Porchfests, Lights, Cameras, and Other Actions

So… um… I may have overcommitted myself a little this month—but honestly, I think I wouldn’t have it any other way. June is packed with performances, and whether I’m on a porch, on camera, or on a livestream, I’m feeling that forward motion that comes from asking for and then saying yes to the right things.

First up: Porchfest season is officially on. I’ll be playing in Newton on June 7, which marks my third time performing in the town I call home. Newton Porchfest is something special—it’s not just a gig, it’s a gathering—and one where I watched from the sidelines for too many years before asking to play. There’s a real joy in seeing neighbours come together, and for having neighbours see you in a new light! From there, it’s off to West Concord on June 14 (my first time there!), and Reading on June 28, with Jamaica Plain (Aug 16) and Milton (Sept 20) rounding things out later this summer.

Porchfests have a whole feel I keep coming back for. They’re both stage and community at the same time. You’re just out there in the open air, music drifting down the street, maybe catching up with fellow musicians you usually only see in tiny online squares. It’s loose, it’s local, and it’s lovely. (And I have great memories of little kids wanting to drop $1 tips in my jar – get ‘em going young!)

But this month also brings some more formal “lights, camera” moments. On June 18, I’ll be taping an episode of For the Love of Words on Easton Community Access TV. It’s a show that highlights local poets, writers, and songwriters—people who try to make meaning through words. I’m honored to be invited. It’s definitely a different energy from a porchfest; the camera’s rolling, you’re thinking about every move, and it all lives on forever. A little nerve-wracking, but also an amazing chance to reach people outside the porch radius.

And then, on June 15, I’ll be a featured performer on Open Mic America, where I’ll be playing “Burn the Ships” (and another song I’ll need to figure out) and doing a quick interview. That’s another platform that’s meant a lot to me. Even though it’s a virtual show, there’s something very real about the community here (and I’m chuffed to be part of the broadcast team now as well). You log in, you listen, you meet people making music across time zones, and somehow it all still feels like community.

I’m also starting to fold in a few of the new FAWM songs. “Have You Read the News” is making its debut at Newton, and I’m excited to add more of the fresh material as I get it stage-ready.

So yeah—porchfests, cameras, lights, and a whole lot of action. It’s a full month, maybe even a little too full, but it’s all forward movement. Hope to see you out there. Or online. Or on TV. Wherever music finds you this June.