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Graveside Variety LIFTS OFF!!!: The final Thing-post + gazillions of photos from the month (Patreon)
Content
HELLO LOVES.
Happy Wednesday, y'all.
For those who don't wanna read the long, long story, let me just simply say this: this community, this group of patrons, this incredible system of weird but wonderful crowdfunding is really truly a kind of a miracle at Graveside Variety. I know that a handful of you were skeptical about funding this little project....but it really took off in a way I never could have imagined, and the seeds that you all helped plant are now blossoming into massive art-and-community flowers. The place has given me a safe place to go, to think, to write, to test out new material, to feel okay. That's been priceless, and has made me think deeply about what this crowd understands about me, and about art, music, magic, time, space, place, surviving and healing.
I often think about writing a book (I have so many books inside of me, and unfortunately I hate writing books) about crowdfunding.
I have a lot to say about crowdfunding, as a concept, and about crowd-trust, modern concepts of "help" and "funding", the inter-connectedness of the universe and how kickstarter, crowdfunding, gofundme, patreon and all these commiunity tools changed my life, my art, and the lives of so many...including the life of my own child.
I'd title it something like "Crowdeveything-ing 101" or something equally absurd.
But: this story about Graveside Variety being trust-fall-level funded by my global community would be a big chapter in that book. My whole world agreed to kickstart something specifically local, and trusted me (and a few other beautiful souls, like Liz, Holly, Gracie and now Ry) to make it work...and it worked.
.......
This is the last paid Patreon post for Graveside Variety. (And FYI....this post was also a many-drafted shitshow agony post due to techincal errors, and Liz did a ton of the heavy lifting, incliding re-uploading all of these goddamn photos multiple times, so god bless Liz, and grumble grumble at patreon.)
In case you missed it, here are July and August’s posts. THIS IS GREAT NEWS: the venue is (more or less) at the point where it can break even on it's own, and we knew that this day would come.
If you're new to the patreon, and this is all weird to you, crib notes: I decided to kickstart a little piano/music venue in the woods (a few miles from where I live in Woodstock, NY), and I asked the patrons here if they'd help with the funding for a few months. Y'all mostly said, yes. So I jumped and rented the space. Now it's time fot hte little space to leave the patreon next and fly, fly fly. SO...thank you all SO MUCH for your support with helping to LIFT this eclectic community arts space off the ground and into the art-sky.
(Here's me and Ry, our new staff angel, outside the venue....photo by Elizabath Grammaticas, our other staff angel)
.....
Last month, for the first time, Graveside didn’t lose money.
I MEAN....It’s ACTUALLY WORKING. We're pretty close to breaking even now.
We have a little staff! PEOPLE ARE COMING!!! The response from the local upstate community has been absolutely heart-filling. The locals love the space (especially the local queerdos and the parents, since there's very little in town for queers and kids, and queers with kids).
It’s filling a real gap around here.
..........
The venue will live on, and we're currently figuring out what to do.
I'll keep posting updates about the venue here, and there will still be patron-only events.
If you’d like to keep supporting Graveside with $$$, fear not; we are currently working on creating a ways for sustainable funding (most likely including Graveside's own patreon page, HOORAY). We're expanding our programming, looking into membership options, co-working hours, and live streaming events....it'll all hopefully come together over the winter as long as the heating bill doens't bankrupt us. (It gets cold in woodstock).
Thank you so much for helping us get on our feet. Now we are figuring out how to walk.
In the meantime, if you’d like to continue to support Graveside you can....
-Sign up for the Graveside mailing list, buy tickets to upcoming shows, and of course feel free to make a one-time donation (that'll really help), all of which can be done at the Graveside website: gravesidevariety.com
We also have an instagram, FOLLOW IT : instagram/gravesidevariety
(We've gotten up to 2k+ followers on instagram and subscribers on our mailing list!!) WHEEEEEE.
Coming up this Thursday (Sept 28th), Charming Disaster (who many of you will recognize from the shows at the Colony) is doing a show, and it's almost sold out. Hope to see many of you there. Tickets at gravesidevariety.com
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OK HERE WE GO.
WHAT'S HAPPENED...???
Amanda Palmer "Private Practice", a night JUST FOR PATRONS as I slowly work on the new Dresden Dolls record.....
