If you're still mourning the loss of the Purple One (and who isn't?), you might want to consider driving your little red Corvette to Middlebury this Saturday, September 24, for the 2016 premiere of Town Hall Theater's Rock on Film series. Purple Rain, starring the recently departed Prince, will kick off the season, which will feature eight or nine films.
The series was created by Town Hall Theater board members Paul Wyncoop and Ashar Nelson, along with executive director Doug Anderson. The three generated the concept last year at a local bar while brainstorming ideas for offbeat programming. The first film screened was Jonathan Demme's Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. According to Anderson, the series has brought in a new audience for Town Hall Theater.
In an email to Seven Days, he writes: "You can sit at home and watch these films on a small screen, but if you see them on our big screen, with the music played at concert volume on our great sound system, it’s a completely different experience."
Anderson adds that, although there's no official interactive experience for the audience, a party atmosphere prevails and spontaneous dance parties have been known to occur.
Though the full season is still being planned, upcoming films include Gimme Shelter on Saturday, October 29, and Woodstock on Friday, November 11. The series has previously included A Hard Day's Night, Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back and The Last Waltz. Purple Rain starts at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $10. There will be a cash bar.
Since 2014, Seven Days has allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we’ve appreciated the suggestions and insights, the time has come to shut them down — at least temporarily.
While we champion free speech, facts are a matter of life and death during the coronavirus pandemic, and right now Seven Days is prioritizing the production of responsible journalism over moderating online debates between readers.
Bio:
Jordan Adams joined Seven Days as music editor in 2016. In 2021, he became an arts and culture staff writer. He's won awards from the Vermont Press Association and the New England Newspaper and Press Association. In 2022, he became a freelance contributor.
As a young child, Jesse Clements frequently traveled from Boston to Vermont to spend time with her aunt, Joan. Their favorite shared activity was drawing. They would lose themselves in the process, surrounded by craft supplies and pencils strewn across the basement floor. As Jesse presented her creations, Joan lavished praise. "She was just the most encouraging [person]," Jesse, now a grade school teacher in Berkeley, Calif., recalled during a recent phone call with Seven Days.
The fun, creative content isn't going away, it's just moving to different spots on the website. Now you can head to the Arts + Life, Music or On Screen sections in between weekly issues for everything we write about arts and culture, whether it was in print or not.