# Event Details - **Event Name**: VersoFest 2026 Kickoff Concert: The Thing - **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 27 Feb, 2026 at 08:00 pm – Fri, 27 Feb, 2026 at 10:00 pm - **Event Description**: The Thing, the rising rock band out of New York City with roots in Connecticut, will be performing the 2026 VersoFest Kickoff Concert.About this EventEvent DetailsThe Westport Library is getting an early jump on the 2026 edition of VersoFest, our annual festival celebrating music, media, and creativity.The Thing, the rising rock band out of New York City with roots in Connecticut, will be performing the 2026 VersoFest Kickoff Concert.Presales for the concert will begin Tuesday, November 4, 2025, with the general on-sale on Friday, November 7.Why You Should ComeThe Thing is a New York band, sure, but it’s also an ethos. A return to rock & roll’s roots — to garage bands toiling between the family minivans, to groups like the Beatles and their unique alchemy, to tape machines and live band recordings instead of slick studios and myriad songwriters. “We've kind of adapted the ethos of: with restriction comes creativity — old becomes new. And throughout every part of the process that remains true,” says guitarist/vocalist Jack Bradley.Never is that more apparent than on their self-titled third record, which came out August 2025. A rough and tumble suite of 12 songs that nods to everyone from The Kinks to The White Stripes, The Thing sounds like old New York revivicated and remixed. “It showcases all of us, all of our different personalities,” says bassist/vocalist Zane Acord. “In The Thing, we’re a collective band. We hang our hats on being a true band — where we all have the spotlight. I think that gives us a different edge.” That album follows 2023’s debut, Here’s the Thing, and The Things Is, which dropped the following year.About the BandThe four members of The Thing came from intersecting backgrounds, lending to their rock-and-roll-as-melting-pot vibe. Acord grew up with a drummer dad who hipped him to bands like Led Zeppelin and Grand Funk Railroad; he met guitarist/vocals Michael Carter — an avid Beatles fan — in middle school. The duo went on to collect Bradley in high school, an aspiring producer with a studio in his basement and a yen for psych rock. Jazz drummer Lucas Ebeling linked up with the band when everyone found their way to New York in 2022. They’ve since played more than 300 shows across the world.About VersoFestVersoFest is The Westport Library’s annual music and media conference and festival where knowledge is shared and inspiration is discovered — a forum for media creators, artists, and fans to converge. VersoFest includes conversations where experts share their perspective and vision. Intimate workshops provide creators the opportunity to deconstruct, improve, and hone their craft. Performances entertain and inspire.This is the fifth year for VersoFest, which takes place at Verso Studios at The Westport Library, a media resource and production hub that serves as an empowered cultural and learning center. A library branch of the 21st century, Verso Studios provides programming and commercial services as well as educational and content creation opportunities.Past VersoFest guests include hip hop legend Chuck D; established hit-makers the Wallflowers, Spin Doctors, and the Smithereens; up-and-coming bands Sunflower Bean and the Lemon Twigs; the Roots lead emcee Black Thought; hardcore punk pioneer Henry Rollins; rockers Lez Zeppelin; famed producers Steve Lillywhite (U2, Dave Matthews Band) and Tony Visconti (David Bowie, T. Rex); Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler; the Doors drummer John Densmore; Cramps drummer Miriam Linna; Alice Cooper Group bassist Dennis Dunaway; hip-hop originators Tony Crush and Grand Wizzard Theodore; David Letterman music director Paul Shaffer; SNL Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman; and a wide array of authors, photographers, artists, and thought leaders.Click here to learn more.Refund PolicyPrograms, prices, and dates are subject to change. Tickets are transferrable. There are no refunds unless The Westport Library cancels an event. If you are unable to use your tickets, please notify us more than three hours prior to the start of the event; in that case, the cost of the tickets can be considered a tax-deductible contribution supporting the Library. In the case of a postponed or rescheduled event, the Library is not obligated to offer refunds if the event is rescheduled within 12 months of the original date. No cash refunds. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/westport/versofest-2026-kickoff-concert-the-thing/100001902339030249 - **Event Categories**: entertainment, music, concerts, festivals, art, business, performances, dance, workshops, literary-art, photography, music-festivals, it, live-music, conferences, jazz - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 4 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket URL**: https://consumer.pxf.io/c/1339408/3151484/39691?partnerpropertyid=1191892&MediaPartnerPropertyId=1191892&svlink=14105511&level=1&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com%2Fe%2Fversofest-2026-kickoff-concert-the-thing-tickets-1902339030249 - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 39.19, max: 39.19, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Westport - **state**: CT - **country**: United States - **location**: The Westport Library - **lat**: 41.1407665 - **long**: -73.3616887 - **full address**: The Westport Library, 20 Jesup Road, Westport, United States ## Event Organizer details - **affiliate_id**: 10 - **organizer**: The Westport Library (https://allevents.in/org/the-westport-library/17624833) ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: banner - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/44b30a6e63984a07f7d842f1e474a1a5e9c62229746636658fadded456f4aed6-rimg-w1041-h639-dca8a8a8-gmir.jpg?v=1762607875 - **Alt text**: thumbnail - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/20ad0734c301b2bdaeb8d6c180dd7a77fcb143f8fa24bdb1a83ffb4d37038c28-rimg-w400-h400-dc303030-gmir.jpg?v=1762607875 ## FAQs - **Q**: When is the event happening? - **A:** Fri, 27 Feb, 2026 at 08:00 pm - **Q**: Where is the event happening? - **A:** The Westport Library, 20 Jesup Road, Westport, United States - **Q**: What is the ticket price? - **A:** starting from 39.19 up to 39.19 USD - **Q**: Who is organizing the event? - **A:** The Westport Library - **Q**: What type of event is this? - **A:** entertainment, music, concerts, festivals, art, business, performances, dance, workshops, literary-art, photography, music-festivals, it, live-music, conferences, jazz - **Q**: Where can I find ticket details about VersoFest 2026 Kickoff Concert: The Thing ? - **A:** You can find ticket details about this event on AllEvents. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "VersoFest 2026 Kickoff Concert: The Thing", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/44b30a6e63984a07f7d842f1e474a1a5e9c62229746636658fadded456f4aed6-rimg-w1041-h639-dca8a8a8-gmir.jpg?v=1762607875", "startDate": "2026-02-27", "endDate": "2026-02-27", "url": "https://allevents.in/westport/versofest-2026-kickoff-concert-the-thing/100001902339030249", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "The Westport Library", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "20 Jesup Road", "postalCode": "06880", "addressLocality": "Westport", "addressRegion": "CT", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "41.1407665", "longitude": "-73.3616887" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "The Thing, the rising rock band out of New York City with roots in Connecticut, will be performing the 2026 VersoFest Kickoff Concert.", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-05", "availabilityEnds": "2026-02-27", "validFrom": "2026-04-05", "lowPrice": "39.19", "highPrice": "39.19", "price": "39.19", "url": "https://allevents.in/westport/versofest-2026-kickoff-concert-the-thing/100001902339030249" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-05", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-05", "url": "https://allevents.in/westport/versofest-2026-kickoff-concert-the-thing/100001902339030249", "price": "39.19", "name": "VersoFest'26: The Thing (General Admission)" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The Westport Library", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/the-westport-library/17624833", "description": "Jay Miles is the Broadcast Studio Production Manager for Verso Studios. 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