MISQUAMICUT — Some young, local musicians were starry-eyed Saturday as they awaited the chance to meet one of their artistic influences.
Seventies group Jefferson Starship played at the Fourth Annual Misquamicut Music Festival, along with 1960s acts Quicksilver Messenger Service and Terry Sylvester of The Hollies. Black and White, which performs across New England, also shared the stage with local talents The Beach Band, Far Off Place, Joey Nigrelli and Flav Martin.
Twenty-eight-year-old Nigrelli, of Westerly, said his mother was 19 when she lived in San Francisco during the "Summer of Love." During that time, she dated a keyboardist who introduced the "Moog synthesizer" to a number of acts there, including the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane – the predecessor to Jefferson Starship, though it didn't include all Airplane members. Nigrelli said his mother also lived across the street from Jefferson Airplane members while there.
"It kind of comes full circle to play on the same bill" with some of the members of Jefferson Airplane, said Nigrelli, who performed with friend Zach Dustin, 34. His mother, however, missed the show; she lives in Austin, Texas.
Nigrelli wasn't the only artist with a connection to the band. One of the producers of the original Woodstock festival – where Jefferson Airplane played – is coaching the Charlestown-based trio, Far Off Place.
Brothers Jay Gardner, 22, and Tim Gardner, 20, said they had sent a demo shortly after forming five years ago to their father's friend and Woodstock planner Artie Kornfeld. Shortly after, Kornfeld recorded some songs with the Gardners and band member Jim Burns, 21, who said Kornfeld was intrigued by their songwriting. Jay Gardner said they write about topics from love to the environment to war.
The trio said they were all looking forward to meeting Jefferson Starship.
"They're a huge part of classic rock, which is a huge part of our influence," Jay Gardner said.
Burns said Kornfeld has compared his band to Jefferson Airplane "and it's funny because a couple of years later, we're playing with them."
Despite about 40 years passing since Jefferson Airplane broke into the national music scene, original Airplane member and Starship guitarist Paul Kantner said, "The mystical effect of music on people still fascinates me."
After Saturday's performance, Kantner said the band would move on to Long Island before a tour in England – but he enjoyed the Misquamicut atmosphere.
"I like these little beach towns like this," he said.
Festival producer Caswell Cooke Jr., the Westerly councilman who performed with The Beach Band, said he used Woodstock 1969 as an inspiration for Saturday's event, the kickoff for Governor's Bay Day. Today, parking is free at state beaches, with some hosting special events.
Cooke, who noted he has worked with Sylvester, said the festival was an opportunity to meet "legends" such as Jefferson Starship and make friends.
Baby-boomers filled most of Saturday's crowd, though children and older music listeners also attended. And for some attendees, it was their first time at the festival.
Some, such as Karen and Manny Carualho of Warwick, discovered the festival after spending a day at Misquamicut State Beach. Manny Carualho said he has seen Jefferson Airplane before and was looking forward to Starship.
Nora and Bob Tolins of Cranston were alerted about the concert from
Whofish.org, which e-mails event listings in New England.
"It's great, very nostalgic," Nora Tolins said. Her husband said he used to frequent concerts when he attended college. In addition to Jefferson Starship, they said they wanted to see Quicksilver Messenger Service, another band that originates from the San Francisco music scene.