Now in its fourth year, VersoFest is rising in the ranks as one of Connecticut’s premier music festivals, delivering on its mission to provide a forum to share knowledge, discover inspiration, and celebrate media in all forms. From April 3 to April 6, The Westport Library’s annual music and media festival promises all of this and more — with four days of insight from industry legends, show-stopping performances, artistic expression, and engaging opportunities for community collaboration.
Commencing this year’s lineup is a Verso Visionary conversation between legendary singer/songwriter Patti Smith and award-winning journalist and rock memoirist Alisyn Camerota on Thursday, April 3. Hit band The Wallflowers follows up with Friday night’s concert on April 4, and the weekend welcomes another Visionary conversation between hardcore punk legend Henry Rollins and Nabil Ayers, president of the record label Beggars Group, on Saturday, April 5.
Prior to Rollins and Ayers taking the stage, Saturday at VersoFest 2025 will be a celebration of boundary-defying artistic expression. Between interactive art exhibits and a graffiti workshop led by visionary artist 5iveFingaz, a weekend family kickoff celebration, and a panel discussion focused on the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, featuring an all-star cast of Springsteen collaborators and experts, the Saturday morning and afternoon run of events will be free to attend and open to all.
Saturday starts off with a bang — the VersoFest 2025 Weekend Kickoff Celebration will be a raucous curtain raiser to set the stage for a full weekend of VersoFest events. From 10 am to 12 pm, come celebrate music, media, and creativity in style, with DJs and other fun fare for the whole family.
Taking the stage in the Trefz Forum from 1 to 2:30 pm, Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run at 50 will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Springsteen’s breakthrough 1975 album — a seminal work that is widely considered to be one of the greatest rock albums of the 20th century. This event is free to attend. Click here to register.
An all-star panel will lead the procession, including Mike Appel, Springsteen’s first manager and the co-producer of Born to Run. Described as a “managerial genius” by Springsteen himself, Appel had a pivotal role in the launch of Springsteen’s career. His mark on the production of Springsteen’s first three albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.; The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle; and Born to Run can be heard decades later in the albums’ musical risk-taking and lyrical romanticism.
“Mike was my musical brother in arms,” Springsteen said in his autobiography Born to Run. “He knew everything about the great groups, the fabulous hit records, every important nuance of the great singers' voices, the greatest riffs, the heart and soul that were in our favorite music.”
Joining Appel is former Columbia Records promotions director Michael Pillot, who spearheaded the album promotion for Born to Run and solidified Springsteen’s quintessential image. From 1974 through 1978, Pillot was directly involved in the promotion of Springsteen’s first four albums on Columbia Records.
Music historians Robert Santelli and Kenneth Womack will also offer insight into Born to Run's legacy. As the current executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, as well as the founding executive director of the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, Santelli is a Grammy-winning authority in music preservation. Likewise, Womack’s work spans numerous volumes of literary and cultural criticism and poignant commentary for BBC, NPR, ABC’S 20/20, NBC’s Access Hollywood, and more; he also co-wrote the 2024 book, Bruce Songs.
The panel will be hosted by author and pop culture historian Arlen Schumer. In 1978, Schumer was the art director of Thunder Road, the first magazine devoted to Springsteen’s life and music. That same year, he created collateral artwork for two Springsteen concerts, one of which was Springsteen’s legendary Capitol Theater radio broadcast show.
Former music industry executive and Verso Studios advisory board member Dick Wingate will host alongside Schumer. While at Columbia Records, Wingate worked closely with Pillot, managing the marketing of Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge of Town, as well as many other influential rock albums.
Launching in tandem with VersoFest 2025, globally renowned artist 5iveFingaz is bringing his bold signature style to The Westport Library in a series of art exhibits that will provide a vibrant and immersive backdrop to the festival. From March 29 to June 1, his work will span the Library’s Sheffer, South, and Jesup Galleries.
On Saturday, April 5, from 10 am to 2 pm, the South Gallery will feature an Interactive Community Participation Mural designed by 5ive, which will invite members of the community to help fill in and create their own masterpiece during VersoFest. By allowing the viewer to participate in the creation of the artwork, creative immersion and community contribution will be as much a part of the piece as the art itself.
5ive’s immersive exhibit Visual Verses will be displayed in the Sheffer Gallery, transforming the space as it merges the expressive power of visual art with the profound impact of language. Each painting in this collection transcends traditional boundaries by weaving together vivid colors, dynamic compositions, and original phrases crafted to evoke thought, emotion, and reflection. This fusion of imagery and language urges viewers to engage not only with the aesthetics, but also with 5ive’s deeper narratives and intentions behind each piece. More information on 5ive’s Jesup Gallery exhibit is forthcoming.
