Global phenomenon Make Music Day comes to Salem June 21 from the Statesman Journal
June 16, 2016
Global phenomenon Make Music Day comes to Salem June 21
Salem will join a worldwide phenomenon on the summer solstice. The city’s streets, alleys, sidewalks, parking lots and public spaces will resound with the joyful noise of Make Music Day on Tuesday, June 21.
From Peace Plaza at Salem Public Library to Salem Cinema and from the Oregon State Capitol to the Boys & Girls Club of West Salem, roughly 30 venues will host music events. Performances begin around 10:30 a.m. Over the lunch hour and into the night, more musicians will join the fun.
More than 100 bands and singers of all ages and abilities will perform big band, folk, hard rock, soul, hip-hop, country and music of all styles. Mark Green, co-organizer of Salem’s event, said, “There will be something for everyone.”
The best thing: It’s all free.
“Three principals of Make Music Day: It needs to be free; nobody can be charged. Nobody can get paid. Music must be outside, unless it rains,” Green said. “That’s what’s beautiful about it.
“Make Music Day started in France in 1982. The idea was musicians should get outside and play music on the first day of summer, the solstice. It’s all over Europe. In France, it’s an official kind of holiday or celebration.”
This year, more than 725 cities in more than 120 countries will participate.
“This makes a lot of sense for our town with the incredible talent we have. It’s a great way to kick the summer off,” Green said.
There will be interactive and family-friendly activates for all ages. At 5 p.m. on the Capitol steps, volunteers will pass out 100 free harmonicas, teach the basics and lead a jam session. At 6 p.m. at ABC Music, Ukuleles Fans of Oregon will offer an interactive demonstration.
At 7 p.m. on the Capitol steps, ’60s garage rock band The Kingsmen will perform. The band invites audience members to bring instruments and join in performing “Louie Louie.”
For information and a full schedule, go to makemusicday.org/salem or download the Make Music Day app. To contact the coordinators, email salem@makemusicday.org.
Join Tom and Carlee for a musical stroll
You’re invited to join Tom and Carlee’s CAFE — Community Arts for Everyone — for the action. Statesman Journal reporters Tom Mayhall Rastrelli and Carlee Wright will lead a walk to hear five styles of music in just over an hour.
Meet us at the Statesman Journal building at the corner of Court and Church streets shortly before 6 p.m. by the DJ playing music. We’ll be wearing pink.
At 6 p.m., we’ll walk to Ranch Records to hear the bluegrass and indie-folk songs of Whiskey Priest. From there we’ll head to 1859 Cider Co. to hear the pop tunes of Pending Black, followed by Two Man Bob (folk) at Reed Opera House Alley and Human Ottoman at the 400 block of State Street. We’ll close the evening by walking to the Capitol to hear Kingsmen (rock) at 7 p.m.
We hope to see you there.
TRastrelli@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-983-6030, facebook.com/RastrelliSJ and on Twitter @RastrelliSJ
If you go
What: Make Music Day
Where: Venues throughout downtown Salem and West Salem
When: 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday, June 21
Admission: Free
Information and performance schedule: makemusicday.org/salem, salem@makemusicday.org.