DHPAC Blog

Tommy gets coverage in local press

Published on March 6, 2010 in Music, Performances, Rock and Theatre. 0 Comments Tags: Five Towns College, Long Island events, Long Island live music, Long Island music, The Who, Tommy, Walt Whitman, Will Rivera.

Walt Whitman, age 28

DHPAC/Dix Hills Performing Arts Center is located in Dix Hills, in the Town of Huntington. One of the wonderful links to cultural history the town has, is that the newspaper which Long Island poet Walt Whitman founded in 1838, The Long Islander, is still in print in Huntington! The Five Towns College Theatre Department production of Tommy received great coverage in The Long Islander, as well as in its sister newspaper, The Half Hollow Hills Newspaper.

Will Rivera ("Tommy" in the FTC/DHPAC production)

But…like many good things… you can’t find the article on line. It is only available in the print edition. So, FTC/DHPAC is not only famous, we are an exclusive! I will tell you that the title of the article is, “Rock Tour De Force Rivets Five Towns”, and it features an awesome publicity shot of Will Rivera as Tommy and Kiley MacDonald as Tommy’s mother, Mrs. Walker. You can find the listing: here. And, you can get the paper at local businesses. (Or, see a copy of the article posted in the hallway at Five Towns College.)

The Who’s Tommy: The Musical, will be playing at DHPAC March 11-14th. Ticket link is: here.

Tommy: Scenes from the set

Published on March 5, 2010 in Music and Theatre. 0 Comments Tags: Adam Karsten, DHPAC, Dix Hills, Five Towns College, Long Island, Long Island events, Long Island theatre, set design, The Who, Tommy.

Can’t wait for the Five Towns College Theatre Department’s presentation of The Who’s Tommy…just a few days away…opening night is Thursday, March 11th.

Since Five Towns College [FTC] is full of theatre, music, and audio technology students, it is easy to expect great things from FTC productions, including set design. Add into the mix that Tommy is directed by Professor Adam Karsten, who is known for his stylish productions, and you can expect a big WOW! for the Tommy set.

Here are some of the images in progress, that I collected on three different days of the set going up:

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- Continue reading ‘Tommy: Scenes from the set’

Don’t miss “Beatles Tribute” – March 20th

Published on March 4, 2010 in Music, Performances and Rock. 2 Comments Tags: Anthony Pomes, Beatles, Dix Hills, Eddie Franz, John Tabacco, Let It Be, Long Island music, Mostly Moptop, Paul Barkan.

by Steve Briody

I am very much looking forward to attending DHPAC’s Beatles “Let It Be – 40th Anniversary” Tribute. I was going to do the standard proverbial interview with good friend Paul Barkan of the popular Beatles tribute band Mostly Moptop for their upcoming show at Dix Hills Performing Arts Center on Sat., March 20 at 7:30pm ET. However, when speaking to all the band members, I noticed they had some particularly clever interview material consisting of a “written conversation” between the band members. I think you’ll enjoy their Beatles references…hopefully you’ll do a better job of catching them all than I did!

Below the interview, I have posted footage of Moptop’s rhythm guitarist Anthony Pomes explaining how he plays the slide part from George Harrison’s “For You Blue” on the LET IT BE album with . . . a 9-volt battery? (See video attached to this blog – I was fascinated about this.). It’s a terrific “behind the scenes” segment.

I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE SHOW. I say “Hello” . . . and “Good-bye.” Here’s what I was given:

Secret Mostly Moptop Conversation #45… Continue reading ‘Don’t miss “Beatles Tribute” – March 20th’

Video: Experimental bass, from the DHPAC video vault

Published on March 3, 2010 in Guitar and Performances. 0 Comments Tags: bass, DHPAC, Dix Hills, electric bass, experimental music, improvisation, Long Island events, Long Island music, Mike Manring, Windham Hill.

Background: Continue reading ‘Video: Experimental bass, from the DHPAC video vault’

The Who’s Tommy: FTC student and actress Kiley McDonald explains the music

Published on March 1, 2010 in Music, Performances, Rock and Theatre. 0 Comments Tags: DHPAC, Dix Hills, Kiley McDonald, Long Island events, Long Island music, NYC, The Who, Tommy.

I heard from the Box Office that tickets are going fast for our March 11-14 (Thurs., Fri., Sat., and Sunday matinee) showing of Tommy: The Musical. Continue reading ‘The Who’s Tommy: FTC student and actress Kiley McDonald explains the music’

A Feast of Music Videos

Published on February 28, 2010 in Jazz, John Lennon, Music, Performances and Rock. 0 Comments Tags: Beatles, DHPAC, Dix Hills, Joe Kuhl, Long Island events, Long Island music, X-Session.

