On New Year’s Eve, more than a million people will gather in New York City’s Times Square to watch a crystal ball drop and more than 100,000 people are expected to gather in Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park to watch the musical note drop. But if big crowds aren’t your idea of a party, here’s some musical alternatives to ring in the new year:
Tag Archives: The Avett Brothers
Welcome 2016 with music instead of overhyped NYE party
I ran across this meme the other day compliments of a friend, who shared it on social media:
Admit it, we’ve all done it. This year, however, will be different. If you choose to go out, you’ll welcome the new year by listening to one of your favorite bands with like-minded fans — instead of attending some overpriced and ultimately disappointing party.
The Avett Brothers were trailblazers 10 years ago with a NYE show at Charlotte’s Neighborhood Theatre. Now, everyone seems to be getting in on the idea.
Following is just a smattering of the NYE concert options happening in the Southeast and beyond. If you know of a show worth noting I failed to mention, please add to the comments. Enjoy and be safe out there! This also ran on The Huffington Post here. Continue reading
NASCAR, Wrestling and The Avett Brothers
The following was originally posted on my Huffington Post blog here.
Dolph Ramseur isn’t the most likely person to manage The Avett Brothers.
Ramseur had no musical background — other than being an appreciative listener — when he started Ramseur Records in Concord, North Carolina. In fact, until July 2000 his instrument of choice was a tennis racquet.
“I taught tennis at country clubs including Forsyth Country Club, and I was the tennis director for Hanes Park in Winston-Salem from 1993-95,” he said. “But I was always fascinated by music. I don’t play, I’m just a really big fan.”
So how does a country club tennis pro learn to promote musicians? Ramseur says he had some of the best teachers in his backyard, namely NASCAR, the National Wrestling Alliance and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and WBTV.
Five Questions with The Avett Brothers at MerleFest
WILKESBORO, N.C. — The Avett Brothers, Concord, North Carolina’s favorite musical sons, hit the stage at MerleFest tonight. Members of the folk rock band are no strangers to the Americana festival that has helped kick off the outdoor music season for 28 years — or to its founder, the legendary flat-picker Doc Watson. Today’s appearance is the group’s seventh at MerleFest since 2004 and their second since Watson died in 2012. At a festival press conference this afternoon which was broadcast live using VisitNC‘s Periscope, Twitter’s new livestreaming app, band members — Seth and Scott Avett along with Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon — talked about coming home to their favorite North Carolina barbecue, sustainable farming in Cabarrus County, how they plan to carry on the Watson legacy and what MerleFest means to them.
