Birmingham's Lyric Theatre to present 2016 concerts by Randy Newman,Sam Bush, Mavis Staples, Dri
By Mary Colurso | mcolurso@al.com
Birmingham, AL
Sam Bush, Mavis Staples, Randy Newman, Taj Mahal and the Drive-By Truckers are among the artists who'll appear at Birmingham's Lyric Theatre in 2016, as part of a new "Live at the Lyric" series.
Organizers for the theater — a century-old former vaudeville house set to reopen in January — announced the initial lineup today, along with dates and ticket prices. Eight acts and nine concerts are on the agenda thus far, scheduled February through May.
"Live at the Lyric" will present:
Sam Bush, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m., $22, $27.50 and $35. Bush, a newgrass pioneer, mandolinist, fiddler and singer, will perform with his band. He's a favorite in Birmingham, known for his wizardly instrumental skills.
Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m., with opener Mike Doughty, $25, $30 and $35. The Colorado jam band has 11 studio albums to its credit, including 2014's "Black Beehive," and a devoted fan base.
Don Williams, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m., $46.50, $57.50 and $67.50. The veteran singer-songwriter is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, known for hits such as "Tulsa Time," "I Believe in You" and "Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good."
Randy Newman, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m., $35, $45 and $55. Newman, an award-winning singer, composer and pianist, earned fame with his satirical pop songs and movie scores. He's a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with a wry, distinctive vocal style and a catalog that stretches back to the 1960s.
Drive-By Truckers, April 8 and 9 at 8 p.m., $22, $28 and $35. The rowdy, literate Southern rock band has Alabama roots -- via founders Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley -- and 10 studio albums to its credit. The Truckers are no strangers to the Lyric, using the theater for a 2014 video for "Made Up English Oceans."
Taj Mahal, Apri 21 at 8 p.m.. $28, $35 and $42. The singer-guitarist is a household name in the blues world, known for his dynamic stage presence, picking prowess and incorporation of world music.
The Word, April 22 at 8 p.m., $25, $30 and $37.50. The jam supergroup features Robert Randolph; John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood; and the North Mississippi Allstars: Luther and Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew. They blend rock, funk, gospel and blues, as evidenced in their 2015 album, "Soul Food."
Mavis Staples, May 8 at 8 p.m., $28, $37.50 and $45. She's royalty in the R&B and gospel worlds, known for her solo work, hits with The Staple Singers andimpact as a civil-rights activist. The soulful singer released her latest studio album, "One True Vine," in 2013 with producer Jeff Tweedy.
Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m., via the Lyric websiteand 205-216-3118. The theater also has a box office in its lobby at 1800 Third Ave. North, which will open about 90 minutes before each show.
Poster for "Live at the Lyric," a new season of concerts at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham.
More acts will be announced in the weeks to come, according to talent buyer Todd Coder. The goal, he said, is to provide diversity on stage, with musicians who can attract a wide range of concertgoers.
"From an entertainment standpoint, we're using a broad brush," Coder said. "There's literally something for everybody. It's very important to us to make sure this is a venue for the city to enjoy. The programming will be well thought out, very intentional."
Shows in the "Live at the Lyric" series are presented by theater, paid for by sponsorships from area companies. (AL.com is one of the sponsors.) Proceeds from ticket sales will help the Lyric to present more shows in the future, said Brant Beene, executive director of Birmingham Landmarks and a key figure in the Lyric's revival.
Birmingham Landmarks, a nonprofit organization, owns the Lyric and a companion office building at 1800-1806 Third Ave. North. It also owns the Alabama Theatre, a movie house and performing arts venue across the street.
Although Beene expects concert promoters and others to rent the 750-seat Lyric for events — as they do at the 2,150-seat Alabama Theatre — he and other organizers wanted the Lyric to start the year with a compelling series of its own.
"We felt an obligation to the donors and volunteers and the people who helped us to open the Lyric, to have an opening season that would be vibrant," Beene said. "As a nonprofit, we knew we would have to have seed money. We asked sponsors if they would help. The money we make by selling tickets allows us to leapfrog to another show."
Beene declined to reveal the total donated by sponsors for "Live at the Lyric," but said organizers would be careful stewards of the fund, booking acts that are appropriate for the theater's size and seating capacity. Tickets will top out at $75, Beene said, and most concerts will reflect the price range of the first nine shows.
"We don't think of ourselves as big-time promoters," Beene said. "Everything depends on how good we are, how lucky we are and how people respond."
The Lyric, built in 1914, has undergone an $11.5 million restoration over the past two years, bringing the old vaudeville house back to its former glory. Updates to the infrastructure and operating systems have been completed, and the auditorium's ornate interior — decorated in shades of blue, white and gold — will be finished soon.
The revamped Lyric will open its doors to the public on Jan. 14-16, offering three variety shows with local performers and vaudeville themes. Two performances of "Romeo and Juliet" by the State Ballet Theatre of Russia are on the agenda for Jan. 17,
"Live at the Lyric" kicks in after that, along with a Lyric Masquerade Ball on Jan. 23, presented by the Junior Board of the Alabama and Lyric theaters.
Four outside bookings are on the Lyric's calendar, as well:
"Drew Mays: Love at the Lyric," Feb. 14, presented by Birmingham Music Club.
"Mozart, Bernstein and Weill: Men of the Theatre," Feb. 26, presented by theAlabama Symphony Orchestra.
1964 The Tribute, March 26, a Beatles tribute band.
"Mozart's Jupiter: Symphony with Carlos Izcaray," May 26, presented by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
Although music is likely to be a constant at the Lyric, organizers expect the venue to be used for theater, dance, comedy, community events and more. If all goes well, they said, the Lyric will fit smoothly into Birmingham's entertainment scene, drawing audiences downtown and enriching the city's cultural life.
"This is Birmingham personified, everybody working to make the city better," said talent buyer Coder. "The Lyric is something that's really going to put another feather in the cap of Birmingham."