Thursday, May 22, 2008

Oil Region Indie Songwriters Festival

This weekend, of course, is the Oil Region Indie Songwriter's Festival.

This year, the festival has been expanded over two days and girls are now invited too! While last year was a strictly male event, Festival founder Jerome Wincek and his merry band of followers, this year has created a wonderfully diverse mix of styles and approaches to songwriting.

While last year was damp, we're looking at 65 and sunny on for the outdoor shows on Saturday - perfect festival weather. Although all shows are free, bring fistfuls of cash to pick up the artists CDs and merch. Booths will also be open with a variety of regional artisans hawking their wares (I'm really hoping the pirogi guy is back again; there's way too much blood in my butter system).

Friday May 23rd - In the Transit Building's Great Room
  • 6:00pm - Nathaniel Custer
  • 7:30 pm - Garth Porter


Saturday May 24 - In Oil City's Justus Park


Sure Michael, you're saying, but I haven't heard a lot of these groups.

Fear not, earlier this week I contacted all the artists and asked them to kick in a song for a downloadable sampler. Many were asked, few answered. But, I've compiled full length songs of all those who were nice enough to write back, cooked up a little CD insert and then zipped it all up for you - download, burn, and get familiar before heading up.

Download the sampler as a .zip file via Mediafire



Upcoming Shows of Interest:

Oil Region Songwriter Festival. Duh.

Meadville's The Union Room plays host to Phantasm, God's Day Off, Manokin and Blunt Force, Saturday 7pm $5.

Remora Deign plays a free acoustic set at Oil City's Howling Dog at 9pm

The illalogical spoon plays two sets at Seneca's Brother Bean this Saturday - one between 7-9 and a second between 9:30 to 11. Both are free.

Jesse Lavery plays Meadville's Artist Cup Cafe on Friday (as The Mules) from 6-8 pm. No cover.




Even I think parent-kid portraits as D&D characters is nerdy. And that's saying something.


Added to my summer reading list? Net, Blogs and Rock 'n' Roll: How Digital Discovery Works and What it Means for Consumers


So, here's the deal. I want to buy a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid by the end of the month, and I can't get any local dealers to get me anything before September! I don't care about the color, or if it has GPS. So, if you have any pull or ideas, email me. If your tip results in a purchase, there's a finder's fee in it for you.

2 comments:

Shaylyn said...

i have had similar problems trying to find a hybrid locally. the shortest waiting list was two months! good luck in your search, though.

Dittman said...

My brother took great joy in telling me that I would have a much easier time locally finding a sticker of Calvin peeing on a hybrid.