WaterFire’s Quiet Brilliance
It’s possible we take WaterFire for granted.
That in and of itself may seem impossible. Surely — if you’ve spent any summers in Rhode Island since 1994 — you’ve braved the crowds and spent an evening circling the river basin in Waterplace Park, tried to catch a human statue blinking in Memorial Park and stood on the College Street bridge, hypnotized by the bonfires burning in braziers down the Providence River. Annually, WaterFire brings $114 million in additional spending to the community and local businesses. Just this May, Smithsonian ranked WaterFire one of the “Five Can’t Miss Summer Light Festivals” in the world, setting Providence alongside destinations like Sydney, Australia, and France’s Rouen Cathedral of Notre Dame. How could we take something so visibly successful and iconic to Rhode Island’s image for granted?
It’s not that we overlook its importance to us as a state. It’s more that the staff and volunteers at WaterFire have become such efficient mercenaries at setting up the whole spectacle, stealth in their black — slipping up the river like ninjas with boatloads of wood, breaking tents down in the cloak of night — that we almost forget what goes into it.
“We’re 23 years old and one of our challenges is we create this thing that goes away and then need to remind people of (what’s behind it),” says Peter Mello, WaterFire’s Managing Director. “We’re relatively invisible outside of the event itself.”
This year, WaterFire’s taking steps to improve their visibility with a move into the new WaterFire Arts Center.
The Arts Center, located on Valley Street in the former US Rubber factory, gives WaterFire an opportunity to reframe who they are, according to Mello. In addition to providing a space to consolidate WaterFire’s production and office facilities, and giving an official home to volunteers, Mello says the building is intended to eventually host a museum and store front, as well as possibly a cafe. A chunk of square footage will be used for a workshop and storage for the organization’s boats (WaterFire builds their own), tents, audio gear, trucks, five miles of electrical cable and other wares.
The space, purchased by WaterFire in 2012, is also intended to act as a facility-for-rental, diversifying WaterFire’s revenue. Events hosted so far range from fundraising parties for the Sophia Academy (complete with silks and aerials from the building’s rafters) to the site of celebration for Jessica Lange’s lifetime achievement award from Trinity Repertory on May 22. The main floor is elegantly industrial, and still encompasses many of its historic features, including an 80-foot green gantry crane presiding over the floor. The high ceilings were designed to fit locomotives.
“The building will help us sustain ourselves,” says Mello. “Ten years ago, we asked ourselves, ‘How long should WaterFire last?’ and the answer was, people didn’t want it to end. Our goal with this building is to transform from an artistic event and activity to an institution, which a lot of people think we already are.”
How WaterFire intertwines with the community and state’s fabric came into play in the funding of the WaterFire Arts Center. Barbara Sokoloff, president of Barbara Sokoloff Associates, who worked with WaterFire to develop their funding package, explained in a video on the Arts Center’s website the financial “jigsaw puzzle” the organization faced: “We needed a package with a compelling argument,” she says, “of how this would benefit a low income community, how it would provide economic development, and that it would make the Olneyville neighborhood a better place to live and to work.”
Next door to the Arts Center, 300 apartments are under development. Farm Fresh is also eyeing a prospective space on the river’s corridor. All signs point to the economically oft-ignored neighborhood being ready to pop.
For a non-profit, a hot neighborhood isn’t always a net plus.
“We were super successful in getting creative in raising funds,” Mello says. “But these grants can only be used toward construction. We still struggle with funding for employee salaries and benefits, for our utilities. The building makes us appear all set, but we still have challenges making a world-class event.”
In addition to its core employees, WaterFire has 2,000 volunteers. An average of 200 volunteers act as guides, feed fires, sell merchandise, take photographs, help guests make a wish with Luminarias, and set up and break down during a full fire. With the new building and workshop, Barnaby Evans — founder and executive artistic director — sees even more creative expansion on the horizon. He hopes to one day construct a Gaspee replica.
“People assume it’s easy to do and it’s cheap,” says Mello. “It’s actually a huge logistical feat. We magically transform downtown in a 20-hour period.”
View WaterFire’s summer schedule at waterfire.org. A Musical Summer in Newport
The musical culture of Newport has attracted tourists from all over the world for decades. The Folk and Jazz festivals at Fort Adams State Park along with the Yachting Center’s Celtic Rock Festival, Reggae Festival, Summer Comedy Series and Summer Concert Series have been favorites of Newport’s tourists and locals alike. The City by the Sea has never been boring for music lovers. However, following years of fun, music and food, the public lost the Yachting Center. In 2014, the Newport Harbor Corporation sold the land to invest further in their ever-expanding restaurant and hotel operations, according to WPRI Eyewitness News. Walking down America’s Cup Avenue at night is now, by comparison, a practically silent venture.
