These photos go back to the beginning of this summer, May 25th, and the Northampton Reggae Festival put on by “Bush-I” and Ira McKinley in Pulaski Park. I did not photograph the great Reggae bands that played that day which included the Alchemystics and Black Rebels, because by that time I was too busy hula hooping. What I did get was the amazing performance put on by my friend and fellow vegan Jahara Sara Conz and her Innovative Female Dance Ensemble known as FemmAesthetik.

FemmAesthetik performed the “Oxum” dance in honor of the goddess of love: Mahajoy Laufer and Jahara Sara Conz dancers; Veronica “V” Haddad and Allison Ahearn drummers. There was also a fashion show that Jahara, Chaya, Mindy, Megan E. LaBonte, V and Mahajoy modeled for. The clothes were designed and made by Mahajoy Laufer, the incredibly talented young woman you will see MC-ing the fashion show in my photos. Lastly, “Boogie Back” (Mahajoy’s Lindy Hop group) performed a Lindy Hop piece.

This event was a kick off for the summers once a month Friday “music in the park” jams. You can view all 160 of my photos from this event on flickr.

Primates lookin' good.

tuba or not tuba?

Anyone who lives in Northampton and isn’t a crazed shopaholic is usually cranky about the sidewalk sale. It clogs up streets and of course sidewalks. If you own a business I guess it is nice to sell all the crap no one would buy off your shelves. And I do like those freakin’ samosas the India Palace has out. I just want to know what it is about shopping that causes people to stand in the middle of the sidewalk oblivious to everyone around them who needs to get by. I am forced to go out into the road and dodge the drivers who are almost as unaware, texting and drinking lattes while driving with their knees for all I know.

My office is accessed through a door on Main Street and so I can easily descend into the madness. On Thursday while I was at my computer conjuring mad schemes and dreams I heard through my window the raucous sounds of Northampton’s finest psychedelic dixieland band the Primate Fiasco. I am their semi-official photographer so I ran outside with my camera to knock people out of their way so they could make it down the street. What were they thinking playing during the sidewalk sale anyway?

Luckily I hadn’t bathed in a couple days and people seemed to move out of my way anyway. I got some great shots of the band on the sidewalk and in the streets and then we went up to the train tracks to do some more. Nothing like some graffiti and train tracks to make a bunch of white guys with geeky instruments look cool. That’s what I’m here for after all, to keep things interesting. But seriously, the Primate’s are one of our town’s musical treasures. Check out their web site at www.PrimateFiasco.com

Primates crossing the road.

Primates in front of the Haymarket Vegetarian Cafe

Primates at the main intersection in Northampton.

Primates on the tracks