Monday, July 19, 2010

Recap: Day #2 of Polish Hill Arts Festival


I was sooo thrilled to be able to attend Day#2 of the Polish Hill Arts Festival and meet so many amazing folks at the artist market and at the Civic Association. I'm sold and definitely want to take up residence in this wonderfully eclectic and friendly, community-oriented neighborhood.

To give a brief shout out to a few of the many wonderful vendors that I chatted it up with, check out:
    The music around 5pm was most fantastic... I wanted to marry it and have little tambourine-toting babies with it:) I think it was the ensemble "Good Game Good Game Good Game" who were playing at the time. Please correct me in the comments if I am wrong; the band had an accordionist, two trumpet players, a bass drummer and several others. It was so great to see the crowd dancing to this really emotive and ethnic (gypsy-style... think Beirut, March of the Zapotec) music and for me to be able to exercise some of the belly dancing grooves I’ve been learning. Such a perfect afternoon!

    For my own reference (and your benefit as well), I copied this info from the Free4All Music Festival Fb Event Page. Give some love and a listen to these local/semi-local bands who are living the dream:
    "Free4all Music Fest sat July 17th and Sunday July 18th Noon to 9 pm all ages and free! Lineup is as follows however is subject to changes due to unforeseen events etc.for more info please email Project.53@hotmail.com or call 412-897-6943 between noon and 9 pm

    Special thanks go...es out to the sprout fund and the Polish Hill Civic Association. Sunday's music is part of the Polish HIll Arts Festival, taking place on Brereton St You can check in at project 53 at 3354 Melwood Ave for more information and maps.

    Project 53 (Musician Resource):  http://www.myspace.com/project53pgh


    Featured Artists:

    The Armadillos 
    folk rock/Americana – PGH

    The Armadillos play upbeat, original music with traditional Appalachian influences and less-than-traditional instrumentation. Their music is like-able, dance-able, and at home sharing the stage with a variety of genres and bands, from bluegrass and folk to punk and indie rock. At the moment, they're hard at work releasing their first album, due out this summer.http://www.myspace.com/pittsburgharmadillos

    Coaltown Noir
    eerie gypsy/jazz/folk – PGH
    Coaltown Noir is usually a four piece act, but will be performing as a two piece for the Free For All Music Festival. A mixture of Accordion, Tenor Banjo, Washboard, and Washtub Bass instrumentation will be utilized to present Coaltown Noir original songs and old Jazz traditionals.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coaltown-Noir/112143868809911

    Midge Crickett
    singer-songwriter wielding humor and a cello – PGH
    Midge Crickett is neither a midge nor a cricket. She is a human who writes silly songs which she sings while accompanying herself on the cello. She is the President of The Pittsburgh League of Mispronouncers and the recently organized Society for Middle Children. She also plays the Ukulele.http://www.myspace.com/midgecrickett

    Disapyramids:
    PGH-  white black metal / 2012 dance musik

    Evil Twin
    eerie solo folk with f/x – PGH, and a Polish Hill resident!

    Gina Favano + others
    electric strings, heartfelt wailing
    will be performing with accompaniment from Sam Pace (Gangwish, Centipede Eest) on drums. http://www.myspace.com/eviltwinpittsGangwish (solo drumkit and drum triggers – PGH) skylift, gondola; alpine high altitude drum music; valley melodies; plateau lyrics; the special l.o.w.http://gangwish.net/

    God Damned Gallows
    Michigan
    Hailing from the rustbelt, the GD gallows have been blazing their own path through America with a completely new sound. its like an oldtimey vaudevillian sound brewed in the streets of LA and Detroit. http://www.myspace.com/thegallowspdx

    Good Game Good Game Good Game 
    Pgh Cumbia influenced drum band

    Tamalemakerscenepaintermetalworkerenumeratorpreschoolerbikefixertranslatorbakercore
    Invisible w/ Mark Dixon and Bart Trotmen

    experimental improve music and homemade instruments – Greensboro , NC
    Invisible is a collective that takes several forms. This performance, “Rhythm 1001,” will feature a sprawling electromechanical drum machine made by Mark Dixon with cassette, video and sound processing by Bart Trotman. Available while supplies last. In the future: there are no moving parts, sound is invisible, xylophones have screens. http://www.myspace.com/invisiblesounds.

    Michael Johnsen
    experimental electronics – PGH
    Live-electronics with homemade equipment - an integrated system of devices specifically for live performance whose idiosyncratic behaviors are revealed through their complex interactions.The extensive patching of large numbers of devices produces simple sounds, sudden transients and charming failure modes; embracing the dirt in pure electronics.http://www.spiralcage.com/blog/?tag=michael-johnsen

    The Moonlighters
    Appalachian folk trio – PGH
    The Moonlighters are an Appalachian, Old Time, Traditional Roots group who can often be found walking the streets of Polish Hill, Lawrenceville, and Bloomfield with banjos, guitars, fiddles, and other odd assortments of instruments. They especially enjoy singing hundred year old songs on the sidewalk. If you see them, say hello! http://www.myspace.com/themoonlighters412

    Mother Of Fire 
    haunting violin rock trio – Minneapolis , MN
    "Mother of Fire", the final performance of the evening ( Mpls based trio, wall of sonic groovy sound, heavy on the violin.)http://www.myspace.com/motheroffiremusic

