Skip to content
Photograph by Michelle Gemma
  • Text
  • Visual
  • Music
    • Select All Music Posts
    • 17 Relics
    • Delta of Venus
    • Ellery Twining
    • Highlighter
    • Incessant Pop Group
    • Low-Beam
    • Luke Hunter
    • Magpie
    • Portersville
    • Seratonin
    • Sodium Lights
    • Tarbox
    • Trapezium
  • Publications
    • Chez Depot
    • Mason’s Stoup
      • Mason’s Stoup 1
      • Mason’s Stoup 2
      • Mason’s Stoup 3
      • Mason’s Stoup 4
      • Mason’s Stoup 5
      • Mason’s Stoup 6
      • Mason’s Stoup 7 [turn up the gain]
      • Mason’s Stoup 7 [the vernal explosion]
      • Mason’s Stoup 9
      • Mason’s Stoup 10
      • Mason’s Stoup Contributors
    • Root of Twinkle
    • THIS IS NOT SLANDER
    • Whispers
  • Root of Twinkle

Posts

MacBeth

  • by Mat Tarbox

Vertical by T@#

  • by Mat Tarbox

mat tarbox song + video from february 2011

for PortFire

Root of Twinkle: Volume 5 Issue 1 – Summer 1995

  • by Root of Twinkle

Root of Twinkle Volume 5 Issue 1

Root of Twinkle: Volume 4 Issue 2 – Summer 1994

  • by Root of Twinkle

Root of Twinkle Volume 4 Is…

Root of Twinkle: Volume 4 Issue 1 – Winter 1994

  • by Root of Twinkle

Root of Twinkle Volume 4 Is…

Root of Twinkle: Volume 3 Issue 1 – May 1993

  • by Root of Twinkle

Root of Twinkle Volume 3 Is…

Root of Twinkle: Volume 2 Issue 3 – August 1992

  • by Root of Twinkle

Root of Twinkle Vol 2 Issue…

Root of Twinkle: Volume 2 Issue 2 – June 1992

  • by Root of Twinkle

Root of Twinkle Vol 2 Issue 2 June 1992 on Scribd

Posts navigation

« Previous page Page 1 … Page 33 Page 34

PortFire YouTube

PortFire YouTube
PORTERSVILLE & GREENMANVILLE:
A presentation on the Art and Culture in Mystic, Connecticut during the 1990s
The essential nature of independent, underground culture in the 1980s finally made its way into the hearts and minds of the kids in Mystic, CT. A revolutionary period in American music, bands like REM, The Replacements, Sonic Youth, Husker Du, and Minutemen (among thousands of other) created a touring network not centered around the major cities, but small towns across the country, where local kids would rent out the VFW hall and book Minor Threat. This independent spirit launched record labels, magazines, a radio network, and local indie scenes in small towns like Mystic, CT.
In 1985, the first band from town, 17 Relics, began performing their own material that summer. Over the course of the next five years, dozens of local kids would start their own bands in response (if these guys can do it, maybe we can). Out of that burgeoning music scene would see the rise of indie press Hozomeen Press, which artists, poets, writers, and photographers would coalesce around similar to the bands at the all-ages concerts. By 1990, which this program covers, all of the elements of a full-fledged art renaissance were occurring in our time; the end of the century.

MC Dan Pearson will provide the background details of small town life being permanently changed. He will give an overview of the people, places, and the cultural oasis’ that were foundational to the artists.

Mat Tarbox, one half of the masthead at Hozomeen Press will discuss how their work existed before computers, how early digital redefined their imaging, and the enormous effect the press had on each facet of what we called “The Post Generation”.

Arden Levine is a published poet, author, literary editor and urban planner from Brooklyn. She will discuss how the Mystic scene reached into the campus of Connecticut College, where she was a student, as well as read several pieces from her new book “Ladies’ Abecedary” published by Harbor Editions, 2021.

Michelle Gemma will discuss the attention to detail from the artists point of view. As a long time fine art photographer, she was integral to helping artists build and maintain a totality of image. She will discuss the impact of the Root of Twinkle on the Mystic art scene, and show her most recent artistic creation: Weatherall- a music video which highlights the dance culture in Mystic in the 1990s.

Stephen Chupaska grew up in what we refer to as the Greater Southeastern Autonomous Zone, and he will read a piece written specifically for this broadcast. He will opine on his recollection of that time, from the perspective of the audience, and as an arts writer at The Day newspaper, told in his singular voice.

