I used to be totally “festival-ed out” after GrassRoots – as exhilarating as it was, four full days of tromping around the Trumansburg Fairgrounds pretty much satiated any desire to attend more festivals the rest of the summer.
However, that’s changed in recent years with the evolution of Seedstock, which since its founding 11 years ago has grown into a fun yet still intimate festival in my hometown of Cortland.
This weekend, Seedstock XI will once again take place at 3336 State Route 215, just outside of Cortland at the former site of Reed’s Seeds (hence its name), kicking off at 5 p.m. Friday and running through Sunday afternoon. As usual, the lineup features a mix of local, regional and national bands performing on two stages.
Among the 20 bands are local favorites Maddy Walsh and the Blind Spots (8:30 p.m. Friday), Root Shock (6 p.m. Saturday), the Unknown Woodsmen (8 p.m. Saturday), and host band Digger Jones (9:30 p.m. Saturday). The latter two bands will again join forces as The Unknown Jones to pay tribute to the Allman Brothers Band’s “Eat a Peach” album at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. The Local Farmers Union will kick off Seedstock at 5 p.m. Friday, and Dan Forsythe and Joe Kollar of Driftwood will play a Sunday afternoon set at 2:30 p.m. to close out the festival.
National acts include Stephen Lewis and his Big Band of Fun (7 p.m. Saturday) the Balkun Brothers (4:30 p.m. Saturday), and Microcave (12:30 a.m. Friday), and Ithaca-based DJs ha-MEEN, Proper Philth and Gourd will be spinning vinyl at the Silent Disco late Saturday night.
Single day and weekend passes range from $15-$50 (more for camping), and can be purchased on the festival's website at www.SeedstockFest.com, as well as at the gate.
Ska and more at the Haunt
The Haunt hosts a couple of big shows this weekend.
Saturday, Boston ska vets Bim Skala Bim will headline a triple bill that also features the Miggedys, a Rochester ska band that released albums on Moon Records, and the Hub City Stompers, a ska-reggae-oi band from New Jersey. Bim Skala Bim has been around for decades – they helped to fuel the third-wave ska craze in Boston while I attending grad school there in the late 1980s – and it’s cool to see that they’re still out there playing shows. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $15 in advance, $18 at the door.
Sunday, Low Cut Connie will make its Ithaca debut at the Haunt. Fronted by singer-pianist Adam Weiner, the Philadelphia rock ‘n’ band has earned acclaim for its wild shows and five albums, including its latest, 2018’s “Dirty Pictures (Part 2),” which produced the hit, “Beverly.” Find out more at lowcutconnie.com.
Rounding out the bill is Vee Da Bee, who has become one of my favorite local acts in recent months, and Hannah Taylor, a Cortland native now living in Philadelphia who plays country, rockabilly, blues and more (she also sang with the Fly Rods at GrassRoots a couple of weeks ago). Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $15 in advance, $18 at the door.
Visit thehaunt.com to learn more about the shows or to buy advance tickets.
Fire Scottish Band returns to Trumansburg
Saturday, the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts will welcome back the Fire Scottish Band, a high-energy group that blends fiery fiddling with bagpipes, bodhran, whistle and bouzouki on reels, jigs, strathspeys and much more.
The group includes international Scottish fiddle champion Rebecca Lomnicky, multi-instrumentalist David Brewer of the Celtic band Molly’s Revenge, and Adam Hendey on guitar and bouzouki. Learn more at firescottishband.com.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $17 in advance online at TCFA.live, and $20 at the door. Visit tburgconservatory.org for more information.
Outdoor shows abound
Several local outdoor summer concert series are still going strong – here’s what’s on tap for the coming week:
Thursday, the Big Takeover – a ska-pop-reggae band from the Hudson Valley led by fiery singer Nee Nee Rushie – will perform at the Bernie Milton Pavilion at 6 p.m. for the downtown Ithaca Summer Concert Series.