In addition to his art exhibits, 5ive will also lead two consecutive graffiti workshops, both of which will take place concurrently with the interactive mural. Presented by Verso University, Graffiti 101: Finding Your Voice as a Graffiti Artist will provide a space for participants to tap into their artistic expression and create their own unique pieces using spray paint and markers. This workshop contains two sessions: the first running 12 to 12:45 pm, and the second running 1 to 1:45 pm. Both sessions will cover the same content and are free to attend. Click here to register.
Sunday, April 6, will cap off the weekend with a VersoFest Oral History Podcast live recording with David Letterman Musical Director Paul Shaffer and SNL Tour De Force Christine Ohlman, followed by an afternoon event to close the festival. More details coming soon.
Since 2022, VersoFest has welcomed a number of celebrated global sensations including hip hop legend Chuck D, famed producers Steve Lillywhite and Tony Visconti, Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler, the Doors drummer John Densmore, Cramps drummer Miriam Linna, Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway, established hit-makers Spin Doctors and the Smithereens, up-and-coming bands Sunflower Bean and the Lemon Twigs, hip hop originators Tony Crush and DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore, and a wide array of authors, photographers, artists, and thought leaders.
All VersoFest performances, panels, and workshops are free or at market rates thanks to the generous support of donors, community partners, and Library programming funds. A selection of events will be recorded by Verso Studios Crew Call and available on-demand at a later date.
The complete VersoFest 2025 schedule, plus tickets and additional information, can be found here.
The Wallflowers frontman Jakob Dylan
The kickoff events for VersoFest 2025 are officially set, with the hit band the Wallflowers as the headlining act for the Friday night concert on April 4. Doors open at 6 pm, with the Wallflowers taking the stage at 8:30 pm following an opening act's set at 6:30 pm.
Tickets for the Wallflowers and the Thursday night Verso Visionary conversation with iconic rocker and National Book Award winner Patti Smith are now on sale.
VersoFest is The Westport Library’s annual music and media festival — a forum for media creators, artists, and fans to converge. This year’s festival runs April 3 to April 6.
In addition to the Wallflowers and Smith, featured guests for this year’s festival include hardcore punk pioneer Henry Rollins and longtime David Letterman music director Paul Shaffer. There will also be a symposium celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run, special exhibits by local graffiti artist 5ive Fingaz, a weekend kickoff celebration, and a gospel revival, plus workshops and more.
Previous bands to play at VersoFest include established acts the Smithereens and Spin Doctors, rising artists Sunflower Bean and the Lemon Twigs, and local stars Lez Zeppelin.
For the past 30 years, the Wallflowers have stood as one of rock’s most dynamic and purposeful bands — a unit dedicated to and continually honing a sound that meshes timeless songwriting and storytelling with a hard-hitting and decidedly modern musical attack. That signature style has been present through the decades, baked into the grooves of smash hits like 1996’s Bringing Down the Horse — which featured hits like “One Headlight,” “Three Marlenas,” and “6th Avenue Heartache” — as well as Breach (2000), Rebel, Sweetheart (2005), and Glad All Over (2012).
In recent years, Jakob Dylan — the Wallflowers’ founding singer, songwriter, and guitarist — has stepped outside the band, first with a pair of acoustic, rootsy records, 2008’s Seeing Things and 2010’s Women + Country, and then with the 2018 film Echo in the Canyon and the accompanying soundtrack, which saw Dylan collaborate with a host of artists classic and contemporary, from Neil Young and Eric Clapton to Beck and Fiona Apple.
Dylan returned to the Wallflowers in 2021 with the release of Exit Wounds, the first collection of new Wallflowers material since Glad All Over. “The Wallflowers is much of my life’s work,” Dylan said, adding, “It’s pretty hard to get a good band name, so if you have one, keep it.”
Despite the hiatus, Exit Wounds was a return to the band’s signature sound, even as Dylan surrounded himself with a fresh cast of musicians.
“The Wallflowers has always been a vehicle for me to make great rock ‘n’ roll records,” he said. “And sometimes the lineup that makes the record transfers over into touring, and sometimes it doesn’t. But my intention is always to make the Wallflowers record I want to make, using the musicians I have beside me.”
He added: “I've always been a believer in collaboration, and no matter who I'm playing with I've always tried to include them very heavily. Otherwise, why would they be around? Because I do think bands, whether it’s a long-standing group or just five people who are working together for that one stretch of time, make better rock ‘n’ roll records than solo artists. I mean, it's not 100 percent true, but it's usually true.”
