Rock Out at Somerville PorchFest 2016

Acoustic Guitar
My friend Bill’s birthday is tomorrow, and Bill, much like myself, has an eclectic taste in music. In fact, I have to admit that you would be hard-pressed to find a list of songs that Bill and I didn’t like (there are definitely some out there, but they are few and far between.) As a result, I’m sure if Bill was still living on the East Coast, he would definitely be up for checking out a music festival in the area this weekend, and if you’re looking for a way to get outside and enjoy a wide assortment of different music yourself, PorchFest may be the event for you. This is because PorchFest, which is scheduled to take place from 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 21, 2016), is an annual event sponsored by the Somerville Arts Council that features a collection of independent musicians and bands playing from porches throughout the City of Somerville. This event will feature virtually every kind of music, including alternative, Americana, blues, bluegrass, classical, country, dance, disco, folk, funk, gospel, jazz, hip hop, metal, pop, punk, rap, reggae, rock, show tunes, ska, techno, traditional music from around the world, and pretty much every other type of music you can think of. Best of all, the event is completely free and open to everyone, so you can hear a ton of good music without breaking the bank. For more information on PorchFest 2016, including a map detailing where to find each band, please visit the Somerville Arts Council’s website.

Photo via VisualHunt

Indulge Your Artistic Side This Weekend

Desert Snake Sand Sculpture
Summer has always been a great time to explore the art around us because it’s much easier to sing, dance, and create outside when you aren’t knee deep in snow. In fact, there is never a shortage of performers ready and waiting to demonstrate their artistic skill during this time of year, and this year is certainly no exception. As a result, if you’re looking for a way to indulge your artistic side this weekend, you’re in luck because there are a couple of events that are certain to help you find the artistic indulgences that you seek.

First, if you’re looking for a way to hear some great music without giving all of your money to a ticket broker, you should definitely check out the Boston Summer Arts Weekend. The Boston Summer Arts Weekend, which runs from 11:00 A.M. to approximately 11:00 P.M. tomorrow (July 25, 2015) and 12:30 P.M. to approximately 6:00 P.M. Sunday (July 26, 2015) is an arts festival that celebrates music in all its forms. This festival features a number of well-known and not-so-well-known performers playing Americana, blues, classical music, children’s music, folk music, and more. Best of all, all of the performances at the festival are completely free and open to the public, so you can listen to hours of great music without paying a dime. For more information on the Boston Summer Arts Weekend, which is sponsored by the Boston Globe, Citizen’s Bank, and WBGH, please visit the Boston Globe’s Boston Summer Arts Weekend page.

Secondly, if you’re looking for a way that you can head to the beach and still tell people that you were taking in some art, Revere Beach has you covered. This is because Revere Beach is hosting the 12th Annual Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival this weekend, which means that from today until Sunday, you can see over 20 sculptors from around the world carefully crafting incredible works of art out of sand. In fact, this festival will not only give you the opportunity to see some truly awesome sand sculptures but will also give you and your family the opportunity to enjoy kid’s activities and rides, fireworks, food, live music, and more. For more information on the 2015 Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival, which is absolutely free for everyone to attend, please visit the Revere Beach website.

Photo credit: Eric Kilby / Foter / CC BY-SA

Great Musicians Through the Ages

Flaming GuitarIf you read my post from last week, you may have noticed that there are a fair number of musical events around this time of year. In fact, this is really the concert season, so if you’re looking for a way to listen to some great music without giving all of your money to the online ticket sellers of the world, then you’ve come to the right place. The only thing to remember is that with no shortage of concerts comes no shortage of choices, so if you’re one of those people that has an awful time making up your mind, it may be a little tough to decide on what to do this weekend. However, there are a few concerts that stand out from the rest, not only for the skill of the musicians involved but also for the limited impact they will have on your wallet.

As a result, if you’re a big fan of guitars and you would love to see the next generation of guitarists before they become the next big thing, you may want to check out Boston GuitarFest. Boston GuitarFest, which is hosted by the New England Conservatory and Northeastern University, is a series of workshops, competitions, and most importantly, concerts that are designed for young guitarists. These concerts not only feature some of the best emerging guitarists (both with acoustic and electric guitars) currently out there but also feature some of the best dancers, drummers, flutists, pianists, violinists, and other performers that you will ever see. Best of all, the price for most of the concerts is pretty reasonable, as each concert will typically fall into the $10 to $40 range. For more information on Boston Guitarfest, which runs until this Sunday (June 29, 2014), please visit the Official Boston GuitarFest website.

If, on the other hand, you’re not really into guitars or you like your musicians to have a little more experience, you may want to check out Pops on the Lawn. Pops on the Lawn is a concert at Sennott Park in Cambridge that will feature the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra. This concert will allow you and your family to listen to classical music, marches, movie themes, patriotic songs, show tunes, and other similar music designed for the whole family. However, the best part of this particular concert is the fact that it is absolutely free. For more information on Pops on the Lawn, please visit the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra’s Event page.

Finally, if you’re one of those people that thinks of a medieval ballad every time someone mentions classical music, you may want to head over to the Waltham Farmer’s Market this weekend. This is because the Waltham Farmer’s Market is hosting a performance by the Solstice Sackbuts from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (June 28, 2014.) The Solstice Sackbuts are a trio of musicians that specialize in classical, medieval, and renaissance music with a little pop and jazz thrown in as well. These musicians, which have appeared at a number of different venues including King Richard’s Faire, will dazzle you with their musical talents while teaching you about composers throughout the ages. For more information on the Solstice Sackbuts Concert at the Waltham Farmer’s Market, which is absolutely free (unless you end up buying something at the market), please visit the Solstice Sackbuts website or the Waltham Farmer’s Market Concert page.

Photo credit: Yuri Samoilov Photo / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)