Portland council, upcoming concert to ‘Be In Love’ with viral music video

Tonight, the Portland City Council is scheduled to recognize and thank the musicians and filmmakers who produced the music video “Be In Love,” a who’s who of Portland musicians — both prominent and aspiring.

The catchy song featured was written by Dominic Lavoie, known in the city in part for his work with his band Dominic and The Lucid, and the video was initially shot and screened to benefit the Playing For Change Foundation, an organization which promotes music education. Since its release by the Maine Academy of Modern Music [MAMM] last fall, the video has gotten a lot of exposure in the greater Portland area and has been viewed online by almost 50,000 people.

Talya Davis, from the music video “Be In Love”

Among those included playing instruments or singing parts in the smartly mixed video, which features several signature shooting locations throughout Maine’s largest city, are Portland music stars like: Kenya Hall; Emilia Dahlin; The Mallett Brothers band; The Fogcutters; and Ryan Zoidis, Dave Gutter and Spencer Albee of Rustic Overtones fame.

Mixed in are several MAMM students, such as young Ethan Kasprzak beat-boxing alongside academy instructor Chas Lester, bassist Talya Davis, and Joanna Quinn on a drum set on the steps of Portland High School.

Mayor Michael Brennan reportedly concluded his first State of the City address with a showing of the video, but in case you missed it, here’s another chance to watch:

If you’re looking to watch it in a public setting, the council is holding a viewing tonight as part of its 7 p.m. meeting.

If you’re looking to watch it live — sort of — mark your calendar for Feb. 15, the day after Valentine’s Day, when the Big Easy will host a huge concert featuring most of the musicians seen in the video. That concert begins with an all-ages show from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by a 9 p.m. 21-plus event. Tickets are $15 and available at Bull Moose Music.

Seth Koenig

About Seth Koenig

Seth has nearly a decade of professional journalism experience and writes about the greater Portland region.