Family Force 5Considered one of the premiere music events in the Northeast US, the Purple Door Arts and Music Festival is getting ready to celebrate its 15th anniversary on August 13th and 14th.  But these days when new large outdoor concerts come and go, what does it take to keep such a festival going each year?  We spoke with Chris Strayer, Festival Producer, to learn more.

So what does Purple Door do to keep people coming back?  “Well one thing we have going for us is longevity,” Strayer offered.  “We have people coming to the festival who came as a kid except now they are bringing their kids.  We have built a name for ourselves that many people are familiar with. We also offer such a diverse and yet different lineup.  At most festivals you will also not find such diversity of bands/musicians/performers.”

Appetite for Construction
Stabler Arena, Bethlehem, PA
Friday November 16, 2007
Local Crew

I had the privilege of working local crew for this show so I decided to do a sort of photo journal about the experience to help others understand what goes on before and after a show. Before I start, my disclaimer is that I used my cheap camera and since I was working, I could not take a lot of time to get the best pictures. Stick around to the end of the article for photos taken during the concert with a better camera.

The work began at about 9 AM with unloading the first of two tractor-trailers. Before we began, the tour crew, normally holding some form of caffeinated beverage, assessed the stage area so they would have a better understanding how to set up for the show. Many of the crew looked liked they just woke up. They have long days as the load in begins early in the morning and load out ends early the next morning.

Mary J. Blige, The Dixie Chicks and Gnarls Barkley are among the top nominees for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, which will be handed out February 11 in Los Angeles. Blige leads all nominees with eight, while DCX and Gnarls received five and four, respectively. The latter two will face off with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer and Justin Timberlake in the Album of the Year category.