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Vulcan AfterTunes 2012

Cool Tunes. Fresh Brews. Sweet Views.

Sundays this fall at 3 p.m.

This fall, enjoy cool tunes, fresh brews and sweet views on Sunday afternoons with your favorite cast iron statue, Vulcan. Chill out in Birmingham’s backyard and end your week with some of the area’s best music while witnessing spectacular views of Birmingham’s city skyline. This three-part series features local and national singer/songwriter acts often heard on Reg’s Coffee House and Birmingham Mountain Radio. Now in its 8^th year, Vulcan AfterTunes has become a highly anticipated event for music lovers and a unique cultural outing for families to enjoy in a one-of-a-kind city setting!

Bring the kids and enjoy the KID ZONE with Alabama Baby & Child Magazine. There will be facepainting, coloring pages and other activities.

View photos from Vulcan AfterTunes!

Sunday, September 23

3:00 - Dillon Hodges

4:00 - THE SECRET SISTERS

This pair of Alabama sisters dare to cover the Sinatra untouchable “Something Stupid,” one minute, and deliver their own self-penned, soon-to-be signature anthem “Tennessee Me,” the next. It was the Secret Sisters’ vocals and their love and respect for music and harmony that first caught the attention of T Bone Burnett. As Burnett explains, “I have been making music for over forty years and The Secret Sisters album is as close to pure as it gets.”

The speed with which the sisters’ have been thrust into the musical spotlight has amazed them. Hailing from the legendary musical hamlet of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Laura refers to their ‘accidental discovery’ as “one of those things that happens when you’re not looking. You just embrace it and be grateful.” Their song “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder”, which was originally inspired by Alabama’s April 27^th, 2011 tornadoes, was featured on The Hunger Games movie soundtrack.

“They dress like it's 1954, and sing like it, too — the album mixes country, folk and classic pop. They're also boundless fun. Pouring out harmonies on originals ("Tennessee Me"), spunky covers (the kitsch classic "Something Stupid") and sublime traditional ballads ("Do You Love an Apple"), they make you believe, for three minutes or so, the lie that music was purer and better way back when.” - Rolling Stones

FEATURED FOOD VENDOR:

FEATURED BREW:

Sunday, October 7

3:00 - The Kernal and His New Strangers

4:00 - JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD

This uncommonly mature 22-year-old singer-songwriter’ s balances the warm-hearted with the cold-blooded. NPR’ s World Café declared she has “a mature sound that seems evolved beyond her years,” while the New York Times added that her sound is “guarded, insinuating, mesmerizing…music that lets you hear all its details.”

"I write exactly what I feel and exactly what I say” says Mayfield. “ I can’ t write a song about something I didn’ t go through or know anything about; they all have my outlook on things. If I were practicing to use a bow and arrow, I would still find a way to write about it in the manner that I do, with that dark sort of spin on things.”

Mayfield, who was born in Ohio and partly raised in Tennessee, has been performing since she was eight years old with her family’ s bluegrass band, One Way Rider. My songwriting, the manner in which I write my songs, was really inspired by playing bluegrass music and playing bluegrass festivals.” As a kid, I went through this phase of rebelling and listening to rock bands. I loved the Foo Fighters. So I have this mixture of bluegrass and all different types of music. When I think about it, I can see and hear every band that I’ve listened to in my music. Mayfield has opened for Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Ray LaMontagne, Cake, Lucero and The Avett Brothers.

"Mayfield looks like an ingénue but sings like a worldly-wise veteran, picking apart relationships with the sly eroticism of someone who's lived a little.” - Rolling Stone

FEATURED FOOD VENDOR:

FEATURED BREW:

Sunday, October 21

3:00 - Andrew Combs

4:00 - JASON ISBELL

Jason Isbell's home in Greenhill, Alabama plays a prominent role in the songs on his most recent album Here We Rest. Jason was home considerably more this year, having toured less in 2010. After being on the road for 200 or more days for more years than he cares to count, he stayed home mostly to write and record this album. "I could probably live anywhere, but I love it here," says Jason.

Spending all that time around his hometown, he could reacquaint himself with the locale and immerse himself with the rhythms of life in northern Alabama. "Being able to sit on my stool at D.P.'s, a bar in the building I live in, talk to my friends, and hear the problems that they have helped inform some of these songs."

"He delivers these stories with honest, unpretentious, and dusky vocals that, with a modified Don Henley rasp, subtly frame his skillfully constructed words." - AllMusic.com

FEATURED FOOD VENDOR:

FEATURED BREW:

COMMUNITY CONCERT SPONSOR:

Ticket Prices

General Admission - $15
(Includes concert, admission to Vulcan Center Museum and Observation Tower and tax)

Children 12 & under are FREE!

YP Discount - $10 with YP Birmingham membership card

Vulcan Members - $7.50

*VIP Package - $75
          (2) General Admission Concert Tickets
          (1) Parking Space
          (4) Drink Tickets
          (1) Vulcan AfterTunes Poster
          (1) 9” Frisbee
          Complimentary afternoon snack for (2) provided by featured concert food vendor

*Proceeds from all ticket sales help support Vulcan Park and Museum’s ongoing mission to preserve and promote Vulcan as the symbol for the Birmingham region, to advance knowledge and understanding of Birmingham’s history and culture, and to encourage exploration of the region.

***Attention Groupon Customers: Please show Groupon upon arrival at the gate. No online redemption necessary.

Event FAQs

1. Where can I buy tickets for Vulcan AfterTunes?
Advanced tickets are available online only! Click the button above to purchase now. Tickets are also available at the gate on the day of each concert. All tickets are general admission and first-come, first-served. ALL SALES FINAL. No refunds, rain checks, or exchanges. Gates open at 1:00 p.m.

2. Will there be food and drinks available?
Yes. Snacks will be available for purchase during each concert. Our local food vendors are listed above. Drinks will also be available for purchase (water, soft drinks, beer and wine). Food and beverage service will begin at 2:30 p.m.

3. Can I bring my own alcohol?
No. Outside alcohol may not be brought in. All coolers brought onto the park grounds will be checked for alcohol.

4. Should I bring blankets and/or a chair?
Yes. Blankets and lawn chairs are strongly encouraged. Seating is on the park grounds and is first-come, first-served. Gates open at 1:00 p.m.

5. Are pets allowed?
No. For safety reasons, pets are not allowed on the park grounds during Vulcan AfterTunes.

6. Is there parking and/or shuttles available?
Vulcan Park and Museum provides FREE parking to its visitors everyday, however, our parking is very limited. Once our parking lots are at capacity, there will be a free shuttle service provided by Rare Transportation available in the Jefferson County Board of Education parking lot across the street from Vulcan Park and Museum’s main entrance. All parking is FREE. Carpooling is encouraged.

7. I am driving in from out of town. Where can I find information on nearby restaurants and hotels?
The Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau will be helpful in planning your visit.

Vulcan Park and Museum is a smoke free environment. If you have any additional questions, please contact us at info@visitvulcan.com. We look forward to seeing you soon at Vulcan AfterTunes!