Flames of Discontent: Photos

Anti-War Dance, poster from World War I
Master revolutionary poet/playwright BERTOLT BRECHT, Berlin, later 1920s:
Our 2009 WOODSTOCK WOODY GUTHRIE FESTIVAL featured Anna Canoni (Woody's granddaughter) as keynote, plus a great mixture of musicians and speakers, usually performing together in a variety of expanded ensembles...
WOODY FEST 2009: Steve Kirkman, Catherine, Zenote Sompantle, Fred Gillen, John Pietaro, Laurie Towers perform "Deportees" (photo: Herman Tempelman)
Woody Fest 2009: Zenote Sompantle, John Pietaro, Laurie Towers perform "The Sinking of the Reuben James" (photo: Herman Tempelman)
Woody Fest 2009: Hope Machine (photo: Herman Tempelman)
Finale of our Woody Fest 2009: wanderer, Steve Kirkman, Catherine, Lauren, Zenote Sompantle, Anna Canoni, John Pietaro, Fred Gillen, Patti Martin, Laurie Towers (photo: Herman Tempelman)
The ensemble closes off the show with a rousing "This Land is Your Land" featuring all of the verses Woody wrote for this anthem (photo by Herman Tempelman)
WOODY GUTHRIE fighting the fascists
MIKE GOLD, cultural worker, writer, "Daily Worker" columnist, "New Masses" editor--addressing a crowd in the earliest 1930s, NYC, as the powers that be feared the downfall of capitalism...
THE DAILY WORKER sponsored many such cultural events as this one in 1928 Brooklyn
THE ALMANAC SINGERS, 1941: Bess Lomax, Pete Seeger, Millard Lampell, Woody Guthrie, Arthur Stern, Sis Cunningham--the first urban folk music group
2008 WOODSTOCK PHIL OCHS FEST, Colony Cafe, Woodstock NY. The Flames (with John on drums) accompanying Chris Ruhe on "There But for Fortune" (phot by Donna Bliss)
WOODSTOCK PHIL FEST, Dec 6, 2008, Journey Blue Heaven (photo by Donna Bliss). This event also featured singer Bob Lusk, a re-enactment of Ochs Chicago 7 testimony, and a tribute to lost activist Jane Van de Bogart.
PHIL OCHS offering theatrical commentary to the macho imagery of war
Revolutionary composer HANNS EISLER stands up to the House Un-American Activities Committee
The HOLLYWOOD TEN, 1947
The brilliant screenwriter JOHN HOWARD LAWSON convicted after his HUAC trial for the crime of being a member of the Communist Party
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR UTAH PHILLIPS, Rosendale NY, 4/20/08. The event brought in a capacity crowd and nearly $6000. for the ailing Utah; sadly, Utah passed away one month later:
The Flames of Discontent performing at the Utah Phillips Benefit (photo by Rocco Rizzo):
DAR WILLIAMS performing for the Utah Phillips Benefit
A call-in by Utah himself, and a conversation with Pete Seeger and all of us, was a high point of the Benefit Concert (photo by Rocco Rizzo):
The legendary PAUL ROBESON singing with a group of striking workers, early 1930s
Poet, social activist ROSE PASTOR STOKES in 1918; for some years she was one half of the crusading couple that also included writer and chair of the Cultural Commission of the CP, V.J. Jerome.
JOE STRUMMER: in or out of the Clash, a revolutionary rocker
"MAN AT THE CROSSROADS", an incredible mural by the great DIEGO RIVERA, depicting the fight of the workers against the ruling class. The inclusion of Lenin just off the center caused Rockefeller to have this genuis work destroyed
1/25/08: Writers Guild of America-East STRIKE RALLY at the Bardovan Theatre, Poughkeepsie NY. John opened the event with "Solidarity Forever" (phot by Flannery Silva):
The 2nd Annual Woodstock PHIL OCHS BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE- Colony Cafe, Woodstock NY, 12/14/07 (Photo by Ron Osenenko). The event included Sonny Ochs, Mancini and Martin and Bob Lusk:
JOE HILL's funeral, covered by fellow worker Ralph Chaplin
Flames with ReadNex Poetry Squad: AN EVENING OF FREE SPEECH MUSIC & POETRY, High Falls Cafe, Nov 2007...
JOHN REED-revolutionary writer and cultural worker, co-founder of the CPUSA.
2007 DISSIDENT FOLK & ARTS FESTIVAL--The Flames perform Brecht/Eisler for our set in the second Dissident Fest (10/14/07), Howland Center, Beacon NY. Other acts included Bev Grant, Zenote Sompantle, Jennie Litt, Mel & Vinnie, lots more:
May Day march led by DIEGO RIVERA and FRIEDA KAHLO
John Pietaro, 'POUGHKEEPSIE LIVE' TV show playing "Viva La Quince Brigade" with the Flames (photo by Donna Bliss)
Laurie Towers playing a searing bass solo on 'POUGHKEEPSIE LIVE'; drummer Angelo Moscarello in background (photo by Donna Bliss)
THE CRADLE WILL ROCK, original cast in rehearsal. You may know of this brilliant, revolutionary musical from the Tim Robbins film about it. Authored by Mark Blitzstein, Cradle fell victim to early HUAC but was realized in a rogue production by the players
The Flames, WOODY GUTHRIE BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE, July 2007, Colony Cafe, Woodstock. We hosted this event and intend to do it annually at this historic performance space (photos by Donna Bliss):
Finale of the Woody Guthrie Trib 2007: Hope Machine and Mancini & Martin join the Flames for "This Land Is Your Land" with all rare verses intact, natch.
