Students performing at the Anchorage Folk Festival last month. These performances are always tricky given that everyone is just returning from the winter holiday and there’s not much time to practice, that doesn’t stop these guys though! I love how the folk fest nurtures first time performers in a casual atmosphere. It provides an opportunity for those family kitchen jams to get out of the house and onto a beautiful amplified stage; if nothing else for the performers to take that first step in tightening their chops, sharing and performing music. I hope these performances encourage more first-time family and friend bands to grace the stage, it’s a great first goal for organized musical projects.