By Lauren Schiavone
Hometown Weekly Staff
A sunny afternoon outdoors at Walpole’s Adams Farm on Saturday, June 25, provided an excellent atmosphere for a summer concert, which featured the stylings of Groovy Situation and Dave Penza.
Concertgoers were shielded from the sun by an outdoor roof covering the picnic tables in the space. Acquaintances visited to catch up and chat in between songs, and families shared snacks, making themselves comfortable in the intimate space, surrounded by beautiful gardens and fields.
The Friends of Adams Farm (FOAF) is a group of area residents dedicated to preserving the idyllic environment that is Adams Farm for future generations to enjoy.
President Roy Noepel points out the scenery, including a beautiful cactus in bloom in the butterfly garden, while discussing the land. A 60 plot community garden is open for folks for a small fee. “The FOAF raises money for the upkeep of the land,” Noepel recognizes, “including accessible walking trails, gardens, as well as programs, such as upcoming jazz concerts, a young artist showcase, and we host private events.”
Strumming away at the farm, Dave Penza, is a local self-taught musician who first picked up the guitar at age 45. His lighthearted picking patterns and acoustic stylings catered to all tastes. Penza covered modern hits, such as Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” and Niall Horan’s “This Town”, as well as John Lennon’s “Watching the Wheels” and the Kinks’ “Sunny Afternoon”.
“I started learning three songs a week, learning on YouTube and open mics,” Penza explained. “I got my first gig on a snowy night in Hopedale at Liz Diamond’s Bar. It went really well and I eventually got to do happy hours and increased my songs to twenty a week.” Penza took requests, as well, playing “We Can Work it Out” for a Beatles fan, Mary, one third of the Groovy Situation.
Groovy Situation, meanwhile, captivated the crowd with favorites like “Jolene” and “The Piña Colada Song” — perfect for the season. Mary, Matt, and Bill, the trio that comprises Groovy Situation, has been performing in the area for over five years.
Penza and The Groovy Situation share a special camaraderie; the support and respect they have for each other demonstrates their common goal of spreading joy through music — especially hits from the 60s and 70s.
It was on full display for the concertgoers on Saturday.
