Jimmy Buffett shocked diners at his sister’s restaurant in Alabama on Wednesday (30Jun10) by holding a surprise free gig at the venue, a day before his cancelled oil benefit show was due to take place.
The veteran musician and his Coral Reefer Band, along with Kenny Chesney, Sonny Landreth, the Zac Brown Band, Jesse Winchester and Allen Toussaint, were set to perform on the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama on Thursday (01Jul10).
The gig has been pushed back by 10 days, to 11 July (10), amid fears Hurricane Alex will cause high tides and rough waves which could destabilise the beach-front stage.
But Buffett managed to please some fans by hosting an impromptu gig at Lulu’s restaurant in the coastal city and singing a string of his hits.
The singer kept the concert relatively secret in a bid to keep crowds to a minimum – but more revellers turned up at the eaterie as news of the show spread.
Following his set, Buffett thanked onlookers for turning up despite the oil spill, which has blighted the area since a BP oil rig ruptured in April (10).
He said, “Thank you for coming anyway.”
Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft says, “This is great. We have needed a boost so badly, and this really helps. I found out about it yesterday. They had to keep it sort of quiet so there wouldn’t be too large of a crowd.”
