These are the type of announcements that we just love to see. After nearly 15 months of lockdown, social distancing, and virtually no public gatherings, concert announcements are surfacing nearly every day. Since we began our mission back in 2014, the core focus has been bringing new and exciting live music events to Montgomery, Alabama. Over that six year span, a number of fellow music enthusiasts have stepped up to introduce new music-centered events in the capital city. The latest is Common Ground Shakedown, which will feature three amazing, Alabama-based bands at Union Station Train Shed on Saturday, July 24th.
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Common Ground Shakedown is a music and food festival benefitting local non-profit Common Ground Montgomery. Through the efforts of generous donors and community partners championing change, Common Ground Montgomery provides developmental programs, camps, and activities while connecting youth in west Montgomery, Alabama, with resources and mentors. The initial lineup announcement includes Birmingham bandsThe Mountain Grass Unit and T.U.B. (The UnKnamed Band).
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We recently caught up with event organizer, Carter Goodwyn, to learn more about this event and what attendees can expect from this first year event:
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"Growing up in Montgomery, I spent many weekends helping my father’s business, Goodwyn Building, help Common Ground with various projects, whether it was renovating a house or facilitating after school activities at the campus off Mobile Rd. I was in awe of Bryan Kelly and the work he and his team do in the community. It’s hard to spend any amount of time with him and not feel inspired to lend a hand."
"Attendees can expect hours of incredible music from great bands with roots in Alabama, along with great local food vendors, drinks, and raffles. As a music lover, I'm really excited to see all these bands play on the same stage. The Mountain Grass Unit is new to the scene, but shows a lot of promise. I’m a sucker for some bluegrass, and they do it very well. I’ve seen T.U.B. more times than I can remember, and it’s always an incredible show. And as for the headliner that will be announced on a later date - they rock!"
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here. Make sure to follow Common Ground Music & Food Festival on Facebook and Instagram for all of the latest updates. Stay tuned to Live & Listen for future updates and an opportunity to win a pair of tickets to the event.
The Mountain Grass Unit consists of three Birmingham teenage pickers, Drury Anderson (mandolin and vocals), Luke Black (acoustic guitar), and Sam Wilson (upright bass). The band plays bluegrass tunes, occasionally adding a bluegrass touch to country, jazz, funk, rock, and even metal.
There is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert. For fans of the jam-band genre, truer words have never been spoken. In the current era of tribute bands and exact recreations, TUB was conceived as something different. The idea was simple: share the experience of musical exploration and improvisation that inspired the Grateful Dead with the current generation – but don’t limit the set lists to one band. TUB primarily focuses on the music of the Grateful Dead, Phish, and WSP, but will also flavor their sets with a nod to the Band, Steely Dan and other musically engaging artists.
TUB was formed in late Fall during 2010 when guitarist Brian Haynes reconnected with drummer Alan Eberhardt. Based on their shared love of the Grateful Dead, they were determined to build a band with set lists focused on improvisational music. Brian enlisted keyboardist Robert O’Neal, who then recommended Lee Amberson as vocalist for the “yet un-named” project. The line-up was solidified when Greg Staggs moved back to AL to become the band’s regular bassist in 2013. Although O'Neal left the band in the summer of 2019, the core four of TUB continue the journey with Matt Wiley in the keys chair.
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At each TUB show, a choice selection of tunes is played with the same attitude as a jazz artist might approach a standard or a classical performer might interpret a composition: the spirit of the original piece is respected while also being rediscovered by the passion and interaction between the musicians and the audience.
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Every show is unique in terms of the songs performed, the order they appear in, and the unlimited direction of the improvisations. This belief in the power of live music and the interplay between the energy of the fans and the band make each TUB show an unforgettable experience. True Phans and even casual listeners throughout the South are spreading the word: TUB shows are not to be missed
