Maybe it’s just me getting older, but the idea of spending hundreds of dollars to be packed into a music festival that is more about the outfits people are wearing than the bands performing gets less appealing all the time. That’s why I’m so glad that the people behind Hillstock, Clinton Hill’s very own annual music festival, created a non-profit showcase of local music that is fun, relaxed and affordable. This is the fifth year of the fest, and there will be five shows featuring dozens of acts, including headliner Paleface, spread out over the weekend. A few other bands of note are the about-to-hit-the-big-time Saintseneca, Hasidic hardcore punk rockers Moshiach Oi! and Riot of Spring, a punk version of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring performed by a collective of underground musicians. This year Hillstock will also feature a comedy stage, with performances by cable-access cult hit The Chris Gethard Show and the Cocoon Central Dance Team, among many others. In keeping with Hillstock’s mission to promote access and community, tickets to the shows are free or very cheap and are not sold in advance. Best of all, a weekend pass to everything–which also gets you great deals at local shops–is just $20 at the door. –KH
