Reviewed by: Michael Seale
Huntsville music is thriving: here are 3 reasons why
Reading time: 4 minutes
To many residents, music may not come to mind when they think of Huntsville.
However, Huntsville music has not only a rich history but also an exciting future for many reasons.
To see how music has impacted Huntsville throughout history and why it continues to be a source of local cultural and artistic expression within the city, read below:
Table of Contents
Huntsville music’s rich history
What many may not know is that Huntsville music has been on the rise for a long time.
For example, the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra (originally named the Huntsville Civic Orchestra) actually got its start shortly after Wernher von Braun’s arrival to the city in 1950. The Orchestra is still operating to this day as the longest-running orchestra in Alabama.
However, the history of Huntsville music runs even deeper with its ties to pioneering African American artists. Renowned performers such as Little Richard, W.C. Handy and Sammy Davis, Jr. all had connections to the Huntsville community.
Finally, legendary performers such as Elvis Presley, Prince and Rush played in Huntsville during the prime of their careers, signaling our city’s ability to host some of the world’s top talents.
Terrific venues
Huntsville not only has many fantastic smaller venues, but the city’s more recent additions of the Mars Music Hall and the Orion Ampitheater have paved the way for bigger and more diverse acts to continue to find their way to the city.
The Orion has hosted major acts such as the Smashing Pumpkins, Snoop Dogg, Weezer, Dave Matthews Band and Jack White, among others. Its upcoming exciting shows only demonstrate this trend will continue.
For my fellow rock fans in Huntsville, I especially recommend checking out the Mars Music Hall.
At this venue, I’ve seen some of my favorite smaller (yet still well-known) acts such as Beartooth, Pop Evil, 311 and Chevelle as headliners.
As a frequent concert-goer, this development has been my absolute favorite in Huntsville because, while the VBC hosted some major shows while I was growing up, I usually had to take day trips to see some of my more niche favorites.
Vibrant local music scene
Huntsville is also home to many talented local bands, including the Wanda Band, Them Damn Dogs and Element XI. All of these bands and more have contributed to Huntsville’s unique and energetic sound.
Whether you’ve been immersed in the Huntsville music scene for years or are in need of new tunes for your winter playlists, be sure to give some of our best local talent a listen.
The local music scene has grown so much recently that the City of Huntsville even established the Huntsville Music Office. This office, led by Music Officer Matt Mandrella, has helped promote the local music scene and continues to attract more exciting music events to the city.
Given that our city recently hosted its very own music festival among other rotating events, it’s clear that there are plenty of reasons to be excited about music in Huntsville!
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