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| Al Pacino. Download image |
Friday, June 15, 2012
“Al Pacino: One Night Only,” Viva Health Starlight Gala, 7 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. The Viva Health Starlight Gala is Birmingham’s premier performing arts event that benefits the programs and education initiatives of UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Pacino is one of the most respected actors in all film history and one of the greatest movie stars of our time. His name signifies artistry and legendary talent in the world of Hollywood and beyond, and for one night only the charismatic, passionate actor will be live from the Alys Stephens Center. “Pacino, One Night Only” will begin with the actor discussing his life, legendary career and backstage tales from a lifetime spent in the world of film and theater. He will show never-before-seen film clips and retrospectives and answer questions from the audience afterward. This show promises to be an informative, conversational, funny yet serious discussion of the art of film and Pacino’s career. Tickets are $125; $175 and both include a red carpet-worthy, pre-show reception. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Jason Isbell. Download image |
Saturday, June 16, 2012
“An acoustic evening with Jason Isbell,” 7:30 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Alabama’s own singer, songwriter and guitarist Isbell will return to the South and his solo Alys Stephens Center show fresh from a European tour with Ryan Adams. The show will be in the Alys Stephens Center’s “On Stage” format, which features 110 seats with the artist on the center’s Jemison Concert Hall stage and 220 seats right above the stage in the choral balcony. Isbell is part of the “Good Songs, Good People” series presented by the ASC, Good People Brewing Co. and Birmingham Mountain Radio. Come early for cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., with a cash bar featuring Good People’s finest craft brews and food and snacks from Birmingham’s favorite local eateries. For this special series, patrons can purchase a theater-friendly commemorative cup and take their drink into the show. Tickets are $29.50 plus a $2 building restoration fee. Earlier in the day Isbell will lead a one-hour songwriting clinic with a Q&A from the stage at 2 p.m., presented by ArtPlay. The clinic is free and open to the public. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org for tickets or more information.
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| Eric Benet. Download image |
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Eric Benét and Ledisi, 7 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Coming together for the B.G.T.Y. Tour, R&B favorite Benét begins the night with a set of his biggest hits and new songs from his latest recording, “The One.” Then, music’s hot new sensation, Ledisi, takes the stage for a show. R&B crooner, songwriter and actor Benét was recently nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance for his single “Sometimes I Cry,” and was nominated for a 2011 Soul Train Award for Best Male R&B/Soul Artist. Ledisi’s new album “Pieces of Me,” follows her last two critically acclaimed albums, 2007’s breakthrough hit “Lost and Found,” nominated for two Grammy Awards including Best New Artist, and 2009’s rock and funk, attention-stealing “Turn Me Loose,” which garnered a number one debut position on the Billboard R&B chart. Tickets are $66.50, $57.50 and $46.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Eric Essix. Download image |
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Eric Essix, CD release celebration concert, 7:30 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Armed with talent for days, a huge fan base, integrity and an unequaled passion for the arts, Birmingham’s Essix is set to once again make the music industry stand up and take notice with a recording of brand new music to be released in July. With nearly 20 albums as a solo artist, this latest will be his first “self-titled” project, which comes on the heels of his acclaimed “Retrospective: Ballads” CD released earlier this year. Essix is part of the “Good Songs, Good People” series presented by the ASC, Good People Brewing Co. and Birmingham Mountain Radio. Come early for cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., with a cash bar featuring Good People’s finest craft brews and food and snacks from Birmingham’s favorite local eateries. For this special series, patrons can purchase a theater-friendly commemorative cup and take their drink into the show. Tickets are $37 and include a copy of the CD. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Bob Schneider. Download image |
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012
Bob Schneider, 7:30 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. “Eclectic” may not be a strong enough word to describe the musical style of singer, songwriter and guitar player Schneider. His sound is a mix of funk, country, rock and folk. As a solo artist he tours non-stop, has produced several acclaimed recordings and is known for producing songs for hit movies including “Miss Congeniality,” “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back,” “40 Days and 40 Nights” and “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.” With his latest release “Lovely Creatures,” Schneider will take you on a “dance in your seat” musical journey, from ballads to pop and even Latin beats. Schneider is part of the “Good Songs, Good People” series presented by the ASC, Good People Brewing Co. and Birmingham Mountain Radio. Come early for cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., with a cash bar featuring Good People’s finest craft brews and food and snacks from Birmingham’s favorite local eateries. For this special series, patrons can purchase a theater-friendly commemorative cup and take their drink into the show. Tickets are $31.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Wynonna. Download image |
