Saint Rita’s opens in KuBe Art Center
Timothy Parsaca is a live-event producer who is now “captain of his own ship,” says his wife, Kelly Ellenwood. The couple spent the last two months turning a raw space at KuBe Art Center in the former Beacon High School into Saint Rita’s Music Room.
They hosted their first concert on July 19. Dressed in a kilt, Parsaca had a blast controlling the sound and lighting for Dick Griffin, former trombone player for free-jazz pioneer Sun Ra and his Arkestra. Griffin’s quintet delivered a spirited set with comedic camping from drummer Tommy Campbell.
“We see this as an alternative and welcoming venue,” says Parsaca. “It’s hard to find places to put on drag shows or burlesque that aren’t bars, so we want to serve the community that way, too.”
Black floors and ceilings sandwich red walls. With plants, table seating, vintage couches in the back and “fandeliers” (chandeliers with ceiling fans), the vibe is fancy but unpretentious. It’s easy to forget it’s a former school band room.
Subtle details include the curtains, which look ornamental but improve the sound for the audience and musicians. Behind the performers, the back wall twinkles with white and blue lights to provide depth of field, says Parsaca.
The room hosted its first event on July 17 — a party for family and friends. The following night, it was the site of a sold-out performance of Broadway in Beacon. The couple’s children, Rowan and Rhiannon, play pivotal roles.
On July 19, Griffin and his band opened with a furious flurry of cosmic chaos, then broke into the straight-ahead song “Blues for Sun Ra.” Having some fun with his solo, Griffin tried to blow the lowest note possible. When not playing trombone, he tapped on percussion instruments retrieved from a nearby table.
On drums, Campbell hit hard and coaxed strange sounds from his cymbals, rubbing the tip of his stick into a groove and emitting a form of feedback. He also brushed a stick across the cymbal, creating another odd tone. He hit the kit with a folding fan and used the prop for slapstick gags. At one point, he did the hambone.
During the Latin vamp, he tapped the hi-hat cymbal with his foot, which sounded like he swatted them with his stick, freeing up his hands to create a more complex rhythm. Mimicking Jimi Hendrix playing guitar behind his head, Campbell crossed his arms behind his back and kept on hitting for a few beats, then delivered a furious solo with his snare muffled to provide a sound more attuned to Latin percussion.
The rest of the band also slammed. Pianist Alexis Marcelo channeled the herky-jerky style of Thelonious Monk on the Latin piece, but also delivered a feathery, cascading touch on the mellower songs.
(Photo by Timothy Parsaca)
Bass player Jeremiah Edwards provided solid support along with an upper register solo on the blues tune. Jordan Young on saxophone performed a call-and-response interlude with Griffin.
With table seating, Saint Rita’s fits 99 patrons. For theatrical performances the space could accommodate up to 200. Though it will serve beer, wine and food, “this is not a bar or a restaurant,” says Ellenwood. “It’s a listening room.”
Saint Rita’s Music Room is located at 85 Eliza St. in Beacon. The Hudson Valley Flyers will perform honky tonk on Aug. 2 and Broadway in Beacon will host an open mic for singers ages 18 and younger on Aug. 3. See saintritasmusicroom.com.
