Norwalk Native Sean Kelly with The Samples at Wall Street Theater

The Samples, led by Norwalk’s own Sean Kelly, are bringing their blend of reggae-influenced rock to the historic Wall Street Theater on March 25th to benefit the Darien Arts Center. Local favorite and Darien native, Waller, opens the show at 8 p.m.

Best known for his high tenor, unique guitar playing and songwriting (“Nature”, “Feel Us Shaking”, “Did You Ever Look So Nice”) rock, reggae and folk singer/songwriter Sean Kelly was born February 7, 1965 in Norwalk, Connecticut. The son of a WW2 veteran and a mom who worked construction to put food on the table, Kelly grew up in Vermont. While attending only one year of high school, he began playing guitar and composing his own songs. After moving to Colorado in 1987 to start a band, Kelly became a fixture on local club stages as the front man for The Samples, playing original songs with a variety of rock, reggae and folk.

The Samples have shared the stage with big names such as The Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler, and Phish in the early to mid 90s. On their own tours, many rising bands opened up for them including The Dave Matthews Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, and Lisa Loeb. Their music has been described as a cross between The Police and the Grateful Dead and their success has included television performances on The Tonight Show and House of Blues. In addition to the release of several albums, Kelly’s songs have been featured in Perks of Being a Wallflower, and more recently in television’s Younger and in ads for MSNBC’s midterm election coverage.

Waller, a popular group of kindred souls is led by James “Waller” Crafford, who was born and raised in Darien and is an alum of Darien High School's class of 2016. In addition to being a finalist in the DAC’s Darien’s Got Talent, Crawford, a multi-talented singer/songwriter, plays several instruments and writes, composes, and produces his own music. The band Waller facilitates a vibe where love is palpable and fun is guaranteed. Its sound is characterized by raw expressive vocals and vintage guitar tones. This well-loved group is high on life and knows how to rock and roll, leaving audiences with nothing to do but smile.

The Wall Street Theater, a newly renovated venue in the heart of Norwalk’s Wall Street Historic District, originally opened its doors in 1915 as the Regent and hosted many important performers including John Phillip Sousa and John Barrymore. For most of the 90’s, the theater, renamed The Globe, played home to many national acts including David Lee Roth, The Go-Go’s and Waylon Jennings. In 1999, it transformed into The Roxy, a dance club, and now as a nonprofit organization, The Wall Street Theater adopts its mission from its history, combining live shows, interactive entertainment, cinema, digital production, art space and a community arena.

Concert proceeds benefit the Darien Arts Center, the local non-profit dedicated to educating, promoting, and providing the means of artistic expression in dance, music, visual arts and theatre for all ages in the community. General admission and tiered tickets are $35-$80 and available at eventbrite. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 18 and older event at the Wall Street Theater located at 71 Wall Street in Norwalk. For more information, visit darienarts.org or call the DAC office at (203) 655-8683.