Music Lineup Announced for 2008 Town Square Concert Series in Clayton

The second full season of Clayton’s Town Square Concert Series will feature headlining and popular bands, according to Lyn Austin, Promotion Committee chair for the Downtown Development Association. “Last season we had a very good mix of entertainment with respectable audiences. This year, our goal is to attract as many people as we can to Clayton so they can see all the good things we have here and in our downtown.” she said.

Returning to Clayton to open the outdoor concert series on May 15 will be Nantucket, which attracted the largest audience of the monthly series last year. All concerts begin at 7:00 pm and will end around 9 pm.

May 15 Nantucket w/Groove Pilot
June 19 Liquid Pleasure
July 24 Craig Woolard Band
August 7 Breakfast Club
September 18 Battle of the Bands

Refreshments available at the Town Square will include pizza, hot dogs, beer, wine and soft drinks. Although folding chairs and blankets are encouraged for people to sit on, coolers are not allowed.

Major sponsors for the concerts include, the Town of Clayton, Downtown Development Association, Clayton News Star and Time Warner Cable. The Town Square is in downtown Clayton and sits between West Main Street and S. O’Neil and Fayetteville streets. For more information call (919) 553-1545 and keep checking this blog for updates.

The 2008 Town Square Concert Series Bands

Nantucket
www.myspace.com/nantucketband

Nantucket is a hard rock band that formed in Jacksonville, North Carolina in 1969. Originally known as the beach music band Stax of Gold and later Nantucket Sleighride (after the song by Mountain), the six-member group -- Tommy Redd, Larry Uzzell, Mike Uzzell, Eddie Blair, Kenny Soule, and Mark Downing -- became a huge draw in their home state of North Carolina as a cover band. Nantucket eventually became a powerful and tenacious sensation, amassing numerous fans across the southeastern United States well before its first release.

The band signed with Epic Records in 1977 and released its self-titled album the following year, which featured the hit single "Heartbreaker." An aggressive cross-country tour followed, and Nantucket opened for top acts such as KISS, Styx, Boston, Mother's Finest, and Journey. Although its debut release was fairly dated, it sold around 200,000 copies and also made the Billboard charts. In 1979, Nantucket followed up with Your Face or Mine?
As a tribute to AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott, who died in 1980, Nantucket's Long Way To The Top included a version of the 1975 classic "It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll)". The move landed the band a spot with AC/DC on its Back In Black tour for the entire summer.

The original members of Nantucket reunited in 1991 to record a live session and released an album called Still Live After All These Years in 1995. To satisfy the demand by its fans, the first three studio albums were released on compact disc in 2003 and 2004, and Nantucket V was made available on CD in 2007.
The current lineup of Nantucket includes Tommy Redd (guitar & vocals), Larry Uzzell (vocals), Mike Uzzell (keyboard & vocals), Eddie Blair (sax, keyboard & vocals), Glen Edwards (drums & vocals), and Bennie Dellinger (guitar & vocals).

The band, Groove Pilot will be opening for Nantucket. They are a Raleigh NC based band that plays a mix of classic rock to high energy, rock edge dance, from Jimi Hendrix to Lenny Kravitz and Blondie to Sass Jordan. There is also a Clayton connection: band member Joe Fox owns Olde Town Supply on E Main Street in downtown Clayton! www.myspace.com/groovepilotnc.

Liquid Pleasure
www.liquidpleasureband.com

In an industry where the average life of a band is about five years, Liquid Pleasure has set a new standard. As they enter their 20th year, they have firmly established themselves as the area’s premiere show and dance band! Three out of the six present musicians who make up Liquid Pleasure are original members. This type of consistency combined with exceptional talent sets Liquid Pleasure apart from the rest. Over the years, the band has appeared with such notable artists as Paula Abdul, The Temptations, Whitney Houston, The Four Tops, Stacy Lattisaw, Aretha Franklin and Jeffery Osborne.

Liquid Pleasure is: Kenny Mann (keyboards, leader, manager, comedian, wise-cracker and founding member); Melvin Farrington (bass guitar, original member); Leonard Hackney (lead guitar, original member); Cedric Hardin (drums); Darrin Johnson (lead guitar and background vocals); Vincent Poole (lead and background vocals)

Craig Woolard Band
www.craigwoolard.com

With the classic style of Ray Charles, the dynamics of Marvin Gaye and Rod Stewart, the Soul of James Brown, the vocal prowess of Steve Perry of Journey, combined with the passion of Sam Cook and Michael McDonald, you have “The Soul Man of Beach Music”, Craig Woolard.
As the ambassador of Beach Music, Woolard has enjoyed a stellar career as the front man of one of Carolina’s premiere bands, the Embers. After 27 years with his former group, Woolard has taken on a new persona in what is claimed to be the South’s number one Beach Music, R&B, Top 40, Motown, 70’s & 80’s, and Rock & Roll Party Band….Craig Woolard Band.

Woolard’s classy and riveting stage presence offers audiences non -stop entertainment. With his distinctive vocal style, he continually delivers the tunes just the way the crowd loves them. Their first year out in 2005, Craig Woolard Band was honored as ‘Group of the Year” while Craig walked away with Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, Best Smoothie Song, and Song of the Year.

As a hit maker, Craig Woolard has several signature tunes. “What You Do To Me”, and “Georgia”, to name a few. He has had four #1 songs and their CD, “Making Waves” went to #1 within weeks of its release. Their # 1 Hit Song “I’ve Got A Feeling” won Song of the Year in 2006.

Craig Woolard Band is J.K. Loftin (guitar, sax, and vocals), Sam Bryant (drums and vocals), Keith Stone (trumpet, valve trombone, and flugelhorn), Terry Nash (keyboards and vocals), Craig Woolard (lead vocals and sax, flute and keyboards).

Breakfast Club
www.thebreakfastclub.com

Formed in January of 1994 in Winston-Salem, NC, The Breakfast Club soared to new heights on the club and college circuit with the then original concept of playing nothing but early ‘80’s dance/keyboard-oriented cover music.

Throughout the band’s history, various line-up changes have inevitably occurred. With Atlanta, GA as the group’s current home base, present musicians include: Michael Todd (vocals & guitar), Steven Campbell (vocals & bass), Mike Mundy ( keyboards & vocals) and John Langdon (Simmons electronic drums & vocals). Michael is a veteran musician with about 10 years of experience playing in bands and doing solo and studio work. Until August 2002, Steven called Glasgow, Scotland home before moving to the states. He toured the U.K. and Europe with the world-renowned ‘70’s disco musical, Car Wash. Mike is a transplant from the ‘80’s. He has been playing keyboards for about 14 years and has toured with Depeche Mode and Night Ranger. John is also a veteran musician with a lot of studio and stage work behind him. John also owns All Star Drums, which hand crafts custom drums and hardware.

These road worthy guys currently travel and play from New Jersey to Florida and from Louisiana to the Atlantic Ocean and everywhere in between. Their itinerary keeps them on the road playing approximately 180 shows a year. Since the group’s inception, The Breakfast Club has performed for more than 1 million fans and probably driven as many miles.