The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library @ PorchFest 5.18.2013

PorchFest! What a beautiful day to head into Somerville and listen to bands play out-of-doors. Big Little One and I jumped in the car after his swimming lesson* to catch some songs from The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library. We camped out on the sidewalk and enjoyed the ample sunshine and harmonies. As we walked away, Big Little One informed me that he had enjoyed himself.

“I like the way they sound. They sound the best.”

* There may have been a quick stop for a donut on the way.

The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library @ T.T. The Bear’s Place 6.15.2012

The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library experimented with playing along to a silent movie they made. If this is anything like the way Mr. Epstein “experiments” with new bands, expect to see more of this in the future.

The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library @ Somerville Public Library 4.21.2012

The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library at the Somerville Public Library? I’m in.

I’m always looking for opportunities to take the boys to see some live music. Big Little One has been into taking pictures lately, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for him to do his first live shoot. I grabbed his camera (and mine of course) and we headed out for the Somerville Library.

We got there a little late. The band was already playing. The PA wasn’t working properly, but this may have been a blessing in disguise. Michael and his bandmates were able to deftly balance their levels with good old fashioned playing dynamics. It made for a folksy performance that suited the songs well. A song like “Lymph Nodes” is made all the more rousing by voices moving air without any amplified assistance.

As for the boy, he had a blast. After the first song he ditched his kiddie camera and convinced me to hand over my iPhone. He spent the rest of the set snapping away. So, what kinds of photos does a five-year-old take?* The most amazing live music photos ever.** See for yourself. The Instagram photos at the end of this set are some of his shots from the day. He even chose the black-and-white filter all by himself.

* To be fair, he’s almost six.

** Full disclosure: I may not be entirely impartial.