Summer MusicFest Series™
Table decorating, dinner under the stars, and a night filled with fabulous music...that is what The Arts Council's Summer MusicFest™ is all about. 
Each summer, the lawn of The Smithgall Arts Center hosts three outdoor concerts that makes for a memorable night at a table filled with friends. Bring your own appetizers, dinner and dessert or choose from one of the food vendors on site.
Previous performances in this outdoor concert series have included The Swingin' Medallions, Banks & Shane, The Tams, The Jesters and The Northwinds Symphonic Band. In addition, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra rounds out this series each year.
This crowd favorite is a series of three outdoor concerts that you will not want to miss.
2010 Schedule
The Back in Time Band
June 25
Gates open at 6PM
Concert @ 8PM
Smithgall Arts Center Lawn
more information
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
July 30
Gates open at 6PM
Concert @ 8PM
Smithgall Arts Center Lawn
more information
The Swingin' Medallions
Aug 12
Gates open at 6PM
Concert @ 8PM
Smithgall Arts Center Lawn
more information
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The Swingin' Medallions RESCHEDULED from June 4 to Aug 12 due to rain forecast.
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Grab your favorite picnic items, table decorations and your favorite beverage and head to the lawn at the Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center for crowd favorite beach music band, The Swingin’ Medallions. The famed 60’s band with the wildly successful hit “Double Shot (of My Baby’s Love)” is a high-energy party style stage performance. In fact, the present Medallions stage show is considered to be “The Party Band of the South.”
The Swingin' Medallions have been based out of the Greenwood South Carolina area, since the
early 1960's. Their musical roots came from listening to the early rhythm and blues acts. The music most often associated with the band is beach music, frat rock, R&B, or shaggin' music. After a few years of touring colleges from the Carolinas to the Louisiana Bayou, John McElrath took the group to Arthur Smith's Studio in Charlotte North Carolina, to record "Double Shot (of My Baby's Love)". The song became a million seller in 1966, and has been a party classic for college students for decades. "She Drives Me Out Of My Mind" and "Hey, Hey, Baby" were top 40 hits in 1966 and 1967, but "Double Shot" remains the signature song of the Swingin' Medallions.
The members of the Swingin' Medallions have changed over the past thirty years, with John McElrath being the leader and only member to be performing today. The personnel of the band has always included around eight members with at least a four piece horn section. The high energy party style stage performance of the first Medallions has been passed down to the band that performs today.
The band of local consummate musicians performs beach and soul music from the 60’s and 70’s. With nine musical instruments, including four horns, you can be sure the joint will be jumpin!
Band members range in age from 30 to 63 and all have professional experience including Glenn Brown - guitar, Bob Cowles - sax, Mercer Crook - keyboards, Michael Crook - trumpet, Rory Crook - trombone, John Harriman - bass, Jonathan Jackson - lead vocals, Chuck McKissick - drums, and Tom Wallace - trumpet.
Be sure to pack your picnic, blankets and your dancing shoes for a fun filled night under the stars.
Celebrating our 35th Season!
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, currently in its 65th season, is one of America’s leading orchestras, known for the excellence of its live performances, presentations, renowned choruses, and its impressive list of Grammy® Award-winning recordings. The leading cultural organization in the Southeast, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra serves as the cornerstone for artistic development and music education in the region. Under the Creative Partnership of Music Director Robert Spano, Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles, and President and CEO Allison Vulgamore since September 2001, the Orchestra and audiences together explore a creative programming mix, recordings, and visual enhancements, such as the ASO Theater of a Concert, the Orchestra’s continuing exploration of different formats, settings, and enhancements for the musical performance experience.
During its 31-year history with Telarc, the Orchestra has recorded more than 100 albums and its recordings have won 26 Grammy Awards in categories including Best Classical Album, Best Orchestral Performance, Best Choral Performance, and Best Opera Performance. The ASO Chorus has earned nine Grammy® Awards for Best Choral Performance, most recently for the Berlioz Requiem in 2005.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs more than 200 concerts each year to a combined audience of more than a half million in a full schedule of performances which also feature educational and community concerts. A recognized leader and supporter of contemporary American music, the Orchestra recently received the 2007 award for Strongest Commitment to New American Music from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. In addition, Music Director Robert Spano was named Musical America 2008 Conductor of the Year.