Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Stellar Performance"

Mary Chapin Carpenter is back on the road for the first time since suffering a pulmonary embolism in 2007. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was featured in an article praising her "stellar performance" in Northampton. Read the review here.

Carpenter will be at the Alys Stephens Center on July 23 at 8pm. Tickets are going fast! If you don't want to miss this performance, you can purchase them at our box office, by phone at 205-975-ARTS, or online.

Q&A with Sam Bush

What a week bluegrass master Sam Bush has had! He spent the weekend headlining the famed Telluride Bluegrass Festival, then taped an episode of the Jimmy Kimmel Show on Monday that aired last night. The episode was especially memorable because the show experienced a power outage! Sam Bush, playing with Dierks Bentley, played a great acoustic number.

Sam performs with Dierks again on tonight’s Craig Ferguson Show. Then…he makes his way to Birmingham for a special show this Friday night! Enjoy this Q&A with Sam Bush on the way home from Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Here’s an excerpt from our conversation with Sam.

ASC: Ok, we want to experience the Telluride Bluegrass Festival vicariously through you. What’s it like being there and performing?

SAM: It’s like getting to go back to summer camp, re-acquainting with all of your old friends, while being in one of the most beautiful spots in America!

ASC: What artists are you looking forward to seeing and/or performing with? Anybody new we should check out?

SAM: I enjoyed playing with the reunion of Peter Rowan and Crucial Country, and of course – with the Sam Bush Band – especially when we started our set with the theme from Blazing Saddles. It was fun playing with 18 South – a newly formed band out of Nashville.

ASC: Speaking of new music and artists, what has your ears perked up these days?

SAM: I really enjoy Dierks Bentley’s new record produced by Jon Randall Stewart.

ASC: What song or album on your ipod would most surprise your fans (maybe even your friends)?

SAM: A few things – John McLaughlin “Floating Point,” Best of National Lampoon Radio Hour, Marilyn Manson, and The Beatles “Love.”

ASC: It’s been several years since you’ve performance at the ASC (and you’ll be coming straight off Telluride to the ASC for your June 25 show. Hopefully we can keep the spirit of the festival going in Birmingham for you.) This time around you’re being joined by Alison Brown. I know you’re performing separate sets, but I’m guessing (hoping) we can look forward to some cross-pollination too?

SAM: I too hope for some jamming, as I love Alison, her band, and her music.

ASC: Any other teasers you can give us about the B’ham show?

SAM: Just know that we never let music in the way of a good time!

Tickets are still available for the show this Friday night! Just call 205-975-2787 or purchase them online here.

WIN A CHANCE TO MEET BLUEGRASS HERO SAM BUSH!

Bluegrass hero Sam Bush performed at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival this past weekend and now he’s headed to Birmingham to play the ASC Friday night. In addition to performing at Telluride with his band, he is also part of the Telluride House Band along with Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton, and Stuart Duncan.

Coming to the show Friday night? You could win a chance to meet Sam Bush prior to the show! Tell us why you're his biggest fan by commenting on this post. Deadline to enter is 5 p.m. this Thursday, June 24. One lucky winner plus their guest, selected at random, will be included in the backstage meet and greet. (This prize does not include tickets to the show.)

Great seats are still available, so reserve your seats now by visiting our website or calling (205) 975-2787.

A Real "Piece of Work"

If you can't wait until December 12 to get your Joan Rivers fix when the renowned comedian performs live at the ASC, you may soon be able to catch a documentary about the star that is getting rave reviews. Although it doesn't have a distributor yet, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work received a warm reception at Sundance. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the documentary "provides plenty of laughs while proving there's more to Rivers than plastic surgery jokes and red-carpet chatter." Read entire review.

The Dynamites are still rockin' the house!

Soul music is here to stay, and it’s still evolving. The Dynamites Featuring Charles Walker are living proof. Lead singer Charles Walker doesn’t imitate, emulate or try to resuscitate a bygone nostalgic era. He is soul, the real deal, still carrying the flaming torch of funk and soul lit back in the late 60s at the Apollo Theater where he opened up for icons like James Brown and Wilson Pickett.


See them perform at Live on the Plaza June 17!
For more info: http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=62



In the mean time, here are the Dynamites performing "Burn it Down" LIVE.

Starting today, creating your own Season Package is easier than ever! Find out how.

Serenata Latin Groove Band with DJ Carlos - LOP 3

Chance of rain moved the event indoors, but that didn't stop fans of Latin music and dance from having a great time! There is just one Live on the Plaza event left - Thursday, June 17 featuring the funk of The Dynamites with Charles Walker. $15 advance / $20 day of & at the door.

Live on the Plaza Weather Update

Because of the chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, tonight's Live on the Plaza featuring Serenata Latin Groove Band with DJ Carlos has moved indoors. There will be fantastic music, great food by Sol Y Luna, and plenty of hot Latin dancing into the night. 6 - 9 p.m. For tickets, call (205) 975-2787 or visit www.alysstephens.org.

ASC Highlights Serenata Band

Remember that Live on the Plaza 3 is coming up tomorrow! The ASC is proud to host Serenata Band and DJ Carlos for the event. For your enjoyment today, Luis of Serenata Band was kind enough to answer some questions for us.

Q: How long has the Serenata Band been playing together?
A: We started playing around 2001, so that is more than eight years.

Q: Tell us about the music you play.
A: Eclectic, mixtures from Latin America, Jazz Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia...

Q: Can you tell us about the band’s musical influences?
A: Guaco, Ruben Blades, Fania All Stars, Oscar De Leon, John Coltrane…

Q: For the Alys Stephens Center show on June 3, what can the audience expect to hear?
A: Salsa, Latin Jazz, Merengue, and much much more.

Q: Will this be your first time to perform in Birmingham?
A: We did play several times in Birmingham for private events; weddings, birthdays, etc. In Alabama, we played at Auburn University and some other colleges.

This Latin music & dance party is Thursday, June 3 from 6- 9 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance / $20 day of and at the door.

Purchase tickets at http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=61 or by calling (205) 975-2787.