After expressing this grievance to Steve Lepre, he quickly pointed out that Newport’s music scene has never been boring, regardless of the time of year. As I walked down the street in the rain with the promoter and sound engineer of Jimmy’s Saloon, we discussed the current state of things. Steve argued that tourists don’t have to limit their visits to Newport to only once or twice a year in order to hear great music. “You have to remember that Newport pubs didn’t just start hosting live bands after the Yachting Center closed. This has been going on since the 1970s.” Bob Dylan’s revolutionary electric performance in 1965, the Newport ska punk scene, Big World and Throwing Muses are just a few things that came to mind. “Tourists don’t have to go to Fort Adams or another big venue to see a national act. Awesome bands play more often than you think, if you know where to go.”
Leading the resurgence of live music in Newport, Jimmy’s Saloon has actively participated as both a host and an educator. In 2015, Jimmy’s partnered with Collective Thought Media and launched “Straight from the Stage,” a series of interviews exploring the history, influence and goals of Newport’s musical community. Sid Abruzzi of the punk band Big World shares stories about the national acts that have come through Newport over the years. Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Twisted Sister, the Ramones, The Dictators and the New York Dolls have done sets at the Hotel Viking, the Newport Hotel (formerly the Electric Elephant), Festival Field and other, smaller venues. Many of the musicians interviewed reminisced about their favorite events and spots in Newport, all highlighting live music’s communal effect. Lead singer Craig Ferris of We Own Land sums it up when he says, ”Live, local music is basically the heartbeat of any town.”
Over the last five years in particular, Jimmy’s Saloon has carried the torch for live, local entertainment. Not only do they host national acts like The Silks, The Viennagram, Sibinnac and Anklepants, but they also have a constant rotation of local bands. Jimmy’s does not discriminate against genres; IONEYE (Steve’s solo project), Chronovore, Oak Lonetree, Hellbound and the Cannibal Ramblers have all taken to the stage here and have yet to disappoint. Encouraging all musicians to perform, Jimmy’s also hosts an open mic night on Thursdays called Ocean Mic. Like all open mics, it is a fantastic opportunity for local artists to meet and jam with other musicians; but what sets Ocean Mic apart is its patronage and participation. I’ve been to other open mics where the house band just plays the whole time and there’s a handful of people at the bar. At Jimmy’s, they like to keep the line-up diverse and rotating; and, according to Mr. Lepre, sometimes the musicians, comedians and freestylers you see at Ocean Mic can really surprise you, and they might even give your Friday-Saturday headliners competition!
Along with Jimmy’s, other venues have been taking up the call for live entertainment. The Parlor Kitchen & Bar on Broadway hosts an open mic on Wednesdays and is a frequent venue for bands like the Ravers, Whisky Fyre and Folsom, the Johnny Cash Tribute. Buskers, Midtown Oyster Bar, Hotel Viking, Noreys, the Wharf Pub and Pour Judgment have many acoustic solo acts come in on weekends and weekdays alike, including Sean Rivers and Betsy Listenfelt. If live jazz is your thing, head over to the Fifth Element on either Sunday or Monday night to catch acts like the Groove Merchants, and be sure to visit Sardella’s Italian Restaurant on Wednesdays. The Fastnet Pub even has a live traditional Irish session every Sunday night and a live blues band every Monday. As Steve said, you will never run out of options or have an empty day of the week, if you know where to go.
Since the 1970s, Newport has been a hub for creativity, comedy, great shows and festivals, and original music. The city is looked upon amicably by locals and touring musicians alike as a place with great energy and patronage. Unfortunately, many also view the entertainment scene as part of Newport’s bygone days before it became about the mansions, beaches and restaurants; however, people like Steve Lepre want to tell both travelers and locals that it’s far from being a thing of the past. Live, original music is alive and well, and venues like Jimmy’s and the Parlor are there to make sure it is here to stay.
Feeling Free this Summer
There’s so much to do in the summer that the bank account can get drained fast. But there’s plenty to do in RI during the summer that’s free — or very, very cheap — and none of it involves heading to the bathroom when the check comes. Take a look at our list and get in touch with us on Facebook to add your own!
