“PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Panama City POPS Orchestra conductor, David Ott, and POPS bassist and former member of The Allman Brothers Band, David Goldflies, joined us in studio to talk about their upcoming concert.”
Read the whole story at wjhg.com
Join The Panama City POPS Orchestra for a joyous evening of your favorite holiday music at the Orchestra’s temporary home, Gretchen Nelson Scott Fine Arts Center, 501 Mosley Drive, Lynn Haven, FL 32444.
ADMISSION is FREE
Limited seating. You must have a ticket to attend.
Free tickets available Saturday, Dec. 8 – Saturday, Dec. 15, 10:00am – 4:00pm at Panama City Center for the Arts, 19 East 4th St, Downtown Panama City (closed Sunday, Dec. 9).
This concert was cancelled due to Hurricane Michael.
The POPS meets Southern Rock’n’Blues on stage for a rousing night in SweetBay’s beautiful Academy Square Park!
October 13, 2018 | 6:00 PM | FREE
Founders Pavilion, 1980 Discovery Loop, Panama City, FL
On the eve of the Panama City POPS Orchestra’s 23rd season premiere at the Marina Civic Center, the Orchestra takes to the road for a night of southern rock and roll with The Allman Goldflies Band.
“The Allman Goldflies Band Goes POPS” is SweetBay’s one and only autumn night concert, Saturday, October 13, 6:00pm on the Founders Stage. Admission is free and open to the public.
Lovers of both classical and southern rock are encouraged to attend. The orchestra will open the night with a newly arranged “Star Spangled Banner,” “The William Tell Overture,” and the “Ritual Fire Dance.” The Allman Goldflies Band will then join them for a night of straight-up rock and blues.
David Ott, renowned Panama City POPS conductor and composer, has written orchestral scores for much of the Allman Goldflies Band’s acclaimed debut album, “Second Chance,” featuring original songs by Gary Allman, David Goldflies and Cindy Menfi.
Classically trained and having composed for almost every imaginable genre of music, Ott found this project refreshing and rewarding. “Arranging for rock music did present a new challenge,” Ott states, “however, David Goldflies, one of rock music’s most admired players, explained the elements of rock music in detail, offering many helpful hints along the way. His critique was always supportive. I attempted to incorporate everything he suggested.
“As a result, this music reflects a 60/40 split between the Band and the Orchestra. The Band carries the load, but the Orchestra delivers substantial work and plenty of content. With these arrangements, I’ve added orchestral introductions, short interludes for the orchestra and occasional responses back and forth between Band and Orchestra. The Orchestra acts as a true accompaniment to the Band.”
The experience is a new one for Allman and Goldflies, too. Gary Allman, AGB’s vocalist/keyboardist, continues to carry the blues and rock heritage of his famous musical family exemplified by the late Duane and Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band.
David Goldflies, the critically-acclaimed bassist, is a former member of the Allman Brothers Band (1979-1984) and has been a member of the Panama City POPS Orchestra for over twelve years, serving as its principal bassist. He produced AGB’s “Second Chance.”
The band’s winning sound is a mix of southern rock and modern blues driven by Allman’s raspy, blues-man voice and Goldflies’ intricate bass playing. Their songs clearly demonstrate that Allman has inherited the skills that made his cousins legendary, anchored by the unique perspective of Goldflies.
“Working with one of the greatest American living composers has been a fascinating process,” states Goldflies of Ott. “The orchestrations that he created in response to the scores we provided him evolved after numerous dialogues about the nature of symphonic and rock music, eventually creating the best music we could for each song. That collaboration allowed the AGB to really do what it does best – rock out and blend seamlessly into the sound created by the Panama City POPS.”
“I write from the heart,” observes Allman,“be it blues, country rock or country blues. David (Goldflies) writes funkier upbeat stuff. I think we complement each other that way.” The proof is in the ten tracks on their new album, released earlier this year and gaining critical praise across the industry trades.
SweetBay is Panama City’s master-planned, bayfront village immersed in healthy living, higher learning, natural beauty and community connection, designed to inspire natural and relaxed living with a dash of Southern charm. Take 23rd Street to Lisenby Avenue. Follow Lisenby Avenue straight into the community and park area. GPS address:
3204 Heartleaf Avenue East, Panama City, 32401. Facebook.com/SweetBayFL.
Admission and parking are free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at each show. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged, and visitors are urged to arrive early for good seating.
Now celebrating its 23rd season, The Panama City POPS Orchestra performs its regular season concerts at the Marina Civic Center. The regular season premieres Saturday, October 20 with “Music of the Night.” Tickets for 2018-2019 are currently on sale at www.marinaciviccenter.com.