For Dylan, the continued success of the Wallflowers is all about chasing — and capturing — that magic.
“I came up in an era of great rock ‘n’ roll bands making great music, and it’s the way I always imagined I would do it one day,” he said. “So, that’s always been my vision with the Wallflowers: to be a great rock ‘n’ roll band. And I've worked on it for 30 years now and I still have a lot to say. It’s something I started a long time ago, and it’s far from finished.”
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Event Information
VersoFest 2025 Concert Event: The Wallflowers, LIVE at The Westport Library
Friday, April 4, 6:30 pm
Trefz Forum, The Westport Library
Tickets
March 29 through June 1
Reception: Thursday, April 10, 6-8 pm, in the Trefz Forum; click here for more information.
(Reception kicks off at 6 pm, followed by a conversation between 5iveFingaz and Miggs Burroughs at 7 pm.)
Click here for more on VersoFest 2025!
In the Sheffer Gallery: Visual Verses
Visual Verses is an immersive art exhibit that merges the expressive power of visual art with the profound impact of language. Each painting in this collection is paired with original phrases crafted to evoke thought, emotion, and reflection. The artwork transcends traditional boundaries, using bold colors and dynamic compositions to amplify the messages embedded within the text. This fusion of imagery and words invites viewers to engage not only with the aesthetics but also with the deeper narratives and meanings behind each piece.
At its core, Visual Verses carries a strong social conscience, addressing themes of justice, equality, and human connection. The text-based elements of the exhibit deliver positive messages meant to inspire, uplift, and provoke meaningful conversations. Through this harmonious blend of art and language, the exhibit aims to spark awareness and foster a sense of community, encouraging viewers to reflect on their role in shaping a more compassionate and just world.
In the South Gallery: Interactive Community Participation Mural
This Interactive Community Participation Mural will be designed by 5ive, with members of the community to help fill it in on Saturday, April 5, from 10 am to 2 pm during the VersoFest 2025 Weekend Kickoff Celebration hosted by 5ive. This exhibit will invite the viewer to participate in the making of the artwork, interacting with the canvas and materials so that both tactile processes and community contribution are as much a part of the piece as the art itself.
In the Jesup Gallery: Graffiti Art Mural
More information regarding scheduled mural participation times and 5ive’s Jesup Gallery exhibit is forthcoming. Stay tuned and join in on the fun at VersoFest 2025!
In addition to his art exhibits, 5iveFingaz will also be leading two back-to-back sessions of his Verso University course Graffiti 101: Finding Your Voice as a Graffiti Artist on Saturday, April 5.
About 5iveFingaz
5iveFingaz is a visionary artist whose work seamlessly bridges the realms of street art, contemporary expression, and social consciousness. Renowned for his distinctive fusion of bold visuals and thought-provoking text, 5iveFingaz crafts pieces that resonate deeply with audiences, challenging them to reflect on both personal experiences and broader societal issues. His signature style often features vibrant colors juxtaposed with powerful, concise phrases that speak directly to the heart of human experience, exploring themes of love, resilience, unity, and justice. Emerging from a background rich in urban culture and creative exploration, 5iveFingaz honed his artistic voice through a unique blend of trained and self-taught techniques and active community engagement. His art transcends traditional canvases, finding life on walls, public spaces, and unconventional surfaces, transforming everyday environments into platforms for inspiration and dialogue. The artist’s work has garnered global attention not only for its striking aesthetic appeal but also for its profound ability to connect with diverse audiences on an intimate level.
At the core of his practice lies the "Love More Than Ever" movement, a heartfelt initiative that underscores the importance of uplifting one another with kindness and understanding. 5iveFingaz’s unwavering commitment to positive messaging and social awareness drives his creative process, with each piece serving as a rallying cry for change. His work urges viewers to reflect on their roles in fostering a more compassionate and equitable world. Through exhibitions, collaborations, and public art projects, he amplifies voices that are often unheard, using art as a powerful tool for empowerment and community building. As his influence continues to grow, 5iveFingaz remains steadfast in his mission to spark meaningful conversations and inspire action, solidifying his place as a transformative figure in the contemporary art scene.
Gang of Four, the pioneering band that served as one of the forerunners of the post-punk movement, fusing outspoken political messages with intense, percussive live sets, will kick off its farewell tour on Friday, April 18, in The Westport Library’s Trefz Forum.
