Ah, the familiar signs of a folk festival. Skirt-clad individuals danced barefoot in clusters on each side of the stage. Baby strollers and blankets littered the grass. One could smell burritos and stir fry cooking and hear fruit being blended into a smoothie.
The music was, of course, the key ingredient. This year's Boston Folk Festival, held at the UMass Boston campus, provided quite the elixir to the folk crowd that gathered this past weekend.
The festival ran for two days, and both shows were crammed full of music and entertainment suitable for all ages. In the 14 hours of operation, radio station and festival promoter WUMB 91.9 managed to include 40 artists and group performances on nine stages. One stage literally floated - performers turned out sets on Saturday's hourly cruises of the Boston harbor, which were free for the day.
Among the performers was Vance Gilbert, who brought his trademark wit on stage in the opening set of the festival. His talent may have merited a much bigger crowd, but his talent shone through nonetheless. Laura Love made apt use of her self-proclaimed "Afro-Celtic/Hip-alachian" vocals to warm up the microphone. The Texan accent and aggressive guitar riffs of Jimmy LaFave also pleased the crowd.
Then, of course, there was Eddie From Ohio. EFO is neither a man nor is it from Ohio. The band brought its camper from Virginia and delivered its well-known magic to Sunday's lucky audience. Wrapping up its set with a touching rendition of "America the Beautiful" was perhaps the most gorgeous moment of the festival.
Most folk festivals operate on the shoulders of volunteers, and this year's Boston Folk Festival was no exception. Talking with volunteers Pam Kirby and Richard Danca, it's difficult not to sign up to help. Both have volunteered for years, and neither seem to be running out of momentum. "For more than 20 hours, I get a free t-shirt," said Danca, genuinely enthusiastic.
"I can't give a lot of money, but I can give time," Kirby said.
Due to rumors about a possible terrorist attack in Boston, crowds were lighter than in previous years. While adding to audience-artist interaction, low turnout was disappointing for the musicians. Attendees had more room to breathe, but the event's CD sales were undoubtedly impacted by the smaller audience.
Finishing up the festival, Sunday's last act was a lively Altan, which inspired a slew of Riverdance imitations. After Altan had to clear the stage, UMass President William Bulger addressed the captive audience. Audience members couldn't leave the venue fast enough to avoid listening to Bulger sang. His voice wasn't horrible, but he trampled the high-energy mood of the last set. Many would have preferred listening to his politics.
