Local Express will be a question and answer interview column in the Queens Gazette. The name implies a duality of sorts. The emphasis of course is local as in the Queens Gazette coverage area…the local people of Queens. And Express is a play on expressing a local view and obviously faster transport to where we are going…our local destination. Thus we can take the express locally or we can take the local to the express. However we play with thewords, the end result is a Q+A with interesting people. We hope you enjoy this special column.
Eliza Ryan is an assistant curator at MoMA PS1. She is responsible for organizing Warm Up, the summer concert series, now in its 16th year. Warm Up introduces audiences to the best in experimental live music and deejays—both local and international— across a range of genres. Warm Up supports both established and emerging artists by creating a platform that allows for experimentation and provides a space for collaboration, new material and sideprojects. The annual series is held in MoMA PS1’s courtyard, which this year will feature a temporary urban landscape by CODA called Party Wall, the winning design of the 14th annual Young Architects Program.
MoMA PS1 Assistant Curator Eliza Ryan, organizer of Warm Up, the annual summer concert series held in the museum’s courtyard.
NB—What would you say makes Warm Up different than other New York summer concert series? Why do you feel Warm Up is an important concert series?
ER—MoMA PS1 is a catalyst for new ideas and experimentation, showcasing contemporary artists, emerging and established, demonstrating innovation in contemporary art. In the curatorial department we ask: Why this artist, why now, why here?
We feel our music program should be no different and ask these same questions when organizing Warm Up. Our program aims to introduce audiences to the most relevant artists–whether that be bands or deejays–across a broad range of styles and genres. We are given the opportunity, and challenge, of experimenting with many different artists, and are constantly learning, through the process, what works and how best to revisit the program each year. For me, bringing together a group of experts–our music curator committee–to participate in this dialogue and programming yields the strongest and most interesting result.
Warm Up is an outdoor music festival with limited resources and lacking typical concert staples, such as projections, or lights. The artists are essentially bare on the stage, which can be a vulnerable place for an artist. The museum is not a typical venue providing a standard experience, but I think that challenge is attractive to artists and it certainly leads to more interesting performances.
Many things contribute to Warm Up’s uniqueness: the element of unpredictability, the performers’ interaction with the crowd, the rawness and vulnerability of the performances– it is an intimate experience. Artists are confronted with the unexpected and, in that moment, must adapt to make it work. I am continually impressed by and grateful for the graciousness of the artists—they’re excited to perform, grateful for the experience, and quick to share that enthusiasm with their fans and, most importantly, other performers.
NB—How do you highlight both local and international artists while also highlighting established and emerging artists?
ER—This is the challenge which is very much on our minds as we program the 11 Saturdays. However, it is a good challenge and makes the series as a whole more interesting, setting us apart from other music festivals. Warm Up is a platform that allows for experimentation, introducing new talents and giving more established artists, both local and international, a space to try something new with collaboration, side projects, or the like.
NB—How does the location affect the series? How about the neighborhood?
ER—I think the distinctive experience of attending an outdoor music program in the courtyard of an old school, with brilliant exhibitions on view, is a huge advantage to the overall program. Long Island City has been changing a lot over the years, with new restaurants opening and things such as LIC Food + Flea popping up, and we are proud to be a draw for people from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and other neighboring areas to come spend their Saturdays in LIC.
NB—Why do you offer some free tickets to Long Island City residents? How does that affect the makeup of the crowd?
ER—Offering tickets to LIC residents has been a long-standing tradition for Warm Up, and one that we are pleased to continue each year in some capacity. I can’t say it changes the crowd but it is important to the Museum that our neighbors are included in our programs and that we give back to the community.
NB—How would you describe the crowd? Does the makeup of the crowd differ depending on who is playing each week?
ER—Warm Up creates an open and diverse environment—people are free to express themselves and enjoy the music in a welcoming space, with an intimate relationship to the artist, the crowd and the music. As a result of a changing lineup each weekend, the crowd might shift in small amounts, but overall it is diverse, which is fantastic.
NB—Why do you think the series is able to draw so many people from other boroughs?
ER—As I mentioned, it is a diverse lineup in a welcoming atmosphere. People feel comfortable at Warm Up and it is my hope that everyone feels included. These factors aid in attracting visitors from all boroughs and strengthen our series.
NB—The series has been around since 1997. How long have you been involved in it? How have you seen it change over the years?
ER—I began attending Warm Up when I moved to New York in 2004—it was my first real introduction to New York and it has been a highlight of my summer ever since. After many years attending Warm Up, I was honored to take the reins of the program, and was cognizant of the huge responsibility that came with such a beloved series. I think it was productive to look at the program with a fresh set of eyes and employ the same philosophy we would for any exhibition or program at the Museum. Much has stayed the same programmatically, but we have increased the number of artists each Saturday and are working with more international artists. Outside of the programming, it was important to me to improve the sound quality, and budget for new equipment. We work with Jim Toth and his amazing team, who are in my opinion sound wizards, to constantly improve the sound quality in our outdoor space. They consistently exceed all expectations, and rise up to the challenge of six artists, each with different sets of equipment, performing back-to-back.
NB—Who have been some of your favorite artists at Warm Up? Which artists are you most looking forward to this summer?
ER—Delorean & John Talabot on the Fourth of July opening weekend 2010. Four Tet closing out the night following SBTRKT’s live performance 2011 was a highlight, as was Black Dice that summer. Just Blaze and his special guests in 2012 —we didn’t even know who was coming until Fabolous and Freeway jumped out of a car, were handed mics and jumped on stage–the spontaneity of the performance and the crowd reaction were incredible. I am not sure I could pick one day or specific artist for this year, but I am really excit- ed for our opening day with Juan
Atkins –who I have yet to experience live and the various international artists from PAN label.
NB—What is the process for choosing the artists? How does the committee work?
ER—Assembling a talented group of music influencers with diverse backgrounds, across several genres, with unique interests and impact has without a doubt changed Warm Up in the best way possible. I have learned so much from working with Jon Galkin (DFA), Matt Werth (RVNG Int’l), Kris Chen (XL), Dean Bein (True Panther), Robin Carolan (Tri Angle) and Brandon Stousy (Pitchfork). I truly feel they are a part of our institution and an extension of our curatorial department. We start meeting regularly in January and work together over the weeks and months that follow to program the entire series. Curatorially, decisions are always made as a group, with much back-and-forth, and there is clear purpose for each artist we invite to play. This is now the fourth year where we have had the structure of a committee in place and we have grown as a team, working together without ego, exchanging ideas freely in an ongoing dialogue. In addition to the curatorial committee, I want to mention Imogene Strauss, our booking and stage manager, who is flawless in organizing and execution.
NB—How would you describe Warm Up using three adjectives?
ER—Alive, Experimental, and Joyful
NB—What are some of the craziest things you have seen happen at Warm Up?
ER—The people who slept outside to be first in line to get door tickets to Atoms for Peace surprised me, particularly because we sell on-line tickets and they were available all summer up until the day before. Overall, I love the energy of the crowd—the costumes and dancing—people make the experience at Warm Up their own and have a lot of fun doing so in whatever manner they choose. Ideally, the crowd’s energy matches that of the artists and together Warm Up is continually one of the best experiences in outdoor music today.
Warm Up takes place every Saturday through September 7, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., tickets are $15 in advance and $18 the day of the performance. MoMA PS1 is located at 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City.
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