Where: Theatre at USC Park, 724 Wolcott Ave, Beacon, NY 12508
Clearwater is excited to host a Folk Picnic in Beacon at the Theatre at USC Park! Join us on Saturday, August 3 from 12-4pm for an afternoon of live music and community. Bring a chair or blanket, a full-reusable water bottle, and if you’d like, an instrument to play.
Performers will include Beacon School of Rock, Walkabout Clearwater Chorus, Joe Heukerott, Matt Cartsonis, Ira and Laurie McIntosh, Laurie Siegel and Patrick Jones. Audience members are invited to bring their own voices and instruments to share in music-making at the event’s Circle of Song.
There will also be children’s activities, including face painting, hair wrapping, and a sprinkler for kids to cool off. Food will be available for purchase from Eat Church, a food truck offering Asian-influenced street fare.
The Folk Picnic is rain or shine! If the weather is clear, we’ll be outdoors, and if not, we’ll move into the theatre.
Carpooling is highly encouraged, as on-site parking is limited. Those traveling by train can take the Beacon Loop Bus from the Beacon Train station to Howland and Wolcott Avenue. View bus schedule.
The Folk Picnic is free and open to the public, though donations are always welcome and appreciated.
ABOUT OUR PERFORMERS:
Matt Cartsonis
Matt Cartsonis’s musical fate was sealed 15, when he began playing in Arizona’s clubs and wherever else they would let him in on his fake ID. On that reptile-rich road he developed a particular affection for traditional music and the instruments with which that sort of music is traditionally made. Matt somehow managed to veer off of the Honkytonk Highway just long enough to acquire a Vassar degree in biopsychology despite spending a whole lot of his college time in folk music bootcamp with the Hudson River Sloop Singers. He now resides in Santa Monica, CA, out of where he’s toured most famously with the likes of Warren Zevon, Steve Martin and Glen Campbell, and spent the better part of 30 years on and off the road with ex Nitty Gritty Dirt Bander John McEuen. Along with the previously mentioned, he’s most enjoyed bragging about recording and working with Jennifer Warnes, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, Joanna Newsom, Beck and Nirvana. When off the road, He writes music for movies and TV (check out his IMDB page!), is a Sundance Composers Lab Fellow, and is a Grammy-nominated audiobook producer.
Joe Heukerott
Joe Heukerott is a folkie singer-songwriter who was professionally active from the late 70’s through about the mid to late 90’s. His music was first introduced by Bob Sherman on his Woody’s Children radio program on WQXR. Joe’s affiliation with Clearwater includes appearances at The Great Hudson River Revival, both as a member of the Hudson River Sloopsingers and as a solo performer. In addition, Joe participated in four Pumpkin Sails as a member of Clearwater’s musical crew. He has performed at The Winnipeg Folk Festival, The Kerrville Folk Festival, The Philadelphia Folk Festival, and at clubs and coffee houses including Mike Porco’s Folk City, Cafe Lena, The Towne Crier Cafe, The Eighth Step, and The Turning Point. Joe’s song, “Hungry,” was performed by Pete Seeger at Carnegie Hall and at The Saratoga Performing Arts Festival. In addition to Woody’s Children, his music received radio play on WFDU by Ron Olesko and Bill Hahn, on WNEW-FM by Pete Fornatale, on WFMU and other stations by Sonny Ochs, as well as by WBAI legends, Steve Post and Bob Fass. Joe’s first album, “Bittersweet,” recorded at Fred Hellerman’s Honeywind Studio was heralded by Stereo Review magazine’s Alanna Nash as a “stunning debut.” A subsequent album, “Save a Little Time,” also recorded at Honeywind, remains unreleased.
Walkabout Clearwater Chorus
School of Rock Beacon NY
Their programs, camps, and workshops for toddlers, kids, teens, and adults make learning to play music fun and create great communities of musicians, combining one-on-one drum, bass, keyboard, vocal, and guitar lessons with group practices. Students learn to play music from day one and perform at local venues. Their experienced instructors are local musicians themselves, who combine the performance-based School of Rock Method and programs with individual music lessons.
Ira and Laurie McIntosh
Laurie Siegel & Patrick Stanfield Jones
Laurie Siegel is a performer and songwriter who was born and raised in the Hudson Valley. Nurtured by the Hudson River folk community from a very young age, Laurie and her brother, Peter began singing together at festivals, rallies and events in their early teens. Later, the siblings formed the folk trio, Harmonious Hogchokers along with their fellow Clearwater crew member, Creek Iversen. True to her Hudson Valley folk and activist roots, Laurie is a long time member of the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus. She was a contributing vocalist on Pete Seeger’s grammy winning CD, “Pete at 89.” Laurie’s most recent endeavor is as 1/4 of the activist folk quartet, Hudson Valley Sally – a group rooted in the tradition of activist folk music and known for their rich harmonic arrangements.
Patrick Stanfield Jones is a guitarist and vocalist, composer and lyricist, arranger and producer. A lifelong performer, He has shared the stage as a supporting musician with many well known acts, recording artists, has made T.V. appearances in England, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. Patrick has been a touring and backing musician with the Isley Brothers, Whitney Houston, Buddy Miles, and Imelda Staunton. He has also opened for Albert Collins, Taj Mahal, Charlie Daniels, Hubert Sumlin, War, Papa John Creach and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.
