Huntsville’s Music Scene

What if we didn’t have rhythm or music? No patterns or tempo? Would a timepiece be accurate? Would time even exist? The pandemic in 2020 halted the gathering of the masses for enjoying live music for a time, but remember that viral video of the people in Italy who sang from their windows into the city streets and others joined them? It was the sound of hope. Humanity longs for connection with music.

Remember when our local restaurants started opening back up and the musicians started playing again and high fives had turned into elbow-bumps or fist-bumps, that is, if you were brave enough. It was such a great feeling to again experience music in community. Huntsville had its first PorchFest in May of 2021 that seemed to open the gates to outdoor music, after being indoors and disconnected for so long. Local and regional musicians were excited to get back at it. It was magical. Music connected us, we hugged, we danced, we sang.

Now, just two years from the first shut-down, Huntsville is growing and making its musical footprint. A second PorchFest was again a magical event. We experienced the opening of our new world-class The Orion Amphitheater, an 8000-seat outdoor music venue that is making news all over the world, including Dave Matthews making a comment that he wanted to take The Orion with him on tour. Our VBC’s new Mars Music Hall recovered from 2020 by opening their doors to local bands with distanced seating, then on to packed rooms with shows like Flogging Molly, Primus, Coheed & Cambria, and Lindsay Buckingham. Panoply was back in full force after being creative with its programming. The City of Huntsville developed a Music Office and hired a Music Officer to lead economic development of the music sector based on a substantial investment of a music audit. Local bands have tons of new music being released this year and niche festivals are on the rise.

Large shows and local talent are enjoying a resurgence right now in our growing city. My favorite recent experience was at a Boardman House Show. I would guess maybe 50 people were packed into a living room/open kitchen area, with a front porch overflow for three artists on a roster – two local bands and a solo regional touring songwriter. As Wanda Band was closing the show, the energy in the room was vibrant and communal. The crowd sang along to almost every single song Wanda performed. I was in awe. So many people in that room, such love, all ages, for a local band listening experience. This is the music of life, or the life of music. We long for this connection with music and each other.

Huntsville is now on the map after recently being declared as the largest city in Alabama, then placing #1 in The Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2022-2023 (U.S. NEWS). I know a secret about this special city. It’s found in the rhythm of the heartbeat of the musicians who live and create here and give us a soundtrack for life. So, find that tip jar, buy the t-shirt, album, ticket, enjoy the experience. n

Written by Judy Allison

Photo by Rodrigo Simas

Photo by Judy Allison

Photo by Dennis Keim