    Buddy Nutt
    old-timey folk/jazz/etc. multi-instrumentalist – PGH
    Buddy Nutt is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and introverted show-off. Harkening back to simpler times with instruments like gut-bucket bass, singing saw and ukulele, while looking ahead to a time when instruments (like trumpets, tenor horns, and didgeridoo) will be recorded, and played back, all with the control of one’s foot. Buddy Nutt provides a most appropriate live performance for any contemporary recession. http://www.buddynutt.com/

    Bridgette Perdue
    keys and percussion and sweet lungs
    Acoustic piano, an innovative hybrid of pop and RnB reminiscent of John Legend or Colbie Cailat. http://www.bridgetteperdue.com/

    The Runaway Circus
    a circus, always gonna be impressive – Asheville , NC
    The Runaway Circus and the Loose Cabooses performance troupe has astounded the Asheville area with their breathtaking performances in the Cold Cut Circus, the Extremely Soon Circus, and Sun-Up Giddyup. With extraordinary feats of acrobatics, juggling, diablo, clowning and musical talent, they are sure to leave any audience member with their jaw dropped and their stomach aching from laughter. Members of this troupe have studied the circus arts extensively in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle. http://www.runawaycircus.com/runaway.html


    Secret Tombs 
    PGH - Dead Moon meets Rush


    Short Dark Strangers
    soul punk rock’n’roll PGH
    Punk so good you’ll think it’s the 80’s
    http://www.myspace.com/theshortdarkstrangers

    Mike Tamburo
    PGH - Hammered Dulcimer from another realm.

    Timbeleza
    Brazilian samba percussion ensemble - PGH
    http://www.timbeleza.com/index.htm

    Viva la Vox south Florida swampfiend death march music/ jack the pumpkin kings house band
    http://www.myspace.com/vivalevox



    WORKSHOPS at PROJECT 53:
    Located at 3345 melwood ave 15219

    Sat July 17
    Intro To Rap Amos - 1pmGoal: Get participants to appreciate poetry as rap and rap as poetry, and realize how easy it is for them to make it on their own. Deepen participants humanity by getting them to think about, appreciate and express the story of their life thus far Start with presentation on poetry, and it's relationship to rap music. Rap is poetry, poetry is rap. Nearly every culture in the world and throughout history has had a popular art form that consists of poetry and music. Anthropologists call it declamation. We call it rap. We also call it spoken word, performance poetry, theater, or just plain poetry


    Singing 101Gina Favano, (projects include the solo band "Evil Twin") will facilitate a workshop on singing. Participants will learn vocal and breathing exercises together, and of course, sing together.

    Electronics 101 4pmTo lead across: the intimate relations of microphones, pickups, coils, record cartridges, rump shakers and homemade loudspeakers. This workshop will concentrate on the satisfying use of common and unusual devices for amplifying “things”. From the humble telephone to the guitar pickup, contact mic and radiuo reciever, we’ll focus on that intimate and creative subject- sniffing out small sounds and making them big, revealing the microphone as musical instrument in it’s own right. For anyone with even a passing interest in making their amplified “things” sound better- whether guitar strings, fish tanks, cacti or empty rooms

    Gong Healing Workshop- 6pmCrown of Eternity- Vibrational Healing: Mike Tamburo and Gallina Naim will immerse you in a meditational bath of healing sounds from gongs, singing bowls and bells. Allow the vibrations of sacred tones to sweep over you- cleansing healing and harmonizing you on all levels. How to turn a 2X4 into a xylophone-8pmMaking basic tonal bar percussion instruments can be easy. We will be using power tools to speed up the process and get results within a short workshop. However you will leave the workshop with the fundamental concepts for making a xylophone at home using basic hand tools and scrap materials.


    Sun July 18
    How to play the Musical Saw Buddy Nutt 1pm Appropriate for families with children 8 and up. It would include a 20-30 minute “lecture/concert” featuring Buddy Nutt’s use of the saw in his off-beat one-man band and a hands-on playing and practice session with mallets and bows with one-on-one wandering instruction from the presenter. The program would conclude with a “Chorus of Saws” and distribution of materials detailing where to find or buy one’s own musical saw and how to make your own bow.

    Accordion 101: Bellows, Buttons, Keys and Reeds Rick 3pm A workshop about wrestling with bellows, buttons and keys, as well as unveiling some of the mechanical mysteries behind the majestic voice of the accordion.

    Brazilian Drumming 101 Timbeleza 5pmfocusing on the rhythms of Brazilian samba

    DIY Musical Instruments: Coaltown 7pm Instructing individuals how to build rhythm instruments on low or no dollars. Rather than use an upright bass and full drum kit, Coaltown Noir has utilized the Washtub Bass, Washboard, and Suitcase Kick Drum. This workshop will demonstrate the construction and application of these instruments. 


    Time Schedule

    sat music at pool: noon moonlighters 1pm - michael johnsen2 - mike tamburo3- gangwish4- secret tombs5- aramadillos6-runaway circus7- short dark strangers
    sat music at kaufman clinic 5pm - invisible w/ mark dizon and bart trotman
    sat workshops at project 531pm- lyricology4- electronics6- gong therapy8- xylophone


    sun music at brereton: noon - bridgette perdue1- coaltown noir2- midge crickett3- timbeleza4- buddy nutt5- good game6- evil twin7- mother of fire8- bear cub


    sun workshops at project 531- singing3- accordion5- drumming7- coaltown noir"

    No comments:

    Post a Comment