays tribute to a variety of art forms, icons, and musical genres culminating in a gallery of fabulous, finished paintings. The result? A one-of-a-kind crossover experience.
Formed in the 1980s, Artrageous is a theater arts community based outside of Albuquerque, NM comprised of misfit artists, singers, dancers, and musicians. From their roots of children’s theater and street performance, this group of like-minded and gifted performers has grown into an international phenomenon, revolutionizing live performance art and interactive entertainment.
Their shows are composed of a fresh mix of fine art, live music, singing, dancing, humor, and audience participation. They have performed in 49 of the 50 states and around the world from India to Japan to France. Notable performances include opening for Jay Leno and Kenny Rogers, performing with the Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil, and entrancing audiences at the World Cup Finals in Paris, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Carnegie Hall, and NBA All Star games.
The season closes on April 3, 2027 with Flamenco Viva Carlota Santana’s presentation, “Quinto Elemento” (Fifth Element) by acclaimed choreographer Patricia Guerrero, winner of Spain’s National Dance Award, with an original score by Francis Gómez performed live. Featuring Flamenco Vivo’s world-renowned international cast of dancers and musicians, the work explores the elusive fifth element of the earth — ether, the invisible essence that connects all things.
Founded in 1983, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana is one of America’s premier flamenco companies with home bases in New York City and Durham, North Carolina. They reach more than 30,000 people nationwide each year through inclusive programs that entertain, educate, and empower. Their mission is to promote flamenco as a living art form and a vital part of Hispanic heritage; produce and perform high quality dance works; provide arts education programs that catalyze connections among young people; and nurture the next generations of Spanish dance artists and educators.
They believe that the universal spirit of flamenco – with diverse influences from Roma, Arabic, Jewish, Spanish, African and Latin American cultures – gives this art form a unique power to build bridges between people.
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