Vintage Theater 10th anniversary show reunites 6 NEPA bands in Scranton on Nov. 29
First announced back in June, a show celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Vintage Theater now has a set venue and an extra band added to the mix.
Remembered today as one of Scranton’s greatest all-ages art and event spaces, The Vintage left a lasting impression on many local musicians and actors during its five-year run, so a handful of popular local bands that played during that time will reunite for one nostalgic night on Friday, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m.
A Social State; So Long, Pluto; Pity Party; Those Clever Foxes; These Elk Forever; and now Crock Pot Abduction will perform at The Space at Olive (541 Wyoming Ave., Scranton) in its new “garage” addition on the corner of Wyoming Avenue and Olive Street in downtown Scranton. The New Vintage Ensemble, an award-winning collective of actors who spun out of The Vintage and are still active and producing plays today, will also make a special appearance, along with “other surprises.”
Tickets for this all-ages holiday weekend show are on sale now for $20 via Eventbrite and going fast.
“The Vintage was a home for visual, literary, and performing arts that began in January 2009. It was a venue for coffee, conversation, and culture. It was a small place in a small city that accomplished big work,” the Facebook event page reads.
“In honor of our 10-year anniversary, we are presenting a phenomenal show featuring some of our audiences favorite artists – many of which are reuniting themselves for the first time in years!”
The exception is Crock Pot Abduction, who declared that their recent appearance at the 2019 Electric City Music Conference would be their last but, this week, the Scranton indie punk band changed their minds, as The Vintage made such an impact on them in their formative years.
“We said we were done, but I think we have one more in us. Finish this band where we started it, all ages for The Vintage Ten Year Celebration, with so many wonderful acts we’ve jammed with over the years. Come check it!” the band posted on Facebook.
Watch their full ECMC set, recorded Sept. 13 at the Irish Wolf Pub, below:
The Vintage, which was known as the Vintage Theater when it opened in 2009, changed locations a few times over the years, hosting concerts, theater productions, art shows, poetry readings, and much more in downtown Scranton, often free of charge or at very low cost to patrons of all ages.
The Vintage originally opened in The Ritz Theater building before moving to 119 Penn Avenue and finally 326 Spruce Street. It closed in August of 2014 “after serious consideration and review of the venue’s resources, fiscal projections, and leadership investment,” according to a statement at the time, though co-founder Conor O’Brien has kept its spirit alive with the New Vintage Ensemble and the annual Scranton Fringe Festival, which he co-founded in 2015.
No matter which Vintage building locals remember best, a countless number of musicians in Northeastern Pennsylvania played so many important and memorable shows within those walls that this reunion show should be a massive hit for anyone who frequented the theater or grew up during that time. Many of the young musicians who performed there regularly are still active today and have continued on or formed new bands as adults, so this reunion event will be a special trip back in time no matter which side of the stage you stand on.
