BY MICHELLE MILLER
STAFF WRITER
Beer is not the only thing on tap at Brewery Ommegang. This summer, the site will be used to host a summer concert series. It is not the first time Brewery Ommegang has provided musical entertainment. According to event promoter Dan Smalls, this will mark year two of a full fledged series.
“Its grown each year,” said Smalls, president and talent buyer of Dan Smalls Presents Inc., based in Ithaca. “I believe they did they did a show or two in 2010. Last year we did three large shows, and this year we have announced five and are working on at least one more.” So far, the lineup consists of CAKE, Death Cab for Cutie, Lyle Lovett, Wilco and Darius Rucker.
Smalls said the process of selecting acts happens in two ways.
“We came up with a dream list for the summer way back in the fall. At that time we were still considering Brewery Ommegang self-presenting the events. But as things came together, the idea of DSP presented events at the brewery took hold. It really started with Wilco We had been working on this show all last year and glad it came to pass. The other way shows come about is through agents reaching out directly to DSP.
Simon (Thorpe, CEO) and I agreed that this new hybrid model and partnership was the proper way to proceed. It’s yielded its benefits so far in great and diverse shows this summer with more hopefully on the way. It’s the start of a wonderful partnership that we both hope continues to grow and develop. We share the same vision to concentrate onthe experience more than the crowd size or dollars. When you make that tantamount, the rest takes care of itself.”
Lovett preformed at the brewery in 2010, and Smalls said he was so well received that it was determined he should be asked to come back. According to Smalls, the highlights of last year were the Avett Brothers with Brandi Carlile last fall and The Levon Helm Band with Arlo Guthrie anti-fracking event last May.
Kelly Jendrzejewki, spokesperson for Brewery Ommegang, said each year the performances are special.
“Year to year we see varying acts for all different genres and music lovers,” she said. Smalls said this year’s series is a combination of bigger names and diverse talent that all fit within the brewery’s core vision.
“We’re very excited about the lineup and the fact that our reputation as a venue has grown so far and so fast. Good treatment andgreat shows build this reputation and that’s what is important for growth. The picturesquesetting and phenomenal beer don’t hurt,” he said.
According to Smalls there are a limited number of tickets for each show. “It depends on the shows. In building a venue for each event we can tailor it to the expected crowd size. Wilco should be the biggest show of the summer,” he said.
Camping is permitted at the concerts for an additional small fee, Jendrzejewki said. She said camping allows the opportunity for concert-goers to stay on site worry free.Camping started at the brewery’s brew fest and people have gravitated toward staying after the concerts, Smalls said.
“We provide portolets and water and hand sinks, no showers, and plenty of food and drink during concert hours. Plus many folks stick around to try the beers and check out the cafe the next morning. It’s a real sense of community,” he said.
People come from near and far, depending on each artist, according to Jendrzejewki. She said some performers have diehard fans who will travel hours away to see their shows.
Organizers have to surround Cooperstown with advertising to reach large enough crowds, Smalls said. “It’s also a huge challenge to market in this way and keep costs under control,” he said. “We focus on Albany, Utica, Binghamton, Syracuse, the Hudson Valley and beyond.”
Crowd sizes are also related to the act. Smalls said last year the brewery hosted between 1,500 and 3,000 for events.
“A few of this year’s should be bigger. But we are prepared for this additional with supplemental parking, trolley shuttles etc. to again focus on the overall experience,” he said.
Brewery Ommegang provides the concert series not only to bring people into the area, but to build the area in general, according to Jendrzejewki. “Holding a concert series every summer with multiple diverse acts, we are able to create a lot of interest for people to visit the area.
Upstate New York, and more specifically, Otsego County has a lot to offer. It not only has the great outdoor activities and camping, but concerts, festivals and more.
