Live from the Artists Den

In through the 19th-century archway, across the ivy-covered courtyard, and up worn stone steps sits the Refectory of the Desmond Tutu Center, located on the campus of the oldest operating seminary in America, in the heart of New York’s vibrant Chelsea neighborhood. The wooden Gothic architecture of the hall provided the backdrop for a special performance by Jakob Dylan and his band, the Gold Mountain Rebels, in celebration of his first solo release, Seeing Things.

Off “Old King’s Highway” on Cape Cod, looking like a cross between a cow barn and a Congregational Church, sits the Cape Cinema. On a hot summer night, underneath Kent Rockwell’s art deco swirl of heavenly bodies (once the largest mural in the world) and in front of the movie screen that premiered The Wizard of Oz in 1939, the Artists Den cast the cinema in a new light with a performance by indie-pop darling Ingrid Michaelson.

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia – the first art museum in America – displayed the work of a different kind of artist on a warm spring night when Ani DiFranco played the Artists Den stage. Before a packed gallery in the Academy’s Historic Landmark Building, which opened in 1876 for the nation’s Centennial Exposition and World’s Fair, the prolific, fiercely independent folk singer-songwriter gave a special performance of both fan favorites and new songs from her upcoming album, Red Letter Year.

At the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, indie rock sensation the Hold Steady worked a packed crowd into a frenzy in downtown New York at the Old Emigrant Savings Bank Building, built in 1908 and designated a city landmark after ceasing operations in 1965. From the richly decorated banking hall’s marble floors to its stained-glass skylights, the building was brought to life again by the classic anthemic melodies of Stay Positive, the group’s acclaimed breakthrough album.

On the bitterly cold winter night of Patty Griffin’s new record release – the acclaimed Children Running Through (ATO Records) – devoted fans huddled together outside the Angel Orensanz Center for a chance to see Griffin perform songs from the album for the first time. The historic converted synagogue’s neo-gothic arches were lit with the warm glow of candlelight as Griffin’s singular voice filled the room, accompanied by new band members and longtime players alike. A special treat on some songs was the addition of legendary keyboardist Ian McLagan (Small Faces, The Rolling Stones) – who appeared for this night only – and a 5-piece string section.

Built in 1906 as a shelter for young wayward or orphaned girls, the Good Shepherd Center Chapel in Seattle provided a new sort of haven for two hundred Artists Den guests on a crisp autumn night. Now a Historic Seattle landmark and performance space, the intimate chapel is framed by high wooden arches, which were lit by candlelight while the latest incarnation of the Swell Season – led by Glen Hansard and backed by Marketa Irglova on piano and two of Hansard’s band mates from the Frames on bass and violin – gave a special performance of their melodic, original songs, several of which were featured in the Academy Award-winning film Once.

In the heart of the revitalized Downtown Los Angeles district, fans packed into the breathtaking former Archdiocese cathedral Vibiana for a rare intimate set by Aimee Mann in a stripped-down, trio line-up. Built in 1876, the historic building’s Baroque white hall provided a stately setting for this special benefit concert, as Aimee treated Artists Den guests to favorites such as “Save Me” and “Goodbye Caroline” – and a first look at her forthcoming album, Smilers.

The magnificent Masonic Hall Grand Lodge was the dramatic setting for a dramatic event: the first Crowded House concert in New York since the legendary band reformed after more than a decade apart. The hall’s enormous, brightly painted pipe organ opened this special show celebrating the release of the band’s new album, Time on Earth (ATO Records), for a crowd of long-time fans who traveled from as far as New Zealand to attend.

Under the sculpted, neo-Renaissance ceiling of the Prince George Ballroom in Manhattan, KT Tunstall performed before an intimate Artists Den audience, revisiting her hits and giving a sneak peek of her upcoming sophomore album, Drastic Fantastic (Virgin/EMI), a follow-up to the massively successful Eye to the Telescope. Tunstall's dynamic sound found full expression with a five-piece band, filling the ornate, colorful ballroom with equally lavish music.

At first glance, Josh Ritter’s Artists Den performance might have taken place in his native Idaho, against a landscape of rolling green hills and grazing bison. The enormous animals behind the band were, however, stuffed: the show’s venue was actually in the North American Mammal Hall of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, in the spirit of Ritter’s new album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter (Sony BMG/Victor). Surrounded by grizzly bears and wolves, hundreds of die-hard fans packed the diorama-filled hall as Ritter delivered a full-on rock concert – complete with a 5-piece horn section – that kept the room dancing all night.

Fifty thousand fans dancing in the sunshine of Manchester, Tennessee cheered on funk/folk superstar Ben Harper during his main-stage performance at the 2007 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The largest featured in Season One of “Live from the Artists Den,” the concert took place on the 700-acre farm that for four days each year becomes the home of what is widely considered to be the premier American music festival.