Maplewoodstock Back In the Groove

Seventeen bands are set to deliver the biggest Maplewoodstock Music & Art Festival to date this weekend July 10 and 11. And it's all free.  

The area's greatest music marathon starts at 12 noon Saturday, and Memorial Park won't go quiet again until Sunday night. Newcomers to the stage this year include Rich Pagano (of Fab Faux fame) bringing his SugarCane Cups, Deena and the Laughing Boys (featuring Deena Shoskes), Mark Murphy, Moroccan Sheepherders, The Swales, and Sam Sherwin.

Capping Saturday night will be Ivan Neville's sizzling quintet Dumpstaphunk, billing themselves as bringing "some of the nastiest, most serial crushing funk to ever come out of New Orleans and beyond." Ivan first joined the Neville Brothers in his mid-teens, and then moved on to become a pivotal member of Keith Richards & The X-Pensive Winos, The Spin Doctors, and Bonnie Raitt's band. Dumstaphunk is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m.

Maya Azucena and Steve Forbert headline the Sunday slate.

Hailing from Brooklyn, Azucena's soulful sound has shared bills with an impressive list of legendary artists such as Roberta Flack, Stephen Marley, Joss Stone, The Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight, and John Legend. She's also a Grammy winner for her duet on Stephen Marley's "Reggae Album of the Year," been named Best Alternative Artist by AllHipHop.com, and winner of Best Female Vocal for ABC Radio Network's Fame Games EFFIGY Awards. Mississippi's Steve Forbert will follow Maya to close out the fest. Forbert's blend of folk, rock and country delivered his top 20 hit "Romeo's Tune" in 1979. Steve has received great acclaim for his live performances, usually performing solo, with just an acoustic guitar, a few harmonicas and a gift for penetrating lyrics that has continued to flourish for decades..

Since 2004, Maplewoodstock has enjoyed tremendous growth that accelerated three years ago when the fest decided to add national headliners to its roster of excellent local talent. Art and food vendor fees along with merchandise sales enabled the fest to book Aztec Two Step in 2007. Since then the budget has expanded to pay more headliners, "but our goal is to break even or maybe carry a little into next year so we can hire even bigger names," said Maplewoodstock committee chair Gary Shippy, "but we'll always keep the local flavor. It seems we have more bands than we ever knew—46 bands applied for 17 spots this year."

Once again, the volunteer committee is supported by the local HK Community Fund, which is providing on-site logistical support. T-shirt and hat sales provide the primary revenue center for the event, so the best way for the community to help is simply by purchasing merchandise.
 
"Maplewoodstock's mission is the put on the best possible free rock show for the community," added Shippy, "come out to the park this weekend and celebrate another great Maplewood event."

Maplewoodstock will be held in Memorial Park in Maplewood off Dunnell Road near the train station. Music hours are noon-10 p.m. Saturday, July 10, and noon-9 p.m. Sunday, July 11. Admission is free; food and beverages will be available for sale.