Thrasher Opera House proudly features area artists in our gallery space at 510 Mill Street in Downtown Green Lake, Wisconsin. The space is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on show days from 6:45 p.m. to the end of the performance. To arrange a special tour, please contact 920.294.4279
#picbyric
a retrospective exhibit of five years of music photography
Sepember 1 – October 31, 2024
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.
This exhibit of 84 images is a cross-section of the artists he has photographed in various venues since his first show at Thrasher in January 2019.
Ric is a member of the marketing team at Ripon College and manages his own business, Ric Damm Photography. He resides in Ripon with his wife, Chrissy, and their two golden retrievers, Shae and Lanee.
Join us for a special artist reception with Ric Damm on Saturday, October 5th, from 5 PM to 7 PM at the Thrasher Opera House Gallery (510 Mill St., Green Lake, WI). Stick around for the Willie Watson performance later that evening!
If you or someone you know is interested in having an exhibit at the Thrasher Opera House, please contact the office at 920.294.4279 or email info@thrasheroperahouse with subject: Exhibit Inquiry.