AcousticMusicScene.com will host pre-arranged song swaps during the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, July 22-25. The festival takes place at Dodds Farm on Route 7D in Hillsdale, New York, located in the foothills of the Berkshires, near the tri-state corner of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Dodds Farm (Photo by John Dodds)

For the third year in a row, AcousticMusicScene.com joins with Tribes Hill (a nonprofit organization uniting musicians of the Hudson Valley region and their patrons in support of a music community coming together to celebrate human experience through song) to jointly present late-night song swaps during Falcon Ridge.

Now in its 22nd year, Falcon Ridge is among the Northeast’s most popular music festivals. It features dozens of regional and national touring artists performing on several stages, along with a dance tent, children’s music and activities, and a wide array of crafts, food and other vendors.

However, the fun doesn’t end there. One of the true highlights of Falcon Ridge, for those who opt to camp on-site and stay up through the early hours of the morning, are the impromptu jams, after-hours song circles and mini- showcases. These late-night sessions – including, among others, the Nite Owl Song Swap hosted by singer-songwriter Terry Kitchen, those put on by the folks associated with Budgiedome, and the AcousticMusicScene.com -Tribes Hill Song Swaps — help foster a sense of “folk” community and a different kind of festival experience.

As in past years, the AcousticMusicScene.com-Tribes Hill late-night song swaps will take place under a big white canopy tent. However, this year it will be located in the lower left section of the 10-Acre field, rather than on the hill. A pre-arranged hour of invitational song swaps each evening (or early a.m., depending on your vantage point) will be followed by open song circles to which folks are invited to bring their instruments, voices and ears. Some of the artists slated to perform at the AcousticMusicScene.com -Tribes Hill tent also will appear on the main stage and other stages during the festival. These include The Brilliant Inventions and Chuck E. Costa, as well as several of the artists who will be featured in this year’s Emerging Artists Showcase (see 24 Chosen for Grassy Hill-Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists Showcase, posted June 18 in the Awards & Contests and Festival Focus sections).

Gathering Time (Photo by Robert Berkowitz, RSBImageWorks)

In addition to the late-night song swaps, dinner-break activities are planned at the white canopy tent this year. Folk harmony trio Gathering Time will lead a 60s-70s Folk Rock Sing-Along & Jam on Friday during the main stage dinner break, while Spuyten Duyvil leads an old-timey jam on Saturday.

The late-night music at the AcousticMusicScene.com-Tribes Hill tent kicks off on Thursday night, from 11 p.m. – midnight, with an hour-long song swap featuring Chris O’Brien, Karyn Oliver, Abi Tapia, Brad Yoder & Jason Rafalak. Two half-hour song swaps are planned for Friday overnight. The first, from 12:30-1 a.m., will feature The Brilliant Inventions and Gathering Time – and lots of nice harmonies. Following that will be a rollicking swap with singer-songwriter Joe Iadanza and the lively groups Pesky J. Nixon (who also host music on the “Lounge Stage” on Thursday) and Spuyten Duyvil.. Swapping songs from 12:30-1 a.m. Saturday overnight will be singer-songwriters Rebecca Loebe, John Wort Hannam and Shannon Wurst. Following them will be Tribes Hill’s own Chuck E. Costa and The YaYas. Open song circles will follow each night.

For more information on the festival, visit www.falconridgefolk.com.

Michael Kornfeld

Editor’s Note: As a longtime communications and public relations strategist, who counts a number of independent recording artists as clients, I also will share my knowledge and insights on Effective PR for Independent Recording Artists under the AcousticMusicScene.com-Tribes Hill tent. On Thursday afternoon, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., I will conduct an informal, interactive session that also is applicable for presenters and others. Topics may include preparing bios and news releases, tour publicity, traditional and social media, your online presence and image, and whatever else may be on the minds of attendees. As vice president of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) board of directors and a speaker at other music conferences, I also will share some thoughts about upcoming conferences of note.