First offering from this year’s “ make Middletown cool again” series put on by Manic Productions at Harbor Park. Nice setting on the Connecticut river with some food trucks and a small stage. The word of the day is Yachtrockification. The act of filing down the sharp edges of any music genre smooths the product in an effort to increase popularity. Sonny Rollins and Kenny G are both considered jazz saxophonists, but one of them Yachtrocked the genre. On this evening, reggae-light purveyor Joe Samba takes the stage first. Reggae is a summertime vibe and Samba was capable in the delivery. A big fella lefty guitarist from Massachusetts, Samba rolled through his set. Cheeky reggae-fied cover of Dean Martin’s Mambo Italiano was a microcosm of Samba.
Ripe is regional jam-pop outfit that graces many a festival stage. Big guy front man was backed by guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, and trombone. The set was yachtrocked jam-pop on the order of OAR or Spin Doctors. They opened with the trans positive cover of Lola by the Kinks. Ripe seemed to attract a younger crowd, and many knew the words to their”hits”. Free music, outside, nice weather is always welcome. I would have preferred some pointy edges though.
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