Two World-Class Acts, One Jam-Packed Weekend

By Tricia Rayburn

Over the past decade, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center has evolved from a single-theater movie house set for demolition to an intimate, 400-seat performance space that attracts superstars from around the globe. Next week, two of those entertainment juggernauts, Grammy Award-winning artist Gilberto Gil and comedic legend Howie Mandel, take to the stage for one-of-a-kind shows guaranteed to keep you dancing in your seat and laughing out loud.

Gilberto Gil, singer, songwriter, guitarist and Brazil's Minister of Culture since 2003, decided he was going to be a musician at two-and-a-half years old. A hefty claim for such a little boy, but as it turned out, Gil knew himself better then than most people know themselves 30 years later. After a childhood spent hanging with local street performers and learning to play the drums, trumpet, accordion and guitar, Gil teamed with guitarist and singer Caetano Veloso in 1963, and embarked on what would become a successful music career that spanned decades and borders. His constant pursuit of new ways to express the sounds of Brazil have taken him around the world and led to Jamaican reggae, African pop music, R&B, rock and harmonic vignettes. He's won two Grammys: Best World Music Album for Quanta Live in 1998, and Best Contemporary World Music Album for Eletracustico in 2005.

Gil's Westhampton performance is part of a North American summer tour celebrating his new CD, Banda Larga Cordel (Warner Music Latina). Banda Larga, or "Broad Band," the album and the tour, further explores Gil's longstanding fascination with and commitment to the digital revolution. He strives to make his music as accessible as possible through as many means of communication as possible - including cell phones, rings tones, digital television and the Internet. Gil even encourages concert attendees to record away on their digital cameras, camcorders and phones, and share the footage however they'd like. Appropriately, the set list for the Banda Larga tour includes many new compositions inspired by this theme.

Joining Gil on stage will be Arthur Maia on bass, Alex Fonseca on drums, Bem Gil on guitars, Claudio Andrade on keyboards, Gustavo di Dalva on percussion and Sergio Chiavazzolli, also on guitars.

Once the walls of WHBPAC have stopped shaking from Gil's award-winning beats, Howie Mandel will get them vibrating again with the sound of a happy, laughing audience. While many people now know Mandel as the cheery host on NBC's hugely successful "Deal or No Deal," he's been a constant force in show business for over 30 years. An impromptu performance at LA's Comedy Store on amateur night in 1979 led to an appearance on the game show, "Don't Make Me Laugh," which led to talk show appearances, a stint as Diana Ross' opening act and finally the television series, "St. Elsewhere," on which Mandel played Dr. Wayne Ficus for six seasons. After that came the Emmy Award-nominated animated series, "Bobby's World," for which Mandel was creator and executive producer, remained closely involved in the writing and provided the voices of Bobby and several other characters. The show ran for eight seasons on FOX and is now in syndication six days a week in 65 countries.

Mandel's done numerous comedy specials on both network and cable television, has hosted his own talk show and appears regularly on talk shows. He's also the first-choice "Regis" stand-in whenever the grandfather of daytime television needs a substitute, and frequently performs his hidden camera bit on "The Tonight Show." A very busy guy with a very full calendar, Mandel continues to do 200 shows a year.

Two dates, two greats and one chance to experience them both in a setting unlike any other! Contact the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center at 631-288-1500, or visit www.whbpac.org for more information.

Save the Date!
Gilberto Gil & Broad Band
Saturday, June 21, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $95-135

Howie Mandel
Sunday, June 22, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $100-150

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