Friday, Aug. 10, 2012
Wynonna, 8 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Wynonna, with her mother Naomi Judd, rose to superstardom as The Judds in the early ’80s, with chart toppers like “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Why Not Me” and “Grandpa (Tell Me ’Bout the Good Old Days).” Unstoppable for the rest of the decade, The Judds picked up multiple Grammy, CMA and ACM awards and sold more than 20 million albums. Wynonna went on to launch her wildly successful solo career and hasn’t slowed down since. Her string of hit albums started with her quintuple platinum 1992 solo debut, “Wynonna,” which spawned four No. 1 hits and was the bestselling country album ever by a female artist at that time. In 1994, Wynonna received the coveted Top Female Vocalist of the Year trophy at the ACM Awards. Engaging the soulful, bluesy side of her voice only hinted at with The Judds, Wynonna went on to sell more than 10 million albums and reach new creative heights with six chart toppers of her own. Now, her novel “Restless Heart” is in stores, “The Judds” docu-series is on the OWN channel, and she is recording her eighth studio album due out next year. Premium seating is $96.50; tickets are $80.50, $71.50 and $60.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Red Baraat. Download image |
Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012
Inter-ART-ive featuring Red Baraat, 6-9 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Join the ASC for the sixth annual inter-ART-ive outdoor party featuring Indian bhangra and funky brass band Red Baraat. This incredibly unique group has a sound so powerful it has placed the band in its own utterly unique and enviable class. Red Baraat is as likely to throw down at an overheated and unannounced warehouse party in their Brooklyn neighborhood as they are at the Barbican, the Montreal Jazz Festival or Lincoln Center. Leading an audience as diverse and joyful as the band itself, Red Baraat has subsumed a plateful of global influence, fused it and is now exporting it Brooklyn-style to the world. The Wall Street Journal calls them “A big band for the world.” UAB’s acclaimed Drumline will open, followed by a performance by Juka Tribe and a community drum circle with John Scalici and Friends. Cantina on Wheels, Spoonfed Grill, NOLA Ice and Dreamcakes will serve up food. Try out new craft brews by Birmingham Budweiser. Free admission for all, rain or shine. ArtPlay will present Red Baraat in a Meet the Artist school show Sept. 14 at the center. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org
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| Al Madrigal. Download image |
Friday, Sept. 21, 2012
Indecision Tour 2012: “The Daily Show Live,” sponsored by Comedy Central and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, 8 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Meet and laugh with the people behind this Emmy Award-winning show: John Hodgeman, Al Madrigal and Adam Lowitt. With 2012 being an election year, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” promises to be one of the most popular and relevant shows on television. “The Daily Show,” which has won 16 Emmy Awards, is going on tour and visiting college campuses and performing art centers across the country. The evening begins with a 10-minute video introduction by Jon Stewart, followed by stand-up performances and a Q&A with the audience, which will cover what it’s like writing for and being part of a hugely successful television show and being in the world of political satire. Tickets are 48.50, $39.50 and $28.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Cirque Alys. Download image |
Friday, Sept. 28, 2012
Cirque Alys Aerial Music, 8 p.m. MASS Collective and the ASC present an original production created for UAB's Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Cirque Alys Aerial Music, an immersive theatrical experience combining music, one-of-a-kind instruments, aerial performers and sculpture, will explore the relationships of music to air and sound to space. Working with the experimental instruments created by William Close, the mastermind behind MASS Ensemble, along with aerial performers and musicians, Cirque Alys Aerial Music imagines moments of musical weightlessness. Close is an installation artist and musician who has developed more than 100 new types of musical instruments, including the majestic string instrument known as the Earth Harp, which was featured at the ASC in 2010. This one-time performance will begin inside the Jemison Concert Hall with the audience seated beneath the giant Earth Harp, while on stage and above, out-of-this-world floating percussion machines and dreamlike cirque performers will be suspended from silken ropes. The grand finale will take place in the Engel Outdoor Plaza where the performance will unfold on an elevated 25-foot truss sculpture that becomes both the instrument and the setting for a beautiful aerial performance. After the performance, the audience is invited to stay for a very special after-party featuring MASS Collective’s resident DJ and a cash bar, gourmet food and Dreamcakes. Free events during the week-long residency leading up to the performance include free, outdoor demonstrations at noon and 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25-27 and a free lecture about the performance at 5 p.m. Sept. 25. ArtPlay will select students from a local ensemble to perform on stage with MASS during the Friday night performance. Tickets are $57 for premium seating inside and outside or $27 for seating inside and standing outside. ArtPlay will present Meet the Artist school shows at 11:15 a.m. Sept. 26 and 27. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Paul Huang. Download image |
Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012
Young Concert Artist Paul Huang, violin, 7 p.m., in the ArtPlay parlor, 1006 19th St. South. Part of the Patty McDonald presents ArtPlay’s Parlor Music Series, featuring Young Concert Artists. The ASC introduces an exciting new setting for showcasing the world’s best young rising stars of classical music: Parlor Music shows specifically designed for small audiences at ArtPlay, the ASC’s education and outreach program headquarters. Huang won first prize at the 2011 Young Concert Artists International Auditions and the 2009 International Violin Competition Sion-Valais in Switzerland, and is quickly being recognized as an eloquent and magnetic violinist on the music scene. At the YCA Auditions, Huang was awarded the Helen Armstrong Violin Fellowship. He received the 2008 Juilliard Achievement Award and the 2009 Chi-Mei Cultural Foundation Arts Award for Taiwanese Most Promising Young Artists. A former recipient of the Stradivari Society, Huang’s current instrument is on loan from the Chi-Mei Cultural Foundation in Tainan, Taiwan, which supports Taiwan’s young, promising artists of exceptional talent and ability by providing precious antique instruments to the performers. Tickets are $37.50 with wine and hors d’oeuvres included. ArtPlay will present Huang for a Meet the Artist school show at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 in the Alys Stephens Center’s Jemison Concert Hall. The residency is made possible in part by the Annaliese Soros Educational Residency Fund of Young Concert Artists. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Emmylou Harris. Download image |
Friday, Oct. 19, 2012
Emmylou Harris and her Red Dirt Boys, 8 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. A 12-time Grammy winner and Billboard Century Award recipient, Harris’ contribution as a singer and songwriter spans 40 years. She has recorded more than 25 albums and has lent her talents to countless fellow artists’ recordings. In recognition of her remarkable career, Harris was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008. A Birmingham native and audience favorite, Harris returns to the ASC for the first time in more than five years. Already celebrated as a discoverer and interpreter of other artists’ songs, in the past decade Harris has gained admiration as much for her eloquently straightforward songwriting as for her incomparably expressive singing. In “Hard Bargain,” released in April 2011, she offers 11 original songs. Three of them were co-written with Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Will Jennings and touch on the autobiographical while reaching for the universal. Tickets are $74.50, $65.50 and $54.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Anthony Bourdain. Download image |
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012
Anthony Bourdain, 7 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Bourdain makes his first visit to the Magic City for an evening filled with eyebrow-raising stories and behind-the-scenes insights. Bourdain has been dubbed “the bad boy of cuisine” for his rock star look and blunt observations about the world of restaurants, chefs and cooking. As host of the Travel Channel’s popular shows, “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” and “The Layover,” he also is the honorary chef-at-large at New York’s famed bistro Les Halles. Bourdain is well known for his bestselling books “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly,” a candid, hysterical and sometimes shocking portrait of life in restaurant kitchens, and his most recent New York Times best-seller, “Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook.” As a celebrated chef, world traveler, best-selling author and host of two hit TV shows, he has played a major role in shaping the world of food in America. Featuring a VIP post-show party featuring Bourdain-inspired heavy hors d’oeuvres from Bottega Restaurant and Café, complimentary beer and wine and meet and greet with Bourdain; VIP tickets are $250. Tickets are $62, $53.50 and $41.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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Friday, Nov. 2-Friday, Nov. 9, 2012
Global Fest, inspired by the travels of Anthony Bourdain. A week of art, dance, music, lectures and more, presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. All events are free. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
- Friday, Nov. 2, “The Beauty of Flamenco,” noon, lunchtime performance and talk featuring dancer Irene Rimer.
- Monday, Nov. 5, “The Art of Origami,” noon, lunchtime demonstration and art making.
- Monday, Nov. 5, “Healing and Hope in Africa,” 5:30 p.m., by Michael S. Saag, M.D., director of UAB’s Center for AIDS Research, who will discuss the medical advances and positive outcomes that have occurred through CFAR’s work in Zambia.
