2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest

What a day! The sun was out, and it was sunny and pretty dry, with temperatures in the 80's. This year we had about 20 more people than last year's 70, but instead of staying all day, there were early departures and late arrivals, which gave the day a busier feel.

Two big changes from last year were: a) power for microphones (and other things, as you will soon discover), and b) I let the musicians announce themselves. Also, since there were so many more in attendance than last year, the children spent more time in the water and playing games in the upper field, and less time glued to the front of the stage area.

• Elizabeth Lorrey began the day, and surprise #1 old high school chum (and local musical wunderkind) Kris Lucander plugged in his bass and accompanied her for her entire set. She ran through songs both old and new, plus a cover or two, and Kris sang Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?". Also, Pete Rathier (another old friend from high school) sat in on djembe for a few songs.
• Next up, married duo The Rafters cruised through an energetic set of their original material and a few covers (U2 and others). And in addition to their organist Glenn Compagnone, they had Elizabeth, Kris and Pete all come up at various times to fill out their crowd-pleasing sound.
• In between sets by the pros there was a short "Amateur Hour" wherein several of the girls in attendance (and a couple of the youngest boys) took turns singing at the mic for the crowd. One girl covered Taylor Swift's "Love Story", and later she accompanied one of the twins on an original song. In between, the other twin followed with an original of her own, and the crowd cheered all three of them for their efforts.
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A Week of Great Live Music

"And lo, the sun burst forth from behind the mountain, and the songs of angels danced in mine ears..."

This week has several great chances for you to get out and hear some fantastic local musicians:

• Wed 7-27: Abbie Barrett will be at Bloc 11 (Union Square, Somerville). A solo show at 7 pm featuring songs both old and new!
• Thu 7-28: Elizabeth Lorrey can be found at the Main Street Cafe in Groton, MA with old pal Kris Lucander sitting in on bass! They will be onstage from 7 - 9 pm.
• Sat 7-30: This is the big one! The 2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest will be sending out soundwaves from 5 New England bands in a day-long extravaganza that should surpass last year's inaugural event. Catch lakeside sets by both Abbie and Elizabeth, plus Almanac Mountain, The Rafters and Vanessa Kafka (her only live show in 2011). Definitely a day not to be missed!

So find your way to one (or all) of these great music venues and enjoy the sounds and company of your local talents - you won't regret it!

Wachusett Green Monsta IPA

Well, I had a couple of the new Wachusett Green Monsta IPAs down at the lake today, and I have to say I was very disappointed. I am a HUGE fan of India pale ales, and unfortunately this one is just average. It wasn't as hoppy as I expected and I am betting the combination of whatever the "Cascade, Amarillo and Centennial" ingredients are (I've always said I am not an expert, I just know what I like and what I don't like) is responsible.

It's unfortunate, because I am a big fan of my hometown brewery, and I have never had a flavor complaint before. That itself speaks volumes. So I think I will stick with Wachusett's regular IPA (and all of the other fine beers of that type from other microbreweries). However, as I always try to give an unsatisfactory beer a second chance, if I find it on tap somewhere I will definitely give it a another try.

Reload That iPod

I was doing my frequent local music search (and updating our live shows section- see top of page, as always) when I ran across a few musicians worthy of attention. They each have music available on Bandcamp.com (one for free, the others for the pittance of $5), and I decided that I will add them to my iPod in the days to come. Let's do this alphabetically (links to the music located at each band's name):

• Old favorites Dirty Dishes (I saw them live with friends awhile back) have a self-titled 5-song EP available for $5. I would categorize them as 'energetic pop shoegaze' because of their frenetic passion, cheery accessibility, and swirling guitars. Plus, Jenny's voice is hypnotic.
• I came across SARALEE on "Night of The Living Deadhead"'s Facebook page (they do a series of Monday night shows at ZuZu in Cambridge). She is giving away 7 short songs of nostalgic bliss. The music conjures up aural visions of sixties surf music mixed with very early Bangles, and each song is smartly succinct in getting its message across. Liven up that mp3 player with these fantastic free songs, and allow SARALEE to contribute to this year's summer's soundtrack.
  
• Só Solis a sweet blend of American folk and Brazilian (and other world) sounds. The married duo of John Garrett and Jessica DaSilva, plus multi-instrumentalist Nick Heys (mandolin, accordion, cavaquinho, etc...) set the mood with five quiet songs of mystery and exotica. English is mixed with Portuguese to set a unique mood that will transport you away from the mundane and into another place. Get their self-titled EP for just $5.
  

So do yourself a favor and check out these great bands from New England. Upgrade your summer playlist, and at the same time support local music. Plus, tell your friends! And as always, we love the feedback on the musicians we point your way....

Bits of Business

There have been some 'goings on' lately with a couple of our favorite bands:

• Almanac Mountain has a special running for the next few weeks. You can snag the first full-length "So Many Seas" for a mere five dollars now by going here. He will be performing at the 2nd Annual Wyman's Pond Music Fest, and if you haven't already picked it up, now is the best time to prepare your mind for the live music awesomeness by grabbing the studio versions. Eleven great songs in an instant digital download, with a physical copy to follow in the mail. You can't lose. And check out his other music while you're there.
  
• The other bit of business: Sadly, 28 Degrees Taurus bids farewell to singer/bassist Karina. They had a fantastic 6-year run, but she wasn't working out anymore. According to the band she will still play with her other projects. Meanwhile, if you play bass, check out the band's site, see if you might be a good fit, and send them a note if you are interested in trying out for a fun band with a great sound. And if you just want to grab some of their music, you can find it all right here. See below for their new demo!