The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/29255
Continued from Page 16 Randy Miritello was one of the founders of that festival, which is held on his and his neighbors’ land. “Hoedown in The Blowdown started when we had a tornado come through there ... a party started in the middle of all of this blowdown when we were cleaning up,” Miritello said. Although Miritello is allowing the LiveLIVE! guys to have their event at The Blowdown, he said he has been hands off in the actual organization and plan- ning of the event. “Those guys are very organized,” he said. “They’re doing a great job getting all of their ducks in line. I’m just trying to help them with where to put people in the space. ... I don’t think I’ve given them any tips that they didn’t already know. I just let them know that I’m here for them.” Miritello’s bluegrass Americana band the Horse- shoe Lounge Playboys is one of the local bands per- forming at the LiveLIVE! festival. Other familiar lo- cal and regional acts include regional bands Jimkata, Dopapod, Consider the Source, Bearquarium and Dirty Paris and Oneonta-based Krisco Fist, Guava Smash and Slammin’ Doris. “I think people will be really surprised about some of the hidden gems we’ve gotten to come to Live- LIVE!,” Sternstein said. One of those “hidden gems” is Underground System Afrobeat, an all-star group of Afrobeat musicians who have been a part of the Tony award- winning musical “Fela!” about legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti and produced by Jay Z and Will Smith, among others. The music will start the afternoon of Friday, May 6, and continue all day Saturday, May 7, and the schedule of events will be released a week before the festival, according to Dunworth. “We’re supporting honest music,” Sternstein said. “We’re working our asses off. We think it’s a noble cause what we’re doing ... people are supporting us, and we love those people who are helping make LiveLIVE! work.” _ Cassandra Miller ‘I think people will be really surprised about some of the hidden gems we’ve gotten to come to LiveLIVE!.’ _ Dan Sternstein LiveLive! Crew PR MAN DAN STERNSTEIN, 23 Spokesperson and figurehead. Dan handles the phone calls, books the shows and does the schmoozing. He also describes his cohorts below. HEAD OF THE COMPANY TREVOR DUNWORTH, 25 CEO, event director, head of organization. “He’s at every single show, session and meeting making sure we’re working together and organized.” CRAFTSMAN DAN VOTKE, 24 Sound technician, head sound engineer, craftsman. “He’s willing to get down and dirty and work. If you want a stage, he’ll build you a stage. You could give him an avocado and a snorkel and he’d make you something cool.” IT TECH GURU NATE C. ROBERTS, 28 Website designer, market- ing and idea machine. “Without Nate, we really wouldn’t be able to oper- ate. He organized every- thing so that we could run an efficient business.” _ Michelle Pietrafitta LiveLIVE! Music and Arts Festival WHAT: Camping, live music, art WHEN: Friday and Saturday, May 6 and 7. WHERE: The Blowdown, 1170 Kelly Corners Road, Oneonta INFO: www.livelive.us, info@livelive.us, 431-8510, tickets are available online and at the Black Oak Tavern at 14 Water St. in Oneonta during music events. SETTING A mere 10 minutes from the heart of Oneonta at a venue known as The Blowdown, there’s a clearing in the woods with a large wooden stage, a fire pit and a dance floor. To this, the LiveLIVE! crew will bring another stage to be set into the forest, crazy stage lights, Ommegang beer, an array of food and craft vendors, firespinners and a day and a half packed with music. LINE-UP LiveLIVE! will showcase big name national acts like Yonrico Scott (of the Derek Trucks Band) and Underground System Afrobeat (containing members of the Easy Dub All Stars and the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, who were a part of Tony-winning musical Fela!), regional favorites like Dopapod, Consider the Source, Bearquarium and Dirty Paris, and Oneonta-based bands like Slammin’ Doris and The Horseshoe Lounge Playboys. VIBE LiveLIVE! will be a small-scale festival in a small town. It is planned as a gathering for the community to celebrate the cream of Oneonta’s cultural crop, as well as the best music of the northeast region and beyond, all in a beauti- ful wooded setting. HISTORY LiveLIVE! Music and Arts Festival has roots in Headyfest, an underground music festival held in Otego for the past five years. Trevor Dunworth and Dan Votke first organized Headyfest as a party, and it grew into a full-blown festival with dozens of bands. The LiveLIVE! guys are ready to move on to offering something more family-friendly while still maintaining the sense of community and camarade- rie that characterized Headyfest, without that festival’s rumored craziness. _ Michelle Pietrafitta April 14, 2011 O-Town Scene 17