Video by Sierra LaDuke
What occurs beneath the bridge at Margaret T. Hance Park is not a secret.
Under the Bridge folk fests are the epitome of underground music culture. The brainchild of Travis James, vocalist and guitarist of Travis James & The Acrimonious Assembly Of Arsonists, the folk punk concerts have invited musicians from across the country to perform free, acoustic music for a diverse crowd since 2010.
The Feb. 18 installment in the music series invited fans of Texas band My Pizza My World and six local acts to gather for an intimate performance.
“I like the idea of blurring the lines between what’s perceived as a performer and an audience,” James said. “I like to kind of challenge those dynamics and preconceptions.”
From the start, the night was outstandingly interactive. Eccentric rapper Jason Kron of Hug of War commenced the event by weaving through the audience in an entertaining performance—even taking a piggy back ride from someone at one point.
James said that this interaction was not new to the folk fests, citing the story of a past performer who was joined by a random audience member.
“He would break in between verses, and they would go back and forth — complete strangers, complete random circumstance,” he said. “[There is] an awesome element of spontaneity that you don’t get out of a traditional venue.”
After a number of songs by Perfect Laughter, attention turned to Nemo Nelson and Levi Sullivan, who recently joined The North Remembers after their band Out Past Curfew dissolved. Sitting down with the crowd, Nelson displayed the aptness of her voice for the punk genre as the duo showed an evident happiness to perform.
Following was an energetic set by Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold, an indie folk duo who captured the audience’s attention with only their voices, a guitar and banjo, and two makeshift percussion instruments (including an innovative kick drum made from a suitcase).
In a similar genre, The Blood Feud Family Singers became my favorite act of the night. The singers — Marc Oxborrow of The Haymarket Squares and Daryl “D.G” Scherrer — were stunningly pitch perfect as their voices thundered over the sound of the light rail. The simple combination of vocals, bass and guitar created a must-see folk rock performance.
“Without all the traffic in the surroundings, it’s just unplugged acoustic instruments,” Oxborrow said. “You don’t have to worry about amplifiers or microphones or anything. That’s how he and I rehearse — just acoustic — so being able to perform that way is great.”
Scherrer also noted the unbeatable experience of the acoustic folk fest for performers.
“It’s more fun to play when it’s raw—no sound system, no lights, no stage,” he said.
My Pizza My World followed by energizing the crowd. With heartwarming chemistry between the singers, who looked directly in each others’ eyes with each song, even lyrics about having sex with pizza seemed inspiring. The crowd showed their appreciation by dancing sweetly to match the folk genre, or moshing intensely to match the punk aspect.
James — an outspoken man the majority of the crowd apparently loved to hate — prepared to wrap up the night with his band, the ambivalence turned into a genuine love for the music. The crowd melded together to sing along to classic folk punk tunes of our locale.
James, who placed his mark on the downtown music scene by inspiring this unity, has spotlighted the uniqueness of local musicians over the years by challenging them to display themselves without the aid of electronics.
“The mobility that acoustics afford you should be broadening your capabilities and your approach,” James said.
The atmosphere of the folk fest was equally unique. Whereas in professional venues, attendees generally stick to their tight-knit circles, I was quickly welcomed into or approached by various groups, simply due to the nonjudgmental community created by the gathering.
As I began walking toward the parking lot I came from, a couple songs before the event’s conclusion, the music had already begun fading out of earshot. It was a beautiful reminder that some aspects of urban culture are still, in a sense, our little local gems.
Though Under the Bridge concerts are not something one can plan for far ahead, their sporadic timings are part of the free character of the shows.
“One of my favorite things about them is the irregularity,” James said. “They’re not supposed to be dependable. They’re supposed to be different.”
While I highly recommend taking advantage of the incomparable experience of the music series, I also suggest following these tips:
1) Do not go alone, for your enjoyment and safety.
2) Arrive later than the advertised time. Arriving right on time actually meant I was an hour early.
3) Bring donations to aid touring bands, no matter how small. It’s a simple sign of support that means a lot for the music community.
The next folk fest will be traversing outside of downtown Phoenix, deeper underground and into the darkness. James, Andy Warpigs and a handful more will perform within the tunnel on the North 18th Street and Monterey Way canal path on March 10.
“There’s so much resonance,” James said of the location. “It’s like an echo chamber, so it’ll be really great for a piece of music to sound really dynamic and huge.”
Contact the columnist at Emily.Liu@asu.edu
