WYEP rocks the plaza

Local radio station WYEP will take the music it plays from the airwaves to the grass blades… Local radio station WYEP will take the music it plays from the airwaves to the grass blades this week with its 13th annual Summer Music Festival in Schenley Plaza.

The plaza will host a slew of folk performances, an artists market and kids’ activities for mini music lovers.

WYEP marketing director Jessica Romano said the kids activities are a new addition to the festival, as a part of an effort to make it more of an event than a concert.

“We’re expanding every year, and we saw it as an opportunity to make the festival more family friendly,” Romano said. “We thought why not engage them in this new way?”

All and all, Romano expects a great festival this year. The impressive lineup includes headliner Nicole Atkins and the Black Sea, folk singers Sarah Harmer and Josh Jackson and local jam band The Boogie Hustle.

Romano said WYEP chooses its bands for the festival by looking at what they’ve been playing most, what their listeners seem to like and what’s “a little different and what’s fresh.”

“We want people to know what kind of music is out there,” she said.

In addition to the live music, the side lawn of the Carnegie Library will host the I Made It! Market as part of the festival. I Made It! is a local organization that brings together crafters, offering them space in nomadic markets, where they can sell their goods.

They will hold another, larger market in Schenley Plaza later in the year, on Sept. 21 and 28.

Nicole Atkins and The Black Sea

This year’s headliner, Nicole Atkins, has a flair for drama. Her gloom-and-doom-sounding music backs up her clear Jenny Lewis-like vocals to create a powerful combination. Jersey-born Atkins is somewhat of a staple on in indie rock. Her career started in North Carolina, where she made connections with other bands like the Avett Brothers, before moving to New York and finding her place on the Manhattan music scene.

Sarah Harmer

Opening performer Sarah Harmer will balance out Atkins and her stormy weather with sunshine and perky, acoustic folk music. The Canadian singer-songwriter has been playing music since the mid-’90s, but her latest album Oh Little Fire, which came out Tuesday, will be her first album in five years. As well as performing her own music, she’s also sung backup for Neko Case, Howie Beck and Great Lake Swimmers. Her music is light, clever and easy to listen to. You can check out her cute single, called “One Match,” off Oh Little Fire on her website sarahharmer.com.

Joshua James

Folk singer Joshua James’ most distinct characteristic is his voice. Low, husky and twinged with a Southern accent, James’ voice runs smoothly over blues guitars and Southern strings. His music hangs somewhere between a Bob Dylan and a Neil Young style. James’ latest album Build Me This was released in 2009 and is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut album, The Sun Is Always Brighter.

The Boogie Hustlers

The Boogie Hustlers is a local jam band that sounds like it was meant to play outdoor music festivals. It has a cool and upbeat sound that mixes soul with pop, rock with jazz and plenty of other clever combos. The usual nine members — they’re always open to bringing on temporary guest members — have been jamming around Pittsburgh for the past seven years. Local it might be, The Boogie Hustlers is known outside of Pittsburgh, as well, and the band travels up and down the East Coast.