29 September 2022
Mystic River Park
Hosted by Mystic & Noank Library
Produced by Michelle Gemma & Rich Freitas
Presenters: Matthew Tarbox, Arden Levine, Michelle Gemma & Stephen Chupaska
Music Score: djshecky
MC: Dan Pearson
Stage Manager: Matthew Clark
Stage Crew: Jack Salmon, Carly Straub, Rhys Thornell, Mitch Bury, Jeanne Gemma & Paul Loiselle
Soundsystem: Savage Sound Company
Video Editor: James Canty
Flowers: Mystic Florist
Refreshments: Sift Bake Shop & Lamplighter Trading Company
Sponsors: Mystic Army Navy, Mystic Disc & Bank Square Books
Art Banners: ABC Photo
Channel 3 TV spot by Reporter Marcy Jones appears courtesy of WFSB,
and originally aired on 23 May 2022
Weatherall video:
Weatherall is the first music video from Ellery Twining's debut solo album "Revenge", released 17 January 2022.
Written and directed by Mystic photographer Michelle Gemma, featuring archival photographs from Mystic's 1990's underground dance party scene at Mars Hall, alongside video footage from last decade's recreation of scene at the Workshop. 
Edited by James Canty.
The song and video are a tribute to British producer/DJ Andrew Weatherall (1963-2020), who passed as Twining was writing the songs for "REVENGE."
Song credits:
Ellery Twining (all Noises)
Dave Bentley (the Bass Guitar)
Brad Bensko (Electric Guitar)
Jason Curland (Percussion)
Produced by Eric Lichter at Dirt Floor Recording & Production
Haddam, CT
Engineered by Guido Falivene
Video credits:
All photographs and video by Michelle Gemma 
Except two indoor Mars Hall dance party photos by Kerry Niering and Mars Hall demo photos by Erin Pipping
Models:
Carly Straub and Jane Anderson
Photographed March 2022 in Mystic, CT, USA

Public Access recording:
Frank Fulchiero, SEC-TV
Thank you to Mystic & Noank Library
and the Mystic River Park Commission.

Thank You to everyone who caught the event that night.
Thank You for taking the time to watch the event now!
©PortFire TV Productions
deep deep merge with 17 Relics, Latex Voodoo, Skimbleshanks, and Petervito at the Stonington Como 30 December 1988. psycho*dark purple lights*herbal tea*music 8 pm five dollars
Sponsored by Mystic Disc and Ron's Guitars
Weatherall is the first music video from Ellery Twining's debut solo album "Revenge", released 17 January 2022.
 It is a deep dive into intergenerational relationships...
Written and directed by Mystic photographer Michelle Gemma, featuring archival photographs from Mystic's 1990's underground dance party scene at Mars Hall, alongside video footage from last decade's recreation of scene at the Workshop. 
Edited by Jim Canty.
The song and video are a tribute to British producer/DJ Andrew Weatherall (1963-2020), who passed as Twining was writing the songs for "REVENGE."
Song credits:
Ellery Twining (all Noises)
Dave Bentley (the Bass Guitar)
Brad Bensko (Electric Guitar)
Jason Curland (Percussion)
Produced by Eric Lichter at Dirt Floor Recording & Production
Haddam, CT
Engineered by Guido Falivene
Video credits:
All photographs and video by Michelle Gemma 
Except two indoor Mars Hall dance party photos by Kerry Niering and Mars Hall demo photos by Erin Pipping
Models:
Carly Straub and Jane Anderson
Photographed March 2022 in Mystic, CT, USA
Load More... Subscribe

MYSTIC MUSIC ARCHIVE

PortFire Artist Collections

  • THIS IS NOT SLANDER
  • Michelle Gemma Photoshoots
  • Ellery Twining Collages
  • Ellery Twining Poetry
  • Royal Young
  • Kenneth Fish Poetry
  • Red Beard Overseas 1989

Contributor Sign In

Sign In Here

Wish to Contribute?

If you would like to publish your music, writing, photography, or artwork to PortFire, please contact The Editors

PortFire Artists

  • Jane Anderson
  • James Canty
  • Michael Finney
  • Kenneth Fish
  • michelle gemma
  • Rachel Jones
  • Christopher Kepple
  • Adam Knight
  • Jedah Mayberry
  • Matt McLaughlin
  • Root of Twinkle
  • Green the Red Beard
  • ellery twining
  • Charlie Wilde
  • Royal Young

Tarbox @ Mastodon

A Tarbox Design © 2023 -- All Art Copyrighted by Respective Artists -- All Rights Reserved