Thank you Kait Jaouen, Jeff Goresen, Steve Miller, Suzzi Immarigeon, Daniel, Rich, Jason, Lance, Kristen and so many others for an amazing time at this years 4th Annual Oddstock Festival 2016.
Steve Miller and Jeff Goresen finally taking a rest. (Director of Venue Logistics and Talent Coordinator, respectively).
So, today is Tuesday, a few days after the end of the 4th year that Oddstock Festival has been running this three day getaway for musicians, artists, campers, and music lovers. Plus they raise money and awareness for MS/Alzheimers!!
I have had the pleasure of experiencing, in one weekend, what most people don't experience in a years worth of music. My live music experience goes back to the early nineties, this is pre-cell phones with cameras and high speed digital satellite feeds. This was a time when Independent music was strong and being a musician in a New York, allowed me to be part of a scene that had presence, had fans, and had places to perform live.
Kait Jaouen, She is the reason this festival runs so smoothly. Director of Events extraordinaire.
Today, while live music venues are becoming extinct in NYC, and possibly elsewhere. There is still that glimmer of hope, up north, just a little over and hours train ride, in a place, known by musicians, (I actually spoke to one, who I saw back in NYC, who knew exactly what I was talking about, random conversation), This place, Danbury, Connecticut, is by some, a musicians town. If you don't know what that means, then you are not a musician. But, most of you are fans of music, and a musicians town, simply means a place where musicians can create freely and have places to perform, jam with others, and build bonds with music, at the same time, a community alongside their fans. Which just happen to also be filled with musicians.
Imagine, you get to visit a small city and everyone is literally, part of a modern day family. But, that family consists of artists, musicians, foodies, craft makers, multimedia designers, punk rock philosophers, poets, songwriters, etc. On top of this, they support each other, and have venues and shows, and places to share there creations with each other, and they are super welcoming to visiting musicians and artists from other parts unknown. My band Strangebird, has been very lucky to have attended and played amongst these talented individuals and bands that always remind me what is really important, music. Plus I get to live out the musician/superhero/fan list in those days.
Suzzi Immarigeon, the best Stage Manager.
I'll be writing more in the days to come about some of these bands, I just have to collect some more info, but this year it seems, there were definitely more bands, and you can even here all of us on the radio at WXCI 91.7. it's a college radio station, that really pushes new music, indie music and those classics we love. I happen to hear them on Tunein Radio App. Download if you get a chance, or get over to Spotify, or Soundcloud, or any of those streaming stations to listen to some of these bands!!!. Here's a few to get you started. For more info about this years Oddstock, click here.
Spectral Fangs
Quiet Giant
Mantyhose
The Red Hots
The Atom Family
Mother Tongue
Three Legged Dog