If you’ve ever wanted to check out the Oh Wow! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology without all the kids around, here’s your chance.

This month’s First Friday after-work social gathering will take place from 5-8 p.m. Friday at the downtown Youngstown interactive children’s museum.

The event, titled Nerdy Night Out: A Night Rooted in Color, will be an adults-only and arts-flavored affair. Admission is free, but guests must be at least 18 to enter.

Guests will experience “a playful and interactive” night of hands-on activities, music and vendors, according to the Downtown Youngstown Partnership.

Highlights will include live music by Ke’Von & the Vybes, a cash bar, a nerd-magnet tabletop game station and the opportunity to explore the interactive exhibits and colorful installations at the center – without the chaos.

Other possibilities to check out downtown Friday include:

  • Spring Skywatch, 8 p.m.: a free show at the YSU Planetarium that delves into things of interest to stargazers.
  • “[title of show],” 7:30 p.m.: Opening night for this Tony Award-nominated musical presented by University Theatre in Spotlight Theater, lower level of Bliss Hall, on the YSU campus. And yes, that’s actually the title of the show. Click HERE for tickets.
  • Imani Woods, 7 p.m.: This acclaimed modern woodwinds ensemble will perform in Ford Theater, also on the lower level of YSU’s Bliss Hall. Tickets are $33; click HERE.
  • The Youngstown Phantoms hockey team will take on Waterloo at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Covelli Centre. Tickets can be purchased HERE or at the box office.

Last Weekend

The Summit Radio’s 330 Day concert took place Sunday at Akron Civic Theatre, and I’m not sure how it will ever be topped.

The annual event, as always, featured a parade of northeastern Ohio’s top musical artists. The format, which gets tweaked every year, had previously leaned toward the acoustic. But there was nothing acoustic about this year’s concert.

At its heart was a versatile 11-piece house band that was on stage the whole night, seamlessly providing a wide range of music. It bounced back and forth from rock to soul to pop to blues, without ever holding back. The house band (which included John Anthony of The Vindys on guitar) eliminated the need to clear the stage between songs, thereby speeding up the proceedings. The only thing that changed from song to song was the singer.

But the true genius of the format was that the songs on the set list were all national hits originally recorded by Ohio artists over the past 60 years. It was a greatest hits concert for Buckeye State artists, and it kept the crowd of over 2,000 wondering what they would hear next. In past years, the artists sang their own songs.

The high level of talent currently working in the 330 is never in question, and the evening once again proved it. But it was eye-opening to discover how many nationally known hit songs have Ohio roots. The Buckeye State has contributed more than its fair share to the pop music canon.

Ryan Humbert assembled and emceed the show, and he kept the pedal to the metal the entire two hours. Humbert – who fronts Akron-based country act The Shootouts and hosts the Americana show on The Summit on Sunday mornings – was also a performer.

Youngstown was represented by Jackie Popovec of The Vindys, who showed off her voice on Eric Carmen’s “All by Myself” and took on the Chrissie Hynde role for The Pretenders’ “Back on the Chain Gang.”

Candace Campana naturally sang Nine Inch Nails’ hard-edged “The Hand that Feeds.”

JD Eicher was particularly well-suited for his two songs: Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis” and Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” 

Some other random highlights:

  • Brian Lisik’s ornery take on the Joe Walsh classic “Funk 49,” which opened the show.
  • Walk the Moon’s Jeff Klemm, who did a high-energy performance of his own band’s “Shut Up and Dance.”
  • Carlos Jones, who had a good time with “Crystal Blue Persuasion,” the 1968 psych-pop hit by Tommy James and the Shondells.

The grand finale medley was particularly genius, melding together four of the all-time greatest party songs from the 1960s: “Nobody But Me” by Youngstown’s The Human Beinz; “Mony, Mony” by Tommy James; “Twist & Shout” by The Isley Brothers; and “Shout,” also by The Isley Brothers.

Ohio must have been a really fun place back then.

For a complete look at everything going on in the Mahoning Valley, check out The List.

Pictured above: All performers take a bow at the end of Sunday’s 330 Day concert at Akron Civic Theatre.