Linda K. Harris
lharris@centercityphila.org
215.440.5546 - Visuals Available
PHILADELPHIA (January 6, 2016) – The Center City District (CCD) and Friends of the Rail Park are proud to announce that The Bacon Brothers, Philadelphia natives Michael and Kevin Bacon, will play a special benefit concert to support Phase I of the Viaduct Rail Park on February 4, 2016, at Union Transfer. The first concert the Bacon Brothers have played here in recent years will support the construction of Phase I of the Viaduct Rail Park, a CCD-managed project, carried out in partnership with the City of Philadelphia and the Friends of the Rail Park.
Older brother Michael, an acclaimed musician and composer, and younger brother Kevin, an award-winning actor, combine to form The Bacon Brothers. Their childhood hometown of Philadelphia is the brothers’ muse for their eclectic blend of rock and soul. Growing up in the City of Brotherly Love, Michael and Kevin were surrounded by music from an early age. Michael started as a career musician in the 1960s, first playing gigs at Philadelphia’s Electric Factory with younger brother Kevin tagging along. He later moved to Nashville to pursue songwriting, and his musical career took off. Now, an Emmy Award-winning composer, Michael is credited with many original scores for film and television, most recently scoring the documentary “Good Fortune – The Story of Morgenthau.”
Younger brother Kevin always loved music but chose a different path. Best known for his acting roles in “Footloose,” Mystic River” and “Apollo 13,” Kevin has appeared in 80 films and has a Golden Globe Award along with several Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominations. He is currently starring in the FOX drama “The Following.”
Phase 1 of the Viaduct Rail Park will turn a dilapidated quarter-mile portion of the former Reading Viaduct that runs from Broad Street southeast across 13th and 12th Streets to Callowhill Street into a vibrant green park with walking paths, landscaping, lighting, seating and gathering spaces. SEPTA has leased the viaduct to CCD for renovation purposes. Upon completion of construction, ownership will transfer to the City of Philadelphia, and the park will be maintained through a partnership between the Department of Parks & Recreation and the Friends of the Rail Park. The new 25,000-square-foot linear park will provide a much-needed green amenity to the Callowhill neighborhood and support the expansion of both Chinatown and the thriving, mixed-use neighborhoods on the expanding edge of Center City.
Final plans and renderings by Studio |Bryan Hanes and Urban Engineers can be viewed here. Funding for construction has been generously provided by the William Penn Foundation, the Knight Foundation, The McLean Contributionship, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia, and numerous individual and corporate donors. Final fundraising is underway and the project could begin as early as spring of 2016.
Who: The Bacon Brothers www.baconbros.com
What: Special Benefit Concert for Phase I of the Viaduct Rail Park
Where: Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
When: Thursday, February 4, 2016 @ 8 PM
$125 VIP Package (includes open bar, hors d’oeuvres, parking & exclusive mezzanine viewing section)
$35 General Admission
Special thanks to our concert sponsors: The Logan, Union Transfer and 13th St. Kitchens
About Center City District and Phase I of the Viaduct Rail Park
The Center City District (CCD), a private-sector organization dedicated to making Center City Philadelphia clean, safe and attractive, is committed to maintaining Center City’s competitive edge as a regional employment center, a quality place to live, and a premier regional destination for dining, shopping and cultural attractions. The CCD is partnering with the City of Philadelphia and Friends of the Rail Park to realize Phase I of the Viaduct Rail Park. The CCD is responsible for raising funds through the Center City District Foundation for construction of Phase I of the project, which the CCD will manage. To read more about Phase I, please click here.
About Friends of the Rail Park
Friends of the Rail Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to cultivate visions and advocate for a continuous three-mile linear park and recreation path in Philadelphia, connecting many neighborhoods and cultural institutions to Fairmount Park along the historic elevated Reading Viaduct and City Branch rail cut of the former Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. Founded in 2010, the organization merged with neighborhood advocacy group, Reading Viaduct Project, in late 2013. Friends of the Rail Park is committed to continuing dialogues initiated with communities along the route, stakeholders, city decision-makers, and potential partners to build support for Philadelphia's Rail Park. Friends of the Rail Park is working in collaboration with the Center City District towards implementing the first phase of the Rail Park and ensuring its ongoing maintenance and care. www.therailpark.org
About the Bacon Brothers
The Bacon Brothers are anything but a typical rock band. Brothers Michael and Kevin Bacon, each accomplished in their own right, play gritty rock that is unapologetically unique and authentic. Their style can best be described by their first album title, Forosoco, a word describing the blend of folk, rock, soul and country influences. Now, nearly 20 years later, The Bacon Brothers continue to impress audiences and critics with their soulful sound and their latest offering of Americana, 36 cents.
Now, nearly two decades after the band formed in 1995, The Bacon Brothers are a musical force to be reckoned with. Don’t let Kevin’s roots in Hollywood fool you. According to The New Yorker, “Hollywood hangs like an albatross around the neck of any movie star turned musician, but this duo shakes off the burden of fame with sharply executed rock that has a blue-collar, rootsy edge.” The Bacon Brothers Band includes Michael Bacon on vocals, guitar and cello; Kevin Bacon on vocals, guitar and percussion; Paul Guzzone on bass guitar and backing vocals; Joe Mennonna on keyboards and accordion; Frank Vilardi on drums; and Ira Siegel on lead guitar, mandolin and backing vocals. www.baconbros.com