There are bands and then there are THE ROGUES

The Fun Fourth Festival is in full planning mode  -- we are talking to bands, food vendors, crafters, bands, amusement providers, volunteers, bands, city staff, vendors, and oh yeah bands!

One of the bands already booked for the 2011 Fun Fourth Festival -- The Rogues.  If the 78th Fraser Pipe Band sat down with the Waterboys, the Chieftains, the Rolling Stones, and the Dave Matthews Band, and then asked some friends from a symphonic orchestra to join them at the table the resulting sound might begin to resemble the ROGUES.




Put it on your calendar -- July 4, 2011.  Its going to be hot!



 

Can it be time to check the light bulbs already?

Every morning I see the middle school kids patiently waiting for their school bus and in the evening I hear the NC A&T Drum line rehearsing. It must be fall! Fast upon the heels of autumn comes Festival of Lights -- the downtown celebration kicking off the holiday season. (Really, it just seems like last week we were complaining about weeks on end of 95+ degree days!)

So, what is going on right now for Festival of Lights -- a lot of planning and oh, yeah light bulb changing. We are currently:

• Checking and changing light bulbs on over 200 snowflakes, each 6' snowflake has over 100 bulbs on it. Each bulb needs to be checked to make sure its secure in the socket, does it need to be changed, any repairs to the sockets etc. (We call this light bulb therapy...if you get into the zen of the job it can be very therapeutic)
• Planning the downtown holiday decorations -- the above mentioned snowflakes, along with dozens of bows, sprays, rope lights, light balls and of course the 38' tall tree that is in Center City Park -- don't forget the 5' star on top of the tree!!
• Meeting with our volunteer Advisory Board to come up with this years -- game plan of theme, contests, bands, kids activities and what can we do that is new and different?
• Checking with Santa to make sure he has Festival of Lights on his calendar.
• Looking for local entertainers -- small bands, choral groups, street performers, etc to perform at Festival of Lights. If you are interested fill out this form.

Check out our photos from last year here

Stay tuned to our blog, facebook, twitter and website posts for updates. The countdown begins.. 80 Days until Festival of Lights 2010.

Big Fat Gap

Back porch bluegrass band Big Fat Gap has no plans to take Nashville by storm. Some of them even have day jobs. They just like to pick, they like each other, and it shows. Their shows are known to be excellent for those who enjoy sweet three part harmonies, smoking solos, and captivating stage dynamics. Their fun performances bring loyal fans back for more.

They got their name from one of the few remaining stands of old growth virgin forest in western North Carolina located in the Big Fat Gap in Graham County near the Tennessee border. They are Miles Andrews on lead vocals and Bass, Rick Hauchman on mandolin & vocals, Andy Thorn on banjo, Bobby Britt on fiddle and Jamie Griggs on Guitar.

Learn more about the band on their website or take a listen to them on Myspace!

If you like what you hear, come on down to the Fun Fourth Festival and see them perform. Saturday, July 3, 3pm on Stage 1. It'll be hot ... bring your beer money!!
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March On!!

Every year as we plan the Fun Fourth Festival Parade we try to find a Marching Band, because every parade needs a band!! We haven't, in the past, had much luck with marching bands as the high school and college bands are off for the summer. Over the years we have added Jamestown Pipes and Drums and Old South Dixieland as our Fun Fourth Bands and they are crowd favorites.

This year we are pleased to announce the addition of the Burlington Teen Tour Band -- Canada's Musical Ambassadors Since 1947!! This group of teens and young adults performs all over the world. They have performed in the Tournament of Rose's Parade, 60th Anniversary D-Day in France, St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland, Orange Bowl Parade, World Series in Toronto and in Itabashi, Japan.

This year they will be marching in the Fun Fourth Festival Independence Day Parade. Make sure you come on out to see them.

The parade is Saturday, July 3 and it kicks off the Festival at 9:30 am.

The Burlington Teen Tour Band will also perform on Stage 2 at Festival Park at 1:30pm.


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bit by bit, putting it together...

Stephanie, our summer intern, started this week. She volunteered for us during Festival of Lights, and I guess she liked us so much that she just couldn't stay away! And who could blame her? Let me tell you: we are pretty cool. We can't help it.

On Tuesday, Stephanie's second day, we had one of our Fun Fourth Chairman's meetings. And even though this is my fourth(!!!) Fun Fourth, there's always a point during the preparations when I feel like Stephanie: all this new information is being thrown at me, and I'm trying to quickly process it and figure out how all these pieces will come together to create the Fun Fourth Festival.

