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World's A Stage: Porchfest In Boston's Jamaica Plain Neighborhood

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And as part of our series World's A Stage, we're going to check in now on a Porchfest, a very local kind of music festival where musicians play on porches, front yards, street corners. The one we're visiting was in Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood in Boston.

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: So good.

DREW ROSENTHAL: So my name is Drew Rosenthal. I live in the neighborhood in Jamaica Plain. Every year, I go to Porchfest, and what's great about it is that you can walk around, you could stumble upon new local bands that you hadn't seen before, music that you wouldn't even think that you're interested in. And you don't even have to use a map. You could just walk around, enjoy the neighborhood, meet new people and see new things.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

CRISPIN SCHWANK: My name is Crispin Schwank, and I come from Minnesota. I'm playing Porchfest with Nosey Mangabe. And this event is really nice because it provides a stage with a moving audience, so there's not tons of pressure on us as a band. But we can just kind of sit back and relax and provide some of the atmosphere for everybody.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MATTIE DEED: My name is Mattie Deed, and I'm a resident artist. I live in JP, which I love this community. We're so blessed to be here today as an artist, as a poet. And I just finished my piece this morning called "Wake Up Everybody."

UNIDENTIFIED PEOPLE: Wake up everybody.

DEED: Senseless killing all over the U.S. and frustrating me.

(CHEERING)

MINDY FRIED: My name is Mindy Fried. I'm one of the co-producers of Jamaica Plain Porchfest. Marie and I started Porchfest two years ago.

UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Singing) Darling (unintelligible) after the springtime.

FRIED: This year (laughter) we have over 200 bands or musicians playing on over 80 porches.

UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Vocalizing).

MARIE GHITMAN: My name is Marie Ghitman. I am the co-producer of Jamaica Plain Porchfest with Mindy Fried. Today on porches all around the neighborhood, people will be seeing all different kinds of music and all levels of professional, amateur, every kind of musician. And I'm going to be playing trombone.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

MONTAGNE: That story was reported by Andrea Shea of member station WBUR. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Andrea Shea
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