A Night of Song is an immersive concert full of Bucks County history and culture hosted in the Tile Works Big Room on Nov. 8 in Doylestown. The concert will feature performances from folk singers Marty O’Reilly and local musician Yuri Gohen, food catered by Chef Dan of Thyme & Plate, and interviews with the musicians.
Joe Montone of Stage United, a nonprofit organization committed to bringing concerts to Bucks County venues, and Tile Works collaborated to bring the history of Bucks County and Bucks County musicians together.
“My vision for A Night Of Song is to provide a glimpse into crafting songs, especially at the intersection of Henry Mercer’s tile making, but also create conversation for both audience and artist inside the amazing, cavernous Big Room,” says Montone.
The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works built in 1912 will immerse attendees in the history of Bucks County. Henry Mercer, a famed architect and tile maker born in Doylestown, built Tile Works and was known for his ceramic tile work.
READ: A Concrete Love Affair: A Photographic Exploration of Henry Mercer’s Fonthill Castle
The building is now owned by Bucks County Parks and Rec and operated as a history museum by The TileWorks of Bucks County, a nonprofit organization, since 2019. The Big Room will resume use for the concert series and other cultural events.
“Infusing live music curated by Stage United within the iconic concrete parlor of The Big Room is set to become a quintessential Bucks County experience, especially in the cold months ahead,” Montone said in a statement.
Montone, a songwriter himself, will be including an interview portion to ask the artists about their songs and songwriting before they begin their sets.
“It’s pretty cool for me personally to be able to host an event like this, you know, not only one of my favorite places in our area, but also, you know, pick the brains of artists as well,” he said.
The small venue can host an intimate crowd of 80 people who will get to experience the music of O’Reilly as part of his national tour. Before hearing from O’Reilly, the crowd will experience the blend of original and traditional folk songs from Bucks County folk singer Yuri Gohen.
“That’s what my intention is, through creating concert experiences in Doylestown, you know, like I hope to in some ways do the same thing where you could say that you saw a really unique show in a landmark that you can only find in this area,” Montone said.
Montone said he’s excited to see the impact the experience will have on audience members whether they take something away with them or if they are inspired by their experience.
He said much of the experience is about experiencing the music and history of Doylestown which has a “long standing history of creating something by hand.” Montone said he thought it was important to showcase music that conveyed the similarities in tile making and songwriting.
“Sometimes the song might come to you really easily, and other times it might not, but the route is still pen to paper I think,” said Montone. “So there’s some overlap for sure.”
Music lovers and Bucks County residents can enjoy the intimate acoustic experience of A Night of Song with more installments planned to be announced in December.
