News1: Spring Concerts at Clay on Main

Spring 2026 Music at Clay on Main

Date posted: 1/24/26

Clay on Main will host six sets of concerts on Friday evenings between April 7 and June 19.

Each event will include a half-hour performance in the "Front Room" followed by a two-hour performance in the "Half Moon Cafe."

This concert series is now nearly 20 years old, and just keeps getting better.

Save these dates:

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April 17

7:15 - 7:45, Front Room: Bryan Betts

https://www.facebook.com/bryan.betts.96

Solo fingerstyle guitar

We've known Bryan for over 25 years, and are truly excited to have him perform at Clay on Main.

Bryan delivers intricate finger style performances on six- and twelve-string guitar.

He blends imaginative covers with expressive original compositions inspired by players like

Leo Kottke, Eric Johnson, Jorma Kaukonenk and Ralph Towner.

His playing is technically masterful and deeply melodic, creating a rich, immersive experience.

We can't wait.

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8:00 - 10:00, Half Moon: Sons of Phelan

https://sonsofphelan.com/home

Jeremy Green: Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Bass

Orin Strunk: Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboard

John Hazel: Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Mandolin

Please let us introduce you to the Sons of Phelan. The trio was born when Jeremy & John observed their homeroom/English teacher John Phelan (the band's namesake) carry a Fender amp to the front of his room, and later that year when they heard Orin playing a Danelectro 12-string for the whole school. With Mr. Phelan, they created a band: Jeremy on drums, Orin on bass, John on lead vocals, a fourth member, Jimmy on keys and vocals. Mr. Phelan, was lead guitarist and performing coach.

As it so often goes, the boys went separate ways after high school. Though each continued to perform and learn new instruments, nothing felt the same as playing with the fellow Sons. It seems like fate that, in 2023, Jeremy, Orin, and John were all back in the area coincident with when Jeremy's brother needed an opening act for a concert. Playing together again reignited the fire, and put them on a journey they expect will last a lifetime. True to John Phelan's coaching, the "boys" capture their life experiences in thoughtfully crafted new songs that they share with anyone who will listen.

May 1

7:15 - 7:45, Front Room: Blue Moon Duo

https://www.facebook.com/Thenew.Blue.Moon.Band

Sandy Pluta - vocals, guitar, resophonic guitar, mandolin, Paul Pluta - bass guitar, vocals

Sandy and Paul Pluta perform country and blues music to their own and

others’ tunes. They tell tales of love (lost and found) and travels (real and imagined).

This is one of many ways they've performed music together; they were both musicians in

bands which played at local and regional festivals, coffee houses, taverns and community events:Blue Moon, the Barn Swallows, Folkie Dolkiies, Many Rivers.

For the past 14 years, Sandy's performed for hospital patients and their families as part of

Musicians On Call. For 10 years, Paul played bass with Mike Mettalia and Midnight Shift in the Lehigh and DelawareValleys, as well as in New York City, Florida and points in between.

We have the pleasure of hearing them tonight at Clay on Main.

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8:00 - 10:00, Half Moon: CE Longenecker & Friends

https://www.celongeneckermusic.com/

Chuck Longenecker - guitar, harmonica, percussion, vocals

Dave Miller - guitar & vocals

Chuck often performs as "Street Box Strummer," a one-man band in which he creates the

energy and sound of a small combo. When he plays with his friends in this duo, the energy

is even greater.

In another place and time, Dave Miller played in Hank Williams Jr.'s band. Come to this

marvelous concert and hear familiar selections from a repertoire of hundreds of songs that

come out of rock, country, folk, rhythm and blues, and more.

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May 22

7:15 - 7:45, Front Room: Steven Simpson

https://www.facebook.com/pastorstevensimpson

solo guitar and vocals

Steven Simpson is a banjo-guitar-mando-picking bass player and singer. Steven and his wife of many years dance and teach salsa. He is a Pastor with the UCC Church. He performs mostly on banjo and vocals in the Bluegrass band Crow Hill, on bass in the band Three Tall Guys, and on all of the instruments he can when he plays solo.

Steven is a songwriter and quite the raconteur. Start your Clay on Main evening with Steven, and stay for Whiskey Kreek. You'll be glad you did.

