This week at Burnside Inside, we get to enjoy the sounds of The Whale Guitar. Created by Jen Long, designed by William Schaff, and built by Rachel Rosenkrantz, this is a sonic Nantucket sleigh-ride with a mission.
About the Guitar
Support Six-String Activism! The Whale Guitar Project promotes music to save our oceans and the whales who sing in them. Follow the blog as well-known guitarists rock out in support of the work of Ocean Alliance – a band of scientists whose research fuels the fight to protect all sea life. And what are these musicians rocking on? The Whale Guitar – a sonic work of art in the form of Melville’s force of nature: “The Whale” or Moby Dick.
At the end of its journey, the guitar–with its multitude of signatures–will be auctioned off in support of Ocean Alliance.
Why? Starbuck said it best, “Oh! Ahab, not too late is it, even now, the third day, to desist.” Our fate is as tied to nature as this mad captain and his doomed crew were by their own harpoon lines. The Whale Guitar’s mission is to urge a sea change in humanity’s course while we still can, and with better results than Starbuck.
So far, the guitar has been played and signed…
By J Mascis, Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine), Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Bob Mould (Husker Du), Marissa Paternoster (Screaming Females).
Some of our favorite local acts have also played the wandering whale–Roz Raskin, Natalja Kent, Hilary Jones, and Jeff Prystowsky (Low Anthem), John Faraone, Stev Delmonico and Steve Donovan (The Qhahogs) Chris Daltry (The ‘Mericans), Andrew Moon Bain, Gregory T. Rourke and even more!
The Whale Guitar has close to 100 signatures, including those of Kim Gordon (Body/Head) and Jenny Lewis.
Performing at Burnside Inside…
Kicking off at 5:30pm, guitarist and Ocean Alliance’s Environmental Science Intern Gregory Taylor will play for you and chat about innovative techniques to study whales!
Next up will be Aurora’s own Stev Delmonico and his bandmate Steve Donovan fresh from The Quahog’s CD Release Party.
Last but not least, BlowHole’s Brian Jablonski evokes an ocean on pedal steel while Berke Marye takes The Whale Guitar on a journey of sound. As always, admission is FREE!
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