Yesterday was a light posting day on Buffalo Rising for a good reason. I attended the Music is Art festival(MiA), with the winds blowing and the rain falling, away from the computer and immersed in a cultural explosion of sights and sounds that opened my eyes to an ever-changing artistic landscape that is Buffalo, NY. Unfortunately for festival organizers it was a damp and dreary day, with weather that was not kind to artists or attendees. But for those lucky people who did attend, they were ultimately treated to an eye-opening look at a diverse cross-section of performers who danced, painted and played their hearts out as if the skies were clear and the sun was shining.
Knowing what it takes to put together events and shows of different magnitudes, I want to give a big hat tip to everyone who said, “The show must go on.” At the same time, each and every festival-goer gets a gold star for braving the elements, which actually weren’t that bad. For the most part the rain was a constant drizzle, finally breaking around 7pm, before erupting in a downpour around 7:30pm and then clearing up once again. As the skies cleared for the last time, a high energy dance group called TWP Dance “killed it” on the Rose Garden Stage with a performance that took the festival by storm, igniting the stage and driving onlookers into a frenzy of high energy dance. All the while the artists throughout the park painted their murals (under tents), dressed their live mannequins (some sporting rain gear) and belted out tunes in all directions.
Despite the crazy weather conditions provided by Mother Nature, Music is Art managed to somehow shine, which is a tribute to the overall resilience of the art world. If you happened to make it to make it to MiA this year, then you deserve as much respect as the artists themselves, for without the support of the public, there would be no reason to spend the time and energy that it takes to create such a comprehensive production. If you were a featured artist at the festival, then congratulations for being part of an event that embodies the spirit of Buffalo, no matter the weather conditions.
Lead image: TWP Dance | Inset image: JFR Productions