Tickets for this kickoff concert, an extension of VersoFest 2025, are $55 and on sale now. No bags permitted, aside from purses, clutches, and small handheld bags. All seats are standing room only; accommodations available upon request.
Tim “Journeys by DJ” Fielding, the founder of Brainiak Records and producer for legendary works by DJs including John Digweed, Paul Oakenfold, Farley & Heller, Coldcut, and Gilles Peterson, will spin tracks before the show.
In addition to the concert, singer Jon King will be on hand in the Trefz Forum during the day for an author talk and conversation with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Chris Frantz (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) about his new book, To Hell with Poverty!: A Class Act: Inside the Gang of Four, which is publishing April 1.
The Long Goodbye Tour is already selling out across the country as fans line up for one last look at these legends of music.
Gang of Four formed in Leeds, England, in 1976, led at the time by King, bassist Dave Allen, drummer Hugo Burnham, and guitarist Andy Gill. The band pioneered a style of music that inverted punk’s blunt and explosive energies — favoring tense rhythms, percussive guitars, and lyrics that traded in Marxist theory and situationism.
The original lineup released two landmark albums, Entertainment! (1979) and Solid Gold (1981). A third, Songs of the Free (1982), was recorded with bassist Sara Lee replacing Allen. After Songs of the Free, Burnham departed and Gill and King continued on, releasing Hard in 1983.
The band broke up following Hard, with the original quartet reforming in 2004 for tour dates and the release of their fifth album — and first in two decades — Return the Gift, in 2005.
Gill’s untimely death in 2020 led many to re-examine the group’s catalog, putting Gang of Four back in the spotlight to widespread acclaim. Entertainment! was ranked as the fifth best punk album of all time by Rolling Stone in 2016, Pitchfork placed it as the eighth best album of the 1970s in their 2004 assessment, and Pop Matters deemed it the “best post-punk album ever!” in 2020.
In 2021, the band teamed up with indie label giants Matador to release a deluxe, Grammy-nominated boxset Gang of Four 77-81, a comprehensive and detailed history of the band’s music, politics, and influence over the period.
The current iteration of the group consists of founding members King and Burnham, alongside bassist Gail Greenwood (L7, Belly) and guitarist Ted Leo (Citizens Arrest, Chisel, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, plus his noted collaborations with Aimee Mann).
In the last few years, Gang of Four’s songs have continued to resonate, having been sampled by artists ranging from Run the Jewels (“The Ground Below”) to Frank Ocean (“Futura Free”).
Now, 40 years since the original release of Entertainment!, Gang of Four’s legacy cannot be overstated.
“2025 will be the 45th anniversary of the release of Entertainment! in the U.S. and will be our final year as a band,” Gang of Four said in a statement. “It’s been wonderful, but all things must end. We want to go out with a bang and celebrate with our fans and friends.
“So, on what will be our last U.S. tour, we’ll play two sets at each show: Entertainment! from start to finish in the first, and the best of the rest in the second. Come and join in, it’ll be a blast!”
Daring, incendiary, no-holds-barred. Since his rise to recognition as one of the forerunners of the hardcore punk scene, the words of Henry Rollins have struck a chord with radical thinkers everywhere.
Rollins has held many titles in the past 45 years: singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, producer, radio host, and outspoken frontman for Black Flag and the Rollins Band. On Saturday, April 5, he will be assuming the role of Verso Visionary in a keynote conversation at VersoFest 2025.
The event will be held at 7 pm in The Westport Library's Trefz Forum. Tickets are $35 and available for purchase here.
Moderating the conversation with Rollins is fellow author and musician Nabil Ayers. No stranger to the inner workings of the music industry, Ayers comes from a background of recording and touring globally as a drummer in several bands. He has held the position of president of record label Beggars Group US since 2022.
Ayers also hosts Identified, a podcast about exploring family dynamics, and has contributed to the New York Times, The Guardian, and GQ on topics of family, race, and music. In 2022, he published his memoir My Life in the Sunshine, which explores his journey to connect with his father, jazz musician Roy Ayers.
After achieving international renown with the seminal punk band Black Flag in the early 1980s, Rollins established his own record label and publishing company, 2.13.61, through which he released an array of books and his acclaimed spoken word albums.
Throughout his illustrious career, Rollins has offered an intimate look into his complex mind. His writing spans more than 25 titles, including Get in the Van, his memoir composed of journal entries from his time with Black Flag; the cathartic and brutally honest Solipsist; the raw psyche of Sic; his Black Coffee Blues trilogy, which serves as a cross between poetry anthology, memoir, and travel diary; and many more.
