The rhythms of all kinds of music can be heard in Bricklyn this Summer! From concerts at Northside Square and Lake Bricklyn to duos aboard ferries traversing Bricklyn Harbor — and that’s not to mention the several music venues that provide the beat every Tuesday night for Dancing in the Street downtown.
Thanks to the Bricklyn Chamber of Commerce and the Bricklyn Legotary for sponsoring many of the concerts!
Dancing in the Streets of Bricklyn every Tuesday night. All photos by Ann Tiler Anderson, with assistance from Dall E AI on above photo & gazebo concert photo below.Weekly concerts at Northside SquareUnder the gazebo in Riverfront Park.Music aboard the Bricklyn Harbor ferry.
by Roger Brickell, Bricklyn Eagle Sports Correspondent
In a contest that stirred the passions of baseball enthusiasts and captivated the hearts of fans, the Bricklyn Stackers emerged victorious with a come from behind 6 to 3 win over the Brickpelier Phillies in a thrilling opening day game at historic Swiftbrick Field yesterday.
Fans wait till the doors open for a new season of baseball at Swiftbrick Field.
Bricklyn Stackers manager Willie Wildbrick showed his wild side by parachuting in to Swiftbrick Field. All photos in this post were taken by Bricklyn Eagle sports reporter Roger Brickell, with assistance from Dall E-3 AI unless otherwise noted.Shortstop Louis B. Vasquez is returning for his third season with the Stackers. Last year he won a Golden Glove for his fielding skills.
The Stackers Take on the Phillies
From the crack of the first bat to the final pitch, the diamond bore witness to a battle of titans, with each team vying for supremacy in a display of skill, strategy, and grit.
Stackers second baseman Jorge B. Johansen tried to steal home, but was caught in a pickle in the bottom of the third inning.
The Stackers, under the the masterful leadership of Manager Willie Wildbrick, showcased their prowess with remarkable fielding and clutch hitting.
However the Phillies, steered by their skipper, Bubby B. Thumpson, proved to be a formidable adversary, matching the Stackers play for play, inning after inning, before the raucous Swiftbrick Field crowd.
Bricklyn’s “Blue Beastie” seems to have gotten under the skin of one of the Phillies players! Stackers’ ace Rusty B. Hinges had a strong opening day start, pitching through the bottom of the 6th inning. Hinges, dinged for just five hits and two runs, had the Phillies batters back on their heels with his high heaters.Stackers’ outfielder George Tiler Jensen, flashed his leather with this leaping catch, robbing the Phillies of a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning.
A portion of the center field fence at Swiftbrick Field has long had gaps allowing kids in the “Knothole Gang” to view the game without paying to enter the ball park. But kids need to come early to nail down one of these cherished viewing spots.
Tossing his bat, the Sledgehammer watches his towering two-out walk-off grand slam home run land in the far reaches of right field stands to the delight of Stacker fans.
What’s a ballgame at Swiftbrick Field without a donut (or two or more). Dunk Them Donuts provided a free donut to every opening day fan, with additional donuts only 20 cents each.
The tension mounted as the game progressed, with both teams refusing to cede any ground.
Most every pitch, catch, and stolen base was met with cheers or boos from the crowd, which included a dedicated contingent of Phillies fans who took the train from Brickpelier to cheer on their squad.
Both the Stackers and Phillies fielded sharply, ran the bases well, and played with lots of ginger.
But as the sun dipped low on the horizon and the shadows lengthened across the diamond, it was the Stackers who seized the moment.
In a heart-stopping climax, with three ducks on the pond, Stackers slugger Stanley “The Sledgehammer” Toughbrick delivered the decisive blow off Phillies twirler Ruben B. Rivera, rocketing a tape-measure moonshot deep over the right field fence. The grand slam secured a dramatic walk-off victory for the Stackers.
In the aftermath of this edge-of-your-seats encounter, the echoes of cheers reverberated through Swiftbrick Field, a testament to the enduring magic of the game of baseball.
As fans filed out of the ballpark — some looking to grab one last donut, others heading to the nearby Miss Bricklyn Diner for a slice of tasty banana cream pie — they carried with them memories of a very special opening day contest. ✥
➤ Editor’s Note: Some of the old-time (and current) baseball jargon and phrasing found with assistance from Major League Baseball’s From ace to yakker, a glossary of baseball slang and from Chat GPT.
