LIVE: “Sing in the Streets” Festival @ Caffe Lena (and surroundings), 05/22/2022

By Nippertown Staff On May 22, 2022

Editors Note: This was co-written by Laura DaPolito and Mike Stampalia, with photos by Jim Gilbert, Dakota Gilbert, Mike Stampalia, and Ralph Renna.

With six acts playing 50-minute sets simultaneously, you had to choose. Pick an artist you particularly wanted to hear, and settle in for an hour. Or, you could choose an auditory “sampler platter,” and try to catch a little bit of everybody. We chose to do the latter, with each of us catching a bit of everyone and reporting back here what we heard.

Russell the Leaf on Broadway (Photo by Jim Gilbert)

For the first round of sets, Mike started up on Broadway with Russel the Leaf, the stage name of Lansingburgh’s Evan Marre. His self-deprecating sense of humor set the theme for the whole event, when he quipped “lucky you, you’re going to hear a bunch of original material from somebody you don’t know at all.” Which is – ironically – kind of what this whole event, and (in many cases) Caffe Lena itself is all about. Laura found Russel has a very quiet voice, and the placement on Broadway made it hard initially to hear him, but his lyrics were worth leaning in to listen.

From there, it was down to the library to see Cassandra Kubinski, in a zone, eyes closed behind her piano, channeling her own version of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” to the crowd’s delight on the front steps. When Laura caught up with her later, she was singing some of her original music. She had a Broadway soloist quality to her voice, and joyfully shared applause with a young dancer who “visually interpreted” her song “Waves.” Kubinski will perform again on June 10th at Caffe Lena, with tickets on sale now.

Cassandra Kubinski on the Library Terrace (Photo by Dakota Gilbert)

A short jaunt around to the back of the building, and the trio of James Gascoyne, Oona Grady, and Dan Berggren were enchanting the crowd at the “family stage.” The young children playing around the frog statue enjoyed the music every bit as much as their parents.

Time to hit the Caffe itself, and Carolyn Shapiro and her wonderful banjo playing greeted you as soon as you stepped inside the lobby. Probably the most unassuming artist of the day, she lets her voice – and her banjo – do all the talking.

North and South Dakotas at Caffe Lena main stage (Photo by Mike Stampalia)

Mike went up the stairs to the “big room,” and the North & South Dakotas (who refer to their own music as “Y’allternative Bluegrass”) were putting on a clinic with probably the rowdiest set of the day. Mike was pleased to be greeted by a saxophone blowing right out front when he stepped in.

After that, it was time to cross the street to Ben & Jerry’s to catch the final two songs from the always-captivating Hot Club of Saratoga. The two things that always strike me with this outfit are their musicianship and timelessness, and today was no different. Laura started the afternoon there, and remarked similarly that time seems to never pass with this group. Clarinetist Jonathan Green, as always, stole the show for her with his sultry jazzy tone, transporting everyone back to the early 1920s. As a gentle breeze crossed her face, there was almost a de-realization to the modern-day automobiles behind us.

Girl Blue on Broadway (Photo by Jim Gilbert)

The 20-minute set changeover allowed enough time to hydrate and get back up to Broadway to settle in for Round Two. Arielle O’Keefe (who goes by the stage name Girl Blue) kicked things off by immediately showcasing her tremendous songwriting talent, with the perfect voice to match. It is genuinely hard to walk away from her while she performs; you need only hear about 30 seconds of her to know she’s likely destined for widespread national recognition.

But Mike had committed to seeing all the acts, and he got down just in time to hear Jes Hudak recount how the Open Mic nights at Caffe Lena were the catalyst to her musical career. With the Caffe’s Executive Director Sarah Craig on the side of the stage, it was a poignant moment. Her song “1-800 Scam Likely” (title may be wrong) was a winner too.

Jes Hudak at the Library Terrace (Photo by Dakota Gilbert)

Back to the family stage where Karl Bertrand was holding court playing a song Mike believes was “The Farty King of Wales”, or something to that effect. May he also say that it absolutely delighted the sizeable group of children that were there, along with their parents. It reminded us of Caffe Lena’s commitment to the new generation of music lovers with their “Folk Club Kids” series and their burgeoning music school.

From there it was back to the Caffe itself, where Reese Fulmer had such a large crowd in the lobby that it was difficult to get in. And deservedly so – this is another rising singer-songwriter who isn’t even close to topping out yet.

Reese Fulmer in the Caffe Lena lobby (Photo by Jim Gilbert)

Fulmer sang some of Laura’s personal favorites, and folks passing by the street paused in awe. One woman asked Laura his name, and when told to her, she wrote it down on scrap paper to remember it. “He’s going to be famous,” she remarked.

“He already is around here,” Laura smiled back. She stayed for his entire set, not willing to miss a moment of his live performance.

Lost Radio Rounders upstairs at Caffe Lena (Photo by Ralph Renna)

Upstairs, the Lost Radio Rounders were holding court, doing what they do best – blending timeless, well-played music with local history, stories, and pride. This is the band you want to bring your out-of-town friends to see. Finally, it was back outside to see the final act, the Bluebillies. Country through-and-through (in all the right ways), they reminded us that Caffe Lena has grown well beyond its traditional “folk-only” roots. Melody Guarino urged us to “listen to more Country music – it’s good for you”. Indeed.

The first Sing in the Streets festival was, in these writers’ opinions, a rousing, delightful success. Even with unbearable heat and humidity, it was refreshing to walk around the block and hear so much fresh local music. We are looking forward to next year’s edition!