By Audrey Anderson
Hometown Weekly Reporter
On a summery Wednesday night, August 28, Coco Smith and Sweet Petunia entertained a good-sized crowd at Bellforge with sweet and soulful folk music as part of the Locally Grown series. In addition to enjoying the music, the crowd played yard games, ate delicious BBQ from Ribpublic and cupcakes from Melt in Your Mouth, created sustainable lanterns for the September 7 Illuminate: Lantern Parade and Festival and visited artists’ booths.
According to Bellforge’s web site, the Locally Grown series offers “intimate weeknight events every Wednesday, spotlighting local musicians and performers. These gatherings offer a sneak peek into the future of our multi-arts center, highlighting both our artistic and culinary aspirations, all building momentum towards a grand day festival in September.”
The Locally Grown event started at 5 pm, as a crowd of all ages gradually filled the picnic tables and chairs arranged in front of the stage. At 6 pm, Mairead Guy and Maddy Simpson of Boston-Based Sweet Petunia took the stage, delighting the audience with their light and varied original alt folk music and covers. Both musicians played both banjo and acoustic guitar, adding a varied and old-timey sound to their performance. Their singing was right on pitch, with masterful harmony and gentle phrasing. In a surprising selection, Sweet Petunia performed a quick-tempo version of Melanie’s “Brand New Key.” You can visit https://www.sweetpetuniaband.com/ to learn more about this accomplished duo.
Coco Smith followed with soulful folk songs. Originally from New York, Coco became part of the Boston music scene while in college in the city. Her autobiographical, reflective songs are heartfelt and invite the listener into her interpretations of relationships. On August 28, Coco’s band could not attend, so she performed solo, commanding the stage with her raw songwriting, gentle singing, and electric guitar playing. She strummed colorful chords with jazzy touches to accompany her intimate songs. You can hear Coco’s beautiful voice and original songs on Instagram by searching for @cocosmith_ and clicking on her linktr.ee site.
