Jill Sobule and Renee Maskin; photo by John Decker Studio
Mark Klemow founded Split Level Concerts as a house concert series back in 2000. The series has moved around a bit since then and recently completed its first season in Ocean Grove at the Jersey Shore Arts Center. One thing that has never changed over the years is basing the series around great singer-songwriters.
Split Level Concerts recently announced the artists for the second season in Ocean Grove. New Jersey Stage reached out to Mark to learn more about the history of the series and what people can look forward to later this year when the shows return.
What originally led you to start hosting a house series? Had you attended any house concerts before starting Split Level Concerts?
In the late 90’s (maybe around ‘98?), my wife Arlene and I attended a house concert in northern NJ. The series was known as Cabin Concerts and it was run by a very nice couple, Tim and Lori Blixt, in their home, which happened to be a log cabin. It was a Sunday afternoon and we got to sit just a few feet away from the featured artist that day, Darden Smith. We were hypnotized.
A couple years later, as I was approaching my 40th birthday, Arlene asked me how I’d like to celebrate. I didn’t hesitate to let her know my wish was to have Willie Nile, one of my musical heroes, perform in our living room in Scotch Plains with a bunch of our friends. We set about to make that happen and it was an unforgettable evening. We laid awake in bed when it was all over, agreeing it was so much fun that we had to keep going. We’ve been going ever since.
Did you have a background in the music industry?
No, none at all. I’m just an overzealous music lover, I guess.
Who were some of the first artists to take part in the series?
Well, the first show after Willie was Vance Gilbert, a favorite of ours, and of our young kids at the time. Vance is amazing. After that, we invited Darden Smith in. Slaid Cleaves performed for us that first year, and he brought Rod Picott along to open the show. We’ve presented Rod a bunch of times ever since.
What were some of your favorite concerts in the series over the years? Is there any artist you're still amazed you got to perform?
So many come to mind. Obviously, the first show with Willie Nile is a great memory. Shows with Willie at Hamilton Stage at Union County Performing Arts Center were always a blast – Willie would often bring me on-stage during the encores to join in on “A Hard Day’s Night” or “Sweet Jane” – what a blast.
Willie Nile performing at the very first Split Level Concert. Photo by Arlene Klemow
Shannon McNally, Jill Sobule and Tim Easton in our living room all come to mind when I think of my favorites.
As far as artists I was amazed to have perform, three shows come to mind. First, the great Garland Jeffreys agreeing to perform in our living room was a welcome surprise. He was so warm, and funny, a truly joyous experience. Second, booking David Johansen to perform at Hamilton Stage was a huge thrill. He packed the house and gave us an incredible evening of music. Here’s a clip from that night (shout out to Kevin Michelson, who shot the video).
And third, having Grammy Award winner Lori McKenna, one of my favorite songwriters, perform at the JCC in Scotch Plains was another unforgettable night.
Where are some of the places you've held concerts prior to moving them to Jersey Shore Arts Center?
As I mentioned previously, my wife and I started in our living room in Scotch Plains. After about ten years of shows, we moved the series out of our house to the Jewish Community Center in Scotch Plains. We did a bunch of shows there before moving to Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway. There, we presented shows in two different venues – the 65 seat Loft space, and Hamilton Stage, a 200 seat theater which was brand new at the time.
I also booked the Mayor’s Summer Concert Series in Rahway for a couple of summers – that was crazy fun. Eventually, in the years leading up to COVID, we slowed down a bit and moved back over to the Jewish Community Center to do two shows a year.
You moved to Belmar a few years ago. Were you looking around for a venue for a while or did you instantly hook up with Jersey Shore Arts Center?
We moved to Belmar in May of 2022. I had an itch to start presenting shows again, so I would say I was thinking about it for a while before a friend of ours suggested the Jersey Shore Arts Center. I approached Jeanne Power-Galli, the Executive Director of JSAC, in November of 2023 and we finally sat down to meet in January, 2024. Jeanne instantly welcomed the idea of the series and I want to be sure to give her a shout out – she has been an incredible partner from day one. We got right to work and the first show (Steve Forbert!) took place in October of last year. I’d also like to give a shout out to my good friend and partner in the series, Troy Deckebach. Troy does all the promotional work for the series and his energy level and dedication are off the charts.
