lsg spot
by Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez
http://www.facebook.com/lsgoriginal
Twitter at @lsgoriginal
HOT Rewind
lsg at Recreate
The nominees for the 3rd Annual Connecticut Music Awards are out! It is an impressive list of CT’s finest musicians. As the big night approaches, we’ll be giving you videos from the performers in the many categories represented this year. The ceremony is being held on June 10 at the Bushnell Center for Performing arts in Hartford. You can purchase your tickets NOW at the box office or by calling 860.987.5900. Congratulations to all the nominees from all of us at LBR! Good luck!
| Album of the Year 1974 – 1974 & the Death of the Herald Balkun Brothers – God Bless Our Fallout Shelter Fight The Fear – No Sugar Added Goodnight Blue Moon- A Girl I Never Met James Maple – American Dreams Best Overall Band Best Blues Best DJ Best Gospel Best Indie Rock Best Jazz Best Punk Best Reggae Best Singer/Songwriter |
Song of the Year 1974 – “Vera” Balkun Brothers -”Control Yourself” Elison Jackson – “2009″ Fight The Fear – “The Watcher” Best New Band Best Country/Americana Best Folk/Traditional Best Hip Hop Best Jam Band Best Metal Best R&B/Soul/Funk Best Rock Best Tribute Band |
IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I have delightfully attended two outdoor festivals that included music and the arts (oh, and food (read NoRA cupcakes)! I finally feel like Spring is here. It was fantastic to be able to pull out a tie-dye dress and dance barefoot in the grass!
MERIDEN DAFFODIL FESTIVAL
lsg and Oh, Cassius! at Daffy
lsg and Chip McCabe at Daffy
Despite the rain, Daffodil Festival rolled with it. This Festival is many wonderful things to so many different people. Of course, my focus is the music (although, I’ll admit to a corn dog for breakfast on Sunday morning and a bangin taco salad from Maloney). Oh! And…No. I won’t go on.)
It’s a tough gig when you’ve got 3 stages, 35 bands…and it rains. Not drizzle. Epic. But this is a well-oiled machine. After so many years of putting this on, the entertainment production staff for Daffy could probably do this in their sleep! They are family, although not in the blood sense, and zig, zag, and punt to make this happen each year. And I can appreciate that. I’ve been watching this now for my 5th Daffy.
It’s such an amazing experience because everyone pitches in. I have watched seasoned musicians from CT become roadies for 2 days. And they are doing it, in many cases, for bands that are virtually unknown. That’s about love, kids.
This year introduced some musician grandbabies and grandbabies to-be. That was pretty cool.
lsg and Mini Demon Blonde at Daffy
lg and Bop Tweedie at Daffy
Saturday was just…horrible because of the weird freaking weather patterns (and – ehem – the forecasters can’t even forecast I’m drinking vodka tonight – HELLOOOO??) But, the people came anyway. And the show went on. At least in the food tent anyway, until the sky cleared up. At around 12:45, the crew were able to open the Band Shell and then the Welcome stages. Regrettably, The Foresters and Mercy Choir were unable to play but, the rest of the bands really stepped up and made it awesome.
Sunday’s weather wasn’t nearly as bad, mostly sunny, and the people arrived in droves. It’s funny, after 5 years attending, I still have never seen the festival beyond the half circle that is the food tent, the stages, and the ride midway. I stayed until about 2 in the afternoon. I was exhausted. It had started to drizzle again and all I could think about was my couch and not wanting to be rained on again. I’m too old for that shit.
Hats off to Robbie DeRosa and the rest of his crew, who put together the incredible group of 35 bands for Daffy this year. It was proof positive that “the show must go on”!
Check out my photo galleries here…
http://www.localbandreview.com/2014/05/lsg-original-meriden-daffodil-fest-day-1/
http://www.localbandreview.com/2014/05/lsg-original-meriden-daffodil-fest-day-2/
RE:CREATE CT – MAY 3
lsg and the girls at Recreate
lsg and Stephanie Jarm at Recreate
This was Re:Create’s second year. Held on the beautiful grounds of Elizabeth Park in Hartford, it is a day of fun, food, music, and most especially, family togetherness. It’s a holistic festival so you find organic food, yoga, gong meditation, and a strong, healthy group Zumba. I, myself, had the most amazing burrito, enjoyed the gong meditation, danced like no one was watching, and had wonderful mehndi henna drawn on my hand. Oh! And I bought a pair of beautiful crystal earrings. There really was something for everyone. I watched adults and children alike painting a huge mural together. It was such a great concept.
lsg and Mitzi get Mehndi at Recreate
There was a terrific drummer who taught the children to drum and sang with them. In the midst of all this, there were performances by two terrific CT bands. West End Blend got things started with their funky brand of jam and Little Ugly rocked us to close things out. The icing on this beautiful cake? Mother Nature could not have blessed this day with more perfect weather. A great job by Stephanie Jarm. Well done!
