During a single, paint-splattered evening, an enthusiastic group of musicians, designers and volunteers sacrificed the luxury of sleep and built the Technicolor stage now residing in a corner of Production Workshop's downstairs space.
The platform had to be large enough to accommodate the size and spunk of Joe and the Pony Express, the 10-person band that will be bringing the noise to PW March 16 to March 18.
The concert series, titled "Joe and the Pony Express Sing Songs of Love, Joy & Desperation," is debuting tonight and will feature original music written by Joe Posner '07, co-chair of the Brown Concert Agency. Various opening acts will perform on different nights, with Brown-based bands Get Him Eat Him, Miss Fairchild and the Lame Drivers playing Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
PW is hosting the concert series as part of its annual "Week in the Space" project. Posner and his crew only had five days and a limited budget to transform PW's black box theater into a music venue.
"We wanted to put on an event for the school," said Posner, who created Joe and the Pony Express for his senior capstone project. A music concentrator, Posner wrote most of the band's songs during a year-long independent study in recording, composition and performance.
Describing his style as a mix of rock, soul and indie music, Posner lists Elvis Costello, Phil Spector and Joni Mitchell as some of his influences.
"I really love how music expresses joy and is constantly an experiment," he said, adding that he felt college was the only time he could take a stab at writing his own songs.
Many of the students playing in Joe and the Pony Express are longtime members of the Brown music scene. Jeff Wood '07 plays drums to Posner's bass in Get Him Eat Him, and Jason Sigal '07 is the general manager of Brown Student Radio. Hannah Lewis '07, the event's co-producer and keyboardist, recently gave a classical voice recital.
Lewis, Posner and Wood have not played together at PW since their freshman year, when they performed for Musical Forum's 2004 production of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." Since then Posner said he felt there hasn't been as much "loud, fun music" in the downstairs space.
"We want to get PW to rock out a little bit," said Lewis, who is also one of PW's board members.
The musicians hope to create a different atmosphere for every show. According to Lewis, Saturday is the night to "bring your dancing shoes," while Sunday afternoon's "Brunch Pot-Luck" show will be more laid-back. Audience members are encouraged to bring breakfast and lunch items to munch on during Sunday's performance.
The event's set designers didn't let its small budget prevent them from creating what Posner calls a "very fun, child-like" space. While walking along Wickenden Street Monday night, Andrew Evans '09 and Adria Katz '10 rescued roughly 15 glass windows with thick wooden frames from a man throwing them out. The window frames were repainted in vibrant colors and will hang from the theater's ceiling during the shows.
Posner said Joe and the Pony Express will likely disband after this weekend, calling its performances a "once-in-a-lifetime" event. If concert recordings turn out well, he may decide to post them online.
Tickets for "Joe and the Pony Express Sing Songs of Love, Joy & Desperation" will be available an hour before each show at PW's box office in T.F. Green Hall.
