MSU Riley Center announces new season

Aug. 11—Patti Labelle, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Wayne Newton are among the performers highlighting the upcoming season at the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts.

The MSU Riley Center announced its new season lineup Thursday night during a pre-show social in the Grand Lobby before the Sister Hazel concert. Guests were treated to heavy hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar as they learned of the new season lineup and waited for the doors to open for the show.

"We appreciate you joining us tonight for dinner and drinks before the show. I think it was a resounding success," said Dr. Terry Dale Cruse, associate vice president and head of Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus.

He said the center is excited to introduce a full year of performances that cover a range of musical genres. In the past, the Riley Center has offered bi-seasonal lineups, but the new Performing Arts Series will run through next July.

"This is a little bit different for us," Cruse said. "We are doing a year long versus two individual seasons."

One of the biggest advantages of having a year-long season is it will allow the Riley Center to take advantage of routed artists who schedule their tour dates together geographically to save time and money.

"Our hope is that ... by having a year-long season, locking in those dates, knowing when our season is going to fall, it will provide a greater opportunity for us to take advantage of routed artists, which means when they are passing through the area and want to pick up a date, we can do that and make it a lot more affordable for you as ticket buyers," Cruse said.

In recent years, the Riley Center has been able to pick up a couple of artists at the last minute, including Bob Dylan in 2022, he said.

The Riley Center's season will kick off Sept. 23 with music-maker Jim Messina, who will play hits from all three of his famous former bands, as well as selections from his solo career. Messina was a member of the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield, a founding member of the country rock band Poco, and half of the soft rock duo Loggins and Messina with Kenny Loggins. Tickets range from $20 to $35.

On Oct. 7, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter will team up with fellow Grammy Award winner Shawn Colvin for an evening of intimate acoustic entertainment, swapping songs and sharing stories. They will perform material from both of their catalogs during the show. Tickets cost from $25 to $85.

Patti LaBelle, who has been described as the Godmother of Soul, will showcase her powerful vocals and stage persona in a return to the Riley Center with a concert on Nov. 9. Tickets range from $75 to $140.

Then on Dec. 16, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band makes a return to the Riley Center stage. The band's musicians have carried forward the torch of New Orleans music for more than 60 years. Ticket prices range from $20 to $65.

The new year will bring several exciting new performances beginning with a Leap Day show by Rumours — A Fleetwood Mac Tribute on Feb. 29. Tickets for the show range from $20 to $45. Then on March 15, jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny will bring his first-ever solo tour, called the Dream Box Tour and featuring only him and his guitar, to Meridian. Metheny, who has won 20 Grammy Awards, is the only person to have won Grammys in 10 different categories. Tickets for his show cost from $25 to $65.

Experience the joys of blues and jazz when acclaimed trumpeter and vocalist Jumaane Smith takes the Riley stage on March 21, promising an evening of classic renditions and fresh new compositions. Tickets for the show cost from $10 to $35.

One of the most recognized Motown and R&B/funk vocal groups of all time, The Commodores, will bring their Greatest Hits Tour to Meridian on June 14. With more than 75 million albums sold worldwide since the group formed in the late 1960s in neighboring Alabama, The Commodores continue to thrill audiences with their classic hits.Tickets range in price from $50 to $115.

Closing out the season on July 20 will be Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton, who will bring his "Up Close and Personal" tour to the Queen City. The show presents the celebrated entertainer in an intimate setting where he interacts with the audience, while performing some favorite songs and sharing personal career highlights. Tickets range in price from $48 to $100.

Also, tickets are still available for Lake Street Drive's Nov. 3 performance from its Gather Round Sounds Tour with special guest Monica Martin. The tickets, which range from $55 to $95, are sold separately and are not part of the season package.

Season subscriptions for Riley Center shows are on sale now, starting at $280 and going up to $650 per person for premium seats.

Special mini-packs are also available, allowing patrons to purchase a bundle of three predetermined shows and claim highly sought-after seats ahead of individual ticket buyers. Mini-packs go on sale Monday, Aug. 21, and range in price from $55 to $290 per person.

Tickets to all individual shows go on sale Aug. 28 except for The Commodores, which go on sale Monday, Oct. 16.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.msurileycenter.com or call 601-696-2200. Patrons may also visit the MSU Riley Center box office located at 2200 Fifth Street in downtown Meridian.

Contact Glenda Sanders at gsanders@themeridianstar.com.