JAWNAROO – An Arts & Music Festival
Reviewed by: Jess G.
All photos by Punk Rock Photographer
A little over a month ago, I attended my first JAWNAROO festival at Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem, PA (just outside Philadelphia). The festival, presented by Art Machine 2.0, started in 2022 at a location in New Jersey and is unique from other music festivals I have attended because it is centered around and includes many forms of art. There were artists on site showcasing and selling their creations, graffiti artists creating masterpieces on portable graffiti walls, food trucks, tattoo artists, sidewalk chalk for the kids, some fantastic bands, and a special West Coast IPA appropriately named BEST FRIEND was brewed for the event to benefit PAWS Philadelphia.
The event started at noon, was free to enter, and was family friendly. It’s always appreciated when I can bring Ox with me to shows since he loves live music so much and I love the bonding time with him. There was a stage setup outside and it ended up being a gorgeous day for the bands to play. Performers included The Very Nowhere (Philly punk/alt), Ultra-Lite (Philly new alt), Afloat (NJ emo/alt), and Fuck Yeah, Dinosaurs (Pittsburgh punk). It was such a great mix of sub-genres that there was really something for everyone. Each of the bands attracted spectators at the stage, but the music was also able to be heard throughout the site so those creating, displaying, and viewing the art were able to enjoy it, as well.
As for us, we were front and center, as always! Ox rocked along and made some new friends that have stayed in touch and continued to guide him along in his own musical journey. Attending live shows is always great, but there is just something about festivals and how you walk away with new incredible people in your lives. JAWNAROO was no different. It was genuinely great people playing their hearts out for other great people and coming together as one after.
When the sun began to set and the vendors were breaking down, it was time for the organizers (and us attendees) to get ready for the after-party! This was a ticketed event for adult fun only and included what you are all on this page for – SKA!!! Josh Weichmann, the founder/organizer of JAWNAROO and owner of Rose Bear Arts, is a SKA LOVER just like the rest of us! He and I met through the Philly ska scene, so it was no surprise to me that we’d be seeing some ska at this one!
The entertainment for the after-party included Amorphous Blob Orchestra (NJ ska-punk), The Best of the Worst (NJ ska-core), and Iron Chic (NY punk) closed out the party. Going into this, I was most excited for The Best of the Worst (TBOTW), naturally. If you have followed me, you know they are one of my favorites and their live show never disappoints. I was also very, very excited to finally see Amorphous Blob Orchestra. Being local, they play nearby shows often but before now it just never worked out for me. I’ve seen Nikki Nailbomb play with Stay Dead and was really looking forward to seeing her with this project! They were a blast – super fun to dance and skank to! The crowd continued to engage as TBOTW took the stage and did what they do best – melt faces!! Ska-core is my jam and, from the looks of it, everyone in the crowd was digging them, too!
Iron Chic took the stage last, and the crowd went nuts! It was like the vibes of the day all rolled into this fantastic moment with the perfect soundtrack to end the night. Seeing the smile on Josh’s face (and everyone else’s) told a story of a successful event that I hope will continue for many years.
Be sure to follow JAWNAROO and Rose Bear Arts for announcements on future festivals and other projects. We would love to see you at the next JAWNAROO.
The SKAgazine 