http://www.localbandreview.com/2014/05/lsg-original-recreate-ct-2014/
“Spot”light on… Hartfolk Festival –
http://www.usj.edu/arts/carol-autorino-center-arts-humanities/annual-festivals/folk-festival/
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (April 22, 2014) – The second annual Hartfolk Festival will take place on Saturday May 31, 2014 at the Bruyette Athenaeum at the University of Saint Joseph, located at 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, Conn. Hartfolk welcomes headlining act, Poor Old Shine, an Alt-Americana group from Mansfield, Conn. The night also includes craft and art vendors, a wine bar, an Open Mic, and performances by the KC Sisters, Kerri Powers, Rachael Sage, and Sam Moss.
The Hartfolk Festival begins with an Open Mic for the public at 4:00 p.m., followed by the concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $12 – $22 and can be purchased by calling the Frances Driscoll Box Office at 860.231.5555 or online at usj.edu/arts.
Poor Old Shine adds the Hartfolk Festival to its impressive list of venues throughout the region. The band has played to increasingly appreciative audiences at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, DC; Club Passim in Cambridge, Mass.; Rockwood Music Hall in New York City; and Infinity Hall in Norfolk, Conn.
Hartfolk’s theme this year comes from a Poor Old Shine song lyric: “Don’t let your burden touch the ground.” This uplifting notion will be an undercurrent throughout the night’s events. Also performing are the KC Sisters, five sisters ages 10-16 years. Multi-talented and diverse, their work features multi-harmonized vocals, instrumentals, country fiddling, acapella hymns, pop, jazz, standards, and country.
The Festival highlights a range of artists in its in-the-round songwriter set. Recent Connecticut transplant Kerri Powers’ brings her smoky and intimate folk/blues to the stage, along with New York City multi-instrumentalist Rachael Sage. Sage and Powers will be joined by Sam Moss, who grew up in Connecticut, and has won high praise from NPR, Dusted, Pop Matters, and Blurt magazine, among others.
The Hartfolk Festival’s Artistic Director Kate Callahan is impressed by the caliber of musicians applying to the festival each year. “Selecting just a few performers from such a strong pool is not easy,” she says, “I chose this year’s performers because collectively, they channel the past, present, and future of folk.”
While the Hartfolk Festival focuses on the current folk music scene, the Bruyette Athenaeum Performing Arts Series has presented a cadre of veteran folk artists, including Judy Collins, Peter Yarrow, Tom Rush, Richie Havens, Janis Ian, Livingston Taylor, and Jimmy Webb.
lsg’s Featured Event…2014 WILLIE NELSON BIRTHDAY BASH (THIS EVENT WAS LAST WEEK AND I WILL REVIEW IT IN THIS WEEK’S BLOG!)
What: 2014 Willie Nelson Birthday Bash
When: May 9, 2014
Where: Arch Street Tavern, Hartford
Time: 7:00 pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/477136245749262/
What’s cooler than checking out a Willie Nelson show? Watching 10 of CT’s best musicians sing his songs for a good cause (OK, maybe not quite but it’s still going to be freaking good!). On Friday, you’ll be able to see
Krizta Moon – 7:00-7:20
Andy Wakeman – 7:30-7:50
Hannah Fair – 8:00-8:20
Frank Critelli & Mark Mirando – 8:30-8:50
The And Band – 9:00-9:30
Lys Guillorn Band – 9:50-10:20
The Backyard Committee – 10:40-11:10
Them Damn Hamiltons – 11:30-12:00
Elison Jackson – 12:20-12:50
perform songs from Willie’s catalogue as we celebrate his EIGHTY-FIRST birthday. Yeah, 81!
There will be a $10 donation at the door with all proceeds going to CT NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association). CT NOFA is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the practices of ecologically sound farming and gardening, and to the development of local sustainable agriculture. Our efforts give consumers increased access to safe and healthy food. CT NOFA is a growing community of farmers, gardeners, land care professionals, businesses and consumers that encourages a healthy relationship to the natural world.
Find out more here —à http://www.ctnofa.org/
And if you aren’t aware of the amazing accomplishments of our friend Willie, have a look at this video just released a few days ago for his new song “The Walls”. The things he’s done in his 81 years are just incredible. Get out to Arch Street on Friday night!
As always, occupy a venue and get out there and support local!!
Peace, lsg
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PLEASE LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE…WORKING HARD FOR CT LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT http://www.facebook.com/lsgoriginal – and follow my antics on Twitter @lsgoriginal. Web page forthcoming!
Peace…
lsg
Best of Hartford Magazine 2015 - Best Blogger
3rd Place Best Local Blogger, 2nd in Best Twitter
1st Place Best Local Blogger, 3rd in Hyperlocal News
Best Music Blog Hartford Courant Websters 2012
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