Sunrise’s First Friday 2019 Concert Series is going out with a bang with the Asheville band Empire Strikes Brass. The sixth and final free community concert of the year is Friday, October 4 from 5-8 pm.
First Friday is the primary fundraising event for the historic Sunrise Theater and is organized and executed by a hardworking volunteer committee with generous support from the series sponsors. The community is invited to celebrate the awards for Best Community Music Venue (1st place) and Best Fundraising Event (2nd place) in the Pilot’s 2019 Best of the Pines.
October’s band, The Empire Strikes Brass (ESB), is a high energy Brass-Funk-Rock band, rooted in the New Orleans Brass Band tradition of second-line parades and deep moving grooves reminiscent of old school funk. Combining complex musical arrangements with thoughtful lyrical song structure, ESB can stretch out and dig deep when they are feeling it or keep things tight and concise. The fat sound of the horns paired with one dirty rhythm section makes the music downright psychedelically nasty.
Founded in 2012, ESB intentionally stretches the boundaries of the stereotypical brass band paradigm, fusing sounds from various genres and weaving them together with the common thread of brass. The diversity of the music within their sets keep audiences guessing what is next to come. Later this year, the band is slated to release their second album “Brassterpiece Theatre” a follow up effort to 2017’s Theme For A Celebration.
Sunrise First Friday concerts are possible due to the support of the series sponsor, Realty World Properties of the Pines and the October sponsor, Mockingbird on Broad. October food trucks are Meat & Greek Truck and R Burger.
First Friday concerts are always free and open to the entire community from 5-8 pm at the Sunrise Theater. Bands perform on the First Bank Stage at Sunrise Square and move inside the Sunrise Theater if it storms. Be sure to bring your ID as everyone is carded for alcohol purchases – but leave your coolers and dogs at home.
Contributed
