Fourth Annual Music on Monarch Way Series Kicks Off

The Old Dominion University Real Estate Foundation and University Village have teamed up again to host the 4th Annual Music on Monarch Way Series.

These Saturday evening concerts, held from 5-7 p.m. on the lawn behind the Ted Constant Convocation Center along Monarch Way, will run through Aug. 13. Admission and parking are free.

• June 25 - Michael Clark Band. What started as a blues/rock guitar band evolved into an all-out R&B revue. Tracy Clark's vocals and stage presence, coupled with one of the tightest rhythm sections in the area and one of the funkiest horn sections on the East Coast, provide the elements for a great musical experience.

• July 2 - BJ Leiderman Band. BJ Leiderman is the composer of many of the themes heard on National Public Radio. Recently, he performed with Orchestra Nova in San Diego. His five-piece band offers a high-energy performance of Beatles and other classic rock favorites.

• July 9 - 12 South. Award-winning singer/songwriter John Huber is joined by veteran rockers Frank McPhillips (drums) and Jamie Jones (guitar) to create a must-see show of great classic rock, blues and Americana music. Newcomer Grace Jordan (bass) brings a raw energy and a fresh element to timeless classics and originals.

• July 16 - Gina Dalmas & The Cow Tippin' Playboys. Dalmas is a honky tonk, country rock Americana artist who hails from Norfolk. She and her band, The Cow Tippin' Playboys, won the 2009 Portfolio Music Award for Best Americana Music and the 2009 Meona Award for Best New Alt-Country Artist.

• July 23 - Bobby "BlackHat" Band. Bobby "BlackHat" Walters, recording artist, harmonica player, vocalist and songwriter, hails from Cleveland and has been playing harp for 35 years. He brings together the finest blues musicians in Hampton Roads to perform original, classic and modern blues tunes. Walters has frequently been voted MEONA Harmonica Player of the Year.

• July 30 - Thin Air Rising. Thin Air Rising came on the music scene in Virginia Beach with a strong presence in 2007 and added a three-piece horn section in 2009. This reggae band has opened for national bands and was the headliner for the Virginia Reggae Awards for 2011.

• Aug. 6 - Skip Friel & The Resonators. This five-piece band plays original and acoustic favorites. Friel was nominated for Best Acoustic and Best Album in the 2008 PortFolio Music Awards and was named Best International Folk Artist in 2007 by Toronto Exclusive magazine.

• Aug. 13 - Jackass Flats. Jackass Flats epitomizes the new generation of acoustic string bands that combine creativity and tradition to produce something truly unique. Since taking home Virginia State Champion Bluegrass Band honors in 2002, the group has been a crowd favorite on the bluegrass, Americana and world music scenes, and was honored as Best Bluegrass/Country Band by Richmond.com and Best Americana Jam Band at the Virginia Music Awards.

The University Village is a mixed-use development initiative of the ODU Real Estate Foundation. A nonprofit organization formed in 1994, the Real Estate Foundation acquires and manages real estate projects in coordination with the university. For more information visit oduvillage.com or call the Real Estate Foundation at 683-4504.

This article was posted on: June 17, 2011