A highlight of this year’s Jazz & Beyond Carson City Music Festival will be a two-part Motown special — the first of which will be a free lecture-demonstration by musician and educator, John Shipley, at 7 p.m. Monday in the Brewery Arts Center’s Performance Hall, 511 W. King St.
Shipley’s lecture will include music, visuals, a guitar raffle, a no-host bar, and a guest appearance by Lloyd Williams, of Otis Day and the Knights, the fictional band featured in the film “Animal House.”
The second part of the Motown special is a ticketed concert showcasing Williams at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Williams will perform with John and Cherie Shipley; Trey Stone; Zack Teran; Dee Monier; and Liz Broscoe. Williams and Stone will be inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame on Oct. 4 in Detroit, as band members of The Undisputed Truth.
Williams performed as Otis Day on the “Animal House” movie soundtrack for Otis Day and the Knights, best known for its versions of “Shout” and “Shama Lama Ding Dong.” Both songs were sung by Williams and lip synced by the actors in “Animal House.” The band will play these songs and other popular Motown classics at the concert on Tuesday.
A Carson City Arts Initiative art show and sale will precede the concert from 5 to 7 p.m. Refreshments and commemorative shirts will be on sale in the lobby before the concert and during intermission.
Both Motown events are presented by the Mile High Jazz Band Association and Carson City and funded in part by a grant from Nevada Humanities. Tickets are $18 for general admission; $15 for seniors, students, and Mile High Jazz Band Association members; $10 for youth ages 6-12; and free for children 5 and under. Tickets are available in advance at the Carson City Visitors Bureau, 716 N. Carson St., and online at JazzCarsonCity.com.
The 12th annual Jazz & Beyond festival features more than 100 performers in about 60 performances, and most are admission free. Beyond jazz, the festival includes bluegrass, blues, and other styles of music, visual art, dance, and film. Sunday afternoon concerts on the grounds of the Legislature are planned for Aug. 9, 16, and 23. Other free events include concerts at Carson Mall, Comma Courtyard, the Brewery Arts Center, and other downtown Carson City venues. For more information call the Mile High Jazz Band Association at 775-883-4154 or see JazzCarsonCity.com.