Bellforge Arts Center, Medfield, MA
6/29/25
I’ve just returned from my first New England Americana Fest, though it’s been going on since 2007. The question is, ‘Where have I been?!’ I believe this was the first one at the Bellforge Arts Center in Medfield, and it was on the Great Lawn, a wonderful backdrop for a summer music festival. After being rained out for Saturday, Sunday’s weather brought the full-on summer sun, but all throughout the day, there were shady spots to sit and enjoy the 14 Americana acts. To my cheap-ass delight, the festival was free, which made me more inclined to spend my money on lemonade, a tasty BBQ sandwich, beer, and merch! I’d say there were a few thousand people in attendance throughout the day, lots of kids running around on the hill behind the stage, and it was exciting to hear about the upcoming renovations at Bellforge, including a 300-seat indoor auditorium. Okay, enough context. On to some reviews!
Zion Rodman kicked off the day playing solo with a 5-song, 25 minute set, which seemed to be the format of the day with two rotating stages, so the music was fairly continuous. This attendee approved. He kicked off with some smooth fingerpicking on his song “Sunday” and his voice, especially on the high notes, fit the landscape of the BAC quite well. All Zion’s songs contained a few unexpected chords, and he rifled through a few open tunings which brought me back to my Simon & Garfunkel days. He was full of clever guitar runs to complement his relaxed playing style, and his closing song “Everybody That You Know” was perfect for relaxing at a summer festival. It wasn’t intended that he kick off the festival, but file it under ‘happy accidents’ as his songwriting and sweet falsetto were a nice way to ease into the day ahead.
Next up was Sam Reid & the Riot Act, and this listener is a new fan. Sam has some serious guitar chops, and he was accompanied by my favorite performer of the day, Joe Kessler on the fiddle. Some musicians play, and some perform, and Mr. Kessler engaged the crowd with his full-body dancing, and he could shred his blue violin like nobody’s business. This band really hit its peak when these two were trading solos, and the bass & drum rhythm section really held it down. The band’s set was chock full of foot-stompers, and the bass player with the bass voice took the reins for the closing number which included a segue into a reggae beat. I believe the band did a few covers, but if not, they really nailed the old country genre. The whole set had me engaged and dancing in my seat, and I’ll definitely see this band again!
Number 3 on the bill was the band Comanchero, and the songwriting/lyrics were at the front and center of this act, which is one of my favorite aspects of Americana. They had a second percussionist who jumped on the bongos for their 2nd song, “Citgo” which had a splendid bass groove. In fact, this bassist had tasteful grooves for all the songs which fit the double percussion of this band quite well. To me, their best song was #4, “Whiskey”, which included some harmonica and cool rhythmic changes. The frontman had the line of the day, saying they were having an “antique sale since they brought CD’s. Insert chuckle here. They smartly ended with a CCR cover, “Born on the Bayou” which took advantage of the strength to lay down a groove, and of course, the cowbell didn’t hurt. This song brought the crowd alive.
Next up was Jimmy Ryan’s Wooden Leg, and many people know Jimmy as one of Boston’s musical treasures and a mandolinist of note. I was pleased to see Joe Kessler on stage. This was easily one of the top sets of the day. Jimmy kicked off each song with a great riff, and when the band joined in, you could tell it was business time. They rocked hard, and Jimmy would jump right into the next tune to keep the momentum rolling along. My personal favorites were “Hard Time” and “Face Up”, both songs I had only heard covered by other musicians (Christian McNeil, etc.), so it was eye-opening to learn these were Jimmy Ryan originals. This set was the first to get me on my feet and there were a dozen others up near the stage that felt the same way. I’ve seen Jimmy perform in a few other iterations, all great, but I’ll have to proclaim ‘Wooden Leg’ as my favorite thus far.
Coming in at #5 was the nylon guitar string joy of Fauxmenco. The two immensely talented musicians endured some sound difficulties, but overall, it was clear that they bring a strong variety of authentic ‘American’ rhythms and melodies to the Americana table, and they’re always a treat to hear. Rafi kept things lively with his F*bombs, and it was a good idea to get the crowd clapping along. Overall, I recommend checking them out at an indoor setting to maximize the impact that their music deserves.
Batting #6 in the lineup was Molly Pinto Madigan and her talented band. The word that came to my mind throughout their set was ‘lush’, both in her voice and the stylings of the songs. They swing toward the softer, folkier side of the Americana continuum, and I could imagine myself in Medieval times at points during their set. There are definitely some Old World influences happening, and the 70’s music scene felt like it played a role too. Her band complemented her songwriting with a pleasing atmospheric context.
