Published On: 06.14.17 | 

By: Barnett Wright

Sloss Music Festival headlines coming music events in Birmingham area

SlossFest, now in its third year, has quickly become one of Birmingham's signature music festivals. (Ginnard Archibald)

Next month’s Sloss Music and Arts Festival is the latest in a number of musical events bringing artists and visitors to the Birmingham metro area.

Already, the Funk Fest in May and the Steel City Jazz Festival in June have attracted big names in entertainment. SlossFest is no different, with 40 bands scheduled on four stages, including Widespread Panic and Alabama Shakes.

The events also showcase some of the best sites the city offers. Funk Fest is held in historic Legion Field. The Steel City Jazz Fest is held in downtown Birmingham’s Linn Park.

Sloss Music and Arts Festival, a two-day music and lifestyle event, takes place at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Birmingham on Saturday, July 15, and Sunday, July 16. SlossFest also features arts and crafts, live iron-pouring demonstrations and a celebration of the culture that makes Birmingham unique.

With the festivals come visitors, economic impact, prestige and many artists who can’t wait to visit the area.

“There is a tremendous amount of interest and opportunity in Birmingham, Alabama,” said Jerome Skinner, a Birmingham music promoter who had a hand in this month’s Steel City Jazz Fest. “These cats know a lot about Birmingham and they look forward to coming to Birmingham.”

Music festivals aren’t the only places to see top artists in the area. Stand-alone concerts are also a frequent attraction. For example, Gladys Knight will perform at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Concert Hall on Saturday, June 17, and Robert Earl Keen will perform at the Iron City Entertainment Complex on Wednesday, June 21.

The diversity of artists and genres makes many of the dates appealing to fans.

Annette Watkins, a Birmingham resident who has lived in Chicago and Los Angeles, invited two friends from Atlanta and one from New Orleans to this month’s Steel City Jazz Fest in Linn Park.

“They thoroughly enjoyed it,” she said. “All of the acts were good. They were really pleasantly surprised, and when we left we were able to take them out to get something to eat.”

“They made comments I was happy to hear,” Watkins said. “(One) said, ‘Driving in from Atlanta we just loved the city, all the hills, beautiful scenery; we didn’t realize Birmingham had so much going on.’”

Watkins said she would put Birmingham’s music scene alongside what she witnessed during her 31-year stay in Los Angeles.

“You go to the Hollywood Bowl. (I told friends) ‘We see the same thing in Birmingham.’ They found it unbelievable. I said, ‘C’mon, give us a break. We are on the map.’”

Skinner credited “Birmingham’s family-oriented atmosphere” as a magnet for some of the artists. He spoke of one artist who said he’s well taken care of in Birmingham and that “we treat him like he’s our cousin. He said he didn’t want to leave, but he had to catch a flight to go to another show,” Skinner said. “It’s that down-home, earthy feeling that artists get in Birmingham.”

Read profiles and watch video at Alabama NewsCenter of the artists performing at next month’s Sloss Music and Arts Festival. New profiles appear daily.