A chronicle of the Upstate South Carolina music community and beyond
By DAN ARMONAITIS The last two years have been unusual, to say the least. Between the global pandemic that turned the world upside down and political divisions that seemed to widen to unprecedented levels during the most recent U.S. election cycle, it’s as if society has been living through a Read More
By DAN ARMONAITIS As Randy Foster left the stage following his “There Goes the Neighborhood” album release concert at the Chapman Cultural Center in Spartanburg last February, he did so in a typically unassuming manner. “When it was over, I was just focused on packing up my gear,” the Hub Read More
On Monday, Jan. 6, which would have been the 96th birthday of the most consequential banjo player of all-time — Shelby, N.C., native Earl Scruggs, who died in 2012 — the Spartanburg Philharmonic announced a month-long series of educational and music-inspired activities designed to highlight the rich cultural history and Read More
By DAN ARMONAITIS As I started the new year, I couldn’t help but take inventory of what has happened with TheMusicAdvocate.com in the short period since the site launched on Oct. 23, 2019. While having a morning cup of coffee, I looked back at the statistics for the site and Read More
Still haven’t picked up a Christmas gift for that music lover in your life? What better way to say ’tis the season than with tickets to an upcoming concert. Here’s a list of five recommended shows happening within the 864 area code during the first few weeks of 2020 for Read More
The Greenville Symphony Orchestra will present its annual “Holiday at Peace” pops concert this weekend at the Peace Center, 300 S. Main St., Greenville. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22. Internationally-renowned vocal duo, Diane Penning and Paul Read More
The Spartanburg Philharmonic will present “The Snowman and Other Holiday Favorites” this weekend at the Chapman Cultural Center, 200 E. St. John St., Spartanburg. The family-friendly, one-hour concert will be presented at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. Each show will feature such holiday Read More
By DAN ARMONAITIS The Becky Buller Band will perform Friday, Dec. 13 at the Chapman Cultural Center as part of the Bluegrass Spartanburg series presented by the Spartanburg Philharmonic. But, first, its leader and namesake has some business to take care of in Nashville. Buller is a member of the Read More
By DAN ARMONAITIS The Spartanburg Philharmonic is gearing up this week for a small ensemble concert that will be “locally sourced.” As part of its popular Espresso series, the Philharmonic will present “Homegrown,” a one-hour showcase of works by classical composers past and present who have called the Hub City Read More
By DAN ARMONAITIS When Nashville-based singer-songwriter Marshall Chapman returns to her native Spartanburg for a performance on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at the Chapman Cultural Center, she’ll be joined on stage by fellow singer-songwriter Matraca Berg and a pair of New York Times best-selling authors, Jill McCorkle and Lee Smith. The Read More