When I arrived at Brooklyn Bowl on June 23rd for the Buy This Fracking Album release show, I walked in, past the informational tables, to the stage to find a man (from Pennsylvania I believe) on stage with a bottle containing some disgusting looking liquid. As he explained, this was the drinking water from his home. It had become so visibly toxic as a result of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, the method by which gas can be released from the earth by drilling and injecting fluids into the ground. The fluids often contain harmful chemicals (which the businesses involved do not have to disclose) and can leech into water tables and wells, contaminating drinking supplies and even shifting the tectonic plates, creating earthquakes. This is somewhat hard to imagine living in the big city, and unfortunately because this isn’t affecting the city directly, perhaps a reason that Brooklyn Bowl wasn’t as crowded as it could have been. Fracking is an important concern for so many people now though, and the Movement Music Records label is taking great initiative to engage a wider audience. You can visit their site to find out more information and to stream or purchase the Buy This Fracking Album. There are also several pledge campaign videos over at Youtube to watch.
There was still much great talent on stage though, including, Amy Helm, Marco Benevento, Michael Glabicki, DJ Logic, Mike + Ruthy, Kristen Graves and more and it was a family friendly affair. I got to catch The Mike + Ruthy Band, whose set occasionally turned into an informal jam session with Benevento and Helm joining them on some songs. They did play some new material too, as they recently released their album Bright as You Can and it’s receiving great reviews, including the one here at PopMatters. On July 7th, they will be again joined by friends for their own album release party at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. Ticket information can be obtained here. Mike and Ruthy also host the Summer and Winter Hoot Festivals at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York (a couple hours from NYC), family-friendly festivals of course (which should come as no surprise given the two tour with their children). More information on the Summer Hoot, happening August 21-23, can be found here.
Gina Belafonte:
Michael Glabicki:
