For about three decades, the Dewey Decibel Concert Series has brought music to the theater of the Williamsburg Regional Library.
Program Services Director Patrick Golden did not come up with the concert series’ clever name, but he will claim credit for “knowing a good thing when I hear it.”
The Williamsburg Regional Library began presenting concerts in the early 1980s. About 15 years ago, one of the performers welcomed the audience, giving the concert a title that plays on the library’s Dewey Decimal Classification system.
“It got a huge applause,” Golden said.
The series kicks off 2014 on Saturday night with Bill Jenkins and the Virginia Mountain Boys, an early bluegrass and Appalachian music quartet.
Before Golden started at the library 18 years ago, the series showcased more classical music. He’s taken it in a different direction, not wanting to infringe on the many classical music performing groups in the area.
Golden describes the current taste of the series as “less artsy, more practical,” covering acoustic, folk and jazz music.
Those are genres he feels most comfortable with as an audience member, but also the types of music that get the consistent positive responses from patrons. Golden attends “virtually every concert,” and gauges success by a gut feeling in addition to ticket sales.
“I can tell just by the way they looked that they really enjoyed it,” he said of visitors as they leave shows.
The program has gained popularity over the years, which Golden said increased the number of musical suggestions and submissions he receives.
“Once you get successful, word gets out,” he said.
He has the challenge of culling down the performers vying for spots in the series, which presents an average of 25 to 30 groups in a year. It is a task that has gotten easier with the advancement of recording technologies — rather than piles of cassette tapes, Golden considers electronic press kits that include audio and video.
He hopes the series is accessible to locals, especially to those who can’t normally afford steep ticket prices. Golden tries to keep charges low, and some concerts offer free admission. He works with area groups and military bands who perform for the experience of sharing music, not a paycheck.
“We’re trying to reach the whole community,” Golden said.
Click here to see the upcoming schedule for the Dewey Decibel Concert Series. For more information, call 259-4040 or visit the library’s website.
