Live Arts Arlington Presents: GARAGE BAND

Capping off Arlington Porchfest with live music from the Bittersweet Band and School of HONK!, GARAGE BAND is a pop-up dance party and a celebration of community in an unusual venue, the Arlington Global Service Station — a classic auto service station that has become, thanks to input from neighborhood artist Johnny Lapham, a public art landmark in the heart of Arlington’s Cultural District.

The vibrant service station known for its colorful, artist-rendered  design now also serves as host to a celebratory dance free-for-all, part of the town’s Live Arts Arlington Program, produced by the newly established Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture, in collaboration with Porchfest promoters, the Arlington Center for the Arts.

GARAGE BAND is the musical culmination of all the energies generated by the participants in this year’s Porchfest. Bringing the party to the Arlington Global Service Station will be the highly acclaimed old school funk and R&B Bittersweet Band, along with the 100-member community street band School of HONK.

School of HONK has been exciting audiences since its creation as an inclusive community street band, welcoming people of all ages and abilities to play music and have fun. The diverse musicians of this ensemble bring joy and outrageous energy to the streets every time they appear in their distinctive thrifted polka dotted costuming.

The Bittersweet Band plays an irresistible blend of funk, soul, and classic R&B guaranteed to get people up on their dancing feet. With members drawn from Philadelphia, Virginia, New York and elsewhere, these talented players know how to lock in the groove. Drummer and leader Greg “PoPPa’G” Baker built up his chops backing up The Village People, touring with them during the height of their popularity. Bittersweet’s singer Tracy Howerton consistently knocks it out of the park with his outstanding lead vocals.

ABOUT LIVE ARTS ARLINGTON 

Live Arts Arlington is a free, public performing arts series arranged by the Programs & Festivals subcommittee of the Arlington Commission for Arts & Culture (ArtsArlington.org), an umbrella organization for town-related arts and culture activities in Arlington, MA. Live Arts Arlington organizes “pop up” performances in a variety of expressive forms – from music and puppetry to dance and literary readings – in public spaces throughout the town.