Movies: You should see Wonder Woman in the theater with full surround sound and a large popcorn. But not all movies need to be seen in the theater. You could pile into your clown car and head to Rustic Tri-View for a less expensive alternative, but if even that is too rich for your blood, check out Movies on the Block. There’s a big screen on a brick wall at the corner of Union and Westminster Streets. There, people gather every Thursday night in the summer to watch a free movie (moviesontheblock.com). Vying for your Thursday night attention is Movies in the Park, where kid-friendly flicks are shown in front of the lawn at Rocky Point Park. Bring a blanket and arrive hungry, because you’ll always find a line of food trucks waiting (facebook.com/movienightri).
Parks and Beaches: The RI landscape is gorgeous — there has to be some reason none of us ever leave, right? Get out there and take advantage of all the beaches, parks and hiking trails our little state has to offer (see page XX for some hikes to try). For a full day of fun, go to Slater Park. Wander the park trails, visit the animals at their little zoo, let your dog run around the dog park and dig the change out of your car to take a ride on the carousel (that’s really all it costs!). If you found a few bucks in the pocket of your summer shorts, across the street from the carousel you can take an inexpensive paddleboat trek. The dragon boats are the best.
Museums: Of course you want to be outside during the summer, but rain will happen and so will those horribly hot days that will drive you to seek out a little AC. Those are perfect museum days. Most museums have free days, so if money is tight, that’s the perfect time to go. The RISD museum offers free admission on Sundays and the third Thursday evening of the month. The Natural History Museum in Roger Williams Park is free to Providence residents on the first Saturday of the month, but if your ID doesn’t say you’re from PVD, admission is about the cost of a cup of coffee. The Roger Williams Park Zoo also offers free admission to Providence residents on the first Saturday of the month. If you’re a frequent museum-goer, there’s something to be said for purchasing a membership. The up-front cost can be steep, but can easily pay for itself after a few family visits. Many museum memberships come with reciprocity at other museums. So if you buy a membership to one, you can get into their partner museums for free. Most museums also offer discounts to service members, and it’s also a good idea to contact your local library before planning a museum trip. They often have a few museum passes to offer on a first-come, first-served basis.
Music: Free music practically spills from every corner in the summer. On Tuesday nights, the Kingstown Town Beach offers a free summer concert series. On Wednesday nights, you can find music at the gazebo in Cranston’s Garden City. On Thursday nights, Burnside Park turns into a beer garden and outdoor music venue. The beer isn’t free, but the music and kids entertainment is (Legos and bubbles FTW!). In Narragansett, you can find free music at the gazebo near Town Beach on Friday nights. And competing for your attention is the Waterplace Park concert series, which takes place downtown, also on Friday nights. You should also pay attention to the concerts that take place at the Botanical Center in Roger Williams Park. They aren’t free, but they aren’t expensive, and the grounds alone are worth a visit. Now nearly your whole week is planned. (Ed. Check out The Roots Report on page XX for more free music.)
Free for Kids: If your little ones are climbing the walls with boredom, there’s plenty to keep them (and you) entertained. On Thursday mornings in the summer, head to Burnside Park and lounge on a giant beanbag while people read stories to you, after which kids are lead through a related craft. You can find free storytimes at just about every bookstore and library in the state. The storytimes at The Athanaeum are particularly fun, and on Thursdays in the summer, the librarian takes her show on the road and reads to the kiddos playing on Humboldt Park near Wayland Square. When the temperatures really heat up, Providence cools kids down by turning on the water at various splash pads around the city. The Children’s Museum is another fun place for kids to ease their summer boredom. It offers free admission on occasional Friday evenings, and it’s always free to EBT cardholders. Side note: If you get frustrated when your kid knocks over your awesome Magnet Tile tower, the museum offers adults-only nights when kids can’t interrupt your fun. You can find the same offering at the Roger Williams Park Zoo playground, which is seriously fun. And of course, it wouldn’t be summer without taking your kids to a WaterFire or two (see page XX). They’ll eat too much sugar and stay up too late, but they’ll have awesome memories and you’ll get to smell their smoky campfire hair when you carry your sleeping cherub from the car to bed at the end of the night.
The Newport Yachting Center Lives on in East Providence
Let’s throw the clocks back and reminisce about the Newport Yachting Center, which became the epicenter of music and cultural activity on the Newport Waterfront. Unfortunately, in September 2014, the center was sold due to various complications within the community, specifically noise.
