Artpark’s 2017 season: Blondie to Plasticiens Volants’ Big Bang
Blondie, Dwight Yoakum and the U.S. premiere of French street theatre sensation Plasticiens Volants are part of the summer lineup announced for Artpark this week.
The Lewiston, N.Y., venue will offer plenty of classic rock, arts installations and family shows for its 44th season, which kicks off June 6 with returning favourite ZZ Top at the Artpark Amphitheater.
TheTexastriowillkickoffthepopular Tuesdays in the Park lineup, which continues to the end of August. This year’s slate continues with: June 14 - Tears for Fears June 20 - Randy Bachman and 5440
June 27 - Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot
July 11 - Loverboy and Kim Mitchell July 18 - Brit Floyd July 25 - Blondie and Garbage Aug. 1 - George Thorogood Aug. 8 - Gov’t Mule Aug. 15 - Lynyrd Skynyrd Aug. 22 - Jethro Tull, by Ian Anderson.
Artpark has also partnered with Funtime Presents for 311 with New Politics and The Skints July 10 and Arkells with Atlas Genius Aug. 19. More shows are expected to be announced.
AtArtpark’sMainstageTheaterwill be the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s Broadway Today July 21. Dwight Yoakum performs Aug. 12.
Putting the ‘art’ in Artpark will be the much-heralded return of late artist Gene Davis’ piece 1979 Niagara, a recreation of his massive, multi-coloured installation which covered the venue’s parking lot 38 summers ago. After a Kickstarter campaign raised the $20,000 needed to bring it back, the 3,870-square-metre piece has been installed in Parking Lot C, adjacent to the Mainstage Theater.
Family events include the annual Art Camp in July, the Artpark Theater Academy starting July 10, and the Rock Camp starting Aug. 7.
On June 17 will be a daylong Summer Solstice celebration throughout the grounds, featuring the Fairy House Festival and Lehrer Dance. At night will be an after party and moon dance with Slyboots Circus and Pyromancy.
The world premiere of composer David Dunn’s Place will be July 16, as well Music in the Woods, a series of free performances in the Lower Park Emerald Grove area throughout July.
The season closes Sept. 2 with installation artist and musician William Close’s Earth Harp Collective, seen at Coachella, Burning Man and on America’s Got Talent. It’s followed by Plasticiens Volants’ Big Bang, bringing huge floating inflatables to the park to tell a dreamlike story of the universe’s creation. The company has created spectacles for the Olympics in Rio (2016) and Sochi (2014).
A full listing of events and ticket prices is at www.artpark.net.