PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 09, 2024 CONTACT: Jason Mansmith 920.294.4279 jason@thrasheroperahouse.com
Concert Photography Exhibit by Ric Damm on Display at Thrasher Opera House
Green Lake, Wis. (September 09, 2024)—Green Lake’s historic Thrasher Opera House will host a concert photography exhibit by Ric Damm through October 31, 2024. The exhibit can be viewed M-F 10-4; for after-hours visits, call 920.294.4279 to schedule a time.
Ric Damm has been a fan of popular music for as long as he can remember. His tastes were initially formed by the radio stations and records played by his mom and dad, and then his sister; and then his weekly Sunday night ritual of tuning in to Casey Kasem and America’s Top 40. MTV was a huge influence just as he was becoming a teenager, and later he would devour each issue of Rolling Stone magazine when it came to his mailbox. The music and the imagery of popular music would impact his identity in profound ways.
Ric dreamed of being in a band, but never had the patience required to practice being a musician. Instead, he turned to replicating band logos on paper and selling them to fellow junior high school kids. He also wrote poetry and song lyrics. In college, he wrote music reviews for the weekly student newspaper and record company contacts opened the doors to interviewing musicians and attending concerts.
Fast forward more than 20 years: while attending a concert Ric noticed a photographer taking pictures and wondered, “how does one go about doing that?” Around the same time, Rachael from Thrasher Opera House reached out to Ric asking if he knew anyone who could capture images of their live performances.
In the five years since, Ric has photographed hundreds of artists at dozens of venues from Thrasher to the famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre. He continues to be the primary house photographer and is a member of the board of directors for Thrasher Opera House. Ric is also a member of the photography team for Madison-based FPC Live, Eau Claire’s Blue Ox Music Festival and Appleton’s Mile of Music Festival. He is a regular contributor to online magazines Americana Highways and Shutter 16.