Music on Monarch Way Summer Concert Series
The University Village will celebrate summer with Music On Monarch Way, a free concert series featuring an eclectic line-up of jazz, bluegrass, reggae, folk, salsa, blues, swing and progressive music.
Sponsored by the Old Dominion University Real Estate Foundation and The University Village, the concerts will be held from 5-7 p.m., on the green lawn behind the Ted Constant Convocation Center along Monarch Way on the Old Dominion campus. Admission and parking are free.
Information on the concert series and a full list of shops and restaurants at The University Village are available at http://www.oduvillage.com or by calling 683-4504.
The concert schedule is as follows:
June 21 Skip Friel & The Resonators - Alternative Folk/Americana
Nominated for Best Acoustic and Best Album 2008 PortFolio Music Awards and 2007 Winner Best International Folk Artist, Toronto Exclusive Magazine.
June 28 Lewis McGehee - Acoustic
PortFolio Magazine's Musician Poll has voted McGehee as the top acoustic act for three consecutive years and was recently voted Best Musician.
July 5 Against All Odds - Smooth Jazz
This quartet's musical repertoire extends from smooth jazz styles to yester-year's vintage styles with a mix of traditional jazz, fusion, Latin, funk, R&B-along with vocals/choruses sprinkled in as a 'side order' to the main course. Voted Best Jazz Band in 2007 PortFolio Music Awards and was a 2008 nominee.
July 12 Harwell Grice - Bluegrass
The Harwell Grice Band is a hard-driving bluegrass band based in Southwest Virginia. They take traditional bluegrass and add amazing songwriting, along with classic two and three part harmonies to create their own progressive style of music.
July 19 Tumbao Salsero - Latin/Salsa
This Latin orchestra will keep your feet moving with full Latin percussion and a range of music including Salsa, Merengue, Guaganco, Son Montuno, Jazz, Bomba, Plena and many more.
July 26 Big Wide Grin - Soulfully Acoustic
This bi-coastal trio of Elaine Dempsey, Lawrence Lambert & Karl Werne, hailing from California and Virginia, brings diverse backgrounds of experience, music and theater together to form a rich, soulful blend of character and harmony so deep and dynamic, it will move you to an understanding of their name, BIG WIDE GRIN.
Aug. 2 Hands Off - Reggae
Recently nominated as one the best reggae bands in Virginia, these musicians' roots are deep in reggae, and each member has many years of experience that shape their sound.
Aug. 9 Fat Tony Band - Blues, Swing & Everything
Fat Tony was voted the Best Blues Band by PortFolio Weekly Music Awards in 2007 and by Ninevolt in 2005. Five musicians create one fun sound of "blues, swing & everything" with stand-up washtub bass, harmonica, saxophone, guitar and drums.
Aug. 16 Mercy Creek - Progressive
The Washington Post Fairfax Extra......"Mercy Creek can perform folk, harder rock, calypso groove, swinging alt-country, and bluesy gospel. The band makes a mighty noise for just two players. After six years of extensive touring, the duo has been described as "the White Stripes of Americana." Jack and Meg White, watch your back."
Aug. 23 John Baldwin & The Original Sinners - Blues
Baldwin won the 2006 PortFolio Weekly Best Blues Artist award and his group has opened for Steely Dan, Michael McDonald and Gary US Bonds among others. Baldwin's music has appeared on several episodes of "American Idol."
The University Village is a mixed-use development initiative by the Old Dominion University Real Estate Foundation. The 75-acre urban village, adjacent to the Ted Constant Convocation Center, includes the Innovation Research Park @ ODU, restaurants, shops, student housing, a bookstore, an art gallery and the SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel. Old Dominion University Real Estate Foundation is a nonprofit organization formed in 1994 that acquires and manages real estate projects in coordination with the University. For more information, visit oduvillage.com or call the Old Dominion Real Estate Foundation at 757-683-4504.