Tag Archives: Spin Doctors

VersoFest: The Full Hip Hop, Glam, Rock, Punk, Vinyl, Radio, Art Schedule (And More)

Posted on March 24, 2024 | Comments Off on VersoFest: The Full Hip Hop, Glam, Rock, Punk, Vinyl, Radio, Art Schedule (And More)

VersoFest has made some impressive individual announcements about this year’s events.

But when they’re all listed together in one spot, the 5 days of music, media and creativity become truly spectacular.

Here’s what’s on tap, from April 3-7 at the Westport Library’s 3rd annual event:

Concerts

  • The Lemon Twigs and DJ Hysterica (Thursday, April 4, 7 p.m., $20)
  • Spin Doctors, Nick Depuy (Friday, April 5, 7 p.m., $50)

Lemon Twigs, DJ Hysterica, Nick Depuy, Spin Doctors

Verso Visionaries

  • Chuck D in conversation with Johnny Temple, Akashic Books (Wednesday, April 3, 7 p.m.)
  • Tony Viscnoti in conversation with Paul Cavalconte, WFUV (Saturday, April 6, 1 p.m.)
  • John Densmore (Doors drummer) in conversation with Alisyn Camerota, CNN (Saturday, April 6, 4:30 p.m.)

Panel Conversations

  • I Thought I Heard You Speak: Women at Factory Record (Saturday, April 6, 3 p.m.)
  • Connecticut, WPLR, and the Birth of Buckingham/Nicks Era Fleetwood Mac (Sunday, April 7, 11 a.m.)
  • Glam to Punk — A Fashion Roundtable: Alice Cooper, Bowie, Blondie and Beyond, with Cindy Dunaway and Tish & Snooky (Manic Panic); special guest Dennis Dunaway, moderated by Christine Ohlman (Sunday, April 7, 1 p.m.)
  • 51 Years of “Wild Style,” the 1st Hip Hop Motion Picture (Sunday, April 7, 3 p.m.).

Alice Cooper will not be at VersoFest — but glam and punk fashion will be.

Workshops

  • Hands on Hip Hop History, presented by TeachRock (Wednesday, April 3, 4 p.m.)
  • Pitch Your Podcast! With Connecticut Public, featuring Meg Dalton, Jack Hitt and special guests (Saturday, April 6, 11 a.m.)
  • Musician Career Coaching: Know Your Worth, Set Your Rate and Get Piad with Matt Starr (Saturday, April 6, 3 p.m.)
  • Mind Your Business: Legal Workshop with Marcus Thomas (Sunday, April 7, 11 a.m.)
  • Video Game Composing with Tom Salta (Sunday, April 7, 12:30 p.m.)
  • Unlock the Secrets of Radio Airplay for Emerging Artists with Peter Gray (Sunday, April 7, 2 p.m.)

And More …

  • Exhibit: Thinking Inside the Box, multi-media art installation (all weekend)
  • Diamond Dogs at 50, David Bowie Exhibit by Paul Brenton with designer Mark Ravitz (all weekend)
  • VersoFest Record Fair, Presented by Record Riots  (Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 11 a.m.)

Most events are free. For ticketed events, click here. For more information on VersoFest, click here.

To see the daily schedule, look below:

Comments Off on VersoFest: The Full Hip Hop, Glam, Rock, Punk, Vinyl, Radio, Art Schedule (And More)

Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Library

Tagged , , , , ,

VersoFest Adds Another Act: Spin Doctors

Posted on February 8, 2024 | 2 comments

It’s been a big week for VersoFest.

First the Westport Library’s music-media-and more festival announced Chuck D as the kickoff event at this year’s event.

Today it’s the Spin Doctors.

The well-known alt-rock band (“Two Princes,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong”) will headline the Friday, April 5 concert.

The Spin Doctors

Verso Studios’ Trefz Forum killer d&b sound system and 18-foot high-def screen are perfect for a group like the Spin Doctors. With more than 12 million albums sold over 30 years, the Grammy-nominated group is not slowing down. A seventh studio album and world tour are in the works.

The band began at New York’s New School University in 1988, with a chance meeting of drummer Aaron Comess and guitarist Eric Schenkman. When Popper committed himself to Blues Traveler, Comess formed a ferocious rhythm section with bassist Mark White.

“When I first met them,” White says, “I thought, ‘These are some funky-assed white boys.’”

They were hit on the Manhattan music scene, thanks to long jams. Their 1991 live album, “Up for Grabs, featured 10-minute-plus tracks.

