Music Throughout the Afternoon
Looking for a more intimate music experience? The Elm Street Stage offers an afternoon of performances celebrating storytelling, cultural traditions, and community through music. From literary readings and Americana to Cuban music, contra dancing, and indie folk, this stage showcases the incredible diversity of ArtBeat while offering something for every music lover.
Schedule & Artits Lineup
12:00 PM – Literary Readings
This year’s ArtBeat Festival will kick off with a series of literary readings on the Revolutionary theme, featuring local writers in the Somerville community! The lineup is curated by SAC Board member Sarah Beckmann, and will be emceed by local writer Fin Leary.
1:00 PM – Baker Thomas Band
A band that isn’t afraid to wear their feelings on their sleeves on and off the stage, the Baker Thomas Band released The Great American Melting Pot in the spring of 2025. A 5-song EP singing songs of protest, commentary on our moral standing, our religious freedom to our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Whether it’s the infectious grooves, hooks, horns, heartbreakers or anthemic rock finale’s, Baker Thomas Band covers a spectrum of emotion and feeds the soul like a night out with good friends.
2:00 PM – Los Mambiseros
Traditional Cuban music and fusion project Los Mambiseros dedicates its mission to sharing and celebrating Cuba’s folkloric culture, music, and dance. The flexible ensemble focuses on traditional Cuban styles including Son, Salsa, Afro-Cuban drumming, and Boleros. Their immersive performances celebrate rich cultural traditions while spreading a joyful, positive energy that resonates across generations.
3:00 PM – Kingfisher Contra Dance Party
Few art forms embody REVolution quite like a contra dance, where every dancer becomes part of a living, turning machine. Dosido, circle, and swing, revolving in joyful motion. Kingfisher brings that
spirit to ArtBeat with a sound as inventive as it is rooted. Jeff Kaufman anchors the duo on piano and mandolin, weaving traditional and modern contra music together with a collection of instruments he built himself, while Cecilia Vacanti delivers intense,
masterful fiddling that propels the crowd forward. And you don’t just watch: with Harris Lapiroff leading the dancing—no experience required—we’ll show how a dance tradition that flows back to the
Revolutionary era still has the power to transform a group of strangers into one spinning, celebratory whole.
4:00pm – Mal Devisa
Rounding out the Elm Street Stage will be Mal Devisa, the striking songwriting, liberation, and poetry project of the multifarious Amherst-based artist Deja Carr. Carr began her musical journey at
age 12 with the group Who’da Funk It? before teaching herself bass and compiling scraps of her forgotten songs. Born out of slanted basement walls, this solo project delivers a genre-defying sound that blends deep soul with poignant storytelling. Known for passionate performances and authentic songwriting, Mal Devisa continues to
push creative boundaries and captivate listeners everywhere.
5:00 PM Parade stages and kicks off!
When
Saturday, July 18, 2026
12:00pm – 5:00pm
Where
Elm Street Stage
Corner of Elm St & Chester St
Somerville, MA 02144