We were thrilled to announce today on WTOC a fantastic addition to the Third Annual Midnight Garden Ride. Made possible in part by the generosity of our new presenting sponsor, Michelob Ultra, we proudly announce the return of Ben Sollee to Savannah to headline the 2011 Midnight Garden Ride Concert in Forsyth Park! The free show at the Forsyth Park Band Shell, a joint production of Savannah Bicycle Campaign and Savannah Stopover, will open with Cheyenne Marie Mize at 9pm.
As a reminder to faithful campaigners who witnessed his most recent stop in Savannah, Ben Sollee often tours by bike, and he last joined us here for a show in December of 2009. Video from the ride that preceded the show is below (sort of a mini-version of the Midnight Garden Ride), followed by our press release. You won’t want to miss this night – register today!
bell symphony – Ben Sollee Bike Tour from marty benson on Vimeo.
SAVANNAH — Classically trained pop cellist Ben Sollee and his band will headline a concert at the Forsyth Park Band Shell on Sept. 3 at 9 p.m., following the Savannah Bicycle Campaign’s third annual Midnight Garden Ride. The concert – a co-production of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign (SBC) and Savannah Stopover – is free. Registration is required for the ride, which is the primary fundraiser for the non-profit advocacy organization. A limited number of stage-front VIP seats will be available.
Sollee attracted national attention with his debut album “Learning to Bend” in 2008 and in with his band mates has conducted multiple tours by bicycle, one of which included a stop in Savannah organized by SBC in December 2009. Sollee also performed at the 2008 Savannah Music Festival as part of the Sparrow Quartet, featuring Bela Fleck. His latest recording, “Inclusions,” was released this year and described by Paste magazine as “exploring post-modern jazz one minute and simple folk the next, with gospel themes running up the spine. It’s a surprising and rewarding journey…”
Cheyenne Marie Mize will open the show. Mize has collaborated with Sollee in the past and will be familiar to local audiences from her performance at the 2011 Savannah Stopover Festival. Her latest recording, “Before Lately,” was released on SonaBLAST records in 2010.
“The Midnight Garden Ride has grown in size and energy every year. Expanding it to include live music from notable performers is particularly exciting for us,” said Savannah Bicycle Campaign Chairman Drew Wade. “We are grateful for the support of many wonderful sponsors, and in particular our presenting sponsor Michelob Ultra. We invite everyone to join us on the ride and for the concert in Forsyth Park.”
The Midnight Garden Ride is a casual, police-escorted ride that winds through some of Savannah’s most historic and beautiful neighborhoods. Registration is required, as are lights and helmets. The event also includes a costume contest, raffle, food and beverages. All proceeds benefit SBC, which is dedicated to making Savannah better through bicycling.
For more information visit http://midnightgardenride.com, http://bensollee.com and http://shinyplaces.com
100% chance of awesome.
Third Annual Midnight Garden Ride
As if that weren’t enough, follow it up with a sneak partial preview of the Midnight Garden Ride route as we mosey to our third Tuesday Bike 2 Beer, this month at Blue Turtle Bistro on Paulsen Street. We should arrive around 7pm for Bike 2 Beer if you can’t join us for the ride from Savannah Arts at 6pm.
