VersoFest, a music festival and conference, is returning to Connecticut and the Spin Doctors; Chuck D, of Public Enemy; John Densmore, the drummer of the Doors, will be there, along with many more.
The event also includes some interesting Connecticut music history about a small concert with Fleetwood Mac in Wallingford in 1975 that was broadcast on 99.1 WPLR.
This is the Westport Library's annual music and media festival and conference and it will be held from April 3 through 7.
Wednesday, April 3
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- Thinking Inside the Box exhibit, a mixed media art installation, is free. It runs all five days.
- 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Hands on Hip Hop History forum is free
- 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. VersoFest 2024 Visionary: Chuck D. Tickets are $50
- Chuck D, leader and co-founder of Public Enemy, will discuss his life, work, and recent graphic novel STEWdio: The Naphic Grovel ARTrilogy of Chuck D. Learn more here.
Thursday, April 4
Friday, April 5
- 7 p.m. Spin Doctors concert. Tickets are $50 ahead of time or $60 at the door.
Saturday, April 6
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. VersoFest Record Fair. Free
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Exhibit: Diamond Dogs at 50: David Bowie Exhibit by Paul Brenton with Set Designer Mark Ravitz. Free
- 11 a.m. to noon. Pitch Your Podcast! with Connecticut Public. Free. Registration required.
- 1 p.m. Conversation with music producer Tony Visconti. Free. Registration required.
- 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. I Thought I Heard You Speak: Women at Factory Records. Free
- 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Workshop: Know Your Worth, Set Your Rate, and Get Paid. Free
- 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. John Densmore in Conversation with Alisyn Camerota. Free
- John Densmore, the drummer for The Doors, wrote “The Doors Unhinged,” which details his conflict with bandmates over the right to use The Doors’ name. Learn more here.
Sunday, April 7
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. VersoFest Record Fair. Free
- 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Exhibit: Diamond Dogs at 50: David Bowie Exhibit by Paul Brenton with Set Designer Mark Ravitz. Free
- 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT & the Birth of Buckingham/Nicks Fleetwood Mac. Free
- Here is the description:
- “Buckle up for a wild rock ‘n’ roll ride! New Year’s Eve 1974, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks join Fleetwood Mac after the departure of key members in a new era of style and sound. Oct.23, 1975, Fleetwood Mac record and play a radio concert for a small audience of 100 at Trod Nossel Studios in Wallingford, CT broadcast on burgeoning FM rock radio station 99.1 WPLR FM. Just months after the release of Fleetwood Mac’s “White Album,” the oft-bootlegged recording captures the band tearing out of transition into a fully realized rock ‘n’ roll powerhouse who would go on to conquer the world a second time over.
- “A flagged down Rolls Royce becomes center stage in a golden hour photo shoot, Nicks introduces soon to be hit “Rhiannon” saying “this is a song about a Welsh witch,” Christie McVie simply introduces “Landslide” as “a song from Stevie Nicks which is from our new album,” and Mick Fleetwood sensing the days magic, makes off with the master tapes, claiming they are property of the band….
- 11 a.m. to noon Workshop: Mind Your Business: Legal Workshop for Musicians. Free
- 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Workshop: Video Game Music Composing with Tom Salta. Free
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Music Oral History: Glam to Punk — A Fashion Round Table. Free
- 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Workshop: Unlock the Secrets of Radio Airplay. Free
- 3 p.m. Performance & panel: Wild Style, Celebration, The First Hip Hop Motion Picture
- There will be a discussion of the 1983 film "Wild Style," focusing on hip-hop culture, including deejaying and turntablism, rapping, graffiti, and break-dancing.
