(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
WasFest Boston, a new three-day music festival, aims to bring a unique experience to the Wang and Shubert Theatres this summer.
The "Was" in WasFest is legendary producer and musician Don Was. Was is presently the president of seminal jazz label Blue Note Records, but I guarantee you know his name from a number of other places. His '80s pop rock act Was (Not Was) had a hit in "Walk The Dinosaur." He's also produced, among other projects, all the records from the Rolling Stones since 1994.
Now, Was is adding "Festival Curator" to his already-impressive resume. WasFest will take place from Friday, June 23 through Sunday, June 25 and will feature some of Was’s longtime musical collaborators and friends. From the press release: “It was a pleasure to put this festival together, pairing some of my favorite artists performing today with some of my all-time favorite records.”
WasFest Boston: usic Festival Brings a Unique Experience
The three-day festival kicks off on Friday, June 23 with Meshell Ndegeocello, the singer/songwriter and bass player you likely know best from her collaborations with John Mellencamp, Missy Elliot, and Redman. That same night, Dark Star Orchestra will be performing Grateful Dead sets at the Wang Theatre, which was known as Boston Music Hall when the Dead played there. They'll even be playing the same set the Dead played back in November of 1978!
Saturday will spotlight the Julian Lage Quartet, who will collaborate with keyboardist John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood. Sunday brings the reggae vibes with Boston act Lettuce and the legendary Steel Pulse. Each of the concerts are individually ticketed, so you can pick and choose which ones you want to attend. To view the full lineup--along with support acts, set times and venues--and to purchase your tickets, hit the WasFest page. WasFest should prove to be a unique experience indeed.
