Potomac Village Concerts

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________
 
 
 

World Music & Dance Institute and Dancing Planet Productions presents

House Concert with Starling

Co-sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington

At the home of Jamie and Betsy Platt in Potomac, MD

Info / registration / address details: hrhbetsy@gmail.com 301-717-4641

Saturday, September 14th, 7:30 pm

Suggested donation $20 cash or $22 Venmo, payable at the door.

Come join Starling for a night of tunes, harmony singing, percussive dance, and generally too many instruments for two people! Starling (Mo Brachfeld and Jared Kirkpatrick) is a long-distance duo, coming from Western MA and NC. The two met at dance camp many years ago and have been jamming ever since. In addition to contra dance classics and original tunes, the two have some harmony singing, “queer tunes,” and percussive dancing planned! 

More about the artists –

Mo Brachfeld is a fiddler and dancer who grew up attending intergenerational music and dance events. They play traditional and original tunes for concerts and dances, including as part of the duo Starling with Jared Kirkpatrick. Mo teaches sean nós (Irish old style) dance in person and online, and is a creator and co-organizer of Dissident Rhythms, a queer percussive dance retreat. They are also a committee member of Youth Dance Weekend. Mo lives in Western Massachusetts where they work on honing their pottery skills and expanding their collection of houseplants.
More about Mo – https://www.mobrachfeld.com

Jared Kirkpatrick (Starling, Flamingo Sketches) has been immersed in the contra dance world all his life, and has been lucky enough to play with multiple dance bands. With very broad musical influences and interests from Balkan harmony singing to fusion and jazz music, he loves focusing on the possibilities that arise when these styles influence each other and come together. Jared studied jazz vibraphone at Temple University. He is now based in NC, but travels often to play music and run sound at camps and dance communities.
More about Jared – jaredkirkpatrickmusic.com

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

House Concert with

The Engine Room

Monday, October 21st, 7:30pm

At the home of Jamie and Betsy Platt in Potomac, MD

Suggested donation $20 cash or $22 Venmo, payable at the door.

 

The Engine Room is a fairly new contra dance band hailing from both coasts and places in between. Featuring Noah VanNorstrand (fiddle, mandolin, foot percussion), Kelsey Wells (fiddle, banjo), and Alex Sturbaum (guitar, button accordion), the Engine Room will lay down a driving, nonstop groove that is sure to get you moving.  They are all versatile musicians and have each played numerous concerts.

Alex Sturbaum is a folk musician based in Seattle. A powerful instrumentalist and unique singer, they have delighted audiences as a solo act and with various bands throughout the country.  With The Engine Room, Alex plays guitar and accordion, as well as sings.  

Noah VanNostrand grew up playing in The Great Bear Trio, which over its 18 years became one of the hottest and most influential dance bands in the country.  He currently plays with Wake up Robin and The Faux Paws, and The Engine Room.  Noah and his brother Andrew have released nine albums together, as a duo and and as the Andrew and Noah Band.  His unmatched fiddling, driving rhythm, epic dynamics, creativity, and uniquely rocking style have given him a loyal following.  He has played at numerous dance weekends, festivals, and music camps, including a performance on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” with his brother Andrew.

Kelsey Wells came into the world with her feet still, her mouth shut, and her eyes wide open. Since then, she has discovered the joys of old-time fiddling, folk dancing, storytelling, and various other traditional arts. Kelsey plays fiddle and banjo and currently performs in the contra dance bands Turnip the Beet and Silver Sail, with Vermont-based folk musician Brendan Taaffe, and as a musical accompanist for her ma, poet Kory Wells.