The Academy Center of the Arts has announced Mavis Staples, Grammy award-winning R&B-gospel singer and civil rights activist, as the headlining artist the first event of the Historic Academy of Music Theatre’s Opening Week Activities on Thursday, December 6, 2018, at 7:30pm. “The evening will celebrate the integration of the Historic Academy of Music theatre, a space that was previously segregated when it closed in 1958,” said Geoffrey Kershner, Executive Director of the Academy Center of the Arts. “We chose Mavis Staples as our headlining artist for this event because of her significant accomplishments as a civil rights activist and her continuing efforts to serve as a positive force for social equity”. Mavis Staples began singing with her family, The Staple Singers, in Chicago in the 1940s, later performing in Montgomery, Alabama for none other than Martin Luther King, Jr. Lauded as one of the greatest gospel singers of all time, her powerful voice has underscored some of the United States most pivotal and dramatic periods of social change, weaving herself into the very fabric of gospel, soul, folk, pop, R&B, blues, rock, and hip hop over the last 60 years. Mavis Staples is both a Rock […]
Lynchstock Music Festival 2018
The Academy Center of the Arts is proud to be presenting the sixth annual Lynchstock Music Festival! Since its beginning, Lynchstock has been one of the most attended and loved events in Lynchburg. This year, the festival will be held in the fall rather than the spring, on the 20th of October, a Lynchstock Music Festival first. It’s the perfect opportunity to break out the flannels and kick the fall vibes into high gear! This year’s lineup is one of the best yet, with headliners COIN and Dr. Dog. There will be a wide variety of artists representing numerous genres, including many of Lynchburg’s own talented bands and artists. A few Lynchstock veterans, Joel Robert Kaiser and Vacation Manor, will also be returning to their hometown for this exciting day of music and community. Other artists include The Dundies, Oceanic, L.A. Dies, Apple Butter Soul, Tony Camm and the Funk Allstars, and many others! For those of you who have attended Lynchstock in the past, you already know what goes down at this amazing event, from the performances, food trucks, local vendors, spoken word poetry, and inspiring vibe. However, if you’re a newcomer to Lynchstock, here are a […]
Riverfront Park Concert Series Finale: Wynona and the Big Noise
Even before the gates opened at 5:00 for happy hour, fans were camped outside, waiting to claim their spot in the grass to see Wynonna Judd and her band, The Big Noise. They were soon joined by hundreds more who trickled through the entrances in pairs and groups. The mixed drinks and beer were provided by Blue Ridge Beverage. With plenty of time before the concert began, those in attendance enjoyed pizza, fries, and other crowd favorites from local food trucks Uppercust Pizza, Uprooted, Hibachi Guys, and Bistro Bros. VIP ticket holders enjoyed refreshments provided by {RA} Bistro in the shade of the VIP tent. Although the forecast had called for rain, when former Lynchburger Josh Wolfe took the stage to open the show at 6:30, the sky was blue and clear. Kids played frisbee, while the adults lounged in lawn chairs or stretched out on blankets. The ages of those in attendance ranged from infants and toddlers to the older couples slow dancing to the music, with a mix of ages between. Shortly after Josh Wolfe finished his set, The Big Noise took the stage. Led by Cactus Moser, Wynonna Judd’s husband, the group of four […]
Academy Center of the Arts Announces August 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Artists
ACADEMY CENTER OF THE ARTS ANNOUNCES AUGUST 2018 RIVERFRONT PARK CONCERT ARTIST The Academy Center of the Arts, through the support of Framatome, Inc., is excited to announce the final concert of the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series, which features national, regional, and local music acts performing in Riverfront Park, 1100 Jefferson St. This event will continue the Academy’s efforts to serve our community through arts and culture by bringing world-class music to our city’s beautiful downtown park. The Academy Center of the Arts will close out the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series on Saturday, August 11, 2018, with headlining artist Wynonna & The Big Noise. Respected by the millions of fans who are drawn to her music and undeniable talent, Wynonna’s rich and commanding voice has sold over 30-million albums worldwide spanning her remarkable 34-year career. As one-half of the legendary mother/daughter duo “The Judds,” Wynonna was once dubbed by Rolling Stone as “the greatest female country singer since Patsy Cline.” This iconic performer has received over 60 industry awards, with countless charting singles, including 20 No.1 hits such as “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Why Not me,” and “Grandpa, (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Ole Days).” Wynonna […]
Academy Center of the Arts Announces July 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Artists
ACADEMY CENTER OF THE ARTS ANNOUNCES JULY 2018 RIVERFRONT PARK CONCERT ARTISTS The Academy Center of the Arts, through the support of Centra Health, is excited to announce the third concert of the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series, which features national, regional, and local music acts performing in Riverfront Park, 1100 Jefferson St. This event will continue the Academy’s efforts to serve our community through arts and culture by bringing world-class music to our city’s beautiful downtown park. The Academy Center of the Arts will continue the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series on Saturday, July 14, 2018, with headlining artists The Spin Doctors and Arrested Development. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Spin Doctors’ landmark debut album Pocket Full of Kryptonite, the band’s four original members, front man Barron, guitarist Eric Schenkman, bassist Mark White, and drummer Aaron Comess, can still appreciate the uncanny, enduring musical rapport that’s allowed them to maintain the upbeat energy and restless creativity that first endeared them to their fiercely devoted fan base. “When you get the four of us in one room, things just start to happen,” Schenkman asserts. “It instantly feels like the old days. The […]
Academy Center of the Arts Announces June 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Artists
