The Meriden Daffodil Festival, the foremost and most diverse gathering of Connecticut music acts in the state (all wrapped up in a nifty outdoor festival/carnival), is just one week away.

Here’s the line-up. I’ve marked my personal favorites with an asterisk.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30

10:30-11:30 Chico & Friends (FT)

11-11:45- Freshly Squeezed (WS)

12:00-1:30 The Gonkus Brothers (FT)

*12:15-1:00- The Furors (WS). Ageless, legendary perk-pop duo.

12:45-1:30  Surge Chamber (BS)

*1:30-2:15  The Ivory Bills (WS). James Velvet’s songs, snappily played.

*2:00-2:45  The Frank Critelli Band (BS). Winsome and wise folk-pop songwriter.

2:00-3:00 The Church Street Revue (FT)

2:45-3:30- Eran Troy Danner (WS)

*3:15-4:00 The Manchurians (BS). Rhythm & blues that doesn’t disintegrate into meaningless jams.

3:30-4:30 River City Slim & The Zydeco Hogs (FT)

*4:00-4:45  The Stratford Survivors (WS). One of Connecticut’s earliest punk bands, reunitied.

4:30-5:15 Columbia Fields (BS)

5:00-6:00 Raise The Rent (FT)

*5:15-6:00  The Reducers (WS). Longlived punk-pop legends from New London.

5:45-6:30 Kicking Daisies (BS)

6:30-7:15  Echo & Drake (WS)

*6:30-7:30 Caravan of Thieves (FT). Eclectic guitar/vocal aggregation, ideal for festival gigs.

7:00-8:30 Jimmy Hat (BS)

*7:45- 8:45  The Stepkids (WS). The fest’s highlighted new young band, already on their way with an SXSW appearance this year and an album due this summer. Pop psychedelia, replete with light-show projections and danceable frolic.

SUNDAY, MAY 1

10:00-11:00 Tommy Lourdes (FT)

11:00-11:45 John Fries& The Heat (WS)

11:30-12:30  Just Friends  (FT)

11:45-12:00  691 (BS)

*12:15- 1:00 The Sawtelles (WS). Play-anywhere married duo who personify indie drive.

12:30- 1:45 The Michael Cleary Band (BS)

1:00-2:00   The River Street Band (FT)

1:30-2:15 Plume Giant (WS)

*2:15-3:00 Ticket To Ride (BS). The long-established Beatles tribute act Abbey Road has (with a new John Lennon) morphed into a similar act named for an earlier Fab era.

*2:30-3:30 The Shinolas (FT). Country band led by Hartford guitar hero Jim Chapdelaine and steel guitarist Eddie Iarusso.

2:45- 3:30  Heirlooms (WS)

3:30- 4:45  The McLovins (BS)

*4:00-4:45 The Zambonis (WS). They feel they is never an inappropriate venue or time of year for them to play their songs about hockey.

4:00-5:00  Sean, Kelli & Wayne (FT)

 

WS = Welcome Stage

BS = Bandshell Stage

FT = Food Tent Stage

The three stages are all within quick walking distance of each other in Meriden’s expansive Hubbard Park. For the Bandshell Stage, you sit on a spacious lawn. The Welcome Stage has bleachers, and the Food Tent is a vast circus-sized tent full of local organizations selling food specialties.

You reach the park by shuttle bus. Details at http://www.daffodilfest.com