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Michael Weiskopf, Alex Sarkis, Klyph Black and Taka Shimizu KEN GRILLE
If Toby Lightman had it her way, every show she played would be those she likes best—just the singer-songwriter in front of an intimate audience, wailing on her acoustic guitar with a modern blues vibe.
During the inaugural East End Music & Arts Festival at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, she’ll find exactly what she’s looking for.
On Friday night, Ms. Lightman will take the stage, first for a solo concert and then alongside four fellow performers—Robert Randolph, Paul McDonald, and the bands Tonic and Hurrah! A Bolt of Light!—who will each have their moment in the spotlight before the ensemble’s group finale.
“When I play acoustic shows, I love being able to talk about my inspiration for the songs,” Ms. Lightman said last week during a telephone interview from her home in East Hampton. “It feels like a very homegrown, more personal kind of festival. I think it will bring a different energy to the area.”
The festival, organized by East Hampton-based management firm Uniphi Good, will benefit local food banks, and is the first event of its kind to combine not only music and arts but space travel as well. On Saturday, record-holding astronaut Commander Michael “L.A.” Lopez-Alegria will lead a lecture and free educational art project at the Springs Community Presbyterian Church. And back at the PAC, artwork by former Beatle Ringo Starr will be on display, with all proceeds from its sale benefiting the Lotus Foundation.
Annie Balliro, founder of Uniphi Good, said she wanted to put together a festival to celebrate the East End and support the locals who remain after Tumbleweed Tuesday.
“We intentionally chose this weekend,” she explained last week during a telephone interview. “The area is ripe to start a new tradition and extend the summer season out here. It’s going to be a great time, and we’re hoping to really benefit the community. Life is short, and all good is good.”
Friday night’s show will have a laid-back sound, kicked off by five short acoustic sets, followed by a culminating collaboration. The last time Grammy Award-nominated rock band Tonic toned down its heavier sound was back in 2004, according to guitarist Dan Lavery. “I hope this show is reminiscent of that tour,” he said last week during a telephone interview. “In this format, we have a lot more freedom to play whatever we want.”
Mr. Lavery is mostly looking forward to playing music among friends, he said, nothing that he has known Ms. Lightwood and “American Idol” alum Paul McDonald for a number of years. “It’s basically a bunch of my friends putting on a festival,” Mr. Lavery said, “so what could be better?”
Mr. McDonald, who is best known for his reality television stint in 2011—he finished in eighth place—has been working on his debut solo album, which he hopes to release by the end of this year through a Kickstarter fundraising campaign.
“I’m excited for Friday, because I’m going to be able to experiment with some of these new songs,” he said, noting that his first single from the untitled album, “Bright Lights,” is one of the only definites on his set list. The rest of the tunes will be up to the audience.
“It’ll depend on the crowd and the vibe,” he said. “This whole festival is so community driven, which is so cool, and I think that will definitely contribute to the overall vibe.”
The first-ever East End Music & Arts Festival will kick off with a concert featuring Toby Lightman, Robert Randolph, Paul McDonald, Hurrah! A Bolt of Light! and Tonic, on Friday, September 19, at 8 p.m. at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $50. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit local food pantries. For those who cannot attend, a $25 virtual ticket will buy a digital download of the show.
The event will continue on Saturday, September 20, with a discussion and educational art project with Commander Michael “L.A.” Lopez-Alegria from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Springs Community Presbyterian Church. Artwork by Ringo Starr will be on view at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Admission to both is free.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit uniphigood.com.
on Sep 16, 2014