March 2023 Circle Centre Series Performances
Free Live Local Music!
Have you checked out our weekly Circle Centre Series yet?
Musical Family Tree has a public performance space on the 3rd floor at the Circle Centre Mall (in the food pavilion) where we host live local music every week. We are excited about this opportunity to connect new audiences with live local talent.
Indiana musicians come prepared every week to play two hours of their all-original music.
Get Dinner and Enjoy a Free Concert!
The Circle Centre Series is a special treat for mall shoppers passing by but has also become an important community event. Several supporters and music lovers come to listen each week. It is a great opportunity to grab dinner in the food pavilion and come listen to the free show. There is plenty of comfy seating, tables, and space to spread out. Bring your family and friends and remember it is EVERY Tuesday!
CHECK OUT THESE GREAT ARTISTS WHO PERFORMED IN March!
Stuart Poe
The first artist featured in March was Stuart Poe from Greenfield, IN. He’s a seasoned singer-songwriter who plays guitar and dobro. Stuart plays open mics and songwriter circles throughout the city. He has also played with several different bands. One of those bands is the Punkin Holler Boys who regularly perform at the Hillbilly Happy Hour at Melody Inn.
For his Circle Centre Series performance, he played solo. And in addition to our regular attendees and mall passers-by, many of his friends and family came out to see him play this live solo set. It was exciting to see how many people gathered when they heard the dobro. It seemed to be an instrument many folks had not heard before. They were interested to see and hear this new sound.
Generally, Stuart is a quiet, laid-back guy. When I asked Stuart Poe if there was anything he wanted to share about his music. Here’s what he said:
“I have always been fine with calling whatever I am trying to do folk music over any other label. I have never put any of my solo stuff online anywhere but I think I will this year. So far it has required effort - you had either see me play it or I've given you a cd and you had to go to Goodwill and buy a cd player to hear it. So there - that’s more about my songs than I've ever said anywhere!”
O2R Band
The next band to play on March 14th at Musical Family Tree’s Circle Centre Series was OTR. Having formed over 25 years ago, it’s hard to find a musician in Bloomington, Indiana that hasn’t sat in or played with O2R. Last August, O2R performed at the historic Bill Monroe Music Park for the “2022 Southern Indiana Blues Festival. O2R regularly hosts the Tuesday Night Blues Jam with the “Bloomington Blues Group.”
O2R wants its audience to be musical pals who get into it. The blues band O2R includes leader Lee Van Buskirk on guitar, the reverend Ken Grooms on bass, Michele Brentano on keys, Spence Taylor on drums, and Zain Mackey on vocals.
Sean Imboden Trio
On March 21st, the Indianapolis Jazz trio The Sean Imboden trio played. This group has a following of jazz fans and students alike.
The Sean Imboden Trio has been doing some recording sessions and Sean Imboden also leads a big band. The Sean Imboden big band played a sold-out show at the Jazz Kitchen earlier in March. Sean is hoping to get his big band into the studio within the next year. The Sean Imboden Trio is Sean Imboden on saxophone, Jesse Whittman on bass, and Joel Tucker on guitar.
These three talented jazz musicians perform with several groups. Guitarist Joel Tucker along with his brother Nick Tucker on bass have their band The Tucker Brothers who perform weekly at the Chatterbox jazz club.
Steve Fulton
The last March performer at the Musical Family Tree Circle Center Series in March was on the 28th. Local singer-songwriter Steve Fulton is an Indianapolis-based artist who is constantly playing gigs all over the midwest and keeps a very full gig schedule.
Steve had a fun time playing music at the Circle Centre Mall. He has a silly sense of humor. Musicians who play are facing the elevators. As people would come and go on the elevators, he would mildly heckle them and encouragethem to come over to our area sit and listen. At one point during the set, a small child went to the front and started dancing. Steve asked the child his name and made up a song for him right on the spot. How cute! It made for a fun evening and his audience banter was very entertaining!
He plays with and collaborates with many other local musicians too. One of the popular bands he plays with is Lisa Frank and the Trapper Keepers who play 90’s rock music. Several of his songs were recorded by Tom Daughtery from The Elms and The Band Perry.
Listen Local!
On Thursday, March 16 at 7pm, all of these artists were featured on our weekly radio show MFT on WQRT. This episode is hosted by board member and local community arts promoter Kati Loreen Taylor.
Listen to this episode and you will also hear tunes selected by Grant McClintock including Angel Jenae, Connoisseur Sauce, and J. C. Clements Band.
If you love live, local music, you will want to check out the Musical Family Tree Circle Centre Series in the MFT Lounge on the 3rd floor at the Circle Centre Mall in the dining pavilion. We are hosting a free concert every Tuesday from 5-7pm and everyone is welcome!