Fiona Breslin reports from Amenia. When it comes to building a music scene, Amenia — of all places — is becoming a destination. With DIY venues including The Lantern and the Wasssaic Project already drawing in acts from Dutchess County, the Hudson Valley, and beyond, Peter Cascone of Peter Cascone Productions, is adding Amenia Music Hall to the roster. On Sunday, March 31, Cascone launched an opening benefit concert to support the renovation of Amenia Music Hall, a planned performance space currently housed within Amenia Town Hall. Cascone — a music lover and Amenia resident himself — says Amenia Music Hall has become a music venue just by inviting people to perform at it. The evening featured a variety of acts including local guitarist Jonathan Fritz and NYC-based Indie Pop artist Marc Farre, and fans of all ages — including a notable number of interested local twenty- and thirty-somethings — were in attendance. "There is tremendous spirit with sophisticated music," said Cascone. He couldn't bear to see a space this good go to waste.
Evening maître d' Brian Saltern and Christine Fritz, whose son Jonathan performed during the benefit; Amenia Music Hall media consultant Joan Daidone, musician Jonathan Fritz and Christine Fritz.
Amenia Music Hall founder Peter Cascone with Barry Fox and Laura Grag; Delango Automotive's Larissa Delango and Mike Delango.
Kate Cascone, Dave Herman, Reuben Traite, and Jaya Blakeslee.
Lubuscas, El Capitan, and Rouben Madieians; Wassiac Project co-director Bowie Barnett-Zunino with daughter Gilvey and Cassie Carello.
Indie Pop musician Marc Farre and drummer Tom Curiano; musicians Ryan Saldarriaga, Luke Palladino, and Pete Scholes.
Calsi's General Store's Bill Kroeger and Sharon Kroeger flank Kenneth Liegner; Lynn Schultz and Cascade Mountain Winery's George Cafiero. Cascade Mountain provided wine for the evening.
Music lovers from the hamlet of Wassaic showed their support for Amenia Music Hall.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