Coordinating all the events that comprise Fun Fourth is a giant undertaking, and Grassroots depends on our wonderful, hardworking volunteer Chairmen/women to handle various elements of the Festival. The Chairman's meetings are when we get to hear about the work that everyone has been doing, and we start to get a sense of what the Festival will look like.

Here's a sampling of some of the things we talked about on Tuesday:

• Reiterating for the millionth time that the Street Festival this year is on Saturday, July 3rd. We cannot say this enough: Fun Fourth. Street Festival. Saturday, July 3rd. We would shout it from the rooftops if we could.
• We got a sneak peak of the Fun Fourth mascot for this year. Dolley is still evolving, but we can't wait to show her off.
• As our fearless leader Betty Cone says, "stages are the backbone of any festival." We got an update on the various bands and entertainers who will be gracing our five stages this year, courtesy of our entertainment coordinator, Kathleen McGirty. As always, there's a wide variety of acts, so everybody's sure to find something worth listening to as they wander around the festival. The stage schedule will be online soon, so be sure to check it out!
  
• Hey, Southern Living fans! There's going to be a piece on Fun Fourth in an upcoming issue of the magazine, so be sure to check that out!
• The deadline for Craftscene and Vintage Village applications has been extended to June 1st - HINT HINT.
• When asked to tell us about the Freedom Run, our always entertaining Freedom Run coordinator, Mebane Ham, began with this: "We're gonna have a run." Well, yes. But we do have some really exciting news for this year's run: we've partnered with a wonderful organization called Miles for Smiles, an athletic ride along for children with disabilities who would not normally be able to experience outdoor endurance events such as marathons, triathlons and other road races. For more information on how to participate, you can visit our website.
• And finally, the most important decision we will make all year: who has good enough karma to control the weather for the fireworks on Sunday.

There were many other things we talked about, but we don't want to give everything away. It's mind-boggling to contemplate all the things that need to be dealt with between now and the Freedom Run on June 26th, and then all the other things that will get put together in the week between the Freedom Run and the Street Festival, but that's why we have these meetings. We deal with the messy details, so that you can come to our events and know that you're going to have a great time.

3 Days and Counting!!

Festival of Lights is 3 days away!

The rain forecast is good -- none! There will be a slight chill in the air (Peggy hates that!) and Downtown Greensboro will be ready to welcome the holiday season.

• Decorations Done!
• Tree @ Center City Park -- in progress
  
• 25+ Bands/Entertainers -- hired
• 3000 Marshmallows -- purchased
• 400 Christmas & Holiday Cards for troops -- ready to be signed
• Food Vendors -- confirmed
• Face Painter -- yes!
• Snow -- yes!
• Flash Mob -- of course!
• Kris Kringle Karaoke --yep!!
  
• Hand warming Stations -- almost ready
• Volunteers -- Still needed.

If you are interested in volunteering for Festival of Lights please contact the Grassroots office @ 274.4595 or email me brenda@grassrootsproductionsltd.org -- help is needed, especially with manning the hand warming stations!!

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Festival of Lights -- Band Preview

Festival of Lights is a great downtown event -- something for everyone. The merchants are all decked out and many have open houses. Santa is at Hamburger Square Park -- waiting to talk to you. Marshmallows Roasting, an Indie Market to get some cool gifts. Plus over 20 bands are performing along Elm Street. We have some favorite bands who have been with us for years! It wouldn't be Festival of Lights without them. They include:

High Lonesome Strings Bluegrass Association -- a group of bluegrass musicians and fans who get together to celebrate Bluegrass music. If you can't wait until December 4th to hear them...take a listen to this clip on YouTube.



The Sinai Mountain Ramblers the only Klezmer band in Guilford County!

The NCA&T Fellowship Gospel Choir has been performing for years -- they bring a joyful sound to the Festival. Here is a clip from their performance last year.



So, even if you are saying bah-humbug to Santa, if you are wrinkling your nose at roasted marshmallows and you don't want to go into any of the downtown merchants .... you should at least stop by and take a listen to some of the fabulous music that will be offered on December 4th!
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Natty's Fifth Anniversary Party

Natty's Fifth Anniversary Party was Saturday, August 1st --- a good time was had by all!! Below are a couple of videos from the concert. Enjoy!

