Lancasphere 8 featuring Joe Olnick with George Wallace 5.9.15

The Lancasphere concert series welcomes Harrisburg guitarist Joe Olnick as we celebrate the release of his album, Bright Paintings (to be released on May 8, 2015). The show will include live musical performances, an exhibit of the paintings that inspired the album, a Q&A with Joe, and a special opening set by ambient artist George Wallace.

Joe Olnick

Harrisburg guitarist Joe Olnick found inspiration for his new album in an unexpected place: at a friend’s art exhibit. Olnick attended an exhibit by artist and musician Stew Bradley of Lancaster last spring.
“Stew and I were in a band together a few years ago, and when I heard he was having an exhibit of paintings, I had to check it out,” Olnick explains. “I was blown away by what he had been creating, especially with his magnificent use of brilliant colors in this series of paintings.”
Olnick offered to compose an instrumental piece that Bradley could play at his next exhibit. “I wanted the music to enhance the paintings, and not distract from them, but also add to the experience for those going through an exhibit.”
Bradley sent Olnick pictures of the new paintings, and he came up with sounds and musical themes that he looped and layered, hoping to mimic the bright layers of color in the buildings and landscapes. What started out as one ambient piece soon evolved into many, and the album Bright Paintings was born.
Here are two songs from Bright Paintings along with the artwork by Stew Bradley that inspired them:
(view a full image of the painting)

(view a full image of the painting)

George Wallace

An accomplished composer, performer, producer, sound designer, and artist, George Wallace creates exotic, atmospheric soundworlds and emotionally rich songs with seasoned, intuitive skill.
For over three decades he has worked across a wide arc of genres ranging from popular music to soaring, progressive rock and on into the world of uniquely crafted sonic vistas. Recent orchestral and choral works produced for film and television round out his already substantial body of work.
George will also be a featured artist at The Gatherings Concert Series in November 2015. The Gatherings is a monthly concert series held in Philadelphia since 1992 that has become “North America’s most significant series of Ambient and Spacemusic concerts.”

Lancasphere 8

Saturday, May 9, 2015
Doors 7:00pm
Show 7:30pm
$5-$10 Suggested Donation | BYOB