As part of an ongoing concert series, a neo-folk rock band from Montreal, Canada, and Kentucky will perform at the Historic Thomas Center today at 7 p.m.
HuDost, which has about 4,400 likes on Facebook as of press time, has played in festivals such as Bonnaroo and the Islands Folk Fest in Vancouver, according to the group’s website.
The Jewel Box series was named after its collection of artists, who are a treasure to the music industry, said Joseph Saccocci, the vice president of Shakerag Culture Center. Saccocci, a promoter and fan of the band, said HuDost changes the atmosphere of the rooms it plays in.
The band is known to “weave a seamless tapestry of sound that renders tears and laughter in listeners, cultivating that nameless longing that abides somewhere in all our hearts,” according to a press release. Mayor Ed Braddy awarded Saccocci, who organized the Jewel Box series, the Individual Arts Award for his nonprofit work at Shakerag.
There will be at least 10 more concerts before the year’s end, he said.
Future shows include artists such as Bobby Whitlock, who has worked with artists like George Harrison, John Lennon and Eric Clapton, Saccocci said.
The Shakerag Culture Center is collaborating with the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department to bring the musicians, said Russell Etling, the City of Gainesville cultural affairs manager.
“Experiencing it once will make a believer of you,” he said.
Etling said the community will hear both beloved and new genres of music, college students included.
“You’ll find that the artists we are presenting are great for every age bracket,” he said.
Tickets are $20 at the door. The cost of putting on the event, including paying the artists, is covered by ticket sales, Etling said. Doors open at 6 p.m. at the Historic Thomas Center, located at 302 NE Sixth Ave.
@MollyIDonovan
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