Huntsville’s The Orion Amphitheater earlier this week announced that it will hold its opening celebration on the weekend of May 13, 2022, during which the venue will play host to landmark music event, The First Waltz.
The three-day event will feature many well-known music artists who hold strong ties to North Alabama, including Brittany Howard, Drive-by Truckers, Emmylou Harris, Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit, John Paul White, Mavis Staples, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, and Waxahatchee. Additional artists with be announced at a later date.
According to the announcement, the weekend will conclude with special performances conducted by artists from Huntsville’s music community. The performers include: The Aeolians of Oakwood University, Kelvin Wooten & Deqn Sue, Translee and Huntsville Community Drumline.
Something big is coming, Huntsville. ?
Check this?to see the full lineup for The First Waltz, our landmark grand opening weekend coming May 13th – 15th, 2022.
Who are you most excited to see take the stage at The Orion? ???✨ pic.twitter.com/yHYZs0rftZ
— The Orion Amphitheater (@TheOrionAmp) November 16, 2021
Tickets will be available for purchase, with the option to acquire multi-night packages, on The Orion Amphitheater’s website Friday, November 19 at 10:00 a.m.
The First Waltz will be the first of many momentous events which will take place at the venue in 2022. Details regarding future performances will be forthcoming.
Venue Group CEO Ben Lovett indicated that Huntsville’s new event complex will serve as one of the best live performance venues of its kind.
“I can’t believe it’s finally happening,” expressed Lovett. “So many hours of work by so many people to get to this point and we’re just now announcing our first event! This venue will be a significant new addition for the people in and around Huntsville as it serves as a beacon of the community, it will also stand tall amongst the live performance community as one of the best venues in the World.”
He added, “There are artists performing at The First Waltz who have never played in Huntsville before alongside others who have lived and breathed this special region of Northern Alabama their whole lives. I couldn’t be more excited and grateful to both the artists and the City of Huntsville and the people of Huntsville for their sustained commitment and belief in doing something magical here.”
Mayor Tommy Battle outlined what the venue will mean for Alabama’s most populated metropolitan city.
“The Orion Amphitheater will be an impressive quality-of-life addition to complement our thriving arts and entertainment community,” advised Battle. “We anticipate this amazing venue will help attract and recruit new people and ideas to our community from across the Southeast.”
The announcement asserted that the venue, which is adjoined to Huntsville’s up-and-coming MidCity District, “reinvents the concept of a major event space.”
It further noted, “By expanding usage beyond hosting live music, The Orion Amphitheater will provide year-round community programming with seasonal markets, food and film festivals, regional theater productions, environmental symposiums, and family friendly events.”
The venue is designed by a team led by Ben Lovett, Mike Luba and David M. Schwarz Architects, Inc.
The Orion Amphitheater general manager Ryan Murphy stated, “The Orion Amphitheater is an architectural landmark different from others in the city, and together with the elevated hospitality, we are re-setting the tone for Huntsville’s cultural future.”
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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