Batman? No Thanks. I’ll Take Some Porchfest

Stuck without my girls on a Sunday (they went to a baby shower) I had a free Sunday afternoon to do with as I pleased.

The comic-book nerd in me wanted to go watch the new Batman flick. But somehow, the thought of sitting in a dark movie theater, watching a dark movie, with such beautiful weather outside didn’t sound appealing to me.

I knew that Napa Patch Editor Louisa Hufstader had been talking about Porchfest all week, and that it was something that has taken a life of its own in Napa.

As a musician, I was kicking myself for missing out on the fun last year. This year, I vowed to check it out.

I called up my pal Steve Siders, a talented musician in his own right, and asked him if he was playing. Sadly, he was not one of the bands booked this year, but it didn’t matter.

We are supporters of the scene (more on that later). When I first heard about Porchfest, an image of an old dude with a white beard sitting in a rocker with a banjo on his lap and some moonshine (or some wine) came to mind and I wondered how this event could be relevant in today’s musical landscape.

I was pleasantly surprised.

No old dude, no moonshine, no banjo to be found. No alcohol even, well, except for some guys who did a bad job of hiding browned-bagged tall cans in the crowd.

But what I saw genuinely rocked.

Steve, his friend Rachel and myself, went to 1031 Elm Street to watch a band called Train Face.

The band was a pleasant surprise because they looked like a metal band. I thought I was going to be listening to some Slayer or Pantera-type tunes. But instead, they belted out songs in the vain of The Doors and Incubus. The rhythm section, which in my opinion is the lifeblood of the band, provided a solid, tight foundation of sound for the lead guitar to work its magic.

The lead singer of this band has a powerfully pleasant voice. The guy can carry a tune. And with a song titled “El Salvador” I was an instant fan.

After watching these guys tear it up at Porchfest, a trip to was overdue. So we hopped into our ride and headed to get some grub.

We arrived at the Brown Street porch in time to find a nice spot to picnic at, alongside several dozen fans of the band Anadel, an eclectic mix of musicians that found a creative way to incorporate a violin into their set. The band held a captive audience and many in the crowd were friends or family of the members.

Anadel’s music was pleasant to listen to, not as high energy as the previous band, but it fit well into the Porchfest lineup. The talent level was there for everyone to hear and the violin added a layer of curiosity to the set that gathered a rather large crowd at the historic home on 396 Brown Street.

After their quick set, I wish we could have heard more of them; we walked down back to the Elm Street location to watch local favorites Deluna.

This was perhaps the highlight of the Porchfest, at least for me, because I got to see my fellow journalist and friend Alisha Wyman playing her keys alongside the band.

Deluna did a nice job of building up the anticipation and delivered right from the start of their set.

Songs such as “Fire Return” really showcase what this band can do – each musician, each instrument, plays a vital part in that song, creating something that takes listeners to a place that only Deluna can bring them to.

Beautiful, haunting music.

Never before has their been an event like Porchfest in Napa (us musicians usually get the cops called on us for noise when practicing, practically, anywhere in Napa). So this was truly something that is magical for musicians and music lovers in Napa.

Porchfest is a homegrown way to create not only a music scene in Napa, but to create community. Kudos to the organizers of Porchfest and the musicians who keep the scene alive. I salute you.

Editor’s note: After Porchfest, I took in the new Batman flick. I made the right choice by not missing P-Fest!

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