JP Music Fest a big hit

PONDSIDE—The first annual Jamaica Plain Music Festival, held Aug. 20 at Jamaica Pond Park, looked like a hit. An ever-changing audience braving the hot and sunny weather swelled to what looked like around 1,000 people.

Over 20 local bands and musicians performed at the free fest, from indie stars like Shepardess to up-and-comers like Sweatshop. A last-minute surprise guest was Gordon Gano, singer/violinist of the 1980s hit band the Violent Femmes.

Gano, whose sister lives in JP, joined the band of local luminary Rick Berlin in a full set that included the Violent Femmes’ “American Music.” Gano changed the lyrics to, “Do you like Jamaica Plain music?/I like JP music.”

“Hopefully, I can do [the festival] every year, if they do it every year,” Gano told the Gazette after the show.

 

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