WAR IS OVER...if you want it. A powerfully dissentful message from John Lennon & Yoko Ono, NYC's Times Square, Christmas, 1970:
The Flames at the WEST POINT PEACE RALLY 2007. As we performed several neo-fascists shouted out pro-war propaganda behind us. Perhaps our very favorite gig! Hope Dick Cheney enjoyed the music! (phot by WBAI's Don DeBar)
The Flames latest release: "REVENGE OF THE ATOM SPIES" (cover photo by Donna Bliss)
Dec 2006: PHIL OCHS BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE, Joshua's (Woodstock NY). Other acts included Journey Blue Heaven and Roland Mousa, Mancini & Martin also joined us for one collaborative piece (photo by Patti Martin)
Laurie and her Hofner bass, Ochs trib concert 12/06, Woodstock NY (very cool photo art by Patti Martin)
ORGANIZE!
10/14/06: DISSIDENT FOLK FESTIVAL: Woody tribute-John at mic w/Bruce Markow, Gwen Laster, Steve Suffit, Dissident Daughters, Bev Grant, Lucia Daily, Silvantonia, Joel Landy, Graham & Barbara Dean. Hidden: Laurie, Pete Seeger, Rafael Figueroa.
Dissident Folk Festival 2006-Malachy McCourt offered a brilliant speech to Festival goers and capped it off with an amazing version of "Johnny I Hardly Knew You".
Dissident Folk Festival -Pete Seeger offered both discussion on and songs of Woody Guthrie, while Woody's granddaughter Anna Canoni presented on the impact of Guthrie's legend:
Bass-baritone Kenneth Anderson and labor legend Henry Foner discuss the legendary Paul Robeson, Dissident Folk Festival 2006 (photo by Florence Northcutt)
WOODSTOCK FRINGE FESTIVAL 2006, Byrdcliffe Theatre, Woodstock NY: Laurie, poet Patti Martin, percussionist Rafael Figueroa, John, saxist Gus Mancini, festival director Wallace Norman. We also organized a Labor Day concert to close off the Fringe season:
Performing for the RETAIL, WHOLESALE & DEPT. STORE WORKERS UNION convention, Orlando Florida, July 27, 2006:
Labor powerhouse and founder of the Socialist Party EUGENE V. DEBS orating at an anti-war rally, 1918:
WEST POINT PEACE RALLY, Highland Falls NY, 5/27/06 (phot by Econosmith). We'd hoped the visiting Bush would have heard our battle cry...
Laurie, West Point Rally (photo by Econosmith)
The Flames, CELEBRATE MAY DAY, 4/30/06, ChThonic Clash, Beacon. Others on the bill included Chris Ruhe, Mel & Vinnie and speakers Jen Fuentes and Fred Nagel. Photo by Econosmith.
MAY DAY PARADE, early 1930s:
The Flames with WVKR's Andy Tokash (L), host of 'Folk Rock & Roots' (Cubbyhole, Poughkeepsie NY, 3/31/06). The occasion was a gig for the Musicians Alliance for Peace.
The NEW PALTZ PEACE RALLY, 3/11/06. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, a local progressive voice in Congress, was the keynote speaker, among many powerful others. Photo by Econosmith.
The Flames' "All the News That's Fit to Sing: A Phil Ochs Tribute", Howland Cultural Center, Beacon NY, 11/18/05. Performers included Mancini & Martin, Joel Landy, Chris Ruhe; speakers included Sonny Ochs, Women in Black, Joel Tyner, Jeff Green
Women in Black, Woodstock chapter, give powerful anti-war testimony, Ochs Song Night, Nov 18, 2005. Out in front is the beloved activist Jane Van DeBogart:
From our first visit to WDST-FM studio, Woodstock NY: John Pietaro with host Doug Grunther and air personality Studio Stu, October 2005
WDST-FM studio, Oct '05: The Flames were performing a live broadcast which included our rendition of "Joe Hill". Here's a shot of Laurie Towers in action, hands blurring on her vintage Kramer Duke.
Cover, "I Dreamed I Heard Joe Hill Last Night...A Century of IWW Song" (artwork by Leslie Friedman), 2005. Our CD was offically released as part of "The 100th Anniv of the Wobblies" event, organized by Paul Buhle, CUNY Grad Center 9/05
John leading the crowd on a Wobbly standard during our set: the IWW Centennial at Ft. Green Park, Brooklyn, NY, June 4, 2005 (photo by Bryan-David Kee). This was one of three large-scale events we played for the IWW anniversary.
Oct 2004: John performing onstage for the Million Worker March, Lincoln Monument, Washington DC:
John Pietaro (left, on percussion) with Pete Seeger (center, raised fist) and the Ray Korona Band. The event was Pete's concert and lecture, 'Music in the History of Struggle'; it was also Pete's 80th birthday. 1199 SEIU, NYC, November 1999: