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Boston Globe

Somerville's Porchfest remains a showcase for a vast array of genres

Advertisement Somerville PorchFest isn't the only event of its kind in Massachusetts, nor is it the original PorchFest – that distinction goes to the version in Ithaca, New York. But the festival remains one of the area's largest musical mixers, both in terms of genre and artist-audience connection. The annual event returns this Saturday, spreading nearly 500 acts across Somerville for a free, all-ages afternoon of music discovery (albeit with a few so cars and emergency vehicles can better navigate the area.) Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up For many guests, the event is a chance to seek out homegrown musicians who sound similar to their current favorites (but perhaps no one too similar – we know how last year's Advertisement That's the beauty of a lineup that's nearly 500 hundred artists deep: there's room for more musical styles than many other large-scale music events around town, which often keep their lineup rooted in rock, pop, hip-hop, and folk music, or are devoted to a single sound, like jazz. There's even ample space for genre-mashers like Medford's doom metal brass band , a Boston group that layers flamenco and Latin pop. Boston ska band Pink Slip perform at Somerville PorchFest for the third time this Saturday. Jenny Bergman Heather Mack, vocalist of the Boston ska group 'Over 50 percent of the crowd are just completely wandering in like, 'What are they doing? Is that a ska version of 'What's Up' by 4 Non Blondes? Okay, I'm in,'' says Mack. 'Then they stick around and they're like, 'that was awesome.'' The variety is just as beneficial for the artists themselves, who might have the chance to curate a bill that combines contrasting genres in a way that's atypical of club shows, which tend to be more stylistically cohesive. 'I have a good amount of friends who play different genres, so we don't usually get to be on a bill together,' says Alexis Richardson, a former Somerville resident who performs as Advertisement Pink Slip and Borr will return to PorchFest this year, contributing to the event's signature variety; Pink Slip will perform with punk-adjacent groups Cinecam . 'Somerville PorchFest is a magical thing,' Mack concludes. 'It really is the high watermark for what these events can and should be.' GIG GUIDE headlines the venue with his new record 'Blanco 7,' the latest release in his long-running series of 'Blanco' albums. The Devil Makes Three strum Americana from their new album "Spirits" at the Paradise Rock Club on Saturday. Jarrod Macilla Cuban-American singer . More pop-tinged tunes are on tap from Ugandan-born, Texas-based artist Jon Muq visits City Winery on Friday. Morgan Wommack Camping out at City Winery this week will get you a global array of sounds, such as ( Advertisement Before kicking off a five-month tour of the United States, former Massachusetts residents On , At Roadrunner on Advertisement Massachusetts singer-songwriter Naomi Westwater is a keen observer of life on their third album, "Cycle & Change." Sasha Pedro NOW SPINNING Naomi Westwater, English singer and producer PinkPantheress releases her second mixtape "Fancy That" on Friday. Charlie Engman PinkPantheress, The Head and the Heart's sixth album offers sprightly folk for springtime. Jasper Graham The Head and the Heart, BONUS TRACK Whether you missed Somerville PorchFest – or loved it and are craving more free outdoor music – head to Emerson College's Advertisement Victoria Wasylak can be reached at . Follow her on Bluesky @