Haverford Township Music Festival 2022: What You Need To Know

HAVERTOWN, PA — The Annual Haverford Township Music Festival all set to host numerous national and regional performers, all for free, next weekend.

WXPN is hosting the 10th Annual Haverford Township Music Festival on form noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27.

All performances will be held across two stages, one behind and one in front of the Oakmont School Building, 50 E. Eagle Road, at the intersection of East Eagle Road and East Hathaway Lane, in Havertown.

Headliners for this year’s festival are Blues Hall of Fame singer/guitarist Joe Louis Walker; Hoboken, New Jersey-based alternative rock innovators The Bongos, playing a rare reunion show; and rising blues/rock singer-guitarist Debra Devi.

Details on these headliners are featured below.

These nationally renowned performers will be supported by 13 regional performers on stages behind and in front of the Oakmont School Building at 50 E. Eagle Road, at the intersection of East Eagle Road and East Hathaway Lane, in Havertown.

A full performance schedule is below.

Area businesses and vendors will fill booths along East Hathaway Lane.

There will be food vendors, an Official Beer & Wine Garden hosted by City Winery Philadelphia, and children’s activities – a full day of late-summer fun for the entire family.

Performer Schedule

Oakmont Field Stage (behind the Oakmont School Building)

• Noon — Jared Feinman (blues/pop singer-songwriter)
• 12:45 p.m. — I Think Like Midnight (instrumental rock band)
• 1:30 p.m. — Speeding Arrow (blues, folk, rock and psychedelia)
• 2:15 p.m. — Sharing Contest (emo-ish indie rock)
• 3 p.m. — Kiss Boom Bah (garage, surf, bubblegum and punk)
• 4 p.m. — Ikechi Onyenaka (jazz, funk, fusion, R&B, neo soul and hip hop)
• 5 p.m. — Debra Devi (rising blues/rock singer-guitarist)
• 6 p.m. — The Bongos (acclaimed Hoboken, NJ alt-rock quartet)
• 7:30 p.m. — Joe Louis Walker (Blues Hall of Fame singer-guitarist)

Eagle Road Stage (in front of the Oakmont School Building)

• Noon — AFTYN (indie/folk duo)
• 12:45 p.m. — Dan Ascanio (pop/rock singer-songwriter)
• 1:30 p.m. — GHT (Havertown rockers)
• 2:15 p.m. — Rasan In the Heyday (pop, punk and grunge)
• 3 p.m. — Bristoltooth (rock ranging from delicate to dynamic)
• 3:45 p.m. — Jessica Graae (folk-rock)
• 4:30 p.m. — Caya Sol (roots reggae, R&B)

The Haverford Township Music Festival is funded solely through sponsorships and donations. Voluntary donations to help keep the festival free will be greatly appreciated and gratefully accepted. Donations can be made either at online here in advance or onsite on the day of the festival.

It is produced exclusively by the 501(c)(3) organization Haverford Township Education, Arts & Music Society (HTEAMS).

The Haverford Township Education, Arts & Music Society has expanded the festival’s name to Haverford Township Music Festival to be more inclusive of all communities within Haverford Township, which, in addition to all of Havertown, includes portions of Haverford, Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Wynnewood, and Drexel Hill.

Headliners

Joe Louis Walker (aka JLW)

NPR Music describes this San Francisco native as "powerful, soul-stirring, fierce and gritty...a legendary boundary-pushing icon of modern blues."

The Chicago Sun-Times has hailed JLW’s music as "proudly modern, designed to rest comfortably alongside anything from the Black Keys or Jack White. Walker's voice demands attention: scorching, imploring, always commanding," and praises his "heavy guitar fills, soul, gospel harmony, and vortex of power chords and funk. He is living proof of the boundless potential of blues."

In 2013, JLW was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. He has released more than two dozen albums, the latest of which is 2021’s Eclectic Electric (Cleopatra Blues).

The Bongos

The music of this quartet, whose albums include such classics as Drums Along the Hudson, Numbers with Wings and Beat Hotel, has been described as "a sparkling explosion of guitar pop" by leading alternative music publication/website Trouser Press.

In recent years, singer-guitarist Richard Barone has focused on his solo career, highlighted by such highly praised albums as Cool Blue Halo, Primal Dream and Glow, while fellow guitarist James Mastro has worked extensively with Ian Hunter in the latter’s solo and "Mott the Hoople 1974" bands.

Haverford Township Music Festival is honored to welcome The Bongos for this rare reunion performance.

Debra Devi

Devi's music combines blues-rock, jam, Americana and pop influences into a potent blend flavored with her masterful guitar playing and soulful vocals.

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and now living in Jersey City, New Jersey, Devi grew up dreaming of playing rock and roll guitar, but was told, "That’s what boys do."

After her experience attending a live blues show, then a life-changing night watching Bonnie Raitt on stage, she’s been proving the nay-sayers wrong ever since.

JamBase calls her "a supersonic fret-burner who writes hauntingly memorable songs, blending the intricacy of a good jam band with the catchiness of vintage power-pop."

Hardrock Haven adds, "Devi references the ‘60s and early ‘70s with an understated retro vibe, but instead of sounding dated, her sound comes across as timeless."

Devi’s discography includes her new 2022 live EP, Jamification Station Vol. 1, and neo-soul single, "Please Mr. Postman," and prior EPs A Zillion Stars Overhead and Wild Little Girl (True Nature Records/DMM).

She is also the author of The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu (True Nature Books), winner of the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for Outstanding Book on Music.

"The festival is a lot of fun to put on, but we rely on help from volunteers for a few hours here or there throughout the day in order for it to succeed," says Haverford Township Education, Arts & Music Society president Jesse Hubley. "Anyone interested in volunteering will find a choice of options, such as stage and booth set up, take down, clean-up or band hospitality, online here. Your help is greatly needed and will be deeply appreciated!"

The website also includes pictures and videos from previous years, and provides registration forms for sponsors and vendors at online here.

For more information, businesses and organizations interested in being 2022 sponsors or vendors should contact HTEAMS fundraising consultant Karen Smith at 484-459-7171 or ksmith.haverfordmusicfestival@gmail.com

"We’re so grateful to all of the wonderful musicians, volunteers, sponsors and vendors who made our first nine festivals such great successes," Hubley continues. "It’s been nearly three years since our 9th festival, so anticipation is extraordinarily high for our 10th. We expect it to be an especially great event! As always, our top priority is to provide a fun and entertaining day for the entire family to end their summer memorably."