Monthly Archives: May 2011

A busy day (virtually) for Jon Black

Suit2small. Photo by Caleb Chancey | http://www.calebchanceyphotography.com/Birmingham-based musician Jon Black already has already had a pretty nice past few days. After all, he did kick off Saturday’s set of performances at this year’s Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores.

Well, the best way to top that experience is to get interviewed by American Songwriter at the festival. They also do a video interview – and a video performance of “My Love Is With You All The Time” – that they post to their website.

Then he gets to pen a personal account about his experience at the Hangout over on Carla Jean Whitley’s Birmingham Box Set just hours after the magazine’s post goes live (he’d been interviewed for the blog just before the festival).

He was also able to talk about the song he wrote for The Wind Will Cary The Voice of The People, the compilation created in the wake of the April 27 tornadoes (with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross).

The newest member of the Dualtone Music Group also has a digital 45 available on his site. The cost? A tweet, a Facebook status or an email helping him spread the word.

Photo by Caleb Chancey.

Art on the Rocks 2011 will (in fact) be ROCKING

The Birmingham Museum of Art’s long-running Art on the Rocks lineup for this summer’s been out for a while now though (as mentioned late last week) its start has been delayed in part due to tornado recovery efforts. This year’s edition of the series, its seventh, is being heavily influenced by the museum’s summer exhibition Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History from 1995 to Present – and it looks like it’ll be a great way to enjoy a mini-escape  on Friday nights.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXDzhPM8nJk?hd=1&w=350]
June 17
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
http://www.dirtydozenbrass.com/
@dirtydozenbrass
Fan Page on Facebook
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7onIN6IwIeQ?hd=1&w=350]
July 22
The Posies
http://theposies.net/
@theposies
Fan Page on Facebook

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3N6x47UPV8?hd=1&w=350] August 19
The Dirty Guv’nahs
http://www.thedirtyguvnahs.com/
@dirty_guvnahs
Fan Page on Facebook

Tickets are already on sale for the series (though not for the June 17 date as of yet) via the museum’s website. They begin at $10 for members and $20 for non-members.

Alabama Symphony plays at Railroad Park in June

symphony summer iconThe Alabama Symphony Orchestra has been a ever-giving source of news in recent weeks. The big news for long-time fans of the symphony’s outdoor performances in Caldwell Park is that they will be playing outside again this year after a one-year hiatus indoors at the Alabama Theatre.

Classical music fans will have opportunities over three evenings in June at Railroad Park to enjoy the sounds of the orchestra. The free concerts are courtesy of the Linn-Henley Charitable Trust; the June 10 & 11 performances will begin at 8 p.m. with the June 12 performance starting at 6 p.m.

A full listing of the selections scheduled to be performed are available on the symphony’s official website. Those attending the performances will also have the opportunity to drop off donations to be used in the state’s ongoing tornado recovery efforts.

Other recent announcements included word that next season would be maestro Justin Brown’s last as music director and principal conductor (though he did sign a two-year contract extension that will have him serving as music director laureate) and that the orchestra will be performing at Carnegie Hall next May.

Play hooky at the Museum this Wednesday, Friday

Birmingham Museum of Art logoNo, that’s not their idea, it’s ours. Considering how nice the weather is outside right now, you can’t not be thinking the same thing (even if it’s late in the day)…

Besides, today’s International Museum Day. Yep, according to the museum’s website:

International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977 to encourage public awareness on the role of museums in the development of society.

You’ve got until 5 p.m. Wednesday afternoon (May 18) to take advantage of special discounts on memberships, discounts on museum store purchases and opportunities to take special tours of the museum’s collection with members of its staff. Admission – as always – is free. You’ll have another opportunity to check out the museum this Friday as BMA Speaks! returns, though you’ll have to wait another month for this year’s Art on the Rocks series to begin.