Eightdayzaweek Moon
At the original Moonlight Music Cafe, several years previous, we considered any time of the week appropriate for presenting music, and attempted to serve up live singer/songwriters as many nights as possible. The lesson learned from that approach was that yer average Jill and Joe saved their beer/wine/music money for a night when the kids’ homework or an early day at the office didn’t play into their entertainment schedule…. meaning that this time around, at the newer venue, we kept most of the weeknights clear of bookings. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays we usually reserved for quiet hours doing our own homework, and saved on the water and power bills at the same time.
Still, it nagged us that our mission was to build a robust audience for acoustic music in Central Alabama, and the stream of artists from outside the market who showed interest in adding Birmingham to their travels had swollen considerably. Logic led us to tell ourselves that the daily rent was the same whether we were open or closed, so as long as performers understood the risk of playing to a room full of ghosts in exchange for Monopoly money, we’d sometimes fill the shelves and unlock the doors for a breathless string of pearly evenings. This third week of September seemed as good a time as any to try it, and so we put it out there—-
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September 13, 2010
Friends of The Moonlight---
Okay, we're serious now--- laid around for long enough, now we have a non-stop run of events for you all the way to this time next week... kinda all over the map, as far as genre, with an emphasis on what ya might call the "fresher" generation. EIGHT SHOWS in a row, please have a brief look below at who's coming, and pick one--- just ONE will make us happy, if everybody would--- you got your weeknights, your Friday & Saturday, even a Sunday in there, and another Open MIc! Come on by, to remind us what you look like!
Tuesday 14th-- THE JOHNNIE NINETY-NINE BAND, $15
Never sure exactly how many players will be part of this hard-ridin' ensemble from the far reaches of the Great White North... could be half a dozen, all under the leadership of their namesake mistress, herself a product of a childhood soaked in Howlin' Wolf, Hank Williams, and Hendrix. This is a traveling medicine show of outlaw bluegrass, bringing in a diverse repertoire of distinctive originals and innovative covers, classic and modern, gospel to rock 'n' roll, Raffi to R&B. We set the ticket price to reflect the exchange rate of US-to-Candian dollars... also because there's a lot of these folks, a long way from home... but mainly because we think they're gonna be worth it! 7:30pm
http://j99.ca
The Johnny Ninety-Nine Band, September 14, 2010, 5 present
Wednesday 15th-- SHANE HINES, KENDRA SUTTON with STUART McNAIR, $12
Here's a hot-band frontman, out on the wire by himself for a bit, confident that the songs and his ability to swing them will get him some fans in a new town--- Shane's driving alt-rock style has earned him shows, and friendships, with folks like Pat McGee and Lori McKenna... check out his website for tune samples.
Half the night we'll be elevated by Birmingham's own magic combination of Kendra Sutton and Stuart McNair... call it honky-tonk soul if you like, though Kendra's a blend of Janis Joplin and Norah Jones, hovering over her Aretha Franklin piano style--- Stuart can be counted on to play damn near anything, and make it outstanding. 7:30pm
www.shanehines.com
www.myspace.com/kendrasuttonband
www.stuartmcnair.com
Shane Hines, September 15 2010, 12 present
Kendra Sutton and Stuart McNair
Thursday 16th-- KRISTY WHITE CD Release, no cover
Blessed with a performer's heart, and a glorious soprano voice, Kristy's made a place for herself in Birmingham's theatre circles, rendering unforgettable versions of other songwriters' best showpieces on a variety of local stages. A personal recording project she began as a collaboration with producer Marc Phillips led her to unearth another gift, a penchant for expressing herself in her own original compositions... the result is "Dancin' on the Wind", a collection of comfortable classics and some jazz/gospel tunes from her heart. She's recruited Anthony Williams, one of this region's best keyboard players, to help her bring a sampling of these songs to life. Come help her celebrate her debut issue-- 7:00pm
www.kristywhitemusic.com
Kristy White with Anthony Williams, September 16 2010, house full
Friday 17th-- GRANT PEEPLES, with Audrey Auld, $12
True Florida natives are a rare breed-- they have the same kind of plain-spoken, forthright demeanor you might find in a life-long Texan, or an Alaskan sourdough. Grant Peeples has embraced his Panhandle heritage, explored the discrepancies of the world he's been presented with, and come up with some pretty definite conclusions, which he makes clear to anybody who will give him a minute to share his tunes. He's assertive, but not confrontational--- and he means mainly to leave you entertained, if not persuaded.