(read a bit more about this in last month's All-Thing here)
Well.
When you need to write and rehearse and are having trouble writing and rehearsing, what do you do?? I know what I FUCKING DO.
I invite a small audience of my patrons to hang out in the little community arts space one started. A cross between a show and an intimate hang out/catch-up.....where new music is worked on and old music is practiced, and , y'know....love, laughs, some tears were shared
We are having another Private Practice on Monday, 10/9 at 6:30pm for PATRONS-ONLY. Tickets are $25.
Magic patron-only ticketing link, grab em:
https://privatepracticeAFP.eventbrite.com
We will also be having another one in November.
(Tickets for that one on sale soon)
....
Storm Large (of PINK MARTINI) in
"I LOVE YOU TO DEATH: ALIVE AT GRAVESIDE (with Lance Horne)"
This was a show that came together at the very last minute, since I really wanted to catch up with my old dear diva friend, Storm. We used it as an excuse to hug each other. :)
The tickets were only $15, and Storm donated the proceeds entirely to Graveside, because she's a miracle.
I donned a suit (why not?) and opened the evening with a new song played for the first time in front of an audience. ("Houdini", which would later be performed with Brian at the Colony Dresden Dolls shows...).
Storm told us that she was going to bring Cornbread.
Storm did indeed bring homemade cornbread.
"I would never promise Cornbread and not bring cornbread!!!" -Storm.
She first gave it out to the staff and then to the audience with the assistance of Liz and AFP.....
My Boston pal Rachel Jayson accompanied Storm and Lance on the Viola for a few songs...and my god, Rachel's accompaniment is always a gift.
Rachel, Lance, and Storm.
(photos by Liz)
(photos by Amanda)
(photos by Liz)
Palpable Lady Love:
(photo by Dahlia)
Consensual boob touching only:
Rachel's wee one, Asa, who's about a year younger than Ash, was in the green room asking about playing with the little girl he saw out front.
Liz chimed in that her name was Zoey, and that she loves bunnies.
A friendship was born on this night.
(photo by Dahlia)
For more on:
.....
AND, oh my lord, DRESDEN DOLLS WEEK!!
The Dolls were in Woodstock, across the street at the colony, for three shows. We kicked off Dolls week with a special early preview night of BLEAK!: songs for the not quite-of-the-world by the epicly talented John Coons.
It was low-key and lovely. The type of low-key and lovely where one can roll out of bed in a robe and underwear, introduce the show, and then go back to bed.
Which is what I did.
(photos by Liz)
It's a show that will make you laugh and make you cry, often simultaneously. We are working on booking a few more performances soon so more locals can catch it.....
(photos by Krys Fox)
For more on:
......
The next morning we had a MUNZ Floor workshop with none other than the lovely Coco Karol......
The class wound down at the end with piano accompaniment ...
And there was crying...
(photos by Krys Fox)
Krys.....
For more on:
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Coffee Hours and Open Houses....
Every day during Dolls week we had Open House Coffee Hours.
You could sit and read, hang out, knit or sew, do work, whatever.
It felt good to have our doors open on such a regular basis and the joint felt so full of life...
We are working towards having more regular hours open during the day to fill such needs.
Currently, we are open every Sunday 10am-1pm, SO PLEASE COME!!!!!!!!!!
People brought such a wonderful supply of baked goodies, whether imported from an Italian bakery in Long Island, or made at home, it was just....lovely.
......
Drag Story Hour with Annie Christ.....
On Saturday morning, we had another installment of Drag Story Hour with Annie Christ. This was the first time where we may have had more adults in the audience than children, and it was EPIC.
Annie read Marlon Bundo.
(photos by Hayley Rosenblum)
For more on:
......
After the final Dolls week performance of BLEAK!, setlists were delivered to fans via my underpants.....
Followed by some piano playing before the introduction to that night's perfomrance of "BLEAK"...
Look at the liiiiine!!!
.....and then John, of course, brought the whole house down one more time.
It was a fucking wonderful way to end the night.
....
Singer Mali and Amelia Allen.....
The night after the Dresden Dolls residency at Colony, we closed out the week with a very special performance by two extremely talented femmes.
