Photos from last year’s porchfest. (Photos by John T. Ward)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Let’s be honest here, folks. Not every town can pull of what Red Bank is going to pull off this weekend.
We’re talking about Porchfest, the now-annual community event in which musicians turn front porches into stages and flood the streets with music. Almost 100 acts will appear at two dozen locations playing everything from rock to jazz to folk and classical.
The idea started in Ithaca, New York and has grown worldwide, but it takes a certain type of town to make it work.
A walkable town with a critical mass of creative types who may have been honing their craft on stages world wide for decades or in their own bedroom for a year. Red Bank has all the ingredients, making Porchfest a true celebration of what makes the town great.
Marta Quinn, one of a team of organizers of the event, marvels at how it all comes together and what it reveals about the town.
” I’m stunned,” she said describing her reaction to the first two years of the festival. “I still can’t believe it. I know a lot of these musicians and then, I don’t know more of them. I”m like where did you come from? How have I not heard you?”
She continued: “Some are full bands, some are solos some are duos some are just singers, some are songwriters. And what I love, love, love about a porch fest is you don’t have to be the best singer, you don’t have to be the singers that’s got albums and on a circuit with a manager. It’s your love for music, it’s your interest and nobody’s judging you because it’s all about that. It’s all about the creative..Just be up there and be in front of people.”
“It doesn’t matter, you don’t have to be the best. And that’s so powerful. and there’s people who just want to write songs and they get their art out.”
The festival is from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and the last set of music is from 5:00- 6:00 PM at Linden/Hudson Avenue. A full list of locations, artists and set times is at the end of this post. A map of locations and bike routes is below and also available at redbankporchfest.com.
In addition to the musical performances, this year’s Porchfest introduces “Porch Art,” a new feature
that highlights the work of local artists. “The artistic displays will be scattered throughout the town, offering festivalgoers a chance to explore Red Bank’s charming streets while enjoying the creativity on display,” a porchfest press release reads.
This year, there will be a shuttle available to transport attendees between the west and east sides of Red Bank. Additionally, a dedicated bike lane will be provided for rider safety.
This event is sponsored by the Count Basie Center for the arts, with proceeds going to the nonprofit HABcore. Here’s the list of locations and artists.
| 15 Hudson Ave | 12:00-12:45 Omega Train (Indie rock, Americana) 1:00-1:30 Redbird (Classic Rock) 1:45 Shred Bank Players (Old Time Folk) 3:00 Ryan and Friends (Americana, Soul, Rhythm and Blues) 5:00 City Asylum |
| 66 John St | 12:00 Dan Leyes (Americana) 1:00 Cynful Ukes 2:00 Too Cool to Bluff (Jam Band Dead/Phish) 3:00 Anotherside (Blues/Rock/Reggae) 4:00 The Sunken City (Indie/alternative/folk-tinged originals) |
| 53 Wallace St | 12:00 Rick and Friends (Americana) 1:00 Asbury Jam (Acoustic original songs) 2:00 Tony Scanell (Classic/originals) 3:00 Jennifer and Billy (Rock) 4:00 Eye Violet (90s, Rock, Acoustic Duo) |
| 34 Tower Hill Ave | 12 Helen O’Shea and Paul Marzano (Americana) 1:00 Mr Scott (Popular Blues and Country) 2:00 Just Sum Guy (Pop/Acoustic) 4:00 Mixt (Acoustic singer/songwriter, folk, bluegrass, rock) |
