Join us for a rollicking adventure at sea with the Sons of Town Hall, the transatlantic folk duo of songwriters David Berkeley and Ben Parker. Performing as their 19th-century alter egos Josiah Chester Jones and George Ulysses Brown, these two multitalented musicians conjure a captivating world of song and theater. Their album Of Ghosts and Gods debuts on March 6.

PEM Presents is made possible by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation and the Lowell Institute.
Included with admission. Preregistration encouraged. Salem residents and people who work in Salem receive free general admission upon presentation of a business card or employee ID at the admissions desk.

The Sons of Town Hall’s performance brings us back to Salem’s maritime heyday, when local sea captains and traders were venturing across the globe. In 1799, a group of Salem mariners formed the East India Marine Society with the goals of assisting “the widows and children of deceased members,” gathering “knowledge of navigation and trade to the East Indies” and, above all, forming “a Museum of natural and artificial curiosities.” Descended from this society, PEM continues the founders’ civic-mindedness and belief in museums as sites of learning and inspiration for all. On March 14, the museum will reflect upon this global story that has made Salem such a distinctive city as we reopen East India Marine Hall, the museum’s first dedicated exhibition space. Visitors will have a chance to explore several hundred fascinating objects inside the historic hall, representing a sampling of the many collections that were displayed in the museum during its earliest years. This installation gives voice to early collectors, trading partners and museum visitors about these objects, and features the voices and perspectives of contemporary cultural experts from around the globe.

About the Artists: Sons of Town Hall
The Sons of Town Hall are creating an entirely new performance genre. Part live concept album, part performance art, they conjure their timeless mythic universe under the aliases Josiah Chester Jones and George Ulysses Brown, 19th-century vagabonds who travel the world in a hand-built boat to escape their troubled pasts and search for adventure and love. Designed as a live companion experience to their gorgeous radio-theater podcast Madmen Cross The Water, the Sons weave their wild and hilarious stories between their heartbreaking and rousing songs, taking audiences on a deeply imaginative trip every show. Visit their website or follow them on YouTube.

PreRegistration is encouraged!