San Rafael Band opens the Nightfall season on Friday at Miller Plaza
The Nightfall Concert Series, produced by Chattanooga Presents, will open its 30th season on Friday with a series of 15 free Friday-night concerts held at Miller Plaza in downtown Chattanooga. Each Friday from May 5-Aug. 25 (with the exception of June 9 and 16 during Riverbend), Nightfall will showcase a broad spectrum of musical genres featuring a local band at 7 p.m., followed by a headline show by a national artist at 8 p.m., many of whom are performing for the first time in Chattanooga.
New this year, Nightfall will be partnering with AVA on the second Friday of each month to feature a series of POP-UP Galleries in the Miller Plaza Pavilion throughout the summer. Each Gallery will feature the work of local artists from a variety of backgrounds and genres. Most, if not all, of the artwork will be for sale. Also new to the season will be a featured small expo of Young Entrepreneurs inside the Miller Plaza Pavilion on the last Friday of each month. Space is still available for those who would like to apply to have their budding business featured (contact Carla Pritchard at Carla@chattanoogapresents.com).
Headlining Nightfall for the opening of the season Friday will be the San Rafael Band, showcasing a Latin-infused performance in celebration of Cinco De Mayo.
Review for San Rafael Band:
Originally from San Antonio, Vasquez learned his guitar technique from visiting the small cantinas and clubs in the southwest. Currently residing in Nashville, Rafael continues to fuse Latin Jazz with the broader adult contemporary market--taking the reigns as a leading Latin artist in Music City. His music is a unique combination of the fiery guitar lines of Santana, the classical technique of Andreas Segovia and the soulful and gritty vocal sound reminiscent of Sting. This compelling blend of jazz, blues and rock has created a new and popular sound that combines the best of salsa, Latin jazz and rock, perfect for the emerging Latin pop/jazz genre.
The Chattanooga band Unprotected Rex will open this Friday’s show at 7 p.m. This band will entertain with the sounds of Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, as well as many of their fresh originals. Fronted by piano man David Ingle, Unprotected Rex will be making their Nightfall debut at this show.
Nightfall bulk discount beer and wine tickets will again be available this year at each show, offering a 20 percent savings on a packet of 20 beer and wine tickets. Food trucks and non-alcoholic drink concessions are also available on site. No outside food or beverages are allowed to be brought in to Nightfall, therefore coolers are not allowed.
Over the course of the past 29 seasons, Nightfall has grown into Chattanooga’s signature summertime program for Chattanooga and the surrounding region. Known for its family-friendly environment as well as being recognized nationally for the quality of its musical programming and locally as “Best of the Best” for Chattanooga Events, Nightfall is a family-friendly concert series with an average attendance of between 2,500-3,000 each night.
Nightfall is made possible this year thanks to sponsorships from Shock Top, Fletcher Bright Company, Kelly Subaru, EPB Fiber Optics, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Warehouse Row, Big River Grille, Southern Honda Powersports, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Pure Southern and Chattanooga Whiskey.
For more information on this free community concert series, call 265-0771 or visit NightfallChattanooga.com for a complete, interactive website that includes music samples by each headliner, as well as other information for first-time attendees.