Tom Chapin took the stage at Fiddler’s Dream Saturday, Feb. 4 as the venue celebrated its grand reopening (photo by Nia Maxwell).
In February, Fiddler’s Dream celebrated its 36th anniversary with a grand reopening weekend. The nonprofit, all volunteer live music venue had been closed to live music events since March 14, 2020.
After closing its doors in 2020, the musicians kept the music alive by opening a virtual stage using Zoom and Facebook, which was quite successful, said board member Jim Carpenter.
“We just ended that for the domestic artists, but the international version continues,” he added.
The grand reopening weekend kicked off Feb. 2–3 with an acoustic open stage both evenings, with the festivities culminating in a live concert showcasing Tom Chapin in the large meeting room Feb. 4.
Chapin received a great response from the audience on every song, both his new music and old favorites, board member Nia Maxwell said.
“Tom always does brother Harry’s song, ‘Cat’s in the Cradle,’ and this year was no different; it’s a powerful song that holds a powerful message,” Maxell said. She added, “The audience enjoyed Tom’s instrumental talents on guitar, banjo, and autoharp, blending perfectly with his vocals. One of the comments made after the concert was, ‘It was food for the soul.’”
The venue has a number of live music events already scheduled in the coming months, including an evening of Danish folk music featuring Gangspil, March 10. Their events are listed on their Facebook page, on Meetup and on Instagram. Seating is limited and N95 masks are currently required.
The Acoustic Open Stage Night is also back, every Thursday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Performers should be there by 6:28 p.m. to get their name in the first rotation. Check the website for admission cost and other details.
Fiddler’s Dream is located at 1702 E. Glendale Ave. For more information, call 602-997-9795 or visit www.fiddlersdream.org.
