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| The West Side Cowboys (photograph by David Sussman) |
Imagine boarding a free ferry to a
small island in the East River. Away from the busyness of Manhattan
and Brooklyn, but still with their iconic skyline views, the idyllic
Governors Island is full of lush greenery. The volunteer-operated,
ticket-less and free admission 13th Annual Porch Stomp took place in
this idyllic setting on June 20.
Hundreds of attendees boarded the
ferry from downtown Manhattan with blankets, folding chairs and
picnic baskets, prepared for a day-long acoustic music marathon. The
annual Porch Stomp Folk Music Festival celebrated traditional and
contemporary folk music, including Americana, bluegrass, blues,
cajun, country, Irish music, old-time and a light touch of rock and
roll. The accordions, banjos, fiddles, guitars, harmonicas,
mandolins, guitars, harmonicas and upright basses were for the most
part played without electricity. Some vocalists used microphones,
others sang into the open air. Because of the lack of amplification,
many of the stages were just a few yards apart without a bleeding of
sound.
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| Life of Reilly's (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Dust Bowl Choir (photograph by Alan Rand) |
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| Christian and Cole (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Wooden Jelly Spoon & Peanut (photograph by Alan Rand) |
Porch Stomp started in 2014 with
musicians playing on the porches of the houses on the island. Before
long, the participants outgrew the limited number of porches and
gravitated to the grass of Nolan Park, Colonel’s
Row and Liggett Terrace. Throughout the small island, attendees
immerse themselves in workshops, jam sessions, and opportunities for
spontaneous collaboration. There is even dedicated space for contra
and square dancing. Unlike typical music festivals, Porch Stomp lets
anyone take part, and all events are free and open to the public.
Each year, the outdoor music festival
grows exponentially. This year, more than 250 musicians and combos
performed across 21 “stages.” Local arts organizations and music
venues that support traditional music curated and produced a day-long
program for their area on the fields. Cowgirl Seahorse, the Folk Music Society of
New York, the Jalopy Theater, and the Peoples' Voice Cafe were among
the hosts that featured live acoustic music from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
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| QueenPins (photograph by Alan Rand) |
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| Rew Starr (photograph by Alan Rand) |
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| Diamond Spur Rodeo (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Riyae Park and Christian Apuzzo (photograph by David Sussman) |
Porch Stomp is a free, volunteer-run
music celebration produced in association with Make Music New York, a
not-for-profit organization that connects musicians, fans, and the
public spaces of New York City. Porch Stomp functions by way of a
100% volunteer-run team of artists and community builders. Porch
Stomp is fiscally sponsored by Make Music New York, a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization; all contributions are 100% tax deductible.
Links
to related articles
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| Matt Basille (photograph by David Sussman) |
 |
| JM Clifford (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| The Mill (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Carol Lester (photograph by Alan Rand) |
 |
| The Don Turner Quartet (photograph by Alan Rand) |
 |
| Bricks and Bones (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Cynthia and Kevin (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Dave Gross and Friends (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Dirty Mother String Band (photograph by David Sussman) |
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| Paper Anniversary (photograph by David Sussman) |
***
The
Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music
circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All
photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted
otherwise.
For
a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly,
swing the desktop cursor to the right of the home page and click on
the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."
For
a more complete listing of upcoming performances in the New York City
area, visit The
Manhattan Beat's
June
calendar.
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