The following summer, Waterfront Productions, which previously operated the Newport Yachting Center, came up with the ingenious idea to bring a similar experience to the people of Providence at India Point Park in Fox Point.
“Our whole goal was to find a venue where we could do something similar, even if it was a smaller season,” said Michele Maker Palmieri, founder and president of Waterfront Productions. “We wanted something where we could have a lease on space and have some flexibility to have a little bit of a semi- permanent situation.”
However, India Point Park is a public place and Waterfront Productions only had a lease for the property to conduct a few major events per year, including the Waterfront Reggae Festival and the Blues & BBQ Festival. So the India Point solution didn’t create a permanent performance venue.
In 2015, Palmieri glanced across the river and saw prime, undeveloped waterfront property in East Providence. This property, Bold Point Park, was to become Waterfront Productions’ new home for the next three summers. In a 18-month process, Waterfront Productions acquired a three-year lease for the space from East Providence.
“Both are very similar in terms of views and accessibility,” said Palmieri when comparing India Point Park and Bold Point Park. “What Bold Point Park has for us is more flexibility in terms of … having a venue set up for a week.”
The goal with Bold Point Park, for Palmieri, is to create an experience around the events, utilizing the property to develop a sort of three-dimensional assault on the senses that will have fans coming back for more.
This summer, the events outnumber those of last year at India Point Park, with the return of both the Reggae and the Blues & BBQ Festivals, as well as Oktoberfest! and appearances by The Beach Boys on August 9 and Railroad Earth on August 24.
However, for next year, Palmieri is going full steam ahead with plans for a bigger and badder season. “The goal for next season is to be booking shows and starting as early as Memorial Day weekend, if possible,” said Palmieri (this year’s season runs from August to October). “[We want] to get it to the level we were at in Newport when we had a summer concert series.”
After the three-year leasing period is over in Bold Point Park, Palmieri wants to create a semi- permanent, seasonal event complex that would host concerts on a regular basis, similar to the Newport Yachting Center. This would include leasing a tent and creating the illusion of an established location. “We left it that if all is going well at Bold Point Park, and it’s working for the city and it’s working for us, the residents, and the community, we would consider renewing that lease and having something a little more long-term,” said Palmieri.
You can find the list of RI Waterfront Events at newportwaterfrontevents.com. Up, Up and Away at the South County Balloon Festival
If you’re looking for some weekend fun that also supports a good cause this July, the South County Rotary Club has just the event for you, complete with hot air balloons, trapeze acts, kooky animal handlers and more! You can find all this at The South County’s 39th Annual Balloon Festival. This event runs from July 21 through the 23 and has a wide spectrum of activities for the whole family.
Attractions include live acts, cars shows, carnival rides and of course, a ride in the sky in a tethered hot air balloon. Tethered balloon rides run from 7 – 9pm Friday through Sunday and 6 – 8am on Saturday and Sunday. These tethered balloon rides are a steal at just $20, and tickets can be bought at the grounds prior to the (weather permitting) ride.
Free activities for kids include a mock fishing pond, where the young ones can cast their own pole and hook a plastic guppy, train rides around the festival and a bouncy house (unfortunately for children only)! But the fun doesn’t stop there. The little ones can test their climbing skills on the rock wall or embrace their animal spirit with some face painting (I’m not sure if this one’s only for the kids, but I’m totally asking).
Even if you’re lacking in enthusiasm for these picturesque airships, there’s still plenty more entertainment in store. Husband and wife daredevil stunt team, Haz and Natasha Winn, come from eight generations of circus performers and are gracing the … air? … of the South County Balloon Festival with their courageous gravity defying act. Bwana Jim’s Wildlife Show is also something not to miss, with the promise of a crazy fun educational wildlife performance and the possibility of seeing a fennec fox or barred owl. Be sure to keep an eye out for this informative critter handler. Last, but certainly not least, the third featured performer is funny man Robert Clarke who will be entertaining the crowds with his comedy, magic and baller juggling skills. All three of these performances will occur each day of the festival. Times are posted on the SC Balloon Festival website and vary by day.
