Advance Ticket Alert

Last week, we began to let the world know about Beacon Riverfest. We let the cats out of their respective bags, announcing the bands, launching press releases into the eventosphere. We followed up. We're following up. It's amazing what can happen when you unleash a thing.

We announced the bands, and we turned around and got a couple more sponsors. Traction! Momentum! I put a down payment on the stage rental. Full speed ahead, y'all! This s%#^'s fo'real. But there is still more, much more, ever so muchly more money to raise.

That is a good reason why we are having this LAUNCH PARTY/CONCERT on April 30 which you need to be at. This event also features a pretty awesome lineup—only this lineup will be on stage together for most of the night, a sort of local ALL STAR BAND, if you will. We kicked off this whole BEACON RIVERFEST project with a similar concert/fundraiser last November—and the night was a downright religious experience. Please plan on being there at the Howland Center on Friday April 30. The Howland Center is very generously DONATING the space, and the musicians are donating their time and talent, which means every cent that comes in the door goes toward Beacon Riverfest.

It filled up last time, so we encourage you to purchase tickets in advance. Not only is it easy to buy tickets online, but you can also save five bucks. You can purchase them at beaconriverfest.com. You can do it right now. Click on LAUNCH PARTY TIX.

Beacon live music in the 1st person

It's rare I stumble upon a live (or recorded) musical group where so many things are done so right and so tastefully all at once. On Sunday night Adam Levy and the Mint Imperials played at the Howland Cultural Center. This was a sparsely attended event. Perhaps this was because it was the third night in a row Local 845 had presented live music here in Beacon, NY—plus it was Sunday. No matter, Levy and his band gave and gave some more. It so happens that what they have to give is miles beyond what most of us are even used to getting, …for 12 bucks, 25 bucks, whatever.

Here is one of those instances where the songs are so good, and the band is so good, and the arrangements are so good, that the easy presentation of it all makes perfect sense. Not only was each musician, Levy on guitar, Andy Hess on bass, Tony Mason on drums, a player's player, but they each were capable of nuancing the kind of tone out of their instruments that just makes a person want to weep. They managed all this with an ease that made it all the more inviting and personal for us in the audience. This was what I would call a good use of an electric trio.

We look forward to having them back; in fact, we will have them play outside at the Piggy Bank sometime this summer. In the meantime, I forgive you for not coming out to the show if you missed it. Not only that, I suggest you go see Levy and his Mint Imperials next month when they play at the Falcon, a tremendous venue on the other side of the river.

I want to thank Rob Penner for coming by and taking pictures of the first set.