Be a part of the historic Grand Opening Celebration at Field Arts & Events Hall, featuring free public performances from BANDALOOP Vertical Dancers and ticketed headline performers Diane Schuur, Ranky Tanky, and Unit Souzou.
Our celebration begins on Thursday, July 27th with the opening of “sčáy ʔaʔ cə nəxwsƛ̕áy̕əm ʔay̕c̕ɬtáyŋxw” or “Creations of the Klallam People” in the new waterfront gallery space. Join us for a welcoming ceremony with our friends and site partners the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe at 5PM, followed by the gallery opening and reception.
Kicking off her 70th birthday tour, multi-Grammy award-winning jazz musician Diane “Deedles” Schuur will open the Grand Opening Celebration at Field Hall. Diane Schuur will offer an extended concert on Friday, July 28th at 8PM for Founders Circle donors and their guests, as well as a public matinee performance on Saturday, July 29th at 4PM.
An acclaimed singer and pianist, Diane Schuur is a virtuoso performer with a resonant voice and ebullient style, known for her effervescent take on jazz standards as well as her earthy forays into pop, rock, and R&B. Blind since birth, Schuur built upon the legacy of her idols,including vocalists Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and George Shearing.
From her early years of finding her voice, to collaborations with jazz, blues, and country giants including Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Stan Getz, B.B. King, the Count Basie Orchestra, and Vince Gill (to name but a few), the artist shares the music and the moments. Diane Schuur at 70 will include blues, straight-ahead jazz, a slice of gospel, and a few tunes that defy categorization, fashioning a musical blueprint of her current place in time.
An innovator in vertical performance, BANDALOOP seamlessly weaves dynamic physicality, intricate choreography and climbing technology to turn the dance floor on its side.
Founded by Amelia Rudolph and under the artistic direction of Melecio Estrella, BANDALOOP re-imagines dance, activates public spaces, and inspires wonder and imagination in audiences around the world. The company trains dancers and youth at home and on tour, and has performed for millions of people in over 300 cities in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia, and on screens in films and digital media.
BANDALOOP will offer three free outdoor performances on the side of the building on Saturday, July 29th as part of the Grand Opening Celebration at Field Arts & Events Hall. Performance times are 12PM, 6PM, and 7:30PM.
Grammy Award winning, Charleston, SC-based quintet Ranky Tanky performs timeless music of the Gullah culture of the southeastern Sea Islands. Their debut album soared to #1 on Billboard, Amazon, and iTunes Jazz Charts.
Ranky Tanky have achieved many firsts for South Carolina’s West African-rooted Gullah community since their formation, earning yet another milestone at the 2019 Grammy Awards by taking home the Best Regional Roots Album prize for their sophomore release, Good Time.
Ranky Tanky will perform July 29th at 8:30PM as part of the Grand Opening Celebration at Field Arts & Events Hall.
Quentin Baxter / Drums and Percussion
Kevin Hamilton / Bass
Quiana Parler / Vocalist
Clay Ross / Guitar and Vocals
Charlton Singleton / Trumpet and Vocals
An expressive blend of taiko drumming and Japanese folk dance, the core of Unit Sozou’s artistic voice is personal and authentic, sound shaped and inspired by form and movement.
‘Souzou’ can be written in three ways meaning ‘creation’ (創造), ‘imagination’ (想像), or ‘noisy’ (騒々), alluding to a force by which new ideas are born and take shape in the world. Inspired by these words, the mission of Unit Souzou is to build creative, imaginative works while honoring the history and roots of the taiko art form. Founders Michelle Fujii and Toru Watanabe are relentless innovators at the forefront of a growing artistic movement within the taiko community.
Unit Souzou will offer two performances at Field Arts & Events Hall on July 30th. Performance times are 11:00AM and 1:30PM.