Boogie on the Bricks rocks its fourth year
JOE HIGGINS
Messenger staff writer
July 21, 2008
Downtown Athens was the place to be on Saturday as the masses took the opportunity to go dancing in the city streets.
The fourth year of Boogie on the Bricks set a new level for the festivities as crowds of people packed Court Street to hear the bands rock the stage.
Organizing committee member Ric Wasserman said the Athens Uptown Business Association started Boogie on the Bricks because it wanted to have a big event where they could bring a lot of people downtown during the summer. In the first year, rain and wind threatened the festivities, but the sun came out and "everybody loved it, we never looked back and the festival has doubled in size every year," Wasserman said.
Boogie on the Bricks is now its own non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to put on the festival and make enough money to put on a better festival the next year.
Wasserman said last year the event drew more than 6,000 people and it was estimated that at least that many took in the festival this year.
Musician Joey Hebdo kicked off the event, followed by Heavens to Betsy and then local act Southeast Engine. Silo Circuit and Hiatus took the stage next and the festivities were headlined by The Royales.
Josh Brown booked the bands and said they were all fantastic.
"Joey Hebdo started off the day and he played the original one four years ago. He's acoustic, and influenced by The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. He has a really good voice and is a good singer," Brown said.
"Heavens to Betsy, which is an alternative country act out of Granville, Ohio, was good, too. Then we had Southeast Engine. They are local kids that have just been signed by a label. They're singer/songwriter driven, and have an alternative feel to them," Brown said.
"Silo Circuit has a gypsy, Eastern European feel. They were cool because they literally carried their instruments down the street and played them."
Silo Circuit members Galen Mullins and Emily Cline said they had a great time performing for the Court Street crowd.
Mullins, an Athens native, simply stated, "It was awesome," while Cline added, "It was so huge. I was not expecting there to be so many people when I looked out."
Brown himself took the stage and rocked with Hiatus, a self-described funk-soul project. They play mostly originals, but did a few covers from artists including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Wonder and Al Green.
The Royales closed the show. Brown called them the "most popular band in town. They always pack the house."
"It's been awesome. In fact, this year they've reacted better than in any year previous," said Brown, who said every year he just tries to book bands that will get the people up and on the bricks to dance.
"It's summer time; people want to get out and see what's going on, drink beer on the streets, do whatever," Brown said.
Boogie on the Bricks caps off Ohio Brew Week in Athens and does so in a unique way. For one day only, the event is permitted to allow the public to drink alcohol on the streets. Microbrewers take advantage of the occasion to set up sampling tables and sell their unique concoctions. It also gives the public a chance to meet the brewers and buy merchandise from Brew Week. Brown said the linkage between the two events is what's really grown over the past few years.
Vendors like Bali Karma, Designs by Amy and playswithglass.com offered their unique brands of products to the crowd. Billy Crocker of Bali Karma peddled handmade jewelry and promoted drumming with handmade bass drums. Designs by Amy showed its bead work in necklaces, bracelets, earrings and the like, while Amanda Buchanan displayed the multiple workings of glass.
The bands played from 2 p.m. into the late hours of the day, while vendors sold crafts, desserts, record albums and various other products on the street. In addition to their own brand of dancing on the bricks, kids had their own area to play in, featuring the "bouncy house" and other games.
"Overall, it's just a great day of family fun in Athens," Brown said. "Fun in the sun, support the local vendors and you get to see all the great stuff that uptown has. It's just a fun festival."