The real deal: Infinity Hall brings entertainment to Norfolk

NORFOLK — A new music venue in the center of Norfolk has gotten off to a successful start by bringing a wide variety of genres to its 125-year-old stage.

On Nov. 28, blues singer-guitarist Kal David quietly greeted the crowd before ripping into a set of gritty blues reminiscent of Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and B.B. King. The former Fabulous Rhinestones singer pulled off a string of explosive guitar solos, backed by just a keyboardist and drummer, before welcoming his wife, singer Lauri Bono, to the stage. Collectively, the musicians are billed as Kal David & the Real Deal.

A blues and rock show made for an excellent introduction to Infinity Hall, which maintains the intimate character and acoustic quality of an old opera house. Formerly the Greenwoods Theatre, the venue has been through numerous transformations since being built in 1883, including serving as a vaudeville stage, restaurant, grocery store and barbershop. The old Apple House, as it came to be called, was restored by theater producers Maura Cavanaugh and Richard Smithies in 1999, only to fall victim to financial difficulties.

Burlington businessman Dan Hincks offered the winning bid of $240,000 for the theater last February, after the town of Norfolk seized the property for non-payment of back taxes. Hincks continued renovating the 1883 Victorian structure, installing a luxurious sound system and putting a small bar in the back of the building. The bar will eventually expand in to a full-service bistro.

The improvements to the theater since Hincks took over are immediately obvious, as a bright, comfortable front hall leads to the decorative staircase, which beckons patrons up to stage level. A mezzanine with raked seating is located one flight up. All in all, there are about 300 seats in the venue, not a bad one among them.

Kal David & the Real Deal took a 20-minute intermission Friday before returning for a revue of some of David’s old rock hits. The Fabulous Rhinestones’ “What a Wonderful Thing We Have†brought a standing ovation, as did several other tunes throughout the night. Sporting wireless gear, David stepped out into the crowd to perform face-to-face and fired off an array of emotional blues solos, made only more biting by the guitarist’s rock expertise.

Hincks has hired former Rolling Stone photographer Michael Dobo (dobophoto.com) as the house photographer for Inifinty. Dobo’s black-and-white subjects adorning the walls downstairs include intimate shots of Emmylou Harris, Frank Zappa, Jackson Browne and Jerry Garcia. The photos are enough to make a music fan want to visit, but the sound system upstairs was the highlight of the night.

If the first month of business is any indicator, Infinity Hall will see continued success. Following the Kal David show, Livingston Taylor performed to a sellout crowd Saturday. This weekend’s entertainment features Leon Russell Dec. 5 at 8 p.m.; Jeff Pitchell and Texas flood Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m.; and Roomful of Blues Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. Upcoming performers include Spyro Gyra, Richie Havens, Todd Rundgren, Jonathan Edwards and the Atlanta Rhythm Section.

See infinityhall.com for information or call 860-542-5531.

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