FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2010 • THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS • CITY SCENE 9G music Homespun bluegrass was part of the agenda at the Sampler, where acts ranged from Ralph Stanley to Red Mountain White Trash. For that front-porch feel, look no further than Birmingham’s Three on a String. Bobby Horton (banjo and guitar), Jerry Ryan (guitar and harmonica) and Brad Ryan (bass and fiddle) per- form bluegrass, country and folk music. They tell some knee-slapping jokes, too. j If you planted yourself at the Homegrown Stage: Red Mountain Renegades, 10 p.m. Sunday at The Nick, opening for The Bluesweaters, $6, 252-3831 or www.thenickrocks.com. Local bands had a stage to call their own at City Stages. Sometimes, acts at Homegrown complained they didn’t get enough time, attention or respect. Still, it was a coup to be on the festival’s lineup. The Nick, one of Birmingham’s grungiest and most be- loved bars, has supported countless local groups, giv- ing them a place to play and a chance to hone their skills. Folk-rock trio Red Mountain Renegades will do exactly that on Sunday. j If you got jazzed at The Birmingham News Stage: Jazz in the Park, 6 p.m. Saturday at Leeds His- torical Park, free, 616-1735 or www.magiccity- smoothjazz.com. With Keith Williams, Vann Bur- chfield and the Neo Jazz Collective. Not much jazz at City Stages near the end of its NEWS FILE/JOE SONGER run, but this stage was part of the festival’s blueprint If you’re missing L’Angelus at City Stages, the family act still is playing in town this weekend. during the golden years. Folks who like smooth im- provisation and hot instrumentals should flock to Jazz in the Park, a concert series that kicks off this weekend in Leeds. Five shows at different venues have been organized by a nonprofit group that aims Just imagine you’re at City Stages spread culture and build community. (That sounds like early City Stages, as well.) eeling bereft on the Friday before Father’s Day, gangster. He’s got a cartoon past, a comic-book sense j If you found sanctuary at the Music Oasis: “The with no City Stages on the horizon? of humor and reminds some listeners of the Beastie Music of Michael Jackson,” 8 p.m. Friday at the Ala- F Well, I don’t blame you. This is the first year Boys. bama Theatre, part of the Alabama Symphony Or- since 1989 that Birmingham’s been without its down- j If you stood (or sat) at the Blockbuster Stage: chestra’s “Sounds for Summer” series, with conduc- town music festival. The Wood Brothers, 9 p.m. Saturday at the WorkPlay tor Brent Havens, $35-$50, 251-7727 or Although it’s impossible to evoke a three- theater, $12 advance, $15 day of show, 380-4082 or www.alabamasymphonyorg. day event by going to a single concert, City www.workplay.com. The calm, cool stage at Cathedral Church of the Stages veterans might be able to summon Blockbuster introduced its listeners to a wide vari- Advent was founded as a haven for classical music. up the atmosphere of their favorite stages ety of folk, rock and Americana acts. The Wood Its agenda expanded over time, including gospel, MARY this weekend. Here are some suggestions: Brothers, a guitar-bass duo, fit neatly into that aes- cabaret, Celtic and more. So why not an orchestral COLURSO j If you unfolded a lawn chair at the thetic. Also, their music has gotten a thumb’s up pops concert? The Michael Jackson songbook should Coca-Cola Classic Stage: George Clinton & from Scott Register, a former City Stages programmer be an interesting choice for the symphony, especially Parliament Funkadelic, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Bout- and radio host who had a great influence on the if the ensemble performs classy arrangements of well Auditorium, $64.25-$79.25 through Ticketmas- Blockbuster lineup. (Saturday’s show is part of his “Billie Jean,” “Bad” and “Beat It.” ter. With Cameo, the Bar-Kays, Zapp and Sugarfoot’s Reg’s Coffee House series at WorkPlay.) j If your kids romped at the Children’s Festival: Ohio Players. j If you swung a partner at the Dance Depot: Mitchel Musso & Josh Golden, 7 p.m. Saturday at Ala- Vintage R&B headliners were a crowd-pleasing sta- L’Angelus, 7 p.m. Sunday at the Concordia Club, $13 bama Adventure in Bessemer, concert included with ple at the main stage in Linn Park. Clinton actually at the door, sponsored by the Association of Cajun $24.99-$34.99 park admission, 481-4750 or www.ala- bamaadventure.com. played there in 2004, after making his initial City Music Enthusiasts, 951-3463 or www.acmedance.org. City Stages’ white tent is gone, but the lively, wel- Kids who watch “Hannah Montana” will be jump- Stages appearance at the HealthSouth Stage 10 years coming spirit of this stage lives on through dance ing up and down at the sight of Musso, a brash actor earlier. At age 68, Clinton remains a funky-freaky concerts organized by ACME. No surprise there; on the Disney sitcom. Musso, 18, released his pop showman who leads a large and energetic crew, with ACME’s prime mover, David Doggett, was the coordi- debut in 2009 and opened for his brother’s band, or without the mothership. nator of the Dance Depot. Booking L’Angelus on Fa- Metro Station. He’ll be at the theme park with Josh j If you hung out at the Miller Lite Stage: MC ther’s Day 2010 was no accident; the Cajun band was Golden, a teen rocker who’s almost as cute as Justin Chris, 9 p.m. Saturday at Bottletree, $12 advance, $14 extremely popular during its City Stages appearances Bieber. If City Stages brought acts like these to its day of show, 533-6288 or www.thebottletree.com. in 2006 and 2008. Doggett hopes to draw dancers and children’s area, the festival might never have gone With MC Lars and Math the Band. non-dancers to the ACME event. bankrupt. j Wedge yourself into the tight crowd at Bottletree, j If you tapped your toes at the Alabama Sam- and it’ll remind you of the masses at the Miller stage. pler: Three on a String, 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Out Mary Colurso at [email protected]. Her blog, MC Chris has the appropriate hipster appeal, releas- Takes Deli & Catering, $30, includes dinner followed reviews and weekly columns can be found on the Web at ing hip-hop records that are equal parts geek and by the concert at 8 p.m., 871-9995. http://blog.al.com/mcolurso.