Hey folks. The Rocket City Blues Fest is tomorrow! I’m so excited about this event. It will be a great time. The founder and coordinator of the blues fest emailed me with some great news -
We will be having a few guests for the blues fest. From Music Makers we will be delighted to have none other than Adolphus Bell and Dr. G.B. Burt from Birmingham, AL. There is also a very good chance we may also be visited by Alabama Slim and Little Freddie King.
We will make every effort to accomodate these blues greats (as we found out just days ago they would be in attendance). This will also lend some more credibility to the fest, as if it wasn’t already going to be incredible! They aren’t bringing bands, but if anyone wants to jam with them have at it!
Come on out and support the blues. There is no cover but donations are certainly welcome. All donations will go towards Music Makers Relief Fund.
The blues fest will be held at Crossroads Cafe in Huntsville and starts at 5:00.
Last night I had the pleasure of going to see Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters at Merrimack Hall. First of all, have you ever been to Merrimack Hall? If not you are missing out.
Merrimack Hall, the 25,000 square foot building purchased by Alan and Debra Jenkins in May 2006, was originally built in 1898 and expanded in 1920 by the Merrimack Manufacturing Company, a large textile manufacturer who had two large textile mills and a thriving mill village in Huntsville. Merrimack Hall was home to the Company Store and became the central hub of the village, providing a place for socialization and recreation to all of the village’s residents. After nearly 100 years of operation, the Merrimack Mills were demolished in 1992. Today, 269 mill village houses and Merrimack Hall are all that remain of this important part of Huntsville’s history.
With renovations complete in June of 2007, Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center now includes a 300-seat, state-of-the-art performance hall, a 3,000 square foot dance studio, and rehearsal and instructional spaces for musicians. Planned activities include a daily schedule of open classes in music, theatre and dance; workshops and master classes in all of the performing arts conducted by guest artists; summer performing arts camps; and regularly scheduled performances and productions. The Jenkins have established Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization and are personally funding the purchase and renovation of the building.
With the concert last, night I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I mean I knew I was going to experience a concert put on by a band with Billy Bob Thornton in it and I knew that Billy Bob’s true passion was music and had been doing it long before he became famous with his film Slingblade. In other words, I didn’t know if it would really be any good. I was pleasantly surprised.
The concert, being held in Merrimack Hall, was small and quaint which made the experience even more awesome. We were about 8 rows back and to the right. The concert hall is set up like a movie theater, that is the best way to describe it. Oh but wait, I have pictures….
The boys rocked the house for sure. And it was so loud but worth the ear drum ringing afterwards. The band started about 40 minutes late, but again, worth the wait. They started around 8:40 and we left the concert hall at around 10:30.
Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters first came out and played an hour in their cute little matching suits warming us up with their signature electric hillbilly rock and blues. After their break they all came back on stage wearing their own street clothes and you got the sensation that things were fixin’ to get even louder and we were about to throw down. And we did.
Everyone ended up standing on their feet cheering, clapping, dancing, whistling, and hootin’ and hollerin’, present company included. They ended with about a 15 minute encore that just rocked the house completely. It was amazing. I will definitely go back to Merrimack Hall for more entertainment.
I just thought it was awesome that they came to little ole Huntsville and did a two-nighter with us. Then again, he is a good ole southern boy after all. And this was NOT his first time to visit us at Merrimack Hall. He was here last summer too.
Visit the Rocket City Blues Fest website to see a list of performers scheduled to play. I am definitely going to be there, I wouldn’t miss this for the world. And yes, I do plan on reporting on the free concert here on the blog. But hopefully you will mark your calendar and be able to make it in person yourself. You really don’t want to miss this event. It’s going to be big.
A huge thank you to The Valley Planet for stepping up and sponsoring the blues fest.
Every once in a while you get an unexpected pleasant surprise. I love it when this happens.
The Gent and I were supposed to go to a company picnic yesterday evening. It ended up, the picnic was canceled due to the host falling considerably ill, unexpectedly, and at the last minute. He will (the host) be fine, I spoke with him a couple of times after the picnic was canceled.
At any rate, now The Gent and I needed to make other plans for dinner. The Kids already had other plans and we were in the process of taxiing them out to their destinations when The Gent asked me to call Luciano’s to see if we could get in at the last minute. They could and Luciano’s set us up for 7:15pm.
