Artists Plan Unique First Night Performances
BOSTON (CBS) - One of the many things that's great about Boston's First Night celebration is the wide variety of entertainment you can enjoy. You really can see and hear just about anything.
For example, on the one end there's the performance art of Walter Sickert and The Army of Broken Toys with their circus carnival sound. On the other, there's Heinrich Christensen, the pipe organist at Boston's historic King's Chapel.
Both are planning unique First Night performances. "It's called Dance, Dance, Dance, so it's organ music that's inspired by dance music of all kinds of different eras," says Christensen, who is also the music director at the church. "For First Night we plan to make a big, giant scene of circus-ness with dancers and videos and maybe elephants. I don't know if they'll let me have elephants in the Hynes Convention Center," says Sickert.
First Night is an important show for Sickert. He was first inspired to become an artist when his mother brought him to see the ice sculptures when he was just a kid. "Because you could walk through the art and be part of the experience, and I think that carried on through my career and the rest of my life," he says.
For Heinrich, this will mark his 15th First Night performance. "It's a great tradition. It's a great way to celebrate New Year's and a new beginning and feeling you're a part of celebrating with the whole city," he says.
You can see Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys starting at 7:30pm at the Hynes Convention Center, and enjoy the unique sounds of the pipe organ at 9pm at King's Chapel.
