For a scene that regularly exports its finest talent to Brooklyn, it’s nice to get something back for once.
After four years and running in BK, the Aputumpu Music Festival debuts its Boston edition on April 10, hosting a stacked roster of local bands over two nights at the Middle East Downstairs.
We know what you’re thinking: unless there’s a second, even bigger downstairs underneath the Downstairs that we don’t know about, that’s not quite a ‘festival’ venue. This is more of the two-nights-of-great-local-bands kind of thing, which is still reason enough to celebrate.
The concept is simple: expose both rising and established artists from across the scene on a mid-size festival platform. Developed by Osekre, a Ghanian musician working in New York with his band The Lucky Bastards, the concept came to fruition in Brooklyn in 2012, and the festival has continued its run for three years. Osekre’s bandmate and festival organizer Michael Prentky is excited to see how Aputumpu translates to Boston.
“Boston has a hugely rich, if not even over-saturated music scene,” wrote Prentky, who lives here, in an e-mail to DigBoston. “There are so many transient people, musicians, bands, etc., that having a regular festival to showcase some of the local emerging staples will help local bands cut through the transience and establish themselves. Even with other festivals like HassleFest, the sheer abundance of bands and fans still allow a great deal of room for festivals like ours that help showcase emerging bands on a larger stage.”
Full disclosure: it’s also a chance for Osekre’s own crew, The Lucky Bastards, to perform, actually closing out the first night. While you may raise an eyebrow to that, the rest of the lineup includes Mad Satta, Evolfo, Tigerman WOAH and Ripe. The second night has an international flavor, beginning with a few old favorites. Pulsing Afro-funk from The Debo Band and Atlas Soul is as ‘festival’ as it gets, plus it’s a chance to discover Federator No. 1 and Lamine Toure & Group Saloume.
Further proof that a music festival is wherever you make it.
APUTUMPU MUSIC FESTIVAL. FRI 4.10 – SAT 4.11 Middle East Downstairs, 480 Mass Ave., Cambridge. 18+. aputumpu.us
FRI 4.10
Ripe
Tigerman WOAH
Mad Satta
Evolfo
Osekre and The Lucky Bastards
Tickets $15 – $30 here
SAT 4.11
Debo Band
Federator No1
Atlas Soul
Kina Zoré
Lamine Toure and Group Saloum
Tickets $15 – $30 here.