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8:00 - 10:00, Half Moon: Whiskey Kreek.

https://www.facebook.com/p/Whiskey-Kreek-Acoustic-100063678895540/

Doug Babczak - lead guitar, slide guitar, vocals

Bob Hogan - harmonica, guitar, slide, vocals

Tom Malafarina - rhythm guitar, vocals

Whiskey Kreek Acoustic is a three piece acoustic blues and

Americana band which performs at wineries, microbreweries,

festivals, and restaurants throughout Berks and surrounding PA

counties.

It's not just the music. Audiences also get to experience the warmth

of their friendship. They play like they're buddies, and you can feel

it in every performance. They play all-acoustic Blues from

Robert Johnson to the Allman Brothers and beyond.

We are so glad that they are coming to Clay on Main

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May 29

7:15 - 7:45, Front Room: Scott Carl

https://www.Facebook.com/scott.carl.587

solo guitar and vocals

Scott is an upright/downright bassist/guitarist /vocalist / hillbilly extraordinaire. He plays acoustic solo, some old country, bluegrass, oldy moldies & originals... a little something for everyone.

You may have seen him at Pappy T's in Hamburg or the Kutztown Beneficial Association. Now you can see him at Clay on Main.

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8:00 - 10:00, Half Moon: Spirit Wing

https://www.spiritwing.net/?page_id=266

Barbara Andrews-Christy - Native American Flute, vocals

Barry Lee - guitar and vocals

Chris Hawley - bass

Spirit Wing is the contemporary Native American musical group

that plays during dancer’s breaks at Powwows and at festivals such

as: Bethlehem Musik Fest, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Cultural

Survival, etc.

Their music draws from a the traditional music and contemporary

styles. They've been nominated for a Native American Music

Award seven times.

Barb and Barry are also both visual artists. Their art will be exhibited in

Clay on Main's gallery during the week of their performance.

We have known them for over 25 years, and are so excited to have their

art and music at Clay on Main.

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June 5:

7:15 - 7:45, Front Room: Jason Nye

https://www.facebook.com/jason.nye.631402/

Solo Acoustic Guitar, vocals

A Reading, Pa. native, Jason was a drummer for over 25 years, but a few years ago, he put

the sticks down and picked up the guitar with the intention of writing his own music. After

several years, and a deep dive, Jason fell in love with the acoustic guitar. Jason plays solo acoustic guitar with vocals, featuring a variety of covers of several different genres including songs from Bob Seger, Johnny Cash, Billy Corgan, Jerry Cantrell, Rhett Akins and Aaron Lewis. Jason also composes original pieces that reflect personal experiences and lessons learned in life.

On this evening, join Jason as he debuts in the Front Room at Clay on Main.

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8:00 - 10:00, Half Moon: Mike, Paula, and Rich

www.meadowoodmusic.com

Mike Andrews - guitar, mandolin, & vocals

Paula Taylor - guitar, bass, & vocals

Rich Dodson - guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, & vocals.

Mike and Paula are a husband-wife pair that's played music

together for over twenty years — for the last ten in a trio with

their friend Rich Dodson. They play Scottish, Welsh, and Irish

ballads, early American tunes, covers of Dylan, James

Taylor, John Cougar Mellencamp, Janis Ian, Hoagy Carmichael,

the Grateful Dead… even a rare original.

Mike and Paula are the current "booking agents" for Clay on Main. When Mike Petrauskas passed them the baton, they kept the once-a-month Monday evening open mics and the spring and autumn Friday-night concerts in the Half Moon Cafe as similar to their initial format as possible, but expanded upon it by adding a half-hour concert in the front room to the Friday evening musical events at Clay on Main. The 15-min sets at open mics, 30-min Front Room concerts, and 2-hour Half Moon Cafe concerts make Clay on Main even cooler than it already was as a clay arts studio and gallery. These musical events also provide a pathway for developing local musicians to grow from their first stage experience to full on concert performance. All of it helps build community.

Come join that community with Mike, Paula, and Rich. It's always a good time at the Half Moon when these three play. Come share the fun.

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