| 22 Tower Hill Ave | 12:30 Kiersten Blue (Rock/pop) 2:00 Vansanders (Folk/Punk/alternative/singer songwriter) 3:00 Sixth Vision Band (60’s to present) 4:15 Designated Blue Rays (Electric Blues) |
| 37 Drummond Place | 12:00 and 4:45 Acoustic Moonlight (duo) 12:45 Nameling (Indie Pop/Indie Rock) 1:45 Goldie the Songstress (Jazz) 2:45 Darren Pinelli (Original Rock) 3:30 Elliot Maher (Folk/rock) |
| 146 Branch Ave | 1:00 Ricardo (Folk- Americana) 2:00 The Burners (Soul-jazz, R&B, swinging blues, organ trio) 3:00 Rare Occasion (American Standards/Gypsy Jazz) 4:00 Kevin horn (Rock/Folk) |
| 22 Leighton Ave | 1:00 Shotgun Bill Anania (Americana) 2:00 Andy Judkis (Americana) 3:00 MØNTE (Indie pop) 4:00 Blisstique (Indie) |
| 98 Leighton Avenue | 12:45 PK (Country Rock Blues) 1:30 Pat Foran Band (Pop/Rock/Americana) 2:45 Bands of Strays (70s Rock) 4:00 Nick Clemons (Alternative rock, Blues & Funk) |
| 126 Harding Rd | 12:30 Puppy Grease 1:20 Leby Okun 2:10 Blush the Band 3:00 Emerson Woolf 3:50 Death by Fiction 4:40 Motherway comedy by Mike Kava the manchild and blush the poet all afternoon |
| 188 Mechanic St | 1:00 Del Boca Vista (Lounge Yacht Rock, 70’s R&B Grooves, and Breezy Funk) 2:00 Robert Ender (Classic Rock/Blues & Originals) 3:00 Forever King Clark (Rock) 4:00 JO & the Highland Express (Funk/R&B/Soul) |
| 105 East Bergen | 12 Patty C 1:00 Daly Rituals 2:00 Sweet Lou & The River Rats (Rock’n’Roll) 3:00 Cranston Dean 4:00 En Delirium (Singer Songwriter / Rock) |
| 150 River Road | 12 TOMORROW OF LAST YEAR (Rock) 1:00 Anyones Guess (Americana) 2:00 School of Rock Red Bank (Classic Rock) 3:15 corinne Vergari/kelly from pepperwine (broadway) |
| 34 Chestnut St | 1:00 Smokey Grey band (Classic Rock and Blues) 2:00 Young Benny (Hip hop/pop) 3:00 S0ulfood (R&B) 4:00 Get Lit (Rock) |
| 36 Arthur Place | 12 Danny baker (Rock/Alt/Singer-Songwriter) 1:00 Brian Nohl 2:00 Mikey Pianoforte 4:00 Ghost Lounge |
| 53 West Sunset | 12:00 Ron Maletich and friends 1:00 Debbie and Paul (60s, 70s, 80s, Classic rock Motown, Jazz, and Blues) 2:00 Tony Testa 3:00 Conor Quigley 4:00 Morrisy Trio |
| 235 Broad St. | 1:00 Octopus Music School (Classic Rock) 2:00 Octopus Music School (Classic Rock) 3:15 Applaud Our Kids (Singers) |
| 22 Elm Place | 1:00 Gary Wright (Reggae) 2:00 Poppa John Bug (Rock/blues) 4:00 Public Saxophone (Alternative) |
| 131 South Street | 1:00 Tom Mancuso (Easy Listening) 2:00 Michael Cappetto (Rock) 3:00 Melissa Toomey (Folk/Gothic Country) 4:00 Marc Del Giudice (Singer/songwriter) |
| 108 Hudson Ave | 12 Spyhouse 1:00 I Can’t Do Tuesdays (Punk) 2:00 Sensoren (Experimental Electronic) 3:00 Jess and the dropouts (Hard Rock) 4:00 Full Steen Ahead (Classic punk and other nuggets) |
| 75 Oakland Street | 12 Dale Lakata (Americana) 1:00 Boyer and the Blonds (Rock/Alternative) 2:00 Six Ways To Nowhere (Classic and modern rock) 4:00 Erik Mason Band (Soft Rock) |
| 77 McLaren St | 1:00 Ryan And Norman “The Unique Piano Duet” (New Orleans, Blues, & Rock) |
| 18 Deforrest Ave | 12:15 Dodgy Neighbors (Classic punk alt. rock) 1:30 Robert Bryson (Indie Folk) 2:45 Bran’spanknoop (Covers/originals 90’s/2000’s vibe from all genres but with a BranSpank’Noop sound) 4:00 Steve Owsinski (Pop/Acoustic) |
| 167 South Street | 12:30 Alex Varga (Classic rock) 1:45 Leah Thompson (Singer/songwriter) 2:45 Sawmill Run Old Time String Band (Old Time) 4:00 Trans Charger Metropolis (Rock) |
| 17 Madison Ave | Fungiis (Indie Rock/Alternative) Lunchbox Riot (Indie Rock/Alternative) |
| Maple Ave & Waverly Pl | Zeik Dental Jam https://www.instagram.com/thefoesoffern/p/DAQ_T6dgbsA/ |
| 51 Monmouth | Lakehouse Music Academy https://www.lakehousemusicacademy.com/events-1/open-house-red-bank |
| Johnny Jazz | 3:00-5:00 David O’Rourke Trio |
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
