What has hundreds of candles, striking venue and a tribute to Taylor Swift? The Brownstone
A local events venue is bringing cultural musical experiences to Topeka residents this summer.
The Brownstone, 4020 N.W. 25th St., will host Candlelight Concerts in July and August with possible plans for additional concerts in the future.
Owner Abbey Brown and the staff at The Brownstone have partnered with Fever, a global live-entertainment platform that offers one-of-a-kind concerts in a candlelit setting in 100 cities across the United States.
Fever hand-selects venues with unique and beautiful architectural features, allowing concert goers to experience live music in a new way.
Hundreds of candles create ambiance for Brownstone concerts
“We were honored when the representatives from Fever reached out to our team,” said Brown. “(They) mentioned that they were going to be doing concerts in the Kansas City area and were looking at cities around the area to extend their performances, and Topeka was at the top of their list.
"They thought (The Brownstone) was a great fit due to the size and unique aspects of the venue that help bring their vision to life.”
The Brownstone was one of a few locations Fever considered for its Candlelight Concert Topeka venue, and Brown said being selected was a big win for her team. In June, The Brownstone hosted "Vivaldi: The Four Seasons," performed by the Fountain City String Quartet.
“The first show was spectacular,” said Brown. “We received compliments from the guests in attendance who were awed by the experience and the talents of the musicians.”
Brown said the team at Fever handles the setup of hundreds of candles ahead of each concert to create an illuminated candlelit ambiance at The Brownstone. Concerts are performed by professional musicians from around the world.
Formats range from solo piano performances, string quartets and brass bands to vocal and guitar renditions of classical, jazz, pop, movie soundtrack and ballet pieces.
“The talent of the musicians in this experience is next level and truly impressive,” said Brown. “The Topeka community deserves amazing entertainment in the city that they love. Events like the Candlelight Concert series also bring in guests from all over Kansas and allow us to show them what our city has to offer.
"Many will come in to see the amazing concert but then stay at our hotels and dine at our local restaurants.”
Brown said these types of events also build a cadence and expectation for excellent entertainment in the capital city.
“The opportunity shows the entertainment world that we are ready to host events of this caliber," she said. "Unique venues, such as The Brownstone, are a great option for many different types of events. (They) allow us to showcase our amazing team who truly can’t wait to provide the Topeka community and our clients with an exceptional experience.”
Upcoming concerts include tributes to Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Queen
A cash bar is available prior to the start of Candlelight Concert events for attendees who would like to enjoy libations during performances.
The next concert at The Brownstone will be Friday with "A Tribute to Taylor Swift" performed by the Listeso String Quartet in two separate shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. It will feature such Swift hits as "Love Story," "Anti-Hero" and "Shake It Off."
The Listeso String Quartet returns to The Brownstone on Aug. 23 to perform "A Tribute to Coldplay" at 7 p.m. and "A Tribute to Queen" at 9 p.m. Doors open 45 minutes before showtime, and performances last about an hour.
Tickets follow a tiered pricing structure based on attendees’ proximity to the stage, making Candlelight Concerts affordable for a wide range of budgets. Tickets can be purchased online via feverup.com. Guests also have the option to book private concerts or buy regular tickets for groups of 30 or more, as well as to purchase Candlelight Concert gift cards toward future event tickets.
Information available on the Fever Up website said the organization’s mission is to “democratize access to culture and entertainment so everyone can enjoy unique local experiences and events.” In addition to performances in Topeka, Fever also has listed events at Lawrence and Kansas City venues.
Candlelight Concerts could continue past August in Topeka
Brown said although they have yet to schedule events past August, The Brownstone is interested in continuing to host Candlelight Concerts in the future.
“We have not discussed any dates past Aug. 23 but would be honored to continue to host this amazing group,” she said. “We are grateful for the Topeka community for their support and Fever for their partnership We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future for the city.”
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka's Brownstone elevates music with series of Candlelight Concerts
