2009 City Stages
The 2009 City Stages will be the 21st annual edition of "Birmingham's World-Class Music Festival". The festival will take place on nine stages around Linn Park and 5th Avenue North on June 19-June 21, 2009.
Advance 3-day passes are being sold for $37.50 through Ticketmaster and Legacy Community Credit Union. One day passes are $28, with children 12 and under free. AEG Live/The Messina Group was contracted as the festival's booking agency, replacing Knoxville, Tennesee's AC Entertainment.
The 2009 event marked the loss of City Stages' "Homegrown Stage" featuring local music acts. In reaction, bham.fm organized a Secret Stages event at Speakeasy with several local bands.
Line-up
- REO Speedwagon
- Styx
- Doobie Brothers
- .38 Special
- Charlie Wilson
- Neville Brothers
- Young Jeezy
- Indigo Girls
- En Vogue
- Jonny Lang
- Corey Smith
- Guster
- James Otto
- Mat Kearney
- Whigs
- Needtobreathe
- Erin McCarley
- Courtney Jaye
- Ryan Bingham
- Roddie Romero and the Hub City Allstars
- Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
- Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys
- Herb Trotman and Friends
- Alabama Blues Machine
- Joe Giattina Orchestra
- Lil Malcom and the House Rockers
- Patton James and the Synchromatics
- Leon Chavis and the Zydeco Flames
- Latin Rhythms Band
- Ray Rachels and Vicki Hallman
- Birmingham Children's Choir
- University of Montevallo Jazz Ensemble
- Jacksonville State University Jazz Ensemble
- University of Alabama Jazz Ensemble
- UAB SuperJazz
- Eduardo Rojas
- Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra
- Progressive Choir
- Isla Duo
- Sursum Corda
- Cahaba Saxophone Quartet
Jane's Addiction had been booked for the festival, but cancelled soon later.
Finances
As of January 2009, City Stages was carrying $400,000 in debt, of which $168,000 represented the deficit from the 2008 City Stages.
Birmingham contributed a total of $550,000 plus police services to the 2009 event. The initial appropriation was $300,000, but sharp declines in corporate ticket sales led festival organizers to request a last-minute emergency boost of $250,000, which was approved by the Birmingham City Council on June 16. In exchange, City Stages will offer free admission to seniors over 60 years of age. In requesting public support, the festival claims that "each dollar invested... means 10 to 20 dollars for the city." That claim is based on economic impact reports from 1999-2001 prepared by the Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce and Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau.
References
- Colurso, Mary (January 23, 2009) "Birmingham's City Stages $168,000 in the red for 2008, about $400,000 total." Birmingham News
- Kwon, Wade (March 30, 2009) "City Stages 2009: The lineup". Wade on Birmingham
- Kwon, Wade (June 18, 2009) "City Stages 2009: Less money, mo problems". Wade on Birmingham
External links
- City Stages website
| Preceded by: 2008 City Stages |
City Stages 2009 |
Succeeded by: 2010 City Stages |