Kris Clark: Zootz Nightclub to Western Prom Summer Concerts

Kris Clark, From Zootz Nightclub to Western Prom Summer Concerts.

Every month PelotonLabs co-founder Liz Trice interviews a local community member. This month, Liz caught up with Kris Clark, who is organizing the 3rd Annual Western Prom Sunset Concert Series every Wednesday evening from July 12th through August 14th.

Why did you decide to start this concert series? 

Music has always been my main source of inspiration and spiritual renewal. So, during Covid I felt like I was losing my mind in part because of not being able to hear live music for two years. In the spring of 2021 as the pandemic was easing up, I started thinking about how much I loved and missed the Wednesday evening sunset concerts on the prom that Portland Parks used to put on. Ted Musgrave at Parks started and organized these wonderful shows in the 1990s, which were held at Deering Oaks, Western and the Eastern Promenades and which ran for twenty-five years. So, being a semi-retired music promoter with extra time on my hands, I thought, why not just start them up again?

Though Parks no longer had the budget for them, they were very supportive of me trying to bring them back again. The Friends of Western Promenade agreed to be our official non-profit sponsoring organization for which I am so appreciative.  They decided this year, however, to pass on sponsoring the 2023 series. But, fortunately, SPACE agreed to become our new non-profit fiscal sponsor for 2023. So, thank you staff and the board at Space!

What’s it like to go to one of the concerts?

I restarted this series not only to present great live local music, but also because I feel strongly that they help build and strengthen our sense of community in the West End. Our first season in 2021, it was so nice seeing people who hadn’t seen each other in more than two years greet and reconnect with each other. They were so appreciative as were the three dozen or so musicians who had not played live shows during that same time. The vibe is very relaxed and family friendly. Attendees bring folding chairs or blankets to sit on the grass and often bring snacks or a picnic dinner. The Western Prom is just such a beautiful park and the sunsets over the White Mountains and Mt. Washington are positively sublime.

How did you get interested in promoting bands?

I started as a DJ in the early 80’s, when I moved to Portland. I was the host of “You’ll Dance to Anything,” a show on WMPG, and I started organizing and DJing events called Ultimate Dance Parties every three or four months in any hall I could afford to rent. Also, I spun at Hushang Restaurant and Dance Club on Exchange Street.

When dancers at my parties kept saying that I should open a dance club, I finally decided to take the leap and open a club, which I called ZOOTZ. I wanted to present both DJ and live bands, however. All the music had to be new and cutting edge. No cover bands, no Top 20 dance cuts.

We also were the only club to do all ages chem free nights on Friday nights. When I went to Colby in 1968 the drinking age was 18, so I could go to bars and hear live bands. But the drinking age changed to 21 in 1973. It seemed unfair that college and high school kids, who are always into new music and dancing, could rarely experience that.

 What was your nightclub, ZOOTZ, like?

It was definitely alternative in every way. Our customers were very diverse in all ways. Depending on the night and music, gay, bi, trans, straight, 16 to 60 year olds, new wave hipsters and skinheads, serious jazz buffs, grunge, reggae, zydeco, West African, house, techno, rave, hip-hop music fans, college, art school and high school students, bar and restaurant staff, night owls… We were open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays, and I intentionally opened uptown instead of the Old Port partly for this reason.

Third Annual Western Prom Sunset Concert Series

Every Wednesday, 1 hour before sunset, 1-hour shows

• July 12 and 19th – Start at 7 p.m.
• July 26th and August 2nd – Start at 6:30 p.m.
• August 9th and 16th – Start at 6:00 p.m.

Rain Dates on next day, Thursday, same time if necessary, or in some cases rescheduled to Wednesday, August 23rd.

PS: The series always welcomes donations and volunteers. If interested in supporting live music in the park, please contact Kris Clark at 207-409-4628 or email him at kc10tsg@gmail. Tax deductible checks can be made out to SPACE (annotate WPSCSeries on check), brought to a show, or mailed to: Kris Clark – WPSCS, 129 Emery Street, Portland, ME, 04102.

PelotonLabs is a co-working space in the West End of Portland, Maine with a mission to connect and encourage people working on their own to manifest their visions without fear.