- Tuesday, Nov. 6, “West African Dance,” noon, lunchtime performance and talk featuring Nathifa Dance Company.
- Wednesday, Nov. 7, “Sounds of South America,” noon, lunchtime performance and talk featuring guitarist Carlos Pino, UAB Department of Music and ArtPlay teaching artist.
- Thursday, Nov. 8, “UAB Goes to Antarctica,” noon, featuring James McClintock, Ph.D., discussing his new book, “Lost Antarctica – Adventures in a Disappearing Land.”
- Thursday, Nov. 8, “The Intersection of Art and Technology,” 5:30 p.m. Happy hour demonstration and discussion by French artist Jean Jacques Gaudel, who will introduce the European art of architectural digital projection, a preview of the ASC’s groundbreaking season closing event, “Light Dreams.”
- Friday, Nov. 9, “World Instrument Exploration,” 6 p.m. Happy hour performance and discussion by multi-talented artist Todd Green, who will take the group on a global journey of instruments and music.
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| Peabo Bryson. Download image |
Peabo Bryson, 8 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Over the course of a career spanning from the mid-1960s, two-time Grammy winner Bryson has amassed a huge fan base, critical acclaim, gold albums and awards. From ballads that gracefully continue the legacy of sweet soul music such as “Feel the Fire” and “I’m So Into You” to chart-topping pop hits such as “If Ever You’re in My Arms Again” and “Can You Stop The Rain,” Bryson has proven himself to be a consummate vocal professional. His award-winning duet collaborations include “Lovers After All” with Melissa Manchester, “By the Time This Night is Over” with instrumentalist Kenny G and “My Heart Belongs to You” with Jim Brickman. Bryson received back-to-back Oscars in 1991 and 1992 for his duets “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion and “A Whole New World” with Regina Belle. With 20 albums to his credit, Peabo Bryson has enjoyed an unprecedented, across-the-board level of international success. Bryson also has the distinction of being the first artist in music history to have separate records topping four different charts. Tickets are $68.50, $59.50 and $48.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Todd Green. Download image |
Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012
ArtPlay presents Todd Green’s “World Music Adventure,” 1 p.m., presented by ArtPlay in UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Grab your passports and prepare for a musical adventure around the world with this multi-instrument solo artist and composer. His original music, an eclectic blend of classical, jazz, new age and world music, features more than 25 string, flute and percussion instruments from around the world. Using digital samplers to record and overdub himself live on stage, he essentially becomes a one-man orchestra of unique and exotic instruments. Give your family the opportunity to broaden their musical horizons through this unique “global” experience. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children. ArtPlay will present a Meet the Artist school show at the ASC at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 9. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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| Martin Short. Download image |
Friday, Dec. 14, 2012
Martin Short, 8 p.m., presented by UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Hilariously gifted, multi-talented performer Martin Short has a brand of comedy that is undeniable, with improvisation skills second to none and a supreme prowess for slapstick. The characters he creates such as nerdy Ed Grimley, albino entertainer Jackie Rogers, Jr. and celebrity talk show host Jiminy Glick are as wacky as they are enduring. For decades, Short has brought his own special concoction of quirkiness to screens both big and small with appearances and roles in “Saturday Night Live,” “Arrested Development,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Innerspace,” “Three Amigos,” “Father of the Bride,” and many more. Get ready for an entertaining evening of stand-up comedy with audience interaction. Come early for the Falalalala Holiday Bash beginning at 7 p.m. with live music, drink specials and more. Tickets are $70.50, $61.50 and $50.50. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.
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Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012
ArtPlay presents “A Dickens Vest Pocket Christmas Carol,” 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., presented by ArtPlay in UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Bah humbug! Join the Cratchets, Tiny Tim, all of the Spirits and Ebenezer Scrooge in the story of Scrooge’s journey toward redemption and enlightenment. The play is adapted and directed by ArtPlay Teaching Artist Jerry Sims, whose popular original productions include “Yuletide in Dogtown,” “Alice’s EVEN BIGGER Tea Party” and “Down the Yellow Brick Road.” Come early to enjoy holiday treats and more. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children. ArtPlay will present Meet the Artist school shows at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Dec. 13-14. Call 205-975-2787 or visit www.AlysStephens.org.