Ommegang is very involved in our community and we love giving back to the area that supports us so much. We havethe opportunity to work with many local businesses and organizations that carry our product or work with us, and we just want to be able to give back by driving business to those locations.” The lineup
FRIDAY, JUNE 15 - CAKE
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, Calif. Tickets went on sale April 6 and can be purchased at the brewery, online at dansmallspresents. com or by calling (888) 512-SHOW. Tickets are $42.50 in advance for general admission. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, JULY 21 - DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
According to a Brewery Ommegang media release, this band was an unlikely success story in the 2000s. The release said Death Cab for Cutiestarted on a small Seattlebased label and gradually became standard-bearers for a style of sweet indie rock that emphasized gentle melodies and vulnerable, emotionally candid lyrics.
The concert is open to all ages. Children 12 and younger will get in free. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and the show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Tickets wenton sale on May 4. If purchased in advance, tickets are $39.50. The price will go up to $45 if bought on the day of the event.
FRIDAY, JULY 27 - LYLE LOVETT
According to a Brewery Ommegang media release, Lovett has defined the modern Texas singer-songwriter.
Fusing elements of the blues, country, folk, gospel and jazz, four-time Grammy winner Lovett — in a career that spans 14 albums and more than four million records sold — has created his own style of Americana, defying convention and breaking down barriers along the way.
For the last few years Lovett has been alternating large band tours with acoustic shows teaming him with John Hiatt as well as larger songwriter circles also featuring long-time friendsHiatt, Guy Clark and Joe Ely. In addition to his music, Lovett has appeared in 12 feature films, including several directed by the highly acclaimed Robert Altman.
He was most recently featured in the documentary “For the Sake of the Song: The Story of Anderson Fair,” a film that explores the significant role the legendary Houston musicvenue continues to play in preserving American musical traditions.
Gates will open at 5 p.m. and the show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Thos of all ages are encouraged to come, and children younger than 12 will get in free.
Tickets went on sale May 27. The cost is $55 in advance and $60 on the day of the event.
SATURDAY, JULY 28 – WILCO
WILCO will return to Central New York for the first time in a number of years. The group has been described by “Rolling Stone” as “America’s foremost rock impressionists.”
A Brewery Ommegang media release said, “WILCO has made a long career of weaving diverse musical influences into a coherent, reverent and wholly unique sound.
Their refusal to be categorized and fearless interpretation of musical genres both past and present has ensured their continued critical acclaim and audience loyalty.”
Gates will open at 4 p.m. The show is set to start at 7 p.m.
Those of all ages are encouraged to come, and children younger than 12 will get in free.
Tickets went on sale on April 13. The cost is $42 in advance and $50 on the day of the event.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 - DARIUS RUCKER
Some may remember him as the frontman of Hottie and the Blowfish, but now he has made it big in the country scene. Rucker grew up in Charleston, S.C., where he was exposed to the sounds of Otis Redding, Al Green, and Gladys Knight at an early age.
According to a Brewery Ommegang media release, those R&B icons helped influence Hootie and the Blowfish’s recordings, all of which featured Rucker’s soulful baritone atthe forefront, but it wasn’t until his solo career that Rucker truly paid homage to the sounds of his youth.
“Rucker has made a finesounding country album, full of singable choruses, bittersweet fiddle and steel, and guitars with bottomless twang,” USA Today.
“On his Nashville debut, Rucker’s rich baritone, sentimental ballads and bright hooks made him the most successful African-American country singer since Charley Pride.” – Rolling Stone.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. The show is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets went on sale on April 6. The cost is $45 in advance and $50 on the day of the event.
For more information about the concerts, visit dansmallspresents.com.
Local News
Brewery to host summer concert series
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Dreams Park, then and now, required a work ethic
courtesy of Cooperstown Dreams Park This photo shows an aerial view of Cooperstown Dreams Parkin 2011.
Campers coming to the Cooperstown Dreams Park each year not only come to play on fields near a historic setting, they come here to apply and improve upon their baseball skills and work ethic. Long before the Dreams Park came to be, those fields held another function that required a good work ethic, in that of farming.
