Glenside’s The Royal Music & Art Center (RMAC) celebrated its second birthday on September 18, and a crew made up of executive director Bridgett Gordon, a board of directors, and a host of part-time employees and volunteers is hoping for many successful returns.
“Our mission has not changed. Our goal has always been to provide a space for local musicians to come and play, especially those trying to get their names out there,” Gordon said. “It’s proven to be a really difficult thing to get people to respond to original music because nobody knows who they are yet.”
The venue received its official nonprofit standing in April, which has proven to be a blessing in many regards, along with a series of tricky financial hoops to jump through at the same time.
“We started in the live music scene, and now we’re figuring out how to support this place and not lose our mission. We need more people to rent the space, we need sponsors, so that the artists and comedians can continue to thrive,” she said. “We’re expanding our scope to stay alive.”
Gordon also noted that crowds seem to respond to outside-the-box events and hopes to lock in more of them down the road.
“One of our more successful shows this summer was burlesque-themed. It was tasteful sexy dancing and it’s a whole different art form, really popular in the cities. It’s harder to get acceptance in the suburbs, so we welcomed them,” Gordon said. “We also had Hutch & Co., a cover band of recent Lower Moreland High School graduates, and they sold out. They’ll be back.”
The weekend’s second anniversary celebration expects to be full of entertainment and will include a live comedic roast of Gordon’s miniature dog, Fozzie, who can be found enjoying shows from guests’ laps and the floor.
Tickets to Friday’s and Saturday’s show can be found here.
“Saturday is a diverse lineup with various genres. There’s punk, Indie, a Capela acts, cover bands, and then there’s a comedy show on Friday,” she said. “One of our producers suggested we roast Fozzie. He’s going on stage, and various comedians are going to take turns roasting him and each other, in addition to their own sets. It’s going to be hilarious.”
To watch a highlight reel from The Royal’s first anniversary, check out the video below:
The venue’s organizers have recently revamped and upgraded their membership and sponsorship options, which can be found on their website here. Memberships are categorized by three levels: Groupie, Tour Manager, and Rockstar.
“We’ve been asked by a lot of people if they can be members. Anyone who buys a ticket for a show has the option of becoming a member which gives you perks, like discounts and swag. We’re hoping to make these options more enticing,” she said. “We’re planning a membership party for December.”
“If you’re a business and you want to sponsor and advertise with us, we have packages for that, too. It’s getting attention. We think this is the future of our venue,” she said.
The RMAC is currently seeking volunteers, board members, donors and sponsorships. To become a Royal Volunteer, click here. Questions and ideas can be submitted by email to info@theroyalglenside.com or by phone at 610-220-2071.
For more on The Royal, you can visit their Facebook page, Instagram page, website, and Youtube channel.
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