How was the first season for you? Was it more or less what you expected?
The first season exceeded my wildest expectations. The response to the series, from the folks at the Arts Center (Jeanne, her Board of Directors, the employees and volunteers) and the folks who attended the shows, has been phenomenal.
Having JSAC’s Palaia Theater sound good was one of my main concerns. We hired a great sound engineer – all of our performers were thrilled with the sound – he does an amazing job. Good sound makes everything better!
We ended up selling nearly 1,300 tickets over the course of seven shows – a huge success as far as I’m concerned.
What was a highlight or two from this year for you?
Selling out the first show with Steve Forbert was a huge highlight. Having Jill Sobule, who I’ve loved and admired for years, perform this past January will be an evening I’ll never forget – as you know, Jill very recently passed away in a tragic house fire, so I feel extra blessed to have had some time to sit and talk with her. She was so smart, and funny, a gem of a human being. My wife and I will miss her forever.
Mark Klemow with Jill Sobule on January 11, 2025.
There were so many other great moments. A couple that come to mind: Opener Jake Thistle joining headliner Brian Dunne for Brian’s “If You Wanna Stay Awhile” was a big highlight. Sitting next to Maia Sharp for her interview and performance on 90.5 The Night ahead of her co-headlining show with Antje Duvekot was really special. Welcoming old friends like Griffin House and Rod Picott back to the series, also very special.
One aspect of the series I really enjoyed was how you are trying to get the audiences to trust you with the artists brought to the series. While some of the audience may have seen your shows before or heard of the name, how difficult is it to earn that trust in yet another new location?
Great question. Having a good crowd, and ensuring that the series is a financial success for JSAC, is the one thing that keeps me up at night. I do think it’s a challenge to earn peoples’ trust – we are so inundated with entertainment options inside our own homes, that it feels incredibly difficult to get people off the couch and out the door to see a show. All we can do is keep at it, and hope that the audience will build over time. I feel like we made great headway with this first season and I feel that the second season lineup has the potential to keep our momentum going.
Who are the artists for the 2nd season in Ocean Grove?
I’m super excited to welcome the following artists to JSAC!
Saturday, November 8th – James Maddock and Band
Saturday, December 6th – Tim Easton
Saturday, January 24th – Nathan Graham and Band
Saturday, February 28th – Shannon McNally and Band
Saturday, March 21st – Joy Clark
Saturday, April 18th – Lucy Kaplansky
Saturday, May 16th – Kim Richey
James Maddock performed his first house concert with Split Level Concerts on 1/16/2010. He's opening the 2nd season in Ocean Grove with his band. Photo by Arlene Klemow
Are you able to attract many of the artists you seek or is it a bit challenging to get them for shows unless they are touring in the area?
The biggest challenge in booking the series is the fact that we want to book the full season in advance. For example, here I was this past February (2025), asking Lucy Kaplansky and Kim Richey to perform for us in April and May of 2026! We asked Joy Clark, who lives in New Orleans, to commit to a date next March! We like to book the full season in advance so we can promote the shows as a series. Moreover, for this second season, we are offering a subscription package for the entire season, which includes a discount off the ticket price for each show, and the ability to pick your seat in the theater. (All single show tickets will be sold as general admission.) We have to have all the artists lined up in order to sell the subscription package.
In addition, we have to be sure the finances work, for both the artists and JSAC. If we’re able to cross these hurdles, we’re able to book the artists we seek.
Shannon McNally performs at a Split Level Concert on 12/4/04. She's on the schedule for the 2nd season. Photo by Arlene Klemow
Finally, what would you like people to know about the series?
The series has been a labor of love since day one. I have happily donated all of my time and effort over the years to bringing people together to enjoy great music. Troy has also generously donated his time and effort to the cause. There is great joy for me in seeing a roomful of people enjoying a great performance and walking out with smiles on their faces – that’s my “payment” and the measure of our success. I’d end by asking anyone reading this the same thing I ask our audiences when I welcome them in to the theater – to trust us. We’ll bring in the great singer/songwriters, you bring us your ears!