Rollins also has hosted a number of radio shows, including the weekly show he currently hosts on L.A.’s renowned NPR affiliate KCRW. He has also appeared as an actor in TV and movies, including a recurring role in Sons of Anarchy, and has been a columnist and essayist for Stereophile, Rolling Stone Australia, and LA Weekly.
“We couldn’t be more excited to feature Henry Rollins as a vital part of our 2025 VersoFest program,” said Westport Library Director of Programming and Events Alex Giannini. “As a hardcore legend, as well as a tremendously talented writer and pioneer of spoken word, Henry Rollins speaks to both the Library’s and Verso Studios’ shared mission as a cultural hub of inclusive and empowered learning.”
VersoFest 2025 is The Westport Library’s four-day music and media festival and conference taking place Thursday, April 3, through Sunday, April 6. VersoFest provides a forum for media creators, artists, and fans to converge, including panels where experts share their perspective and vision; intimate workshops that provide creators the opportunity to deconstruct, improve, and hone their craft; and performances that entertain and inspire.
Previous years have featured a diverse and eclectic mix of performers and subjects including hip hop legend Chuck D, The Lemon Twigs, Spin Doctors, the Smithereens, Sunflower Bean, Grand Wizzard Theodore (inventor of scratch DJing), producers Steve Lillywhite (U2, Talking Heads, Dave Matthews Band) and Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex), Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs), Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper), John Densmore (the Doors), Miriam Linna (Norton Records, Kicks Books, Kicksville Radio), actor/producer Michael Jai White, Little Steven’s TeachRock Foundation, and much more.
In his essay Iron and the Soul, Rollins wrote, “I believe that the definition of definition is reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. Completely.”
This, too, resonates with the philosophy behind VersoFest: be the loudest version of yourself, and within that, embrace true community.
Tom Henske’s It Makes Total Cents is returning for its fourth season as a Verso Studios at The Westport Library community partnership podcast, with the resident Westport financial expert hosting a impressive array of special guests to teach kids — and their parents, guardians, and grandparents — about financial literacy.
For the first time, the new season will have a new format. After three seasons and 50 audio episodes, the fourth campaign is launching as a video podcast, expanding the podcast’s reach and allowing Henske and guests to better connect with his growing audience.
The first episode launched January 2, featuring University of Virginia professor Chuck Howard to discuss expense prediction bias. Future episodes focus on compound interest, explaining borrowing and credit, college savings, and much more.
Episodes will go live biweekly — the next one coming out January 16 — and are available on the Total Cents YouTube channel and also on Amazon, Apple, and Spotify. All episodes and channels can be accessed through The Westport Library Community Partnership Podcasts page.
“I’m so excited to get to work on another season of this podcast,” said Henske. “It is critical that parents and grandparents feel equipped to teach kids how their finances function and the basics of money, spending, and saving. I’m incredibly fortunate to work with a great team at The Westport Library and to have so many amazing guests on the show this season.”
The Total Cents podcast is dedicated to making financial literacy accessible and engaging for families by empowering parents, guardians, and grandparents to confidently teach kids essential money management skills. Each episode provides expert advice, relatable examples, and practical strategies to help adults guide their children toward a strong financial future. By turning financial education into a family conversation, the podcast aims to equip the next generation with the tools they need to succeed.
The podcast is an extension of the Total Cents blog, which includes conversation guides and e-news updates taken from Henske’s book, It Makes Total Cents: 12 Conversations to Change Your Child’s Financial Future.
A leader in the financial industry for nearly three decades, Henske started his career in financial planning in 1994, with Cowan Financial Group. Shortly thereafter, he started his own company, Henske Advisors. In 2003, Henske Advisors were acquired by National Financial Partners (merging them into Lenox Advisors), which went public shortly thereafter. Henske remained an equity partner until 2020, when he retired to focus solely on matters of life insurance and building Total Cents.
In addition to Total Cents, Henske works as an advisor to the University of Virginia Athletic Department. Henske was a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA champion soccer standout at UVA, and he coached high school varsity soccer for 11 seasons at Staples High School.
L to R: VersoFest 2025 guests Paul Shaffer, Patti Smith, and Henry Rollins
VersoFest 2025 is kicking off with a legend of music and letters. And she’ll be followed by two men who have been making waves for decades.
Patti Smith, the acclaimed singer/songwriter and National Book Award winner, will open The Westport Library’s fourth annual music and media festival on Thursday evening, April 3.
