The Flames of Discontent: Photos

Anti-War Dance, poster from World War I
BENEFIT CONCERT FOR UTAH PHILLIPS, Rosendale NY, 4/20/08. The event brought in a capacity crowd and nearly $6000. for the ailing Utah:
The Flames of Discontent performing at the Utah Phillips Benefit (photo by Rocco Rizzo):
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):
"Class Struggle", 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 Rockerfella 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 legendary PAUL ROBESON singing with a group of striking workers, early 1930s
The 2nd Annual Woodstock PHIL OCHS BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE- Colony Cafe, Woodstock NY, 12/14/07 (Photo by Ron Osenenko):
OCHS BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE 2007: The Flames, joined by musician/activist Bob Lusk. . . Sonny Ochs and Mancini & Martin were also there. Photo by Ron Osenenko:
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 co-founder of the Communist Party USA
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)
ORGANIZE!
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.
Labor powerhouse EUGENE V. DEBS orating at an anti-war rally, 1918
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)
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:
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.
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, perhaps our most 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: