Tucson Citizen.com
Carolyn's Community - Our sense of group togetherness and "community" in Tucson

Free concert at The Fox: Portland Cello Project

by on May. 06, 2010, under Arts, Life

2nd Saturdays Downtown presents …The Portland Cello Project from Oregon

Saturday, May 8, at 7 – 10pm

This free concert will be at the lovely Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street. Info from their website:

“From The Rialto Theatre and Hotel Congress on the east end to The Fox Theatre on the west, downtown Tucson will come alive in a series of free-to-the-public, arts, entertainment, shopping and dining happenings called 2nd Saturdays Downtown, set to kick off Saturday, May 8, 2010 and every second Saturday of the month thereafter.

Kicking off the 2nd Saturdays series in grand style is a world-class free concert by the Portland Cello Project (www.portlandcelloproject.com) at the Fox Theatre. This indefinable ensemble transcends your typical conceptions of what a string group can do, playing everything from inspired original compositions, to obscure 19th -century folk songs to straight-ahead rock n’ roll. As a special treat, Tucson-based singer-songwriter Howe Gelb will join the ensemble as they combine symphonic stylings with one of Tucson’s most renowned musical collectives.

Portland Cello Project

Portland Cello Project, photo by Tarina Westlund

Thanks to Tucson’s Providence Service Corporation (NASDAQ: PRSC) for helping to underwrite this show.”

And thanks to Ian Fritz (co-organizer of the Eat More Pie! Contest) who alerted me about this concert, as his sister Anna (pictured above) plays in this Portland Cello Project.

2nd Saturdays Downtown (www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com) monthly events will be from 5 to 10 p.m., with the next ones scheduled for June 12, July 10, and August 14. Check out their website for more activities, for this ongoing “Urban Street Fest”.

This inaugural Saturday event will also feature an outdoor stage on Scott Avenue between Congress St. and Broadway Blvd., to include music by The Modeens (6 to 7 p.m.), The Mission Creeps (7:15 to 8:30 p.m.), and Greyhound Soul (8:45 to 10 p.m.). Sounds like Downtown Saturday Night has finally returned, on a monthly basis.

Another reason to go on down to downtown!



  • Carolyn Classen

    Thousands of people downtown tonight for this inaugural 2nd Saturdays Downtown event.  Full house at the Fox to listen to this wonderful group of cello players (accompanied by drums) and Weinland (vocal guitarist). Not too late to go on down there to check out all the music, food vendors, restaurants, nightclubs.  It’s about time that Downtown came alive again.

  • http://livinginroseway.com/neighborhood-info/roseway-neighborhood/ Roseway Real Estate

    That picture was taken very close to my office, in NW Portland.  Sounds like a fun event…

    • Carolyn Classen

      It was a fun event back in May with the Portland Cello Project.  This monthly 2nd Saturdays Downtown event has drawn thousands and thousands of people to historic downtown Tucson, which has helped to revitalize it & bring back some businesses.
      Next one is coming up on November 13.