The Open Bottle's Tunesgiving Helps Feed Over 900 in Huntsville Area November 28, 2018 14:42

Words by Jordan Kirkland: Live & Listen

Photos by Roger Patteson: Type 2 Photography

@type2photography on Instagram

When the concept of Live & Listen was coming to life in 2014, one of our pillars was finding a way to leave a positive impact on the community. What better way to do so than through the power of music? Imagine if everyone in attendance at any show you attend would just donate one dollar at the door. Taking advantage of these social gatherings and finding a way to help others remains one of our core beliefs today.  

With that being said, last Wednesday presented our first opportunity to book and promote an event in Huntsville, Alabama. Our friends at The Open Bottle just recently opened, and their beautiful courtyard proved to be a fantastic option for live music. In the spirit of our annual Funksgiving Music & Food Festival on Black Friday in Montgomery, Wednesday was quickly dubbed as 'Tunesgiving'. The lineup ultimately fell in place with The Stolen Faces, The Pearl, and Them Boys. 

While it was a little colder than we would have liked, we could not have asked for a better night of music. "Them Boys," which is a moniker for another well known Birmingham act, kicked things off with 90-minutes of foot stompin' folk tunes. If you haven't heard this band, please make it a priority. The Pearl would perform next, and they certainly got the crowd moving. This trio brings a unique energy that very few are capable of. Their unique, instrumental spin on Toto's "Rosanna" is always entertaining. The Stolen Faces were the final act of the evening, and this band continues to impress. Touring as a Grateful Dead tribute is no easy task, yet they manage to leave every Deadhead speechless with every performance. 

It's called "Tunesgiving" for a reason, and the beneficiary for this event was local non-profit Manna House. Manna House is the food distribution center for the Huntsville Dream Center, a 501(c)3 public charity. Manna House provides food, clothing hygiene and baby items to individuals and families in need. 

Most of the families they serve are working but cannot fully provide for their family due to chemo, dialysis, or post surgery recovery. Some of the families have experienced job loss or work related injuries. They welcome anyone in need at our main location as well as our 5 distribution sites in the county. Manna House provides fresh produce through our outdoor garden and growing fields as well as our indoor hydroponic garden. 
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We caught up with Manna House Director Fran Fruhler to learn more about the impact of last weeks event:
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"Tunesgiving was amazing. Everyone was so generous. The dinner rolls and tea helped us provide over 900 people with a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. The generous donations will allow us to provide 12,000 baking hens to families for Christmas dinner. We are so grateful for Tunesgiving and all that Jamie, Allen, their team and the community did to help us!"
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We also caught up with Allen Williams, General Manager of The Open Bottle, to hear more about their vision for the multi-purpose business moving forward:
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"The Open Bottle and Liquor Express were extremely proud to host the first Tunesgiving. We had the opportunity to not only provide some great music, but we helped feed people who needed a warm meal during the holidays. Friends and family are very important during this time, and it's our duty to help the less fortunate. It can be very powerful when you collaborate with other homegrown organizations to make an impact in the community. We hope to make this an annual tradition and look at other events in the future."
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See below for a handful of photos via Roger Patteson of  Type 2 Photography, and stay tuned for future announcements on events in the Huntsville area. 
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