*All photos by Christopher Bruno, except for where otherwise noted.

What a time we had!

Despite the forecast looking pretty grim all week, we were blessed with blue skies, shining sun and a cool breeze, all while a solid crew of friends, new and old, gathered under our shady maple and borrowed canopies. Welcoming faces of all ages beamed back the same positive energies that the bands were releasing through their performances. The babies and dogs in attendance even appeared to be vibing with the good tunes and peaceful energies. There was so much comfort and joy in the air, it was hard not to just smile the day away.

For the opening set, Ornamental brought the cedar grove ambiance of their South Jersey home through their bucolic folk songs. With lap steel, hand-tapped drums and acoustic guitars, Lucia Gardiner and her friends Evan Whitenack and Niko Berardo (of Te Vista, another great Jersey group) were utterly transfixing under the dappled sunlight with their gossamer, homespun sound and soothing rhythms. There was a great warmth and closeness that radiated out from this intimate performance, which set the tone for the day perfectly. It felt exactly like what it was: some good friends jamming together and having fun on a patio on a summer afternoon. Their music needs to be experienced in a setting like this. Gardiner’s breezy vocals, bluesy guitar lines and Whitenack’s deep twangy slide work blended nicely into the sound of the rustling leaves, singing robins and other backyard sounds.

(Click the images to make them bigger.)

Most impressively of all, they played a song that was so new, it doesn’t even have a title yet (possibly “Lucy’s Song” or “Ugly Duckling”) and Whitenack had been able to rehearse the tune just once, and only a few hours before. Despite its freshness, the band absolutely nailed it like it was one of their tried and true standards.

Ornamental will be playing at the Hammonton Green Market on 7/25, and the Pine Barrens Folk Night at the Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City on August 8th. Check them out if you can and be sure to pick up their music on Bandcamp.

With the yard now suitably jazzed and buzzing, Heat Manager took the patio stage and ripped into a rollicking set of power-pop boogies. Packed tightly with addictive hooks, jangling surf guitar leads and shining harmonies, their performance was beyond fun. The power trio did way more than play the songs from March’s debut album (a record I’d without hesitation describe as a favorite of the year) justice, they brought them to electrified life with extended vivacious jams and unexpected turns. All of these tracks, plus a stellar new song, a Silver Jews cover (with guitarist Jake Rabinbach’s partner, Shannon Esper, sharing vocals) and of course a deep Dead cut (Rabinbach and bassist Jake Vest are in High Time, after all) infected you with their bright energy and witty humor. This was a set you didn’t want to end.

When the band did bring their time with us to a close, they launched into a swaggering rendition of their first single, “Palm Springs,” which is a sardonic tale of the realities of playing Coachella. The band really leaned into their gifted harmonies here, and towards the end of the tune, they used their intertwined vocals to soar out of the song and climb higher into The Beach Boys’ “Don’t Worry Baby,” as a little tribute to the recently passed Brian Wilson. The gradual build to this spritely finale was epic to behold, and it felt like they were raising the summer sunshine out of a sea of clouds, just for us. The audience loved it and responded wholeheartedly.

If you love the songwriting of artists like Pavement and David Berman, as well as some classic Grateful Dead and Moby Grape choogle, then you cannot miss Heat Manager if they play anywhere near you.

Check out their album Relaxed American. It very well could be the soundtrack for the rest of your summer.

For the final set, Mike Horn and Jarrod Anis of Seawind of Battery did a special one-off astral jam with Lyle Hysen and David Motamed, the rhythm section from The Royal Arctic Institute, under the moniker, ‘Supernova Discovery Project’. These like minded artists’ styles complimented each other and blended together perfectly, as Horn and Anis made the yard levitate with their droning waves of interstellar slide guitar.

Even though they only had a few loose rehearsals beforehand, these well seasoned players drifted us far into the stars like a tight unit that’s been jamming for decades already. With slow, meditative beats that grew into shimmering slow-mo cymbal crashes and dazzling lap steel work by Annis, the band submerged us into a Popol Vuh-meets-North Americans-like sound bath. These cosmic country soundscapes were as serene and chill as the rising breeze and early streaks of golden hour sunlight that were just beginning to light up our little green space.

It was a lovely and relaxing comedown from a day rich with incredible musical moments and effervescent communion. Surely, everyone travelled homeward riding high on these tranquil, celestial vibes, taking a little bit of our peace and happiness with them as they went. May these seeds of communal contentment and positivity grow into something even more beautiful and sublime wherever they end up.

-KH