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About
Join us Sunday
January 11th, at the Moriches Community Center where we kick off the 2026
season by welcoming five new-to-us acts to our stage. We make available a
comfortable listening space and provide a home for original acoustic music,
supporting live, local, singer/songwriters, both established performers and
emerging artists. Original music performed by its creator is something extra
special. These five local acts will share their original music, including one
older and one newer composition. This spectacular lineup includes Toby Tobias,
Christie Baker, Erik Semo, Greg McMullen and Joe Vignola with the Barflies to
our stage.
Born and raised in
Johannesburg, South Africa, Toby has immersed himself in many genres of
American Music while never leaving behind his roots in the rhythms and melodies
of his homeland. His keen ear for intuitive arrangements is a hallmark of his
writing and performance, and he has garnered a strong following on Long Island
and in the tri-state area. Toby is excited to be bringing his brand of original
music to the ears of Long Island listeners, both as a solo singer/songwriter,
as well as the bandleader of The Toby Tobias Ensemble, performing with some of
Long Island’s best and most accomplished musicians.
Christie Baker
is a long-time singer-songwriter-open mic performer from Long Island. She says
her favorite things to write about are love, nature, magic, fun and whimsy. Her
CD called “Moonlight Gypsy” is out and available, and she has another in the
works. She has played in The Swamp
Mamas, Moonlight Gypsy Caravan, The Dainty Ducks and The Dust Bunnies from the
80’s till now. Check out her channel on YouTube: Christie Baker’s Original
Songs and Videos. You can contact her at [email protected] and
Christie Baker on Facebook.
You may have
seen Erik Semo at Bradstock or People’s Pub lately, and we are excited to have
him joining us at Folkie Fest. Erik Semo cut his teeth as a songwriter as a
young man in the San Francisco Bay Area working with the likes of Dave
Immergluck and Steve Bowman of Counting Crows as well as Rob Wasserman, Aiden
Hawken, and new young producer Jaquire King.
Erik released some of his material on albums by Highwater Rising and Viv
and toured the US extensively during the 90’s and early 2000’s. While Erik has a love for and draws from
many different genres, his songwriting is reflective of traditional
Americana.
Gregory James Elroy
McMullen is a very talented musician, and plays from one end of the island to
the other. He is a New York based multi-instrumentalist. Primarily a guitarist
and sideman that prides himself on an ability to morph, adapt, and add unique
color and texture to disparate musical situations. Greg is stepping out as a
solo performer, forging his own sonic path here on our stage.
Finally, we
welcome the Barflies, includin a Folkie Fest friend, Shecky Tom Davis
performing with this Acoustic Quartet. The Barflies showcases the songs written
by Joe Vignola .The group members are Joe Vignola, Bob Laino, Mitch Erdman
& Shecky Davis. This is certain to be an exciting performance.
The doors open at 1:30,
music starts at 2.
