2021 Performers


ALDRA
Soul, R&B
Friday, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, Salem Common
ALDRA, is a Somerville, MA-based performing and recording artist whose music draws influence from soul, R&B, and alternative pop. She captivates listeners with velvety tones, profound lyrics, and imagery to bring them on a journey through her life experiences.

ALDRA

The Away Games
Solo guitar/singer
Sunday, 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm, Forten Park
The Away Games (TAG) is the recording and performing project of Chris O’Keeffe and a collection of collaborators. Their music has been featured in the 2018 Rock 4 HAWC compilation and the 2021 The Struggling Artist Podcast compilation.

Baechtold and Abel Aerial Artistry
Aerialist
Sunday, 12 pm, 2 pm, & 4 pm, Salem Common
Molly and Leah are two talented circus performers who have joined forces to create dynamic duo acts in the air. They’ve performed above local crowds at the MFA, Fenway Park, House of Blues, TD Garden, Mohegan Sun, Hynes Convention Center and with the Boston Lyric Opera, receiving mention in the WSJ.

Baechtold & Abel Aerial Artistry

Amy Billings and Nick Consone
Rock and Pop
Saturday, 11:15 am to 12 pm, Forten Park

Amy and Nick are local musicians based out of Salem and Beverly. They play a mix of everything from 70s rock to top 40 hits.

Sarah Blacker

Sarah Blacker
Singer/songwriter
Friday, 6:45 to 7:45 pm, Derby Square

Sarah Blacker

Sarah Blacker Trio
Rock/Folk
Sunday, 1:15 to 2:00 pm, Salem Common
Sponsored by Moody’s Home & Gifts

Sarah Blacker Trio

Calamus
Alternative Rock
Saturday, 2:00 to 2:45 pm, Derby Square
Calamus is an original band from in and around Salem, MA. Their music vacillates between improvisation, ambient soundscapes and alternative rock. They’ve also created several multimedia shows incorporating theatre, video, poetry and performance art.

Calamus

D.E.N.C.I.T.Y. Showcase
Diverse Creative & Expressive Talent

Sunday, 3 to 6 pm, Artists Row
D.E.N.C.I.T.Y stands for Developing Expressions Now Creating Initiatives Through YOU and so…we offer a mirror (for a closer look inside) maaaybe even point out a thing or two…then when the soul is ready to express its piece…we have the stage…the mic and the safe space to do so.


Ronnie Black Hat Deschenes
Acoustic Americana
Saturday, 3:30 to 4:30, Salem Common
Sunday, 4:15 to 5:00, Derby Square

An eclectic set list engages the audience to sing along, remember some classics while enjoying original songs. There are 70’s hits that will make you smile and originals that will make you laugh. Along with a selection of blues and acoustic music inspired by David Bromberg, Jim Croce, Rev Gary Davis

Ronnie Black Hat Deschenes

Drawn Together
Outdoor live model sketch group
Sunday, 2 to 4 pm, NPS Salem Maritime Site
Every Tuesday night since 2016 Sue Grillo and Beki Ferrari have put together uniquely eclectic scenes featuring live models as inspiration for drawing. Originally held at at Gulu Gulu cafe, they went online during Covid and would now love to see you back in person for fun pop up drawing events!

Drawn Together

Greg Allen’s Fringe Religion
Rock
Saturday, 5:00 to 5:45 pm, Salem Common
Come see Greg Allen’s Fringe Religion and restore your faith in rock and roll. With hints of classic arena rock, power pop,
sleazy glam, proto punk, gut bucket blues and even some country honk serve as backdrop
to Allen’s unique story telling, its pure rock and roll, the kind they don’t make anymore. Greg Allen on guitar and lead vocals; Cory Wells on guitar, keyboards and vocals; Greg Steinbaugh on
bass; and Jeff Larson on drums.

Fringe Religion

The Gallerist
American Rock
Saturday, 3:45 to 4:30, Derby Square
The Gallerist is a folk and indie band based out of the North Shore of Boston. Singer, songwriter Mike Collins began the group in Boston before moving to the Philadelphia area, where the band built a strong following, releasing two albums and performing in many venues, large and small.


Alexandra Grace
Folk
Sunday, 11:30 to 12:15, Forten Park
Alexandra graduated from Berklee College of Music in May 2020 with a B.M. in Songwriting and a minor in Psychology. Currently, she is focusing on performing, writing, and recording. She also teaches private lessons in voice, songwriting, and piano. 

Alexandra Grace

Grace at Midnight
Gloom Pop

Saturday, 2:45 to 3:30 pm, Forten Park
Grace at Midnight is the creative outlet of New England singer-songwriter Justin Goodrich. Over the years they have released several albums of both acoustic and full-band, self-produced material. They have acted in films such as ‘Lost In Lunacy’, ‘Surrogates’ and SyFy’s ‘The Haunted Boy’.

Caillie Hughes
Folk
Saturday, 1:30 to 2:15 pm, Forten Park
Native of Watertown, and currently a student at Salem State University, Hughes is Studying Music with a Minor in Entrepreneurship, Caillie Hughes finds her solace and creative time for writing at her home on the scenic North Shore. A charismatic and abundantly talented singer-songwriter

Caillie Hughes

JackRabbit Slims
Rock & Pop
Saturday, 7 pm to 9 pm
JackRabbit Slims, a name taken from a restaurant in the dance contest scene from Pulp Fiction, is a rock, R&B and dance band the North Shore of Boston that consists of Greg Hoyt, Shannon Grant, Chris Bednar Jim Stavropoulos and Dave Pashayan.

