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Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

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Venue:
Historic Academy Theatre
Time:
May 11 @ 7:30 pm
Cost:
$10 – $40

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain has stumbled upon international and critical acclaim as the most entertaining pluckers. Dancing somewhere between sincerity and insanity; punk rock sensibilities and restrained British humour; the not-too-silly and the not-too- serious, a 37-year-long career has taken them to Carnegie Hall, Glastonbury festival, the North Pole, and from China to Estonia via Japan, Australia and The Isle of Man, garnering hordes of fans and imitators along the way. Born of a rejection of convention and a penchant for reinterpretation, their catalogue is a menagerie of rock, pop, jazz, blues and classical music, performed with humour and a flair for toe-tapping, roof-raising, and often twisted renditions. With fans ranging from the Queen of England, to David Bowie and beyond, the original Ukulele Orchestra are unmissable (and arguably inexcusable).

“Wonderfully clever.” – David Bowie

“It’s alright if you like laughing.” – Grudging Fan

“an oversized does of unexpected hipness” – NY Times

“They extract more than seems humanly possible from so small and so modest an instrument.” – NY Times

“They have grown into a much-loved institution.” – The Observ

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is a group of all-singing, all-strumming Ukulele players, using instruments bought with loose change, which believes that all genres of music are available for reinterpretation, as long as they are played on the Ukulele.
A concert by the Ukulele Orchestra is a funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, foot-stomping obituary of rock-n-roll and melodious light entertainment featuring only the “bonsai guitar” and a menagerie of voices in a collision of post-punk performance and toe-tapping oldies. There are no drums, pianos, backing tracks or banjos, no pitch shifters or electronic trickery. Only an astonishing revelation of the rich palette of orchestration afforded by ukuleles and singing (and a bit of whistling). Audiences have a good time with the Ukulele Orchestra. Going from Tchaikovsky to Nirvana via Otis Redding and Spaghetti Western soundtracks, the Orchestra takes us on “a world tour with only hand luggage” and gives the listener “One Plucking Thing After Another”. Using instruments small and large, in high and low registers, whether playing intricate melodies, simple tunes, or complex chords, and sitting in chamber group format dressed in formal evening wear, the Orchestra uses the limitations of the instrument to create a musical freedom as it reveals unsuspected musical insights. Both the beauty and vacuity of popular and highbrow music are highlighted, the pompous and the trivial, the moving and the amusing. Sometimes a foolish song can touch an audience more than high art; sometimes music which takes itself too seriously is revealed to be hilarious. You may never think about music in the same way once you’ve been exposed to the Ukes’ depraved musicology. Note that the event producer and Artist may change dates, times, and/or venues depending on the current COVID-19 environment. Ticket buyers will be updated by the Academy Center of the Arts staff, should any change to schedule or venue occurs. 
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Tickets: BOX: $40.00 plus taxes and fees GENERAL ADMISSION: $20.00 plus taxes and fees OBSTRUCTED: $10.00 plus taxes and fees Academy Member Presale begins January 16, 2023. Remaining tickets will be released to the public on January 20, 2023. For more information or to purchase tickets to this performance, contact our Bank of the James Ticketing Office at (434) 846-8499.
Sponsored By:

Patricia Merryman

Arts & Cultural District Program


  Know Before You Go:

All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket for this event unless otherwise stated. All ages are welcome.

Videography and audio recording during the performances are prohibited. Photography of the set on stage is allowed pre-show, post-show, and during intermission. But we do ask that you show our designers and visiting performers some love by crediting them (and by tagging us) in your social media posts.

The Academy Center of the Arts offers a diverse selection of entertainment. Not all productions may appeal to or be appropriate for every guest or for all ages. Ticket buyers should take responsibility for making informed decisions regarding their purchases. We recommend visiting the official show website of each show you are coming to see at the Academy. If you ever have questions about the content or appropriateness of a show, please contact us at [email protected].

Our lobby doors open 60 minutes prior to show time. House doors open 30 minutes prior to show time for seating.

Parking is available on-site and throughout downtown Lynchburg. Our parking map (linked below) shows all of the free public and paid parking available. In addition, street parking is also available on most streets.

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Want to volunteer and see this show for free? Contact Mele Thompson, [email protected], for more information.

Tickets
Venue:
Historic Academy Theatre
Time:
May 11 @ 7:30 pm
Cost:
$10 – $40