With HarpoonFest coming up fast (Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 at Harpoon’s Seaport brewery), Vanyaland raises a pint glass to the bands and artists performing all weekend long at this year’s festival. Get ticket info, a full schedule, and just what’s on tap at HarpoonFest 2019 here. And keep it locked on Vanyaland.com as we spotlight some of our favorite bands and performers.
HarpoonFest Spotlight: Cliff Notez
What Vanyaland Says: Cliff Notez is a man on a mission. The Dorchester-raised rapper and HipStory founder has a workflow that knows no limits nor deterrents, and keeps his busy 2019 rolling with a late afternoon set at HarpoonFest on May 18. Considering’s Notez’ exponentially growing impact, it’s a performance that guests would be well-advised to check out in the flesh. Since releasing his debut album in 2017, When The Sidewalk Ends — a staggering testament to both his lyrical honesty and early musical mastery — Notez has quickly become a staple of not only Boston hip-hop, but Boston music as a whole.
Of late, he’s organized his Sketchbook series of shows at Atwood’s Tavern, branching out hip-hop and rap acts into the Cambridge venue, as well as Boston Answering, a Dorchester-based local hip-hop showcase coming later this month. This year has already seen multiple killer collabs for Cliff, including tracks with Boston music veterans STL GLD and Somerville rapper Forté, but his debut album still holds its own almost two years later.
As we described last year: “When The Sidewalk Ends presents a brutally honest portrait of dealing with mental health as a person of color — a phenomenon that’s not common in any musical community. Even when the path seems to halt, Cliff Notez keeps paving.”
— Victoria Wasylak
Listen: Cliff Notez on Spotify —
Listen: Cliff Notez on Bandcamp —
Watch: Cliff Notez on YouTube —
Follow: Cliff Notez on Instagram —
Attend: Cliff Notez plays HarpoonFest 2019 on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. —
HARPOONFEST 2019 :: Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 at Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Ave. in Boston, MA :: Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at noon :: HarpoonFest tickets and info