BELLOWS FALLS — Black Sheep Radio celebrates its eighth year of broadcasting with a community summer spectacular block party on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the Waypoint Center in Bellows Falls.
The event features some of the region's best original talent: newgrass pioneers and valley celebrities Jatoba; Brattleboro blues legend Sunny Lowdown; new-romantic guitar newcomers Moxley Union; Saxtons River's avant-rock group I Love You; and the folk-rock supergroup debut of Belmond, Brady, and Stacey.
The Black Sheep Block Party is a full-force festival, featuring food from the barbecue and drinks from a full bar catered by Popolo in Bellows Falls.
“The community really came together,” said Dickie Colo, chairman of WOOL's Block Party Posse and host of the popular WOOL radio show “The B Side,” explaining that contributions are pouring in from Lisai's Market, Rockingham's Smokin' Bowls, and the Village Market in Saxtons River.
“Plus, we're streaming the whole thing live with connectivity provided by Sovernet,” Colo said in an announcement for the event.
The Block Party is the station's big summer fundraiser. Organizers say much like the station's winter Radioke series, the Block Party attracts revelers in droves - and sometimes busts out surprise musical guests. In 2011, the crowd was amazed when British folk punk icon Billy Bragg took the stage under a full moon and serenaded the crowd for 45 minutes.