I knew the food was going to be great; Luciano’s is one of my favorite restaurants in Huntsville. I love the scallops! When we walked in I heard the music first and it wasn’t their usual generic Italian piped in Musak either. We turned the corner to follow the host to our seats and there he was; Dave McConnell standing there behind his retro microphone, all decked out in a suit and tie, with drink in hand too baby! Dave McConnell is a handsome man, singing the best of Frank Sinatra. I love the music from Sinatra, Dean Martin, and the like so I was in heaven last night.
I’m thinking wedding rehearsal entertainment, not to mention the reception! We have to start making some sort of decisions towards this event happening November 1st. I gave him my card and when he took a break he came to the table and chatted with us for a few minutes!
But I digress…
Please enjoy this short little snippet of a video from last night. I know the lighting is horrible and the sound is even worse but I took it from my CELL PHONE. I wasn’t expecting to find this delightful surprise last night and didn’t have my regular video/digital camera with me! That’ll NEVER happen again. Lesson learned. The picture above was also taken with my cell phone. I apologize for the poor quality. But you know what? I have Dave’s calendar and I can go back an get better video and images!
For some reason when I load the video the sound doesn’t work - so here is a link instead. Remember, it’s just a little 30 second video from my CELL PHONE. The sound works fine when I open it in Quick Time but when I save it and try to upload the video, that’s when it loses the sound.
Well, it’s just a good reason to take the “real” camera back and get a “real” video of Mr. McConnell!
Join me this evening at the driving range to hit a bucket of balls.
HUNTSVILLE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE
2151 Airport Rd.
Huntsville, AL 35801
256-880-1151
18-hole course public facility covering 6,500 yards. The course has Bermuda tees, fairways with Bent grass greens, grass and sand bunkers, mounds and water hazards. A practice putting green, a driving range and a sandwich shop is available. Just off South Parkway (U.S. 231) at Airport Road.
We attended the Concerts in the Park the other night. Usually it is held in a park downtown Huntsville. This particular event was held at Joe Davis Stadium. A ton of people showed up. I also have some videos that maybe I can put up later. The videos aren’t that good because they were taken from so far away. You really can’t see anything on them but you could hear the music.
Juice performed first; a funky little groovy party band. They were good! I really liked them and their music selection. The Gent and I were totally embarrassing the kids with our loud sing along and dancing in our seats. Heh. They’ll be at Humphrey’s on July 10th. Go out and give them some love Huntsville! You won’t regret it.
The Army Materiel Command Band played second and were also equally enjoyable with their ensemble of musical instruments. And guess what? They are moving to Huntsville! Currently they are stationed in Maryland.
Here are some pictures.
I seriously need to check into getting myself a press pass! I haven’t a clue how to get one.
Look! I got our Mayor Loretta Spencer in this last photo!
You know them. You love them. And you certainly don’t want to miss them!
Headlining the third concert of Burritt on the Mountain’s City Lights and Stars summer series, sponsored by Knology, is the Classical Blues Cabaret, featuring local boys Microwave Dave and Phil Weaver. Accompanied by their bands - The Nukes and The Philistines, respectively - this show, sponsored by Superior Banking, Mortgage and Investments, promises a little classical, a little blues and a whole lot of get-up-and-dance, get-down fun.
The Classical Blues Cabaret began June 17, 2004, as an experimental collaboration between blues guitarist Microwave Dave Gallaher and classical guitarist Phil Weaver in the form of a cabaret performance at Huntsville’s Flying Monkey Arts Center. Neither Dave nor Phil knew what would happen, but at the end of the show, the standing-room-only crowd was on its feet wanting more, and some were dancing on the side of the stage.
A powerful guitarist who can play fast and muscular or deep, down and dirty Delta blues, Microwave Dave Gallaher began his musical career in the mid-60s. Microwave Dave and the Nukes have played with notables Jerry “Boogie” McCain and Bo Diddley.
Classical guitarist Phil Weaver has been performing for more than 25 years in the United States and abroad. He was the first guitarist to be awarded an individual artist’s fellowship from the Alabama State Council of the Arts. He performed his European debut with solo concerts for the Nonsuch Guitar Society in London and the Old Malthouse Music Society in Sawbridgeworth.
Where: Burritt on the Mountain
When: Friday, June 27, 2008
Time: 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: In advance, $12 for adults; $8 for students. Burritt members, $10 for adults, $5 for students. Tickets $15 at the gate.
Ticket Outlets: A.B. Stephens Music, The Fret Shop, Signature Gallery and Josie’s. You also can purchase tickets by calling (256) 536-2882 or online at http://burrittonthemountain.com.
All concerts will go on rain or shine, and tickets are nonrefundable.
August 30, 2008 
Posted in Concerts, Hotspots, Music 
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