Henry Rollins, frontman of the seminal hardcore punk band Black Flag and noted writer and spoken word artist, will be in conversation on Saturday, April 5. And legendary Saturday Night Live performer and David Letterman musical director Paul Shaffer is on tap for Sunday, April 6, appearing alongside SNL Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman.
Tickets for all three programs will go on sale later this month. More guests, including the VersoFest Friday evening concert performers, will be announced soon. Please visit westportlibrary.org/versofest for more.
VersoFest is four days of music, media, and creativity, running this year from April 3 to April 6 — a forum for media creators, artists, and fans to converge.
Past VersoFest guests include hip hop legend Chuck D, established hit-makers Spin Doctors and the Smithereens, up-and-coming bands Sunflower Bean and the Lemon Twigs, rockers Lez Zeppelin, famed producers Steve Lillywhite (U2, Dave Matthews Band) and Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex), Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler, the Doors drummer John Densmore, Cramps drummer Miriam Linna, Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway, hip hop originators Tony Crush and Grand Wizzard Theodore, Manic Panic’s Tish and Snooky, and a wide array of authors, photographers, artists, and thought leaders.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled and honored to welcome Patti Smith to Westport to kick off VersoFest 2025,” said Bill Harmer, executive director of The Westport Library. “As a musician, painter, author, and an iconic original, she represents the very spirit of VersoFest, and it is an incredible opportunity for tri-state area fans get to see a true living legend in our intimate, accessible venue.”
Smith burst onto the national stage in 1975 behind her acclaimed album Horses and is widely known for her songs “Gloria” and “Because the Night.” She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and received the Polar Music Prize in 2011, just a few of her many honors.
Smith won the National Book Award in 2010 for Just Kids, which chronicled her time as a budding artist in New York City and her relationship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe. She has also penned M Train and Year of the Monkey as well as numerous collections of poetry and essays. Her latest project is A Book of Days, The New York Times best-selling photo book with 365 images taking the reader through a single year of Smith’s life, inspired by her wildly popular Instagram account.
This marks a return trip to the Library for Smith. The music legend was the BOOKED for the evening honoree in 2011.
A magnetic performer, Rollins was the frontman for Black Flag and also the Rollins Band, achieving international renown with Black Flag in the early 1980s as one of the forerunners of the hardcore punk scene. He later established his own record label and publishing company, 2.13.61, on which he released an array of books and his acclaimed spoken word albums. In his career, Rollins has hosted a number of radio shows, appeared as an actor in TV and movies, including a recurring role in Sons of Anarchy, and has been a columnist and essayist for Stereophile, Rolling Stone Australia, and LA Weekly.
Shaffer got his start in musical theater before earning a gig as a keyboardist and featured performer on Saturday Night Live in the 1970s and 80s. He has recorded a number of albums of his own, including Coast to Coast (1989), The World’s Most Dangerous Party (1993), and Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band (2017); wrote the famed 1980s dance hit “It’s Raining Men”; has performed with Diana Ross and Yoko Ono among many others; and has served as the musical director for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony since 1986. He has also appeared in the movies This Is Spinal Tap, Scrooged, and Blues Brothers 2000. Shaffer is best known for his 30-plus years as the musical director for David Letterman, both on Late Night with David Letterman and the Late Show with David Letterman.
Ohlman is a VersoFest veteran, having served as a featured guest and moderator at the past two festivals. She also will be appearing at the Library on Friday, January 24, for her annual Winter Dance Party with her band, Rebel Montez.
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Photo credits: Shaffer via Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band press kit; Smith from the cover of her latest book, A Book of Days; Rollins via HenryRollins.com.
L to R: Les Dinkin, Samira Dinkin, Verso Studios Producer Travis Bell, and Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer with one of the donated vintage guitars, in the Library's recording studio.
The Westport Library is the beneficiary of a special donation of instruments from longtime Westport residents Les and Samira Dinkin.
The donation, made in honor of Les’s late younger brother, Corey, consists of a vintage original 1959 Silvertone hollow body guitar with the vintage original matching Silvertone tube amplifier, as well as other vintage Ampeg, Harmony, and Ibanez guitars and tube amps. It will go toward supporting Verso Studios, the Library’s music and media hub. The instruments will be available for use by visiting artists and those recording in the studio space.
“These are iconic pieces of rock ‘n’ roll history that we are grateful and proud to now have in our collection,” said Verso Studios Producer Travis Bell.
“I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to honor Corey’s legacy,” said Les, a longtime supporter of Verso Studios, Verso Advisory Board founding member, and a VersoFest official sponsor. “Corey was very passionate about all types of music, from classical to jazz and especially the blues, as a collector, fan, and active musician.”
