Historical September–October 2024 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
On Sunday, September 22, Skinker DeBaliviere will once again be filled with the sounds of music emerging from all kinds of unexpected corners. PorchfestSTL returns for its sixth year, with almost 50 performers (bands, solo performers, and DJs) signed up to play on neighborhood porches and in front yards.
The event runs from 1 pm to 6 pm.
The headline band is the everpopular and ever-funky St. Boogie Brass Band who will perform at 5 pm at Greg Freeman Park (aka Four Corners) at Kingsbury and Des Peres. Of the almost 50 “porch performers” about half are returning and half are new to Porchfest. Returning performers include traditional rock bands Barefoot Jones, Rolltop Sweetgum, The Bedlam Brothers, and Lousy With Coyotes; psychedelic jam band The PeaceLords; and the genre-bending novelty band The Opera Bell Band. For those seeking a mellower vibe, you could try alt country duo The Erker Brothers or singer-songwriters such as Steve Perron or Devon Cahill.
Also returning are soul songstress Laka; hip-hop artist JinKae; and lo-fi electronica musician 3 of 5; and choral group CCG, whose membership overlaps with the Grace United Methodist Church choir. How many music festivals of whatever size can boast such an eclectic range of performers? Other noteworthy acts this year include teenage musicians from School of Rock (Kirkwood) and classical guitarist Vassily Fedotov, performing as The Shadow of Your Smile. One artist, Christopher Morse, a singer songwriter from Boulder, Colorado, is a touring musician who has managed to fit Porchfest STL into his itinerary.
The event is organized around several walking paths so that as each one of the 45-minute concerts ends another begins close by, no more than a block away.
The suggested paths are configured to help guide people from the edges toward the mainstage event at Kingsbury and Des Peres for the closing act. Maps, restrooms, drinks, and snacks will be available at the mainstage area throughout the day. Food truck Moo-bile, owned by former neighborhood resident Rachelle L’Ecuyer, and selling burgers made from Locally Raised Beef, as well as vegetarian options, will be present at Four Corners in the second part of the afternoon.
While perfect weather cannot be guaranteed, the date – the Sunday after the Forest Park Balloon Race, which occurs on Saturday – has been chosen with the chances of optimal fall weather in mind.
The performance schedule is being finalized and will be available at www.porchfeststl.com about a week before the event.
The website also includes a link to a four-minute video made by HEC-TV about last year’s event. Porchfest STL is also active on social media with daily teasers leading up to the event on Instagram – please follow @porchfeststl. Hope to see you there!
Original photograph caption
Brass musicians in Porchfest preview; individual names not captioned.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September–October 2024.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2024_09.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
