City Stages 2009. Birmingham is one big stage.

En Vogue will be there!  Photo courtesy of Jim Taylor, City Stages

In 1989, in order to bring awareness to beautiful Birmingham, Alabama, they came up with a unique three day "Mini Woodstock" if you will, called City Stages. Now in it's 20th year, City Stages is definately the music event you don't want to miss. It’s been called, “the best music festival you’ve never heard of,” by The Chicago Sun-Times. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said it is “the best such event this side of New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.”

City Stages refers to itself as "one great big musical melting pot..... with a musical buffet ranging from Gospel to hip hop to classic rock and roll." And this year is no exception. With more than 70 ...yes I said seventy...musicians and bands ranging from Jazz Emsembles from Jacksonville State, Montevallo, and Alabama Universities to homegrown artists such as Act Of Congress, Ryan Kinder Band, Hightide Blues to some of the top names in music of all times.  Lynyrd Skynyrd,( one of their first apperances since the death of Ean Evans) Styx, The Doobie Brothers, The Neville Brothers, En Vogue, Corey Smith, Jonny Lang, and The Whigs just to name a few.

Tickets to City Stages provide access into any of the three festival gates allowing patrons to enjoy music from the Miller Lite Stage, Legacy Credit Union Stage, the Discovery Stage, Dance Depot, Music Oasis and Children’s Festival, and of course all the  food, crafts, and other activities offered. You can purchase a three day pass or single day passes are also available on-line only prior to the Festival or at the gate June 19-21, 2009.

In true City Stage style, the whole weekend kicks off with the FREE show City Stages Unplugged featuring SHIROCK and Dragonfly. The show is on  Friday June 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Linn Park . SHIROCK will preview their set on Fox 6 Thursday morning on Good Day Alabama. As a charity fundraiser, First 150 people to show up sporting a United Cerebral Palsey t-shirt get a free sandwich courtesy Chick-fil-A.

This is a Music filled weekend you will not want to miss.  And since it is Fathers Day Weekend, how about treating dear old Dad with tickets to City Stages.  Whether he is a hip hop Pop or an old time rockin' Daddy-o, going to this will make him "En Vogue".

More Info: City Stages, Complete line up , Hightide Blues