Also on Thursday, City Limits – the high-energy blues-rock band fronted by singer Andy Lockwood and guitarist Danny Paolangeli – will perform at Myers Park in Lansing at 6:30 p.m.
Friday, regional reggae favorites Mosaic Foundation will play the last show in the Cornell Summer Concert Series, performing at 7-9 p.m. on the Arts Quad (rain location is nearby Klarman Hall).
Saturday, Laila Belle – the country band led by Amy and Ward Puryear that just released its second album, “All These Things,” at GrassRoots – will perform at Taughannock Falls State Park. There’s a $5 parking fee for the 7 p.m. show.
Tuesday, the “Music in the Hollow” series will feature Common Railers performing at 6 p.m. at the Ellis Hollow Community Center in Dryden. Led by Peter Glanville and Gordon Rowland, the local roots-rock band just released a new CD, “Isn’t It Real,” earlier this year.
More shows
• Thursday, the Southside Community Center (305 S. Plain St.) will host the 16th Annual CUMEP community performance. CUMEP (Community Unity Music Education Program) provides participating kids 3-18 with instruction in music and the arts to help them develop social skills, self-esteem and. The 5 p.m. performance will be followed by a community dinner at 6 p.m.
• Thursday, The Long Now will play its debut show in Press Bay Alley at 6 p.m. The recently formed band features Ryan Vanderhoof, Matthew Saccuccimorano and Brian Dozoretz, who describe themselves as a “contemporary jazz, melodic exploration trio.”
• Thursday, Funk Night returns to the Range, with Dean’s Kids – Dan Keller, Max Shuhan, Owen Erickson, Archer Cowen and Hayden Frank – putting their spin on funk, soul, R&B and pop favorites from the past few decades. There’s a $5 cover for the 9:30 p.m. show.
• We’re still three weeks out from The BBQ V (formerly the Big Mean BBQ), but you can get an early taste of it at the “Pre-BQ?,” held 4-7 p.m. Saturday at the Westy, with Driftwood’s Claire Byrne, Joe Kollar and Dan Forsyth joined by Richie Stearns for an afternoon of informal picking on some favorite tunes. The Smokewagon BBQ will be serving food, and you’ll have a chance to win merch, tickets to the BBQ, and other swag at the free event. Visit thebbqny.com to learn more.
• Saturday, Treleaven Wines in King Ferry will host the debut of “Boogie on the Lake,” a new event featuring two regional favorites: Buffalo southern rock-sould band Miller and the Other Sinners at 4 p.m., and Rochester’s leading oldies act Ruby Shooz at 7 p.m. Admission is $5, with kids 12 and under admitted free.
• Saturday, Microtones will host an electronic show at Forest City Lodge 180 at 536 West Green St. On the bill are Ithaca native Kamal Naeem, who’s returning from Berlin; Buffalo’s Alex Morrison; and locals Soft Squadron, Josh Oxford and Kompyootur Muhsheen. Advance tickets for the 6 p.m. show are $5 at Angry Mom Records; $10-$15 at the door.
• Saturday, Ohio twee-pop band Trying will come to the Chanticleer for an eclectic show that also features locals Mike (A)!, Parker Callister and Power Forward (a new duo featuring Luke Gustafson and Matt Merica). Admission for the 7 p.m. all-ages show is $5.
• Sunday, La Tourelle will host an afternoon concert featuring two stellar bluegrass artists, Claire Lynch and Jim Hurst. Praised by Dolly Parton as "one of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today,” Lynch has been a leading bluegrass artist since the 1980s, while Hurst has been acclaimed for his virtuosic guitar style. Tickets for the 4 p.m. show are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Visit www.wintervillagemusic.org/summer-concerts for information.
• Wednesday, Austin MacRae will play at Bright Leaf Vineyard in King Ferry. The local singer-songwriter released a new EP, “Better Devil,” a few weeks ago. There’s no cover for the show, which runs 6-8 p.m.