The Local, June 15, 2010
The crowd sported Ray-Ban sunglasses and sipped tall cans of beer last weekend, as dozens of musicians performed at what felt like a private backyard party. It was actually Hillstock 2010, a D.I.Y. music festival now in its second year. The music fest took place over three days in and around Clinton Hill.
The first night, Friday, June 11, was the kick-off party at Shea Stadium, a music venue in Williamsburg. Festival co-founder Eric Williams said the 14 bands that played the first day of the festival were mostly dance and punk, including his own group, Eskalators. Day two was a backyard barbecue at a private residence, which started early enough in the day (doors opened at 10 a.m.) to offer free brunch. Thirteen bands played. Most of the bands are friends of the festival founders, but some of the musical talent came through other channels.
“Even last year, when we first started, we would get requests from random people,” Mr. Williams said. “It felt great to be like, ‘yes, come play in our backyard.’”
Sunday, the third and final day, was mostly mellow acoustic acts. Eighteen bands were supposed to play a rooftop concert, but because of the weather they moved to the same backyard that had hosted Saturday’s event. Mid-afternoon, clouds began to look threatening, and the festival paused. Volunteers hauled a big green tarp across the yard like an awning, to protect the sound equipment and the patrons from the pounding rain that began moments later, so that the show could go on.
