Scranton, PA :Memorial Day weekend, 2019, suburban Chicago history teacher Bruce Janu packed his car with camera equipment and headed on a road trip to Lynn, Pennsylvania. His task: document the last concert of the famed “Old Lynn Concert Series.”
He wasn’t the only out-of-towner to attend this concert. Others came a long way for the show – as far away as Idaho.
But this place is not on a map. Lynn is at a crossroads in rural Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Blink and you will miss it.
The unusual concert venue was the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lynn built in 1883. This church was known for its musical presentations throughout the years. That tradition was continued in 2000 when the old church was turned into a concert hall. Despite its location in rural Northeastern, Pennsylvania, the Old Lynn Concert Series managed to bring in some of the most acclaimed acoustic folk artists from all over the world. Renowned singer-songwriters such as Jez Lowe, Bob Warren and Michael Jerling were among those to grace the Old Lynn stage over the years. During its nineteen-year run, the series presented over 150 free concerts to the community and beyond.
“This Sacred Place: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts” is the fourth documentary produced by Bell, Book and Camera Productions and presents the history of the series along with footage from the grand finale, featuring singer-songwriters Lorne Clarke, Tom Flannery, and former Badlees guitarist Bret Alexander.
Janu had met Lorne Clarke and Tom Flannery back in 2005 when the musicians contributed the soundtracks to his films “Facing Sudan” and “Crayons and Paper.” When he heard that the concert series was coming to an end, he knew he had to tell the story.
“I went to one concert about 10 years ago,” Janu explains. “And I just fell in love with the venue. So unique. And a great place to listen to music.”
The concert series was a labor of love for Lorne Clarke, who not only served as the musical director and host of the series, but also is one of the producers of the documentary.
Before hitting the festival circuit next year, “This Sacred Place” will have its world premiere on Saturday January 2, 2021 at 7:30 pm, Eastern.
“As the Old Lynn Concert Series was a free event,” explains Janu, “we wanted to honor that tradition by presenting the film to the world in the same way.”
The film will be streamed for free online via Scener. Janu, Clarke and others will be on hand virtually to introduce the film, talk about the series and answer questions from the online audience. More information about this event can be found at http://www.bellbookcamera.com.
