Singin' the Blues: Red Hook Music Festival Postponed

With an earthquake shaking things up earlier this week, and now Hurricane Irene heading furiously toward us, it's been a crazier week than usual for New Yorkers. 

The storm threatens to mess up all our plans for the weekend, but the show must go on – the first annual Red Hook Star-Revue Music Festival, that is.

Delayed but not canceled, the festival is definitely still happening and is only been postponed until September 18th.

The first annual Red Hook Star-Revue Music Festival is organized by local entrepreneur, musician and Red Hook Star-Revue founder and editor George Fiala.

The Festival, which will still be held at the Urban Meadow on Van Brunt and President (or at 101 Union Street in case of questionable weather) will feature "something for everybody" – there will be seven local indie, rock, country, blues and jazz acts, unlimited refreshments, and raffle prizes.

Queens-born and Brooklyn-bred Fiala is somewhat of a force of nature himself, having come from humble beginnings.

Once operating his mailing business out of a tiny storefront in Boerum Hill, Fiala quickly becoming a success story during a time where Boerum hill was notorious for being a not-so-nice neighborhood.

Since then, he's moved quite a few times, but business has grown steadily. In 1998, he relocated his company Select Mail to Court and Nelson streets, where he enjoyed a space large enough for two storefronts. When opened up, it introduced a lot more foot traffic – and skyrocketing rents. Fiala decided it would be in his best interest to move yet again, this time to Red Hook.

Fiala quickly grew fond of the neighborhood, and felt there was only one thing missing – a local paper. 

"I fell in love with Red Hook," said Fiala, "and this is a pretty nice place for there not to be a newspaper.” 

So in 1998, Fiala moved to 101 Union Street, where he's been ever since. In June 2010, the Red Hook Star-Revue was born.

Now the paper has a musical cousin – the annual Red Hook Star-Revue Music Festival.

The Revue is Fiala's baby. 101 Union, with its eagle-bedecked brick and marionette adorned stage, is another prized project where local musicians can have an impromptu jam session at the Thursday night Star Theater Open Jam. The fridge is always stocked with beer for guests and of course, the mail house equipment still lives there.

He originally ran the paper as a one man show, but by mid-2011 the paper had a full staff.

Fiala was hanging out with a lot of musicians at 101 Union at the Open Jam, as well as teaching himself how to play drums. Fiala says after creating the Red Hook Star-Revue, establishing an annual music festival seemed like the next logical step.

The festival was inspired by this newfound sense of community, love of music, and the company of his staff and fellow musicians.

"It made me think a newspaper can have a music festival," he said.

The event will be emceed by cartoonist and South Brooklyn native Vince Musacchia. $10 admission buys everything, including as much pizza and as many hot dogs as you can eat.

Fiala cites Neil Young and Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts as personal influences, and has received praise at live shows by young fans for the band's original songs. 

But what's most deeply influencial for Fiala goes beyond the music. It's being among the company of friends, always creating, always learning, always looking forward – something that should be celebrated, rain or shine.

“I'm turning into a grown-up, is what I am," said Fiala. "Well, not really a grown up, but more of a grown-up than I was.”

The First Annual Red-Hook Star Revue Music Festival has been moved to Sunday, September 18. It starts at noon and goes until 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit the public Facebook event page.