THE KNICKERBOCKER MUSIC CENTER
35 Railroad Avenue, Westerly, RI 02891 (Misquamicut) | (401) 315-5070
Closed Today
The club thrived as one of the leading entertainment centers in southern New England, hosting regional and national bands with an emphasis on the blues. Some of the greats that played on the Knickerbocker stage included, Big Joe Turner, Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Johnny Nicholas, Leon Russell, Eric Burdon and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In 1967, Roomful of Blues was born in Westerly, when guitarist Duke Robillard and pianist Al Copley started a band that played tough, no-holds barred Chicago blues. Making the Knickerbocker Café their home club, it did not take long before they started exploring swinging, jumping blues and added a horn section. Roomful would pack the house every Sunday and still plays their great brand of blues today.
Fast forward and the Café has become the Knickerbocker Music Center, a non-profit organization formed in partnership with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School. The mission of the Knickerbocker Music Center is to preserve, cultivate and grow the “Knick’s” unique brand of blues, as well as expanding access to music of all genres, by transforming the Knick into both an exciting performance venue and an exceptional center for music education.
Pete Francis of Dispatch
8pm
Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 8:00pm
The Knickerbocker Music Center. 35 Railroad Avenue, Westerly, RI 02891
Live Music
Pete Francis is a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. In 1995, he founded the band Dispatch, who became the first ever independent band to sell out Madison Square Garden. They went on to tour through other major venues across the country, including Red Rocks, TD Garden, and The Greek Theaters in both San Francisco and LA. Over the course of their career, they have also brought their live show to audiences in Europe and Australia.
In May 2019, Pete will be releasing a new EP. The record was all recorded at Pete's own studio, Dragon Crest, and made with the help of producer Tim Randolphe, a recent collaborator/producer with the band Imagine Dragons. This will be Pete's 8th release as a solo artist. The new album branches out from the sounds of Pete's previous solo work, incorporating elements of electronic and psychedelic music in addition to his roots as a rock songwriter. With the release of the record, Pete has also started "Dragon Crest Collective" - a brand based around the spirit of community that has grown from the artists, musicians, and friends who frequent his studio and musical life. Co-founded with his wife Katie, Dragon Crest Collective offers music production services as well as lifestyle products for the creative-minded individual.
Show: 8p | Doors: 7p
Tickets: $15 advance | $20 door ($2 Service Charge Included With Online Tickets. All sales are final, no ticket refunds or exchanges. Seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis, and seats are not guaranteed with ticket purchase.)
