Tune in for an engaging conversation between our host, Allen Woody, and the newly appointed Director of The Momentary, Jill Wagar.
In this episode, Wagar reflects on a sensational year of music at the Momentary, spotlighting unforgettable performances by Wu Tang Clan, Brothers Osborne, Wilco, and more.
Then, get a sneak peek at some thrilling new developments coming to the venue toward the end of this year and in 2024, including a House Party on November 18, unveiling a vibrant new interior design and a new visual exhibition. Wagar also hints at a new winter music series, an expanded roster of acts for the 2024 Live on the Green Concert Series, upcoming music festivals and more.
Listen in, and start planning your 2024 trip to Bentonville!
Visit theMomentary.org to purchase concert and festival tickets in advance.
Tune in for an engaging conversation between our host, Allen Woody, and the newly appointed Director of The Momentary, Jill Wagar.
In this episode, Wagar reflects on a sensational year of music at the Momentary, spotlighting unforgettable performances by Wu Tang Clan, Brothers Osborne, Wilco, and more.
Then, get a sneak peek at some thrilling new developments coming to the venue toward the end of this year and in 2024, including a House Party on November 18, unveiling a vibrant new interior design and a new visual exhibition. Wagar also hints at a new winter music series, an expanded roster of acts for the 2024 Live on the Green Concert Series, upcoming music festivals and more.
Listen in, and start planning your 2024 trip to Bentonville!
Visit theMomentary.org to purchase concert and festival tickets in advance.
Welcome to Visit Bentonville's podcast A New American Town. As always, we're coming to you from Hachston Road Studios off the bustling Bentonville Square. I'm your host, alan Woody, joining me in studio. Today we have Jill Weger recently appointed director of the momentary. Well, congratulations on that. Really, really cool promotion.
Speaker 2:Thank you, alan, and it's good to be talking to a neighbor here in Bentonville.
Speaker 1:Yes, ma'am, Now tell me a little bit about where you come from and where you're going, because it's kind of awesome.
Speaker 2:That's terrific. I'm happy to do that. I joined the Crystal Bridges team in 2011 and have been working most recently as deputy director of Crystal Bridges, and just last week was asked to step into the role of the director of the momentary, and I couldn't be more excited. It is an amazing facility, just across town from our sister institution.
Speaker 1:And you guys have done some amazing events in 2023. Now, I know you were with Crystal Bridges at the time, but would you be able to recap some of the things that we saw this year? Because I mean incredible stuff, all the way from Wu Tang Clan and more.
Speaker 2:Crystal Bridges and the momentaries one organization. So I'm happy to talk about it. I've been here and present for all of it. We started out our live on the green series, outdoor concert series with the roots, with quest love. That was amazing. And then we ended it with Wu Tang Clan. It was a very loud concert but really had an amazing engagement from our community. And all in between we had other artists like brothers Osborne.
Speaker 1:Which is one of my favorite live acts ever. Like they are amazing, brothers Osborne.
Speaker 2:Did you come?
Speaker 1:I was not able to. I have seen them several times. Of course, I used to host a morning show on Kicks 104. So I definitely have run into TJ and John and I'm a huge fan.
Speaker 2:That's fantastic. One of the other things the momentary does really well is we serve as a platform for our community, having others come in and have amazing events here, and our forum has been doing the Northwest Arkansas fashion show here in the momentary format. Festival was in September and, of course, one of momentary signature events is Fresh Grass, which is our grassroots festival that is very popular among our community.
Speaker 1:That sounds really awesome. What kind of bands and music is that involved? Just all roots music?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is. So we've just announced our dates for 2024 May 17th and 18th, and Jason Isbell is headlining Fresh Grass, along with a lot of other really wonderful musicians. The tickets are live and anyone can buy them now.
Speaker 1:Well, since you broke the threshold, tell me more about 2024.
Speaker 2:Oh, threshold, we're so excited. We are doubling down on our music at the momentary in 2024. Just last year we had six live on the green concerts and you can expect 12 next year, but we're not telling you who that is quite yet. But for the first time ever, we've started an indoor winter music series in the Road House the Road House series and we have 14 amazing artists that are coming up that you'll enjoy. So I'm going to Alan, we're going to play a little quiz here.
Speaker 1:Okay, I love that.
Speaker 2:What is your favorite genre of music for a live concert?
