Arts in the Ballpark

Iconic Songs of the '70s

Grab your bell bottoms and come out to the Orioles' Ed Smith Stadium for a night of music from a time when "catch you on the flip side" referred to vinyl records. Sarasota Orchestra backs the powerful vocals of Nashville-based duo Swearingen & Kelli, who faithfully recreate the magic of '70s singer-songwriters such as James Taylor, Carole King, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, and more.

The hits kept on coming as Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe partnered with the Orioles to present the '70s Soul Party. The event featured WBTT's Soul Crooners and sizzling band performing nearly two hours of music -- featuring the chart-topping soul hits of the 1970s -- under the direction of WBTT Founder and Artistic Director Nate Jacobs. The Crooners knocked '70s favorites out of the park, with selections including "Superstition," "Let's Get It On," "I Want You Back," "Brick House," "September," and many, many more. The concert concluded with a dazzling fireworks display.

 The Orchestra's sixth annual concert at the ballpark was a tribute to the role of women in the creation and performance of popular music. It featured classic favorites such as Aretha Franklin's "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman," Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" and Joan Jett's "I Love Rock n' Roll." Guest vocalists also saluted the music of Carole King, Janis Joplin, Minnie Riperton and Heart. Vocalists included Grammy-nominated Cassidy Catanzaro, The Voice contestant Katrina Rose, and Broadway and jazz vocalist Shayna Steele. A spectacular fireworks display closed out an evening of hits and home runs. 

Broadway stars Deedee Magno Hall and Cliffton Hall headlined as the musicians of the Sarasota Orchestra played a wide range of audience favorites from a stage on the outfield grass. Performances ended with a fireworks display.

The Orioles presented a special end-of-season charity concert featuring the award-winning country duo LOCASH to benefit the Sarasota Academy of the Arts Musical Theater Program.

The Orioles' third annual "Nashville's Music Row Comes to the Ballpark" weekend brought Orioles athletes and country music artists together to benefit local Sarasota and Nashville charities in support of young women and the arts.

Winning Pops selections, vocals by fan favorites, and a spectacular fireworks display all contributed to an unforgettable evening at the ballpark.

The Sarasota Orchestra brought exciting live music to the Orioles' Ed Smith Stadium for the third-annual outdoor Pops. The concert, called Triple Play, covered the bases in three genres -- jazz, rock 'n' roll and Broadway. A tribute to American Divas, the vocalists who performed with the Sarasota Orchestra included Carol McCartney, Amy Whitcomb and Maria Wirries.

The Jazz Club of Sarasota and the Orioles teamed up for the first time to bring live, big band jazz to the Left Field Pavilion at Ed Smith Stadium on April 9. The event featured "The Music of Sinatra and Friends" with vocalists Lisanne Lyons and George McLain.

For the second year in a row, the Baltimore Orioles hosted the Sarasota Orchestra in a sold-out pops performance on the diamond at Ed Smith Stadium. The "Orchestra in the Outfield" program on May 9 paid tribute to a variety of American idols and featured a vocal performance by American Idol finalist Syesha Mercado, who was raised in the Sarasota area.

The Sarasota Orchestra's 65th season culminated in this family-friendly outdoor Pops concert, featuring guest artist Molly Cherryholmes, a five time Grammy-nominated violinist, vocalist and songwriter. The orchestra performed a narrated, musical version of Casey at the Bat and the thrilling Roundball Rock, Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas, John Williams' Star Wars, and Bernstein's West Side Story. A spectacular fireworks display followed the concert and brought down the house.

A day of free activities designed for the whole family to honor returning military veterans. The festivities began with a ceremony honoring veterans, then attendees enjoyed hands-on activities for the whole family. An exhibition softball game took place on the Ed Smith Stadium main field featuring local veterans squaring off against Sarasota celebrities. Free concerts by Grammy Award-winning "America" and New York-based singer-songwriter Margaret Valentine from the Ed Smith Stadium field capped off the day.

In a first for Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium, the Orioles presented world-class skaters in "Ice on the Diamond - A Holiday Celebration," a dazzling, holiday-themed show on a specially engineered ice stage on the ballpark's main field. The stadium was decked out for the holidays, creating a festive backdrop to this family-friendly event featuring top skaters and comedic actors who have performed for audiences around the world.