As Central Park's SummerStage enters its 23rd season, James Burke has taken the helms. The massive task includes organizing festival lineups, music, dance, film and more. This year began with a bang last Saturday as the sky opened up over the outdoor venue; hopefully they'll see drier days to come. After nature's wrath subsided, Burke told us about his role in entertaining the masses, the best place to dine before attending one of the CPSS shows, and something about Lou Reed in a chicken outfit.
When and how did you get involved with SummerStage? I first joined City Parks Foundation by working on the 2001 Central Park SummerStage festival. Over the past seven seasons, I worked in several capacities to help put the season together: sponsorship solicitation and activation; growing our membership program; performing community outreach; and spearheading many of our 20th anniversary initiatives during our 2005 season. I was made general manager of CPSS in 2006 and was named Director of Arts & Cultural Programs for CPF in January, 2008.
Can you tell us a little bit about the history of SummerStage? CPSS was first launched in 1986 and we are now entering our 23rd consecutive presenting season. This summer, we are proud to be presenting one of our strongest festival lineups ever, including thirty-two free programs of music, dance, word and film by artists from New York City, across the country and around the world, as well as six paid benefit concerts that help us to pay for those free programs.
How long does it take to book the season? We are already at work on some of our more ambitious ideas for the summer of 2009, but the majority of the programming takes place during an intensive five month period between November and March.
How was last Saturday's opening show? Did the storm cause any problems? Saturday's opening weekend program, featuring sets by Born Ruffians and Kid Sister and headlined by Vampire Weekend, is sure to enter the canons of CPSS lore. Despite some very heavy rain, we were able to pull the concert off with only a short delay. The devoted fans were amazing- they remained through the rain undeterred and were treated to a wildly ecstatic set from Vampire Weekend. VW has been touring hard and had not played their hometown since their record release gig last December, and they really made the most out of the unique experience of playing to a soaked and roaring capacity crowd.
Is there a particular event you are looking forward to there this summer? Hard to narrow down, but with the Afro-pop of VW fresh in my mind, I'm really excited to see Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 play for their NYC fans. (Afrika Bambaataa and Love Trio with U-Roy are also on the bill.)
What would your ultimate lineup be? Billie Holiday, Velvet Underground, Johnny Cash, The Clash
Is there anything you'd like to do in the future that hasn't been done yet? I'd like to make it snow in Central Park during a Bjork concert.
Please share your strangest "only in New York" story. While helping a girlfriend move out of her walk-up apartment on St. Mark's Place, I bumped into a college sweetheart who was moving into the same unit. Ended up lugging stuff both up and down the five flights.
Which New Yorker do you most admire? We booked the novelist and screenwriter Richard Price for a CPSS word program on July 31st and I'm looking forward to meeting him. His writing captures the essence of the urban experience to me, from a bewildering variety of perspectives, with great insight and empathy.
Given the opportunity, how would you change New York? Public transport, cabs and deliveries only in Manhattan, with dedicated pedestrian and bike only streets. Massive public arts project everywhere in all seasons.
Under what circumstance have you thought about leaving New York? Yeah, on my way to work when the AC on the C train wasn't working during the heat wave and that old man dropped his trousers right in front of me, I started daydreaming about the summer weather in Vermont.
Do you have a favorite New York celebrity sighting or encounter? Lou Reed chasing a woman through a Greenpoint warehouse while wearing a chicken costume during a music video shoot for "Modern Dance." I think she escaped.
What's your current soundtrack to the city? Yael Naim. "La-la-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la-la-la." (She's at CPSS on June 22.) Default soundtrack: late Coltrane.
Where would you recommend for dinner before a show at SummerStage? The Boathouse. Can't beat the view, and you can swing by Bethesda Terrace and the newly refurbished Arcade on your way to CPSS.
Best venue to see music in NYC? Mellow mood: Joe's Pub. Otherwise, Bowery Ballroom.
Photo by Jack Vartoogian.
