A novel idea for Guelph, Junction Porchfest drew an appreciative few on a Saturday of intermittent rains.
Junction Neighbourhood Group put the event on, inspired by similar neighbourhood building happenings in Waterloo and New York State.
A number of musical acts, some electrified, some strictly acoustic, performed on front, side and back porches of homes on picturesque Meadowview Avenue.
CFRU was there to record some of the music with its Golden Bus portable studio. Portable shelters were set up to keep guests dry, and the open-air venues all had porch roofs to protect singers and their gear.
Bryan McPherson, an organizer, said Porchfest was all about showcasing local musicians in a intimate neighbourhood environment, making connections and fostering relationships with residents in the process.
“It’s all about enjoying the music, being together, and loving life,” he said, adding that the group canvassed the west side neighbourhood and found general support for the idea. Many of those in attendance were from next door, while many others were from across town.
Jenny Mitchell was part of the two-person CFRU crew with Alex Harris.
“I love it,” Mitchell said, speaking of the concept and the scene. She said it was a fun and inventive way to bring local music to listeners, and that the rain hardly dampened it at all.
