Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home

Subject: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Suffet
Date: 01 Aug 08 - 06:20 PM

Greetings:

The Peoples' Voice Cafe, New York City's premier venue for progressive political folk music, is moving to a new home at it begins its 30th season. Starting this September, it will be housed at the Community Church of New York, 40 East 35th Street, bewteen Park and Madison Avenues in Midtown Manhattan. Shows will still be Saturday starting at 8:00 PM. Doors open at 7:30. The No. 6 train (East Side local) stops just two blocks away at East 33rd Street.

Founded in 1979, the Peoples' Voice Cafe had previously been located at the Westbeth Community Center, the Washington Square Methodist Church, and, most recently, the Workmen's Circle. Among the perfomers who have appeared at the Peoples' Voice Cafe are Pete Seeger, Charlie King, Kim and Reggie Harris, Magpie, Pat Humphries, Bev Grant, Leon Rosselson, Tommy Sands, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Joe Jencks, Paul Kaplan, Donal Leace, Roberta Flack, Jon Fromer, and too many more to name. Mudcatter Debra Cowan (DebC) has played there, and so has yours truly.

The new 2008-2009 season will begin on September 13 with a memorial concert for Carl Schwartz, the late environmental activist. Additional information should soon be available on the Peoples' Voice Cafe website.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: DebC
Date: 01 Aug 08 - 06:42 PM

I certainly wish PVC all the best luck in their new home. When I performed for them, with songwriter and labor organiser John O'Connor, PVC was in the Workman's Circle Building.

I'm not complaining about the move at all, I am sure PVC had good reasons to relocate. I know the Workman's Circle Bldg wasn't perfect, but I thought it was a great symbolic venue for PVC. My great grandfather, Meyer Strassman was very active in the Workman's Circle in the beginning of the 20th century. For me to sing there almost 100 years after my great grandfather came to America from Russia, was a real high point for me.

I do look forward to my next visit to PVC and congrats on the new home.

Debra Cowan

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Suffet
Date: 01 Aug 08 - 06:50 PM

Deb and everyone,

The Peoples' Voice Cafe didn't want to move. It had to move. The Workmen's Circle sold its 100+ year old building to a developer and had to vacate. Fortunately, the PVC found a new home just two blocks away.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: GUEST,Sally Campbell
Date: 01 Aug 08 - 07:41 PM

Thanks, Steve, for posting this notice. If anyone is interested in volunteering of a SAturday night, you'll get to see the show for free, get 1/2 off on the baked goods and be doing a mitzvah for live music in NYC.
Volunteers come at 6:00 and leave at 11:00 though exceptions can be made for folks who need to leave early or come late. We need folks for the food table, literature and sales table, the gate and most of all to run the sound. (You can learn this valuable skill at no extra charge!).
If you are interested, email me at [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Aug 08 - 08:38 PM

I really will make an effort to search you folks out at your new home the next time I wander through NYC.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: GUEST,Rosalie Harman
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 05:42 PM

As a performer and volunteer of PVC, I am glad that you have found a new home. The Workmens` Circle is closing because they sold the building(I can`t imagine yet another luxury building going up), I also had the honor of performing with the New Yiddish Chorale and the Folksbeine Theatre who had used the Workmens` Circle for rehearsal space.
    The New York City Streetsingers have benefitted from the generiosity of the Community Church, who has provided rehearsal space in an adjoining building.In many ways the Community Church is an ideal place to hold PVC,I will see you all in the fall

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Suffet
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 10:39 PM

Greetings:

Aside from Debra Cowan and myself, which Mudcatters have performed at the Peoples' Voice Cafe? I know that Joy Bennett has performed there as part of the Johnson Girls and also as part of Water Sign, although I don't recall her posting anything on Mudcat recently. I also know that Ken Schatz has performed there a couple of times, and he sometimes pops up on Mudcat. Is it only the four of us then -- Debra, Joy, Ken, and me -- or are there others?

For refrence, here's a link to a page which lists many past Peoples' Voice Cafe performers. Unfortunately, it is far from complete.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Howard Kaplan
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 11:18 PM

I performed there three times, the last of which was 9 or 10 years ago. However, at the time I was not yet a Mudcatter.

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 05:25 PM

Damn, that takes me back. I used to square dance at the 35th St. Community Church back in 19 ought 53. Nice hall.

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: GUEST,Chris Lang & Jeanne Stork
Date: 03 Aug 08 - 07:29 PM

The first show of the new People's Voice Cafe season will be a tribute show to Carl Schwartz, whose passing left so many individuals (and organizations) mourning his charismatic presence and wonderful energy. Musicians representing Hudson River Clearwater, People's Music Network, Pinewood Folk, (among many other organizations)will celebrate Carl's life with songs old and new, pop and folk, tried and true. It will be an exciting night with familiar faces and some surprise guests as well...Carl's spirit will sing along.

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Suffet
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 04:54 PM

Peoples' Voice Cafe
at the Community Church of New York (Unitarian-Universalist)
40 East 35th Street • New York City

All shows are Saturday at 8:00 PM. Doors open at 7:30.
$15 general admission. $10 for Peoples' Voice Cafe or Community Church members.
Low income admission: whatever you can afford. But please be honest about it.
TDF vouchers accepted.

September 2008
Sept. 13th: Carl Schwartz Memorial Concert & Celebration
Sept. 20th: Tom Pacheco + David Laibman
Sept. 27th: Chris Lowe + Peter Pasco + Toby Fagenson

October 2008
Oct. 4th: The Ebony Hillbillies
Oct. 11th: Closed for Community Church Function
Oct. 18th: Human Condition Reunion Concert
Oct. 25th: Hook Report with Chris Lang + Emma Graves

Please visit the PVC website for updates.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 04:58 PM

Steve, tell us who the Human Condition were(are).

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Suffet
Date: 13 Aug 08 - 05:59 PM

Ron et al.

The Human Condition were a very political band based in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1970s. Members, who were all in their late 20s to mid-30s back then, included at various times Bev Grant, Mario Giacalone, Gene Hicks, Jerry Mitnick, Peter Farnese, Frank Negron, and perhaps others whom I cannot recall. They all came from working class backgrounds and had real roots what were then the blue collar neighborhoods. So in addition to the leftish gigs that you would expect, they also played dances, block parties, rooftop barbecues, and street fairs. Their high energy music was hard to classify. Think of it as basic rock and roll with kick-ass vocals and lots of folk, blues, and country influence. But isn't that what baic rock and roll is?

The Human Condition turned out at least one LP, maybe more. Bev Grant is still a very active performer, a top-notch songwriter, a concert producer, and the director of the Brooklyn Women's Chorus. I believe Frank Negron directs a school somewhere in Brooklyn. I don't know what became of the others.

--- Steve

Subject: RE: Peoples' Voice Cafe finds a new home
From: Suffet
Date: 14 Aug 08 - 08:35 AM

...and had real roots what were then the blue collar neighborhoods.

Whoops! Please make that: ...and had real roots in what were then the blue collar neighborhoods.

...baic rock and roll...

Whoops again! Make that ...basic rock and roll...

Someday I will learn to poofread proofraed proofread. Whatever.

--- Steve