Music at McClellan this weekend
Jun 17, 2010 | 2371 views | 31 
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Because of the recession, the seven-year-old music festival has been condensed to a two-day weekend event from the succession of events it is known for. It begins Friday at 6 p.m. with a performance by Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos, a blues band with a Cajun kick, and ends Saturday with a performance by John Sebastian, front man for The Lovin’ Spoonful, a ’60s rock-revolution band.
“This is our seventh annual festival and in the past it has been spread out over three or four weekends, but the staging of that was extraordinarily expensive,” said Tom Potts Jr., chairman of the Longleaf Arts Council. “One of the ways we could reduce some of the expense is to have it on one weekend.”
And while the event may be short in duration, it’s not lacking for quality entertainment, according to organizers. In between the first performance and the last, there will be about half a dozen acts, including the Friday night headliner Abbey Road Live, an established Beatles tribute band.
“Abbey Road Live is the world’s best tribute band,” Potts said. “They go a step further than I have ever seen in that they concentrate on the latter studio albums.”
According to its website, the band began in 2002 and only played songs from the Bealtes’ Abbey Road Album, but has since expended to cover 100 of the famed quartet’s tunes. In addition to performing the album the band derives its namesake from, it specializes in complete performances of "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band."
Saturday night’s headliner, John Sebastian, who preformed at Woodstock, will be accompanied by Jimmy Vivino, the former guitarist from Conan O’Brian’s late show. The pairing of Vivino, who will head up the band for O’Brian’s new show in the fall, and Sebastian is drawing interest not just from inside the state, but from Atlanta, Chattanooga, and in one case New York City, according to the Chairman of Music at McClellan, Pete Conroy.
“Through Facebook and Twitter it has begun to go viral and so were seeing interest from the region,” Conroy said.
The two-day music festival will also include a steel drum performance by JAXPAN, singer-songwriter Kelli Johnson, jazz performers TADD of Jazz, and local guitarist Tony Yardley. Each of those Saturday acts will be followed by brief workshops, where performers will provide music education sessions with attendees.
“It will be real close quarters,” Potts said. “So that’s a really neat attraction.”
The alternative and classic rock cover band Five Sterling Silver also will perform at the festival. They will take the stage shortly before Sebastian’s headlining performance Saturday.
In addition to the musical performances and workshops there will be a variety of kid-friendly entertainment and education-oriented attractions. Among them will be presentations from the Anniston Museum of Natural History curators with live animals, and a table with information and “tar balls” from the current gulf oil crisis.
Donations will also be taken at the event to assist with the gulf cleanup effort, Conroy said.
In addition to changing the event to a one-weekend festival for the fist time, this year’s event has another first. It’s the first year the Alabama Symphony Orchestra will not participate.
However, Conroy said he fully anticipates that the Music at McClellan will return to its series format and re-incorporate the state orchestra into its lineup in the future, though both were changed this year to slash expenses.
“I like spreading it out and I would like to think that in the future the economy will recover and Music at McClellan will be back to the series format.” Conroy said. “We love the symphony.”
Contact staff writer Laura Johnson at 256-235-3544.
Ticket Costs
Advance weekend pass $35
Advance single day pass $20
Weekend pass at the gate $45
Day pass at the gate $25
Children (ages 4-12) $5
Children (age 3 and under) Free
To receive the advance- purchase price, tickets must be purchased before noon Friday. They can be bought online at www.musicatmcclellan.org, by phone at 256-782-8158 or at a variety of local locations.
The are:
Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce
Tyson Art & Frame
Jacksonville State University - Theron Montgomery Building Bookstore
The Anniston Star
Mary G Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Cosmic Debris
McClellan Box Office
NOTE: Tickets purchased online before Friday night at midnight will be available for pickup at the box office on the day of the concert. Only the McClellan Box Office is open for ticket sales on concert days.
Source: www.musicatmcclellan.org. Contact the site for more information.
Zac Brown would be great. These no names that are brought in are not cutting it plain and simple.
Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojo's?...footstompin fun.
John Sebas and Vivino? Eclectic, and historical. I actually got to see that dude from the Woodstock movie sing "darling be home soon".... I was happy.
$25 for that is fine with me... Oh and, i drank my own brews which were on ice in my own cooler thank you... How much is beer at a braves game?...($7.50) I saved at least $50 in beer money! lol.
Music for people who appreciate music, if you didn't like it, at least recognize the evening for what it was...You'll be seeing Vivino EVERY WEEKENIGHT in a month or so. Kay, sarah, sarah,
i reckon.
Peace folks, hopefully M@M will satisfy more folks next year! And thankyou to all those brave volunteers that dodged the lightning!...Oooh, maybe we can get us some Metallica next year! Would that make ___________ happy?
Every year a handful of volunteers puts together Music at McClellan. If _______________ really wants to see something different at Music at McClellan, he should volunteer now to help put together next year's event.
However the second day was a bit of a let down for me. The weather didn't cooporate early in the day but was nice after about 6. Some of the acts were pretty good but sadly I was let down by John Sebastian. He has a great reputation and it difficult to book, but for me it just didn't meet expectations. I'm certain he won't be invited back. Live and learn. I'm sure next year will be better.
This needs someone with marketing exp. and someone that is in touch with the people of the county and not just for a select few. This is what this. Get singers and bands that a lot of people enjoying hearing. This throw back stuff is well not going to get you to your goal.
Your a fool if you paid this can of money to see this. Yes a fool.
It was nice to see all the families and friends coming together for a great night of entertainment in Anniston.
Tax dollars?...How much did it cost to paint all of the downtown corners ultra blue anyways?...Need a blog on that while everyones ditching county dollars...
Throwback bands aren't money makers?...Then how do they get paid? Where do you goto see and hear and actual live rendition of I am the Walrus anyways? I'll tell you where! M@M! coocoocachoo!
About 2,000 people showed up last year to see a Pink Floyd "throw back" band...The Machine.
To each his own, and i doubt any of your "tax dollars" went into this event, mostly sponosors and donations from what i've read. I promise i'll stop now.
I don't even know the ones that they have scheduled other than Tony Yardley. He is good and was with a good band years ago, Night Owl. But I suspect he won't be playing that kind of music at this event. I could be wrong.
These throw back bands are NOT money makers. Heck they cost money. That just telling it like it is. Not bashing. Plus I am not and many people are not going pay these prices for a wanna be group like this. Some one with a marketing brain needs to take over. This is not a thing for the people of the county but just a select few.
I live in J'ville and actually look forward to M@M each year... I even enjoyed whatever Motown band they had a few years back. Not my type of tunes but the atmosphere was exceptional... Ted Nugent has a song titled "good friends and a bottle of wine", i'll be doing that this weekend!
I'll stop posting now, I'm too biased! lol.
The thing I don't understand is how they plan on bringing in more money to support possibly bringing back the orchestra and making it similar to what it started out to be. These type of acts usually only bring in a very particular audience which lessens the chance of selling more and more tickets. I live on McClellan and would love to see this succeed as it was planned to be.
I just like new experiences and different styles of tunes!
Boy, the acts I would of lined up with the cash Gadsden could throw at talent! I'd start with some Bela Fleck, throw in a dash of Moe and close out the night with some Willie Nelson! woohoo!