Corey Dinkin composed what Les called “his own very eclectic jazz fusion and blues compositions” and performed at a series of well-known New York City music clubs in the 1970s, including the Bitter End.
“He also jammed with leading musicians of the period,” said Les. “He became a noted collector of the blues, amassing a substantial collection of recordings and artifacts.”
“We cannot thank Les and Samira enough for this generous contribution,” said Westport Library Executive Director Bill Harmer. “They have been such incredible supporters of Verso Studios, and we’re truly touched that Les thought of us to honor his brother. We promise to put those vintage guitars and amps to good use!”
Verso Studio’s initial vinyl album was released in June 2023 and was acknowledged in the Congressional Record by Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal. He called the Westport Library the “noisiest Library in Connecticut, if not the country.”
For more on Verso Studios’ extensive capabilities and the gear and services available, including the Verso Studios post-production suite, click here. The Library also has music and media equipment available through its Library of Things.
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Save the date for the fourth annual VersoFest music and media festival held at the Library, April 3-6, 2025!
Books may be our mainstay at The Westport Library, but we also carry a wide array of media offerings. From DVDs and Blu-rays, to board games, electronics, and other useful equipment, we’re committed to expanding our diverse media catalog — and now we even offer vinyl records and video games!
The vinyl collection is on display in the Hub near the Reference desk. Vinyl records can be taken out for 10 days, with an allowance of five records to be taken out at a time.
Currently, we carry classics like Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, as well as newer releases like Hozier’s Unreal Unearth and Beyonce’s Renaissance. With 100 records across nine genres — rock, pop, R&B, hip hop, jazz, folk, blues, country, and even local artists, including Verso Records: Volume One, a limited press compilation of emerging Connecticut and tri-state area artists recorded in the Library’s own Verso Studios — our collection offers something for everyone.
Whether you’re someone who appreciates classic media, a curious hobbyist, or you’re interested in hearing your recent favorites in a new (old) way, we’ve got you covered. Let us know which albums you’d like to see in our collection next!
For more information on vinyl records, check out our Collecting Vinyl Resource Guide.
For the audiophiles and media preservationists among our ranks, you can pair your favorite album with one of the Crosley Cruiser Turntables available in our Library of Things, and you’ve got everything you need for a listening party.
The Library of Things has much to offer in the media realm, including two Nintendo Switch consoles — and now we have Switch games available for borrowing as well, making The Westport Library your one-stop shop for gaming.
Our collection of games is on display by the Patron Services desk. Games can be taken out for one week; holds and renewals are not available at this time.
If interest grows, so will our collection. We currently have 50 games, including fan favorites like Mario Party, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and many more.
They're going fast — grab your must-plays before they're gone!
Reading is a fundamental part of the learning experience and a favorite pastime for many, especially in the library world. But for some learners, the joy of reading can be mixed with frustration, with triumphs and challenges along the way.
Jennifer Bernheim — advocate, entrepreneur, and mom to a dyslexic learner — takes on these topics and more in her new Verso Studios at The Westport Library community partnership podcast, Right to Read, named after the organization she founded to offer advocacy services, IEP coaching, and informational workshops, as well as a corporate HR benefit that provides educational resources and advocacy coaching. Additionally, Right to Read Advocacy offers membership for advocates and related professionals.
“The Right to Read podcast supports today’s dyslexic thinkers by bringing listeners relevant information on community resources, best practices for dyslexic learners, legislation that supports the Right to Read, and personal and professional success stories,” said Bernheim. “Through our actionable insights, you will learn something that will empower a dyslexic thinker today.”
The podcast debuts Tuesday, October 29 — in conjunction with Dyslexia Awareness Month — with three episodes, each about 20 minutes long. Additional episodes will come out every other week (Episode #4 will arrive November 12). The show will be available on the Verso Studios community partnership podcast page and through regular podcast distributors such as Apple and Spotify.
Bernheim founded Right to Read Advocacy to help parents demystify what can be an overwhelming process and to empower them to support their child's needs. She has completed the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates’ (COPAA) Special Education and Advocacy Training (SEAT) 1.0 and 2.0 courses. Her education also includes the Orton-Gillingham Academy Subscriber Course and WrightsLaw Special Ed Law & Advocacy Training.
Prior to founding Right to Read Advocacy, Bernheim, who holds a master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Rhode Island, spent 20 years as a public relations practitioner, providing strategic communications support for purpose-driven companies.
