Every now and then, a concert comes around that captures the spirit and voice of this great island we live on. Join us on Saturday, February 9th for a feel-good night of music you'll remember for a long time— Acoustic Long Island's Winter Concert. Host Dave Dircks will present a special sampling of Acoustic Long Island, the highly-acclaimed podcast and concert series that has captured the recent attention of The New York Times and Newsday, calling it, "Long Island's podcast hit!". You'll be hearing the musical talents of seven up-and-coming local artists followed by full sets of music from nationally-touring singer/songwriters Madi Diaz, Chris Ayer and Jen Chapin. It's over three hours of musical gems. And best of all, part of the proceeds of this concert will go to Long Island Cares, The Harry Chapin Food Bank. 

Acoustic Long Island is a weekly concert series produced by brothers Dave and Rob Dircks that features up-and-coming musical artists and gives them an opportunity to share their music with a receptive audience at the historic Deepwells Mansion in Saint James . Performers as local as down the block and as far away as Los Angeles have entertained the more than 100 listeners that fill the mansion every Wednesday night. These live performances are recorded and shared with a larger online community in the form of a podcast— allowing listeners from around the globe to download the music, subscribe and listen each week. It has been the #1 acoustic podcast on iTunes for almost two years, attracting as many as 11,000 weekly listeners from as far as Australia and Thailand. In 2007 Acoustic Long Island began weekly video podcasts, which instantly ranked in the top 100 music podcasts. For more information, visit www.AcousticLongIsland.com

Long Island Cares was founded in 1980 by the late singer/activist Harry Chapin in response to the immediate needs of hungry Long Islanders.  It is continued today by his wife and partner Sandy Chapin.  In the years since Harry left us, Long Island Cares has become an organized force of caring, dedicated people who are making a difference in the fight against hunger on Long Island.   Long Island Cares’ goals are to provide emergency food where and when it is needed and to sponsor programs that help families achieve self-sufficiency.  Our goals are high.  We are here to promote the food welfare of Long Island, to raise the nutritional standards of our community, to bring into closer relation the resources and food needs of the community, and to encourage food self-reliance for all Long Islanders. A portion of the proceeds from this concert will be donated to Long Island Cares.  www.licares.org

Jen Chapin’s music is urban folk—story songs that search for community and shared meaning, powered by the funk, soul and improvisation of the city. Critics have hailed her work as “brilliant.. soulfully poetic” (NPR), “thoughtful.. worth-savoring” (People), “addictive” (Boston Globe), “smart, observant, lyrically deft, politically aware and emotionally intuitive” (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). JazzTimes has called her “a first-rate storyteller” while Relix regards her as “one of the freshest voices singing today." She has been featured on “Late Nite with Conan O’Brien,” honored by the USA Songwriting Competition, appeared on stage with Bruce Springsteen, and opened up for Bruce Hornsby and the Neville Brothers. Her performances are powerful, spotlighting the world-class musicianship and rare chemistry of husband/acoustic bassist Stephan Crump and guitarists Jamie Fox and Liberty Ellman.   www.jenchapin.com  www.myspace.com/jenchapin

Chris Ayer got his musical start singing along to an Elvis tape when he was 7 in his hometown of McLean, Virginia. He got his first guitar at age 18 and began writing songs that same day.  Upon moving to northern California in 2000, he started sharing his songs locally, while studying philosophy and music at Stanford University.  After a year out of college spent writing and playing local bar gigs in northern California, Chris decided to hit the road.  He got a little room in Brooklyn, but has spent most of the past year traveling town to town, playing for whoever will listen - days spent playing on street corners, nights spent performing on the stages of music clubs and venues of all sorts.  His first full-length album, This Is The Place, was recorded in Nashville and produced by Jason Gantt (The Chieftains, Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill).

"Ayer’s effort has it all—tight arrangements, excellent musicality and imaginative lyrics. If you’re looking for great music, this is the Place indeed." - Performing Songwriter Magazine

“Clever lyrics, an innate ability to carve genius song structures… He possesses one of those legendary voices… intriguing folk rock that recalls James Taylor and Damien Rice” - smother.net

 www.chrisayer.net     www.myspace.com/chrisayer

Madi Diaz has been featured at the South by Southwest Festival and opened for Linda Ronstadt at the 2007 Newport Folk Festival.   Her début solo album, Skin and Bone is filled with songs rich in precocious wisdom, unassuming poetry, and melodic sophistication. Without paying direct homage to a particular time or place, the record evokes the locations of Diaz's youth: the wide-open spaces of the Amish countryside, the unsettling thrills and daunting possibilities of Philly's urban jungle - and the longing and loneliness common to both. Diaz's powerful voice, both uniquely engaging and steeped in rock tradition, calls to mind such icons of Americana as Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow, and Patty Griffin. Madi Diaz has begun making her bones on the roots rock scene and we are delighted to welcome her to the stage as part of the Acoustic Long Island Winter Concert at the Patchogue Theatre.  www.madidiaz.com  www.myspace.com/madidiaz

The Long Island Songwriter Showcase will open the concert with original performances by Dave Dircks, John Flor, Rorie Kelly, Miles to Dayton, Bess Rogers, John-Paul Vest and Martha Trachtenberg & Tom Griffith.

L.I. Advance article

Suffolk Life article

Good Times Article

TICKET PRICE: $33 / $22 / $12