Greenwich Village’s annual Village Trip Festival will return on Saturday, September 14th. The 2024 edition will feature two full weeks of musical performance, comedy, and lectures.
Village Trip began in 2018, as a way to celebrate Greenwich Village’s countercultural history and spirit. Dating back to the 1910s, Greenwich Village was a hub for boundary-pushing thought. Village Resident and anarchist writer Hippolyte Havel described the village as “a spiritual zone of mind [with]…no boundaries.” In addition to spearheading the movements for women and LGBT rights, Greenwich Village was at the hub of musical innovation throughout the last century.
The 1930s saw legends of jazz and blues, like Leadbelly and Billie Holliday play at its many nightclubs. By the 1960s, its taverns and parks had become hubs for young songwriters in Manhattan. At the center of this musical movement – and Village Trip – was the Music Inn instrument shop. Throughout the 60s and 70s, legends like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and George Harrison frequented the shop.
In addition to performances and instrument shopping, Greenwich Village played an important role in inspiring classics of the rock and folk genres. The neighborhood is said to have inspired Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust” and The Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” among others.
The Village Trip’s first year featured a free concert by the legendary singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. Since 2018, the event has expanded to neighborhood wide block parties, concerts, and events for both NYC locals and visitors to enjoy. In addition to music, past festivals have included writing seminars, book talks, and walking tours of the village.
Beginning on September 14, the 2024 Village Trip promises 13 different events for visitors to enjoy. A Block Party on West 4th Street will kick off the festival beginning at 2pm. Centered around the Music Inn, the party will feature performances by artist-emeritus David Amram. With a set featuring percussion, guitar, and bouzouki, the festivities are sure to spill out into the neighboring areas. During the block party, visitors can walk the same streets as Bob Dylan during the writing of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.
September 15 will feature two events: a concert and a film screening. First is a performance by Janis Siegel and Yaron Gershovsky titled Colors of My Life – A Cy Coleman Songbook. Siegel and Gershovsky were both previously members of the legendary vocal jazz group The Manhattan Transfer, as vocalist and keyboardist respectively. This show will highlight the works of legendary Broadway composer/pianist Cy Coleman. With four decades worth of compositions under his belt, critic Clive Barners called Coleman “a permanent gem in Broadway’s musical crown.” The time and location of this performance are not finalized. Tickets will be $30.
September 15 will feature two screenings of Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll. The film follows legendary bluesman Lead belly through his troubled life, career, and imprisonment. It features interviews with countless rock legends, tracing how Lead Belly’s compositions were key in developing early rock and roll. The film screenings will take place at 4pm and 7:30pm. Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with Alvin Singh II, Director of the Lead Belly Foundation. Tickets start at $25.
September 16 will feature The Music of the Bard: Words & Music of Shakespeare in the Park 1956-1967. This event traces the work of Joe Papp, the visionary behind Shakespeare in the Park and the Public Theatre. The Music of the Bard will feature selections from David Amram’s scores from Shakeapseare in the Park productions. In addition, actors will reenact their favorite scenes, and Gail Merrifield Papp will read excerpts from her memoir Public/Private: My Life with Joe Papp at The Public Theater. The event will last from 7:00-8:15pm, with tickets being $30.
September 17 and 18 will feature talks regarding the history of Greenwich Village. First, Rolling Stone senior writer David Browne will discuss his new book Talkin’ Greenwich Village: The Heady Rise and Slow Fall of America’s Bohemian Music Capital. This talk will discuss how such a small neighborhood fostered so much musical talent, and how government forces acted to subvert that musical innovation. This talk will begin September 17 at 6pm. This will be followed by a talk from Rutgers University history professor Ruth Feldstein. Feldstein’s talk will discuss how Black female entertainers in Greenwich Village impacted the larger pushes for civil rights and women’s liberation. Her talk will begin September 18th at 6pm.
On September 20, 8x Grammy-nominated drummer Bobby Sanabria will perform his renowned Latin jazz. For over 50 years, Sanabria has mixed free jazz with elements of Cuban and Brazilian folk to craft his award winning brand of jazz. In 2018, his album West Side Story Reimagined (2018) won the Jazz Journalists Association Record of the Year award. Afro-Latin jazz band Ascensión will accompany Sanabria during the performances. Bobby Sanabria & Ascensión will perform at 7pm and 9pm. Tickets start at $25.
September 21 will feature a tribute to Laura Nyro by vocalist Diane Garisto & the Laura Nyro Project. Garisto has made a name for herself signing backup for some of the biggest names in music. She has previously sung with Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, and more. Since the 1990s, Garisto has performed tributes to the late Laura Nyro. Across her 22 studio albums, Nyro established herself as one of the most prolific singer-songwriters in history. She mixed pop, gospel, and rock to write dozens of classic songs. This performance will begin at 7pm, with tickets starting at $25.
September 22 will feature yet another performance from Janis Siegel, this time celebrating the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. This performance will honor the compositions of Ellington and Strayhorn, as well as recognize the hardships of their lives in such a deeply racist and homophobic era. Pianist John di Martino will join Siegel using his grammy-nominated piano chops to bring the Ellington and Strayhorn compositions to life. Tickets for this performance are $30.
On September 23, Village Trip will feature the special event The Parting Glass – A Drop of the Irish. The purpose of this event is to recognize the deep influence of New York’s Irish community on its musical tradition. In addition, the event will remember NYU professor Mick Moloney and singer Dan Milner who recently passed. Following a concert, there will be a special event at Wicked Willy’s pub, where attendees are encouraged to bring instruments and join in on the festivities. The event will begin at 6:30pm, with tickets starting at $25.
September 24 will feature a celebration for the centennial of James Baldwin’s birth. His writings, including his 1953 novel Go Tell It On the Mountain are literary giants, discussing the issues of racial discrimination in the US. Following his early life in New York City, Baldwin joined civil rights leaders in the Selma March and used his platform to call for political change. This celebration will feature readings by actor Daniel Carlton, as well as performances of music enjoyed by Baldwin. The event will begin at 7pm, with tickets at $25.
In contrast to the musically focused events of the festival, September 25 will feature a night of comedy. The Grisly Pear comedy club will feature established and up-and-coming comedians performing observational jokes about modern life. In the past, this venue has featured legends like Lenny Bruce, Jon Stewart, and George Carlin. The night of comedy will begin at 8pm, with tickets starting from $15.
Village Trip will conclude with a free concert in Washington Square Park, featuring female musicians. Among the artists playing are the Washington DC-based alt-rockers BETTY. Founded in 1986, the trio’s music has been featured in countless tv shows. Along tours, they used their platform to call for equal rights for women and LGBTQ Americans, gaining feminist icon Gloria Stenem as their biggest fan. BETTY will be joined by Janie Barnett, who will perform her brand of Americana. Barnett got her start in Virginia’s bluegrass scene, before settling in New York where she continued to hone her folk chops. Her work has led to collaborations with legends like Linda Rondstadt and Bonnie Raitt.
The final act to play will be Tish and Snooky Bellomo. The glam-punk duo traces their roots back to the heyday of punk rock at New York’s CBGB club. As singers and owners of the punk boutique Manic Panic, the duo were icons of the Lower East Side, endearing themselves with members of Blondie and the Ramones. The concert will take place on September 28 from 4-7pm.
For more information regarding the Village Trip festival, visit their website here.
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