Image

LadyCap
Reggae
Sunday, 5:00 to 5:45 pm, Salem Common
Boston-based singer-songwriter Talia Pique, who headlines her band, LadyCap formed in 2018, has a unique way of cutting straight through the surface and to the core of her listeners’ hearts. Her soulful vocals and original reggae and soul tunes have the power to energize and inspire her listeners.

Molly Pinto Madigan
Folk
Sunday, 3:00 to 3:45, Forten Park
Winner of the Boston Folk Festival’s Songwriter Contest and dual Creativity Award recipient from Salem State University, Molly Pinto Madigan has earned praise for her angelic voice and hauntingly beautiful songwriting.

Joey Phoenix

Miracle Fish Puppets
Street Performance Puppetry
Friday, 6 pm to 8 pm, roaming
Vinny Lovegrove has be making and performing with his Miracle Fish Puppets all over New England since 1993. Not only does he have giants puppets but also small, very small and shadow puppets!

Moonrise Fae
Interactive Flow Arts
Friday, 6:30 to 8 pm, roaming
Saturday, 12:15 and 1:30 pm, Salem Common
We are a tribe of mystical Fae, sent to inspire magic and play through song, dance, art, storytelling, laughter and universal love.

Christopher O’Keeffe
Spoken Word/Poetry
Saturday, 12:15 to 12:30, Forten Park

Qwill
Jesse Ciarmataro aka Qwill is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer currently based in Salem, MA.


Kirsten & Dave
Folk
Saturday, 4:15 to 5:00, Forten Park

Kirsten & Dave’s diverse backgrounds are the key to their success at performing a variety of musical styles. Whether they are playing acoustic pop, country, acoustic blues or folk/bluegrass, their love for music is obvious.

Ritmos Dance
Youth Latin Dance
Sunday, 3:30 to 3:45, Derby Square
Ritmos’ mission is to preserve Latin American culture through dance!

Saturday Evening Grooves
Jazz, Saturday, 3:00 to 5:00 pm, Artists Row
Greater Boston area musicians celebrate jazz standards and improvisational music with influences in soul, blues, R&B, and hip hop.

Matt Savage Trio
Jazz
Sunday, 11 am to 1 pm, Artists Row

 

Stone Soup
Modern Classical
Friday, 6 pm to 8 pm, Artists Row

The Stone Soup Duo features flutist Wei Zhao and percussionist Lydia Lucas. Wei has won two nation wide Soloist competitions in China. Lydia’s career began as a student at Salem State, where she earned the Creativity Award for her graduating class. Just like us, our music is fun and eclectic!

Jen & Bob Strom, Folk
Sunday, 1:45 to 2:30, Forten Park
Bob & Jen Strom play together regularly at north-of-Boston sessions, Irish pubs and local festivals. Though Jen began as mainly a contra-dance fiddler, she is now a serious Irish fiddler as well as a singer of traditional songs from the British Isles, American ballads and contemporary folk songs, backed-up by Bob’s tasteful guitar work. Cindy McIntire is a founding member of O’Carolan Etcetera, and also played with the Salem Country Orchestra for many years.

Take Two
Pop Rock
Saturday, 12 pm to 2 pm, Artists Row
“Take Two” a North Shore acoustic duet/trio band. Christine Lucas, lead vocalist, and Niko Malinowski, acoustic guitarist, Berklee Student performs across North Shore and Boston area. We play all favorite, cover music hits in contemporary pop, R&B, jazz, country, folk, blues.

Third Citizen Theatre Company
Street Theatre
Sunday, 4:45 to 5:30, Derby Square
Third Citizen Theatre Company is a nonprofit committed to creating politically and socially relevant theatre with a focus on reimagining and re-contextualizing classical works.

Two Thoughts
Jazz
Friday, 8 pm to 10 pm, Artists Row
Boston-based bassist and composer Lucas Phillips explores the art of the duo with the region’s top improvisers. Experience engaging musical conversations spanning genres of jazz, pop, hip hop, blues, R&B, and more.

Andy Voelker Trio
Jazz
Sunday, 1 pm to 3 pm
Andy Voelker is a Boston based saxophonist and jazz musician who has been prominent on the original jazz and improvised music scene for the last 25 years. Steeped in swing, tradition, and creativity.

Aldra

Wangari Fahari
Kenyan Music/Afro- Jazz and World Fusion
Saturday, 11:30 am to 12:15 pm, Salem Common
Wangari is an Afro-jazz/World fusion band founded by Kenyan singer Wangari Fahari. Wangari’s music explores various chapters of her story set on soundscapes centered on world music but also includes various elements of art music, American jazz, and Afro Beat.  Wangari is also owner and founder of Fahari Records and ULEZI.org is known for her work with artists such as Paul Thibeault, Miriam Makeba, Bakithi Kumalo, Balla Kouyate, Joan Baez and Remi Kabaka.

Salem Arts Festival Dance by Creative Collective

Wild Planes
Rock
Saturday, 2:15 pm to 3 pm, Salem Common
Wild Planes is a rock/pop band based out of New York consisting of Lead Singer/Guitarist Kris Carmello and Drummer Andre Jevnik. Wild Planes is on the rise fusing Rock “N” Roll and Pop.

Sponsored by Moody’s Home & Gifts

Salem Arts Festival Dance by Creative Collective