Some Incredible Music Lined up for Motif No.1 Day!

Rockport’s annual Motif No.1 Day festival on Saturday, May 17th will feature locally and nationally acclaimed musical acts: Louise Mosrie, The Honey Dewdrops, What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?, The LeitMotifs, James and Jake, and Alek Razdan and A-Train Orchestra.

Raised by British parents on a farm in middle Tennessee, Louise Mosrie grew up disliking the slow, sleepy ways of her small rural town. But when she moved to Nashville in 2004 to work on her song-craft, she found that the melodies and imagery that emerged in her writing came straight from the southern culture she once dismissed. Influenced by artists such as Nanci Griffith, Allison Kraus and Lucinda Williams, her songs tell stories of joy, love, struggle and heartbreak through the vivid characters and scenery of southern life.

Louise will be accompanied by Red House recording artist Cliff Eberhardt, who is the producer of her upcoming CD. Cliff was a driving force of the Greenwich Village New Folk movement, and his songs have been covered by the likes of Richie Havens, Buffy St. Marie, Erasure, Lucy Kaplansky and the folk superstar band "Cry, Cry, Cry" (Dar Williams, Richard Shindell, Lucy Kaplansky).

The Honey Dewdrops, husband and wife duo Kagey Parrish and Laura Wortman, write timeless songs that sound as if they are part of an old Appalachian songbook. The topics are universal: friends and loved ones, fellow troubadours, the land and its loss to progress. The instrumentation is sparse (guitar, mandolin, and banjo), and the arrangements are basic. The vocal harmonies are glorious. Hailing from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Virgina, the Honey Dewdrops appeared on A Prairie Home Companion and gained Folk Radio notoriety with the #1 album “Silver Lining”.

Named after a Victorian children’s game, What Time Is It, Mr. Fox? can time-travel from the woods of Medieval France to a 1930s New Orleans jukejoint. Led by the gender-defying voice of 3rian King, the ensemble delivers their own brand smoky cabaret, neo-soul and acoustic noir, sounding something like Tom Waits and Annie Lennox performing in a French cafe. What Time Is It, Mr. Fox? will be represented on Motif #1 Day by singer-songwriter-guitarist-keyboardist 3rian King and violinist and vocalist Nathan Cohen.

Together in this configuration for their first public appearance, the LeitMotifs are guitarists John Rockwell and Eric Wilson (also sharing vocals),bassist Dimitri Eleftherakis, and fiddler Larry Young.

James Vassallo (born March 1998) and Jake Stavros (born December 1997) are an American rock/pop act working under the moniker “James & Jake”. Discovered in early 2013 by skilled indie award- winning songwriter/producer Brad Byrd, James & Jake recorded their debut EP “Blue” with famed rock producer/mixer Warren Huart (Fray, Aerosmith, Augustana) and Grammy award winning engineer Phil Allen (Adele).

The A-Train Orchestra is a versatile group that performs an eclectic mix of blues, rhythm-and-blues, and swing. The band features 20-year-old Alek Razdan on saxophones and vocals, Dan Whalen on guitar, Rikki Razdan on saxophones, David “Doc” Vincent on drums, and Ken Demaine on bass. From waterfront bars and bistros to corporate functions to family-friendly festivals, the A-Train Orchestra provides an exciting musical experience for listeners of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy.

Motif No.1 Day performance schedule information can be found at www.rockportartfestivals.com

This Weekend in Rockport: Start with the Farmers Market, End with the Music Festival!

This weekend Rockport has everything from the Farmers' Market (with ALEK RAZDAN!) to the Rotary Club's Lobsterfest to our first Illumination Night with FIREWORKS (fireworks!!!!!!!!!!) to the annual Acoustic Music Festival!

Don't miss any of it!

Just so you know, here's what is coming the Farmers Market tomorrow:

photo: goodmorninggloucester.com

                                                

Looking forward to another great week at the Farmers Market! Fresh produce, granola - regular AND gluten-free - and so much more will be available. And don't miss local legend Alek Razdan, who will be playing tunes at 11:30.

This week’s vendors: Seaview Farm, Prides Osteria, Sullivan’s Sugarhouse, Wally’s Blackburn Bistro, Brothers’ Brew, First Light Farms, Home Grower’s Wheelbarrow, Rockport Festivals Market booth, Sea Biscuit Bakery, Batter Up Bakery

For more info: www.rockportartfestivals.com

At this Week's Farmers' Market: the July 27th Edition

First Light Farm has beautiful produce on offer every week at the Rockport Farmers Market!
photo: Mary Z.

Exciting times coming up this Saturday! We have the Cape Ann Waldorf School joining us to offer a fun, food-related activity for kids. And we also have Alek Razdan, who is just an amazing musician, playing a set or two for market-goers. Wally's Blackburn Bistro will be on hand with coffee to jump start your morning (or afternoon), and Sea Biscuit Bakery is back with their amazing bread and granola. And those are just a few of the amazingly delicious items on offer this week! Don't forget to pick up fresh produce from Mike of First Light Farms. He manages to bring beautiful produce week after week, no matter the growing conditions. We're so happy that Mike, along with our other hard-working vendor -- all of whom offer delicious, high quality items -- are a part of the Rockport Farmers Market!

p.s. After selling out the first week they went on sale, reusable Rockport Farmers Market totes are back! Pick up yours this weekend at the market and fill it with good things to eat...

Vendors
Seaview Farm
Prides Osteria
Sullivan's Sugarhouse
Ma's Tomato Marmalade
First Light Farms
Home Grower's Wheelbarrow
Rockport Festivals Market booth w/ Twin Lights soda
Batter Up Bakery
Sea Biscuit Bakery
Wally's Blackburn Bistro

Musician
Alek Razdan

Children's Activity
Cape Ann Waldorf School

Hot Chocolate and Shopping and Music - Oh My!

Come downtown tonight between 4pm and 8pm to have some hot chocolate, listen to Alek Razdan & the A-Train Orchestra (an awesome band that will warm you up and no time) and enjoy the holiday festivities at shops & galleries in Rockport.  Over 30 businesses are participating with special in-store events and promotions.  The Rockport Festivals Hot Chocolate Stand will be located next to The Old Firehouse Trust in Dock Square, where the band is playing their brand of bring-the-house-down jazz.

See you downtown tonight!

Tonight's Kickoff! Music, Food & Film

6:00 pm

Harvest Community Picnic accompanied by the Polygroove Orchestra. Bring a dish celebrating the bounty of the season.  (And don't forget the tableware!)  The Picnic is under the huge tent on T-Wharf.

8:00 pm

A screening of the film Fresh at the Old Firehouse Trust building, just around the corner from T-Wharf.  Check it out here.  Fresh is an upbeat documentary about the exciting new developments in the way we eat as small farms make a comeback across America.  And speaking of eating locally-produced food, it doesn't get more local than Twin Lights Soda,  which will be provided at the screening courtesy of Pierce Sears, proprietor of Twin Lights.

Motif No. 1 Day Schedule of Events

The Schedule of Events is posted and can be accessed by clicking the Motif No. 1 Day poster on the sidebar. We also feature a listing of community events taking place in conjunction with Motif No. 1 Day. More events - both those sponsored by Rockport Festivals and those sponsored by individual Rockport businesses - will be added to the Schedule of Events in the next few weeks, so check back for details.

You will also be able to pick up a Schedule of Events brochure, which will incorporate a beautiful new map of downtown Rockport created by Mary Faino, at our Information Booth the day of the festival. To get a glimpse of what's in store for festival-goers on May 22nd, click here to listen to Rockport's own Alek Razdan & A-Train. It will get your toes tapping!