The Spin Doctors — alongside with Blues Traveler, Phish and Widespread Panic — helped create the 1990s’ jam-band ethos. Meanwhile, their “Pocket Full of Kryptonite” album defined early-’90s rock. At one point they sold 50,000 records a week. “Two Princes” was one of the top singles of 1993. It led to a Rolling Stone cover, and Sesame Street appearance.

In 2001 they played the closing of Manhattan’s legendary Wetlands club — an earlier favored haunt.

For 2005’s “Nice Talking To Me, the Spin Doctors worked with producer Matt Wallace (Faith No More, The Replacements, O.A.R., Maroon 5) at Los Angeles’ historic Sound City studio.

Their 2013 follow-up, “If the River Was Whiskey,” harkened back to their gritty blues original sound. For VersoFest, the Spin Doctors and Chuck D join David Bowie, T. Rex and Thin Lizzy music producer Tony Visconti, and pop rockers The Lemon Twigs. The full schedule will be released next week.

Local singer-songwriter Nick Depuy opens for the Spin Doctors. Tickets are $50 Click here to purchase, and for more information. For more details on Verso Fest, click here.

(“06880” is your source for hyper-local entertainment news — and much more. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

2 Comments

Posted in Entertainment, Library

Tagged ,

Spin Doctors, Rick Derringer Headline Best-Ever Blues, Views & BBQ Fest

Posted on August 10, 2014 | Comments Off on Spin Doctors, Rick Derringer Headline Best-Ever Blues, Views & BBQ Fest

When it comes to blues music, Westport is not exactly Chicago or Memphis.

And when you’re talking barbecue, Kansas City and Atlanta come to mind far quicker than this place.

But over the past 6 years — thanks to the Blues, Views & BBQ Festival — the Westport Downtown Merchants Association has done a phenomenal job putting our town on the music and culinary maps.

The 7th annual event — set for Saturday and Sunday, August 30-31 on Labor Day weekend — will make all previous ones look like county fairs.

Spin Doctors will headline this year's Blues, Views & BBQ Festival.

Spin Doctors will headline this year’s Blues, Views & BBQ Festival.

Blues, rock, brass and funk fans will be blown away by the lineup. The WDMA has signed Spin Doctors, Rick Derringer and a host of other big names — Bill Kirchen, Pop Chubby, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Raw Oyster Cult and Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys, to name a few — and rented the new Levitt Pavilion for 2 days of fantastic entertainment.

There’s 9 hours of music each day, for the very cool pre-pay price of $50 Saturday and $25 Sunday ($60 and $30 respectively, at the door). A 2-day pass is just $70 — and kids under 12 are free, with a paying adult.

(For Westporters only — and only through August 17 — the Saturday all-access pass is $40. The regular pre-sale price is $50; on-site, it’s $60.)

Meanwhile, the “Family Fun Fest” — in the library and Imperial Avenue parking lots — features plenty of food (including Bobby Q’s, but also from Blue Lemon, Meltmobile, Rolling Cones and others, plus of course a worthy selection of beverages); the always popular BBQ competition; rib- and pie-eating contests; cooking demonstrations; music (including School of Rock kids); bouncy stuff, and all that jazz.

And the price for that has been cut, from $25 last year to just $10. Kids 12 and under go free.

The Packin' Heat BBQ team always provides hot competition. (Photo/MIke Thut)

The Packin’ Heat BBQ team always provides hot competition. (Photo/MIke Thut)

The WDMA does a great job — often without proper credit — promoting free community events, like the Fine Arts Festival, Halloween Parade and Art About Town. They donate to other non-profits, and with projects like Tunnel Vision they beautify downtown.

The Blues, Views & BBQ Festival is the WDMA’s signature event. In just 2 weeks, Westport will be smokin’.

(For advance tickets and more information, click on http://www.bluesviewsbbq.com or call 203-505-8716. Gates open at 11 a.m. Music starts at noon, and goes straight through to 9:30 p.m.)

Big Sam's Funky Nation will also perform at the Blues, Views & BBQ Fest. (Photo/Adam McCullough)

Big Sam’s Funky Nation will also perform at the Blues, Views & BBQ Fest. (Photo/Adam McCullough)

Comments Off on Spin Doctors, Rick Derringer Headline Best-Ever Blues, Views & BBQ Fest

Posted in Children, Downtown, Entertainment, Organizations, Restaurants

Tagged , , ,