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RXR Fest 4 to rock Russell Crossroads May 26-28


Published: 05.18.2017

 

RXR Fest 4

Friday-Sunday, May 26-28, 6-10pm
The Town Green at Russell Crossroads
FREE!

 

The fourth annual RXR Fest is just a few days away on Memorial Day Weekend, and we have the best lineup of bands yet! You will not want to miss a single note! Grab all of your friends from town, country, or the lake and gather on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads for a great time and some excellent music. We’ll start the music each night at 6pm and wrap it all up about 10pm. Here’s some background about this year’s artists and, if you’re not familiar with them, some samples of their work.

Friday Evening

Airside on stage

Airside

On Friday, there is a group of guys that got together while studying at the renowned Visible Music College in Memphis. Airside, a quintet of tight musicians, has captivated the Bluff City with their live show, which they make an “entertainment experience” that weaves together familiar covers and inspiring original material. The end result is a powerful good time, transporting listeners to a nostalgic moment they never expected.

Airside has attracted major media attention, earning feature spots on both ABC and CBS, as well as in The Orpheum Theatre’s Summer Movie Series. Their deluxe EP More Memories contains remixes of current songs and their new single “Dreamer.” Their latest EP was recorded at Royal Studios with legendary engineer/producer Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell (John Mayer, Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars).

“These guys are entertainers. When you go to an Airside show, you’re not going to see some band play six or seven songs no one’s ever heard while you stand still tapping your feet with your hipster friends. No, you’re going to see a show. You are going to have fun! You will be not only impressed by the sheer musicianship of the band, but entertained by their stage presence and engaging renditions of songs you know the words to and will sing along to.”Gus Carrington, IndieCore Memphis

“Airside never fails to deliver with music that invades your heart and changes your life forever by connecting to the deepest part of your soul.”Webwire

A sample of “Pretending” by Airside:

Mose Wilson and The Delta Twang

Mose Wilson and The Delta Twang

Following Airside at 8:15 on Friday is Mose Wilson and The Delta Twang. The group makes their way from Miramar Beach, Florida to the Town Green at Russell Crossroads. Known across the Gulf Coast for their bluesy, honky-tonk style, these guys will make you want to get out of your seat and shake a leg. They like to say, “We could be in a rock club in California. We could be at an outdoor music festival in Florida. We could be across the ocean in a small room in Paris, France. No matter when and where we are, if The Delta Twang is there, then that night, it’s a HONKY-TONK!” Mose was on the stage at The AMP for Jazz Fest a couple of years ago, with another group of gulf coast musicians. During a rain shower, he was part of one of the best jam sessions we have ever heard!

A sample of “Cornered” by Mose Wilson:

Friday night, you want to be on the Town Green!

Saturday Evening

And then comes Saturday. All nights are great and, if challenged to pick only one, we don’t think we could!!

The Bank Walkers

Taking the stage at 6:00, from Alexander City, is one of our favorite local bands, The Bank Walkers. With a playlist that stretches the imagination from Dylan to Haggard and the Allman Brothers, these talented musicians bring the word fun to life. Made up of local heroes Steve “Legal” Forehand, Roger “Elwood” Holliday, David “Sticks” Sturdivant, Brian “Bicey” Bice, and Mark “Jake” Tucker, these guys have been playing together for a number of years and stay busy locally playing for parties and events. The Bank Walkers have become a favorite at our Friday On The Green events and a favorite with the Lake Martin Young Professionals gracing the stage during Strand Sessions each year. Come early and claim your spot; The Bank Walkers do draw a crowd!


Raquel Lily

Raquel Lily

At 8:15, Raquel Lily takes the stage! Inspired by The Beatles, John Lennon, Queen, The Who, The Ronettes, The Beach Boys, The Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Etta James, Katy Perry, Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga, and many others, Raquel has been singing in front of crowds her entire life.

New to the Alabama music scene, Raquel, equipped with her green guitar and an eclectic vocal timbre, has been running hard with her trio. They have been performing original songs that can be described as “Indie-Pop with a Retro flair.” Raquel’s musical roots began in the Philippines, singing as early as three years old and writing simple pop/rock songs at 11.

Growing up in New York, she began her musical pursuits as front woman of multiple bands. While continuing her artistic development, she started college in Miami, but moved to California to finish her Neurobiology degree. After graduating in 2013, she moved to Birmingham and now works at UAB as a Neurophysiology Technologist, in addition to being a full-time musician.

A sample of “Mortar and Pestle” by Raquel Lily:

Sunday Evening

Jordy SearcyOn Sunday, the weekend of RXR Fest 4 music reaches its grand finale. The folks from SpringHouse will be grilling food on the Town Green.

Jordy Searcy

Then, Jordy Searcy kicks off the night at 6:00. A lot of us were treated to the talents of Jordy at last year’s Sun Festival as he won Band Battle.

Jordy Searcy is one of the best new voices in the southeastern United States, but beyond that, he knows how to write and perform his singer/songwriter material in a way that really showcases his pipes. Jordy’s carefully crafted songs have the new energy of artists like Ed Sheeran and Brett Dennen and the timeless melodies and lyrics of artists like James Taylor and Paul McCartney.

All of the coaches on The Voice had something good to say about him when he climbed the ranks of the television singing competition in 2014.

“I do my best every night to connect with people through everything I do. For me, the feeling is the same when you play for three people as when you play for 300 — it’s all about sharing a moment with someone.” — Jordy

A sample of “Crazy in Love” by Jordy Searcy:

Jonathan Bloom Band

Jonathan Bloom Band

Then at 8:15, back for an encore performance and to close out RXR Fest is Alex City’s Jonathan Bloom. Always a crowd pleaser, Jonathan has a style that is uniquely his. This year, he has gathered up a group of his musician friends to form the Jonathan Bloom Band. They appeared in the lineup at a recent Alex City Jazz Fest, and those in attendance immediately started asking for more Bloom and the band. They are back on the Green Stage this year. You asked for it; you got it!

You really do want to be a part of this great weekend of music! So, grab your comfy stuff and your cooler and join us on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads for RXR Fest 4!

A sample of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” by Jonathan Bloom with Brian Hinton:

 

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