Progressive Galleries

Whether you’re staying close to home for the last official weekend of summer or taking one last road trip, Progressive Galleries has a show for you. Brooklyn-based duo Hank and Cupcakes’ mini-tour celebrating their latest CD release will make a stop at Progressive Galleries’ Lancaster location on Sept. 18 and the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center’s Stage on Herr on Sept. 19.

“During the Millennium Music Conference we were able to work with Hank and Cupcakes, and since then they’ve been in the Harrisburg and Lancaster areas a handful of times,” says Jonas Hair, Progressive Gallery co-owner. “In the few times they’ve played down here they have already generated a following, and they are very good.”

The pair of regional performances marks a recent addition to the showcases Progressive Galleries has been running for several years at Der Harrisburg Maennerchor’s Cathedral Room, and since February at the Lancaster space, located at 323 N. Queen St.

Regional show

“We were excited about this and we wanted to make it regional, and since Progressive Galleries opened up a Lancaster location we are able to cover both regions. So what we are doing is bringing Hank and Cupcakes in on Sept. 18 during Music Friday, which is big in Lancaster, and they are going to rock it out and have their CD for sale here,” says Hair.

“And then the following night we are going to do the show at HMAC Stage on Herr. This will actually be the first Progressive Galleries show at the space so we are excited to work with them.”

The band hails from Brooklyn and consists of two members. Their music has been described as Electro-Pop, but according to Hair, their energetic performance style is what sets them apart.

“Every time they’ve played everyone in the room is either dancing or staring in amazement at what’s going on,” says Hair. “So it’s a band that you really need to see live to get the full grasp of them. One drummer, one bass player, that’s it — that’s the band. But yet they pack more power than a lot of bands with four or five pieces.”

At the Lancaster show, the 3100-square-foot gallery space will still be featuring the display from the September First Friday event.

“We have many different types of art up. It’s a much larger display space so we have much more artwork down here,” says Hair. “It’s interesting because its the premise of the events that we held in Harrisburg, and with the success with them we took that and created a five-day a week out of it down here in Lancaster.”

Progressive Galleries also hosts regularly scheduled showcase events at its Lancaster location, as well as in Harrisburg.

“The showcases themselves artistically remain as action packed. We still showcase projection and live painting, says Hair. “As far as turnout and interest it’s still there, people are really supporting us. We got to a point that we were able to expand to cover two areas of Central Pennsylvania. Now we can actually bring entertainment in from out of town and showcase it over multiple night mini-tours, and we are really excited about that.”

Hank and Cupcakes will perform in Lancaster starting at 9 p.m. at Progressive Galleries, 323 N. Queen Street.

The show is BYOB. The Harrisburg show will take place at HMAC Stage on Herr, 1110 N. Third St. in Harrisburg. The show begins at 8 p.m. with Max Jones and the Joyriders opening. Admission is $5.

Article courtesy of The Sentinel Online