The pantheon of must-see JP art events just got bigger.
The Jamaica Plain Music Festival, with its Aug. 20 debut, already stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of the Lantern Festival, JP Open Studios and the Wake Up the Earth Festival.
The Music Fest was everything great about JP and about music.
This was music by the people, for the people. Nobody got paid and nobody got charged an entry fee. A big crowd enjoyed a wide variety of local music they likely had never heard of before, performed by their neighbors. Even the addition of some outside star power—the Violent Femmes’ Gordon Gano joined the line-up—became part of the show rather than stealing it.
It was a pro event that kept a grassroots feel. And it was great to see Jamaica Pond Park, where entertainment tends toward sailing and symphonies, get its rock on for a day.
“JP Music Festival” is now a brand name. The organizers—as if they don’t already have enough to do—could consider presenting regular local-music spotlight shows at JP venues as a fund-raiser and talent-spotter.
Most of all, we look forward to the second annual JP Music Festival. Thanks to the organizers for showing us yet another way JP is brilliant and beautiful.