Me&Thee Music wraps up its 54th season this Friday, May 17, with a special concert and “civic happy hour” featuring singer, songwriter and environmentalist Vienna Teng.
“You’re already coming to a music concert; you’re already having a good time,” Teng told the Current cheerfully. “Let’s do a few things that will make us feel like we’re doing our part.”
Teng will run her civic happy hour before her concert starts, inviting people to join several activities, including voter registration and letter writing.
“I’ll provide a worksheet for people to think through something really powerful — how to reach out to people in your life to talk about the election in an open and curious way. You’ll think, ‘Oh yeah, maybe I could talk to my cousin who lives in a swing state,’” and engage in the issues.
Audience members can write letters through a nonprofit to eligible U.S. voters living abroad.
“You can send a friendly, half-template/half-personalized letter to get people to feel like someone cares about their voice and their vote,” Teng explained.
There will also be an opportunity to donate to non-partisan organizations related to the election that protect democracy, Teng said.
“If you donate, I’ll match your donation up to the price of your concert ticket,” she said.
In addition to her music career, Teng worked in the climate and sustainability space, helping cities come up with climate action plans.
“I got very nerdy about EV charging networks,” she laughed.
Now, she combines her two passions and often holds climate workshops at her concerts.
“This year, the best thing we can do for the climate is get involved in who is making policy decisions in our country,” she said. “So, let’s do this for democracy and the election. And it’s not just at the national level, but at the local level where pretty meaningful choices are being made.”
Teng, who lives in Washington, D.C., says “the whole vibe is to have fun with it. It’s the only way to make (political action) sustainable. Pick one very manageable thing, do it and feel good about it.”
Musically, Teng mixes traditional acoustic folk/rock with what she calls her “robots.”
“I have a number of electronics for looping and different sounds,” she said. “I mix that with more singer-songwriter acoustic sounds as well. I’ve always most looked up to artists who have their own style but feel adventurous within that style. Sometimes it sounds classic, choral… sometimes funk and rock… sometimes it feels like folk Americana.”
Anthony Silva, who started Me&Thee in 1970, says this has been one of its most popular years.
“We’ve seen a double-digit increase in attendance this season, as we have expanded our outreach, our musical scope and potential audience,” he said. “But the biggest concert of the season was with two beloved Marbleheaders, Mason Darling and Jeanie Stahl, who celebrated their 50th anniversary playing together on our stage to a sold-out house on Dec. 8.”
Silva believes Me&Thee is the longest-running, all-volunteer acoustic music series in the country.
“There are very few quality rooms where folks can go to get up close and personal with these acoustic performers, and we create that special listening space on Friday in the sanctuary of the UU Church,” he said. “The acoustics are wonderful, our audiences are responsive, and our world-class performers love playing here.”
When asked for hints about next season’s lineup, Silva responded, “We can’t announce details until this summer. We are expecting to feature a mix of well-known performers, world music and young singer-songwriters.”
Teng’s concert begins Friday at 8 p.m. at 28 Mugford St. For more information and tickets, visit meandthee.org.