This event is volunteer planned and run and has donated over 1 million dollars to local and global charities over the past 38 years! These include charities such as the R.I. Community Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, R.I. Special Olympics and many other great causes you can find listed on their website. If you’re looking to be a part of this rewarding experience, volunteer spots are still open. Questions about volunteering can be sent to [email protected]
The South County Balloon Festival is one of the most anticipated events in South County. Don’t just take my word for it. Go check out all the action for yourself and make sure I’m not just full of hot air! Rhode Island PrideFest Returns With Added Entertainment
Rhode Island Pride is celebrating its 41st annual PrideFest event to be held on South Water Street. Under the theme “When We R.I.S.E” (Rhode Islanders Standing For Equality), the volunteer-run organization will hold its nationally acclaimed festival on Saturday, June 17 from Noon – 7pm with the illuminated night parade in downtown to follow. Each year offers a diverse blend of performers and entertainment, with this year showcasing many exciting additions and changes. The festival is proud to offer a heightened focus on local talent.
Providence and its surrounding area is filled with amazing performers who are both LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,and queer) identified and friends of the community. While PrideFest has proudly showcased well-known acts from all over the globe, organizers saw this year as the perfect opportunity to celebrate our local talent. With an entertainment budget that isn’t quite what it has been in past years, and a series of events that caused the festival much delay in planning, the task of coordinating entertainment felt daunting at first. Upon further considering our countless local queer performing artists and allies, the work became much more exciting.
Headlining the main stage is the Providence-based and internationally touring act known as the Downtown Boys. Their radically minded punk rock music has been showcased in Rolling Stone Magazine, The New Yorker, and on “Democracy Now.” With clear messages combating transphobia and heterosexism, and avid promotion of racial justice and immigrant rights, the band was a clear choice to headline the socially conscious and LGBTQ-focused festival.
Also headlining the main stage is local Rhode Island rock band Jodi Jolt and the Volt. Featuring a powerful team of trans-women and gender fluid players, Jodi Jolt is no stranger to Pride and happily returns for their third consecutive year. When asked about the motivation behind the band, front person and band leader Jodi commented, “We have to be badass if we are breaking ground for the transgender community. I established The Volt as a band that is a type of sanctuary for transgender musicians who may not be welcome in other bands.”
Other main stage happenings include additional musical acts such as The Fates, Baby Oil and Vulgarrity, over one dozen drag performers, and more. LuLu Locks will be the festival’s leading host throughout the day, and will be accompanied by comedian John Kelley and drag performers Jacqueline DiMera, Vilet Laboss, and Annie B. Frank. The festival also will feature two curated drag performances for the first time ever, as opposed to isolated numbers. The first will be held at 2pm, hosted by Vilet, and the second will directly follow the rally at 5pm led by Jacqueline. Not only is this the first year that each performer being featured will be a local act, it is also the first year with an additional stage. The 93.3 PrideFest acoustic stage will be on Planet Street toward the festival’s main entrance. Mx Bisexual 2017 Tammy Laforest will host the stage, which will run between Noon and 4pm. The stage will be headlined by the local folk duo Tammy & Jeana. Additional acts include singer-songwriters Kim Trusty, Jacob Haller, Michael Thomas Coney, Becca Neveu, and poets Sara Dager and Evander Wilson.
Visit PrideRI.org for information regarding Rhode Island PrideFest including vendor and parade registration, and volunteer signups. To stay up-to-date on countdown events, entertainment, and special announcements please visit facebook.com/prideri.
Free Summer Fun
With so much to do in the summer, wallets can quickly become worn out from overspending. But not to worry — there’s plenty to do in Rhode Island in the summer that’s free — or at least very, very cheap — and none of it involves heading to the bathroom when the check arrives.
Movies: You should see Wonder Woman in a big theater with surround sound and a large popcorn. But not every movie needs that treatment. For a less expensive option, you could pile all your friends into your clown car and head to Rustic Tri-View to see the latest blockbusters. But if that is too rich for your blood, there are movie options for the low, low price of free! For family-friendly flicks, head to Rocky Point Park on Thursday nights where movies are projected on a screen in front of the lawn. Bring a blanket and arrive hungry because there’s always a line of food trucks waiting. For more grown-up movies, check out Movies on the Block on Thursday nights. Once a week, the movie screen on a brick wall at the corner of Union and Westminster Streets downtown draws a crowd of movie lovers and occasionally, a leashed cinephile (they’re usually dogs). Check our listings for the Movies on the Block summer line-up.
Music: Free music practically pours from every corner of the state in the summer. On Tuesdays, head to North Kingstown Town Beach for their summer concert series. On Wednesday nights, you have your pick of gazebo concerts. Check out the live music at the gazebo at Narragansett’s Town Beach, or head to Garden City in Cranston to listen to their gazebo concert. On Thursday nights, head to Burnside Park downtown when the park turns into a beer garden. The beer isn’t free, but the music is. And so is the entertainment for the littles (Legos and bubbles FTW!) On Fridays is the WBRU Concert Series at Waterplace Park. Check out Alt-Nation for this year’s line-up and check out Roots Report for other free music options. It’s also worth paying attention to the concerts held at the Botanical Center at Roger Williams Park. They aren’t free, but they are reasonably priced and the scenery alone is worth the price of admission.