Amelia Allen is a patron I met at Campersand over the summer, and a handful of us got to hear her play (and were all blown away by her songwriting).
We were so glad to be able to host a proper performance at Graveside. ...we can't wait to see what's next for Amelia. Star is on the rise here, for sure.
(photo by Liz)
Mali Sastri, performing with her current band as Singer Mali, is a longtime friend and former housemate. She's an extraordinary musician and human and is absurdly underrated. If you're lucky enough to have the chance to see her perform, DO IT.
(photos by Amanda)
Friend and frequent collaborator Rachel Jayson joins for a few songs.
A good night.
including a Michael Pope!
Meanwhile, little Asa was tuckered out and snoozed through the show.
(photo by Amanda)
Also, Ash decided to sell LIFE that night...for donations to Graveside of course.
Watch HERE.
For more on:
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Sxip, Coco, and Amanda present: The Wild Rumpus!!
There was singing, reading, dancing, games, and FUN!
(photos by Amanda)
(photos by Dahlia)
(photo by Amanda)
(photos by Liz)
(photo by Amanda)
With Bryan and Dahlia, and children everywhere. Spot the Ash.
For more on:
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Sxip's Hour of Charm
Oh my goodness how lucky we are to have this show. Sxip's Hour of Charm is an institution of New York's downtown scene, frequently at Joe's Pub and most recently at National Sawdust. Performers for our Graveside iteration included : Elyas Khan, Raquel Acevedo Klein, Terry Dame, Jack Dishel, Michael Arthur, Zach Fredman, Sophie Strand, Coco Karol, Amy Gordon, Lacey Rose, and of course Sxip Shirey.
The show was completely sold out, and PURE MAGIC.
The night ended with joyous dancing. It couldn't have been a better night.
For more on:
....
DeVotchKa
What started as an intimate set with Nick Urata and Tom Hagerman of DeVotchKa soon included the entire band.
Modern English came to the show, and occasionally members accompanied DeVotchKa on stage. The lead singer Robbie Grey may or may not have brought our Simon Le Bon cardboard cutout on a journey to the bathroom with him. You can see the evidence HERE.
Robbie Grey watching the show. Liz did offer him an adult chair. He politely declined.
Simon Le Bon is just very. popular.
(photos by Liz)
After the show, the members of DeVotchKa and Modern English went across the street to Colony and performed at the open mic night. This town.
More on:
....
Golly Presents:
aka Gracie Coates and Holly Miranda, the two talented musicians and lovely humans were absolutely essential during the early days of getting Graveside off the ground. They are such a gift. While they have stepped back from overall operations, they have still been producing many of their wonderful Golly Presents events at Graveside. We are lucky to have them. Their presence, and every Golly show is an absolutely gift. Get on their mailing list at GollyPresents.com.
upcoming Golly at Graveside
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It's been all of that, and most importantly, It's been a safe and happy place for Ash.
Learning D&D from Dungeon Master Mathew Mercer. (photo by Ry)
reading together (photo by Liz)
and we are working on having more kids programming. In addition to Drag Story Hour and Sxip, Coco, & Amanda Present, we also had a wonderful workshop led by esteemed local educator Coryn Nadeau. "Colorful Emotions" was all about aiding in the processing and naming of emotions using colors. It was such a good workshop and the kids had a blast.
Look at the expression on little Zoey's face!
(photos by Dahlia)
Liz just ordered a bunch of coloring and activity books for the kiddos to enjoy while the parents hang out. It's very important for us to make room for both.
.....
DISPATCHES FROM THE GRAVESIDE TEAM:
From Liz:
WOW what a month it's been. I don't know the last time I was this busy and this happy. I truly love this place with my heart and soul, and I am continuously grateful to be a part of something so damn special and fulfilling. This post was wonderful and difficult to help put together. I kept being floored by how many just.....well, fucking incredible heart-healing moments and connections that have already been made. Regularly. I was at a housewarming party for some friends in Kingston last summer, and my awkward self was a hot commodity at the party. Once word got out about Graveside, everyone wanted to talk to me how excited they are about this space existing...and how much they've been needing this. It was so genuine and sincere.
Ry has been a great addition, and is usually busy working away behind the scenes.