Natty Greene's 5th Anniversary Party

Saturday, August 1st starting at 6pm come on out and join us for the Natty Greene's 5th Anniversary Party!!!

Can you imagine .... its been five years since Natty Greene's has opened! How much Buckshot or Old Town Brown have you consumed in the last five years? Well, it doesn't matter, all that matters is that you come out on August 1st and enjoy the Free Concert in Hamburger Square in Downtown Greensboro.

Music by Sam Bush with special guests Jeanne Jolly and The Deluge. Souvenir Beers $4.00. Its looking like it will be a great night! See you there!!
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Sponsor Spotlight: 98.7 Simon

98.7 Simon -- They play everything!! They also know how to have fun! For the last several years they have sponsored the Fun Third Block Party and Stage One for the Fun Fourth Festival.

98.7 Simon always manages to add their special touch to the event. Come on out and you might see Carmen introducing one of the bands or Skip The Prize Guy handing out cool Simon gear. Chances are they will be accompanied by station staff or an intern....but for sure, it will be hot (it is July 4th after all) and they will be having fun!

Come on over -- grab a cold beverage, listen to some tunes and stop by and say hey!

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Tunes @ Noon

Boothbay Harbor, Maine -- 890 Miles;

Bahama Islands -- 1024 Miles;

Stuart, Florida -- 694 Miles;

Atlanta, Georgia -- 332 Miles;

Gaffney, South Carolina -- 141 Miles;

Greensboro, North Carolina -- Home!

Kris Ferris has lived in all of these cities, as a child, teen and adult -- today he calls Greensboro, NC home. As he traveled the backroads and highways there was always music as a solo performer, in bands, and as a songwriter -- Kris was there playing the guitar and singing.

On Wednesday, May 20th you will only have to come to Center City Park to hear Kris perform as part of the Tunes @ Noon series. Playing original songs and covers of the songs you love to sing along with! Bring your lunch, bring a friend and imagine yourself on that Bahama Island or in Gaffney, South Carolina or wherever you call home and enjoy the music.

See you there!

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Featured Band: Warren Bodle & Allen

What happens when you take an attorney, an advertising creative director and a psychologist -- mix in a mandolin, harmonica, banjo, dobro and a couple of guitars, then add in tight harmonies and clean picking? You end up with the bluegrass, contemporary-folk-rock and country-rock trio of Warren Bodle & Allen.

For over 20 years, they have been making music together, playing clubs, restaurants, concerts, parties and festivals throughout North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia.

If you haven't had a chance to enjoy them yet, you can click here or better yet come see them at an event!

On Sunday, June 14th, you will be able to enjoy their dynamic good-feeling music when they play for Flag Day Fun! A Fun Fourth Fundraiser. Come sit under the shade trees at Hamburger Square Park (corner of Elm & McGee in Downtown Greensboro), drink a beer provided by Natty Greene's Brewing Company and listen to Warren Bodle & Allen and Holy Ghost Tent Revival! A good time for a good cause!

See you there!
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End of the World

In case you've not experienced this for yourself, let me share with you an irrefutable fact -- some of the most pivotal moments of life begin as what seems like a coincidence. Ancillary conclusion -- there are no coincidences.

Case in point, End of the World Records. Bear with me, as it may take awhile to get to the point part of this case, and how it relates to Grassroots Productions. The first thing you need to know is that I am a huge fan of bagpipe music. (I told you this might be a long road.) While other girls were swooning over David Cassidy, my heart belonged to the Band of the Black Watch -- my dearest wish was to see them perform live. (Yes, I got to go see them in high school. No, I never got beaten up.) The reason this is important is that it was my love for bagpipe music that took me to the High Point Theatre almost 5 years ago to see the first concert by Jamestown Pipes & Drums. As a part of the concert, the band had invited the wife of one of their pipers to perform.
Her name was Andrea Reese, and when she began to sing her first song -- one of several original compositions she played that night -- my mind lit up like a lightning storm on a late August night. Despite the fact that the sound technician couldn't find his way around a sound board for anything, my world was transformed. I knew I was privileged to be hearing an amazing talent.

So the second thing you need to know about me is that I was trained to be a stage manager so when I go to the after party, I am compelled to shoot my mouth off about how much better the concert could have been if this, that and the other thing had been done differently. Ah yes, I'm sure you can see what's coming -- by the end of the night, I had pretty much agreed to stage manage the second concert (in fact, I stage managed two more concerts, joined the band and learned to play a tenor drum before it was all through, but that really is another story).

