By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
Ruthie Foster was feeling sanctified Friday night.
The singer whose voice is infused with blues and gospel started preaching midway through her set at the Black Swamp Arts Festival.
She testified to the joys of live music. She and her band feel that especially keenly in the time after the period of pandemic shutdown.
And, she admitted, she was preaching to the converted.
“You guys love your music,” Foster told the audience that filled the city parking lot converted into a concert venue. “We can see it. We can feel it, and we are giving it back,” she said.
“We appreciate you guys giving us the chance to share our love of music with you.”
The festival opened at 5 p.m. with music on the Main and Community stages, and the juried art show ranging from Court to the north to Pearl to the south as well as food vendors. It’s the third year for the early start. A BG resident and regular festival goer Brad Meyers approves of the change. He said he likes the relaxed Friday night atmosphere for visiting the art show and listening to some music.
His family had already bought something – they always buy one piece at the festival.
The Meyers family was planning to return today when the festival swings into full gear.
The art shows, including the Wood County Invitational, open at 11 and run until 6 p.m.
The Youth Activities run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the northern end of the festival. The area also hosts two teen competitions: Beats on the Street for area high school vocal ensembles compete and Chalk Walk for high school chalk art teams.
Brock and Jackie Dishop came with their two young sons. As “math people” they enjoy seeing what the artists create. “We’re always amazed at the stuff they do,” Brock Dishop said. He could not imagine creating the work they do.
But what the family really enjoys most is the sense of community at the festival.
That was evident as the show closed for the night with a performance by Kaleta and Super Yamba Band. The seven-piece ensemble from Brooklyn, New York, played an invigorating mix of Afrobeat, Juju, and other African rhythms.
Fronted by Kaleta a veteran vocalist and guitarist who has performed with Afrobeat icons King Sunny Ade and Fela Kuti, pulled the crowd together, and had them dancing in front of the stage.
The ensemble weaved buoyant unison guitar lines punctuated by brass and riding crosshatched waves of percussion. On top, Kaleta added vocals, that communicated a joyousness that defied translation.
