Green River Festival in Western Massachusetts discovered the power of the headliner this year. With Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue closing out Saturday night and with the added punch of Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band ending the Festival on Sunday, it was sold out completely for the first time in its 28 years. But to my pleasant surprise, it didn’t feel overcrowded in the slightest.
Although there were over 30 bands playing, three stood out with Troy Andrews, aka Trombone Shorty, delivering the strongest. Always a polished and highly entertaining act, Troy kicked off his set with new material, forcing the few in the crowd packing up for the night to take notice. Presiding over the stage, he whipped up the crowd, alternating between his trombone and singing. He strutted around the stage visibly inspiring his talented band members to kick it up a notch, which they did. An hour and a half later, he closed with a stellar version of St James Infirmary, leaving the stage to the band before returning to finish, finally picking up his trumpet. When he launched into an encore of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, it was the only time the show hinted of New Orleans schtick.
Dave Alvin, a roots festival perennial, is usually backed by his own band, The Guilty Ones (including stellar drummer Lisa Pankratz), however, this time he was also on stage with his brother Phil Alvin (of The Blasters) for the first time in about 30 years. They drew from their new album of Big Bill Broonzy songs, Dave’s own thoughtful, personal guitar-driven songs, and Blasters material. Dave and Phil introduced each song in a way that was educational, personal, and wholeheartedly entertaining. The Alvin brothers stage banter hinted at their shared history, competition and acrimony, as demonstrated in the hilarious “What’s Up With Your Brother”. Currently on tour supporting Common Ground, they have a clear-cut set that hits many high points but with such a deep playbook and a 75 minute time limit, missed some personal faves.
Parsonfield, or as they were known until halfway through their first set, Poor Old Shine, were another Saturday highlight playing both the big stage mid-day and then an intimate acoustic set in the small Poet’s Seat tent that evening. Foot-stomping country folk with a touch of anything that energizes the music is what they play, and play well. You can’t take your eyes off lead singer Chris Freeman, unless it’s to check out the myriad instruments played – the usual mandolins, guitar, banjo, accordian, gorgeous resonator upright bass but also a saw bowed eerily and a stringed gourd sitting atop the pump organ.
Green River, a regional music festival formerly put on by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, has always featured a stellar mix of national acts, New England-rooted bands as well as local up-and-comers. With Signature Sounds now at the helm, the quality of the acts continued offering a full range of roots rocks, singer-songwriter, Americana, alt-country, New Orleans and party band, hinting that they will continue to draw not only from their roster of acts but from wealth of bands on the festival circuit and local roots music community.
Some of the other big acts included The Lone Bellow, who was clearly having fun on stage. Although they had a fuller sound than I heard on last year’s tour, their soaring three-part harmonies were still impressive. Puss’n’Boots, a country-rock trio of Norah Jones, Catherine Popper and Sasha Dobson seemed to please the crowd, and although too country and soprano for this reviewer’s taste, seemed to have benefitted from their current tour. The James Hunter Six re-creating 60’s soul, played a tight set as well. Lucius, in mini orange swing dresses, white high socks, and platinum bobs, stood out both for their perfectly in sync voices as well as their matched mod school girl look, one of the few bands of the festival with a stage backdrop. The Debo Band, an 11- piece big band of Ethiopian-flavored hypnotic instrumental pop added a dash of fun and uniqueness or as the local radio station 93.9/The River (and sponsor) says “Different is Good” and was definitely “CD-worthy”. Heather Maloney and Darlingside closed their set with a brilliant version of “Woodstock”; you wanted to close your eyes and savor it, but then you’d have missed the visual of the five singers and instruments crowded around one mike. Closing the second stage, after a travel snafu forced her to miss her earlier time slot, Alynda Lee Segarra led off her Hurray for the Riff Raff set solo before launching into a her country-twinged folk. Her songs are intensely personal and well crafted, and although the set was enjoyable, it was missing something. Barnstar! also delivered a solid country folk set with hints of gospel, while Trampled by Turtles, who played late Sunday, launched into a raucous set of harmony-rich bluegrass as storm clouds gathered. Undeterred by the transition from occasional sprinkles to teeming rain, the crowd responded with raincoats, umbrellas and loud cheers.
The festival also serves as a sort of incubation ground for newer bands just getting their start. No band personified this more than The Snaz a quartet of Brattleboro teenagers who’s music falls somewhere between pop and rock with a small helping of angst. The Deadly Gentlemen, a new collaborative of established musicians played a fun set that centered on bluegrass, but was infused from everything from folk to hints of punk. Girls Guns & Glory played the most straight ahead country set of the festival. The Gaslight Tinkers had as much fun as anybody on stage and managed to pull off mixing Celtic music with Caribbean, bluegrass and American folk. The Dirty Bourbon River Show played an eclectic mix of carnival inspired music that incorporated New Orleans brass band sounds with jazzy piano and random acts of opera – you’ll have to listen to them to fully understand. Other bands like Lady, And the Kids, Putney Vaudeville, Grant Lee Phillips and Ana Tijoux got valuable time on stage and held the crowd nicely.
With a line up this eclectic and sometime local, I can’t say I enjoyed everything but I at least welcomed the introduction to these bands. The only disappointment was The Dirty Dozen Brass Band who performed a lackluster version of the New Orleans brass band sound they created, and focused on New Orleans standards, perhaps because relegated to the second stage.
With new management there were other changes. The best was the addition of a local artisanal beer vendor, Berkshire Brewing Company. Other welcome changes were the swapping of a dance tent (frequently overcrowded and not hosting dance bands) with a much larger second stage, a Frisbee catching dog exhibition, new food vendors, and an upgrade of the crafts area. And while the kids’ tent has been disbanded a few years back and replaced with a small tent hosting mainly acoustic or local acts, it is still a very family friendly festival. The balloon festival, always a key element of Green River, was not up to par. Usually a row of almost a dozen illuminated hot air balloons lighting up the sky as darkness falls and the Saturday headliner hits the stage, akin to a fireworks show, disappointedly this year the balloons flashed only briefly and individually. The huge rising reddish full moon was gorgeous and had to suffice. But always efficiently run and well-curated, the Green River Festival continues to offer a satisfying music experience and a great way to spend a mid-July weekend.
Photos by Nancy Lasher
2 Responses
I don’t know how you can’t say it was overcrowded. I sat in front of the main stage and this year the “mosh pit” intruded into the seating area. It was over run. Latecomers took space in the seating area and you had to hurdle over blankets to get out. Bigger and sold out ain’t better!