In addition to being so bedazzled by bagpipes that I practically signed my life away to a band, I also managed to gush all over Andrea Reese in a very teenage, star struck fashion. The result of that was a phone call from Andi a couple of months later, asking if I wanted to drive to Lenoir with her, where she had a date at a recording studio to lay down some tracks for her CD. Well, gosh, what almost 50 year old, crazed fan, singer wannabe wouldn't want to do that? Andi was livin' the dream, and I was gonna tag along as far as I could!

So who knew that tucked away in Lenoir, NC is Epiphonic Studios, an amazing recording studio in a renovated Catholic Church, complete with stained glass windows? Founded by Nate Pritchard (who has worked on albums for the likes of Martina McBride, Allison Krause and Dave Matthews), Epiphonic is an artist's dream come true. After a day in the studio with Andi, I was more smitten than ever -- with her music, with recording studios and all that wonderfully geeky equipment (so many buttons, so little time), and with the entire music industry as a whole. As much as I would have given my right leg to have even a fraction of Andi's talent, the truth is, I was chosen to clap and cheer.

You never know when inconsequential events in your life will prove to be turning points. So here we are, four years later. Over the years, Andi and Nate have both become good friends of mine. I have been lucky enough to get to watch, not only the evolution of Andi's first CD, Rain, etc., which will be released on May 26th, but the birth of Nate's new NC record label, End of the World Records -- every bit of which, from the artists to the labels that go on the CDs, has roots in North Carolina. Their desire to bring their passions to life has inspired me in ways I could not have foreseen. And it has been my pleasure and my joy to be chosen to clap and cheer all along the way.

Now -- what in the world does this have to do with Grassroots Productions, you're still asking? Well, I have had so much fun clapping and cheering, I want to share the fun with the rest of the world. On May 31st 2-5pm at Center City Park, you, too, can clap and cheer for Andrea Reese as she performs at our very first Sunday in the Park of 2009, along with another little group you may have heard of -- Polecat Creek.

Did I make my point about there being no coincidences? Perhaps it will all be clearer when I see you at Center City Park on May 31st. Hey, who knows, maybe later I'll let you listen to my bagpipe music collection.

Tunes @ Noon

Wednesday, May 13th (11:45 - 1:15) come on down to Center City Park for Tunes @ Noon to enjoy the music of Jason Marc Pierce.

Jason has been entertaining audiences along the east coast with his singing and songwriting since 1989. His influences range from classic rock to Celtic folk songs and his music reflects a wide range of styles.
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Featured Band -- Holy Ghost Tent Revival

"Just walking down the street,

walking down the street

Looking at my feet,

looking at my feet I don't know,

know where to go"

-- Walking Down the Street

With compelling lyrics and energetic music Holy Ghost Tent Revival brings the party to life!

Join HGTR at the Flag Day Fun! -- A Fun Fourth Festival Fundraisier on June 14 from 4 - 7pm! Hamburger Square (next to Natty Greene's at the corner of S. Elm and Lee in Downtown Greensboro). Tickets $5 -- all proceeds benefit the Fun Fourth Festival!

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Flag Day Party

We're having a Fundraising Party!

Save Flag Day, Sunday, June 14th from 4pm - 7pm to celebrate with the Fun Fourth Festival. Come on down to Hamburger Square Park -- beside Natty Greene's and listen to some great bands, raise some funds for the Fun Fourth Festival and celebrate flag day!!!

More info on bands to come soon!!

History of the American Flag.

For more than 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of our nation's strength and unity. It's been a source of pride and inspiration for millions of citizens. And the American Flag has been a prominent icon in our national history. Here are the highlights of its unique past....more.

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Bands, Bands, Bands

We are spending a lot of time listening to bands and looking at their websites (if I can't find your music on your website, I'm not going to hire you!!) We are looking for bands for the Fun Fourth Festival -- six stages of entertainment plus some strolling entertainment needed. We are also booking bands for the two music series at Center City Park --- Tunes @ Noon -- the weekly lunchtime series every Wednesday at 11:45 beginning May 6th and Sunday In the Park -- the last Sunday of the month May through October.

Feel free to let us know if you have heard of a great new local/regional band...always looking for input!! Do you know any street performers? Jugglers? Strolling Musicians? We would love to expand our database of street performers.