Any HOD folks in AL?

[bensdrums]

HOD-

My wife and I are on our way to Alabama due to a work related (read: forced) move. We'll be there for at least a few years. Looking for any of you that might know some good places to go to get a start getting into the music scene in the Birmingham/Montgomery areas, as well as any good teachers, players, and music stores in the area. Any help you guys can give is, as always, vastly appreciated.

[Clint Hopkins]

I used to work in downtown Birmingham and live just a few miles south. Unfortunately the local scene is pretty dead in B'ham and worse in Montgomery. There is one sort of dedicated drum shop (it's a drum shop/music school) that caters mainly to beginners. WorkPlay owned by VJ Alan Hunter is a pretty decent venue to catch some regional talent. The Alys Stephens Center is a nice venue to catch bigger acts. (Saw Herbie with Vinnie a few weeks ago there.) Big Rock or Country acts play at the Verizon Amphitheater or Birmingham Civic Center. To see the good stuff you have to go north to Nashville where I've seen Carlock a few times, or east to Atlanta where I've caught Gavin and PT. Nashville has Fork's Drum Closet and Atlanta has Atlanta Pro Percussion. Great shops both.

[bensdrums]

Thanks Clint! I wondered if I'd have to go to Atlanta or Nashville to find a good drum shop... sounds like that's the case. That's okay, though, Atlanta's less than a couple hours from where I'll be at... I'm okay with a drive once or twice a month for a great shop. I'll be back and forth between Birmingham and Montgomery quite a bit so if a good show comes through maybe we can link up to check it out (especially if it's Vinnie with Herbie... damn, that must have been awesome!). Thanks again!

[Clint Hopkins]

Thanks Clint! I wondered if I'd have to go to Atlanta or Nashville to find a good drum shop... sounds like that's the case. That's okay, though, Atlanta's less than a couple hours from where I'll be at... I'm okay with a drive once or twice a month for a great shop. I'll be back and forth between Birmingham and Montgomery quite a bit so if a good show comes through maybe we can link up to check it out (especially if it's Vinnie with Herbie... damn, that must have been awesome!). Thanks again!

I'd love nothing better. We live close to the interstate south of Birmingham and I'm very familiar with both Birmingham and Montgomery if you need help getting around. (It's not difficult) Would love to hook up sometime. Stay in touch.