Tag Archive for: Missy Lane’s Assembly Room

Sonic Pie Productions Presents Free Concert November 23: Blues Guitarist Jontavious Willis

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(Durham, NC) Durham-based concert production and curation company Sonic Pie Productions presents Blues guitarist and songwriter Jontavious Willis Saturday, November 23, 8:30 p.m. This concert, at Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, is free and open to the public. 

28 year old Grammy-nominated Blues musician Jontavious Willis is resolved in his mission: to reinvigorate today’s Blues with the spirit of the past. Inspired by a time when the Blues were plentiful and rhythm reigned supreme, Jontavious leverages his unique sound—a synthesis of his rural Georgia heritage and reverence for traditional Blues—to get the world dancing again. Jontavious and his band perform original, toe-tapping tunes in the style of Delta, Piedmont, Texas, and Gospel Blues. Dynamic vocals, technical prowess, and an abundance of Southern charm keep Jontavious sending jolts of vitality through the Blues community. 

“That’s my Wonderboy, the Wunderkind. Jontavious is a great new voice of the 21st century in the acoustic blues” says American legend and mentor Taj Mahal. Joyous and resonant, Willis’ brand new album, West Georgia Blues, is an invitation to everyone out there—whether Blues aficionado or just passing through the genre—to connect with the very universal emotions captured through the Blues. Entirely self-produced, the album comprises fifteen original songs that tackle time-honored themes from heartbreak and loneliness to celebration and self-discovery. 

How does Jontavious connect as a young black man in the 21st century with the music first recorded in his great-great grandfather’s youth? “In some aspects the same problems of those days are still occurring. Out of all the current music I connect with the blues the best. The same blues songs of the Jim Crow era can still be sung today. The songs about getting mistreated and abused are still fights we battle daily” he says.

Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, at 310 E. Main Street, in the heart of downtown Durham, North Carolina is one of Durham’s newest intimate music venues and cocktail bars. Ample parking in the adjacent lot is free. This is a general admission event, with a combination of seated, standing and dancing room. Doors open at 8 p.m. Though admission is free, you must reserve a ticket at https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/59475083/jontavius-willis-presented-by-sonic-pie-productions-durham-missy-lanes-assembly-room-venue

This project is supported by the Durham Arts Council’s Durham Culture & Arts – Invest to Restart.

Durham, North Carolina-based Sonic Pie Productions, founded in 2013, creates community and commerce via curated concert bookings, consultation and sound production services. For more information visit www.sonicpieproductions.com.

2024 Outdoor Concert Series Update

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Hello music lovers! Against the background drone of the 13 and 17 year cycle cicadas, we want to let you know what concerts and events Sonic Pie Productions is working this month. Let’s start with Blues and Gospel. We’re the sound production company for Music Maker Foundation’s annual, FREE Freight Train Blues Series. This is at Carrboro Town Commons (Carrboro, NC).

If you prefer being at an intimate jazz club, surrounded by cocktails, we’re also the sound crew at Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, 310 E. Main Street, Durham, NC. The calibre of talent coming through here is amazing. This weekend is flautist Rebecca Kleinmann and vocalist BeMyFiasco. Next weekend: trumpet innovator Keyon Harrold AND Missy Lane’s opens as a coffee shop each day 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (9 a.m.-2 p.m. weekends.) BUY TICKETS

Over to Boxyard RTP, the open air venue of local restaurants, cafes and bars in Research Triangle Park, NC, a new batch of May residencies includes Mysti Mayhem. All music and DJs are free and open to the public and there is ample, free parking.

Next weekend the crew is off to Salisbury, NC for Hippie Fest and we’ll leave you with two recap photos. We were asked to curate a stop off event for a bus tour (Boom Unit Brass Band, selfie courtesy of the band) and Andmoreagain Presents brought LA LOM (Los Angeles League of Musicians) to Missy Lane’s last month (photo credit: DLM Studios.)

Until next time!

Sonic Pie Productions Announced As Missy Lane’s Assembly Room Production Crew

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Sonic Pie Productions has been working on an exciting new project–one that will change the landscape of North Carolina and the south’s music scene: Missy Lane’s Assembly Room, Durham, North Carolina’s newest music venue at 310 E. Main Street, opens next month and Sonic Pie Productions will serve as the venue’s production management and front of house sound engineer crew.

What to know:

  • This intimate venue will focus on Black American Music.
  • Missy Lane’s is owned by Durhamite Cicely Mitchell.
  • Most shows are seated with an early 6:30 p.m. curtain and a later 9 p.m. show. Occasional standing room only capacity is less than 230! Tickets: HERE.
  • Members get benefits such as ticket pre-sales, private events, preferred seating.
  • Enjoy a drink or coffee at the beautiful front bar any time.
  • Missy Lane’s Assembly Room mission statement: Our mission is to provide a safe space for people to assemble, socialize and build community.

Just announced: Tickets go on sale tomorrow for boundary-pushing quartet The Bad Plus, playing Missy Lane’s Assembly Room’s inaugural season April 3rd and 4th (after stops in Japan & Sweden.)

Sonic Pie Productions Founder/CEO Tess Mangum says “Missy Lane’s is a long-awaited, much-needed venue about to wrap you in beautiful sound and surroundings. We can’t wait for opening night and years of jazz, latin, gospel, soul and R&B.”