Culture
Diamond Music Festival Returns For 18th Year
By: Emily Votaw
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For Brenda Walker and a slew of other local musicians, this weekend is going to be a very special one. Friday marks the official kick off of the 18th annual Diamond Music Festival, which brings together dozens of regional acts for a two-day musical extravaganza at the scenic Izaak Walton Clubhouse in Logan.
“This festival is all about embracing Southeast Ohio original music, because there is so much of that beautiful music out here,” said Nick Collura, owner of the Insea Sound Shop and general coordinator of the festival.
The event itself has grown over the course of almost two decades from a small shindig outside of Collura’s sound shop to a larger event that still focuses on musicians who have developed their talents through the culture of the Insea Sound Shop.
Walker, who decided to take up guitar under Collura’s tutelage in 2012, will play her third Diamond Music Festival on Saturday.
“I just happened into the shop one day and asked if there was anybody who could give me guitar lessons,” said Walker. “When I first started, I couldn’t play much and I couldn’t sing at all. After a few months, Nick said ‘are you ever gonna sing?’ So, I came in the next week and barely made any noise, I was that shy. But I’ve gotten past that and Nick has built confidence up in me to the point that I can get up in front of people and play my songs now.”
Walker will release her first full length, entitled Goosebumps, at this year’s festival.
She is one of many students who have benefitted from Collura’s patient encouragement.
“Every year the Sound Shop All Stars play first thing on Saturday, and those are the youth and the good folks just getting started with their music here at the shop,” said Collura. “One thing that is so unique about this festival is that all the bands are local, so they know each other and while one is playing on the stage, there are members of another band on the side of the stage, sort of giving them a pep talk. There is a real commraderie with the groups around here.”
“Nick has had lots of his students grow up and come and play on that stage,” said Walker.
Collura said that those in attendance to the festival, as well as those playing on stage throughout the event, are quite a diverse group.
“We’ve got all types of music, from bluegrass to metal on stage,” said Collura. “And we’ve got people primitive camping throughout the weekend and families and young people who are swimming in the lake and throwing Frisbees and having fun with that sort of thing.”
Collura emphasized that just because live music is an element of the weekend, the Diamond Music Festival is a family friendly event.
“This isn’t one of those festivals with drinking sailors or anything, you know, you can bring your own beverage, but it’s family event,” said Collura. “The real heart and soul of this event has always been about embracing local music. We’ve always kept the acts that play it in the area; we haven’t been trying to bring in some type of fancy pants band to headline it, we do our own thing.”
The schedule for the festival is as follows:
Friday, July 29
Chazamatazz
Mr. Paul Waltz
Aubree Riley
Blues Cowboys
Five Foot Forward
Appalachian Hillside Revolution
Trip Dog
Saturday, July 30
Sound Shop All Stars
Megan Bee
Scott & Audie
The Band Riff Street
Unmonumental
Amethystone
Cassette & 45
Apple & The Moon
Galactic Asphalt Co.
Without Papers
The Diamond Music Festival takes place July 29 and July 30 at the Izaak Walton Clubhouse, located on Blosser Road in Logan. Gates open on Friday at 2 p.m. and the music will start shortly after at 3:45 p.m. Music starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Daily admission at the gate to the festival is $5 and children under the age of 12 are free. Free parking and primitive camping is provided. Food and craft vendors will also be on site. For more information, call 740-753-4784 or visit the event’s Facebook page.
