Few things in life go precisely as planned.
One of them being my weekend to-do list. That list included soaking up as much sun, fun and music as I could over two days at Scott Park in downtown Easton.
Though my intentions to catch the bulk of acts performing at the second annual Easton River Jam festival were honorable, work schedules and life had other plans in mind. Instead, I was only able to make it to the event for a few hours on Sunday. (Easton River Jam was held Saturday and Sunday.)
Luckily, the amount of time spent along the banks of Delaware and Lehigh rivers reinforced the fact that the Lehigh Valley continues to produce, and foster, terrific original music.
I had the pleasure of enjoying sets by teenage pop-punk quartet FM Waves, reggae-jam fusion trio The Mosey Beet and reggae group Redwood. The three acts sounded great.
Listening to FM Waves blast through "Eye to Eye" and other spunky original tunes, as well as spot-on renditions of blink-182's "The Rock Show" and "First Date," was a refreshing way to start the afternoon. This promising group of musicians from Nazareth are set to release a new album in the coming weeks. Take it from me: This is one release you don't want to let slip under radar.
Changing the dial, The Mosey Beet followed FM Waves' first set with an impressive and eclectic sound that blended souped-up reggae and a touch of Latin soul into one funky package. If the classic lineups of Santana and Sublime decided to get together and jam, the result would best describe the music of The Mosey Beet. (Fittingly, the band conjured up an excellent cover of Santana's "Black Magic Woman.") Drummer Blair O'Connor -- the band's driving rhythmic force -- was especially entertaining to watch.
I closed out my stay by grooving to the smooth reggae flow of Redwood. Fronted by charismatic singer-percussionist Christopher J. Long, Redwood's sunny disposition (both musically and lyrically) and bouncy rhythms were the perfect way to cap a fantastic afternoon of live music.
Watch a clip of The Mosey Beet performing their song "Generation Infiltration" at Easton River Jam.