“Jennifer has such a passion for helping others, and that comes through in each episode,” said Verso Studios Producer Travis Bell, who recorded each episode with Bernheim. “Having served as both an advocate and a parent, she is remarkably well-versed in the subject matter and aware, in an incredibly kind and empathetic way, of the challenges that parents of dyslexic learners face. What I really love about this podcast, though, is that it celebrates the joys as well as the challenges, and listeners come away from each episode with actionable steps to help themselves and their children along the journey.”
Verso Studios is the media arm of The Westport Library. The Library created the Verso Studios Community Producer Partnership initiative in keeping with the studio’s mission to produce content with the community.
To learn more about Verso Studios’ mission and offerings, visit the Verso Studios page on the Library website.
How much do we know about the world around us, about our environment and how we interact with it. This is the theme of Verso Studios at The Westport Library’s newest podcast, Real World, a collaboration with expert real estate negotiator and acclaimed problem solver Marisa Manley.
“The goal of the Real World is to explore, celebrate, and help listeners understand and possibly improve the built and created environment which surrounds us,” Manley said. “We examine what the world is made of, how it came to be this way, and how it functions — in sometimes surprising ways.”
The podcast will debut October 9 with three episodes, each about 15 minutes long, with an additional episode coming out every other week (Episode #4 coming out October 23). The show will be available on the Verso Studios community partnership podcast page and through regular podcast distributors such as Apple and Spotify.
Individual episodes focus on everything from high-rise buildings to street signs, and from leggings to rocking chairs, exploring how they were designed, how they can be improved, and how they benefit and can better benefit you. The first season will run 12 episodes in all.
“We invite listeners to understand that the built and created environment is designed and can be re-designed and modified,” Manley said. “When you know a bit more about the real world, you can understand it, use it, possibly challenge it, and maybe even enjoy it a bit more.”
Manley has a bachelor's degree in architecture from Cornell and a law degree from Harvard. She is the president and founder of Health Care Real Estate Advisors and Commercial Tenant Real Estate Representation, working with fast-growing companies that seek to maximize the value they receive for the real estate dollars they spend.
In her estimable career, Manley has spoken nationwide before the American Corporate Counsel Association, the New York State Bar Association, and other legal and professional organizations; written extensively on how corporate space users can structure and negotiate more cost-effective real estate transactions, with articles appearing in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Barrons, Inc. Magazine, and other publications; and has been quoted on industry trends in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Crain’s New York Business, CFO, Bloomberg, and other media.
“Marisa has a remarkable ability to take an everyday object or routine process and explain its utility in a really interesting, innovative way,” said Verso Studios Producer Travis Bell, who recorded each episode with Manley. “You come away from each episode feeling like you learned so much, and the information is delivered in a comprehensive but digestible snapshot that really engages the listener. It’s hard to find that sweet spot, and Marisa has nailed it.”
Verso Studios is the media arm of The Westport Library. The Library created the Verso Studios Community Producer Partnership initiative in keeping with the studio’s mission to produce content with the community.
To learn more about Verso Studios’ mission and offerings, visit the Verso Studios page on the Library website.
Decorated journalist Jay Schadler is starting a new podcast, and he wants you to be part of it.
Turning Point with Jay Schadler will debut later this year as a Verso Studios at The Westport Library community partnership podcast, focusing on the life transitions — big and small, subtle and monumental — of Westporters of all stripes. Each podcast will focus on a different story, with Schadler serving as the interviewer and a town resident as the guest.
Step #1 in launching the podcast is surfacing the great personal stories of the Westport community. That’s where you come in. Let us know about your life transition, be it a career change, a new discovery, a challenge you faced or a hurdle you overcame — or didn’t, or are still struggling with — your biggest disappointments, most soaring triumphs, and more.
“Turning Point is dedicated to capturing and sharing the impactful stories of Westporters,” said Schadler, a two-time Emmy Award winner and a seven-time nominee. “These interviews will delve into the unique experiences of the remarkable people who compose our town, offering valuable insights and wisdom derived from their life transitions. The shared narratives will serve as guiding beacons for others facing similar milestones.”
To be considered for the series, please fill out the form below. Completing it should take 5-10 minutes. Those selected will then be contacted, with a goal of scheduling the audio podcast interviews in mid-August.
Schadler is a journalist, photographer, and artist. For more than three decades, he traveled the world as a correspondent and anchor for ABC News, 20/20, Nightline, Good Morning America, National Geographic TV, and others, and his work has also been featured on Bravo and Discovery. He was honored with an Emmy for Best Investigative Journalism (Network News Magazine) and Best Feature Hour (Network News Magazines), in addition to winning the National Environmental Media Award.
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