“Are we a concert venue now?”
This is a question I asked our Music Director Benjie Messer about a month ago. Within the last year, we’ve had musicians reach out to US to do concerts at our facility, including Urban Nocturnes (which made sense because of their connection with Glenn Stallcop), Joe Jencks, Crys Matthews, Emma’s Revolution, and Peter Mayer (may be coming in the spring).
Unlike other trends that we can’t explain, we don’t know why we are on national touring folks’ radar, but it is a big compliment. UUCP has often been seen as a Flagship Congregation in the UU movement and musicians with social justice messages have always known UU congregations to be welcoming places of like-hearted people.
Having a concert or an event is not easy. Each performer has different needs, we have to set up a different payment for each one, and we need folks to help welcome them, manage tickets and help them to set-up. But each one has had a special way of touching my heart, especially in these complicated times.
This weekend, we’re having a fundraiser for UURise that features Emma’s Revolution. They are a nationally known duo of progressive songwriters and singers that are known very well across UU circles. People from all across the country will be tuned in for it. It is an incredible privilege that they’re coming here. We’re using the opportunity to have a separate meeting with some of our immigration and refugee partners to share information on what each of them know so that it can have local impact as well.
I hope you’ll come and join us for the Emma’s Revolution concert on Sunday at 3; you can find the link to tickets in Compass and on the webpage.
And maybe next time someone asks you what your favorite concert venue is, you can say “UUCP!”