Artists, musicians and generally good folks banded together to host the 15th Annual Conmoto Art and Music Festival downtown Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 to benefit HabiJax — a branch of Habitat for Humanity.
There are about 50 bands scheduled, but director Jon Bosworth is still waiting on confirmation from an additional venue for eight of those 50, he said, as of press time. This is the first time an art show has also been featured. ”Our first location for the art show fell through, [and] we are currently scrambling for a replacement place,” Bosworth said. “It will likely either be the Haydon Burns building or upstairs at the Burrito Gallery. Unless MOCA is interested.”
The opening night at the Florida Theatre features bands kLoB, Shangrala, Lazerstar, Rob Roy and a special guest, Bosworth said.
Events kick off at 5 p.m. and culminate in late-night after parties on both nights.
Venues include Burrito Gallery, The London Bridge, The Sinclair, Café 331, Club TSI, Dive Bar – most of which are only a few, walkable blocks from each other. Organizers decided to divy up the venues according to genre, assigning genres as reads below:
Florida Theatre, Opening Night
Burrito Gallery, Live in the Urb Garden
The London Bridge, Punk Rock. Hardcore. Metal.
The Sinclair, Indie Shoegazer, Post Rock and Alt-Country
Cafe 331, Hip-Hop
TSI, Indie Rock & Pop
Dive Bar, Rock, Roll & Jazz
Organizers scheduled certain musical genres at particular venues to make shows more cohesive and easier to navigate for festival-goers, said Kelly Crowell, a London Bridge bartender. This is the first time the pub has been a participating venue since 2006, and details for this year are liquid.
“It was kind of spur-of-the-moment, and we’re still getting the details,” Crowell said.
No kidding. As of the night of Tuesday, Nov. 17, the absolute last moment we could include anything before printing, the schedule had yet to be put up on Conmoto’s Web site, conmotofest.com. Even the bands involved aren’t terribly versed in the details of this ill-advertised happenin’.
“I don’t really know anything about it,” said Daisy Miller, a UNF English alumna, who is a back-up singer for the pop band AC Deathstrike (slated to play The Sinclair Saturday night). The band’s leader, Alex Dougherty explained the festival, that had been defunct for years, used to be a real riot, Miller said.
Featured art leans toward the theme Destruction and Rebuilding. Bosworth had the economy in mind when choosing this appropo motif, he said.
“As bridges collapse and subway tunnels crumble and old water mains burst around the country, it seems apocalyptic, but actually it is a necessary part of life,” Bosworth said. “Although a property next door may be foreclosing, and it is affecting your property value. In six months, HabiJax may be restoring it to give you the best neighbor you’ve ever had.”
As well as benefitting HabiJax, Conmoto benefits Americans for the Arts and Got Your Back Movement. Tickets for each venue ring up to $5. An all-access, two-day pass for $20 is offered. Concert-goers may also purchase a $10 pass for either Friday or Saturday. HabiJax earns money from ticket sales, and a portion of the painters’ profits benefits Americans for the Arts. The Conmoto Festival has raised $7,000 for HabiJax over the past 10 festivals, Bosworth said.
Got Your Back Movement is a nonprofit clothing distribution group that currently collects money to provide school uniforms for Haitians, according to the program’s Facebook, which has raised $55. T-shirt sales will benefit this organization.
Check back with the Spinnaker’s Twitter for up-to-the-moment updates and live coverage through the weekend’s festival. If we ever do find anything out, that is.
The Full Lineup
The Sinclair
7pm – Scared Rabits
745 – When Tides Collide
830 – Tuffy
915 – Pine and Bone
10 – Rails
1045 – [Buff Clout]
1130 – Lackawanna Carriage Works
Burrito Gallery
7pm – Jameyal
745 – Strange Fires
830 – Fountain
915 – AC Deathstrike
10 – Manatella
1045 – Thumbnail Sketch
1130 – Rusholme Ruffians
1215 – Airport Factory
Dive Bar
7pm – I Am God
745 – Pilar Arevalo
830 – East China Sea
915 – The Heyday
10 – Christina Wagner
TSI
7pm – Business Casualties
745 – Single White Herpe
830 – Sephiroth Chorus
915 – Rich and Mindy
10 – Crash the Satellites
1045 – Lazerstar
1130 – After the Bomb Baby
London Bridge
7pm – Grabbag
745 – National Dairy
830 – Locust Grove
915 – Dig Dog
10 – Chicken & Whiskey
1045 – X Sister Z
1130 – Status Faux
1215 – Skatterbrain
