Batavia to be home to Music Matters Summer Fest's day-long lineup

BATAVIA – A full-throated celebration of the season will be marked by the first Music Matters Summer Fest from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Batavia Riverwalk, featuring bands, an array of edibles and headliners Ralph’s World for the younger set and The Bad Examples for the finale.

A Q&A profile of the Grammy-nominated Ralph Covert and his two headlining bands is featured in the Kane Weekend section.

Batavia will spend the day rocking and rolling thanks to the efforts of Jeff Matter of Music Matters School of Music in Batavia, who has been talking about an event of this scope for years and said he finally decided to jump in head-first, spurred by all the local talent available to showcase.

“The cool thing is giving some of our students the opportunity to perform [starting] at 9 a.m. to get that festival experience,” Matter said. “These are students who may be just starting out or have been with us the entire 12 years. Performance is important no matter where you’re at on your musical journey.”

Among the young artists will be Evan Reid, who has studied at Music Matters for 12 years, and who will take the stage at 11 a.m.

“He’s become a wonderful musician, singer-songwriter,” Matter said. “We wanted to feature him for an entire hour. He plays guitar and writes his own songs and covers songs he really likes. That night, he’ll be sitting in with The Bad Examples.”

That band’s guitarist Tom O’Brien happens to be a guitar, bass and ukulele instructor at Music Matters and teaches Reid.

Covert said O’Brien has been teaching Reid intricate guitar parts with intertwining lines to numerous Bad Examples songs.

The school’s voice instructor Marina Alyse will have her students on stage at 1 p.m. in a vocal revue by varied ensembles. Alyse, a pop singer-songwriter, actor and producer, also will perform her own songs as well with other faculty. A Step Above Dance Academy will entertain at 10 a.m., and Patrick Moynihan will perform at noon.

Matter said Ralph’s World will go on at 3 p.m. with the full band for the all-ages festival.

Local band Serendipity will play at 4:15 p.m. Its all-female lineup includes Sam Paige, a former student at Music Matters.

Good Things will perform roots and rock at 5:20 p.m. Covert said Matter asked him for artist lineup input, and he suggested the Batavia-based band Good Things after getting to know the musicians at his Ralph Covert’s Acoustic Army gigs at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn.

“I called up Jeff,” Covert said. “I think they would be so amazing to have on the bill. They’re local, wonderful guys.”

Noah’s Arcade will perform at 6:30 p.m. Its front man and guitarist Noah Gabriel is an instructor at Music Matters.

Matter is thrilled at the support behind the festival, including Batavia MainStreet, Batavia Park District, the Chamber of Commerce and a variety of sponsors and partners.

“We want to give back to this great community that supported us for the past 12 years,” said Matter, noting festival organizers believe that music has the power to “bring people together, [to] create a feeling of togetherness that can be shared out into the world.”

Matter said the family friendly festival will sell tickets for food and alcohol. Sales for the latter will begin at 1 p.m. Gaetanos’s will serve tapas and wine, Pal Joey’s will have pizza and Italian beef along with craft beer, Fernando’s Street Kitchen will serve tacos and margaritas and will open in the morning with its signature breakfast tacos, and Bernie’s Bully Dogs will be on hand. There will be a large tent with tables for those buying food.

To support the vendors, no outside food or drink will be permitted. Admission to the festival is free, with suggested donations of $5 welcome at the ticket sales tent to help offset expenses.

The Kid’s Zone will offer a 65-foot inflatable obstacle course, as well as a small bounce house for younger children.

Music Matters office manager Ellyn Theis, a visual artist, is creating a mural painting opportunity for kids. In addition, children can paint clay pots with musical themes to take home. River City Church will assist with the Art Zone.

People who would like to volunteer at the inaugural festival are welcome to sign up at musicmattersschool.com/festival, which also highlights the full events lineup.

If you go

WHAT: Music Matters Summer Fest

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 11

WHERE: Peg Bond Center at Batavia Riverwalk, off Houston Street and Island Avenue, Batavia

COST: Free, with donations welcome

INFO: musicmattersschool.com/festival