Gretchen Emery Band Keeps it Smokin’
The Gretchen Emery Band will keep things cooking this holiday season with its “Ouch, Santa! That Chinmey is HOT!” show at Newark’s Smok’d BBQ on Saturday, December 16, from noon to 5 p.m.
The acoustic show will feature special guests while showcasing the soul and blues music of Gretchen Emery, who won Best Lead Singer in this year’s Hometown Heroes Homey Awards.
Visit GretchenEmery.com.
Kategory 5 and Friends Present Holidaze Rock 2023
Showcasing more than 20 of Wilmington’s best musicians, Holidaze Rock 2023 promises something new and original for our area: a live rock-and-roll-inspired Christmas show with plenty of visual and sonic surprises.
The concert will be hosted by local band Kategory 5, which in 2016 won WMGK’s House Band Finals, a contest the Philly classic rock station holds every year.
Holidaze organizers say the concert brings together “the best of rock’s holiday music mixed with timeless classics performed by an array of talent combining all ages and genres.”
The show will be held at The Grand’s baby grand theater on Sunday, December 10 at 3 p.m. and will benefit The Grand’s community engagement programs. Visit TheGrandWilmington.org.
Sparrow Run Music Studio Opens it’s Doors
A new studio opened its doors last month at the Sparrow Run Family Resource Center to usher in a wave of creativity, opportunity, and personal growth for young people aged 12-and up.
Funded through the Building Better Communities grant, the Sparrow Run Community Music Studio is the result of a collaboration of The Travel Songs Foundation; Child, Inc.; and The CAUSE. The organizations hope the studio will become a “sanctuary for artistic expression and educational enrichment.”
“Music is an integral part of our society,” says Zachary Humenik, executive director of The Travel Songs Foundation and director of digital media at The University of Pennsylvania. “Being a musician myself, I can understand how important a creative outlet is to young people. Providing access to the means to create music is one of the goals of Travel Songs. We are very happy and proud to be a part of this project.”
The Sparrow Run Community Music Studio is not just a place for artistic exploration, it is a comprehensive center offering music production, video projects, and podcast creation. The project also incorporates Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) courses and videography training sessions, ensuring that young participants gain essential life skills and knowledge to shape their future.
More information about Sparrow Run Family Resource Center can be found at ChildInc.com.
Winterland Queen with The Knotty G’s & Friends
The collective spirit of the Bill Graham-era of concerts is what will be conjured on stage at The Queen on Friday, December 22, with the help of musicians near and far — including Justin Stanton of Snarky Puppy and Jamie Newitt of The Heavy Pets.
Stanton and Newitt join fellow members of The Knotty G’s, Neal Evans and Felix Pastorius as the night’s backing band for special guests like Pat Kane and Justin Knott of Bones Brigade; Jake Banaszak and BJ Muntz of lower case blues; Jeff Ferrara, Jason Keenan and John Dickinson of Spokey Speaky; and a host of other local favorites.
The show will take place in The Crown room at The Queen starting at 8 p.m. Visit TheQueenWilmington.com.
