Denis McNamara on keeping faith with fans, music makers
Denis McNamara spent most of the '80s creating musical memories for generations of Long Islanders as program director for WLIR-FM, introducing listeners to new artists from both sides of the Atlantic.
These days, the Long Island Music Hall of Famer is working to preserve the music and the experiences of those artists with a concert series at Page One in Glen Cove. The launch of the series in January -- which is being presented by another Hall of Famer, Michael "Eppy" Epstein, who created the legendary Roslyn club My Father's Place -- went so well with Ultravox singer Midge Ure that Epstein and McNamara are looking to continue it.
"We're looking at building a real vault of material," says McNamara. "These days, there are so many ways they can be replayed. We're just trying to capture them."
The next installment of the series comes Wednesday, when China Crisis -- Brits Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon, who are best known for their hits "King in a Catholic Style" and "Black Man Ray" -- will perform an acoustic set and answer questions at Page One.
"We were stoked by what happened with Midge," says McNamara, adding that fewer than 100 tickets are available for each show. "It's such a great way to see ... your favorite artists in intimate surroundings."
Does working with artists popularized on WLIR make McNamara think about starting the groundbreaking radio station, which currently streams on wlir.fm, on Long Island's airwaves again?
"I'm more open to the idea now," says McNamara, who runs NYM Inc., a radio consulting company. "If it does happen, it will be remarkable."
China Crisis plays Page One, 90 School St., Glen Cove, at 8p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $35 through myfathersplaceboxoffice.com.
