Acts scheduled at a new Smith Mountain Lake-area venue include Jerry Douglas Band, Paul Thorn. Tad Dickens / The Roanoke Times
For about 15 years, venue manager Gary Jackson has been right in the middle of the Southwest Virginia music scene.
A year at 202 Market led to about eight at Kirk Avenue Music Hall, then nearly six at Rocky Mountâs municipal venue, Harvester Performance Center, for the D.C.-area transplant. The latter job came to an end when Jackson announced his retirement in January. But Jackson is not through putting on concerts.
As his relationship with Rocky Mount was ending, a new one was emerging a half-hour away. Developer Dennis Crumpler, who owns The Coves at Smith Mountain Lake in Union Hall, brought on Jackson to book and promote shows at his waterfront community.
2020 has been a seemingly endless bad news grind, with death and economic devastation all around. We couldnât even soothe ourselves much with live music.
The tail end of this absolute mess of a solar revolution brings some hope for the future, even as people crowd airports to do their holiday travel in what will be the yearâs final super-spreader event.
Two items that provide big hopes make up my top 5 music news items for the year.
Save Our Stages Act passes
A bipartisan measure to keep music venues alive is part of the recent COVID-19 relief package that Congress finally passed, and which awaited President Trumpâs signature.