WNY Music: Eclectic festival brings an adventurous array of performers

By Robert J. McLennan
(Image above: Folkfaces in a previous festival; photo by Robert J. McLennan)

Place your trust in Tyler Westcott.

I mean it, the musical acts he books every year for the Folkfaces Fest is always a great collection of rowdy jazz and bluesy roots and Americana and old-time music and world music that will delight you throughout the weekend of the Fest, which is this Thursday-Sunday (Oct. 1-4). This is Year Ten of the fest, and this may be the last one, at least for a while.

Folkfaces, in addition to Westcott, is Patrick Jackson, Brendan Gosson and Dan Schwach. Westcott is a full-time musician, booking the band and solo performances, and running the festival is an additional massive undertaking.

As you review the poster for this year, as in the past, you probably won’t know many of the artists. I follow music more than the average person does, and that’s been my experience. But without fail, you’ll get there at the Fest and as you go stage to stage, you’ll realize that it is an incredible lineup of performers.

I do know some of the acts and it’s a big thumbs up to all of them.  I’ve seen honky tonk/rockabilly legend Wayne Hancock before, and Pete Bernhard is part of Devil Makes 3, who I’ve experienced on an Americana music cruise and at the Town Ballroom. From right here in Buffalo, it can’t get much better than the Brass Machine, Captain Tom and the Hooligans and Ellen Pieroni and the Encyclopedia of Soul.

RELATED MEDIA: Wayne “The Train” Hancock, “Seven Nights to Rock”

RELATED MEDIA: Pete Bernhard, “Down the Line”

RELATED MEDIA: Captain Tom & the Hooligans, “Party Animal.”

And the Fest altogether is nothing but fun. It’s only about a half hour or so away from Buffalo and it’s an easy drive to get there. It’s at the Cherry Hill Campground in Darien Center. There’s plenty of room for kids to run around and things to do — there are games and midnight movies, dancing, drumming, arts & crafts (you can bring your own blank T-shirt and get the a Folkfaces Fest image printed on the shirt) and food vendors.

It’s also a costume party.  Costumes, festive attire and decorations are encouraged. This year’s theme is “Way Back When, And All the Themes Again,” celebrating all the themes for the past 10 years.

There will be square dancing, a costume contest, raffles, art installations, workshops and more. There’s also a volleyball net, tetherball, horseshoe pits as well as hiking trails. Check out the website at folkfacesmusic.com/folkfacesfest for more information. There is a lot going on at this festival.

And you know what else is cool?  Instead of being at a bigger profile fest, or a Bills game, and paying exorbitant prices for a beer, this fest is BYOB — a bring your own beer festival, or whatever else you drink. You’re buying tickets to support the booking of the musicians and the other expenses with running the Fest, and you can save some money by bringing your own drinks and food.

Folkfaces Fest will be collecting donations of non-perishable food and clothing for the Friends of the Night People, focusing on the coming winter weather —hats, gloves, coats, etc.

The Buffalo Hive, including this writer, was at Borderland last week and that was a great experience, but it’s a different experience than Folkfaces Fest. This is smaller and much more intimate, where you can get right up there in front of the bands who are playing, and hang out and talk with them between sets.

This is the 10^th amazing year that Tyler and Folkfaces have put on this terrific party to close out the Western New York summer. We’ve gone out there for a few of them and were never disappointed. It’s a special experience and you’ll be glad you joined the Folkfaces family. Tickets are available HERE.

This could be the last Folkfaces Fest, at least for a while. But we hope not.

Robert J. McLennan is the vice-president of the Buffalo Hive Board of Directors.