The following column will appear in the September 2008 edition of Gaston Alive:
It’s hard to define what Americana is, but I find it less difficult to tell you what it isn’t.
Americana is not big box stores, lining strip malls and shopping centers. Nor is it made in China.
Americana is not national chain restaurants that look, feel, and taste the same no matter where you are.
And lastly, Americana is not about fame and fortune. Let’s face it - plastic isn’t natural.
That’s why I like Bill Noonan. He knows what it means to be Americana. Noonan is a songwriter and performer who plays what he calls “Carolina roots rock”. It’s his personal brand of Americana.
His latest release, Catawba City, takes a strong look at the Charlotte metropolitan area, and how it continues to grow. As it grows, it gradually eats up many of the surrounding towns and counties, and the very things that make them special.
So when I heard Noonan was organizing an Americana-themed music series in York, SC, I knew exactly what he was aiming for.
Downtown York is not your average small town. It looks like a scene out of a movie. It gives off an aura of small town America that many people remember and still yearn for.
And oh yeah, there just so happens to be a top-notch music venue there too.
The Sylvia Theater is hosting this event, appropriately titled “The Yuengling Catawba City Music Series”. Noonan’s goal is to showcase some of the areas top Americana musicians, set to the backdrop of York’s small-town appeal.
Some of the artists scheduled to perform over the course of the music series include Carolina Gator Gumbo, Tater, Mama Said, and of course Bill Noonan and his band.
The music starts at 9 p.m., allowing plenty of time to enjoy some of the area’s local cuisine before the show.
A night away from the hustle and bustle of the big city is what many of us need. That small-town vibe is not that hard to find, but it does require us to leave the bright lights and the big city behind – for just a few hours.
With the Yuengling Catawba City Music Series, Noonan offers a small-town feel that will appeal to anyone. No matter who they are, or where they live.
For more information on the Catawba City Music Series, please visit the Sylvia Theater's website.
