Firecracker Jazz Band

UNC Asheville continues its 25th annual Concerts on the Quad summer music series at 7 p.m. Monday, July 9, with a sizzling performance by the Firecracker Jazz Band. This popular six-piece Asheville band plays Dixieland and roots jazz, perfect for a hot summer night. The concert is free and open to the public.

Founded in 2003, the Firecracker Jazz Band features Mike Gray, Reese Gray, Jason Krekel, Earl Sachais, Henry Westmoreland and Je Widenhouse. The group is earning critical acclaim and charming a wide variety of audiences. One recent weekend, they played a Saturday night garage party and the next morning entertained a church revival.

Concerts on the Quad is fun for the entire family. Sorry, no pets allowed. Patrons are invited to visit the Café a la Quad tent for a brand new menu of wraps, snacks, beverages, desserts and ice cream from 6-8 p.m. Bring blankets and lawn chairs for seating. With nearly 2,000 people attending each concert, lawn-chair seating will be separate from blanket seating in order to preserve sight lines; please look for signage when arriving on the Quad.

In case of rain, the concerts will be held in Lipinsky Auditorium. A limited menu will be served at the rain location. Location decisions will be made at 5 p.m. the day of the show. Patrons may call 828/232-5000, line 3 after 5:15 p.m. each Monday to hear a recorded announcement about the location of that evening’s performance.

Due to summer construction on campus, patrons are urged to use the main campus entrance on W.T. Weaver Blvd. At the top of the hill, turn left and travel through the parking lot, which will lead patrons to University Heights. Regular and handicap parking is available on the street and at lots near the Quad. Watch for directional signs.

The series will wrap up on Monday, July 16, with classic jazz by local musicians Byron Hedgepeth, Eliot Wadopian, Stuart Reinhardt and Chris Rosser along with a special 25th anniversary celebration for Concerts on the Quad

For more information about the series, call UNC Asheville Cultural Events Program Office at 828/251-6227 or visit the Concerts on the Quad Web site at www.unca.edu/summerquad/.