ACADEMY CENTER OF THE ARTS ANNOUNCES JUNE 2018 RIVERFRONT PARK CONCERT ARTISTS The Academy Center of the Arts, through the support of the Academy’s Restoration Partners, announce the second concert of the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series, which features national, regional, and local music acts performing in Riverfront Park, 1100 Jefferson St. This event will continue the Academy’s efforts to serve our community through arts and culture by bringing world-class music to our city’s beautiful downtown park. The Academy Center of the Arts will continue the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series on Saturday, June 9, 2018, with headlining artists Naughty By Nature and Big Daddy Kane. The Grammy Award-winning, Platinum-album selling, New Jersey super-group, Naughty By Nature, has a twenty-year track record of creating the hits and party anthems that have become the soundtrack to our lives. Their music has smashed through mainstream barriers all while remaining true to the sound, message and grit of the hood. And now, these three kings of the Hip-Hop anthem have formally claimed their titles with the 20th Anniversary album, Anthem Inc. “We wouldn’t have reunited if we didn’t think we could give people that authentic Naughty feeling,” says the […]
Academy Center of the Arts Announces April 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Artists
ACADEMY CENTER OF THE ARTS ANNOUNCES FIRST HEADLINER OF THE 2018 RIVERFRONT PARK CONCERT SERIES The Academy Center of the Arts, through the support of BWX Technologies, Inc., announces the first headlining artist of the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series, which features national, regional, and local music acts performing in Riverfront Park, 1100 Jefferson St. This event will continue the Academy’s efforts to serve our community through arts and culture by bringing world-class music to our city’s beautiful downtown park. The Academy Center of the Arts will kick off the 2018 Riverfront Park Concert Series with headlining artist Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, along with the Secret Sisters on Saturday, April 21, 2018. Hot off the heels of his tour with Chris Stapleton, Stuart and his band will head to Lynchburg, VA as a stop on the Way Out West tour, performing music from his album, Way Out West, one of MOJO’s “Best Americana Albums of 2017.” The Secret Sisters, recently announced headliner of the 2018 Red Wing Roots Musical Festival and Grammy-nominee, will open for Marty Stuart. Leah Blevins, a nashville native, will open the show. The Academy Center of the Arts has set out to make […]
Photos from the Blue Ridge Ragtime Festival
The Blue Ridge Ragtime Festival, a first-time festival hosted by the Academy Center of the Arts, was held October 6-8, 2017, in Lynchburg, Virginia. The festival kicked off its first year with a full weekend of events and happenings featuring five professional ragtime pianists from across the nation. The festival’s events included two unique concerts, a seated educational symposium, free performances at area schools and downtown venues, and a special silent film comedy screening with live accompaniment by featured performers. Performers for the Blue Ridge Ragtime Festival included Bryan Wright, a Lynchburg native from Pittsburgh, PA, Frederick Hodges from Berkeley, CA, Martin Spitznagel from Pittsburgh, PA, Ethan Uslan from Charlotte, NC, and Bill Edwards from Washington, D.C.. Below, we’ve included photos from the weekend’s events. Bryan Wright, Lynchburg native, performs on Friday night at “Euphonic Sounds: The Classic Rags of Scott Joplin and His Contemporaries”. Frederick Hodges plays at the Lynchburg Community Market Hill City Keys Piano on Saturday morning. Martin Spitnagel flashes a smile after performing at the Lynchburg Community Market on Saturday morning. Bryan Wright performs at the Kegney Brothers’ Hill City Keys piano on Saturday morning. Frederick Hodges scores the […]
Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra to Kick off Concert Series
Riverside Park is now home to the Riverfront Park Concert Series hosted by The Academy Center for the Arts. Following the Lynchstock Music Festival (the first concert series event) will be the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, June 10th (7-9:30pm, gates open at 6pm). This night of music, food, fun, and fireworks is sure to be a hit with the whole family. About the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra The Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of Lynchburg since 1983. Over the years, the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra has performed more than 200 concerts ranging from classical to pops. They have provided annual educational concerts to over 10,000 children at local schools and community centers, given free summer concerts to the community at City Stadium, and welcomed athletes from around the globe each September at the Genworth Virginia Ten Miler. They also have brought celebrities to the area such as Tony Award winning actress and singer, Faith Prince, pianist Gustavo Romero, and country musicians Emmy Lou Harris and Roy Clark. A New Tradition Unfortunately, due to the loss of a funding source, the concert series at City Stadium could no longer continue. By including the Lynchburg Symphony […]
Building with Bluegrass
Here at the Academy Center of the Arts, we love to jump at opportunities to work together with other nonprofits in efforts to benefit each other and the community. There was an excellent chance to do just that when assisting the Amherst Habitat for Humanity in their fourteenth annual Bluegrass: Working on a Building 2017. This is the second year our two organizations have embarked on this collaboration. During this event, guests filled the Academy’s Joy and Lynch Christian Warehouse Theatre on Jan. 14, 2017 to hear talented bluegrass bands (Deer Creek Boys, New Standard, James River Cutups and more!) and raise funds for Amherst Habitat. Debbie Habel, Executive Director of the Amherst Habitat for Humanity said, “joining forces with other non-profits helps us to keep our expenses low for fundraisers! Fundraisers are not only a means to obtain monies but they are also important for establishing goodwill and educating the public about our programs.” It was a night to remember, consisting of community, bluegrass jams, food by Dave’s Dawgs, and a pick-a-prize raffle. All this combined under a chance for the community to gather together for the greater purpose of benefiting an organization dedicated to making life better for […]
