FirstWorks Summer Beats presents Ukraine’s DakhaBrakha August 7 at Columbus Theatre
Thunderous Concert Echoes Urgent Global Message
Providence, RI—FirstWorks, a Providence-based nonprofit dedicated to connecting art with audiences, welcomes back Ukrainian indie-folk quartet DakhaBrakha for a one-night performance at the Columbus Theatre on Sunday, August 7, 2022. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance at firstworks.org. This PVDFest summer happening is produced by FirstWorks in partnership with Providence’s Department of Art, Culture + Tourism.
DakhaBrakha’s performance is a sonic feast as well as a visual spectacle. The quartet weaves ancient Ukrainian folk melodies with rhythms from around the world to create a soulful and subversive musical tapestry. With theatrical costuming and powerful vocals, DakhaBrakha creates a singular, trans-national sound rooted in Ukrainian soil that they call “ethno-chaos.” In concert, this musical spectrum is set against projected video backdrops telling the story of the heartache of their war-torn homeland designed to inspire “cultural and artistic liberation.”
“FirstWorks is honored to host DakhaBrakha as part of our global/local curatorial focus,” said Kathleen Pletcher, FirstWorks Executive Artistic Director. “Their performance at PVDFest 2019 was extraordinary and audiences are still talking about the complexity, beauty, and passion of their music. They have always considered themselves ‘ambassadors of Free Ukraine’ and the current conflict makes their message even more urgent and resonant.”
DakhaBrakha is touring tirelessly throughout the world this year to educate audiences about and to support its war-torn homeland of Ukraine. The quartet encourages audience donations to the nonprofit Razom (which means “Together” in Ukrainian,) an organization dedicated to providing relief efforts in Ukraine. DakhaBrakha fans can support those relief efforts at Razom’s donation page: https://www.razomforukraine.org//donate/.
DakhaBrakha was founded in 2004 by avant-garde theatre director Vladyslav Troitskyi in Kyiv, Ukraine and has since built a large global fanbase and earned critical acclaim worldwide. The name DakhaBrakha (ДахаБраха) translates as “give/take” in old Ukrainian. The quartet last performed in Providence in June 2019 at PVDFest, when FirstWorks paired their rousing concert with a spirited Borscht-making in Kennedy Plaza.
DakhaBrakha’s upcoming performance is the second of three, free FirstWorks Summer Beats Concerts in Providence this season. FirstWorks Summer Beats concerts will give audiences of all ages a chance to experience important artists hailing from a global range of musical genres and backgrounds. Presented in partnership with Roger Williams Park Conservancy and Providence Parks Department, two additional outdoor concerts at the Roger Williams Park Bandstand offer an opportunity for all ages to experience the hip-hop stylings of hometown hero Flawless on July 24, 2022 and William Cepeda’s Afro-Rican Jazz on August 14, 2022. For details on FirstWorks’ summer season, visit firstworks.org.
About FirstWorks
FirstWorks is a non-profit based in Providence, Rhode Island whose purpose is to build the cultural, educational and economic vitality of its community by engaging diverse audiences with world-class performing arts and education programs. Since 2004, FirstWorks festivals, performances and programs have attracted more than 700,000 participants. During its 2021-22 season, FirstWorks produced 52 arts education events reaching over 2,000 Rhode Island youth. New Virtual Learning online platforms furthered FirstWorks educational reach and engaged over 20,000 views from students, educators, and families. FirstWorks is the founding partner of PVDFest and has collaborated with the City of Providence to curate and produce the City’s free, signature arts celebration since 2015. In June 2022 the three-day festival drew 115,000 people downtown to experience local and world-class artistry across nine stages, resulting in deep economic impact within the City of Providence and generating over $3 million in total expenditures. The festival has employed over 4,000 artists since its beginning. Embracing collaboration, FirstWorks has fostered over 90 community partnerships across business, social service, government, arts and education sectors. Visit firstworks.org to learn more.
Listings Information:
WHO: Ukrainian roots quartet DakhaBrakha
WHAT: FirstWorks Summer Beats Concert Series
WHEN: Sunday, August 7, 2022 at 6 PM
WHERE: The Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway, Providence
TICKETS: Free, ticket reservations are required at https://firstworks.org/event/summer-beats-concert-series-dakhabrakha/
