On November 10th and 11th at the Community Arts Center in Downtown Williamsport, the students of the Uptown Music Collective will present their first show of the school’s 2023-2024 Performance Season with It Came From the ’80s: New Wave to Pop Rock. The performance, presented in partnership with UPMC North Central Pa and UPMC Health Plan, will feature 27 students, ranging in age from 13 to 18 years old, performing some of the most iconic hits of the 1980s from legendary bands like Talking Heads, The Police, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, Eurhythmics, The Clash, Blondie, REM, Hall & Oats, Dire Straits, Huey Lewis and the News, The J. Geils Band, and many more. This performance is sponsored, in part, through a partnership with Hudock Capital Group.
The 1980s marked the emergence of the distinctive New Wave genre, characterized by its eclectic and avant-garde style, melding rock and pop with elements of punk, funk, and electronic music. New Wave produced bands that sought to break from the mainstream, prioritizing artistic expression and experimentation. This genre stands as a pivotal movement that shaped the future of music, introducing revolutionary soundscapes and iconic imagery. Conversely, ‘80s Pop Rock saw a surge of anthemic tunes and infectious rhythms, creating a myriad of timeless hits. At the same time, it was an era in which music videos became a powerful medium, propelling artists to new heights, and introducing the iconic loud clothing of the ‘80s.
“This is a style we haven’t covered yet and I’m excited to see our students take on songs like Talking Heads’ Burning Down the House and to help them get to the place where they can deliver a really over-the-top performance on it that would make David Byrne himself proud,” said Dave Brumbaugh, founder and executive director of the Collective. “It’s the challenge of seeing them confront music that they haven’t experienced performing yet, and watching them grow through the process of learning what it requires, and then killing it on stage. Nothing makes me smile more.”
It Came From the ’80s will feature Collective students who have been diligently preparing for this event for more than three months. Along with the music, there will be a professional-grade light and sound show, organized by the students, themselves, working alongside the professionals at the Community Arts Center. As with all Uptown Music Collective performances, the students are not only the performers but also the directors of the show. A group of younger students, or “Tech Monkeys,” will serve as stage technicians and spotlight operators. The cast for the show is drawn from the Uptown Music Collective’s much-heralded “Special Performance Group 1.”
This show is directed by Uptown Music Collective senior Jossian Lilley (Loyalsock Township High School) and Duncan Larson (Gap Year). The show’s leadership committee consists of UMC students Matthew Bellino (Danville Area High School); Izzy Butters, Chase Cowden and Scarlet O’Brien (Loyalsock Township High School); Connor Evans and Stephanie Nappi (Gap Year); Tixo Bower, Gabreon Godin, Grace Godin, Abby Jamison and Owen Miller (Williamsport Area High School); Brendan Kuriga (South Williamsport Area High School); Calistra Mahoney (Pennsylvania College of Technology); Carter Rodgers (Muncy Junior-Senior High School); and Gianna Waldman (Montoursville Area High School).
“’80s Music has always been a staple in my life, in all genres,” Miller said. “Rock, pop, punk, funk, and many more, but especially the new wave and pop music we will play at the Arts Center. I grew up listening to these awesome ’80s bands like Tears for Fears, The Clash, and Simple Minds. All of these know how to develop a story and convey such emotion into their music through intricate rhythms and melodies, as well as tear-jerking lyrics at times. I’m so excited to recreate these stories with my friends for everyone on stage at the CAC!”
Additional partners and sponsors for this performance include Chartwell Hotels, KFC of Williamsport, Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships, The Kiessling Group of Janney Montgomery Scott, Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, Woodlands Bank, FASTSIGNS of Williamsport, The Brickyard Restaurant and Ale House, The Stonehouse Wood Fired Pizza and Pasteria, Lycoming College, Pennsylvania College of Technology, The Hartman Group, and Beiter’s Furniture, Mattress and Appliance. Media sponsors include Backyard Broadcasting, the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Lamar Advertising, 92.1 WSQV, NorthCentralPa.com, and The Graphic Hive.
Tickets for the performance, which are $20 in advance and $25 at the door (plus fees), are only available through the Community Arts Center box office (220 West Fourth St. Williamsport, PA) and website (www.caclive.com). In addition to this show, tickets for the Collective’s one-night-only fundraising show, The Decade of Grunge, happening at the CAC on Jan 27th, are also on sale. The remaining shows for the Collective 2023-2024 performance season will be announced in December.
For more details about It Came From the ’80s, visit uptownmusic.org/80s or call 570-329-0888. Check out the Collective’s official Facebook page, as well as other Collective social media outlets, for teasers, previews, behind-the-scenes info, and more from the performance.
