In the fall of 2007, Benjamin Verdoes of Mt St Helens Vietnam Band conceived and composed a five minute classical waltz. A Waltz for Furnace, arranged for a string quartet, is led by a rich and robust cello melody, with viola and violin brightly reeling and undulating along with it. Its a courtly and elegant piece of chamber music, an overtly joyful expression of love. Tonight, following Verdoes performance of a selection of brand-new MSHVB songs from the bands forthcoming record, as well as acoustic performances from buzz band the Globes and Anna Arvan (I Love You Avalanche), A Waltz, in its second-only performance, will close the Valentines Day Round fitting, since the piece was originally written as a first anniversary gift for Verdoes wife and bandmate, Traci Eggleston. If that doesnt make your heart dissolve into mush, we dont know what will. All ages. E. THOMPSON
Sat., Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., 2010