Museums: Most museums in the state offer free or discounted days on occasion. The RISD museum is free on Sundays and the third Thursday evening of each month. The Natural History Museum in Roger Williams Park is free to Providence residents on the first Saturday of every month, but even if your ID doesn’t say PVD, admission costs about the same as a cup of coffee. The Roger Williams Park Zoo also is free to Providence residents the first Saturday of the month. Museum membership is also worth considering if you’re a frequent museum-goer. The up-front cost can be steep, but membership quickly pays for itself after a couple of family visits. Memberships often come with museum reciprocity as well. So if you purchase a membership at one museum, partner museums will let you in for free. Another option is to contact your local library. Many of them hold a few passes to local museums and will check them out to you for the day on a first-come, first-served basis.
Munchkins: If your little ones are climbing the walls, bored with all that summer freedom, fear not! There’s plenty of free entertainment around that will keep kids (and you) busy. On Thursday mornings, head to Burnside Park to enjoy a free storytime. When storytime is over, kids are lead through a themed craft while you lounge on over-sized beanbags scattered on the lawn. Just about every bookstore and library in the state offers free activities and storytimes. The storytime at the Athanaeum is particularly fun, and in the summer, the librarian takes her show on the road, reading stories to little ones playing at Humboldt Park, located near Wayland Square, on Thursday afternoons. When temperatures really spike, Providence keeps kiddos cool by turning on the water at various splash pads throughout the city. And if things get too hot even for the splash pad, head to the Providence Children’s Museum. Admission is always free for EBT cardholders, and admission is free for everyone on occasional Friday evenings. Check their calendar for details. Side note: If you find yourself getting aggravated when little Johnny knocks down your awesome Magnet Tile tower … again! … consider hitting the children’s museum on their adults-only night. The playground at Roger Williams Park Zoo, which is super fun, also has an adults-only night. Neither of these events are free, but wouldn’t you pay any sum of money to finish your damn tower?! And of course, there’s WaterFire. Your kids will eat too much sugar and stay up too late, but they’ll create lasting memories and you’ll get to smell the campfire scent in their hair as you carry your sleeping cherubs from the car to bed.
This list is far from exhaustive — we haven’t even touched on the hiking trails (see page XX), beaches, rivers (see page XX) and old-fashioned block parties. If you have a favorite free event we missed, let us know on Facebook and we’ll share your suggestion.
Last-Minute PVD Fest Music Round-Up
As you’ve probably heard, PVD Fest, the multi-cultural, multi-format behemoth, takes over downtown Providence this weekend. The fest strives to bring together artists from everywhere and throw you out of your comfort zone. Musically, it seems like there may be fewer high-profile acts than last year (2016 featured Screaming Females, The Heavy and Joy Formidable), but there will still be plenty of quality acts to take in.
Motif has brought you coverage of the Mini Maker Faire and the contributions of poet Christopher Johnson. Now here’s a preview of the musical offerings (please note that we don’t have nearly enough room to go through all the artists).
Grandiosity is part of the mission statement of PVDFest: some may remember the time a dude played a giant harp attached to the Superman building. The weekend of festivities will feature a musical event called En Masse, led by renowned composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain, who was at last year’s fest collaborating with local student musicians. En Masse is described as a “large-scale composition created for up to 500 musicians that is entirely new every time it is performed.” It is set to feature marching bands, street musicians (including What Cheer? Brigade), Girls Rock RI and music students from all over the state. I have no sense as to how this will play out, but seems like it could be epic.
I’m probably most excited about Pallbearer, a doom metal band from Arkansas that will most likely blow the eardrums off any casual festival-goers that happen by. With their slow, bone-crushing riffs, they are one of the more notable doom acts of the last few years, and continue to push the boundaries of the genre. With comically bleak album titles like Sorrow and Extinction and Foundations of Burden, you know you’re in for a rollicking good time.
Betty Bonifassi out of Montreal is one to watch out for. Her sound is sort of a blues/hard funk with an electronic backbone, and she’s got a big voice with tons of vibrato. Kind of like Edith Piaf on acid. Or maybe more like Nina Simone on PCP. You’ll have to go to find out.
