Not every artist can fit on the Artist Audience Community Live stage. It's a small stage in a small room.
"It sort of limits us away from rock," says Tom Ware, the venue's production manager. "It's a great venue, but it gets loud in their really quickly."
FAQ
Laurence Juber
WHEN — 7 p.m. Thursday
WHERE — Artist Audience Community Live in Fort Smith
COST — $40 Thursday; $250 for season tickets
INFO — artistaudiencecommu…
BONUS — Single-session tickets for the remaining AAC Live shows go on sale early next week.
FYI
Artist Audience Community Live
2015-16 Season
All shows take place at the AAC Live venue
Thursday — Laurence Juber
Oct. 22 — Eliza Gilkyson
Nov. 18 — Sam Baker
Dec. 11 — Seth Glier
Jan. 14 — The Cate Brothers
Feb. 10 — Martin Taylor
March 12 — Regina Carter
But that intimate configuration makes the venue a special one. The AAC Live season returns Thursday with a performance by Laurence Juber, a two-time Grammy Award winner who served as lead guitarist for the Paul McCartney project called Wings.
It continues with sets by songwriter Eliza Gilkyson, local favorites The Cate Brothers Band and a pair of jazz musicians, among others.
"It's music that (the audience) wouldn't hear anywhere else in Fort Smith," Ware says.
Those jazz shows, presented by Martin Taylor in February and Regina Carter in March, are special because the venue hasn't hosted many jazz performers recently, Ware says.
The AAC Live series is a rebranded continuation of the Second Street Live concert series that previously operated as a series of house concerts.
As in previous years, the AAC Live season is in danger of selling out. Preference is given first to season ticketholders, who buy the full slate of performances.
"The artists usually show up to a full house," Ware says.
Single session tickets for Juber's concert go on sale early next week. Single-session tickets for the other shows in the series go on sale after the conclusion of Juber's opening night event.
Ware says AAC Live is also providing a master class featuring Taylor at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and a session for elementary students featuring local singer/songwriter Shannon Wurst.
-- Kevin Kinder
NAN What's Up on 09/11/2015