The rich sounds of Motown and classic to contemporary pop will once again fill the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Auditorium in Wieden Hall when the Star City Syndicate performs a special fundraising concert on Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m. Admission is free for this high energy, family-friendly event, but donations of all sizes will be accepted at the door to benefit future renovations to the Auditorium in Wieden Hall.
Star City Syndicate is a local group with an impressive range and an even bigger, brassier sound. By day, Syndicate members are mild-mannered music teachers, postal workers, clergy members, or other unassuming professionals in the community. By night, though (and on select weekends and sometimes summer weekday-early-afternoons), they meld their various musical interests and backgrounds into the driving, thumping, horn-resounding, soul-burning sonic tour de force, the Star City Syndicate.
Blending songs from old-school Detroit with deeper cuts from bands such as Gnarls Barkley and The Heavy, the Star City Syndicate is the melodic guilty pleasure of a group of people who just want to play the classic and modern songs everyone loves.
Members of the Star City Syndicate include Anthony Scott on lead vocals; Mark Shaw, guitar and vocals; Brian Mosher, guitar, keyboard, and vocals; Doug Chronkhite, percussion and vocals; Jon Simonoff, bass guitar; Sean Diette, baritone sax; Sarah Diette, keyboard; Jenna Simonoff, tenor sax; Jake Lira, tenor sax; Kelly Chartier, alto sax; Larry Hall, alto sax; Chris Morton, percussion; Pat Kinsey, trombone; Andy Yaeger, trombone; Randy King, trombone; Kevin Kinsey, trumpet; Kyle Goupille, trumpet; and Adam Metzler, trumpet.
The group will perform a bevy of top hits spanning the last 50 years during the March 2 concert, from “Soul Man” by Sam & Dave and “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees to “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man and “Money and Fame” by NEEDTOBREATHE.
“We are delighted to bring back the Star City Syndicate for a live show to help us to raise much-needed funds for our Auditorium,” Rachel Rice, UMPI Director of Community and Media Relations, who is helping to organize the event, said. “The Syndicate has developed quite a following and always presents an amazing show. Fans won’t want to miss this concert!”
For more information about this concert, please contact Gayla Shaw at 207-768-9452 or umpi@maine.edu.
Update: The Star City Syndicate helped to raise a whooping $2,765 to go toward Auditorium updates during its standing-room-only concert. That’s right–standing room only! Thanks to Star City Syndicate for their generosity in helping to raise these funds and to the many, many fans (over 400) who packed the house to see the show!