Los Cafeteras from LA bring a bright, danceable dose of Latin folk music. It’s a fun, old-school vibe, and their performances feel like an impromptu street party. They have acoustic guitars, assorted percussion and joyous vocals.
Showcasing traditional west African styles, Kalifa and Koliba will surely inspire movement in their audiences with booming vocals and a substantial rhythm section. Band leader and Berklee professor, Mohamed Kalifa Camara, expertly pulls from myriad genres, including ska, reggae and funk.
Etienne Charles is a Trinidadian-born, Juilliard-educated trumpeter who will lend an air of sophistication to the event. He’s known for his eclectic style, particularly a mastery of Creole and Pan- Carribean music. In a similar vein, Aurelio Martinez, billed as “The Musical Ambassador for a Traditional Caribbean Culture,” is a Honduran singer-songwriter known for his expressive voice, as well as skillful fretwork.
If electro pop is your thing, you’re in good hands. JLine is a electronic dance artist who you may expect to hear in the club, with a new-age haircut to match. Providence’s Bellerophon, an alternative synth-pop project, is similarly catchy, but a little more atmospheric and experimental.
PVD Fest even found room for some traditional country in Grant Maloy Smith, a singer with a super smooth voice, and whose new album details the experience of living in the Dust Bowl in the 1950s.
It wouldn’t be a festival without some acts from our fair city, and PVD Fest doesn’t disappoint: alt- country stalwarts The ‘Mericans, Liberian-American rapper Skylett White and local composer and songwriter Ben James will be strutting their stuff. Keith Munslow, an RI-lifer known for his acclaimed children’s songs and his work with Superchief Trio, is also on the bill. And of course Big Nazo, the alien puppet funk band that throws down harder than anyone, will be in attendance, so definitely check out their set on the 3rd at 4:30pm.
Even if you’re no more than peripherally interested in any of the above, you really should check out PVD Fest; the sheer magnitude of what they bring into the city is extremely impressive and worth at least a stroll downtown to take it all in. For more info, head to pvdfest.com/artists, where you can filter artists by performance, day, and stage.
Big Nazo Rockets into PVD Fest
“Oh look, there’s a human-fly wearing a tutu.” “Did you miss the bio-mech giraffe?” “How about the rat- faced comedian, Ratso, with a larger-than-life personality?”
These characters aren’t a result of a bad acid trip, rather, a creative renaissance called Big Nazo for filmmaker and performer Erminio Pinque. Established in 1987, Erminio has built an empire around his creatures, which has expanded to include live music, daredevil stunts and comedy.
In the theme of breaking creative barriers, PVD Fest will once again host the Big Nazo creatures, which will be doing something unprecedented this year: holding down the FirstWorks Plaza Stage, the largest stage at the festival, with what has been dubbed the Big Nazo Intergalactic Creature Dance Party.
During the dance party, the Big Nazo Intergalactic Creature Band will play their assortment of space- rock-funk for what will be a multifaceted expedition through the cosmos to entertain us earthly mortals. The band will be joined by Alien Go-Go Dancers, Rowdy Robots, and a collective assortment of various interdimensional beings that can’t wait to beam dancers up to their party in the sky.
The event is scheduled to kick off at 5pm at Kennedy Plaza right after the parade on June 3, which will feature only the best interplanetary antics from the Big Nazo creatures.
Summer Festivals in Rhode Island
The spring has rain, the winter has sadness, and — okay — the fall has amicable weather and colored leaves, and those are pretty great. But let’s be honest: the best time of year is the summer. Even if you don’t love spending your weekends on one of Rhode Island’s 100 private or public beaches, lounging on a freshly dug out “sand couch” with a cold beer in hand, there is plenty to keep everyone entertained — from the food lover to the flower lover and everything in between.
We did our best to cover the range — sorry if we missed a few — but here are our favorite summer festivals to look forward to this summer!
