PorchRokr is a Highland Square staple. It’s a time for bands from all over the region to play on porches, stages, bar patios and everything in between.
The annual musical event in Akron — held this year on Saturday, Aug. 16 — showcased the importance of live music and supports local bands. It’s a way to unite members of the community through its rotating location and inclusion of a variety of Highland Square neighbors.
It’s about how music brings us together, how we can experience joy, heartbreak and every human emotion under the sun. There’s bound to be some sort of magic in that.
At its core, PorchRokr is more than just a music festival. It’s about people uniting for something good. It’s about a community that will come together to make anything happen, because it’s scrappy, it’s stubborn and it’s resilient.
That’s how we arrive at this month’s Words on the Street recommendations. While, of course, music is central, so are community, friendship and, above all, perseverance.
‘They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us’ by Hanif Abdurraqib
Hanif Abdurraqib is unlike any other writer I’ve encountered. This collection of essays ties together the universal qualities of music, including how it seeps into every part of our lives and shapes our experiences. Abdurraqib writes about how this backdrop can be a good thing, as well as the parts that are not as ideal. This includes thinking about race and how, given current events, concerts may not be a safe space for people of color to gather.
Fall Out Boy, Bruce Springsteen, Carly Rae Jepsen and My Chemical Romance are just a few of the bands highlighted in this collection. Plus, Abdurraqib is from Ohio, and he highlights the Midwest throughout this collection.
‘The Akron Sound: The Heyday of the Midwest’s Punk Capital’ by Calvin C. Rydbom
Akron has always been a city that thrives off of achieving what others say is impossible. Its music scene is no different. This comprehensive historical collection shows how well-known bands that originated in Akron got their start, including Devo, the Waitresses, the Rubber City Rebels and others. Together, these groups created a signature genre that would be later dubbed “The Akron Sound,” known for a style between bluegrass and punk and the attitude tied to it: defiance against the mainstream music scene.
Rydbom chronicles how the Akron groups’ fame extended outside the Midwest and even internationally. He also discusses how these groups were supported locally. They had their own recording studio, Bushflow Studios, used by a number of local bands and label, Clone Records. They even had their own bars where they could perform. The spirit of support for local artists continues for PorchRokr today.
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev’ by Dawnie Walton
This novel tells the story of a famous (and fictitious) Afropunk rock ‘n’ roll duo from the ‘70s, their rise to fame, and their tumultuous breakup. While Nev is cool, calm and collected, it’s the headstrong and fearless Opal who steals the show.
If you’ve read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s “Daisy Jones & The Six” and enjoyed the oral history-style storytelling, I urge you to pick this up. Walton takes this style and turns it up a notch, adding tons of suspense and social commentary regarding the consequences of standing up for what you believe in. Walton really nails the 1970s atmosphere and setting of this book.
‘How to Be a Rockstar’ by Lisa Tolin
Music has no age limit, and neither does being a rock star. Here, we follow a young girl who yearns to take the stage. She throws herself into achieving this dream. This includes her little brother and her stuffies, whom she recruits to join her band. There’s even a stalk of broccoli that she uses as an audience member. Along the way, she teaches us very important lessons, like the fact that anything can be an instrument — even a toilet paper roll.
This children’s book highlights the joy of music and imagination — and it is just hysterical. The vibrant illustrations and blunt voice of our narrator really highlight the tongue-in-cheek humor of this story.
