Live Concert Photography: New Colossus Festival and 18th Ward Brewing Presents Sunday Shows at 18th Ward Brewing 6/6/21: Safer, Bodega Ben, Forever Honey, and Lily Desmond

Live Concert Photography: New Colossus Festival and 18th Ward Brewing Presents Sunday Shows at 18th Ward Brewing 6/3/21: Safer, Bodega Ben, Forever Honey, and Lily Desmond

It’s been a busy couple of weeks in my world: I’m a big Brooklyn Nets fan and since they’ve been in the NBA Playoffs over the past few weeks, I’ve been intently watching the games. Of course, there’s my beloved Yankees, who just aren’t very good right now. But I also picked up a gig so I’ve been all over the place. I can’t complain. But let’s get to the business at hand . . .

Co-founded by three New York music industry vets and longtime friends, Lorimer Beacon‘s founder and head Mike Bell, Kanine Records‘ founder and label head Lio Kanine and Kepler Events and Lola Live’s Steven Matrick, The New Colossus Festival over the course of the past couple of years have featured a couple hundred handpicked, emerging indie bands and artists from the US, Canada, the UK, the European Union, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. By design, the festival normally takes place just before SXSW: the festival’s co-founders view the festival as a pre-SXSW stopover that will give its emerging acts an opportunity to organically gain exposure – while filling a critical void in the festival circuit.

Because of COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions and lockdowns, New Colossus wasn’t able to occur; but over the past month or so, the trio behind New Colossus Festival and the folks at Bushwick-based brewery 18th Ward Brewing have hosted a live, outdoor concert series featuring local acts in a COVID-19 safe fashion. A couple of weeks ago, I caught Safer, Bodega‘s Ben Hozie as Bodega Ben, Forever Honey, and Lily Desmond. Live music is inching back y’all. Photos below. (Apologies to the day’s opener Job Creators. I was late because the bus was late. Sigh.)

SAFER