Some of the biggest names in Pittsburgh indie rock will appear at a new, daylong spring music festival.
Nevada Color, Donora, Emerson Jay, and more will perform at the inaugural Framework Music and Arts Festival, Saturday, May 7 at the RE360 Warehouse in Allentown.
The festival, presented by WYEP, will exhibit visual artists as well as live music, including a live welding and sculpture display from Mobile Sculpture Workshop.
Framework is the brainchild of Dan Evans, bass player of electro-pop band Emerson Jay and, by day, a leasing agent for RE360. The event is produced by Max Kovalchuk, guitarist for indie pop band Nevada Color, with assistance from his bandmate Adam Valen.
“We were out one night and [Evans] threw out the idea of having a show there,” says Kovalchuk, “and then it snowballed into this bigger music and arts festival.”
Also performing are Andre Costello and the Cool Minors and Wreck Loose, with opening support from Suits and Ukes. A local DJ will spin between sets.
“I’ve done festivals before,” says Kovalchuk, who organized 2014’s Mountain Top Music Festival in Grandview Park. “But the artist element to this is going to be super cool, and it’s all really great, up-and-coming Pittsburgh bands.”
“I love the idea of a pop-up festival in a nontraditional space,” says Wreck Loose guitarist Nathan Zoob. “I think it’s an extension of the DIY spirit that infects the whole Pittsburgh scene–we make our music where we’re able and we build the infrastructure as we go.”
The presenters hope the event will shine a light on Allentown and its local businesses as much as it does the artists and musicians performing. Local coffee shop Black Forge Coffee House and co-working space Work Hard Pittsburgh are co-sponsoring the event, as is the Thrival Festival. Allentown’s Epicast Network will live stream the event as it happens.
Proceeds from drink sales as well as a portion of ticket sales will be donated by the organizers to a local community group in Allentown.
“We want to help bring new businesses in and get the community up and coming,” says Evans. “Anything we can do to help with that will be really beneficial.”
Tickets will cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. More information will be made available Friday morning at the Framework Festival Facebook page.
