Risin’ to the Love we Need | Theatre in the XPart of EgoPo's B Side Series

Though often a forgotten name, Assotto Saint was a trailblazer in the 1980s and early ‘90s who heavily contributed to increasing the visibility of contemporary black queerness in literature and theater. Theatre in the X will partner with us to present Assotto Saint’s award winning Risin’ to the Love We Need.

@setsuhi_eri_shiraishi on IGProfessional Calligrapher and Shodo master. She continues to pursue the beauty of the lines and spaces that influence the viewers momentarily. She sublimes calligraphy as a comprehensive art, such as collaborating with other arts in a unique style while transmitting the world of traditional calligraphy, is highly appreciated. Her live performances created by fusion with live music attract many fans all over the world.

She designed the concept of the new uniform for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Japan National Team, "Circle". With Shiseido Co., Ltd. for Clé de Peau Beauté, and works to transcend the frame, such as producing TRM of Panasonic and wall paintings of Oracle Japan Co., Ltd.

She worked at Installation at the Japan Pavilion certification event at Expo Milan. Performed at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. She was an invited artist at Abiko International Outdoor Art Exhibition Installation.She did solo exhibitions at Paris, NY, SF, JICC Embassy of Japan, and Baltimore in the United States She has worked in Baltimore and many cities along the east coast touring regularly with OTS productions since 2017.

Kinbakuartistmiki + Athena@otsproductionsbaltimore on IGKAM + Athena fluctuate the body between time, space and moment to speak to the viewer the stories from 1000 years ago. They have been performing together in performance art pieces related to Kinbaku and hosting workshops on the practice together in PA, VA, MD, FL.

Fire Museum Presents: Vinay Desai and Anirudh Alva Changkakoti

Vinay Desai is a direct disciple of the world renowned Santoor Maestro Padma Vibhusan Pandit Shivkumar Sharmaji. After completing college, Vinay sought out to learn Santoor in India. Having had some background training in Indian Classical music, in 2011, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma guided him to begin his training under Takahiro Arai and Kunal Gunjal before being accepted by Panditji himself. He regularly performs throughout USA (including Hawaii), Argentina, Canada, The Bahamas, Australia, and India. He has performed for some of the well known organizations and prestigious festivals in different countries including Fringe Festival in Adelaide, Mona Foma in Tasmania, Lollapalooza Festival in Argentina (Vinay was one of the first Santoor players to play in an orchestra in Argentina), Festival of Tabla in L.A., KBF Festival in Arizona, Kussum Mahotsav TSA in NJ, Darpan in Texas, Jaipur Literature Festival, SwarZankar in Pune, Hamsadhwani, Matra in Kolkata, and Starglam Entertainment in Canada. Though specializing in Indian Classical Music, Vinay has worked with many different genres. He is known for his meditative and dynamic musical phrases. His devotion to the purity and the depth of Shivkumar Sharma's style comes forth in performance. Vinay continues to spread his Guru’s work not only through performances, but also teaching and lecturing at different places. He has performed with legends including Ustad Tari khan, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Ustad Sukhvinder Singh and some of the most renowned up and coming Tabla players.

The concert will begin with a meditative melodic improvisation that takes the listeners to a place of deep stillness. Vinay is known for his superlative melodic improvisations and sharp sense of rhythm. Joined by tabla player Anirudh Alva Changkakoti, they have an astonishing ability to dive into and reinterpret traditional music.

Anirudh Alva Changkakoti:

Anirudh Alva Changkakoti was identified as a child prodigy at the age of 3 by his guru, Dr. Narendra Verma, a disciple of the illustrious, Ustad Alla Rakha. Dr. Verma trained Anirudh intensively in the Punjab gharana style of tabla playing, which is known for its blend of aesthetics and mathematics.

Over the years, Anirudh’s passion for the instrument only grew stronger, leading him to absorb knowledge and compositions from many other gharanas to create his own unique style of tabla solos and tasteful accompaniment.

Anirudh has won numerous awards at both state and national levels in the US. He has performed across the US, Canada, Mexico, and India, and at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center. Anirudh has had the opportunity to record with multiple Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning artists as well. Through his guru’s referral, Anirudh has been training under his hero and inspiration, Ustad Zakir Hussain for the past 15 years.

Admission is FREE/pay-what-you-can. Advance registration is recommended and can be found HERE

Learn more about the Velocity Fund's grant application — open now through November 24! We'll cover eligibility, all parts of the application, selection criteria — and any of your questions.

Applications open: September 16 – November 24, 2024

Masks are required at this event, and ASL interpretation will be provided. Please email info@velocityfund.org with any accessibility requests or questions. Browse our other Info Sessions here.

The Velocity Fund offers twelve Philadelphia-based artists and collectives $5000 to develop and present new projects — particularly those that are experimental in genre, collaborative in practice, grounded in their communities, and thoughtful in their impact. Independent artists, collaborative groups, and non-incorporated collectives are welcome to apply. The Velocity Fund intends to directly support artists and arts-based cultural organizers who conduct their practice outside the studio, and who present them outside traditional art spaces. Velocity has funded multidisciplinary and varied work that use visual arts — including (but never limited to) printmaking, performance, video, puppetry, sculpture, and curation — to expand, archive, learn with, and lift up their publics. The Velocity Fund is a Regional Regranting Program supported by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and hosted by Asian Arts Initiative.

Please register HERE

DEAD BOB ON US TOUR

DEBUT ALBUM, 'LIFE LIKE', OUT NOW – LISTEN / PURCHASE HERE

Dead Bob is the solo incarnation of John Wright, drummer of long time and apparently legendary, but now retired, Punk rock band No Means No.

“Life Like”, a NMN cover actually, is the title track of the first album John has released on his own. Recorded and Produced by John in the wilds of British Columbia, this album's material spans several decades and there is lots more in the archives.

Though primarily written and performed by John he can’t take all the credit having engaged the help of several friends to get this thing done. Byron Slack (Invasives), Kristy Lee Audette (Rong), Ford Pier (Ford Pier and the Vengeance Trio, DOA, Roots Round up, Junior Gone Wild, Rheostatics), Selina Martin, his son Aidan Wright, as well as two old collabs with brother Rob in the writer’s chair. 

As might be expected the songs roll out cohesively but defy the cookie cutter pigeon holes, hence "Genre" is a tough one to convey but one thing that is not unclear is it is not to be listened to quietly! 

Play loud and enjoy!

Then come see Dead Bob all Live Like!  

John has teamed with Ford, Byron, Kristy and good friend Colin MacRae (Pigment Vehicle) on Electric Bass Guitar. 

We aim to make sure you hear it all good and loud!  

ALL AGES NO ALCOHOL 

Doors: 6:30 pmBe Nothing: 7:00 - 7:20 pm

LUNG: 7:35 - 8:15 pm

Dead Bob: 8:30 - 10 pm

$15 Advance, $20 Day of Show. Advance tickets can be purchased HERE