Thursday, August 23, 2012, 5:00 PM
SummerStage
East River Park Amphitheatre
New York, NY
FREE!
Two Boots, born on the Lower East Side in 1987, is co-presenting this FREE concert as the centerpiece of its yearlong celebration of a quarter century as NYC’s pizza pioneers. The event kicks off at 5:00 PM in the East River Park Amphitheatre for a full evening of food, music, art, aerialists and poetry. Two Boots will be providing concessions during select events at East River Park. In addition to their unique, cornmeal-crusted, Cajun-Italian style pizzas, they will also be offering an assortment of delicious craft brews from breweries across the country.
The day will be hosted and MC’ed by comedian/actor Luis Guzman!
With a headline performance from the highly energetic African pop band Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars and supporting sets from emerging talents Mamarazzi, Odetta Hartman, Himalayas and The Whiskeyhickon Boys, the show is an integral part of the SummerStage season. With performance groups including Lady Circus and the Magic Beans, live painting by Free Art Society and 4Heads Art Collective, poetry from the Nuyorican Poet’s Café and the City Lore/Bowery Poetry Club’s POEMmobile, along with the Homespun Mini-Merry-Go-Round, the evening is bound to be a fun filled extravaganza with something to suit everyone’s taste.
Since its inception in 1987, Two Boots has worked to support its local Lower East Side community, and the neighborhood will be well represented by the Lower Eastside Girls Club, the Lower East Side Ecology Center and Time’s Up. Free samples of Two Boots’ two most popular pizzas for the last 25 years will be available — The Newman and Larry Tate, plus beer from Smutty Nose & Louisiana’s Abita Brewery, and Two Boots’ favorite sparkling drink, Fizzy Lizzy.
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have risen like a phoenix out of the ashes of war and enflamed the passions of fans across the globe with their uplifting songs of hope, faith and joy. The band is a potent example of the redeeming power of music and the ability of the human spirit to persevere through unimaginable hardship and emerge with optimism intact. From their humble beginnings in West African refugee camps Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and matured into one of Africa’s top touring and recording bands. http://www.sierraleonesrefugeeallstars.com
Like a ripe grapefruit, Mamarazzi is that sweet, jarring and just-right combo of unlikely elements: tart funk, acidic groove and nectar of ancient lullaby. Spanning hip-hop and African grooves, Mamarazzi’s unique sound has been described as mathro-beat and underwater gypsy funk. Dance. Sweat. Love. http://www.mamarazzisounds.com/
Odetta Hartman writes songs of greek myths and traveling; of pride, Pynchon, and fairy tales; of animals and body parts and made-up words. Classically trained on the violin for 18 years at Third Street Music School, her musical education was further supplemented with courses at Bard College in jazz voice and improvisation, composition, electronic music, and traditional folk songs. Currently back at home in New York City, her time is devoted to studio work, performance art, curating events, cultivating the Dalton School’s rooftop garden, and preparing for the release of her first solo EP (due out this summer). http://www.odettahartman.com
HIMALAYAS is a marching band experience like no other. Although preferring to play on the street and have its audience participate in the show, they will play anywhere & anytime and have been known to play on bridges, mountain tops, beaches, in elevators, on GRAMMY nominated records, on uptown stages and in downtown clubs. With an ever-changing cast of characters, a songbook of today’s freshest composers and a penchant for smashing genres–HIMALAYAS is a spontaneous, organic, ephemeral pleasure-filled situation! wollesonic.com
The Whiskeyhickon Boys are ex-folkies who have picked up a combo of acoustic and electric instruments to produce an improvised Bluesy/Skiffle interpretation of traditional Blues, Jazz and Roots sounds. They have introduced their audiences to the ringing, circular guitar riff sound that has become the centerpiece of their musical trademark. http://www.whiskeyhickonboys.com
Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars / Mamarazzi / Odetta Hartman / Himalayas / The Whiskeyhickon Boys