Ki writes: Did you realize we now have two DHPAC/Dix Hills Performing Arts Center Youtubes? I am doing the FansofDHPAC Youtube site, which includes interviews, my quick impressions of shows, and video from my handheld. I am also creating playlists of video from other fans, and from bands that appear on our stage. If you have a video you want up, send it over and I will see if it fits in.

And, over at the studio, Kbudna and the video team are creating awesome, polished versions of the performances that go on at DHPAC. There is just so much good stuff that happens here. So, our main Youtube site — DHPAC On Stage — is an artistic, video library of jazz, rock, choral works, Beatles songs, profound John Lennon homages, and a little theater sprinkled in.

A Feast of Video from DHPAC On Stage at youtube

Empty Garden (Hey, Hey, Johnny)
with Joe Kuhl [piano] and Jim Del [drums] on vocals
This is the song that Elton John wrote to mourn the loss of John Lennon

Continue reading ‘A Feast of Music Videos’

New Tommy video: Straight from The Sound/Video Crew

Published on February 26, 2010 in Music, Performances, Rock and Theatre. 0 Comments Tags: Alicia Jagrup, Dix Hills, Jean Bonavita, Matt Eisen, The Who, Tiana Salmon, Tommy, Will Rivera.

Continue reading ‘New Tommy video: Straight from The Sound/Video Crew’

Celebrate the Beatles: Mostly Moptop on March 20, 2010

Published on February 26, 2010 in Music, Music History, Performances and Rock. 0 Comments Tags: Beatles, David Amram, Dix Hills, John Lennon, Let It Be, Long Island events, Music History.

DHPAC/Dix Hills Performing Arts Center and The John Lennon Center for Music & Technology present Long Island’s top, Beatles tribute band…

Mostly Moptop: “Let It Be(fore & After)”

This premiere program marks the 40th Anniversary of Let It Be, as Mostly Moptop performs “Wake-Up” to “Break-Up” to “Make-Up” in buoyant song celebration. In 1970, the Beatles released their final studio album, Let It Be. In 2010, on Saturday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m, you can relive the experience with musicians devoted to the cause, and masterful at recreating the sounds of the Beatles.

The band is comprised of John Tabacco–also, a favorite host on WUSB radio (drums, piano, and vocals); Anthony Pomes (rhythm and lead guitar, bass, piano and vocals); Edward Franz (lead and rhythm guitar, bass, and vocals); Paul Michael Barkan (bass, keyboards, miscellaneous instruments, vocals). Barkan, a Professor of Recording at Five Towns College, wrote his PhD thesis on techniques the Beatles employed on their Magical Mystery Tour album.
Continue reading ‘Celebrate the Beatles: Mostly Moptop on March 20, 2010′

Sneak Peak: Rehearsal video for The Who’s Tommy at DHPAC

Published on February 24, 2010 in Music, Music History, Performances, Rock and Theatre. 2 Comments Tags: Adam Karsten, DHPAC, Dix Hills, Dix Hills Performing Arts Center, Long Island music, Long Island theater.

Tommy shows at DHPAC on March 11, 12, 13 and 14, 2010. Tickets at (631) 656-2148.

About the video: A behind-the-scenes rehearsal video for the Five Towns College Theater Department’s production of the musical, Tommy, based on The Who’s double album rock opera. Performances will be on stage at DHPAC/Dix Hills Performing Arts Center at Five Towns College in Long Island, New York.

The Director for this production of Tommy is Professor Adam Karsten. The Music Director is Professor Christine Riley. Piano for this rehearsal session is with Assistant Music Director Marika Abe. Cast interviews with: Kiley McDonald (Mrs. Walker); Casey Colon (Ensemble); and Will Rivera (Tommy). Video by Ki.

Upcoming shows at DHPAC

Published on February 23, 2010 in Jazz, Music, Music History and Performances. 0 Comments Tags: 1920'd, 1930's, big band, DHPAC, Dix Hills, Dix Hills Performing Arts Center, Felipe Salles, Holly Sickinger, Long Island music, pre-swing, South Shore Syncopators.

Just a reminder about what’s coming up next at DHPAC/Dix Hills Performing Arts Center:

Tommy: March 11-14

Tribute to Bossa Nova: Friday, March 19 at 7:30pm

Mostly Moptop – Let It Be(fore & After)
A Fab Four Song Celebration: Saturday, March 20 at 7:30pm

South Shore Syncopators
featuring Holly Sickinger: Sunday, March 21 at 2pm

Tribute to Chicago
featuring tribute band Beginnings: Friday, March 26 at 7:30pm

South Shore Syncopators with Holly Sickinger