A headline show by Andy Frasco and the U.N. closes the 31st season of the Nightfall Concert Series Friday. Produced by Chattanooga Presents, the free Nightfall shows are held over the course of summer at Miller Plaza. This week’s local opener will be Lon Eldridge’s band, Hot Club of Chattanooga.
Review for Andy Frasco and the U.N.:
A wild-haired whirling dervish who sings, hammers on his piano keys and dances in the front row, Andy Frasco used his industrial strength charm to snag a job as a record label exec at the tender age of 13. In 2007, he pulled together his band The U.N. from musicians across the globe and set out on a world tour that has never really ended, doing around 250 shows a year.
With material that takes in funk, soul, rock, roots and the band’s self-styled “party blues,” Andy Frasco and the U.N. often turn their stage shows into street parties. “I try to make our live shows a celebration,” says Frasco. “We’re just trying to get people out of their heads for a couple hours and live in the moment.” For Nightfall, they will be performing a family-friendly set, appropriate for a general audience.
Opening the show at 7 p.m. is Hot Club of Chattanooga. This local band, led by well-known musician Lon Eldridge, plays 1920s era acoustic swing, jazz, blues and gypsy music. Lon has previously featured his band, the 9th Street Stompers at Nightfall.
Food trucks and non-alcoholic drink concessions are available at Nightfall. No outside food or beverages are allowed to be brought in to Nightfall, therefore coolers are not allowed.
Nightfall, named as “Downtown Chattanooga’s Favorite Event” in a survey by River City Company, has been the community’s signature summertime program for the past 30 years. Known for its family-friendly environment as well as being recognized nationally for the quality of its musical programming, Nightfall has an average attendance of between 2,500-3,000 each night.
Visit NightfallChattanooga.com for an interactive website that including a music sample.