Photo courtesy of the DRV Gallery
DRV Gallery opened in Gulfport three years ago, showcasing a variety of artwork by Tampa Bay artists from paintings to sculptures to pottery. In addition to representing multiple artists and housing working artist studios, DRV has become a hot spot for live music events.
“I was a performing artist before I became a visual artist,” said owner and operator Deserie R. Valloreo. “Music is important to me and a part of who I am, so it was only logical to include it.”
DRV Gallery’s next special musical event is the last event of their season: an evening of live music celebrating the timeless tunes of James Taylor.
Taylor is a definitive troubadour whose melodic timbre and complex life experiences resulted in timeless classics of a generation. The six-time Grammy Award winner’s catalogue includes “Fire and Rain,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “How Sweet It Is,” throughout his prolific five-decade career.
St. Pete Collective at the DRV Gallery
On Thursday, May 15 from 6-9 p.m., this tribute to “Sweet Baby James” will be performed by the innovative St. Pete Collective, an all-star group of accomplished musicians from the Tampa Bay area.
“Each member of St. Pete Collective is considered highly skilled at what they do, not just by their followers, but also their peers,” said Valloreo. “I am a big fan of each one of them. It brings me great joy to share their amazing talents with my friends and patrons.”
The St. Pete Collective includes:
- Chad Stivers: lead vocals and acoustic guitar
- Patrick Bettison: keyboards, percussion, and chromatic harmonica
- LaRue Nickelson: electric guitars
- Vinnie Seplesky: bass guitar
- Gale Trippsmith: vocals and percussion
- Joey Interrante: drums
- Music Direction by Patrick Bettison
- Jim Gilmour serving as sound engineer
Recently, when drummer Joey Interrante was listening to James Taylor’s music, he couldn’t help but think what his musician friends could do with these iconic songs.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this project along with these fantastic musicians and bring to life the music of our favorite artists,” said Interrante.
The doors open at 6 p.m. to ticket holders for a complimentary pre-show wine tasting courtesy of Stella’s Divine Wine & Gourmet. The music begins at 7 p.m. Seating is limited. Tickets are $25 each and available at drvgallery.com.
Looking for more things to do in St. Petersburg, Gulfport, and the beaches? Check out The Gabber Newspaper’s full calendar of events.
End of the Season
As the third season comes to a close at DRV Gallery, Valloreo is already looking forward to the next.
“Each season I learn new ways to approach things at the gallery,” she said. “In our fourth season, I will be adding a few more local artists that I am very excited about. In addition to continuing our first Friday live music art receptions, we are planning to add a third Saturday evening event to coincide with the Gulfport Night Market. I expect our next season to be the best yet.”
DRV Gallery is open to the public Saturdays 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The gallery opens for special events from October through May. From June to September it is open by appointment. However, DRV Gallery’s online gallery is available to view daily.
DRV Gallery, 5401 Gulfport Blvd., Gulfport. drvgallery.com, 727-382-7004.
Arts All Around!
The Gabber Newspaper covers live theater and art across South Pinellas. And, when we find something worth the drive, we cover art in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas.
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