On June 29th on the Upper West Side, the Summer In The City Festival will take place in the courtyard of Hostelling International, on Amsterdam Avenue, and will feature 10 bands starting at noon and going well into nightfall. The festival will also feature FREE BEER AND BARBEQUE! Hostelling International is one of the largest hostels in NYC, dedicated to bringing together travellers from all over the world to bask in the cultural efflorescence of the city. They have a wonderful piece of property off Amsterdam Avenue, with a lovely courtyard that will no doubt serve as a wonderful setting for this summertime fling.
With quite a lengthy roster of talent, this is sure to be an all day celebration. Many of the bands performing are New York City musicians, making Summer In The City a great showcase of local talent. The Devil’s Backbone will be one of the first bands to take the stage, bringing their bluesy chops, garage rock grit and folk sensibilities to the festival. This is a good reason to get out there early, for sure. Following them will be psychedelic rockers Vim Dicta, whose sound is reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane mixed with the grittiness of long lost garage bands. BAM will follow; they’re a bit more melodic than Devil’s Backbone and Vim Dicta but still retain the indie-garage energy but with a more of a polished sound. Very capable musicians who are sure to bring a lot to the festival. After BAM, the The Bailen Brothers will play, moving the festival’s music a bit more towards the funky, R&B side of the college rock spectrum. Bailen Brothers are sure to get everyone moving their feet on the dance floor in a hurry. Ellis Ashbrook will play next and are sure to be heard from blocks away with their powerful drums and fuzzed-out guitars. The Brighton Beat will follow, bringing their danceable grooves, steeped in afrobeat, funk and jazz. This will offer some nice diversity to the lineup, showing off New York’s jazzy eclectic side. Watermelon will play next; with a sound that mixes funk and rock, this will be a good follow-up. Funky rock that will make you dance and head-bang at the same time! Blank Paper will be second to last group, bringing their electro-pop jams out to get the crowd moving. Electro-Bass-drums-vocal duo Hank & The Cupcakes close out the festival at 9pm.
With such an array of music, at such a culturally conscience setting, the Summer In The City Festival at Hostelling International is sure to be a killer happening for those who want to enjoy some great local talent with people from all over the world in attendance. Oh … and did we mention FREE BEER AND BARBEQUE?? Can’t beat it!
Check out more electrifying musical events with free booze – brought to us by Newer Sounds (founded by Upper West Side native Aleksi Glick).
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