11/5/08: Motown Concert/Dance to Benefit LSO

It’s not too often that the big beat and driving lyrics of classic Motown music is mentioned at the same time as the enduring appeal of the symphony orchestra’s repertoire, but one of the region’s most popular show bands will do just that when they present a rare Lynchburg appearance to benefit the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra.

“Get Down Tonight,” a nightclub-style show and dance featuring the great Motown hits of the 60s and 70s along with some classic rock greats, will begin at 9:00 PM on Saturday, November 15, in the Joy and Lynch Christian Warehouse Theater at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lynchburg.

Trumpeter Bill Carroll, a founding member of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra who also heads up the much-in-demand BC’s Big Rhythm Sound, conceived the idea as a fundraising project for the orchestra, which launched its 25th performance season in September. Carroll’s band, featuring vocalist Becky Grandey and keyboard/vocalist Lew Taylor, keeps busy with engagements all along the East Coast, but rarely performs here in the Hill City.

Earlier this year, the Lynchburg-based trumpeter headed up a concert of big-band music from the 40s and 50s that delighted a near sell-out audience attending that LSO fundraiser. “We’ll repeat that event, which we called the Nostalgia Concert, this coming June 14,” Carroll noted, “but the most-requested type of music just about anywhere we play is Motown. There’s something magical about it. It’s kept people going during both good and bad times. Anyone can relate to the sound and the lyrics are universal. We feel that it’s a natural to draw a big crowd, and to benefit the major Lynchburg cultural jewel that the Lynchburg Symphony has become.”

Because of the nightclub-style table seating, admissions are limited to about 250 attendees. Tables of eight can be reserved.