PVD Fest: Drop what you’re doing (after reading this paragraph), and go immediately to PVD Fest. We did a great write-up in the last issue, but the TLDR version is this: It’s a citywide arts festival that overtakes the streets of downtown Providence. There will be music and dance, art installations and artisan crafts, a “Global Food Village” and even poetry that drops from the sky. Curious? Check it out. June 1 – 4; pvdfest.com
The Block Island Music Festival: A free grassroots festival featuring undiscovered local talent in what they describe as “a six-day-long musical gumbo” at Block Island’s premier nightclub, Captain Nick’s Rock ‘n Roll Bar. Bonus: Free barbecue from 5pm onward for festival goers! June 13 – 18; blockislandmusic.com
Newport Flower Show: Calling all horticulturists, Francophiles, and lovers of moonlight, movies, and cocktails. This flower show has it all, as well as presentations by three special guests, including fashion icon Iris Apfel. (The fact that she shares a name with a flower is purely coincidental. Or is it?) June 23 – 25; newportmansions.org
Wickford Art Festival: One of the longest-standing outdoor art festivals in New England, Wickford will host its 55th annual fine arts festival along the main streets of this seaside village. Over 200 artists will display their expertise in acrylics, oils, glass, sculpture, photography, etching, sketching and more. July 8 – 9; wickfordart.org
Warren Quahog Festival: RI natives show off their culinary talents in a wide variety of freshly cooked seafood, chowders, stuffed quahogs, littlenecks and clam cakes. And if you don’t know what a quahog is [KOH-hog: a clam], come experience true Rhode Island cuisine! This festival also partners with the Warren Art Festival on Burr’s Hill Park, featuring artists and live musical entertainment, so you won’t be in short supply of things to do. July 15 – 16
South County Balloon Festival: Described once as “The closest thing to Heaven without dying,” floating skyward in a hot air balloon has always been on my list of life goals. You can take a tethered ride between 6 and 8am, or again at dusk when they do a “Hot Air Balloon Glow,” which roughly translates to “Awesome photo opportunity for people who like to stay grounded.” In between dawn and dusk, this FREE festival on URI campus includes activities for kids and adults, ranging from wildlife shows to daredevil-stunt shows, from train rides to rock climbing. July 21 – 23; southcountyballoonfest.com
Fringe PVD: Presented by the Wilbury Theatre Group, this festival is, in essence, the superior version of open mic nights that allow performers from all backgrounds to have an opportunity to shine. All proceeds from tickets go to the performing artists. July 24 – 29; fringepvd.org
Newport Folk Music Festival: Notorious for tickets selling out within hours, this folk fest is the most popular music event of the year, down at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. July 28 – 30. (Tickets are, of course, already sold out). If you didn’t score one — and don’t happen to own a boat to eavesdrop from the water — you could also try New Bedford Folk Festival: a variety of folk genres performed on multiple stages in downtown New Bedford. July 8 – 9; zeiterion.org
Charlestown Seafood Festival: Surprise, surprise, the Ocean State loves its ocean-caught food! Festival-goers have access to the full gastronomic experience, plus a slew of crafts, adventure activities, amusement rides and even a firework display. August 4 – 6; facebook.com/charlestownseafoodfestival
Washington County Fair: Known as the largest agricultural event in RI, this fair includes a plethora of concerts, agricultural shows, horse pulls, food — even the largest traveling roller coaster in New England. Kids under 10 are free. August 16 – 20; washingtoncountyfair-ri.com Greek Festivals of RI: For those of us who aren’t able to visit Greece this summer (and believe me, I’m in mourning over this), we can attend festivals that bring Greece to us. The first one is in Pawtucket — in its 90th year — complete with homemade traditional foods, a Greek market, games and activities, live music and dance performances. Opa! August 18 – 20; assumptionri.org/GreekFestRI
Necronomicon: Lovecraftian lore galore, a four-day celebration of the strange and unusual. HP Lovecraft’s life, works, and the work of others who embrace weirdness. Running August 17 – 20, experiences range from a pilgrimage march to eldritch art galleries, and from terrifying film screenings to “Golden Key” passes (which sell out nearly a year in advance) allowing access to the void itself, including behind the scenes participation in some of the events. There’s even an ever mysterious costume ball. Visit Necronomicon-providence.com for more information.
Foo Fest: AS220’s annual music and arts festival, originally the “Fool’s Ball,” a carnival-like fundraiser that has since expanded into an all out block party featuring upwards of 25 musical acts with national headliners and art installations through downtown’s Empire Street. August 12, with a family friendly afternoon free for kids under 10 until 6pm. For full schedule and line-ups check out foofest.as220.org/
Rhode Island International Film Fest: Entering its 21st year, the RIIFF is August 8 – 13. In addition to recommending short films for Oscar contention, the fest features things like celebrity guests, a curated musical competition, a film scavenger hunt, and outdoor screenings. Last year’s 273 films came from 66 countries and 34 states! Tickets and show times can be found at film-festival.org.