Scott Tady: The 'Singing Cop' in Midland, and Giant's Causeway in Beaver are shows worth seeing

"The Next Stage" brings Kim Tavares to a new stage in Midland, the hometown she's remembered fondly as her singing career whisked her to national TV and viral YouTube stardom.

Tavaras uses the stage name Kim "Tavar," which I shall henceforth call her so you'll find it easier to track down her second full-length album, "The Next Stage," she's debuting live Aug. 5 with a concert at St. Anthony Club in Midland. Showtime is 7 p.m. with no cover and a cash bar.

"This is going to be amazing," Tavar said, adding she'll be backed by some topflight Pittsburgh musicians. "It’ll be my first show in my hometown of Midland."

In 2021, she launched the outdoor summer concert series at Beaver Station Cultural & Events Center, premiering a few songs from her debut album.

She remains a proud member of the Boston Police Department, where she attained acclaim and fame as "Boston's Singing Cop" performing the National Anthem while in uniform at packed professional sports stadiums. A "cop pool" karaoke video she and a fellow Boston police officer posted on YouTube generated enough attention to get them on ABC's "Good Morning America" and earned Tavar a spot on-stage singing with country star Brad Paisley at a Massachusetts amphitheater.

"I’m in my 22nd year with the Boston Police Department," Tavar, a Midland Leopards basketball star, said. "I plan on retiring in the next year or so and I bought a home in Monaca."

Retirement will give her more time to focus on the music career that's seen her garner tour dates in England where six of her songs reached Amazon’s U.K. Top 100 New Releases, as her debut album climbed to No. 4 on Amazon’s U.K. Hot New Releases R&B chart.

Tavar wrote all but one of the songs for "The Next Stage," conjuring a nostalgic vibe with smooth, heartfelt R&B ballads, and funky '80’s/'90s style mid- and up-tempo dance tracks highlighting her vocal range.

The lone cover is a remake of the 1982 track “Last Night" by Karin Jones.

“I made sure to keep the original integrity of the song by not 'over singing,' but just adding the right touch of background ad-libs while keeping the song fresh," Tavar said.

The original "You Don't Know" dips back to the booming drum machine era of the '80s.

"This track pays homage to those raw beats and simple yet effective synth sounds, and with Kim’s sultry vocals, the track has a nostalgic feel to the days where music was less complicated and the artist 'made’ the track,” London producer Manny “The Realm” Rahelu said.

"Ain't No One" brings more of a retro-futuristic groove with assistance from Switzerland producer DJ Soulchild who drew inspiration from the mid-'80s Minneapolis sound of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and famed acts such as The SOS Band and Klymaxx.

The album, released May 26, is available on all music streaming platforms and kimtavar.com,

Hear these songs live at Tavar's free show at St. Anthony Club, at 561 Beaver Ave.

Giant show in Beaver

On July 28, Pittsburgh funk-rock band Giant’s Causeway launches the summer concert series at Beaver Station Cultural & Events Center.

Giant's Causeway members bring diverse backgrounds from jazz to jam bands, metal to musical theater, aiming for music that transcends time, unifies language and manifests culture.

“Music is one of the last pure forces in this world that can bring people together," the band's Tony Bello said. "Our roots are definitely planted in funk, but we draw from anything that inspires us. We have songs with power-pop choruses while also having a metal-like breakdown in another song. We’re proud of our music and if it can put a smile on someone’s face then that’s what it’s all about.”

New singer Harrison Wayne brings a fresh element, prompting a rebranding. They were called Slam Band & Slam when the group kicked off Beaver Station's 2022 indoor Cabin Fever Music Series with a show so well-received, they've been invited back for the larger lawn setting.

Saxophone player Mark Jackovic of Ambridge said, “I am so happy to have another opportunity to share this music at Beaver Station. Beaver County has been so supportive to me and the band over the years. I can truly say this performance will be like none other. Vocalist Harrison Wayne has a special gift. He brings a new stylistic sensibility to our compositions using his vocal power to express the true grit in each song. Simply put, he's amazing. With his skills added to Giant’s Causeway I think the band's future is brighter than ever.”

Giant’s Causeway is recording a new record at the Vault Recording Studio on Neville Island.

For the Beaver Station show, doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner options from the Ambridge Italian Villa food truck. InnerGroove Record Store starts spinning vinyl at 6:30 p.m., when the complimentary premium beer and wine arrive. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets cost $35 at beaverstation.org, which includes a lawn chair.

Regrettes were a good thing

As politely as she asked, The Regrettes' 22-year-old singer Lydia Night couldn't convince an adoring Stage AE outdoor crowd to start a mosh pit.

So, she took matters into her own hands − well, their hands − by falling backward into their outstretched arms, and crowd surfing halfway back to the soundboard.

That kind of punk-rock attitude, paired with The Regrettes' enthusiastic garage-pop/alt-rock, made for a delightful performance July 12.

With Genessa Gariano on lead guitar and Brooke Dickson on bass, both in matching white dresses coordinated with Night's untucked white work shirt with a black skirt and fishnet stockings, The Regrettes breezed through utterly accessible songs like "Seashore," a catchy cover of Robyn's "Dancing on My Own" and "Monday," from 2022's outstanding "Further Joy" album.

Hailing from L.A., the Regrettes have played some of England's prestigious music festivals, and they're only going to get bigger.

At Stage AE, they opened for Gen Z rock star Yungblud, whose ability to excite and engage a crowd impressed me considerably.

Showcasing a thick British accent, thrilling swagger and a penchant for making fellow outcasts feel welcome, Yungblud seamlessly blended genres such as alt-rock, rap, metal and emo.

His evident sincerity and built-for-arenas voice carried lyrics like "I'm just a fleabag, nobody loves me/Send me to rehab, somebody touch me" and "she got my heart in her hands like a headlock."

While the two-thirds full Stage AE suggested he's being rushed along a bit quickly, the 2022 Rolling Stone cover choice is on his way to mainstream fame.

Scott Tady, entertainment editor of The Times, is at stady@timesonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Kim Tavar debuts album in Midland; Giant's Causeway to rock Beaver