Taking back the streets for horns, bikes, and feet! Molly & I had a wonderful time at HONKfest in Boston, MA this weekend. We arrived Saturday afternoon and wandered the streets around Davis Square, stopping every few blocks to tap our toes and nod our heads and dance our hearts out to a different band.
Each motley crew of magnificent musicians had their own sound and their own aesthetic, from the Pinettes, the all-women’s Second Line band from New Orleans to the all-percussion Lloyd Family Players. With goggles and bunny ears, boas and fake mustaches, the bands all poked fun at the usual regimented marching band style, playing popular hits, original compositions, klezmer, swing, punk, gospel and everything in between. From plaza to park to stoop, it was as if music had taken over the streets – which it did, during the huge parade on Sunday!
Molly juggles in the parade
The parade was a honktastic lineup of bands and groups, including the Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble from Montreal, Canada (with a marching cello!), our friends Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band from Somerville, MA, Orkestar Zirkonium from Seattle, the Rude Mechanical Orchestra from NYC, and my new favorites, Environmental Encroachment from Chicago, IL. There was at least one coordinated dance team, a group of jugglers (who we fell in with for a time), several contingents of Bread and Puppet characters and puppets, and a silent clown-band with noiseless papier-mache instruments (who are actually our new friends The Royal Frog Ballet Theatre Company from Amherst, MA). It was incredible to feel the nearly tangible spirit of camaraderie, walking down the street with a veritable army of community support. I didn’t know it was possible for that many people to have that much fun at the same time without the universe imploding!
The parade emptied into Oktoberfest at Harvard Square, with the usual food and crafts vendors, marching bands continuing to perform in alleys and on corners during the afternoon. The weekend wrapped up with a floor-shaking five-hour marathon stage show in the Somerville Theatre, as each of the thirty-two bands played in succession for a full house of people who did not want to stay in their seats, but wanted to dance in the aisles and occasionally join the musicians onstage. We cheered and sang along, showing hearty appreciation for the wonderful folks onstage who traveled from far and wide to bring us HONK!
environmental encroachment really knows how to pump up a crowd
For those who couldn’t make it out to HONK! we’ve brought a dose of it back to the valley with us: TONIGHT in Northampton Downside-Up is performing alongside the Pink Puffers from Rome, the Yellow Hat Band from Seattle, and local favorites Rusty Belle. TOMORROW there is a parade around Hampshire at noon, followed by a performance and a workshop about the brass underground.
For more info on both the Northampton and Hampshire events go here!
My new favourite quote: I didn’t know it was possible for that many people to have that much fun at the same time without the universe imploding!