Summer Solstice at Boynton Yards

Summer solstice, the longest day of the year, landed on June 21st. The Summerville Solstice arrived a few days after on the weekend of the 25th, bringing artists, music fans, vendors, and curious onlookers to ONCE/Boynton Yards in Union Square. Sun and sunflowers were the order of the day, but there was no gainsaying the long shadow cast by the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade the day before. 

Many among the assembled crowd must have been wondering whether they shouldn’t rather be at a rally. But there are different forms of protest. Music can express anger, fears, confusion. Music can unite, promote empathy, heal. Music can help build the community that will be needed to fight back and regain the rights that were stolen from Americans on Friday.

Kid-friendly (and parent-friendly) fare, a regular feature of ONCE/Boynton Yards events, predominated in the afternoon. Jumbo yard games, pizza, and chalk art livened up the asphalt. Matt Heaton, The Dripp, Assasi, Rochelle Bonamie, and Nectarine Girl mixed genres and styles and moods and kept the day humming along for the families. What future awaits the children of those parents? The bid to overturn Roe v. Wade had been a long term conservative political project for nearly 50 years. Suppose the pendulum takes just as long to swing back the other way. Will those children live out the bulk of their adult life in a country split in half over reproductive rights?

Grace Givertz takes the stage at Summerville Solstice.

In the early evening the second half of the bill got cooking. With sunset scheduled for 8:25pm, the stage lights did not get much use. Grace Givertz played a warm and spirited set, switching up between banjo and a new guitar. She brings a folk country twang and her voice rang out strong and true. Extra points for asides about the Marxist posturings of an ex-lover.

Scene staple Black Helicopter tried out new material along with some old favorites, including “Young Jerks.” The trio – guitar, bass, drums – drape noisy, punk textures over a more ambitious architecture of songwriting. Guitarist and lead vocalist Tim Shea accomplishes a two-fold feat: (i) singing in a way that you can understand the lyrics (nothing to sniff at in alt rock) and (ii) writing lyrics that you care about understanding. He’s a storyteller. Extra points for a strong Puma game: the better to hit the fuzzbox.

Genie Santiago brought the Astral Spirit Funk Hop. Her most recent album Inner Space featured many guest MCs, but she handled all the vocals tonight with a mix of sultry R&B and rap. The band included keys, drum machine (and bongos), electric guitar, and harp. The harp shined: light notes plucked over heavy beatz felt like an old school Dr. Dre joint. The set was full of soul and got the crowd moving. Extra points for a little healing goddess wisdom.

By the time closer Tigerman WOAH! took the stage, the summer day was finally a solsticed night. Darkness fell and the stage lights came up. The Lynn-based quartet brings a moshpit energy and Appalachian stomp to their folk rock. Extra points for the standup bass acrobatics. The lead vocalist spoke about his union membership and the importance of defending labor rights, which brought the evening around full circle to what was on many people’s minds after the Supreme Court decision: what’s next? A fight measured in years, not days or weeks. It’s a long road, but Tigerman WOAH’s fighting spirit is a good place to start and good opportunity to remind ourselves that reproductive rights are worker rights.

Area Girl loses rights, hunts for them in field of sunflowers.