Bike for Beck: Acoustic Eclecticism, Rust-Belt Folk-Rock, Barrelhouse Boogie, and Brass Band Jams on the Red Stage!

Bike for Beck and Beck Fest are returning to Lakewood on Sunday, May 19th.  From 12pm onward, the festival will feature five fantastic musical guests throughout the day on the front lawn’s Red Stage, spanning a wide assortment of genres bound to appeal to every stripe of music listener.

Kicking off the festivities are two solo acoustic acts: Jerry Popiel and Chris Hatton. Popiel’s tales of “Midwestern steel towns, drifters, escapes to the Great West, trials of faith and hope” are married to classic-rock chime and easy charm, which should appeal to fans of classic folk-rockers the Byrds and Tom Petty and more modern Americana artists like Ryan Adams. Hatton, a self-described “musical chameleon,” takes an omnivorous approach to genre, claiming as influences sounds as disparate as Helmet’s alternative metal and Nick Drake’s gentle folk. As a solo act, Hatton is a one-man band, layering beatboxing, acoustic riffs and solos, and at times multiple vocals with the help of a looping pedal.

The four Lakewood dads who comprise FireSide first got together (fittingly enough) around a YMCA Adventure Guides campfire, over a shared love of the feel-good jams of yesteryear. Over their four years playing together, they’ve built up a repertoire of original arrangements of classics from CSN and Paul Simon to Peter Gabriel and the Beatles. The guys had a great time playing Bike for Beck last year, according to “chairman of the [key]boards” Tom Leatherman, and are looking forward to returning this year, especially because it gives them an opportunity to play outdoors for a great crowd. 

They will be followed by another exciting newcomer to the Red Stage: the Madison Crawl. Over the past ten years, the Lakewood-based sextet has earned the title of “Cleveland’s Barrelhouse Boogie Kings.” They combine the endless boogie of John Lee Hooker, the live-wire jump blues of Louis Jordan, and the rockabilly showmanship of the Stray Cats for a uniquely danceable, edgy take on these great American traditions.

The afternoon comes to a close with returning favorites the Revolution Brass Band. This explosive octet doesn’t just replicate the traditional New Orleans-funeral-style jazz bands, but updates the sound with traces of afro-beat, modern jazz, and mid-century soul a la Motown and Stax. Their fiery eclecticism and mix of original arrangements and compositions are sure to get everyone moving for a bring-the-house-down finale.  For more information on the bands, check out the following links:

• Jerry Popiel
• Chris Hatton
• FireSide Lakewood
• The Madison Crawl
• Revolution Brass Band

Click here for more information on the Bike for Beck bike ride, as well as the Beck itself.