Somerville PorchFest: Everything you need to navigate the beautiful mess
Everything from bluegrass to Wings cover bands.
Editor’s note: Multiple Boston Globe Media staff members, including the author of this article, are performing as part of PorchFest. None of their acts are mentioned in the piece below.
For one weekend every year, bands and musicians are able to rise up from their basements and practice spaces to play sets on the front porches of Somerville. PorchFest, a sprawling music festival in Somerville now in its sixth year, will happen on Saturday starting at noon.
Without one singular destination (there are more than 130 porches registered for the event), it can be difficult to know where to find the music. Worry not, as this helpful map provides an interactive guide to all of the porches that have officially registered for PorchFest:
Click to view interactive map
Of course, there will be several more unofficial porch shows happening as well, but here are some general rules to keep in mind:
- Performers in East Somerville are scheduled to go from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., performers in Central Somerville are scheduled to go from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and performers in West Somerville are scheduled to go from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Houses with red balloons outside are ones participating in PorchFest.
- Avoid loitering in neighbors’ yards or driveways, and don’t block streets (stay on sidewalks and areas of road to allow passage).
If all of the band names on the list are making your head spin, here’s a starter list of some porches that might be worth putting on your map.
Original bands:
https://www.instagram.com/p/2wi_YZSgDO/
Backwards Zero (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; 15 Albion St.)
Post-rock with some hip-hop influences, the Somerville duo brings its beats to the porch for an early-afternoon set.
Opposite People (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; 19R Prospect Hill Ave.)
The local afrobeat collective mixes elements of funk, Bollywood, and other world music styles, mixing soulful rhythms and plenty of horns.
PowerSlut and Happy Little Clouds (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; 1 Arnold Court)
PowerSlut, a garagey quartet, will bring distorted riffs to the porch, joined by power trio Happy Little Clouds.
The Legendary Vudu Krewe (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; 81 Broadway)
New Orleans comes to Somerville as NOLA-style R&B collective The Legendary Vudu Krewe brings its big sound to Union Square.
The Novel Ideas (2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 12 Foskett St.)
For something on the softer side, The Novel Ideas bring folk and harmonies to the early spring afternoon.
Jon Bernhardt (2 p.m to 4 p.m.; 9 Charnwood Rd.)
WMBR DJ Jon Bernhardt breaks out the theremin (for those unfamiliar with the instrument, it’s pretty cosmic) for some different takes on punk and new wave tunes.
Paper Waves (2 p.m to 4 p.m.; 44 Banks St.)
Somerville folk-rock quintet Paper Waves have been playing music together in various capacities for more than a decade. They’ll perform an afternoon set near Porter Square.
Dirty Water Brass Band (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 53 Chester St.)
All the fun of a southern brass marching band without the parade passing you by. Watch them honk from four to six.
Comanchero (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 1097 Broadway)
Nothing says outdoor music quite like a jamband, and while Comanchero isn’t exactly the barefoot veggie burrito kind of jamband, their Americana tunes leave plenty of room for exploration.
Mount Peru and The Smallest Town Ensemble (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 43 Curtis Ave.)
Psychedelic powerpop quartet Mount Peru combines their eclectic sound with a set from The Smallest Town Ensemble, a collective with songs inspired by the city of Somerville itself.
B3 Kings (6 p.m to 8 p.m.; 75 Union Square)
One of Boston’s best organ funk trios takes to the patio of the Independent for a post-Porchfest dance party.
Hassle Party (noon to midnight; 226 Pearl St.)
Nineteen bands will play Boston Hassle’s PorchFest Party, which runs all afternoon and evening, and features a variety of sounds from around town.
Cover bands:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFmNwWZj0uS/
The Rolling Who (British Invasion; 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; 45 Puritan Rd.)
The Country Hits (Country; 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; 22 Vinal Ave.)
Ship of the Sun (Grateful Dead; 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.; 487 Somerville Ave.)
The Millstone Ladies (Top 40/2000s/Rihanna; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; 102 Morrison Ave.)
The Fort Point Ramblers (Bluegrass; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; 17 Mountain Ave.)
The All McCartney Wing-It Band (Post-Beatles Paul McCartney; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; 2 Windsor Rd.)
The Wayback Machine (Classic Rock and Dance; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 27 Hall Ave.)
The Ruckus (Nineties rock; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 46 Hawthorne St.)
Bleeding Hearts (Classic rock; 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 10 Morrison Pl.)
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