Take an hour away from all the hurry, hassle, and bustle of our busy Fall season each Wednesday in October at the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council’s noontime outdoor Brown Bag Concert series. Come relax and chill with a midweek lunch break to refresh, recreate, and renew yourself with some of our area’s best musicians on stage in lush, green Palace Park at 220 DeSiard Street (beside the old Palace Department Store). Public parking is available on the street and at 4th and DeSiard Street. Round up your friends, bring a picnic of your favorites, or treat yourself to a $6 box lunch, with tea, on site from Newk’s Eatery. Mulhearn’s will again provide free cookies to make the events extra sweet! Picnic blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged! Of course, the performances are FREE, thanks to our sponsors Mulhearn’s, Newk’s Eatery, ECHO Development, Paramount Healthcare Consultants of West Monroe, First Horizon Bank, and the City of Monroe. Here’s who’s on stage:
October 2 – Josh Madden
Kick off your October with one of the area’s most gifted local artists! Josh is an award-winning musician and teacher, well known for his eclectic style and laid-back performances on the local music scene. Today he takes the stage with an appearance flavored by his various musical influences, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, and Elton John on the piano, and Eric Clapton, and Dave Matthews on guitar. Come relax to his unique rockin’ style and rich, straight-to-the-heart voice. A real treat to start the month.
October 9 – Rickey Pittman
A unique brand of Southern folk is only one of Rickey’s talents! A musician, storyteller, author, teacher, and adjunct English instructor – and Grand Prize Winner of the 1998 Ernest Hemingway Short Story Competition – Ricky presents his stories, music, and programs at schools, libraries, Civil War Reenactments, and festivals throughout the South. You can check out his fifteen published books, five music CD’s, single releases, and much more online at bardofthesouth.com or better yet…just come by the park today and kick back for this rich mic of vocals and Southern folk flavor at our second outing of the Series.
October 16 – Anna Beth Ellerman
Today we welcome a new voice to the Series although we predict she will become a frequent feature artist throughout the region! Anna Beth Ellerman is a senior at Ouachita Christian School, and a popular performer at church choirs, local theater, and beyond! Regardless of location, she says she’s always singing. Come hear this exciting new emerging talent as she pursues her dream of being a singer/songwriter. Carrying her love for music to the park today, Anna Beth is our third performance of the Series.
October 23 – Mandolin State (Jeff Hicks and Matt Morgan)
We swing into the next outing of the Series with a folksy, bluegrass jam. Mandolin State is a genre-bending folk band with a playlist ranging from progressive bluegrass to folk-rock. Founders Jeff Hicks and Matt Morgan formed the band after nearly two decades of musical collaborations – you may have heard this duo at popular local venues such as Flying Tiger Brewery. Today they’ll treat us to incredible talent and relaxed, easy stage presence as the fourth outing of the Series.
October 30 – Doug Duffey and Dan Sumner
With five Wednesdays this October, today we offer a bonus performance of two incredibly talented local musicians. Doug Duffey has traveled far and wide but is true to his Louisiana Delta roots. His talent has garnered him international success, several critically acclaimed CD’s and spots in the Louisiana and National Blues Halls of Fame. Joining him today is Dan Sumner, an internationally acclaimed guitarist, producer, and music educator based in Monroe. These seasoned performers are the musical personification of Memphis soul, Delta blues, and New Orleans rhythm and blues. They bring all that and more to wrap up our Fall 2024 Series and launch us into the holiday season!
For more information, call the Arts Council office at 397.6717 or 397.6754. In case of rain, we will move indoors to the old Palace Department Store, next to the park. Visit the Arts Council online at www.nelaarts.com, find us on Facebook or Instagram @region8arts!
About the Northeast Louisiana Arts Council
The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council nurtures a vibrant regional arts culture through support, promotion, and education. The Northeast Louisiana Arts Council strives to be a transformative force for the community by encouraging a passion for the arts, promoting partnerships and collaboration, and ensuring access to the arts for all. Activities of the Arts Council are supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council. Additional support and funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, city of Monroe, and city of West Monroe.