Speaker 1:That's hard because I love country. I came up in country, I love country, music shows and country to me has like five genres in it. I also absolutely love heavy metal, classic rock and I, oddly enough, enjoy classical music and jazz. So I have a pretty wide, wide palette, grab your.
Speaker 2:okay, everyone grab your pencils. So on January 27th, alan, you need to be here at the momentary for Junior Brown.
Speaker 1:Nice In the Road.
Speaker 2:House, classic country, classic country. It's going to be really exciting and if you're into the New Orleans Jazz Ensembles, astral Project the night before on January 26th is your place to be, and we have so many other genres from electronic dance music.
Speaker 1:EDM is really cool.
Speaker 2:It is. It's really cool. You should. Momentus is coming in March, which is a an entire electronic dance festival, a music festival here at the momentary.
Speaker 1:Very cool, and that's so there are.
Speaker 2:there are so many things that are happening that you're not going to want to miss. We actually we also have some um, um his sp, some Spanish speaking singers come into the momentary, so, um, we know that that's going to be popular in our community.
Speaker 1:Very, very cool Now, as the new director, which is really really cool, you got to be really looking forward to a very busy 2024.
Speaker 2:We are. So we've actually been. We've been really busy this summer, um, and just through this fall, gearing up with a new look for the momentary. So we have refreshed our spaces. So if you haven't been here a while, if you haven't been here, you have to come. We've added a lot of color to our spaces.
Speaker 2:As you might remember, alan, we are a former craft cheese plant and we have an a very industrial look here inside the momentary. We decided to add some extra splashes of color. So if you come into our lobby and into our store, you are not going to really recognize the space as you did before. Um, we um are um having um this actually this weekend. We are having a house party all day um on November 18th and we have things going on all across this space and it's really to reintroduce the community to the momentary, because we've changed and we've got a lot of new things coming. So, um, if you're around town this um tomorrow on November 18th, come by the momentary. We have a wine and beer garden. We have dance parties all day long, a brand new visual arts exhibition that is the most gorgeous, vibrant photography of the Amazon that you have ever seen, and so much more.
Speaker 1:Very very cool. Now is that what is the one thing you're most excited about this weekend's event?
Speaker 2:Well, it's the first day of the new visual arts exhibition, so so there is a one thing. That's. I mean, there's not one thing. But yeah, you have to come by, and you have to come by and decide for yourself.
Speaker 1:That's totally fair and I'm absolutely looking forward to it. So we will see you out there this weekend and then so many things coming in 2024. You've, oh, and you told me about it. You told me about a couple of things, but that was all in January, so we're really looking forward to a big year at the momentary.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. We have, um, we have so many wonderful food programs through our taste maker series and we have incredible live arts performances there is. There's so much to do at the momentary, or just to come by and hang out in our Onyx coffee lab and it's just your place to be placed to do whatever you'd like to do.
Speaker 1:That's what I really kind of recommend. Obviously you want to come see a show there because it is a beautiful vibey place. It's really cool. I actually love the industrial setting out there. But to just cause you could just drive by and get a little sense of it and then to go into Onyx there, enjoy a cup of Joe and really get a feel for it. You'll get very excited about the shows that appeal to you.
Speaker 2:That's. That is absolutely right. I would say there's always something happening here. Be a member, be the first to be able to hear about the shows that are coming, get discounts on tickets and just come by and see us.
Speaker 1:Where do I find stuff like a schedule on the on the web? Do you have a website? Of course we do the momentaryorg.
Speaker 2:It was a dumb question the momentaryorg.
Speaker 1:The momentaryorg.
Speaker 2:Okay, very good, and will I?
Speaker 1:when will I be able to know a little bit more about your 2024 lineup? You just keep watching for the big announcement.
Speaker 2:Ah, you're going to be cagey.
Speaker 1:We build up the suspense.
Speaker 2:All right, well, I just thought I'd get an inside.
Speaker 1:you know, it's just between us. Oh, yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, All right Well thank you, jill.
Speaker 1:I really appreciate your time today. Thanks to everyone listening. Remember you can catch all of the new American town podcast episodes on streaming channels, following our social platforms or going to visit Bentonvillecom. Don't forget to follow visit Bentonville on Facebook, instagram, twitter, linkedin, youtube and Tik Tok. We've got tons of exciting events coming to Bentonville in 2023. Check out our event calendar and plan your trip today, and might want to plan a trip around the momentary schedules. Thanks for tuning in. Thanks for tuning in. We're going to see you next time.