A concert series that began during the Covid-19 pandemic continues to bring live music to Brooklyn porches for its seventh season, offering neighborhood residents an intimate and accessible cultural experience. Operation Gig, which started in 2020 on Rugby Road near Prospect Park, organizes free or donation-based performances on the broad porches of Victorian houses in the Flatbush area.

Founded by Aaron Lisman, a bioinformatics software engineer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the series has hosted more than 300 shows spread across roughly 30 porches, with some venues featured repeatedly. Lisman’s initial event was a small bluegrass jam held on the porch of his restored teal house, drawing about 20 listeners. The early success inspired him to expand the project, which now issues weekly email announcements to an audience of 2,000 and runs shows from Friday through Sunday throughout the season, which continues through October.

Performances are casual, family-friendly gatherings without tickets or formal seating. Suggested donations of $10 per person help fund payments for the musicians, who typically receive about $150 per show, double the original stipend. Donations, supplemented by Lisman’s personal contributions and support from a GoFundMe campaign and Brooklyn Arts Council grants, have helped maintain the series. Additional funding recently came from a $10,000 contribution by Mike Gantcher, a retired Wall Street trader and local tour guide, which also enabled the hiring of interns to assist with logistics.

The concert series is designed to maintain a moderate volume level that respects nearby residents and discourages noise complaints. A midsize sound system, portable and manageable, supports the performances, which reflect an eclectic musical mix and diverse cultural influences. This summer’s lineup included tabla drummer Naquibul Islam, a Bangladeshi native residing locally, who performed in an ensemble featuring traditional Persian and Indian instruments, drawing audiences that stayed longer than expected. Opera singers and groups like Meshugana Mambo, which blends Jewish klezmer with Latin rhythms, have also appeared.

The series has attracted both amateur and professional musicians, some of whom have embraced the porch setting despite occasional hesitations about the intimate audience size. Jazz saxophonist Roy Nathanson, a longtime local performer, praised Operation Gig for sustaining porch concerts in the area following the end of his own nonprofit’s professional performances.

Lisman continues to seek new venues by canvassing streets such as Ditmas Park and Beverly Square West, prioritizing houses with spacious porches and mature trees that provide necessary shade. One homeowner on Buckingham Road has hosted over 50 shows. On good days, audiences can number over 60 people, contributing to a communal atmosphere that fosters connection between musicians and neighbors.

With no commercial pressures and a focus on community involvement, Operation Gig exemplifies grassroots cultural resilience, offering Brooklyn residents ongoing access to live music in an informal and welcoming setting.