To the Editor: What an amazing two weeks this has been for Bricklyn sports fans — with the BRU Crew winning the ISL basketball tournament and yesterday’s terrific opening day win by the Stackers. Have to say I loved the way Stackers’ manager Wildbrick showed his “wild side” by parachuting into Swiftbrick Field with his opening day lineup card — and what a talented team Wildbrick has put together! — Brian B. Finnerty, Bricklyn Jct., VT
To the Editor: While I appreciate your paper’s coverage of the Stackers’ ball game — and it was a great game — I don’t appreciate your highlighting once again Dunk Them Donuts. This company seems to have its thumb on just about everything happening in Bricklyn. They got away with just a slap on the wrist for their scandalous behavior in trying to get the historic Hotel Stansbury demolished a few months ago; shame on our Federal Council for letting them off the hook so lightly.
It irritates me to see you promoting their donuts and showing their concession stand in Swiftbrick Field. We all know that Dunk Them Donuts is just about everywhere in Bricklyn … and too many of our youth are addicted to their sugar-saturated donuts. — Sally Plater Evans, Bricklyn, VT
Reply from the Editor: Thanks for your comment Ms. Evans. We appreciate hearing back from our readers. As to the photo of the Dunk Them Donuts concession stand at Swiftbrick Field, that was selected by columnist Brickell to run with his story. Clearly Dunk Them Donuts does have a significant presence in Bricklyn, as they are the Realm’s largest employer. But as we believe our recent coverage of Dunk Them Donuts has demonstrated, including our detailed investigative reporting related to their proposed donut topped office tower, we value our role as an independent voice.
by Brenda Softbrick, Bricklyn Eagle Arts & Literature Correspondent
The Bricklyn Museum of Art, designed by noted Bricklyn architect Moshi Saftbrick. All art works in this post were conceived by the named artists, with use of Dall E-3 AI.
An exciting new exhibition is now on view at the Bricklyn Museum of Art.
Titled “Boundless Perspectives: Exploring the intersection of Form and Imagination,” the exhibition includes new AI generated works by renowned Bricklyn artists Jonas Tiler Jones and Frances B. Ireland.
On entering, visitors are confronted with a pair of unsmiling, blindfolded LEGO heads placed in front of a giant, translucent, donut-shaped sculpture.
Blindfolded, by Jonas Tiler Jones.
The creation of Bricklyn conceptual artist Jonas Tiler Jones, visitors are encouraged to don semi-permeable blindfolds while encountering the piece.
Jones’ work, titled “Blindfolded,” demands your attention, and calls to mind the complexities of perception and the unseen narratives that lie beneath the surface. Or perhaps from a more alimentary point of view, Jones’ work represents the sadness of not being able to find the donut you most desire.
Centering the adjoining gallery is a vibrant AI tableau of intertwined sheafs of fabric by Bricklyn artist Frances B. Ireland (aka “The FBI”). “Untitled #2,” along with The FBI’s surrounding textile art displayed on the gallery walls, offer a kaleidoscope of colors and textures that beckon us to lose ourselves in their intricate embrace.
Untitled #2, by Frances B. Ireland.
In Untitled #2, The FBI weaves the wind with her work, inviting us to contemplate the interconnectedness of our experiences, memories, and emotions — all bounded by the tracks our lives have taken.
Also on view is another recent FBI work, “Bricks & Train.” It’s a towering display of woven LEGO bricks, crowned by a blue express train hurtling down a precarious slope.
Bricks & Train, by Frances B. Ireland.
Is The FBI inviting us to embrace the spirit of play and possibility? Or is she warning us of the dangers of Bricklyn’s new high-speed rail service? Or is their some other message Bricks & Train imparts? The FBI leaves it to each visitor to draw their own meaning from the work.
Boundless Perspectives is on view through September 30, 2024.
Frances B. Ireland (aka “The FBI”) at work in her Bricklyn studio. Her late grandfather was a career FBI agent, who also loved painting and drawing. The “fortuitous” initials of her name led Ms. Ireland to honor her grandfather by using “The FBI” as her artistic pseudonym. ✥
To the Editor: I saw the exhibit last week and have to say: I DON’T GET IT. I put on those blindfolds and stumbled around. Almost collided with the donut. But what’s the point? And that so-called art with the train about to crash. I like to take train rides, and really love the new Brickstar service. The last thing we need to promote in Bricklyn is trains crashing. Why couldn’t the artist at least have a train that’s not going to make people afraid to ride them. — Les B. Moore, South Bricklyn
To the Editor: Bravo to The Bricklyn Eagle for covering the dynamic art scene that’s been developing in our Realm. What talented artists in this show! I really love The FBI’s work, and also found the conceptual art piece by Jonas Tiler Jones fascinating. So much to enjoy and think about. The Bricklyn Museum of Art is definitely on the right track! — Sandy Tiler Sanders, Bricklyn Jct.
To the Editor: The modern art exhibit in Bricklyn is so nouveau. I am enthralled and am sure someone could write a 20 page essay analyzing how the art moves toward a vortex. What is the deeper meaning? — Nancy S., Vermont
