On paper, this is a holiday that celebrates us as a nation leaving the proverbial British nest to stumble out onto the world stage alone. But we'd rather celebrate the freedom to welcome new neighbors from near and far to these shores and make better, stronger, more diverse and interesting communities. Not so much melting pot, as tasty nuanced salad.
So we're especially doing that with music, cause it's not a party without music. From the Green River Festival, we have our Roundhouse sessions with Larry and Joe and Miko Marks, all amazing musicians who buck the norm.
Larry Bellorín was (and is) seeking asylum in North Carolina when his path crossed Joe Troop, and they've been blending Llanera and bluegrass ever since, mixing Americas North and South with their sound. Miko Marks left her music career behind for 14 years due to how unwelcoming the country music industry was, but is now back reclaiming her time at the microphone and on the stage.
We're doing this with the words and experiences of those who have just arrived. The Performance Project's First Generation ensemble have designed the piece "Mother Tongue" from the stories of their collective. It's an explosive and poignant piece of theater, and they share an excerpt with us.
And we're doing it with tiny umbrellas and tasty beverages. Sean Billson of Gateway City Arts joins us to talk punches and sample them for the Tina Turner Memorial Cocktail Thunderdome. We get a couple of surprise visitors to join us as we take a brief look at the history of tiki cocktails.
