Local bands to perform on Black Friday at Rose Hall

Rose Hall. (Photo provided by Chris Merkley).

Digger Jones and The Unknown Woodsmen will be performing on Friday, November 29th at Rose Hall, a new music venue located at 19 Church Street in Cortland.

Known as The Unknown Jones when performing together, the local favorites will play separate sets of their original music followed by a set with both bands teaming up to perform songs of the Allman Brothers Band on stage together.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m.

The performance space of Rose Hall features a high cathedral ceiling with majestic wooden beams to create an expansive acoustic atmosphere. On Friday night, the new music hall will be drenched in the stage lights of rock and roll and the sounds of wailing electric guitars and keyboards, soulful harmonies, and the driving rhythms of The Unknown Jones. In recent years, the two bands have joined forces on several occasions to pay tribute to an array of artists that includes the Grateful Dead, The Band, and Neil Young at local venues such as the Center for the Arts of Homer and Seedstock Music Festival. The Unknown Jones collaboration, Eat a Peach, pays tribute to the Allman Brothers Band with select songs from the American rock group’s hit albums “Eat a Peach” and “At Fillmore East”. Friday night marks the first time Digger Jones and The Unknown Woodsmen perform together at Rose Hall.

Rose Hall is located at the intersection of Central Avenue and Church Street in what was formerly a local church and community center. In an effort to preserve the building, McNeil Development Company purchased the building in 2006 with the vision of creating a community venue for events and concerts. The McNeil family has since formed the Dan and Rose McNeil Foundation with the mission of further supporting arts in the Cortland community. Through their dedication and support, the space is beginning to see new life as a venue for the performing arts.

Admission to the show is $10, all ages are welcome, food concessions by M&D Deli will be available, and a beer and wine cash bar will be provided for attendees over 21. In an effort to promote local shopping on Black Friday, attendees who show a receipt bearing merchandise from a local small business will receive a discount on a selection of concessions. Additionally, a portion of proceeds from the night will go to support the Cortland Main Street Music Series.