#7 was Sunfisher, described in the program as simply “Stone Country Rock”. That fits. After their Waylon Jennings soundcheck, the originals brought to mind Springsteen in the songwriting and Roy Orbison in the singer’s tremolo. This was a tight band with well-crafted songs that would build nicely. The lyrics seemed to look into the troubled yet beautiful soul of America to see what gets stirred up. The electric guitar player was super skilled in his instrument but also an excellent harmonizer. All in all, one of my favorite sets of the day.
#8 was The Displayers, a duo for this gig, but usually a trio, as they were missing their bass player today. They had the cleanest sound of the day, as the drums were crisp, and the singer’s voice was clean and strong. Creative chord progressions lead to some thoughtful melodic lines. For two people, they really put out a great sound, even from the porta-potties in the back!
#9 was the duo of Elisa Smith and Erin Bonnie, both strong singers, and the cliche idea of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts came into play here. You could tell they’ve been playing together for a long time. Elisa on guitar has a great country twang, and Erin plays her fiddle wonderfully. Clever songwriting was apparent and I particularly liked the puns in “Tractor Candy”. One of my favorite moments of the day came on their last tune, a waltz called “Lord Have Mercy”. When they belted the chorus together, it was beauty brought to life via the magic of music.
#10 was the rock end of Americana with the men in black of Nate Perry & Ragged Company. This 5-piece electric crew brought the goods. With three strong singers, they could really build and craft a catchy chorus which brought me back to the 2000’s reminiscent of Jakob Dylan. The lead singer has that raspy goodness which really cuts through. This was the type of band you go to a music festival to discover, then follow their socials until you get to catch more shows! Their new song “Tonight” had people moving, and if this was the Brighton Music Hall on a Saturday night, the dance floor would be bumping! Like Tom Cruise, this band has all the right moves. I was starting to feel the songs were pretty similar rhythmically, but their final number brought variety in a potent dirty blues slow groove. They brought the energy and I believe got the first standing ovation of the day.
#11 was Wayward Vine, a band I have heard about and was glad to finally see in person (although they were without guitarist Yoni Gordon today, who I’m a big fan of). I’m also a big fan of Valerie’s boots! This band danced on the pop edge of Americana and had some clever lyrics and nice harmonizing, as well as some rotating instrumentation to keep things lively.
#12 brought out a wonderful band to fill a stage for a summer festival, and one of my favorite band names, Other Brother Darryl. This 7-piece outfit brought the atmospheric jams in a style they call ‘Cosmic Canyon’. Yeah, that fits! Their full sound brought me back to the 70’s and images of the Dead and the Byrds. They began their set with keen acapella vocal harmonizing that morphed into a great slow groove with the keyboard featured well in the mix to hold it together nicely. I’ll have to say the most heartfelt moment of the day was when the band gave a nod to one of their songwriters who had passed asking the crowd to yell to the heavens “Hi Dave”. Overall, this set was one of my favorites, as this band taps into nostalgia in the best way.
#13 was the nicest surprise of the day for me with the band Dirt Road Souls. Coming after a 7-piece with a 3-piece is not the easiest thing to do, but this tight trio smartly started off with some blues rock and surprisingly, the first and only appearance of a standup bass all day. Their second song, “Bright Light, White Heat” was my favorite of their set with its clever lyrics, catchy guitar riff and pure groove. The lead singer introduced the next song by saying an Americana fest isn’t complete without a Willie Nelson cover. Yes, well played, and “Whiskey River” was well chosen and executed. Overall, this band was fun with strong harmonies and some of the best songwriting of the day.
#14, the Closing Act, was none other than the hosts with the most, Kier Byrnes & the Kettle Burners. The lead singer of Sunfisher rightly said ‘Kier is a doer’, and the thousands in attendance benefited from his organizing. Not just a builder of community, he also leads an excellent band. This was my second time catching their act, and I remembered correctly. They bring a distinct flavor to Americana with their Eastern European influences. The interplay of the accordion and the electric guitar riffs bring out incredible energy as evidenced in the song White Russian which grabs you and holds on (in a good way, of course). I appreciated the band’s dynamic stage presence and movement. Honestly, I thought the crowd could have been more dynamic, and I was surprised because I couldn’t stop moving. I guess they were a bit spent from a long day of music (the crowd, not the band) but they showed their appreciation for the set and the whole day appropriately. And what music fest would be complete without a finale of a multitude of musicians onstage for the final song, in this case The Band’s “The Weight”, classic fun!
This was my first New England Americana Fest but it shan’t be my last! Hopefully, the Bellforge will play host again next year for another terrific day of some of the area’s best music. Thanks to everyone involved in this day’s events! (AJ Crowe)
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For more on the 2025 New England Americana Fest, please click here for a review of the show on Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog or watch the videos on JustBill’s www.rockninboston.com.