Perhaps for the first time legally, libations will be flowing all over Boston’s City Hall Plaza this weekend. Numerous varieties of craft beer from more than 50 breweries around the world will be hitting the tap hard for the Copenhagen Beer Festival, which, after becoming a European beer destination since its inception in 2012, makes its North American debut in Boston this Friday and Saturday.
Along with all the beer being slung, there’s also a bunch of amazing bands that’ll be making their presence felt as well, no surprise given that Copenhagen Beer Festival is the brainchild of Crash Line Productions, the group behind Boston Calling Music Festival. With a strong musical lineup, we here at Vanyaland decided to pair up the bands and brews served up on the bricks of City Hall.
The festival itself will be split up into three sessions. Local garage rock janglers Vundabar (who headline Vanyaland’s show at Brighton Music Hall on September 30) will kick off the Rød Session starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Joining them will be Montreal folk act The Barr Brothers, who actually have a connection to Providence via Brad and Andrew Barr being from there and starting the alt-rock act The Slip, and indie rock legends Yo La Tengo. Saturday will be jam packed with two sessions, with the Grøn Session starting early at noon and local rabble rousers Tigerman WOAH!, Copenhagen twangy surf rock act The Tremolo Beer Gut, and the festive side project of Los Angeles punks The Bronx known as Mariachi El Bronx all sharing the stage.The second session of the day and the last one of the festival is the Blå Session kicking off at 6:30 p.m. with Providence blues badasses The Silks, roots artist Caroline Rose and Memphis country punks Lucero taking things over.
Here’s how everything lines up, baed on our collective palate.
Rød Session: Friday from 6:30 to 11 p.m.
Vundabar :: Samuel Adams Rebel Raw Double IPA
With a locally sourced meal, it’s common sense to pair it with a locally sourced brew. The same should go for a local band, especially one as great as Vundabar. So why the Rebel Raw? Vundabar has a raw, no nonsense garage rock sound that hits the ears hard but then it goes down easy. Much like the beer it’s being paired with, once you take one sip of Vundabar you’re going to want more. The trio also rhythmically pack a punch just like how a Double IPA does to the taste buds.
The Barr Brothers :: Allagash White
Since the mid-’90s, the white ale from Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, has been hailed for its refreshing qualities and its strikingly golden and cloudy color. The Barr Brothers have been equally as refreshing within the folk genre with wonderful tunes that stay with you. Along with both the beer and band having New England roots, it seems fitting that they go with each other. Also Allagash White is very tasty and when Brad and Andrew Barr bring their band to the stage on Friday night it’ll be tasty for the ears. You’ll know which tent to head to when The Barr Brothers start performing.
Yo La Tengo :: Stone Brewing Co. Citrusy Wit
When it comes to pairing a beer with Yo La Tengo, the beer has to be from a place that’s been consistently great for a while along with having a quality that lives up to their reputation. Stone Brewing Company from Escondido, California, has been doing just that since 1996 and their beers have gotten a lot of respect and admiration within the craft beer community. If you ask any indie rock junkie about Yo La Tengo they’ll go on forever about how much they love them. Why the Citrusy Wit? Because the beer has got a tang to it just like how Yo La Tengo can bring the noise in their sound. It’s also a witbier that’s perfect for the transition from summer to fall.
Grøn Session: Saturday from noon to 3:30 p.m.
Tigerman WOAH! :: Lord Hobo Boomsauce
Tigerman WOAH! have been ripping up the Boston music scene for some time now with their backwoods approach to rootsy rock and roll. It’s safe to say that their music has the ability to knock you off your feet. Lord Hobo Brewing Company in Woburn has been getting similar descriptions with their Boomsauce, an IPA that’s both strong and flavorful. The name itself seems to go perfectly with the style that the band from Lynn embodies (with apologies to our friends at Narragansett). Drinking some Boomsauce while Tigerman WOAH! rocks City Hall is a no brainer.
The Tremolo Beer Gut :: Mikkeller California Dream
The Tremolo Beer Gut have a surf rock sound, one that was initially inspired by the beaches of California. The band is also from Copenhagen, so there’s only one beer that can touch upon both realms. Mikkeller is based in Copenhagen and their beer California Dream comes from their San Diego branch. California Dream is a hoppy pilsner with a golden color that’s got smooth and strong notes. The Tremolo Beer Gut’s music is both smooth and strong so these two go together perfectly.
Mariachi El Bronx :: Casita Ceveceria Amigos Britanicos
When it comes to a band with a distinct Mexican influence, you have to pair it with a beer from a brewery that also has a distinct Mexican influence. Casita Ceveceria from Greensboro Bend, Vermont, is an independent craft brewery with a global vision while Mariachi El Bronx has had a global vision for years. Amigos Britanicos is an ale brewed with lime, honey and chili for a combo of tangy, sweet and spicy. It’s the result of a collaboration the brewery did with English breweries Siren Craft and Beavertown, who will also be at the Copenhagen Beer Festival. When the Marachis gather around to bring a unique vibe, make sure to grab a unique beer.
Blå Session: Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
The Silks :: Cellarmaker Imperial Coffee and Cigarettes
Coffee and cigarettes always go hand in hand, much like rock and roll and beer. The Silks exude the mood that a great cup of coffee and a pack of smokes can bring in a musical sense. Cellarmaker’s Imperial Coffee and Cigarettes brings the same mood within a beer. The imperial porter has an intense coffee kick that’ll wake you up from any hangover taken on by the afternoon Grøn session. It does have a 10.8% ABV so make sure to go easy with this beer, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Caroline Rose :: Fonta Flora Rhythm Rug
Caroline Rose got an amazing style of playing that’s bound to make people dance. A mix of folk, country, soul and blues encompasses her sound and it resonates some of the best Americana. The rhythms are what sets her apart, so a beer with a name like Rhythm Rug from Fonta Flora out of Morganton, North Carolina, is an harmonious pairing. The saison is a bit tart to due the vast amount of strawberries used in the brewing process. It’ll be perfect when Rose brings her stunning songs that’ll fill City Hall with contagious energy.
Lucero :: Modern Times Bourbon Barrel Aged Devil’s Teeth
For anyone who knows about Lucero’s music, a lot of their songs are written after a few drinks of whiskey. Broken heart ballads, rocking tracks raging against life and songs about having one too many are part of their repertoire. A beer that seems to go with Lucero is Modern Times’ Devil’s Teeth, an imperial stout brewed with coffee that’s exclusively been aged in bourbon barrels for this weekend’s festival. Any beer with bourbon in it will be perfect for a Lucero set, but us at Vanyaland have a good feeling about the one from Modern Times. It’ll be a great beer to help you finish off a fantastic weekend at Copenhagen Beer Festival.
