The First of Many Waltzes at the Orion Amphitheater
My Dad lives in Huntsville, Alabama, so when he heard about the city’s new amphitheater, The Orion’s grand opening event, The First Waltz, he texted me the link to this article. My jaw dropped when I read the lineup! Huntsville, and North Alabama, definitely have the right to brag about their homegrown talent and they’re taking this opportunity to showcase it.
Many have heard me preach about the benefits of listening to the full lineup before attending a music festival. The Friday and Saturday acts they have booked, which include Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit, Emmylou Harris, Waxahatchee, Brittany Howard, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Mavis Staples, and Drive-by Truckers are all already on heavy rotation in my household.
As a result, I only needed to familiarize myself with the newer local Huntsville talent performing on Sunday. So far, I am loving what I hear while listening to these artists, and even better, the First Waltz’s final day is free (or $12.21 if you order your ticket ahead of time online). So make sure you don’t skip Sunday!
A little bit of a preview of what awaits for you on that last day:
-The Aeolians of Oakwood University is a world champion acapella choir that will take us all to church that Sunday.
-DeQn Sue and Kelvin Wooten are a dynamic duo. (NPR music fans will definitely enjoy their Tiny Desk Concert performance.) Their songs are powerful messages in a bubbly and colorful package making them danceable and perfect for a Summer music festival set.
-Translee is best known for his many collaborations with major artists, such as the song, Catch This Wave with T.I. Translee can hold his own solo though, with songs such as Lost in the Sauce and Make Me Better. He is also the founder of the lifestyle brand, Inner Peace, Outer Glow. And if you’re looking for some swag to wear to the festival, IPOG has cute hoodies and hats, but I’m eyeing this bookbag.
-Who doesn’t love a good drumline?! I am looking forward to seeing the Huntsville Community Drumline perform. HCDL provides music education, instruments, equipment, and transportation to and from performances for children and seniors who are interested in learning about drumming and percussion all at no cost to the prospective drummer. Anyone who knows me knows that access to free and low-cost music education is a cause near and dear to my heart.
Join me for the first of surely many waltzes at the Orion Amphitheater. Also, while you are in Huntsville check out what special events The Camp and Lowe Mill are hosting. See y’all in May!
By the way, be sure to give me your Huntsville restaurant suggestions for yummy post-festival eats.
The handy dandy details:
Event: The First Waltz at The Orion Amphitheater
Date: Friday, May 13th - Sunday, May 15, 2022
Tickets: [Link]
Location: The Orion Amphitheater - 701 Amphitheater Dr. NW, Huntsville, AL 35806
Hotels: [Link]
Parking: [Link]
Accessibility: [Link]
Food: [Link]
Website: https://www.theorionhuntsville.com/concerts/firstwaltz
Additional attractions:
The Camp - https://www.explorethecamp.com/events
Lowe Mill - https://lowemill.art
Schedule:
Friday - Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit, Emmylou Harris, Waxahatchee, John Paul White
Saturday - Brittany Howard, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Mavis Staples, Drive-by Truckers
Sunday - The Aeolians of Oakwood University, DeQn Sue & Kelvin Wooten, Translee, Huntsville Community Drumline