by: Michael P. Iten
As a gift to 10,000 Maniacs fans and the Reg Lenna Civic Center, Jamestown's most famous musical group will hold its first holiday concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29.
Band members hope the event will become an annual tradition each holiday season.
Tickets go on sale for the "Jamestown Party" to benefit "the shining jewel of the city," as one band member termed the Civic Center, on Monday morning at the box office. Usually closed Mondays, the ticket counter will open at 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. for the performance. Tickets, priced at $15 and $25 for loge seating, are expected to sell rapidly.
Opening the Jamestown Party will be the Jamestown High School Band - just a little more than a month after its nationally broadcast Thanksgiving day performance at the Macy's Day Parade - and A Cappella Choir.
"They're the second-most famous Jamestown (musical) act," said bassist Steve Gustafson, referring to the television broadcast.
The partnership once again demonstrates the band's commitment to the Jamestown area.
"It's a beautiful event and a chance for Jamestown to celebrate itself," said keyboardist Dennis Drew during Friday's afternoon press conference. "There are a lot of talented musicians in Jamestown."
"We love the Reg Lenna Civic Center," Gustafson said. "They have always been cooperative with us, from rehearsals to video shoots ... I wonder what the city would be like without it."
He paused, then said, "that scares me."
The 10,000 Maniacs have other good news just in time for the holidays - members and management are negotiating a major record label contract. Although details are not yet available, Gustafson and Drew are excited at the prospect.
"We hope to sign a deal by the end of the year. We'd hoped to announce (the label) today, but we can't do that yet," Drew said.
"It's nice to know a major label has confidence left (in the band)," Gustafson said. "We've spent two years trying to prove ourselves. We have to remind people the band didn't break up."
Following singer Natalie Merchant's departure in August 1993, the band was dropped from the Elektra label. Former member John Lombardo rejoined the band in early 1994 with Mary Ramsey, singer and viola player.
Although Lombardo had played with the band as early as 1981, the introduction of Ms. Ramsey into the group was an innovation for the longtime friends in the band.
"It was a learning process ... she'd never written songs with us," Gustafson said. "Mary's a wonderful person, a great person."
The band members also announced a publishing deal with BMC Publications that will secure song writing royalties for 10,000 Maniacs' songs.
"It's our first publishing deal," Drew said.
The agreement should prove useful for band members, who began initial recording for a new album over the summer. Until the record deal is finalized, members postponed recording.
"When we got close to a deal, we decided to stop spending money," Gustafson said.
The Dec. 29 show will showcase new material and a few favorites from the days before the new line-up.
At 8 p.m. Monday Ms. Merchant will perform before a soldout auditorium at Shea's Performing Arts Center in support of her solo album Tigerlily. The album has sold nearly 1.5 million copies.
Ms. Merchant, who blasted the Jamestown area this summer in national magazines, lauded the region's natural beauties in a published interview this week and expressed concert for the area's economic decline.
"I've seen her about 20,000 times," quipped Drew when asked whether he would attend the Buffalo show. "Everyone should be proud of her. Hopefully she'll continue to say the nice things she said today."
"We wish her the best," Gustafson said.
Philip Morris, executive director for the Arts Council for Chautauqua County, said the benefit will be a great aid to the Civic Center.
"Hopefully we'll keep the place open," he said. "It costs $30,000 to pay the heating bill. The most important thing is to keep this relationship (with the Maniacs) going. It's wonderful having the band play, especially as they re-emerge."