Former Mountain Brook residents co-lining concert at Saturn

The names of performers who have taken to Saturn’s stage in Avondale are ever-growing, and on Aug. 25 the list will gain two Mountain Brook natives: Sarah Simmons and Jason Kloess.

In recent years, Simmons was top seven of season four of The Voice. Simmons also attended Visible Music College, where she met her husband and guitarist, Greg Langston, who she eventually went on tour with and has been working with on new music, music videos and producing music for film and T.V. 

“It’s been an amazing journey,” she said. “Obviously, I’ve learned so much from so many different crazy experiences … I’m really excited to play back home.”

Even though she performed in Birmingham while growing up, Simmons, who now lives in Memphis, said she hasn’t had a chance to return. “I’ve been wanting to play in my hometown for a long time. We just hadn’t gotten around to it,” she said. After asking her brother what’s the “hip bar to play at,” they booked Saturn and reached out to The Roosevelts, who Kloess plays guitar for.

The Roosevelts last played in Birmingham about a year ago. They also performed at Austin City Limits this year and have been on a nationwide tour since the beginning of May. Birmingham will be their last stop.

Kloess said he and the rest of the band were excited when Simmons approached them about co-lining the show.

“Birmingham is … it’s my hometown, it’s where I grew up,” he said, adding that they’ve never had a chance to play at Saturn before, despite hearing great things about the venue. “It’ll be fun to get over there and run across the street to Avondale [Brewery] and drink some beer and run back and play a show.”

Simmons said, too, that the music scene in Birmingham has seen exponential growth. 

“I’m really proud of Birmingham; I’m really proud that’s where I’m from,” she said. “It’s a small world, but at the same time, I feel like Alabama, and Birmingham especially, really wants to help each other grow. It was really small before with the music scene, and now it’s massive.”

Kloess and Simmons are family friends, and Kloess said his family has talked about how they should do a show together for a few years.

“This one finally worked out, so we’re excited,” he said. “It’s gonna be a fun show.”

Simmons described her music as alt rock or rock n’ roll with some soul, and said they’re planning on playing music from her current album, “Freedom,” new music, some covers and songs with an accompanying horn section.

Kloess said The Roosevelts, whose genre is more Americana rock or indie rock, will have some new music to perform as well.

“Our shows are always pretty lively and really fun,” he said. “If we can get people moving and dancing and singing along, we feel like we did our job.”

“I want [the audience] to hear the real rock talent of everybody,” Simmons said, emphasizing experiencing the feeling of the music. “It’s gonna be really fun.”

Doors for the concert open at 8 p.m. with the show starting at 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $12 each here.

To learn more about Simmons and her music, go to sarahsimmonsmusic.com or find her on social media as @sarahsimmonsofficial on Instagram or @sarahsimmusic on Twitter; to learn more about The Roosevelts, go to wearetheroosevelts.com or find them on social media as @theroosevelts on Instagram and Twitter.