Ian, view Guerrilla Toss, viagra buy Skinny Bones, Rick from Pile, Horse Jumper of Love…. the list of local acts playing Boston En Masse this week at the Middle East Upstairs and Great Scott goes on and on. The festival’s diverse lineup, however, isn’t even the most impressive aspect of the three night extravaganza.
Instead, it is the way that the festival highlights the strength of Boston’s local scene and the community that has grown around it. One man who is at least partially responsible for the strength of the Boston scene is Jason Trefts. Trefts runs Illegally Blind Presents, a local promotion company he started over two years ago with the goal of “creating a more united local music scene.”
The Boston En Masse lineup is a testament to the relationships Trefts has built with nearly every big name in the local scene. When we spoke to Trefts about his approach to booking the festival, he told us that he likes to pair bands that wouldn’t normally play together in hopes of helping fans discover new music. He takes this approach with many other Illegally Blind shows, and when they are successful the bands become more willing to play diverse shows and festivals in the future.
Trefts also serves as the booking agent for the Middle East Upstairs, where he works with a number of different promoters and books acts of all shapes and sizes. When asked why he got into booking his own shows on the side, Trefts said that “aggressive or edgy music like what you hear from a lot of local bands has a reputation of being something you need to know a lot about to get into and be a part of.” Trefts doesn’t think that this should be true, believing instead that fans should be comfortable supporting whatever type of music they like. Trefts, who didn’t grow up around any type of local scene and went to high school in Beijing, says he’s living proof that just about anyone can get involved.
In addition to Boston En Masse, Illegally Blind also organizes Boston Fuzzstival, which celebrates the region’s best psychedelic/fuzz/garage/surf rock acts, as well as Local Music Hangouts, which are free, informal gatherings of music fans that often feature a surprise performance from a local act. Says Trefts, “I know groups of friends who have met for the first time at hangouts, and that’s exactly what you hope to see – it’s a really good sign for the local scene.”
Whether you’re looking to make new friends, check out some of your favorite acts, or discover new talent, Boston En Masse is the place to be this week. Friday headliner Ian will be playing one of their final shows as a “local band” before making the move out west, leaving a void that up-and-coming acts like Harmoos, Ursula, Castle Danger, and many others playing opening slots hope to soon fill.
You can buy a three day pass at the Middle East box office for $30, or check out the event page for the full lineup and single day ticket info.
