& ART CULTURE

Beautiful Noise

Plucky percussionists assembled during the pandemic play on

The Creative Capital has seen its share of high-powered street bands in recent years, with groups like What Cheer Brigade and the Extraordinary Rendition Band making their presence known at festivals and concerts. The latest band on the scene is the Providence Drum Troupe, put together in 2021 during the early days of the pandemic. “It was an organic creation,” says founder David Lee Black, a respected Providence artist and photographer. “Everyone was starved for creativity, and no one had any gigs, so I invited a couple of drummer friends to play, and we played in the park, six feet apart. We soon realized the public was also starved for creativity, so they cautiously emerged to check us out.”

The shows evolved into a regular weekly gig. “I have a lot of friends in the circus community, so we invited those lovable freaks, added a circus element, and it quickly became a vibe on the Providence pedestrian bridge. Families began to show up from as far away as Newport and Massachusetts. It kind of grew and they expected us to be there week after week,” notes Black.

The troupe is made up of an assortment of talented creatives, many with experience in activist street bands. Black describes them as “musicians, acrobats, flow art, life-size alien puppets, hoopers, lasers, and dancers from near and far.” But politics wasn’t the reason this band got together. “We quickly realized we were not an activist band per se,” says Black. “In fact, the country was and is still so divisive, with COVID, with Trump, with world a airs, people screaming at their neighbors, I really wanted to avoid that.”

”We are all di erent genders, skin tones, sexualities; it’s clear as day,” says Black. “We demonstrate, through power of example, that living together in harmony is not an antiquated notion. And that idea resonates with a lot of people. We try to connect creative forces for the greater good, partnering with Big Nazo and other groups.”

With regular shows scheduled around the region, the band has become a part of the fabric of the city. Don’t be surprised if you see di erent members of the troupe at di erent shows. The group is made up of over 30 players, although most gigs feature about half that number, “a rotating cast of characters,” according to Black. “I planned it that way; we have redundancy, so if one snare player can’t make it, then we have four others who possibly can.”

Since forming, they’ve received national recognition, traveling throughout New England and even to Austin in April to play Texas Honk, a street band festival where they joined dozens of others from around the country.

“We believe that if the city or state programmed more funky performances, there would be less crime,” says Black. “Who wants to fight when there’s a giant alien puppet walking by making weird sounds with a drummer?”

Find them on the Michael S. Van Leesten pedestrian bridge most Tuesday evenings. Learn more at ProvidenceDrumTroupe.com | By Ken Abrams

Lights, Camera, Action

Prizes and the chance to screen at Cannes are all within reach at this annual filmmaking competition

In the short span of one weekend (or 48 hours), nimble creatives assemble each year to script, shoot, and edit a short film. Participants choose a genre on the first evening and are assigned elements like props, lines, or characters required to be in the movie. After the films are submitted, they premiere in front of an audience and judges to compete for prizes. The global competition is known as the 48 Hour Film Project, and it comes to Providence this month.

“This year’s festival is going to be amazing,” says Melinda “Mel” Rainsberger, the Providence 48 Hour Film Project (PVD48HRFP) city producer. “Last year’s filmmakers were creative, unique, and had some of the most interesting special effects. I hope the filmmakers bring that innovative energy back in 2023.”

Rainsberger started as a participant in 2007, a year after Providence joined the game. “Our film was called Failure in F Minor,” she recalls.

After that first entry, Rainsberger continued to compete in Providence and several other competitions nationally for 10 years. “I fell in love with the energy and relationships that formed during that weekend.”

After a decade of being a contestant, Rainsberger was asked to be the city producer for Providence. In her first few years, she orchestrated the largest PVD48HRFP with over 60 attendees before taking a break. Two years later she returned to the helm, and she

Winners are announced at the premiere and her team have been busy planning this month’s event since last year’s showcase. Anyone, whether newbie or professional, can enter the competition. The weekend’s goal is to embrace the art of filmmaking for a fun and educational purpose. A team can be one person or the typical five to eight. According to Rainsberger, many teams are made up of families, novice film groups, and budding filmmakers. “If you go into 48 with the purpose to have fun and learn, you’ll have a great time,” she advises. This year’s competition will be held June 2325 and interested teams must register no later than June 23 at noon. Once a team picks a genre at the kicko , the clock starts.

This year PVD48HRFP is introducing its unique-to-Providence Equity Stipend. This scholarship is for up to three teams facing financial hardship, with priority for marginalized groups (BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, non-binary, and disabled people). The deadline to apply for the Equity Stipend is Friday, June 16, 11:59pm.

The four- to seven-minute entries are submitted and viewed by judges for eligibility and prizes prior to the premier screening, which is open to the public and held July 11 at the Avon Cinema. Select films will receive prizes based on audience favorites and those selected by the judges. Up to three winners will receive cash prizes from $50100, and other prizes include donations from local businesses. The team awarded Best in Providence will continue onto Filmapalooza 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal to compete internationally with other 48 Hour Film Project finalists. Winners of Filmapoolza get their films screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2024 Short Film Corner.

“It’s kind of a big party for the filmmakers where they can celebrate each other and honor the power of local filmmaking,” says Rainsberger. Learn more at 48HourFilm.com; Instagram @pvd48hrfp