One of the most exciting things about PorchFest is getting to know the performers – not just their genres or influences, but how they feel about community because this isn’t just a music festival, it’s a community-building event.
Let’s start with MADELINE – Solo Act – Jazz/Blues/Opera
Bio: Madeline McNeill is a singer/songwriter who combines a variety of music genres including jazz, blues, and opera to craft her unique performances in and around Spokane. She studied opera at Western Washington University and has since become a writer, philosopher, and a musician with a passion for playing music in a variety of spaces from the porch to the campfire to the concert hall.
Talk to us a bit about community, about yourself as an artist, and about PorchFest, please…
“I love the idea of playing live music in spaces were music is not normally played. Music inspires a range feelings, and put in a new space, can effectively break up blandness and breathe new life. I used to busk downtown and in front of businesses because it was fun to break the boring bustle of people striving to get to the next destination. I’d play and an adult would smile and fall in step with the rhythm. Kids would dance. Playing on porches evokes the same feeling for me. I see Porchfest as a gentle revolution against the monotonous culture of living in a quiet neighborhood where people don’t know who lives next door. Playing on porches gets everyone outside and celebrating the shared space where people live their lives, together.”