MISSION > SOLAR PUNCH uses music to educate audiences about the environment.
Mohandas Gandhi famously said: ‘be the change you want the world to become.’
By using solar energy exclusively to power our performances and demonstrations, we become the solution we hope inspires others. We have developed a portable, solar-powered energy system from off-the shelf parts and use its solar-charged, battery-stored energy to run our P.A., devices, demonstrations and more. The output is more than sufficient to reach hundreds of people for hours and hours...
we inspire by doing | we teach by showing | we learn by participating
Our ability to transmit is key to our success.
Transmission occurs the moment we begin gathering photons; once our panels are deployed and the system is hooked up, electrons flow into our batteries and inverters. We can then amplify our sound to reach significant crowds of people.
Solar Punch in India, January, 2009 w/ the Climate Solutions Tour via The Indian Youth Climate Network
In remote farm villages. In mountain resorts. On islands and in urban areas. Our sound and show are portable. We are able to get most of our gear into a few suitcases, making it possible for us to bring our show to remote regions all over the world...
Local commitments, Global connections...
Bandmates Alan Bigelow and james dean developed the band concept in direct response to the positive interactions they’d experienced as members of rock band Circus Guy. Circus Guy had used music to bridge cultural gaps between Arabs and Americans and teach about the environment throughout the Middle East. Circus Guy bandmate T.H. Culhane can even claim co-creating the very first solar-powered band, Solar Plexus! (learn more about Circus Guy’s environmental / cultural bridge-building tours...)
Alan and James got hold of a couple of flexible, foldable solar panels and put together an act centered on light rock covers about the sun, activism and science. Early on we worked with some of our excellent musician buddies including Kristie Lee Achuff, Greg Ross and Matt Dow.
Band mates Andrew Mattina and Frank Marino joined a year later - the Alan - james - Andy - Frank combo recorded ‘Surya’ together and also toured India twice. Drummer Joe Mitch currently sets the beat and is pounding away to help Solar Punch punch out carbon!
Some of our earliest gigs a) Sept 2007, Hastings Farmers Market b) Aquefest 2007, Hastings, NY c) Solar Center, Huntington, NY
Solar Science and Solar Solutions...
We want to entertain, thrill and enlighten but we also want to make sure our facts are correct, our information is current and our demonstrations are effective.
Solar show-offs: a) Physicist & Research Scientist Alan Bigelow demos a fresnel lens b) radiometer c) solar cooking
As we travel, we develop media and materials to help transmit how we work, why understanding and protecting the environment is a great thing and how the message itself is cross-cultural, cross-generational and world embracing.