Cambridge Porchfest runs it back for a second year July 11-12, a local highlight on the Indie’s Summer Festival Preview.
The city continues to experiment with its own brand of Porchfesting, outside of the colossal variant minted by its neighbor Somerville, which boasted more than 500 bands signing up to perform at the slightly soggy event in May.
Like last year’s inaugural edition, the Cambridge Porchfest is subdivided into two experiences on two days.
The first day, a Saturday, centers in the neighborhoods of Cambridgeport and Riverside, and copies a more traditional model that relies on yards, driveways and stoops to stage a mix of amateur and professional music making. Sunday moves the action to Massachusetts Avenue, where buskers at the cafes and outdoor spaces entertain crowds in Central and Harvard squares. The music on both days runs noon to 6 p.m.
Porchfesters can rely on a map to plan their day, provided by the Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association at its website. The schedule for July 11 is sortable by time and location. Although the lineup is still being updated, more than 100 artists are listed for the first day of music, promising a mix of folk, blues, jazz, pop, R&B, rock, HONK!ers and DJ sets.
July 11 highlights include, but are not limited to, the coolness of Cool McDude (115 Brookline St. at 2 p.m.), Devo cover band Deva (63 Magee St. at 2:30 p.m.), the folk punk of Evan Greer (63 Magee St. at 1:30 p.m.), indie rockers Headband (12-14 Kenwood St. at noon), funk jammers Jabbawaukee (Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., at noon), solid investment Prestige Worldwide (Cambridge Community Television, 438 Massachusetts Ave., at 5 p.m.), Strummerville Ukulele Club (Old Morse Park, 249 Brookline St., at 5 p.m.) and punkers The Stress Balls (286 Broadway at noon).
The free event takes place rain or shine, so keep an eye on the weather report and plan accordingly.
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