Concert special will spearhead new phase of awareness for recent album, A Map of the Floating City.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — To support the release of his first studio album in nearly 20 years, A Map of the Floating City, Thomas Dolby continues to immerse his audience. First he created an online multiplayer role-playing game in which players form into tribes to solve puzzles in a dystopian parallel world, trying to earn free downloads of his music. (Dolby launched this at the TED Conference, where he has served as Musical Director for over ten years.) Then he hit the road on an extensive tour of the U.S. last spring, towing the intriguing Time Capsule — an H.G. Wellsian, steampunk-style teardrop trailer that allowed fans to record and upload a personal video “Message to the Future” to Dolby’s own YouTube channel.
The Time Capsule will feature heavily in the upcoming PBS concert special that Dolby will perform and record at the KVIE-TV soundstage in Sacramento on Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21, 2012. (The shows will be open to the public.) He will be joined on “I Scare Myself” by Dan Hicks and by Nellie McKay on “Airhead’s Revenge.”
The shows will feature a full live seven-piece band along with several of the special guests from the Floating City album, including electronica diva Imogen Heap, Scottish songstress Eddi Reader, and San Francisco funksters the Jazz Mafia Horns. Aside from his solo work, Dolby is highly in demand as a collaborator among his musical peers, and has often appeared with the likes of David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, George Clinton and Roger Waters.
At KVIE, Dolby promises several innovative twists that he says will push the TV concert format to new levels. “It’s one thing to film a beautiful concert and broadcast it once to a static audience,” says the artist. “But in the 21st century, entertainment is all about including the audience in the process: going behind the scenes, voting, contests, tweeting, a sense of involvement. It’s a call to action.” Various ways for the audience to participate will be announced as the date approaches including Dolby’s web site and social media.
The show’s Emmy Award-winning producer, Peter Berkow, says, “Thomas Dolby is a true recording arts innovator and exciting live performer. He’s widely recognized as one of the greatest keyboard players and songwriters of our time by artists as diverse as J.J. Abrams, Joni Mitchell and George Clinton. Additionally, a decade as music director of the TED talks has introduced him to a whole new generation of fans. He’s a perfect artist for PBS television viewers.”
Hearth Buckmaster, director of on-air fundraising and special events for KVIE-TV, adds, “KVIE is excited to bring this partnership with Thomas Dolby and Public Television to our 28-county viewing audience. His music spans genres and generations, inspiring young artists to explore technology and music and entertaining viewers who grew up listening to his innovative songs. Showcasing performers like Thomas Dolby is why KVIE exists: to educate, enrich, enlighten and inspire our diverse viewing audience. We can’t wait for the show.”
More project updates, music & video exclusives and free content will be available at: < http://www.thomasdolby.com/kvie-pbs>.
A short series of U.S. tour dates follows the Sacramento tapings:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — To support the release of his first studio album in nearly 20 years, A Map of the Floating City, Thomas Dolby continues to immerse his audience. First he created an online multiplayer role-playing game
The Time Capsule will feature heavily in the upcoming PBS concert special that Dolby will perform and record at the KVIE-TV soundstage in Sacramento on Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21, 2012. (The shows will be open to the public.) He will be joined on “I Scare Myself” by Dan Hicks and by Nellie McKay on “Airhead’s Revenge.”
The shows will feature a full live seven-piece band along with several of the special guests from the Floating City album, including electronica diva Imogen Heap, Scottish songstress Eddi Reader, and San Francisco funksters the Jazz Mafia Horns. Aside from his solo work, Dolby is highly in demand as a collaborator among his musical peers, and has often appeared with the likes of David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, George Clinton and Roger Waters.
At KVIE, Dolby promises several innovative twists that he says will push the TV concert format to new levels. “It’s one thing to film a beautiful concert and broadcast it once to a static audience,” says the artist. “But in the 21st century, entertainment is all about including the audience in the process: going behind the scenes, voting, contests, tweeting, a sense of involvement. It’s a call to action.” Various ways for the audience to participate will be announced as the date approaches including Dolby’s web site and social media.
The show’s Emmy Award-winning producer, Peter Berkow, says, “Thomas Dolby is a true recording arts innovator and exciting live performer. He’s widely recognized as one of the greatest keyboard players and songwriters of our time by artists as diverse as J.J. Abrams, Joni Mitchell and George Clinton. Additionally, a decade as music director of the TED talks has introduced him to a whole new generation of fans. He’s a perfect artist for PBS television viewers.”
Hearth Buckmaster, director of on-air fundraising and special events for KVIE-TV, adds, “KVIE is excited to bring this partnership with Thomas Dolby and Public Television to our 28-county viewing audience. His music spans genres and generations, inspiring young artists to explore technology and music and entertaining viewers who grew up listening to his innovative songs. Showcasing performers like Thomas Dolby is why KVIE exists: to educate, enrich, enlighten and inspire our diverse viewing audience. We can’t wait for the show.”
More project updates, music & video exclusives and free content will be available at: < http://www.thomasdolby.com/kvie-pbs>.
A short series of U.S. tour dates follows the Sacramento tapings:
- Sun., Oct. 7 RICHMOND, CA (Bay Area) Steamstock
- Sat., Oct. 20 SACRAMENTO, CA KVIE-TV - Concert Filming
- Sun., Oct. 21 SACRAMENTO, CA KVIE-TV - Concert Filming
- Tues., Oct. 23 DENVER, CO Bluebird Theater
- Wed., Oct. 24, AUSTIN, TX The Parish
- Thurs., Oct. 25 NEW ORLEANS, LA Voodoo Festival - City Park
- Fri., Oct. 26 NEW ORLEANS, LA Voodoo Festival - City Park
- Sat., Oct. 27 ASHEVILLE, NC Moogfest
For more information contact conqueroo.