It's also been great being able to work side by side with Amanda, or floor on top of floor. We both lost internet at our houses one day, and found ourselves each working on a floor of graveside. I had also lost power, so it was even more of a gift to have this space as a warm and safe landing pad, along with everything else that it represents.
I also have a painting studio upstairs, while I may not have had much time to paint recently (see literally all of the above), I have finally gotten settled in and I am getting READY to ART.
(photo by Krys Fox)
AND we have a new team member that I couldn't be happier about!!!
Sara! I met Sara on her first public graveside show of Amadou Diallo + M'bollo. We instantly connected and bonded over our favorite graveyard programming. The second time I saw Sara was at Sophie Strand's event. Sara shared a beautiful and weird story about deep sea creatures. That further sealed the deal. Finally, in July when I got sick with Bronchitis and had no back up for anyone to work my shift, Sara drove up from Brooklyn and saved the day. Upon us telling Sara she should work here...she somehow found a magical apartment a short drive away in Saugerties. It was meant to be.
Sara, Annie, and I during Dolls week. (Photo by Hayley Rosenblum)
....
From Sara: "What strikes me most about Graveside Variety is how many people walk through its doors and immediately remark that it feels like home. What kind of place instills such a universal feeling across people from all walks of life, hailing from so many places, with such varied life experiences? That's the magic of Graveside – the magic of our community. People come to Graveside to come home, to feel belonging, to hear captivating and healing music, to make friends, to share stories, to breathe life into our little artistic haven. I am blown away by the conversations I have with new and familiar faces about: interactive poetry projects; what nature narratives teach us about chronic illness; gravestone symbol theory; a Woodstock cowboy who carried ducklings in his pocket. Graveside Variety is full of surprises, save for one: without a doubt, you will be charmed, delighted, inspired, connected, celebrated, or even – with a dose of community magic – all of the above."
......
AND NOW WHAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE SCHEDULE:
Coffee Hours every Sunday 10am-1pm
september 28 @ 6:30 doors, 7pm show. Charming Disaster (if you were at the Dolls shows, they were your talented lobby serenaders. They were made for Graveside and we are so excited about this show! COME!!)
(Charming Disaster during the Dolls shows)
september 29 @ 6:30 doors, 7pm show - Addy Idol
october 5 @ 6:30pm doors, 7pm show – Rose Stoller + Evelyn + Sarah Gross
october 9 @ 6pm doors, 6:30 show - Amanda Palmer Private Practice - tickets available only for AFP Patrons here: https://privatepracticeAFP.eventbrite.com
october 11 @ 6:30pm doors, 7pm show – golly presents : diane cluck + only son
october 12 @ 7:30 pm - Pup Play: staged reading & workshop discussion - tickets on sale soon
october 14 @ 6:30 pm doors, 7pm show- Driftwood Solider
october 18 @ 7:30pm doors, 8pm show – golly presents : landlady (solo) + friends
october 19 @ 7:00pm doors, 7:3pm show – golly presents : unseen + heard: an evening of music + mediumship with jocelyn mackenzie
october 20 @ 6:30pm doors, 7pm show – Luxury Skin – on sale soon
october 21 @ 6:30pm, 7pm show – golly presents : kimistry + holly miranda
october 22 @ 5pm + 7pm – golly presents : an evening of music with seth glier (7pm) + a mixed media workshop from sophie chambers (5pm)
october 27 @ 6:30 pm doors, 7pm show - Spooky & Gay!
october 28 @ 6:30 pm doors, 7pm show - Spooky & Gay!
november 3 @ 6:30 pm doors, 7pm show – golly presents : an evening with melissa ferrick
Way more community events in particular are coming down the pike. Stay tuned!
MUCH MUCH MORE TO BE ADDED SOON!!!
Get on the list. OK? Ok.
One last time for the folks in the back:
gravesidevariety.com.
......
AND!! Last but not least, the patron was has been growing and growing! Even more art is up than what's pictured here. Also, occasionally certain pieces make their way to being displayed in Graveside outside of the art wall. Updated photos to come soon. THANK YOU
Art wall BLISS
Betsy with the beautiful piece she donated that her mother made (who recently passed). What a gift.
...
THANK YOU
(photos by Krys Fox)
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