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POLYNESIAN POP CULTURE FEATURED AT EXOTICA LOUNGE AT THE ARTSQUEST CENTER AUG. 27

DATE: Aug 17, 2011
CONTACT: Mark Demko, ArtsQuest, 610-332-1300, ext. 342, or mdemko@artsquest.org

Tropical food & drink, Shag artwork & Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica Highlight Day at the Exotica Lounge

BETHLEHEM, PA--It's a celebration of mid-century modern Polynesian pop culture when the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem is transformed into the Exotica Lounge Aug. 27 from 11 a.m.-midnight. Highlighting the day will be a performance by the 22-piece Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica big band, performing at the Musikfest Café at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the performance are $32-$42 and are on sale now at www.artsquest.org or 610-332-3378.

At the Exotica Lounge, guests will be able to sip tropical drinks, enjoy foods from the Pacific Rim and explore the work of California-based painter and illustrator Shag (Josh Agle), whose work reflects the Polynesian Pop Art Movement of the 1950-'60s. The ArtsQuest Center's Saturday morning Peas & Qs family series will take on a Polynesian feel, while loud and colorful Hawaiian shirts will rule the day during an Adult Ugly Hawaiian Shirt Contest. Starting at 6 p.m., guests will also be able to enjoy free music outside on the Air Products Town Square.

At 7:30 p.m., the Musikfest Café will showcase the supersonic, space-age bachelor-pad sounds of Juan Garcia Esquivel when Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica takes the stage. Esquivel was a studio orchestra arranger in the '50s and '60s who was known for his use of blistering brass, boisterous Latin percussion, wordless vocals and mid-century Hollywood sound. Best known as one of the original exploiters of the stereo (two-channel) sound format, Esquivel released many albums intended only for hi-fi listening at home that were never performed live...until now thanks to Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica!

The Exotica Lounge day at the ArtsQuest Center is sponsored by A. Panda's Tiki Lounge and Compass Energy; all programs, except for the Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica concert, are free of charge.

"The music and art of the late 1950-'60s have always appealed to me, and I have a real passion for Polynesian food, drinks and Tiki décor," says Andy Montero, senior C&I sales representative for Compass Energy and the creator of A. Panda's Tiki Lounge. "We are very excited to partner with ArtsQuest to share this cultural experience with the Lehigh Valley at the Exotica Lounge."

ABOUT ARTSQUEST

ArtsQuest™ is a Bethlehem, PA-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting music, arts, festivals, cultural experiences and educational and outreach programs that aid in economic development, urban revitalization and community enrichment. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest®; the Banana Factory® cultural arts and education center; and the ArtsQuest Center and SteelStacks™ arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest's programming reaches more than 1.5 million people annually.

For more information on ArtsQuest, visit www.artsquest.org or call 610-332-1300.