He'll be joined by Audrey Auld, a remarkable Australian-American, whose independent spirit brought her stateside to California and Nashville, to present us with her country/folk anthems, which she calls "music with the dirt left on." Expect a lot of humor, a lot of repartee, and a night well-spent in the company of two people with something to say. 7:30pm
www.grantpeeples.com
www.audreyauld.com
Grant Peeples, September 17 2010, 22 present
Audrey Auld
Saturday 18th-- THE QUEST FOR GLORY TOUR-- BESS ROGERS, LELIA BROUSSARD, ALLISON WEISS, $12
We don't see enough of this kinda thing around here, so we choose to import it-- a trio of friends, representing the New Folk ethic and influences from three different corners of the country, out on the road to see what the combination creates. Bess Rogers distills her urbane pop/folk creations from whatever echoes in the canyons of New York, completing lyrics in her head before she ever tackles the melodic mainframes. As her name suggests, Lelia Broussard claims a Louisiana birthright, but has made her most impressive headway out there on the Pacific Coast, building a national fan base that spans the continent. Spunky Allison Weiss comes home to Athens GA, after her bright pop creations have charmed lucky listeners far afield.... we hear there's a glockenspiel involved-- 7:30pm
www.bessrogers.com
www.leliabroussard.com
www.allisonw.com
Lelia Broussard, Bess Rogers, and Allison Weiss, September 18 2010, 35 present
Sunday 19th-- KRISTA DETOR, $15
Those who heard Krista's Small Stages show in May of last year came away deeply impressed with this Indiana songwriter, whose complete command of her fertile imagination and keyboard have music writers stumbling helplessly in a search for accurate superlatives. Four densely literate albums have brought her international acclaim as a unique lyricist, inventive composer, and transcendent interpreter of the beguiling images and narratives she fabricates. In perfect combination with her partner David Weber, who deftly supports her on guitar, mandolin, and a selection of other tasty little instruments, her performance finds that elusive sweet spot between the vintage and the visionary, the merry and the melancholy, the sacred and the profane. 7:30pm
"Her music is a great big old traveling troupe, there are comediennes and trapeze artists, carnival barkers and preachers and knife-throwers under a tent on the edge of town, gaslight and mirrors and something that shines in the sawdust... " - Peter Mulvey
www.kristadetor.com
www.myspace.com/kristadetor
Krista Detor, September 19 2010, 3 present
Monday 20th-- OPEN MIC NIGHT, $5
The Moonlight continues its bi-weekly mission of inviting area songwriters to give wing to their ambitions, as they step up for a quick two songs in front of a curious audience. Extra interest is provided by the random order of play, and the tidy little sum of prize money handed to the one deemed best by an impartial trio of judges. Two hours of you-never-know-what, though we are always knocked out with the quality of our new discoveries--- five dollars never bought you this much entertainment, especially to the taste of your own chosen snacks and beverages. 7:30pm
Tuesday 21st--- THE SOUTHERN TRAIL TOUR, $12
And here we are back on a Tuesday, with young newcomers in the house again--- this time a gaggle of earnest balladeers from our own corner of the nation, each one catching sparks from the other, almost like a troupe of acrobats, stepping in and out of one another's songs with impromptu vocals and backup instrumentation.
Jeremy Aggers, Tyler Lyle, Channing and Quinn, and Chelsea Lynn LaBate each exhibit unique yet complementary strengths, searching for the spaces to add a dash of their own flavors to what their travelmates put forth. The chemistry evident on stage tonight will be intriguing, and we can guarantee the teamwork will produce a one-of-a-kind program.
www.jeremyaggers.com
www.chelsealynnlabate.com
www.tylerlyle.com
www.channingandquinn.com
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