Trending

Guster plays to a packed crowd at Somerville Porchfest

NewsTopTrendMay 12, 2024 No Comments

Local News

Guster, a Boston alternative rock group, played a free show at Somerville’s annual outdoor music festival, Porchfest.

Guster performs on the porch at 12 Aberdeen Road in Somerville on Saturday. Guster, whose members met in 1991 while students at Tufts, didn’t choose the location at random. They lived just down the road, at 33 Aberdeen Road, in the 1990s, while they were beginning to make a name for themselves in the indie rock scene.
Erin Clark/Globe Staff

Somerville Porchfest celebrated a hometown hero with intensely packed crowds this weekend.

Guster, a Boston alternative rock group known for songs such as “Satellite” and “Amsterdam,” played a free show at Somerville’s annual outdoor music festival Porchfest.

Guster performs on the porch at 12 Aberdeen Road in Somerville on Saturday. Guster, whose members met in 1991 while students at Tufts, didn’t choose the location at random. They lived just down the road, at 33 Aberdeen Road, in the 1990s, while they were beginning to make a name for themselves in the indie rock scene. – Erin Clark/Globe Staff

The Somerville Arts Council has been putting on a decentralized music festival and community event since 2011, according to their website. Porchfest multiplies the idea of overhearing a neighbor playing music on their porch.

This year, due to the expected number of attendees, there was an announcement on the Somerville Community Alert System reminding residents to use caution when traveling through Somerville and to anticipate traffic delays.

Marissa Rossi jumps up and down in excitement as Guster performs on the porch at 12 Aberdeen Road in Somerville on Saturday. Guster, whose members met in 1991 while students at Tufts, didn’t choose the location at random. They lived just down the road, at 33 Aberdeen Road, in the 1990s, while they were beginning to make a name for themselves in the indie rock scene. – Erin Clark/Globe Staff

“This is the most people that have been on Aberdeen. Ever,” said vocalist and guitar player Ryan Miller at the beginning of a YouTube video that caught Guster’s entire set.

And Miller’s assessment of the crowd wasn’t off base. Drone footage of the crowd revealed people standing in every possible crevice of the block.

The set ended early due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

Elaina Smith and Dan Monts dance to rock cover band Mixtape Misfits while attending Somerville Porchfest on Saturday. – Erin Clark/Globe Staff

“This may be our last PorchFest, f***. It’s like the Beatles. They get too close to these middle-aged beards and they’re like, ‘Oh my God. Receding hairlines? I can’t contain myself!’” said Miller as a motorcycle attempted to get through the crowd to assess the emergency.

During their set, the group played some of their own material, including “Amsterdam,” but also threw in a cover of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. Although, according to members of the crowd, the sheer size of the fanbase prevented them from hearing most of it.

Guster performs on the porch at 12 Aberdeen Road in Somerville on Saturday. Guster, whose members met in 1991 while students at Tufts, didn’t choose the location at random. They lived just down the road, at 33 Aberdeen Road, in the 1990s, while they were beginning to make a name for themselves in the indie rock scene. – Erin Clark/Globe Staff

“I’ve heard about as much Guster music as I heard before now, which is none of it,” said 30-year-old Andy Cawley to The Boston Globe.

The group posted a picture of their perspective of the crowd to their Facebook page, showing people as far as the eye can see, even in the upper decks of the houses across the street.

“We’ll be back next year but we’re not gonna tell anybody we’re playing next time. You’ll just have to find us, like Whac-A-Mole,” said Miller.


#Guster #plays #packed #crowd #Somerville #Porchfest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *