The Low Anthem: Performing

‘At The Edmond For The Edmond’

Newtown’s Edmond Town Hall — and specifically its theater — is about to get some special attention thanks to a fairly recent Wilton transplant.

Hayden Bates, who spent the first 25 years of his life in Wilton, moved to Newtown and discovered Edmond Town Hall and its amenities in 2007.

“You don’t have to have much of an imagination to picture how the building would have looked when it was dedicated in 1930. Simply put, it probably looks a lot now like it did then, for better or for worse,” said Mr Bates. “The Edmond conjures up nostalgia for old-fashioned New England even as it cries out for 21st Century amenities. It means so much to so many people, and yet I think it has the potential to be so much more.”

Mr Bates would like to see the movie theater in the former town hall receive some financial attention and upgrades, beginning with a Blu-Ray projector.

“Not only would the image look a million times better, but the Edmond would be able to play many more films than it can now via this technology,” he said. Technological updates would do more than create a better movie experience, he said.

“Imagine how much more vibrant the live music experience would be with state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems,” said Mr Bates. “An overhaul of the electrical system, new paint, new stage curtains... the list of needed improvements is extensive.”

Over the past year, Mr Bates has developed the idea for a live music series, “At the Edmond for the Edmond,” he says.

The first show is scheduled for Friday, June 17, at 8 pm, and will showcase the acclaimed Providence, R.I.-based indie folk-rock quartet The Low Anthem. This is a group on the rise, evidenced by its multiple appearances on The David Letterman Show, and its recent tours with Iron & Wine, Emmylou Harris, the Avett Brothers, and Mumford & Sons.

“The warm, rustic Americana that runs through their music is very appropriate for the Edmond at this point in time: the sounds of a bygone era infused with modern influences,” said Mr Bates.

Every dollar of profit from this show will go toward updating and restoring the Edmond. Mr Bates plans to continue fundraising efforts, with The Low Anthem show to be just the first show of a larger series devoted to this cause.

Tickets are $19.99 each, and can be ordered through EdmondTownHall.org/TheLowAnthem.