How to go
Who: Randy Newman
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19
Where: Dave Finkelman Auditorium, Miami University Middletown
Cost: $35. www.mid.muohio.edu/alseries/
MIDDLETOWN— The man who sang “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” has got a show in Middletown.
Tickets are now on sale for a concert by Randy Newman, the Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer/songwriter whose best-known songs include “I Love L.A.” and “Short People.” Newman is slated to appear at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19, 2011 at Dave Finkelman Auditorium at Miami University Middletown.
The show is part of the Artist and Lecture series, which is now a joint operation between the Miami Middletown and Hamilton campuses.
Newman’s booking fits in with the series’ stated goal of booking major draws at Finkelman, said its coordinator, Howard Epstein. Finkelman has a larger capacity than its Hamilton equivalent, Parrish Auditorium.
Epstein said he was able to book Newman simply because Newman was going to be in the neighborhood, so to speak.
“He’s doing dates in February, so he’s going to be in the Midwest,” Epstein said. “He might have a new album out by then.”
In addition to his career as a performer, Newman has also composed songs and/or scores for numerous films, including all three “Toy Story” movies, “The Natural” and “Seabiscuit.” Epstein did not know Newman’s plans for sure, but expected the concert to feature music from both his pop and film careers.
The series sports a variety of acts, ranging from the jazz of Trombone Shorty Nov. 13 to the blues of Keb’ Mo’ Feb. 5 to the folk of Arlo Guthrie March 13. All will appear in Middletown.
The Hamilton campus acts include The Travelin’ McCourys Nov. 6 and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band March 26.
“It has a lot of popular appeal,” Epstein said of the series.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.
About the Author