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Ford's state title a first for CCS
Creative visualization works. Just ask Lucy Ford. She didn't know it as creative visualization at the time, but it may have helped her win a state championship anyway.
Continued ... - Trolley schedule has been interrupted
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Fly Creek artist's collages are on display
"Chromatones," collages by Fly Creek artist Amy Cannon, will be on display through Aug. 5 at The Garage at 689 Beaver Meadow Road in Cooperstown.
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Marchi leaves Manor for new job
COOPERSTOWN -- Amid Otsego County's effort to sell the debt-plagued Otsego Manor, the nursing home's administrator, Edmond Marchi, has resigned to take a $107,000-a-year job running a similar facility in Schenectady County, officials said today.
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Deowongo Island dedication planned
Otsego Land Trust and the Canadarago Lake Improvement Association are inviting the public to participate in the community dedication of Deowongo Island as a shared public space on June 22.
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Some businesses remain short-staffed this year
Businesses in the Cooperstown area are gearing up for another summer season. As more tourists visit the area businesses, more employees need to be trained and ready to answer their call.
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CCS names top four students
On Sunday, June 23, 74 Cooperstown Central School seniors will put on caps and gowns to conclude one phase in their lives and prepare to embark on another. Among those walking to the tune of "Pomp and Circumstance" will be the top four students.
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Farmers' Museum announces results of 17th annual benefit horse show
On Sunday, June 9, equestrians from around the region participated in the 17th annual Farmers' Museum Benefit Horse Show, held at the Iroquois Farm Showgrounds on River Road, just outside the village of Cooperstown.
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Hands-on learning for homeschool students being offered
The Farmers' Museum, the Fenimore Art Museum and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum have teamed up to offer a day of hands-on learning for homeschoolers and their families.
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MCS announces valedictorian, salutatorian
The top two students at Milford Central School have been named.
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Drillers appeal frack-ban ruling
The courts are expected to take less time to determine if towns have the legal right to keep out hydraulic fracturing for shale gas than state officials are taking to determine if the controversial form of drilling should be allowed in New York.
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DOT ends lakeside chemical spraying
State officials have agreed to stop spraying chemical herbicides along a stretch of state Route 80 that runs along the west bank of Otsego Lake, the source of drinking water for some 2,000 people, Cooperstown Mayor Jeff Katz said Monday.
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Three local men are arrested in arson case
Three local men have been arrested on felony charges after investigators determined that fire was set at an unoccupied home in Hartwick to collect more than $50,000 of insurance money, Otsego County deputies said Monday.
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CV-S names top students for Class of 2013
The top two students at Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School have been named.
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Students participate in pre-engineering competition
The New Visions Pre-Engineering students brought home the gold at the SkillsUSA State Competition held in Syracuse.
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Musician's 100th birthday to be celebrated
The B-Side Ballroom and Supper Club at 1 Clinton Plaza, Oneonta, will host the Gallodoro 100th Birthday Bash featuring New York City saxophonist, Chad E. Smith at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 20.
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Performance set at Lake Front Restaurant
Nashville-based singer and songwriter Erin Thomas will appear at 7 p.m. at Lake Front Restaurant in Cooperstown tonight. Her husband, 1995 CCS graduate Brian Horner will play saxophone with her.
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Smithy has lots to offer this summer season
The Smithy Center for the Arts, at 55 Pioneer St. in Cooperstown, is working year-round to fulfill its mission of bringing the arts to all members of the community, inviting them to be appreciators and creators of virtually all art forms, according to Danielle Newell, the Smithy’s executive director.
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Shakedown Street is coming to village
For one weekend only, the Chestnut Street parking lot will be known as Shakedown Street. The open-air market famous at Grateful Dead shows is expected come to Cooperstown on July 13 and 14 for the Furthur concert at Doubleday Field on Sunday, July 14. Furthur is the Grateful Dead legacy band that features original Dead members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir.
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