venangago-go: June 14, 2009 – Indie Fest Wrap Up and Free and Legal Downloads

Another Indie Fest has come and gone. After a week of being out of town, I arrived in Oil City and found myself three steps behind everything. When I tried to talk to people, I could see the words that I wanted to to say, but when they actually came out, I knew that it sounded like I had nothing but cotton between my ears.

“Did you see Justin?” asked Jerome Wincek, the driving force behind the fest when I ran into him at the Fest.

“Noooo…I just got here.”

To Wincek’s credit, he didn’t bat an eye. “Oh. He’s standing behind you.”

As in right behind me. As in I had walked past one of about four friends I have in the world, and not noticed.

And that’s pretty much the way my day went.

Which is no reflection on the Fest. It was so much bigger than it has been in the past, that it would have been more appropriate for me to have been hyperactive rather than acting as if I had enjoyed a gallon of purple drank for lunch.

My daughter spent the day helping out at the stained glass area in front of the Transit Studios which were open for the day. There were also areas for kids (and adults) to get their hands wet with pottery

Standouts include Joy Ike – an artist I’ve been trying to see for a couple of months to no avail. Her neo-soul went over really well. This was not something I had anticipated. I had pegged her sound as the odd girl out with the early acts being mostly traditional singer songwriters.

Newmen worked in a fantastic segue moving from their song “Let It Go” into the Classic IV’s “Spooky” (which, of course, I missed on tape). It was great to see spectators singing along to a band that I love so much.

I’ve actually spent a good chunk of the day trying to write about the fest. In failing to do so, I’ve decided to let photos and videos lay out the pleasures of the day – even if there wasn’t a pirogi stand. After talking to Wincek about the success of Saturday’s fest, and some of the ideas he has for next year, you’re probably going to want to put the 2010 edition in your book now.

Joy Ike’s very capable and incredibly pretty drummer