History
The Story
What you're about to read is true and has been witnessed by thousands of people from near and far over a period of eleven years. Adults, children, young professionals, and senior citizens have experienced a town's unique ability to continually bring more and more people together. It started with one local man wanting to use music to bring people together and it has grown ever since.
At first, friends, neighbors, and family members came to hear area musicians for a day and local businesses pitched in to make it happen. Then musicians from other areas started coming. This brought in even more people and businesses from surrounding areas began to pitch in as well. So, in turn, the airwaves, printing presses, and internet sites started talking about it.
Now, musicians and people come from all over the country to hear music with friends, family members and neighbors for three days and they leave with smiles on their faces.
This is the Black Potatoe Music Festival.
Now, musicians and people come from all over the country to hear music with friends, family members and neighbors for three days and they leave with smiles on their faces.
This is the Black Potatoe Music Festival.
The History - 1 CD release party, 10 festivals, and counting
The Black Potatoe Music Festival is one of the premier live outdoor entertainment events in all of New Jersey. In 1997 Black Potatoe Records began with the simple idea of throwing a CD release party for a couple hundred local friends and family for the group Angus in their hometown of Clinton, NJ. Seven years later that party has grown into a full fledged, three day festival that is marked on the calendars of New Jersey music fans months in advance.
The Music - From New Jersey to New Orleans to Nashville
Since 1997, Atomic Productions (Black Potatoe Records' sister company and producer of the festival) has worked to make the festival achieve its growth by presenting great talents from the world of rock, jazz, blues, and folk into the town of Clinton. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers such as Levon Helm of the Band, Dickey Betts of The Allman Brothers Band, Andy Summers of the Police, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna, multi-platinum record selling artists like Chris Barron of The Spin Doctors, and Grammy Award nominees like Buckwheat Zydeco have enjoyed the top levels of music industry success. However, they have all agreed to perform at the Black Potatoe Music Festival because they understand the importance of an event that gives independent music a piece of the spotlight that they have enjoyed as mainstream artists.
The People - From near and far, music loving, and loyal
In the past eleven years the Black Potatoe Music Festival has grown tremendously. Every year the attendance of the festival increases. In 2007 close to 3000 people enjoyed 200 plus musicians on two stages over four days. Attendees from Hunterdon, Warren, Somerset, and Morris counties, as well as many other reaches of New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New England and states as far as Texas, Florida, California, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina and many more. The demographic ranges from families, to young professionals, college students and retirees. The most common denominator of all attendees is that they come to enjoy a weekend of music, food, and atmosphere in the great outdoors. The Black Potatoe Music Festival encompasses a widespread, affluent, and educated demographic of people.
The Buzz - How we do it and what they say
The diversity of the festival's attendees is achieved through our extended promotion, advertising, and media coverage of the event. Every year new avenues of promotion are taken to match planned expansion. These range from partnerships with local radio stations, email marketing, print publicity, and street promotion. The festival has received features and press from The New York Times, The Star Ledger, The Courier News, Rolling Stone on-line and dozens more publications.
- It isn't a folk festival or a blues festival.
Call it "a real gumbo of American Music"
-Levon Helm, New York Times July 7, 2002
-"The Sundance of Music Festivals..."
-New York Times, 2006
The Team - Local, passionate, professional, and responsible
Begun by a lifelong Clinton resident who still live within 15 miles of the site, the Black Potatoe Music Festival is truly a native of Clinton, Hunterdon County, and New Jersey. We are as passionate about great music and its impact on people and life as we are passionate about sharing that gift with our community. We are a staff of professional people who have worked in many different aspects and levels of the music industry, hospitality, event planning and production businesses. We realize what responsibilities there are to both the attendees and the artists for a safe and enjoyable experience as well as the impact such an event has on the town and community at large.
The Goal - Why we do it and why it is important
As an independent record label, Black Potatoe Records has directed the festival to spotlight not only its own talent roster, but to bring together local, regional, and nationally renowned musical acts to Clinton. With the goal of presenting music of all styles, the Black Potatoe Music Festival strives to prove the importance of the great music being made beyond just what Rolling Stone, MTV, and Top 40 radio is telling us.
Thanks for your continued support and we'll see you in July!
Cheers!
The staff of Black Potatoe
