Bo Diddley Plaza and MusicGNV present new summer concert series, Live & Local

Press release from City of Gainesville

The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department announces a new monthly summer concert series: Live and Local. In partnership with MusicGNV, Live and Local includes emerging bands, singer/songwriters, independent artists, and a diverse mix of musicians who are local or connected to Gainesville’s music community.

Live and Local is scheduled at Bo Diddley Plaza from 6:30-8:30 p.m. once each month through September, and is free and open to all ages.

• 6:30-8:30 p.m. July 15 – Singer/Songwriter Showcase of Gainesville’s newest voices: Ben White, Bohemian Sunshine, Kyle Keller, Mace, Mei, Pose Norma, Quincy Allen Flint, Rafael Rivera, Sammie Daigle, and The Housing Crisis.
• 6:30-8:30 p.m. August 19 – Local Hip Hop & RnB label, Dion Dia Records, presents an evening of future-forward music featuring: raph, RAKHU, Casey Jones II (with Hezekiah Fraizer, Alex Backman, Justin Bartholomew, and Edminson), DJ Jeremiah Ludicrous, and FARO will MC. The lineup also includes Los Angeles R&B singer Amindi.
• 6:30-8:30 p.m. September 16 – Psychedelic country band, PALIMONY, and new band, Noan Partly Trio close out the Live and Local series.

MusicGNV believes that Gainesville’s rich musical storytelling tradition is an invaluable part of the area’s cultural heritage. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they strive to make Gainesville a better place for all musicians to share their stories through curated shows, talent-fostering, trade apprenticeships, and artist resources. They are artists, techs, promoters, and fans working together to make Gainesville’s music scene a more welcoming, diverse, and thriving place. Since launching in early 2020, MusicGNV has assisted the music community in different ways, including: producing a livestream series that generated over 40,000 collective views, releasing three artist-supporting compilation albums, and launching a quarterly recording grant for emerging artists.

Brandon Telg, co-founder of MusicGNV, believes this is a significant series honoring the legacy of Gainesville’s musical community. “For many musicians in Gainesville, playing at Bo Diddley Plaza is seen as ‘making it’ in the music community.

“Historically there have not been a large number of opportunities for emerging artists to play at Bo Diddley Plaza. With the Live & Local series, more artists will be offered the opportunity to present their art to the community. This will be substantial for both the musicians and Gainesville as a whole. It is very meaningful for MusicGNV to be part of the process of opening the door to the community stage to more independent musicians.”

The City’s Bo Diddley Plaza has served as the long-time host of the Free Fridays Concert Series, scheduled weekly from May through October. Live and Local will build on the live music tradition while providing a new venue for emerging artists to perform in front of a live audience.

“After reopening in June, we are excited to add this new series to our calendar and looking forward to our partnership with MusicGNV,” said Nigel Hamm, the City’s program coordinator for Bo Diddley Plaza.

Bo Diddley Plaza is located in Downtown Gainesville at 111 E. University Ave and is named in honor of local, legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, Bo Diddley.