Celebrating Elliott Sharp at ISSUE Project Room

Musician Elliott Sharp is sure to usher in his 60th birthday with a bang.

Next Thursday, the composer and pioneer in the New York City experimental music scene will celebrate the date at ISSUE Project Room, for “Elliott Sharp at 60,” the space’s first benefit at its new home in Downtown Brooklyn.

Though the venue has hosted a few impromptu gatherings in the historic McKim, Mead, and White jewel-box theater at 110 Livingston, the birthday bash will be the first full-blown soiree in the new space.

“I would say it’s raised the bar as to what can be accomplished,” said Sharp of ISSUE Project Room. “People are very reticent to do things that the audience isn’t ready for. But the audience is ready for it. ISSUE really is saying no, it’s the artistic vision that’s important, and people will come to see it.”

The event will honor Sharp, a longtime supporter of ISSUE Project Room, and aims to raise between $70,000 and $80,000 for the costly renovation of the 4,800 square foot landmark theater.

In 2008, the performance venue was awarded a 20-year rent-free lease at the new space, but must now raise between $2.5 million and $3 million for renovations. So far, thanks to pledges from Borough President Marty Markowitz and others, the space has raised about half that.

“We’re aiming to open sometime in 2012,” said Steve Wax, Chairman of the Board of ISSUE Project Room. “We’ll continue hopefully in the same direction, which is experimental productions and music, but it’s a much larger space and there are much larger possibilities as far as audio and visual performance goes."

The evening will feature performances by Sharp, as well as the actor Steve Buscemi, his director wife, Jo Andres, author Jack Womack and poet Tracie Morris.

For those who purchase VIP tickets to the event at $250 a pop, there will be a special cocktail reception and the premier of a new work entitled “Trinity,” featuring music by Sharp, narration by Buscemi and film by Andres.

For thriftier music lovers, the evening will continue on with more music by Sharp, including “Occam’s Razor,” a piece commissioned by ISSUE Project Room and performed by the JACK Quartet and Sirius Quartet. The day after Sharp will continue the celebration with a free open rehearsal of his works and Q&A.

“ISSUE was always a place where I could present any kind of piece and I knew I would have support and an audience,” said Sharp. “It’s eclectic. ISSUE has really been a place for people who don’t fit anywhere else.”

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Purchase tickets to “Elliott Sharp at 60” at Brown Paper Tickets. Tickets to the concert-only portion are $50, VIP tickets are $250 and tables including 10 VIP tickets with reserved seating are $2,500.