Coming to Birmingham for the first time, Anything But Ordinary Fest combines indie musicians and local artists

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Birmingham’s busy month of activities — Pride Festivities, MLB at Rickwood — continues Friday with Anything But Ordinary Fest, also known as ABOFest at WorkPlay, from 7 to 11 p.m.

The festival in collaboration with Sloss Tech – coming to Birmingham for the first time – aims to be a catalyst for community engagement and cultural celebration, with a focus on indie musicians and local art.

The shows will take place on two stages – the Main Theater Stage and the Cantina Stage – with a line-up that includes Domani, the son of legendary rapper TI, and Nickelus F, known not only for his solo work, but also for his collaborations with major artists and the contribution to. to some of Drake’s early hits.

The inspiration for the festival came last year after the success of “Something In The Water,” a three-day music festival based in Virginia headlined by music superstar Pharrell Williams.

“So last year we did a festival … and we put 50 different artists from Virginia on stage. We wanted to evolve, separate and build the brand ourselves,” said Will Keck, one of the organizers and owner of theMSQshop, a Virginia group launched in 2021 specializing in creative project management, branding, graphic design, videography and events. ​

Keck said he kept asking, “How do we make (the festival) more impactful? How do we make it more community driven and how do we combine the best of Indian and local talent with national talent? That’s where we are now, and this is just part of our long-term plan to grow it even further.”

The festival will have a twist thanks to the multi-talented Carey Fountain, creator of Vibes and Virtue, an interactive conversational puzzle game for families, date night couples and guests.

Upon entry, participants will receive a puzzle piece book and tokens. Throughout the evening, they will interact with fellow contestants to guess their answers to questions, earning puzzle pieces along the way. Those who successfully complete their puzzle pieces and help reveal the final image can earn up to $100 in credits redeemable at the Vibes & Virtues store. This encourages festival goers to connect, explore and immerse themselves in conversation, enhancing the overall festival experience.

ABOFest will celebrate the city’s creative spirit and highlight local talent to enrich Birmingham’s cultural landscape. Performers include Gina Tollese, DJ New Era, Chaz French and more.

For tickets, visit seetickets.us/abofest and follow the ABO event page on Facebook for regular updates and exclusive content.