If you live near campus and you enjoy music of all types, then this will be your lucky summer! Western Carolina University has announced the lineup for its 2010 Summer Concert Series, and the variety of styles is sure to please most any music lover.
The concerts, sponsored by the A.K. Hinds University Center, will be held at 7 p.m. each Thursday night on the University Center lawn. All concerts are free and open to the public.
“I think we’re getting some good bands from the region, and I think I tried to mix up genres a bit with these bands,” said Lori Davis, Assitant Director for the University Center Programs.
Kicking off the series on June 3 will be Jerry Chapman from Mount Airy. Chapman writes his own songs and will play a mixture of folk, rock, pop and Americana.
Second in the lineup is the Bobby G. Band performing on June 10. Bobby Gilbert, of Canton, recorded and toured with the 1960s band Frijid Pink and now performs his own brand of jazz.
On June 17, Del Suggs, a singer and songwriter from North Florida, will perform music from his five released solo albums. Suggs continues to appear at universities and festivals across the United States, and has performed with musicians including Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Roy Book Binder and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Later, on June 24, Dr. DP and the Trainrunners will perform their reggae, ska and punk music with their four-member band. The band is currently based in Asheville featuring musicians playing guitar, bass, trombone and drums.
Lionz of Zion will appear on July 8 and will be mixing the genres of funk and rock for a unique sound that is sure to get people dancing. This Greenville, S.C. based band’s style includes bass riffs with a groovy guitar, soulful vocals and roots-rock backbeat.
On July 15, the Billies, an indie-rock duo will perform their musical styles. The Billies began playing in 2006 and perform in coffeehouses, wineries, restaurants, campus centers, pubs and small theaters.
On July 22 a self-taught singer, Amanda Duncan, will perform. Duncan sings original songs and plays guitar, percussion and mandolin to produce mixtures of pop-country, folk and bluegrass.
And Finally on July 29, the Back Pages from Asheville based will finish up the concert with a bang. The Back Pages perform folk rock, psychedelic, Southern rock and hard rock classics from the 1960s and ’70s.
Typically, crowds range from 50-100 for the outdoor concerts and this year many are hoping that number will increase.
“The series has been around for more than 15 years,” said Davis. “It was started as a way to bring summer activities and events to people in the community during summer, and also to bring activities to campus for people at WCU for orientations, open houses, and conferences.”
The Summer Concert Series may take place in either the University Center Grandroom or Club Illusions if rain should pose a problem for the performance. For more information about the concert, contact Lori Davis, assistant director for University Center programs, at 828-227-3622 or ledavis@wcu.edu
“It’s a great summer event for the whole family,” said Davis. “People can bring their kids – blankets, and food, and just enjoy the nice weather, have fun, and dance! What a great atmosphere to enjoy a concert too – the mountains!”
